Written as part of Valkubus Week on Tumblr for Day 1 - Declaration of Love, so I guess you already know which direction this is going to take. Set sometime after Season 4 so if you haven't seen it and don't know what happens this will be spoilery. Otherwise, enjoy!

They had been sat in silence for too long. It was eating away at her. Ever since Kenzi had… ever since… since she had closed the portal, there had been silence. It had been between everyone but she felt it the most between her and Tamsin. If anyone ever had something to say in a situation no matter how harsh or blunt, it was Tamsin. But now there was just silence. The Dal hadn't been open to the general fae population since it had all happened, Trick said it was because this was a time for mourning, which was true, but Bo suspected more than anything it was because he didn't have the heart to look out across the bar, expecting the little human girl with no brain-to-mouth filter, who had quickly become not only Bo's heart but the heart of everyone around them, to be there only to find an empty seat in her place. There would be no voice demanding he hand over his most expensive bottle of vodka, sounding mildly offended that she still had to ask even after all these years, and spouting off reasons why he should clear her tab. The emptiness of the room wasn't helping the gaping hole in Bo's chest. If there were people here maybe she could pretend that things were normal, even though they didn't feel it.

She took a final sip of her drink and set it down on the counter, the clack sound it made filling up the whole room. She got up to leave and of course, Tamsin followed without a word across the desolate parking lot and into the car where they sat in silence with the tension building all the way back to the clubhouse. Tamsin had stayed over every night, no one questioned it.

Bo sighed and haphazardly threw her bag down on the kitchen counter; Tamsin followed in behind her and stood awkwardly watching. This was ridiculous, it couldn't go on forever. If Kenzi saw them right now she'd knock their heads together and lock them in a room until they figured out something to say. There had to be something to say, she could feel it building between them, neither particularly wanting to vocalise it. She just didn't expect it to be what she actually said:

"Is there something going on between you and Dyson?" Bo finally blurted out.

Tamsin didn't flinch, it wasn't in her nature, but she looked taken aback nevertheless. Their eyes met and the blonde raised a brow in the sort of slow, smooth motion that forced Bo's attention to it, letting her know how ridiculously jealous she sounded. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Bo spluttered. She hadn't planned this confrontation very well. "I mean, tell me I'm crazy but I've seen those looks between you two and he carried you home for Christ's sake. What am I supposed to think?"

"Maybe that he's a gentle-wolf-man? I don't know Bo, I'd say 'you tell me' but it seems like you've already jumped to your own conclusions." A sour laugh came from Tamsin's lips. "And why would you care if there was something going on between us? Because you love him so much? Please, you throw him aside every time something better comes along so spare me the crap. You're like a child. You don't want him but nobody else can have him either, am I right?"

It was Bo's turn to stand there in shock for a moment. She wanted to say that things had been over between her and Dyson for such a long time and she wished everyone would just shut up about it but then Tamsin would know who it was she really couldn't bear to see with anyone else, and Bo wasn't sure she was ready for that. Instead her brain went into defensive mode. "That's rich coming from you," she spat back, "at least I know how to love. Have you even had a meaningful relationship with anyone since you got here?" It wasn't what she'd meant to say, she wanted to explain somehow without actually saying the words, to try and diffuse the situation she hadn't mean to cause in the first place, but Tamsin always managed to infuriate her to the point where the fight in her really exposed itself. To anyone else it wouldn't have seemed healthy by any means but there was something refreshing about being able to yell at someone, to get everything off your chest and somehow know they wouldn't think any less of you for it. It wasn't an excuse to do so but every so often, especially at times like this, it was just what a person needed; to scream at someone who understood.

"Don't you dare tell me I don't know how to love. I may be a Valkyrie, I may have been taught to be guarded and cold and I am not going to apologise for that but you know how I felt about Kenzi, Bo. It may not have been the romantic type of relationship you're referring to but I loved her. That girl was the closest thing to family I have ever had, even more so than Acacia. And you know what else? Me and Dyson slept together, not that it's any of your business," she took a step closer to Bo at that point who was stood speechless as she listened to the blonde say more than she had in weeks. As much as Bo didn't want to listen to it, she knew she had to let Tamsin keep going. They needed to get this over with; they needed to remember how to feel something.

"I slept with Dyson and it meant nothing. He's my work partner and I love him too, but not like that, not how you think." Her voice had toned down, no longer shouting but it had the same impact. "How could I when…" she trailed off and smiled to herself sadly, as if whatever it was she wasn't saying was eating her alive and also what was keeping her there. A cruel joke of the universe she wished she didn't have to bear.

Maybe she didn't any more.

"Tamsin, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things. I know you've had meaningful relationships and not just with Kenzi, with all of us. You've been part of our messed up family since you first stepped foot through my bedroom door whether you've known and liked it or not."

Tamsin was shaking her head at Bo's words and Bo wanted nothing more but to reach out and hold her. She always had an urge to keep her safe and protect her, not that she really needed it. If anyone could handle themselves in this world, again it would be Tamsin. Hell, she had been a part of it for long enough. She took a step closer to Tamsin but something kept her from extending her arm and touching her cheek, ready to catch the tears she was trying so hard to prevent from falling. Now wasn't the time for gentle touches and sweet words. Instead, her eyes looked deep into the woman across from hers, pleading, for what she didn't know.

Tamsin looked down at the floor and caught her bottom lip between her tongue and her teeth in an attempt to school her features. Bo's breathing hitched as she followed the movement and murmured her name.

Tamsin rolled her eyes as she looked up again. "God, why do you care so much?" She shrieked so loudly it was painful. Her words and expression mirrored those of the time at Taft; before she had taken a bullet for Bo, only now it was even worse.

"Because," Bo hesitated, "I just do."

"That's not good enough, Bo, it's not a reason!"

Bo's heart pounded in her chest and she began to take deep breaths, regular ones were too difficult at this point. This was it. This was what had really been building between them; it had to come out now whether she was ready or not. She could feel the prickle in her throat and the panic in the pit of her stomach but she had to say it, she had to get it out.

"Because I love you," Bo cried. "I'm in love with you, Tamsin. I care because you've stood by me through so much and I can only hope that one day I'll be able to do the same for you in return. You're the person who believed in me when I had no one else left to turn to. You've shown me that I can be brave and afraid and tough and vulnerable all at once, that I can be so much more than what people think I am or expect me to be. You make me feel calm and safe and at the same time you infuriate me so much that I just, you just, God!"

Tamsin smiled at her, eyes glistening. There was no way Bo could finish her trail of thought after that, instead she simply ended with a frustrated growl and took a final step to close the gap between them, reaching up to press her lips against the Valkyrie's. This time, 'just' was good enough.

Tamsin's hands immediately closed around the Succubus's face, as they had many times before, holding her close. Bo kissed her hard, trying to pour all the emotions she couldn't express through words into it. She wrapped her arms around Tamsin's middle, pressing her hands against her back, a sense of pride surging through her as she felt the ridges from the scars where Tamsin's wings would be. She could feel Tamsin's smile growing against her mouth and smiled in return as she sucked on her upper lip and ran her tongue across it. Tamsin responded by dragging her teeth across her bottom lip before drawing her in.

They had kissed plenty of times but Bo couldn't help but think that this time had to be the best. It wasn't like when Bo had tasted Tamsin's chi when she had felt happy and relieved, almost at peace even but then that moment hadn't been like this one. That had been purely about the frustration, the feed, the determination. This time it was about them coming together when they needed each other, being open and honest and finally exposing their hearts.

Bo groaned when Tamsin pulled away but thankfully she didn't go far. She looked down at the brunette, her eyes flashing uncontrollably between brown and blue. She let out a breathy laugh. "I love you too," she told the Succubus sweetly.

Thank you for taking the time to read! Please REVIEW if you liked it. Unlike other fanfiction authors I won't offer you cookies or any treats as a reward, I'd probably poison you with my cooking so I'm doing you a favour really. I try to respond to all the reviews and messages I get but obviously I can't if you're a guest so I hope you know how much I appreciate you. Don't be shy!

Links to my Tumblr and YouTube etc. are on my profile if you want to see my contributions for the other Valkubus Week days.