Bits and Pieces

Prompt courtesy of staring out on livejournal.
Title: The List
Characters/Pairing: JJ/Reid
Genre: Romance, Friendship, Humor
Rating: K+
Summary: "Give me several good reasons as to why you won't marry me."

#1: Write about seven reasons to turn down a marriage proposal

"Do you want to get married?"

The question caught JJ so off guard that she laughed. She and Reid had simply been sitting around her apartment, talking and laughing, when the question just came out of the blue. However, when she saw that he looked a little hurt by her reaction, she stopped laughing. "Oh- you're serious?" She asked, sitting up fully on the couch.

Reid shrugged uncomfortably on the other end of the couch. "Well, I didn't really mean it the way it came out... it was a general question, not really a marriage proposal." He clarified.

"Why, you don't want to marry me?" JJ asked, feigning hurt and attempting not to smile.

"After the reaction I just got?" The other agent replied skeptically. "I'd be stupid to offer."

"No... you just caught me off guard is all."

"Okay, fine. Let's say, for the sake of argument, that I just proposed to you." From previous conversations, Reid knew it was better to simply humor his girlfriend sometimes.

"Then, for the sake of argument, I think I'd have to refuse." JJ replied easily.

"What? Why?" Reid asked incredulously.

"I don't know... It just doesn't seem right." The young woman shrugged.

Reid frowned at her from across the couch and she could see the gears turning in his head. "Give me several good reasons as to you won't marry me." He said finally.

"What?" JJ asked with a surprised laugh. "Several?"

"Yes... say, seven." Reid replied seriously.

"Why seven? Spence, you didn't even really propose to me!"

"One reason isn't really a legitimate reason to decline a marriage proposal unless it's a large problem. Five is simply an over-used number, and 10 is too many. Seven seemed to be a good median. Anyway, I may not have actually proposed to you but I'm still curious as to why you refused."

JJ stared at the man sitting on her couch for a few moments, attempting to decide if he was actually asking her for seven reasons not to get married. Finally, she got up and headed for her desk. "Where are you going?" Reid asked, watching her walk across the room.

"Where do you think? I'm going to make you a list." She told him.

"You don't have to write them down..."

"If I don't, you'll just interrupt me while I'm talking." He opened his mouth to argue, but she spoke over him. "Don't even bother denying it, you and I both know it's true."

Hearing the teasing tone in her voice, Reid settled for a small frown in her direction and then sat back on the couch to wait for her list.

1. Work
2. We haven't been dating very long
3. I'm not sure I want to get married
4. Planning a wedding requires a ridiculous amount of effort
5. You're a genius
6. You didn't ask my parents
7.

"These are all terrible reasons." Reid said, glancing over JJ's shoulder as she scribbled on a legal pad.

"Spence!" JJ dropped her pen and nudged him with her elbow. "I'm not done yet."

"You're only missing one and the rest aren't good reasons. I believe I asked for good reasons." He said, a smug edge on his voice as he sat down in the chair by her desk.

"These are good reasons to me." JJ resisted the urge to pout slightly.

"JJ, the only legitimate problem on there is the fact that you're not sure you want to get married." He pointed out gently.

"Well, work..."

"If we've made a relationship work this long, I don't think a marriage would be that much harder..." He looked pensive for a moment. "Speaking of which, how does dating for two years not count as being together for that long?"

"Some people are together for much longer before they decide to get married." The excuse sounded a little feeble, even to JJ.

"I think it depends on how long it takes a couple to be comfortable enough to take that step. Most people are, in fact, comfortable doing so after two or three years."

JJ scowled at him and he continued speaking. "If you don't want to plan a wedding, we could have a small one. I could certainly ask your parents if you wanted me to and... what is that supposed to mean?" Reid asked, pointing to number five.

Blushing slightly, JJ shrugged. "I don't know... I keep waiting for you to realize that you want someone as smart as you and not want to be with me anymore."

Reid's look was bordering on flabbergasted before he leaned forward and kissed her soundly. "I don't want someone like me... I want you. Maybe your IQ isn't as high as mine, but I really don't care. You're intelligent, too. You're intelligent and compassionate and beautiful and anything good I can think of..." He was blushing as compliments rolled off his tongue, embarrassed to be baring his heart in such a way, but he looked her in the eye the whole time.

JJ blushed as well and placed a kiss on his lips to silence the flow of speech. When the need for air became necessary, they broke apart and Reid spoke again. "What's the seventh?"

"Hm?" JJ asked, brushing her hair out of her face.

"I asked for seven reasons and I only got six." Reid reminded her.

The blonde looked undecided for a moment before she turned a mischievous look on her boyfriend. "You didn't get down on one knee..."
-/-/-

A/N: Well, here it is. Prompt number one. I'm going to attempt to get through every single prompt on staring out, but considering there are an upwards of 500, I know that may not happen… we'll see. Anyway, I'll update as often as possible. Hope you guys enjoyed this first installment. A review would be wonderful if you fell like it!