warriorborn | (no subject)

[ Waking up to being pinned down by a small, wiry octopus is not a sensation Benedict has often had in his life. Thankfully, all the other details of their situation are enough to keep him at ease — the angle of the light coming in through the window, the smell of the detergent on the sheets, the muffled sound of people bustling about a floor or two below them — so all he does is blink himself awake slowly and let awareness filter in piece by piece.

Kate's hair is caught in his mouth.

Trying to untangle the dark strands from his teeth is an experience he never thought he'd have, but thankfully it's not exactly a difficult task. He just hopes he didn't leave it too damp, otherwise he'll have to explain just what the hell happened.

Although, looking down at her head pillowed on his chest, he wonders if maybe he should make her be the one to explain, because he's not entirely sure how they wound up here. Like this. ]

[ your guess is as good as hers, benedict. she's no more aware of their new compromising position than she is of her own name right now, still sleeping so soundly there's not a peep out of her save for the heavy breathing indicative of someone experiencing what is perhaps the best sleep they've had in weeks.

she stirs finally, but only to burrow her face deeper into his chest, to curl even closer around his side. at this point, will even a fallen meteor wake her? ]

[ This has never happened to him before. Even the twins, who love him the way all younger siblings love their older sibling when there's a large age gap between them — that is, they love him, but they aren't close with him, and they haven't really turned to him for comfort for a very long time — have never fallen asleep with their heads on his chest and clung tighter to him when he shifts beneath them. He's certainly never had a girl he wasn't related to do it.

He's not sure if he should try to wake her, or just let her be.

His bladder makes the decision for him, in the end. Loath as he is to disturb her, some things simply must be attended to, and so after a few minutes of bemusedly staring at the rumpled mess of her hair spread across his chest, he starts to carefully extricate himself so he can steal away to the bathroom and take care of important business.

By that point, he's fully awake so there's no point in trying to go back to bed. So, after washing his hands and brushing his teeth and giving himself a very confused look in the mirror, Benedict creeps back out into the room and out onto the balcony, trying his best to avoid letting too much light splash across the bed, so that he can start on the stretching routine that was engrained into him during his time at the Temple. ]

[ kate can, apparently, sleep like the dead when she allows herself too. benedict is able to remove himself and go about his morning business with hardly a peep from his bedmate, who doesn't even stir until he gets well and full settled into his exercises.

even then her movements are slow, sluggish. like she's forcing herself to do it instead of any actual desire to, feet dragging as she blinks past a curtain of hair to watch his muscles move and stretch in the morning sun.

idly, she licks her lips.

it's only when he notices her back that she greets him. and by "greet him" i mean she croaks out a single word: ]

Coffee.

[ kate is also not a morning person. ]

[ Starting his morning with the slow, measured forms he'd been taught at the Temple is a form of meditation for Benedict, one of the ways he manages to stay calm and grounded even when the world around him is proving to be...difficult. Not that he really cares all that much about what his reputation says, but many people who know him would consider Benedict laid-back and affable, but that doesn't mean he doesn't get stressed and upset the same as anyone else.

Focusing on his breathing and the slow, methodical stretching Brother Vincent had drilled into him helps him get out of his head.

It certainly helps him not think about how nice it felt to wake up to Kate warm and trusting against his side, or how easy it would have been to wrap his arm around her and curl up around her in turn, to tuck his head down against hers and go back to sleep.

Straightening when she makes her one-word request, he can't quite stop himself from huffing a charmed little laugh at her as he steps back into the room. ]

Would you prefer it be brought to the room? [ He's pretty sure that answer is yet. ] You don't quite look ready to brave the outside world just yet.

[ stepping back into the room means stepping back into kate's space. she'd been close enough to the balcony that benedict could walk right into her if he wished. having him this close, sleepy as she still is, kate seems to sway in her spot and nearly tip on over into him. like she'd been pulled into his orbit somehow. fortunately (?) she remains where she is, swaying back upright and lifting a hand to try and rub the sleep out of her eyes. ]

Please.

[ her voice isn't quite nearly so rough now, but it's clear she is only half-alive at this point. ]

[ She sways towards him, her eyes almost closed, and Benedict can't help the way his hands lift to cup her elbows like he's steadying her as she gets herself back upright. He's seen her in the mornings before, but never the moment right after she wakes, and this is a most illuminating experience for him.

It's terribly endearing. ]

Alright, give me a few minutes, I'll go fetch you some.

[ He could probably call to have some member of staff deliver it to their rooms like they're in a hotel or something, but Benedict knows where the kitchens are, and he also knows that all the staff currently on duty are probably busy doing other things and don't need to be called away to get him something he can just as easily get himself. ]

[ a bobbing nod is all benedict gets in response before kate pivots and tumbles back into bed. by the time he returns she will have found her way back under the covers, nothing more than a lump of comforter with only the steady rise and fall of her breathing. she hasn’t fallen back into too deep a sleep though, rousing as soon as she hears benedict walk back into the room.

she peeks her head out from under the covers, blinking blearily at him before her eyes fall down to the things he’s brought along with him. like some kind of bloodhound, her head tips towards him, the smell of coffee wafting into the room. ]

I wasn’t sleeping, [ she announces unconvincingly. slowly she crawls back out from under the comforter, patting her hair back down from the unruly mess its become. she crawls towards the edge of the bed, tucking her legs beneath her. ]

[ It doesn't take him too long to head down to the kitchens, to spend a few minutes talking with the staff and allowing himself to catch up with them while the coffee brews, and soon enough he's retracing his steps back to the blue bedroom with a tray in hand, a small carafe of coffee and a little pitcher of milk joined by the sugar bowl and a plate with some cut-up fruit balanced between two cups just in case she's feeling a tad peckish as well as desperately in need for caffeine.

Benedict may or may not have snagged a sausage roll while he was in the kitchens. Nobody'll be any the wiser, he was careful to wipe away all crumbs of evidence.

Kate is a bleary lump in the bed when he returns, a sight that has him chuckling quietly as he circles the bed and sets the tray down on the bedside table. ]

Of course you weren't, [ he agrees affably, nudging her over for a moment so he can fish through the pillows to locate her hair-tie that worked its way out of her hair in the night. ] Here you go.

[ it takes kate a moment to process that the scrunchie in benedict's hand is, indeed, her scrunchie. that he had somehow remembered she'd had one, when kate herself had been more than content to carry on like the thing never existed. it shouldn't surprise her — he's always been so good at paying attention to details — but for some reason it's sticking with her now.

she must be more in need of caffeine than she thought. ]

Thanks.

[ for the scrunchie, the coffee. the former is set back in her hair, pulling the thick strands out of her face, and the latter she quickly gets to work on downing. she squints around the room, looking for a clock. ]

It's not too late is it? I hope I didn't sleep in...

[ Benedict, occupying himself by peeling a satsuma, just shakes his head when she indirectly asks him for the time. ]

It's only just gone eight. And we're recovering from a transatlantic flight, I wouldn't worry about being tardy today of all days.

[ Setting the little segments of orange back on the tray within her reach, he then sets himself to making himself a cup of coffee. Most days he prefers tea, but first thing in the morning seems a decent enough time for coffee, and he knows the quality of the brew that his aunt keeps stocked in the kitchens is worth straying a little bit outside of his comfort zone. ]

[ kate helps herself to a few pieces of the fruit, but doesn't take more than half so he still has plenty for himself. it's an odd combination, citrus and coffee, but she guzzles them both down like her life very well depends on it. ]

Less worried about being tardy and more worried about making sure we still have time to do something fun before we have to stuff ourselves in our evening wear.

[ she glances past benedict to the closet where she knows the staff have hung the dress she'd brought along for the event. she has no real qualms about it, having chosen it herself, but it hits a little too close to memories of all the formal events she'd been made to attend when she was younger. and had a better relationship with her family.

ah well. recharged now, she starts to look a little bit more alive. ]

I'll be ready to go after I freshen up a bit. We're still driving around, right?

We'll have nearly twelve full hours before the party, I think we'll be able to fit in some sight-seeing.

[ If he had come on his own, Benedict would probably have spent today hiding in the library, or perhaps wandering the hedge maze (like he doesn't have its layout memorized after all these years). He might have convinced himself to visit the Temple at some point, but it's a bit of a drive to get there, and he would have been just as likely to come up with reasons why he couldn't.

Brother Vincent was good to him, and his memories of his time there are mostly rosy, but there's still that niggling sense of shame that comes over him whenever he confronts his failures. It would be one more stressor added onto an already stressful day.

Less stressful now that he's not alone to face it, though. ]

Yes, we'll take a car. I'll even let you drive it at some point. [ Probably. ]

Uh huh, [ comes kate's dry response, because as far as she's concerned her driving is already a given and he's just kidding himself if he thinks he has any say in it.

she finishes up her cup of coffee before slipping off the bed and ducking into the bathroom. by the time she's finished up, dressed and ready, she looks far more presentable than the rumpled mess he'd woken up to. after one last look over herself in the large vanity mirror, she turns back to benedict and holds out her hand, grinning. ]

Alright, showtime. Ready, dear?

[ The rumpled mess he woke up to is charming in and of itself, but Benedict will admit that Kate cleans herself up very nicely when the spirit moves her. She'll still very uniquely American in her style, but he can't tell if that's a purposeful affectation for this trip or if she doesn't realize she's doing it.

No matter.

After his own trip through the bathroom to trim his beard and make sure he also looks presentable, he waits for her to finish her last touches to her outfit before taking her hand when she offers it to him. ]

After you, sweetheart.

[ Two can play at this game, Katie. ]

[ the sweetheart earns benedict a wrinkled nose — not because kate dislikes it, but because she finds she likes it a little too much. as well as how easily it rolls off the tongue for him. not for the first time a little warning bell goes off in kate's mind, reminding her what a bad, bad idea this is, but she ignores it steadfastly in favor of throwing herself headfirst into the bad idea, by way of fluttering her lashes at him and basically mooning over him at every possible second for any wandering eyes that might flit their way.

the car is, of course, gorgeous. kate feels she'd been pretty patient, sitting at the passenger's side throughout the morning tour. they stopped off at a cute cafe to have breakfast and tea, meaning it's nearly well midday by the time they're driving down along the countryside once more. the roads here are a lot less crowded, but not exactly empty. in the sideview mirror kate has been eyeing the same dark blue sedan that's been following them since the city.

she hums to herself a moment, spotting what appears to be a glint of a camera lens.

she turns in her seat to face benedict, leaning across the center console till she's nearly in his space. ]

Okay, is it my turn now?

[ Being left-handed, driving in his native land has always felt especially comfortable for Benedict, considering the gearshift is manipulated by the left hand and these are the roads on which he learned to drive. Not that driving anywhere else is exactly difficult; but still. There's a certain kind of ease he feels driving through winding country roads that he doesn't get anywhere else, and it's probably apparent in his body language as they wind their way through hedgerows and past rolling fields.

All things considered, Kate has been remarkably patient, considering he'd been expecting her to badger him about being allowed to drive from the moment they slid into the leather interior of the little silver car that he'd chosen for today's jaunt.

When she finally broaches the subject, leaning over the armrest and staring intently at him, he flicks his eyes over to her and lifts his eyebrows. ]

I'm not sure... [ He's noticed the car behind them, but charitably assumes it's just someone going the same direction. Whatever it is she's plotting, he's blissfully ignorant. ] Convince me.

[ kate hums at that, something soft and noncommittal. were it any other time, she surely would have jumped at the opportunity to do just that — as she does with all challenges posed to her — but at the moment there's something more pressing to address first.

she leans further still, till her lips are practically brushing against the shell of his ear, her seatbelt straining against her shoulder. ]

Don't be alarmed, [ she says, but in a tone so low she may as well be purring it and isn't that in itself alarming? ] But that blue Toyota's been following us since the city. [ she shifts, one hand slipping up to curl around the one he's got on the gear. ] Pretty sure they're paparazzi.

[ and that's when she tilts her head at him, just enough that he can for sure see the mischievous glint in her eyes. ]

Should we give them a show?

[ Don't be alarmed, she says, and he's instantly on high alert. It isn't helping to have her lean so close into his space, her breath washing down his collar and the smell of her skin impossible to ignore as she practically purrs in his ear. It's only through herculean effort that he resists the urge to shiver, an impulse not helped along at all by the way she curls her hand over his on the gear shift.

He's not entirely sure what she means by that, and he's a little afraid to ask.

The paparazzi have been an annoying fixture in his life since he was a child, though he's fairly certain they've just gotten worse over the last few years. Maybe it's because he's become more interesting as he's become an adult, maybe it's the improvement in technology; whatever the reason, their increasing presence in his life is one of the reasons he dislikes coming home.

All he wants is to live his life without anyone bothering him. Is that too much to ask?

Were he by himself, he might try some evasive driving maneuvers to escape his tail, might seek refuge somewhere the paparazzi couldn't follow, but it's clear that Kate has other ideas.

Easing his foot off the gas a little, he twists his hand beneath hers to give her fingers a squeeze as he nods once. ] Alright.

[ the little squeeze gets one in return, a gesture she hopes conveys to benedict that she intends to keep him in good hands.

it's sweet, the trust he so easily gives her. maybe this time it's fueled mostly by curiosity, but kate knows better than to take it for granted. while she doesn't know all about the hardships benedict's faced, especially here in his own home country, she knows enough that simply being let in like this is a big gesture on his part.

hopefully what she does next doesn't ruin that. ]

Just relax...

[ another purr, another breath, as she leans further in to press a brief, sweet kiss to the high point of his cheek.

pretty tame for a show, isn't it? sadly, kate's only just starting. because in the next second she dips her head to trail another kiss down just under his jaw, and then finally along the side of his neck where she focuses most of her attention, letting her kisses linger and deepen. ]

[ Somehow, perhaps stupidly, Benedict hadn't considered this when Kate offered to put on a show for their tail.

His hand flexes on the steering wheel and she can probably feel a muscle jump in his jaw as she trails a few incredibly distracting kisses down his throat. Thank all the gods that the road ahead is more or less empty, because while Benedict doesn't tear his eyes away from what he's doing, he's certainly paying far less attention to it than he should be. ]

Kate, I'm driving, [ he protests, his voice strangled.

Notice how he doesn't tell her to stop. ]

[ the tone of his voice, the way she can feel that cord of muscle tense along his neck. interesting, very interesting. and very, very distracting in their own right. ]

The roads are clear, [ she dismisses casually, still keeping close so that he can feel her lips move along his skin when she speaks.

she noses his jawline a little. ]

Tilt your head for me.

[ she's on a mission now, and that requires a little more real estate. ]

[ What Benedict should do is pull over in a lay-by at the very least. He really ought to simply tell her to stop, actually, that this is dangerous and if she wants to do something stupid for the paparazzi following them, she shouldn't endanger anyone else in the process.

What Benedict does do is what he's told.

Lifting his chin a little, he angles his head to give her better access to his neck beneath his collar, calling himself a fool the whole time. ]

[ a fool though he may be, but he certainly won't be one with a driving accident under his belt. reckless as she may seem right now, kate is actually paying enough attention that were any cars oncoming she would stop. as it is, this leisurely stroll down a country road is fairly low stakes. and thus could use a bit of excitement.

when he bares his throat for her, she smiles, pressing the form of it into his skin before parting her lips once more. she sets to work on that hickey she'd promised him, making sure to leave it big and dark enough that it'll still be visible well into the evening when those older women eventually make their eyes at him. that, plus the added benefit of giving the press something to really talk about — it's two birds and one stone, isn't it? ]

[ He can't believe he's doing this.

When he asked Kate to come along and pretend to be his girlfriend for the weekend, Benedict had really only thought about the party itself. Standing around in formal wear, maybe dancing together, making small talk with extended family and friends, and then giggling about it all later. He had certainly never pictured having Kate all but crawl into his lap while he's driving so she can nestle her head beneath his chin, all for the purpose of sucking and nibbling a bruise into his skin.

Benedict, perhaps not surprisingly, has never had a hickey in his life. He's certainly never been given one while using heavy machinery. It's highly distracting, pleasure and mild discomfort warring with each other, and gods above, he hopes he can keep himself in check. ]

Kate...