So Much For Resting (Invite Only)

Conner laid in bed, shirtless, wearing comfortable sleeping pants staring at the ceiling. The house was warm, despite the snow outside, and he was thankful for the heating charm and heater being put all around the house.

Merlin things got bad. He was definitely not used to these kinds of Christmases. The whole dinner was definitely not something that he liked at all. The food was delicious, and it was a serious shame that they didn't get to enjoy it more; he wasn't one that would stuff his face when everyone was eating so little. So he tried to fill himself as much as he could without being too obvious. Now he lay in bed his stomach bothering him, and the quiet bothering him too.

Ben was across from him in the room in his own bed but neither of them were talking. It was too awkward to really talk. Basically shit had hit the fan immediately as Tess and Ben had walked in. He figured Ben was tired, and neither of them were too talkative to begin with. He closed his eyes wanting to try to go to bed, that is until the knocking began.

Lifting his head confused, he got up and walked to the door. Not even bothering to cover himself, he opened the door and blinked a few times as a candle blinded him immediately. Blinking a few times, he was surprised to see a shorter individual in front of him, a small annoyed from on her face was enough for him to know who it was. He covered his chest, feeling awkward at the fact that he was caught shirtless. He glared and leaned against the doorframe.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Shut up" she mumbled.

A snort was all he got and then the candle was blown out. The darkness made him blink harder trying to get used to this again. He was already annoyed; very annoyed.

"Do I have to explain this to you?" she said quietly, "Come on stupid, she's waiting for you in the room."

He felt her hands on his back and he flinched forward, and in a moment he realized he was pushed out of the room. He was about to call out and she popped her head out again.

"Don't come back till morning, you owe me" and slammed the door behind her.

Now he stood there in the hallway, blinking a few times trying to get used to the fact that he was just kicked out of his room and was pushed to Rhian's. Well he wasn't going to complain was he?

Ben barely said anything through dinner, only answering when asked a direct question. After that, as they all parted ways, he was silent. On the outside, it may have appeared that he was the chastised, repentant intruder to the family holiday. But inside...

"I'm marrying him!" Over and over and over again. It was like a constant drumming through his mind, in the background of every thought. Beating against his heart above the clank of silverware on plates. Hell, she probably thought he was sick or something, the way he'd barely noticed anything around him, starring down at his plate most of the time.

Even now, as he slowly unbuttoned his cuffs and shirt, pulling it off and throwing it across the back of a chair, his mind was miles away. He didn't even notice a knocking on the door, or Conner's absence, so caught up in the reeling snippets of thoughts milling about. It wasn't until he turned towards his bed, towards the door between the two beds, that he stopped dead in his tracks.

He froze. As if caught with his hand in the goodie jar, he was stuck to the spot. Tess was the exact same girl that had picked him up from his flat mere hours ago, the same girl that had fought with her brother downstairs. But now...she was someone new. The girl he'd proposed to - in the spur of the moment, yes, but no less honest and meaningful. The girl who had announced in front of the people she loved that she would...that they were...that...

Slowly, as if in a trance, he moved towards her. His had reached up to brush at her cheek lightly, taking her in. He still felt as if in a dream. But he didn't want to wake.

Tess let out a wicked grin as she effectively locked Conner out of the room. That poor simpleton, sometimes it was just too easy. She couldn't see what Rhian saw in him, well...she could but not necessarily her type at all. Shrugging she walked towards the room taking it all in. Two beds, twins, very apart from one another, it made her amused at the fact that they were both stuck here. Walking towards the bed, she took him in. He was sleeping she assumed by the fact that he wasn't moving. That is until his eyes were on her in a flash.

She let out a shy smile; they hadn't spoke since the awkward situation she had put them in. She knew that she had spoken a lot for the pair of them and had spoke of marriage when they had both agreed later. It had been a spare of the moment kind of thing, and she was a bit embarrassed to out them.She wanted to apologize to him, but as he moved forward, she smiled softly as his hands were close to her. Her hands went to his chest and she relaxed knowing that everything was okay based on his expression.

Laughing softly she leaned up and kissed his cheek softly, confused why he was staring at her so deeply, but nonetheless thrilled to finally be alone with him. Rubbing his chest softly she hummed softly.

"Happy to see me hm?" she murmured.

Every bit of him wanted to just ask her. Wanted to find out why, when, how. Wanted to analyze every second of her shouted ramblings downstairs, to peel back the anger and find the gold underneath. But he was afraid. Afraid to ask, in case she took it back somehow.

Her hands on his chest brought him down to earth slightly, as he found his voice again. "You could say that." His words were slightly raspy, from so little use tonight, but it only made his voice deeper.

Pulling her close, his hand on her cheek wove into the hair at the nape of her neck, the other at her waist gently. The soft material of her dress sent a thrill through him as he remembered thinking about it the whole time they were preparing to meet her family. Even though he'd mentioned her wearing something warmer, that dress...well, he wondered if her brother's fears were a bit foreboding.

A soft kiss to her forehead, Ben tried to push those thoughts from his mind. He'd told himself he'd never push her into anything. Ever. He'd been manipulated in ways he never wanted to have her experience. A slave to his own young urges. No, he'd protect her, even if it was from himself.

Focusing on her instead, he pressed his forehead to hers. "I'm sorry about the night not going...well. I...I never meant to cause such a fuss," he frowned slightly.

Tess had to admit that having him pull her close never ceased to thrill her. His hands wrapping her close was enough for her to take him in. They weren't ever in a room by themselves, never having to truly sneak because something was forbidden as it was now. There was a small thrill in her at the thought of sneaking to see him, and her cheeks warmed at the thought of it.

It was embarrassing to think that her brother thought that she'd obviously already lost her innocence to the man that was holding her close. She had thought about it multiple times, never asking Rhian if she had for the sheer impropriety of it all. Sex was not something girls spoke about, especially not girls like her, but...she understood at this very moment, in his disheveled look why her brother had those fears.

But as he kissed her forehead, something in her wilted, and she chastised herself for even feeling it. He was being a proper gentleman, and there she was displeased at the fact he wasn't mauling her? Stupid. Shaking her head she wrapped her arms around his neck and swayed a bit, happy to have him all to herself.

"I'm sorry about the night not going...well. I...I never meant to cause such a fuss," he frowned slightly.

"Don't" she whispered softly and smiling softly, as their foreheads were pressed, "you know I've never been more sure that I want you with me more than today. You're worth everything that happened you know? You stood up to him...no one has ever done that, and I...I'm so impressed" she purred softly, "very impressed Mr. Watson."

Ben's eyebrow rose as she shook her head slightly. He would ask, but she simply smiled and seemed to set whatever thought it was aside. Instead, she replied.

"Want you beside me". Oh, how he wanted to hear something more than that. Yes, he should just accept that as a step forward for them, that she was acknowledging wanting him in her life. But there was that lingering doubt that he'd had since that day in his flat. The fact that she wasn't his. Not really. Not in all the ways that he wanted her.

But he couldn't focus on those right now. Her tone may be light, but his was more serious. "Of course I did. You think I'd let you take all of that on your own?"

He couldn't help it then, as his hand moved down to her jaw, tilting her face up to his so he could kiss her properly. It was slow, easy. Barely pulling back after a few kisses, his breath ghosted against her lips. "I want you, Tess. And I intend to have everyone understand that. Hell, I'd shout it from the rooftops if you'd let me." He smirked lightly before kissing her again.

"Of course I did. You think I'd let you take all of that on your own?"

Tess sighed softly as he spoke those words to her. Despite her wanting to keep the tone light, he was very much serious. And she still found that endearing; it was rare when they could actually be light and playful, very rare and still she realized it was just who they were. They could never become like Rhian and Conner that were so light about everything. Ben was an intensive personality, yet around her he tended to soften up, something that made her love him all the more, especially as he was so selfless and heroic.

She figured that he didn't even realize how attractive that was to her, him standing up for people that were against them, without fear and still remain respectful and keep control. But as his lips began to cover her own, she sighed softly, never getting tired of each kiss they shared. Their languid kisses made her cling to him tighter, to keep her feet firmly placed on the floor. This was a bit different, and as he pulled away, annoyance grew in her when he did so. Bad timing to pull away, definitely a bad time.

"I want you, Tess. And I intend to have everyone understand that. Hell, I'd shout it from the rooftops if you'd let me."

Forcing her eyes to flutter open, Tess looked up at him and her cheeks reddened at the smirk on his face. She definitely enjoyed when he took control over the pair and she barely had the chance to answer him before he was back to kissing her. She'd realized that when they were on good terms, slowly their kisses progressed from light to more intensive ,that left her hot and bothered and embarrassed. She tugged his hair when and nipped him softly before pulling back to breathe.

"No need to be so gallant" she breathed out, "how about you let me borrow something to wear and we can do this...not standing up." her gaze left his looking towards the bed, "How does that sound?"