Behind Closed Doors Fic: The Team - Ben POV (2 of 3)
Length: 700 words
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The night before Leslie spreads cream cheese on her phone is not a restful one.
His eyes open suddenly, he springs to life, wondering if he already missed something. No sign of her. He doesn’t sense any warmth from her side of the bed, so he knows she hasn’t just slipped out to the bathroom.
Eventually he finds her on the couch, with her iPad on her lap. Her hair is only a little bit mussed up, so he knows she hasn’t spent much time in bed.
His voice sounds rough in the echoes of the quiet room. “Leslie.”
“I tried, I really did!” At least she has the good grace to look a little bit guilty.
He’s frustrated, but only a little bit. He knows she tried. He knows how hard it is. But he also knows she desperately needs some rest, during the few hours he’s carved out for them tonight. “Come back to bed.”
“I’m just going to finish reading this article, and then I promise.”
Ben crouches down next to her, wrapping one arm around her waist and the other hand reaching to pull on her loose braid. “Hey, Pippi Longstocking, even you need a little sleep. The article can wait until you get a chance to vote.”
She tilts her head, looking like she’s exasperating herself, even. “It’s just so hard to sleep.”
He puts his hand on her face, his thumb stroking her cheekbone, a curl tangling into his fingers. “I know. But come to bed, even if it’s only to give your body some rest. Tomorrow’s gonna be a long day too.”
She’s got nothing left to argue with, and she smiles tiredly. “Yeah, OK.”
He puts out his hand and she give him the iPad, which he puts on the coffee table behind him. She puts her hands in his as he helps pull her up, and he slides an arm around her waist as they go up the stairs toward the bedroom.
They’re quiet.
When they get to the bedroom, he lets her get in first, get settled. Then he climbs into bed and slides behind and a little above her, wrapping one arm around her waist as he bends his other elbow up over their heads so he can reach down to put his hand in her hair. There’s a cool breeze coming in from the open window, a spring breeze that, he thinks, smells like fresh new things. Her feather duvet is pulled up over them, light and warm, enclosing them. From downstairs he can hear the hum of the refrigerator, and from her he can hear breaths becoming more regular, deeper, with a little sigh.
He looks down and says, “Close your eyes.”
“I feel wide awake.”
“You shouldn’t.”
“Did you confirm with Jen about the time of the photo op? She’ll double-cross us, I know she will.”
“Yes, I have Plans A, B, and C all set.”
“And is everything ready to go with the hotel?”
“Yes.”
“And you wrote the speeches?”
“What? Oh, god, no, I forgot!”
“Ben? What? What the...” She twists around to look at him before she registers it, before she sees his smile and feels his body still relaxed against hers. “Oh.” She twists back around, plopping her head on her hand.
“Leslie, we’ve done everything we can do. Now it’s time to let it go so we can sleep.” He strokes her hair, keeps his other hand firmly on her hip, knowing the weight will help to calm her. He’s slipped one of his feet over her calf. He tries to put some energy into his voice. "Do you want to have sex? Will that help you get to sleep?"
She laughs quietly, and puts her hand over his on her hip. "No... thanks. You need your rest. This is good."
He entwines his fingers with hers. "OK."
He’s starting to drift off.
“Ben?” Her whisper holds no urgency, but still he answers.
“Yeah?”
“I love you and I like you, so much.”
He kisses the top of her head, which is all he can reach right now, and he’s not up for moving. “I love you and I like you too. But I’d like you more if you went to sleep.”
“Umph.” But her dudgeon is half-hearted, and together they hold onto each other.
The next scene in the sequence (Leslie POV) is here.
The next Ben POV Scene is here.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The night before Leslie spreads cream cheese on her phone is not a restful one.
His eyes open suddenly, he springs to life, wondering if he already missed something. No sign of her. He doesn’t sense any warmth from her side of the bed, so he knows she hasn’t just slipped out to the bathroom.
Eventually he finds her on the couch, with her iPad on her lap. Her hair is only a little bit mussed up, so he knows she hasn’t spent much time in bed.
His voice sounds rough in the echoes of the quiet room. “Leslie.”
“I tried, I really did!” At least she has the good grace to look a little bit guilty.
He’s frustrated, but only a little bit. He knows she tried. He knows how hard it is. But he also knows she desperately needs some rest, during the few hours he’s carved out for them tonight. “Come back to bed.”
“I’m just going to finish reading this article, and then I promise.”
Ben crouches down next to her, wrapping one arm around her waist and the other hand reaching to pull on her loose braid. “Hey, Pippi Longstocking, even you need a little sleep. The article can wait until you get a chance to vote.”
She tilts her head, looking like she’s exasperating herself, even. “It’s just so hard to sleep.”
He puts his hand on her face, his thumb stroking her cheekbone, a curl tangling into his fingers. “I know. But come to bed, even if it’s only to give your body some rest. Tomorrow’s gonna be a long day too.”
She’s got nothing left to argue with, and she smiles tiredly. “Yeah, OK.”
He puts out his hand and she give him the iPad, which he puts on the coffee table behind him. She puts her hands in his as he helps pull her up, and he slides an arm around her waist as they go up the stairs toward the bedroom.
They’re quiet.
When they get to the bedroom, he lets her get in first, get settled. Then he climbs into bed and slides behind and a little above her, wrapping one arm around her waist as he bends his other elbow up over their heads so he can reach down to put his hand in her hair. There’s a cool breeze coming in from the open window, a spring breeze that, he thinks, smells like fresh new things. Her feather duvet is pulled up over them, light and warm, enclosing them. From downstairs he can hear the hum of the refrigerator, and from her he can hear breaths becoming more regular, deeper, with a little sigh.
He looks down and says, “Close your eyes.”
“I feel wide awake.”
“You shouldn’t.”
“Did you confirm with Jen about the time of the photo op? She’ll double-cross us, I know she will.”
“Yes, I have Plans A, B, and C all set.”
“And is everything ready to go with the hotel?”
“Yes.”
“And you wrote the speeches?”
“What? Oh, god, no, I forgot!”
“Ben? What? What the...” She twists around to look at him before she registers it, before she sees his smile and feels his body still relaxed against hers. “Oh.” She twists back around, plopping her head on her hand.
“Leslie, we’ve done everything we can do. Now it’s time to let it go so we can sleep.” He strokes her hair, keeps his other hand firmly on her hip, knowing the weight will help to calm her. He’s slipped one of his feet over her calf. He tries to put some energy into his voice. "Do you want to have sex? Will that help you get to sleep?"
She laughs quietly, and puts her hand over his on her hip. "No... thanks. You need your rest. This is good."
He entwines his fingers with hers. "OK."
He’s starting to drift off.
“Ben?” Her whisper holds no urgency, but still he answers.
“Yeah?”
“I love you and I like you, so much.”
He kisses the top of her head, which is all he can reach right now, and he’s not up for moving. “I love you and I like you too. But I’d like you more if you went to sleep.”
“Umph.” But her dudgeon is half-hearted, and together they hold onto each other.
The next scene in the sequence (Leslie POV) is here.
The next Ben POV Scene is here.