Who: Lizzy R and Benji S Where: Downtown -> Lizzy's condo When: A few weeks ago? (we fail) What: A first date, dancing in the streets, a sprained ankle... romantic Warnings: Nothing you wouldn't see in a cheezy RomCom.
The night had gone splendidly. Benji had rented his tux (he'd had one years ago, but that along with most of his clothes had been left with his family in England) and while something could have been said about spending the whole evening amongst lawyers, it was eclipsed by Lizzy being on his arm. He did his best not to embarrass her, either on or off the dance floor. While he didn't know many dances, he fared far better than Thor would have and managed to stay off Lizzy's feet.
The night was still early when they left, his arm low around her waist. Outside, Vegas was in full swing, the sidewalks packed with people going from one place to another, the lights so bright it was nearly like daylight all over again. "We could walk," Ben suggested. The hotel the gala was at wasn't far from her place and even if it was busy outside, it was a nice night out. "If you like." A particular someone in the back of his mind agreed with the suggestion, but Ben knew Thor well enough to know how often he liked to be outside, rather than pinned between four walls.
Of all the dates Lizzy could have possibly picked, Benji was indeed the most perfect. He looked amazing in his tux, and his friendly, gentlemanlike behavior impressed everyone they met. He even danced with her, and she loved how it felt in his arms. She was clearly smitten, and knew she would never hear the end of it from her co-workers come Monday, but she didn’t care. She had the time of her life with Benji.
After they left, she leaned into him when he placed his arm around her waist. She really didn’t want the evening to end, so she was very agreeable to walking home. She enjoyed the bright lights of downtown, and the busy streets had their own energy, like everyone tied together somehow made up one larger organism that fed the aura that was Las Vegas. “I think tonight is a perfect night for a walk.” Even in their formal attire, they really didn’t stick out in Vegas, where almost anything went as far as clothing.
"Almost makes me wish we had a river," Benji said, grinning as they entered the throng of people. It was the only thing he ever missed about being landlocked like they were; there were no seas, no oceans, and in Vegas no rivers. There was nothing quite like walking by the water at night, light catching on what waves there were. "Have you ever done that?" He asked. "There's nothing quite like it.
"When we lived in Dubai, my sister was obsessed with water, so I took her by the fountains and the lakes whenever I could. There weren't many," he laughed. As often as talking about his family brought painful memories, there were some that no longer brought the pang, but warmth instead. "When Jay and I traveled, I still went. The canals in Copenhagen are still my favorite," he murmured, stepping closer to her as a group of people passed around them. At the time, Jay was convinced that he was taking girls down there to seduce them, but it was mostly just because Ben liked it.
Lizzy had never heard Ben talk about his family much, and she listened, a smile on her face. Lizzy had her own struggles with family, mainly her mother who had fought to keep her away from her father most of her life. That was why she cherished her father’s involvement in her life so much now, and practically worshiped the ground her sister walked on. “I grew up in Dallas, not far from the Trinity River. We also had a huge lake - I think Mother’s third husband?” She paused for a moment. It was difficult to remember which one it was. “ Yes, I think it was Walter. He had a yacht we used to take out. I loved it.” She glanced over at him again. “I was sad when they divorced. But Mother isn’t one to stay married long, bless her heart.”
There were a few areas with water that were not far away, such as the Hoover Dam. She’d make plans to take them out there soon. She liked the idea of him seeing the water, and she was curious to see the look on his face. It also helped that he was ridiculously handsome, so really any look was rather pleasant.
In all the time they'd spent together, their conversations had wandered over things, touching down on books, what had happened during their days, if that asshole had come near her again, sometimes on the people they had in their heads, but only very rarely on their families. His own was a sore spot and thus he rarely asked her about hers. "How many husbands did your mother have?"
There was a certain amount of curiosity that happened whenever one person was interested in another and Benji was as caught by that as he was by her. "We should go out on the water sometime, if you like." On one date and already trying to plan for another; it couldn't be said that he wasn't an opportunist, even if he was a gentleman. "I've always thought about making one of those trips to California and going whale watching."
It actually took Lizzy a moment to try to calculate her mother’s marriages, divorces, engagements. “Five husbands, seven engagements, and I can’t even think of how many boyfriends. My dad was the first. She left when I was small, when he was traded to LA and she didn’t want to move.” Her mother likely would have let her go with her father if it were not for the child support. Lizzy had always been her meal ticket. She was actually surprised her mother didn’t have any more children, except for the fact her mother was vain and swore being pregnant with Lizzy wrecked her body.
His suggestion made her laugh. “I was just thinking the same thing. There is always Lake Meade. Or the Hoover Dam area.” The idea of whale watching had never occurred to Lizzy. It did sound fun, however. “ Maybe I need to take a trip back to San Francisco soon. I went to Berkeley. When it was warm enough, we’d go to the beach quite a bit, or sometimes just Golden Gate Park.” Lizzy had fond memories of sitting in that park, and she’d love to share more with him. She was actually thinking about trips away with him, and this was only their first official date. Clearly, her head was clouded with infatuation with Benji.
It was a cloud they both appeared to be living on and happily so. "Anything you want me for, I'm yours," he grinned. A quick glance told him that they had a little room and he offered a hand out to her. His dancing shoes were not quite hung up and it wasn't completely unknown to see someone dancing on the sidewalks in Vegas. Not that he would have cared, for right now he was in his own world with Lizzy. For a few moments he could forget what was happening, the family he'd left behind, what was going on in Thor's world and just be here.
As soon as her hand was in his, he led her through a few rough steps, grinning like a madman as he spun her slowly, careful to make sure no one ran into her.
He was hers. She loved the sound of that, and even giggled when he lured her into a dance on the Las Vegas sidewalk. They were young and happy, and the world was their oyster. Lizzy had many relationships, with both men and women, and never had she felt like this before with someone. It was similar to the joy she had felt the first time she had held her little sister. He didn’t want her for her family’s name, her money - Benji genuinely seemed to just want her.
Dancing with him under the neon stars was amazing, and she came out of one of the turns right next to him. She leaned up and kissed him, her lips gentle but firm. The crowd noises were all the symphony they needed to create this perfect moment, one that could only really happen in Las Vegas.
When she pulled back, she grinned. “I’m taking you to California then, as soon as I can get some vacation time, Darlin’. Whale watching, surfing, and maybe even some boating.” It was rash, considering they’d only been on one real date, but she didn’t care. She wouldn’t take no for an answer. Lizzy the lawyer almost always got her way.
Ben never even considered saying no to her. It wasn't her last name, it wasn't her money, it wasn't the fact that she was a lawyer, but it had everything to do with her. She could have suggested going to watch snow thaw in the mountains and he would have packed his bags for winter. The only place he might have said no to would be England, as there were far too many memories there.
"Just give me a date to be there," he said, grinning as he leaned in close for another kiss. His lips were as gentle as hers had been until he had to break away, laughing quietly as he touched his forehead to hers. "Whenever you want, Lizzy."
She knew she was going to have to start planning a trip then. Maybe she would start tomorrow, once she figured out when she could take time off work. She loved planning, and this would give her a place to channel her energies. She wanted to make it perfect for Benji, her Benji, the man she was standing in the middle of a Las Vegas sidewalk with, looking like a fool in love. It might not be love, yet, but it was a definite fondness and infatuation, and Lizzy was riding high on the emotions that came with it.
She tugged at his hand. While she was happy to be outside, she wanted to get back to her condo - and invite him in. He had always been a gentleman, but this time she wanted him to be less polite and more interested in perhaps spending the night in her bed. However, there was a loose grate, and Lizzy suddenly found herself flat on her backside, clutching her ankle in obvious pain. She really was not doing well when it came to injuries lately. Since they had walked, she was also fairly sure she couldn’t walk the three blocks home. She fought the tears that were threatening as she tried to move her ankle and failed.
Ben nearly fell over her, in the middle of a step when she'd suddenly fallen. He'd barely managed to catch his balance and then he was kneeling at her side. "Hey, hey, are you okay?" He saw her wince as she tried to move her ankle and shook his head, quickly, trying to warn her from doing it again. "Shh, Lizzy, just wait a minute, okay? Let me get you up and then we'll get you out."
It'd be easiest that way, to pull her foot free if they were moving in the same direction she had been when she was caught. Shuffling closer to her, he looped one arm under her arms and began to lift her up slowly, being careful not to jar her injured leg. "Just lean on me," he said quietly until he got her up again.
The last thing she wanted was to be injured again. She just recovered from the vicious blow to the head she took, and now she was on the ground with a sprained ankle. That was just perfect, really. However, she was eternally grateful that he was here to help her. She put a lot of trust into him, leaning back against him and allowing him to help her to her feet. She didn’t trust easily, yet here she was, putting her safety in his hands, just like she had done that night when her life was threatened by her stalker.
Leaning her weight heavily on him, she gingerly tested her foot, but putting down any weight was just too much. She winced and tried not to cry out, but a small, painful moan did escape her lips. She cursed under her breath, and looked up at him. “Well, I do believe I’ve right messed up my ankle.” She would curse the maintenance crews of the City of Las Vegas later.
"All right," Ben said, head bobbing as he tried to figure out what to do. Getting her heel free of the grate came first, but after that? He was no doctor, not even a nurse or a medic, but he did know that she couldn't walk the rest of the way, even if he was supporting her. With all the tourists, flagging down a cab was going to take more time than it was worth.
"Put your arms around my neck," was the only warning he gave before he stood up, one arm sliding behind her back, the other under her knees to lift her up. "Do you need a doctor?" Ben asked as he started heading for her apartment. There was no way for him to tell if it was broken, only that it didn't seem to be hanging at any weird angle. That could only be a good sign.
If Lizzy were in a better mood, she might call this romantic, but all she really wanted in this moment was to get home and put her ankle up with some ice. She wrapped her arms around Benji’s neck, and laid her head on his shoulder while he carried her the few short blocks to her condo. Lizzy had grand designs for possibly seducing him tonight. After all, she hadn’t had sex in months, and he made her feel tingly all over. But that plan would have to wait. She highly doubted she had the seduction skills to overcome a sprained ankle.
She fumbled for her keys once they arrived back at her condo, and finally got them into the place. She glanced at Benji with a sheepish smile. “This wasn’t exactly how I planned our first date to end.”
"You didn't plan for us to both end up back in your condo?" Ben teased carefully, hoping to ease some of her stress. "Now I feel like I'm just taking liberties with you," he added, grinning widely so she knew he was teasing.
Carrying her inside, he set her down carefully on the couch. "Let me get the ice, you stay put." He didn't want her hobbling around the condo and possibly straining her ankle more if he could help it. Heading into the kitchen, he was glad of those few nights he'd spent here before. Though they hadn't been long, he knew where things were and returned to her quickly with a bag of ice wrapped in a towel and two advil.
“If you can find a way around my ankle, you can take all the liberties you want, darlin,” she called out from the couch. He was so precious. There was something about a gentleman that seemed to get to Lizzy, which kind of flew in the face of her normally feminist leanings, to want a strong man who could take care of her. Yet, from the very first night he had proven exactly that. He was strong where Lizzy was weak.
She leaned back and tried to not think about the pain, which was greatly helped by the advil and the ice. She moved so he could join her on the sofa, not wanting to give up the physical connection they had. It was a shame she had to go and hurt herself. But at least he was still there, and she could still try for something. A girl had needs after all.
"Oh, I have permission to take liberties with you?" He was still smiling as he sat down by her feet. He would have liked to be closer, yes, but they needed to elevate her ankle and as long as he was close, it was still enjoyable.
"They're not quite liberties then, are they?" Winking at her, he gently picked up both her feet and placed them in his lap, adjusting the ice pack so it remained on her ankle while he took her shoes off. Ben had always had the strong caretaker instincts, from his sister, to his mother, to his whole damn family. After them, he'd never really had anyone to take care of until Lizzy and he liked the warm jolt of happiness it gave him.
She laughed at him, impressed with how gentle he was. Really, he didn’t come across as the nurturing type just to look at him. But Lizzy felt special she got to see this side of him. She loved how he could make her feel safe without feeling weak. She worried sometimes that their age difference might end up being a problem. Most men his age wanted something casual, and Lizzy was finding she would rather have something exclusive. But for now, she would take it as it came.
“Well, I suppose you have full permission, so really, you wouldn’t be taking advantage.” She used her good foot to nudge his thigh. It had been a long time since she had flirted like this. She was a fairly aggressive woman when it came to sex - four years in Berkeley learning to embrace her femininity and sexuality had made her more willing to ask for what she wanted. She had a feeling Benji was just gentleman enough to give it to her, eventually.
"Full permission?" He smiled, rubbing his hands up and down her feet, always careful of her injured ankle. It was a good thing to know, even if he wasn't going to use it right this moment. For all that he might be a gentleman, he was still a man and found her staggeringly attractive. Not just in a physical sense, though she was certainly beautiful, but she was caring, strong, and wonderfully intelligent.
And flirting with her was fun. Appearing to think hard, he finally asked her the absolute silliest thing he could, "What if I wanted to eat gummy bears off your knees? You don't know this about me, but I have a real weakness for women's knees." He sucked in a sharp breath as his hand ran up her calf, but didn't quite touch her knee. "They're... very distracting for me."
His hands felt amazing, and Lizzy was struggling not to be completely distracted by them. However, his ridiculous statement required an even more ridiculous answer. “Well, that does depend on if we are talking plain gummy bears, or those sour ones with the sugar coating. Because those might make a mess and make the bed itchy.” She rubbed her good foot along his thigh as she spoke. It was so easy with him.
“And they are quite ticklish.” That was the honest truth. Lizzy was extremely ticklish, something that was very easily abused, but at the same time she was fairly sure Benji would only use that knowledge for good - or at least for some playful wrestling. “But gummy bears might be interesting. It would certainly give you energy for other things.”
"Regular gummy bears then, definitely," he grinned, bending carefully over to kiss her knee. Later he would definitely use the knowledge of her ticklish she was, but not while she was injured. "Otherwise it's just going to be energy to clean the bed," he said sadly, the corners of his mouth tilted upwards.
"Before falling into a sugar coma and," he shook his head. "There are definitely better things we could be doing." Unable to hold the smile back anymore, it came out in full force as he muffled a quiet laugh into the side of her knee.
The silly behavior was providing a good distraction from the throbbing in Lizzy’s ankle. It hurt - a lot, but not thinking about it made it easier to ignore it. Benji was proving good at making her laugh. She needed that laughter. It was hard sometimes to keep going and being strong when she saw so much heartache and pain in the world, especially through her volunteer work. She crumbled a bit inside when she saw the elderly who were facing homelessness, or abused women. Yet, the time she spent with Benji seemed to re-energize her.
She reached down and playfully mussed up his hair. “Well, I certainly don’t want you to fall in a sugar coma that quickly, darlin’. I might have plans for you.” The smile on her face was probably almost as big as his. “After all, there is a whole plethora of gummy objects we could employ. Gummy worms on the shoulders. Gummy apples on the tummy...” She giggled at the thought. “Oh! And maybe you need to be punished with a Twizzler.”
"The red ones?" He couldn't help the slightly hopeful look he gave her. The black ones weren't as good and though he liked the licorice flavor in other things, Twizzlers were not one of them. "Though I suppose the black ones would be punishment, since the red ones are delicious." That didn't stop him from making a face at her, nose scrunched up and one eye squinted closed at the thought of having to eat licorice Twizzlers.
His expression settled down as he leaned back, his fingers trailing down the curve of her calf to her ankle. "How's it doing?" Picking up the bag of ice, he moved it around slightly, knowing she should only keep it in one place for so long. "Do you want to go to the doctor?"
“Well, I suppose now if you are ever a bad boy, I know how to punish you,” she said, not moved by his hopeful look. “I can tie you up and force feed you the yucky black ones.” She also had no love for black licorice. It was truly an abomination among candy. “Or worse, black jelly beans.” She gasped in mock horror, but could only hold the face for a few seconds before laughing.
Her ankle was still hurting, but Lizzy had a certain aversion to doctors and emergency rooms, especially after she was attacked. In fact, the only doctor she trusted was Adam at the moment, even if she had been forced to see a neurologist for her concussion. “I don’t think it’s broken,” she said cautiously, wiggling her ankle a bit. “I think if I stay off it, and keep it elevated and iced, it will be fine. If it’s not better by Tuesday, I can have Adam look at it when I go in to do my pro bono hours.” She knew Adam would give her a proper assessment of the situation.
Ben couldn't help but laugh at the promise of being tied up. He had completely expected to hear something else slip out of her mouth after she said 'tie you up' but the thought that she was going to bind him to the bed and feed him licorice flavored candy was as silly as it was humorous. "I shall have to be very good then, to escape the dreaded black candies."
When she moved her foot, he gently lifted the ice again to take a look at her ankle. It was swollen, but there was no bruising yet. "Does it hurt when you move it?" He asked, carefully wrapping his hand around the arch of her foot. There'd be a time for him to tickle her, but now was not it and so he did his best to keep his touch firm and far out of the light brushes that would tickle.
The pain in her ankle had lessened, but she also had iced it and had not tried to put any weight on it. She knew that eventually she would have to get up, and that would be the real test of how injured she was. Still, she was always one to try to be stoic, especially when injured. So she just nodded a tiny bit, “It hurts a little bit, but not a broken hurt. I think it’s just twisted or sprained.” She gave him a small smile. Things would be fine, after all, just a little bit of rest.
“So,” she said after a pause, wanting to change the subject off her ankle and onto more interesting topics, “Big plans for the upcomin’ week?” She rested her hand on his arm, her fingers slightly stroking his skin. She really didn’t know as much about his life and she wished she did other than he worked security. It actually was a bit odd she could be so infatuated with him and really not know him that well.
"All right, just promise me when you go into the clinic next time, you'll get someone to look at it." Ben trusted that she knew her body well enough to know when to go to the hospital and when she could put it off.
His hand drifted off her foot once she told him, his fingertips brushing up the slope of her calf. "He's -- Thor has big plans for the upcoming week. I've been keeping him at bay for tonight," Ben said with a quiet laugh, holding her gaze as his arm rolled under her touch, offering his palm to her. "I promised him he could have it." Tonight had been the condition and Ben was glad of it. As much as he liked the other man and enjoyed his company, he wanted to pay attention to this growing thing between him and Lizzy.
“I promise,” Lizzy said solemnly. With her previous health issues, it was prudent she not ignore this if it kept hurting, especially if it continued to limit her mobility. She was a busy woman, and had a schedule to keep that would include being on her feet.
Without thinking, Lizzy intertwined her hand with Ben’s. It was a completely natural motion, one that felt right and good. She listened to the news on Thor thoughtfully. On one hand, she dreaded the thought he’d be gone for at least a week. She would both worry about him and miss him terribly. But she had poked around on the internet enough to know that Thor likely had a good reason - one that involved saving his world from a crisis. While Lizzy was no super hero, she certainly understood that drive and respected it. “Can Thor live with me keeping you tonight?” she said, her voice dropping half a register and taking on her previous flirtatious tone. If he was going to be gone, there was no way she was sleeping alone tonight.
The drop in tone wasn't lost on him. Grinning, Ben rubbed his thumb along the edge of her hand as their fingers remained comfortably fitting together. "Yes, he can. I told him he could take care of everything else tomorrow afternoon." Glancing away from her, he looked at the clock to see how long it would be. "So that means you've got me for 13 more hours or so?"
He didn't bother asking what she wanted to do with him, between her tone and that smile, he could easily guess. Though if she decided against it, he'd likely stay just to make sure she didn't hurt herself or her ankle further. "Let me know when you're ready for me to take this ice off," Ben said quietly, his gaze back on her again, fingertips idly stroking up and down the slender muscles of her calves.
There was a lot that could be done in 13 hours. Lizzy didn’t completely understand the dynamics of how things worked with the alters, so she had no idea if he would need sleep. However, since his alter was a god, she thought perhaps she could keep him up at least for a little while. The throb in her ankle was a faint dull thud, and as long as she was cautious, she could easily manage tonight.
She leaned toward him, folding her body slightly and leaning her head on his shoulder. “If I bribe you with brunch tomorrow, will you stay tonight?” She was fairly sure she knew the answer to that question, and she was one to take safe bets. Besides, she wanted to make sure she gave him a very good reason to come back to her in one piece.
"All you have to do is ask," Ben said quietly. "You don't have to bribe me with anything." Not that he would turn down brunch, or even lunch if they didn't make it out of bed before then. Given the look in her eyes, the questions, the flirting, he knew that if she could manage with her ankle, that he wasn't sleeping in the guest bedroom tonight.
And even if every inch of him wanted to be with her, he'd sleep wherever she wanted him to be. Well, as long as it wasn't in the stairwell. Smiling, he wrapped one arm around her back, his own head falling forward to nuzzle at her shoulder, scenting the soap she used and the fading trace of her shampoo. "Are you comfortable like this? Do you want me to move?"
All it took was a shift of her body and she was very comfortable, and practically sitting in his lap. She reached down and tossed the ice bag on the coffee table. After all, one was supposed to rotate ice and no ice, right? And she was fairly sure that Ben wouldn’t let her put too much weight on her ankle getting to bed. She was thankful her housekeeper came on Fridays, so the sheets were clean. Granted, she had forgotten to change them, which worried her for a moment before she decided it wasn’t worth the worry. If he couldn’t handle an unmade bed, then they had bigger fish to fry.
Her free arm went around his neck and she had an overwhelming content feeling. Even though her ankle was hurting and he was leaving for who knew how long. Still, they had tonight, and tonight would be enough for now. She ran her fingers through his hair and smiled. It had been far too long since she had this kind of moment with someone.
"I'll take that as a yes." Ben remained still as she shifted around on the couch, mostly because he didn't want to be in her way. As soon as she appeared to be comfortable, his arms went around her, one hand seeking out hers again, their fingers sifting together. It was all too easy to let his body wrap around hers, comfortable even to forget everything else in the world, even the world behind the door, and to just be here with her.
He started to lean in, only to be choked with his bowtie. Laughing quietly, Ben leaned back, one hand leaving her side long enough to pull it free, the ends falling down his chest. "Let's try that again," he murmured.
This was a moment that Lizzy didn’t want to forget. She seemed to be coming up with a lot of these with him. She gently stroked the back of his neck with her fingertips and then leaned in to kiss him. The kiss started a bit timidly, as Lizzy was feeling woefully of out of practice, but seemed to warm up as it progressed.
Lizzy always found kissing to be an intimate activity, especially with men. With most women, her experience was that they would kiss anyone, but sex was more reserved, while she frequently saw the opposite with men. Men who wanted to kiss, to caress, those were the ones who felt that there was more than a roll in the sheets. While Lizzy could certainly use a good roll in the sheets, she wanted more than this from him, though what that would be would remain to be seen.
Some men could be incredibly aggressive kissers, mouths hard and teeth nearly brutal. Ben was far more gentle, letting Lizzy lead for the most part, trading gentle sucks and a flicker of tongue. His first few times with women, he'd rushed this part, so eager that he actually got to be with one that it had short circuited all good sense.
Time, Thor, and a lot of meditation coupled with his free summer across Europe had helped. It wasn't so much about the destination any longer, but the journey to get there. As their kiss deepened, his hand came up, stroking along the side of her face, down the thin curve of her jaw and across her throat. His touch was light across the soft skin, fingertips resting at the nape of her neck, thumb barely tracing over her pulse point.
The steady thump of her heartbeat was a grounding companion to their kiss. A reminder that there was so much more than his lips on hers, but he enjoyed that little beat under his thumb, wondered how much it would change over the course of tonight.