InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I used a stunt butt!"

Benjamin Wolffe (lone_wolffe) wrote in beyondthepages,
@ 2010-04-03 21:55:00

Entry tags:

!complete, 2023 09, ashley legard, benjamin wolffe

RP: Sleepless
Characters: Ben, Ashley
Time/Date: Shortly after 10 pm, September 3 2023
Location: The infirmary
Warnings/Rating: None
Summary: Ben can't sleep so he goes to the Infirmary
Status: Complete

Ben was sure that in a night or two he would just be exhausted enough to sleep through the night no matter what sort of dreams he had. The question was whether or not he wanted to tough it out. He usually kept a few potions on hand, but in the hustle and bustle of moving, it had been forgotten.

Now he'd had two nights of spotty sleep and while his thoughts had lately often drifted to silly reasons to visit Ashley, he didn't want to have an actual reason. It was embarrassing at best. She had even mentioned needing to help the children sometimes because of nightmares. So, clearly, his problem was childish and immature. He wondered how much of it had to do with Bellatrix coming back to life right in the middle of the great hall, but even knowing the trigger didn't make him feel any better about it.

Twice now he had started out of his room before changing his mind, but given that the third time was a charm, this time he made it out into the hallway. It wasn't even that late yet so he hoped she hadn't already gone to bed. Though maybe if she had, he would just leave and go back the next morning.

Managing not to completely talk himself out of this -- because he really did want to sleep -- he let himself into the Infirmary when he reached it, hazel eyes glancing around in search of Ashley.

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pages_of_ash
2010-04-04 08:14 am UTC (link)

"I would not offer if it would be a bother," she assured him. "This, too, will 'elp you rest better," she assured him as she lifted the little jar. "It relaxes you, and if you do 'ave dreams, they will be softer. Pleasant."

She smiled and nodded to the door. "I will meet you in your quarters? I should probably not roam the 'all in my nightclothes." Because if she had the attention of the male student body under normal circumstances, rumors of her in a housecoat over a nightgown was bound to stir up another round of attention.

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lone_wolffe
2010-04-04 08:21 am UTC (link)

He glanced curiously at the little bottle as she spoke before returning his gaze to her. Deciding not to push his luck by protesting anymore, he nodded with a little chuckle and agreed, "All right. In my quarters."

With that settled, he turned to let himself back out into the hall and returned to his room. He left the door cracked open for her and took off his robes, draping them over the chair. Hazel eyes flicked about the room, as if he might have something embarrassing that needed to be put away, but no, everything appeared to be in decent order.

Sitting down on his bed, he berated his nerves and then changed positions to stretch out while he waited.

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pages_of_ash
2010-04-04 08:33 am UTC (link)

After she'd changed, Ashley wound her way to Ben's room. It simply made sense, didn't it, to do this in his room, in his bed, so he wouldn't be relaxed in the infirmary then have to trek all the way back to his room?

It did.

She rapped once on the half-open door before she let herself inside. "Bonjour," she said quietly as she closed the door behind herself. She chuckled softly when she saw he was still wearing a shirt.

After he'd removed it at her request, she crossed over to the bed. Finding a comfortable position to be in, braced against the bed, she stroked her fingers through the contents of the jar. "This is an 'erbal compound. It will relax you, and the scent of it will 'elp you sleep soundly," she explained quietly before she brushed her fingertips across his shoulders, smearing some of the paste along his skin.

His skin was warm, and while it wasn't as soft as hers perhaps, it did still feel ... very nice. Her lips parted as her eyes half closed and she tried to remind herself of her professionalism as she set about massaging the compound into his back.

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lone_wolffe
2010-04-04 08:44 am UTC (link)

He was very, very aware of the fact that he was only wearing pajama pants and he was more or less in bed with Ashley. A quick shiver tightened his back at the first brush of his fingers over his bare shoulders and he closed his eyes.

Making a vague noise of comprehension, he forced himself to relax -- which he thought was a little ironic. Slowly though, he felt the tension in his muscles relax and he seemed to sink more comfortably into his bed.

"It smells good," he replied with a thickness to his voice that couldn't only be attributed to his relaxation. It felt good, too. It felt better than he thought it should and his body was reacting predictably to having a gorgeous woman massage him. Luckily he was lying face down.

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pages_of_ash
2010-04-04 08:54 am UTC (link)

"I would not mind doing this whenever you needed it, Benjamin," she said softly but very, very sincerely. She liked the feel of his back, of his skin, beneath her fingertips far more than she thought she should.

She didn't understand this attraction, but surely this wasn't utterly unheard of? Love at first sight had to exist for a reason. She wasn't so naive as to believe that's what it was, exactly, but she felt something. She thought about him often. Perhaps it was only one sided, but ... she didn't believe that. She thought he thought about her, too.

Her hands roamed his back longer than necessary; everything useful had already been worked into his skin and she should leave him to sleep. Withdrawing her hands, she settled into a kneel beside his bed, gazing at him. "Don't forget to take your potion as well," she directed quietly.

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lone_wolffe
2010-04-04 06:08 pm UTC (link)

He was afraid he might be reading more into her tone than he should have been. There was just something about it that made his breath catch, especially when she said his name. It made him think she was feeling the same way about him that he was feeling about her, but he was still resisting that being possible.

When she stopped, his back immediately missed her touch. He turned his head to meet her gaze, "I won't forget," he promised quietly.

"Thank you again," he murmured, shifting his position enough that he could gently cup her cheek. He flushed at his boldness -- though it certainly was the least of his recent bold thoughts about her -- as he slowly withdrew his hand.

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pages_of_ash
2010-04-04 06:14 pm UTC (link)

She smiled softly to him, brushing her fingertips over his hair gently before she pressed up to her feet. She wondered how long she would continue to deny that there was something there. There had to be.

"Goodnight, Benjamin," she said softly, bluegrey gaze lingering on him. "I will see you soon," she assured him before she turned for the door. There was little reason to linger, after all; he'd come to her for a potion to sleep. He intended to sleep. She should go do the same.

She paused at the door briefly before she decided to keep any thoughts of proposals for a date to herself, at least for now. Perhaps ... soon, she might ask, if he did not. With a last glance to him, she wiggled her fingers in a wave before letting herself out.

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