Lizzy Raleigh Listens to the Anne in Her Head (themosthappi) wrote in doorslogs, @ 2012-06-22 17:32:00 |
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Entry tags: | anne boleyn, thor |
Who: Lizzy and Benji
What: Dinner, discussing future plans
When: Last week sometime
Where: Their condo
Warnings: Sap
Even though she had promised Benji they would stay in bed for a week, Lizzy ended up having to leave the house on Friday to chase after a copy of her bar licence so she could include it with all the paperwork she needed to apply for her new job, as her old copy was water damaged from the fire in her office. She also wanted to get some more provisions. While they were mostly eating take out and delivery, they were dangerously low on soda and coffee. Lizzy was not a pleasant person if she didn’t have her daily fix of legal stimulants. Of all the vices she could have, she considered this the least risky. She had also run by and visited with her sister. She had a bit of guilt that she was ignoring her, but considering everything that had happened over the past few weeks, it was probably best that her sister stay far away.
She parked her Prius in her reserved parking spot. The other slot for her condo was empty, and she was hoping that would change soon. She had thought a great deal about this while locked away in Anne’s head. Now, more than ever, she understood just how important Thor was to the other side - and how important it was Benji was available to go when he needed to go. Therefore, Lizzy wanted to do everything she could do to make sure that happened. It seemed simple, really - Benji was already practically living in her condo, so why not have him move in officially, making him that much closer to Passages and also making it easier for the two of them to spend time together when they were both on this side of the door. Considering what lurked in their minds, their lives would never be normal - and while this was certainly moving things on a rapid pace, Lizzy thought that the intensity of their shared experiences was enough.
She grabbed the reusable shopping bags from her trunk space and headed into the lush building. The doorman knew her and saluted as she strode confidently to the elevator. She rested her back against the wall and closed her eyes. She felt like she could never quite be rested enough, considering what might come popping out of that cursed hotel. When her floor dinged, she stepped off and went the seven steps to her front door, keying in. “Benji? Honey? I’m back!” she called out, her rich Texas twang drawing out each word just a fraction longer than necessary. “Whatcha end up ordering?”
Lizzy had made the promise that Ben had asked for, yet he knew sooner, rather than later, he'd have to go back to the hotel and Thor's world. The other man needed to check on Asgard, make sure his realm was safe, but also keep in contact should anything happen with Loki. The only thing that made him feel easier about that was that Pepper had started forwarding him messages in regards to Loki. Even if something did happen there, as long as she was aware of it, he got the notifications as well.
That still left Asgard though. He'd have to go back soon, even if it was nothing more than a quick trip to make sure that nothing had happened in the realm while he'd been away. Not today though, and not tonight, not with Lizzy coming home and the Thai sitting hot on the table. She was right when she said that he knew her favorite dishes from the restaurants they tended to order from. He'd been in the mood for Thai though and ordered them plenty of it.
"Thai!" He called out from the kitchen as he got them plates. While they could, in theory, eat out of the containers that the food came in, he was rather looking forward to actually getting to eat with her, like a real meal instead of take out. "I'm in the kitchen!" As soon as she came in, he gave her a quick kiss and then started helping her put the groceries away.
After returning the kiss, Lizzy made quick work of the groceries. It was really just the basics, because she didn’t want to keep Benji waiting and have the food get cold. She was hungry, for one, and also she tried to be considerate, sometimes to the detriment of herself. One thing that had not left Lizzy from her southern upbringing was being polite, especially to those who mattered to you. Benji certainly mattered to Lizzy.
She leaned over and gave him another quick kiss before tucking in at the bar to have dinner. The food smelled heavenly, and reminded her of living in Berkeley, where she first discovered food beyond Mexican and Barbecue. The memories made her smile, adding to her already good mood. She had a nice home, a lovely man to share it with, and even though things were strange and dangerous at times, she still felt as if life was good.
“So,” she said as she loaded up her plate. “I’ve been thinking. Our lives are complicated. You practically live here when you aren’t on the other side. So why not make it official? It’s closer to Passages.” She paused for a moment and looked up at him. “After what happened here in Vegas, I understand just how crucial you are, and Thor is, to everyone’s safety. I want to be able to be supportive of this, and well, I like having you here.” She looked down and blushed slightly. She more than liked Benji. She loved him. She knew it was sudden and crazy, which is why she didn’t say it out loud. She wouldn’t be able to take rejection on that.
The tone of their texts hadn't been a bad one and considering the way she was acting, he still didn't think her thoughts had a negative ring to them, but that didn't quite prepare him for her offer. He paused while getting their drinks, a momentarily span of a heartbeat before resuming. "You sure?" Was the first question that came out of him. Not that he was second guessing her, but this was still her home.
It was one thing to stay here between trips to the hotel, but this was more serious than that. This was living with her and he hadn't lived with anyone that he'd been close to since he'd lived with his family. There were the monks at the monastery, but even that was different than this. This was being close to someone that he cared a great deal about, even if he wasn't ready to use the other word yet. Ben had no doubt that would come in time, like everything else had fallen into place.
"If you're sure, yes," Ben said quietly, leaving his glass of water on the countertop to wrap his arms around her, his fingers spread out over her ribs. "I'd like that," he added, grinning as he dropped a kiss to the curve of her throat. "A lot."
There was a small part of Lizzy who had honestly thought he might say no. After all, it was sudden, but he had said yes, and she was both overjoyed and relieved. It was going to be so nice to come home to him most nights. “I am absolutely sure. This place feels like home with you here.” She stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his dark hair.
“If there is anything you want to rearrange, change...” She shrugged, “we can make this ours.” She wasn’t terribly attached to her own stuff. After all, things were easy to replace, unlike people and memories. She wanted to make lots of good memories with Benji.
“I will have to warn you, though...” she said with a bigger smile, “you will have to deal with my little sister. I’ve not had her over in ages, and she is very keen to come visit and have a princess tea party.” She knew her sister and Benji would adore each other. They were, after all, two very important people in her life.
"I..." He fought hard not to grin, but there was no stopping the quiver in the corners of his lips as he tried to be serious. "I'd love to meet your little sister," Ben laughed, his arms wrapping tight around her waist to lift her up into a slow, swinging circle around the kitchen.
It was only when he set her down that he gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Things like how the apartment was decorated, he'd leave to her. He was too used to the spartan decorations of monasteries and their natural colors to have any good input besides nothing overpoweringly feminine. Or clowns.
All of that was a distant consideration and easily forgotten as he bent to kiss her again. "As long
as your sister doesn't mind someone joining her for the parties."
It was really sweet, Lizzy mused, that Benji was keen on meeting her sister. It never ceased to amaze her just how very mature he was and how beautiful his soul was. It was one of the millions of reasons she wanted to be with him. He kept her safe, he kept her happy, and she just wanted to do the same for him. She hoped living with her would help take some of the pressure off of him here, so he could take care of business through the door.
“Well, I suppose we could manage to make room for Prince Charming at our table. I am sure she won’t even make you wear makeup.” Her sister was known for wanting to give makeovers in a very garish style. Lizzy would have to take her somewhere to find Benji a crown so that he could be a proper prince. It would make her sister happy.
"Well..." And he finally managed to get the serious face in place as he held her close. "I understand it might be a ritual to be accepted into the Princess party that I have to wear make up." Ben nodded slowly.
"Just as long as it's only once," he grinned and winked at Lizzy. If she could send him a picture of what happened during the princess party and her own make up, his pride wasn't going to be wounded if the same happened to him for the sake of her and her family. "And then I get to be Prince Charming and sweep one beautiful princess off her feet."
Lizzy laughed and nodded, “The sacred princess party ritual is rather serious. We don’t invite just anyone to come. It’s a difficult selection process.” She grinned up at him, knowing full well her little sister would adore him. Her sister had seen pictures and thought that he was ‘cute for a boy’ which was high praise from a six year old. Lizzy firmly hoped her sister stayed in the boys are gross phase for a long time. She was fairly unsure that she could deal with her sister getting to dating age.
Her hands snaked around his waist and she leaned up and kissed him. There was something about the way he felt next to her that made her stomach flutter. She had never felt this way about anyone since she was very young. Things were going to be good, in spite of how difficult things might become in the future. As long as they were together, Lizzy felt like they could take on anything.
"Of course," he said in mock seriousness, head tipping slightly into a nod. "I am sure the selection process is very vigorous. I'll have to provide references, perhaps go through an interview with the princesses of the realms," Ben nodded again, trying not to smile even as he pressed a fresh kiss to her mouth.
The thought of playing the game with her and her little sister was a bittersweet one. How many times had he been forced into games with Justine, his own little sister? Those games were years behind them now, but he played them all the same with her and his other siblings. Ben missed them, like a void that could never be filled, no matter how much he ignored the chasm it left within him. "Whatever my lady needs, I shall do," he promised, his voice quiet as he laid another kiss on her forehead.
Lizzy noticed immediately when Benji’s tone changed. She reached up and gently stroked his cheek with her fingertips. She had no idea what she might have said to upset him, and it bothered her a great deal. He carried enough weight on his shoulders that she didn’t want to add to it. She wanted their life together to be a happy part of his life.
“Did I say something wrong to upset you?” she asked with a concerned look. She wondered if maybe it had something to do with her sister. Truthfully, she didn’t know a lot about his family. Maybe he had lost a younger sister, and discussing hers was bringing up painful memories. She didn’t want it to be that way for him. She wanted him to be happy, and she was trying very hard to make that happen.
"No," Ben was quick to say with a shake of his head. "No, nothing like that," he said as he kissed her forehead again. When that look remained on her face, he reached up and gently smoothed out the lines between her brows with his fingertips, and touched the edges of her lips, edging them up into a smile.
"Smile for me," he whispered as he bowed his head, his forehead on hers. Maybe it was the conflict that Thor had with his own brother that brought the constant reminder of his own family, the one he had walked away from when he'd first heard Thor in his mind. It wasn't Thor's fault, and Ben didn't blame him. Even if Thor left tomorrow, Ben wasn't sure that he could return home, or failing that, to contact them again. What would he say? Would there be anything he could say?
As often as he tried not to think of those things, they had a way of creeping up on him. Ben tried to give her a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes and he gave up in favor of pulling her close and burying his face in the softness of her hair. It still smelled faintly of the shampoo she'd used earlier today and the feel of her, warm in his arms, calmed him again. Or at least, until the next time. "You haven't done anything wrong, sunshine."
Deep in her heart, Lizzy didn’t believe him. There was clearly something wrong, and he did not wish to speak about it to her right now. She hoped, in time, he would open up to her, but she also understood that there were certain things that were hard for people to talk about. Her own childhood was hard for her to discuss sometimes, to talk about her mother, and how for all the material possessions she had, she had lacked in being loved. In fact, she had never really understood it until she met her father at a much older age.
Still, Lizzy wasn’t going to argue. So she smiled for him, and when he held her close, she wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tightly, almost as if she was afraid he would blow away. She closed her eyes and just let herself be here, in his embrace, wrapped in the scent of their fabric softener and whatever manly products he used to keep himself smelling so nice, and yet incredibly masculine. It was actually odd for Lizzy to have fallen so hard for someone who was so masculine. Normally, she prefered her partners a bit softer, but with Benji, it just seemed so right.
She finally pulled back after a few moments of holding each other. “We should eat. I don’t want your food to get cold.” There would be plenty of time for holding one another, savoring each touch, and just being together later. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, like a dragon popping up, they likely had all night together.
While it was true that she hadn't said anything to upset him -- Ben could no more lie than Thor could -- there was no denying that there was something wrong. He kept his face pressed into her hair until she began to draw away, under the semblance of the food that he'd gotten them for dinner. "And yours," he replied as he let her go.
The smile came easier this time and he crossed the table to pull her chair out for her. "We should go out this week. Celebrate." It was a good thing. Being with her was no hardship and the smile came a little easier as she sat down.
Lizzy settled in at the bar and started dishing out her food. He did always know what to order for her. It was rather charming, to be honest. It made her very happy to know that he was getting to know her so well. She had always been one to notice and appreciate the little things in life, especially for those whom she cared deeply for. After she dished out her food, she reached over and squeezed his hand.
“We should go out and celebrate. In fact...” she said, her voice trailing off. She suddenly had a good idea. She walked over to the small, built in wine and liquor fridge that was installed under the cabinet and came out with a bottle of rather nice champagne. Her mother had sent it for ... well, she didn’t really remember. She pulled out two glasses and poured them, handing one to Benji. “I always swear I will drink this sometime. Now seems like as good as a time as any to toast to us. To our future. Whatever comes.”
While she got up to get the glasses and the champagne, he started dishing out his own food, his brows coming together slightly. It sounded like a damn good idea to him as he took his glass from her and held it so they clinked lightly together. "To us. To whatever comes," Ben said, smiling at her over the rim as he drained the glass. To whatever the future holds.