who ? daphne greengrass and roger davies when ? sunday, 15th october where ? staffordshire what ? daphne’s birthday and their first anniversary status ? complete
The fact that both Roger and Daphne had grown up in rather fancy houses meant that Roger’s original plan of finding a posh hotel had become somewhat... underwhelming. Once he’d started to look into it, Roger had realised most of the countryhouse hotels just reminded him of the Davies manor and frankly, that was not something that he felt was going to do well for positive experiences. So then Roger had started to shop around, until he’d finally settled on something called the Secret Cloud House, which really, was just a yurt. But! It was a yurt that came with the facilities of a sauna and spa and the nearby town and landscape were beautiful, so Roger thought they could give it a go.
Having arrived on Saturday, Roger didn’t actually feel disappointed with the place, even if they were staying in a yurt. It had been a bit of a risk, he felt, but the place did turn out to look pretty great. It was certainly different from being home, which really had been Roger’s aim. That morning, as the sun rose because apparently a yurt couldn’t really keep the brightness out, Roger blinked awake, turning in the bed to pull Daphne in closer against him. “Happy birthday,” he wished pressing a kiss against Daphne’s cheek. “And happy anniversary,” he added with another kiss before pulling away from Daphne so he could get up and make some coffee for them both on the little kitchen unit in the yurt. Once it was ready, Roger returned to the bed, handing Daphne, who looked more awake now, a mug of coffee.
--
Daphne had been thoroughly surprised at the yurt, but not unpleasantly. It was really quite lovely and the fact that Roger had gone to so much trouble to make sure that they were doing something new and different was really sweet and that sentiment wasn't lost on her. Happy to just be spending time with Roger no matter where they were, she hummed happily when he pulled her closer to him and wished her a happy birthday and anniversary.
It was sweet that he'd remembered the anniversary as well as her birthday, and it made her smile softly before she reluctantly opened her eyes. "Thank you," she said. "And happy anniversary to you. Do you want your present now or later?" She had, of course, gotten him a present. Or, rather, she'd made him one. She'd brought it alone with her on the trip, aiming to give it to him at some point during the day. She watched Roger move about making the coffee and when he returned to the bed with a mug for her, she smiled and thanked him. "Have I told you lately how happy you make me, Roger?" she asked.
--
"There's a present?" Roger asked, though, he wasn't really surprised. "I got you more jewellry," he informed Daphne. "Not surprising, but at least it's shiny?" Roger had thought about what else he could get Daphne but at the end had figured that this weekend counted as a present, too. Besides, as much as Roger knew Daphne would love receiving books, he refused to contribute to her ridiculous addiction. "I can wait for my present until you finish your coffee," Roger promised, propping himself up against the pillows so he could drink his coffee, too.
Roger gave Daphne a look when she asked him if she'd recently said how happy he made her. "I know it's your birthday and all, but I'm not sure whether that really makes all the talk about feelings acceptable," he informed Daphne seriously, but did also reach out to take her hand with his free one, giving it a small squeeze before offering a dramatic sigh. "I suppose, you make me happy, too," he announced. "A year," Roger observed. "We've been together a whole year. Who would've thought." Certainly not Roger. If someone had told him that he'd be in a serious, steady relationship that involved living together, he really wouldn't have believed them. Yet here they were, celebrating their first year together. It felt rather nice.
--
"Mhm," she said, nodding, then lifting her mug to take a little sip. The coffee warmed her and she smiled when he said he could wait for his present. The mention that he'd gotten her jewelry made her laugh. "Shiny is always good," she told him. In truth, it mattered very little what he got her. Knowing that he'd taken the time to actually get her something was present enough.
She laughed at his reply, then shook her head. "I should at least get a small pass on my birthday," she told him, giving his hand a little squeeze in return, even if he was sighing dramatically. It was amusing how little he enjoyed feelings, but Daphne knew that his lack of enjoyment for them didn't mean he didn't feel them all the same. She nodded at his words. It really was insane that they'd evolved a very strange meeting into a year-long relationship. Sometimes Daphne was baffled by how well things had fallen into place. "Certainly not me," she admitted. "I'm glad we're absolutely insane and unpredictable, though," she said. "You handle my weirdness well."
--
"I suppose," Roger replied almost begrudgingly when Daphne asked for allowances since it was her birthday. He did lean in to kiss the taste of coffee of her lips, though. "I'm not sure we're still insane and unpredictable," Roger pointed out as he pulled back. "I mean, I think you might've domesticated me." Certainly Roger was much happier now than he had been before Daphne and a lot of the things that made him happy weren't things he had anticipated to do so before. "We're living together, having couple holidays, I think we're exactly the opposite of unpredictable at this point," Roger teased.
As for Daphne's weirdness, Roger gave a small laugh. "Apart from your ridiculous obsession with books, I think you're not very weird. Well, that and your ridiculous obsession with me," he teased. "But I'm quite accepting of that," he agreed with a nod before taking another sip of his coffee. "And I suppose the sex is pretty good," Roger said with a smirk.
--
Daphne returned the kiss, smiling against Roger's lips. He was right, she knew. They weren't really that insane or unpredictable anymore. Well, insane, perhaps, but not as unpredictable. Since they'd begun living together, they'd settled into a very lovely domestic sort of bliss. She wasn't complaining in the slightest, though. She liked coming home from work and knowing that either she'd see him or that he'd come home from work and see her. It was a nice feeling and even thinking of it in that moment made her face feel warm with appreciation for their relationship. "Maybe you're right," she said.
"I think I'm more obsessed with you than I am with books," she admitted. It was likely the first time that she'd said as much aloud, but it was true. If given the choice between books and Roger, she'd gladly choose the latter without much thought. "Pretty good?" she said, laughing. "I think I need to up my game if it's only 'pretty good'."
--
Roger was somewhat surprised when Daphne said that she preferred him to books. He really had no objections to coming second to books, but being told he didn't made a warm feeling settle in Roger's stomach and he smiled softly at Daphne. "And I don't even require six book shelves," he teased, but did also settle a mug on the bedside table so he could take Daphne's from her, too, setting it aside before he pulled her in closer, a kiss against her lips.
With a hand against Daphne's side, Roger slid his fingers under her top, kisses moving across her jaw to her neck. "Pretty good," he repeated. "But I am willing to help you with the whole upping your game," he promised, giving Daphne's neck a small bite. "Practice makes perfect and all, isn't that what they say?" And Roger definitely was more than keen to practice more. "Besides, don't I owe you birthday sex or something? I hear that's a thing."
--
She laughed at his teasing, but it was also a very true statement. Amusement settled on her lips as he took her mug from her and set it aside. She'd had more than enough coffee when he had that lovely grin on his face and kisses were to be had. "Lucky thing that is," she said.
His fingers underneath her top were warm and knowledgeable. He'd learned long ago just how to touch, how slowly or quickly to move, and where to apply pressure or to be gentle. His promises made her grin, but the little bite to her neck earned him a soft moan. "Mhm," she said. "You do owe me birthday sex. And anniversary sex. I'll take them separately, of course, because I'm greedy."