Edward stood at the door, as he had for the few months or so. Flowers in his hand, behind his back, with a box of candy that was also behind his back. Wearing a pair of khaki colored cargo pants, a tank top and hurachi sandals, he was the image of a tourist. He juggled the flowers and candy to bring a free hand to knock at her door.
Beni had been stretched out on her couch, a book balanced on her stomach as she read by the dim light from the lamp in the corner. Yes, it was bad for her eyes, but she didn't care. She hadn't been expecting Edward tonight; Ro had said something about an intel trip. So the knock at the door made her look up in surprise. Setting a bookmark to keep her page, she set the book down and rolled off the couch, padding across to the door in bare feet to open the door only as far as the chain allowed. Seeing Edward made her smile, though, and she closed the door only to free it from the chain and welcome him in. "Fancy seeing you here."
"Well, you know..." he flushed slightly and stepped inside. Bringing his arms around to reveal the gifts he brought. "For you," he smiled as he looked down at her. "I hope it's not too forward of me, Beni." He glanced around, as was his habit, inspecting the room and listening for any hidden people that didn't belong.
Closing door securely behind him, Beni turned in time to see the gifts held out to her. Her cheeks flushed prettily as she smiled, genuinely surprised and touched by the offerings. "Oh, Edward," she breathed softly, green eyes lifting to his face. "No, it's not too forward." Smiling wide, she stepped close to sniff the flowers, wrapping her hand around his to bring them to her nose.
Edward was very pleased to see her reaction and he smiled happily. "I didn't know if it was appropriate for this stage in our relationship," he offered a bit lamely. "I'm glad you like them."
She couldn't resist teasing him a little for his formal words. "Well, we haven't had a decent argument yet, so don't you think the chocolates and flowers are little premature?" she smiled impishly, eyes sparkling. "Unless you want to jump straight to the make-up sex."
"I don't plan on arguing with you, so I think it's a moot point," he laughed and moved further into the living room, leaving the flowers and candy in Beni's capable hands. "It's so peaceful here. Such a difference from Rose house." He picked up a knick knack and put it back down. "Things are good there?"
She watched him move past, setting the candy box down on a nearby table as she lifted the flowers to smell once again. "They're well enough," she assured him. "A few problems with nightmares, but it looks like those are going to be fading pretty fast. How have you been?" As she asked, she turned toward the kitchen to hunt out a vase.
"Those kids have a lot to have nightmares about," he shook his head and followed her towards the kitchen. "And I've been alright, a bit distracted lately though." He stopped in the doorway of the kitchen and leaned against the doorframe. "So Charlie is out on his first solo intel mission while I came to see you."
She smiled faintly, crouching down to pull a vase from the recesses under the sink. Rising, she half-filled it with water before setting to undoing the bouquet and snip off the ends of the stems. "He must have improved a great deal since we last spoke if he's out there on his own now," she commented. Yes, she was fishing for information she wouldn't dare openly ask for; just why wasn't the neurotic Edward out there himself, like always?
"Yes, he's coming along very well." Edward watched her carefully, then pushed off of the doorway. He strolled over and behind her. Putting his chin to her shoulder, his arms went around her waist. "Besides, I'm considering retiring."
Never let it be said that Beni was capable of keeping her surprises in check. As his arms slipped around her, she gasped softly, laughing at herself even as she relaxed into his embrace, glancing only once at him as she arranged the flowers in the vase. "You couldn't retire," she said quietly. "You're too committed to really consider it."
"My priorities are changing," he murmured and turned his head to nuzzle her jawline with the tip of his nose. "And I'm getting older. I can't run in the night forever."
Her head turned toward him, tilting to welcome the gentle nuzzling as her eyes half-closed. "Changing?" she queried softly, lowering her hands to curl warmly over the arms that wrapped about her.
"Yes, how can I focus on keeping those kids safe when my mind is on whether you're safe?" His arms tightened around her and he tenderly kissed the corner of her mouth.
"Oh, Edward, I don't want to be the reason you leave those kids to themselves," she whimpered tenderly, turning just enough to look him in the eye. Her hand curled against his cheek. "I am safe. I grew up around here, and even if it's a little rough at times, I can deal with it. You wouldn't be the same man if you turned your back on those children, and you wouldn't be able to forgive yourself for it."
His eyes met hers and he slowly nodded. She spoke the truth. "I wish that you'd find a safer neighborhood, Beni. Somewhere closer to Rose House so you don't have to walk so far through such a rough neighborhood." His hand covered hers on his cheek and he closed his eyes.
Her voice was gentle as she answered. "But if I leave, I'll be leaving behind all the memories of Benedict and Clara," she told him tenderly, her thumb stroking over his cheekbone. "I don't know if I can."
"You can take the memories with you, Beni." Edward sighed and pulled away from her. "All of this stuff, it can be moved." He turned back to look at her. "Please Beni. It's driving me crazy that you insist on being so careless."
Beni had been stretched out on her couch, a book balanced on her stomach as she read by the dim light from the lamp in the corner. Yes, it was bad for her eyes, but she didn't care. She hadn't been expecting Edward tonight; Ro had said something about an intel trip. So the knock at the door made her look up in surprise. Setting a bookmark to keep her page, she set the book down and rolled off the couch, padding across to the door in bare feet to open the door only as far as the chain allowed. Seeing Edward made her smile, though, and she closed the door only to free it from the chain and welcome him in. "Fancy seeing you here."
"Well, you know..." he flushed slightly and stepped inside. Bringing his arms around to reveal the gifts he brought. "For you," he smiled as he looked down at her. "I hope it's not too forward of me, Beni." He glanced around, as was his habit, inspecting the room and listening for any hidden people that didn't belong.
Closing door securely behind him, Beni turned in time to see the gifts held out to her. Her cheeks flushed prettily as she smiled, genuinely surprised and touched by the offerings. "Oh, Edward," she breathed softly, green eyes lifting to his face. "No, it's not too forward." Smiling wide, she stepped close to sniff the flowers, wrapping her hand around his to bring them to her nose.
Edward was very pleased to see her reaction and he smiled happily. "I didn't know if it was appropriate for this stage in our relationship," he offered a bit lamely. "I'm glad you like them."
She couldn't resist teasing him a little for his formal words. "Well, we haven't had a decent argument yet, so don't you think the chocolates and flowers are little premature?" she smiled impishly, eyes sparkling. "Unless you want to jump straight to the make-up sex."
"I don't plan on arguing with you, so I think it's a moot point," he laughed and moved further into the living room, leaving the flowers and candy in Beni's capable hands. "It's so peaceful here. Such a difference from Rose house." He picked up a knick knack and put it back down. "Things are good there?"
She watched him move past, setting the candy box down on a nearby table as she lifted the flowers to smell once again. "They're well enough," she assured him. "A few problems with nightmares, but it looks like those are going to be fading pretty fast. How have you been?" As she asked, she turned toward the kitchen to hunt out a vase.
"Those kids have a lot to have nightmares about," he shook his head and followed her towards the kitchen. "And I've been alright, a bit distracted lately though." He stopped in the doorway of the kitchen and leaned against the doorframe. "So Charlie is out on his first solo intel mission while I came to see you."
She smiled faintly, crouching down to pull a vase from the recesses under the sink. Rising, she half-filled it with water before setting to undoing the bouquet and snip off the ends of the stems. "He must have improved a great deal since we last spoke if he's out there on his own now," she commented. Yes, she was fishing for information she wouldn't dare openly ask for; just why wasn't the neurotic Edward out there himself, like always?
"Yes, he's coming along very well." Edward watched her carefully, then pushed off of the doorway. He strolled over and behind her. Putting his chin to her shoulder, his arms went around her waist. "Besides, I'm considering retiring."
Never let it be said that Beni was capable of keeping her surprises in check. As his arms slipped around her, she gasped softly, laughing at herself even as she relaxed into his embrace, glancing only once at him as she arranged the flowers in the vase. "You couldn't retire," she said quietly. "You're too committed to really consider it."
"My priorities are changing," he murmured and turned his head to nuzzle her jawline with the tip of his nose. "And I'm getting older. I can't run in the night forever."
Her head turned toward him, tilting to welcome the gentle nuzzling as her eyes half-closed. "Changing?" she queried softly, lowering her hands to curl warmly over the arms that wrapped about her.
"Yes, how can I focus on keeping those kids safe when my mind is on whether you're safe?" His arms tightened around her and he tenderly kissed the corner of her mouth.
"Oh, Edward, I don't want to be the reason you leave those kids to themselves," she whimpered tenderly, turning just enough to look him in the eye. Her hand curled against his cheek. "I am safe. I grew up around here, and even if it's a little rough at times, I can deal with it. You wouldn't be the same man if you turned your back on those children, and you wouldn't be able to forgive yourself for it."
His eyes met hers and he slowly nodded. She spoke the truth. "I wish that you'd find a safer neighborhood, Beni. Somewhere closer to Rose House so you don't have to walk so far through such a rough neighborhood." His hand covered hers on his cheek and he closed his eyes.
Her voice was gentle as she answered. "But if I leave, I'll be leaving behind all the memories of Benedict and Clara," she told him tenderly, her thumb stroking over his cheekbone. "I don't know if I can."
"You can take the memories with you, Beni." Edward sighed and pulled away from her. "All of this stuff, it can be moved." He turned back to look at her. "Please Beni. It's driving me crazy that you insist on being so careless."