Participants:
| Scene Title | I Was Drunk |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Early morning sees Nicole defending her actions, and attributing blame as appropriate. |
| Date | May 28, 2011 |
Solstice Condominiums: Nicole Nichols' Home
The clock on the nightstand says it's 5:30AM. Which accounts for the sunlight beginning to filter through thin and half-drawn curtains over the window in the bedroom of Nicole Nichols' condo. The woman in bed stirs when the brilliant red-gold washes over her face and causes her eyelids to flutter. She doesn't roll over, but just shifts in her sprawl on her stomach, turning her head away from the window. The blue undertones in her black hair shows more in this light.
The OCD fairies have been hard at work. Clothes have been picked up off the floor. Nicole's have found their way to the laundry room, while her partners' where put neatly on hangers and hung from the closet door. Dishes also found their way to the sink, and wine back in the fridge.
Control freaks are strange.
The shifting of the bed brings Benjamin Ryans right out of his sleep, aware of not being alone. An arm that had been thrown over his eyes in sleep, lifts slowly. Blue eyes squint against the glare of the morning light, staring a touch accusingly at it, before glancing at the body in the bed next to him. It's odd not to see blonde hair next to him, it throws his bleary mind off for a moment.
When he does realize, there is a twitch of his mouth. It's a brief hint of a smile before he straightens his head to look at the ceiling. He can feel the cool chill of the morning on his chest where the sheets have gathered down across his hips.
After rubbing hands over his face, as if to wipe away sleep, he shifts carefully in the bed, rolling onto his side. Ben is silent, watching her, probably going over last night and… well… futures. He props the side of his head on the palm of his hand.
Nicole continues to sleep soundly for another minute or two before the movement next to her in bed registers. She draws in a deep breath, signalling impending wakefulness. Her eyes don't open, however, but rather squint tighter shut as she unfolds her arms from beneath her pillow, stretching out to press her palms flat against the headboard and flex clear down to her toes.
"Mmph," accompanies her face turning in to the pillow for a few seconds, taking that time to yawn widely against the cushion before she finally relinquishes her grasp on sleep. She turns her face back toward Ryans and finally opens her dark blue eyes to look at him, blinking until he comes into focus. "Hey."
She's similarly momentarily thrown off by the fact that it isn't a blonde she's woken up next to.
"Good Morning." The greeting is rumbled in return, after watching her stretch with mild amusement. Fingers gently brush hair out of her face, gentle and tuck it behind her ear, before letting them trail down her back. He watches his fingers trace along the the curve of her back, as he asks, "You sleep okay, once you picked up?"
Yeah, he noticed.
"Didn't see the bra that got left on the end of the bed or my shirt which I think landed on the dresser." There is a mild tease to his tone, even as he continues to watch his fingers, tho he does glance back up once.
A languid smile accompanies Ryans' affection. A chuckle with the teasing. "In my defence, I was drunk," Nicole insists and flicks a glance over her shoulder to the end of the bed. "Eh." Shoulders up in a shrug.
"Are you in a hurry?" Nicole doesn't seem to be, as she makes no attempt to push herself up, or roll over onto her side or her back or glance at the clock. Or reach for her BlackBerry.
"Good to know." He'll file that little bit away for later. "Drunk cleaning is a new one." Ryans smiles to show her he's still teasing her.
Her question get a slow shake of his head however. "No. Not in a hurry." He lets his hand slide away, brushing her side in passing, before letting the arm lay on his own hip. "I should, however, check in later." That comment is delivered a little more neutrally. Shop talk.
"I should make sure nothing started on fire while we were sleeping." Nicole rolls over then and gropes about her nightstand for her phone. Her fingers close around it, but she doesn't pull it toward her.
"Fuck. If the people working under me can't be without me for twelve hours, I swear I'll just fire them all and find people who can." It's left to sit and Nicole instead scoots over closer to Ryans, intent on resting her head on his chest. "How're you feeling?"
Her shifting closer prompts Ben to roll back on his back, curling an arm behind her as she lays her head on his chest. His other arm tucks under his head and he lets out a rather content sigh. "I feel healthy." He assures her, tilting his head just enough to look at her out of the corner of his eye.
"Rather rested and relaxed." His arm tightens around her gently and briefly. It's a compliment really. Having her laying against him warms him enough that he untangles a leg from the covers and exposes it to the cool room. "You?"
"Surprised with myself," Nicole admits easily. "I don't… usually…" Trailing off, she mulls over words, and decides she likes vagueries. "On the first date. But I don't necessarily date either." She winces faintly, "It's complicated, how I… categorise things in my head. It's a system that works for me, but I find it hard to explain to others."
What she can explain, however, is, "I have no regrets. I'm glad I asked you to stay. It was…" Blushing isn't entirely hidden by the turn of her cheek against bare chest, "Nice. And different. In a good way."
Benjamin is quiet for a long moment, before he nods slowly, "No regrets." Only that touch of guilt for a totally different reason. "Maybe it's prompted by what we know." The future he means. "I don't usually do that either… especially since we've technically not known each other long. Future aside."
Fingers are gentle as they brush through some of her hair. "Not that I've done much of this dating stuff." Even with Lynette they didn't exactly date, mostly kept each other company. Lips press into a line thinking about her. "Worth the risk, because you're right. It was nice."
"I'd like to… continue seeing you." Nicole lifts her head enough so he can see her smile. "Not just because I enjoyed this." Which is a more polite way of saying not just sleeping with you. "Maybe you're right. Maybe it's this idea of destiny or… something. But it felt right." She lays her head down again, wrapping one arm loose around his waist. "What sounds good for breakfast? I could do omelettes, or waffles, french toast, pancakes…"
"I would hope not just this," He glances down at the top of her head again, with something like a smirk threatening his expression. "I'm an old man, you'll break me before long." Not that he looks like one or acted like one last night. "Wear me down."
Pulling the arm our from behind his head, Ryans rests it lightly on the one now draped across his waist. "Cooking breakfast, would require us to get out of bed." He sounds rather against that, enjoying the feel of her body pressed close. "But I will leave the menu to, my lovely hostess."
Nicole grins. "Not in any hurry and you don't care if we get out of bed for a while?" She wraps her arm around him a little tighter for a brief moment. "Ooh, I like you," she teases. "French toast can wait." At least until the hour is a bit later.
Curling up more snugly against Ryans, Nicole closes her eyes contentedly. "More rest. Then we can have breakfast, and take it from there. Sound good?"
Giving a huffed chuckle, Ryans lets her get comfortable. "Not all the time," he admits about the not being in a hurry. "Just this time, I'd like to relax and enjoy this." Fingers brush down her back, in a teasing manner. He'll rest for a time, but he's rather aware of the naked woman laying along his side.
"But sounds good." It's added as almost an after thought and punctuated by a yawn. "A very good plan."
Groping with one hand, Nicole grabs a handful of blankets and pulls them up to her shoulders and smiles. "Good. You'll learn quickly I come up with the best strategies and plans." Her shoulders quake faintly as she giggles and then stifles a yawn. "Wake me in an hour if you're still up," she instructs with a satisfied smile.
One that only fades as she drifts back to sleep.