Fate || BENNIFER

Idyllic Weekend

Jennifer's P.O.V

I pushed the door open, revealing a space frozen in time, memories flooding my mind like a torrential downpour. Ben had kept everything exactly as it was, and it felt like a snapshot of our past. He had always been sentimental about this place, holding onto it even after we had gone our separate ways.

The familiar scent brought back flashes of lazy mornings spent tangled in sheets, the memories of our time spent together, the promises and shared dreams that had once filled the space with love and hope for the future.

Our bedroom seemed to hold its breath as I stepped inside. My gaze drifted to the king-sized bed that dominated the room, still the same shade I had picked out years before, and the pillows were arranged just the way I liked them. Ben lay sprawled on his stomach in the center of the bed, his bare back rising and falling with the rhythm of his steady breathing.

I approached the bed and sat on the edge, my fingers reaching out to trace the contours of his broad back with a feather-light touch. As my caresses danced over his skin, he stirred from his sleep, his eyes fluttering open to meet mine. A soft smile tugged at my lips.

"Hey." Ben mumbled in a sleepy voice.

"Hey." I replied softly.

Sensing my emotions taking over me, he shifted on the bed and reached out to place a comforting hand on my thigh.

"I know how you feel." He murmured, his voice filled with understanding. "I was there a few days ago. Feels like going back in time. It's a bit overwhelming."

Though the room remained unchanged, I felt the weight of the years that had passed between us. A decade had come and gone, marked by sorrows and joys while we lived our lives apart.

"I missed this place." I whispered. "I missed you."

In the dimly lit room, Ben could still make out the subtle nuances of my expressions. He knew me well, knew the tremble of my lip when I turned my head slightly away in an effort to hold back tears. Sensing my need, he reached out to me and drew me into a hug.

"Come here." He said, his voice a gentle murmur as his arms enfolded me in a tight embrace.

My first contact with our past had dredged up a deep well of feelings, both happy and painful, but not the entire weekend was bound to be shrouded in such dramatic moments. The night had ended on a passionate note, the walls of the room bearing witness to the raw, untamed emotions that had driven a visceral connection between our bodies.

As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the window, gently illuminating the room, I opened my eyes. I was not startled awake, but rather roused from my sleep by the soothing sound of water cascading in the shower and the off-key serenade of Ben's voice. He was singing one of my songs, his voice passionate but not particularly melodious.

A smile graced my lips as I sat up, the soft sheets sliding off my bare skin. My limbs tingled with the previous night's remnants, urging me to seek out the warmth of Ben's touch once more.

As I stood in the doorway of the bathroom, watching him with a mixture of amusement and affection, I couldn't help but smile like a fool. Walking in with decision, I was greeted by a veil of steam that enveloped my skin like a warm embrace.

Drawing nearer, I reached out a hand, searching for his back for balance as I stepped into the shower behind him, my fingers grazing lightly over the expanse of his shoulders. He then turned to me, and I couldn't help but admire the way the water cascaded down his skin, highlighting the contours of his toned physique.

"Good morning." My voice a gentle murmur.

"Beautiful morning." He replied, his eyes traveling over me unabashedly.

I couldn't help but laugh at his playful tone, but his eyes held a hunger that made my pulse quicken when he placed his hands on my waist to pull me closer. What happened next should only be left to the imagination.

With toothbrushes in hand, we continued with our routine together, or tried to. I caught him making a silly face in the mirror, so I stuck out my tongue. But he crossed his eyes, and I inevitably burst out laughing. Even he wanted to laugh at his own expression, puffing out his cheeks to try and stop the toothpaste from spilling out of his mouth.

After a few shenanigans, we finally managed to finish the task at hand, moving on to the next step of the morning routine. Ben stood behind me, gently running the hair dryer through my damp hair. He made me feel pampered and cared for, even if just for a moment. I couldn't help but laugh at Ben's playful attempts to make my body towel slip off, all while trying to maintain a straight face.

As we had breakfast, the playful banter continued. I reached across the table to steal a sip of his coffee, earning a poor performance of what was intended to be a disapproving glance. Ben retaliated by biting my toast away from my hand, my jaw dropping in surprise before the smile I struggled to contain came out as soft laughter. He made up for that by feeding me a bite of his own food, our lips brushing against each other in a sweet kiss.

The cozy warmth of the crackling fireplace enveloped us as we snuggled together on a soft blanket spread out on the floor. And that would've been our weekend, idyllic, lovely, perfect... but that was until my phone rang.

"Is that your phone? I thought you turned it off." Ben raised an eyebrow.

"I'm a mother, of course I didn't turn it off." A hint of laughter in my voice. "Can you reach for it, please?"

He was closer, and his arms were longer, so he leaned over and retrieved it before handing it to me.

"Who is it?" He asked.

"It's Benny." I sighed.

"Don't pick up." He said.

I hesitated for a moment, my mind wavering between the desire to ignore it and the need to address the potential problem that could be behind that call.

"Okay." I said putting it down.

He kissed my temple before we resumed our embrace, easily picking up where we had left in our bubble of cuddles and caresses. However, the peace was short-lived as my phone continued to buzz with multiple notifications. Reluctantly, I disentangled myself from Ben's arms and reached for my phone.

"He seems mad." Ben observed me as I scrolled through the notifications. "What did you do?" He teased and chuckled.

"Apparently, I started a war against your ex-wife, according to the media." I replied.

My words to the paparazzi in New York had caused a stir that I should've anticipated, giving a dramatic twist to our otherwise idyllic weekend.