Daydreams and Disasters

Morning After

Morning After

He wakes up with an armful of Nancy, so heavily asleep that her alarm has been beeping for a solid five minutes. She is curled into him, head on his chest and legs twined in his. For a moment Ben forgets to breathe because if he lets out the air then time will continue and, God he's cherishing this frozen second.

The problem with super speed is that the world can move so slowly, leaving him out of synch with everyone else. Oh yes, he has enough time to recover, more than enough, but sometimes even he gets caught up in a silent second.

Or not so silent. How is she sleeping through that Klaxxon? It worries him that she isn't sleeping well, that her face is starting to thin, and he wonders if there is a way, short of marrying this stubborn and wonderful woman, to convince her that he needs to sleep in her bed every night from now until the shadows fade.

She snuggles closer, one arm wrapped around him and Ben wonders idly if he's been cursed because hell is having the woman of your dreams wrapped around you and not being able to reciprocate. He wants to hold her, remind her that the world is not her burden to bear, and wake her with butterfly kisses to eyelids and cheeks.

He settles for pulling out of her grasp and getting ready for the day. Maybe she'll listen to him over breakfast. Nancy has always been susceptible to persuasion of the edible type. Waffles with whipped cream, berries, and syrup might buy him enough good will to broach his question.

Who knows, maybe he has some unseen allies.

"Hey there Spirits, it's me Ben. I know I can't see you, and you may not be listening, but I mean her nothing but good. A little help?"

XXX

Kane studied him, this fancy Senator wearing an old Capital Kookaburras t-shirt, faded and torn on one sleeve, asking the spirits for aid in his courtship. Most politicians when asking of forces beyond their comprehension wanted wealth and power but this guy, this idiot putting water in his waffle mix when everyone knew you used milk, was asking for love.

"If you like her as much as I love her, "his voice cracked and he was getting emotional far too early in the morning wasn't he, "Just put in a word, okay? I just want her to get some sleep and she can be surprisingly prideful, not that I'm one to really talk." He sighed, setting the waffle iron up and setting out toppings.

Mina popped into existence next to him, "You know Kane, that boy has it bad." Kane just hummed in thought, keeping his own counsel, and continued to watch as Ben Sage made a cup of coffee and a pot of tea, singing to himself as he set the table.

"He knows where everything is," he muttered while Mina just grinned. "Good Lord, he's serious. He really loves her and he can't see us but he wants help? Well, I'm inclined to give it to him." Kane knew he chattered when excited and Mina often graciously ignored it. "I mean I knew he had an infatuation and she's clearly in love, but he means it."

Ben had moved on to doing the dishes, blond head bobbing in time to some swing song that had been popular in Kane's day. "All of me, why not take alllll of me -"

"They have a history, Kane" Mina sighed, "They were almost married once, but Death took him prematurely." Kane stared at the clearly living young man, sneaking bites of his breakfast between dishes, super speed blurring his actions. "When Lady Death returned him it was too late. The damage was done." He shot Mina a look of confusion, missing the moment when Ben zipped out of the room to change.

"What sort of damage? If the love of my life came back, I'd get married in a heartbeat." Mina's response was cut off by a tired yawn as the subject of their discussion tumbled out of her bedroom and grabbed the nearest mug.

"Don't gossip about me guys," she grumbled. "I have commitment issues okay? I needed space to protect my own sanity. I cared too much. Also, ugh Ben," she called in the direction of the bathroom, "You put coffee in the wrong mug! Yours is the – oh sorry. That is yours. My bad."

His laugh was bright and she grinned, grabbing the plate with the least touched waffle and getting to work. "Thanks for the breakfast!"

Ben zipped out, "You're welcome," Kane didn't miss the way Nancy's eyes unconsciously wandered up and down Ben's form, taking in everything from the polished dress shoes to the violet tie to the perfectly styled hair. "Any time, remember?"

"Mmhm," she swallowed, "Same, okay?" She seemed to be thinking about something, debating with herself as Ben fussed with his tie, and Kane could see the moment she concluded her mental argument. Getting up, she threw her arms around Ben, pulling him close. "Thank you for everything."

Ben's ears turned crimson and he smiled, a bashful, boyish thing. "Like I said," he murmured, "any time."

Yep. Kane was gonna help them. He had to, otherwise they were gonna be stuck in this excruciatingly unresolved tension stage, and he may be dead but he wasn't blind.

Purgatory was watching two lovestruck idiots dance around each other.