8/3/08 - Instance "Love Soon"

[JSherlock]

Timeline a day before the Game - Public Relations Cookies


<Neena> Neena flipped through one of the numerous songbooks in the music room. She was sitting on the piano stool, trying to find a song she recognized. It had been too long since she played last, and she wondered if her hands would even remember how.

<Ben> Ben opened the door and saw her attempting to plink away at the piano as if trying to sound out a forgotten tune. He smiled and kissed her on the head as he sidled up next to her and placed his hands on the keys. He began to play chopsticks. "This work?"

<Neena> She laughed. "Child's play," her fingers took over and she played out the rest of the piece. "I was looking more at a minuet. But, I guess playing piano isn't like riding a bike. It's just been too long."

<Ben> Ben smiled back at her and decided to play a song to her. "I hope you know this one..." he played slowly. “Live in my house...I'll be your shelter. Just pay me back, with 1000 kisses..." he sang in a low voice.

<Neena> She recognized the piece from Rent, and she leaned her head on Ben's shoulder to listen to him play. "You really should make this your living," she commented.

<Ben> Ben quickly changed the rhythm of the playing and moved his hands down on the keys and began to sing another song. "You took the words right outta my mouth! Oh it musta been while you were kissing me!" He belted as he swayed and rolled his head like Ray Charles.

<Ben> Stopping and spinning about on the bench he turned to face her and kissed her on the cheek. "You're right, I should look into it." he chuckled. "So how are you?"

<Neena> Neena looked back at the piano. She was always bad at lying. She forced herself to sound light. "I'm doing good. Tired, but what can you expect in college, right? It's been a busy week."

<Ben> Ben noticed the turn away from him. He knew this tell from his mother when she would tell him she was alright, back in the days of Cletus. "You're doing good huh?" He put his head on the keys and looked up in her eyes. "Tell me you're doing good."

<Neena> "Oh!" she sighed, exasperated. "I'm fine. Just some stuff with home, and you know I had an emotional weekend." That and someone dropping a certain word Neena thought, a betraying blush creeping across her cheeks. She gulped and tried to calm down.

<Ben> "Home problems?" Ben frowned. "That's it? Cuz if this is about me, I'll gladly go down there and face 'em if that's what it's gonna take."

<Neena> "Honey, it's not a problem. I mean, it's not a problem like you think. My mom is dying, I mean, dying to meet you. My parents are so happy I'm dating again they're practically blowing a gasket. That's what worries me." Neena shook her head. "My mom can be a little...eager sometimes. I'm more worried about you, honestly."

<Ben> Ben sat up and flashed a grin that would've won over Bobby Darren or Sinatra himself. "Me? Honestly? Come on, I'm not interested in alcohol, I'm practically a pacifist vegetarian, and I'm playing music just like I've always wanted, for small groups of pleasant caffeine addicts! What could you possibly be worried about!"

<Ben> He winked at her and added "Oh yeah, and I'm totally in love with someone A-MAY-ZING!"

<Neena> Neena rolled her eyes, the L word making her blush harder. "That's not what I mean. My parents will love you. Hell, they already do. You don't know what they're like, honey. My mom cooks constantly. Everyone has to be eating, all the time. And her favorite question is "when are you going to settle down?" My dad will be dying to get you out in our frigid bay to surf. At 5 in the morning."

<Neena> She shook her head. "They are no walk in the park. And I'm starting to think Lazarus has stalled all he can."

<Ben> Ben shrugged. "Bring it." He said confidently. "It's not like they're the Persians and I'm just 300 Spartans or something. Firstly, I love food. Second, I love the idea of surfing."

<Ben> "Thirdly, I love answering questions and talking, and I love the idea of them getting to know me better and understand maybe trusting me, and most importantly, if I love you why does the rest of it matter?"

<Neena> Was today "Tell Neena I love you" day? Neena frowned. "I see. So if my mother pops in with a random, when do you plan to have kids, you won't freak out and go running? Because she can be weird like that. I'm just warning you." she looked down at the piano again, averting her eyes.

<Ben> "I didn't realize we were marking on calendars conception dates these days." He laughed. "I promise, nothing she can ask me will be too personal or too off putting. Unless she asks me about my stepfather. Or Rogue." He frowned. "I don't like mentioning our falling out anymore."

<Neena> "She can't ask what she doesn't know," Neena laughed weakly. "But if there's anything you don't want to answer, just laugh it off. She won't mind, I'm sure of it. My mom just really likes people in general. I guess that's where I get it from." Why couldn't she look at him? It wasn't hard, especially considering how easy Ben was on the eyes.

<Ben> He leaned in and pecked her on the cheek. Then he did so again for good measure. Then to be sure that the second kiss got the idea, he sent a third one on there to back it up and then a fourth for some morale support. Smiling he decided a fifth wouldn't hurt and maybe now they could gather their forces and get the point across that nothing was bothering him.

<Ben> All he wanted was to be happy with her. "You seem distracted, but not in a positive way. I feel like I'm irritating you or doing something wrong."

<Neena> Neena's head shot up at the concern in his tone. "No, sweetie, you're not doing anything wrong. Of course not," she closed her eyes to return his kisses, planting one on his forehead, one on his cheek, and one on his lips. "You've just been...surprising me lately, that's all. But I'm definitely not irritated with you, not at all."

<Ben> Ben frowned a very frowny frown. The word "surprise" he didn't like. Not in this sentence. Surprise like "Happy birthday! Surprise!" Those were okay. But this was like "I have a surprise for you, just close your eyes and go in the basement."

<Ben> "What do you mean surprise?" Ben asked worriedly.

<Neena> Ok, so that didn't have the reassuring effect Neena had hoped for. "Well, let's rewind to Saturday, when a certain someone decided to worry me with his 'I'm going to hand my life over to the government' decision. Shall we start there?"

<Ben> Ben shook his head. "No, not a good place to start at all. I'm much happier with starting somewhere else. Like why I'm surprising you. That was Saturday, and you said I keep doing it. This means I am continually doing something wrong...or different."

<Neena> Neena gulped. Alright, maybe "lately" hadn't been the best word to choose. She tried to look for a way out, but found none. "You're not doing anything wrong," she emphasized, kissing his mouth slowly to try and distract him.

<Ben> Ben took the distraction but knew better. "Well, if wrong isn't the word, then what am I doing? Good?"

<Neena> "You can't use good in that context," She replied, smirking victoriously. But seeing the look on his face, Neena felt a little guilty. Here he was, concerned that he was doing something wrong when all he did was say "I love you."

<Ben> "So...am I doing something... incorrect?" Ben asked, scared of the answer. "Do I need to do something different? Act different? Dress different? Should I not be so nuts?" Ben held his hands up. "Baby, whatever you want I'll do it!"

<Neena> This was too much. The guilt bubbled up inside her and the next thing she knew she blurted out, "Why did you have to say I love you? You didn't do anything. You just said that. I mean, why? God, you don't even know me that well!"

<Neena> As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Neena regretted them. She stared at Ben, holding her breath. Could she have been meaner?

<Ben> Ben looked at his feet. Ouch, he thought.

<Ben> He took his guitar and went over to the other side of the room. Silently he tweaked it and tuned it, being sure to take his time.

<Ben> When it looked like she was about to speak again, he began to play. "I know you've been swarmed I've read your complaints, you're needing someone older. Though i've been warned to live day-by-day, there's something taking over. Did you expect to kiss me one time? While looking at me with the same eyes ever again?"

<Ben> "So come on and face it, just come on and face it. It's time that we say it. You can cross the line whenever you want to, I'm calling it love soon. Close your mind and waste your time if you have to, I'm calling it love soon. It's not about you now it's what we are..."

<Neena> She listened quietly, every word pulling at her reason. This made no sense at all. Love wasn't supposed to be like this! It was trust and time, friendship, hard days and good days, trials and triumphs. Love was not something that was decided on an impulse, was it?

<Ben> "Your mother complains that you need a man. You haven't mentioned me yet. All of your friends don't know who I am, I've been your best kept secret. I understand I wasn't part of the plan, a dollar short, a minute early, but I am your man. So come on and face it, so come on and face it. It's time that we say it."

<Ben> "You can cross the line whenever you want to, I'm calling it love soon. Close your mind and waste our time, I'm calling it love soon. It's not about us now, it's what we are..."

<Neena> Neena rose and knelt at Ben's feet, lacing her fingers and resting them on his knee. She put her chin on top of her hands and mustered up the courage too look up at him. "Are you sure you're not a telepath?" she murmured as he finished the song.

<Ben> "I'm pretty sure." He said putting the guitar down. "However, one of my best friends is Rachel. And she can really get into someone's head."

<Neena> "Well, she hasn't tried it on me yet," Neena shook her head, strangely relieved at the turn of the conversation. This was safer, this was more normal. Yet there was so much guilt! She had made him worry over something that was her own fault, because she didn't, couldn't, believe that he could love her so quickly.

<Neena> Neena laid her cheek on Ben's knee, contemplating. "Who wrote that song? I'm not familiar with it."

<Ben> "It's John Mayer. First album, surprisingly." He said shrugging. "So... you okay? With me being on that boat before you? I mean I know it's a 'when you're ready' thing, but I'll be honest, short of sobering up you're the best thing to happen to me."

<Ben> He smiled as he pet her hair. "In fact, it's almost as if I sobered up just in time for you. Fate is funny."

<Neena> "Fate, eh?" Neena closed her eyes as he stroked her hair, practically purring at the attention. "I just don't get it, I guess," she said. "People do this kind of thing in novels, you know? Like in Emma, or The Alchemist."

<Ben> "Well, I think love at first sight sort of thing happens all the time. Sometimes it happens and your mind just isn't awake to it yet." He kissed her on the top of the head and kept his mouth there, breathing her in. "Sometimes you just need that little shake, like the way you shake a snow globe."

<Ben> "The snow is there, but you can't see it until you shake it. And you..." He quickly sat back up. "Shook me alllll niiiiiight loooong!"

<Neena> Neena laughed and swatted at his leg. "You are so weird!" She settled back down, absentmindedly stroking his ankle. "I swear, you're totally nuts. Have you ever read The Alchemist, honey?"

<Ben> "When we love, we always strive to become better than we are.” Ben quoted and smiled at her. "Yeah, I read it. Found it to be one of the most deeply influential books I ever read."

<Neena> "I figured," Neena snorted. "I had a feeling you'd be influenced, but I just wanted to make sure. Looks like I was right on with the instinct." She rose and took the guitar away to sit in his lap. "I can't say something I'm not sure of, Ben. But I will tell you that you are the best thing that's happened to me too, in a long, long time."

<Ben> "Well, at least we're on the same page." Ben kissed her lightly on the lips. "You know, the door locks..." He pointed to the dead bolt. "And it is a music room. So it is sound proof..." He grinned at her.

<Ben> "This means only one thing...time to play some Billy Joel!" He rocketed up and over her. Slamming his hands against the keys he began to bang out notes. "We didn't start the fire!"

<Neena> Neena shrieked in surprise and stood quickly. "You have got to be kidding me," she cried. Grinning, Neena grabbed Ben by his shoulders and turned him around. "Come here, my crazy boy," she teased, settling back in his lap to kiss him deeply.

<Ben> Ben returned the deep kiss and used his webbing to close the door firmly. He pulled her in close, letting his hand roam her behind.

<Neena> Neena squeaked, but soon found that Ben's hands on her weren't so bad. In fact, they had quite the opposite effect. She sighed into his kiss and decided that maybe this time, it was ok to put reason aside for a bit.

[Esynthia]

aww. cute.

[steyn]

yus, very d'awww