Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Raven sinks lower into the giant bathtub full of bubbles and rests her head along the back edge, exhaling a huge breath as if she could release all of her negative thoughts from her mind. The evening had been tiring, but as soon as she and Murphy had entered their room and locked the door behind them, she’d been fixated on the idea of a relaxing bath to help sort out the myriad feelings that had bombarded her all night. Murphy hadn’t minded, though he’d darted into the bathroom first to brush his teeth and change into his pajamas, and she thought perhaps she might stay in here until she was wrinkled and pruny, in the hopes that she’d have some insight when she finally emerged.

She’s in the tub maybe ten minutes, and is absolutely nowhere near figuring a single thing out, when there’s a hesitant knock on the bathroom door, followed by a few muffled words which she can’t fully hear. She might’ve picked up on ‘forgot’ and ‘want it’, but everything else is practically inaudible.  

“Just open the door, Murphy! I have no idea what you’re saying,” she calls out.

The door opens a tiny crack, and from her position in the tub, she can see Murphy on the other side, his eyes angled down towards the bedroom carpet while he repeats himself. “I said that I forgot about it, but I had asked the bartender to send your glass of red wine back to your room when he swapped it out for the white, so it wouldn’t go to waste. I just got some water from the fridge and saw that there’s a half carafe of the Pinot Noir in there for you. They left wine glasses on the table, too. Do you want it?”

A smile breaks across her face at the suggestion - a glass of wine could be just what she needs. “Oh my god, yes, I want it! Can you bring it in here? I don’t want to trail water everywhere. I’m up to my neck in bubbles; you won’t be able to see anything.” As soon as she says it, she wonders if maybe she’s overstepping things between them by asking him to come in while she’s in the bath. It’s true that he won’t be able to see anything, but she is completely naked, and with the recent revelations she’s been having… maybe it’s more inappropriate than she first thought, actually, but it’s too late to take the request back now, since she can hear the fridge opening up again through the cracked doorway.

Moments later, Murphy comes through the door, glass in hand, and his gaze is fixed on the tiled wall somewhere above her head. His eyes aren’t as adjusted to the darkness as hers, though, so she can tell he’s taking cautious steps across the broad floor towards her. The large bathtub sits under a low windowsill that’s been frosted on the bottom half with an outline of a mountain range, and on the ledge are a few tall white candles that Raven had lit with some matches she’d found in one of the drawers, having turned out the overhead lights before she’d gotten wet. She sits up, leaning towards him as he gets closer, and reaches her left arm across her body for the glass as water and bubbles drip back down into the tub from her skin. He has to focus on her instead of the wall as he bends down to hand it over, and she takes it gently from his grasp, their eyes connecting in the shadowy candlelight. He starts to straighten once she has a firm hold on the wine, but her right hand quickly breaks the surface of the water to encircle his wrist, preventing him from pulling away.

“Thanks for the wine, Murphy,” she tells him softly, but she knows as soon as she gets the words out that it’s not quite what she wants to say. He nods, but she keeps her fingers wrapped around him, determined to keep him there while she works this out. “I mean, not just for bringing it in here, but for swapping it in the first place. And I’m really sorry I put us in a bad spot by losing my temper with that awful woman.”

A brief grin tugs the corner of his lips up, and he must realize he’s not getting out of the bathroom anytime soon, since he takes a seat with his body facing her on the wide edge of the built-in tub rather than staying hunched over. Raven doesn’t let his wrist go, however, even though she notices there’s now water dripping down her arm and onto the thigh of his pajama pants.

“I probably shouldn’t admit this, but part of me really wanted to see what happened if I hadn’t gotten you out of there.”

Raven huffs out a breath of frustrated laughter. “It wouldn’t have been pretty, that’s for sure. She had me really feeling furious with her comments, but I never should have let my anger take control, especially in a business situation like this one. If you hadn’t been there, I don’t know if I would have come to my senses before I really did something rash, and I could have endangered everything we’ve worked so hard for.”

The look he’s giving her in response to her confession is one Raven recognizes. He looked at her like that earlier tonight when he’d dragged her away from Mrs. Foster, and he’s looked at her like that countless times in the past when they’ve made decisions about Dropship and its future - it’s his ‘don’t worry, I’m going to take care of this’ face, and it’s never failed to make her feel better, whether it’s because she’s worried, or like now, when she’s done something stupid and he’s trying to reassure her. His mouth starts moving, and she knows she should be paying attention, should be listening to what he’s telling her, but instead her mind goes back to earlier tonight and the way he’d calmed her down. His fingers had rubbed warm circles on the skin of her back, and while earlier it had soothed her, thinking about it now brings an entirely different feeling to go with the heated flush that blooms across her cheeks.

It’s not like she’s never had erotic thoughts about Murphy before, especially back when they’d first met. He was definitely a jerk in the beginning, but that hadn’t stopped her libido from being interested. As they’d gotten more friendly, though, she’d stuffed down all those unanswered questions about how it would feel to kiss him or what he’d be like as a lover, because the timing never seemed to work out. Eventually she’d decided that she’d missed any window of opportunity with him and had accepted that close friends was what they were going to be. This trip seemed to be stirring up those questions again, starting with that damn picture that Clarke had taken of them in the backseat of her Jeep. And even though she was incensed on Murphy’s behalf that Elaine Foster had started flirting with him and treated him in an objectified way, she could admit to herself that there was jealousy there too, and that had only served to fuel her fury when she’d insinuated Raven had slept her way to success.

It was that flash of unreasonable, sharp anger when she’d seen Clarke curled into Murphy’s side and looking at him so affectionately that had ultimately been what sealed it for her, though. There was absolutely no reason to be jealous of Clarke, fully aware that her interest in Murphy was purely for show and they were good friends with no romantic ties. But logic hadn’t stopped her gut reaction, and that’s how she knew it might not be so easy to stuff her desires back into a box again. Raven might be a lot more experienced at using her brain rather than her emotions, but even she couldn’t ignore that instinctive, possessive urge to yank Clarke far away from Murphy… Her eyes flick back up to concentrate on her surroundings when she realizes she’s gritting her teeth, a slight pang of contrition in her throat when she notices Murphy’s still talking to her and she really should be more mindful of what he’s saying. Still, she’s diverted by the darkened wet spot on the thigh of his sweatpants, and she wonders what he’d do if she just tightened her grip around his wrist and hauled him into the bath with her.

“Raven? Raven, are you even listening to me?” Murphy had noticed Raven’s attention wavering, but there’s a glazed look in her eye now and he’d give a helluva lot to find out what she’s currently thinking about, especially because her thumb had started to rub back and forth on the inside of his wrist. She doesn’t answer him, but the movement continues across his skin, making it more difficult to breathe, and now that his eyes have adjusted to the flickering candlelight and he’s not preoccupied with what either of them is saying, the intimate feel of sitting next to her while she’s naked in the tub is overwhelming. Raven only had it mostly right when she’d told him he wouldn’t be able to see anything because of all the bubbles in her bath, or maybe it was just that it hadn’t occurred to her that the elegant line of her exposed neck and wet, bare back as she leaned towards him were things that she should count as revealing. Frustratingly, he was counting it, along with the way her hair is piled messily on top of her head and how her hand hasn’t let him go since he brought her the wine glass.

Taking a deep breath of the warm and scented air that surrounds them, he loosens her fingers from around his wrist and lowers her arm back into the bubbles, conscious of the fact that he’s going to embarrass himself if he doesn’t get out of this bathroom. The feel of the water on her skin again must jolt her out of her stupor, because her vision clears and she tips her head up abruptly as he stands over her, her dark eyes widening in surprise and her face pink from the heat of the bath.

“Hey, don’t stress out about tonight, okay? You didn’t actually end up doing anything that would cause any problems. I’m just…gonna let you finish up in here.” He takes one last look at her before swiftly turning around and striding quickly out the bathroom door, closing it softly behind him with a relieved groan. He rests against it for just a moment before crossing to the far window, unlocking it and pushing it open as far as it will go. The cold air rushes into the bedroom and cools his skin, but doesn’t do anything to combat the firestorm that’s building inside him.

Clarke flicks off the light as she watches Bellamy climb into the bed beside her, both of them snuggling deeper under the comfortable blankets. As soon as he’s still, she wastes no time tucking herself into his side, a satisfied grin on her face as his arm wraps around her.

“I think despite a few bumps, tonight was a pretty good first impression, don’t you?”

Bellamy squeezes her shoulder in response. “Could have been worse, I guess, although I have to admit the evening kept my attention more than I expected it to.”

“What, you thought a formal business dinner as Murphy and Raven’s fake significant others was going to be boring?” She laughs and gently pokes his stomach.

Grinning, he explains further. “Well, I wouldn’t have predicted a lewd hostess, attempts at corporate espionage, breaking up a potential catfight and looking at more pictures of grandchildren than should have been able to fit in that lady’s wallet, that’s for sure. Seriously, they just didn’t stop coming, like an endless parade of strange children.”

Her head almost bumps him in the nose as she tilts it up curiously to look at him. “That’s actually adorable, and don’t act like you hated looking at cute kids, Bell! You are going to have to fill me in on the corporate spying stuff, though - I missed that one. But I definitely didn’t miss the way the two of them were touching each other after Murphy hauled Raven away from that awful woman. Not to mention all the looks between them. And how they were having some kind of private conversation in the movie room instead of watching the show. They’re getting closer to where I want them.”

“At the risk of inflating your ego any further,” Bellamy adds drily, “there was something else you missed that I happened to notice.” Clarke’s look of anticipation is so immediate and he’s tempted to make her wait just to tease her, but the pinch he receives on his waist is enough incentive to shorten his pause and get to the point. “Okay, okay - after dinner, I was making like a good fake boyfriend and took Raven’s hand as we walked over to some of those couches that were in the lounge. She was frustrated she had lost her temper and I mentioned how I was impressed that it was Murphy who was keeping his cool for a change. I think she was scanning the room for you guys, and she must have spotted you because before I knew it, her hand was squeezing mine so hard I thought she might break a few fingers. She was completely unaware she was doing it, and when I looked up to see what the hell she was reacting over, there’s no way she was focused on anyone but you two.”

“Oh my god,” Clarke squeals, abruptly sitting up and looking down at him. “Do you think she was jealous?”

“Can’t think of anything else it could have been, and it did look a bit cozy, what with Murphy’s arm around you, so maybe it set her off. She wasn’t pleased, that’s for sure” Watching his girlfriend literally rub her hands together at his comments and still wincing from the loud squeal near his ear, Bellamy wonders if maybe he’s helped to create a bit of a monster.

“This is so perfect, Bellamy, you don’t even know!” Clarke’s eyebrows scrunch together in concentration. “Okay, it’s even better than I could have planned it, but we’ve gotta take advantage of this momentum. If Raven’s feeling jealous, I am not going to let this fizzle out. The next steps have to be just right.”

“Babe… do you think, maybe, just a bit, you might be taking this a little too far right now?”

“Bell, sweetie, I love you but I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this for so long, and if you mess it up, the consequences for you will be dire. Raven is my best friend, and I know all she needs is a push in the right direction.” Clarke takes his hand in hers and grips it reassuringly. “Look, I know I’m overly excitable about this, but I really do think this is what they both want. I’m just gonna...nudge ‘em together, and what they do with that will be up to them. But it’ll work, I know it will.”

“You sound sincere, but that evil little glint in your eye tells me I should still be afraid. Why is that, do you suppose?”

“Maybe because you know me too well?” Clarke tries to look innocent, but at Bellamy’s skeptical expression, she knows she’s not pulling it off. She throws up her hands in defeat. “Okay, fine! Fine! You’re not gonna like the next part of my plan, but we’re doing it! Tomorrow I’m kissing your best friend while you make my best friend watch, and everybody will thank me for it later, you’ll see!”

“Damn it, Clarke, I said no kissing!”

“No, your exact caveat was ‘no tongue’, not ‘no kissing’. We’re both just going to have to suck it up and take one for the team here. And besides,” Clarke smiles mischievously, “it’s not like I’m going to kiss Murphy like this.” She leans over him and proceeds to show him exactly what the difference is, and if it’s a bonus that Bellamy stops arguing about her plan, then she’ll just keep that part to herself.

‘I’ll just let you finish up’, he had said, and since when had Murphy developed the ability to read her mind, Raven wondered. One minute she’d been sitting in the luxurious bathtub, apologizing to Murphy about her behavior, and the next she’d been completely caught up in a fantasy that involved pulling him into the tub with her, both of them wet and soapy, resulting in her being more turned on than she could last remember. And then suddenly she’d come back to herself, and she had no idea how long she’d been actively imagining his tongue in her mouth while he’d been literally sitting beside her. She’d stared up at him in shock, blushing furiously at the imagery in her head, and the variety of ‘finishing up’ she wanted to do wasn’t the kind of thing mentioned in polite company.

She sunk back into the bubbles, banging her head softly against the tiled wall as she acknowledged that she was going to have to go out there eventually and sleep in the same bed with her long-term friend, business partner and now sexual fantasy star. Last night she’d been tired and the relief of getting through their first business reception had helped her fall asleep quickly, but tonight was going to be a different story, she just knew it. Picking up the glass of wine from the window ledge, she takes more of a gulp than a sip, determined to work out a few of her problems before the water gets cold.

The time passes quickly, but Raven puts it to good use. Things are clearer to her after tonight’s events, and she resolutely climbs out of the bathtub and dries off, sliding into her favorite oversized t-shirt from Sinclair when she’s finished. She leaves her hair pinned up and brushes her teeth, and as she looks in the mirror, it almost seems strange not to see a noticeable physical difference when she feels like she’s come to such an epiphany on the inside. For longer than she’s been conscious of it, Murphy has been hers, and once the two of them finish this trip and get back home, she’s going to tell him she wants more than just friendship between them, and if she’s lucky, he’ll come around to the idea. In the meantime, she’s got to figure out how she’s going to act normally around him and stay committed to the business dealings they’re here for. She gazes intently at herself in the mirror again, knowing that’s not going to be an easy task when the majority of her brain has her bathtub adventure playing on an endless loop. Raven never would have thought it possible, but for the first time ever, she doesn’t want to put their company first, instead wishing she could just march out into their room, confess that she’s discovered she’s in love with him and demand that he love her in return.

The next afternoon, they’re in the thick of a presentation about some new experiments regarding the thermal expansion of titanium, and Murphy really should be taking better notes, but his notebook is guiltily covered in random sketches more than comments. He’s been preoccupied ever since this working lunch started, and he’s jealous that Clarke and Bellamy are getting more snowboarding activity while he’s stuck indoors. He could go for another aggressive workout to take his mind off things…hell, might as well admit it to himself, at least - not things, but Raven. The woman taking prominence in his thoughts is sitting to his right at the large conference table, but they’ve all had to turn their chairs to face the podium for the lecture, so technically she’s now in front of him. And his eyes keep straying to the back of her neck, on display with the intricate hairstyle she’s wearing, and it reminds him of the night before while she was in the bath, how he could see the line of her neck and ridges of her spine, and for what feels like the twentieth time, he forces his eyes away and back on the speaker, desperately wanting to loosen his tie.

Last night he’d rushed out of the bathroom and willed himself to relax, standing in front of the window until he felt like he could breathe without remembering the scent of Raven’s soap. He’d turned out all the lights except for the one next to her side of the bed, leaving it on the lowest setting so the room was dim. Crawling under the covers, he’d rolled to put his back towards the bathroom door so he wouldn’t have to see her and her damn long legs when she eventually came into the bedroom. He had lain there in the dark and decided that if he didn’t pretend to be asleep when she came out, there was a very good chance that he might not get through the rest of the night without revealing all his secrets to her, and it wouldn’t be fair of him to do that while they were supposed to be on a business trip and already had to keep up the pretense that they were dating Clarke and Bellamy. Throwing yet another wrench into the mix wasn’t going to help matters, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to do it anyway, especially when he’d heard her quietly open the bathroom door and climb into bed next to him. He still didn’t know exactly how he made it through the long night, but he’d woken up this morning with her cold feet tangled alongside his and his hand curved around her hip, and he’d gotten out of that bed so quickly it was a wonder that he didn’t wake her in the process.

It had been early enough that he knew even Clarke and Bellamy wouldn’t be up yet, with them wanting an early start on the mountain, so he’d thrown on some jeans and a sweatshirt, grabbed his swim trunks and made his way to the changing rooms of the heated indoor pool. He’d had the place to himself and had swam a punishing pace of laps until he felt more in control, only returning to their room after he felt like Raven would be awake. She’d been dressed and sitting at the table by the window with a cup of coffee, and he’d stopped just inside the door, dazed, watching her braid her hair into some sort of updo. They’d exchanged a few words and he’d been sure she was going to ask him why he was acting so strangely, but she hadn’t, and when he’d gotten out of the shower, both she and her laptop bag had been gone. She’d left a note on the bed saying that she’d gone to get some breakfast and would meet him at the conference room they’d been directed to before the presentation was supposed to start.

So now here he was, day three of their business trip, and while before they’d arrived he’d been fully looking forward to this opportunity, now all he wanted was to have it end so they could go home and he could cook her a nice dinner in his own apartment and somehow find the words to admit how he feels. He gives his head a slight shake just in time for everyone to politely clap for the titanium manufacturer, and he resolves to concentrate harder on the next speaker, even if he has to shut his eyes to keep them off Raven’s neck.

Clarke lets Murphy lead her off the dance floor, slightly out of breath as they return to the group of tables in the private balcony of the ski resort’s club. There’s a live orchestra playing tonight and the music is wonderful and the club is packed. She and Bellamy had had a great time snowboarding most of the day away while Raven and Murphy had attended some kind of extended business lunch, and they had returned to the huge house in enough time to shower and dress for the night’s festivities. She still couldn’t believe the excess of it, but their hosts had scheduled shuttle buses to pick everyone up that evening and transport them to the ski resort, giving them all vouchers they could use at one of the multiple restaurants in the main building, and requested that everyone join them at the dance club by nine o’clock. The four of them had gotten to eat a private dinner together at the seafood restaurant the resort boasted, but Clarke was sure that there was a level of tension between Murphy and Raven that hadn’t existed before. She’d tried asking them about their day, both of them giving perfunctory responses and not meeting each other’s eyes, and even Bellamy had been surprised when Murphy couldn’t remember the name of one of their speakers, normally being so on top of small details like that when it came to their company business. She and Bellamy had filled the unusual quiet by regaling them with stories about their day on the slopes, and by dessert, the unrest had eased, all of them savoring the reprieve from having to feign romantic interest where it didn’t exist.

Now they’re back under the microscope of the other guests, so Murphy pulls her chair out for her and she gives him a thankful smile, watching as Raven and Bell climb up the stairway to join them after refreshing all their drinks at the downstairs bar. Clarke sips on her strawberry Mojito and waits until everyone is seated before pulling a flyer out of her purse to wave in front of them.

“Guys, look what I found on one of the displays in the hallway outside the restaurant! They have horse-drawn sleigh rides nearby! There’s daytime and nighttime rides, but the night ones sound so much better! They take you through the snow covered woods and there’s jingle bells on the reins and everything. We have to do it!” Clarke looks eagerly at Bellamy first, knowing he’s the main person she has to convince. If he agrees, Raven and Murphy will have to go along with them since it’s a romantic outing and it wouldn’t make sense for Clarke and Bellamy to go on their own.

Bellamy looks around casually before he speaks in a low voice. “I’ve never been on a sleigh ride before. That does sound like a fun thing to do with my favorite girl, especially when you consider we don’t often get the chance for it. I’m in.”

Grinning, Clarke’s gaze skips to Raven next. “Come on, it’ll be great! The schedule for tomorrow has everyone free after the last group dinner, so we could do it any time after eight if they have available reservations, and we only have the farewell brunch the next day afterwards, so we don’t have to get up super early anyway. Look at this gorgeous picture on their brochure!”

Raven leans forward for a better look at the front cover, and sure enough, there’s a large sleigh filled with happy people being pulled through the snow by two huge horses, sleigh bells clearly visible on their harnesses. It does look pretty cute, and Raven’s never been on a sleigh ride either. “Yeah, alright. If they have four seats open, it does look nice.” She sneaks a glance at Murphy to see what he thinks, but Clarke’s already pushing to convince him.

“That’s three to one, Murphy, you’re gonna be outvoted even if you say no, so you might as well just give in. They even have an option afterwards for a campfire and hot chocolate.”

Murphy rolls his eyes good-naturedly at Clarke. “Fine. Consider it as partial pay back for you coming up here and doing that favor for us.” He nonchalantly tips his head towards Raven to indicate their fake dating ruse. “But I’m not taking a bunch of sappy photos where you pose us by those horses, you got it?”

“We’ll see,” Clarke winks, and Raven laughs, knowing if Clarke wants a picture, she’s probably going to get one whether Murphy’s willing or not.

Agreeing to call the sleigh company first thing in the morning to check on reservations, Clarke pulls out her phone to see the weather forecast for tomorrow night when the chatter at their table suddenly gets quiet. She looks up to see their host, Michael Foster, standing next to Raven’s seat and nodding politely at them all.

“There you are, Ms. Reyes! You know, I hadn’t had the chance to bring it up before now, but years ago, I was on the judges panel at the Intel ISEF, and I had the honor of reviewing one of your earlier design projects. Very impressive! Of course, you won a scholarship that year, so obviously you know what you’re doing. All my hosting duties tend to keep me from having more in-depth conversations with my guests, but I would love to discuss a few career opportunities with you - I’ve given instructions to the musicians to play a nice long number for me when I show up on the dance floor, and I was hoping you’d join me in a dance.”

Raven takes the hand he holds out and stands, smiling at his offer. She likes him much more than his catty wife, and while he’d never manage to sway her away from her own company, she knows Murphy is probably happy for her at the chance that’s just been offered  - Michael Foster is a big name in aeronautics, and for him to take a personal interest in her career is telling. “I would love to dance with you! Thank you for asking. Of course I remember that Intel competition,” she says, although she definitely doesn’t remember him being a judge, “and I am very appreciative that you liked my design. That scholarship really helped me out.”

While Mr. Foster is responding, Bellamy discreetly kicks Murphy’s foot under the table, alerting him to the rapid approach of Elaine Foster, who arrives and insinuates herself against Mr. Foster’s side. “Michael, darling, I wondered where you’d gotten off to! I’ve been mingling with our guests and everyone just loves the music tonight! I told you it was a good idea to bring everyone here instead of another dinner at the house.”

“Yes, Elaine, you were right, as you so often are. I like the live music as well. In fact, I was just asking Ms. Reyes here to join me on the dance floor.”

Mrs. Foster appraises Raven with a carefully raised eyebrow. “What a delightful idea, dear. I hope it won’t be too much for you, Ms. Reyes, what with that brace on your leg.”

Raven can feel the eyes of her friends on her, measuring her reaction carefully, but she’s determined not to let that vile woman rile her up again, so her tone is neutral with just a hint of condescension when she replies. “Somehow, I think I’ll manage.”

“Good, good. Let us be off, Ms. Reyes.” Mr. Foster happily tucks Raven’s hand through his arm and starts to take a step towards the winding staircase, oblivious to the tension his wife created, but Mrs. Foster’s voice stops them.

“Darling, it just makes sense that I’ll dance with her business partner while you dance with her. Don’t you think we should do that, John?” Her gaze rakes over him in a deliberately suggestive way, and there’s no mistaking the sly connotation she attaches to her words.

Murphy tries to hide his surprise at the unexpected and unwelcome invitation, but there’s no way he can get out of this without coming across as impolite, so he stiffens his shoulders and stands, offering Elaine his own arm with a slightly strained smile. “It certainly seems like the thing to do.”

Nervously, Clarke watches as Raven’s eyes narrow fiercely during the exchange, and if looks could kill, Clarke is certain Elaine Foster would have keeled over dead as soon as she rubbed her breasts against Murphy’s arm, but then Raven’s eyes flick to Murphy’s, and there’s a beat of stillness while they communicate silently. From that moment, Raven takes a deep breath and intentionally relaxes her body, and despite the awkward situation, Clarke is proud of her response. As they walk away, she can’t suppress the squeak of excitement that escapes her throat when she observes the brief but deliberate glide of Murphy’s fingers along Raven’s bare arm as he ostensibly reaches for the staircase handrail with his free hand.

She turns to Bellamy with a satisfied grin on her face. “Did you see that? He was definitely trying to reassure her right there. Murphy didn’t have to touch her - he wanted to.”

“Maybe, but that doesn’t mean it was a romantic touch. He could have just been letting her know he was glad she kept her cool.” Bellamy keeps an eye on the couples as they walk onto the dance floor, and Mr. Foster was right - the band skillfully trails off their current number and starts up a slower paced song, and they all begin to sway to the music.

“Nope. It was romantic, I’m sure of it. I wish I could have seen Murphy’s face to see how he looked at her, but I could only see Raven’s. But I’m not changing my mind. That little finger brush was definitely flirting.”

Bellamy grins at Clarke’s optimism. “Whatever it was, let’s hope it was enough to keep Raven from attacking that damned woman in the middle of the dance floor. Look at that poor bastard - Murphy’s already having to stop her hand from wandering to his ass.”

Cringing, Clarke nods in agreement. “Ugh, Murphy’s gonna need another drink after this, and maybe a couple of showers. Let’s also hope that Mr. Foster can keep Raven turned away from them, otherwise we better be prepared to rush down there to break it up.”

Raven’s listening with half an ear as Mr. Foster whirls her around the dance floor, but she deliberately keeps her eyes focused on the stage, knowing that if she spots that bitch with her hands all over Murphy, she might not be able to control her temper even though she wants to. Her emotions regarding him are too raw, too new, and even though she knows Murphy can take care of himself, the wandering hands added to the supercilious attitude Elaine Foster keeps displaying may very well push her past her limit.

It helps that Mr. Foster is actually quite enthusiastic about her talent, regaling her with potential career options should she be interested, but even more steadying is the look Murphy gave her in that moment when he’d had to accept the offer to dance. It was his ‘don’t worry, I’m going to take care of this’ expression again, the one that never fails to reassure her, and she really doesn’t want to let him down, especially when she can still feel the tingles that had erupted on her skin from the fleeting touch of his fingers on her arm as they’d started down the staircase.

She’s firm but polite and complimentary towards Mr. Foster’s attempts to woo her away from Dropship Designs, and she can tell he’s regretful but admiring of her loyalty when he reveals he didn’t expect to change her mind but had to try, anyway. They laugh together and Raven finds herself actually enjoying the dance and wondering how such a nice man managed to get involved with such a horribly awful woman like Elaine. When the song starts to wind down, he looks at her with a fond smile.

“Well, my dear Ms. Reyes, thank you for one of the loveliest dances I’ve had in ages. I’m disappointed I can’t lure you to NASA but I’ll be keeping an eye on your career, you know, and I have a good feeling about what’s coming next for you. Now let me steer you over to your Mr. Murphy and we’ll rescue him from my wife and just swap partners for the next number. I’m sure he’s ready to make his escape.”

Raven can’t hide her surprise, but Mr. Foster just laughs and dances them over to Murphy as the music concludes, and Raven decides she’s going to have to rethink Mr. Foster’s obliviousness after all as he kisses her cheek and winks inconspicuously at her.

“Mr. Murphy! I propose an exchange of dance partners. What do you say?”

“Thank you for the dance, Mrs. Foster, it was a pleasure.” Raven can tell Murphy’s lying, but to anyone who doesn’t know him, he probably sounds sincere.

“Now, John, I told you to stop that Mrs. Foster nonsense! You must call me Elaine!”

Mr. Foster takes his wife by the arm, physically maneuvering her away as Elaine tries to flirt over her shoulder, not wanting to surrender to her husband. Murphy sighs in relief when she’s out of earshot, making Raven grin as she goes into Murphy’s arms, relishing how their bodies fit against each other as his hand wraps around her waist to her lower back and a new song begins. Her left hand rests on his shoulder, her right hand clasps his, and she knows they’ve danced together many times before but this seems heightened, sharper with her recent revelations, sending what feels like a flock of butterflies to her stomach as they move to the music.

“So, did you get the details on the NASA benefits package?,” he asks her, his voice almost a whisper and his breath tickling her ear.

“He did mention the superior retirement package, yes,” she smiles, “but I like where I am.”

They dance comfortably together although there’s an ache in her chest because she’s concealing something so important from him, and then Murphy hesitatingly breaks their silence once again.

“You know, I would understand if you wanted to take a position with NASA. You said for a long time that it was a dream of yours. We could figure something out to make it work if you were thinking about it.”

She looks up and meets his sincere blue eyes, and she doesn’t have to think at all about her answer even though it sets loose another swarm of butterflies within her. He would do that for her, if she wanted it, and the warmth inside her from being in his arms burns hotter. “It was a dream of mine, back when we were still in college. But what I have now is even better.”

The intense scrutiny he directs at her makes her pulse race, but after a few dizzying moments, his hold on her waist tightens, subtly pulling her nearer to his body, and as a thrill ripples through her, she wonders why it took so long for her to realize she was in love with him, when it feels like there must be flashing lights, bells and whistles going off over her head to announce it to anyone who bothers to look.

Up on the balcony, Clarke and Bellamy are discreetly watching their two best friends hold each other on the dance floor, and Bellamy stares down at them with a slight frown on his face.

“They’re dancing way more cozy than business partners are supposed to, and they’re just staring into each other’s eyes instead of talking. You know, for two really smart people, they are damn dumb when it comes to each other. Is that always how they look when they don’t know anyone’s watching? Maybe I should go down there before anyone gets the wrong idea.”

Clarke turns towards him and puts up her hand. “Bellamy Blake, if you take one step in their direction, I will not be responsible for my actions! Absolutely they’re dancing more like a couple than business partners - it’s about time you’re noticing what I’ve been seeing for years! Yes, they are dumb - that’s what I’ve been telling you! They’re totally right for each other and maybe they’re both finally starting to realize it too. Anyway, look on the bright side - I don’t think I’m going to have to kiss Murphy tonight after all.”

Bellamy perks up, since that is good news. “In that case, they can dance together as close as they want to and I’m not gonna stop ‘em.”

Frustration crinkles Clarke’s eyes. “As much as I might want to let them take things as far as possible, you’re right that we can’t allow them to dance like that for much longer, because right now it looks like they could ignite at any minute. At the end of this song, we’ll go cut in, okay? But now I’ve got an even better idea than kissing Murphy, and you’re gonna love it! What do you think of this?” Clarke proceeds to divulge her new plan, and Bellamy smiles in wicked solidarity.

“Now that is the kind of devious scheme I can fully support.”

Raven opens her eyes slowly, squinting at the faint morning sun filtering through the window blinds since she forgot to close the curtains after they’d returned from the dance club. Murphy is still sleeping next to her, and she lets her gaze roam over his peaceful, familiar face while he’s unaware of her perusal. They’d only danced together once the night before, but she wasn’t going to be forgetting the way it felt to be encircled in his arms any time soon. She’d been mesmerized, caught up in the way he’d been looking at her, and all the convoluted feelings she had for him were on the tip of her tongue, ready to to be spoken aloud when she’d been abruptly startled out of her reverie by Bellamy gently tugging her out of Murphy’s embrace.

It had taken her almost a minute to clear her head, but she’d eventually figured out that the song had ended and Clarke and Bellamy were cutting in to dance with their ‘partners’. Bellamy had watched her with an amused expression for the rest of the night, and usually she would have called him on it, but she wasn’t ready to answer any questions he might ask her, so she tried to loosen up and enjoy the rest of the evening with her friends. The dance with Murphy had lingered in her mind though, and it felt like it was an unfinished moment between them. As the night wound down, the remaining guests had left the club together on one of the resort shuttles, and when they’d arrived at the house, Bellamy had asked Murphy if he wanted a swim, and Murphy, looking relieved, had taken him up on the offer.

Clarke had eyed Raven inquisitively, but Raven had given the lame excuse that she was tired, although truthfully she had just wanted some alone time to consider the events of the evening. She’d taken a quick shower, thrown on a nightgown, and left the bathroom light on with the door slightly open so it wouldn’t be too dark when Murphy let himself back into their room. Impulsively, she swapped the pillows on the bed from her side to his, so when she tucked herself beneath the covers and laid down, it was his scent that surrounded her rather than her own. She’d never admit to doing it, and if he discovered the switch, she was definitely going to blame the housekeeping staff for the mix-up. Maybe it was the comfort she took from his pillow, or possibly the overwhelming emotions that were wearing her out, but she had fallen asleep and hadn’t noticed what time he’d returned from the pool.

Now she was awake, and she feels energetic enough that she won’t fall back asleep, so Raven presses her face deeper into the fabric of the pillowcase and lets herself imagine what might happen if Murphy woke up to find her so close and peering at him so wistfully. In her fantasy, he’d open his eyes and smile, unguarded in her presence. He’d shift towards her and wrap his arms around her body, and she’d tilt her face up for a good morning kiss, but they’d both get carried away and it would turn into something far more passionate as he rolled on top of her and pressed his thigh between her legs, her hands running up and under his shirt as he made her moan and push herself as close to him as she could get… Raven smothers a gasp and shakes her head as her daydream rapidly gets steamy. She hasn’t had sex in far too long, although she’s gotten herself off in their fancy bathroom quite a few times since they’ve arrived. Which is absolutely the fault of the man sprawled out serenely beside her, and the part of her that wants to throw out all her good sense is sorely tempted to lean forward, suck his bottom lip between hers and let the cards fall where they may.

But the bigger part of her does have good sense, so she carefully scoots backwards off the bed and heads for a cold shower. One more night, she tells herself, she can get through one more night of being in the same bed and not doing anything about it. After that, they’ll have the farewell brunch tomorrow and then they’ll be on their way home, and she’ll use the car ride to formulate the exact approach that’ll make all these daydreams of hers come true.

Murphy slides behind the wheel of Clarke’s Jeep, not sure if he should be grateful to Bellamy for taking him up on his offer to drive, or annoyed that his agreement meant he couldn’t climb into the backseat next to Raven. While everyone else gets settled into the vehicle, he pops the address for the sleigh company into his phone. He’s not exactly as enthusiastic as the rest of his friends over what they’re going to do with the remainder of their night, but it’s a relief to have the last business dinner behind them and escape from that giant mansion with the various pressures it brought.

Clarke and Bellamy had gone into the nearby small town for some sightseeing, but he and Raven had been required to participate in some damned ‘team building’ events this afternoon, which Murphy thought was absurd. They’d ended up on different teams most of the day and it had gone by painfully slowly, but he’d tried to use the time wisely with the contacts on his team, and figured Raven had done the same.

In the break they had gotten before having to dress for dinner, the two of them had sat at their bedroom table and reviewed the priority list he’d created of the industry guests, each of them taking a few names to deliberately connect with for a final time before the long weekend was complete. He would have preferred to partner with Raven during the cocktail hour to help make a final sales pitch towards their targets to convince them to choose Dropship Designs for their next undertaking, but Clarke and Bellamy helped to interact with the spouses and significant others, and the evening passed by a lot quicker than the miserable afternoon. It didn’t hurt that they were all seated near pleasant people at the immense dining table, even though they still weren’t in the vicinity of each other. There would only be one more meal to get through before they’d be leaving tomorrow, and as Murphy drove through the snow covered town on the way to the sleigh ride, he was feeling confident that the trip had been a success, at least from a business standpoint.

On a personal level, it was a little more complicated. He glances in the rearview mirror to see Raven and Clarke laughing together over something on Clarke’s phone, and he’s struck again by how utterly foolish he has been not to realize his feelings sooner. He gets a little sidetracked reminiscing over their shared past, wondering if he’s ever missed any clues as to whether she’s ever been interested in anything more between them than friendship, when Bellamy elbows him sharply since he almost misses the turn off for the farm they’re looking for.

They park in a crowded lot and follow the signs pointing them towards a small building where Clarke checks them in, and it isn’t long before a guide leads them to two small sleighs, each of them with a driver sitting on a high seat behind a single horse. The guide gestures first at the dappled gray horse in front, and then at the white horse following it.

“Okay, your sleighs will head off in different directions, but you’ll first enjoy a ride through the open field, getting a great look at tonight’s full moon, and then the sleigh will head into the woods for a romantic change of scenery. Your package includes an interlude at a private campfire with hot cocoa and cookies, and then the sleigh will return to bring you through the remaining path back here, where you can meet back up. If you have any questions or concerns, just ask your driver! Who wants to load in first?”

Chaos starts to break out as Raven and Murphy both speak at the same time, each of them turning to Clarke in surprise.

“Romantic? Who said anything about romance?” Murphy demands, hoping no one notices the frantic tone to his question.

“Clarke! I thought we were all going together on one of those big group sleighs you showed me a picture of!” Raven argues, staring accusingly at Clarke.

Deliberately looking as innocent as possible, Clarke tries to placate them. “I’m sorry, you guys. I guess with how busy we all were today, I forgot to tell you. When I called this morning for reservations, they told me they were fully booked for the group rides, and I thought we were out of luck. But then the lady on the phone told me about these sleigh rides for two, and I really still wanted to do this even though it wasn’t exactly what we were planning, especially because tonight’s the last night we’re here.”

The guide opens his mouth to speak, but since Murphy and Raven are both still focused on Clarke, each of them looking at her with expressions of dismay, Bellamy takes the chance to stealthily step on the guide’s foot, pulling one finger across his own neck in a gesture meant to say ‘if you know what’s good for you, you’ll shut up’. Helpfully, the guide seems to realize what Bellamy is indicating and his eyes wide, he closes his mouth with an audible snap.

Murphy, however, isn’t so quiet. “That’s great for you and Bellamy, but -”

Intentionally interrupting before Murphy puts his foot in his mouth, Clarke decides to pile on some guilt. “Oh, come on, Murphy. Bell and I have done everything we can this weekend to make you and Raven look good. It’s such a clear night, and we’re out of that huge house and it’s all almost over. Bellamy and I really want to do this, and none of us have ever been on a sleigh ride before, and I know Raven wanted to come tonight even if you weren’t that interested. You’re not going to make her go all by herself, are you?”

“No, of course not, I wouldn’t leave her by herself unless -”

This time it’s Bellamy who cuts in as he walks between Raven and Murphy and prods them forward with his hand on their backs. Good god, these two aren’t easy. “Then there isn’t a problem, it’s already paid for, and this is going to be fun. You two go ahead and take this one, and we’ll go behind you.”

Raven turns around and sends a pleading look over her shoulder to Clarke, but Bellamy’s helping her up into the sleigh and Clarke just smiles encouragingly and nods. When Murphy turns around to glare at her once he’s seated, she sends him a satisfied grin and cheekily winks at him, and as their sleigh glides away, she and Bellamy both wave happily at their disgruntled friends until they’re farther out of sight.

Taking her hand and helping her into their own sleigh, Bellamy follows her in, pulling the provided blanket up and over their laps, and once their driver sees that they’re seated, he starts off in a different direction than the previous sled. “Okay, Clarke, your plan has been put into action, and if either of them are upset, they’re at least upset with you rather than each other. So let’s go ahead and sit back and enjoy our own romantic sleigh ride and hope they both make it back in one piece.”

“At this point, I don’t care which of them jumps the other first - I just want them to do something already! The suspense is killing me! By the way, that was a smooth move on your part to shut up the guy who worked here. I was sure he was going to say they had availability on the group sleigh rides if we’d rather change to that, and that would’ve ruined everything.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s exactly what he was going to do, trying to be helpful. But I couldn’t let your plan fall apart. Besides, this definitely works out in my favor, because now we get to be alone.” Bellamy hides a smile as he considers how Clarke’s subterfuge made things work perfectly for his own plans. He slides his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer, and Clarke smiles up at him, already deciding that sleigh rides are one of her favorite things ever.

The silence between them stretches, and Raven’s entirely too aware of how they’re pressed against each other in the small sleigh. Despite his reluctance to go on this ride with her, after they’d pulled away from the loading area, Murphy had unfolded the heavy blanket next to him and tucked it around both of their legs, the frosty bite in the air making it only sensible, but to Raven it feels much like being under the covers in bed with Murphy does - intimate beyond just nearness.

The cheerful bells on the harness of the horse are loud enough to muffle any conversation from the driver’s ears as he sits on the bench in front of them, but Raven still lowers her voice when she turns towards Murphy. “You didn’t have to feel obligated to join me, you know. I could have gone by myself.”

“What? No, Raven, that’s not how I meant it, and why the hell would you want to go on a sleigh ride by yourself, anyway? I was just surprised that we weren’t going for the group ride,” he fibs, “and even though I was frustrated that Clarke sprang it on us last minute, you know I like spending time with you.”

Slightly mollified and knowing that her unpredictable emotions are making her more likely to be critical since she’s nervous being alone with him, Raven accepts the explanation and settles back more comfortably on the cushioned seat. “Yeah, I know. I was surprised with the change in plan too. But Clarke was right that I still wanted to have the experience, and they are really helping us out this week, so it’s not like we don’t owe them a few favors in return.” She bumps her shoulder against his and gives him a teasing look. “Although let’s not let Clarke know we caved so easily on this one - that way it’ll count as a bigger favor than it is.”

Murphy laughs, and any remaining tension between them about the sleigh ride disappears, although Raven’s butterflies over being in such a couples setting with him are still fluttering inside her stomach.

“As far as Clarke is concerned, I think I can manage to still look grumpy when this comes to an end, but between you and me, it is kind of nice to be outside in the quiet. And that moon shining down on all this snow certainly doesn’t hurt, either.”

Raven looks up into the clear sky that twinkles with stars, and Murphy’s right, the moon’s light on the snow is really beautiful. They’re in the middle of nowhere, in a farmer’s empty field, and the lights of the town are far enough behind them to not disrupt the deep dark of the night’s sky. It feels like they might be the only people around, even though she knows it’s not true, and the guide was absolutely correct when he described it as romantic. There’s not anybody she’d rather be here with than Murphy, but she wishes he wasn’t sitting beside her as her friend and business partner, that they could be experiencing this as lovers so she could nestle under his arm and they could kiss the chill away as they glide through the shadows. A shiver passes through her at the thought, and while Raven knows it’s because she was imagining Murphy kissing her, he’s unsuspecting when his eyes roam over her in concern.

“Cold?”

For lack of a better answer, Raven nods in response, and she tells herself it’s not that big of a deal when his arm wraps around her shoulders to share his warmth, but she can’t suppress the way the move sends a thrum of desire pulsing through her. Trying not to be obvious about it, she leans a little more into his side, putting the weight of her head onto his shoulder so she can continue to look up at the sky. Murphy’s cheek rests against her hair, and they stay cuddled together as the sleigh flies over the snowy field, the pair of them caught up in the beauty of the wintry landscape.

Sooner than she would prefer, they approach the edge of the woods, where the darkened branches stretch high above their heads and conceal the stars above, and the ride seems even quieter now that they’re surrounded by the trees on every side. Raven could be content to stay like this all night, but after a while the sleigh comes to a gentle stop, and the driver hops down from the seat behind their horse, gesturing to a roaring fire nearby. He waits with the reins while Murphy gets out and gives his hand to Raven to help her down from the sleigh, and then he hands Murphy the blanket they covered up with during the ride there.

“Over by the fire, you’ll find a thermos of hot chocolate and some mugs, along with a plate of cookies. There should be some chocolate chip, sugar cookies, and my favorites, the oatmeal cranberry. It’ll be warmer over there, but take this blanket with you just in case. On the off chance that you need anything, there’s a whistle tied to the thermos - just blow that and I’ll come back. Otherwise, I’ll return in about a half hour or so, and we’ll finish the remainder of our ride.”

They thank him and start to walk through the snow to the fire. Raven’s glad she wore her snow boots since the drifts are deeper here, but Murphy’s grasp on her arm helps ensure that neither of them lose their balance. There’s a wooden bench set a short distance from the flames, and there’s a thick cushion along the seat and back. It looks even more cozy than the small sleigh, and Raven curses Clarke under her breath as she sits down, warily watching Murphy from the corner of her eye as she takes a seat and reaches for the thermos of hot chocolate.

Murphy thought he was anxious when Clarke sprang her little surprise on them over the ‘romantic’ sleigh rides, but it hadn’t turned out to be too hard to keep his mouth shut when he and Raven had come to an unspoken agreement to enjoy the peaceful silence and watch the scenery go by. He’d gotten to put his arm around her under the guise of the winter weather, but here in the middle of the woods, just the two of them alone with a flickering fire and a barely-big-enough-for-two chair...well, it was going to be tougher to avoid spilling his guts all over the sparkling white snow when the intimate environment was working against him. He sits down, trying to leave a bit of space between their bodies, but he's hampered by the close confines of the bench. With the heat of the fire spreading through him, he tucks the blanket on the armrest rather than opening it up again. When his hands are free, Raven passes him a steaming mug.

She angles her knees in his direction and scoots even closer to clink her mug against his. “Here’s to a successful business trip with my favorite partner - well, successful from a project standpoint, anyway. May we continue to accomplish what we set out to do.”

Unsure if she means anything deeper from her slightly ambiguous toast, he nonetheless nods and bumps his mug to hers. His mind searches for conversation, but the hushed surroundings of the ethereal forest almost seem to warn him not to ruin the beauty with meaningless words. They stare at the crackling fire, and everything unspoken between them starts to feel heavy in his chest. He’s oh-so-close to opening his mouth and attempting to tell her how he feels despite the likelihood of it all pouring out in a jumbled mess, but he hears a soft curse and turns towards her in curiosity.

“Fuck it,” Raven mumbles under her breath, and sets her own mug down on the table before taking Murphy’s drink from him and doing the same. She tucks a few loose strands of hair behind her ear nervously while she looks up at him. “This is probably going to come completely out of left field, but I’ve been thinking a lot lately, about so many things, and it sounds sudden, but it’s really not! I mean, I’m genuinely surprised I didn’t figure it out before now, but I think maybe I was just in denial? I mean, the signs were all there, for a long time, honestly, but then it seemed like it would be complicating things to do anything about it, so I tried to ignore the possibility. And now it’s kind of snowballed and I’m rambling, but I can’t not say anything anymore, I just have to tell you.” She pauses for some air, aware that she’s not making a lot of sense.

“Raven, I don’t want to make it difficult for you. If you’ve decided you want to take the opportunity to work for NASA, I’m not going to be angry with you. I already told you we could find a way to figure things out with Dropship, and I meant it.” He smiles reassuringly, and Raven is annoyed with herself that she can’t communicate about her feelings for shit, apparently, and although it’s irrational, she’s mad at him too, for being so oblivious to what she’s trying to say.

“No! That’s not what I’m trying to say at all, damn it!” She searches his honest blue gaze, wondering how two supposedly smart people can be so clueless. Well, she’s always preferred action to words anyway, so she throws caution completely to the wind, surging forward to slide one hand behind his neck, the other gripping tightly to the front of his coat to pull him towards her, and proceeds to kiss him with everything she’s got.

Stunned, Murphy’s admittedly slow to realize exactly what’s happening. One minute he’s positive that Raven’s trying to tell him she wants out of their partnership, and he’s struggling not to let her see how much that might wreck him. The next minute, her mouth is sliding over his, her fingers are scratching lightly along his neck and into his hair, and it feels like he’s entered some kind of alternate reality. He’s slow, but he’s not completely stupid, and as soon as his brain catches up, he wraps his arms around her and hauls her body as close as he can. She makes a startled little noise in the back of her throat, so he takes advantage when her lips part and slips his tongue inside her mouth like he’s wanted to do for years. She tastes like hot chocolate and something uniquely Raven, and he’s never going to get enough.

Wishing she’d somehow had this revelation in summertime when there were no bulky coats in her way, Raven presses closer as Murphy’s hands tangle in her hair. This was even better than she’d imagined, and lately she’d been imagining his mouth a lot. Sure, they had quite a bit to talk about, but there’s no way he could kiss her like this unless he felt the same way she did, she just knew it. Maybe the way she was throwing herself at him was a little much for a first kiss, but the way she saw it, this had been a very long time coming. She didn’t want slow, not at all, and if she didn’t need air, she might never stop kissing him.

Gasping as she pulls back, she tries to calm herself down and not give in to the urge to rip his clothes off. She loves the way Murphy’s looking at her in shock, like he has no idea where he is or what’s going on, and she might laugh in relief if she weren’t so turned on.

Murphy licks his lips thoughtfully as they both suck in the cold air. “Maybe…maybe you could tell me exactly what you were trying to say before that happened, just so I’m clear.”

“I think it’s pretty obvious,” Raven grins mischievously, “but since you want me to spell it out, I don’t think we should limit ourselves to only being friends and business partners anymore. I want us to date, I want to be your girlfriend, and I want us to definitely do more of that kissing, preferably with a lot less clothes between us. Is that clear enough for you?”

He’s listening to her, he is, but what she’s saying can’t possibly be what she’s saying. “When did this happen? Are you sure? And what if you change your mind, what if-”

She puts her finger to his mouth to interrupt him. “Murphy, I know this might be unexpected, but when you think about it, it’s really not. Let me make it simple - did you like kissing me?”

The low growl of his voice is enough to make her blush, but it also sends a rush of desire pulsing through her to know that he’s as affected by that kiss as she is. “You know I did.”  

Raven grins self-confidently at him. “Do you want to kiss me some more?”

“Oh, fuck yes.” His hands tighten on her hips, and she’s tempted to abandon her questions completely in favor of doing exactly what they both want, but she pushes her urges aside so he’ll know how serious she takes this.  

“Does kissing me feel as right to you as it does to me?”

When he nods solemnly, she can see by the intense look in his eyes that he’s starting to understand. She has one last question though, before she can stop. “Do you trust me, Murphy?”

“More than anyone else,” he confesses, and she thinks if it were possible to float away from happiness, she’d be in trouble just then.

“Me too,” she tells him, and there’s no way she can keep her mouth off him any longer. Lucky for her, he takes matters into his own hands and lifts her into his lap, and there’s no talking for quite a while until their sleigh driver awkwardly clears his throat to interrupt them.

Clarke stares at the shiny diamond on her finger, completely obsessed with how it sparkles. It seemed Murphy and Raven weren’t the only ones in for a surprise this evening, and when Bellamy proposed to her at their romantic campfire, it couldn’t have been more perfect. She’s wrapped in his arms now, waiting for the sleigh that will return their friends so they can pile into the car together, and she’s practically vibrating with exuberance, waiting to tell them the exciting news.

“Do you think I should just keep my gloves off and wait until they notice?” Clarke wonders.

Bellamy looks down at his girlfriend - no, he gets to start thinking of her as his fiancee now - and his smile gets bigger at her enthusiasm. “Whatever you want, babe. I’m just thankful you said yes.”

“Oh, like there was any question!” She leans up and kisses him for what feels like the thousandth time since he asked her, but she can’t help it and does it again. “Maybe we should just come out and announce it, or maybe we should wait until we’re in the car. God, I just don’t know, and I can barely think, I’m so happy!”

“That’s good to know, now let’s just hope I can keep you that way.”

She laughs at his teasing and winks at him. “I think we do alright, and we’ll do even better once we get back to our room.” In fact, now that she’s mentioned it, she can hardly wait. “Hey, look - here they come!”

The sleigh pulling Raven and Murphy is in sight, and as it gets closer, Clarke is absolutely convinced that something’s changed between the two. She stretches up to whisper in Bellamy’s ear. “Damn, they kissed or something, I’m sure of it! They both look like they’re hiding something. Will you be upset if we keep our engagement quiet until tomorrow instead? I don’t want to risk causing a diversion from whatever’s going on between them.”

“I can’t be upset that my fiancee is a hopeless romantic, so put your gloves on and try not to look so high on love or they’re gonna know something’s up with us, too.”

Laughing, she fumbles with her gloves and tries to contain her giddiness. “Yeah, like you aren’t also dying to know what they did when they were all alone together! And by the way, if you call me your fiancee a few times while we’re in bed later tonight, I can guarantee you’re gonna like the results.”

He can’t reply since Clarke’s busy pulling Raven aside and chattering all about the sleigh ride, leaving out the most important bits, in his opinion. For his part, Murphy looks rather dazed, and on a normal night, Bellamy would absolutely try to pull him aside and get him to divulge what happened, but tonight, Murphy’s gonna have to figure things out himself. Bellamy has a hot date and nothing’s going to delay him.

The next morning, the four friends meet in Murphy and Raven’s room before the last meal they have to have as guests, each couple secretly thinking the other two look exhausted. Clarke’s watching covertly, looking for clues to find out what’s going on. When they’d returned to the mansion last night, Murphy had made a comment about needing to pack, Raven had immediately agreed, and the two had made themselves scarce. Clarke wasn’t exactly complaining, considering she and Bellamy had their own private celebration they wanted to get to. But still, her desire to know what had happened on the sleigh ride is gnawing at her. She fondles the diamond on her finger, having spun it around so just the band is visible at the front of her hand. Bellamy is lounging at the table with her, making plans with Murphy about the drive home, so Clarke gets up and walks into the bathroom where Raven is brushing her hair at the sink, hoping to get some gossip.

“I’d forgotten what a big tub this was. I’m still glad I picked the fireplace room, but tell me you got to use this tub at least once while we were here.” Clarke stares in surprise as Raven’s face goes red at the comment, and oh, there’s a far bigger story here than Clarke expected.

“Yeah, I used it. More than once, actually.”

There’s no more comments forthcoming, and Clarke is dying at the possibilities. Knowing Raven well enough not to overplay her hand, she casually goes back into the bedroom, leaving her friend to finish on her own.

Raven runs her hand under the cold water and pats her cheeks, trying to cool them down. Clarke asking about the bathtub after what she and Murphy had done in there last night… Damn, it had thrown her and had her completely flustered on how to answer. But after she and Murphy had gotten back to their room after the sleigh ride and the huge confessions they’d shared with each other, things had gotten passionate pretty quickly, not that she minded, and at one point she’d told him all about the fantasy she’d had during the night he’d brought her the wine while she’d taken a bath. She’d barely finished telling him about it and he’d dragged her in there, and then, well then it had exceeded her expectations.

She finishes packing up her bathroom supplies and goes back into the bedroom, only needing to put on her shoes before she’s ready. Murphy’s pulling a wrapped box out of his suitcase, and Clarke and Bellamy are looking over a map at the table by the window. Raven sits on the bed near Murphy, assuming that the box is the host and hostess gift he mentioned earlier.

“So, you gonna tell me what we got them, or should we play twenty questions?”

Grinning, Murphy turns to face her, and the crazy little flip in her stomach reminds her of exactly how they spent the night, and most of the morning, in this very bed. “You don’t have to guess. I convinced Jasper to hack into one of the ticket databases, and he got me access to an ‘advanced sale’ for some opera tickets that Elaine Foster is going to die over. She’ll be the envy of her friends, which’ll be right up her alley. And for Michael Foster, we got him a 3d-printed model of the project that you did for your scholarship. Since he sat on the panel then, it’ll feed his ego to be able to say he was a part of your success, even though we both know he had nothing to do with it.”

Her smile is huge as she reaches for the box. “Let me see it! I bet it looks awesome!”

“You can’t see it, it’s wrapped!” When he sees how disappointed she is, he almost laughs. “Don’t pout, I got you one, too. I figured we could put it in the office.”

Delighted, her face lights up and she pulls him down for a kiss, but just when it starts to get really interesting, Clarke yells from across the room, startling them apart.

“I knew it! ” Her finger points accusingly, like she’s just spotted them doing something horrible. “When did this happen? How come you didn’t tell me? What exactly went on during that sleigh ride I conned you into going on?”

Raven jumps up, looking like she’s just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Murphy’s sure she wants to talk to Clarke about it all, but like him, she’s feeling out of balance with how quickly everything has happened. Plus they barely got any sleep last night after both deciding that slow wasn’t meant for their situation. He swore he was going to wake up this morning to find that it was all a dream, and realizing it wasn’t made him a helluva lot more emotional than he was prepared for, and he didn’t doubt Raven felt the same. He runs a hand down her back and takes a step forward so he’s beside her, presenting a united front. When it’s clear Raven’s still struggling with how to answer, he figures he can take this one.

“Well, I don’t know, Clarke. We probably would have told you sooner, but we were waiting for you to announce your engagement first.”

Clarke’s eyes get wide, Bellamy laughs and Raven practically shrieks in his ear.

“What! Oh my god, you are wearing a ring! Show it to me! Did that happen last night? How did he ask you?” The two women race over to each other and talk so excitedly and quickly that Murphy has no idea how they understand one another.

Bellamy walks over to the dresser and accepts the congratulatory handshake that Murphy offers him. “So tell me, Murphy. How is it you can notice a ring on Clarke’s finger this morning, but for years you didn’t realize you were in love with Raven?”

“Honestly, I have no idea since the more I think about it now, the more it feels like I fell for her the first night we met. You could’ve filled me in, you know.”

“And keep you from this epic journey to maturity? Nah, my way was much more fun.”

Murphy thinks a piece has just clicked into place for him as he reflects back on the past few years. “Why do I suddenly have this feeling that Clarke isn’t the only matchmaker in your relationship?”

“What can I say? Monty and Harper, Jasper and Maya… you and Raven. My record’s three for three now, and it works even better when Clarke thinks it’s all her idea. So since you owe me a favor or two recently, you’re gonna keep this between you and me, especially because if you do, I’ll let you in on my next project.”

“Nah, you can keep that all to yourself, and I’ll just be surprised along with everyone else. I’ll keep your secret, but I’m planning to have my hands full from here on out with a few projects of my own.” Murphy looks over at Raven as she admires Clarke’s ring, and he grins to himself at the thought of what the future holds.