Chapter Text
It was noticeably colder in the room and compared to the rest of the inn, it seemed like a freezer. Chase swore he could see the faint outline of his breath as it caught against the moonlight. He flicked the light on, bathing the decrepit room in a warm orange glow. It was like the room had been waiting for their return, the armchair in the corner seeming to stare at him from its dark corner, reminding him of his place. He slouched disappointedly at the sorry sight. The day had been going well and he just wanted a good night’s rest, the tiredness he had been suppressing since morning beginning to wash over him, the chair almost looked inviting. His drowsiness was interrupted as Julia padded over to the radiator below the window, crouching to the twisting dial, it squeaked as she rotated it. She waited a few moments before holding her hand to the metal, trying to feel the heat coming off it. Sighing, she stood up and turned to face him.
“I’m afraid the radiator isn’t working Mr Devineaux.” she lamented, rubbing her forearms as she felt a shiver travelled up her body.
English weather was not forgiving. The cold seemed to meander through the building, rooms with broken heaters catching the strongest currents of it. Chase shivered slightly, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. Well, at least there would be a warm shower. It struck him. He did not have any toiletries.
“Ms Argent,” he started, knowing it might come off as awkward, “would you, perhaps, allow me to—uh—use some of your soap? I didn’t bring mine.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to avoid eye contact. She let out a small smile and nodded.
“I wouldn’t mind Mr Devineaux,” she said, almost eagerly, “here, let me give you my wash bag.”
She produced a quaint looking blue bag from her suitcase, holding it up to him. It let out a few clunks and jingles, telling Chase that there was indeed toiletries of the sort in there. He smiled gratefully before taking it from her grasp, holding it softly as he didn’t want to break anything of hers. Holding it under his arm, he sifted through his own suitcase, digging for something to sleep in. He found a pair of grey sweatpants and a white undershirt with what looked like a ketchup stain. When was the last time he’d done his laundry? Not even he could answer. The sweatpants were made from polyester while the undershirt was made of a thin cotton, the fact it was sleeveless made it even more useless against the cold, he couldn’t complain though, he’d brought himself upon this struggle. He also fished out his own little menagerie of toiletries, including his toothbrush, almost-finished toothpaste and deodorant. He smiled awkwardly at Julia, holding the bundle of things in his arms like a child who hadn’t brought a basket to trick-or-treating.
“Thank you, I will not be long.” Chase assured her, erratically fumbling for the bathroom door handle. It was a hard thing to do, especially with your hands full. She reached over, twisting the handle and gently pushing on the door. She also flipped the light switch by the doorframe, a whir coming from somewhere inside, most likely the ventilation. She gave a polite grin before walking over to sit on the bed.
“T-thank you.” Chase stuttered, looking over his back to her small frame on the bed. He felt a blush creeping up on his cheeks and he hastily stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
The bathroom was even colder than the room, the tiles seeming to project the temperature even lower. A bright fluorescent light glared furiously at him from its position on top of the mirror, contrasting to the dim glow of the main room’s light. It made him squint for a moment before his eyes adjusted to the brightness, catching his reflection in the mirror. He didn’t look as tired a he felt, walking over the sink to dump his stuff while gently placing Julia’s wash bag by the basin. He pulled at the golden zipper, revealing a cluster of bottles and vials of various colours. Most looked familiar, bearing french brand names in shiny lettering on their sides and Chase quickly located the shampoo and conditioner. They were corresponding green and white bottles with gold lids while the body wash was a light cream colour. Green tea and vanilla their labels read and Chase’s lips parted to an affectionate smile, even the toiletries screamed Julia to him.
He briskly kicked off his shoes and unbuckled his belt, steam rising from the running water of the shower. Stepping in after stripping himself entirely, he braced himself for the heat of the water as it trickled down his body. He paused for a second, inhaling the sweet scent of the shampoo in his hand. It smells just like her, he thought absentmindedly. Happily, Chase savoured his warm shower—and the endorphins his brain were producing due to the Julia-scented toiletries—as hot steam swirled all around him, his muscles relaxing from the stress of the day. Finally, he turned off the shower, drying himself before getting into his night clothes. The undershirt was incredibly thin and stretched across his broad chest while barely covering his midriff, doing little to conceal his chest hair or his happy trail but at that point he’d forgotten about his roommate and his decency. The sweatpants clung to his damp skin, irritating him slightly but he knew it would pass, the soft inner fabric hugging his legs. Chase let out a contented sigh before bundling up his stuff to take back outside. He reached for the door handle, feeling the condensation stick to his fingertips. Cold air hit him, snapping him back to the reality of the cold room of English inn.
While she was waiting her turn, Julia had found her sleep clothes and had become acquainted with the bed. Its covers were surprisingly soft despite the hard nature of the mattress itself, springs creaking as Julia tested her weight on it. She had pulled out the tucked duvet from its corners, fluffing it slightly to collect some warmth and additionally found a thin knit blanket on the side table. Julia placed it on the armchair, along with one of the two pillows that were on the bed. Chase had done so much for her today, it was the least she could do after all. She heard the running water of the shower and hummed to herself, making up a rhythm from the pitter patter of the muffled water as she ran her hands over the sheets, finding comfort in their slightly used quality and the bumps of pilling fabric. She was ready for a good night’s sleep. A clack caught her attention, perking her head up as steam began to escape from the bathroom. It was like a scene from a movie.
Chase seemed to step out in slow motion, one arm raised to card through his hair lazily while the other held his bundle of clothing. His eyes were half-lidded as he seemed to stare at her blankly. Steam billowed around him, framing his muscular figure and oh god his top barely covered anything. If he walked out shirtless, it wouldn’t have made a difference as the thin white fabric stuck to his damp chest, making it slightly translucent. Julia’s face heated up and she couldn’t tell if it was from the steam of the bathroom or something else. He continued to card through his wet hair, abruptly pausing as his eyes finally focused on her. He looked equally shocked and scared of her. She stared back at him, eyes wide as they trailed from his face, down his body and quickly back up. She had no idea that he was so physically fit. He was frozen in place, almost posed like a Greek ivory statue with his hand in his hair, every sinew of muscle on his torso was out on show for her, not to mention his arms. Julia felt her mind drifting to some farfetched thought as her eyes followed his barely visible happy trail before she was pulled back to reality. Chase coughed awkwardly.
“Ehh, Ms Argent, the shower is ready for you.” he said, an angry red blush covering his cheeks as he stepped fully away from the bathroom door and towards his ‘bed’ which was the dusty red armchair. He plopped himself down before reaching over to drape the blanket Julia had left onto his body. He smiled bashfully but gratefully.
“Thank you Ms Argent!”
Julia smiled back before retreating into the steamy bathroom.
The chair was not very comfortable. Broken springs seemed to jut out of its frame and into Chase’s back despite its appearance just looking slightly worn. He had no idea what time it was, but to his annoyance he had not been able to find a comfortable position to rest in so time was disregarded for that matter. Chase twisted and another spring poked at his side, squeaking resonating from the chair’s innards. He froze, looking up to check on Julia’s small frame against the significantly larger bed. The moonlight perfectly shone through the window, casting a spotlight on her, milky skin seeming to glow even brighter under the pale light. He could see the covers rising and falling gently as she breathed softly, her chest rising to push the blanket up before letting it sink back down again. A small sigh of relief escaped his mouth. He’d not woken her up and that was all that mattered. He resumed his tossing and turning, grumbling softly as another spring stabbed at the small of his back. The blanket was not helping either and Chase felt as if his fingers were going to freeze off, clutching desperately at the thin material in hopes he could will it to be warmer. The chair squeaked as he moved again but this time he continued to flounder about in the armchair, forgetting about Julia due to his frustration. A loud screech. A creak. When did the room suddenly get even quieter?
“Mr Devineaux?”
It was Julia. She sounded concerned and Chase felt himself tense up at the sound of her voice penetrating the cold air, his back was facing towards her but he could feel her eyes pinpointing him in the darkness, like a lighthouse scanning dark waters to find a fishing boat. Maybe if he didn’t move, she would go back to sleep.
“Mr Devineaux,” Julia called out again “are you awake?”
Keep still Devineaux, don’t blow your cover.
“I can tell you’re awake sir, is it too cold?” she responded to the frozen Chase, observing how his shoulders were too tense for someone meant to be asleep.
“U-uh, no Ms Argent. The chair is just a little uncomfortable.” Chase confessed, turning to face her. His figure was obscured by the dark of the corner and he looked like a shadow himself. Julia propped herself up further, moving the duvet slightly. Chase didn’t notice before, but her top resembled his, with its lack of sleeves and white colour. However, hers seemed to be in pristine condition and lace lined the top cut of it. She couldn’t tell in the dark, but Chase’s face was redder than it had ever been, his eyes fixated on the dip of her collarbone and her lithe arms under the moonlight.
“Would you like to come to the bed?” she asked innocently “I know the blanket I gave you isn’t helping with the cold either.”
He gulped, eyes widened.
She smiled, leaning over the edge of the mattress to stand up.
She was walking towards him.
He felt like the butterflies in his chest were going to burst out at any moment.
She touched his forearm, tugging it slightly to beckon him towards the bed.
His heart was racing at a hundred miles per hour.
“Ms Argent are you sure?” Chase spluttered, standing up as she pulled a little harder.
“Yes, it’s fine Mr Devineaux. I just don’t want you to get ill before our mission.” Julia assured him, reaching over to grab the pillow on top of the armchair.
His tall figure loomed over hers, his shadow swallowing hers up as they walked towards the bed. Chase stared at the bed for a second, the sheets looked clean and he noticed that the other side of the bed was neatly flat, untouched by Julia. Oh god, this was really happening. Mechanically, Chase lifted up the duvet as Julia swiftly placed down his pillow, fluffing it. She was already under the covers as he hesitantly leaned onto the bed, something creaking inside as he put more weight. Julia chuckled softly, watching as this great big hunk of a man attempted to move quietly onto the mattress, the bed just creaking more in response to Chase’s ‘gentle’ approach. Finally, he found himself under the covers, his back straight and his shoulders tense as he felt her small figure emanating a pleasant warmth. If he reached out a finger, he would’ve been able to graze her leg or arm. Julia turned to face him, their faces only a few inches apart, making Chase hold his breath. Her eyes looked even darker and more curious as she stared up at him, the night amplifying their depth and mystery. Who knows what she could’ve been thinking as she gazed at him. Chase felt himself soften yet become even more flustered as she locked eyes with him. He could see everything, the dip of her nose, her raised eyebrows, even the slight hint of the freckles that peppered her face and he felt like he was going to finally pass out from either exhaustion or embarrassment.
“Try to get some sleep okay?” Julia whispered gently and Chase could feel her breath against his chin. She smiled before turning away from him, pulling the covers up further to sleep.
Chase let out a quiet, perhaps longing, sigh. He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of her body radiating onto his cold skin. He didn’t want to sleep. He didn’t want to bother her with nightmares or snoring, he refused. Thoughts raced through his mind, preventing himself from submitting to the aching tired that screamed from his body, eyes clenched tightly shut to force himself from falling out of the sleepless limbo. He couldn’t afford to disturb her. The mattress creaked as Julia faced him once more, staring concernedly at Chase. Oh no.
“Mr Devineaux, are you really alright?” she asked, looking quite worried for her partner.
Chase held back a frightened choke as she turned around. He thought she was asleep.
“I-I am f-fine Ms Argent, I just do not wish to disturb you with my—er—sleeping habits...” Chase trailed, he wondered if she could feel the hot embarrassment pouring off his face or if she could see how red his face was in the moonlight.
“Oh,” Julia started “it’s perfectly fine Mr Devineaux. Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“No, no, no Ms Argent, I am fine. Please, go back to sleep.” Chase stumbled, she seemed even closer than ever.
“Okay then,” Julia said analytically, eyes seeming to pierce into the deepest corners of Chase’s mind “maybe this will help?”
Julia turned herself back around before shimmying closer to Chase until her petite frame was flush against his colder body. Chase felt like he was going to implode from the sudden contact. He could feel the blunt poke of her shoulder blades and the warmth of her skin. She felt so little. So fragile.When was the last time he had been this close to anybody? His breath was caught in his throat and he bit his lip to stop himself from letting out a shocked yelp. How was she so relaxed? He swore he could see stars forming out of the corner of his eyes as he inhaled the fresh sweet smell of her hair, centimetres from his face. Chase found his hand hovering frozen over the dip of her waist, lifting the blanket slightly and allowing some cool air to pour into the warmth under it.
“It’s okay, go ahead,” Julia stated quite timidly, the hint of a command lining her words “just get some rest.”
He could feel the warmth emanating from her skin as his fingertips barely grazed over her sides. Deep breaths, Devineaux. Finally, Chase gently placed a hand over her hip, slightly pulling her towards him and bringing them even closer together, his chest pressed tight against her back. Julia let out a soft gasp before relaxing into the sort-of embrace, allowing Chase to do as he pleased. She knew he wouldn’t do anything desperate or crude, and she respected that of him very much.
Her body was warm. So, so warm. Chase felt like melting right into her, wishing he could stay like this forever; holding her in his arms, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo that made his brain go all fuzzy. He brought his head closer to hers, dipping it slightly so it could softly brush the nape of her neck and shoulder, careful not to startle her. She seemed to stop breathing for moment, perhaps anticipating for something to happen. But Chase didn’t move, only deeply inhaling and exhaling the intoxicating scent of her. Julia relaxed once more, drifting off into her sleep, held by none other than Chase.
Chase felt the weight of sleep on his eyelids, huffing sharply onto her neck before softly tightening his grip on her. He slung an arm over her body to fully clutch at her side, her petite frame making it easy for his arm to rest there. The soft dip of her hip cradled his arm as his hand rested on the mattress, anchoring it there for the remainder of the night. His sleep-driven state let him do more things with less rational thought, therefore allowing himself to press his face closer to her neck, gently hooking his chin where her shoulder and neck met each other, a small sleep-drunk smile playing over his lips as the smell of vanilla and green tea beckoned him to rest his mind. He basked in her warmth, flourishing under it as a plant does in the sunlight.
Chase hadn’t felt this way in a long time, this feeling. The feeling of butterflies fluttering throughout his body as she touched him in any way, the way her smile made him weak at the knees, the fact that he would do anything for her. He knew this feeling perhaps way too long ago. Chase Devineaux didn’t realise it yet, but he was in love with Julia Argent, the little lady he held against his body in a cold inn somewhere in the English countryside.