Work Text:
Not an inch of the coffee table was visible under the blanket of books spread over it, open in pages that needed revision before she had traveled to the next one. Her notebook was full of scribbles and notes in different colors, highlighted bits in a bright yellow if it was something really important, unfinished information in green, false legends in blue and so on…
And sitting on the floor, her petite body folded almost impossibly, with her head resting against a behavioral guide of some mythological creature, was his girlfriend.
Nate was observing her with a soft smile on his lips, the sight both heartwarming and slightly amusing. She was snoring softly and the pages in front of her lips trembled slightly with every breath she exhaled. Her nose wrinkled every once in a while in a way she also did when she was awake - a habit he found utterly adorable - and the corners of her mouth curled upwards… the dream was pleasant, at least.
But that posture can not be good for her back and knees, Nate mused to himself, a mug of chocolate on each of his hands as he stood a few feet away from the table.
He had been patrolling and the best gift he could receive when he went back to the warehouse was the news that Berenice was in the library researching on her own. He had to refrain himself from going running to her and instead thought of bringing her some of her favorite beverage - hot chocolate with marshmallows.
Only to find her sleeping deeply over his books.
He left the mugs on the floor for a moment before gently removing a raven strand of hair from her freckled face, placing it behind her ear tenderly.
If Berenice could see how he was looking at her - she could barely be able to believe someone could hold such warmth in only a gaze. He whispered her name in the silent library, as if it was a secret which had to stay among the books for no one else to discover.
But she jolted awake with a jump and an exclamation.
"Wolpertinger!" She yelped, bright blue and brown eyes blinking unfocused, a mark on her cheek where she had been resting it against a book. Nate stifled a laugh at her alarmed expression as her eyes fell on him, cheeks quickly warming.
"Oh? Is that a new pet name?"
She groaned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, proceeding then to stretch her arms as far as they could go up and behind her head, and Nate watched attentively every motion, dark eyes drinking in the sight of her slightly disheveled.
"Don't tell me I drooled over the books." She spoke, voice thick with sleep sending a delicious thrill through him, as she scanned the pages of the books she had used as a pillow. "Thank God." She muttered to herself, checking there was no harm done, and turned her face to Nate, more awake now. A wide smile instantly lit up her face at the handsome features she had come to adore. "Hi."
"Hello." Nate answered, and the pair of them let the moment linger for some seconds, eyes locked and smiles firmly planted in their lips. Their relationship was still so new, so exciting, and still so little moments had been shared, this felt like a blessing. Nate was the first to snap from the trance. "I brought you something."
She perked up, curiosity all over her features as he presented her the mug of hot chocolate. The rich smell of it instantly invaded her nostrils and she all but moaned, hands enveloping the warm ceramic.
"Thank you so much. You read my mind."
"Let's move to the couch, shall we?" Nate offered her a hand and she took it, the familiar spark lighting up her nerves at his touch making her smile widen.
They settled on the couch side to side, his arm falling over her back to surround her almost absentmindedly, bringing her closer. She sighed with satisfaction and stared at her drink.
"So many marshmallows. You're my knight in shining armor." She took the first sip as Nate grinned at her, happily watching the joy this simple gesture had brought to her features.
"Anytime, beautiful." He replied, squeezing her the slightest bit.
Berenice got comfortable, throwing her legs over his lap to turn her torso towards him more easily, the look on her eyes silently asking if it was okay, the pressure of his lips against her forehead a better answer she could have hoped for.
"What were you researching? Are there wolpertingers in the Wayhaven forest now?" He asked with a hint of amusement on his smile. She snorted softly before taking a big gulp of chocolate.
"I was investigating how many myths repeat themselves in different countries and cultures and the differences between them." He could see in her face that innate thirst for knowledge she had, something he found incredibly attractive. "I want to create a database with all of them so we can go through it faster when we need it. A software with a collection of all the names and characteristics that had been assigned to the same creature over the years. Maybe also relate them to the historic period they were first discovered? And a list of the myths that are not true? Hmm." She reached out for her notebook and a pen and started writing quickly her new ideas, leaving it on the table and looking back at Nate, who was staring at her with something akin awe in his face. She started talking faster. "I know you don't like technology, so it'll be really easy to navigate and completely encrypted so it can only be accessed from a computer in particular. I have one to spare at home and I thought, maybe, I could install it here? I would only need a corner, I know the library is your favorite place and I don't want to spoil it for you but… I'm rambling, aren't I?" She let out a breath sheepishly, hurrying herself to drink some of her chocolate, hands slightly shaky due to excitement and anxiety.
His big hands engulfed her smaller ones around her mug, the heat of it warming them both.
"You're brilliant, do you know that?" He asked softly, watching how her entire demeanor relaxed at his words. "I want to share everything I have with you. And that includes this place."
She took the last sip of the chocolate and left the mug on the floor, turning to him with a small frown. "I just don't want you to feel forced to it. I thought it would be nice to do the research together, maybe? I would do all the data dump in the software, but I need to recollect the data before I do that."
"Like a side project? Only the two of us?"
His earnest smile gained him a matching one from her. "Yeah! It will be a lot of work, but I could learn so much. And you, too, if you wanted I could teach you about the software as I create it!"
Technology was still incredibly frustrating for the vampire, but for her, he would sure as hell try. The excitement in her features so intoxicating he would have agreed to practically anything she had asked.
"I would love to."
"Really?" The question was slightly breathless.
"Really."
She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, knocking him backwards in surprise, his back against the couch and his girlfriend practically on his lap.
"I can come here after work every day, and on the weekends we can use the mornings and then have the afternoons free." She spoke, her breath hitting his neck and making his breath quicken. She pulled back slightly until they were nose to nose.
"And what would we use the afternoons for, I wonder?" His voice had dropped an octave and she swallowed, eyes falling to his lips before going back to those gentle ones of him.
"I'm open to ideas." She retorted, licking her lips and making his focus snap to her mouth. He moved softly forwards, giving her time to stop him. When she leaned in as well, he lost no time in capturing her lips with his.
Berenice groaned almost instantly, one hand taking the nape of his neck, the other tracing his jawline with a featherlight touch. His fingers grasped her hips firmly, digging into her flesh hard enough to let her know how much he wanted her, not enough to hurt her.
"Nate…" she sighed against his mouth, and he traced her bottom lip with his tongue, a growl forming deep inside his chest at the sweetness of her lips.
"Gods, Berry…" he pulled her even closer, chests pressing against each other, breaths quickening. "You taste like chocolate."
She giggled against his lips, the sound more enticing than a siren's song. He couldn't help but smile, their lips still touching.
"I'm gonna request for more chocolate kisses if we're going to spend so much time together." She pecked his lips one more time before pulling back, licking her lips with her neck and ears flushed red.
"I'll give you everything you want, Berry." Their eyes met and she could see the honesty there.
"What a dangerous thing to say."
"And still so true."
She got up from the couch and stood between his spread legs, his hands coming to rest at the sides of her knees. He looked up at her, for a change, her 5 foot 2 towering over him for a moment. Her soft hands took his face, thumbs brushing his cheekbones before she leaned down, his hands unconsciously traveling upward to the back of her thighs.
"Then, Nate…" her breath hit his mouth, her lips brushed his so softly it could have been his imagination. He could only see the uneven colors of her eyes, drowning in them, his breathing hitching. "Help me put the books back."
And she was gone, only the smell of chocolate and her apricot shampoo surrounding him. He let out a huff and she giggled, it was nice to be the one doing the teasing for a change.
"What a mean girlfriend I have." He shot her a grin, getting up and helping her collect the books.
"Let's put these in their place and I'll show you how good I can be."
He watched her march towards the shelves with a raised eyebrow.
He had never been moved so fast.