Work Text:
- Benophie - pre pregnancy fluff
Benedict decided there was nothing better in his life than waking up next to his wife, the feel of her head resting on his chest, as he breathed, her body pressed tightly up against his. It hadn’t taken much to convince Sophie to sleep naked with him, if she ever did put a nightgown on, he would promptly just remove it and expertly tire her out so she would just collapse into a heap next to him and fall asleep with his arms around her.
He could not remember a time he had ever been happier in his life, everything just made more sense, everything was brighter and more colourful with Sophie in his life and as his wife. He finally understood everything his father and mother had told him about love as he had grown up.
He finally had his queen, his fairy princess, his mystery lady and they were building a life together here at My Cottage.
During their honeymoon, Benedict had sent missives to have the cottage readied for them, Mrs Crabtree had been thrilled at the news, of not only had Benedict married Sophie, but that they would be residing in My Cottage permanently. A dressing room had been readied, there was work being done on the gardens, Mr Crabtree was desperately trying to recover the rose bush that had died.
His life was perfect, or so he had thought.
Sophie had been feeling a little off for a few days, she’d hardly touched the food, and she’d seemed a little out of sorts so Benedict had decided to take her away from the cottage for the day, he knew she could ride a horse, they had been out on their honeymoon but he rather wanted her close so pretending one of the mare’s was lame and needed the attention of Mr Gable from the village, he had pulled Sophie onto his horse and along with the picnic he had packed, he had sent off into the hills of their home, taking her further away from the home and hopefully further away from whatever was ailing her.
They rode for about an hour away from the cottage, Benedict had brought her to one of his favourite spots, he hadn’t spent much time up here but he had ridden up and the view was spectular. He hopped off the horse and helped his wife down, as she looked around, her eyes wide “Oh Benedict it is so beautiful” she said with a sigh.
“It is made all the more beautiful for your presense my love” Benedict said shooting her a charming smile as he secured the horse to the tree, his words caused Sophie to blush. She seemed to occasionally have a hard time accepting compliments from him and it hurt his heart when she did. He took her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Are you quite alright my darling?” he said as he placed the blanket to the floor and led her over to it.
“Of course I am” she said softly as she set herself down on the floor, her words wobbled slightly and she didn’t sound convincing.
Benedict knelt down next to her and pulled her into his arms “Sophie…” he said, his tone soft and light. “Tell me what is wrong, I am your husband. I am supposed to support you, what ails you, ailes me… what hurts you, hurts me” he said as he stroked her blonde locks, which were thankfully growing back to her previous length.
Sophie let out a sigh that sounded like it came from her toes. “You’re going to think I am being a veritable ninny…” she said her gaze fixed on her finger nails.
“Sophie my love, I would never think you were a ninny” he said, placing a hand under her chin and raising it so he could look into the mossy depths of her green eyes. They were strained and sadness seemed to lurk behind them again “I am your anchor Sophie, you are my home, you are my happiness and my everything… you could never be a ninny, so please tell me, what is burdening you” he said softly.
His softness nearly made her come undone. It had been a dream two nights prior, Araminta had been too quick, Posy had tried but she’d been sent away, she would never have what she had now… and Benedict hadn’t come. He had given up on her. She knew it was silly, she knew she was being silly but it had hurt her heart and she’d struggled to shake the voice in her head that was telling her she wasn’t good enough for him, that he would get bored and he would leave her for a mistress… strings of them…
“I…” she said opening her mouth but them closing it “I would not be so sure if you knew what my dreams had been, what had been haunting me these last few days” she said her eyes moving from his. She could feel him still staring at her.
“Tell me… let me share your burden Soph… unfold yourself to me” he said as he pulled her closer to him, her head resting on his chest, like she would if she was asleep. She was able to breathe in his scent, her heart instantly felt lighter. She let her hand move and slid beneath his shirt and pressed into the place she knew his heart rested and felt the steady rhythm of his heart beating against her hand.
“I dreamt about that night at the jail…” Sophie said, a little nervously, she felt Benedict stiffen automatically. “that Posy wasn’t able to stop it and I was sent off to Australia. That you didn’t come… you had given me up, after discovering who I was…” she said sadly.
“Oh Soph…” he said, his heart breaking for her as he stroked her arm.
“I keep hearing her voice in my head, telling me I am not enough, that I will never be enough… that one day, you will wake up and regret me. That you will leave me and find… find a mistress” she said her voice breaking at the last words a silent tear trickling down her cheek.
Benedict hadn’t realised she was crying until he felt the wetness on his arm. “Oh my love… that will never happen” he said, his voice firm.
“I don't think I've ever told you, I wouldn't be me without you Sophie. You are my other half. You make me complete in every way” he said fiercely, holding her in a protective hold. Sophie could feel the pounding of his heart against her hand as his other one too her left hand and lifted it to his lips.
He pressed a kiss to her wedding ring and entwined their fingers together “Sophie, You're my strength and you're my weakness. God knows what could come between us now, to try and break us down, because I am not going to let you go. Nothing would stop me from loving you. Hell, even if the world stopped turning, You'd be in my heart, still burning, you would be the one keeping it beating and as long as I'm breathing and I will never give up on us” he said
“Soph, I can’t stop the voices in your head, I wish I could, but I am just going to have to make sure my voice is louder than theirs, telling you how much I love you everyday”
Sophie sniffled and looked up at him, “really?”
Benedict pressed his lips to her forehead “always. As for a mistress, Sophie, I have everything I ever need here in my arms. You are my everything, You fulfil my very desire, my every passion and every fibre of my being. And I think Kate would cut my cock off if I even so much as thought about it”
Sophie let out a little weak giggle. In the few weeks they spent together she and Kate had become fast friends, they had been writing to one another regularly, she knew Kate would indeed do just that to Benedict if he did anything.
“But you are everything Sophie, my every fantasy, the one I want to spend the rest of my days with, even when we were here the first time, when you cared for me when I was sick, I would find myself daydreaming about what it would be like… I can’t wait for out future together, to see your stomach swell as you grow our children, to continue to chase you around our home even when we can barely walk, and I can’t wait to wake up next to you old and grey, you still as beautiful as you are today, knowing we had the best possible life together” he said again his lips brushing against hers softly.
“I’m sorry” she whispered as she let her lips trail against his “I told you I was being a ninny”
“No Sophie, given everything you went through, it was understandable, but, If you fall then I will catch you, I would do anything for you. You healed me, you made me better. You made me a better person, before you, I thought I knew struggle but really, the only awful thing that happened to me what I had lost my father… but I had my family. You lost both of your parents and you’re still such a good person… so pure of heart and sometimes I wake up and wonderful what I did to get so lucky to have such a vision of perfection as my wife” he said teasing and giving her waist a squeeze.
“You must have been a good boy at some point” she teased back, feeling a bit better “but you helped me… brick by brick you built me back from the ground. We are stronger together. And we're never coming down. It’s me and you” she said as she gave him a soft kiss. “Until we are blessed with a child”
Benedict let his hands travel to her stomach, were unbeknown to them, their little blessing was starting to take form. “I can’t wait to have a children with you Soph” he said softly pulling her down on top of him as he lay down “in fact… I think we should practise” he said with a smirk and before she could protest, his lips found hers as his hands found her the buttons on her dress.
Sophie was powerless to resist her husband and she did rather love being outside in nature with him like there, there was no one around for miles and no one but them to hear their cries and their love for each other.
Afterwards when they were spent and exhausted, Sophie lay with her head on her husband’s chest, their hearts beating in time, “I love you” she said softly as she pressed a kiss to his chest.
“I love you too Soph” he said lifting his head up “more than I will every be able to tell you, more than I will ever convey”
“All my heart, all my future, all my dances are for you” she said, their gaze meeting, green eyes and brown eyes so obviously in love. Benedict smirked for a moment before moving and leaving Sophie lying on the floor looking up at her husband bemused.
“What are you doing?” she said looking up at him.
He held a hand out for her, naked as the day he was born, with a wicked smirk. “Dance with me”
Sophie blinked “what?”
“Dance with me” he grinned as he leaned down and helped her too her feet.
“Are you out of your mind? We have no music and we’re naked” she giggled bemused at him.
“No one save the horse is here, no one can see, and you just said all your dances are mine and I would like to claim one and dance with my wife, in the afternoon sun, if she would be so inclined as to grant me a dance” he grinned, a lopsided smirk on his handsome face.
Sophie shook her head in amusement but took his hand and let her husband twirl her around, both of them completely naked, blissfully happy in their lives, they might have some rough patches ahead, some moments of doubt but as long as they had each other, everything would be perfect.