Title: In Your Bed
Rating: PG13
Pairing: Peter/Edmund
Summary: companion piece to Following The Light: A Tale of Two Kings. Takes place after the Pevensies' first return from Narnia. Edmund has some issues with the sleeping accommodations.
Author's Note: I am still team Peter/Caspain waves. I will not be tempted to switch teams. Much. It's just that this story was begging to be told. Thanks again to my beta Rosie

It had been a difficult week for all of them. It wasn't just the fact that they were no longer in Narnia, it was also the physical and hormonal changes from being adults to being children again, overnight. Certain things being more difficult to adjust to than others.

Edmund tossed and turned in his bed, listening to the sound of Peter breathing in the dark. He was waiting for the moment when the breathing would become less erratic and shallow. Once Peter was completely asleep, he would creep into Peter's bed. He would lie next to Peter just to feel his warmth, and sometimes he even dared to caress Peter's soft and golden hair. He didn't dar fall asleep. He would crawl back into his own bed before dawn and get a few hours of restless sleep, dreaming of heated embraces and passionate kisses that were no longer his for the taking.

If Peter only knew of his ritual nocturnal activities, he would be livid. He was furious the first night when Edmund wanted to share his bed.

"No, Ed! What happened in Narnia stays in Narnia!"

"I can't sleep," without you beside me, Edmund added silently. He hated his childish voice. It sounded like whining when all he wanted to do was reason with Peter.

"What we did may be tolerable there, but this is the real world. People have a name for it here. Incest!"

"You didn't find it so demeaning a week ago!" Edmund almost shouted. Getting through to a younger Peter was more difficult than he remembered.

Peter's face fell. For a split second, Edmund thought that he was going to give in.

"Please, Edmund. Don't do this. I can't…"

Peter turned around quickly and headed for his side of the room. Edmund was almost certain he heard a suspicious sniffle. Maybe a part of him retained some form of maturity because he didn't pursue the matter again that night, or the ones after that. Peter wanted to let go and because he loved his brother, he had no choice but to accept it. Even if it felt like his heart was breaking into a million pieces, he would bear it all if it would mean that it would give Peter some peace of mind.

Peter's breathing finally evened out. Edmund threw his covers off and silently made his way over. This would be the last time, he promised himself. He had to move on, just as Peter had seemed to.

Lying next to Peter, being so close to him, Edmund felt more relaxed than he'd ever felt since being back in England. He was dangerously tired because he hadn't slept well for over a week. Closing his eyes, Edmund swore that he would just take a five minute snooze.

Drowsily, Edmund leaned in to kiss Peter on the back of his neck. It was an intimate gesture he had repeated hundreds of times. Peter stirred.

"Ed?"

"Hmm?" Edmund snuggled closer. Something was amiss but his half awake brain couldn't quite place what it was.

Peter was slowly becoming more conscious of his brother's half draped form over his body. A peek over his shoulder confirmed his suspicion that Edmund was falling deeper into slumber. Half of him wanted to throw Edmund off him before somebody, namely the Professor's housekeeper, Mrs McCreedy, walked in. Brotherly affection can only be excused to a certain point, after all. The other half was enjoying the feeling of being in his lover's arms again. Unwanted memories of lying together under a star filled sky on a warm summer's night came unbidden into his mind.

"Ed?"

"Mmm?" Edmund was obviously busy. His mouth was greedily sucking at the tender skin on the side of his neck. There will be a mark there for sure. Maybe he should wear his green tunic with the high collar tomorrow. He still felt a little self conscious sometimes, much to Edmund's amusement.

"If we were back in England, do you think we would have ended up like this?"

Edmund stopped and raised his head to look at Peter in the face. He looked solemn but his eyes had a mischievous glint in them

"Do I have to answer that?"

"I was just thinking that…"

Edmund placed a hand over his mouth. "Stop thinking."

Peter pushed his hand away gently. "Susan knows," he said simply.

"I know," Edmund admitted, wondering where his lover was headed with this.

"Do you think that people tolerate what we're doing for lack of better… mating options?"

Edmund raised his brow quizzically. "Are you saying that if we weren't together you would consider choosing another Narnian creature as mate? A dwarf? A giant? A faun perhaps? I've seen you look at Mr Tumnus a little too intently for my liking lately. Should I challenge him to a duel?"

Peter rolled his eyes and pushed Edmund off him and onto his back.

"I would rather sleep with a centaur. I hear they have excellent prowess in bed."

Edmund made a face and Peter laughed. He leaned in closer and stopped half an inch away from Edmund's lips.

"I wouldn't trade this for all the gold in Narnia," Peter whispered huskily.

"Nor would I," Edmund pulled him closer to complete the contact. As the kiss became less teasing and more desperate, Peter let go of all his reservations. Being outside of the castle walls and away from prying ears, Peter felt ready to consummate their relationship. Edmund's furious tugging for him to take off his legging indicated that he felt the same.

In the dark, Peter flushed at the memory. It was the first night of many when they would share their passion unreservedly. After their so-called hunting trip, they gave up all pretenses and moved into the same room, sharing the same bed every night until their time in Narnia was up. In all honesty, Peter has never felt more alone on his much smaller bed now. Having Edmund in the same room but being unable to get close to him as before was torture but deep down he knew that it was the right thing to do. What they had was beautiful, but like all beautiful things, it was only temporary. It would fade away with the passing of time not unlike their love, a fragile thing compared to the harshness of their world. He wanted to protect Edmund from all of it. It was his duty as an older brother. He may have faltered once, but he won't make that same mistake again.

The first rays of the sun gently touched his window sill. Soon the timid light will arrive to its full splendour. Gently untangling himself, Peter got up and put on his dressing robe to wait for morning. An icy chill grasped around his heart. He told himself it was just the wind.