Hi there! I decided to write this silly little fic (because frankly it was too amusing not to write it!) based on momentinparadise's manip on Tumblr. She created an It's Complicated bathtub scene with Charles and Elsie instead of Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin.
I hope you'll find it as entertaining as I did in writing it.
The story isn't betaread, sorry for any errors.
Summary: After their retirement, Charles and Elsie experience a troubled period in their marriage. Will an unexpected situation in the bathroom lead to a reconciliation?
One.
Elsie mumbled in her sleep and rolled on her side.
A wonderful perfume invaded her nostrils, remembering her of something, something she couldn't quite recall... she inhaled deeply, smelling sandalwood and a vague scent of pine, a scent that was distinctly his. A scent that was distinctly Charles.
Her eyes flew open. She had rolled over his side of the bed, her face completely immersed in his pillow.
The sheets felt cold against her warm skin, she supposed he must have left their room early in the morning.
"As usual," she sighed, resignedly.
She and Charles had left their work at Downton only a few months before, ready to enjoy retirement... but something had happened between them.
During the first weeks of their well deserved rest, they had simply relaxed themselves in every way possible - well, she corrected herself, in every way except for the sexual way.
He had dedicated himself to a bit of gardening or to reading, while she had tried to learn how to cook something properly and had often paid calls on Beryl's nearby cottage.
They hadn't forgotten that the other existed, in fact they were still very fond of each other, but they had been so engrossed by their new found activities that they had simply stepped away from each other.
They still spent several moments together, however married life seemed to have lost its spark.
Charles and Elsie had been married for almost fifteen years and they never had problems in bed.
Their work was very tiring and demanding, but they had always found time to dedicate to themselves and their needs.
They had always felt a strong physical attraction for each other and they still did - or anyway, she still found Charles desirable - but the fire of passion of their first years of marriage had long since died out and the energy they channeled into their job, and that kept their relationship going in the years before, had just gone out.
Could you fall out of the habit of having sex with your husband? Elsie wondered.
It seemed such a silly question and it probably would be if that wasn't exactly what was happening to them.
She closed her eyes.
It was so stupid: they had the entire rest of their lives before them to spend together and they had progressively forgotten to make love!
She laughed bitterly at the absurdity of the situation.
Shaking her head, she decided she had better get ready for her day.
She found Charles in the kitchen, reading a newspaper.
"Good morning," Elsie greeted him.
"Good morning," he replied quietly, barely raising his eyes from the paper to acknowledge her presence.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Quite well, thank you."
"Would you like scrambled eggs for breakfast?"
"Yes, please," came his short reply.
After finishing reading the page, Charles got up and prepared the table for their breakfast, setting a light blue table cloth and a couple of plates and cups.
Sitting again on his chair, he couldn't help admiring his wife's figure unbeknownst to her.
She was wearing a white blouse with tiny coloured flowers, matched with a dark skirt.
A few strands of hair had escaped from her pins, curling around the nape of her neck. Her blouse was slightly low cut, the fabric was thin enough to show the straps of her bra - it was the latest fashion and, apparently, it made her feel more comfortable than her corset.
Her tight fitting skirt hugged her backside in a quite lovely way as she moved around the kitchen and he couldn't help enjoying the view.
As his gaze travelled slowly down her body, he found himself thinking about their situation.
After they had moved in the cottage their lives had taken a different path and, even if he was delighted of having more spare time, he didn't like what was happening between them.
Charles wasn't spending as much time as he had wanted to with her. He didn't know if it had been her who started that, but he did know he had stepped progressively away from her because he felt she had been the first to set the example.
He missed her, God knew. He missed her warm presence snuggled close to him at night, he missed her laugh, her kisses, her being herself.
But he had no idea how to go back to what they had once.
"Any plans for today?" he asked her after she placed a steaming pot of tea in front of him.
"I don't have much to do this morning. I think I'll take a hot bath."
"Good."
"What do you intend to do today?" she inquired, pouring tea in both their cups.
"I don't know. Maybe reading."
She hummed in agreement and sat down, after passing him his plateful of scrambled eggs.
Breakfast was a quiet affair. The silence in the room was broken only by the clinking of the cutlery on their plates.
She stole a glance at him bringing a piece of egg to his mouth with the fork, which appeared so small held tightly in his large hands.
Elsie found herself wondering if he would still be willing to hold her hand in his, to kiss her, to touch her with those hands. She shivered imperceptibly and drank her tea in large gulps to shake off that feeling.
The feeling she usually had before they engaged in their... activities.
She finished her breakfast almost shoveling the food into her mouth and got up quickly.
She made her way to the kitchen sink but his voice stopped her.
"I'll do the washing up. You go and have your bath."
"Thank you."
She didn't take her bath straight away, though. She made the bed - the bed they now used only for sleeping, she thought - and tidied up their room before preparing the water.
She checked if it was warm enough, then took off her clothes and let down her hair, immersing herself fully into the water.
Elsie let out a satisfied sigh as she leaned against the bathtub walls, the water lapping against her chest and her long hair cascading down her shoulder.
She had no intention of getting out soon.
"No sir, no intention at all", she thought happily, closing her eyes to rest them for a while. Just for a little while...
She reopened them lazily after what seemed a few seconds and what she found startled her.
Charles was standing by the tub, looking down at her, his eyes a darker shade of brown.
She looked into his eyes for a split second, as she felt the blood rush to her cheeks, before screeching.
"Charles Carson! What on earth are you doing in here?!"
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