A/N: Thank you to all the readers and reviewers. And a special thanks to BelhavenOnTap for her beta-ing skills.
-Love,Sithy
Murphy had been rolling Fey's name around on his tongue for a while now. It just sounded so sweet and pretty and a little old-fashioned. Not too many people he could remember named Fey, but it was familiar. And it felt nice saying it, sighing it, smiling it, writing it across the bar with his fingertip. So what if he had had two or three or four more pints since she had walked away from the bar to find Mr. Haloran. And who cared if one more could cause him to lose his ability to sustain an inner monologue. He had pretty, pretty Fey's name on his tongue and she had said he was her date tonight. He'd just met her, but he was her date. Maybe there was something to be said for Irish luck.
Turning his head, he saw his brother leaning his forehead against his folded arms on the bar. Both were soundly drunk, and by the looks of him, Connor was a bit knackered. But Murphy could have gone all night with the thought of Fey in his head. As if just thinking about her made her appear, he saw her coming through the crowd toward him. She was smiling broadly, and he knew his answering grin had to be on the stupid-side of things. But it's all he could do as she came up and leaned against the bar next to him.
"You're so drunk, your eyes are floating," she giggled, and he closed his eyes so he could soak the sound in better.
"Fairy," he shouted suddenly. When she jumped a little from the outburst, he gave a rueful smile before putting a hand on her shoulder. "Yer name! It means fairy!"
She took his hand off her shoulder, holding it in hers and giving him a gentle smile. "Yes it does, Murphy. And it took you being wasted to figure it out."
"What'd Mr. Haloran say," Connor slurred, poking his eyes up from his arms.
"Well, boys," Fey began with a sigh. "It seems there's no rooms open around here tonight. Add to that, the roads are in no condition to be driven on tonight. So, I'll be taking you back to my place."
Murphy's jaw dropped a little. He tried saying something charming and suggestive, but all that came out was "Can I wear me new hat?"
"Of course, Murphy," Fey smiled, ruffling his hair a bit. "Wouldn't want you to catch your death."
"Ye've said that before," he smiled triumphantly before he giggled as well. Reaching into his pocket, he tried pulling the hat on his head, but he just couldn't manage it properly. Fey took the cap from him and gently slipped it over his head. All Murphy could do was look into her eyes and wonder what it would be like to wake up next to them in the morning. The idea was very promising.
He watched as Fey slipped over to Connor, who had managed to stand himself up a lot easier than Murphy. Without warning, she pulled out the powder blue cap and fastened it to Connor's head, going so far as to tie the ear flaps around his head. When he started to complain about it, she leaned up and kissed his cheek to quiet him. Murphy could have hit his brother for that, even though it really wasn't his fault. But Fey turned and gave him something better. She took his hand and kissed the corner of his lips, making him sigh happily.
"Come on boys," she laughed. "Let's get you to my place so you can sleep off all this Guinness."
"Do I get to sleep with you," Murphy asked as she herded them toward the door, not realizing just how bad it sounded.
Fey just giggled again and wrapped an arm around his waist to steady him. "No Murphy, dear. I have an air mattress we'll put up when we get there."
He couldn't stifle his upset groan as he leaned against her for support. Murphy didn't want Fey to know that he was fully capable of walking upright, she seemed so eager to help. Connor was a tad wobbly himself, but obviously knew the game Murphy was playing. When they reached the door and pulled it open, Murphy was extremely grateful for the hat and the warmth of Fey beside him. She fit just perfectly against him, and it was blissfully sweet to have her there.
The snow outside was at least four or five inches deep already and still falling heavily. The sidewalks were basically deserted except for them and a stray cat that crossed their path. Fortunately it was a tabby cat and not a black one, otherwise Murphy would have been very upset. He didn't want anything to ruin the luck he had been having that night. And it had to be luck, pure dumb Irish luck that he happened across an amazing woman at a concert and had the chance to spend the whole night with her. Of course, it could have been fate, but he was much too drunk to think about fate.
"Here we are boys," Fey smiled up at Murphy as she stopped in front of the gate to a chain-link fence. "Home sweet home."
She flung the small gate open and walked Murphy through it as Connor followed behind. Murphy watched her look back and give a frustrated sigh. Lifting his head to see what was happening, he found Connor standing at the gate, trying to close the hook latch and failing miserably. Fey walked back toward the gate and Murphy couldn't help but laugh wildly as she dumped him against Connor and took over the operation of closing the gate properly. Apparently the drunken hilarity of it was not lost on Connor who began to chuckle as well.
The sight of Fey's pretty eyes rolling made Murphy's grin widen and he pushed away from his brother to wrap an arm around her shoulders. The motion sent him slightly off balance, so he grabbed her harder then he meant to, pressing his forehead against her cheek before correcting himself. He lingered there a moment, just enjoying the feel of his skin against hers and wondered if he could get away with kissing her. He tilted his head, trying his best to aim his lips for her cheek, but Fey suddenly giggled, making him pause to hear it.
"Jesus, Murphy, your breath tickles," she laughed joyfully, which made him smile. "Let's go, fellas. The longer we stay out here, the better chance we have of freezing. Connor, grab hold of my shoulder so I don't lose you."
Murphy giggled because she sounded so motherly and authoritative. But Connor did as he was told and Murphy gave him a warning look behind Fey's head to let him know that a shoulder was all he'd be touching on her. Connor grinned mischievously, but nodded in understanding. Murphy knew the grin was only because Connor knew he wanted to keep Fey all for himself. Well, as much as Fey would allow him.
Very shortly after giving his brother that glare, Murphy realized he was standing in a hallway outside an apartment door. At least, he thought it was very shortly. He blinked, but couldn't remember how Fey had gotten them inside or upstairs, because he could see out a hall window and tell they were on the second level. Maybe Fey had magic. Yes, fairy magic like her name suggested. He laughed again as she leaned him against the wall next to the door, Connor leaning on the opposite side.
"Shh," she urged, fumbling for her keys in her pocket. "Other people live in this building."
"But it's yer birthday," Connor chuckled, pressing his forearms and head against the wall as if to steady himself.
"Aye," Murphy giggled loudly just as Fey got the door open. "We're celebratin'."
He took a slightly stumbled step toward her and grabbed her hips, spinning with her into the apartment. She gave a giggle that was muffled against his shoulder as she pressed her face there and tried not to fall over. Murphy just laughed harder, thinking maybe he could just fall over and pull her down on top of him. But then he saw what was on the far side of the room and it made him quiet and still, even with Fey in his arms. There were two waist-high bookcases filled to bursting and more stacks of books piled on top. It made a lop-sided grin show on his face.
"What is it Murphy," she asked, sounding concerned at his sudden change in behaviour.
"The books," was Connor's slurred answer from behind them. "We haven't seen that many in a long time."
Connor was absolutely right. It had been much too long since Murphy was able to pick up a good book and read it. Their current lifestyle definitely did not allow for a library card, or for very many chances to read. And he had become content with that. But now, with all these books staring him in the face, he was torn between going over there and flipping through all of them or giving Fey a sound kiss on the lips for quickly becoming the most amazing woman he'd ever set eyes on.
"Oh," Fey nodded, smiling. "Well, all those books are ones I picked up from the library. See when the library gets new shipments of books, they start to phase out older ones. Or if there's an edition that's out-of-date, they'll either give them or throw them away."
"Throw away books," Murphy asked incredulously as Fey sat him down on the couch. "That's… that's…"
"Obscene," Fey finished for him which made him grin a little and nod.
Connor sat down beside his brother and wiped his face with his hands. "So, ye take in all the ones they're gettin' rid a and bring 'em back 'ere?"
Fey nodded and walked over to a small chest near the book case. Murphy watched her gracefully crouch and open the chest, trying modestly not to let them get a view of her backside. And though he would have liked to see it, in truth would have wanted to reach out and touch her with the reverance he'd previously only saved for the Crucifix at Mass, he was glad she was being so modest. That view was one thing he had no desire or intention of sharing with his brother. When she turned back, she had an air mattress in her hand with the electric pump in the other. Connor, who must not have been as enthralled with the sight of her as Murphy was, reached out and moved the coffee table out of the way so Fey could roll out the air mattress for inflation.
Murphy sank to the floor beside her and watched as she started to undo the main stopper so she could hook up the pump. "D'ye use this thing often?"
"No," she shook her head a little. "Only when company comes over. Hope it'll be okay."
"Perfect," he assured with a smile, feeling his cheeks heat up just a bit when he realized just how intently he was staring at her.
The sound of the pump was loud enough to wake the dead, or at least Murphy thought so. He covered his ears with his hands and turned his face away to find Connor doing the same thing. But it was over soon, and Fey disconnected the pump and quickly closed the mattress so no air would escape. She got up and went into another room, but returned a moment later with pillows and blankets, dropping them on the mattress in front of the brothers.
"Here you go guys," she smiled, starting to throw a sheet over the mattress. "If it gets too cold for you out here, there's a space heater on the other side of the bookshelves."
Connor didn't even bother taking off his shoes or his powder blue hat, instead opting to crawl onto the mattress fully clothed and pull one of the big blankets over him. Without another word, he rolled himself into a tight little cocoon and started to snore. Murphy looked at Fey and started to laugh. Fey giggled too, covering her mouth with her fingers like a little girl. He set to work removing his shoes, but the damned laces just didn't want to untie. Rolling her eyes a little, Fey yanked both off of him and set them neatly next to the couch. She reached for his hat then, but he put his hands over it and shook his head a little.
"Head cold," he mumbled groggily, starting to feel the effects of the evening on him as he yawned.
Fey just gave a warm smile and Murphy really wasn't cold anymore. The drunken butterflies in his gut started moving around again and created heat that threatened to spread other places that it shouldn't. He rolled onto the mattress, looking up at Fey at a sort of upside down angle. Motioning for her to come closer, she leaned her face above his. Her hair spilled down all around his face like a dark curtain that he ached to run his fingers through.
"Fey, Fey. Sweet, beautiful Fairy Fey," he mumbled with a grin and a bit of a chortle, eyes half closed in sleep. "Kiss me goodnight, lovely lass."
"You really are wasted," she smiled down at him.
His eyes opened more and he reached up to brush his fingertips across her soft, pale cheek. "Fey, I'll not sleep 'til ye kiss me."
Murphy closed his eyes, but knew she was blushing. He could feel the heat of it on his fingers. Christ, he knew his cheeks would be red too. The question was if she'd really do it, would she really kiss him because he asked. Heart beating faster in anticipation, he tried to keep himself calm. Then Fey took his hand away from her face and pressed her lips to his forehead just above his right eye, then another one above his left.
"Two kisses for a better goodnight," she said sweetly as she patted his chest. "Pleasant dreams, Murphy."
He let out a happy sigh as he heard her moving away and knew he was smiling like a maniac. She had actually kissed him, and it didn't matter if it was just on the forehead. It was simply wonderful. Pulling the blanket up to his chin and turning onto his side, he knew he'd have good dreams that night.
---
Something woke Murphy up early in the morning. He was normally a very heavy sleeper, especially when drunk, but something pulled him out of sleep very sharply. Opening his eyes slowly, he saw that the room was filled with a bluish-greyish light from the rising sun. The room was unfamiliar, and he wasn't quite sure he remembered how he got there. Someone... Someone nice and sweet...
He heard a sound that made him prop himself up on an elbow to look around. Trying to rub the sleep from his eyes proved impossible, so he settled with trying to see through the grogginess. As he scanned the new room, he saw what looked like a dark-haired angel moving around in the morning light. He lay back down and tried not to think about it. Surely it was all just a dream. Connor laying beside him, wrapped up and still snoring like a buzzsaw. Then the angel moved closer, and he saw her face and was mesmerized. Not an angel, but a fairy, baring... a space heater?
"Murphy," she whispered, and her voice was like honey to his ears. "Go back to sleep."
She was kneeling beside him, and he reached a hand out to touch her but just couldn't make it before she was too far. There was a sudden gust of warmth near the top of his head, his arm still outstretched, trying to grasp at the beautiful creature that was trying to be so elusive. Then she took his hand and gently laid it back down on his chest, patting him gently as she leaned over him.
"Just thought you could use a little more warmth is all," she assured and Murphy couldn't have agreed more. But the warmth he wanted was flowing from his stomach outward and from where her hand touched his. He wanted to pull her closer, but his limbs just wouldn't work, and the world was starting to get black around the edges again as his eyes drooped.
"Go back to sleep," she urged again, leaning closer over him.
If he could just move his arms he could have trapped the fairy beside him for the rest of the night, but it wasn't happening. Instead, she stretched herself against him, their bodies nearly pressed together while her lips gently brushed across his cheek. His fingers had enough strength to reach up and touch her side, trying to beg her to stay with him and keep him warm. She pulled away, and soon he realized she had gone completely, but some of her warmth still lingered on his skin until he was again fast asleep.
