This drabble is a little different and isn't connected to a story line (except for one if you look closely enough). It may be pointless but I'm procrastinating doing work because this is more enjoyable. Happy early valentines!

Robert passed O'Brien as he walked towards Cora's bedroom. He nodded curtly at her with a neutral expression as he reached to open the door. Cora knew it must be Robert since O'Brien just left and anyone else in the house would knock first.

"Good morning, my darling," Robert smiled and joined her in the bed as she ate her breakfast.

"Good morning, my darling Valentine," Cora amended and popped a piece of toast in her mouth.

"Don't mention that to the girls," Robert warned.

"I think the girls are aware that you're my valentine," she flirted as she reached over to brush his arm with the hand that wasn't holding her tea.

"Funny," he said and placed his hand on top of hers between them. "But seriously, Cora. I envy the fact that you get to have breakfast up here alone sometimes."

"Why? What's happened?"

"It's not a pleasant way to begin your day getting caught in the middle of three young women bickering back and forth."

"What is it this time?"

"Well, Sybil brought up Valentine's day and how it's unfair that she can't have a Valentine until she is properly presented. Mary made a snide comment in Edith's direction that being presented doesn't guarantee a Valentine. Then she continued on saying how she would have a great Valentine's day if she wasn't being forced off to boring cousin Patrick and how it was a shame he wasn't forced off to the only boring Crawley sister. Luckily, I was done eating at that point so I could leave but I only heard more arguing as I left. I think they're all bitter that they can't have the valentine's day they might like."

"That does sound unpleasant. I would talk to them," Cora sighed, "but I don't think it would help."

"Likely not. Like I said, I think we best not talk about Valentine's Day at all around the girls."

"Perhaps you should have had breakfast up here with me," Cora laughed as she set her now empty tray at her feet.

Robert scoffed, "Carson would disapprove. I can hear his booming voice insisting, 'it's not the way things are done' if I requested a tray up here too."

"We could do it without his approval. I don't think he approves that you sleep in here either," she giggled as she rose from the bed to put on her dressing gown.

"I do more than just sleep in here," Robert reminded her. She glared at him with humour glinted in her eyes.

"Is that so?" she demanded with her hand on her hip.

"Yes," he assured her and pecked her lips. "I spend quality time with the woman I love."

"That argument, while affective on me, won't help change Carson's opinion," Cora smiled then pulled to ring for O'Brien so she could change.

"I only meant that I spend time with you that I otherwise wouldn't! I don't understand how married couples don't share a bedroom. This bedroom is where we share so much of our marriage. Falling asleep with you after talking is my favourite part of the day. And I know that if yours wasn't the first face I saw in the morning, I wouldn't be a happy man."

Cora kissed him tenderly, savouring the taste of him. She held onto him for a moment longer than she normally would after she called her maid. "Strong talk for an Englishman," she kissed him again but briefly.

"Well, it is Valentine's Day," he explained and pulled her against him.

"So, I have Cupid to thank for making you vocal about your affections for me."

"Yes. So you'll be my Valentine?" he asked and ran his hand up and down her side and raised his eyebrows in a way he hoped made his offer appealing.

"Yes," she nodded slowly but with enthusiastic expression. "But only behind these walls. I don't want the girls to be reminded that they don't have a valentine."

"So I can't kiss you in the drawing room?" he whined as he kissed her jaw. He felt her shake her head. "How about the library? Or in the gardens?" he offered as he placed wet kisses on her neck.

"Afraid not."

"Pity."

She chuckled. "Pity, yes. But if you do as I request, I can be as vocal about my affections for you as you like. Tonight."

Robert groaned as his kisses on her neck descended to below her collarbone, making Cora moan. His finger tips trailed up and down the bare skin of her arm until goosebumps formed. She shivered and linked her arms under Robert's but just as she began running her hands across his back, a cough interrupted them and made Cora pull away.

"O'Brien. Oh, yes. I rang for you," Cora blushed as she stammered. Robert straightened her nightgown and pressed his lips to her cheek. "We have a deal, valentine," he whispered.

"I can't wait," she mouthed as he walked towards the door, not taking his eyes off of her. Cora laughed under her breath when he stumbled as he reached for the doorknob, missing it by half a foot.

"Are you alright?" she asked, hoping there was more concern than amusement in her voice.

"Oh, yes," he assured her. "Perfectly fine. I just realized there's just a few meetings I had planned that I won't be able to get to today after all. Shame."

"Hmm," Cora said casually. "Maybe you can plans the details for these meetings today so that when they happen everything goes smoothly?"

"Brilliant. Though if I think of the details of the meetings too much, I'll have trouble getting any other work done."

"Well, if there's anything I can do to help," she offered, knowing that Robert had a million images in mind of how she could. She enjoyed subtly torturing him like this when O'Brien was nearby so there was nothing he could do. She knew teasing him paid off for both of them.

"There's not right now. Thank you, darling," he tried to sound normal before he shut the door reluctantly.

He knew shouldn't kiss her like that just before O'Brien came upstairs, but he couldn't help it sometimes. It was so hard to resist her; he absolutely loved just kissing her. He ran his fingers over his lips and thought of her offer. It was going to be a long day. He almost wished that he didn't have to see her during the day so that he wouldn't have to remind himself not to kiss her. Robert forced himself to focus on the estate at least for that morning. When he made eye contact with her across the table at luncheon, he realized how lucky he was. There were so many friends of theirs who tried every day to avoid kissing their spouses because they preferred it that way. He couldn't imagine living like that, he thought, as he studied her across the table. He couldn't stop staring at her and when she looked up, she blushed and forced herself to look at her plate.

They may as well have kissed as openly as they liked as far as the girls were concerned. All three of them rolled their eyes as Cora set down her fork and tried to hide her blush behind her glass. Robert's gaze didn't falter as she looked back at him and smiled. He smiled back.

"It's nice that someone's enjoying this day," Mary groaned. "But really, if Granny were here she would inform you two on how to behave like a normal married couple."

"I don't know what you mean," Robert feigned and winked at Cora.

"Really, Papa," Edith rolled her eyes. "It's not often that I agree with Mary."

"Your Papa and I are normal," Cora defended. "Many married couples in the aristocracy have to pretend every day of their lives. I'm glad we're not among them. Now, eat."

"Well, don't you pretend you belong in the aristocracy already?" Mary snided.

"Mary! What a horrid thing to say to Mama!"

"Thank you, Sybil," Robert smiled. "Your Mama doesn't pretend to belong here. She belongs here. She is your mother, Mary. You are part of her as much as you are of your English family."

"Then hopefully if I'm like Mama, I can enter a forced and loveless marriage that winds up making people sick over luncheon. Excuse me," she dragged herself out of her chair and left the room.

Edith raised her eyes, "You two can be rather nauseating," she seconded. "I heard O'Brien muttering to Thomas about you two in the gallery this morning," she exited the door that Mary did.

"Well at least we have Mary and Edith agreeing with each other about something," Robert joked.

"If you weren't my parents, I would think it rather sweet," Sybil informed them as she made her exit, leaving them exchanging bewildered expressions across the table.

"She's always been the sweet one herself," Robert referred to Sybil.

"She has," Cora agreed. "Oh, Robert. You don't think we are too openly affectionate, do you? Maybe we should be more discreet."

"Certainly not! Our daughters are just being difficult and let's face it, no one wants to see their parents be affectionate but we have never do anything inappropriate. And O'Brien should be more discreet herself about what she sees between us. But, it doesn't bother me. I don't care who knows that I don't sleep in my dressing room where I 'should'. I should be able to sleep beside the only person I love and not be criticized for it. It has never made sense to me that it's seen as more normal to have an affair than lie next to the person you married."

"You're right. We shouldn't be criticized for that." She stood from her chair and walked around the table to where he sat. His outburst-speech affected her more than he knew. "Maybe we should do something we should be criticized for."

She kissed the skin between his jaw and ear and pressed one palm to cup his cheek so he faced her. Her other hand glided freely between his chest and stomach. She traced the outside of his ear with her tongue, "what do you say, valentine?"

"I thought you didn't want to be my valentine outside your bedroom?"

"I don't care. It's Valentine's Day. Also if people are going to say we have an inappropriate relationship any way, shouldn't we at least make the accusation justified?" She kissed across his cheek towards his lips.

Robert smiled, "what do you propose?"

"Kiss me everywhere," she said quietly and sat on his lap in the chair.

"Everywhere around the house or everywhere - on you?" He closed the gap between their mouths and kissed her before she could reply, wrapping an arm around her.

"You can kiss me anywhere around the house and everywhere in the bedroom," she breathed when their lips parted.

"Just when was the last time you had a proper tour of the house?"

"You are so clever and cute, Robert Crawley," she laughed against his chin.

"I'm so glad you're mine, valentine," Robert smirked. He pulled his arms around her waist, pulling her closer in his lap. "Do you want to stay here?" he asked.

"Hmm, no. I think I would like that tour."

This is what happens when I should be doing other things! Oh well.