Simon was woken by Zoe's friend Lorraine and found he had shockingly not noticed when Zoe got up that morning. He was sluggish getting to the bathroom and was even more shocked to find Benjamin in his place. He looked up when Simon stood in the door.
"I fell asleep on the couch last night. She woke me. Asked me not to wake you." But he moved, allowing Simon to gently pull Zoe's hair from her face and make her rest with her head on his shoulder. He left quickly, looking a little unsettled.
"Love, I can sleep later." He pleaded with her without waiting for an explanation.
"But you work so late..." He chuckled.
"Darling, I lived in centuries of night. I'll admit it's been nice seeing the sun again, but of all things it's not like I'm afraid of the dark." He chuckled. "A few more months aren't going to kill me."
"Simon..." But she didn't finish. She turned green and he had just fast enough reflexes to hold her hair back and roll onto his knees beside her, his other hand on her back.
Lorraine had made breakfast when Simon came down, Ben was stacking the plates next to the sink from the nights before, trying to keep a safe distance between him and the girl and keeping an eye constantly on the window that he'd had her pull the curtains closed on.
"Is Zoe going to be okay?" She asked sounding truly worried.
"Of course, it's only morning sickness." He said, referring to what she'd called it when he'd gotten terrified himself the first time he'd seen it.
"Oh." Her friend said, blushing. "Yeah. I forgot." A loud snapping noise came from the sink and Simon could see the plate in Benjamin's hands, split in two. He put it down quickly.
"Damn." He said. Simon squeezed between Lorraine and Benjamin.
"Lorraine, Zoe said she might need you to help her pick out some clothes or something?" Her eyes lit up and she dashed for the stairs. Simon sighed and turned to help Benjamin break the plate into more pieces so that it looked more like an accident rather than someone had really snapped it in half. They were not fragile dishes, after all.
"I'm sorry, Simon, it's just her scent got to be too much for me all of a sudden. I only fed enough to get me through last night..."
"It's all right, she colored."
"Oh." But he kept his eyes down all the same.
"What is it?"
"I was actually kind of hoping I was just losing my control."
"Sorry?"
"Simon, I... when she's not making it difficult, it doesn't even hurt to be near her."
"What do you mean? I just saw you avoiding her a few minutes ago." Benjamin rolled his eyes.
"I'm still cold, even for our kind, Simon. Well, MY kind now." He grumbled. Simon reached over and turned off the warm water and turned on the cold.
"Perfectly good reason to be now." Benjamin turned the warm water back on. Simon raised an eyebrow.
"Feels better." He explained.
"Benjamin's not that cold to her." Came Zoe's voice from behind them. She laughed when they both jumped. (After all, you just don't sneak up on a vampire.)
"Okay, after I have a heart attack, sweetheart, what do you mean?"
"Benjamin carried her upstairs last night and instead of keeping the blankets on her, she pushed them away like she was warm." Simon exchanged a glance with his cousin.
"But how?"
"I would say she's one of us if not for the you know, blushing, thus the blood, and the whole warmer-than-an-ice-block thing."
"That doesn't answer my question, Benjamin."
"Zoe? A little help up here?" Lorraine called down the stairs.
"We'll talk about this later, guys, okay?" She said, walking away.
"You ask her yet?" Benjamin asked in an undertone even when she was out of human earshot.
"Nope." He chuckled.
"Just wondering because she's already acting like the woman of the house." Simon laughed too.
"When she walks away, the conversation goes on hold." Benjamin laughed harder.
"Exactly." Then he sobered a little. "Do you know what kind of talk would go around if you waited so long had we not been cursed by your brother?"
"It's only talk, Benjamin. They talked about me anyway. And times don't change much. They still talk. But I'll get around to it."
"She only has a few months left." Simon sighed.
"I know that."
"Just making sur- ARRGH!" Simon jumped again.
"What th-?" But then he saw the small opening in the curtain and Benjamin cradling his hand. "Perhaps we'd better get you somewhere where its a little darker." Benjamin groaned and nodded. He took him down the hall to the broom closet, looking in to see how it would fair for sleeping.
"Simon." He looked back at his cousin.
"You have an objection?" He shook his head, grinning, though still looking in pain.
"No, no, I need you to do something for me before you go back to sleep."
"Yes?"
"My soil is in a coin purse at my home." Simon nodded, understanding.
"I'll have it and be back soon." He hurried up the stairs, catching Zoe as she left their room going in the direction of the bathroom. She didn't look like she was going to be sick so he caught her by the arm.
"Simon, what's wrong?"
"Shh, everything's fine. I need you to keep Lorraine out of the broom closet at all costs."
"Benjamin?" He nodded.
"Okay you can count on me." He grinned.
"I know that." He kissed her. "I'll be back before long."
"Where are you going?"
"Erm... ERRAND." He stressed. She nodded.
"Hurry back." She added with a smile.
"Always, love." He kissed her again and was gone.