Mary had never experienced the after glow that so many people talked about after sex. She had never just relaxed against the mused up bedsheets and stared into her lover's eyes. In her one prior experience (she no longer considered that night an experience; she didn't remember the details and now she was glad not to), it had been so uncomfortable afterwards, and well, during. Matthew had seemed tense, and she had, well, she probably shouldn't have let them progress that far. She could see that now.

But now, now she was relishing in the feeling of Matthew's warm skin as it was pressed against hers. She was slightly sticky with sweat, so was he for that matter, but she didn't care. It was like a tangible reminder of their activities, along with her still racing pulse. All of her earlier worries had melted away, and Mary was very, very glad.

"How're you feeling?" Matthew's voice was no louder than a murmur as his hand brushed over her exposed stomach. Her muscles jumped at the touch which he seemed to find amusing, if the upturn of his lips were anything to go by.

"I told you I wanted this." Mary felt some of pleasant haze that had blanketed her thoughts receding at his question. They had discussed all this already. She thought he understood.

"Wasn't what I was asking." Matthew leaned over from resting on his pillow to press a kiss to her shoulder.

"Oh." Mary relaxed further into the bed, turning on to her side so she could see him. He took that as invitation to press his lips to hers and she was more than okay with that. It was a slow sort of kiss, and it wasn't until they finally broke apart that Mary realized that she had closed the already minimal distance between them. He tilted forward until his forehead rested against hers and Mary couldn't help but close her eyes and sigh.

She finally knew what they were all talking about.

"Your bed is incredibly comfortable." Matthew said with a sigh, shifting on to his back and throwing his arm over his head. "It makes my bed back at uni feel like a rock."

Mary watched as his eyes began to take longer and longer to open with each blink. His breathing was beginning to even out and she needed to stop him before he actually fell asleep. "Yes, well, you can't sleep here." She rose up on her elbow to hover over him, meeting his eye when they finally focused on her.

"So, you use me for my body and then kick me out of your bed. I see how it is." He threw aside the sheet that had been covering the lower half of his body and swung his legs over the side. If Mary hadn't seen the smirk tugging at his lips, she would have been afraid that she had seriously offended him. "You have no other use for me."

"Oh, I still have plenty of uses for you." Mary slid closer to him, tugging him back towards her so she could reach his lips. Matthew all but flopped back on to the bed, tugging Mary down until she was draped over him.

"I am at your service." Matthew managed to say between kisses, carding his fingers through her hair.

Mary pushed him down into the sheets, bracing herself over him. "So accommodating." She didn't let him reply, leaning down for another kiss. She let the length of her body settle against his and his arms settled low on her waist.

"If I don't go now, I don't think I'll be able to leave." Matthew somehow managed to get out, even if every few words were punctuated with soft groans.

"Right." Mary didn't move though, continuing to pepper his jaw with kisses. She paused as she reached his lips, looking between him and the door for a moment before making a decision. "We'll just have to sneak you back into your room in the morning."

Matthew could see the smile on Mary's face and he felt his own expression match hers. "Brilliant idea." He agreed, wrapping his arms around her. He'd worry about sneaking out in the morning.

'Why did parents have to be so irritating?' The thought swirled in Edith's mind as she stomped down the hall. Mama and Papa never let her get a word in edge wise and she hated it. They always listened to Mary. And Mama had all but ran after Sybil after she threw that tantrum a few weeks ago. Why did she have to be the silent, obedient one?

"Edith, don't storm off." Cora sounded irritated, her own footsteps echoing down the hall as she followed her daughter. She couldn't understand why all her daughters were determined to give her gray hair. "We have to discuss this."

But Edith was in no mood to talk to her mother. She was going to take a page from her older sister's book. Unfortunately that meant talking to said sister. A small price to pay, as far as she was concerned. Reaching Mary's bedroom door, she knocked insistently, so much so that her knuckles hurt. She didn't wait for a bid to enter, pushing open the door and striding into the room.

"Mary, I need to speak to you. I know –." Edith began as she entered the room and then broke off on a gasp. "Oh. My. God." She was sure that she resembled a cartoon character with their jaw on the ground. Because Mary wasn't alone in her bed. She was wrapped around her new/old boyfriend and there was clothing on the ground. "Oh. My –." She was stopped from repeating from herself by the sound coming from the bed.

"Get out, Edith." It was Mary and she didn't seemed pleased to see her. Mary glared at her blearily as she pulled the duvet up over herself and her boyfriend. "Get out." Matthew seemed to grumble at the noise but his eyes remained closed.

"But I need to –" Edith tried to get out only to be stopped by Mary's rebuke.

"Out. Now." Mary had already closed her eyes, ready to go back to sleep.

"Edith! We need to talk! You can't just, goodness!" Cora stumbled as she stopped behind Edith. Mary's eyes shot open at the sound of her mother's voice. "Mary!" Edith's eyes darted between her sister and her mother as she waited for Mary to speak. She couldn't help the small smirk that tugged at her lips at the situation. After this display, she was sure that she would seem reasonable in response. It couldn't have gone any better if she had planned it.

"Mama." She sat up, holding the duvet to her chest. "Good morning." Mary subtly tried to wake Matthew, shaking his shoulder slightly. He grumbled at the intrusion to his slumber and tried to turn over and go back to sleep. Mary was more insistent the second time around which finally got him to open his eyes.

"We are going to talk about this." Cora pointed a finger at them and Matthew finally realized what was going on around them. He froze where he was laying, as if that would make him disappear.

"Of course, Mama." Mary nodded, then gestured for the pair of them to leave. Cora seemed more than willing to take the hint and Edith followed, smirking fully now.

"Cora, I was wondering if you had seen those cufflinks that…" Robert stepped into the room, holding the cuff of his shirt. He looked up to meet the stricken face of his wife and the smirking one of his middle child. "Cora?" He saw her trying to block his view of the room, causing him to look over the rest of the room. "What is going on in here!" It wasn't a question, despite the phrasing.

"Now, Robert, we should leave them to get dressed." Cora rested her hands against his chest and all but pushed him out of the room. Edith held a hand over her mouth to hold back her laughter, something that didn't escape Mary's notice. Mary shot her a dirty look causing Edith to just roll her eyes.

"Mary. I would like to speak to you in the library when you are dressed." Robert's booming voice could be heard from the hall. Mary didn't reply, nodding her head to herself because she knew it wasn't a request, but rather a demand. Edith finally followed her parents into the hall, closing Mary's door behind her.

Mary waited to hear the sound of footsteps moving away from the room before dropping back onto the bed with a groan. "We didn't wake up in time to move you back to your room." She stated the obvious.

"What are the chances that your father lets me leave here alive?" Matthew responded, scrubbing his hands over his face.

"He will." Mary shifted on to her side, propping herself up on her elbow. "I'll make sure of it."

"How gallant of you." Matthew smiled, leaning up to press his lips to hers in a good morning kiss. "I never got to say good morning."

"Its a little late for that." Mary looked over at her bedside alarm and groaned. "Its almost the afternoon."

"We had an exhausting night." Matthew wagged his eyebrows suggestively, but in reality ended up looking more ridiculous than any thing else.

"I'm going now." Mary bit back her amusement, throwing aside the duvet and grabbing her discarded clothing from the night before off the ground.

"No. Wait." Matthew reached out for her, taking her hand in his and pulling her back onto the bed.

"Matthew, I have to go. My father." She complained but she went to him willingly.

"I know." He brushed back her loose hair, cupping her cheek in her hand. "I just wanted to say that I love you." He pressed his forehead against hers, skimming her cheek with his thumb.

"I love you, too." Mary said quietly, leaning into his touch. Her eyes fluttered shut as she savored the moment, but all too soon reality crashed back in with the sound of people in the hall. "I have to get dressed." Mary said on a sigh as she pulled away.

"I'll see you down there." Matthew gave her a smile as he watched her slip into the bathroom to get ready. He slid out of the bed and gathered up his discarded clothing, trying to shake out the wrinkles in his suit.

Even with the events of the morning, Matthew couldn't regret last night. He just hoped that Mary felt the same.

"Sybil, it's your turn to pick." Edith held out the bowl of folded up pieces of paper towards her sister. Sybil swirled her hand around the bowl, the little slips of paper crinkling at the movement.

It was late. Their parents had already gone to bed, but the three sisters (plus Matthew) hadn't felt like retiring with them. Instead they had relaxed on the couches around the fireplace, poured themselves some of their father's expensive brandy and some how ended up playing this game.

Sybil couldn't exactly remember who had suggested they do this, but at some point, all of them had ended up writing down questions on to little slips of paper and throwing them into a bowl. It was basically truth or dare, except without the dare part.

Sybil continued to swirl her hand around the bowl, before snagging a slip of paper out and unfolding it.

"What'd you get?" Edith flopped back against the cushions, chin propped up by her closed fist.

Sybil squinted at the paper before reading it aloud. "What person from Greek mythology would you be and why?" Sybil's eyes turned towards Mary as she rolled her eyes. "You totally wrote this one."

"Why do you say that?" Mary frowned, brow furrowed.

"You are the one studying classics." Edith pointed out uselessly, sipping at her drink. "Just answer, Sybil, so we can move on."

"Fine. But I know nothing about mythology. All I know is from Disney movies." Sybil looked into the fire in thought. "Megara." She finally answered, smiling. "She was awesome in the Hercules movie." Mary just rolled her eyes which Sybil scowled at. "Alright mythology expert, who would you be?"

"Andromeda." Mary answered immediately, shifting ever so slightly further into Matthew side. Matthew buried his face in Mary's hair, hoping that it muffled his amusement at her answer. It didn't work as all attention turned towards him. Mary elbowed him in the side in retaliation, but that only made him laugh harder.

"What's so funny?" Sybil looked between the two of them, confused. "Who's Andromeda?"

"A princess." Matthew answered for Mary. Both Edith and Sybil rolled their eyes. Neither of them saw the look Mary shot Matthew after.

"Well, I would want to be Athena." Edith replied, drawing all their attention. Sybil nodded in approval at her answer while Mary just rolled her eyes. Edith ignored Mary, and instead focused on Matthew. "What about you, Matthew? All of us have answered."

"Perseus." He answered immediately, looking at Mary. Mary held his gaze as she tried to hide her smile at his answer. Neither Sybil or Edith understood his answer, nor the look that passed between their sister and her boyfriend. The couple seemed to forget that there were other people in the room as they stared at each other. It wasn't until Edith scoffed at their behavior that they focused their attention back on them. "I think I'm going to go to bed." Matthew downed the last of his drink and stood.

"Me too." Mary said quickly, reaching for his hand as she stood. This time they weren't oblivious to the looks that Sybil and Edith shot them, but Mary couldn't muster up the energy to care about what they thought. "Good night." She led Matthew from the room by the hand.

"Don't forget to lock the door this time!" Sybil called after them, causing her and Edith to break out into laughter.

All they heard in response was the slamming of the door.

As soon as her bedroom door was closed behind them, and locked, Mary towed Matthew to the bed. Pushing him down to sit, she settled her arms around his shoulders as she stepped into the space between his legs.

"Perseus, huh?" She trailed one of her hands through his hair, while the other stroked the skin at the back of his neck.

"Well, I have to save my princess from the sea monsters, don't I?" His hands settled on her hips and slowly trailed along to the small of her back. Gently, he pulled her down until she was sitting in his lap.

Mary fought hard to stop the smile that was tugging at her lips. Matthew didn't resist the urge, smiling softly at her. Seeing his look, she gave up fighting it and smiled, before fusing her lips to his.

It wasn't long after Mary and Matthew had left that Sybil went to bed herself. Mary and Matthew's odd exchange earlier nagged at her. Clearly, there was something she was missing and Sybil didn't like not being in the loop.

Grabbing her laptop, she quickly searched for the story of Andromeda, skimming the wikipedia page quickly when the name Perseus jumped out at her. Sybil found herself smiling as she read the story.

No wonder her sister felt the need to drag her boyfriend away after a declaration like that. She understood. And she would have done the same thing too.

AN: So they are all happy and couple-y and fluffy! Yay! More to come soon. :)