Chapter 5: Niles


Niles stepped out of the shower first, reluctantly ending his embrace with Daphne. He walked across the room, fetching up towels and bathrobes for the both of them. Daphne had a robe earlier, but it was lying - long forgotten - on the bedroom floor. Daphne shut off the water, and took the towel Niles offered her. She proceeded to dry herself off, flipping her head and hair forward and rubbing vigorously.

Niles also toweled himself off as he thought about what just happened. He was just standing in the shower, lost in his thoughts over what happened in his bedroom. He was thinking himself lucky it had even happened once, and already consoling himself on the fact that it would never be repeated when Daphne silently came up behind him and threw all his thoughts and sensibilities into disarray.

The outcome was another memorable, pleasurable, perfect moment. He sighed, happily. Niles finished drying off, and slipped on his bathrobe. He hung the other one on a towel rail for Daphne once she was finished drying.

"I'm going to go get the fan and bring it upstairs. There's spare toothbrushes in the drawer, please feel free to use one." He paused briefly, nervous. "Uh, and make yourself comfortable."

Daphne paused her hair drying to look at him. She smiled at Niles in a way that made his knees weaken again.

"Thank you, Niles." She was still using his first name. He was thrilled, loving the way it sounded in her voice, her accent.

He left and headed downstairs to fetch the fan. Niles thought back to their shared moment in the shower. He had accidentally repeated the same words as that night at the Snow Ball. Just like that night, he was caught up, and his emotions and feelings poured out of him. But unlike that night, she didn't return the sentiment. Didn't say anything, though he knew she heard him.

But she didn't rebuke me. She kissed me.

Still, Niles felt a twinge of disappointment. He knew that this night meant more to him than just a casual fling, but he shouldn't expect it to mean anything more to Daphne. Niles didn't know what he expected.

He reached the bottom of the stairs and noticed the abandoned remnants of their earlier evening. Niles looked at the remaining fruit and champagne. He considered just leaving it, to deal with in the morning, but the neat freak within him couldn't do that. He gathered it up and took everything into the kitchen. The champagne was half gone; he used a bottle stop to re-cork it and put it in the refrigerator, along with the leftover fruit. Niles suddenly realized he needed a drink, his throat parched. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and downed almost all of it in one go. He finished drinking, and grabbed two more bottles. Niles then went back to the living room, and unplugged the fan, turned off the lights before carrying everything awkwardly back upstairs.

When he reached his bedroom, Daphne was sitting on the bed, as if waiting for him. The sheets were not yet pulled back, but still crumpled from their previous love making session. He felt a slight blush rise up his neck as he remembered what had happened here earlier in the evening. Niles set the fan down and walked over to Daphne, who had stood up when he entered. There was a slight awkwardness as the passion from earlier had subsided, and they were facing each other in the -

Aftermath was as good a word as any.

"I brought you some water, in case you were thirsty." He held the bottle out to her.

Daphne took it from him. Niles still felt the electricity of her touch, but then again, he always did. Daphne blushed as their hands touched.

"Th-thank you... Dr Crane." Niles heart sank. He was back to being just Dr Crane already. Daphne must have noticed, and quickly corrected herself. "Niles. I mean, I can keep calling you Niles, if you like."
"Would you? Just for tonight?"

He reached out to Daphne again. Hesitating for a moment, he stroked her shoulder, running his hand down her arm.

"I'll just set this fan up, and brush my teeth. Uh, you can go ahead and hop into bed."
"I, um, wasn't sure which side you slept on."
"Oh. Uh, the left side." Niles pointed to the side on the left when facing the bed.

Daphne smiled, and looked at him.

"I usually prefer the right side myself."
"Well, that works out nicely then."

They stared at each other awkwardly for a few more moments. Niles turned away, and busied himself with plugging in the fan, then headed into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Daphne had opened her bottle of water and was focused on sipping from it. When Niles returned, she had hopped into bed. He noticed that both the bathrobes she has used were folded neatly on a chair in the corner, and Daphne was lying naked under the thin sheet. Her eyes were shut, enjoying the breeze from the fan.

"Um. Sorry, I don't really have anything for you to, uh... to wear tonight."
"That's okay..." Daphne sounded like she was half asleep already.
"Did you want me to wear something? I-I mean, i-if it'll make you more, um... more comfortable."

Daphne opened her eyes and looked at him, bemused.

"I think we're a bit past that point, Niles. It's too hot tonight. I think we both will be more comfortable sleeping like... this." She gestured towards her naked body as she spoke.

Niles swallowed. He didn't know why the prospect of sleeping nude in the same bed as Daphne was making him so flustered, considering what they were doing earlier that evening. Niles turned off the light, removed his robe and slipped into bed next to Daphne. They laid there awkwardly for a few minutes, both of them seemingly unsure of how close to get to each other. Daphne obviously picked up on his nervousness. She rolled onto her side and looked at Niles in the dark.

"I'm sorry, I just realized that this must be hard for you. I mean, it must have been a while since you've shared your bed with anyone other than... Mrs Crane."

He noticed her hesitation on acknowledging his estranged wife. Niles turned over to face her. From the light coming through the window, he could just make out the shape of her face, the brightness of her eyes. Lying here like this almost felt more intimate than anything else that had happened so far this evening.

"Actually, Maris and I had separate rooms. We rarely shared a bed."

He could just see in the dark her eyes widen at this.

"I'm sorry, Dr- Niles. I forgot. I just assumed you shared a bed."
"It's quite all right, Daphne. I mean, it's a natural assumption. Maris... she has never been very good at sharing her things. That included her bed." Niles sighed to himself, remembering. "Unfortunately, this also meant we weren't... intimate that often either. Especially these last few years."

Niles felt Daphne move closer to him.

"Well, if I may say so myself, I never would have guessed, after the evening we've just had." She laughed softly. "If anything, Mrs Crane didn't know what she was missing."

Niles felt his cheeks heat up again. He hoped Daphne meant what she was saying, and that it wasn't just to boost his ego. He really wanted to make this night as enjoyable for her as it was for him. He moved closer to Daphne.

"Thank you, Daphne. You know, I honestly can't tell you how happy I am we ended up spending the evening together this way. It... means a lot to me. I hope you know that."

He felt Daphne come closer still, her forehead now rested softly against his.

"I've enjoyed it too. I don't know what we will do, come tomorrow, but for now I'm happy to just spend this time with you, like this." She kissed him softly.

Niles kissed her back. He found himself wishing, not for the first time, that the night never had to end.

"Me too. Goodnight, Daphne."
"Goodnight, Niles."