In Bed

[Ezra Cooper]

Entering the apartment to the soft hum of the TV, Ezra dropped his bag by the door and stepped further in to find Alex curled up on the couch with the little kitten on her head. They haven't named her yet because they were still trying to find a home for it. Although as the days pass, Ezra was beginning to think she already found a home here.

After picking her up and putting her in the makeshift bed they had made for her, Ezra went to pick Alex up next and bringing her to their bed. He placed a kiss on her forehead and proceeded to wash up and climb into bed with her, curling up around her and falling asleep almost immediately.

The next morning, like clockwork, Ezra woke up before the sun and went about making breakfast for Alex. It was Valentine's Day finally and he had gotten her a really silly gift. It was actually due to arrive at eleven later that morning. For now, breakfast in bed with omelettes, bacon and toast with a Skittles smiley face. 

Waking Alex up with a gentle shake to the shoulder, Ezra smiled down at his girlfriend. "Happy Valentine's Day, bubba."

[Alexandra Lawson]

Alex let out a low, almost childlike moan as she felt Ezra's grip stir her from a deep sleep. With her mind a hazy fog, arms slipped around him when he lifted her off the couch and she clung tightly to him while he crossed the room. She was reluctant to release her hold on him even though she almost instinctively began to snuggle into the bed and pulled the blankets around her. When Ezra moved to slip into the bed behind her he found pulling her to him remarkably easy as she had already started in that direction. Nary a word had slipped passed her lips during the brief move to the bed but she let out a soft, contented sigh once she found herself within the intoxicating embrace of her love.

Morning was rarely, if ever, something Alex enjoyed. One of the things she always liked about working at the Silverlight was her shifts never brought her in before noon, leaving her all morning to sleep or simply be lazy. The dull light that came in through the windows indicated another gloomy, overcast day but that wasn't what got Alex's attention enough to carefully sit up and issue a yawn. Ezra had made her breakfast in bed. "Babe." She said with almost a whine to her voice. They hadn't made any plans for Valentine's Day making the gesture all the more surprising. "What did you do?" She said incredulously even as another yawn slurred her last couple words.

[Ezra Cooper]

Alex's initial reaction had Ezra grinning and he shrugged. "I know, I know. We didn't plan anything soo I figured...at least this." He chuckled, sliding into bed beside Alex and bringing the tray over so it could rest on them. "Happy Valentine's day, darlin'." He pressed his lips against her jaw, letting it linger there for awhile before feeding her bacon.

"I've got the day off. Do you wanna do anything today?"

[Alexandra Lawson]

Alex's eyes gleamed as they stared up at Ezra. They hadn't planned anything because Alex was still prone to headaches and she wasn't really all that into the idea of heading downtown for anything leaving their options limited. Anyway, they couldn't afford much with Ezra having to shoulder the lion's share of their expenses and she wasn't going to hold him to anything for the holiday. After all, he'd done far more than expected in taking care of her after the attack. Alex didn't need a fabricated holiday to appreciate everything her tall, dark haired chocolate bear meant to her.

"I thought we agreed not to do anything." Alex said even though it was evident she was pleasantly surprised he'd at least came up with this. Sure, he'd served her breakfast, lunch and dinner in bed numerous times during her recovery but this still was different. This was merely a kind gesture on what was supposed to be the most romantic of holidays. "Just staying here with you." Alex said after she'd taking a bit from the strip of bacon Ezra had offered her. She resisted the urge to throw the tray aside in order to snuggle in close with him but kept her restraint. Instead she sat up, settling into the pillows propped up against the head board and contentedly eating any food Ezra happened to get anywhere near her mouth.

[Ezra Cooper]

Ezra chuckled sheepishly at what Alex pointed out. "I know I know. I just had to."

Her answer to his question had his smile softening and he fed her more bacon. "Sounds good. Very, very good." He grinned. "Oh...um...Corey just put in his notice. Counting down the days until I'm no longer with a partner." He made a show of pouting at Alex, giving her his best puppy dog eyes. All he needed was the sad whining and the puppy look would have been complete.

"But guess where he's going."

[Alexandra Lawson]

Alex gave Ezra a little nudge with her elbow, smirking a bit in his direction. Alex took pride in her stance as someone who said what they meant. If Ezra had followed the agreement and not done anything for Valentine's Day like they agreed she would have been fine. She didn't insist on something like that with the mindset that he was going to do something anyway. And it may have been a small gesture but it was one Alex appreciated. So much so she snaked and arm toward the tray and plucked a strip of bacon from it and held it up toward Ezra's lips. "I know you did." She replied softly. "That's why you're the best."

The soft, almost contented happiness that had settled over the small, studio apartment immediately deflated the moment Ezra dropped the news that he would be losing his partner. Distress instantly flashed across Alex's face as she turned her eyes up to him. "No." She said, stretching out the word a few more syllables than normal and adding in a sort of whine she got when upset. She knew what Ezra's partner meant to him. "Why would he do that?" She said almost in protest. "Where's he going?"

[Ezra Cooper]

It really never occurred to him that he wanted to do anything special for Valentine's day. It wasn't like the couple needed just one day to have an outpouring of love for each other. They had their ups and downs but every day for them was a reason to fall back in love with each other through the littlest things.

Happily opening his mouth for the incoming bacon, he bit into it and chuckled gutturally at her superlative. "Aww shucks." For a brief moment, Ezra preened as he chewed the fed bacon.

He was glad Alex shared the agony in which he was feeling at the loss of his mentor. He knew she would because she knew who Corey was to him. "I actually think it's a better place for him. Or rather, the place would be better off with him there." He shrugged, though the pout still remained. "He's going back to BA. As a nurse, I think."

[Alexandra Lawson]

A frown flashed across Alex's features, causing the contented smile that had settled onto her face to waver but only for a moment. She sighed a little, toying with the strip of bacon she had partially fed to Ezra before popping the rest of it into her mouth and chewing slowly. She silently pondered what this would mean for Ezra moving forward, though she wasn't sure if it would mean anything in the long run. It wasn't as if his schedule could get any worse and she was confident he'd be able to handle whatever was thrown at him regardless of partner.

"A nurse?" Alex's brow quirked at that one and she glanced at Ezra, his words snapping her back to reality. "Does that... make sense? Why a nurse?"

[Ezra Cooper]

Ezra settled even further in bed. He was starting to become a little sleepy again. His sleeping schedule was all screwy, making him an early riser but quick to be sleepy in the middle of the morning.

Alex's question had him focusing on the conversation again and he blinked a bit before shrugging. "Uh...wait...maybe not a nurse. I think he said nurse but I might have also been a little shocked to actually remember what he said. I just remembered he was one before." Waving a dismissive hand, he took the fork and pierced it into the omelette, feeding Alex before himself.

"But yeah, he's going back to BA. I'm gonna miss him but I guess it's the right choice." He nodded before sliding himself down in the bed before throwing his arms around Alex's waist, clinging to her and breathing her in. "You're due for a shower, stinky." He joked.

[Alexandra Lawson]

Alex gave a short nod as Ezra further explained what was going on. She couldn't help the thin frown that touched her features, though. She knew what Ezra's partnership with the big man had meant and it broke her heart that it was ending. Ezra wasn't just losing a partner he was comfortable with but also a mentor and friend. "Why is he going back?" She asked curiously. It just seemed an odd choice to make after so long. "I thought everything at the fire department was good."

Ezra's comment caused Alex's brow to furrow and she turned to him with a contemptuous scowl on her face. Eyes narrowed as she glared at him. Before long she sighed and dropped her head, a a hand coming up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Can I at least finish breakfast before you start in?" She groaned. The whole thing just didn't seem like something people actually said to each other in real life.

[Ezra Cooper]

Shrugging at the question, Ezra realised he hadn't actually asked Corey why. He just took the decision at face value and wishing the older guy well. He didn't think he had any right to ask, he supposed. "Probably...he probably thinks the kids at BA need more attention? And I guess it makes sense you know? Him being there. If anything were to happen...again...he'd be there."

The scowl was met with his tongue sticking out. "Indulge me. It's Valentine's Day. I can be as cutesy as I want." He huffed before releasing her and taking some eggs off the plate.

[Alexandra Lawson]

Alex nodded slowly. She hadn't spent much time talking to the big man in question but from what Ezra had told her his partner was a protector at heart, a sort of 'papa bear' when it came to the students of Bellefonte. The rumors of what the former soldier had done during the SPECTRE attack so many years ago had turned into legend among those who had been at the Academy on that horrific day. She fell silent, though, as she had little to add to the conversation. It made sense and even she had to admit there was something oddly comforting about it all.

"That's not being cutesy." Alex protested then, turning her eyes up to Ezra and giving a mostly confused frown. "That's just... weird. And not goofy, making blanket forts at twenty-two weird. It's things a five year old would say weird."

[Ezra Cooper]

Rolling his eyes at Alex basically insinuating that he was a child, Ezra leaned back in bed and continued eating off the plate. It wasn't that she was wrong but he did start the request with something a whole lot different in mind.

It had been a little under three months since they had been...intimate, to put it lightly. He understood why she hadn't been up for it, obviously, but he was getting tired of having to hold himself back whenever he was around Alex. He didn't want to seem selfish and come off as just some horny teenager but Ezra was a physical being. That was why having Alex with him was healthy for him, because she was too.

He wanted to release his pent up urges in other ways besides a cold shower after a two hour run.

"Hey, do you know what Liz would be doing today? I mean...didn't she break up with her fiance recently?" Ezra asked just as the doorbell rang. He perked up and slid out the bed, asking Alex to stay in bed.

Grabbing a t-shirt and hastily putting it on, he answered the door and was pleased to see it was the postal guy with the gift he had ordered for Alex. He hoped it would cheer her up, despite the grim incident that had shaken up their lives. After signing for the package, Ezra walked back in with the box and grinned at Alex. "Okay so this isn't exactly a Valentine's Day gift but here ya go." He placed it on the bed and hurried to get in beside her.

He took the tray away and waited for Alex to open it.

[Alexandra Lawson]

Once breakfast had been finished Alex happily snuggled back into the blankets of the bed. She remembered her mom and dad always wondering aloud how a girl with so much energy could be so reluctant to get out of bed most days. She didn't bother much with the tray, opting to push it onto the bedside table so she could be free to pull the blankets back up to her chin after scooting into Ezra and leaning against him. A soft sigh escaped as she felt the warmth of his body and a contented smile touched her lips.

The smile melted away at the sound of the doorbell. Alex certainly wasn't expecting company and given how relaxed the beginning of the day had been she really hoped she wouldn't have to put pants on for company. It wasn't as if they didn't live in a one room studio apartment or anything. She was already thinking of ways to sneak off into the bathroom to change when Ezra spoke. "Oh. Uh, yeah. I was going to mention that." Alex said, brow furrowing curiously as she sat up to watch Ezra cross the room. "This is her first Valentine's Day alone in, like, forever. I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I stopped by her place and kept her company for a little bit. I won't be long, I promise."

With a tilt of her head, Alex watched Ezra come away from the door with a box. It was a much larger box than one would expect jewelry to come in, which was just fine with Alex. She didn't do the expensive, shiny object thing anyway. She'd probably break a necklace or lose a bracelet. Her parents had learned that at a young age. "Ezra! We said we weren't going to get each other anything!" She protested even as her grabby little hands pulled the box to her and began working on the packing tape that kept the flaps closed.

It took a few moments of looking at the package for it to sink in what Ezra had gotten her. It was a shark. Sort of. Her eyes lit up and she looked to Ezra with a wide grin on her face mere seconds before she exploded in a fit of hearty laughter. "Oh my god!" She exclaimed breathlessly, clutching the farcical, yet oddly appropriate garment to her chest. "I love it!"

[Ezra Cooper]

Alex's reply to his previous question had him chuckling and nodding. "Yeah sure. I was actually gonna suggest you go. And take your time obviously. Just...you know...come back before the day ends." He beamed.

As she tore into the package, Ezra sat up with an excited look on his face before the grin widened enough that his eyes disappeared when her reaction to it was more than he expected. "Yay!" He chuckled before wriggling his eyebrows. "Try it on."