#benbarnesweek2020

You were beginning to regret your choice of present for his birthday.

He had been dreaming about this expensive camera for months, hesitating in buying it or not because he had one already that was still working perfectly fine even if it was starting to get a bit out of date. You had argued that he had more than enough money to buy it and that he should do so if it made him happy, but Ben was a reasoned person that sometimes rationalized things a little too much. His generous nature would have pushed him to buy it in the blink of an eye if you had been the one wanting it, but if it were for himself, he was more willing to weigh the pros and cons.

So, as his birthday came closer and he was still indecisive about his camera, you had secretly bought it for him. And as he unwrapped his present, he had tears in his eyes and a touched smile on his face, proof, if you needed any, that you had aimed for the perfect gift this year again.

But it had been about two hours since you had offered him his gift, and you were beginning to regret it. At first, he played with the new functionalities on it, and tried different settings, and that was completely normal. But two hours later, and he had still not put his camera down, which started to be a little annoying.

What was even more annoying though was the fact that he was now taking pictures of you. Which you didn't always mind, if the light was right and you were sharing a memory together. But now you were just washing the dishes, with foam up your wrists and your hair a mess, and feeling everything but photogenic at that moment.

You heaved a sigh, giving him a pointed look.

"Ben, what are you doing now?"

"Enjoying my present!" he answered with the most adorable excited tone, and you felt your will to scold him melt already.

"I'm not even doing anything interesting or looking pretty right now," you argued, but he looked at you with a frown.

"You're always pretty. What are you talking about?"

You rolled your eyes but were unable to refrain a smile.

"I am not always pretty. It's just love blinding you."

"That's not true. You're beautiful, period."

"I wasn't pretty when I puked on your shoes when I had a stomach flu."

"The puking part wasn't sexy, but you were still beautiful. It's the vomit that was disgusting. Can't believe you destroyed my favourite pair of trainers..."

"It was more than a year ago!"

"You're the one bringing it up again! Now, look at me, and smile."

Instead, you stuck your tongue out at him, making a silly face that made him laugh, and he took a picture of you anyway.

"You're adorable when you're annoyed," he grinned, making you even more irritated.

"Don't push your luck, birthday boy," you warned him, waving a dirty plate at him as a threat.

He merely laughed in response, coming closer to hug you from behind, wrapping his arms around your stomach to press your back into his chest.

"Thank you for the camera, I love it," he whispered in your ear, his breath against your cheek eliciting goosebumps across your arms, and his words making you smile.

"I'm happy you like your present."

He hummed in agreement, before dropping his head to gently kiss your shoulder.

"I love you more, though," he went on in the same quiet tone. "I'm just happy we can be together this year, instead of me working on another continent or whatever. That's the best gift you could give me, to just be here with me today."

You turned your head to drop a peck on his cheek, his dark beard tickling your lips.

"I love you too, you sappy baby," you answered, making him laugh again.

"You're even cheesier than I am, don't deny it," he argued, burying his face in the crook of your neck, his beard rough against your skin, but you actually loved the familiar feeling.

"Yeah, maybe... but I reckon that you love it."

"I do. I love you."

"I love you too."

"I'm gonna print all these pictures I've just taken, by the way."

"Why? I'm not doing anything!"

"You're being yourself, domestic. And that's all I really want with you. I want us to be domestic around each other. I want us to be so damn used to being around each other that we barely remember how it was before we were together. I want these little scenes with you, like you washing the dishes, or getting up all grumpy in the morning. I want that kind of intimacy with you. I want to be here for everything, doesn't matter if you're dressed up or puking all over my shoes."

You brushed a tear away before it could fall and Ben could see it.

"Who's the cheesiest now, huh?" you asked, feeling your throat tightened and your voice dropping of an octave as a result, while your heart was ready to burst with affection.

"I guess I am."

"I do want that with you too, you know?"

"No, you're still the cheesiest little heart there is," he grinned against your neck, making you roll your eyes. "But I have an idea, and you need to give up on the dishes for me to try it. Washing can wait."

"Should I be worried?"

"Hmm... Let's say that... I'd like to try to take a new kind of pictures."

"A new kind of pictures? What does that mean?"

"Let's say... it'll be more comfortable for this activity if we're in the bedroom."

You laughed, the sound bright and happy and making a grin find its way to his lips without his consent.

"I see... Well... it is your birthday after all."

"It is."

"So... I guess, I shouldn't say no, right?"

"Hmm... I mean, you can if it makes you uncomfortable. But it's not like I haven't seen you naked hundreds of times before, and didn't know your body like the back of my hand by now."

"If you know me so well, then no need for pictures."

"Art should always be immortalized."

You laughed at him, shaking your head at his silliness.

"That was a terrible line!"

"You loved it.  Come on, come back to bed. You know you won't regret it."

He gave you one of these glances you couldn't resist to. The seductive ones, with full-blown pupils you could barely see the shape in because of how dark his irises looked. He bit down on his bottom lip, and you knew you were gone for good. The effect the man had on you should have been illegal...

And the worst was that you knew he wasn't lying, or gloating. You wouldn't regret climbing upstairs to your shared bedroom, of that you were certain.

So, the choice was easy to make, and the dishes were abandoned for the rest of the day, when you and Ben had more important things to attend to.

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