Work Text:
A soft glow emanated from the crack along the bottom of the closed door to Cullen's office. Eira hesitated outside, listening for his voice; she didn't want to disturb him if he was on a call. All was quiet on the other side of the wood, except the occasional faint clicking. Her phone had said it was past midnight when she last checked it, feeling sleepy and realizing that he hadn't emerged from the room in a while.
She'd tidied up the living room when she left and changed into her pajamas, lingering in their bedroom before hovering in the hall. She knocked softly and waited.
"Come in," he said with the air of the distracted and focused.
Easing the door open, she slid inside and eyed him. A lamp on his desk lit the surface, papers sorted neatly on it and his laptop hooked up to his home work station. His tablet was charging on a stand, his phone laying near his elbow. There were lines of strain around his eyes as he glanced up at her.
"Still saving the world?" she asked lightly, padding closer and moving around the desk.
He shifted a pin on the digital map on his screen and made a soft noise. "Saving someone's political interests to gain us a favor, maybe."
She hummed and moved his mug of tea, noting it was still mostly full and stone cold from when he had brought it in after dinner.
"Close to a good stopping point, then?"
His next noise was non-committal, and he clicked onto something else. A furrow had dug in between his eyebrows. She sidled up closer, nudging the armrest of his chair with her hip.
"It's after midnight."
"I just have a few more things to finish up."
She planted a kiss on his temple and gathered up his mug, retreating to the kitchen, then returned to their bedroom to turn down the sheets. When she figured she'd dawdled long enough, she returned to his office.
He didn't react at first when she moved around the back of his chair. Carefully, she smoothed her hand over his blond hair, still held in soft waves by his pomade he'd put in early in the morning. Encouraged by his lack of discouraging response, she threaded her fingers into the strands, gently massaging his scalp with her fingertips. The tension in his forehead eased under her hands, and she worked her way back on his head. By the time she reached the nape of his neck, coaxing the muscles along his spine to relax, his shoulders had dropped and he hadn't clicked on anything in a couple of minutes.
She leaned over and pressed a kiss to the side of his neck, warm and gentle. Skimming her hands down his shoulders, she peppered more kisses in their wake, returning up his neck.
"Come to bed," she murmured next to his ear.
Eira could see the flash of his screen as he locked his laptop, and then he swiveled his chair around to face her, catching her before she could back away. His scarred lips quirked up in a half smile as he drew her closer.
"You make a convincing argument," he said and kissed her, both thanks and apology, and she smiled against his lips.
"I do, don't I?"
She took his hands and tugged him out of his office, flicking off the light and shutting the door behind them.