His hands move along her body as if trying to memorize every single inch of her skin, every imperfection and every curve.

His mouth moves along her neck, kissing the delicate skin as her head tilts back, her body aching for more, more of his touch.

His fingers dip into her hips as he pulls her impossibly close to him.

She can feel his breath on her chin, his hot, ragged breath that sends goosebumps all along her body.

Their hooded eyes finally meet, and she finds herself getting lost in his beautiful brown eyes, his curly hair falling over his forehead and sticking to the damp skin.

Her mind unfortunately cuts the dream short as her body awakens her with a deathly ache in her lower belly. She pulls back to white comforter to reveal the white sheets now stained a darkened red from the blood escaping her uterus.

Cleo groans as she throws her head back into the pillow. She wants nothing more than to stay in bed, for she knows the pain will halt all her movements for the rest of the day.

As her eyes close, her mind soon brings her back to her dream that never finished. So vivid, she can practically feels the hands on her body.

A moment of clarity washes over her as she convinces herself to get up from the bed and strip the sheets from the mattress. She simply brushes off the dream as her hormones acting up during her time of the month. It's completely normal to have sexual thoughts and desires, especially when your uterus is expelling an unused egg from inside of you. It's just hormones, nothing more. It's the human mind tapping into its primal instincts. Instincts that would never act upon.

As Cleo brings the stained sheets to the washer, Ana sits directly in front of the door, as if waiting for something. And sure enough, a knock soon echos from the hall, and Ana begins to meow as she leaves her spot and wonders into the living room. Cleo walks over to the door, unlocks the locks and opens it.

" Hi, there," Steven says, greeting her with a smile from his spot in the hall, " I-I brought you some coffee," he holds up the two to-go cups that fill his hands, " You know, as a thank you for yesterday."

As Cleo's eyes look up into his, her mind can't help but flash back to the dream, and it now clicks who the man in her dream was.

It was Steven.

" Steven..." She says, his name leaving her tongue ever so softly, " Thank you... but I'm afraid I can't drink caffeine right now."

" Why not?" Steven asks, his eyebrows furrowing as his head tilts from the curiosity.

His eyes glance down, only for a second, but upon seeing red they quickly dip back down. He sees red stains of blood on either side of her thighs. His eyes widen, but he quickly brings his head back up, as if not to stare and make her uncomfortable.

" Oh!" He exclaims, " Oh... oh, riiight," the realization hits, " Because caffeine can make your cramps worse, got it, got it."

Cleo smiles with just her lips, can't help but love the fact that a man is aware of such a thing, for most barely understand how periods work in the first place.

" I still appreciate the gesture," She says, her head leaning against the door, her eyes still locked on his, " That was very--" her sentence is paused as a large bundle of pain explodes from within, causing her eyes to shut as her body tenses, "... kind of you."

Steven's frown returns to his lips as he sees her tightly grip the door frame as she struggles through the pain.

" You alright?" He asks, " Oh, right, cramps."

Cleo nods.

She lets out a deep breath, and then opens her eyes once more.

" I'm alright," She says with a temporary smile, " Have a good day at work, Steven."

" A-Actually I have the day off," He says before she can shut the door, the lie leaving his lips a little too naturally, " So... if you want, um... I-I could help you? I mean, I know I'm not a doctor but... well, I could make you a cuppa Decaf? And, um... I dunno. Just... anything else you would need," he tops it all off with a nervous grin and then licks his lips.

That one move, that simple and seemingly innocent move only makes Cleo's heart beat just a tad faster as her eyes flicker between his mouth and his brown eyes.

" You don't have to--"

" It's no trouble... honestly."

"... Okay."

Cleo steps aside, letting Steven enter her flat once more. She closes the door behind them as she feels more blood escaping, daring to drip down her legs. She turns around to face him, but the moment she sees his eyes looking down at her, she almost forgets how to speak. Her mind keeps teasing her with the dream, tempting her to make it a reality. She tries her best to keep her outward exposure, but this lack of confidence is something foreign to her, and something she does not want to be re-occuring in her life.

" I'm gonna go... shower," Cleo says, finding her own words to be unconvincing and full of uncertainty, almost as if she was asking for permission despite standing in the home she pays for.

" I'll go make you a cuppa," Steven says with a grin," Um... where's the kitchen."

Cleo points him in the right direction, and off he goes. She carries herself into her bedroom where she grabs a fresh pair of clothes. A simple combination of grey sweatpants and a black tank top. She enters the bathroom and closes the door. She turns on the water and begins to step out of her clothes, hoping that the hot water will help clear any thoughts.

She steps into the tub, her feet pressing against the anti-slip mat on the bottom. The hot water touches her back and cascades down her body like a waterfall. She closes her eyes and sighs, feeling the cramps being washed away, her body being soothed in the steamy room. She washes the stained blood off of her legs, the water below turning a light shade of red, but soon disappearing down the drain.

But she doesn't notice how hot the water actually is. It feels too good for her to care. It's not until she turns off the water and stands in front of the mirror does she notice. Her flesh is red, inflamed and almost burnt from the temperature of the water.

But once more, she thinks nothing of it and goes about getting dressed. She puts on a pair of period panties, followed by her comfortable sweats. She uses a towel to dry her long, coarse black hair. Without her styling it, it appears in light, messy curls that drape over her shoulders. She applies some lotions to her body and face before she opens the door, the steaming billowing out into the hall as she leaves the damp bathroom.

Cleo makes her way to the living room to find a steaming cup of tea waiting for her on the coffee table, along with a blanket on her favorite chair.  On the TV screen, she sees a movie Steven must have picked, paused on the title card.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

She smiles to herself and goes into the kitchen to find Steven. She sees him over the stove mixing ingredients into a large pot. He appears focused on the recipe, so much so that he doesn't even notice she's there. Not until she steps forward inhaling the divine smell of his cooking.

" That smells amazing," She says, the sudden sound of her voice making Steven slightly jump.

" Oh," He says, his body relaxing once he sees her familiar face, " Thank you. It's, um, matzo ball soup. Mum's recipe," he smiles as she pears into the pot, " Hope you don't mind... I-I just thought."

" No, no... it's alright. I'm really excited to try this," Cleo says, turning her head as she sends him a gentle smile, " Jdisch? (Jewish?)"

" Oh, um... k-ken? Ken? (Yes?)" Steven says as his eyes squint, for his Hebrew is quite rusty.

Cleo nods, as if reassuring him that he got the translation correct.

" Are you?" He asks.

She shakes her head.

Cleo turns around and opens the cabinet to reach for a set of bowls, but Steven sees this and goes in to help.

" Here, let me."

Steven reaches for the same bowls that Cleo does. His hands brush over hers, and she feels a pulse through her arms. She pulls back, allowing Steven to grab the bowls, despite her skin craving more contact. Her eyes flicker up to his, giving him a quick smile before looking away.

" I'll, um... I'll be in the living room."

Cleo scurries away, out of sight and out of mind. She takes the blanket from her chair and takes it with her to the couch. She sits down with the blanket on top of her and grabs a pillow to place over her lap.

Steven soon walks in with two bowls of soup in his hands, a smile on his face similar to that of a child wanting to show off something they made. He sets down the bowls on the coffee table, when an idea enters his mind.

" Oh!" He snaps his fingers, " Where do you keep ya painkillas?"

" Bathroom cabinet."

Steven rushes into the bathroom to grab the bottle of pills before coming back into the living room and takes a seat next to her on the couch, but still leaves some room between them. He sets the bottle down on the table, then grabs the remote. But before he presses play, he turns his head to the left and looks at her.

" I know it's not the first one, but I remember you said you were a fan of Indiana Jones, yeah?" He asks hopefully, " I-I mean if you want, we could turn on the first one? Think that was the Last Cr--"

" Temple of Doom is my favorite, actually," Cleo says, her eyes gazing softly at him so his nerves will calm down, knowing that he didn't make a mistake.

Steven lets out a sigh of relief, then turns to play the movie.

The music from the opening credits ring through their ears as the two begin to sip on their soup. Cleo's taste buds dance in delight as the delicious soup goes down her throat and warms her belly. She smiles over at Steven, who's sat sipping his soup, his eyes locked on the screen in front of him.

Cleo eventually takes the pain killers, sending them down with the tea that Steven made. They finish their meal and set the plates down on the coffee table. Their bellies are full and warm, allowing them both to lay back and enjoy the film.

Steven's phone keeps buzzing throughout, but he always ignores it. He ignores every call he gets from Donna, despite knowing he should pick up. He just doesn't want to ruin this one good thing.

" Wear your jewels to bed, princess?"

" Yeah... and nothing else. Shocking?"

" Nothing shocks me. I'm a scientist."

" So, as a scientist, you do a lot of research?"

" Always."

" And what sort of research would you do on me?"

" Nocturnal activities."

A scene taken two different ways by two different people.

Cleo has seen this movie time and time again. She knows that Willie simply wants to bed Dr. Jones without appearing as "that type of girl".

Steven can't help but tense up at the mention of nocturnal activities. He know what it's supposed to mean in the movie, but to him, it means something he's unsure of. The night is something he's not too found of. It's a time he'd rather skip past. He doesn't like what happens to him at night, and no matter what he does... he can't make it stop.

Cleo's skin feels ever so empty. Her body wants to scoot closer to Steven, just wanting to feel his hands on her skin. Seemingly innocent. But she doesn't give in.

The movie comes to an end. The credits return, and Steven pauses the film. Cleo reaches for the now empty bowls to clean up, but Steven stops her once more.

" I've got it," He says as he grabs them before she can, " Don't you worry about it."

And so she lets him. She lets him take the bowls into the kitchen. Instead of just leaving them in the sink, Steven cleans them up. He dries them with a towel and places them back into the cabinet. When he returns to the living room, he sees the black cat curled on Cleo's stomach, eyes closed and purring as Cleo pets her. Steven returns to his seat next to her, and Ana opens her eyes. Steven looks down at the cat, and the cat looks up at Steven. Ana looks deeper and deeper into his eyes, gazing past them and into his soul. But she does not like what she sees. Her ears tilt back as she begins to hiss, forming a protective aura around her owner.

" Sorry," Cleo says as she picks up the cat and sets her down on the floor, " She's not fond of people."

" S' alright," Steven says, " Don't suppose she would like my fish... I suppose she's probably eat him, actually..."

Cleo lets out a small chuckle, finding herself being more drawn to his silliness, his kindness, his thoughtfulness, and, well, just about everything she's learned about him. He's ever so captivating and she longs to know more.

" How are you holding up?" Steven asks as he turns his body so he faces her, " Did you enjoy the soup?"

" The soup was really amazing. Thank you," Cleo sighs, " And the pills kicked in. No more cramps for the time being."

" That's good. Good good good," He says, his mouth twitching up into a smile from his nerves once more, " Um... is there anything else you need? Or would like? I-I could head down to the shop and get you some chocolate?"

Steven's eyes stare down into her captivating hazel eyes as he awaits her answer, truly willing to come up with any excuse if it means more time with her, but at the same time wanting to respect her wishes.

" You've already done so much--"

" But I want to," He says, stopping her mid sentence, " I mean... I-I want to help you."

She deeply appreciates his words and his gestures. His eyes nervously flicker as he plays with his thumbs in his lap. Cleo sits up straight and turns her body, both of them now facing each other.

" You have, Steven," She says, her eyes looking directly into his, " You've already helped so much... Why do you feel compelled to do more?"

With the question, Steven pulls his lips into his mouth as his eyes blink rapidly.

" I-I don't know," He says truthfully, " I just... I know that I do."

Despite having known the man sitting in front of her for such a short amount of time, Cleo finds the puzzle of Steven fairly easy to piece together.

His need to be of service for others comes from the fact that nobody will do the same for him. Perhaps it could come from his childhood. A life time of needing to be there for himself created a desire to be a people pleaser in his adult life. Or maybe, maybe his heart is just so big that he will always put others first. Maybe he just wants to help others from the goodness of his heart.

But whatever the answer may be, Cleo does not voice her thoughts. She does not want to scare him off, for she knows how triggering it can be when someone tries to talk to you about something you're not ready to.

Instead, Cleo brings her hands to his. She gently grabs his large hands, a gesture that does not go unnoticed.

" Let me do something for you," She says, then searches his eyes for some sign, " Okay?"

" Y-yeah, alright," Steven says, then clears his throat.

Cleo stands up from the couch, her hands still connected to his. Steven stands up as well and his body just lets her guide him. She takes him into her music room, where he's finally able to see the piano right in front of him. Her hands slip out of his grasp, and he almost frowns from the loss of contact. Cleo gestures to the singular chair next to him, and Steven looks back and forth before he realizes what she means. He calls himself a muppet under his breath, then looks up at Cleo who takes her seat on the dark piano bench and brings her fingers up to the cool keys.

Cleo begins to play a song for Steven, and the tune hits him in just the right place. It enters his brain through his ears and puts him at ease. He's lulled into a tranquil state by something so simple, not that he's complaining.

The piece comes to an end, and Steven has to bite his tongue, for he doesn't want her to stop. Cleo lifts her head from the piano and looks over at Steven who's eyes seem lost and body seems limp and relaxed.

" How are you feeling?" She asks softly.

And it takes Steven moment before he can answer.

" Bloody good," He whispers as he looks up at her and smiles widely, " That's... that's been the only thing that'll get me to fall asleep."

Cleo's eyes glance down at the floor before they return to Steven.

" You know... I can keep playing for you," She says, and his eyes seem to come out of their gaze, " I can give you my number and... you can let me know when you're ready. I'll play you a song... whatever you'd like."

Steven can't help but scoff. Not out of disrespect, but out of disbelief. He can't believe any of this is... well, real. No, it has to be a dream. It's too good to be true.

But, Steven stands up from his chair and pulls his phone from his back pocket. He walks over and hands it to her, just now seeing that she didn't use any sheet music. As Cleo types her information on his phone, he sees something in the corner of his eye. Something gold. He turns his head to see a rather large chunk of gold covered by a crumpled white piece of paper, and upon seeing familiar markings, his curiosity is peaked.

" What's this?" He asks as he reaches for it.

" Oh! That's--" Cleo starts, but when she lifts her head Steven already has the amulet in his hands, " That's... an amulet."

" It's bloody gorgeous," He chuckles as he examines it as Cleo examines him, " Is that... this is Queen Cleopatra's... innit?"

Steven looks over at Cleo for confirmation, but her eyes remain still, her posture straight and her face neutral.

She simply nods as he sets the amulet back down on the piano.

" You don't... feel anything?" She asks.

Steven's eyes go up to the ceiling as he ponders the question.

" Should I? I mean, I'm a bit chilly, but..." He trails as his shoulders slug, " Why do you ask, love?"

Nothing. He feels nothing. He held the amulet... and he felt nothing.

The information tries to shove itself into Cleo's brain, but she can't believe it. Her mind will not process it as her own memories show something on the contrary to what she's being told.

" When I found that amulet... it was supposedly... cursed," Cleo says, trying to pick her words very carefully.

" Well, then, good news, it's not cursed anymore," Steven says with a smile.

Cleo returns the smile, but her mind still won't let it go.

" Let's watch another movie."

Steven doesn't object. He listens to Cleo and follows her out of the room and back into the living room. They sit back on the couch and turn on another Indiana Jones film.

They end up watching the entire Indiana Jones series and a few other films before their bodies and their minds grow equally tired.

Surprisingly, Steven is the first to fall asleep. The worries of his sleeping disorder seemed to wash away, allowing him to fall asleep on her couch. His body slumped into the cushions, his head tilted back and resting on the top of the couch.

A yawn escapes Cleo's mouth as she reluctantly gets up to go to the bathroom and change into a new pair of period panties.

When she walks back into the living room, she sees that Steven is now awake and heading towards the door, so she walks to it as well.

" Here, let me," She says as she goes to unlock the door.

" I got it."

She's too tired to notice that Steven's accent seems to have disappeared, now replaced by an American one.

But, she doesn't listen to his words. She unlocks the door for him, and he roughly opens the door.

" Thanks," He mutters.

That she notices. Before Steven's body can fully depart to the hallway, Cleo grabs him by his bicep to stop him in his tracks. As she looks at the side of his face, she notices that Steven does not turn his head, but rather keeps his eyes down on the floor by his feet.

" Steven?" She asks, but gets nothing in return, " Steven... look at me."

And Steven does. He slowly lifts his eyes off the ground and turns his head to look at Cleo. His eyes meet hers, and she can't put her finger on it, but something is different. Steven's soft gaze now appears strong, eyebrows furrowed over making the lines on his forehead even more visible. His chest is lifted, shoulders widened as his posture is lifted and no longer slouched. While he resembles Steven... this does not feel like him. But that's impossible. It's impossible for this to be a different person than the one who just fell asleep on the couch. It's not possible.

Steven remains silent this entire time, but that's because for him, he is asleep.

" Are you okay?" Cleo asks as she tilts her head.

Steven is okay... but Marc isn't. Marc tries to think of something vaguely resembling words that would come out of Steven's mouth... but he can't. And despite wanting to push this woman out of both of their lives... he can't. It's easy to brush it off when Steven is in control of the body, but now that he's in control and he's here standing in front of her... it's not easy. Her eyes are now looking at him, not Steven, but him. She's here, she's touching him. She's so close, so very close. The bumblebees in his stomach begin to fly around as he loudly swallows. Marc looks down at the beautiful woman in front of him, finally able to see her for himself. He looks down into her hazel eyes that could get anyone lost for hours. He wants to give in... it would be so easy. It would be so nice...

" Tick tock, Marc. Tick tock."

The voice of the God rings through his ears, involuntarily making his body tense. And even though he thought Cleo couldn't hear, she pears over her shoulder where the God stands. And while she doesn't see him, Marc does.

" Did you hear that?" Cleo asks, eyes gazing around the flat to look for where the noise could've come from.

While her head is turned, Marc slips out of her grasp. He heads directly to the stairs, but Cleo steps into the hall before he can actually leave.

" Call me if you need anything... okay?"

His hand tightly grips the railing of the stairs, his body paused. He closes his eyes as he sighs. He knows he shouldn't, he knows he really shouldn't, but that's never stopped him before.

" Okay."

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