This Empty Northern Hemisphere (A Mumford and Sons fanfiction)

Chapter XXVII: Tell Me Why

Chapter XXVII: Tell Me Why

By the time Ted blinks blearily awake it’s already noon. Winston is still out cold too, and Cherry has worked her way between them.

Ted squirms out from under the blankets and rubs the sleep from his eyes. His body is aching from the stress he put it through last night. He stands, ignoring the pain in his knee and stumbles off to the bathroom, wanting to take a soothing shower.

He takes only ten minutes, afraid he’ll fall asleep under the comfort of the calming

water.

Ted gets out and dries off slowly, but he frowns. He’s forgotten to bring clothes in with him. He wraps the towel around his waist tightly, and tiptoes back to his room.

Winston and Cherry are gone, so Ted merely shrugs to himself and starts digging through his dresser for something fresh. A sharp whistle makes him jump, and his towel nearly falls. He scrabbles to hold onto it as his friend laughs at him.

“I took Cherry back to the guest room so she could keep sleeping.”

“Oh. I was wondering where you had disappeared to,” Ted says with a straight face, even though he can feel his cheeks heating up. The towel had slipped lower down his waist and Winston can’t seem to help but glance down; Ted catches him but he doesn’t call him out on it.

Winston nods and Ted continues the search for something to wear.

Winnie shuffles over, and loops his arms around Ted, giving him a hug and resting his chin on Ted’s shoulder.

“Whatchya looking for?” Winnie asks sleepily.

Ted brushing brightly. “Umm… pants?”

“Oh, that makes sense,” His hands have found their way to Ted’s hips.

Ted’s breath hitches in his throat as Winston places delicate kisses across his shoulders. “Winnie…”

Winston turns Ted so they’re facing each other, pulling Ted close again for a deep kiss. His hands trail down Ted’s back, tracing the jagged scars that marr otherwise perfect skin.

“Win...” Ted murmurs against Winnie’s lips, feeling the towel around his waist starting to slip further down.

Winston smirks, pecking at Ted’s lips twice more before ending the contact.

He lets Ted go, unfazed, and flops back on the bed face down. Ted takes the chance to quickly pull on boxers and worn jeans, hopping on one leg. “Are we taking you to the doctor today?”

Ted pulls a shirt over his head, still in a slight daze from the attention Winnie had given him. The kisses feel as if they had been burned into his skin with lye. But the burn felt amazing, almost electric. “I dunno. My mum should have left for work already.”

“Are you dressed yet?”

“Yes,” Ted replies, lying next to him in bed. Even though had only awake for a little while, his body wouldn’t mind a few more hours of sleep.

Winston turns over over onto his back so he can talk to Ted properly.

“I always forget about those scars on your back. They catch me by surprise every time.”

“I forget about them a lot too- since I can’t really see them.”

Winston scootches over on the bed, pulling Ted into a hug and tangling their legs together so neither can escape. “I think scars are interesting,” he admits. “I don’t think I really have any with interesting stories though.”