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weepingfromacedartree · 10 months

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Surviving the AO3 Drought

Hi friends!

We're coming up on almost an entire day of AO3 being down. Since I'm sure most of you are like me and going insaneee with the blackout, I wanted to share this incredibly ROUGH draft of chap 1 of my current Polin WIP for anyone desperate for content.

A few warnings:

This fic is nowhere NEAR being done (emphasis on this being a ROUGH draft). It will most likely be a few months until I start posting the finished chapters.

This chapter (and the fic in general) deals with issues like grief and neglectful parenting, so TW for anyone who might not want to read about that.

Most of this chapter depicts Penelope and Colin as children. It was annoying to write. Might be annoying to read. I promise, they're teens/adults in all future chapters.

I do not condone children taking in stray cats and keeping them as pets. This fic is not meant to be a tutorial of any sort.

Ok if I didn't scare you off... please enjoy!!

Chapter 1: First Pet

Today: April 29th, 2023

Relationship Status: Dating (Semi-Secretly)

꙳

“Gregory just texted to ask if we’re dating. I didn’t think he had my number.”

“That little arsehole probably sent it to himself when he stole my phone.”

It’s Saturday. Penelope and Colin are sitting on the floor of his flat, a few containers of chinese food littered between them. It’s not a particularly unusual setting to find either one of them on a Saturday night. However, some things are different now.

Two weeks ago, they would not have been playing footsie. Not this shamelessly, at least.

“I assumed that Eloise’s ‘vow of secrecy’ would involve her immediately telling Benedict… And that Benedict would tell Anthony… And that Anthony would tell Kate… But I don’t know how the rumour managed to spread to Cambridge in…” She glances down to her phone again. “Six hours flat.”

“‘Rumour?’” he echos, a smirk on his face. “Surely, you’re not trying to keep this sordid love affair hidden from me as well.”

“‘Sordid?’ God, Colin. You make us sound so dirty.” She kicks his foot away, turning her attention back to the shrimp fried rice. “And I’m not trying to keep it from anyone. We both knew what would happen the second I told El.”

“Frankly, I’m surprised Greg didn’t text you sooner.”

Colin tries fixing his attention on the kung pao chicken in hand, but it unsurprisingly wanders.

“So… What are you gonna tell him?”

Penelope quirks an eyebrow, a look of uncertainty making a quick appearance on her face.

“Well… I was going to hold him in suspense a little while longer. Maybe take the ‘no comment’ approach at first. Then — I don’t know — the truth?”

“Which is?”

Colin watches as uncertainty turns to downright confusion.

“Yes?”

Internally, Penelope wonders if Colin is teasing, or if there has been a miscommunication of monumental proportions between them. The look on his face confounds her, though. Neither option seems to be the correct one.

“‘Dating’ is a bit too casual a word for us, I think.”

Penelope’s confusion fades away as a familiar tingling sensation lights up her stomach.

“It’s only been a week. What do you suggest we call —”

“We should get married.”

“What!?”

He’s teasing. He’s teasing. He’s —

“I said we should get married.”

Penelope waits for him to expand on this insane notion, but all she gets is that smug little smirk.

“Okay. Why?”

“Why does anyone get married?” Colin says matter-of-factly. “I love you. I wish to continue loving you forever and ever. Ergo, marriage.”

“This isn’t funny.”

“It wasn’t a joke.”

“It —”

“It was a proposal.”

“Colin.” She uses the sternest voice she can manage to muster up, which happens to be quite shrill at the moment.

“Pen.” At least he has the decency to drop that stupid smirk. He also drops his kung pao chicken, leaning forward to place a hand on her knee.

“Just, think about it for a moment. We didn’t meet a week ago, we just finally said the thing we should have told each other a decade ago — at least. I’ve been in love with you forever. ‘Dating’ you just feels like an unnecessary step to the rest of forever.”

Penelope feels at war with herself. At her core, she is sensible. Logical. Reasonable. She knows — objectively — that skipping straight from friendship to marriage is illogical and senseless.

But is it truly reasonless?

At her core, Penelope is also a romantic. A willing fool. An idealist against her better judgement. And in her heart, she holds twenty years worth of love for Colin. Would it really be so crazy —

Shaking her head ever so slightly, Penelope tentatively — regretfully — brushes his hand off her knee. At the loss of her touch, Colin’s lip juts out in a pout.

“People date for a reason. It’s an institution — it has a purpose. It’s like a test run for marriage. Different than friendship. Teaches you different things about a person — things that set you up for a successful lifetime together.”

“Friendship is not so different than dating. At least, not the way we did it.”

“Colin —”

“You’re right, Pen. Dating is like a trial period where you decide whether or not the person you love is suitable enough to spend the next lifetime beside. You —”

“Do I really sound that unromantic?” she interrupts. Something about hearing her words on his lips makes them sound so clear.

Colin laughs. “I think pragmatic is the word you’re looking for. But seriously, can you name a single thing you don’t know or feel unsure about me as a partner, after twenty years of friendship? What’s holding you back, Pen?”

Nothing. That’s the truth. There’s not a single thing about Colin that she feels unsure of. Not anymore.

But still… Even if there love has lasted decades, that sense of assuredness has only existed between them for a week. She’s spent more time wrestling on whether or not to cut bangs (and the answer always ends up being not).

Still…

“Let’s consult the experts.” His words break her from the daze Penelope hadn’t realised she fell into. In those few measly seconds, Colin’s eyes broke away from hers and has rested on the phone gripped in both of his hands.

“What are you doing?” she asks him. Her voice sounds far away.

Colin taps something on his phone, out of view from Penelope’s curious eyes. Then he clears his throat.

“Ten milestones every couple should celebrate before walking down the aisle,” he reads aloud. “Number One: Your First —”

“What are you doing?” Penelope asks again. This time, a laugh escapes her lips as she does so. Something about the seriousness on Colin’s face reminds her of the absolute absurdity of this situation. That it is a joke, even if it was intended as such.

“I know you think this is all very funny, but I’m being serious. I know you better than anyone else in the world — you know me better than I know myself! I have loved you more than half my life and spent so much time delaying the inevitable. Why waste any more of our time by ‘dating’ one another? It just seems silly.”

Colin stops ranting briefly, as if to allow Penelope to get her rebuttal in before he has the chance to make his point. When she stays silent, she can’t help but notice a hint of a smile crawl back up his otherwise serious face.

“And while I know the romantic in you is buzzing to say yes and run down to city hall right now, I know the realist in you needs some convincing.” He briefly holds up his phone to display the article he pulled up. “So we will go through this list, which details everything you need to accomplish during the dating stage of a relationship. If, at the end, we realise that we checked off every single to-do item while we were still just friends, we will make the reasonable decision to get married.”

If there’s one thing Charming Colin Bridgerton can do, it’s make a convincing argument. The realistic and romantic on each of Penelope’s shoulders suddenly go quiet.

“And where exactly did you find this scholarly article you are basing such a life-altering decision on?”

He looks down.

“TheMarriageExpert.blogspot.com”

“Colin!”

“They’re an expert, Pen!”

After her giggles finally let up, Penelope sighs. He has convinced her to play more tedious games before…

“Fine. You have yourself a deal, Bridgerton. What’s first on that list of yours?”

Finally, that serious expression on his face drops completely. He grins at her in that way that always makes Penelope’s heart skip a beat.

“Number One: Your First Pet As a Couple,” he reads aloud. “During the course of your marriage, you and your partner will come to share many things together. Finances, homes, memories, and a million other things you cannot even begin to fathom now. A pet will help you prepare for those shared responsibilities. It will teach you both about the importance of…”

As Colin continues reading, a frown pulls at the tips of Penelope’s lips. When he finishes, she attempts to cover her disappointment with a shallow laugh.

“Game over, I guess.”

His eyebrow arches. “Pardon?”

“We’ve never shared a pet, so…”

Colin’s mouth falls open. He pulls his free hand to his chest, underscoring the aghast look on his face.

“Pen… Did Mr. Whiskers mean nothing to you?”

-------------------------------------------------------

Twenty Years Earlier: July 21st, 2003

Relationship Status: Sister’s Best Friend // Best Friend’s Brother

꙳

How did I get here again?

It’s Monday. The first real day of summer holiday. For most kids, that means the start of freedom. Six weeks of fun, followed by real life crashing down on them when the fall term begins. But for Penelope, it means the loss of structure. For six weeks, it is up to her to determine how — and more importantly, where — she spends her time.

She didn’t want to spend it at home. Not this morning, at least. So she went to Grosvenor Square.

At just eight years old, there aren’t many places Penelope can run off to unaccompanied. Even the Square, just two blocks away from her home, is hard to get away with. Her mum only allowed it because she was under the impression that Eloise would be joining her — that between Penelope’s sense and Eloise’s toughness, the two girls would be safe in the nearby park. But when Penelope ran across the street, she learned from Anthony that Eloise was not available for a morning stroll in the square.

She could have just gone back home, but she really, really didn’t want to. So she went to Grosvenor Square. Alone.

She was walking around the park, careful not to step on any cracks in the concrete. She moved to the grass when she realised that everyone was walking around her (even for an eight-year-old, her legs are rather short); she did not want to pull too much attention to herself and have someone question where her parents are.

She was listening. To the birds chirping. To the nearby traffic. Mostly, to the people.

Two teenagers were fighting. She was mad, he was sorry. She said something about him cheating, but after that, their shouts turned to whispers and Penelope couldn’t make out the rest. She wondered what type of exam he could have cheated on.

A little white dog barked at her. His owner looked apologetic.

A neighbour of hers walked past her, pushing a stroller. Penelope thought about hiding behind the nearest tree, certain that Mrs. Abernathy would notice her and say something. Thankfully though, the baby started crying and distracted her.

Just as Penelope was about to turn the corner and listen into the couple’s fight again, she had heard something different.

“Meow.”

She thought her mind was playing tricks on her, but when she walked over to the nearest bush to investigate, a two giant blue eyes stared back at her.

Oh, right.

Penelope looks down at the kitten currently sleeping in her arms.

He had white fur with little patches of black around his ears and nose. His whiskers were long — so long that they didn’t look like they were placed on the right cat. He was so small and scrawny — Penelope couldn’t tell if he was actually a kitten, or just a cat who spent too much time with too little food in his stomach.

Without a collar or any family in sight (she had spent over an hour looking for them), Penelope decided to take him home. She spent 20 minutes taking the 10-minute walk home. She slowed her steps. She took unnecessary turns and waited too long before crossing crosswalks. She held the kitten tightly to her chest, shielded slightly by the nest she made out of her yellow cardigan. She practised what she would say to her mum.

“Penelope. Anne. Featherington. Get that rodent out of my house!”

It had not gone well. Although, even before she landed back on the front steps of her home, Penelope had suspected that there was nothing she could say that could convince her mum to let them keep him.

She followed her mother’s instructions, fleeing from her house with the kitten in hand. Penelope didn’t have much of a plan once she hit the pavement outside, but like they so often do, she found her feet walking in the direction of the home across the street. But they stopped before they could reach it.

Ever since Mr. Bridgerton died last summer, Penelope’s mum had warned her about showing up at their house unannounced. There are eight fatherless children in that house now — the youngest of which never even got to meet her father. They have enough going on as it is.

They have enough going on as it is, she repeats again and again.

That’s how she got here. Sitting on the edge of the pavement outside the Bridgerton household, a cat sleeping soundly in her lap.

“It’s gonna be okay, buddy,” she tells him. She wonders if the kitten can sense the hesitance in her voice.

Silently, Penelope wonders what the right thing to do is. Where the right place to go is. The first place she thinks of is an animal shelter. Surely, that is the most logical place to bring a lost kitten to. They would know how to take care of him, how to find him a home with people who want him. The only problem is that Penelope does not know of any actual animal shelters in Mayfair.

The second place she thinks of is the fire station down the street. Firefighters save cats, don’t they? Or was that —

“Pen?”

Colin, her mind registers before she even has the chance to turn around. When she finally does, she attempts to smile, while also shielding the contraband from his view. Colin, in turn, throws her his usual smile — bright and true. The one that always manages to make Penelope’s stomach flip over inside herself. It does so now, even with the fresh sting of disappointment still welling up inside her.

“Oh, hi. Sorry, I didn’t mean to —”

“What’s that?” he asks, nodding to the kitten she clearly failed at hiding away from him. Before she has the chance to answer, he sits down beside her on the curb.

“I found him in Grosvenor Square. He was all alone and I didn’t know where else to go…” Her voice trails off, once again contemplating what a responsible person would do next in this situation.

“You gonna keep him?”

“No.” Disappointment is evident in her voice. “Mum won’t let me. She hates cats.”

Penelope takes her eyes off the kitten to look up at Colin. While only two years older that her, he stands nearly a head above her (he’s tall for his age — she’s short for her’s). Even sitting, she has to tilt her head up just to look him in the eyes. As usual, his brown mop of a haircut hangs so low that it covers his eyes somewhat, but Penelope can still see the blue-green colour peaking through. She’s always quite liked that colour.

Colin tilts towards her a few inches, then raises his hand to gently pet the kitten’s head. “I’d take him, but mum and Daph are both allergic.”

Penelope can feel her eyes go wide. Mr. Bridgerton was allergic to hornets…

“Not that kind of allergic,” he reassures her, seemingly reading her mind. “They won’t, like, die or anything. Their skin will just get all red and scratchy if he gets anywhere near them.”

“Oh — sorry. I should just go.” Pulling the kitten out of Colin’s grasp, Penelope stands. She starts to turn away from him, but is once again reminded that she has no idea where she is supposed to go.

“Wait — no. Where are you gonna take him?”

“I don’t know,” she admits. “Where are you supposed to take stray cats?”

He shrugs. “I dunno.”

“Okay. I —”

“But I have an idea.”

꙳ ꙳ ꙳

The Bridgertons live on a gold mine. Metaphorically. Literally, they live on nearly an acre of land in the middle of Mayfair. Their back garden is massive compared to the neighbours that surround them, a feat that is only possible due to the home being passed down from one Bridgerton to the next for so many generations. That’s the same reason Penelope’s family is still able to reside in the house across the street, but their garden is not nearly as sprawling.

“Where are we going?”

She and Colin hadn’t gone through his house, rather, they went around it. Now, he leads her towards the very back of the estate, a few steps ahead, one hand on the wall to their left. His index finger traces the cracks between the stones.

“Have some patience, Pen.”

“I — I do.” And she does. Usually. Usually, Penelope is a remarkably patient girl. Well-mannered. Quiet. She usually wears those attributes on her shoulders like a uniform. But for some reason, they tend to slip away from her whenever Colin is near.

Penelope’s eyes flick right, towards Colin’s family home. It seems purposeful, that they’re walking along the shadows of this wall.

“Is Eloise home yet?” she asks, for no other reason than to fill the silence between them. Usually, Penelope prefers such silence. But not right now.

“Uh, no. Ben took her into the city for her, uh… Her doctor appointment. They usually don’t get back until supper time.”

Out of Colin’s view, she nods. For the past year — ever since Mr. Bridgerton died — Eloise has been seeing a doctor in the city pretty regularly. Penelope’s mum told her to never ask any follow up questions about these visits… but silently, she’s always questioned what type of doctor is able to fix an ailment like heartbreak.

“Are you doing anything for the summer holiday?” she asks, another attempt to just fill the silence. She already knows the answer. They always travel up to Aubrey Hall for at least a week, this time of year. Always.

“Nah. Just staying here, I guess.”

“Oh.” Dread appears suddenly and sits heavily in Penelope’s stomach. Mr. Bridgerton died at Aubrey Hall last August. Of course they’re not eager to return. “Us too.”

“Cool. I’ll see you around then.”

She feels her cheeks instantly flush. “Yeah. Cool,” she says, hoping her voice does not expose the growing warmth on her skin.

Without a word, Colin breaks away from the stone wall beside them and walks towards a particularly dense cluster of trees. When Penelope follows, she finds Colin standing next to something she’s never seen before, despite the many years she’s spent playing with Eloise in this yard. It’s a wooden shed of sorts. It’s wide and just about as tall as Penelope.

“What is that?”

“Some old shed. I dunno… I think they used to store firewood in here, back in the olden days.” He kicks open the latch with his foot. “Empty now, though. I don’t think anyone else remembers it’s here.”

“So…”

“So, your cat could live here.”

Penelope looks down. At some point in the last few minutes, she had somehow forgotten the kitten held tightly against her chest. She had forgotten her whole point in being here.

“Oh! Right. That’s, um…”

She steals another glance at the shed. It certainly does look like it was last used during the “olden times.”

“That’s really kind. But how would he — how would that work?”

“We get him a bed, milk, food… Everything a cat needs to survive.”

Penelope’s brow furrows. “Those things cost money…”

Colin shrugs. “I’ll steal a $20 out of Anthony’s wallet.” A smile erupts on his face when he sees shock overtake Penelope’s. He didn’t know a child could open their mouth that wide. “Kidding — I’ll just tell him I’m sad. He’ll probably hand me a $20 and tell me to go fix my feelings with ice cream.”

“Oh — okay. But…” Her mind stalls, searching for another flaw in his logic to voice aloud. There are just so many to choose from. “Mum always says we can’t get a pet cause they’re too much responsibility. You have to take care of them, feed them, make sure —”

“Hey — we’re both very responsible people. I help keep Greg alive, and that kid thinks licking an electrical socket is a fun pastime. If I can do that, keeping a cat alive will be nothing.”

“So we would, um…” She steals another glance at the shed before them. She can’t help but look at it and see a cage. “We would just lock him in there all day?”

“No!” He says quickly, a bit nervously. “We’ll keep the door open — or I could even cut a cat-sized hole in the side. You know, so he can come and go as he pleases.”

“But if he’s able to leave that easily… Won’t he get lost again?”

“No. If I know anything about cats, it’s that if you feed them, they’ll always find their way back to you. And since you found him hanging out in Grosvenor Square, clearly he’s an outside cat, not an inside cat.”

Penelope looks down at the kitten again. His attention has turned away from her; his round eyes dart back and forth wildly as he takes in all the space around them.

“I thought only strays went outside.”

“No. A cat can have a home and not want to stay cooped up in at all day long.” Colin takes another step towards her. He raises his hand and scratches behind the kitten’s ear, who immediately starts purring. “Clearly, this little badass wants to roam free.”

Yet again, Penelope can feel her cheeks burn pink. She’s lived in London her entire life, she’s heard words far worse than “badass” a million times before — but never from Colin’s lips. In fact, the two of them had never really been alone like this before. He was her best friend’s brother — a friend of sorts, but tangentially so. He was only ever in Penelope’s company through her friendship with Eloise. She isn’t used to having this much of his attention on her.

“Here.” After what feels like hours, she pulls the kitten away from her chest and nearly shoves him into Colin’s. “He seems to really like you.”

“Oh — okay.” Unsurprisingly — and annoyingly quickly — the kitten settles into his arms. Clearly, Colin’s natural charm works on animals just as well as it does on people.

Colin finally takes his eyes off of hers, turning around to show the kitten what could be his new home. With his gaze finally off her, Penelope’s mind flushes with panic. With words she had brushed off just moments before. Colin offering to spend his own money. To cut a hole in the shed. To take care of the cat, himself.

He has enough going on as it is.

Penelope looks up to see Colin setting the tiny creature down in the shed. Then, without much thought, she steps forward and takes the kitten in her arms again.

“I’m sorry, Colin. I didn’t mean to get you wrapped up in this.” She turns away, pulling the kitten closer into her chest. “I’ll drop him off that the fire —”

“Pen, stop.” His hand falls on her shoulder, then squeezes it once, gently. Although she is not very experienced in receiving such small physical gestures, Penelope can tell that he meant it to be reassuring. “He’ll be fine here, I promise.”

She turns slowly. His hand drops. By the time they face each other again, her blush has almost abandoned her cheeks. Almost.

“Are you sure it’s not too much?”

He laughs. Genuinely. Kindly. Just as he always does.

“No.” Gently, Colin pulls the kitten out of her arms again. “How could this little guy ever be ‘too much?’”

Pushing away all thoughts that scream that this is a bad idea, Penelope pushes her shoulders back. She stands tall (metaphorically, of course).

“I’ll do half the work — at least. I can check on his bowl every morning. Make sure he has water and food and whatever else he needs. Maybe you can do the same at night. And if you ever can’t, just let me know and I’ll help. And if it ever does become too much, I can find him somewhere else to live.”

When she finally closes her mouth, Colin’s smile returns. Then, he extends his hand towards her. “You got a deal, Featherington.”

Tentatively, Penelope raises her hand to seal said deal. But before she can make contact, Colin’s hand moves, as if to signal her to “stop.”

“Once last thing. We should just keep this whole thing between us, or ya know… Anthony will send both me and the cat to the nearest shelter.”

“Colin! I —”

“Kidding!” He laughs again, which has a surprisingly good effect on Penelope’s nerves. “But really… It’s simpler if we don’t tell anyone else. Not even Eloise — she can’t keep a secret for her life.”

She tilts her head again, stealing a not-so-quick glance at his eyes (through the mop of hair still obscuring that blue-green colour). Since as long as she can remember, Penelope has always wanted more of Colin — in some ways that she will not be able to define with words until she is much older. But even at just eight years old, Penelope knows she wants to be around him. She wants his attention. She wants to share a secret with him. Even if she knows it’s a bad idea.

“Deal.” With that, Penelope shakes Colin’s hand and seals their fate forever.

꙳ ꙳ ꙳

August 5th, 2003

꙳

It turned out to be a rather easy secret to keep.

Penelope was good at staying unseen — at blending into the shadows. Every morning at approximately 7 AM, she snuck into the Bridgerton back garden. And every morning at approximately 7:10 AM, she snuck out without being noticed by anyone other than Colin. Not that has mum or siblings would bat an eye if they happened to find Penelope back there. Before Edmund died and her own mum warned her to keep herself scarce, there were times that Penelope spent more time at the Bridgertons’ home than her own house. And despite Portia’s warnings, they would gladly invite her inside, any day.

Colin was also quite good at escaping his family’s notice on his own daily task. Every night around dusk, he would sneak into the kitchen or bathroom, fill an 8-ounce bottle with tap water, then hide it in the front pocket of whatever hoodie he happened to be wearing that day. They kept the cat food in the shed, in a locked container Colin bought at the pet store down the street (with money he had stolen from Anthony’s wallet — although he never admitted that he followed through on the theft “joke” to Penelope). The longer time went on, the less effort he put into sneaking out of the house everyday. The longer time went on, the more obvious it became how easy it is to disappear from a house with nine people. Especially when the one person everyone searches for is no longer around.

The only conspirator that ever put them at risk of being found out was Mr. Whiskers (a name Colin had thought of, after Penelope complained that they couldn’t just keep calling him “little guy.”). Three times in two weeks, Whiskers had loitered around the Bridgerton’s back steps, meowing for attention. Colin had caught him the first time and shooed him off. Daphne caught him the second time and screamed bloody murder. Anthony caught him the third and nearly called animal control, but thankfully, Benedict had stepped in to tell their older brother to “chill out.” Thankfully, Whiskers seemed wary of coming close to the Bridgerton household after that last encounter.

A routine formed. Penelope would sneak into the garden in the morning. Colin would sneak out of his home at night. Mr. Whiskers would come and go as he pleased between meals. Their paths rarely cross. Until tonight, when Colin spots someone running towards the back of the garden in the moonlight from his bedroom window.

Someone quite short.

Less than five minutes later, Colin runs along the same path — far less cautious than he usually is at dusk. He prays his mum or siblings are not watching out their windows like he was his. That they’re asleep — not pacing circles in their rooms in the middle of the night. He knows the risks are there, but the further his feet carry him, the more faraway they feel.

He hears crying in the distance. Quiet, but persistent.

He sees her before she sees him — sitting criss crossed on the entry of the shed, Mr. Whiskers climbing into her lap tentatively. She does not notice him until he is standing but a few feet away.

Colin had felt distinctly uneasy since the very moment he spotted her in the back garden. But a wave of fear strikes him cold when their eyes meet. Hers go so wide that he swears he can see the moonlight reflect off of them. She does not immediately speak; even her crying goes silent when she realises she is not alone.

“Pen, what’s wrong? How can I help?”

“Noth — nothing.” She sounds scared. At least the fearful look in her eye is somewhat obstructed by nightfall. Her words cut clean through the darkness.

He steps forward, now standing only inches away from her. Instinctively, his hand raises and gently grips her shoulder. He feels her flinch beneath his touch, but not enough to remove herself from it.

“Pen, whatever it is, you can tell me. I can help.”

She averts his gaze, focusing intently on the cat still sitting in her lap.

“It’s nothing, really. I — I just wanted to see Mr. Whiskers for a little bit.”

Colin doesn’t say anything, too busy internally trying to make sense of the words she spills and the worry in her voice. They do not fit together.

“I’m sorry,” she continues. She uses the back of her hand to wipe at her nose. “I shouldn’t have — I’ll just go.”

“Don’t go.” Before Penelope can move, Colin squeezes her shoulder again. His mum does the same thing when he gets so upset and that he needs help calming down.

Slowly, under Colin’s grasp, Penelope’s shoulders stop heaving. Her breath evens out. She meets his eye again.

“What happened?”

“Honestly, nothing.”

“Pen —”

“Nothing that isn’t, like, normal, I mean.” He does not know what she means. He can’t imagine a single normal thing that would cause someone to run away crying from their home in the middle of the night. Especially someone as small and defenceless as Penelope.

“Mum and dad were just fighting,” she confesses after realising that Colin’s look of concern will not fade unless she tells him the truth. “A bit louder than usual, I guess. But it’s not like I haven’t heard them fight a million times before.”

“That’s —” Not normal. But he doesn’t say that. He can’t say that. He’s suddenly — alarmingly — struck by the fact that what he deems “normal” might not be the same for Penelope. That there are “normal” things in his life — all of which came about in the past year — that other people would scoff at and tell him are unimaginable for a kid to deal with at his age.

That’s not right, would be more accurate. But he doesn’t say that either. Instead, he simply asks: “Do you want to come inside? El is probably asleep, but I could wake her —”

“No — thank you, but no. I should actually get going.” With that, Penelope slips out of his hold. “Mum will kill me if she realises I slipped out.” She places Mr. Whiskers back in the shed before turning to leave. She takes four steps before Colin finds his voice again.

“You don’t have to do deal with this all by yourself, Pen. I’m here. I want to help.”

At his words, Penelope goes completely still. Deer-in-deadlights type stillness. Then, before he knows it, she’s walking towards him.

Her arms wrap around his torso. Her hands land firmly on his spine. Her forehead falls on his shoulder. Without a single thought, his body reacts. His arms wrap around her and his jaw settles on the crown of her head. For a moment, it feels like its just the two of them in the world. Until Colin feels something furry cross his ankle.

“I guess Whiskers was feeling left out,” he says. Penelope laughs and Colin feels a bit lighter. That lightness is quickly followed by something hollow when Penelope pulls herself out of the hug to pick up the kitten meowing at her feet.

“He keeps trying to follow me home after breakfast.” She giggles softly. “Clearly, he doesn’t remember meeting my mum, or else he would stay away forever. I think she thought he was a rat that day I found him.”

Colin chuckles, and it’s only somewhat forced. “Yeah, he tried sneaking into my house a few times. He met Anthony last time, though, and I don’t think he’s ever gonna forget that.”

She giggles again. “Was he mad?”

“His face was red — literally! Although, I’m starting to think that’s just how is face normally is and that it takes great effort for him to appear like us normal people, if that’s how he reacts to a cute little kitten hanging around our back door.”

Penelope scratches Whiskers behind his ears. Eyes not leaving the cat, she whispers: “I don’t know how people can see something so sweet and get so mad.”

Colin’s eyes don’t leave Penelope when he responds, suddenly a bit deflated: “Me neither.”

Slowly, she lowers Mr. Whiskers back to the ground. The cat does not appear to be very keen on leaving her side just yet, but Penelope still insists: “I should really head back now. Before anyone notices I left.”

Colin spares a glance over his shoulder, towards the family home he had nearly forgotten about. It’s likely past midnight already, but there are still a few lights on upstairs.

“Yeah,” he grumbles. “Me too.”

Penelope nods. She looks like she’s about to turn and leave when Colin blurts out: “You wanna meet here again in the morning? When you feed Whiskers, I mean.”

She doesn’t immediately respond with words, but rather with a very confused expression lit by the moonlight. “I thought —”

“Our system’s like efficient and all,” he cuts in, “but we haven’t exactly seen each other much since we started taking care of him. I dunno, I guess I just thought that we would hang out more.”

“Oh!” Her voice registers barely below a squeak. “Yeah. I know what you mean. I…” She pauses so long that Colin wonders if it is his turn to speak again. But right before he can blurt out something again, Penelope says: “I’d like that.”

For the first time in days, a smile creeps up on Colin’s lips.

“Cool. See you tomorrow.”

꙳ ꙳ ꙳

August 14th, 2003

꙳

“I’m not sure I understand the rules of this game.”

“It’s our game. The rules can be whatever we want them to be.”

Penelope stands with the tips of her toes and the palms of her hands pressed neatly against Colin’s matching sets. There’s a piece of cat biscuit placed between her right palm and Colin’s left. There’s a tiny kitten peering up at them from where their shoes connect. He looks just as confused on the parameters of this game as Penelope feels.

The rules, they eventually settle on, are these:

Before getting into the aforementioned position, one person briefly presents the biscuit to Mr. Whiskers (taking turns to avoid leading the cat towards favouritism of one player over another).

On the count of three, one person takes the biscuit into their hands, both turn around and run in opposite directions.

Mr. Whiskers follows whoever he believes holds his treat.

Penelope ends up with the biscuit three times. Colin ends up with it five times. It falls to the ground between them eleven times. Each time, without fail, Whiskers immediately takes off after Penelope.

“This isn’t fair!” Colin calls out from behind a tree on their twentieth attempt at this so-called ‘game.’ “It’s not my fault you bonded with him first.” He points a finger at the cat currently pawing at her ankles. “I feed you just as much as she does — traitor!”

“Shhh, Colin!” Penelope whisper-yells. “Someone might hear you.”

“Oh, who cares?” he says nonchalantly, retreating back towards the shed.

I care, Penelope thinks. She doesn’t want any one of Colin’s many siblings to stumble upon them back here. She’s not ready to give up this secret. She’s not willing to end this game. Not yet, anyway.

“Mr. Whiskers cares. I doubt he wants to be evicted from his home just because you’re a sore loser.” She picks the kitten up and plops him down on Colin’s lap, now sitting criss-cross in the shed’s doorway.

“Well, he should have thought about that before picking sides.” He sticks his tongue out at Mr. Whiskers, who continues to appear unphased by his surroundings.

Like she has come accustomed to doing over the past two weeks, Penelope sits down on the other end of the shed’s opening. His body is turned towards her, but she keeps her positioned outwards, as if to keep watch. Her legs cross in front of her at the ankles, her nails scratch into the grain beneath her, and, sitting upright, the crown of her head brushes the wood frame. Colin is — obviously — slouched in his spot beside her.

After a moment of quiet, Colin clears his throat.

“You know, you can come over for dinner tonight, if you want.”

“Oh, no. That’s okay,” Penelope says quickly. Dismissively. “Mum will expect me home soon. I think we’re having stew.”

“Yeah, but what about tomor—” It’s a pretty uncommon occurrence for Penelope to see a blush pass by Colin’s typically unblemished face, but right now, it hits his cheeks in an instant. He turns away. “Well, not tomorrow. Obviously. But another day.”

The mention of tomorrow brings a feverish feeling to Penelope’s chest. Much different than the warm feeling she usually feels in that same spot when she’s around Colin.

“I can’t. I — I don’t want to impose.”

“You wouldn’t.” He finally looks her in the eye again. “You wouldn’t, I promise. When you have eight kids, one more mouth to feed hardly makes a difference.” His eyes travel to the side again. They point towards his house, partially obstructed by the scattering of trees they’ve found themselves in. “El would be happy if you stopped in. Mum too.”

Penelope tries to push out her mother’s voice from her head when she says: “Yeah. Another day. Soon.”

“Good.”

After another moment of quiet, she pushes herself forward and lands with two feet on the grass.

“I really should head back now, though.”

“Okay, I’ll —”

“But, Colin?” She interrupts — a truly rare occurrence for Penelope Featherington.

“Yeah?”

“I was just thinking… Maybe I could feed Mr. Whiskers breakfast and dinner tomorrow. I know we have our system, but… I just — I don’t want you to have to deal with taking care of him on top of any… family stuff.”

Colin, now holding rather tightly onto Mr. Whiskers in his arms, considers her offer for a moment. His brows furrow. His eyes glance downward. He starts forming a word on his lips and Penelope expects to hear the word “no” escape from them shortly after. But instead, he nods and says: “That’s kind of you to offer. Thanks, Pen.”

Kindness isn’t something that Penelope has ever been thanked for before. She had been rewarded for it in other ways, but not like this. Kindness had always been something that was expected, not appreciated. Now, she feels hesitant to accept thanks for something as small as offering up a few minutes of her time for someone who has gone through more grief than she can even imagine. So instead of accepting it outright, she simply nods and says: “Goodnight, Colin.”

꙳ ꙳ ꙳

August 25th, 2003

꙳

When Penelope walks towards the shed at approximately 6:55 AM this Monday morning, the door is shut. This is strange. The door is always open. Penelope had convinced Colin not to cut a little cat door on the side of the shed (he had wanted to use a saw from their garage), so the door always has to be open for Whiskers to come and go. Always.

The closer she gets, the harder it is for her to take another step. Her head is already filled with the image of an empty cavern on the other side of that door. It couldn’t have close on its own; the latch is locked. Someone closed it.

Just as her hand grazes that metal latch, Penelope hears footsteps. Quick and increasingly loud footsteps. She jumps (literally) around — heart pounding, eyes wide — and sees…

“Colin! Where’s Mr. Whiskers?!

“In there.” He points to the shed behind her, still shut tight. Once he gets close enough, he reaches over he shoulder and finally undoes the latch. Just as promised, the cat is there, curiously looking up at them.

“He keeps trying to follow me back into the house after I feed him. Last night, he was scratching at the back door. Thank God I got to him before Anthony.”

“So he was just locked in there all night?”

She spares another sideways glance at the shed’s interior. It’s not nearly as bare as it had been that first day she looked inside. There’s two containers. Two bowls. Two electric lanterns. A blanket. A few cat toys. And a few human toys she assumes once belonged to Colin. To an animal as tiny as Mr. Whiskers, it might seem huge, but to Penelope, it all feels very claustrophobic.

“Yeah, but… Sometimes it’s just safer to stay put for a little while. Even outdoor cats need to be reigned in some nights.”

Penelope doesn’t know whether to agree or disagree with his words, so she tries her best to ignore them. She climbs into the shed, gives Whiskers an affectionate bop on the head, then fills his bowl with breakfast.

“I wanted to wake up early and let him out, but… I guess I slept in.” Colin’s out of her view, still standing just outside the shed, but she can guess there’s a guilty look creeping up on his face.

“You’re not wrong,” she finally settles on. When Whiskers finishes his meal, she finally looks back to Colin. Just as expected, guilt is evident on his face. “But maybe Mr. Whiskers isn’t an outside cat after all. Maybe that’s why he keeps trying to follow us back to our own homes.”

“I thought that was just because he loves us.” Leave it to Colin Bridgerton to transform guilt into charm in under 30 seconds.

“Well…” Penelope turns back to Mr. Whiskers again. As usual, he’s peering up at them with a transfixed — maybe even loving — stare. “Maybe you have a point.”

“I usually do —”

“But still — do you really think this is what’s best for him?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean…”

She bites her tongue — literally. All of this started because of her own selfish wants. To keep the cat. To occupy Colin’s attention. To have a reason to get out of her house every morning. But the more time has gone on, the harder it has become to see past the potential consequences of her selfishness.

“Summer’s almost over. We have to go back to school and can’t look out for him all day. It’s gonna get cold soon…” Colin’s face looks serious now. More serious than she’s used to seeing it. She looks away. “What if he gets sick? Or needs a vet? I just don’t know if this is really his best option.”

Penelope points both hands towards the shed. Towards the small wooden structure that completely transformed her summer. Towards the only home Mr. Whiskers has ever known — dim and claustrophobic as it may be. She expects Colin’s eyes to follow her lead, but they don’t. For a moment, it feels as though her presence completely slips from his view. His eyes are fixated on something in the distance — something in the opposite direction. Then —

“Shite!”

His arms hastily wrap around Penelope’s waist. It takes everything in her not to shriek in surprise as he practically throws her into the shed. Thankfully, Mr. Whiskers jumps from the doorway to the back of the shed in an instant, or else she surely would have crushed him on impact.

“Colin! What —”

“Shh!” Colin climbs in and shuts the door behind him. Thank God those electric lamps are still (just barely) holding onto life and dimly illuminating the space, or else Penelope would not have been able to discern him mouth: “Anthony.”

The tips of their toes touch in the limited space. Penelope wonders if he can feel her shaking through the plastic tips of her yellow converse. The concerned look he throws her way tells her that he must.

“You okay?” he mouths.

She thinks about nodding. She briefly wonders if a nod can count as a lie, or if lies can only be spoken aloud. But she doesn’t do anything, except stay frozen in her spot.

Everything is quiet. For a brief moment, Penelope thinks they may have actually gone unnoticed. Then, she remembers that the latch — the flimsy piece of metal that keeps these doors shut — is on the other side. When Mr. Whiskers paws at the wood beams, the door swings open. The morning light nearly blinds her, but not enough to miss Anthony Bridgerton’s very mad — very red — face.

“Colin — what the hell?!”

Just as Colin had thrown her into of the shed mere moments ago, Anthony now pulls Penelope out of it by the shoulders. Just like Whiskers, she somehow manages to land on her feet.

“I knew it! I knew you were irresponsible, but this —” He bends down and grabs Whiskers by the scruff of his neck. “This is insane. Even for you.”

Anthony turns to Penelope, as if he has only just now discovered her presence beside Colin. In mere seconds, she watches his face turn from anger to shock to annoyance. He turns to his little brother again.

“I will be the responsible adult and make sure this — thing — finds an actual home and doesn’t continue living on the streets.” With a near-growl caught in his throat, Anthony tells Colin: “We will discuss this later.”

He turns to leave, but stops. “And Colin, do not mention this to mum. Or anyone else.”

He starts then stops again. “And Penelope, please do not let my brother’s bad influence rub off on you. A nice girl like you has enough trouble as it is being friends with Eloise.”

It isn’t until Anthony has properly stomped away, Mr. Whiskers securely tucked in his arms, that Penelope seems to regain control of her body and mind. Slowly, she turns towards Colin. She uses every second between then and the moment she looks him in the eye to begin preparing an apology. For getting him in trouble with his brother. For getting him caught up in this mess to start with. For being a bad friend. But the moment that their eyes meet… Colin does not look like he is expecting an apology of any sort.

He laughs.

“Did you see the look on his face?!”

“Uhh. I don’t —”

“He looked like a tomato! I swear one day he’s gonna burst and —”

“Colin,” she says, concern in her voice, too low to break through the noise of his continued laughter.

“— marina sauce is gonna go flying —”

“Colin!” she says again, a bit louder this time. Thankfully, it seems to get his attention. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have —”

“Oh god, Pen. Don’t be sorry.”

“But —”

“But your — your brother —”

“I should be apologising for Ant— even if you and him were both right about Whiskers needing somewhere else to live.”

“Yeah…” As much as she will miss her tiny, furry friend, this is for the best. For Whiskers, at least. “But Anthony was so mad at you. And I —”

“He’ll get over it. That’s the great thing about having seven siblings — wait five minutes and someone will do something even stupider than you. Daph and El are probably inside getting into a fist fight as we speak.”

The mention of her best friend temporarily draws Penelope’s thoughts away from her internal pity party. She saw Eloise plenty of times over the past few weeks, but not nearly as much as she did during previous summer breaks. Before last August.

“You wanna come over for dinner tonight?” Colin asks, breaking her from her thought spiral.

“Hmm?”

“I said,” he smirks, “do you want to come over for dinner tonight?”

“I don’t know… Anthony seemed —”

“Don’t worry about Anthony. He’ll get over it — and you heard him, he’s not even going to rat us out to my mum.” He takes a step forward, then places his hand on Penelope’s shoulder. He squeezes it once. “It’ll be fun. Everyone will be excited to see you.”

Not for the first time — and certainly not the last — Penelope feels at a loss for words. All she can manage is a tiny nod. A nearly imperceptible movement.

Colin smiles.

“Good. Just so you know, the door is always open. Always.”

Finally, little Penelope Featherington finds her voice again.

“I know.”

-------------------------------------------------------

Penelope tries to hide the smile on her lips by shoving another fork full of shrimp fried rice into her mouth. Colin — of course — sees right through her attempt.

“So…”

“Anthony was right. We were awfully irresponsible that summer. He was better off after Danbury took him in and he became Lord Whiskers.”

“Hey — give us a little credit! How many 8 or 10-year-olds do you know who could keep a cat alive for a summer all by themselves?”

“The only impressive thing we did that summer was keeping our little secret hidden from the rest of your family.”

“What are you talking about?!” Colin says, unable to keep his ever-charming laugh from escaping his throat as he speaks. “Do not downplay our role in raising that cat. You rescued him from the mean streets of London. I —”

“I found him hiding out in a bush in Grosvenor Square!”

“Exactly! And I —”

“Colin!”

“I built him a home,” he barely manages to get out through his laughter.

“That’s a bit over-dra—”

“We fed and took care of him for over a month. We were just kids — that’s pretty impressive. That means something.”

In her heart, Penelope knows that — obviously — it means something. But does it mean what Colin wants it to mean? That they should get married? Even with the rules he set forth, it seems like an insane connection to even consider.

“I don’t know…”

“For five weeks, he was ours. That means a lot.”

For a moment, Penelope does consider it. She thinks about who Colin was to her before she found Mr. Whiskers. A friend — of sorts. Her best friend’s brother. A neighbour. A crush. Someone she looked at and longed for. After, she thinks of who Colin was to her on that morning Anthony found them hiding out in that tiny wooden shed. A friend. A fellow kid. A conspirator. Someone who saw her cowering in the dark and asked if she was okay.

So what, if their hypothetical marriage hinges on a technicality? People have married on flimsier grounds before.

“Fine,” she relents. “It counts.”

A moment ago, she wouldn’t have thought it possible, but Colin’s grin grows even wider.

“Of course it does.” As Penelope attempts to cover her own grin with a scoff, Colin picks up his phone again.

“Let’s see…”

#im an atheist and im saying a prayer for ao3 tonight #fanfic #bridgerton #fanfiction #polin #dancing around the truth #weepingfromacedartree #penelope featherington #colin bridgerton #ao3 #archive of our own #edit: just realized I wrote 'marina' sauce instead of 'marinara' sauce #and I'm not fixing it cause that shits funny #shout out to my girl marina

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sweetbuckybarnes · 5 months

Text

I Should Be So Lucky (Lucky, Lucky, Lucky)

Pairings: Colin Bridgerton + Penelope Featherington

Summary: Penelope sings little Augie Basset to sleep in the Bridgerton's drawing room, as Colin beings to realise what is in front of him. Song: I Should Be So Lucky by Kylie Minogue.

Penelope was on her weekly visit to Number 5 when Daphne came in carrying her wailing son. She looked exhausted, Violet knew that poor Daphne and Simon had been up all night trying to soothe their son (making sure their nurse had at least one night to herself).

"Oh, my darling," Violet said, reaching over to take her daughter and grandson tightly in her arms.

"We don't know what to do anymore, mama," Daphne sighs, looking down at her son as she sways and pats his back repeatedly.

Violet sighed, knowing how distressing it can be for both parent and child - as both Colin and Daphne did this as babies. She reaches over and takes Augie from her arms, and Daphne collapsed in the most ungraceful way Violet has ever seen her.

Violet looked between her exhausted daughter and her crying grandson, as she didn't know who to comfort first.

But her saviour came in the form of Penelope Featherington.

"I remember when Felicity was like this, I can remember some of the things our nurse did to soothe her," Penelope said, pulling Augie out of Violet's arms. "Come to Auntie Pen, shhh."

Violet watched as Penelope bounced gently on the balls of her feet, and patted his back.

Francesca had been tinkling with the pianoforte, the third youngest Bridgerton kept looking over at Penelope and Augie.

Penelope was humming to herself, which caught the attention of Francesca who turned to the pianoforte and went along with her humming and found the song it seemed like Penelope was going to sing to Augie.

"In my imagination, there is no complication. I dream about you all the time, in my mind, a celebration, the sweetest of sensation. Thinking you could be mine," Penelope started, capturing the attention of all of the Bridgertons. "In my imagination, there is no hesitation. We walk together hand in hand, I'm dreaming. You fell in love with me, like I'm in love with you. But dreaming's all I do if only they'd come true."

Violet looked over at Penelope, she was one of the first people to realise that the third Featherington daughter loved her third son.

Eloise noticed at this moment that her best friend loved someone with her whole heart, and there was no moving on from whoever this is.

Benedict, the resident flirt in the Bridgerton household, looked over at his younger brother and could see something twinkling in Colin's eyes. He looked over at his mother and knew that Colin would never realise his feelings for Penelope unless something got in the way and he would nearly lose Penelope.

"I should be so lucky. Lucky, lucky, lucky. I should be so lucky in love. I should be so lucky. Lucky, lucky, lucky. I should be so lucky in love," Penelope sang as the three 'lucky's were being joined in by Francesca.

Hyacinth was sitting at the smaller table, with her younger brother Gregory and the youngest Featherington, Felicity. The three of them were watching Colin who continued to gaze at Penelope unashamedly.

Anthony and Kate were also watching Colin, as Kate was sitting in her husband's lap with her arms wrapped around his neck.

"How stupid is your brother?" Kate asked, taking her eyes away from Colin and looking at Anthony.

The eldest Bridgerton child looked at his wife, with a smirk growing on his face. "Which one?"

"It's a crazy situation, you always keep me waiting, because it's only make-believe. And I would come a-running, to give you all my loving. If one day, you would notice me," Penelope sang, her hand patting Augie's back, almost as if she was expecting him to pass some form of gas."My heart is close to breaking, and I can't go on faking. The fantasy that you'll be mine, I'm dreaming. That you're in love with me, like I'm in love with you. But dreaming's all I do if only they'd come true."

Colin's heart stopped when Penelope sang about a fantasy, remembering the Whistledown that Eloise had slammed in front of him.

Mr Colin Bridgerton has made it very clear that he would never court Penelope Featherington, as she continues to look like a sour lemon, in his wildest fantasies. It won't be long before Penelope Featherington will take him off the pedestal she put him on.

As the words of Lady Whistledown echoed around his head, that is when it hit him - the love his mother had described with his father, how she always hoped her children would have a love matched rather than having a marriage of convenience. The love match he had been searching for was in front of him the whole time. Penelope Featherington. His Pen.

Penelope and Francesca sang the chorus twice and then it came around to the pre-chorus again. "In my imagination, there is no hesitation. We walk together hand in hand, I'm dreaming. You fell in love with me, like I'm in love with you. But dreaming's all I do if only they'd come true."

As Penelope and Francesca sang the final two lines five times('I should be so lucky. Lucky, lucky, lucky. I should be so lucky in love'), I should, Benedict wrapped his arms around Penelope, smiling over at Colin.

Colin could feel his nose twitching, along with his knuckles. He never expected to be jealous of his older brother and watched as Penelope pulled herself away from Benedict and set Augie in the cradle that had been purposely set there for him

"That was amazing," Daphne smiled, resting her entire body in Violet's arms.

Penelope shrugged, running a thumb along the top of Augie's head and then made her way over and sat next to Eloise.

"Benedict, can I speak to you? Outside?" Colin nearly growled at his brother, pointing to the door. "Now?"

Anthony looked between Benedict and Colin and then looked at his wife. "I think I should supervise these two."

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lookingfts · 10 days

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You know which story of yours I adore - Your pretty face and electric soul. I loved it so much and I reread it often. Something about insecure Anthony and Kate trying to seduce him but failing. I just love them in this one shot. Can we see some snippet of them being happy together?

Pulling one out of the vault! Here's the original fic for anyone who wants to check it out.

Anthony has it all planned out. A playlist of Kate's favorite sexy songs drifting through his Bluetooth speaker, champagne in an ice bucket, bouquets of tulips littering their flat. He's ordered those specialty chocolates she won't admit she likes because they're ridiculously expensive and a massage oil that smells like lilies (which might be as much for him as it is for her, truthfully).

They had both been a bit busy lately - her with a big project at work and him helping Ben with his gallery opening. On this one night they have to spend together, with no distractions, Anthony decides to make it special. To pamper Kate, relax her, and hopefully seduce her.

He barely has everything in place when Kate arrives home, looking a little tired but happy to see him. Draping her arms around his shoulders, she gives him a lingering kiss before leaning into him heavily. "Hey, baby."

"Hey," he murmurs into her hair. God, he loves this woman. Loves knowing that she comes home to him every day, now. Living with Kate has pretty much been the best thing that has ever happened to him. "Come, sit down and rest."

Kate raises an eyebrow as she takes in the flat, the soft lighting, the flowers, her favorite treats. She lets him take her by the hand and lead her to the sofa, where she kicks off her shoes and tucks her feet underneath her. "How was your day?" he asks.

"Fine. Just long," she sighs, reaching out and taking his hand. "Better now, of course."

Anthony smiles, squeezing her hand. He hadn't wanted to push her if she wasn't in the mood, of course, but he thinks his plan for the evening looks good.

Until, at least, Kate flops onto the sofa, reaching for the remote. "What do you want to watch? I'm in the mood for something funny."

He blinks at her. There's no way she's missed all the clear signs of his romantic evening. Or was it not as obvious as he thought?

"Um," he says a bit awkwardly. "Do you want champagne? I have some."

She looks at him, utterly confused. "Why do you have champagne?"

Oh boy. This is rapidly slipping out of his grasp. "I just, I thought it would be nice to relax tonight? Spend some time together. I have those chocolates you like, and I bought flowers." He has never felt stupider as he says these things.

Kate looks over at the tulips like it's her first time noticing them. "Oh, those are nice. Were they on sale?"

Anthony gapes at her a bit. She's being incredibly dense, in a way that Kate never is. Has she really been so overwhelmed with work that she can't process anything else? "No? I bought them for you."

"Why?"

He's not proud of the way he snaps, his confusion turning into frustration. "Because I'm trying to seduce you, Kate! There's music! And champagne! And chocolate! And massage oil! Are you really telling me you're not getting any of this?"

There's silence for a second, and then Kate's face contorts, and then she's bursting into laughter, and oh. He gets it now.

"You see how annoying it is, right?" she gasps, holding her sides as she cracks up. "Oh, that was delightful. Thank you for letting me get my revenge."

Anthony finds himself laughing too, despite himself, and bodily hauling Kate up and into his lap. "Maddening woman," he growls, and she bites her lip in response. "What am I going to do with you?"

"I think," she says, trailing a finger over his jaw, "that you're going to take me into the bedroom with that champagne and those chocolates, and we're going to have a very, very good night."

#your pretty face and electric soul #bridgerton #kanthony #asks and answers #kate x anthony #anthony x kate #bridgerton fic #missing scene

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thekatebridgerton · 9 months

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Ok funny idea, modern AU, the spouses are friends and are a little put off by the Bridgerton who are privileged and not understanding how privileged they.

So they pretend to date each other to fend of the Bridgerton but since they change often, people are so confused because are ALL EIGHT of them dating each other or is their cheating!?

Until one day,

Simon text the group chat to save him from Daphne…

Kate: WAIT YOU ARE CHEATING ON ME!? I LOVE YOU, HOW COULD YOU SIMON!?

Simon: Kate, no it’s not what it looks like!!

Daphne and Anthony are staring at each other in shock until Philip comes, trying to run away from Eloise.

Philip sees them and decides to make a scene and looks at Kate: Kate!? You are cheating on me with Simon!?

Kate: Uh, I can explain!

Simon: Wait what!?

Sophie then comes, trying to fend off Benedict and grabs Philip’s arm: Wait, you are cheating ON ME!? HOW!?

Benedict and Eloise look at Anthony and Daphne all confused and baffled.

Then Michael and Penelope come.

Michael looks at Sophie: YOU ARE CHEATING ON ME!?

Penelope smacking Michael’s arm: EXCUSE ME MICHAEL!? HOW COULD YOU!!

Francesca and Colin stare in bafflement.

Then Lucy and Garett come hand in hand and freeze at the other six and the six of them shouted:

Kate, Sophie, and Penelope: GARETH HOW COULD YOU!?

Simon, Philip, and Michael: LUCY WHY!?

Gregory and Hyacinth are staring at their siblings stunned.

Look at that two asks for the price of one.

Okay so clarification before I answer this ask, Yes to the first part, the second part….I'm feeling a bit awkward about this, to be honest. It's just coming across as kinda cringy, you know? Because I personally credit the Bridgerton spouses with a high degree level of intelligence, in every situation except when horniness is involved, this author has always HC that the spouses are smarter than the Bridgertons to a certain degree, and the only moments they’ve actually been more stupid than the Bridgertons has been when their horniness surpassed their common sense.

Which is why, while I do think that the Bridgerton significant others would be the type of idiots hatch a plan to pretend to date each other in order to get away from the Bridgertons, I don’t think they would get caught. What I do think is that someone in the group had too much horniness induced stupidity and actually came clean which sort of created a very funny chain reaction of miscomunication. So in this scenario here’s what I think happened.

Kate is sick of Anthony being garbage in human form with the push and pull between her and Sienna, Penelope low key thinks Colin is a jealous idiot who may result to stalking soon and destroy her secret Gossip Column when he finds out about it, Sophie is dowright ready to sue Benedict for workplace harassment because he won’t let her do her Live in nurse duties in peace, Simon is afraid to find Daphne somehow sneaking into his room one night to have babies which he’s not ready for, Michael is really trying to be a gentleman and not hook up with Francesca whenever she asks him to teach her how to be Wicked and Phillip is just a dude that can’t escape Eloise tendency to boss him around. Meanwhile Gareth and Lucy were just chillin with their respective guardians (Kate and Simon) but somehow got caught in a teenage love triangle with Hermione and Haselby. Because Gregory thinks he can steal Lucy from Haselby and Hyacinth thinks Gareth is looking too much at Hermione. Hence the plan.

So Kate and Simon of course pretend to date each other, because sure they are both athletic, hot people who like to drink posh tea, that gives Gareth and Lucy the excuse to spend time together fending off Greg and Hyacinth, because if Kate and Simon were dating then wouldn’t it be natural for their adopted siblings to also ‘fall inlove’, meanwhile Sophie and Phillip strike the most unconventional pairing ever, using the excuse that they’re both going to the same therapist and bonded over shared childhood trauma, mostly because if Penelope tried pretending to date Phillip they would be so awkwardly awful they’d get discovered in 5 seconds flat. Which leaves Penelope and Michael to ‘take their friendship’ to the next step and also pretend to date.

So Kate basically tells Anthony that oops she’s dating Simon now because, umm ahh, she’s so hot she actually extracted commitment from the Hastings manwhore extraordinaire, meanwhile Simon explains to Daphne that he’s super committed to Kate, who doesn’t…want children? Yup, that’s why he’s dating her, Kate is a modern lady who is cool with adopting teenage Lucy and Gareth and never having kids of their own. He’s a rake, who aint having kids, hence why Kate is perfect for him. Anthony of course gets very mad but can’t do anything about it, neither can Daphne who is absolutely heartbroken.

Lucy is the opposite of Simon, she then tells Gregory that she’s discovered that Gareth is the love of her life, because Gareth… is okay with her getting married to Haselby (who totally convinced his senator father that he’s going to marry Lucy once they graduate highschool because he’s very straight, so straight, really), Gareth is 100% into being Lucy’s lover when they go to college and giving her lots of babies she can pass off as Haselby’s kids, because you know he’s a stud. And her gay fiancée is totally on board, so please just go away and let Lucy have a torrid love affair with Gareth. Gareth too, tells Hyacinth that he’s having a torrid love affair with Lucy, not Hermione, because Lucy is 100% understanding of his need to marry an heiress after college and she’s not opposed to sharing him, in fact their love is so strong they’ve been together since Kate and Simon got involved and when they both get married to other people for convenience sake, they will continue their torrid love affair. See how super inlove with Lucy he is.

Phillip and Sophie meanwhile just tell Ben and Eloise that they are so inlove, nothing can break them apart, their shared trauma has created an unbreakable bond of love, but really they just use their dates to plan each other’s respective professional futures. Because Phillip is totally up for sending Sophie back to school to get her buisness degree, and Sophie is out here planning on how to grow Phillip’s alternative medicine business', encouraging him to get his masters in bothanical research, the kids too are super on board with the ‘Education is money’ plan, so these two are seriously on their path to become billionaires, and Simon is going to be their primary investor once they form an official pharmaceutical research company. Benedict who? Sophie is on her path to greatness, and Phillip and his kids are doing all they can to become the award winning academic family they know they can be.

Michael and Penelope obviously end up being the ones who have the most fun out of all the couples, going as far as getting engaged and inviting the other six to their fake engagement party. Penelope can freely claim they were friends that started seeing each other as something more and Michael is okay with hyping Penelope up as the most beautiful girl he’s ever met, so of course he proposed. She gets protection from gossip (and Protection from Colin) and Michael gets a shield against Francesca’s horny intentions with his virtue. If he gets socked in the jaw by Colin, well, that's his business' okay.

I think that they begin tripping up because the Bridgertons realize that their cover stories don’t match and begin poking holes at it. Because they’re just so jealous they can’t help it. And that’s when horniess starts overriding the spouses natural intelligence. I don’t know who trips up first, but I know that at one point, someone cornered their beloved in a library and said person threw a friend under the bus accidentally.

Maybe Kate was cornered by Anthony and lets it slip that Gareth doesn’t want to sleep with Lucy in the obsessive way Anthony wants to sleep with her (She probably saw his abs in their full glory, that poor woman, Kate.exe not found). Or Daphne catches Simon in one of his horny moments and he lets it slip that Michael has more fun taking Penelope to the theatre and the horse derby than he does when he’s doing romantic things with her, or maybe it’s Lucy, who casually mentions to the friendzoned Gregory that Kate has been her second mother since childhood and has always wanted a big family, which contradicts what Simon told Daphne, or maybe a horny unaware Michael would have told Francesca that Sophie is more interested in going back to school than in Phillip himself, so they’re unlikely to get engaged soon (This one was probably undone by a shot of Francesca’s bare ankle and I’m not even sorry for him). All I know is that it wasn’t Sophie, and it wasn’t Phillip, because those two do not confess things under pressure. But it could have been anyone that started the chain reaction of the Bridgertons thinking ‘hey maybe these people think were idiots’ and prompted them to work together and pool their one brain cell to catch their significant others in their own web of deception.

In my opinion, I don’t see the miscommunication happening in the way Anon suggested, but I do see the spouses accidentally pushing their friends under the bus when they get too horny and short circuit. And causing a very funny chain reaction of ‘I caught you in your own lie’ and ‘no, I wasn’t lying, I was just bending the truth a lot’ defensive arguments that would be extremely funny to read about.

And that’s the tea.

#fake dating au #polin #kanthony #benophie #so it's kind of a funny story #bridgertons being idiots #anthony bridgerton #colin bridgerton #benedict bridgerton #sophie beckett #penelope featherington #kate sharma #honestly Sophie should have pressed charges #Kate being sick of being in a love triangle with Anthony and Sienna is my favorite HC #Phillip just wanted to study in peace #Colin was low key already stalking Penelope and we all know it

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livingonfanficseyra · 1 year

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Day 4 Kate Week: It does not matter what I want

"Oh God! Stop whining like a baby, Anthony."

Anthony looked at his wife incredulously.

"Really? I'm the one who is being immature?" He turned to his brothers for support only for them look away immediately. They quickly walked away leaving them alone.

Kate ignored Anthony and stalked ahead with a fierce look in her eyes, muttering, "So like men to think they know everything about a woman's body."

"Kate, please."

Kate stopped and turned around. It was rare for her husband to use that particular word outside of their bedroom.

"What?"

Anthony took her hands in his, "Listen, darling, we can cancel this year's Pall Mall. If you can't play, then we don't have to have a game."

Apparently it was the wrong thing to say judging by the expression on Kate's face.

She snatched her hand back, "Who decided I can't play? You? Last I remember you've neither ever gotten pregnant nor are you a gynecologist. So keep your stupid opinions to yourself. And don't you dare pity me - "Oh we won't play, we'll sacrifice for the benefit of poor Kate.""

"No. No. It's not like that at all. Please, I'm just worried for you."

Ughh! Now she was the bad guy. Damn him for making her feel bad. But she was not going to give into her husband's irrational whims.

She took his hands, forcing him to look into her eyes, "Anthony, I understand that you're worried. I know the constant hovering and handling me are all coming out of love and care. But you can't expect me not to do anything for the next six months. Do you think I will do anything that will cause harm to our sweet little bean?"

Anthony's eyes widened and he shook his head.

"Then, you have to trust me. I promise I am being careful and will continue being so throughout the pregnancy and also after our little sunshine is born."

He nodded his head. Kate brushed a few errant tears that escaped his eyes.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, "Don't get me wrong, love. I love that you are full hands-on invested but please dial down the protective Papa mode a little?"

He shrugged,"I can try."

"That's all I ask."

Anthony leaned in and captured her lips in a soft kiss. She opened her lips and deepened the kiss.

Soon they were lost in a frenzy of feverish kisses and moans, hands exploring each other in brazen abandon.

Anthony was exploring the shell of Kate's ear when he whispered, "Can we go back to our room?"

Kate was tempted to say yes, especially when Anthony sucked at that particular spot on her neck. They could always play later and after all, it was just a stupid game.

Alas, it did not matter what she wants.

Not when she could win against her stubborn husband.

She bit his lower lip and whispered, "Nice try, Bridgerton."

#kateweek2023 #kateweek #kateweek23 #kate sharma #anthony bridgerton #anthony x kate #kate x anthony #kanthony #kathony #bridgerton #bridgerton netflix

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abovethemists · 5 days

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Theories for season 3 of Bridgerton

We're 3 days out from the Bridgerton season 3 part 1 premiere so here's my guesses on what will happen based on spoilers, official sneak peeks, and vibes. There's nothing groundbreaking here.

Polin

Part 1 will mainly focus on Colin realizing he's in love with Penelope. I think it'll happen pretty quickly. He's upset by the fact that Penelope hasn't written to him. He's more upset when she blows him off at the ball. He finally talks to her as she's leaving and finds out why she's mad at him and immediately tries to set it right. She ends up attracting Debling fairly quickly and Colin realizes he's made a horrible mistake. I think the scene with Portia telling Penelope that she has done well is after Debling has asked Portia's permission to propose so Pen knows it's coming the night of the ball in the 4th episode. She sees Colin there, realizes she still loves him and can't lie to herself and Debling by accepting him, and runs off. Colin follows her and we get the carriage scene and a marriage proposal to end the half. I think we'll be left in suspense over Penelope's answer.

Part 2 will obviously deal with Whistledown. Colin has much stronger feelings about Whistledown in the show compared to the books so it should be a bigger deal to their relationship. If Pen accepts his proposal before he finds out I can imagine Eloise pressuring Penelope to tell him, or she will. I'm sure we'll get an episode of angst between them before alls well that ends well. I actually like that angst better than the book's "Colin is jealous of Penelope's success as a writer" angle.

Eloise and Cressida

Eloise is feeling lost and adrift without Penelope. Her brush with scandal in season 2 has her afraid to step out of line too much so she decides to actually participate in the season. She befriends Cressida and keeps an eye on Penelope/Colin. Cressida is in her third season, just like Penelope, and her parents are desperate to marry her off. When it appears she's going to be forced to marry some 70 year old man, she formulates a plan to get out of it.

Either the Queen or Lady Danbury issues the bounty for Lady Whistledown. Cressida claims it's her. She may suspect Penelope and try to intimidate/blackmail her into letting Cressida take credit. Cressida hopes it'll get her out of her engagement to the old man. Queer Cressida truthers rise! I imagine the Cowpers' reaction to Cressida being the center of a scandal will make Eloise realize how incredibly privileged she is to have the family she has. I think Eloise will also grow up a bit and realize not all women think like her and that doesn't make them stupid or insipid. I'd like to see Eloise and Francesca together since they're close in the books. I'd also like to see Eloise have scenes with Kate who she looked up to in season 2 for still being single at 26. She can see that not all marriages strip a woman of their identity and happiness in marriage is possible.

Kate and Anthony

Wedded bliss and babies. By the end of the season, Violet will move out with the younger kids and they'll take over Bridgerton House. The flash forward at the end of the season will probably show baby Edmund, securing the future of the Bridgerton family.

Benedict

Gets his heart broken by Lady Tilley, similar to Anthony/Siena in season 1. I imagine their affair starts as something fun and Benedict wants something more while Lady Tilley is happy to be a merry widow and has no desire to shackle herself to one man ever again. Perhaps this makes Benedict realize he does want something more than his heretofore flighty existence. Perhaps he secures his own estate by the end of the season... Ready for more responsibilities and maybe even love.

Violet

Violet is adjusting to no longer being the Viscountess. Kate is now the female head of the household and it frees up time for her to think about her future. Enter Marcus Anderson. I look forward to seeing Violet in bloom. There absolutely must be an acknowledgment from Violet about Lady Danbury/Lord Ledger if Lady D gets in a huff about Violet and her brother.

Francesca

Sweet, introverted, baby girl. She's beautiful and wealthy and connected so will attract a lot of attention she's not comfortable with. She finds a like mind in John and leaves for Scotland (or just the countryside they might leave out Scotland) by the end of the season.

I think this will mark the end of Bridgerton as we know it. Benedict, Eloise and Francesca's stories all take place away from the ballrooms and garden parties we've been used to. After seeing Jess Brownell talk about that distinction, it actually does make sense they did Colin before Benedict. I'm curious to see how they format the show going forward, if they end the Whistledown framing and move outside of London.

I am unsure if we'll see any other future love interests this season. I was pretty certain we'd get a hint of Sophie in season 3, but I don't know. I think it'll be obvious who season 4 is about (Benedict!) by the end of the season though. I don't think we'll see Michael yet. I'm 50/50 on if Philip will show up again. I can't really see where he'd fit in but it's kind of fun how he keeps having run ins with Eloise's family. Maybe he'll encounter Benedict while he's looking at My Cottage since they're neighbors.

#bridgerton #bridgerton spoilers #bridgerton speculation

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silverhallow · 9 months

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14-"This is so stupid."

let's get that muse going

I’ve no idea what this but I hope you like it…

“This is so stupid”

Anthony scowled as he looked at himself in the mirror, his fingers moving to the top of the costume and he let out an annoyed growl as the door opened and Benedict walked through the door, his own costume on and looking as thrilled as Anthony looked.

“This is so stupid” Anthony complained again, “how on earth did we get roped into this”

“Because Sophie was desperate for characters for the school kids as an end of term treat and I find it physically impossible to say no to Sophie, and Kate threatened you if you didn’t agree…” Benedict sighed

“I know but really, Spongebob and Patrick?” he groaned

“Yes but the kids are into Spongebob at the moment… and at least you got to be Spongebob! I look ridiculous as Patrick…” Benedict groaned

“You’re Patrick because you’re taller, at least neither of us are Squidward…” Anthony sighed.

“I wonder which poor soul she’s roped into doing that or if it’s just us two… but come on, we’ve gotta go, the kids are waiting for us” Benedict said, grabbing Patrick’s head.

As they made their way out of the changing room and headed down the corridor towards Sophie’s classroom feeling completely ridiculous but knowing it was for a good cause.

But what they didn’t know was Kate was in the classroom waiting with a camera to film them with the kids and in their costumes.

Anthony jammed the top of his spongebob costume, rueing the day he let Kate introduce Benedict to Sophie as they knocked on the door.

The excited chatter stopped and they heard Sophie’s voice “I wonder who that could be…”

There was a giggle and a squeak from the kids and then a shhhhh from a few of the kids and they heard Sophie’s footsteps coming towards the door “ohhhh kids, I think we have some extra special guests waiting for us… can you remember the words of the song that introduces them?” she asked brightly.

As Sophie opened the door, the words of the Spongebob Song started being sung loudly and very out of key and Anthony and Benedict, fully dressed in their costumes, bounced into the room singing along with the kids.

Kate sat at the back of the room trying not to laugh as she filmed the entire thing. “Oh this is so stupid I love it” she laughed as Sophie made her way over as Anthony and Benedict had started answering questions that the kids were asking.

Sophie giggled “it is rather stupid but it was a genius idea”

“Well Anthony, did say he’d do anything to make up for stepping on Newton… but Benedict…?”

“Spongebob would have been lonely, and honestly, I didn’t think he’d go for it…”

“Just shows you how much he loves you” Kate grinned

“Very true… and they are very cute with the kids” Sophie sighed happily. “They’re going to be amazing dads”

“One sooner rather than later” Kate said quietly.

Sophie gasped, “you… your?!”

“We told our parents and Edi last night…” Kate said her voice low. “I wanted you to be the next one to know… and I wanted to see Ant around kids so this was just a win win”

Sophie squealed and hugged her best friend happily “best news ever”

Their hug was interrupted by a loud grunt as Anthony lost his balance in his costume and toppled to the floor and was being hugged by all the kids “Kate… babe… a little help…”

“Should we?” Sophie said,

“Nah, he’ll work it out, or Ben will when that little boy stops swinging on his arms…” Kate laughed moving the camera back onto them, laughing as they watched the school kids with their husband and boyfriend.

#bridgerton #bridgerton drabbles #benedict bridgerton #anthony bridgerton #kate sharma #sophie beckett #ash’s drabbles #benophie #Kanthony #benedict x sophie #ask ash

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newtonsheffield · 3 months

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Edwina gets to see Josie in a slutty top, go her honestly

Frankie is determined that his sister’s crush on her Royal Highness Edwina, is going to go very well. And the way he intends to do that is to make Josie unavoidably present in Edwina’s life. Of course, for Edwina, who’s had a crush on Josie since she was a teenager and believes Josie only wants to be her friend: This feels like a very specific brand of torture.

“What the fuck did I ever do?!” Edwina sighs, slumped int he back of her car beside her secretary, Kate and Anthony on the other side of the car. “Is this some sort of penance?! Why is she always at events?!”

“I mean… her father’s a Duke.” Sophie tutted, “It’s not that surprising that she’s at the same events as you.”

“How is that helpful?!” Edwina said wildly, “That’s as helpful as this two looking like love’s young fucking dream!”

It’s just… so… fucking hard. When she’s gone out, specifically to have a few drinks and have pretty girls smile at her and not thinking about Lady Josephine Bagwell for three fucking minutes and she walks in the door 30 minutes after Edwina got there herself.

Of course Edwina noticed the minute Josie walked into the club, her brother behind her, already dancing. And Edwina’s heart thudded in her chest when she saw Josie, unfairly stunning in her tight jeans and a fucking corset that Edwina’s not entirely sure was supposed to be worn as outerwear.

“Fuck’s sake.” Edwina hissed, finishing her drink and snatching another up as the table service waitress put it down. She made her way over to the bar where Josie was waiting for her drink, Frankie already dancing around her.

“Ah Your Highness!” Frankie grinned as Edwina approached and Josie turned around, her eyes widening in surprise.

“Franklin.” Edwina clicked her tongue before she turned her eyes on Josie. Forcing herself not to look at the exposed skin that seemed to be everywhere tonight. “I thought you were having a night in.”

“Did I say that?” Josie shrugged. “Doesn’t sound like me. We love to party.”

“We do.” Frankie cut in, scooping up their drinks from the bar. “We love ah… dancing with pretty girls right? Space for two more at your table?”

It was the last thing she wanted. Josie’s side pressed against her arm when she was trying desperately to get the fuck over her. But what else could she do?

“Go right ahead.”

Frankie made his way over, winking at everyone he passed and Edwina waved at her protection officer to let him pass.

“Your brother is… really fucking something.”

Josie sighed, and her chest brushed Edwina’s arm as they turned to make their way over. “He’s very enthusiastic.”

“So what changed your mind about coming out?” Does god fucking hate me enough to bring you here dressed like that?

“There’s um…” Josie shrugged, “Someone that I… have kind of a stupid crush on’s here tonight so I just want to… scope out the competition. You know. Stake my claim a little bit.”

Edwina’s heart sunk in her chest as she sunk into the chair, downing her drink again. “Great. Good idea.”

“So… Do you get to fly in a lot of helicopters? That seems very royal. I only get to fly in planes.”

Edwina stared at Josie’s brother and Josie herself closed her eyes, muttering under her breath. “I… mostly just drive.”

“Weird. I feel like in that Katie Holmes’ movie she was in helicopters more.”

“Shut up.” Josie sighed, “Please shut the fuck up, Franklin.”

“Are you… talking about First Daughter?”

“That’s the one!” He snapped his fingers, “She was the President’s daughter! Not a Princess! Damn!”

“Hey, maybe it’s just because Kate’s the first daughter. You should ask her.” She tried for a joke but it fell flat as her eyes scanned the dance floor and she wondered who had brought Josie here.

“A sense of humour. Love that.”

Edwina stood up again, her mouth dry. “I actually have to get going. I forgot I have somewhere else to be.”

Something flickered over Josie’s face and she cleared her throat, “Oh. Right. Will I still see you for brunch tomorrow?”

“Um…” Edwina said, snatching another shot off the table. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll be in a helicopter.”

“Funny.” Frankie crowed, holding his hand out for her to shake. “Love that.”

“Bye, Edwina.” Josie’s voice was quiet, her eyes focused across the room.

“Yep, See you.”

#bodyguard au #edwina x josie #molly’s asks and answers

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notyetbulletproof · 2 years

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You know what would have been cool?

If Anthony told Kate that he would do anything she asked of him, yes, but truly did she want her sister to be shackled to a man who did not love her? (Reiterating what he had asked her earlier) Who saw this marriage as a role to be fulfilled. Duty to wed, done. Who would care for her and her family but never love her. Was Edwina’s momentary happiness worth a lifetime of misery for them all? Anthony may not have been ready to admit how in love with Kate he was but even he knew that proceeding with a wedding was not the best decision for any of them. All duty, no heart.

Perhaps that whole “our places” conversation could have happened before the wedding. I mean this King of Clowns literally did not realise how his actions could have led Edwina on. He was fully convinced she knew he was marrying for duty and accepted his suit. True love matches were rare, people got married for economic reasons and protection. It stood to reason he honestly thought that was her main interest especially with (yes I will be your viscountess, I will marry you) and the whole conversation with Kate about people wanting a match like he was proposing.

Anyway in this turn of events, Anthony would have taken responsibility for the fact that his actions could easily give the wrong idea and how his running from his feelings created a mess that none of them knew how to properly navigate but ultimately, Edwina wishes to marry for love and he could never give her that. He’s not in love with her and it’s best they release each other from his mistake before they hurt beyond repair.

Then they would have to go to the Queen who in her fight with Whistledown perhaps loses sight of what is important and doesn’t accept the want to call it all off. Tells them love and affection grows with time. That this is just cold feet. Wedding to proceed. Edwina makes peace with the fact that she is doing this for her family. Making this sacrifice for her family. To marry someone who does not love her but will provide for her and hers. Anthony makes peace with the fact that he is doing this to protect both their families. Giving up someone he deeply loves (even if he’s not ready to admit it) because of his own recklessness. Kate is still wrestling with the fact that she tried to protect Edwina from a choice like this and wasn’t able to and also wrestling with her very real feelings for Anthony. And that could have easily have led to a deeper look into the fact that so much of what Kate does is because she feels she has to earn love.

Then the wedding happens. Bangle drops. Edwina makes the connection and of course she’s livid but it isn’t so much cheap shots. It’s - he didn’t want to marry me because he’s in love with you. And you’re in love with him. Kate denying. Anthony denying. Or pointing out that his feelings matter not because Kate would choose Edwina’s happiness everytime. Choosing her family and that is a choice he understands and will follow her on. And Edwina being over here like, god for 2 people that feel like they know everything, you’re so fucking stupid. The fight could have been more about their dynamic. About what it became. The sisters allowed to be honest with each other for the first time in years. Fully transparent. Kate could have still said that Edwina deserved all this and Edwina asking her why she didn’t. Why does Kate think she is less deserving? Why?? Why put that on Edwina? What makes Kate less??? It still could have ended unresolved in that episode. But less cheap shotty and lopsided in apologies and amends.

See, I still stand by what I feel about the treatment of Kate and Anthony by their family. Sure, it’s all fun and cool to say “they didn’t have to! No one asked them to be a parent!”. Yeah uh huh okay. Then who? Then who? I’m not saying that both Anthony and Kate didn’t make mistakes. I’m not saying that in them trying to control everything, they didn’t mess so much up. Yep. Mmhmm. They did. However, I’m not going to pretend that their families did not benefit from them putting themselves last. Did not benefit from them pushing down every emotion known to man to be stoic and laser focused on improving the lives of their mothers and siblings. Giving in to vices here and there, craving control like it was the only thing they had going for them. Look, ultimate selflessness has a price and they both paid it because they fucking didn’t know how to balance what they wanted with what they felt they must do. Especially Kate who was so used to doing everything for Edwina’s benefit and propping her up, she didn’t stop to wonder if Edwina was just going along with it because it was all she knew for so long or if she actually wanted the things she talked about. It’s like we lose ourselves and the people we love when we stop seeing them as individuals and instead see them as a collective idea to protect.

Every watch “Rise of the guardians”? When the Santa character says something along the lines of “we are very busy bringing joy to children! We don’t have time… for children”. —- yeah! That vibe. Being so focused on protecting your families, you lose sight of how they’ve changed, of what they want, of who they are. Especially when they are just beginning to work that out for themselves.

And the “True love intangible can’t be dictated” type conversation Edwina and the Queen had could have still happened. The Queen admitting her own defeat. That she stopped listening in her quest to unmask a gossip monger. Trivial pursuits during a time of great grief for her. It was a fun distraction but she let that dictate too much and the decision now lies with Edwina.

I don’t know. There was such potential to make it less of a soap opera cheap shot drama. So much deep stuff to unpack if they handled that better. Oh well.

#kanthony #edwina x Kate #I ramble #some fics have handled this so well #or write the idea better?

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collectionoftulips · 1 year

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hi! it's me! (once again, I'm so sorry if this is long or stupid, just feel free to ignore it!)

first of all, i dont know if it is intentional or if it is something that just grows out of you as you write further chapters, but i feel that these last chapters are more... intimate? i mean, they *feel* more intimate for us readers (or at least me). and it's so cool that as they begin trusting each other more and more, their relationship building up, so does the writing style. it's a bit magic, actually ✨

i would give my life for gregory and hyacinth in this fic, no questions asked. their support to anthony!!! i mean obviously the family is supportive, but something about the way they are so hyped warms my heart. and on the same line, i can already see hy and kate watching kate's old performances and kate helping her and becoming her role model, somehow (and anthony obviously melting at the sight of this)

also i feel like anthony every chapter when the new dance style is mentioned, searching on youtube. i know zero about dances so it is always fun and interesting to learn!!

i dont know what else to say, appart from that i love this fic and im always thinkin "oh i want to read the next one" and become frustrated when i just cant because of time. but it makes me happy to see the update email! and i find myself thinking of scenes througout my day

and... quotes time!!

"The lack of memory was not immediately apparent, but rather something that only became clear once he tried to backtrack his steps, there was just… nothing" im not going to lie, this sentence and at the beginning really scared me, i thought that he might have messed it up

"It wasn’t so much that he could remember seeing her, only that he could recall being aware of her." i GASPED. i don't know why, because it is actually not that huge, but this sentence really screams that he *likes* her, he *notices* her

"He told himself that there was something good about the fact that she waited by the door, holding it for him, instead of running in the other direction. That it was normal for the pang of affection that warmed his heart to be there as they stood almost near enough that he could smell the lilies of what he suspected was her hair conditioner." okay, this one is long but my sweet bean trying to convince himself that the pang is normal! oh sweetie

"The judges only saw a snapshot of his dancing, Kate saw everything, all the flaws and mistakes as well as the small progresses, and if she thought he could do this - who was he to disagree?" + "The certainty she expressed by stating this fact was almost enough to quell Anthony’s doubts" he trusts her so much and he is so moved by her trust, i could cry

"It was just dancing, Anthony knew that, but he couldn’t help but wonder if it didn’t feel a little bit like magic." just, screaming. that's it

and that final quote... my boy is flling fast!!

once again, thank you thank you thank you for this fic! im sorry if this is messy or has typos but im writing on the notes app so that i dont forget anything, just fresh out of the reading. anyway, thank you and have a great day! ❤️❤️💕

It is not long or 'stupid' in the slightest - don't apologise. I am just sorry it's taken me ages to respond. I blame the cold I had though, which seems to have robbed the concept of time from me entirely. I really love these asks I get, they genuinely make my day.

I'm so glad you feel like the chapters are growing gradually more intimate - it was definitely something I was hoping to convey with the progression of each chapter and each stage of the competition. I'm so thrilled you like it ❤️

I love writing Hyacinth and Gregory in this story. I also find their unwavering support for Anthony's endeavours really endearing and hopefully this most recent chapter that I just posted gives some extra context as to why and hints a bit more clearly at the type of relationship they have with him.

I don't know anything about these dances either and I actually look up some of the basic steps on YouTube and learn some vague rules for each dance to help me write it a bit better, and it's so much fun.

Genuinely, thank you so much for these asks, they are so sweet and kind ❤️ Been feeling a bit iffy about my writing recently and this helps me a lot not being all like 'I'm just gonna throw in the towel because clearly my writing is meh'. So thank you ❤️

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waterlilyrose · 2 years

Note

Loving your new modern AU! I wanna ask for another modern AU prompt since you requested them a while back. Prompt - Kate and Anthony are bickering friends who are mutually pining over each other, someone lets it slip that Anthony is in love and Kate is determined to help him land his dream person, not realizing that it's her :)

Link to A03

Kate wasn’t really one for girls’ nights. They seemed a bit silly if she was being truthful. If anyone wanted her opinion, she would rather be horse-riding or playing pall mall or watching a grand derby race. Her tomboyish tendencies did not translate well to drinking cocktails with too much sugar in it and sitting on stools in bars that she would never have dreamed of attending had she not been invited. But the Bridgertons liked the finer things (old money for you, she guessed) and Daphne always insisted that Simon would pay the bill without even looking at it. Kate supposed that was what came from marrying a Duke.

So Kate was sat with Daphne, Eloise, Penelope, Edwina and the newest member - Benedict’s new love-of-his-life Sophie. Kate sighed – that was a little unfair to Benedict. It wasn’t like he had a new girl every week until he met Miss Beckett. He’d had a few trysts but he had been single at the time so what was the harm?

You are dead a long time – may as well enjoy yourself while above ground. Anthony had said that. Kate took a sip of her Sex-On-The-Beach to hide her face as her mind turned to the eldest Bridgerton.

Anthony was easily the most maddening man she had ever met. He could be arrogant, dubious about her abilities because she was a woman (though denied he had ever said that) and so competitive that he could strike fear into anyone stupid enough to challenge him to a friendly match. It had become Kate’s mission in life to knock him off his perch and bring him down a peg or two. And she loved it. Like, seriously… she felt alive when they argued. Kate had been the good, sensible one all her life (she had to be to help Edwina and her Mama) but with Anthony she could squabble like a child and he would meet her halfway. She didn’t have to be mature and polished when they were together – she could be petty and mischievous. And that was okay. Because no matter how much Anthony declared her obstinate and maddening, he came back for more and more every time. Her enemy had become her friend. Her best friend.

Because how could he not be her friend? When she knew that he was just trying to give his family everything he could after his father died. When she knew that he visited his father’s grave so rarely because it recalled to him how he had loved someone so much only to lose them in front of him. When she knew in her heart that the reason he loved their bickering so much was because he was the eldest child as well as her and when they were together he could be silly.

“So Sophie” Daphne began, “how are you and my brother? Going well I hope.”

Sophie give a cheeky grin. “No complaints whatsoever. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted. What woman doesn’t want a man as funny as he is?”

“His facial expressions are pretty hilarious.” Eloise agreed. Kate knew that Benedict was Eloise’s favourite brother. Kate also knew that one of the reasons Anthony was so protective of Hyacinth was because he wanted to be someone’s favourite brother too. And Kate had been forced to excuse herself to the bathroom to fix her mascara that time – because as much as he had the ability to make her want to throttle him, Anthony could also say things that would break her heart.

“Has… Colin...” Edwina tried to ask Penelope gently before Eloise interrupted:

“-pulled his head out of his arse and asked you out?”

“Eloise!” Daphne scolded.

“I’m used to it.” Penelope smiled a sad little smile. “And, um… no. I don’t think it’s going to happen.” Kate wanted to put her arms around the Featherington girl. To care for someone so badly and never have what you crave back… it was an exhausting way to live, Kate knew.

“It will happen!” Eloise declared like she had just decided that there would be blood if it didn’t happen. “Colin is a good boy if a very stupid one. And he needs a good woman.”

“Eloise always becomes a little bit on her high-horse after two vodka and Red Bulls.” Daphne explained to Sophie. This was after all her first girls’ night.

“No complaints here.” Sophie laughed. She turned to Kate and Edwina. “So… are Colin and Penelope… on and off? Sort of but never quite?”

“Colin is sweet.” Edwina explained. “But a little easily led. And very oblivious. But we’ve all been guilty of that. Haven’t we, Didi?”

Kate gave a nod. Edwina did have a tendency to see the good in everything and refusing to see any flaws. When she first met Anthony, she had actually thought him a perfect gentleman!

“Don’t you have an older brother?” Sophie asked Daphne. “Can’t Penelope make Colin jealous? Maybe flirt with the oldest a bit?”

Eloise actually cackled with laughter. Daphne chuckled a bit. Even Penelope and Edwina cracked knowing smiles.

“That won’t work. Firstly, Penelope can’t flirt beyond pining looks – sorry Pen” Penelope waved her hand in a ‘don’t worry about it’ way “and secondly, my brother wouldn’t notice any way.”

“Is he oblivious to things too?” Sophie asked.

“Oh, very.” Daphne nodded. “The men in our family are not very bright.”

“And he’s way too in love to notice anyone else.” Eloise announced.

Kate froze, her drink half way to her lips but unable to take a sip. Anthony… was in love?

“Eloise.” Daphne sounded suddenly stern. Like she was warning her younger sister that she needed to shut up right now.

“Have we hit a sore subject?” Sophie asked.

Kate downed her drink and ordered another very very quickly.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kate went home to her flat that night, a little buzzed from the alcohol and grateful to finally shut the door on her friends. Even Edwina was somehow not welcome to get too close tonight. Because her mind was in overdrive.

In love. Anthony’s in love.

Kate sat down on the sofa heavily.

Who was it? She knew about his exploits in the past. He had not lived like a monk for the last few years and his last relationship had been with an opera singer which had ended badly. If he had been involved with anyone else in the past six months then she knew nothing about it. Which was fair – he had a right to privacy.

Kate got ready for sleep and settled down into her bed but could not doze off. She stared up at her ceiling for a long time.

Kate could achieve a lot. She had kept her family afloat when her beloved Appa died and had managed to do her best for Edwina. She was a doer, not a dreamer. And so was Anthony. Anthony always made sure that the hard work, the real graft of keeping the Bridgertons afloat, was done and done well. No-one ever did any hard graft for him. And that hurt her heart. Because she knew all too well what that was like. To just have everyone assume you were fine so it was okay to not worry about you. They didn’t even mean to do it; they just did. Anthony deserved to get what he wanted. Oh yes, she had delighted in the past in defying him but she knew enough now to know he had not got what he truly wanted since his father died. Now everything was duty and honour – his wants and needs were irrelevant.

Kate was a good friend. So she could do this for him. She could help him. Because he deserved to be happy.

Kate turned over onto her side and buried her face in her pillow. If her tears stained her pillow at the thought of Anthony loving some faceless girl – it was dark and she was alone so if no-one saw the tears, they didn’t count.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kate knew that Anthony was an early riser (he went for a run every day) so she had no compunction knocking his door at nine in the morning. He seemed genuinely taken-aback to see her on his doorstep.

“Kate!” His brown eyes suddenly seemed alive. “Come in!”

Kate stepped into his apartment, keeping her posture so straight that you would think slouching would hurt her. She had a job to do – she had to be business-like.

“Do you want tea?” He asked. “I have some chai in the cupboard.”

“No, thank you.” Kate faced him. God, did he have to look so… Focus, Kate! “I’m actually here on a mission.”

“Sounds ominous.”

“I was out with your sisters and the girls last night. Eloise mentioned something.”

“That she’s going to marry Theo from her English class? Yes, she has said-”

“That you were in love with someone.”

If Kate wasn’t so focused on appearing cool, calm and collected, the look of utter panic on Anthony’s face would have been funny.

“She… she what?” He demanded.

“Is it true?” Kate asked.

He was thinking about lying, she could tell. She could always tell with him. Then he sighed.

“Yes” He breathed out the words as though performing an act of confession “it’s true.”

“Right.” Kate nodded. Business-like Kate. You can do this! “Well, I’ve decided to help you.”

“Huh?” Anthony seemed like he was finding anything hard to process at that moment.

“If you are in love… you should do something about it. Everyone deserves love. So tell me about her and I’ll do what I can to help you.”

Anthony looked like Francesca had just declared a dream to be a cage fighter. “Help me?”

“Who is she? Where did you meet her?” Kate got out a notepad from her bag. A professional calm person takes notes. Apparently.

There was silence for a long moment. Kate looked up from her notepad expectantly. Anthony was staring at her. He might have looked stupid; pity he was so beautiful.

“Kate-”

“Do you work with her?” Kate asked.

“No. No, I don’t. Thank God. I’d never get any work done.”

Kate swallowed and made a note.

“Did you meet at the gym? In the park? In a club?”

“No, no and no. We met through family.”

“Is she single?”

“She better be. If she’s not, I’ll have to fight for her. And I’m good with a sword.”

“Pretty?” Kate may as well know the worst.

“Beautiful. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life.”

God, the way he talked about her. Like she was the sun itself. It made Kate’s eyes and throat burn.

“Have you tried asking her out for coffee? Getting to know her?”

“I know her pretty well.” Anthony informed her. “I used to think she hated me. Now… even if she still does a little, I don’t mind. Maybe in time I can win her round.”

Kate nodded, refusing to take her eyes off her notes. This was harder than she ever could have imagined.

“You say you know her well. That’s good. Maybe you can use some of your knowledge to your advantage.”

There was a pause and then Anthony reeled off a list.

“Her hair is long and touches her back though she always wears it up. She loves to dance but doesn’t like the dancefloor – I think she gets a bit shy. She loves her dog even though its a bloody nuisance. She would die for her family. She smells like lillies. She has the longest legs I have ever seen. And she hates English tea.”

I didn’t wake up this morning. I’m still asleep. Because this doesn’t happen. Not to me.

Kate looked up from her notepad slowly. Anthony looked resolute – like he had done what needed to be done even if it had terrified him.

“Please don’t joke.” Kate whispered. Because if this was some kind of prank… her heart would never mend.

“Do you see me laughing?” Anthony asked. He took a deep breath. “So… what do you think? Do you think I have any chance of getting her to love me back?”

The notepad fell to the floor. It was just as well – it would have only have been crushed between them if it hadn’t. Kate ran her hands everywhere she could – around his neck, over his cheeks, in his hair. Just to convince herself this was real. The way Anthony claimed her lips and kissed her alerted Kate that this was happening indeed. No dream had ever tasted so sweet.

She had gotten Anthony what he wanted. The fact that it was what she wanted above all else too just made it sweeter for them both.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Eloise opened the door to her student dorm to be greeted by a delivery man. He had a big box for her to sign for.

Dragging it into the apartment, Eloise opened it in a state of confusion.

Inside were several books that she had wanted to read but hadn’t been able to get her hands on. She had tried online shopping but the shipping alone was normally too much for one and they weren’t available on Kindle. To get this many must have cost a fortune!

There was a note inside.

Thanks Loudmouth. I owe you.

Enjoy your books.

Anthony.

#bridgerton #kanthony #kathony #tumblr prompt #waterlilyrose #fanfic #fanfiction #this was fun

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adriftallmylife · 3 years

Note

Yup to your post! You know for fact when they go to Aubrey Hall for parties they sneak off all the time to the point where Anthony is watching them to make sure they don't mess up another of his rooms lol. There you go with a one shot idea, "lock the door" moment at Aubrey Hal during a party/ball ;)

Out of all the places Benedict thought he would find complete and utter contentment his carriage would not have been one of them. But sitting here, with Sophie asleep against his shoulder; pregnant with their third child (hardly showing but he could tell the difference already) the boys asleep on the bench across from them a strange sort of inner peace washed over him.

He leaned over slightly and kissed the top of Sophie's head, she moaned gently against him.

"Ben."

"I'm right here, love."

She didn't respond, only moaned again. And it was then that he realized she was still asleep.

Dreaming.

She moaned once more and started to fidget. Benedict had half a mind to wake her from what must be a nightmare but then she squirmed again and moaned....again.

And it was only then that Benedict realized she wasn't having a nightmare...she was...

"Oh there, please! Right there."

Benedict felt himself grow hot rather quickly. In his carriage with his his sons innocently asleep just across from him.

"Sophie, my darling," he whispered. He stroked her hair and tried to wake her as gently as possible. But she had turned in his arms slightly and now had a very firm grip on his waist coat.

Sophie's pregnancy with the boys had gone quite beautifully. So he thought. She never had any weird cravings and her temper had remained just as it always did. His mother had informed him of all the ways Sophie might change during pregnancy, but with both of their boys she had remained just as she had always been.

Perfect

Sophie Sophie Sophie

But this time around something had changed. He had found with this pregnancy Sophie was rather insatiable. The slightest things would set her off. Just the other day they had gone for a walk around the grounds of My Cottage, the boys with Mrs. Crabtree who had came for a visit. And quite innocently enough he had reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and she had all but pinned him to a tree and defiled him right then and there.

Well....Sophie probably wouldn't use the word defile...but it's what happened none the less.

And it wasn't that he hated these symptoms she was having. He rather liked being jumped by his wife any time she wanted. It had taken Sophie a lot of time in the beginning of their marriage to grow accustomed to taking charge and seeking the pleasure she wanted for herself but once she had....he found he really rather liked Sophie telling him what to do and when to do it.

But this weekend was Kate's birthday and after having a sort of ermm....reputation at Aubrey Hall the past few years they had both sworn to Anthony that they would both be on their best behavior.

And he had every intention of keeping that promise.

Until his wife started having a damned sex dream in the carriage.

"Sophie...darling," he nudged her again, shaking her shoulder slightly.

She moaned once more and her eyes slowly blinked awake.

He could tell by the confusion on her face she didn't remember where she was as she wiped the sleep from her eyes.

"Oh," she started. "Oh"

"It's alright, my love. You were just dreaming."

"But I was...I was...oh Ben....I was having such a lovely dream."

Her voice had dropped an octave or two and her hand had started running up and down his chest.

"Sophie were are only a few minutes away from Aubrey Hall. And the boys are asleep."

She sprung up at that and seemed to remember fully where she was, "Oh, how embarrassing." she murmured more to herself then to him.

"Nothing to be embarrassed about my love. I understand."

She shook her head, "I don't think you do. I've never felt like this before Benedict. Not even when we were first married, no offense."

"None taken."

"It's starting to drive me crazy. How much I want you. Need you."

The carriage started to slow and Benedict promised her they would talk about this later. They both busied themselves with waking the boys. He helped her from the carriage first and then handed Charles to her and then took Alexander in his arms. Both boys still completely out of it.

Turning away from the carriage door Benedict saw that look in her eye. That fire again. The one she gave him a lot when Charles was first born. The needy fiery one he could never say no to.

"NO! NO! Absolutely not!"

Benedict peered over Sophie's shoulder to see his brother Anthony giving him a stern look.

"We weren't doing anything."

"And you two will keep it that way. You promised."

Sophie for all of her innocence smirked and turned on her heel, "We should get the boys down. They fell asleep a short while ago. They'll probably sleep for a few more hours."

Sometime later when they had the boys down and their things unpacked they changed into their dinner attire.

Sophie came up behind him as he was tying his cravat and ran her hand over him and squeezed slightly. He groaned and pushed her hand away gently, "We promised love."

Sophie rolled her eyes and with a huff left their bedroom.

All through out dinner Sophie wouldn't stop touching him. His hands, his knee, his upper thigh. She wouldn't stop.

And when she wasn't touching him she was giving him those fiery looks.

And it was driving him mad.

More then once he had to reach up and adjust his cravat because he was quite positive it was trying to strangle him in pure revenge for denying his wife earlier.

"Are you alright brother?" Colin asked.

Benedict went to nod but it was Anthony who replied, "He's fine."

Colin looked from one to the other in confusion before shaking his head slightly and going back to his meal.

After dinner they all piled into the sitting room so that Kate could open her gifts. And about five presents in Benedict noticed that Sophie looked a little squeamish.

"Are you alright darling?"

Sophie nodded her hand on her stomach, "Yes. I just don't think the dinner sat well with me.

"You never had weird symptoms with the boys." Violet noted.

Sophie nodded, "I didn't. But I have with this one. Benedict's positive this ones a girl."

It was Eloise who laughed, "You were convinced the boys were girls."

Benedict rolled his eyes at his most favorite sister, "Well I'm certain with this one."

Eloise smirked and took a sip of her drink.

"I don't mean to be a bother," Sophie began, looking at Kate. "But will you excuse me. I really don't feel very well."

Kate shook her head, "No of course not. Let me know if you need anything."

Sophie nodded and left the room quickly. Benedict sat his cup down, "I should go check on her. Excuse me."

He left the room quietly and made his way down the hall to the wash room where he assumed she'd be. But she wasn't there.

He heard his name a moment later coming from Anthony's study. When he walked in there she was.

His wife.

His beautiful innocent wife, naked as the day she was born, sitting on the edge of Anthony's desk touching herself.

"Sophie," Benedict whined. "We promised."

"No, you promised on our behalf." Her voice coming out breathy with need. "I made no such promises."

He couldn't help himself he watched her movements between her legs like a dying man in search of water. He loved that Sophie was no longer ashamed to touch herself so brazenly.

"Oh, Ben." she moaned, her fingers working faster. "Touch me."

He opened his mouth to protest yet again and then in a half a second decided that his rational side of his brain could go bugger off. Why was he denying his wife sex again?

Why was he denying himself?

Oh, yes because he'd promised his stupid brother. Well Anthony could bugger off as well for all he cared. He made to move towards her but Sophie held up a hand.

"No. Shut the door." She removed her hand and pushed herself off of the desk walking over to him slowly. She turned him around and pushed on his chest lightly until his back closed the door for them. She then raised her hand, the one that had been between her legs to his lips. And the look on her face demanded that he take them into his mouth.

He did so and sucked on her fingers greedily. Her eyes fluttered shut and she bit her bottom lip. With her free hand Sophie reached up and undid his cravat. After pulling her fingers from his mouth she brought his wrists in front of her and tied them together. She pushed them up above his head and gave him a stern look, "You are not to move your hands. Do you understand?"

"God, Sophie."

"Do you understand?" she asked again. Her voice stern.

He nodded.

"I need you to say the words, my darling." Her voice back to her usual innocent grace.

He swallowed thickly and locked his eyes with hers, "Yes. I understand."

She smiled, "Good boy." And then dropped to her knees. She took him out of his breeches and then sucked his cock into her mouth.

She moved slowly at first and then bobbed her head faster as she went, in the way she knew he liked.

"God, Sophie." She moaned around him and he swore he was starting to see stars. "Sophie."

She opened her eyes and looked at him with her head still bobbing up and down his cock.

He breathed heavily for a moment. Both not daring to look away in this fiery dance they had started. He swallowed thickly and fought against the urge to move his hands into her hair, "Lock. The. Door."

Sophie smirked around him and reached her left hand up next to his hip and clicked the lock into place. She sucked him for a few more moments before pulling away from him. She reached up and undid the cravat from his hands and backed away slowly.

As she went she draped it around her neck and perched herself back onto Anthony's desk.

"You know," he started, voice husky. "Anthony is going to be very cross with us." Coming up to stand in front of her spread legs.

She nodded once in agreement, "Probably so. But I don't really much care want Anthony feels right now. Do you?"

He shook his head slowly as he brought his lips to hers. She pulled away a moment later and pushed at his chest until he was standing a few inches in front of her, "Take off your clothes."

Benedict moaned at her assertiveness and began unbuttoning his waist coat and shirt. Once those were off and on the ground he went about removing his shoes and his breeches. Once he was fully naked he stood in front of his wife a smirk on his face. "Will this do my love?"

Sophie nodded and bit her bottom lip. Benedict closed the distance between them and captured her lips with his, wasting no time and thrusting into her. She moaned and threw her head back.

"Is this what you needed my love?"

Words failed her as he moved so effortlessly into her. He always did. Every single time they made love. Even that very first time in London on his sofa.

They fit together perfectly.

"Sophie, is this what you needed?" he asked again.

"Yes. Yes! This is what I was dreaming about in the carriage."

Her legs wrapped around his hips while one hand balanced herself on the desk and her other clenched itself into the hair at the nape of his neck.

He smirked against her neck as she pushed her hips up into his. "You were dreaming about me fucking you on my brothers desk?"

She moaned, "Benedict please. Harder." Her voice had lost all of its grace and politeness like it usually did when she was close. Instead she sounded needy and wanton and he really couldn't deny how much that turned him on. To know how much of an effect he had on her.

He granted her her wish and pushed his hips down into hers harder but with out hurting her. "Is this what you dreamed of?" he asked. One hand reaching up to tweak one of her nipples. "Is this what you dreamed of Sophie. Right here. At Aubrey Hall in my brothers study? I've had you over a dozen times in this house. Once in this very room already since we've been married. Is this what you dreamed about?"

"No. I was dream-" she broke off into a moan when he reached down and grabbed her leg and placed it over his shoulder, pressing her down into the desk as he did so. "Oh god! Right there. Oh god, Ben!"

"There?" he asked. He could feel himself growing closer but he needed her to come first.

"Yes! There just there."

He moved his hips faster into her. The sound of their love making filling the room. Both on the edge of that blissful cliff so he asked one final time. "What were you dreaming about my darling? Where were we? Here at Aubrey Hall? At home? Tell me and I'll make sure it happens."

Sophie threw her head back and whimpered before she spoke, "We were at home. At My Cottage in the library. You took me on the chase, the one in the corner. You said an artist had to know it's muse. Had to memorize the feel of it in his hands."

He moaned against her lips and let his free hand reach down and rubbed her clit in time with his thrusts. She came a half second later. A silent scream on her lips as her head fell back.

He followed her just a moment after and tried his best to prop himself up so he didn't put all of his weight on her but just as the very first time they made love Sophie had a way of robbing him of all his energy. So he kissed her lips instead and made his way down her chest until he got to her stomach where their child grew.

"You make me so incredibly happy, my darling do you know that?"

Sophie smiled at him, completely sated as her hand ran through his hair. "And you make me happy."

He smiled at her then, taking her hand in his and pulling her up on the desk so she was sitting. Just then they heard someone pounding on the door, "I will have you know the only reason why you two managed to sneak off this time is because Kate swore bodily injury to me if I was to interrupt you. I will also have you know that I've already sent for the maid to clean my study so if the two of you are not dressed in roughly five minutes I imagine the poor girl will have quite a fright on her hands."

Sophie bit her bottom lip to keep from giggling, "We are dressing now, Anthony."

They heard a small grunt and his retreating footsteps before they broke into a fit of laughter. Benedict helped Sophie dress first before he donned his own clothing. "You know perhaps you are right."

"How do you mean?"

"I have been having weird cravings and...well urges with this child. Perhaps it is a girl this time. Would you like that?"

Benedict smiled and took her face in his hands, "My darling, nothing would make me happier."

END

#benedict x sophie #benophie #benedict bridgerton #sophie beckett #otp: let me be your anchor #misc: writing #listen...it's been forever since i've written any form of smut #but i hope you like this anyway #even though i kinda hate it

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