[ there's some modicum of relief at hearing the most important interaction — test? — has passed. and from the looks of it, not only has it passed, but so has she. maybe even with flying colors? though it's likely too soon to tell, and far too soon to be celebrating. but if the worst is yet to come, that's fine. kate can handle worse; there's definitely far less pressure for her to achieve a certain kind of success with those.
so as far as the rest goes? it's a bit of a mixed bag. benedict does his best to give her a quick rundown of everyone who eyes them before they actually get approached, but names and faces and statuses blur after about the fifth one who'd come to shake her hand a bit too hard, as if testing her durability. (she squeezes hard back, of course, not even batting an eye.) some are pleasant, most cordial, but there are a few that were downright nasty, in a way only the snobbiest tend to be, which is passive aggressive. thinly veiled insults slid past saccharine smiles, packaged into what is meant to be curiosity or concern.
And how are you faring, dear Kate? We hope our Benedict hasn't been too much of a... handful. You know how his kind can get, I'm sure.
kate had always known benedict had suffered some prejudice back home. he needn't even have to say much. he had his little tells, his habits that stood out to kate when they'd first met, his little tendencies to try and make himself small, innocuous. invisible. but to be aware of it and to witness it firsthand are two very different things, and it's a wonder kate managed to keep her cool as much as she did.
I'm doing great, thanks for asking. It's more the altitude here that I'm not used to. You're all so very admirable for managing with so little oxygen going to one's brain.
dinner finally arrives. by then kate is famished, but she isn't sure if the desire to eat is more due to a way to work out her aggression or actual hunger. idle chatter starts up across the long dinner table as everyone is served their plate, but despite feeling ravenous kate pauses to look her meal over... then glances at benedict's. the plate itself is full of a proper full course meal. and yet.
quietly, without so much as a word or a look, kate carefully cuts her steak in half and places one onto benedict's plate. ]
no subject
so as far as the rest goes? it's a bit of a mixed bag. benedict does his best to give her a quick rundown of everyone who eyes them before they actually get approached, but names and faces and statuses blur after about the fifth one who'd come to shake her hand a bit too hard, as if testing her durability. (she squeezes hard back, of course, not even batting an eye.) some are pleasant, most cordial, but there are a few that were downright nasty, in a way only the snobbiest tend to be, which is passive aggressive. thinly veiled insults slid past saccharine smiles, packaged into what is meant to be curiosity or concern.
And how are you faring, dear Kate? We hope our Benedict hasn't been too much of a... handful. You know how his kind can get, I'm sure.
kate had always known benedict had suffered some prejudice back home. he needn't even have to say much. he had his little tells, his habits that stood out to kate when they'd first met, his little tendencies to try and make himself small, innocuous. invisible. but to be aware of it and to witness it firsthand are two very different things, and it's a wonder kate managed to keep her cool as much as she did.
I'm doing great, thanks for asking. It's more the altitude here that I'm not used to. You're all so very admirable for managing with so little oxygen going to one's brain.
dinner finally arrives. by then kate is famished, but she isn't sure if the desire to eat is more due to a way to work out her aggression or actual hunger. idle chatter starts up across the long dinner table as everyone is served their plate, but despite feeling ravenous kate pauses to look her meal over... then glances at benedict's. the plate itself is full of a proper full course meal. and yet.
quietly, without so much as a word or a look, kate carefully cuts her steak in half and places one onto benedict's plate. ]