[ all in all? it could be worse. she's not quite sure how yet, but she's almost definitely sure it could be. statistically, there was bound to be at least one hiccup in their plan and if this is that? kate will take it. at the very least, it's something they can keep behind a literal closed door. heck, she'll even bunk on the floor if she has to or — is that a chaise? good god that is indeed a chaise. ]
I guess in retrospect, your last minute guest announcement wouldn't have really necessitated a change in rooms.
[ he's an adult, after all. no one's going to assume two adults who were seeing each other would require separate rooms. even if one of those adults is benedict himself...
honestly, kate's not looking to get too bent out of shape about it. it's a large enough bed, even if she's pretty sure benedict can easily take up half (or more) of it, and, again, it's just a weekend. slipping further into the room, she helps herself to one side of the bed already, letting out a soft sigh as she sinks into the plush mattress. she knows better than to get too comfortable; it would be foolish to let one's guard down so early on, especially after how smoothly everything else has been going. she's skeptical by nature, and so naturally she doesn't trust all the good luck they've had so far. the fact benedict had managed to make it from the car to the front door with his arm around her and not pass out from blood suddenly rushing to his cheeks is little too lucky for kate's liking. ]
So, what's next? A festival celebrating your magnificent return?
[ In no universe would Benedict allow Kate to sleep on the floor while he takes the bed, regardless of what relationship they're faking for his family. If she doesn't want to share with him — understandable — then he'll take the floor. Or the chaise. In any case, he's not making his guest give up the bed, not under any circumstance.
He looks around the room with its soft blue walls and antique furnishings; they've been given one of the nicer guest suites. Probably to impress Kate, he's pretty sure he'd have been given one of the rooms down by the kitchens if he came alone. He's never minded, being closer to the kitchens means having an easier time sneaking snacks and he does like the distance that affords him a little more privacy.
The rooms down by the kitchens don't have their own balconies, though. ]
No, it wouldn't have. [ Except that it absolutely, very obviously, did. ] I think we're looking over the hedge maze, [ he adds, nodding towards the french doors that lead out to the juliette balcony, just large enough for a tiny table and two chairs and a few potted plants.
Watching Kate settle down on the edge of the bed has a strange dissonance twanging in his head: he's suddenly struck by the desire to lie down, tired from their journey here, while also being acutely aware of the fact that in just a few hours, they're going to be expected to slip into that bed together and sleep only a few feet apart.
Gods, his family will probably expect them to have sex at some point in this trip. Otherwise why would they have given him the nicest spare guest room? ]
Cocktails, probably. Then dinner. Not for another few hours, though. [ His aunt will descend from her rooms about an hour before the main meal is served, and they'll all be expected to gather in one of the drawing rooms to have an apéritif and make small-talk before they're allowed to be seated. ]
[ kate follows benedict's line of sight towards the balcony doors and can't help but think, of course there's a hedge maze. she hadn't caught it on the way in but there was only so much her wandering eyes could have taken in in those handful of seconds from car to door. there's undoubtedly a lot to take in — the room itself oozes detail begging for attention at every corner — but now that the initial adrenaline has begun to fade, kate turns her focus on the man still standing stiffly before her. the promise of cocktails is a welcome oasis in the desert of all this fronting, but it isn't for some time now. and benedict looks like he could use a breather or two.
she offers him a warm smile, patting the space on the bed beside her. ]
[ He's tense, but also not; this is the house he grew up in, a place full of happy memories, a sanctuary he knew he could always return to if ever he needed it, if ever the outside world became too much for him to bear. It wasn't until he got to school age that he fully understood that being warriorborn was seen as a bad thing, and he's grateful that his parents and his aunts and uncles made such an effort to treat him normally when he was small. He always knew he was different, but it never felt so bad within these walls.
And yet...
He toes off his shoes and lowers himself down on the bed beside Kate, letting himself flop back onto the plush comforter and sprawl out for a moment before folding an arm behind his head so he can see her better. ]
Thank you. For doing this for me. [ He reaches out with his free hand, brushing the backs of his fingers against her forearm. ] I really appreciate it.
[ the bed doesn't even bounce when he flops himself down, a testament to its quality and price tag. she's tempted to lay back and join him, really let the rest of that fatigue seep out, but the gross of the airport clings stubbornly to her hair. and a part of her wonders if laying down right next to him right now would be a little too much. she'd hate to shatter what peace he's already achieved. ]
Of course. You know I always have your back.
[ there's a particular lock of hair that benedict has. his hair is thick and fluffy as it is, but every so often a specific tawny lock will fall just over his brow, curling just slightly at the end that it looks almost coy in a way. like a tease of a curl. kate's fingers itch at her side until she finally reaches out, lightly flicking it back up to rest atop his head with the rest. ]
I'm not going to get lost if I attempt to freshen up in the bathroom, will I?
[ It's not that Benedict is especially prudish, but he tends not to share a bed even with his closest female friends, which... alright, his closest female friend is his cousin Gwen, but his point still stands. He doesn't share a bed with his cousin, either. Still, unusual or not, the thing that stands out the most to him right now is how comfortable this feels. It's just Kate. He doesn't have to worry about her judging him for something weird his family says, or the fact that one of the antechambers off the grand foyer had their family crest made out of actual sabers mounted on the wall.
Some of his ancestors were fucking weird.
He blinks at her slowly when she pushes his hair out of his face, his lips curling slightly, the tips of his teeth gleaming in the soft sunlight coming through the breezy curtains drawn across the french doors.
After half a second to let her question filter through, he pulls his hand out from behind his head to gesture towards a door in the wall opposite the bed. ]
Just over there. It should be well-stocked, but obviously it won't have your toiletries in it just yet. They're not quite that quick with the unpacking.
[ What soaps and lotions are in the bathroom will be the very expensive, conspicuously unscented kinds, so they don't offend Benedict's keen nose. Even the soap they use in the laundry is carefully selected not to upset him or give him a headache without cause. ]
[ honestly, kate will be pleased to notice these little details. heartened, even. if it wasn't obvious enough, she can be a little protective of her friends, and even big, strong warriorborns like benedict is no exception. it's for the same reason she's taken to unscented options as well, now mindful of his sensitive nose. after all, the last thing she'd want to do is give him reason to avoid or not want to be around her. ]
That's alright, I really just want to wash the airport out of my hair.
[ the problem with having so much of it is how easily it can carry the environment with it. she slips off the bed and takes a moment to stretch her arms up high over her head, work out the kink that'd settled into her lower back from all her sitting and slouching.
now, she doesn't actually mean to take very long. just a quick rinse, in and out. but the moment she stands under the warm spray of the shower the tension dissolves from her muscles and the fading adrenaline leaves her with the desire to be sluggish, indulge. she winds up taking a full shower, lingering if only to further soak in the steam, and by the end of it she's feeling even better than brand new.
and that's when it hits her — she forgot to bring in any of her clothes. ]
Good job, Kit-Kate, you moron...
[ slowly, kate tiptoes out of the walk in shower, arms hugging around her check for both decency and to ward off the sudden chill that clings to her. she inspects the walls and hooks for any robes, but finds only folded up fluffy towels instead. it'll have to do.
at the door, she peeks her head around after cracking it open, her long hair still dripping puddles at her feet. ]
[ A few minutes after Kate slips off the bed and shuts herself away in the bathroom, their luggage arrives, carried in by members of staff who've been working for the Lancasters since before Benedict was even born. After extending a token effort to help which is immediately rebuffed, as he expected, he decides to simply get out of the way and retreats onto the balconette, wanting to remain as unobtrusive as possible while their things are unpacked and put away.
If it ever occurs to him to find it odd or unsettling to have others rifle through all his belongings, he certainly doesn't say anything about it. Benedict knows how to do his own laundry, was taught how to dye and clean and tie his own robes at the monastery, but when he comes home it's far simpler to let the housekeeping staff take care of it. It's their job, after all, and most of them take great pride in doing their job well. His insistence to help would just create more work for them later when they took it upon themselves to fix what he'd done incorrectly.
He's still leaning against the railing, idly scrolling through his emails on his phone, when Kate emerges from the bathroom in a cloud of soapy steam.
Hearing his name, he steps back into the room, only to be confronted with the sight of her in the doorway, dripping wet, ensconced in a soft white towel and nothing else. Honestly, the towel covers more of her than some outfits he's seen her wear, but it's different. ]
I was just outside, [ he replies, as if that wasn't obvious. ] Do you... I can go back out if you want to grab your clothes? Or I can... bring them to you?
[ the steam, unfortunately, doesn't linger for long, as if the cloudy vapors could somehow veil her any more than this slip of a towel can. in her haste to find clothing she hadn't even bothered to properly dry herself off, so rivulets of water cling and trickle down every exposed inch of skin like some kind of clear scarlet letter.
the smile she offers him is more a grimace, apologetic. ]
Sorry, I thought you were out-out.
[ she hadn't seen him on the bed. in the short time it had taken for him to answer her after her call, she had already assumed and made the snap decision to flit out into the room, seeing their luggage, and acquire the clothes herself. she gets about two feet from the door when benedict emerges from the double doors, fading daylight announcing his presence like some kind of golden glow.
she gestures towards the drawers. ]
Do you mind? I don't want to track more water in...
[ SHE'S MADE ENOUGH OF A MESS AS IT IS. turning on her heel, she makes a quick beeline back to the bathroom, the door snapping shut tightly behind her. ]
[ There are certain times that Benedict curses his keen senses. When he's standing next to someone who hasn't showered in a few days. When a garbage truck drives by. When a dog farts on the other side of the room.
And, apparently, when his very dear friend stands only a few feet away from him with water trickling down her neck to slide along the cut of her collar bones, lovingly tracing the curves and planes of her body.
He doesn't let himself stare, he's not rude, but even that brief glimpse feels seared into his brain. For gods' sake, he needs to pull himself together already. ]
You're fine. [ He may have to clear his throat a little, but once that's taken care of, he rallies. He can be normal about this. It's fine. He's just... picking out clothes for his fake girlfriend. ] That carpet's seen worse than a little water, don't worry.
[ Faced with the realization that he's going to have to pick out underwear for her, Benedict swallows and stares at the dresser their clothes had been unpacked into with trepidation. He knows he's being ridiculous. It's just clothing, everyone wears is, and it shouldn't feel like he's invading her privacy at all. She asked him to, for one thing, and for another, they're going to have to play act at being very close this entire weekend just to get his family off his back.
Steeling himself, telling himself to stop being such a little bitch about this, he walks over to the dresser and goes searching. Ignoring the fact that their clothes have been unpacked into the same drawers, he pulls out what he hopes are comfortable undergarments — don't think about how that plum-colored lace might look stretching across her hips, Benedict — and a nice dark-wash pair of jeans, as well as a pretty blouse with a neckline he knows will flatter her. Figuring she could pick out anything else she might want, he stacks those items on top of each other and goes over to the bathroom.
Knocking briefly on the door, he slowly opens it and sticks his hand through, holding out her clothes to her while remaining safely on the other side of the door. ] Here you go, Katie. Hope these are okay...
[ so here's the thing. the layout of the bathroom, while ridiculous in its expansiveness and inclusion of a jacuzzi tub, follows the general sort of layout of any bathroom... meaning when benedict opens the door to hand kate her belongings, what lays exactly opposite said door is the large mirror that nearly stretches across the entire wall. benedict may have remained behind the door to ensure he wouldn't be able to see inside, but said door has cracked open just enough that he'd be able to catch a glimpse of the mirror...
more specifically, of kate's reflection in the mirror. of kate, standing just beyond the opposite side of that door, towel no longer wrapped around her body but instead currently being used to wring out the water from her long hair. ]
Oh — thanks!
[ she doesn't notice, innocently reaching around the door to take the clothing from benedict's hands.
and, no, it has not actually occured to kate yet just what exactly she has asked him to do. knowing kate, it won't occur to her until much later, probably not until she's pulling that lace over her legs will she realize oh. that's right. benedict has touched these as well.
by then her mortification will know no bounds, and she'll have a brief moment to contemplate actually flinging herself off the balcony. ]
[ It's no surprise that Benedict grew up with a lot of comfortable wealth surrounding him. It's certainly not a secret to Kate, who's experiencing the fruits of that first-hand. With that amount of wealth comes a certain kind of schooling, which means he's studied human anatomy from both an academic standpoint, poring over highly-detailed textbooks, and he's also taken his fair share of field medicine courses, an endeavor helped along by his own brief stint in the military.
Plus, he's grown up surrounded by women, from his mother, to his cousin who's close enough to him in age that they were often bathed together as young children, to the twins whose diapers he helped change when they were young.
All that is to say that the sight of a naked woman shouldn't be enough to fluster him. And yet...
He doesn't drop her clothes, mainly because his reflexes are too good for that, but it's a near thing. What he does, actually, is notice the expanse of honeyed skin on display in the reflection of the mirror, freeze for a half-second, then snap his eyes shut like that's going to do anything but force him to look at the after-image behind his eyelids.
If his voice is a little bit strangled when he replies, well. Hopefully she won't notice. ]
[ she notices, but attributes it to her previous fuck up and thus takes another moment to silently berate herself for her stupidity. her entire purpose here is meant to make this visit home bearable for him... the last thing he needs is having to deal with the awkwardness of the repercussions of your friend's trashfire tendencies.
she tries to dress quickly. save for the slight hiccup wherein she finally realizes she made her friend dig through her underwear (goddammit, katejamin) it goes off without a hitch, and she is soon shuffling out of the bathroom looking still damp but significantly drier.
it stands to reason that her clothes would look good on her, as no one really picks items out that are unflattering on purpose. but there's a difference between single items looking good, and an entire outfit working out. the ensemble that benedict has chosen is classy and chic, displaying a modern femininity that only highlights her worldliness. she feels oddly shy standing before him in the outfit he'd chosen, tucking a damp lock of hair behind her ear. it'll take her a while longer to shake off the embarrassment from earlier, but she's determined not to make it too obvious. ]
Did you want to take a quick shower too? I swear I didn't use up all the hot water.
[ When Kate emerges once more from the bathroom, Benedict is, for lack of a better term, puttering. The room certainly doesn't need cleaning, they've only just arrived, and he can't unpack things that were already unpacked, but he's just moving around the room keeping himself busy so it doesn't look like he's standing there waiting for her to come out.
That would be very weird, wouldn't it?
He turns his head to look at her and winds up doing just that, looking, for a second before he smiles at her. ]
You look nice. [ Her hair's still quite damp and unstyled, which he has no problem with but he suspects will be rectified by the time they go down to dinner, but he's pleased the clothes he chose for her seem to flatter her so well. ]
If you're finished with the bathroom, I might as well. [ Like he isn't also itching to get the airport smell off him. Benedict is perfectly capable of ignoring his own discomfort when it comes to smells or sweat or what have you, but if the opportunity is there, he'll leap at the chance to get clean.
Gathering his own clothes, unconsciously picking out a shirt that complements the one he chose for Kate, he slips past her and shuts himself in the bathroom, only then realizing that now he has to grapple with the fact that the room is still hot and moist and, more importantly, smells like her.
[ when benedict disappears into the fading mist of her hot shower, kate allows herself a deep breath of relief. grateful, mostly, to have made it through that without error.
left to her own devices, kate doesn't putter, but oh boy are her hands itching to pick up something, anything, and hurl it at the nearest target. back home she had had the benefit of shooting ranges and street level criminals to work out all this anxious energy on, but here across the ocean where she is meant to more or less behave... she doesn't feel trapped, certainly not because she walked into this herself, but she does feel restless. like suddenly she's a little too big for her body, ready to burst out at the seams.
she winds up doing what any other 20-something would do, and turns to her phone.
since befriending benedict, she'd done her due diligence and given into her curiosity. which is to say she googled him. there wasn't a lot about him, specifically, but there was certainly a lot to be read up on about the lancasters. she remember thinking it felt a little surreal while she was pouring over wikis and news articles, how much it seemed like he might as well have grown up in a completely different world. funny how drastically different some things can be, all because of some cultural and geographic borders.
she looks over the first few search results now, scrolling idly while she blowdries her hair by the edge of the bed. (she'd packed one herself, as is necessary when having all this hair, but there had already been one tucked into the top drawer ready for use.) the first few results were the standard wiki pages, some articles on recent business and cultural affairs the family was last mentioned in. what winds up catching her attention is a blog post, more tabloid in nature, talking about matron's infamous party scheduled for that weekend. it's an annual thing, expected to be grand as always, and anyone who's anyone in this side of the ocean is expected to come. most of the names mentioned mean nothing to kate, so she scrolls past them with slightly glazed eyes. paparazzi-style photos crop up in the middle of the article, everything from rumored decorations and menu items, to even some sneaky photos captured of the estate itself, clearly taken from behind the gate. kate's scrolling so quickly she almost misses it — but then she doubles back. stares.
there, sitting innocently between blurry shots of the hedge maze and table cloths, is an equally blurry photo of her and benedict. taken just from this afternoon, as the two of them stepped out of the car to enter the estate itself. their faces aren't really shown, but there's no real mistaking the behemoth of a man that benedict is, if you know who you're looking for. they were captured mid-step, heads ducked together, his arm settled comfortably around her shoulders. this is what everyone sees when they put on their show. looking at it now, kate can't help but feel... something.
best not to think about it too much, right?
but — hm. she hadn't realized there would be this many eyes on this event. it's probably not anything worth worrying about either — just local gossip rags about local celebrity news. she winds up closing the blog and setting her phone aside, determined not to think on it a second more. ]
[ Blissfully unaware of the paparazzi and Kate's revelations, Benedict is trying not to think about the fact that just five minutes ago, she was standing naked in this very room, using these products to wash herself. His cock seems to have no problem thinking about it, though, stirring with interest between his thighs, but he resolutely ignores it.
Kate is his friend. She's doing him a huge favor by coming along and pretending with him this weekend. He's not going to take advantage of that or twist it into something it's not just because she's a pretty girl and maybe his search history has taken a turn towards the petite brunette end of things lately.
If he brings her all this way, to his family estate, cuts her off from everyone she knows and every place she's familiar with, isolates her completely so the only person she knows and feels she can rely on is him and then tries to push for something she's not willing to give? That would make him a monster, wouldn't it. Worse than all the things people already like to say about the warriorborn.
No. He can keep it together.
Even though he no longer has the shaved head of a novitiate, or the time-crunch of a soldier, Benedict's showers are still nonetheless very quick, and it's not long before he's drying himself off in front of the giant mirror above the vanity. Peering at his reflection, he figures he can go another day without trimming his beard, and so quickly sets to getting dressed.
By the time they make it downstairs for cocktails, his hair has dried and he's come to terms with whatever mini crisis he was having earlier, which means he's gone back to settling his arm around her back, pressing his palm against her hip in a casually possessive grip. It's a small crowd, just the guests actually staying at the house for the weekend minus a few late-comers, which means it's easy enough to give her a quick rundown of who's who.
If he has to lean down to murmur in her ear to do so, well, that's unavoidable. ]
Right, so that on there in the green polo, that's Reggie Aster. Reginald. He's a complete pompous ass, Gwen absolutely hates him and I can't say I blame her. We were all forced to go to school together because technically we're family. [ Not so's you'd notice, though. The Asters split from the Lancasters generations ago, they hardly have any claim to the land or the fortune at all. Still, it's polite to invite them to family functions. ] Next to him is Barny. Barnabas. He's much more tolerable, but still a bit of a dick. They can't help it, they're Asters.
[ putting the gossip blog out of her mind turns out to be a greater feat than she originally thought. benedict's reemergence from the bathroom is a welcome but temporary distraction (kate taking the time to return his compliment from earlier, if a little less graceful about it — hot stuff, babe — but also noting that their outfits match, in a way, prompting a smile to her lips she can't quite explain). by then it had only been a half hour more till they were expected to appear at the drawing room, the walk there comfortably quiet. she'd stuck close to his side then, only deciding to reach for his hand about midway in their journey, but by the time they arrived at the doors benedict's hand was a warm, welcome weight against her own.
still, she wishes the rest of the walk had been as easy. she couldn't help but glance at every window they passed by, wondering if any high definition cameras had managed to peek its way through. she wondered at the price tag of every courteous smile from any staff member they met along the way, if any of them had already been bought prior to the event.
it's awful thinking, but it's one she had learned to grow up with the hard way. ]
Aster, more like Ass-ter, amirite—oh, thanks.
[ what started out as a dry remark under her breath winds up pitching into a flustered response to a waiter gliding by and handing her a fresh glass to replace her currently empty one. the man hardly bats an eye and easily moves on to tend to the next attendee but kate still has the grace to give benedict a sheepish glance beside her. the lady of the house was still making her rounds to greet everyone, oddly formal for an otherwise all-family gathering, and had yet to make her way to them and so they were left more or less to themselves as the rest of the guests grew more comfortable in mingling. every now and then, kate would notice gazes drift their way, whispers low and hushed in poor attempts to be discreet. the aster boys themselves, after having been noted, glanced over as if they had heard, so kate merely smiled politely at them and raised her glass in greeting. charming, if perhaps obnoxiously friendly.
her smile doesn't fade as she shifts closer to benedict's side, dropping her voice lower to an almost intimate level. ]
How quickly do you think I could get either of them to tap out in a fight? I'm thinking three minutes.
[ ah, yes. the typical conversation between two young lovebirds. ]
[ Every time he comes home, Benedict tries to look at Lancaster House from the eyes of an outsider: that corridor isn't the long stretch of carpeting he and his cousins practiced racing each other on, it's an imposing long walk flanked by oil portraits of his ancestors; the huge oaken bannisters aren't the perfect side to slip down, whooping and hollering, when you're eight years old, it's cut purposefully too large to hold on to so you're forced to pay attention as you hold it; the marble busts tucked into alcoves aren't faces he'd mimic but instead the severe countenances of nobility from centuries ago.
It's hard, though. His childhood was a happy one, and he has many fond memories of this place. Even though being home chafes a little bit more now that he is an adult and has adult responsibilities and expectations, he still can't quite erase the rosy tint of his memories.
Even most of the staff are familiar to him, if a bit grayer around the edges and a little creakier in their movements.
He's in the middle of chuffing a little laugh at Kate's comment about Reggie when they're interrupted by a waiter appearing at their elbow to exchange their drinks. She's clearly embarrassed at being caught out making snide comments but he just grins at her, this is what he'd asked her along for, after all. After thanking the waiter — a warm Lovely to see you again, Master Sorellin, met with an equally friendly You as well, Walter, thank you, — he tugs Kate a little closer to his side and slips his arm around her again, making it easier for them to whisper sotto voce to each other and also giving her a little more support as his aunt steadily makes her way through the room.
Benedict is a closer blood-relation to her than most of the other guests gathered, but it would still be rude to ignore those who appeared before him to greet him first. He knows he'll have to wait his turn like everyone else.
Ducking his head a little closer to hers, Benedict glances over at the Asters and smirks. ]
Less than, probably. Reggie has an entirely overblown sense of his own abilities. He'll go in guns blazing right from the start. Barnabas might take a little more time to figure you out before he fully commits. He's not much of a fighter, though.
[ kate has nothing against the asters, of course. she's taking her cues from benedict himself, and despite his own frank comments he doesn't seem particularly bothered by them. she wouldn't actually fight them, nor would she derive much pleasure from introducing their faces to the ground. she's just competitive by nature. and maybe just a little too aggressive.
all this to say, the snide comment hadn't been entirely warranted, thus her embarrassment over the risk of being overheard. she's here to shock and maybe awe but she's not going to be mean without provocation. as far as she knows, the asters haven't done anything against benedict to earn her ire yet. so for now she makes a mental note to be a bit more careful. not everyone gets her dry american sense of humor after all.
the lighting in the drawing room is low and intimate, and one glass of wine was already sitting warm in her belly. she's feeling wonderfully fuzzy around the edges, so when she turns a little more towards benedict she pretends there's some errant lint on his shirt and idly brushes it away before smoothing her hand down the front of it. maybe even lets her hand linger there before finding its way back around the neck of her glass. ]
You know we never did work out our story. Who approached who? How long have we been together? Who's big spoon and little spoon?
[ The way Kate turns towards him feels so natural he almost forgets for a moment that this is all pretend. She just fits so nicely under his arm, tucked against his side, and the fact that they smell like the same soap is confusing his hindbrain into thinking that maybe it's real. Maybe, just maybe, he's found someone who sees the ridiculous opulence that surrounds him and dismisses it as less important than who he is, who knows what he is and doesn't care.
He knows Kate doesn't care that he's warriorborn, that she doesn't even really seem to get it, and he's so grateful for that he doesn't really know how to articulate it. If that's all he could ever get from their relationship, he'll be happy.
But still. Her hand trailing down his chest feels a little too comfortable. ]
I don't think anyone would believe I approached you, [ he points out with a wry little smile, one shoulder lifting in a laconic shrug. ] And if you really want to be big spoon, I'll allow it, but... [ He makes a show of pointedly looking her up and down; even with the tasteful pumps she's wearing, she just manages to crest his shoulder. ]
[ is she a little bitter about being so small? perhaps. but at the same time who wouldn't want a little pocket protector. ]
I think for consistency's sake we'll keep it as close to the truth as we can. Which means we met one night while I was... working. [ "working." kate often jokes around that her moonlighting in vigilantism is her night shift. ] It was very cute, I flirted, you were confused, and then I kept flirting, but we wound up as friends first. And then... two? Three months ago? I finally win you over with my wit and charm and now here we are.
[ here they are, two people supposedly head over heels for each other, but it seems like all they've really had to change is how many touches are shared between them. (kate tries not to think about that either.) ]
[ She's a perfectly reasonable height, there's no need to be dramatic about it. Benedict, on the other hand, has hit his head on lintels more than once, and has to get his trousers custom-tailored to make sure the inseam is long enough.
Granted, he usually wears bespoke suits anyway, but for his every day wear he's not quite so snobbish as to insist on hand-sewn trousers. Tailored off the rack is fine. ]
Now here we are.
[ Here they are, standing slightly out of the way while Benedict's aunt rapidly approaches them. He can tell she's sizing them up; she's too well-mannered and too polished a hostess to be actively staring, but he knows he's going to get grilled about this girl he's brought home the second the opportunity presents itself. Kate herself might get interrogated, if the mood strikes. He hopes she's braced herself.
Finally, it's their turn. His aunt, a striking woman of perfectly average height but with aristocratic high cheekbones and piercingly blue eyes, steps up in front of them and opens her arms.
Benedict, darling, she says, as Benedict releases Kate from the arm he had wrapped around her so he can embrace his aunt instead, dutifully bending down far enough to kiss her cheek and let himself be kissed in return. Why must you make it so difficult for us to see you? Don't tell me I have to keep orchestrating galas like this one to coax you to come visit. It's a dreadful chore. But never mind all that, who's this?
Like she doesn't know who Kate is. He told her the moment Kate agreed that he'd be bringing his girlfriend with him, even gave her Kate's full name so she could presumably be googled. Shaking his head, Benedict smiles and lets his aunt rub at his cheek for a moment to wipe away her lipstick before stepping back so he can reach for Kate's hand and give it a little bracing squeeze. ]
Aunt Helen, this is my girlfriend Kate. [ Nice. He didn't even stumble over that one. ] Kate, my aunt.
[ in her youth, kate has met many a person of import. they're quite easy to spot, once you know how to look, and it wasn't long before young kate had been able to make out in the numerous social functions she'd been made to partake in those whose name carried actual status, and those who hoped mere association and proximity would suffice. this woman, aunt helen? she oozes status, but more notable than that is how she carries it with class. kate had grown skeptical and cynical fairly young, made to due to circumstances beyond her control, and so she'd come to quickly sort these folks into two categories: those who use their status as a shield, and those who use it as a weapon. kate hasn't yet figured out which one helen is. reading up on lady lancaster paints one picture, seeing her greet her family is another. two sides of the same coin, or so it seems.
but helen isn't an enemy, that much kate knows. and so her smile in return is genuine, as good-natured as the hand she holds out in offering. ]
It's nice to meet you. Thanks for having me on such short notice.
[ that being said, helen is one of the people they've got to truly sell this relationship to and so it wouldn't do to let her guard down. she shifts her hand in benedict's so that their fingers lace, the gesture overt enough that it would catch any critical eye. she runs her thumb over his knuckles, shifts her weight so she tips in his direction like a satellite caught in orbit. anyone looking at her right now would see she is clearly here because of and for him. and that isn't even a lie. ]
[ Lady Lancaster's eyes all but glitter as she looks Kate up and down, taking her proffered hand and shaking it neatly.
So you're Kate, she muses, as if the strange girl tucked under her nephew's arm could be anyone but. The way Kate shifts her grip on Benedict's hand gets duly noted, his aunt's eyes lingering on their interlaced fingers for a moment before she lifts them back to their faces and smiles. Benedict has told us so much about you. Based on the arched eyebrow she sends Benedict's way, that was pure sarcasm.
Benedict, from long years of practice, simply gives his aunt his best mild, unflappable smile and rubs his thumb over Kate's knuckles in return. He's learned how to not rise to the bait by being raised alongside her daughter, who is very much like her mother despite all the times she might wish for the contrary.
Turning back to Kate, she smiles, a little sharp around the edges. I simply must steal you away at some point so we can get to know each other better. It's wonderfully exciting that our Benedict has finally brought a partner home, it's just a pity that the whole family couldn't be here to meet you. Alas, for now, I must play hostess. Don't keep her hidden away from us all weekend, Benedict.
Finally, a crack in his stoic armor: he can feel a flush rising from his collar, his ears growing red. ]
Don't you have other guests to attend to, Aunt? [ he asks, somewhat desperately. Never in his life had he ever expected his aunt to comment on his sex life, however obliquely. If they could escape the room now and abandon any attempts at having dinner, he'd probably be relieved. Sadly, the main event hasn't even begun yet. ]
[ funny thing is, if they did escape the room to steal away for the rest of the evening, the comments on his sex life would only multiply. but it's to be expected either way; the combination of the novelty of a newcomer to such gatherings on top of it being benedict himself who'd brought her along is far too juicy to ignore, and thus whispers were bound to follow them around. maybe by the end of it all, the intrigue will die down... but that's a pretty slim chance.
all that being said, kate herself just barely stifles a cough when it gets brought up so casually. she's reminded vividly of just how close she'd come to being completely naked in front of her nephew not more than an hour ago.
kate can tell it's going to be a long evening. she can feel the fatigue already creeping into her bones, threatening to undo her, but she fights it off valiantly for now. not that she doesn't indulge in another sip of her wine, picking it back up after having set it aside to speak with helen.
once alone again, she turns to benedict, gives his hand a squeeze. ]
One down.
[ if she had the hand to spare, she would've given him a thumbs up but alas. ]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2021-10-11 09:09 pm (UTC)I guess in retrospect, your last minute guest announcement wouldn't have really necessitated a change in rooms.
[ he's an adult, after all. no one's going to assume two adults who were seeing each other would require separate rooms. even if one of those adults is benedict himself...
honestly, kate's not looking to get too bent out of shape about it. it's a large enough bed, even if she's pretty sure benedict can easily take up half (or more) of it, and, again, it's just a weekend. slipping further into the room, she helps herself to one side of the bed already, letting out a soft sigh as she sinks into the plush mattress. she knows better than to get too comfortable; it would be foolish to let one's guard down so early on, especially after how smoothly everything else has been going. she's skeptical by nature, and so naturally she doesn't trust all the good luck they've had so far. the fact benedict had managed to make it from the car to the front door with his arm around her and not pass out from blood suddenly rushing to his cheeks is little too lucky for kate's liking. ]
So, what's next? A festival celebrating your magnificent return?
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Date: 2021-10-12 02:32 am (UTC)He looks around the room with its soft blue walls and antique furnishings; they've been given one of the nicer guest suites. Probably to impress Kate, he's pretty sure he'd have been given one of the rooms down by the kitchens if he came alone. He's never minded, being closer to the kitchens means having an easier time sneaking snacks and he does like the distance that affords him a little more privacy.
The rooms down by the kitchens don't have their own balconies, though. ]
No, it wouldn't have. [ Except that it absolutely, very obviously, did. ] I think we're looking over the hedge maze, [ he adds, nodding towards the french doors that lead out to the juliette balcony, just large enough for a tiny table and two chairs and a few potted plants.
Watching Kate settle down on the edge of the bed has a strange dissonance twanging in his head: he's suddenly struck by the desire to lie down, tired from their journey here, while also being acutely aware of the fact that in just a few hours, they're going to be expected to slip into that bed together and sleep only a few feet apart.
Gods, his family will probably expect them to have sex at some point in this trip. Otherwise why would they have given him the nicest spare guest room? ]
Cocktails, probably. Then dinner. Not for another few hours, though. [ His aunt will descend from her rooms about an hour before the main meal is served, and they'll all be expected to gather in one of the drawing rooms to have an apéritif and make small-talk before they're allowed to be seated. ]
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Date: 2021-10-12 12:42 pm (UTC)she offers him a warm smile, patting the space on the bed beside her. ]
Sit. Relax. It's just you and me now. No faking.
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Date: 2021-10-12 12:56 pm (UTC)And yet...
He toes off his shoes and lowers himself down on the bed beside Kate, letting himself flop back onto the plush comforter and sprawl out for a moment before folding an arm behind his head so he can see her better. ]
Thank you. For doing this for me. [ He reaches out with his free hand, brushing the backs of his fingers against her forearm. ] I really appreciate it.
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Date: 2021-10-12 04:37 pm (UTC)Of course. You know I always have your back.
[ there's a particular lock of hair that benedict has. his hair is thick and fluffy as it is, but every so often a specific tawny lock will fall just over his brow, curling just slightly at the end that it looks almost coy in a way. like a tease of a curl. kate's fingers itch at her side until she finally reaches out, lightly flicking it back up to rest atop his head with the rest. ]
I'm not going to get lost if I attempt to freshen up in the bathroom, will I?
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Date: 2021-10-12 06:05 pm (UTC)Some of his ancestors were fucking weird.
He blinks at her slowly when she pushes his hair out of his face, his lips curling slightly, the tips of his teeth gleaming in the soft sunlight coming through the breezy curtains drawn across the french doors.
After half a second to let her question filter through, he pulls his hand out from behind his head to gesture towards a door in the wall opposite the bed. ]
Just over there. It should be well-stocked, but obviously it won't have your toiletries in it just yet. They're not quite that quick with the unpacking.
[ What soaps and lotions are in the bathroom will be the very expensive, conspicuously unscented kinds, so they don't offend Benedict's keen nose. Even the soap they use in the laundry is carefully selected not to upset him or give him a headache without cause. ]
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Date: 2021-10-12 06:48 pm (UTC)That's alright, I really just want to wash the airport out of my hair.
[ the problem with having so much of it is how easily it can carry the environment with it. she slips off the bed and takes a moment to stretch her arms up high over her head, work out the kink that'd settled into her lower back from all her sitting and slouching.
now, she doesn't actually mean to take very long. just a quick rinse, in and out. but the moment she stands under the warm spray of the shower the tension dissolves from her muscles and the fading adrenaline leaves her with the desire to be sluggish, indulge. she winds up taking a full shower, lingering if only to further soak in the steam, and by the end of it she's feeling even better than brand new.
and that's when it hits her — she forgot to bring in any of her clothes. ]
Good job, Kit-Kate, you moron...
[ slowly, kate tiptoes out of the walk in shower, arms hugging around her check for both decency and to ward off the sudden chill that clings to her. she inspects the walls and hooks for any robes, but finds only folded up fluffy towels instead. it'll have to do.
at the door, she peeks her head around after cracking it open, her long hair still dripping puddles at her feet. ]
...Benny? Did you fall asleep?
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Date: 2021-10-12 07:03 pm (UTC)If it ever occurs to him to find it odd or unsettling to have others rifle through all his belongings, he certainly doesn't say anything about it. Benedict knows how to do his own laundry, was taught how to dye and clean and tie his own robes at the monastery, but when he comes home it's far simpler to let the housekeeping staff take care of it. It's their job, after all, and most of them take great pride in doing their job well. His insistence to help would just create more work for them later when they took it upon themselves to fix what he'd done incorrectly.
He's still leaning against the railing, idly scrolling through his emails on his phone, when Kate emerges from the bathroom in a cloud of soapy steam.
Hearing his name, he steps back into the room, only to be confronted with the sight of her in the doorway, dripping wet, ensconced in a soft white towel and nothing else. Honestly, the towel covers more of her than some outfits he's seen her wear, but it's different. ]
I was just outside, [ he replies, as if that wasn't obvious. ] Do you... I can go back out if you want to grab your clothes? Or I can... bring them to you?
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Date: 2021-10-12 07:27 pm (UTC)the smile she offers him is more a grimace, apologetic. ]
Sorry, I thought you were out-out.
[ she hadn't seen him on the bed. in the short time it had taken for him to answer her after her call, she had already assumed and made the snap decision to flit out into the room, seeing their luggage, and acquire the clothes herself. she gets about two feet from the door when benedict emerges from the double doors, fading daylight announcing his presence like some kind of golden glow.
she gestures towards the drawers. ]
Do you mind? I don't want to track more water in...
[ SHE'S MADE ENOUGH OF A MESS AS IT IS. turning on her heel, she makes a quick beeline back to the bathroom, the door snapping shut tightly behind her. ]
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Date: 2021-10-12 07:54 pm (UTC)And, apparently, when his very dear friend stands only a few feet away from him with water trickling down her neck to slide along the cut of her collar bones, lovingly tracing the curves and planes of her body.
He doesn't let himself stare, he's not rude, but even that brief glimpse feels seared into his brain. For gods' sake, he needs to pull himself together already. ]
You're fine. [ He may have to clear his throat a little, but once that's taken care of, he rallies. He can be normal about this. It's fine. He's just... picking out clothes for his fake girlfriend. ] That carpet's seen worse than a little water, don't worry.
[ Faced with the realization that he's going to have to pick out underwear for her, Benedict swallows and stares at the dresser their clothes had been unpacked into with trepidation. He knows he's being ridiculous. It's just clothing, everyone wears is, and it shouldn't feel like he's invading her privacy at all. She asked him to, for one thing, and for another, they're going to have to play act at being very close this entire weekend just to get his family off his back.
Steeling himself, telling himself to stop being such a little bitch about this, he walks over to the dresser and goes searching. Ignoring the fact that their clothes have been unpacked into the same drawers, he pulls out what he hopes are comfortable undergarments — don't think about how that plum-colored lace might look stretching across her hips, Benedict — and a nice dark-wash pair of jeans, as well as a pretty blouse with a neckline he knows will flatter her. Figuring she could pick out anything else she might want, he stacks those items on top of each other and goes over to the bathroom.
Knocking briefly on the door, he slowly opens it and sticks his hand through, holding out her clothes to her while remaining safely on the other side of the door. ] Here you go, Katie. Hope these are okay...
no subject
Date: 2021-10-12 09:57 pm (UTC)more specifically, of kate's reflection in the mirror. of kate, standing just beyond the opposite side of that door, towel no longer wrapped around her body but instead currently being used to wring out the water from her long hair. ]
Oh — thanks!
[ she doesn't notice, innocently reaching around the door to take the clothing from benedict's hands.
and, no, it has not actually occured to kate yet just what exactly she has asked him to do. knowing kate, it won't occur to her until much later, probably not until she's pulling that lace over her legs will she realize oh. that's right. benedict has touched these as well.
by then her mortification will know no bounds, and she'll have a brief moment to contemplate actually flinging herself off the balcony. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-12 10:12 pm (UTC)Plus, he's grown up surrounded by women, from his mother, to his cousin who's close enough to him in age that they were often bathed together as young children, to the twins whose diapers he helped change when they were young.
All that is to say that the sight of a naked woman shouldn't be enough to fluster him. And yet...
He doesn't drop her clothes, mainly because his reflexes are too good for that, but it's a near thing. What he does, actually, is notice the expanse of honeyed skin on display in the reflection of the mirror, freeze for a half-second, then snap his eyes shut like that's going to do anything but force him to look at the after-image behind his eyelids.
If his voice is a little bit strangled when he replies, well. Hopefully she won't notice. ]
It's no problem.
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Date: 2021-10-13 05:52 am (UTC)she tries to dress quickly. save for the slight hiccup wherein she finally realizes she made her friend dig through her underwear (goddammit, katejamin) it goes off without a hitch, and she is soon shuffling out of the bathroom looking still damp but significantly drier.
it stands to reason that her clothes would look good on her, as no one really picks items out that are unflattering on purpose. but there's a difference between single items looking good, and an entire outfit working out. the ensemble that benedict has chosen is classy and chic, displaying a modern femininity that only highlights her worldliness. she feels oddly shy standing before him in the outfit he'd chosen, tucking a damp lock of hair behind her ear. it'll take her a while longer to shake off the embarrassment from earlier, but she's determined not to make it too obvious. ]
Did you want to take a quick shower too? I swear I didn't use up all the hot water.
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Date: 2021-10-13 12:46 pm (UTC)That would be very weird, wouldn't it?
He turns his head to look at her and winds up doing just that, looking, for a second before he smiles at her. ]
You look nice. [ Her hair's still quite damp and unstyled, which he has no problem with but he suspects will be rectified by the time they go down to dinner, but he's pleased the clothes he chose for her seem to flatter her so well. ]
If you're finished with the bathroom, I might as well. [ Like he isn't also itching to get the airport smell off him. Benedict is perfectly capable of ignoring his own discomfort when it comes to smells or sweat or what have you, but if the opportunity is there, he'll leap at the chance to get clean.
Gathering his own clothes, unconsciously picking out a shirt that complements the one he chose for Kate, he slips past her and shuts himself in the bathroom, only then realizing that now he has to grapple with the fact that the room is still hot and moist and, more importantly, smells like her.
A lot. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-13 01:08 pm (UTC)left to her own devices, kate doesn't putter, but oh boy are her hands itching to pick up something, anything, and hurl it at the nearest target. back home she had had the benefit of shooting ranges and street level criminals to work out all this anxious energy on, but here across the ocean where she is meant to more or less behave... she doesn't feel trapped, certainly not because she walked into this herself, but she does feel restless. like suddenly she's a little too big for her body, ready to burst out at the seams.
she winds up doing what any other 20-something would do, and turns to her phone.
since befriending benedict, she'd done her due diligence and given into her curiosity. which is to say she googled him. there wasn't a lot about him, specifically, but there was certainly a lot to be read up on about the lancasters. she remember thinking it felt a little surreal while she was pouring over wikis and news articles, how much it seemed like he might as well have grown up in a completely different world. funny how drastically different some things can be, all because of some cultural and geographic borders.
she looks over the first few search results now, scrolling idly while she blowdries her hair by the edge of the bed. (she'd packed one herself, as is necessary when having all this hair, but there had already been one tucked into the top drawer ready for use.) the first few results were the standard wiki pages, some articles on recent business and cultural affairs the family was last mentioned in. what winds up catching her attention is a blog post, more tabloid in nature, talking about matron's infamous party scheduled for that weekend. it's an annual thing, expected to be grand as always, and anyone who's anyone in this side of the ocean is expected to come. most of the names mentioned mean nothing to kate, so she scrolls past them with slightly glazed eyes. paparazzi-style photos crop up in the middle of the article, everything from rumored decorations and menu items, to even some sneaky photos captured of the estate itself, clearly taken from behind the gate. kate's scrolling so quickly she almost misses it — but then she doubles back. stares.
there, sitting innocently between blurry shots of the hedge maze and table cloths, is an equally blurry photo of her and benedict. taken just from this afternoon, as the two of them stepped out of the car to enter the estate itself. their faces aren't really shown, but there's no real mistaking the behemoth of a man that benedict is, if you know who you're looking for. they were captured mid-step, heads ducked together, his arm settled comfortably around her shoulders. this is what everyone sees when they put on their show. looking at it now, kate can't help but feel... something.
best not to think about it too much, right?
but — hm. she hadn't realized there would be this many eyes on this event. it's probably not anything worth worrying about either — just local gossip rags about local celebrity news. she winds up closing the blog and setting her phone aside, determined not to think on it a second more. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-13 01:49 pm (UTC)Kate is his friend. She's doing him a huge favor by coming along and pretending with him this weekend. He's not going to take advantage of that or twist it into something it's not just because she's a pretty girl and maybe his search history has taken a turn towards the petite brunette end of things lately.
If he brings her all this way, to his family estate, cuts her off from everyone she knows and every place she's familiar with, isolates her completely so the only person she knows and feels she can rely on is him and then tries to push for something she's not willing to give? That would make him a monster, wouldn't it. Worse than all the things people already like to say about the warriorborn.
No. He can keep it together.
Even though he no longer has the shaved head of a novitiate, or the time-crunch of a soldier, Benedict's showers are still nonetheless very quick, and it's not long before he's drying himself off in front of the giant mirror above the vanity. Peering at his reflection, he figures he can go another day without trimming his beard, and so quickly sets to getting dressed.
By the time they make it downstairs for cocktails, his hair has dried and he's come to terms with whatever mini crisis he was having earlier, which means he's gone back to settling his arm around her back, pressing his palm against her hip in a casually possessive grip. It's a small crowd, just the guests actually staying at the house for the weekend minus a few late-comers, which means it's easy enough to give her a quick rundown of who's who.
If he has to lean down to murmur in her ear to do so, well, that's unavoidable. ]
Right, so that on there in the green polo, that's Reggie Aster. Reginald. He's a complete pompous ass, Gwen absolutely hates him and I can't say I blame her. We were all forced to go to school together because technically we're family. [ Not so's you'd notice, though. The Asters split from the Lancasters generations ago, they hardly have any claim to the land or the fortune at all. Still, it's polite to invite them to family functions. ] Next to him is Barny. Barnabas. He's much more tolerable, but still a bit of a dick. They can't help it, they're Asters.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-13 03:08 pm (UTC)still, she wishes the rest of the walk had been as easy. she couldn't help but glance at every window they passed by, wondering if any high definition cameras had managed to peek its way through. she wondered at the price tag of every courteous smile from any staff member they met along the way, if any of them had already been bought prior to the event.
it's awful thinking, but it's one she had learned to grow up with the hard way. ]
Aster, more like Ass-ter, amirite—oh, thanks.
[ what started out as a dry remark under her breath winds up pitching into a flustered response to a waiter gliding by and handing her a fresh glass to replace her currently empty one. the man hardly bats an eye and easily moves on to tend to the next attendee but kate still has the grace to give benedict a sheepish glance beside her. the lady of the house was still making her rounds to greet everyone, oddly formal for an otherwise all-family gathering, and had yet to make her way to them and so they were left more or less to themselves as the rest of the guests grew more comfortable in mingling. every now and then, kate would notice gazes drift their way, whispers low and hushed in poor attempts to be discreet. the aster boys themselves, after having been noted, glanced over as if they had heard, so kate merely smiled politely at them and raised her glass in greeting. charming, if perhaps obnoxiously friendly.
her smile doesn't fade as she shifts closer to benedict's side, dropping her voice lower to an almost intimate level. ]
How quickly do you think I could get either of them to tap out in a fight? I'm thinking three minutes.
[ ah, yes. the typical conversation between two young lovebirds. ]
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Date: 2021-10-13 03:26 pm (UTC)It's hard, though. His childhood was a happy one, and he has many fond memories of this place. Even though being home chafes a little bit more now that he is an adult and has adult responsibilities and expectations, he still can't quite erase the rosy tint of his memories.
Even most of the staff are familiar to him, if a bit grayer around the edges and a little creakier in their movements.
He's in the middle of chuffing a little laugh at Kate's comment about Reggie when they're interrupted by a waiter appearing at their elbow to exchange their drinks. She's clearly embarrassed at being caught out making snide comments but he just grins at her, this is what he'd asked her along for, after all. After thanking the waiter — a warm Lovely to see you again, Master Sorellin, met with an equally friendly You as well, Walter, thank you, — he tugs Kate a little closer to his side and slips his arm around her again, making it easier for them to whisper sotto voce to each other and also giving her a little more support as his aunt steadily makes her way through the room.
Benedict is a closer blood-relation to her than most of the other guests gathered, but it would still be rude to ignore those who appeared before him to greet him first. He knows he'll have to wait his turn like everyone else.
Ducking his head a little closer to hers, Benedict glances over at the Asters and smirks. ]
Less than, probably. Reggie has an entirely overblown sense of his own abilities. He'll go in guns blazing right from the start. Barnabas might take a little more time to figure you out before he fully commits. He's not much of a fighter, though.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-13 04:39 pm (UTC)[ kate has nothing against the asters, of course. she's taking her cues from benedict himself, and despite his own frank comments he doesn't seem particularly bothered by them. she wouldn't actually fight them, nor would she derive much pleasure from introducing their faces to the ground. she's just competitive by nature. and maybe just a little too aggressive.
all this to say, the snide comment hadn't been entirely warranted, thus her embarrassment over the risk of being overheard. she's here to shock and maybe awe but she's not going to be mean without provocation. as far as she knows, the asters haven't done anything against benedict to earn her ire yet. so for now she makes a mental note to be a bit more careful. not everyone gets her dry american sense of humor after all.
the lighting in the drawing room is low and intimate, and one glass of wine was already sitting warm in her belly. she's feeling wonderfully fuzzy around the edges, so when she turns a little more towards benedict she pretends there's some errant lint on his shirt and idly brushes it away before smoothing her hand down the front of it. maybe even lets her hand linger there before finding its way back around the neck of her glass. ]
You know we never did work out our story. Who approached who? How long have we been together? Who's big spoon and little spoon?
no subject
Date: 2021-10-13 04:52 pm (UTC)He knows Kate doesn't care that he's warriorborn, that she doesn't even really seem to get it, and he's so grateful for that he doesn't really know how to articulate it. If that's all he could ever get from their relationship, he'll be happy.
But still. Her hand trailing down his chest feels a little too comfortable. ]
I don't think anyone would believe I approached you, [ he points out with a wry little smile, one shoulder lifting in a laconic shrug. ] And if you really want to be big spoon, I'll allow it, but... [ He makes a show of pointedly looking her up and down; even with the tasteful pumps she's wearing, she just manages to crest his shoulder. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-13 05:18 pm (UTC)[ is she a little bitter about being so small? perhaps. but at the same time who wouldn't want a little pocket protector. ]
I think for consistency's sake we'll keep it as close to the truth as we can. Which means we met one night while I was... working. [ "working." kate often jokes around that her moonlighting in vigilantism is her night shift. ] It was very cute, I flirted, you were confused, and then I kept flirting, but we wound up as friends first. And then... two? Three months ago? I finally win you over with my wit and charm and now here we are.
[ here they are, two people supposedly head over heels for each other, but it seems like all they've really had to change is how many touches are shared between them. (kate tries not to think about that either.) ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-13 05:59 pm (UTC)Granted, he usually wears bespoke suits anyway, but for his every day wear he's not quite so snobbish as to insist on hand-sewn trousers. Tailored off the rack is fine. ]
Now here we are.
[ Here they are, standing slightly out of the way while Benedict's aunt rapidly approaches them. He can tell she's sizing them up; she's too well-mannered and too polished a hostess to be actively staring, but he knows he's going to get grilled about this girl he's brought home the second the opportunity presents itself. Kate herself might get interrogated, if the mood strikes. He hopes she's braced herself.
Finally, it's their turn. His aunt, a striking woman of perfectly average height but with aristocratic high cheekbones and piercingly blue eyes, steps up in front of them and opens her arms.
Benedict, darling, she says, as Benedict releases Kate from the arm he had wrapped around her so he can embrace his aunt instead, dutifully bending down far enough to kiss her cheek and let himself be kissed in return. Why must you make it so difficult for us to see you? Don't tell me I have to keep orchestrating galas like this one to coax you to come visit. It's a dreadful chore. But never mind all that, who's this?
Like she doesn't know who Kate is. He told her the moment Kate agreed that he'd be bringing his girlfriend with him, even gave her Kate's full name so she could presumably be googled. Shaking his head, Benedict smiles and lets his aunt rub at his cheek for a moment to wipe away her lipstick before stepping back so he can reach for Kate's hand and give it a little bracing squeeze. ]
Aunt Helen, this is my girlfriend Kate. [ Nice. He didn't even stumble over that one. ] Kate, my aunt.
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Date: 2021-10-13 06:24 pm (UTC)but helen isn't an enemy, that much kate knows. and so her smile in return is genuine, as good-natured as the hand she holds out in offering. ]
It's nice to meet you. Thanks for having me on such short notice.
[ that being said, helen is one of the people they've got to truly sell this relationship to and so it wouldn't do to let her guard down. she shifts her hand in benedict's so that their fingers lace, the gesture overt enough that it would catch any critical eye. she runs her thumb over his knuckles, shifts her weight so she tips in his direction like a satellite caught in orbit. anyone looking at her right now would see she is clearly here because of and for him. and that isn't even a lie. ]
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Date: 2021-10-14 01:16 am (UTC)So you're Kate, she muses, as if the strange girl tucked under her nephew's arm could be anyone but. The way Kate shifts her grip on Benedict's hand gets duly noted, his aunt's eyes lingering on their interlaced fingers for a moment before she lifts them back to their faces and smiles. Benedict has told us so much about you. Based on the arched eyebrow she sends Benedict's way, that was pure sarcasm.
Benedict, from long years of practice, simply gives his aunt his best mild, unflappable smile and rubs his thumb over Kate's knuckles in return. He's learned how to not rise to the bait by being raised alongside her daughter, who is very much like her mother despite all the times she might wish for the contrary.
Turning back to Kate, she smiles, a little sharp around the edges. I simply must steal you away at some point so we can get to know each other better. It's wonderfully exciting that our Benedict has finally brought a partner home, it's just a pity that the whole family couldn't be here to meet you. Alas, for now, I must play hostess. Don't keep her hidden away from us all weekend, Benedict.
Finally, a crack in his stoic armor: he can feel a flush rising from his collar, his ears growing red. ]
Don't you have other guests to attend to, Aunt? [ he asks, somewhat desperately. Never in his life had he ever expected his aunt to comment on his sex life, however obliquely. If they could escape the room now and abandon any attempts at having dinner, he'd probably be relieved. Sadly, the main event hasn't even begun yet. ]
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Date: 2021-10-14 01:34 am (UTC)all that being said, kate herself just barely stifles a cough when it gets brought up so casually. she's reminded vividly of just how close she'd come to being completely naked in front of her nephew not more than an hour ago.
kate can tell it's going to be a long evening. she can feel the fatigue already creeping into her bones, threatening to undo her, but she fights it off valiantly for now. not that she doesn't indulge in another sip of her wine, picking it back up after having set it aside to speak with helen.
once alone again, she turns to benedict, gives his hand a squeeze. ]
One down.
[ if she had the hand to spare, she would've given him a thumbs up but alas. ]
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