[ 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. ]
[ Some of the tension leeches out of him as his aunt glides off to greet another guest, and he continues to pointedly ignore the weight of everyone else's eyes on them both. He's used to being a bit of a novelty to gawk at, though the people in attendance tonight have grown so used to them he'd forgotten what it felt like in this particular group. Silly of him to think that the worst of the scrutiny would happen the night of the gala itself. ]
I would say she's the worst of the lot, but... [ He gives her a wry little smile, stroking his thumb along the edge of her hand gently when she squeezes it. ] Perhaps the most important.
[ His own parents weren't able to come, wrapped up in their business ventures in the Antipodes, his sisters are away at school — and won't they be cross to discover that not only did they miss out on seeing Benedict, but they also missed out on heckling him for having a girlfriend — and Gwen is away on deployment; of the members of his family in attendance whose opinions he actually cares about, it would indeed seem that his aunt takes precedence at the moment.
The rest of the evening goes in a very similar vein, with one friend or distant relation after another sidling up to them to make the acquaintance of Benedict's mysterious American paramour, some more polite about their curiosity than others. Thankfully, it isn't too much longer until dinner is announced, and then the only people they have to make conversation with are those directly beside and across from them. ]
[ 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. ]
[ He doesn't hold her hand the entire lead up to dinner, mainly because she's got her glass in the other, and she's polite enough to shake hands with those who offer theirs to her. But when Benedict isn't holding Kate's hand, he's got his placed low on her back, both to offer her moral support and also so he can press his fingertips into her spine when he feels her tense up against him.
It's sweet of her to take offense to the things people say about him, but this is hardly the rudest comment he's had to fend off from those around him, and at least he takes a small modicum of comfort out of the knowledge that he wouldn't trade lives with the majority of those rude enough to comment to his face, even with everything all considered.
His life may not be perfect, but it's certainly better than it could be. He knows that he's lucky, in the grand scheme of things.
Luckier still for having friends like Kate, who will stand by him and make snide comments right back, who sits at his left like she belongs there and wordlessly slides half her food onto his plate when his attention is turned away.
Bizarrely, for a moment, he wonders when Gwen told her to do that for him; then he realizes she's probably pieced together the fact that he's always ravenous no matter how recently they've eaten all on her own, just because of the amount of time they spend together. It's easier to ignore the impulse to pretend to be normal the further he is from home, one of the reasons he moved to America in the first place, and after their experience at the dim sum restaurant all those months ago she'd have to be blind to not realize that his appetite is greater than a regular human's.
Yet one more mark in the pros column of having Kate in his life. She's always looking out for him in little ways.
The impulse to reach out is strong and for a change he decides not to fight it, settling his hand on her thigh and stroking his thumb over the denim of her jeans in a grateful little caress. He doesn't want to draw too much attention to the gesture for fear of cheapening it somehow, and he knows if he interrupts Great Aunt Edith he'll never hear the end of it, but Kate deserves to know he appreciates her.
When her eyes meet his, he gives her a little smile and a quick wink before turning back to the conversation he'd been drawn into on his right. He's slow to withdraw his hand. ]
[ for all of benedict's anxieties about the farce, he seems to be slipping into the role of a doting boyfriend quite perfectly. the light, lingering touches. the comfortable way he carries himself around kate. it helps, of course, that they're so naturally comfortable with each other already, but this added layer of intimacy is definitely new. strange, in how easy it is.
it's what clouds kate's mind when his hand falls to her thigh, when his thumb rubs a spot there she suddenly realizes is just a little ticklish. their eyes meet, and he smiles that smile and winks that wink and thank god he turns away when he does because the sudden rush of heat to her cheeks would have been far too embarrassing to explain. she looks away quickly, looks to her food, looks around. no one had seen except — she blinks, finding one of the aster boys looking right at her with interest, a knowing smile on his lips. feeling caught, somehow, kate turns her full attention back to her food, ears pink.
after that, the rest of dinner pretty much goes off without a hitch. a few idle questions are thrown her way, their dinnermates curious about her and her life in america, but no one is either rude or prying.
now it was just the two of them again, tucked away in their room, their own little corner of this wild, luxurious world benedict had grown up in. kate had long since changed into a more comfortable set of clothes — an old oversize t-shirt that had the fading words DON'T WORRY, BE NAPPY stamped across it and a pair of running shorts that had definitely seen better days. she's perched on the low stool set in front of the large vanity in the room, directly opposite the foot of the bed, running a hairbrush through her long hair to begin the process of unwinding from a long, long day. ]
All in all I'd say that went over pretty well. I don't think anyone's close to suspecting, anyway.
[ she points her hairbrush towards him, brandishing it like a microphone up towards his mouth and adopting her best news reporter voice, ]
Sources say we make a pretty good team, Mr. Sorellin-Lancaster. What do you have to say to that?
[ Being at her side for nearly two full days now, sharing the same soap as her, spending all evening touching and focusing on her has left Benedict finely attuned to Kate, more so than normal. He can't smell her emotions, that would be ridiculous, but the sound of her heart beat shifts as he pulls his hand from her thigh and a strange stickiness to the air around them that he has to assume comes from her makes him turn his attention back to her, curious and only just starting to be alarmed.
She looks perfectly normal, focusing on her plate, but the same way she could sense someone staring at her, so can he, and he looks across the table to try and find the culprit, only to find Reggie still looking at her with a smug look on his face. He doesn't even have the decency to be sheepish when his eyes finally slide over to meet Benedict's; if anything, he looks even more smug.
Perhaps it's having grown up more or less together, forced to share a dormitory since they were eleven until Benedict left for the Temple, but he finds himself vacillating wildly between an almost pitying indifference and a nearly white-hot rage where Reginald is concerned.
Insulting him is one thing. Benedict's long ago grown used to ignoring the stupid shit that comes out of Reggie's mouth. But if he goes after Kate...
It's much harder to focus on the long, meandering story that Great Aunt Edith is telling after that. If he didn't need both hands to eat his meal, he might be tempted to put one back on Kate's leg just to make himself feel better, if for no other reason. (He doesn't question why touching her would make him feel better. He's just certain it would.)
By the time they're allowed to make their excuses and escape to their room, he's more than a little exhausted. Still, he politely stands at the french doors with his back to the room while Kate changes — would it have been easier to wait in the bathroom? maybe — and scrolls through some work emails he's pointedly not going to respond to until he returns to America. By the time she's settled in at the vanity and has started what he assumes is her nightly routine to get ready for bed, all Benedict has done to unwind is to take off his shoes and roll up his shirt sleeves, a few buttons undone at his throat. Perching on the mattress at the end of the bed with his long legs outstretched in front of him, crossed at the ankle and very nearly touching the stool Kate is sitting on, he's allowing himself to watch her, a small smile curling his lips. ]
I think your sources have the right of it. [ Is it possible for his voice to go even posher? Because somehow it has, leaving him also sounding like he should be on the news, a BBC royal family correspondent or something equally preposterous. ] It seems to me that day one was a smashing success.
[ it's testament to how off her game kate is that she'd completely missed that interaction between reginald and benedict. she's usually much more shrewd, much more observant. it shouldn't have escaped her notice that brief crackle of tension between distant relatives, and yet all she'd known that moment was the color of her roasted vegetables.
even now, she's none the wiser, her expression going dry at benedict's uncanny impression. ]
Because we're on your soil you're exempt from any teasing I may have given you over actually saying "smashing."
[ she withdraws her brush, resuming its methodical path through her hair. she had rushed through changing, all too aware of benedict's presence in the room, despite the fact the man hadn't dared to turn until she told him it was all clear. she feels only a little awkward being the only one as dressed down, though she had to admit she didn't mind the picture benedict painted at the moment. despite still being in his dinner clothes, he looked relaxed, comfortable. positively dashing with his bared throat and forearms. there were times he's so posh and proper, kate wouldn't have been surprised if he slept in a full three-piece suit.
brushing done, she sets her brush aside and starts to draw the thick stands up into a high, messy bun. her expression softens a little, matching the tenderness of her tone when she asks, ]
And let me waste my impeccable Nigel Thornberry impression? [ He scoffs, shaking his head. ] Missed opportunity, Katie.
[ She turns away from him and goes back to sorting out her hair, allowing him the opportunity to watch her without feeling strange about it. Their eyes meet in the mirror, and he finds himself responding honestly when she asks what she does instead of coming up with a politely dismissive response like he usually would have done. ]
It hurts less every time. [ Which is probably helped along by the fact that his parents and his sisters aren't here; it feels less real when his immediate family isn't present. ] The worst homecoming was when I left the Temple. I wasn't used to being a disappointment and a social pariah, it was definitely a new experience for me.
[ His family had been as kind to him as they could have been, given the circumstances, always willing to support him no matter what he chose to do with himself, but he knows they were disappointed that he gave up his place at the monastery. It had been a safe place for him, cloistered, sheltering him away from the harsh reality of the outside world, all the more seductive because of that promise of quiet privacy. But it hadn't been the right place for him. He's still not quite sure what is the right place for him, but he does know he's more content with his lot in life now than he has been for many long years. ]
[ it is an impeccable impression, and kate would devote a little more time to being suitably impressed were it not for the sober turn of their conversation. not that she's complaining; she was the one to ask, after all. ]
They say time heals everything, [ she offers around a shrug of her shoulders. she's not entirely sure how much of that she personally believes. she hasn't yet taken the leap to test it out herself, after all, if all those unopened voicemails from her father are of any indication.
of course, kate isn't so egotistical as to believe that her presence has made much of a difference this time around, but she does hope she's been something of a buffer, if nothing else. she turns back on her seat, leaning forward so that when her legs swing out, her feet come to rest right as the tips of his shoes where they've come to cross at his ankles. ]
I know the big party is happening tomorrow night. Are we expected for anything else before that?
[ Benedict isn't exactly a closed book, mysterious and standoffish, but he's also not really in the habit of divulging his personal problems to all and sundry. Most of the time, he's sure the people around him would considering him laid-back and affable, the kind of person who doesn't really have all that many problems in his life, helped along by his good looks and his family money.
Funny, how even those with all those barriers smoothed out of the way, he can still have existential difficulties that he doesn't talk about much.
At least he knows Kate will understand. ]
I suppose we'll see about that. [ Maybe there will be a time that he comes home and he doesn't spare even a passing thought to how he will be welcomed. It's a nice dream.
Kate's presence has made a difference this time around, even after just one day. For one thing, he's distracted much of the time from his own worries by making sure she's comfortable and looked-after, and for another, she's a bit more of a novelty for those around him and it takes some of the attention off him. He's very grateful for her being here, which is why he smiles at her and tips his foot against hers when she turns around and faces him. ]
There'll be breakfast served at eight, but that's very come-if-you're-awake, and a light lunch served around noon, neither of which are mandatory as far as attendance. We could go explore the grounds, or I could probably borrow one of the cars if you wanted to go a bit further afield, see the surrounding countryside or go into town.
[ if there's one thing kate understands, it's a complicated relationship with one's family. having lost her mother when she was still quite young, kate only had her father and older sister to lean on. but since deciding to take up the bow and arrow, doing what she does, she has found herself at odds with both. susan, because she doesn't understand why kate doesn't think simply donating annually to a handful of charities feels like enough. and derek... well. derek is one of the kinds of people kate works hard to fight against, the kind that care only for themselves, their wealth, and their status, no matter who they have to step on along the way.
she hasn't spoken to him for a very long time. ]
A drive sounds nice. When was the last time you were back here and got to really appreciate the area, hm?
[ of course, her intentions aren't entirely altruistic. there's a mischievous glint in her eye as she leans forward, the wide collar of her sleepshirt slipping down one shoulder, showing a flash of a plum-colored strap. almost as if on purpose. ]
[ In the grand scheme of things, Benedict knows he's very lucky, which is one of the reasons he doesn't like to dwell on his misfortune. Others have it much worse than he does. He should count his blessings.
Blessings like having access to a fleet of cars whenever he likes so he can take his fake-girlfriend out on a drive so they can escape his family for a little while. ]
Can you even drive a manual transmission? [ He arches his eyebrow skeptically at her. He's driven in America, alright. He knows how ubiquitous automatics are over there. ] I'm not sure I'll survive letting you mangle the gear box of the Aston Martin.
[ Both because he'll probably absolutely hate the sound of the gears grinding, and also because the mechanics will murder him in his sleep for ruining their pride and joy. ]
[ wow??? and here kate was basically offering all kinds of (illicit?) favors in exchange for taking one of those cars out for a spin around the estate but he's gone and triggered the annie get your gun sequence in her dna. he only has himself to blame now.
her brow cocks, and her feet shift, forcing his own to uncross at the ankles and spread. ]
So not only are you going to let me drive, you're going to compliment me thoroughly when I drive your fancy car better than you could ever imagine.
[ Belatedly, he notices the way her shirt slips down her shoulder, the flash of shadowed lace, the smirk that curls her lips as she talks to him, but by then it's too late and he's already opened his big mouth and put his foot square in it.
Of course, he likes Kate best when she's being belligerent and contradictory, which is handy, because he seems to bring it out in her rather often.
Laughing, he lets her kick his feet wider, setting his hands on his knees and spreading his fingers wide. ]
Oh, is that what I'm going to do? [ he asks, his eyebrows arching higher, well aware he's only digging his own grave further and yet being entirely incapable of stopping himself. ] And what if I refuse?
[ it's funny, really. were anyone to walk in on them now, when both their guards are lowered and they aren't preoccupied with keeping up their ruse, still no one would be the wiser. if anything, they only look that much more convincing.
kate's smile in turn is sweet, but sharp enough around the edges that it would be a foolish man to think she's at all acquiescing. especially not when she leans forward further, steadying herself from fully tipping over by placing a hand on the backs of each of benedict's. ]
You won't. You don't know how to refuse me.
[ a bold declaration, for sure. but not an unfounded one. ]
[ He's not nearly stupid enough to think Kate's doing anything more than biding her time, meeting him square in the ridiculously competitive middle just for the fun of it.
Especially when she tips forward and plants her hands on his, the surprising calluses nobody expects on her fingers pressing firmly into the base of his wrists.
He makes absolutely no move to shift away, even as she encroaches further and further into his personal space. ]
[ he doesn't back away, but nor does he lean forward to further close that gap. this, of course, means kate wins. just one more point in their unspoken, neverending competition. which kate is, of course, leading. she doesn't make the rules. ]
Name the last time.
[ her tone is both dry and taunting because they both know the truth here. but it's not as if kate's taken advantage of him or anything. she likes to think she's made her appreciation of him pretty clear, even if most of the time she gives him a hard time like so. ]
[ He's just delaying the inevitable. Letting her emerge the victor in these little spats doesn't bother him, though.
Once upon a time, he read a study that described how male puppies will allow female puppies to win a disproportionate amount of play fights in an effort to endear themselves to the other members of the pack. He's not entirely sure he likes how well that applies to this current situation, but he's not thinking about it. ]
You offered me coffee at the airport and I said no.
[ If she were the type to try and take advantage of him, he'd be far less accommodating of her. In fact, he'd probably simply pull away from her, piece by slow little piece, until he was no longer in danger of being taken advantage of. He's done it before with other friends. ]
[ kate's expression colors in confusion for a moment as she attempts to recall that time at the airport — it was early morning, she was dead on her feet and eyeing the starbucks by the terminal like it might have well been her last lifeline and asked him if he wanted what she was having out of reflex. they're together so frequently these days that it's just second nature now to always consider him in such decisions.
she rolls her eyes as the memory resurfaces. ]
That doesn't count and you know it. Especially when you follow it up with "thank you."
[ trust benedict to be polite even in his refusals.
she leans forward another couple of inches, her angle practically precarious by now but she hardly seems to notice, let alone care. the hold she's got on his wrist shifts slightly, thumbs coming to rub along the pulse point there. ]
You should quit now before I ask for two pretty things.
[ Watching the confusion drift across her face has him smirking a little to himself; Kate is very clearly not a morning person, at least not while also factoring in transatlantic travel, and he's secure enough to admit that the sleepy way she allowed him to herd her through the airport was very cute. Almost as cute as the little frown that creases between her eyebrows as she tries to pull up the memory while he waits patiently for her to catch up.
His smirk widens when she rolls her eyes at him. ]
It certainly counts. I said no.
[ Mostly because he knew he could get real espresso on the plane and he wasn't about to brave the line for Starbucks. Though he was, apparently, just fine with waiting with their things while she stood in line.
It's different.
He watches her tip herself even closer, bracing his stance to accept her weight as the seat she's ostensibly sitting on is only making contact with the smallest sliver of her thighs, and tries not to focus too much on the feel of her slipping her hands around his wrists so that her thumbs can rub at the thin skin there. ]
I never agreed to the first pretty thing. [ Which he probably will buy her anyway, because she's put the idea in his head and she's doing him a great big favor by being here. Shh. ]
[ there are still many, many things about being a warriorborn that kate doesn't fully understand or even know about. much of what she does know had been information offered up to her by benedict himself, kate ignoring her usual incessant curiosity in favor of being sensitive to a topic a good friend clearly finds complicated. that's why she likes little moments like these, where she gets to watch and observe unabashedly without worry of making him feel like he's being put under a microscope. right now she's fascinated by the subtle changes in his eyes, the way those cat-like slits grow steadily wider and wider. ]
You didn't have to. It was already a given.
[ she aches to know the cause for the change, but she knows better than to ask just yet. she isn't even sure he's aware he's doing it. ]
[ He isn't really aware he's doing it, no. He can control the constriction of his pupils up to a point, but he doesn't think about it very much in any given moment, and unless he's emerging from a dark room into bright sunlight, the movement is so subtle that he doesn't notice it at all.
Kate's scrutiny is met with a mild little smile, Benedict happy to play along while also slightly bemused by the turn things have taken. ]
I'm not sure I care for this smugness on you, Kit-Kate. It's most unbecoming.
[ That's a lie. There's very little that doesn't look good on Kate, and smug is a very fetching look. There's a reason he hasn't moved out of her way, even as she presses in closer and closer. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
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.
no subject
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. ]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-14 01:43 am (UTC)I would say she's the worst of the lot, but... [ He gives her a wry little smile, stroking his thumb along the edge of her hand gently when she squeezes it. ] Perhaps the most important.
[ His own parents weren't able to come, wrapped up in their business ventures in the Antipodes, his sisters are away at school — and won't they be cross to discover that not only did they miss out on seeing Benedict, but they also missed out on heckling him for having a girlfriend — and Gwen is away on deployment; of the members of his family in attendance whose opinions he actually cares about, it would indeed seem that his aunt takes precedence at the moment.
The rest of the evening goes in a very similar vein, with one friend or distant relation after another sidling up to them to make the acquaintance of Benedict's mysterious American paramour, some more polite about their curiosity than others. Thankfully, it isn't too much longer until dinner is announced, and then the only people they have to make conversation with are those directly beside and across from them. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-14 06:12 pm (UTC)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
Date: 2021-10-14 08:12 pm (UTC)It's sweet of her to take offense to the things people say about him, but this is hardly the rudest comment he's had to fend off from those around him, and at least he takes a small modicum of comfort out of the knowledge that he wouldn't trade lives with the majority of those rude enough to comment to his face, even with everything all considered.
His life may not be perfect, but it's certainly better than it could be. He knows that he's lucky, in the grand scheme of things.
Luckier still for having friends like Kate, who will stand by him and make snide comments right back, who sits at his left like she belongs there and wordlessly slides half her food onto his plate when his attention is turned away.
Bizarrely, for a moment, he wonders when Gwen told her to do that for him; then he realizes she's probably pieced together the fact that he's always ravenous no matter how recently they've eaten all on her own, just because of the amount of time they spend together. It's easier to ignore the impulse to pretend to be normal the further he is from home, one of the reasons he moved to America in the first place, and after their experience at the dim sum restaurant all those months ago she'd have to be blind to not realize that his appetite is greater than a regular human's.
Yet one more mark in the pros column of having Kate in his life. She's always looking out for him in little ways.
The impulse to reach out is strong and for a change he decides not to fight it, settling his hand on her thigh and stroking his thumb over the denim of her jeans in a grateful little caress. He doesn't want to draw too much attention to the gesture for fear of cheapening it somehow, and he knows if he interrupts Great Aunt Edith he'll never hear the end of it, but Kate deserves to know he appreciates her.
When her eyes meet his, he gives her a little smile and a quick wink before turning back to the conversation he'd been drawn into on his right. He's slow to withdraw his hand. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-15 12:44 am (UTC)it's what clouds kate's mind when his hand falls to her thigh, when his thumb rubs a spot there she suddenly realizes is just a little ticklish. their eyes meet, and he smiles that smile and winks that wink and thank god he turns away when he does because the sudden rush of heat to her cheeks would have been far too embarrassing to explain. she looks away quickly, looks to her food, looks around. no one had seen except — she blinks, finding one of the aster boys looking right at her with interest, a knowing smile on his lips. feeling caught, somehow, kate turns her full attention back to her food, ears pink.
after that, the rest of dinner pretty much goes off without a hitch. a few idle questions are thrown her way, their dinnermates curious about her and her life in america, but no one is either rude or prying.
now it was just the two of them again, tucked away in their room, their own little corner of this wild, luxurious world benedict had grown up in. kate had long since changed into a more comfortable set of clothes — an old oversize t-shirt that had the fading words DON'T WORRY, BE NAPPY stamped across it and a pair of running shorts that had definitely seen better days. she's perched on the low stool set in front of the large vanity in the room, directly opposite the foot of the bed, running a hairbrush through her long hair to begin the process of unwinding from a long, long day. ]
All in all I'd say that went over pretty well. I don't think anyone's close to suspecting, anyway.
[ she points her hairbrush towards him, brandishing it like a microphone up towards his mouth and adopting her best news reporter voice, ]
Sources say we make a pretty good team, Mr. Sorellin-Lancaster. What do you have to say to that?
no subject
Date: 2021-10-15 01:48 am (UTC)She looks perfectly normal, focusing on her plate, but the same way she could sense someone staring at her, so can he, and he looks across the table to try and find the culprit, only to find Reggie still looking at her with a smug look on his face. He doesn't even have the decency to be sheepish when his eyes finally slide over to meet Benedict's; if anything, he looks even more smug.
Perhaps it's having grown up more or less together, forced to share a dormitory since they were eleven until Benedict left for the Temple, but he finds himself vacillating wildly between an almost pitying indifference and a nearly white-hot rage where Reginald is concerned.
Insulting him is one thing. Benedict's long ago grown used to ignoring the stupid shit that comes out of Reggie's mouth. But if he goes after Kate...
It's much harder to focus on the long, meandering story that Great Aunt Edith is telling after that. If he didn't need both hands to eat his meal, he might be tempted to put one back on Kate's leg just to make himself feel better, if for no other reason. (He doesn't question why touching her would make him feel better. He's just certain it would.)
By the time they're allowed to make their excuses and escape to their room, he's more than a little exhausted. Still, he politely stands at the french doors with his back to the room while Kate changes — would it have been easier to wait in the bathroom? maybe — and scrolls through some work emails he's pointedly not going to respond to until he returns to America. By the time she's settled in at the vanity and has started what he assumes is her nightly routine to get ready for bed, all Benedict has done to unwind is to take off his shoes and roll up his shirt sleeves, a few buttons undone at his throat. Perching on the mattress at the end of the bed with his long legs outstretched in front of him, crossed at the ankle and very nearly touching the stool Kate is sitting on, he's allowing himself to watch her, a small smile curling his lips. ]
I think your sources have the right of it. [ Is it possible for his voice to go even posher? Because somehow it has, leaving him also sounding like he should be on the news, a BBC royal family correspondent or something equally preposterous. ] It seems to me that day one was a smashing success.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-15 04:44 pm (UTC)even now, she's none the wiser, her expression going dry at benedict's uncanny impression. ]
Because we're on your soil you're exempt from any teasing I may have given you over actually saying "smashing."
[ she withdraws her brush, resuming its methodical path through her hair. she had rushed through changing, all too aware of benedict's presence in the room, despite the fact the man hadn't dared to turn until she told him it was all clear. she feels only a little awkward being the only one as dressed down, though she had to admit she didn't mind the picture benedict painted at the moment. despite still being in his dinner clothes, he looked relaxed, comfortable. positively dashing with his bared throat and forearms. there were times he's so posh and proper, kate wouldn't have been surprised if he slept in a full three-piece suit.
brushing done, she sets her brush aside and starts to draw the thick stands up into a high, messy bun. her expression softens a little, matching the tenderness of her tone when she asks, ]
How was it? Seeing them all again, I mean.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-15 08:55 pm (UTC)[ She turns away from him and goes back to sorting out her hair, allowing him the opportunity to watch her without feeling strange about it. Their eyes meet in the mirror, and he finds himself responding honestly when she asks what she does instead of coming up with a politely dismissive response like he usually would have done. ]
It hurts less every time. [ Which is probably helped along by the fact that his parents and his sisters aren't here; it feels less real when his immediate family isn't present. ] The worst homecoming was when I left the Temple. I wasn't used to being a disappointment and a social pariah, it was definitely a new experience for me.
[ His family had been as kind to him as they could have been, given the circumstances, always willing to support him no matter what he chose to do with himself, but he knows they were disappointed that he gave up his place at the monastery. It had been a safe place for him, cloistered, sheltering him away from the harsh reality of the outside world, all the more seductive because of that promise of quiet privacy. But it hadn't been the right place for him. He's still not quite sure what is the right place for him, but he does know he's more content with his lot in life now than he has been for many long years. ]
Now it's not so bad.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-18 11:29 pm (UTC)They say time heals everything, [ she offers around a shrug of her shoulders. she's not entirely sure how much of that she personally believes. she hasn't yet taken the leap to test it out herself, after all, if all those unopened voicemails from her father are of any indication.
of course, kate isn't so egotistical as to believe that her presence has made much of a difference this time around, but she does hope she's been something of a buffer, if nothing else. she turns back on her seat, leaning forward so that when her legs swing out, her feet come to rest right as the tips of his shoes where they've come to cross at his ankles. ]
I know the big party is happening tomorrow night. Are we expected for anything else before that?
no subject
Date: 2021-10-19 02:00 am (UTC)Funny, how even those with all those barriers smoothed out of the way, he can still have existential difficulties that he doesn't talk about much.
At least he knows Kate will understand. ]
I suppose we'll see about that. [ Maybe there will be a time that he comes home and he doesn't spare even a passing thought to how he will be welcomed. It's a nice dream.
Kate's presence has made a difference this time around, even after just one day. For one thing, he's distracted much of the time from his own worries by making sure she's comfortable and looked-after, and for another, she's a bit more of a novelty for those around him and it takes some of the attention off him. He's very grateful for her being here, which is why he smiles at her and tips his foot against hers when she turns around and faces him. ]
There'll be breakfast served at eight, but that's very come-if-you're-awake, and a light lunch served around noon, neither of which are mandatory as far as attendance. We could go explore the grounds, or I could probably borrow one of the cars if you wanted to go a bit further afield, see the surrounding countryside or go into town.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-19 03:32 pm (UTC)she hasn't spoken to him for a very long time. ]
A drive sounds nice. When was the last time you were back here and got to really appreciate the area, hm?
[ of course, her intentions aren't entirely altruistic. there's a mischievous glint in her eye as she leans forward, the wide collar of her sleepshirt slipping down one shoulder, showing a flash of a plum-colored strap. almost as if on purpose. ]
Now what's it gonna take for you to let me drive?
no subject
Date: 2021-10-19 05:53 pm (UTC)Blessings like having access to a fleet of cars whenever he likes so he can take his fake-girlfriend out on a drive so they can escape his family for a little while. ]
Can you even drive a manual transmission? [ He arches his eyebrow skeptically at her. He's driven in America, alright. He knows how ubiquitous automatics are over there. ] I'm not sure I'll survive letting you mangle the gear box of the Aston Martin.
[ Both because he'll probably absolutely hate the sound of the gears grinding, and also because the mechanics will murder him in his sleep for ruining their pride and joy. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-19 06:27 pm (UTC)her brow cocks, and her feet shift, forcing his own to uncross at the ankles and spread. ]
So not only are you going to let me drive, you're going to compliment me thoroughly when I drive your fancy car better than you could ever imagine.
And then buy me something pretty.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-19 07:11 pm (UTC)Of course, he likes Kate best when she's being belligerent and contradictory, which is handy, because he seems to bring it out in her rather often.
Laughing, he lets her kick his feet wider, setting his hands on his knees and spreading his fingers wide. ]
Oh, is that what I'm going to do? [ he asks, his eyebrows arching higher, well aware he's only digging his own grave further and yet being entirely incapable of stopping himself. ] And what if I refuse?
no subject
Date: 2021-10-19 07:24 pm (UTC)kate's smile in turn is sweet, but sharp enough around the edges that it would be a foolish man to think she's at all acquiescing. especially not when she leans forward further, steadying herself from fully tipping over by placing a hand on the backs of each of benedict's. ]
You won't. You don't know how to refuse me.
[ a bold declaration, for sure. but not an unfounded one. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-19 07:33 pm (UTC)Especially when she tips forward and plants her hands on his, the surprising calluses nobody expects on her fingers pressing firmly into the base of his wrists.
He makes absolutely no move to shift away, even as she encroaches further and further into his personal space. ]
I refuse you all the time.
[ No, he really doesn't. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-19 09:54 pm (UTC)Name the last time.
[ her tone is both dry and taunting because they both know the truth here. but it's not as if kate's taken advantage of him or anything. she likes to think she's made her appreciation of him pretty clear, even if most of the time she gives him a hard time like so. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-19 10:23 pm (UTC)Once upon a time, he read a study that described how male puppies will allow female puppies to win a disproportionate amount of play fights in an effort to endear themselves to the other members of the pack. He's not entirely sure he likes how well that applies to this current situation, but he's not thinking about it. ]
You offered me coffee at the airport and I said no.
[ If she were the type to try and take advantage of him, he'd be far less accommodating of her. In fact, he'd probably simply pull away from her, piece by slow little piece, until he was no longer in danger of being taken advantage of. He's done it before with other friends. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-20 03:42 pm (UTC)she rolls her eyes as the memory resurfaces. ]
That doesn't count and you know it. Especially when you follow it up with "thank you."
[ trust benedict to be polite even in his refusals.
she leans forward another couple of inches, her angle practically precarious by now but she hardly seems to notice, let alone care. the hold she's got on his wrist shifts slightly, thumbs coming to rub along the pulse point there. ]
You should quit now before I ask for two pretty things.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-20 03:53 pm (UTC)His smirk widens when she rolls her eyes at him. ]
It certainly counts. I said no.
[ Mostly because he knew he could get real espresso on the plane and he wasn't about to brave the line for Starbucks. Though he was, apparently, just fine with waiting with their things while she stood in line.
It's different.
He watches her tip herself even closer, bracing his stance to accept her weight as the seat she's ostensibly sitting on is only making contact with the smallest sliver of her thighs, and tries not to focus too much on the feel of her slipping her hands around his wrists so that her thumbs can rub at the thin skin there. ]
I never agreed to the first pretty thing. [ Which he probably will buy her anyway, because she's put the idea in his head and she's doing him a great big favor by being here. Shh. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-20 07:08 pm (UTC)You didn't have to. It was already a given.
[ she aches to know the cause for the change, but she knows better than to ask just yet. she isn't even sure he's aware he's doing it. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-21 01:34 am (UTC)Kate's scrutiny is met with a mild little smile, Benedict happy to play along while also slightly bemused by the turn things have taken. ]
I'm not sure I care for this smugness on you, Kit-Kate. It's most unbecoming.
[ That's a lie. There's very little that doesn't look good on Kate, and smug is a very fetching look. There's a reason he hasn't moved out of her way, even as she presses in closer and closer. ]
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From: