[ 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. ]
[ being kate bishop is half-parts pure guts and half-parts faking it till you make it. if she believes she's a badass, then she's a badass. if she believes she looks good like this — rumpled and cozy and ready for sleep, no make up on — then she looks good like this.
it helps, of course, that he continues to smile at her. the kind that reaches those eyes of his, pupils nearly blown out by now. this close, it's all too easy to keep playing that role, to close the final few inches of distance between them and press a light kiss to his cheek. she's done it plenty of times before, sweet and innocent. but this time it lingers, this time it hits him square at the corner of his mouth. ]
You should get ready for bed, dear. We wouldn't want you sleeping in. It'd be most unbecoming.
[ If Benedict were prone to introspection and overthinking, which he thankfully is not, he'd probably consider the fact that the reason he likes the way Kate looks right now has less to do with socially accepted markers of attractiveness — which Kate reaches, obviously — and more to do with the quiet intimacy of seeing her like this: her makeup wiped away, her hair twisted up in a messy knot, her clothes soft and comfortable as she gets herself ready for bed. This is Kate without an audience, Kate at home, Kate comfortable and relaxed as she gives him a hard time.
The lack of audience leaves him equally comfortable and relaxed, which is probably why he doesn't think to shift his head far enough to miss her lips landing mostly-on his when she leans in to kiss his cheek.
Blinking at her in surprise when she pulls back, he wastes a second or two searching her face — why did she do that? — before visibly rallying and flexing his wrists in her grip. ]
[ why did she do that? she's not sure, not even now after the fact. she supposes she was curious — to see how he'd take it, to see if he'd let it slide — but she can't say for sure yet if that curiosity has been sated at all. the way he watches her, she can tell he's confused. but benny's always been too polite to properly rebuff someone anyway. ]
Said no man, ever.
[ haha they have fun here.
but she does finally give him back his space, sliding off the vanity stool to slip back into the bathroom to brush her teeth and finally finish getting ready for bed.
when she finishes, she pads back over to the bed, looking it over. ]
[ It should come as a surprise to nobody that Benedict has never been to any sort of gentleman's club where the ladies in attendance lose their clothes for tips, so he's unable to come up with a suitably snappy response to her little quip quickly enough for it to be anything but awkward, so he just quirks his eyebrow at her and lets it slide.
She knows. It's fine.
Idly flexing his wrists again when she finally lets him go and slips off into the bathroom, he wastes another few seconds going over that not-quite-kiss — was it an accident? did she do it on purpose? — before putting it out of his mind and focusing on getting undressed.
Even having grown up with a fleet of staff who comes in and tidies up after him, Benedict is the type of person to carefully hang his dirty clothes so they don't wrinkle, which is why when Kate emerges from the bathroom, Benedict is still getting dressed in his pajamas, having just shrugged into his shirt but not yet having tackled its buttons.
Glancing over his shoulder at her, he considers the bed before shrugging. ]
Right. [ If she's not going to press the issue, neither will he. The chaise is comfortable enough for a nap, but that doesn't mean he wants to spend the whole night on it. ]
[ if anyone were to take that chaise, it would be the one of them that isn't over 6 feet. that's just being practical. but seeing as how there's no way in hell benedict would ever allow that (unless he somehow took the floor in turn), it's just safe to assume they'll be sharing the bed. like totally platonic friends do.
it's fine. it's king size, she's tiny, there'll be plenty of room. they both deserve the comfort of the bed after a long day like they've had, and kate is sure their friendship can survive something so banal.
what's not banal, though, is walking in on benedict's bare chest, flanked by the softest looking pajama top imaginable. it's almost infuriating how good-looking he is, but probably not as infuriating as the apparent fact he doesn't even realize.
she purses her lips together after realizing she'd been staring, and demurely looks away back towards the bed. ]
Cool, left works for me.
[ a-hem. but that requires her to walk over to the other side where benedict currently is. and if she happens to brush against him in the process? mind your business. ]
[ It would sound egotistical in the extreme to say that Benedict is used to being stared at like that by pretty girls, but it's not exactly uncommon. Most of the time he attributes it to being warriorborn, though, not to anything else. Kate doesn't seem to care about his genetics, thankfully, which leaves no real explanation for the way her eyes catch on him as he's getting dressed, at least, no explanation he can readily come up with.
Doing up the buttons from them hem up, he frowns a little bit at her, but doesn't say anything even when she looks away. It's probably nothing. ]
There should be a cord for your phone in the bedside drawer. Everything was updated relatively recently to include all the newest modcons, but if you need something else just let me know. I'll talk to Mrs Goodman about sourcing it for you.
[ Fighting down the urge to shiver when she brushes past him takes real effort, but the moment passes so quickly he tries to just put it out of his mind instead of commenting on it. It seems safer, in the long run.
Nipping into the bathroom to take care of his nightly ablutions, he tries very hard not to think about the fact that, in just a few minutes, he's going to be sharing a bed with the girl he's tricking his family into thinking he's dating. It's a weird situation for anybody to be in. What's weirder, though, is how it doesn't really feel that weird at all.
Running his tongue over his teeth to make sure he didn't miss any spots while brushing, he shrugs at himself in the mirror. No point obsessing over it.
Turning off all the lights, he returns to the bedroom and does the same there, before padding over to the bed and slipping beneath the covers beside her. ]
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timeasmymeasure
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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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?
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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. ]
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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.
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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?
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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. ]
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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. ]
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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. ]
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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. ]
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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.
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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. ]
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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. ]
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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. ]
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Date: 2021-10-21 10:36 am (UTC)Bullshit. I make anything look good.
[ being kate bishop is half-parts pure guts and half-parts faking it till you make it. if she believes she's a badass, then she's a badass. if she believes she looks good like this — rumpled and cozy and ready for sleep, no make up on — then she looks good like this.
it helps, of course, that he continues to smile at her. the kind that reaches those eyes of his, pupils nearly blown out by now. this close, it's all too easy to keep playing that role, to close the final few inches of distance between them and press a light kiss to his cheek. she's done it plenty of times before, sweet and innocent. but this time it lingers, this time it hits him square at the corner of his mouth. ]
You should get ready for bed, dear. We wouldn't want you sleeping in. It'd be most unbecoming.
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Date: 2021-10-21 05:13 pm (UTC)The lack of audience leaves him equally comfortable and relaxed, which is probably why he doesn't think to shift his head far enough to miss her lips landing mostly-on his when she leans in to kiss his cheek.
Blinking at her in surprise when she pulls back, he wastes a second or two searching her face — why did she do that? — before visibly rallying and flexing his wrists in her grip. ]
You'll have to get off me then, sweetheart.
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Date: 2021-10-21 05:24 pm (UTC)Said no man, ever.
[ haha they have fun here.
but she does finally give him back his space, sliding off the vanity stool to slip back into the bathroom to brush her teeth and finally finish getting ready for bed.
when she finishes, she pads back over to the bed, looking it over. ]
Do you have a preference for a side?
[ because obviously they're sharing. ]
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Date: 2021-10-21 05:37 pm (UTC)She knows. It's fine.
Idly flexing his wrists again when she finally lets him go and slips off into the bathroom, he wastes another few seconds going over that not-quite-kiss — was it an accident? did she do it on purpose? — before putting it out of his mind and focusing on getting undressed.
Even having grown up with a fleet of staff who comes in and tidies up after him, Benedict is the type of person to carefully hang his dirty clothes so they don't wrinkle, which is why when Kate emerges from the bathroom, Benedict is still getting dressed in his pajamas, having just shrugged into his shirt but not yet having tackled its buttons.
Glancing over his shoulder at her, he considers the bed before shrugging. ]
Right. [ If she's not going to press the issue, neither will he. The chaise is comfortable enough for a nap, but that doesn't mean he wants to spend the whole night on it. ]
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Date: 2021-10-21 06:51 pm (UTC)it's fine. it's king size, she's tiny, there'll be plenty of room. they both deserve the comfort of the bed after a long day like they've had, and kate is sure their friendship can survive something so banal.
what's not banal, though, is walking in on benedict's bare chest, flanked by the softest looking pajama top imaginable. it's almost infuriating how good-looking he is, but probably not as infuriating as the apparent fact he doesn't even realize.
she purses her lips together after realizing she'd been staring, and demurely looks away back towards the bed. ]
Cool, left works for me.
[ a-hem. but that requires her to walk over to the other side where benedict currently is. and if she happens to brush against him in the process? mind your business. ]
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Date: 2021-10-21 07:05 pm (UTC)Doing up the buttons from them hem up, he frowns a little bit at her, but doesn't say anything even when she looks away. It's probably nothing. ]
There should be a cord for your phone in the bedside drawer. Everything was updated relatively recently to include all the newest modcons, but if you need something else just let me know. I'll talk to Mrs Goodman about sourcing it for you.
[ Fighting down the urge to shiver when she brushes past him takes real effort, but the moment passes so quickly he tries to just put it out of his mind instead of commenting on it. It seems safer, in the long run.
Nipping into the bathroom to take care of his nightly ablutions, he tries very hard not to think about the fact that, in just a few minutes, he's going to be sharing a bed with the girl he's tricking his family into thinking he's dating. It's a weird situation for anybody to be in. What's weirder, though, is how it doesn't really feel that weird at all.
Running his tongue over his teeth to make sure he didn't miss any spots while brushing, he shrugs at himself in the mirror. No point obsessing over it.
Turning off all the lights, he returns to the bedroom and does the same there, before padding over to the bed and slipping beneath the covers beside her. ]
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