psl; [a marriage of inconvenience]

[hedgemaze]

THE AUBEL ESTATE is located in Derbyshire, England, a stately old home reminiscent of centuries long past. Long ago, it had fallen into disrepair and abandoned until previous generations of the Aubel family purchased the land for themselves, having found their fortunes in matters of real estate. Since that time, the outside has been restored and the inside has been renovated at least three times. Four, if you ask the uncle who remembers the one summer where the chandelier fell from the dining hall, taking a large portion of the ceiling with it. How embarrassing, if such a thing is true.

In its present state, it straddles the line between the old and new. The large, prominent rooms are ostentatious as they are filled to the brim with austere English culture; the smaller quarters, traditionally used by the servants and staff, are far more modest, and over time have allowed the tendrils of modernity to creep in as a result. Regardless, the home is impressive no matter how you look at it, and there are few who do not cast an envious glance at the estate as they pass by Derbyshire on their way to town, or perhaps northwest to Manchester, if they've even farther to go.

PHILIP AND JAMES AUBEL, father and son respectively, are the owners of the home, though only the father remains for any extended period of time. And even then, he only stays perhaps one or two seasons at a time, until he returns to his home in London, spending one or two seasons there, before returning again, living out his life of retirement to the fullest. James visits nearly every week (driving in from Manchester, and back) in the Spring, until the first freeze of Winter, when nothing will grow. Though they have a staff of two dozen -- give or take, depending upon the time of year -- taking care of the estate and its grounds, James is more diligent about keeping up appearances of the house, showing a special interest in maintaining the complex hedge maze on the land directly behind them. Only he keeps access to its center, a literal walled garden of seasonal flora.

AS RECENT DEVELOPMENTS WOULD HAVE IT, James has been drawn into an arranged marriage by his father and an old business acquaintance. She is scheduled for an extended visit soon, and the staff have done a meticulous job of preparing the hall for her arrival -- and the rest of the rooms, as well, if she is expected to make her living here permanent, one day. Today, the weather is clear and the help is eager to aid her in unpacking. The grounds are green and the family dog, an old greyhound with cataracts in one eye, bounds up to her with a slow wagging tail. The father will greet her, of course, with all the usual formalities, and though he doesn't know her all that well at all, she at least seems nice enough. He disappears soon after, leaving her to her own devices as she sees fit. James himself is nowhere to be found.

Somewhere, sooner rather than later, a collision course of first impressions will take place.

----------

D I R E C T O R Y;

➤ shitpost.
➤ first impressions.
➤ diamonds.
➤ text her, texter.
➤ saviour.
➤ flirt.
➤ closer.
➤ cross-examine.
➤ PARTY CRASHERS.
✶ elle + devon
✶ elle + corvus
✶ ian + james + corvus
✶ devon + james
➤ alien abduction.
➤ sleep now.
➤ bathe.
➤ remember.
➤ drink.
➤ welcome home.

Comments

[winterheart]

[Devon turns to face him smiling and she opens her mouth, but finds words aren't coming out. Probably because she's talked so much during the party. She pauses and then texts him again.]

You'd sleep like a bear in hibernation if you could wouldn't you
James Aubel
Bear Man

need more beard for the bear look though

[hedgemaze]

[He raises a brow at her when his phone buzzes again. Then, humoring her, he decides to go ahead and text back after reading the messages.]

Sleeping is utterly divine, in so many ways. So yes, I would. If you let me sleep as long as I want, I'd have a beard fitting of a Bear Man. Should I try it?

[winterheart]

You're pretty good with the facial hair you got already :|b
But
I guess you can always try it out
I'll give my honest opinion as always

[Devon keeps her eyes on the screen before her fingers fly across once again.]

Just had a funny thought
I remembered something
long ago

[hedgemaze]

What did you remember?

[winterheart]

Fantasizing about the apocalypse is fun and shit until the conditions that could lead to one suddenly seem feasible

[hedgemaze]

[At first, he doesn't recognize the words; though he does feel as if they're strange. Definitely out of context. Odd, he remembers something similar happening to him not that long ago, someone who had claimed to be a...

...cousin of Lucy's.

He drops his hands to his side, looking at Devon in tired surprise, but not failing to recognize the amusement in it all.]

Bloody hell.

[winterheart]

[Devon lets out a muffled laugh and pockets her phone so that she's facing James properly. It's hard to believe it was only a little over a year ago that they had their first conversation already. Funnily enough, Devon always kept that chat in the back of her mind. Wondering what it would be like to finally meet this person in real life, to see him with someone else and keep a civil and polite disposition like she did with everyone else.

Now? She can't see the both of them like that anymore. Devon clears her throat and finally speaks up.]

A... Year ago, I thought it would be funny to mess with my cousin's fiance. Send a stupid message, see what silliness would ensue. I'm good at that as you know. After that I thought I would see this fiance, have a low to neutral opinion of him, and just hoped he and my cousin would have a decent life together with little to no trouble. I'd be in Portland, thousands of miles away, thinking nothing of it otherwise.

[A chilly breeze softly passes by and Devon has to pull the coat closer around her shoulders.]

A year later? I just sent him another stupid message. I'll probably send him a lot more in the future to make sure work isn't dull and that he knows I'm going to be thinking of him a lot more.

[hedgemaze]

[He watches her as she speaks, his look of disbelief softening into a faint smile. He hadn’t thought about that exchange in… well, in a year. He had nearly forgotten all about it, until she mentioned it just now. In retrospect, it should have been so obvious; after texting with her more recently, he perhaps should have connected the dots a lot quicker than he did — or did not, at all.

A strange fondness swells in his chest, the kind that only appears when he’s talking to her. It’s an alien feeling, sometimes a bit disorienting in its intensity, but he never fights it. Now, seeing her like this, wearing that dress, framed against the cold winter night behind her, he can’t help but feel it in spades.

He manages words, somehow finding them despite himself. His phone slides back into his pocket with ease.]

Something tells me that he enjoys those stupid messages. Even a year later.

[Though the words are flippant by nature, they’re warm. Good humored. Appreciative. He steps closer to her, under the archway of the entrance to the balcony.]

Though, you know… maybe not so much the laughing at his “dry spell”.

[Yes, he remembers that too.]

[winterheart]

[Her cheeks redden slightly at his last remark (because how can she forget that?), but she tries to pass it off casually.]

Told you I was mean you know.

[hedgemaze]

[Don't think he doesn't notice her cheeks flushing slightly. Of course, it only prompts him to tease her more.]

Being mean to a man for being loyal? You really are terrible, aren't you.

[winterheart]

Well, I thought it was a well established and unspoken rule that it's my job to keep you on your toes.

[What is she to do with him? She doesn't mind his teasing as much anymore since they don't come from a dismissive place. Her heart beats at a quicker pace than usual even after being here with him so long. She understands what it is and hopes to God that she isn't fooling herself or rushing things.]

[hedgemaze]

[He gives her an appraising look.]

Oh, I don't know. I think you may have to grow a head or two taller to keep me on my toes.

[winterheart]

[(And she hasn't noticed, but there is a sprig of mistletoe innocently hanging near them and if she moves a bit closer...)

Devon moves towards James as if sizing him and his words up.]

I'm doing a good job from here, thanks.

[hedgemaze]

Are you? I wonder who’s keeping whom on their toes, actually.

[Because James has noticed that mistletoe. He had noticed it since the moment he walked in, and he had briefly wondered if Devon had done the same. But no, she seems blissfully unaware of it, and a spark of playfulness can be seen in James’ eyes at the realization of this.

It seems he has her right where he wants, even if she did not realize it herself.

He doesn’t say anything else. He merely loops one arm around her waist, his hand at the small of her back, and closing his eyes, draws her closer with a kiss.

She’s warm and intoxicating, and even though he’s surprised her with the gesture, the touch of his lips are light at first. Eager but gentle.]

[winterheart]

[Before she knows it, she's pulled in by James and then Devon feels warmth. For a second she does not know how to take the sensation, but the knowing that it's his lips pressed against her, that it finally happened after all this time, that there's another understanding that had been able to bloom between them...

Devon's hands find their way to the sides of his face and she accepts the gentle kiss. Gradually, but slowly, she returns the gentleness with something a little more eager, a little more urgent as if she was giving him a little more allowance in this moment.]

[hedgemaze]

[And that's all the encouragement James needs. Her eagerness exemplifies his own, and he pulls her closer, and allows his kiss to become a bit more passionate than before.

His own heartbeat begins to quicken, driven by something far more pleasant than he's ever experienced. It isn't the usual kiss of lust and self-satisfaction. This was something more.]

[winterheart]

[Her heart resonates with his, her kiss growing in intensity along with his. She's never had one like this and it makes her realize that she's been so thirsty without ever considering the possibility that she lacked anything. Devon had kept to her own world for so long, that a world with someone else did not seem necessary.

But she knows that isn't the case anymore. She eventually draws away from James, but remains close, hands still on his face, and breathing softly and smiling happily.]

[hedgemaze]

[The moment lasts forever, and at the same time is far too short for his liking. When she pulls away, he exhales lightly. His arm is still around her, and he drinks in her expression, wanting to commit every second of this moment to memory.]

Watch where you step.

[He arches a brow, glancing upwards to the mistletoe above.]

Or this might happen again.

[winterheart]

[Devon looks up and laughs when she sees the mistletoe. She also looks back at James, putting some fingers under his chin.]

Are you saying that's the only way you'll kiss me?

Because I think I might return the favor without the mistletoe.

[hedgemaze]

[He laughs a little.]

Of course not. I don't need mistletoe to kiss you. [He gives her a look, teasing and familiar. She should know that tone in his voice by now.] I don't need mistletoe to do a lot of things to you, if you'd like.

[winterheart]

[From being this close to her, James may feel a bunch of emotions from just her hearing his words, his voice. Anticipation, joyfulness, a hint of heat, fondness, all directed at him.]

Maybe after you hibernate for three days. It's been a hell of an evening already.

... And that was our first kiss, wasn't it?

[hedgemaze]

[He feels all those emotions from her, and it's a shame he can't package them up and store them away for later. He could relish in them for hours, if she'd let him.

But for now, he pulls away, grinning.]

Mm, fine. I'll relent for now. [At the question, he blinks at her.] It was. Long overdue, wasn't it?

[winterheart]

There was a bit of a hit and miss back then.

[When she first visited his room, she means. Yes, she's being kind of a tease again.]

But it couldn't have come at a better time.

[hedgemaze]

Hit and miss? Ouch. [He pats at his chest.] Right in the heart.

[But then he drops his hand; his grin is bright, but tired. He figures she must be too, and he steps back before turning around.

But not without leaving her without a small wink, and:]

There'll be more to come. For now, get some rest, love.