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

[hedgemaze]

[The text comes while James is in his flat in Manchester. Again, he's seated at his desk, laptop open in front him. After the holidays, the unsettling notion within him had died down, if only somewhat. There were no more signs of crows, and while James kept an eye on the sky with a bit more vigilance when he was in Derbyshire, he had to admit that it was a relief for no other... major events to happen in the time in-between.

He looks at his phone when it buzzes, seeing that it's a message from Devon. He blinks, reading it.

And reads it again.

A minute or two passes before he decides how to respond. At first, he wants to joke. To tease. Ask if she's playing a trick on him.

And then he decides, well, that would be foolish, lest she change her mind at retract her offer.]

Certainly.

[winterheart]

[There is a good 10 minutes before she replies back.]

k

[Another 10 minutes come and go. One more buzz.]




see you on the weekend

[Meanwhile, Devon stares at her phone screen while sitting cross legged in her bed. She tosses her phone across the bed and runs her fingers through her hair, teeth clenched, having the sudden I immediately and totally regret everything-feeling.]

Shiiit!!

[NO TAKE BACKS, it would be a dick move on her part to do so anyhow and she mentally derides herself for her impulsiveness and now... Well. Nothing TO do now except. Wait. Probably ask the cleaning staff extra nicely to thoroughly clean the bathrooms.

Thank god she made extra cookies. They were always more willing when she had treats.]

[hedgemaze]

[He finds the intermissions in-between each text a bit telling, a little amusing even. But he keeps his own response concise.]

Looking forward to it.

[He certainly isn't lying about that.]

*~*~*~*~*~*~

[The weekend comes swiftly enough. James has returned, settling back into his room, sorting his things out, before he decides to track down where Devon could be. Though her curious request hadn't left his mind during the time he was away, he merely wants to greet her for now, and ask how her week has been. (And to make sure there haven't been more sleepwalking incidents as of late.

The knocks on her door, first, since it's closest to his room.]

Devon? Are you in there?

[winterheart]

[There's the sound of running water being turned off and then some quick steps and a doorknob being turned. Devon appears dressed... Normally. Casual pants, shirt (with some paint on the sleeves, something blue green it looks like) and she leans against the door way, one arm crossed, the other waving at him. Totally natural, 100% right here.]

Heeeeey.

Welcome home.

[(Her hair DOES smell fresh though as if recently cleaned and slightly dried, just enough to still be pliable.)]

[hedgemaze]

[He raises a brow. Totally natural, huh? Right.

He flashes her his usual smile, taking a step or two in.]

It's good to be back. Now then, what exactly are you up to?

[He heard that running water, you know.]

[winterheart]

[Now she doesn't try to stop him from coming in, but she keeps her arms crossed as she takes a step back as he walks in.]

Painting. Or, I was, but then I was washing my hands.

[Devon knows she's not good at coy, so she's trying to pass off as casual. She's trying a bit too hard and for James, he can probably feel that there's a mixture of emotions going on within her. Not all of them bad, mind you, but it's like an electric current. ]

[hedgemaze]

[Even if he didn't have empathy powers, he would be able to tell she's trying very hard to sound casual. As it stands, he can tell that and feel the undercurrent of... anticipation was it? Something similar.

He decides to pry in his clever sort of way, by careening the subject in a different direction.]

Some of the staff mentioned that you've been very busy while I've been gone. More than just painting this time.

[winterheart]

Huh. Guess it would have been weird for them to not mention anything...

[Devon looks down at the floor, rubbing the back of her neck.]

I've just been getting a lot done in the past few days. It's like I'm running a hundred miles a minute this week.

[hedgemaze]

[He looks skeptical, but not judgmental.]

Feeling inspired? Or just antsy?

[If she's been getting cabin fever, maybe he needs to consider taking her out more. The one shopping trip had been a nice reprieve, after all.]

[winterheart]

Guess it's both. I made five paintings AND a set of ten ceramic cups in just four days and that's without coffee in the morning.

[She leans her head in one hand thoughtfully.]

I get like this every once and a while. Sometimes I think it's when I don't use my healing often or irregularly, but I never took notice to see if there's a pattern.

[hedgemaze]

[He looks surprised.]

That's incredibly productive, even for you, Devon.

[And then here goes James, straight to the heart of the matter that she's been trying to dance around.]

Thought it might have had to do something with your text I received in the middle of the week.

1/2

[winterheart]

Hm? What?

[Too late her face is turning red although she tries and tries NOT to acknowledge it...]

[winterheart]

[Never mind, covering her face with one hand. She inhales and exhales deeply before mumbling.]

I mean... I'm not... Taking it back...

[hedgemaze]

[There we go. There's an embarrassment he expected from her. How cute.

His manner has become teasing all over again, a side of him that she should be well-familiar with. He approaches her.]

I should certainly hope not. I was looking forward to it.

[winterheart]

[As he approaches her, she sticks out her index finger, poking him in the chest.]

Get a change of clothes and close the door behind you. I already have extra towels.

[If she can't go about this delicately, she might as well just be blunt.]

[hedgemaze]

[He huffs out a laugh.] Yes ma'am.

[He turns to leave her room, just so he can grab a change of clothes like she says.] Be right back, and then we'll have a bit of fun.

[winterheart]

[When he exit her room, Devon sinks to the floor, sitting on her bottom hands in her face. She's nervous, absolutely so. But she's a woman of her word and in the end, she wants this. Her anticipation is at an all time high and if anything, she's nervous mostly because she'd let herself down.]

... Fun. Right.

* * *

[Several minutes pass and she's in her bathroom already, making sure that the water remains warm. There's some fluffy and cloud white bubbles on the surface, but not too much. Don't want to overdo it. Devon could have sworn she spent the rest of the week before James came home, agonizing over what scent to use in the water without making it smell like a perfume factory. The aroma she settled on was a combination of lavender and mint. Roses, she considered, but it was cliche. It was just faint enough to be relaxing and not overwhelming. There's even a bottle of red wine and two glasses. You know. For courage.

She's already pulled and twisted her hair into a bun, with some stray bangs framing her face. And more importantly, Devon is completely unclothed, save for the white towel around her torso.

Sitting at the edge of the bathtub underneath the golden lights Devon is... On her phone. Playing Candy Crush.

She's REALLY nervous and feeling way in over her head right now. The young woman mutters to herself as she completes a level she had already mastered awhile ago.]

THIS is what happens when it takes you twenty-plus years to do anything about it...!]

[hedgemaze]

[It didn't take James long to find a change of clothes for later, and when he brings it back to her room (closing the door behind him), he places them lightly on her bed.

He's already taken the initiative, you see. James is dressed only in a pristine white towel, taken from his own bathroom, wrapped neatly around his waist. He walks up to her bathroom door, rapping his knuckles lightly on it.]

I hear Candy Crush in there.

[And he faint scent of lavender, too? Ah, what thought she's put into this little endeavor of theirs.]

[winterheart]

NOPE.

[Goddammit, she almost dropped her phone into the water. She closes the app and pulls up some serene piano jazz music instead. Putting the phone on a safer ledge, away from the tub, and to steady herself, she grabs the neck of the wine bottle next to her.]

Uh, c'mon in. Just keeping the water warm in here.

[hedgemaze]

[Now there's music? He chuckles, opening the door, taking in the sights and sounds. But mostly, the sight of her dressed only in a towel.

Walking in, he gestures at his surroundings.]

You've put a lot of thought into this, haven't you? I'm flattered.

1/2

[winterheart]

Well, I had the rest of the week and since I was being productive I...

[... Oh. He only has a towel. Around his waist.]

[winterheart]

[She's at a loss for words for a moment. And then she looks at the wine bottle. She holds it up.]

I'm about to open this up and chug half of it right now.

[hedgemaze]

[He raises a brow at her reaction, but it doesn't stop him from walking closer. Close enough, in fact, to grasp at the same wine bottle she's holding.]

Let's not be hasty. You have to save some for me, too, you know.

[winterheart]

[Crap, crap, CRAP, he's so close! Sleeping next to him? No problem, easy as pie. This is something else entirely, they're both essentially naked, she's the one who invited him to her, and she's going to freeze in her spot at any given second. Christ, she's 27, why is she like this!?

Okay. Deep breath Devon. Which is exactly what she does. And then she leans her forehead against James' chest.]

Sorry. For being so nervous and skittish I mean.

[hedgemaze]

[A hand goes to her shoulder, light and easy. Though James does not show it, he's just as aware of their essential nakedness as she is -- it sends a wave of heat down his spine, just thinking about it. However, he's not as nervous as her, and therefore has an easier time keeping his composure.

He can't help but grin, despite himself.]

Don't apologize. [His teasing tone dissipates for something more sincere.] We don't have to do this if you've changed your mind, you know. I'd understand.