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.

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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]

[At that grin, James is pretty sure that he felt his heart skip a beat. How can she stay stuff like that without expecting him to act completely and utterly embarrassing around her?

He even casts his gaze to the side, vaguely embarrassed by how caught off guard he is. Like a flustered schoolboy, he tells himself.]

How... can I possibly say "no" to that? An entire album, filled to the brim with pictures of you and I.

[winterheart]

... Did I just make you flustered?

[CALLING HIM OUT.]

[hedgemaze]

[HDU DEVON.

He looks at her, and his first reaction is always to go:]

Of course not.

[liar]

[winterheart]

Ha! So maybe the younger me would have stood a chance against you. Go me!

[She makes an over dramatic fist pump in the air for her theoretical victory.]

[hedgemaze]

[He rolls his eyes, even if it's obvious from his tone that he's not actually annoyed.]

It's hardly a competition.

[winterheart]

[Somehow, she still can't help, but look victorious for flustering him. That said, she pats the Aubel album that's been moved to her side.]

This is... Probably not an album that brings up happy memories. But that's fine, you know? I'm glad I got to see it. I'm glad I got to see you. Who you were, who you started to become... And who you are now.

[Devon holds up her phone.]

And that's what I wanted you to see with me. And the other reason why I said it wasn't going to stop just here is because... Well, we're always in the process of becoming something else. That's just how it works.

And there's no one else I'd rather change with than you.

[hedgemaze]

[And that gives him pause, truly taking his words from him.

Devon...

[She was right, of course. Not all of the photos brought back happy memories, but the past was the past. It was a part of who he was, but he'd rather look forward to the future. A future with her.

And so, he merely leans down to give her a gentle kiss.]

[winterheart]

[She didn't see the kiss coming, but Devon gladly accepts it in all of its gentleness.

Even with all of her pondering of the what-ifs, she knows that she's grateful. Grateful for meeting James later on in their lives, knowing that there was always room for a change for the better. She lingers on the kiss for another moment before drawing away and standing up, her expression loving towards him.]

You should get your nap. I'll put the album back and get back to work.