#(look at the face he makes xD the perfectly naive boy)

[katyspersonal]

patches + 0!

(Asks from this ( x ) meme)

0) All numbers in the list!

Oh boy... You just straight up decided to kill me with this one 👀 To be honest I often find myself to be scared to even think deeper into this particular character, like

/srs though, he has the exact aura of 'character who becomes Tumblr sexyman' fdgfdgdfgdf

I will be speaking about his Bloodborne version specifically though. Patches the Spider. As it is the one most familiar to me and 95% of everything I post is Bloodborne related, so.

1) What would their social media page/activity be like

I already mentioned this somewhere, but we all know and agree he'd have shady account with 0 personal information that he'd send malicious links from. xd

Maybe he would also sell all the private information he could obtain from accounts he hacked this way. As a treat. However you'd need to be a very dumb/naive person to click on a link he sends because, again, we all know and agree that his method to talk you into clicking it would painfully obviously give him away.

2) What animal they remind me of

Okay I am NOT to count spider on this one, him being a spider in Bloodborne is lore-justified and other Nightmare Apostles are just the same (majority lacks human heads though). As for an animal that has to do with his identity specifically, I can't help but think of a raccoon. Nothing to do with his appearance, but raccoon is the most notorious 'cunning animal that steals shit and is an asshole but sorta adorable' so I just can't help but feel this is his vibe. (Or maybe I just think he belongs to a trash can, hehehe. /j )

3) My thoughts on their design/aesthetic alone

I reeeeeally love Bloodborne design for him. I overall love spiders, especially fluffy ones, so this design is just created to cater for my tastes specifically.

At first I was not sure whether to be happy or upset that Bloodborne version of him did not get his trademark sassy smirk that makes you want to punch his face before he even said anything, but tbh I've grown to like his more serious aesthetic in Bloodborne down to little details. He is just... very 'advanced' compared to his counterparts in other games despite saving his personality, he doesn't just survive but pursues Eldrich Truth so having this sort of 'I've seen some shit and continue seeing new one every minute with my eyes on the inside' look is just more endearing in a way. More inviting.

4) Physical headcanons (sleeping habits, favourite food, all that)

It is a no-brainer but for the starters, absolutely he is capable of making spider webs like this, however he doesn't need to catch any food. He just doesn't need nourishment anymore as his body is perfectly adapted for existing within Nightmare realm, according to Miyazaki he turned into a monster from much Insight, he is a cursed equivalent of a Kin! The only food he needs anymore is more Insight xD However, not needing food doesn't mean he can't eat. I think he will still gladly squash and eat blue slugs and other 'cosmic' phantasms, as some form of asserting dominance as cursed, demonic Kin before cosmic cutesy goodie-goodie creatures.

Patches could always see and hear through Rom's concealment just alright as well, he sees as much as an average Amygdala. And I concluded from how he is encountered at a random house after Amelia is killed + how he is a merchant in the dungeons that he can travel between Nightmare and 'reality' easily. It is not even limited to reflective surfaces like with Micolash; Patches simply moves between cracks of realms that he can see. Rom is supposed to have the ability too but she is a dummy thicc and only uses natural 'teleporting' of Spiders to move barely few meters forward :pensive:

He has grown a bit bad at perceiving more 'normal' things though - Hunter being able to creep up at Patches is not even the final form of it. At this rate Patches is just too used to seeing and hearing exclusively otherwordly things, so unless he deliberately focuses or expects you to do something harmful against him - it is extremely easy to catch him off guard. You can outright put a gun right to his head and if he doesn't expect you to harm him - he won't notice it with his side vision at all, nor he will hear it clicking. Just too stuck up with the voices of Great Ones to perceive things from just a normie human effectively.

5) Social headcanons (what do they think of their friends/allies if they have any, what are they looking for in relationship, what people tend to think about them…)

He doesn't get attached to people and it's been like this for a long time now, however when he was able to feel attached he would still never leave himself open. Like in any other realm, I believe Patches is not his real name but a pseudonym he permanently adopted. Giving someone your name means to give them your identity, and so far not a single new soul learned his real name! He would not want to give it even if he was to genuinely fall in love with someone, however if you are somehow to learn his name anyway, he'll make sure it 'doesn't mean anything'.

At this point in time, his ideal relationship is to simp for whoever is the current God that is useful for him xD He distanced from attraction to someone equal (?) very far. Patches always had ability to take just a glance at someone to get them all figured but it became only "worse" with his enlightenment so... what is the point to form very deep bonds with humans (and pthumerians) anymore? He is cynical about 99% of the people, his favouritism starts and ends at not giving genuinely kind and generous people to Amygdala. A bit hypocritical to be so picky considering he himself is full of vice but that's what we love/hate him for xd

Back when he still walked on his two he used to be very flirty, mostly with pretty women, but again never thought of seeking big trusting love. Most people are too morally depraved even if they hide it well, but truly good people he would not want to ruin with his bad touch! Most girls found him annoying at first but could not help it and crawled back if he'd stop with his teasing (if you are charismatic then you are charismatic lol).

He had attracted some people in his life that tried to get under his skin and break through his "tsundere" shell, to decide for him what he 'really' needed and analyse him, all of which he ditched by leaving them to die somewhere in the pit and all of which he'd still be angry at if he even remembered them anymore in his new life as a Spider. Not because they were entitled 'I can fix him' losers, or course... But because even the dumbest ones of them were right about him. However he is too stubborn, it is and has always been too much favour for anyone to have that sort of 'control' over him.

I do think his disdain for clerics used to be as present in Bloodborne verse as in any other, it is just that at this rate he learned so much about humanity and the world that there is no point to give them special honour. Nonetheless the specified distaste from his end had evolved into specifically looking down on stars-worshipping researchers like Choir, Ebrietas is pretty much the opposite of Amygdalas.

6) Psychological headcanons (tastes, fears, talents, regrets, how they deal with anger, just anything that comes to mind on the topic)

One of the things Patches kept despite 'advancing' is holding petty grudges, he could pout at as much as you making him feel guilty when he 101% deserves it! Remember that he doesn't sell to you or gives you a rune if you refuse to take his attempt to sacrifice you lightly. He knows he is not perfect, he knows as long as his identity still persists through Arcane enlightenment he is as bad as people he looks down on, yes. But if you make Patches feel bad about it, he will make sure it becomes your problem and your fault. xd If he learned to deal with secret guilt and wounded pride maturely that just would no longer be him... so, passive aggression ftw.

It is probably self-explanatory that he is prone to double standards and hypocrisy, just see him in just one game and it's transparent. When someone calls him out on it, depending on how attractive they are in his eyes he will either try to flirt his way out of the conversation or just throw salty 'no, u' spirited accusation and never be seen again. It is honestly just easier to let him be in control if you want to stick around for friendship/flirting/whatever, for anyone that ever tried to "change" him his stubbornness appeared to be so insanity-inducing that Frenzy is barely a status effect in comparison!

He early developed very unsettingly easy attitude to death and loss of dear people, even before Yharnam crashed and burned. He would still ensure fate worse than death if someone was to kill his friend, sure, but the loss itself he gets over with quite lightly. Perhaps it is just the ability to remember and appreciate the good memories if the person was worth it.

As a human he used to have quite a temper when things were not going his way. As a Spider though, he abandoned active aggression altogether, sense of being superior by how much he learned and who his friends are (Cthulhu moms) fixes up plenty of cracks in the ego, you feel?

His regrets almost exclusively have to do with not having spent enough time with some people while it still mattered - especially his mother whom he hasn't seen ever since he left in the Amygdalae cult. He wanted to check on her from time to time but every time he was stopped by realising just how huge is the rift between them now. When his friends would ask him if he talked to her like he wanted, naturally, he'd cheerfully lie about having had a great chat and catching up with the news and having no hard feelings.

His tastes in people, more often women, are either very shy easily flustered temperament ones, or extremely strong and big and confident unattainable menacing people that will wipe the floor with him, no in-between. He gets awkward and bails in emotionally hard moments though because to comfort someone he'd need to open his own heart, and that's a no-no! He will claim that "emotional swing has ruined the mood" and that he "did not know he'd pick a crybaby" however that's not what he genuinely thinks. In actuality he'd feel disgusted with himself but... Yeah he is the type to allow insecurities he refuses to address to turn into spikes that wound others.

Okay, I feel like at this rate he is becoming more sad than he is supposed to be so let's move onto next question already!

8) Made-up connections with other characters that weren’t in the canon (friends, enemies, whatever)

Upon doing this response I realised that it’d made more sense to place connections as 7 and ships as 8 instead because one can explain another, depending on the amount of context! But I was not prepared for getting both 7 and 8 in any way, hehe. So I’ll just break the row and go with 8 first!

Rom - Patches was probably the one assisting Rom’s initiation with Nightmare Apostles. They would get along pretty well still, however Patches would need to overcome initial uneasiness with her as she sees through every prank attempts from him by sheer intuition. However they were interacting even before. He is pleasantly surprised as Rom gets the courage to delve into more cursed knowledge, ��forbidden by stars’, but feels respect he is even willing to admit when turns out she is doing this not only out of blind trust to her brother’s (Micolash’s) crazy ascension plan, but out of true curiosity, too. Until this point Patches has been falsely presuming she was just a friendly pushover blinded by admiration with Micolash, so he has a soft spot in his heart for her as one of very few people he failed to get all figured. Even softer spot when Rom proceeds evolving in GO form and grows 16 legs, as opposed to regular Nightmare Apostle’s 12, though at this rate not even other Great Ones can comprehend what she’s thinking.

Micolash - The sibling Patches sees more often than Rom, especially after Micolash occupies Yahar’gul for good and shows determination to peer deeper into lost knowledge of Pthumerians of Pthumeru Ihyll. Bloodborne is complicated, such is Patches’ situation with clerics in it; whereas Choir and School of Mensis are part of the Healing Church, they are isolated societies pursuing ascension and knowledge rather than greed and vain, insane ambitions. Patches can respect this, as bitter as he is for having to thank a Church boy for helping to restore communication with Amygdalas. They have strained relationship though. Patches is scared of Micolash as he is just as cunning and twisted as himself but with added layer of insanity. Resents him because he has much more authority and charisma over other Nightmare Apostles. But also he respects sincerity of his pursuit. And he loves gossiping and joking with Micolash very much whenever they find a person they both hate. They still chat sometimes in Nightmare of Mensis however Patches’ interest had lessened a lot when Micolash turned back to Kos. We’ve been there already! If your God is not answering to you, seek another one or work your own way up! Where did all that self-respect and confidence suddenly go?

Lonely Old Dear (Irma) - With my love for using cut concepts, of course I’d grab and use the cut idea of Patches being her child! The last person currently present that remembers his soft side and knows his secrets. She remembers him early developing a habit of concealing his tears and making a happier face before the mirror, not willing to show his vulnerability and troubles with his father, and she’s proud of him for that. Irma never insisted that he should share his pain and ease himself, presuming he will seek her advice when he needs it on his own. ...But, past some point, it stopped happening. At all. And then he distanced altogether for his weird Pthumerian-leaning cult. He did not see her as one mentally prepared for what he discovered and wished no harm on her, however just talking to her would have done much more for her mental health than leaving her in the dark on where did he go and what he’s doing, really.

Chester - I still like to draw connection between Dark Souls and Bloodborne (not as in ‘they’re same universe’ but as in ‘they’re different universes but from time to time they intersect, usually it is fault of Great Ones’) and you maybe noticed his aesthetic is different, his movements are agility-based like hunter’s and his dialogue might sound like and Amygdala snatched him and teleported him from Yharnam! Well, but they already had a strange friendship since Yharnam. They shared love for trolling people and sometimes would butt heads on their approach (Patches is sleazy and Chester is more direct!), or if they have accidentally selected the same person to ambush (that one comedy trope where while two idiots argue, the idiot they were against quietly sidewalks away xd). However, Chester defended Patches for many times as someone who has actual Hunter skills.

I see both of these characters as the type to hate anyone who is too similar to them, so it is their differences (that reach point of fighting sometimes) that keep either of them from backstabbing another. They also give each other advices on how to charm ladies better - and to the surprise of absolutely fucking no one, advices from one fail the other terribly. This friendship is full of conflicts, but ‘healthy’ ones that end as easily as they started. Patches did, in fact, had to witness Amygdala snatch him... But like I said, his ability to overcome grief is disturbingly good - besides deep down he was prepared for a hunter of all people to die young. It happened when Patches was already ears deep in his weird cult and he could accept. However he never learned that what Amygdala did try to do was splitting Chester across universes so every version of Patches would have a version of him by the side. Unfortunately it did not work as not even Amygdala yet comprehended specifics of Patches’ ‘anomaly’, so all that happened was just moving him elsewhere. I question if Patches would have been way more upset at the Paleblood Hunter for killing this specific Amygdala if he knew how much she cared for his practically friendless ass in her own weird way lol

Vicars - ‘Normie’ Healing Church that is after Blood Ministration, not Eyes on the inside, is naturally hated by Patches, however they’d rarely interact directly. He thinks Laurence was a fool but one with good heart, he misses him, especially after Ashton, his (extremely cringy and depraved) confidant that ruined the remains of institution’s decency. He and Micolash used to mock Ashton at every chance they’d get, verbally or practically. By the point Norbert drops by, Patches is too entranced by Nightmare and Eldrich Truth to even bother, however around Amelia’s time he’d started feeling nostalgic and checking on the waking world for more than just seeking new victims. There is something about the way Amelia fell into despair upon realising nature of institution she was roped into since young age, something about the way she quit wearing Church’s sigil, something about the way she never prepared a successor, something about the way she sees Laurence as the only one who ‘understood’, something about the way she killed clerics that kept brainwashing her that keeps Patches from hating her entirely... He is not even sure what. But he sometimes gives her useful advices, without being seen. She just accepts him as a strange unseen friend.

7) Ship(s) with them that I like or at least consider

Well, since I already went on tangent about what amazing, sensitive and emotionally mature partner he'd indeed make (/s /s /s), needless to mention that ships with him would be moreso playful and not go too deep - for the sake of both his partner and himself.

I like to think about him and Rom sometimes, this might have easily been a fleeting thing in the past. My Rom falls for comedic trope of the naive, oblivious, sweet character that constantly sees through plans and bullshit on pure accident so she'd upset him as impossible to prank person. However she is also all so relaxing and cute and giggles at the slightest compliment! She is convenient for Patches if anything - able to understand him well but not trying to "fix" him, taking his flaws easy but not being just a mindless pushover. She'd give him fun and relaxation he lacks, and he'd keep her permanently excited to not roll into laziness and despair. Besides they ended with the same ‘religion’.

And I guess I sorta did make a solid connection between him and Chester? I just like to think sometimes, of them being that sort of friends that endured many sorts of failures and bitter experiences in attempts to get relationships... that they realised they were all they needed all along. xd Feels more like a close friendship with added intimacy than something super big but it might be enough. However, since they are both concealing their real names (who names their kid Chester? /j /j /j just a headcanon), they’re equal here and if they ever decided to reveal their real names to anyone, that’d be each other!

sksdgfds no, seriously, I do not have much shippy thoughts about him due to comic-relief-concealed Hell I envision his character as. I am however always here for any sort of just happy, chill kissy-cuddly moments with him and any character! I just do not have a ship I'd feel strongly about, let alone an 'OTP', but he can still get some affection sometimes ok!

9) Headcanons about their past

- He last seen his father when he was very little, however from Irma’s line when Paleblood Hunter kills her, I presume the guy was rather aggressive and abusive - whether on his own or from the Hunt getting to him. Or maybe he ended up perceiving what he was only yet to understand? Me and @val-of-the-north​ speculate his father had to be from Pthumerian line - explaining Patches’ bleach white skin in this setting, presence in the dungeons and increased interest to the Arcane. Nonetheless, although he can’t remember his father’s name, the face and the name, the scar remained; Patches was a gloomy and sad kid for only a bit, and then developed a habit of taking everything easy as he realised that “nobody liked a crybaby”.

- Had a rather nice settlement with other Amygdala fanatics in Yahar’gul until Healing Church had gotten there eventually as well. It was only a matter of time since they were occupying everything. It was quite a struggle as for “mysterious reasons” any and all attempts of the Church to settle properly kept being sabotaged. Clerics even started to claim the place had to be too cursed even for them xD That was, until Micolash took matters in his hands and offered the thing they could not refuse - an effective way to communicate with Amygdalas! Patches is forever bitter for having to thank who counts as Healing Church personnel nonetheless, but it quickly turned obvious Micolash was a “cleric” in name only and he was someone worth sticking around with.

- My current idea about anomaly with a version of him present across different timelines is that his Bloodborne incarnation is the progenitor. Some characters like Queen Yharnam and Rom are known to have at least two bodies - one in Nightmare, another in the waking world, guaranteeing their technical immortality. I think Patches was attempting to do the same - and a mirror is a crucial element in this ‘splitting’ ritual. Unfortunately, his ritual got interrupted with mirror scattering when he was still reflected by it! That guaranteed not a split between ether and physical, but instead him fracturing as a concept, but a timeline can’t have more than one of the same person to avoid paradox... So it solved its own problem and ‘dispersed’ him, guaranteeing Patches’ birth and roughly similar fate and personality across every nearby timeline! Thankfully, he at least still did accomplish immortality - when we ‘kill’ him, he is still present, just avoids us.

- I very badly wanted to say that he should have been one of Byrgenwerth scholars! But it has underwater rocks, such as how initially Byrgenwerth and Healing Church were inseparable. But... it used to be an institution of history and archaeology even prior that, right? So I think he did manage to get in there, being amongst very first students such as Caryll and Laurence! But as soon as they attempted to create a corrupt system that would eventually wreck this town? He just never showed up for the class ever again. Somehow he just knew, and he knew right, and in just few years ‘Healing Church’ started to feel like hostile aliens for him and not fellow scholars from Byrgenwerth that picked a different part. But now that Byrgenwerth is stuck between Nightmare and ‘reality’ and is immortalised (save for slime scholars and nosy Choir staff showing from time to time), he can delve in his nostalgia and just stay here for most of the time. This area just feels cosy, brings back good memories.

10) Content about them I’d like to see more of

Not to be that one guy, but... just any content of this particular incarnation of Patches would do. xD It feels like most people just see this version of him as a shitpost, however, Nightmare Apostles (the spider people) are a very real and solid lore hint as silly as they look!

Thank you so much for asking though!

[mykingdomforasong]

Hey! Do you have any more of the Royal Han Skysolo AU? I just reread your original bit and can't get enough XD You're a fantastic writer!

the fic in question

I do not, unfortunately. I really like that bit of writing, but I don't know if I'll continue it because I don't feel like doing all the world-building, like how Han came into his position. However, I have been thinking about cleaning it up and putting it on my Ao3 account. It probably wouldn't get much longer, but it'd be easier to find.

I have thought a lot about how I would keep going. I'm too lazy to write a full fic, but here's the general outline:

Luke wake up in the morning with the signet ring on, and ask Han about it.

Han would confess that he is serious about marrying him. That he wants to give Luke everything he'd ever want, raise his family up in society, and all of that.

Luke is young and in love, but he's not a fool. He knows Han can't just marry him for love. At best, he can look forward to a life of being Han's lover, while watching him probably marry someone else. And that's the best case scenario.

Luke gives him the ring back, and says: "Don't make promises like that if you can't keep them." The subtext being: "If you can really marry me, propose and I'll say yes. But don't ask again until it's a reality."

Han pushes the ring back into his hands, insisting that he keeps it. Luke laughs because that's an incredibly romantic, but naive thing for Han to do. He tells him, "If anyone finds me with this, they'll have my hand cut off."

So Han loops the ring onto a shoe string, and ties it around Luke's neck, and tucks it under his shirt.

Han is now more determined to figure out how to marry Luke. He goes to Lando (again, vague on the world-building details, but I think Lando has something to do with Han's place in society). He asks Lando, rather vaguely, about marrying someone from the working class. Lando just assumes he got some serving girl pregnant and feels bad about it, and he tells him that if there is a bastard and mother who need his support, then he can give it more discretely than marrying her.

Han assures him that's very much not the situation, and that he's actually just in love. Lando laughs and thinks Han's under a spell or drunk or something.

Fast forward a few days, and oh no, Luke is caught with the ring and accused of stealing.

He gets beaten pretty badly by the guards, although he puts up a very good fight in response (he's scrappy). He insists on being brought before the Lord (Han), and is before he can be badly maimed.

When he's brought before Han, Han has to pretend like he didn't give the ring to Luke himself, so he asks Luke where he got it, hoping he can think on his feet.

"It fell off your finger, m'lord, on this morning's ride, when you took off your gloves. I found it in the stables. I was going to give it to you in the morning."

Han takes the ring from the guard who's holding it, and put's it back on his own hand. It obviously fits him perfectly. "Damn thing is always falling off. Thank you for returning it to me." Luke nods.

Standing that close, Han can see just how bruised and bloodied up he is. He orders one guard to send for a doctor, and for another one to send for a hot bath to his room.

When the room is empty of every except Luke and Han, Han tries to embrace him, but Luke pushes him away. "I told you, I told you I shouldn't have that!" Han admits that he was right. He kisses Luke's forehead to try and calm him down, and it works a little.

"I know. You were right. Let's get you upstairs."

Han puts him in the bath, and Luke feels better right away. It's nicer than the baths he takes. The tub is nicer for one, and the water is really hot, and scented with oil. Han takes his time washing him, apologizing to him.

When he's washed, the healer comes in, makes sure his cuts are cleaned properly, wraps up his sprained wrist, and tells Han that he'll likely just need rest of a few days, but riding will be hard with his wrist like that until it heals in a few weeks.

Luke's a little pouty, but Han promises that he can stay in his bedroom with all the books and the comfortable bed until he's healed.

Han wraps him in his softest bur blankets and goes to send for something for them to eat.

He runs into Lando on the way. Turns out Lando was privy to their entire interaction after the guards were dismissed.

"So the stable boy?"

"The stable boy."

"Do you really love him?"

"Nearly fired all of my guards just for touching him."

"I can't actually keep you from marrying him, can I?"

"Probably not."

"Then do it. It won't be a big affair, but it's sure to make you popular with the peasants, and unpopular with the other gentlemen."

"I'm already unpopular with them."

He nearly skips back to his room once he's sent for some fancy foods and expensive wines.

Luke is crying a little when Han get's back. "Sorry, everything just hurts a lot," he explains. Han gives him a handkerchief.

He gets on the bed, and cups his face, and tells him, "Soon, you will be their lord. They won't be able to hurt you anymore."

Luke's about to push him off and get mad at him again, but he sees how serious Han is. "Really?"

Han takes off his ring again. "Will you marry me?"

"Really?"

"The wedding will be small, and after you're healed. And also people will probably be angry about it. But you'll be able to keep the horses. And your aunt and uncle will be cared for, of course."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. All of it."

Part of Luke is still so skeptical, and doesn't want to get his hopes up. But a bigger part responds with an enthusiastic "Yes!"

Luke's too hurt to fuck, which is a bummer to both of them (even though Han thinks he could ride Luke gently enough). But they enjoy a lot of wine between the two of them (it help's Luke with the pain).

They just get all snuggly together.

Granted when the news breaks, it is a huge scandal and a lot of people don't like it. But they don't care. Luke gets some fancy new clothes, his aunt and uncle get some financial security, and Han gets to enjoy watching his new husband put on some healthy, much needed weight(he gets a little spanky).

Basically they're too in love for rumors or gossip to even phase them.

[dex-xe]

“Can I at least tell my side of the story?” Young mischievous Thomas and Francis crashing his parents’ party?

Thomas & Francis General #40: “Can I at least tell my side of the story?”

(Just fyi,, I haven’t proofread this and it was written at 2am so if it makes no sense I apologise!! XD But yeh,, I enjoyed this one!! Also tiny bit of underage drinking, literally just kids sipping their parents drinks.)

Prompt list

Inbox

“Cousin, this is a rather poor idea!” Little 10 year old Thomas said. He shivered in the cold night as he leant back against a tree, trying hard not to dirty the jacket of his best suit.

“Hush, Thomas!’ Francis clambered up over a fallen tree and reached down to take the young Thomas by the wrist and pull him up. “Won’t it be wonderful: To see, once and for all, what these events are like!”

The boys continued their trek through the woods towards Francis’ home, determined in their efforts to explore the adult world.

Francis was meant to be staying the night at the Thorne’s large country home as his parent’s hosted the party of the season at theirs. He’d been taken to Thomas’ in the late afternoon and ordered to stay; to spend the night playing games with his cousin and get an early night.

And yet, once the servants had shut the boys in Thomas’ bedroom having provided them with warm milk and extra blankets, Francis had pulled Thomas back up, thrown him his Sunday best clothes, and dragged him towards the bedroom window.

“I’ll go first, then you jump after, yes?” Francis had said. He’d lifted the window open with ease and dropped carefully onto the floor below before holding his arms up to Thomas. “Come, cousin! Jump and I’ll catch you!”

“Where are we going?” Thomas had shouted down to him, climbing out anyway.

So they headed through the woods for the half an hour walk to Francis’ house only down the road, twigs and leaves crunching beneath their perfectly polished shoes.

Thomas was well known for following precisely what his slightly older, and much more popular cousin told him to do. As terrible an idea as trudging through the forest in the middle of the night to crash a ball that children were most definitely not allowed to was, Thomas couldn’t help but feel the anticipation mixed with nerves rise in his chest as the glow from the large open windows of the Button’s house came into view through the dappled trees.

The boys jumped the beautifully manicured hedge into the garden of the Button Family’s huge manor house. They tiptoed through the bushes, ducking and diving to avoid the gaze of high-society members talking in the gardens.

Upon finally reaching the ballroom, both boys were struck by the deafening noise of the ton talking and laughing and the delightful undertones of the string quartet playing on stage.

Thomas gazed up in awe at the variety of flowing sophisticated dresses and sharp suits that graced the forms of his society higher-ups, safe in the knowledge that he’d soon be donning his best clothes to join the merriments.

“Here, cousin!” Francis tapped him on the shoulder, breaking him from the transfixed stare he had on the others. “Eat this!” Francis thrust a small jam and cream cake into his hand. Thomas took a bite. He could’ve fainted: if parties were always like this, he never wanted to leave. Forget being a boisterous ten year old, what was that compared to the heaven of flowing music, perfectly delicious food, and the swell of pleasantries exchanged between society friends.

“Cousin!” Thomas was once again awoken from daydream by Francis pressing something into his hand but this time something that thoroughly shocked naive Thomas: a small flute of champagne.

“Cousin, we mustn’t!” Thomas exclaimed.

“Why not? How fun is this?” Francis took a swig of champagne as if it were orange juice around the family breakfast table. Attempting to copy his more mature cousin, Thomas took a mouthful, immediately descending into splutters as the champagne fizzled up his nose.

“Master Francis!” A voice called out. Both boys scrambled to drop their glasses onto the table and smooth down their clothes to look as presentable as two ten year olds in oversized suits at a party well out of their depth could look.

“You shouldn’t be down here, Master Francis!” A man in an elegant tuxedo approached the boys: Lord Seabrooke - one of the most powerful men in the high-society world Thomas and Francis were about to grow into. A firm but fair man, one that two ten year old boys certainly wouldn’t want to cross. “Shouldn’t you be in bed, boys?”

Thomas was about to speak up, apologise to his Lordship before sheepishly hiding behind the drinks table, but Francis got there first.

“Actually, your Lordship, my mother has given us permission to have a little look around,” Francis said confidently.

“She did say that,” Thomas agreed, modding slightly less self-assured than his wilful cousin.

“Did she now?” Lord Seabrooke scoffed. “Pray tell, why would your rather honourable mother possibly allow two boys to wander around her delightful ball?”

“Indeed, your Lordship,” Francis claimed. “Mother has been trying to prepare us for our entry into society. She says we are to observe the ball and study for our entry into society.”

“The pair of you shan’t enter the ton for at least another decade,” Lord Seabrooke commented.

“Yes, well,” Francis said as confidently as ever. “The more preparation the better, and some of us need it more than others.” He turned and glanced Thomas up and down, his eyes burning judgement into his cousin’s form. Lord Seabrooke followed his gaze, his eyes settling on the scuffed hole in the knee of Thomas’ best suit - he must have done it climbing through the woods.

“Hmm. Well, I suppose if your mother has allowed this, I shan’t impose.”

“Thomas Henry Thorne!” A voice screeched from across the hall, her voice rising high above the clamour of the ballroom. The boys whipped around to watch Thomas’ mother, Violet, marching her way across the dance floor fury in her eyes.

“What, in all that’s holy, are you doing here?” She caught a handful of Thomas’ jacket material, swiping at Francis as well as she barrelled the boys out of the room and into a nearby study slamming the door behind them. “What do you think you’re doing, boys! I left the two of you at home under strict instruction! How did you even get here?”

“Well, it was quite the adventure, mother!” Thomas was overcome with the trepidation of his trip through the woods and the excitement and wonder at seeing his first ever ball.

“I care not for what adventures you’ve been on!” Violet hissed. “How did you think this would be a good idea? You know you’re not allowed here!”

“If I may, can I at least tell my side of the story?” Thomas queried. Violet shot him a glare before he started. “You see, we were talking about what parties are like and wanted to see.”

He turned towards Francis, who was also glaring, debating how best to approach his mother’s interrogations. He took a deep breath, bracing himself.

“It was Francis.”

“You fiend!” Francis swiped at Thomas hitting him squarely in the chest. “This was your idea as much as mine!”

“Poppycock! Cousin took me through the woodland and said no one would question us here, which of course Lord Seabrooke, the nosy old git, proved wrong.”

“Thomas Thorne!” Violet snapped. “How dare you, young man! He is a respected member of society, working to ensure that our family are behaving respectfully. He was well within his right to accost you for galavanting around the Button’s party like wild animals.”

“But mother, we are simply preparing for our presentation to the ton!” Thomas cried.

“That is merely the lie you told the Honorable Seabrooke, do not think you shall fool me too!” Violet said. “Francis, I expect this from you.” Francis scoffed and went to object, before Violet waved him away. “But Thomas, this is simply unacceptable from you!”

“Mother, please just let us stay,” Thomas begged, moments from dropping to his knees and praying to her. “It’s just so perfect and romantic and gorgeous. I just cannot wait until we’re presented!”

“I have already requested a carriage, and Alistair has been told you’re on your way back.”

Thomas cringed, well aware that head servant Alistair would not be best pleased with his young master sneaking out the window. In fact, Thomas was quite sure Alistair’s face would turn the most pleasing shade of purple he often did when Thomas misbehaved, working incredibly hard to keep his fury in check.

The short carriage ride back to Thomas’ was spent mostly in silence as the two boys contemplated their adventure out and the reality of being able to one day enter society along with his parents.

Francis finally broke the silence: “it was worth it, though!”

“Oh, utterly!” The boys broke into fits of grins and giggles.