#Colin was so disappointed and resigned

[violetsarepurple-fuckyou]

Me: look, Colindeli probably isn’t going to happen and I gotta brace for that and not expect the most dramatic and romantic scenes with them in the future...

Lou Wilson in the Adventuring Party: I THOUGHT ABOUT SAYING THAT AFTER LEAVING THE BOAT THAT COLIN SET UP FOR THEM BEFORE THEIR BREAKUP, DELI CARVED A SCAR INTO HIS CHEST WITH COLIN’S KNIFE AS A REMINDER NOT TO LET ANYONE GET THAT CLOSE AGAIN! MAKE AN ANIMATION OF DELI SITTING IN A DARK ROOM CLUTCHING THE DAGGER TO HIS HEART WHILE LINCOLN PARK MUSIC PLAYS! FIVE YEARS LATER AFTER REPLACING COLIN WITH KARNA AS HIS SKALD, BEING ABSOLUTELY BRUTAL IN WAR EXACTLY THE WAY COLIN COULDN’T STAY FOR, AND NOW FINALLY ARRIVING AT THE CULMINATION OF HIS AMBITION, DELI STILL HAS THE FUCKING KNIFE!!!

What the fUUUCK?!?!! (read the tags)

[99thpercentile]

places where the audio distorts

image ids under the cut

tmagp 4:

tmagp 5:

tmagp 7:

tmagp 8:

the audio distorts when people lie.

I imagine this knowledge will come in handy later.

[id: ALICE: This is not something you go poking around in. Not if you want to keep your job… or your neck. SAM: (a little amused) Okay, okay! I get it. Consider me scared straight. "Consider me scared straight" is highlighted. end id]

[id: LENA: Now, while I understand your concerns, you need to understand that Colin has held the IT Manager position for some time without incident, and although he is somewhat… frustrated with his current assignment, he can request help from the central IT team at any time. I am certain that should he find his responsibilities unmanageable, he will request assistance. Or resign, of course. Either way, the problem will resolve itself. "Or resign, of course" is highlighted. end id]

[id: CELIA: Is there any way to look up specific files? ALICE: Like what? CELIA: Oh, I don’t know. Every case about… being buried alive, or meat, or… whatever. ALICE: Well, there’s a search bar, but it doesn’t actually do anything. You’d have to dig through them all manually. (suspicious) – Why do you ask? CELIA: Just figuring it all out. Ah well, I guess I’ll need to find Bigfoot on my own time. "Just figuring it all out" is highlighted. end id]

[id: GERTRUDE: I see. Well, I’m sorry, but I don’t think Gerry can help you – GERRY: (casually) Yeah, I barely remember any of it. "I don’t think Gerry can help you" is highlighted. end id]

[id: GERRY: Oh yeah, but I was pretty young. I remember filling in a bunch of forms and questionnaires, then some old men asking me questions about what books I liked to read, who did I look up to, that kind of thing. And then I left. SAM: (disappointed) That’s all? GERRY: Yeah, afraid so. Other than just sitting around with a bunch of other kids in a room that smelled like old books. "Yeah, afraid so" is highlighted. end id]

[id: CELIA: I’m trying to look into… Weird physics stuff: time travel, other dimensions, teleportation, all that good stuff. Freddy doesn’t really do searches, so you could keep an eye out and let me know if any come up in your cases? SAM: Uh, sounds a bit sci-fi compared to our usuals. What’s this for? (amused breath) You’re not doing research for that podcast you were on, are you? CELIA: (surprised) You know about that? SAM: I might have given you a quick Google. CELIA: Then… yeah. I’m doing a favor for Georgie. "yeah. I’m doing a favor for Georgie" is highlighted. end id]

[bosbas]

Chapter 7: something gave you the nerve to touch my hand

series masterlist previous part || next part

pairing: colin bridgerton x enemy!fem!reader WC: 3.4k words

Warnings: period-typical gender roles, a small part of the dialogue is in Spanish, idiots in love-ish moments (maybe idiots in non-hate?)

Summary: It took precisely two days in England for you to utterly despise Colin Bridgerton. It took him approximately twelve hours after that to hate you right back. But he doesn't care that you're the only person in the ton who doesn't like him. You're set to marry someone else anyway, right?

June 1, 1816 – A few whispers have been floating around about Lord Arthur Barlow’s whereabouts following his escapade with Miss Barrington at the Bridgerton ball, but this author must sadly say that she has no credible information on the subject. The Duke has likely paid his staff handsomely to avoid any news reaching the curious ears of the ton, much to our disappointment. While propriety suggests that his wedding plans to Miss Barrington should be in full swing, Lord Barlow is not particularly known for his propriety, and therefore we cannot assume anything.

Among other Montclair-related news, two of the Count’s children arrived in London yesterday: Lord Philippe Montclair IV and Lady Isabelle de la Torre, accompanied by their respective spouses and children. Is this unexpected gathering somehow linked to Lady Y/N's recent entanglement in scandal, or is it merely a coincidental family reunion?

You wrung your hands nervously in your carriage bound for Hyde Park, not quite able to sit still. Beside you sat Leonor, Philippe's wife, while your sisters, sitting opposite from you, observed your anxious demeanor with growing impatience. Isabelle, in particular, seemed annoyed by your restless gestures, her irritation palpable in the air.

“Y/N, for heaven's sake, it’s not like you’ve been compromised in any way!” said Isabelle, exasperated. “You’ll find someone else, and the Duke’s betrayal will be but a distant memory.”

It was easy for her to say; after all, her own search for a husband had been nothing short of a fairy tale. Unlike the rest of your siblings, Isabelle had had a love match from the beginning, and it only made it easier that Carlos, her now-husband, had strong ties to the royal family. Though her love story had been one for the ages, the fact that it had happened so easily was making her quite unsympathetic to your loss of a Duke you weren’t even properly interested in. 

“I might as well have been! Lady Whistledown is still mentioning my involvement in the scandal, and your presence isn’t helping.” You thanked the universe that your mother was on another carriage with Louis, Carlos, and Philippe, and hadn’t heard you being rude toward your sister.

"And why should we care about the musings of this Lady Whistledown?" retorted Isabelle with a dismissive wave of her hand.

“These English people treat that gossip column like gospel,” said Charlotte, crinkling her nose in disdain. “Though I dare say, Y/N, your predicament isn't as dire as you're painting it," she added, casting you a knowing glance.

"You two can afford to be cavalier about it, being safely married," you sighed, feeling defeated, and turned your gaze back out the window.

As your carriage rolled into the park, Leonor leaned in, placing her hand over yours. “No te preocupes, cariño,” she whispered reassuringly, so only you could hear (Don’t worry, sweetheart). “En todo caso, te vienes a España con tu hermano y conmigo” (In any case, you can come to Spain with your brother and me).

You smiled at her, resigned, but grateful for her offer. As you surveyed the bustling crowd outside, predominantly comprised of eligible men, the allure of Spain beckoned. It would certainly have better weather than London. And at least there was no Lady Whistledown in Salamanca. Though with the seemingly endless sources the woman had, you wouldn’t doubt her abilities to follow you there, too.

Stepping down from your carriage and walking toward the crowd of people in the park, you made eye contact with one of the gentlemen who had called on you yesterday. Though his poem had nearly put you to sleep, you smiled politely anyway. Perhaps he would be the first to talk to you today and ask for a turn about the park, and you would be able to finally relax in the knowledge that at least one person was still interested in you.

Though you hadn’t seen or heard from Lord Barlow since the Bridgerton ball, he still lingered in your mind. He ended up being just like any other man, you thought, annoyed. You hadn’t necessarily expected him to be the picture of attentiveness and love, especially not when you had only known each other a little over a month, but it was still disappointing to see how it had all turned out. 

"Lady Montclair," a voice interjected, drawing your attention to your right. Startled, you turned to see Colin Bridgerton, sporting an uncharacteristically earnest smile.

“Mr. Bridgerton?” you inquired. 

You had thought your dance two nights prior had been a one-time event, a small courtesy on his part, for Eloise, so you didn’t look a complete fool upon your re-entry to society. So why was he here now? Had he come here to resume tormenting you? You weren’t quite sure you had the energy for that today, already feeling the familiar flutter of nerves as you thought about how many men you would have to impress and the intense scrutiny you would face from the rest of the ton.

“Would you care for a promenade?” his voice, a gentle invitation, broke through your thoughts.

“A prom- What?” you said lowly, careful that no one would hear you. “You already danced with me once, and it was more than enough,” you assured him. 

Colin was fighting an internal battle. He was torn between still being absolutely enchanted by you after one dance, and the larger part of him that was annoyed that you apparently didn’t want to speak with him today. Yet, true to form, Colin’s more combative side won out.  

“Well, I don’t particularly see gentlemen lining up to speak with you today, so I rather think you might need some more help,” he shot back. 

You felt your face flush as you gasped in offense. “That is so patronizing. I’ve barely been here three seconds! I hardly think that amount of time is indicative of whether any suitors would like to speak with me today.”

It was true; Colin had rushed to greet you moments after you had stepped down from your carriage. But aside from the fact that he was embarrassed by his eagerness and trying to cover it up, he was not about to let up, not against you. 

“Do you think, for once in your life, you could engage with me without throwing a fit?” he asked you, anger seeping into his words. 

You were speechless, your eyes wide as you stared at him. Your instinct would have been to get mad at him, but unfortunately, he was right. You were struggling to let yourself be vulnerable with Colin, never mind how good of a time you had had dancing with him. But you were too stubborn to accept his offer to walk with him. You simply stared at him, your eyes swimming with uncertainty, and silently willed him to keep pushing you to accept his help. It was the only way you would allow yourself to do it, and you were relieved when he held out his arm for you to take.

“Come along,” he said, rolling his eyes. “For both our sakes, we should just walk to avoid a scene.”

“Very well, then,” you relented, slipping your hand into the crook of his elbow. You were momentarily distracted by the feeling of his arm beneath your touch. It lit a fire inside of you that you weren’t familiar with, and you suddenly found yourself out of breath. 

“My sister can chaperone,” he suggested, gently guiding you toward where his family was situated. 

You could only nod dumbly in response, the flutters in your lower abdomen only growing stronger when he placed his hand over yours. Vaguely registering Daphne and Simon waving at you, you smiled and greeted them, grateful to have something else to focus on that wasn't Mr. Bridgerton's very well-sculpted arms. 

As you began to stroll, the Bassets a few paces behind you, you felt that your voice was stable enough to begin a conversation. “So, Mr. Bridgerton, indulge my curiosity and tell me more about your travels. Have you ever been lost at sea?”

Colin smiled at you, unable to hold back his fondness for you once again, and his breath was stolen from his lips as he made eye contact with you. You looked back eagerly, staring straight into him, and he was momentarily speechless. But you blinked, indicating that you were still awaiting a response, and he realized he had forgotten himself once again in your presence, an alarmingly increasing trend. 

After clearing his throat, Colin answered, “A few times, yes. Most unfortunate was the time we became lost in the twilight hours when it was freezing out, but the stars proved an exceptionally useful tool in helping us find our way.”

“The stars?” you asked, curious. Could it be that you and Colin had yet another thing in common? It was hard to parse who he had been with you the past few days with the man you had a rivalry with practically from the moment you arrived in England. Who was the real Colin?

“Yes, indeed,” affirmed Colin, his voice revealing a hint of excitement. “They’re actually quite a useful tool. Regardless of our whereabouts, we look at the same constellations, albeit from differing vantage points. For instance, if you look up at the sky any of these nights, and you see three stars close together arranged in a line, that’s-”

“Orion’s belt,” you finished for him, your voice soft. Then, seeing his amused, and admittedly curious, smile, you explained, “My governess used to take me outside at night, even in the winter, so I could look at the stars. I know a fair few constellations, and I always like to know which ones are visible to me.”

Colin shook his head in wonder. The universe was a cruel thing, to make you so perfectly suited to him and make you hate him more than you hated, apparently, anyone or anything else. But it wasn’t like he liked you any better, he reasoned.

“I’d wager you’d be a wonderful navigator, then,” he said. “I’m certain you’d never get lost in treacherous waters.” He had to physically bite his tongue to keep from suggesting that you go with him on his next trip around the world. 

You hummed softly in response. It never quite felt like you had a grip on where you were going. Usually, you just felt like you were groping around in the dark, desperately trying to find the right way to go. 

The promenade stretched on longer than anticipated, with both of you engaging in pleasant conversation throughout, and more than a few stolen glances. It was a shock, really, when Daphne cleared her throat politely behind you and Colin. You suddenly realized that you and Colin had been walking together for longer than was typically appropriate. 

“It might be time for Lady Montclair to promenade with someone else,” she suggested gently, a sympathetic smile on her face as she looked at Colin's crestfallen face. Turning away from you, she leaned over and whispered something unintelligible to Simon as the pair walked away back toward the rest of the Bridgertons, allowing you and Colin a few moments of privacy.

“Thank you,” you smiled at him, finding yourself slightly disappointed that your time together was ending. “I’m not quite sure I would have needed your saving again, but I appreciate it nonetheless.”

Suddenly, you noticed a piece of lint on the lapel of Colin’s jacket. You reached over, almost instinctively, and picked it off. Your fingers barely grazed his chest, and his words caught in his throat as he saw your hand reach toward his chest in slow motion. 

The two of you stood still, staring at each other for what felt like an eternity, one of your hands still extended toward him. Realizing your actions necessitated an explanation, you hurriedly brought your hand back to your side again and averted your gaze, avoiding eye contact with Colin.

“Lint,” you explained awkwardly. “On your coat.”

Oh, how could you have done something so brash? And in such a public setting, too, you scolded yourself. 

“I-Th-Well, I-Thank you, Lady Montclair,” Colin stuttered out, his brain short-circuiting from your intimate gesture. But you were already walking away, fists clenched at your sides as he saw you walking back to your family. 

Once more, you were intercepted by what could only be described as a horde of men vying for your favor. But, just like two nights prior, all Colin could feel was a pleasant warmth spreading through him as he watched you walk away, your laughter ringing like music in his ears. 

He knew what that was like now. To have you genuinely laugh at something he said. And it was different from how you were with these men. Even different from how you had been with the Duke. His heart warmed when he realized he had something of you that no one else did, and he wanted to bottle up your laugh and keep it in his breast pocket, forever a reminder of you near his heart.

A short distance away, Carlos observed with amusement as Colin stood there, seemingly transfixed by your departure. Standing beside him was Leonor, who had also been privy to the entire spectacle. The two often found themselves together during family outings, enjoying speaking in Spanish for a change. 

“La ama,” Carlos said to Leonor, his tone tinged with amusement at Colin's evident infatuation (He loves her).

Suppressing a chuckle, Leonor discreetly cleared her throat. “Y cuanto tiempo crees que será hasta que se de cuenta?” she quipped in response (And how long do you think it'll be until he realizes?).

---

In the late afternoon, you found yourself seated by the pianoforte, the pleasant notes of your scales filling the room. Across from you, your mother quietly engrossed herself in a book, while Isabelle diligently worked on her needlepoint. Suddenly, the tranquil atmosphere of your sitting room was disrupted as your butler made an unexpected entrance. 

“Lady Montclair, a visitor,” he said politely, bowing slightly. 

Your fingers stopped playing and you looked toward your mother, who had a questioning look on her face. 

“I hadn’t been expecting anyone. And at this hour? Is everything alright?” she asked the butler. 

His face flushed slightly. “My apologies, I meant Lady Y/N Montclair,” he corrected himself. “It’s the Duke.”

But he barely had time to announce your visitor before Lord Barlow strode into your sitting room, hair disheveled and bags under his eyes. He looked positively ghastly, and you wouldn’t have doubted it if he told you he hadn’t slept in a week. 

He was panting and slightly sweaty, clearly having rushed over to your home for some unknown reason, when he took off his hat and crouched next to the pianoforte bench.

“Forgive me,” he addressed the other women in the room. Then, turning back to you, he roughly grasped your hand, placing a wet kiss on the back of it. You slightly cringed in disgust, not particularly wanting this man anywhere near you.

“Y/N, my darling, I am so terribly sorry for what happened at the Bridgerton ball. It was unforgivable. Except that you must forgive me!” he pleaded, voice full of desperation.

You were utterly confused, and more than a little angry. Who did this man think he was, barging into your home at this hour and demanding forgiveness? You shared a look with your mother, who looked equally as scandalized. 

“Lord Bar-” you started, but before you could finish, he interrupted you, grasping your hand even tighter.

“No! Not Lord Barlow. Arthur. Your Arthur. It’s me; I’m here. What happened with Miss Barrington was a foolish mistake, and it will never happen again. Marry me, Y/N. Marry me and make me the happiest man in all of Mayfair. In all of England, even. Please,” he begged. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Leonor leaving the room quietly, and your stomach churned uncomfortably at the idea of having to face this man on your own. You breathed deeply, calming yourself with the thought that your mother remained in the room before you addressed Lord Barlow. 

“I don’t understand,” you said, shaking your head. “What of Miss Barrington? She will be ruined if you do not marry her.”

He scoffed, throwing his head back and shaking his head in annoyance. “What of her? She is not as important to me as you are,” he said lowly. “I do not have with her what I have with you. I need you, Y/N. Please marry me.”

Letting the anger that had been slowly bubbling inside you take over, you snatched your hand out of his grip and stood up, towering over him. “Are you quite finished? You are completely unbelievable. I will not marry you, your Grace, and it is egregious that you would even suggest it. Do you truly have so little respect for Miss Barlow that you would leave her, ruined, as you married someone else? Do you truly think so lowly of me that you thought I would say yes?”

“Barlow, take your leave,” came a commanding voice from the doorway before the Duke could respond to you. 

With a surge of relief, you caught sight of Louis and Philippe standing firm with Leonor at their side, their expressions firm and determined, while she was looking anxiously between you and Lord Barlow. 

But the Duke was relentless, his desperation palpable as he pleaded his case, his words brimming with urgency. He stood up from where he had been kneeling and turned to face your brothers. "You don’t understand. I must marry your sister. I must!"

“I believe my brother asked you to take your leave, your Grace,” said Philippe, voice cold and cutting. “Louis, if you could be so kind as to escort Lord Barlow out.”  

Louis wasted no time, roughly grabbing Barlow’s arm and dragging him away from you as the man protested profusely. But your brother wasn’t going to let him hurt you again. It was bad enough that he had already done it once, but Louis would rather come to blows right now in your home than let the Duke stand in your presence for another second.

As Louis ushered Lord Barlow out of your sitting room, Philippe placed a protective hand in front of Leonor and pulled her behind him. Ensuring his wife’s safety, he turned to you, a concerned expression on his face.

“Y/N, are you alright?”

But you didn’t have time to answer, your father storming into the room with fury in his eyes.

“Was that Barlow I saw in the hall? Can someone give me an explanation?" he demanded, his gaze fixed on your stricken expression.

Your voice trembled as you confessed, still reeling from the shock of the encounter. "He asked me to marry him," you admitted, the words hanging heavily in the air. 

“She said no, of course. And put him in his place,” your mother added, eyes wide and fixed on the doorway still. It seemed that Lord Barlow’s unexpected appearance had been an unwelcome shock for her, too.

Your father placed his hands on his hips, staring at the two of you in disbelief. “Well done,” he finally conceded after a few moments of silence. 

You nodded meekly in response, not quite feeling anything right at this minute. 

“He is not worthy of you, Y/N. A title and fortune are important, of course, but so is honor. And he clearly has none,” said your father, disgust clear in his voice.

You’d heard this speech a million times, but this time the words rang loudly in your ears. A title and fortune are important, his words echoed in your mind. It was what your father always said, but this time you couldn’t help thinking: Colin Bridgerton, whom you had developed an inexplicable fondness for, possessed neither title nor fortune.

But as quickly as the doubt arose, you cast it aside. You reminded yourself firmly that Colin was not the sort of man a Montclair could marry. The reality was stark, and you refused to entertain the notion that such a match could ever be possible. You weren’t even sure that you liked the man, why were you thinking of marrying him?

—

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@sydneygal3107

[doomed2repeat]

Bridgerton Spoiler Episode 4

Luke Newton has so many great moments but the scene where he wags his finger and calls out his friends for not being gentleman will probably be an underrated moment from him. But it’s so perfectly done. He doesn’t play it as angry, he makes Colin just resigned and disgusted and so over it all. The disappointment when he realizes he’s alone in his dissatisfaction is palpable, and Luke kind of holds onto that beat until Colin is ready to make his move. I think that moment is my favorite non-Polin scene out of Luke in S3.

[fakecrfan]

TMAGP 30 Thoughts - Overall

This episode was pretty good-- but it was also just "pretty good" to me, which in itself is disappointing. I attribute this to the pacing.

Every single individual element of the episode is entertaining. The fed up custodian, his statement, Alice freaking out, the bored cabby, Gwen's triumph and smugness, Celia's betrayal--all of it was excellent individually. But the way it came together left me feeling a bit miffed.

Again, this is because the pacing sucked.

Instead of the frenetic, climatic pace of the season finales in TMA, this one was very slow and had a lot of unnecessary elements. For example, Alice arguing with the cabby was fun, but a mistake. It slowed the whole pace down, and added no information that we didn't already have. We already knew that she was chasing after them, did we really need to see every individual step of her journey along the way? Did we need to hear her questioning the cab guy?

It would have been much more effective for her to have the phonecall with Colin where she decides to go after Sam instead, and then to cut to her finding the custodian melted into the concrete. Seriously, are we supposed to be frightened at any point during this horror show, or aren't we? Cut to the scary bits already!

This underlines a greater tendency to waste Alice's screen time on stuff that is repetitive and unnecessary.

Another problem was--for once!--the GWEN bits! I did love to see her triumph and to see her utterly cold and smug reaction to it. But the stuff with her absolutely slowed the whole episode down. Especially since we cut from Colin's almost certain doom and Alice unknowingly making a Sophie choice between him and Sam--to Gwen.... getting what she wants, and laughing about it.

And then we cut from Alice finding a guy melted into the concrete--to Gwen having a conversation that doesn't give us any new information and only reinforces what we already learned from her convo with Lena.

All of these choices underline a more fundamental problem I have had with the way TMAGP has set itself up. Every time something exciting happens, it undercuts the building tension with 1) something boring 2) something slightly funny but unnecessary or 3) something that we already heard before. Usually Alice's plotlines have gotten the short end of the stick from this writing method, but in this one Gwen's plotline was actually the drag. We DO need to see the culmination of Gwen's season plotline, but it was in entirely the wrong place.

Here is I would have done it: Have Gwen's moment first. We don't need both Trevor and Lena to confirm that she both got the power she wanted and now is mega fucked, either. We only need one scene for this. One. Stop. Repeating. Information.

Then we can cut between Alice and Sam + Celia for the rest of the episode. Cut down the unnecessary transitional scenes. The cabby conversation was funny, but cut it. This is a finale. It's not time to add a bunch of cute banter if it doesn't naturally fit in to the action.

This episode was good, but it did not need to be 40 minutes and was not served by being 40 minutes. The TMA season finales were much more exciting with much less material because they knew to only give you the most important and most adrenaline pumping moments. That serves horror much better.

....but since this is how the entire series has been thus far, I don't have high hopes that this is going to change. I'll resign myself to what the show actually is. It's not bad, like I said. And I like enough individual elements to keep listening.

This also might sound overly critical, but this isn't because I dislike the series. It's more that I like the series, but not as much as I could have, and I am making note of why so that I can use it to improve my own writing in the future. Maybe if you're reading this, you really liked the slower pacing that is padded with tangential incidents! If so, feel free to share your own breakdown.

[swallowedbyfandom]

He wakes up a hollow shell. He cannot feel his Pen anymore. Her presence had been growing fainter for years since he first mentioned to her, that her emotions were a distraction to him while he was off at school. He remembers a sharp wash of dejected hurt followed by a more subtle wash of resignation. In the years that followed Pen had become so closed off that he really only felt her when he reached out deliberately. Looking back even then she was muted and faint. He really only felt her strongly when she was caught off guard or she reached out first.

Even muted as she usually was he always felt their bond. A warm glow humming in this soul. Even while in Greece he could reach out and feel traces of her grief and rage. She was likely not as guarded in her mourning as she was normally. He panics he cannot help it, he tries to reach out but there is nothing to reach for. There is no warmth, no tether, no echoes, he is devastatingly alone.

His screams alert Anthony and the Doctor that he is awake then they are pinning him to the bed. He vaguely hears Anthony over his keening cries for Penelope. Where is she? Surely she lives?

"Take a breath brother. You must calm down or the Doctor will have to sedate you to keep you from falling into severance shock."

Colin understands the words but not the context. How can he calm down if he does not feel Penelope? How will he keep track of her safety? What severance? Did his Pen die? He will not survive it. He will not live in a world that Penelope Featherington does not exist in. There is no Colin without Pen.

He pleads with his big brother, "Ant, please was there an accident? Where is my Pen? I cannot feel her brother. I cannot reach for her? Help me, help me."

He hears the Doctor call for sedation and fights harder he must find Pen.

It is Ben who stops his panicked struggles by telling him to look down at his mark. He wishes he did not listen to Benedict, their once perfect mark is completely blackened and he has three red vivid betrayal marks across his ribs. It is grotesque. A nightmare made flesh. It cannot be real. He would never betray his soul bond.

He renews his struggles against the hands holding him down, he needs to get to Pen. This is all a horrible mistake, he will apologize and hold her in his arms until the bond renews. She will fix this, she always makes him feel better. He needs to feel her soul or he is sure he shall lose is sanity. His brother's do not understand they have always been alone. He needs his Pen. He fights his way out of the room and down to the foyer before they manage to sedate him. He catches the horrified faces of the servants and his siblings before he fades out.

She watches him drift in and out of consciousness burning with fever for three days. She mourns Colin already. Her other children do not understand that the Colin they once knew is gone, burnt to ash in a fire of his own making. She has always known Colin and Penelope were a match. How could she not? They have always been drawn to each other like magnets. However she did not know they were partially bonded.

God, what was he thinking? How many times had she spoken of wanting to remove Penelope from Portia and Archibald? Had he just told them they were bonded they could have had Penelope living with them legally. She would have had the status and protection of their family. Yes, as adults they would have had to marry but bonded soulmates are never platonic. Once they accepted the bond it was always going to be marriage, or severance. There really was never any other outcome.

She does not know how she will react when he wakes a part of her is so disappointed in him, a darker part is resentful. There is nothing short of her children's lives she would not sacrifice to have her soul bond with Edmund restored. To think Colin had that bond and degraded it, until it broke. He rejected his mate whose only crime is being plump and undervalued by society. God the whispers that have circulated around the Ton since Penelope fled to privately recover are harsh. Portia in particular has created a ruckus about Colin.

She had wept for hours after she read Penelope's letter. Her poor soul daughter had suffered for eight years. Suffered enough to pray to become unmarked. She cannot fathom it. Penelope has always held soul bonds sacred. How much had Colin done for her to wish to forego their bond? While she grieves Penelope and the future grandchildren she will never know, she is happy that Penelope still has a chance. That Colin didn't ruin both their futures is a minor comfort that he destroyed his own future callously, less so.

He wakes up again his soul cold and so alone. He remembers the entire night in horrifying clarity now. The high from his thrilling victory, the glee of fitting in amongst his peers, the agonizing fall from grace. The last thing his Pen felt before her soul was torn out of him was pained relief. What did it say about him as a soulmate that she was relieved to be torn apart from him? She wasn't surprised to hear him decry her, she was hurt and angry but not surprised. Pen had simply braced herself and felt almost expectant. Anthony and Eloise are arguing not so silently on the other side of his room. He listen listlessly hoping to gather information on Penelope's whereabouts.

"You should be packing we are leaving as soon as your brother wakes up for good."

Eloise scoffed, "Does it really matter? Society has never viewed Penelope favorably. Who really cares if Colin broke their bond? Penelope is not even in Mayfair anymore. Why are we fleeing like criminals."

Tersely Anthony answered, "I have always wondered what god I offended to be responsible for so many selfish, oblivious siblings. We are the villains or we are the negligent morons in this case. Which do you think is worse? Your brother brought Miss Featherington into our family eight years ago and opted not to tell anyone. I am the head of our family and I allowed a partially bonded soulmate to escape my notice. Miss Featherington has endured harsh living conditions and financial difficulties that I was legally responsible to rectify. A duty I neglected. A failure the whole of society now knows about. What father will entrust their daughters into our family now? Col bears three betrayal marks what does that say about the way the children of our house are being raised? "

"Miss Featherington is blameless in this situation. She could not bring herself into our family. She had not a single betrayal mark. She suffered no ill effects from the bond breaking which means she remained faithful and loyal to their bond. She never in eight years betrayed our disgusting brother no matter the disrespect he paid her. Your anger with her does not change the facts. We failed Miss Featherington and now fate has gifted her a new mate. "

"We have fallen out of favor with the Queen who believes soul bonds are sacred. She finds the lack or regard Colin displayed toward his soul bond abhor and a clear reflection on our entire family. Did you think of your sisters for a moment? Who will marry ladies from a family the Queen speaks against?"

"Perhaps this would not have been so bad had it just been one betrayal, but three of them is not a mistake, it is a damn habit. I almost married my soulmates sister the only thing that saved us was neither of us knew. It paints a terrible picture about what Bridgerton's are as mates does it not."

Eloise stays silent for the longest time before softly asking,"How do we fix it, then?"

He hears Anthony's tired response. "We do not. Penelope Featherington asked that the Bridgerton family as a whole leave her alone. She wants no part of us, we have to respect that."

He wonders how his siblings think he will allow them to move him. No, he must stay here and wait for Pen. She must know he will be here waiting for her to come home. He will make amends and she will allow him into her life again and then fate will see how silly it is to take her from him.

She can have a husband and children if she wants he would never interfere in her happiness. He will make an excellent uncle for her children he promises, she just has to keep him too.

It is what he was going to do with Marina. He would have married her and been able to keep Penelope close as her family. He would not have left Pen behind, he would have had a lavish home built for her on their property. She would have her own servants, a library, and all the pretty dresses she wanted. He would have taken her away from the cruelty of the Ton. She would not have had to marry for status or safety. She would never have to tolerate some man's lust or risk herself in childbirth. They were one soul, any children he and Marina produced would have belonged to Pen also. He would have kept her safe and happy. It would have been perfect.

[ao3feed-kathony]

A Most Bountiful Season

read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/56989567 by MariachiMermaid England, 1815. A new year and a new social season. Young ladies from all over the ton will flock yet again for one purpose; finding a husband. Francesca Brigerton is freshly 18 and ready to settle for someone tolerable. Practical and even-keeled, she does not expect to meet a love-match like her siblings before her. Penelope Featherington is not keen on entering spinsterhood just to live at the whims of one of her sisters. Stretched between a still kicking crush on Colin, a broken friendship with Eloise, and her ever contentious secret identity as Lady Whistledown, her future happiness depends entirely on how well she can play the balancing game. Eloise Bridgerton is less than pleased to be entering her second social season. Left reeling from Penelope's scathing pamphlets as Lady Whistledown, she resigns herself to playing nice, if just for the season. Her new friendship with Cressida Cowper leads her to see her fellow ladies of the ton in a new light as Eloise tries find herself amidst the ballrooms she feel so out of place in. Let's face it, season 3 was a disappointment for pretty much everyone. So I'm rewriting it, and filling in the many gaps and plot-holes that left us questioning Words: 3879, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Bridgerton (TV) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/M, Gen Characters: Eloise Bridgerton, Penelope Featherington, Cressida Cowper, Colin Bridgerton, Theo Sharpe, Anthony Bridgerton, Kate Sheffield | Kate Sharma, Benedict Bridgerton, Gregory Bridgerton, Hyacinth Bridgerton, Violet Bridgerton, Prudence Featherington, Phillipa Featherington, Agatha Danbury, Portia Featherington, John Stirling I, Michaela Stirling, Alfred Debling, Charlotte zu Mecklenburg-Strelitz | Charlotte Queen of the United Kingdom Relationships: Eloise Bridgerton/Theo Sharpe, Colin Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington, Eloise Bridgerton & Cressida Cowper, Eloise Bridgerton & Penelope Featherington, Francesca Bridgerton/John Stirling I, Francesca Bridgerton/Michaela Stirling, Anthony Bridgerton/Kate Sheffield | Kate Sharma, Eloise Bridgerton & Kate Sheffield | Kate Sharma, Benedict Bridgerton & Eloise Bridgerton Additional Tags: Season 3 rewrite, because this season pissed me off, Canon Rewrite, Fix-It of Sorts, Friends to Lovers, Reconciliation, Canon Universe, Eloise Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington Reconciliation, Arranged Marriage, Cressida Cowper Redemption, Secret Crush, Eloise's love language is books, Secret Relationship, Forbidden Love, you know I'm bringing Theo back, Pining, Mutual Pining, Marriage of Convenience, Regency Romance, ngl Eloise is really playing matchmaker in this one, Cressida Cowper deserves better, my girls eloise and penelope deserved better writing, theres no pen bashing but I am critical of her actions read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/56989567

[utterlyinevitable]

Where It Begins (10/?)

↪ series masterlist  

10. Mixed Messages 

Pairing: Colin Bridgerton x Penelope Featherington   Format: textfic + prose  Chapter Rating: M

Summary: They’re both dumb. (and they may or may not have phone sex for the first time) 

“Hey”

His voice is like butter to her ears and balm to her bones. It’s soft spoken - breathy, even - and determined. That one syllable sound gracing the receiver the second she accepted the call. 

“Hi.” 

Even with the uncomfortable tension passing between them - of Colin’s ignorance, of Penelope’s inadequacy, of the awkwardness of being friends - Penelope can’t help but smile. Colin’s contagious.   

“How can I help?” 

“It’s fine, Col,” she placates, “Thank you for listening.”  

She could hear his inhale and feel the pause as he bit his tongue. There’s a jolt up her spine as if he actually chastised her. Or maybe it was anticipation. Because his next words were so gruff she had to sit up. 

“What do you need right now?”

She knows what she needs. It’s the same thing she’s needed for months, only now the vexing unfulfillment is spilling over. But Penelope won’t tell Colin - she is resigned not to. They haven’t been intimate since Madrid and opening that facet of their friendship back up again is probably more trouble than it’s worth. 

They may have a deal and a consensual understanding and it just might always be the best sex of her life, but he’s not here. His wayward lifestyle may be fun and she may covet it and miss him like mad these days, but one thing is for certain: Colin Bridgerton will never be more with Penelope Featherington. 

All the reasons why she should say no spins like a torrent in her mind. Flashes of all their faults and history and Eloise and glimpses of another Great Fallout consume her thoughts, forcing her eyes shut and nose scrunched in distaste. All the reasons to stop this fattening her tongue.  

“Tell me, Pen.”

Oh but his haughty words and the way he says her name have her thighs clenching and her mouth opening well before her rationale can retake control - 

 “I - I need a fucking orgasm.”  

The line goes still, and so does she. Eyes wide and her phone gripped unforgivingly in her clutches, stuck in this tableau. 

Colin’s breaths are shallow, barely there and would be overlooked if she wasn’t hyperaware of everything right now. If the memories of the only boy that got her blood pumping and her body singing - mewling arias on a stage all their own - didn’t just run through her mind, they could have made it through this without sullying themselves. She could have made it through without regret.  

There’s a rustle over the line.

“Colin,” she says.  

“Pen,” he replies in much the same breathless fashion.  

Another beat of silence passes, only broken by the creak of her bed and she moves into position. 

“I want this if you do.” 

“Yes.” It’s an eager gasp, a plea, and a benediction. “Please.”

A small smile graces her lips as she hears Colin fumbling in the distance, closing a door or flipping a lock and plopping down on what she could only assume is the most coveted bed. The tips of her fingers draw patterns on the exposed skin of her hip as she waits, and waits with bated breath for his next words. For the words in that bedroom voice of his she wishes she could bottle up and keep in her nightstand forever. 

And Colin Bridgerton doesn’t disappoint;  

“What are you wearing?”  

Her laughter fills the space and cuts through any remnants of doubt lingering. It’s like no time has passed. And even if they’re thousands of miles apart he still fits like a glove. 

She’s completely and utterly doomed. 

[forensicated]

TRIGGER WARNING: Discussions and depictions of racism and rape.

Strap in - it's a long one! More picture at the bottom to depict what happens given that it's the most important part of the episode.

Smiffina Episodes - Episode 288

Andrea is in Neil's car after their night at the hotel, believing that everything is finally working out for her. (We can handwaive her not answering her phone or checking messages by being too busy with Neil I guess but still!!! Surely someone at Sun Hill other than the 2 most senior officers have seen the papers by now and would have bene calling their 'friend' demanding to know what was going on?!) Neil reminds her that she has to resign after she's gotten the last important bit of information. She promises that it will be her last day.

Gina has been trying to track down Andrea but there's no answer at home or her mobile number and the paper office will only say 'no comment'. Despite all the chaos, she still has to give evidence at Kennedy's trial.

Colin 'helps' out in custody when Ken has difficulty restraining his prisoner. He roughly forces his arm up behind him and hurts him - causing upset amongst the prisoners friend and a concerned Leela who witnesses it - and knows that if the prisoner had been white, he wouldn't have behaved in such a needlessly aggessive manner. "Bit heavy handed weren't you?" "Just helping out. What's the problem? You're not related to him are you?" "That's witty...."

Neil asks what the fuss is outside the station when he reaches CID. Sam, Phil and Ramani tell him about Andrea being an undercover journalist and the newspaper report. "I must say," Quips Phil. "The photo on page 3 is rather disappointing."

Andrea approaches and is swarmed by the press. Smithy saves her by dragging her in and getting the gates closed but he's clearly not happy in having to do so, dragging her to Gina's office as a smug Gabriel stands at the top of the ramp watching. "You're a disgrace to the uniform."

Bit rich, Gabriel...

"You know he's covering something up, Smithy!" "That makes two of you!"

Andrea tries to get Gina onside by saying she didn't write it, her Editor did. She said she didn't want it published, especially not whilst she was still working there. Gina cannot be swayed, mocking Andrea's false humility and attempt at claiming she found it hard betraying her colleagues. Then she breaks the news about Andrea having to report to court - despite everything - to give evidence. Gina tells her she's to be escorted to and from court where she will be then taken to DPS headquarters and interviewed and no doubt suspended.

Colin claims he did nothing wrong in custody and that Leela is only seeing fault 'because she's Asian too'. Before Leela can pull him up on it properly, they're stopped by an elderly lady who has been mugged. Colin tries to take over and play the hero, but Leela reminds him of his position and that he has to stay with the victim whilst she goes to follow it up. As they walk off, Colin tells her her attitude stinks, Leela reminds him he's just a PCSO and isn't allowed to investigate.

At court, Neil confronts Andrea as he finds her on the phone to another journalist asking if he'd sent the press cutting and photograph - relieved when he tell her he has. Neil mocks her for being unable to not phone in one last story and asks if their talk now is on or off the record. Andrea doesn't understand, thinking they'd sorted everything out. She promises to make things right. He tells her that the expose has stopped everything. "You tell me one thing and do another." He doesn't trust her.

Andrea's interview in court does not go well - her background exposed by the defence. She claims it doesn't affect her evidence. Because being a know liar and breaking the law makes her an impeccable evidence giver! Adam is not impressed with Neil, knowing that they're in a relationship. Neil tells him he didn't know about Andrea being a journalist. He starts to continue but Adam tells him he either ends the relationship or ends his career at Sun Hill, demanding a full report on every bit of sensitive information he told her.

In the canteen, Colin clams he doesn't think Andrea did anything wrong as her assignment was to see if the MET was too PC. Tony rolls his eyes and informs him Positive Discrimination is rubbish and he claims that Leela is evidence that it is true and that she probably jumped the queue because of where she's from. "What?" Leela replied dryly. "Islington?" Colin claims that 'they' (other ethnicities) are terrorists, "they meet at their mosques and their temples and they sit and talk about how they can take over this country." he claims, insisting that 'we're living in fear here!'

Leela again has the upperhand over the idiot. "I'm living in fear alright. Fear of you becoming a police officer." Tony laughs, getting Colin's back up further. "I've more right to wear that uniform than you." "Why? Because you're white?" "Because i'd be a better copper than you!" He insists. Colin continues to inflame the situation, literally spitting at Leela when she calls him a bigot. Tony tells her she needs to report it or he will. Leela, still smarting from the situation with Sheelagh after she blew the whistle on a colleague from Barton St prior to moving to Sun Hill, tells him Colin isn't worth it. Tony sighs - and goes to tell Smithy.

Andrea's articles from before her time at Sun Hill were looked into - including the first victim of Alan Kennedy, the serial rapist. The defence tries to claim that, as she signed in the most important piece of evidene AND had met and talked to the first victim - she wanted Alan catching and invented/embellished the case to ensure it happened alongside Sam Nixon (who got over involved in it too). Sam can't resist squaring up to Sam, slapping her across the face. "You STUPID, SELFISH little COW!" She blames her for undoing every bit of success they had gotten so far and that "noone believes a single word she says."

Smithy hauls Colin up in Gina's office for the bollocking of a lifetime. Colin demands to know what Leela said to them, Smithy tells them she didn't - it was someone else who reported it. Colin claims it was a simple overreaction but she provoked him. Smithy reminds him that he warned him about it yesterday, Colin lets a racist slur slip in bfore correcting himself. Gina tells him he's going to be suspended once the superintendent returns. Colin asks how long for - Gina says she hopes permanently. Colin refuses to listen to Smithy and wait outside Adam's office, storming straight out of the station, barging through Jim and Ken. Ken turns to have it out with him and Colin insults him before setting off the fire alarm with his elbow as he goes. As Adam returns, Gina tells him what Colin did to Leela that Ken saw Colin start the fire alarm and that he ran off before they could stop him. Adam is fuming, claiming it's a disciplined service and that it's time officers were reminded of that. He sends Ken to go and find Colin and bring him back in.

Ken finds Colin in the pub and tells him he's been ordered back to the station and needs to face the consequences of what he's done. Colin insults him and Ken grabs him by the throat to stop him continuing. "I'll go back to Sun Hill, don't you worry." he growls. Ken leaves the pub and updates Phil, hanging up as he sees Colin drink driving a large ford transit van that he's stolen that has Arabic writing on the side of it. He jumps in his car and follows it.

"The enemy within, hey?" June muses as they watch Smithy escort Andrea through the station. Andrea begs Smithy to let her go to her pigeon hole to retrieve some evidence to 'get' Gabriel. "So you can take it to your paper with another big story so you can show us up that little bit more? Andrea Dunbar solves sniper case?" "I wouldn't do that!" she pauses before adding. ".... Not at first." Smithy gets called away on an urgent matter, but not before he tells Andrea 'to get the damn thing. if it proves a link [between Gabriel and the sniper] come and find me, otherwise I'll just assume it doesn't prove a thing." he says, having to walk off to sort the concern out. Andrea hurries to her pigeon hole and rips the letter open to find the article...

... just in time for Gabriel to open the door behind her and stare menacingly at her. He snatches the letter from her whilst throttling her with one hand and forces her into the nearest empty office. She insists she's not the only one with suspicions, she's just found the final link - and that he was involved with the sniper. Shaken, Gabriel stares at her - making Andrea realise that, for the final victim, he had gone solo. "You can't prove any of this." "I could if the sniper was till alive, but he's dead... fell from a tower block whilst you were with him." She scoffs. "You killed him!" "Prove it!" Gabriel growls. Andrea tells him he's transparent, the people at work have seen and heard things. They know who he is. "Noone knows me." Gabriel slowly confesses the truth - he came for revenge against June. He hated her for giving Gabriel up. So he told her he was her son - and watched her suffer. He found he liked the power the unifom gave him and he liked being a copper... he wouldn't leave.

Gabriel is knocked off track when Andrea mentions Kerry. He blames her for leading her on and not telling him that she wasn't interested. He claim it could have ended there - but she started nosing around and found out things that she shouldn't... Andrea says it doesn't explain why the sniper shot her. Gabriel just smiles slightly. "He didn't....." Andrea looks horrified, working out what that means. He knew he was going to be exposed when he saw her talking to Smithy - so he killed Kerry. She asks why he's confessing to her and he tells her its because 'the game is up'. He's now facing away from her and away from the door. She could run into the corridor and scream for help - but she doesn't... she keeps questioning him. She calls him a murderer - he says he's worse than that... he destroys people. "First June, then Kerry. Jason would have turned on me and told the truth, so I had to kill him too. It was the only way... and now there's you."

Ken catches up with Colin and tries to arrest him. Colin opens the van door and knocks Ken clean out. Later Ken wakes up int he back of the van with a huge amount of petrol in the van. He's cuffed to it and can't get out. Colin tells him he has a point to prove. "Wasn't a good idea to try and arrest me was it?" he scoffs. Ken tells him he was ordered to and Colin claims it's alright, thats where they're headed - right though the front door.

Andrea tries to manipulate him and tells him she's his colleague and friend and can help him - it has to stop. "Why don't you come out with me now and you can tell people the truth."

Colin continues to rant nonsensically. He claims he's going to give Sun Hill a wake up call. He apologises to Ken and tells him he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He insists he's going to show Adam how terrorists don't need flying lessons to destroy a building - he's literally ranting and raving and not making much sense.

In the front office Marilyn is running behind, not knowing Reg is waiting to propose to her. Smithy asks her if Andrea has left yet and she says she hasn't seen her but she can't be 100 percent certain.

Andrea tells Gabriel she knows what it's like to lie to people she cares about and live a double life but knew she'd be found out one day. She says it's a relief now it's over because there's no more lies or secrets. She says she thinks Gabriel needs that too. "How do you sleep at night?" "I don't." Gabriel replies, choked. Gabriel is close to giving in but thne claims it's too late for him.

Ken begs Colin to stop the van and pull over. He claims its the only way to make it end. He tells him its nothing personal, he's sorry - and then he throws the handcuff keys into the back of the van as he drives into the carpark, with poor Ken literally unable to get them and getting covered in petrol. Colin leaps out of the van as it moves, leaving it to career into the front office.

"How many more people have to die?" Andrea begs Gabriel. She says it's time for Gabriel Kent to give himself up and let David Kent walk out of the room.

On hearing the van approaching, Smithy looks over his shoulder in shock, grabbing a member of the public beside him and literally superman like leaping out of the way with him as it crashes into the front office. (Impossible to get a decent pic of this due to the speed but check out the arm positions. Definite superman flight haha!)

"What the hell was that?" exclaims Andrea as the building shakes on impact.

The alarms going off and the officers come running. "Smithy?!" shouts Marilyn, scrambling to her feet. "I'm alright." he replies. "Are you ok?" Marilyn tells him she's fine but she's cleary terrified and in shock. Smithy asks her to show the gentleman he'd saved out. (surely he'd be needed for a witness statement but we won't go into that given what's about to happen....)

Smithy investigates the van and turns the engine off, looking in the back... only to find Ken. He tries to get into the van but the door is wedged. Marilyn shouts for Smithy again and he tells her to leave. Ken, sadly, is resigned to his fate as he's spotted fire starting in the engine. Ken screams at him to get out, Smithy refuses and leans in the window, giving him more handcuff keys, "I'll get you a fire extinguisher!" he tells him desperatley.

Instead of taking the keys, Ken grasps Smithy's hand tightly and calmly tells him to get out. Smithy swallows and draws back. Marilyn's phone rings and she goes to answer it.

The van bursts into flames, the front office collapses in on Marilyn, Smithy has a wall fall in on him, Andrea and Gabriel also suffer much the same fate but Gabriel isn't pinned whilst Andrea is trapped under rubble shouting his name. At first he goes to help her... and then he has a realisation. If she dies, his secret 'dies' with her too...

[theheadlessgroom]

The mention of gifts helped to perk the children up a little bit, but Randall could tell that both of them were still dreading the day their extended family would pack up and head back home, a day that was fast approaching, now that October was coming to a close, and November was just around the corner. They put on brave faces at their mother's encouragements, he knew they were determined to soak up as much time as they could, but there was no denying that sense of dread all the same.

And he understood, honestly, for it had been a wonderful experience, meeting his grandparents and his uncles. All his life (and much of his afterlife now), he'd heard so many stories from his parents about them, these being the only connection he had to his kin. When he was younger, he often found himself wishing he could've known them, feeling it was so unfair to not have been afforded a chance to meet them, but as he grew older, he had sort of resigned himself to the fact that he never would know them.

(In some ways, he found solace in that fact...given his fears that he would be a disappointment to his relatives, perhaps it was for the best...)

But now that he had met them, and had been resoundingly embraced by them all, no less, he felt a little hollow at the prospect of them leaving. He had loved dancing with his uncles, learning Irish jigs and favorite songs (best enjoyed with a drink in your hand, alcoholic or not), hearing all about Colin and Callahan's wives (his aunts!) and children (his cousins!), and more stories about the Pace family he'd never heard before. He had loved sitting with his grandmother, enthusing over different styles of fabric and the colors they came in, swapping stories about the things they made, their process, and the funny little things that happened while they were working on them. He had loved enjoying a cup of coffee with his grandfather, reminiscing about the happier days in their mortal lives, little memories unencumbered by grief and sorrow, that put a mutual smile on their faces.

To think all of that would become few and far between for a while, on account of the distance put between them...it was disappointing and disheartening, knowing they really only had a month together, and it was unknown for now when they'd meet again...

But he did his best to swallow back that disappointment and put on a brave face as they all headed downstairs, the swinging wake about to begin: Just as Emily had encouraged Lon and Erika, Randall too would make the most of the night, and enjoy the time afforded to him and his family.

@beatingheart-bride

"You got breakfast in bed, Mama?" Lon asked in surprise (he thought you only got to eat in bed when you were sick!), to which Randall replied, "She sure did. See, Grandpa Wil used to make Grandma June breakfast in bed for her birthday and Mother's Day, and she used to make him breakfast in bed for his birthday and Father's Day, so I thought it'd be nice to do the same."

Thinking about it, he realized he had a couple of very fuzzy memories when it came to these breakfasts; remembering vaguely helping his parents when he was very small, in particular his father...he couldn't remember if it was June's birthday or Mother's Day, he just recalled, however hazily, toddling around with a little vase in his hands, trailing after his father as they entered the bedroom, and his mother kissing his cheek when he presented her with the flower...

Leaving this hazy memory behind, he smiled as he recalled, "I got better at baking after that incident-we used to make little king cakes together for Mardi Gras; we never had anything hidden in them, of course, but they were still lots of fun to make and decorate."

Knowing all about the delights of king cake and other Mardi Gras cuisine (especially since Mardi Gras was such a major holiday at the Mansion; Uncle Dori and Aunt Lizzie wouldn't have it any other way), the twins lit up at this, only for Erika to then falter, asking, "Will...will Grandpa August and Grandma Josie come back for Mardi Gras?"

"And what about Christmas? And Thanksgiving?" Lon asked, their gleeful smiles having been replaced by a sense of uncertainty, an uncertainty Randall could see plain as day, and it made him sigh: In some ways, it seemed so unfair that these new families only have so little time to spend with the children before they went home...he understood, of course, but he hated to see the little ones so disappointed at the prospect of these new faces disappearing as quickly as they had appeared.

Still, Randall tried to put on a brave face for the pair, reassuring them, "I'm sure that they will. I don't think they'd miss it for the world."

[imjusthereforagrandtime]

Finale spoilers!!!

I don't think the writers will shy away from the cliffhanger.

The wwdits writers HAVE to change things.

Guillermo has pointed out that things NEVER change and since hes always been the 'human/audience' eye in the world of monsters, means that the writers are well aware of the fact there's going to be a new turning point. And it makes sense that guillermo will be the one changing things again.

Those 4 vampires have lived together in that house for decades but they weren't close, not really. They were roommates who could hardly stand each other. In season one, they all outright detested spending time with Colin. Nandor was always too self absorbed to notice anyone (no less his own familiar). And Nadja and Laszlo were too wrapped up in their marriage to give a shit about anyone but each other.

Not until Guillermo got into the picture. Or, more accurately, his heritage. Actually, all biggest turning points in the series always came down to Guillermo and his slayer heritage

If he hadn't killed the Baron, the Baron would have killed them. The Barons false death was why they got onto the Vampiric Councils radar in the first place. When they escaped (with Guillermo's help), the VC sent in assassins (that Guillermo killed) and planned an entire event just to execute them (that Guillermo stopped). Its only when GUILLERMO slayed nearly the entire Tri-state vampire population were the 4 vampires approached to become leaders of the Vampiric Council.

If Laszlo wasn't in that library in the Vampiric Council, he never would have found out that Colin was going to die. He wouldn't have tried to become real friends with Colin, wouldn't have cared much at all for Colin's death. Which means he wouldn't have raised baby Colin.

If Nandor didn't get the cloak of Duplication, would he have ever pursued Meg? If he hadn't been assigned the task to go to that cult, would he have met Jan? Nandor WANTS change on a subconscious level, he wants love like Nadja and Laszlo do, he just doesn't realise he has to be the one doing the changing. All these terrible and toxic relationships (where he's both the victim and abuser) have only made him backslide in his growth.

If Nadja never became a coleader of the Vampiric Council, she might have never realised her potential, her ambition, always stuck in the house with her husband for company. (Its why the ghost of her was so disappointed she never achieved anything as a vampire)

Guillermo has always been the agent of change, the root of it all. Only reason why he hasn't changed absolutely EVERYTHING was because he wanted only Nandor to do the honours, so he put up with 3 more years of being a familiar/bodyguard. It makes total sense he'd change the rules of the game again by the end of this season, by letting go of his ONE MAIN character trait (which is wanting Nandor to do the turning) and going to Derek.

On the surface, it seems like nothing has changed. But in actuality, things are never going to be the same, no matter how hard the 4 vampires try to pretend. Now, Laszlo isn't just the Lazy Vampire who only fucks and sucks, he's also Colin's dad. Nandor has only become more depressed, resigned to his ever-lasting lonely life. Nadja's ambitions are once again snuffed out, her dreams squashed, sending her crawling back to her safety net.

Physically, everyone's back at square one. Emotionally? They've all experienced things they never have before and they don't know how to cope with the internal change.

They may pretend things are fine. That nothing has changed since the documentary started. But it's only a matter of time before either a) something gives (which is highly unlikely because these vampires are codependent as much as they are emotionally repressed) or b)...

Guillermo (the writers) changes the game.

And turn him into a vampire.

The natural progression would be that all 4 vampire admit that they do care for each other, that they see each other as family (They have lived together for decades, yet they've only started genuinely acting like a family when the documentary started, aka when Guillermo was revealed tno be a slayer)

But like I said, they're repressed, and nothings gonna change until Guillermo shakes things up.

And I, for one, can't wait to see how it pans out.

(I don't want to theorise or set expectations, but I do hope that Guillermo will become a big target to the Vampiric Council (if not them, then maybe to another big baddie). For a Van Helsing to become a vampire? Thats unheard of. It has to be illegal somehow. If The Guide had her memories wiped for sleeping with a Van Helsing, what would be the punishment for a Van Helsing to become a vampire?? If that's how the writers will approach it, then the Family will be involved somehow. Stakes have to be raised, and they'll be forced into positions where they have to admit they genuinely care about each other.)

I truly dont think the writers will shy away from turning Guillermo into a vampire. Or at least, play with the real possibility of Guillermo becoming a vampire.

Because this has always been Guillermo's role in the series: to be the catalyst of change, the domino effect in everyone in the family.

And what better way to switch it up than completely overturning the vampires' expectations of Guillermo their human familiar-bodyguard?

Letting go of his full devotion to Nandor and finally becoming their equal will do exactly that.

[dylanobrienisbatman]

I sort of feel like the people saying Colin sucked this season missed the point of his arc?

So at the end of season one, Colin left London for his trips completely embarrassed. He had proposed to a woman he believed that he loved, gotten publicly engaged, only to be made the fool of the ton when Lady Whistledown revealed Marina's pregnancy. Everyone knew he had been taken advantage of, that is the only reason that he and their family were able to avoid ruin from the whole situation. Colin left London to flee the situation he found himself in, specifically the social blow back.

But he still comes back early? He ran away, and he didn't find the relief, the freedom, or the happiness he was seeking. He went on a grand tour of Europe and saw amazing things and met amazing people, and he comes back resigned to stay away from women and still thinking about Marina Thompson and the life he had imagined with her. At the end of the dinner he shared with Marina in episode 4, he reveals that he spent his travels thinking of her, thinking of how they ended things, thinking of how their lives could be different if they had just said or done different things. He is still entirely caught up in their relationship, he was never able to get away from it, no matter how far he ran.

Lady Featherington brings up the broken engagement in episode 7 and Colin still visibly recoils and becomes uncomfortable. He is still hurt by it, and he knows it is still a subject of gossip and you can tell that bothers him significantly. He goes to visit Marina, and it's clear he hopes it will provide him with some level of clarity but instead he just gets told that he's acting like a child, and needs to grow up. He is still in the shadow of those choices, and of his elder brothers, and he doesn't know how to fix it or change it.

So he fakes it.

That's the whole point. His endless, exhausting stories about his travels are his mask, you can tell because we, the audience, never actually hear any of the stories in full. We hear snippets, and hear how everyone around him is fed up listening to him. This is by design, by both the show and by Colin as a character. Everyone will ignore the fact that he is, in fact, quite miserable, if he is so irritating about his trips that nobody wants to talk to him anymore. If he answers every question with a statement about some flower he saw, or the stars over some city, he will be able to fool everyone into thinking he's happy with his life, instead of still lovesick over a girl who made a fool of him and resigned to missing her and being miserable instead. You see it throughout the season, in his interactions with a myriad of characters.

"It sounds like a remarkable journey." "Remarkable, yes. In that I seem to have many remarks about it."

His comments with Marina really highlight this. He's not actively excited or thrilled about getting to share these stories, it is just something to say, to pass awkward moments and to maintain conversation. He doesn't feel like anything he did was actually all that interesting, but he was a man who went on many travels, so he must speak about them, right? And then she calls him a boy, and tells him that he's lost in fantasy and unable to truly be a man and make choices for himself. She basically reaffirms exactly what he has been feeling about himself. He is visibly upset the next day when he talks to Pen, still wondering and blaming others for the disappointments, but resigning himself to look forward, but with no real fervor.

You see it in moments with Benedict. When they're playing Pall Mall, Benedict mentions his application and says "well its no grand tour" and Colin doesn't preen or make any comments about his travels, he just looks sad and a little uncomfortable. Benedict believes Colin has "distinguished" himself, but it's obvious by his reaction that Colin doesn't feel that way at all, and he spends the back half of the season showing it.

You also see it when he's with Penelope, because he doesn't talk about his travels with her at all. He talks about how he is feeling, and to some extent he is still masking how he feels, but at the wedding he talks about how everyone needs to find a purpose, and when Pen finds him later in the episode it is clear he is still miserable. He asks her if shes found her purpose, and he engages with her about it, and he is really taken with the way she talks about how her purpose will not be about who she is but who she is meant to be. He likes this idea that he can still find out who he is meant to be.

This is also why he first takes up interest in the gemstone mines as an investment. He hopes he can make a name for himself and benefit his family in some way, he is trying to find purpose and find his footing, and he's grasping at straws. When he discovers the falsehood, he sets out to make it right and he does, and in a way, at the end of the season, he seems a little lighter because he was able to help people. He helped the Featherington's by exposing their cousin's scheme and he ends up helping Will Mondrich by bringing a group of his friend Will's new club. Its the first actual moment of lightness we see in Colin all season, when he finally exposes Jack and when he arrives at the club. A slight shift has been made, Colin has found himself useful and made a difference and I think that helps him feel a little less lost.

Colin in this season is entirely lost, and he's hiding it from everyone around him. He wants his family and his friends to think he's happy and thriving after his travels, but in fact, he left his trips early to come home and mope about with his family. Benedict gets into art school, Eloise is attending scandalous political events, Daphne is a Duchess, Anthony is finally getting married and has long been established as the Viscount, and Colin is just... floating. He speaks only of Greece because he has nothing else to say, because he has nothing else happening in his life that he finds worthy of talking about. Because, on the inside, he still sees himself as just a sad boy who was publicly embarrassed when had his heart broken by a girl and now can't get over it.

Colin is in a super dark place all throughout s2, and his insufferable attitude about his travels is how he is masking that from everyone around him. His arc in s2 was a layered emotional arc about hiding how he really felt and trying desperately to prove to everyone, including himself, that Colin Bridgerton was someone worth caring about.

[lanawinterscigarettes]

After Work Activities (Colin Zabel x reader)

Description: overworked and exhausted, you try to make it up to Colin after forgetting your promise to take care of him after you came home from work

A/N: I have never written for Colin before, so I'm sorry if he's out of character or something, I just wanted to write for him because I'm a sucker for subby Evan boys okay 😔🤚 also I partially got this idea from @anxiously-sad 's Colin fic, so kudos to them for that

Warnings: SMUT, handjob, spoon sex (kind of), praise kink, daddy kink, sub Colin, soft dom reader

You were throwing off your coat before you were even in the house, fed up and tired after all the bullshit you'd had to deal with at work all day. After a long day like that, all you wanted to do was come home and relax.

"Hun, is that you?" You heard Colin call from upstairs. Shit, you thought. Knowing how late you'd have to stay at work that day, you told Colin you'd make it up to him if he promised to behave while you were gone. You didn't want to disappoint him, but you doubted how much you'd be able to satisfy his needs when you felt like collapsing at any second from sleep deprivation.

"Yeah," you hesitantly called back as you slowly made your way up the stairs, having to use the railing for support with how tired you were. You kicked off your shoes as you shuffled into the bedroom, finding Colin sitting on the bed waiting for you.

"Hey, sweetie." You gave him a tired smile as you sat down next to him, trying your best to keep your eyes open. "Look, I know I promised I'd take care once I got home, but I'm just so tired I don't think I'm going to be able to do much tonight, okay?"

His face immediately fell, and you felt your heart shatter in two. You didn't like having to deny him like that, knowing how much he'd spend the rest of the night wondering if it had anything to do with him and if it was his fault, but you also didn't want to try to force yourself through any sort of strenuous activity either.

"Oh, okay." It was that quiet, almost timid voice of his that broke you, the resignation from him as he tried to cope with your broken promise.

"Oh, baby, please don't be too upset," you comforted him the best you could, pulling him into your lap as you ran your fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry, baby boy. I know it doesn't make up for it, but we can always do some things together tomorrow. I'm just worried if I try to do anything with you tonight you'll end up disappointed."

"You could never disappoint me daddy." His soft voice came out muffled as he had buried his head against your chest, trying to hide his tears.

"Baby boy, please don't cry." You put your finger under his chin and lifted his head up, forcing him to look at you as you wiped the tears off his cheeks. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I know how anxious you must have been waiting for me all day, and how excited you were when I finally got home."

"It's okay daddy, I know it isn't your fault," he said as he clung onto you.

You tried to rack your brain for some way to make it up to him as he stared back at you with teary brown eyes before you finally came up with an answer.

"How about this, I'll go change into my pajamas and then I can jerk you off while we're cuddled in bed together, how does that sound? We can still do stuff tomorrow, but at least you won't have to wait all night to get to cum."

"Are you sure? I know how tired you must be, and I don't want to keep you up." Hearing the guilt in his voice, you gently rubbed your thumb against his cheek, trying to calm him down before responding.

"I'm positive. Now why don't you be a good boy and fetch the bottle of lube for me while I go change, okay?" Giving him a soft kiss on the head, you got up and left to go change, returning moments later to find him sitting in his spot on the bed, lube in hand.

"Good boy Colin." His face tinted pink from your praise as you slid yourself under the blanket beside him. "C'mere baby, come lay down." You lifted the blanket up, inviting him in.

He slowly crawled over to you, bottle of lube still in hand. After making sure he was comfortable, you took the lube from him and popped open the cap. The bottle made an obscene noise as you squirted some lube onto your hand before closing the cap and placing the bottle on the nightstand.

Using your other hand, you slipped his sweatpants down far enough to free his semi hard on. He let out a small gasp as you wrapped your lube covered hand around his leaking cock, teasing him as you swiped your thumb across the pre cum covered tip.

"Daddy," he huffed as you stroked him slowly. "Please don't tease, I need you."

"Whatever you say baby." You picked up the pace, starting off nice and slow before gradually becoming faster.

Colin did his best to conceal his moans at first, biting his bottom lip as he tried to swallow them back down. No matter how many times you'd had sex, he still got nervous about being too loud, worried you'd judge him. You always had to coax them out of him, not that you minded.

"Don't hold your moans back, baby boy. Daddy wants to hear them all." You gently placed your free hand on the side of his face, rubbing your thumb against his cheek. You could feel his shaky breath against your hand as he tried to get himself confident enough to moan more freely. He let out a series of low moans, getting more comfortable with it the more you praised him.

"Good boy, just like that. You're such a good boy for me, aren't you honey? You always make such the most beautiful sounds."

His face was beet red at this point, but he honestly didn't care. All he was worried about in that moment was making you proud.

"Am I doing good for you daddy?" He tentatively asked, searching for validation as you began pressing soft kisses against his face.

"Of course you are baby. You always do so well for me, my sweet boy."

He let out a sigh of content as your lips trailed down the side of his face and to his neck, where you began sucking a hickey onto it. "D-daddy, I have work tomorrow, people will see," he whined, knowing how many marks your mouth was sure to leave behind.

"That's the whole point baby, I want everybody you work with to know just who you belong to." You nipped lightly at his skin as your hand continued to pump his member at a steady pace.

He could feel himself getting closer by the second, pressing his body flush against yours as his orgasm began to build. "Please daddy," he panted, wrapping his arms around you as he pulled you closer.

"Please what, baby? You're going to have to be more specific than that." You smirked, intentionally pumping the hand around his cock faster as you watched him struggle to put together a sentence.

He let out a low whine, gently thrusting his hips up to better meet your hand. "P-please daddy, please let me cum." His eyes glistened with tears as he stared up at you through hooded lashes, although this time he wasn't crying out of sadness, he was crying out of pleasure.

"Cum for me then baby, cum for daddy like a good boy," you encouraged him, threading your fingers through his hair and tugging at the dark brown strands.

He whimpered as he came, his sticky seed getting on both your hand and his lower torso alike. He avoided your gaze as he came down from his high, ashamed at the mess he'd made.

Noticing how he was shying away from you all of a sudden, you leaned over and gently kissed the tears that had slipped down his cheeks. "It's okay baby, daddy isn't upset at you. We all make messes sometimes."

"You're not?" He sniffed as he looked up at you.

"Of course I'm not," you said as you gave him a reassuring kiss on the nose. "Now come on, let's get you cleaned up." You got a rag and gingerly wiped him off as you showered him in more praise. "You did so good for me baby, I'm very proud of you."

He blushed as you threw the rag in the dirty clothes hamper before slipping into bed beside him. He murmured a quiet "goodnight" as he snuggled up next to you, you watching as he slowly dozed off to sleep. Smiling mischievously to yourself, you gently ran your fingers through his hair as you thought of all the fun things you could do to him once he woke up.

~

Taglist: @anxiously-sad @iloveentrapta @ghot-girl @taecube @blkroyalty1 @corn3liiia @nevilleismywhore

[sea-owl]

How will the Bridgerton family react when they found out Colin declared that he would never court Penelope at her family ball in front of the tons on Lady Whistledown newsletter?

This one is tricky. I feel like it will depend on how close they want Penelope with the rest of the family. Like yes they've known her for years but when it comes down to it I think we're only going to get three reactions, possibly four if we get it at all.

Eloise Violet, Anthony, and possibly Kate.

With Eloise I think she's not going to care. She's probably still hurt, and nursing her bruised ego. She's also probably going to somehow in her mind turn this back onto Penelope. If they had made up by then and Eloise still doesn't know about Penelope's feelings for Colin I still think she might not care. The plan was for them to be spinsters together anyway.

It's been shown that Violet cares for Penelope so I think she's going to be the most disappointed that a son she raised would dare to say anything like that in public. Especially if she was trying or had plans to match make Colin and Penelope like she tried in the books.

Anthony's probably just going to be mad that Colin showed up in Whistledown again. I would like it if they added Anthony just mentally pulling Penelope into his flock of siblings like he kind of did in the books. Then we see protective big brother Anthony coming out again except this time he's confused because the idiot boy is his own brother.

Now Kate I'm not sure about. A part of me believes they are going to do this thing that the season couple before is going to help the new season couple, but we would have to wait and see. I think if we were to get Kate's reaction that the writer's would probably have her be upset because she's in some ways been in Penelope's shoes. Kate was on the verge of spinster hood/resigned to becoming a spinster so to see her brother in-law pretty much damning Penelope to that with just a few words is probably going to leave a bad taste in her mouth.

But who knows maybe it will come to nothing. Maybe that scene has already done its job with knocking Colin off the pedestal Penelope had him on and won't come back to bit Colin in the ass later when he falls in love.

[sofwrites]

Polin - 50? 💛💛💛

50: putting a hand over the other’s mouth to shut them up

read this and more blurbs on ao3

“Do you know,” Colin began with a sly grin, “that Anthony has a property just a few miles from here? We could stop there instead. Tell your sister that one of our carriage wheels broke…”

Penelope’s head slowly turned to look at him, her lips pinched just slightly in an attempt to hide her amusement. “And it just so happened that it broke right by one of your brother’s homes?”

“We do always have remarkable timing.”

She squinted her eyes for a moment, as if really considering his proposition. They were on the way to a Featherington family meeting at Prudence’s home about an hour and a half outside the city. And although Penelope didn’t really want to attend any more than her husband did, she did feel rather guilty about the fact that they'd been absent the entire month prior.

Giving him an apologetic smile, Penelope shook her head. “We really should be there today. I sent them all my book last month and…” I’m worried about my mother’s reaction, is what she wanted to say. Colin didn’t need to hear it out loud to know that she’d been nervous about it for days. Taking in the tightness of his wife's lips, he gently pressed a kiss to the palm of her hand.

The reaction to Penelope’s book, The Wallflower, had been mostly positive. Oh, there’d been a few perturbed individuals who had seemed to pick themselves out of a few villains in the story (although Colin wholeheartedly claimed that anyone who did so was obviously projecting that onto themselves and had no standing to complain), but most of the ton had devoured it just as quickly as they used to devour the writings of her former alter ego.

However, despite the pleasant response, Penelope had been honest in her work. And that included quite a few pages devoted to how her mother’s choices for her wardrobe often made her feel as though she wanted nothing more than to blend into the background. She’d been reassured time and time again by her loved ones that she hadn’t been unkind, but Penelope truly didn’t want to hurt her mother. She was already aware of the stickiness in their relationship and wanted to keep things as amicable as possible. And with Portia spending more time with Prudence and her family, that meant taking the trip out to see her in person.

“I suppose you’re right,” Colin mumbled before his lips began traveling dangerously up her arm. Right as his mouth met the very base of her neck, he flashed her a grin. “You know, we do have another hour until we arrive…”

Although Penelope could feel her stomach flip in a painfully familiar way, she gave him a playful smirk. “And I suppose you’ll be snoring in the next thirty seconds?”

Colin cocked his head to the side in deliberation. “Actually, I’m not at all-”

Whatever word his mouth had been forming was replaced with a much… different sound in light of the rather precarious position of his wife’s hand. And very few comprehensible words were exchanged from thereafter.

Roughly two hours later, Penelope and Colin were sitting side-by-side atop a frilly canary-colored sofa, both silently imagining themselves anywhere else.

“And there I was,” Robert, Prudence’s quite spirited husband, paused dramatically, allowing the only relief their eardrums had been given in the previous ten minutes. “Two feet in the mud and about twelve too far from the deer!”

As he let out a roar of laughter, Colin gave an enthusiastic chuckle that impressively would have appeared sincere to anyone who didn’t know him well enough. He cast a sideways glance to Geoffrey, Felicity’s husband and the only brother-in-law in company that did not give him the desire to get trampled on by a horse. The gentleman locked eyes with him for a moment, wearing a rather pained smile on his face that quite plainly said, God, help us all.

“Pen,” Felicity interjected just as it looked as though Robert was readying himself for yet another hilarious anecdote. “I’ve heard your book sales have been quite good. A friend of mine actually asked if I could send her a copy because she hasn’t been able to find one anywhere.”

Colin beamed down at his wife, who smiled at her younger sister before sending a tentative glance towards their mother. “I’m sure she was just being kind. But I’ll make sure to send you a few more.”

After a moment of silence that was just long enough to be uncomfortable, Philippa said, “I’m still reading, but it’s very good so far. Nigel tried as well, but…” She let out a high-pitched piercing giggle as she looked at her husband with an expression that was so sweet and yet so empty-headed at the same time.

“Oh, you know me. Not much of a reader,” Nigel shrugged, his tone jovial rather than unkind.

Penelope gave them both a small, grateful smile for their efforts before casting another careful glance at her mother, who seemed to be avoiding her gaze. Colin could practically feel his wife building up her courage before she cleared her throat. “Erm, mother? What did you think of it?”

Everyone except for Philippa and Nigel (who were both far too blissfully unaware to notice) examined Portia, who turned to her third daughter with her best attempt at a pleasant smile. “I thought it was lovely.”

Penelope blinked a few times. “You did?”

“Of course, I did.”

“And what was your favorite part?” This question came from Colin, who was now focused on his mother-in-law with a quirked brow and an overly charming grin. Despite the expression on his face, Penelope felt his grip tighten around her waist.

Portia’s throat made a small lurch. “I couldn’t possibly choose. It was all very good.”

Without needing to see her, Colin could feel the disappointment mixed with relief radiate from Penelope. It was quite evident to anyone with half a brain that Portia hadn’t read the book. Perhaps hadn't even made an attempt to do so. And though that meant avoiding a potential rift, it also meant that she hadn’t taken the time to read and acknowledge her daughter’s achievement.

But as though Penelope could feel the heat rising in Colin, she squeezed his hand in warning. He glanced at her before letting out a quiet, resigned sigh. “Well, my favorite part of the story was the proposal. Although to be quite honest, some of my favorite details were left out.”

Felicity, who was quite aware of everything that had transpired on that day, leaned in with feigned interest. “Please do elaborate.”

“Colin,” Penelope whispered after sending her sister a swift glare. “They were there, I’m sure it’s no longer very interesting.”

He grinned at her, delighted by the way her cheeks were turning rosier by the second. “Nonsense, especially not when we did such a nice rendition earlier in the carr-”

There was a small squeak before a hand clamped itself firmly over Colin’s mouth, cutting the rest of his sentence off.

“I think I’m a bit hungry,” Penelope attempted to say casually, as if she wasn’t still holding her husband’s mouth shut. Their audience was staring at them with rather befuddled expressions. “Colin and I will go fetch something.”

Slowly, Colin pulled down her hand and flashed their family members an innocent smile. “Pregnancy, eh? Her appetite’s almost been as robust as mine.” He cast them a small wink as Penelope’s flush transitioned into a deep crimson. There were a few stifled laughs as Portia began to sputter.

“Come on,” Penelope nearly groaned, pulling her husband off the sofa and out the room.

“Do you even know where the kitchen is?” Prudence called after them.

Colin laughed, giving his wife’s warm cheek a peck. “Oh, we’ll find it!”

request a touching prompt

[thebluemallet]

Immediate thoughts on Bridgerton Season 2, Episode 2 ("Off to the Races). Spoilers below the cut:

Kate, Mary, and Lady Danbury are all speaking on behalf of Edwina now. She even looks over at Kate before voicing an opinion. Yeah, Edwina's going to find her voice before the end of the season and it will not be pretty when she does.

The new heir is making himself at home and it seems like "questionable styling choices" is a family trait, even for those who married into it *cough*Portia!*cough*

Kate controlling the line of suitors and not letting Anthony cut ahead was funny. Takes me back to season 1 and how Anthony acted with Daphne. It's time for him to get a taste of his own medicine.

Thomas Dorset and Edwina are just trying to distract Kate and Anthony to get them to stop bickering over the horses. Their banter is legendary. I was disappointed that Dorset was actually a setup from Anthony, but I do believe that Dorset genuinely liked Kate.

Philippa and Mr. Cheese are finally married! I was rooting for them.

Poor Edwina is going to be used as a pawn throughout this season, isn't she? Anthony's intentions are not 100% honest or honorable and now the Queen is using her to help track down Whistledown.

Anthony probably needs his ego knocked down a few pegs with how confident he is that he will emerge "victorious" in his courtship of Edwina. The boy just did the 19th century equivalent of buying Edwina a Ferrari. One of my favorite quotes from this season is in this episode, though: "I assure you, Miss Sharma. This is a very real horse. I would not recommend trying to climb inside."

And even though it is clear he is not in love with Edwina, props to Anthony for calling out Kate about making this about what she wants and not what Edwina wants. Props as well to Violet for calling out Anthony when he complains about Kate accusing him of playing games.

"You are Pen. You do not count." Colin, you ASS. I know you didn't mean it maliciously, but still. You ASS.

I'm not a fan of the new Lord Featherington attempting to court Cressida Cowper. Cressida is Penelope's worst bully in the books and having her be the new Lady Featherington would be Penelope's worst nightmare.

Anthony stealing Ben's poetry and claims it as his own.😒 At the very least, he admits it. But it's all still part of a grander scheme to try and convince Edwina to be his viscountess so it's still very underhanded to me. The benefit to Anthony's scheme was that Edwina actually stands up for herself a little bit with Kate instead of taking her sister's word as absolute gospel. She's formed her own opinion and she's going to trust that one. I don't blame Kate for running from the room, though. Especially when Anthony smirks at her like that.

I feel sad and sorry for Kate that she has resigned herself to a life alone. She doesn't seem truly happy with her choice. I think she's trying more trying to convince herself that she's happy with her choices more than anything. She's a lot like Anthony that way: trying to convince herself that she's doing what's best for everyone instead of being selfish for her own happiness. Lady Danbury has a point: the difference between her and Kate is that Danbury has actually lived a life and hasn't given up on it like Kate seems to have done. Lady Danbury seems sad to see Kate giving up already. I think, despite the rough first impression and the dog, she really likes Kate. This season might be more about exploring Kate's insecurities instead of her trauma. Or maybe it's her insecurities that have been brought on by her traumas.

I thought that Madame Delacroix would figure out who Lady Whistledown was, thanks to the promo photos, and I-along with everyone else-was RIGHT! The most unrealistic part of the book series was that Penelope got away with it as long as she did. And that it took over ten years for someone to put any real effort into discovering her identity. And once one person knows...others will find out.