#antophie

[eleanor-bradstreet]

PLEASE TELL ME ANY THOUGHTS YOU HAVE ABOUT ANTOPHIE!!!

Hello my friend!

How kind of you to indulge a dive into my dirty rare-pair ship 😅 Maybe I'm not the only one - I haven't gone poking around AO3 for this stuff to be fair. I completely understand the sacrilege of casting aside both Benedict and Kate, I love them so.

But there's just something about Anthony and Sophie...

(prepare thyself for a tome)

My head canon fascination with them honestly centers around their in-law relationship. I cannot help but believe that even after Sophie marries Benedict with the family's support, she has an intense feeling of inferiority and imposter syndrome around Anthony. He's a titled man and she has NEVER had good experiences with their kind before. She would likely believe that Anthony barely permitted her scandalous marriage to his brother and merely tolerates her - probably looking down on her, ashamed of her, aggravated by having to keep the secret of her true background from the ton, and even suspicious of her honest attachment to Benedict. Anthony may think she was a conniving seducer who latched onto his brother for money and protection rather than love. I would understand Sophie having any combination of these thoughts when she first becomes acquainted with Anthony.

But in reality, Anthony has learned through his own marriage not to judge books by their covers AND to respect his siblings' quests for love and happiness. When Anthony learns about the way Sophie was mistreated by her father, stepmother, the Cavenders, god knows what other abusive employers, he is offended and indignant on her behalf. He's a man of genuine principle and is disgusted to learn how his fellow members of the ton treated a servant, and one who turned out was half-noble and abandoned by her shameful father. Anthony would actually feel compelled to make it up to Sophie on behalf of the ton, to show her that not all of them are cruel. I believe he would most definitely be suspicious of Sophie's intentions and Benedict's flighty proclamations of love at the beginning, and probably felt the migraine coming on about having to deal with his brother's scandalous marriage outside their rank, BUT once he witnessed the genuine expressions of love between the pair, and once he realized he could lose Benedict to ostracization and even moving abroad if he did not help support the marriage and hide Sophie's background, he would be fully committed to protecting the couple. Because Benedict is his closest brother, he loves him, and by extension he will protect Benedict's wife, particularly as she proves to him time and time again that she is a kind-hearted woman with fierce morals who has more in common with him than they each realize.

I envision Anthony will keep Benedict as his closest brother and confidant throughout their lives and thus, the Fab Four of Kanthony and Benophie will have a lot of quality time together. Picture it: Anthony the beleaguered leader, Kate the sassy spitfire, Benedict the flouncing romantic and Sophie the fearless brains of the bunch. She and Anthony will both come to realize that they share a head for numbers. This is canon about Sophie in the books. Sophie will actually be better than Benedict at handling the household accounts when Kanthony need coverage, and Anthony will learn to depend on her counsel for business and paperwork. She also provides the unique perspective of having been household staff herself, which is invaluable to him to make sure he is managing everything with sensitivity and maximum benefit to all. They will also have plenty to commiserate about as they both spend a good deal of time trying to keep Benedict's artistic, romantic feet on the ground. Anthony can give Sophie tips on how to handle his brother, and Sophie can help Anthony navigate any struggles with Kate by providing a woman's perspective.

Not to diminish Kate's painful family history, but the characterizations from the books paint Anthony and Sophie as having suffered much more in their pasts than Kate and Benedict. Anthony was saddled with the weight of title and responsibility due to his birth and traumatized by the death of his father. Sophie was saddled with the weight of shame and toil due to her birth and traumatized by being abused and devalued after her father died. Both of them clawed their way past their trauma and into their happily ever afters through determination, strength of character and self-reliance. They both learned to breathe and enjoy the brighter side of life once they found their spouses. But their spouses are unlikely to empathize with them on these struggles in the way they can empathize with each other.

While Sophie double checks Anthony's calculations in the ledger and Anthony helps Sophie hide Benedict's paint supplies, they will develop a deep and loving familial bond. Seemingly an odd pair - one raised a viscount and one raised a bastard maid - they have so much more in common than they know. I also head canoned a cute shared love of Marzipan in a little fic.

In Anthony, Sophie finds the brother/father figure she never had, a kind titled gentleman who uses his power to protect her rather than scorn her. In Sophie, Anthony finds someone with a refreshingly different perspective; someone who does not hold him to the same level of expectation as the rest of the ton and who does not come to him with the emotional baggage of his blood relatives. She treats him as a person before she treats him as a viscount. He views her as a sister before he views her as a bastard. She is grateful to him for welcoming her into his family and shielding her from her past. He is grateful to her for seeing his better qualities before his flaws, and for taking such good care of his beloved brother. They look behind the pain and strife of their life circumstances to see each other as somewhat kindred souls. They learn from each other, they help each other and they love each other. This is what I dream about for them.

And yeah, as mentioned, I plunged into the depths of my angst bucket and wrote a bit of a fic where they are middle-aged and both Kate and Benedict have passed away. Sophie moves in with Anthony for mutual support and child-rearing responsibilities and after years of grieving together, their existing bedrock of love bubbles into passion and they find a second, gentler, quiet happily ever after together. The title is Some Kind of Love and I will likely never finish it. But the first chapter is written and I've thought of floating it out there as an angsty little one shot. Perhaps someday.

Hope that satisfies your curiosity 😅 told you it would be a dickens! Always happy to talk about Antophie, my beloved rare-pair. 💙

[silverhallow]

Random thought about the books…

I feel Sophie connects with Anthony and Phillip because they remind her of her father.

Her dad was present in a way of providing but the books didn’t show them interacting at all. Sophie needs lessons, food, shelter, a mother and siblings, he found and provided.

Phillip is of the same mind with the twins till he married Eloise. Show!Anthony is similar with he doesn’t know why his siblings want something but he provides it. Like bribing to get Benedict into the academy, paying for Colin’s travels, all the books Eloise wants and literally being Hyacinth’s servant…

As an optimist, she sees the best in people but more than that, she sees how much these two emotionally stunted men love, even if others see it differently…

Okay so I’ve got to disagree with you here on some points but I can see where your coming from…

Sophie and Phillip bond I think over their shitty dads and childhood trauma, that and he saves her baby. They have very similar traumas but different but they understand what it’s like to be invisible in their house or want to be invisible.

Phillip loves his kids. He wants what is best for them and he’s so down about himself that he thinks a mother is the best thing for them because he doesn’t believe that he would be.

As for Anthony…

I think they bond out of Anthony’s protectiveness and her friendship with Kate.

Anthony sees how good Sophie is for Benedict and how she saw him for who he was rather than how everyone else saw him and I think perhaps in the show she’s going to help heal that little rift after the academy issue…

Anthony has respect for Sophie ans kind words for her and always dances with her at balls,

He sees her as another sister… and to me at least Sophie sees him as a Big Brother.

That’s how I see it anyway 🥰

[eleanor-bradstreet]

No shade to you but there's something funny about how everyone and their mother wants Anthony with their favorites. I guess he's just that desirable.

Bahaha I think you’re completely correct Nonny!

He’s just THAT good 🥵

[eleanor-bradstreet]

hi could you do a fic for colin bridgerton pretty pls??🥺🥺

Hello Nonny,

Thank you for the ask but I have to decline. I'm not taking fic requests at the moment and am also not a Colin/Polin writer. I am giving Colin some significant things to do in my Offer From a Gentleman re-write, Let Me Be Your Anchor if you'd like to check that out. He also plays a cute side roll in my story Young At Heart.

Enjoy Polin season! 💛💙

[silverhallow]

How would you write Anthony finding out about Sophie and Benedict? He is mostly absent from AOFAG. Does Violet just announce Benedict is getting married in three days and Anthony is like "TO WHO?" It seems of all the spouses Anthony and Sophie would have the least in common. How would they form a bond? I would like to think when Sophie encounters Cavender again, Benedict is not there and Anthony defends her. In the show, it will interesting to see of he compares her to Siena.

I’ve done this in a couple of my older fics actually where Benedict goes and tells Anthony and Kate he’s engaged to Sophie but I think Anthony would be thrilled that his brother was finally getting married and found his lady in silver!

Whilst Anthony and Sophie don’t have a lot in common I think they bond of little things. Anthony would be very protective of Sophie given her background and what happened to her and when he sees how much Ben and Sophie love one another he understands.

I like to think Sophie and Anthony end up bonding over running estates. We know Sophie is good with numbers and stuff so I HC that she basically runs My cottage and over that first Christmas Anthony is shocked to see how much money the cottage and it’s land has made in the 5 months since Sophie and Benedict married and he’s like 👀Benedict just goes “ask Sophie she’s behind it all” and this starts a blossoming friendship of getting trade and investment ideas from her.

We know from TSPWL that he has a lot of respect for Sophie and in some snippets she’s the only other person he dances with expect his wife so I actually think Anthony and Sophie are very close.

Anthony and Benedict are very close and I think they’d become close by default.

I am a firm believer in the Ant-Ophie friendship agenda and he’s very much put out when Phillip comes along and displaces him in her affection 😂

[eleanor-bradstreet]

Could you please do Prussia and some kind of love?

Hello there!

Oooo you sniffed out my two (and only) rare pair stories!

I chatted about Prussia over here. Benedict and Sophie are visiting Prussia and being their unhinged, smutty selves, but they aren't the only ones... 😉

Some Kind of Love is the rare pair that NO ONE wants but that my heart has been aching to explore for a very long time. And that pairing is...Anthony and Sophie. I have such intense feelings about their relationship, I have to write this story as an exercise in exploring all angles of it, but I know it will be far from everyone's cup of tea. It's going to be angsty and smutty and full of feels 💙 I'll share a snippy below the cut.

Thank you for the ask!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anthony was roused by the gentle sensation of fingers at his nape. Half-conscious, he sighed with happiness. Kate. She trailed her fingers across his back and up to his side, sweetly dancing across his skin. He couldn’t remember the last time she touched him and he longed for more. Shifting around in that fuzzy realm between sleeping and waking, his hand found hers and he pulled her closer, showing her everywhere he wanted to feel her touch. The warmth of her delicate fingers left a hot trail across his muscles, coaxing him to consciousness and to arousal. When he felt her body pressed fully against his back he woke, feeling his blood surge between his legs. And that’s when he remembered. It wasn’t Kate. She hadn’t touched him in so long because she was gone. And he had craved her presence so badly that Sophie had wound up in his bed. And now she was touching him.

[eleanor-bradstreet]

Eleanor the Destroyer. The Author of Despair 🤣🫶 I will bear these titles with so much pride, you have no idea 🤣 Thank you for bestowing them upon me. Please rattle them off Daenerys-style every time I enter a room. (You may sit there grouchy faced as I gleefully laugh at your pain 😘) I’m so sorry Tumblr cut off your rant! I do think the secret is more spaces between bullets to break up the text block. I’d delight in 5k words of your vitriol, but this feedback is priceless as it is 💙

Again Anthony and Sophie - I’m so pleased that you’ve already found them intriguing enough to contemplate an *dare I utter the name of a rare pair?* Antophie love story. Is that a WIP of mine? Of course it is 🤪 Is it about them recognizing the mirrored strengths in each other despite their wildly different upbringings? Yes. Is it also about the love that Benedict cultivated with and between each of them? Yes. “I really do think this experience is going to do a lot to strengthen their relationship.” Well, you were right.

“Benedict is the glue that keeps unlikely people connected.” Precisely 🥹 And that’s why this hurts so much.

“But you're going to force me, aren't you? You're going to make me look at this impending disaster. YOU'RE GOING TO HOLD ME DOWN AND MAKE ME ENDURE HIM ASKING HIS BIG BROTHER IF THEIR MOTHER IS COMING!!!!” 🫣 whispers timidly: Yes.

“His ass better invent that telephone in the next 10 minutes and get their mom there pronto. I ain't playin' games baby boi.” Omg, this made me laugh so hard! 🤣 Quick, Anthony - you went to Eton with a Graham-Bell, didn’t you??? I’m so, so sorry to be using the Violet card against you. I wrote this conversation ages ago before I knew how much she meant to you. I’m sure this feels like a personal attack. 💙 But I had to convey how dire this is. There are certain things Ben has to say to actually break through Anthony’s 10 foot steel walls of denial. 

“It makes me wonder, has Benedict ever told him about the feelings he experienced before their father died? Is that why it scares him so much and he tries to dismiss Benedict's words as more theatrics?” Oooo, what a fantastic question!! I definitely worked this moment in to allude to Ben’s canon spiritual sensitivity. But I never contemplated whether Anthony would know about it. I suppose in my HC, Ben keeps this part of himself private, between him and Sophie only. He probably assumes that Anthony would think he was a nutter if he tried explaining it AND I don’t think he would tell him about his Edmund premonition because it would only upset Anthony further. But if you want to believe Anthony does know about Ben’s ‘senses’, that makes this all the juicier because YES, it would add another layer of terror to everything Anthony is feeling. 😢 What wonderful insight!

“You know what, Benedict, fuck you too. You and Eleanor can ride off into the sunset together.” 🤣🤣🤣 Oh, if only 😍 I’d happily ride off and fuck off with him. 

“He's lost his mind. He's clearly sicker than any of them could have feared. One does not recover from being married to Benedict Bridgerton and then losing him.” Preach. Amen. As we’ve discussed before, Benny boy doesn’t understand the impact he has on people - particularly the women who love him. But in this case I believe he does know, in his heart of hearts, that Sophie would never love another in the same way. They are too fated for one another - their love is too miraculous. But nonetheless, he wants to make sure she is materially comfortable for the rest of her life and has companionship - intimacy even, because he knows how important that is. He loves her enough to let her go, as much as it may burn him, because he knows it’s her best chance at second-best happiness. Now, would Sophie actually be able to remarry someone?? I have my thoughts on this but won’t say anything now. This story isn’t over yet…

“MaKe sUrE ShE dOEsn'T FInD soMEonE BetTer lOOkiNg.” 🤣🤣

Oh the joint message from Ben and Edmund. Listen, if there’s one thing I have to do in my fics where Anthony appears, it’s sing his praises to high heaven because lord knows his family sure as hell hasn’t in the show thus far, and it leaves me steamed. This is me righting the wrongs of the Bridgerton family; of having a blood relative FINALLY look at Anthony and tell him what an amazing fucking job he has done managing his ridiculously large and dramatic family on top of running a massive estate, on top of raising his own immediate family - jeeezus. When Benedict takes a moment to be genuine and reflect on his brother without judgment, ridicule or jokes, he out of anyone KNOWS how much pressure Anthony has always been under and how well he has done bearing it up. But he needs to be vulnerable to be able to say it honestly. And he’s spurred on by their father, right there with them both but just out of sight. Edmund is using the opportunity to speak clearly to Ben while he is between worlds, and deliver the message to his eldest son: he is proud, he has seen Anthony being the father that was robbed from everyone, and he will continue to be strong even if Benedict has to leave. Anthony needs to hear this from his living relative, and it’s extra potent that he suspects he may be hearing it from his father as well, but it’s what he will need to carry on if the worst should happen. I did indeed call up my smithy friend in hell to craft this special torment for you. 🫶

Then Ben and El - he’s still her big brother, no matter what state he’s in. He’s still the only one she feels will listen to her without judgment and may be able to help her out of her own mess, however guilty she feels asking him for help right now. But he obliges. Because he wants to. Because he’s Ben. He will indeed spend his last words feverishly asking her to meet him out at the swings so that they can talk through her problems, because that’s the kind of brother and man he is. 💙 I humbly accept your somewhat-affectionate ‘bitch’ title for this 😂

Idk where the inspiration for Anthony wearing Ben’s shirt came from, but I’m so glad it popped into my head. It seemed too poignant to skip. 

Anthony did indeed send the first letter, but you know I didn’t let you off that easy. I’m delivering a metric ton of gratitude to you for your thoughtful and passionate feedback 🥹 I was feeling a bit wobbly about this story at the start, and you have cured me of that. 🫶 Now, will I cure someone in turn….???? Time will tell…

Willow Bark - Day 2: A Message

Rated: T, whump and angst Word count: 3.4k

Day 1 Masterpost

Summary: Benedict has messages for each of his siblings.

The night passed in silent watches. Benedict’s siblings sat with him until Eloise was drooping so dramatically that Anthony ordered her to bed. He stayed, keeping a determined vigil, wracking his thoughts for the right course forward. Benedict’s footman had agreed to collect the doctor at dawn and Anthony’s coachman would make a round trip to Aubrey Hall to bring back necessities for Eloise and himself to remain at the cottage. If Benedict and Sophie had kept any additional staff beyond a skeleton crew of one maid and one footman, plus the pokey elderly couple who accounted for their cook and groundskeeper, he would have ordered a man to ride through the night for the best doctor in the county. But keeping a full array of staff was something Sophie would never entertain.

Benedict slept soundly. Though his face looked pained, he wasn’t restless. At some point shortly before dawn Sophie returned and insisted Anthony get some sleep. He refused and they sat in silence together. Sophie was the newest addition to the family having married Benedict only a few months prior, and there was no one with whom Anthony could find less in common. The bastard daughter of a late earl, her courtship with his brother had been one full of drama and unexpected turns, but eventually he had granted them his blessing, seeing how evidently happy they were together. But there was still a chasm of difference between them. She had been raised as a maid, he as the heir to a noble house. She was an orphaned only child and he had always been surrounded by an impractically large family. They had each navigated facets of life that the other couldn’t imagine, widely separated at opposite ends of the social spectrum. But they were family now and were united in their love for Benedict, which was all that mattered in this moment.

Anthony didn’t know he had drifted off until he found himself stumbling into another bedroom, gently guided by his sister-in-law. The last thing he recalled before he sank into exhaustion was the sound of heavy rain against the windows.

---

He woke to a hand on his shoulder shaking him lightly. Snapping to attention, he turned to see Sophie, a smile bringing some color back to her face.

“Is the doctor here?” The words tumbled out, the most pressing thought on his mind.

“Not yet,” Sophie sighed. “I’m sure the rain will delay them.”

Anthony turned to see the grey skies through the windowpanes, sheets of rain so dense that the entire landscape was a blur.

“He is awake,” Sophie’s voice was choked with emotion as she gave him an encouraging grin, tears brimming in her tired eyes. “He’d like to see you.”

Anthony felt his heart leap. Surely this was a good sign. Once he had straightened himself, Sophie walked him back to the main bedroom and left them in privacy. Benedict was sitting up in the bed, decidedly more animated than he had been the night before, but the color of his skin in the daylight made him look ghastly. Anthony had to convince his feet to keep moving as he walked to the chair at the bedside. This sunken, sallow man before him bore almost no resemblance to the brother he knew. But he would not betray how shaken he felt.

“Benedict! You’re awake. How do you feel?” He forced a smile and took his brother’s hand.

The pale figure turned to face him, his eyes glassy and hair matted with sweat. “Hello, brother,” he croaked. A deep, joyless voice that was unfamiliar. “Not good. It’s…” He shook his head then stared off across the room. “I’ve never felt like this.”

A stone seemed to lodge itself in Anthony’s throat. Benedict always had a flair for the dramatic. They just had to wait for the doctor to arrive and then everything would be set right. “You’ll be alright,” he declared, squeezing the limp fingers in his grasp. “This is likely just a passing influenza. Our doctor will be here soon. Just rest.”

Benedict took a rattling inhale and stared eagerly at the door. “Is Mother here?” There was something like panic in his voice, something reminiscent of the child Anthony had grown alongside so many years ago.

Tightness closed around the Viscount’s heart. He clenched his jaw to fight against the sickening tide he felt rising within. He wouldn’t entertain anything dire, but he didn’t want to upset his brother any further. He decided to lie. 

“She’s on the way. Everyone is. Eloise and I are here.” He gripped his brother’s hand more tightly, trying to reassure him.

After a few rasping breaths Benedict turned to face him, something burning in his red eyes. His voice was just above a whisper. “Ant, I’ve been seeing things.” His haunting gaze seemed to penetrate right through Anthony’s flesh. More dramatics. 

“What?” The Viscount scoffed dismissively. “You’re just exhausted.”

Benedict never blinked, his eyes just continued to bore with an intensity Anthony had never seen. “Brother,” he heaved a deep breath, “if this is to be the end…”

The stone in Anthony’s throat turned to ice and dropped into his stomach. “No.” He said firmly, shaking his head. “No.” Tears began to brim in his eyes. This was preposterous. Ridiculous. 

“Anthony, I know something is happening.” Benedict’s voice turned gravelly as his hand began to grip back weakly. “If this is the end, I must ask something of you.”

Anthony’s face was growing hot. He could hear the thudding of his heart in his ears. This conversation could not be happening. “Benedict…” he pleaded.

“Look after Sophie.” Suddenly there was strength in Benedict’s tone, and a clear urgency in his eyes. “Provide for her. Keep her safe.” He let out a shaking exhale. “She should marry again.”

Anthony was losing his internal battle as tears began to stream down his face. A terror was growing in his mind, hot and buzzing. This was not happening. “God damn it…” he whispered through gritted teeth.

Swallowing hard, Benedict continued. “I want her to be happy.” His voice cracked, sounding as if he would weep but was clearly too weak to do so. “But if she does, make sure the fucker isn’t better looking than me.” Somehow, that cheeky crooked grin smiled out from the strangely ashen face and Anthony was reminded of precisely who he was speaking to.

Anthony could barely breathe much less respond. He sat silently, trying to quell his tears and the roaring in his head.

Benedict’s face fell, grey and urgent once more. “Promise me, Ant.” He gripped his hand tightly. “You must…”

“Yes.” Anthony spluttered, ready to say anything to stop this horrific conversation. “Of course I will take care of Sophie. But Benedict, there will be no need. You have the strength to overcome this. You must find it.” He placed his other hand on his brother’s shoulder. Even there he felt frail. “You must recover from this. You will.”

At this Benedict sighed deeply, sinking further into the pillows. He closed his eyes, the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “Father would be so proud of you, Anthony.”

Anthony fell numb. “What?”

His brother’s eyes reopened, suddenly seeming at ease, his blue-grey stare calm. “We take you for granted, the family. We don’t tell you enough how well you have done.”

All Anthony could feel was his heart pounding and tearing apart simultaneously, and the clammy grasp of his brother’s hand in his. “Ben…” he whispered, at a loss.

Benedict continued, his voice growing warm. “You deserve all our gratitude. You have been the most wonderful father to your children…and to the rest of us. You are an excellent Viscount, and the most aggravating,” he grinned, “and exceptional brother I could ask for. I need you to hear it.” He gave Anthony’s hand a final squeeze. “I need you to know.”

As Anthony sat stunned, tears pouring helplessly down his face, Benedict’s eyes closed again and he turned away, tilting his head almost as if listening to something at a distance. Then another smile spread across his lips and he almost seemed to nod to himself.

“He is proud.”

Struck with a raw terror he had never known, Anthony withdrew his hand from his brother’s and stumbled out the door, gasping for air.

---

While Anthony spoke with Benedict, Sophie joined Eloise in the sitting room. The younger paced in front of the fire while Sophie perched on a sofa.

“It’s good that he is awake.” Eloise gave an encouraging half-smile to her sister-in-law.

“Yes,” Sophie sighed. “Thank you again for making the journey. I know the timing is terrible with your wedding and…”

“Surely, if we could control the timing of illnesses, we would all delay them forever.” 

Sophie smiled weakly, grateful for Eloise’s practical point of view. Before he had struggled to stay conscious, Benedict had been so concerned about appearing at his sister’s wedding. Sophie suspected that he had hidden the severity of his symptoms in some bullheaded attempt to fight them and not cause alarm. But they both knew that Eloise was the one sibling who would be the least perturbed about an interruption to her nuptial plans. Particularly as they weren’t her plans at all, but rather Anthony’s. 

Eloise joined her on the sofa and placed a light hand on her arm. “It’s alright, Sophie. I want to be with my brother. Thank you for writing to us.”

Sophie nodded. With Benedict awake and the doctor on his way, perhaps he would indeed recover in time. “Are you excited?” she asked, eager to not let this passing cloud overshadow someone else’s joyous occasion.

Eloise faltered, her lips forming a grimace more than a smile. Sophie’s heart sank. “Oh no, what is it?”

Eloise shook her head, scrunching her face in that agitated way that Sophie knew meant her mind was whirring faster than she could string words together. “It’s just…I want what you and Benedict have. I want what Penelope found with Colin, though for the life of me I can’t understand how.” She sighed, gripping her hands together in her lap. “I all but swore I would never marry, but I suppose the truth is that I never wanted to marry unless it was for love. Genuine, true love.” 

Sophie’s heart broke seeing the consternation in her sister-in-law’s eyes. “And you do not love Sir Phillip?”

“How can one tell they are in love?”

Her tone was so matter-of-fact, Sophie nearly spluttered. Leave it to Eloise to approach something so emotional and intangible with scrutiny and pragmatism. “It’s not an exact science, Eloise.” 

She let her mind drift back, remembering the instant magnetism she had felt upon first seeing Benedict at the masquerade. That was perhaps not the most helpful example, as she knew the lightning bolt which initiated their love story was rare. So she remembered the longing she felt afterward. How the memory of Benedict was all that had comforted her through her years of servitude. How she wanted nothing more than to hear his voice and return to his arms. Then the fluttering, warm joy of being reunited with him again, and the deep comfort that now filled their married life, permeating each moment and day. Everything that they had worked so hard to protect and precisely the thing that she was now terrified to lose.

“It’s an inability to forget them when you are apart.” She explained, her eyes growing misty. “A desire to be with them even in the most mundane moments. That they are foremost in your thoughts, especially when you are in need. It’s knowing that they would do anything for your well being and you would do the same in return.”

Eloise took in each word, grateful for the insight despite the distress it seemed to cause Sophie. Before she could reply, they heard the bedroom door open upstairs and Anthony’s unmistakable footsteps pound down the hall. 

“You should go see him,” Sophie sniffed, wiping the corner of her eye.

Eloise nodded, squeezed Sophie’s hand in gratitude and made her way to Benedict’s room.

The scene within was strange, giving her a feeling of unreality, as if she were stepping into a painting. Benedict, always the energy in a room, now reduced to a withered invalid, sweating and nearly swallowed by the pillows. She felt an overwhelming sense that she shouldn’t witness this, or rather, that he would not want her to witness it. He was her elder, her confidante, her advocate. He had always cared for her and doubtless never wanted her to care for him.

“Benedict?” She called quietly, moving slowly toward the bed.

His eyes opened upon hearing her and a small grin lit his features. He beckoned her to his side and she knelt, resting both of her hands on his arm.

“I’m sorry, El,” he croaked.

“For what?”

“Wedding,” he rasped, clearly struggling to speak and trying to convey his remorse through his bloodshot eyes.

“Stop it.” Eloise nudged him lightly. “You’re either going to recover in plenty of time to be there, or in truth, it may not happen at all. It doesn’t matter.” She tried to sound nonchalant, her intent to dissuade his concern, but as soon as his brow knit together, she knew that she had misspoken. If there was anyone she could be truthful with, it was her second brother, but she should have known that he would worry and try to resolve her problems regardless of the state he was in.

“Tell me.” 

Eloise sighed, chastising herself for her brutal honesty. Given everything that had occurred since, her disagreement with Phillip now seemed a small matter. It was still one she had to reconcile in her heart, one that would determine what kind of future, if any, she planned with her intended. But it did not take precedence over Benedict’s wellbeing and she wished that everyone, including Benedict, would stop acting as if it did. Why did they all insist on speaking to her about the wedding? Why couldn’t they all just wait until Benedict was well again? Then she would have the energy to untangle her feelings toward Sir Phillip.

“We had an argument. It’s nothing. We’ll sort it out. Do not worry yourself about this.”

Benedict stared at her, exacting even with his weakened features. She knew what he was doing, reading her like a book. She could never hide her true feelings from Benedict. No one could. It was her brother’s remarkable and troublesome talent.

After a long moment, he grasped her hand and pulled it to his chest with a reassuring squeeze. Then he sank back into the pillows as if that small action had drained him of all energy. 

“He cares for you.” He declared, his voice small.

There it was again, that knowledge of love, that secret language which everyone around her seemed to understand but which she was still trying to decipher. If Benedict had been well, she knew he would have explained it to her or at least attempted to. She didn’t want to tax him with this but she knew he was inviting her to, however little he could offer now. 

“How do you know?” she asked, her voice a broken whisper.

Benedict’s gaze was unwavering even though he was clearly fighting to keep it that way. “Deeds, not words.” His voice was clear but as soon as he spoke, his eyes closed and he exhaled deeply, his fingers loosening around hers.

Eloise froze, knowing she would remember his words even if she wasn’t entirely sure of their meaning. Watching her brother drifting back into unconsciousness caused panic to rise within her. She didn’t know what to do. All she wanted was for him to stay, not for her sake but for Sophie’s, to stay awake and speak to them and tell them what he needed. If he could speak to the doctor, surely it would help.

She gripped his arms and shook him gently. “Ben? Can you stay awake?” Something dreadful turned in her stomach when he just lay there limply. For the first time since they arrived, she felt the hot sting of tears in her eyes and her voice faltered. “Please,” she pleaded. “I need you. We all need you.”

Then his lips moved, murmuring something so faintly she had to lean close, but the only word she could make out was “swings”.

— 

Benedict didn’t wake again and within the hour he lapsed into a fever. Dr. Crowe, the Bridgerton’s family physician, finally arrived with the footman, the two of them soaked through from the rain. While he examined Benedict, Sophie offered her in-laws changes of clothes until their belongings arrived from Aubrey Hall.

Still shaken from his earlier conversation, Anthony thanked her and hid away in a bedroom. He slipped on Benedict’s shirt and looked in the mirror. It was a bit too long and entirely too flamboyant with its ruffled collar and cuffs, but something about it was undeniably soothing. It felt like Benedict. It smelled like Benedict. In that moment he felt that he was in the presence of his true brother, not the unrecognizable ghost who was lying in the bed nearby. Then a sudden pang of longing for his family. He wanted his wife, his children, the rest of his siblings. If they were nearby he would feel more certain in how to navigate this storm. He thought of the distress in Benedict’s voice asking after their mother. He must write to her, to the entire family. Whatever was going on, it was clearly time to send word to everyone. But he would wait for the doctor’s report to know what to tell them.

Rolling the sleeves to his elbows to hide the cuffs, Anthony straightened himself as best he could  then rejoined everyone outside Benedict’s room. Eloise wore one of Sophie’s day dresses, looking uncharacteristically pale and quiet. Looking, Anthony noted, like Sophie herself. They waited in silence for the doctor to emerge and when he did, he looked somber. It was influenza or an infection of the lungs. When he could not sufficiently respond to Anthony’s demand to determine precisely which, the Viscount launched into a tirade about the man’s credentials and education, inserting barely veiled threats against his reputation and receipt of payment.

Thoroughly castigated, Dr. Crowe offered to administer a medicine that promised to treat both conditions. Sophie agreed and they all watched as the doctor fed a mystery tonic down Benedict’s throat and instructed Sophie to keep him cool. He declared that if the fever broke by the next day, it was a promising sign of recovery. Confirming he would stay at the village nearby, he then begged his way out of the house, clearly eager to escape Anthony’s perpetual glare.

Making use of Sophie’s study, Anthony penned a letter to his family. He wanted to be truthful but not alarming. He paid Dr. Crowe a good deal, good enough that the man should have access to all of the best treatments. He was confident - adamant - that Benedict’s fever would break before any of the family could reach them anyway. So he kept the tone balanced.

To my dear Viscountess and my beloved mother,

I write to inform you that our brother Benedict has taken ill suddenly. Sophie sent word and now Eloise and I are with them at the cottage. I spoke with Benedict this morning and Dr. Crowe is here to tend to him. I am confident that he will recover to full health in time for the wedding. If plans can be hastened so that you might arrive a few days earlier, I’m sure Benedict would be heartened by your presence as he recovers. 

Love to my children.

-Anthony

As he folded the letter into an envelope and sealed it, he tried not to see the desperate look in Benedict’s eyes. As he handed the letter to the footman with instructions to find the fastest messenger to London, he tried to forget about the vow he had been forced to make. As he made his way back upstairs, he tried to ignore how glum Dr. Crowe had looked with his diagnosis, even after providing the attempted cure. 

Benedict would recover. That was the only conceivable outcome. They simply had to wait through the night.

Tagging: @angels17324 @bridgertontess @broooookiecrisp @secretagentbucky @musicismyoxygen84

[silverhallow]

Chapter 6 of

🐝In The End🐝

is now on Ao3

(Yes i've finally updated this and worked out how I want to finish it! so we're getting a move on!)

[silverhallow]

Anthony decides to make his parents Anniversary cake and begins to live to regret that decision. It just so happens that his brother's girlfriend is a pâtissière... can she help save the day?

For Anthony Week. @kateanthonyweek

Thank you to @sharmasandcorgis for the idea

(Yes this is set in my new AU 🤦‍♀️)

[silverhallow]

I’m stuck.

I really want to write something for Anthony and Sophie for Anthony Week.

But what I had written I hated so I’ve deleted every single word.

Anyone got an idea or something they want to see that I can write please.

I want to explore their relationship and their friendship, regency or within Bridgerton Enterprises…

Anyone got a Drabble or something they want to see??

Help?

[silverhallow]

Wildest dreams chapter 43 is now ✨live✨

Some Antophie friendship for your consideration 🧡

[silverhallow]

I'll miss As The World Falls Down, I'd have read a hundred chapters of it 😓😓

I promise I am not done with them.

I have plans! I have one shots

I have more Antophie friendship.

I have a Halloween special coming!!

I have more Benophie in this world…

I am absolutely not done with it but the story felt like a fitting place to end 🧡

I do have an epilogue coming soon 🧡

I might if I have enough people wanting it, write a few chapters over the next few years and The end of their teens 🧡

[silverhallow]

Writing Anthony week day 1 ready for tomorrow.

Anthony meeting Sophie.

Anthony finding out about the truth of Sophie’s history

Anthony officially welcoming Sophie into the family

And maybe a little grateful ending 😍

Antophie friendship is just 🥰

[silverhallow]

reblogging for the the late crowd

Any canon relationship I’ll take

Want to see more Katophie, Benate or even Antophie Friendships? Send them over!!! ❤️

Attention gentle tumblr users….

By some weird and wonderful chain of events it appears I have hit 200 followers.

Like seriously wtf. 🤷‍♀️🤯

Thank you everyone who follows me and for sticking with my random thoughts, outbursts and soap boxing as well as my countless fics and everything else. I am truly ✨blessed.✨

In order to celebrate I’m setting up a little prompt and fic celebration.

From the below ideas and prompts please send

any Bridgerton couple, canon romance or platonic friendship.

Which era you would like (please note I will not be writing anything from the Uni AU as that’s my shared world with @fact-fictionx)

If you don’t tell me an era or story world as per my Masterlist I will decide which fits best and work with it

I’be chose la 5 categories and 5 prompts per category so please feel free to chose anything from the below… It May take me time but I WILL get to you…

Once I get to a point I can’t cope with the asks… I will close them. Just to catch up…

And if you have more than one request send them separately otherwise depending on numbers I may just pick one of your requests…

@somebenophiefan and @britishteacup I’ve messaged you both about yours and I promise they’re coming soon! They inadvertently relate to one another so they’re coming real soon I promise!!! I have lost a lot of my older asks so I’m sorry if anyone sent me something that I’ve done done… they went poof 🤷‍♀️

Categories

🎶 Song fics - choose a song by any of these artists 🎶

🎶ABBA 🎶Ed Sheeran 🎶Spice Girls 🎶Westlife 🎶Britney Spears

🔥Spicy Section - chose a Couple. Give me a scenario or leave it authors choice 🔥

🔥Sticky Situations 🔥 Angry/Make Up Sex 🔥 Coitius Interuptus 🔥 Dangerous Liaisons 🔥 Kinky 🔥 (please ensure you have read After Dark as I will not be repeating a Kink unless it’s modern.) (if you send me something I am not comfortable writing I will politely decline it so please do not be offended but somethings are just no…) (side note… please don’t ask for anything other than canon couples here…)

💔Angsty💔 with a happy ending but I’ll break your heart and soul in the mean time 😂

💔Sick spouse/child 💔 Couple Struggles 💔 “leave me alone” 💔 “I can’t do this anymore” 💔 “am I not enough for you? 💔

🥰 All The Feels 🥰 lovey dovey fluff

🥰 Courting/First Dates 🥰 Making sure their SO eats and drinks 🥰 Bringing flowers/ something as they noticed their SO is feeling down 🥰 A Perfect Surprise 🥰 A Promise

✨Communication ✨ verbal prompts

✨ “You come here often?” “Well, I work here. So I think I’d have to say ‘yes’.” ✨ “…Did you just sniff me?” ✨ “I am nothing if not consistent.” “Yeah, a consistent pain in my ass.” ✨ “You couldn’t handle me even if i came with instructions.” ✨ “Of course I noticed, I notice everything about you.”

I won’t be starting these til likely 9th or 10th July… as I’m working on bringing everything else up to day first but please send them in. 🥰❤️

[eleanor-bradstreet]

Aww, thank you so much! If we are lucky enough that they ever share a scene together on the show, I will implode 😝

PLEASE TELL ME ANY THOUGHTS YOU HAVE ABOUT ANTOPHIE!!!

Hello my friend!

How kind of you to indulge a dive into my dirty rare-pair ship 😅 Maybe I'm not the only one - I haven't gone poking around AO3 for this stuff to be fair. I completely understand the sacrilege of casting aside both Benedict and Kate, I love them so.

But there's just something about Anthony and Sophie...

(prepare thyself for a tome)

My head canon fascination with them honestly centers around their in-law relationship. I cannot help but believe that even after Sophie marries Benedict with the family's support, she has an intense feeling of inferiority and imposter syndrome around Anthony. He's a titled man and she has NEVER had good experiences with their kind before. She would likely believe that Anthony barely permitted her scandalous marriage to his brother and merely tolerates her - probably looking down on her, ashamed of her, aggravated by having to keep the secret of her true background from the ton, and even suspicious of her honest attachment to Benedict. Anthony may think she was a conniving seducer who latched onto his brother for money and protection rather than love. I would understand Sophie having any combination of these thoughts when she first becomes acquainted with Anthony.

But in reality, Anthony has learned through his own marriage not to judge books by their covers AND to respect his siblings' quests for love and happiness. When Anthony learns about the way Sophie was mistreated by her father, stepmother, the Cavenders, god knows what other abusive employers, he is offended and indignant on her behalf. He's a man of genuine principle and is disgusted to learn how his fellow members of the ton treated a servant, and one who turned out was half-noble and abandoned by her shameful father. Anthony would actually feel compelled to make it up to Sophie on behalf of the ton, to show her that not all of them are cruel. I believe he would most definitely be suspicious of Sophie's intentions and Benedict's flighty proclamations of love at the beginning, and probably felt the migraine coming on about having to deal with his brother's scandalous marriage outside their rank, BUT once he witnessed the genuine expressions of love between the pair, and once he realized he could lose Benedict to ostracization and even moving abroad if he did not help support the marriage and hide Sophie's background, he would be fully committed to protecting the couple. Because Benedict is his closest brother, he loves him, and by extension he will protect Benedict's wife, particularly as she proves to him time and time again that she is a kind-hearted woman with fierce morals who has more in common with him than they each realize.

I envision Anthony will keep Benedict as his closest brother and confidant throughout their lives and thus, the Fab Four of Kanthony and Benophie will have a lot of quality time together. Picture it: Anthony the beleaguered leader, Kate the sassy spitfire, Benedict the flouncing romantic and Sophie the fearless brains of the bunch. She and Anthony will both come to realize that they share a head for numbers. This is canon about Sophie in the books. Sophie will actually be better than Benedict at handling the household accounts when Kanthony need coverage, and Anthony will learn to depend on her counsel for business and paperwork. She also provides the unique perspective of having been household staff herself, which is invaluable to him to make sure he is managing everything with sensitivity and maximum benefit to all. They will also have plenty to commiserate about as they both spend a good deal of time trying to keep Benedict's artistic, romantic feet on the ground. Anthony can give Sophie tips on how to handle his brother, and Sophie can help Anthony navigate any struggles with Kate by providing a woman's perspective.

Not to diminish Kate's painful family history, but the characterizations from the books paint Anthony and Sophie as having suffered much more in their pasts than Kate and Benedict. Anthony was saddled with the weight of title and responsibility due to his birth and traumatized by the death of his father. Sophie was saddled with the weight of shame and toil due to her birth and traumatized by being abused and devalued after her father died. Both of them clawed their way past their trauma and into their happily ever afters through determination, strength of character and self-reliance. They both learned to breathe and enjoy the brighter side of life once they found their spouses. But their spouses are unlikely to empathize with them on these struggles in the way they can empathize with each other.

While Sophie double checks Anthony's calculations in the ledger and Anthony helps Sophie hide Benedict's paint supplies, they will develop a deep and loving familial bond. Seemingly an odd pair - one raised a viscount and one raised a bastard maid - they have so much more in common than they know. I also head canoned a cute shared love of Marzipan in a little fic.

In Anthony, Sophie finds the brother/father figure she never had, a kind titled gentleman who uses his power to protect her rather than scorn her. In Sophie, Anthony finds someone with a refreshingly different perspective; someone who does not hold him to the same level of expectation as the rest of the ton and who does not come to him with the emotional baggage of his blood relatives. She treats him as a person before she treats him as a viscount. He views her as a sister before he views her as a bastard. She is grateful to him for welcoming her into his family and shielding her from her past. He is grateful to her for seeing his better qualities before his flaws, and for taking such good care of his beloved brother. They look behind the pain and strife of their life circumstances to see each other as somewhat kindred souls. They learn from each other, they help each other and they love each other. This is what I dream about for them.

And yeah, as mentioned, I plunged into the depths of my angst bucket and wrote a bit of a fic where they are middle-aged and both Kate and Benedict have passed away. Sophie moves in with Anthony for mutual support and child-rearing responsibilities and after years of grieving together, their existing bedrock of love bubbles into passion and they find a second, gentler, quiet happily ever after together. The title is Some Kind of Love and I will likely never finish it. But the first chapter is written and I've thought of floating it out there as an angsty little one shot. Perhaps someday.

Hope that satisfies your curiosity 😅 told you it would be a dickens! Always happy to talk about Antophie, my beloved rare-pair. 💙

[silverhallow]

Absolutely fucking agree with every single word of this.

Sophie is Anthony’s favourite in law and Anthony is Sophie’s favourite bridgerton in law.

Hands down. 100%

PLEASE TELL ME ANY THOUGHTS YOU HAVE ABOUT ANTOPHIE!!!

Hello my friend!

How kind of you to indulge a dive into my dirty rare-pair ship 😅 Maybe I'm not the only one - I haven't gone poking around AO3 for this stuff to be fair. I completely understand the sacrilege of casting aside both Benedict and Kate, I love them so.

But there's just something about Anthony and Sophie...

(prepare thyself for a tome)

My head canon fascination with them honestly centers around their in-law relationship. I cannot help but believe that even after Sophie marries Benedict with the family's support, she has an intense feeling of inferiority and imposter syndrome around Anthony. He's a titled man and she has NEVER had good experiences with their kind before. She would likely believe that Anthony barely permitted her scandalous marriage to his brother and merely tolerates her - probably looking down on her, ashamed of her, aggravated by having to keep the secret of her true background from the ton, and even suspicious of her honest attachment to Benedict. Anthony may think she was a conniving seducer who latched onto his brother for money and protection rather than love. I would understand Sophie having any combination of these thoughts when she first becomes acquainted with Anthony.

But in reality, Anthony has learned through his own marriage not to judge books by their covers AND to respect his siblings' quests for love and happiness. When Anthony learns about the way Sophie was mistreated by her father, stepmother, the Cavenders, god knows what other abusive employers, he is offended and indignant on her behalf. He's a man of genuine principle and is disgusted to learn how his fellow members of the ton treated a servant, and one who turned out was half-noble and abandoned by her shameful father. Anthony would actually feel compelled to make it up to Sophie on behalf of the ton, to show her that not all of them are cruel. I believe he would most definitely be suspicious of Sophie's intentions and Benedict's flighty proclamations of love at the beginning, and probably felt the migraine coming on about having to deal with his brother's scandalous marriage outside their rank, BUT once he witnessed the genuine expressions of love between the pair, and once he realized he could lose Benedict to ostracization and even moving abroad if he did not help support the marriage and hide Sophie's background, he would be fully committed to protecting the couple. Because Benedict is his closest brother, he loves him, and by extension he will protect Benedict's wife, particularly as she proves to him time and time again that she is a kind-hearted woman with fierce morals who has more in common with him than they each realize.

I envision Anthony will keep Benedict as his closest brother and confidant throughout their lives and thus, the Fab Four of Kanthony and Benophie will have a lot of quality time together. Picture it: Anthony the beleaguered leader, Kate the sassy spitfire, Benedict the flouncing romantic and Sophie the fearless brains of the bunch. She and Anthony will both come to realize that they share a head for numbers. This is canon about Sophie in the books. Sophie will actually be better than Benedict at handling the household accounts when Kanthony need coverage, and Anthony will learn to depend on her counsel for business and paperwork. She also provides the unique perspective of having been household staff herself, which is invaluable to him to make sure he is managing everything with sensitivity and maximum benefit to all. They will also have plenty to commiserate about as they both spend a good deal of time trying to keep Benedict's artistic, romantic feet on the ground. Anthony can give Sophie tips on how to handle his brother, and Sophie can help Anthony navigate any struggles with Kate by providing a woman's perspective.

Not to diminish Kate's painful family history, but the characterizations from the books paint Anthony and Sophie as having suffered much more in their pasts than Kate and Benedict. Anthony was saddled with the weight of title and responsibility due to his birth and traumatized by the death of his father. Sophie was saddled with the weight of shame and toil due to her birth and traumatized by being abused and devalued after her father died. Both of them clawed their way past their trauma and into their happily ever afters through determination, strength of character and self-reliance. They both learned to breathe and enjoy the brighter side of life once they found their spouses. But their spouses are unlikely to empathize with them on these struggles in the way they can empathize with each other.

While Sophie double checks Anthony's calculations in the ledger and Anthony helps Sophie hide Benedict's paint supplies, they will develop a deep and loving familial bond. Seemingly an odd pair - one raised a viscount and one raised a bastard maid - they have so much more in common than they know. I also head canoned a cute shared love of Marzipan in a little fic.

In Anthony, Sophie finds the brother/father figure she never had, a kind titled gentleman who uses his power to protect her rather than scorn her. In Sophie, Anthony finds someone with a refreshingly different perspective; someone who does not hold him to the same level of expectation as the rest of the ton and who does not come to him with the emotional baggage of his blood relatives. She treats him as a person before she treats him as a viscount. He views her as a sister before he views her as a bastard. She is grateful to him for welcoming her into his family and shielding her from her past. He is grateful to her for seeing his better qualities before his flaws, and for taking such good care of his beloved brother. They look behind the pain and strife of their life circumstances to see each other as somewhat kindred souls. They learn from each other, they help each other and they love each other. This is what I dream about for them.

And yeah, as mentioned, I plunged into the depths of my angst bucket and wrote a bit of a fic where they are middle-aged and both Kate and Benedict have passed away. Sophie moves in with Anthony for mutual support and child-rearing responsibilities and after years of grieving together, their existing bedrock of love bubbles into passion and they find a second, gentler, quiet happily ever after together. The title is Some Kind of Love and I will likely never finish it. But the first chapter is written and I've thought of floating it out there as an angsty little one shot. Perhaps someday.

Hope that satisfies your curiosity 😅 told you it would be a dickens! Always happy to talk about Antophie, my beloved rare-pair. 💙