#do you trust Eloise?

[hiyyihrts]

“For how long have you had feelings for him?”… Lord the way they keep making Eloise this non-observant clueless friend to everyone is crazy to me… especially continuously with Pen (and now Cressida also). She never fathomed that Pen could want to participate in ton events, want to be married, want to have even the bare minimum opportunity to be entertained by a man, and yet anytime Pen goes against anything Eloise always talked about she’s so surprised?? Maybe if you talked with your friends instead of at them we wouldn’t be running into this situation continuously El…

[navarice]

“am I the only one who—” yes you are shut up. oh, is that not what you wanna hear? you are the only one and in fact will ever be the only one so shut the hell up. get a job or a hobby or do anything else but be here dear god PLEASEEEE spare the world with your half assed takes that only cater to your limping sense of self righteousness GODDD YOU’RE ANNOYINGG GO AWAYYYY SHOO SHOO *sprays with water*

[satellite-evans]

Caught in the Act

Pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x reader

Summary: Benedict and his wife, his muse, are interrupted by his mischievous sister Eloise during a private painting session.

Word count: 1.2k

Warnings: fluff, Eloise being a tease

A/N:

English is not my first language, so I apologize if I made any (grammar) mistakes. Feedback, requests, recommendations, vents or questions are always welcome. I love talking to you guys about anything <3

Happy reading xxx

I do NOT give permission for my work to be translated or reposted on here or any other site.

The Bridgerton residence was always buzzing with activity. Whether it was the younger siblings running through the halls or the older siblings preparing for yet another social event, there was never a dull moment. Amidst this lively chaos, Benedict Bridgerton found his moments of peace and creativity in his art studio, tucked away in a quiet corner of the estate.

It was in this sanctuary that he often invited you, his beloved wife and muse, to pose for him. Today was no different. The soft afternoon light filtered through the large windows, casting a warm glow over the room. Benedict stood at his easel, his eyes intensely focused on the canvas before him. You reclined on a chaise lounge, draped in a delicate, nearly translucent gown that accentuated your natural grace and beauty.

"Benedict," you murmured, your voice laced with a hint of anxiety, "are you sure it's not too risky to do this here? Anyone could walk in."

He looked up from his work, his gaze tender as he regarded you. "We’ve done this before without any issues. Besides, the light in here is perfect, and you look absolutely stunning. Trust me, my love, everything will be fine."

You sighed, a small smile tugging at your lips. "Alright, but if we get caught, I'm blaming you."

He chuckled, a deep, soothing sound that always managed to calm your nerves. "Fair enough."

The room settled into a comfortable silence, punctuated only by the soft swishing of Benedict's brush and the occasional rustle of your gown. You admired the way his brow furrowed in concentration, his hand moving with practiced ease. It was in these quiet moments that you felt closest to him, sharing a connection that went beyond words.

ust as he was about to add the finishing touches, the door to the studio burst open. Eloise Bridgerton, ever the inquisitive and outspoken sibling, strode in without a second thought.

"Benedict, have you seen—" She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening as she took in the scene before her. "Oh."

Benedict froze, his brush hovering in mid-air. You quickly pulled the shawl you had draped over your shoulders tighter, your cheeks flushing with mortification as you realized just how exposed you were.

"Eloise!" Benedict exclaimed, clearly flustered. "Ever heard of knocking?"

Eloise's shock quickly gave way to a mischievous grin. "I didn't realize I needed to knock in my own home. But now I see why I should."

You buried your face in your hands, feeling utterly mortified. Benedict, on the other hand, looked equally embarrassed. He set his brush down and moved to stand protectively in front of you.

"Eloise, what do you want?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"I was looking for a book," she said, still grinning. "But I suppose it can wait."

Benedict sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yes, it can. Now, if you don't mind—"

"Oh, don't worry," Eloise interrupted, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I'll leave you two lovebirds to your... art."

With that, she turned on her heel and left, closing the door behind her with a soft click. You and Benedict stared at each other for a moment before you buried your face in your hands again.

"I can't believe that just happened," you groaned, your voice muffled.

Benedict gently pulled your hands away from your face, his eyes filled with concern. "I'm so sorry, my love. I should have been more careful."

"You think?" you replied, half-joking, half-serious. "I am never posing in this house again. That was mortifying."

Benedict hugged you tightly, his arms offering comfort. "I promise, next time we'll find somewhere more private. But you have to admit, it does make for a memorable story."

You couldn't help but laugh despite yourself. "I suppose so."

Later that evening, the Bridgerton family gathered for an informal dinner. The aroma of roasted meats and fresh bread filled the air, mingling with the sound of cheerful conversation and laughter. You sat beside Benedict, your hand resting comfortably on his under the table.

Eloise, ever the mischief-maker, caught your eye and winked. You felt a blush creep up your neck as you recalled the earlier incident. Benedict squeezed your hand reassuringly, his thumb brushing soothing circles on your skin.

"So, Benedict," Eloise began, her voice dripping with innocent curiosity, "how's your latest painting coming along?"

Benedict shot her a warning glance, but she merely raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the moment. "It's coming along quite well, thank you," he replied evenly.

"Oh, I'm sure it's wonderful," Daphne chimed in, not noticing the undercurrent of the conversation. "Your work is always so impressive."

"Indeed," Anthony added, his tone more serious. "You've truly found your calling, brother."

Violet Bridgerton, ever the attentive matriarch, picked up on the tension. "Benedict, dear, you should show us your latest work soon."

Eloise leaned forward, her tone light and playful. "I suppose it's easier to be passionate when you have such a... captivating subject. Isn't that right, sister?"

You nearly choked on your wine, your cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I—um, well..."

Benedict shot Eloise a warning look. "That's enough, Eloise."

Eloise just smiled sweetly. "I'm only saying, you must find it very inspiring."

Violet's eyes twinkled with understanding. "Eloise, that is quite enough. Perhaps you should leave your brother and his wife in peace."

Colin, always quick to join in the fun, leaned back in his chair. "I'd love to see the painting. It must be quite the masterpiece if it has caused such a stir."

yacinth, always eager to be part of any conversation, piped up. "Can we see it, Benedict? Please?"

Gregory, not to be outdone by his younger sister, added, "Yes, show us! We promise to be quiet and not interrupt next time."

You buried your face in your hands again, feeling the heat rise in your cheeks. "Oh my goodness," you murmured, mortified.

You truly never felt so embarrassed in your entire life.

The conversation shifted to other topics, and the rest of the family seemed unaware of the underlying tension. You couldn't help but steal glances at Benedict, admiring his composure. Despite the earlier embarrassment, you felt a deep sense of pride in being a part of his world.

After dinner, as the family dispersed, Benedict took your hand and led you outside to the garden. The night air was cool and fragrant with the scent of blooming flowers. He guided you to a secluded bench, where you both sat in comfortable silence for a moment.

"I'm sorry about Eloise earlier," he said quietly, his eyes searching yours.

You shook your head, smiling. "It's alright, Benedict. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

He chuckled softly. "True. Still, I wish we could have more moments just for us."

You leaned into him, resting your head on his shoulder. "We will. And until then, I'll cherish every second we have together, even the interrupted ones."

Benedict turned to press a kiss to your forehead, his lips lingering. "You are my muse, my love. And I am forever grateful for you."

The moonlight cast a silvery glow over the garden, creating a perfect backdrop for the tender moment you shared. Wrapped in each other's arms, you felt an unspoken promise pass between you—a promise of love, support, and a future filled with countless more beautiful moments, whether they were stolen in secret or shared with the world.

[igotanidea]

Almost there: Anthony Bridgerton x reader

part 1: Too much

part 2 : Not enough

***

„One of those days you will get us both in trouble, Eloise.”

Due to some miracle, Y/N and her second-in-age sister in law managed to escape the watchful gaze of all, lady Danburry, Violet and Daphne, and rushed forward on the promenade. It was generally frowned upon, that the married lady strolled in the presence of a girl, who wasn’t even a débutante yet, but neither of those two seemed to take much interest in ton’s opinion.

“Trouble from merely speaking the truth?”

“Shall I remind you that this virtue is long forgotten in the society full of hypocrisy and deceit?” Y/N whispered taking Eloise’s arm to at least keep the pretences of being discreet. It would be unwise to let anyone else eavesdrop on the little exchange of words between close friends.

“It’s almost like you don’t trust me, my dear sister-in-law.” Eloise chuckled feigning the pompous tone.

“Please don’t ever call me like that again. You were my friend before you were my family. Don’t put the distance between us now. ”

“If anything I’d dare say I’m the reason you met with Anthony and –“ the sentence was cut out abruptly, as Eloise realised that Y/N was currently in the middle of a heavy argument with her husband. An argument that made her flee the house and turned out on the doorstep on the other Bridgerton’s house announced, in search for a friendly soul to talk to. And now she actually realised that all that may have been her fault from the beginning. If Y/N and Anthony have never met, they never would have fought and never—

“Stop overthinking it, dear.” The current viscountess chuckled observing her friend’s slightly hazy gaze and recognising it instantly. Clearly Eloise was getting lost in her own head.

‘Do not call me that!” the girl’s eyes became sharp and conscious again “I can hardly stand being called that affectionately by my mother, let alone by you.”

“Worked just as planned though.”

“Well, my biggest congratulations on being effective in the matter. You are almost as good at me with it.” 

“Oh, almost? From what I can recollect I taught you most of those tricks.” Y/N smiled brightly.

“Really?” Eloise raised an eyebrow “I can’t remember. Hey what do you say we run away from our chaperones and have a proper, meaningful discussion on what’s troubling you?”

“I wish it was that easy. But I’m a wife now and apparently –“

“Viscountess Bridgerton!” a sudden voice came from in front of them and Y/N felt like actually taking Eloise advice and rushing off. It was almost like the whole world decided to prey on her misery on that particular day. First lady Danburry, now lady Featherington. “How lovely to see you! Marriage serves you well. You are beaming, dear.”

Y/N gritted her teeth in hardly hidden annoyance at such obvious show of nosiness and lack of tact. She knew instantly that she had to cut the conversation short before another wave of unwanted questions about her blessed (or not) state would come.

‘Lady Featherington. Pleasure to see you there. Are your daughters accompanying you or are they occupied with their upcoming prenuptial agreements? I surely hope they would be as fortunate with their future husbands as I am with mine. And speaking of which, if you excuse me, I need to discuss a very urgent matter on the subject with my family.”She put an emphasis on two last word and not waiting for response, abandoning all the rules of the lady behaviour, tried to drag Eloise away almost sighing deeply in frustration.

„Oh, but viscountess, once Penelope weds Colin, we will be a family.” lady Featherington stopped both girls in their tracks before they managed to escape.

„I beg your pardon, what now?”

‘Oh, you didn’t know, viscountess? Your brother-in-law is about to marry my youngest daughter. By some miracle, clearly, since Penelope--” Portia started rambling without a care in the world.

„Oh I know about that part.” Y/N faked a smile that didn’t reach her eyes „I merely have the deep conviction that us becoming family is rather an improbable claim.”

„But--”

„Dearest lady Featherington, do not push my hand here. I would rather stay in amity with you. A very fragile alliance shall you pry into my private matters. I dare say you have a certain interest in using those bold statements? ”

„I beg your pardon?”

„The viscount, is still in the charge of his famliy’s - our family’s finances. And that shall include the future fortune of Colin. Shall you insist on intruding me during my leisure time I might have a word with my husband.”

„You truly do not  disgrace yourself with being modest, do you, Y/N? Has social advancement changed you so much? I clearly remember you being a scrawny child with no aspiration and position and look at you now. A snake in a sparkish dress.”

„She can at least choose the colour that highlights her beauty and doesn't make her look like--”

„Thank you Eloise.” Y/N cut her off before she could cause some more havoc. Lady Featherington was an onerousness but her gossiping nature was something Y/N did not need in the current situation. „I shall believe lady Portia will keep our little conversation in mind for the future purposes. Hers and her daughter’s.

„Actually if the viscount is around --”

„Unfortunately, matters of utmost importance kept him at home today.” Y/N responded with the most patience she could gather at the moment. There was always a possibility of farewelling the unwanted company, but as previously stated - there was no need of spreading the rumours of some discrepancies between the newlyweds. This hydra had to be beheaded immediately before the news spread throughout London.

„Such a shame you were left to tend for yourself then viscountess.”

„I shall believe I’d receive the most warm welcome back once my husband free himself of all the duties and occupations.”

***

While Y/N was having a lively discussion with indefatigable Portia Featherington, someone was observing her closely from behind the tree, staying unnoticed themselves.

 “Are you spying on her now?”

“I’m not spying!”

“Oh really? Then tell me brother, why on Earth would you hide in the bush instead of accompanying your wife on the promenade? If I were you –“

“Good thing you are not.” Anthony muttered grumpily keeping his eyes fixed on his wife’s silhouette. Even with her cheeks reddened from the indignation and eyes sparkling with cunning intelligence she was the most beautiful woman he has ever laid his eyes on. If anything, those characteristic may have only been adding to her charm.

he viscount may not have heard all the words exchanged between two ladies, but the way Y/N was keeping lady Portia at bay, standing her own ground and not wavering in the slightest was admirable and worthy of a viscountess. Serving as a reminder that his wife was not a fragile bird who was - in his opinion- in dire need of his protection and care, but rather  a capable, strong woman, who would survive on her own.

Which brought him to another conclusion - that she didn’t rely on him as much as he expected her to. That she was proud enough to get the audacity to leave his home, leave him and decided (solely by herself!) to pay a visit to his sister.

“If I were you—“ Benedict grinned mischievously “I would run and drag Y/N away from Eloise before those two officially call you an idiot and make a plan for Y/N to leave you for good.” apparently the second son was capable of reading his older brother’s mind and pointing out all the worries that were already inside viscount’s head

“She would never.”

“I am unaware of the scope of your failure, but given the fact your wife rushed to Eloise, out of all the people must have been immense.”

“That’s it!’ Anthony hissed, almost crawling out from behind the tree, ready to clear this misunderstanding immediately.

***

„Oh, my dear!” Lady Featherington placed her hands on her hips as if she wanted to emphasize her higher position and knowledge of male-female relations. „Do not occupy yourself with the romance fantasies. Courtship is gone once the knot is tied. And after a child is born--” her gaze landed on Y/N’s stomach „you put all the efforts into keeping the family afloat and secure the future of the offspring.”

„I believe--”

„Viscountess, you are so young. So naive and innocent. Fed on the novels and stories.”

„Most of which cover the topic of history, literature and medicine rather than Shakespeare plays.” now the young woman was getting angry her cheeks flushing  „topics which I boldly presume are far from your interest.”

„I beg your-”

„I kindly forgive you, lady Featherington. Now if you excuse us - I shall wish you a good day.”

„I am not--”

„Lady Featherington.”

The sudden deep voice coming from behind made all the ladies turn around at once.

„Viscount.” Portia bowed slightly „I was just having a little chat with your wife.”

„Educating her on the specificity of marital relations?”

„Giving her some of the knowledge that her prematurely deceased mother - God rest her soul - did not have the opportunity to teach her”

„How kind of you.” Anthony almost smirked and Y/N had to muffle the chuckle forming in the back of her throat looking down. It was like she saw the old him. „However I suppose that once I am here, you shall be free of your educative duties?”

„I--”

„do not preoccupy yourself my lady. My wife shall not lack the company from now on.” having said that, Antony walked right to Y/N offering her an arm and - a sight truly unexpected - bid the older lady goodbye while leading the viscountess away.

„I didn’t need you to save me.”

„such a shame I happened to be around then.”

„My undoing indeed.”

„Unforunate event that you might have to keep the externals for the duration of a stroll.” Anthony held her tighter and closer to him while nodding head to the acquaintance.

***

„Did you gather some intel on the current situation of our brother and his lovely wife?” Benedict, who followed the two of them without any hesitation, asked Eloise.

„I am Y/N’s confidante, I shall never-”

„You cannot trick me sister.”

„Anthony is an idiot.”

„I had quite a feeling you would say something like that. Now- shall we interfere or remain passive observers as Antony makes a fool of himself begging for her forgiveness?”

Eloise smirked as they continued their following.

She and Benedict always understood each other without words.

Edit: part 4 Stuck

@pietrawebster @chrissisheadisinclouds @fuzzym4m4 @gloomysel @urfavnoirette @dd122004dd @milkbummm @bevstofu @taniasethi @syraxnyra @christinabae @pandoraneverland @bevstofu @topguncultleader @jana-jaeynneee @myaa21212121 @ziarah @cat-lockwood @leaf-rose-thorn @elissanatok @lily3450 @nervousmumbling @cat-lockwood @pr3ttyfac3jaelyn

[brekker-by-brekkerr]

There's no way you can convince me the writing for Eloise in part 2 of season 3 was good.

We're expected to believe that Eloise Bridgerton, who gets so upset about injustices to women, who cares deeply for her friends, would hear about Cressida's issues and be like "hmm yeah sucks to suck."

And people can't say it's because Eloise is only concerned with herself because we've seen her get so upset about the plight of other people, we've seen her going and engaging with conversations outside her circle, we've seen her empathizing with Theo and his circumstances, we've seen her trying to hunt down LW to help Pen back before she knew the truth.

JUST THIS SEASON we saw Eloise go to Cressida's house to check on her because she noticed that she was acting off. So you can't even tell me Eloise doesn't care about her. I feel like the writers are trying to gaslight the viewers in part 2 to thinking Eloise didn't ever care that much about Cressida when WE LITERALLY SAW THAT SHE DID. Cressida even says Eloise was a great friend to her.

Yeah, I understand that Eloise has a lot going on right now, and so to some extent, I could see her not being as present for Cressida as she needs. That happens. But the level to which they made Eloise act like she doesn't care is so insane and is clearly just to prop Pen up.

Eloise heard Cressida tell her about her circumstances so she should understand why she's doing what she's doing.

It just felt like such an insane 180 for Eloise to turn around and suddenly be like "Cressida is a viper" and "our friendship was falling apart anyway" and "I should never have trusted her," when the last thing we saw before part 2 was them BEING GOOD FRIENDS!! And when Cressida hadn't done anything bad, she just claimed to be LW RIGHT AFTER she had explained to Eloise how messed up her circumstances were and that she needed help getting out of them.

I get that the show was going to put Eloise and Pen back together because they have such a clear bias towards her character, but did they have to decimate Creloise in the process? Is Eloise not allowed to have multiple friendships?

Like, Pen can do all these terrible things and cry and be like "sorry about that" and it's fine El and her can be besties everyone will love her and forgive her. But Cressida was sometimes mean (and the show goes to lengths to show us how she became that way, even explicitly spelling it out with her mother's comments about how she raised her to believe in "every woman for herself" AND shows Cressida acknowledging her mistakes and showing true change and growth) and lies about being LW and she's dragged through the dirt, she's "the absolute worst," every single character says awful things about her while we see snippets of her in this dark awful house with her life falling apart and this is supposed to be something we root for?? Literally why. Why even make Cressida sympathetic if this is what you're going to do with her.

It feels so out of pocket for Eloise to be saying Cressida is soo horrible and etc. etc. when we SAW their friendship before. We saw Cressida taking in what Eloise was saying and making changes, we saw Cressida challenging Eloise's beliefs and making Eloise self-reflect. Eloise got a peek into how awful Cressida's home life was and into the kind of good person Cressida could be and that's just suddenly thrown out the window with such little support to back it up.

Even if Creloise just HAD to stop being friends, weren't there better ways of going about it? Couldn't they at least have waited till after the fake LW paper came out bashing the Bridgertons for Eloise to break off the friendship? Yes, that was Cressida's mom writing that, but Eloise wouldn't know that and that would more logically line up with Eloise's random coldness towards her.

Still, why exactly do they have to stop being friends? Why can't Eloise have different kinds of friendships, especially one like hers with Cressida that challenged her, one where they mutually helped each other become better people? I love that Eloise is going to go off on this adventure to Scotland and meet other people but could she not also have retained her friendship with Cressida??

I would have loved to see the Eloise I know and love in part 2 teaming up with Cressida to help her, scheming together, doing everything in her power to help her bestie because that's who she is. That's what we should have seen. Maybe it would take her a second to get there, since she was already wrapped up in the drama with her brother and Pen, but she wouldn't just completely brush off her friend. She would do something.

And I could go on about how messed up it was for the writers to make it pretty clear how bad things have become for Cressida and then make her face the most consequences ever, while Pen gets to ride off into the sunset all happily ever after despite doing things 1000x worse than anything Cressida ever did. I'm actually disgusted.

[savingthrcw]

"But will the Ton be prepared for me telling someone off? I doubt it," Bonnie laughed again, but truthfully she did hope people would behave at least decently, so that she would not have to attack anyone; as much as her mother may look after Leandra now, she had no more experience in such matters than her, and was too worried about her own reputation to protect Leandra properly. "Now you are just trying to make me cry," she replied with obvious amusement, "I already know little peace when they are around-no, that's unfair, my little sister is not as guilty. But Michael, well... That's a menace to society, if I have ever seen one. Too much like me, you see." He actually allowed her to be so inappropriately violent with her threats, and Bonnie snickered, wondering if that meant the man had considered violence over his sisters himself.

"Pudding will be fine, my dress not so much. But yes, you should indubitably fear both me and Michael when it comes to your brother, he corrupts and I enable," she replied candidly, looking up at him with a look of pure mischief, "Don't let my complaining fool you, my lord, my brother is but a little me." And a male, which would allow him far more than she could do. "Children can be truly amazing."

He had her snorting again at his little remark about Eloise, a "I didn't...!" following because she'd never say anything of that sort about that poor girl. But she listened to the rest carefully. "I see. I must be careful not to do anything that may cast a shadow on Leandra by association. Nor on my sister, but it will take 8 years more to have her out in society, long enough for me to be forgotten. Considering I'm ineligible, however, I might have some... space to move unseen." He clearly was not as unwanted as she, because just then a little group of girls flocked to them, staring at him and only him. "Lord Bridgerton!" one of them chirped, "We were hoping you'd make an appearance tonight! Will you be joining the dances? It would be a pity if you spent this evening all by yourself." The tone and the way the girl made sure not to ever look in her direction told Bonnie what was happening, even if she had never been in the presence of someone so shamelessly rude, and before she could help herself she snorted. "Are you being serious? Are you actually pretending I'm not here?" she asked, and this time she had to start laughing, especially after the girls gave her looks that said her reaction was unexpected and unwanted. "That's a wee bit pitiful, int it no? How old are you?" Damn it, she was slipping into Scottish; she had done her best to tame the accent, even, per her mother request, though it seemed their leader didn't need to be told she was mocking her with a 'isn't it'. "Younger than you, certainly!" The way the woman blushed in anger made Bonnie put a hand against her veil, over her mouth, and turn her head, silently shaking with laughter, "I was merely concerned for Lord Bridgerton's sake, he's too kind to offer you his precious time-there is nothing amusing about this, miss Gillanders!" "Yes, I wouldn't be amused about much if I were you," she agreed, still laughing, "Lord Bridgerton, shall I release you from imprisonment now?" She'd let him go if he wished, of course, no hard feelings, but it was all so silly and she couldn't wait to tell Eloise.

"No? As eldest, you must be prepared for anything." He wasn't scolding her. If anything, he was teasing her, as rare as it was, sometimes, for Anthony to do such a thing. Something about her made him want to be lighter. It seemed that her attitude was infectious. A good thing to be, he supposed. "Though that said, you must enjoy your years of freedom while you have them. Once they become of age, you will never know a moment of peace." That was less of a joke, though, and more of a warning. He meant it entirely. Anthony hadn't know to enjoy his years while had them. He had barely been twenty when his father had died. "I wish you luck with your cousin, though. May the ladies be kind, and the men civil. That cane looks like it can leave quite the bruise." He shook his head as she apologized, a small smile forming on his lips. He liked her. "Your threats are safe with me."

As for the mischief...she wanted to have a little bit of harmless fun with him. Could he do that? He hadn't had harmless fun since he was a child. She reminded him of Gregory, and of his father. They had the same lighthearted spirit that she did, that same love of mischief and trouble. He almost said it, almost said that his father would have loved her, but he didn't Mention of his father felt sacred, secret, and only for him. "I have a brother that I think you would get along with. He's yet to enter society, though, and frankly I think I would fear what would happen should the two of you meet." He could only imagine the sort of mischief the two of them could get up to together. Gregory would love her. His eyebrows furrowed, then, "Though I am sorry about your dog." That sounded like a nightmare to clean up. It made Anthony glad they had no house dogs to speak of.

He walked with her, allowing her to make the pace, ignoring eyes that may have found themselves on them. He couldn't say he didn't care about the opinions of others, but when it came to this moment, he didn't allow himself to be bothered. He listened to her as she spoke, an intent expression on his face. Really, he'd only recently begun to pay any attention to the rules that truly governed relations between men and women, but he knew enough. He knew the things that were ironed into him from a young age. He may not have paid them any mind, but he certainly knew them. "Well," he said, giving a small tilt of his head. "First, as you say, you must never trust Eloise for advice on society. If you wish to be friends with a man, you must accept that people will talk. They will think it pointless. However, I must say, my brother is particularly close friends with one of our neighbors, and I have never heard an impolite word said about it. What happens behind closed doors, though, I cannot say."

[dragon-kazansky]

Bridgerton shade of blue

Benedict Bridgerton x Female Reader

The Viscount is set on finding a wife this season, and you are trying again for your second season. While Anthony is dealing with trials between Edwina and Kate Sharma, you are dealing with trials of your own. Benedict Bridgerton is ever present in your life, but your pursuit to find a husband must come first. Society is ever so exhausting.

{Masterlist}

{Previous Chapter} - {Next Chapter}

Season Two

Chapter Twenty Two - The races

As the races were in the afternoon, you had accepted Violet's invitation to join her at her home. As she had sworn to look after you, you were sure she would be eager to hear of your caller.

She greets you with a smile as you enter the drawing room, calling for tea and ushering you to come sit down with her. She starts the conversation by telling you that Eloise was still being rather difficult and that Anthony had gone to call upon Miss Edwina.

You just hoped Edwina could handle Anthony. Though, from what you heard in Lady Whistledown, it was the sister he would have to worry about.

When Benedict steps into the drawing room, he is surprised to see you. He had not expected to see you, unaware his mother had invited you. Not that he should be surprised. Violet Bridgerton was fond of you. That much he did know.

"Good morning."

You look up and see him pass you with his sketchbook.

"Good morning."

Benedict slumps down in a chair opposite you and opens his book, sketching away. He doesn't look at you much. You choose to ignore his brief greeting and share your news with Violet.

"I had a caller this morning."

Violet sits up with excitement and reaches for your hand. "Who?"

"Lord Baxtor."

You don't notice the way Benedict stops his sketching to secretly listen. Violet looks beyond pleaded.

"I hear he has quite a fortune." Violet hums softly. "I believe he is quite studious, too."

"He will be escorting me at the races this afternoon. I am to meet him there." You smile brightly. Violet can tell you're excited.

"That is wonderful news, dear. Do you need anything?"

"Will you perhaps chaperone? Racing is not quite my mother's interest, and it would bring me great comfort to know someone I trust is near."

"Of course."

Benedict continues his sketching. He's not sure why it irked him so much to know you have a gentleman escorting you to the races. Why shouldn't you have a caller? It's what you wanted all along.

Penelope arrives in a cheerful yellow dress, as usual. It certainly brightens up the room. She offers you a smile before joining Eloise at the table. In Eloise's hands is the latest Whistledown paper.

"Is that a copy of Lady Whistledown?" Pen asks Eloise, pretending not to realise right away.

"It is."

"I thought we were done with her."

"Do not discourage her, Penelope," Violet chimes in. "If she has taken an interest in Lady Whistledown again, perhaps it means she's interested in what she had to say about the season's available gentlemen too."

"I cannot think of a cleverer way to say this, but no." Eloise sighs. "Her latest is not exactly the philosophical treatise on the rights of the fairer sex u was hoping for, but--"

"Come now, I do not think Lady Whistledown has changed her entire style of writing wince her last issue," Penelope says.

"Perhpad not. But perhaps she still can."

"Perhaps she does not want to. Perhaps she is quite content. And if she's even sparked your renewed interest, El, then perhaps whatever she is doing is working."

You smile at Penelope's passion.

"Yes, but she could do so much more," Eloise says. "I know I could convince her of it. If I were to find her this time."

"What you must find, my dear, is happiness," Violet chimes in. "Penelope, assist me here. Eloise could find that with someone, could she not?"

I believe she could. And not Lady Whistledown, but someone more like-- Colin."

"My brother?" Eloise looks at her friend confused.

"No, not Coli-- Colin!" Penelope stands up. You turned around to see Colin Bridgerton entering the room. You stand up, also.

"Glad to see things have not changed," he says.

You get up to greet him. "Hello!"

"Brother!"

"Colin!"

Benedict and Violet do the same as you.

"Could you set aside the latest family squabble and embrace me?" Colin teases. Eloise hugs her brother with a happy chuckle. Violet hugs him next. He then pulls you into a hug, too. You chuckle softly.

"I did not expect you to return so soon, dearest," Violet says to him, taking in the sight of her son.

"Well, I missed you all. What can I say?" He grins. You step back as he hugs his brother. As Benedict steps back, Colin looks at Penelope. She smiles at him.

Hyacinth and Gregory then enter the room and hug their brother, having missed him dearly.

"I must get you to the doctor post haste," Benedict says. "This strange, fizzy growth on your chin is no doubt some kind of disease."

You chuckle softly. Benedict smiles proudly. He likes it when you laugh.

"And you seem to have taken to the sun toom how peculiar," Francesca comments, coming up beside her brother.

"I think he looks distinguished," Penelope comments.

"And where, may I ask, is our intrepid viscount?" Colin asks.

"He is..."

Anthony appears right at that moment. You're surprised to see him.

"...back from courting already," Violet says, also surprised to see him.

"Colin! You are returned. Even better." Anthony greets his brother. "Family, I should like you all to ready yourselves for the races today. We will be attending, united as one."

Violet once again seems surprised, yet happily so.

You chuckle softly. "I best get home and change then. I shall see you all there, I hope." You look around. Anthony nods. Penelope does, too. You smile at her and pat her shoulder gently as you pass her.

You don't even glance at Benedict.

You arrive at the races and find Lord Baxtor waiting for you. He smiles as he offers you his arm, and you both head off to place bets on horses.

It's a beautiful sunny afternoon, and you were very much looking forward to your day out. Your mother trails behind you a ways as you walk with Baxtor.

Once the bets are placed, you walk through the crowds. It was certainly a busy day.

"I am hoping you're my lucky charm today," he says, smiling brightly.

"Oh? I'm honoured," you chuckle.

He looks at you with a grin. "It was certainly be a good sign for the future, no?"

"If we win?"

"Absolutely."

You chuckle again. "It's a lot of pressure relying on the horse."

"I think he shall pull through."

You find his confidence in the animal rather charming. If the horse were to be the deciding factor of this courtship, then you hoped it would pull through. Jonathan Baxtor certainly thought so.

As you stroll, you spot the Sharma sisters. Edwina is attached at the arm with a fine gentleman. Lumley, you believe his name to be. Kate catches your eye and you smile at her, she returns the gesture.

Kate is beautiful. She is wearing a dark blue dress with matching accessories in her hair and blue netted gloves on her hands.

Edwina is in all pink. She looks very pretty, too. Gentle.

"Friends of yours?" Baxtor asks.

"Not quite yet. I met them at Lady Danbury's soiree. I'm keen to know them, however. They seem like good people to know."

"Miss Edwina Sharma looks very pretty today."

"She does.

"Though my eye is still drawn to you," Baxtor smiles. You find yourself looking away with a blush. This man certainly knew what to say.

"Shall we find our seats?"

"A splendid idea."

You chuckle softly as he guides you along toward the track.

You're far too occupied to see Benedict watching from a distance. He was standing with his brothers. His blue eyes follow you until you're out of sight. Anthony nudges him, and Benedict snaps out of it.

"You're staring."

"No, I wasn't."

Anthony gives him a look, and Benedict sighs. He turns his eyes away and spots Mondrich approaching. He decides to greet him quickly to stop his brother from mentioning anything else.

You sit with Baxtor and talk quietly as people gather to find their seats. You watch the horses walk along the fence with their riders.

"Beautiful, are they not?"

"Yes, very."

"Do you ride?" He asks.

"Not very well. We don't have any horses." You admit that rather shyly.

"Fear not. I would be glad to teach you one day," he smiles. "That is, if you are interested."

"Very much."

As the Bridgerton family take their seats, Benedict's attention is drawn to a choice nearby. His eyes find you sitting a row below him off to the right. You're talking closely with Lord Baxtor.

Anthony has left their side to go meddle with the Sharma's, hoping to get close to Miss Edwina, and Colin does not care enough for his brother's brooding to shake him from it.

Benedict watches you from his seat in a slight huff. He should have asked you to come with him, but he hadn't even thought about it until it was too late.

Why should it matter so much who you come with? No. He can't deny it. He misses you. He misses your company. He wants his friend back by his side.

You laugh at something Baxtor says and Benedict has to look away. He can't stand watching any longer.

It isn't much longer until the bell tolls and the horses are off. You and Baxtor watch with excitement and eagerness as the horses run. You both cheer along with the crowd. He is amused by your excitement.

High Flyer crosses the finish line first and you cheer.

Benedict watches the way you grab onto Baxtor's arm in excitement. He immediately has to look away. Luckily, Eloise, who was beside him, is a fine distraction as she cheers in excitement, too.

If only he could feel as thrilled.

"She is pompous and arrogant and quite sure she knows best in every situation."

Benedict was fencing with his brothers when Anthony decided to moan about the eldest Sharma sister.

"She sounds like a terrible nuisance," Colin comments, having just spared with his brother. He gets into a stance to parry again with Anthony.

"Especially since you are the one who knows best in every situation," Benedict says, watching his brothers.

Anthony disarms Colin.

"And the victor of every match today," Colin points out.

"Less talking, more fencing, Brother."

Colin picks up the sword and gives it to Benedict, who gets into position. "Good luck," he sighs.

"Ready?" Benedict asks.

Anthony raises the sword, and they begin.

"Do you know why I win every time?" Anthont asks.

"Because every time you lose, you claim we cheated."

Anthony wins.

"Because I know my duties. What my purposes are and how to obtain them. Which I will do when I make Miss Edwina my viscountess."

Benedict loses again.

Not even his anger at the image of you and Baxtor was enough to fuel his duel with Anthony.

"Miss Edwina and I are well-suited. She is a lovely young lady. She wishes for children. She'll make a perfectly agreeable wife."

"What he means to say is that he has already dismissed every other young lady in town," Benedict states.

"You are one to talk."

"Whatever do you mean?" Benedict asks.

"The one woman in all of London you hold so dear, and yet you are not courting her."

Benedict swings his sword. "She is not mine to court."

"Is that jealousy, I sense?" Anthony teases.

"No."

Benedict swings, but Anthony outsmarts him. "Is she not of interest to you? Or perhaps you are simply not ready."

"Hush, Brother. It is not of your concern."

Benedict loses again.

"You take too much upon yourself, brother." Colin says, watching Anthony. "Perhaps your life might be easier if you persued someone with a less disagreeable sister."

"Why should I be the one to admit defeat?" Anthony asks him, getting rather worked up. "Regardless of which young lady I have chosen to pursue, there would have always been some obstinate father or meddlesome aunt into the picture. I shall certainly not let some sister, especially one younger than me, keep me from getting what it is I want."

"Whom you want, you mean?" Benedict swings again getting Anthony on the arm.

"Is this still a friendly match, or do we need to find armor?" Colin asks.

"That is what you don't understand, Brother. Benedict honours me by holding nothing back. As I now honour him."

They get into position again and then fence once more. Anthony knocks Benedict onto his backside.

"What honour."

Anthony helps Benedict up onto his feet. He gives him a knowing look, but Benedict shakes his head. Anthony simply chuckles.

"Thank you, gentlemen, for the bracing exertion. Now, it is time for me to secure my final victory for the day. Wish me luck."

Anthony walks off. The two brothers watch him go.

They spar between themselves.

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@biancamde - @ifgslsofbsodbf - @kniselle - @berarenado - @grassclippers - @bwormie - @avengersgirllorianna

[ofstarsandvibranium]

Precious Truths: Part 4

Fandom: Bridgerton

Pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x F!Reader

Summary: After your father finds out you’ve been writing under a male pseudonym, he threatens to marry you off to an atrocious man unless you find yourself a husband within a month’s time.

A/N: I will not be taking tags for this series!

Series Masterlist

The next day, your Aunt Eliza takes you to the modiste for new dresses. The ones you had gotten earlier in the season "wouldn't do anymore" according to her. Now, you had to stand out more, make yourself look more appealing. Corsets were tighter, hugging your figure more and making you breathe less.

Your aunt is holding up some fabric against you when Dowager Viscountess Bridgerton enters the shop with an annoyed Eloise following her.

"Good afternoon, Lady Bridgerton," you greet the woman with a kind smile.

She observes the fabric held against you, "Well, that is a beautiful fabric. It goes well with your eyes."

"Thank you," you give her a small nod.

Violet clears her throat, "I assume things are...well now?" The dowager does her best to be discreet.

"As well as they can be, Lady Bridgerton," you respond.

After Aunt Eliza brought you home, your father was asleep, still cradling a bottle of brandy in his hand.

You confessed to Aunt Eliza about your secret identity, about your writings. She was proud to know that you never truly gave up on poetry as well as how famous your words were becoming. However, she was saddened that you felt the need to hide your ongoing love for poetry from her. She expressed that she would have helped you, that you didn't need to hide that love from her, especially since she also loved your mother like her own sister.

Aunt Eliza became even more determined to help you out of the situation.

Although your father and Aunt Eliza are siblings, none of the luxuries of your father's lordship well onto her. She also never found someone to marry, becoming a spinster and learning to become content with it.

She can only do so much to help you, given that your father still has the funds to help. Thankfully, your Aunt Eliza had stepped in to help manage the finances.

"Remember, dear, if there's anything you need, you let me know. We are happy to help," Violet says as she places a comforting hand on your shoulder.

"Thank you, Lady Bridgerton. Your family has always been so kind to me."

Violet gives a smile and greets your aunt, the two moving towards a shelf of silks that catch their eyes. You move to Eloise with a grin, whose face is the complete opposite of yours, "Everything alright, El?"

She groans, "You disappoint me. Mama, says you're taking this season more seriously now and that I should do the same. I blame you for this!"

You let out a deep breath, "My condolences, but, trust me, this wasn't the plan either."

The young Bridgerton steps closer to you and whispers, "What happened? Anthony and Benedict were talking about you this morning when we were breaking fast."

You blow air out of your mouth, "My father threatened to marry me off to my dreadful cousin if I am unable find a husband within a month's time."

Eloise makes a pondering face and then asks, "Is it the cousin that visited a few summers ago? He tried to best Anthony in everything?"

You scrunch your face in distaste, "The very same."

Eloise shudders, "God, he was...appalling."

"Yes, and there is absolutely no chance I am marrying him. So, you see, I'm lacking a choice." You give her a pointed look and she nods.

"Oh, Y/N," Eloise hugs you, "We shall both get through this together."

Aunt Eliza calls from the door, "Y/N, make haste! We must continue!"

Your shoulder slump forward, "I'm coming!" you give Eloise a wave and follow your aunt out.

______________________________

Benedict's in the sitting room, sketching in his notebook. He's sketching a pair of eyes, ones soft and full of wonder. The very pair that belongs to you, the eyes that he loses himself in.

"Here," parchment falls over the sketch and Benedict sits up, looking at Anthony, who's given him the paper.

"And this is...?"

"The list of eligible men for Y/N."

Benedict gulps as he reads of the names, sitting up to read the list "No to Harris," he says with a shake of his head and then grimaces, "Absolutely not to Woodrich."

"What's wrong with them? They're from good standing families, no scandals-"

"That you know of. I hear Harris has been visiting the brothels far too often lately. Woodrich apparently invested in the empty mines that Lord Featherington spoke of last season. So he has no money."

Anthony gives his brother an annoyed expression, "I shall cross them off the list, but the rest of them?"

Benedict hands the paper back to his brother, "I suppose they're alright. But Y/N gets the final say, obviously."

"So you have truly decided you won't do anything about this whole ordeal?" Anthony asks his brother in disbelief.

Benedict stands with a sigh, "Yes, brother. I have. I won't do anything but assist in Y/N's search for a husband. That is final." He steps aside, striding out of the room in annoyance.

Hyacinth, who sits with Gregory playing a game of chess, shakes her head, "I always thought Y/N and Benedict would get married."

Anthony nods, "As did I, Hyacinth," he murmurs and also exits the sitting room.

____________________________

No longer were you able to be a wallflower when it came to balls, soirees, luncheons, etc. You and Penelope had been wallflowers together since both of your debuts. However, now Penelope is on her honeymoon with Colin, so you are left to fend for yourself.

You now stood more towards the front, more accessible and noticeable. You hated it. You hated how people looked at you when you attended the next ball with your new gown and different hairstyle.

When you saw the Bridgertons, you immediately rush up to them, clinging onto Benedict's arm.

"Please dance with me," you beg in desperation, yearning for some sense of familiarity.

"Of course," Benedict takes your gloved hand and leads you to the dancefloor. When he looks over his shoulder, Kate is winking at him and he rolls his eyes.

You curtsey as Benedict bows before the next dance, a waltz. With the strings, you and Benedict move as one. Swaying to the melody, bringing each other in close.

"Thank you, Ben, for dancing with me."

"Of course. It is tradition at this point, is it not?" he gives you that cheeky grin that always makes your heart flutter.

You sigh, "Might be the last time I get to dance with you for a while. I should probably prioritize potential suitors."

Benedict's smile slowly fades, "Yes, well, Anthony came up with an impressive list. I overlooked it as well. You might find some of them...agreeable."

You hum as you circle Benedict, "Are any of these men here now?"

Benedict takes a quick glance around the room, "A few of them. Shall I introduce you?"

You shake your head, "No. Thank you, but it is probably best I do that myself. You might scare them off," you give him a smirk and he chuckles.

"That is a fair argument. If I am quite honest, I don't think any man will truly be worthy enough for you."

You arch a brow at him, "Oh?"

He nods, "You're...everything and so much more."

The way he says those words, you feel like there's something more to them. He relayed them to you so breathlessly and he's looking at you with a gaze that makes you feel as though you two are the only ones in the room.

As the dance nears its end, you and Benedict are face to face, so close to lips touching. However, when he inches closer to you, you pull away and curtsey.

"Thank you for indulging me, Mister Bridgerton," you walk away from him without another word, fanning yourself as you grow warm.

[torturedbridgertonsdept]

Secluded

Colin snuck you inside the home

tags/warnings: 2k words | f!reader pov | smut | softdom!Colin | consent checks | d*ggystyle | f*ngering | pinv

—

Your eyes roamed around the quiet, sky blue halls of the Bridgerton home. Your hand was intertwined with Colin’s as you silently followed his lead. A low, masculine laugh escaped him. The sensitive nature of your meeting created excitement for him. You had lied to your mother this morning, informing her that you would be visiting with Eloise for afternoon tea. He had lied to his family saying he caught a stomach ache from lunch so he could be home alone.

“Are you quite sure, Colin? What if we are caught?” You whispered, your head on a swivel as he led you into his study.

“Are you afraid?” He teased. “My entire family is having an outing in the park and they will not return for hours,”

You glared at him, unbelieving of how bold he was.

“Do not worry, love,” He groaned from irritation. He had anticipated you trusting him a bit more than this. “No one shall find us in here, just keep your eyes on that door and leave the rest to me,” Colin spun you around to face forward.

You were pressed against the back of a settee, his strong chest pushed into you. A breath escaped you as you were startled by the sudden movement, but soon the feeling was replaced with his calloused fingers traveling up and down your arms. Goosebumps quickly developed on them to his delight.

“You look quite beautiful today,” Colin’s low voice vibrated beside your ear. He thought you were a vision as you ran in your brightly colored day dress and had not been able to think of much else since he viewed it.

“Colin,” You moaned softly into the quiet air of his study, the light echo made you more aware of how sound traveled around the room.

"Shh," he shushed in your ear, his lips almost brushing against your flushed skin. "If you keep making all those delicious sounds, it will be difficult to stop myself from doing the most unspeakable things to you." Colin's hands continued their exploration of your arms, slowly trailing up towards your shoulders before gently pushing away the cap sleeves of your gown.

You bit your lip as a reminder to keep your voice down as he touched you. You detested how convincing he was. One wink of his cerulean eyes and you were melting in his hands. His hips pushed forward into you, pressing your womanhood against the top of the settee. You felt his warm and slow breaths over your neck.

“Are you certain there are no servants who will be patrolling around?” You asked again, as your eyes looked directly at the brass door handle. You felt as if you could be instantly ailed with a heart attack if that handle were to move even slightly. The scandal that an encounter like this could bring would surely ruin you.

"Positive," Colin assured, his lips finding the sensitive skin where your neck met your shoulder. "I have left instructions for the staff to keep away entirely." His teeth gently skimmed your neck, his hot breath fanning over your skin causing your eyelashes to flutter. "But, if you are so worried about us being caught-" One of his hands snuck around you, his long fingers slowly tugging at the bust of your gown past your breasts. "I suppose we should be quick."

Your body began to heat up as your chest was now bare, his hands exploring the flushed skin. His lips kept peppering your neck as his hands lifted each of your breasts, feeling the full weight of them in his palms.

“Do you wish for me to stop?” He grunted as his hips rolled into your backside.

“Certainly not, we are already here,” You said breathlessly, a smile tugging at your mouth.

You wished to appear brave before him. You’d hoped that showing your willingness to fan the flames of his passion, he would see you as a more desired prospect. According to the society papers, the Bridgerton brothers were not fond of demure, simpering debutantes. You felt it necessary to stand out amongst the other ladies of the ton.

"Very well. You are so good to me, my sweet," Colin grunted, the feeling of your body pressed against his igniting a fire within him. His fingers teased your nipples as his lips continued their journey down the length of your throat, stopping to lavish your shoulder in attention. As one of his hands drifted down, slowly towards the heat between your legs. He shifted his hips once more, grinding his painfully stiff length against your backside.

Colin watched your every move, his eyes dark and his mouth parted slightly. He placed two long fingers against your aching clit and began to move in slow, teasing circles. "That's it, love," he encouraged, the roughness of his words making your breath catch in your throat. He took his time, relishing the feeling of your wetness on his fingers, the sounds of your pleasure like music to his ears. "You enjoy that, don't you?"

“Colin, please,” You begged, your face hot with embarrassment. You had never had another gentleman touch you like this, and you certainly did not know how to respond to it. You thought him slightly cruel to tease you, but his charm was difficult to resist.

“Tell me or I shall stop,” He warned, suggestively mocking you. You felt his fingers separate from you for a moment, your body desperately needed them to return.

“N-no, do not stop, please,” Your hand stopped his wrist from traveling any further.

Colin's breath shuddered as you guided his hand back to your center, his fingers resuming their slow, trailing motions. "You are absolutely wet for me, love. It would please me very much to feel you climax around my fingers right now, and then do it all over again with my mouth. But you're being a tad bit too loud," Colin lifted a hand to press a single finger to your lips as a warning.

You hissed in pleasure, feeling his hand connect to you once more. “Sorry, I shall be quiet,” You promised in a whisper.

Your hands clawed into the wood on the furniture, scraping at it in response to his touches. His arms were fully wrapped around you now, one hand exploring your center, the other holding your lips closed.

“Perhaps I shall have to keep you quiet myself,” Colin growled.

He ran his fingers over your plump lips, tugging at the bottom one, silently ordering you to open. You gave a quiet gasp as you allowed him to slip his two middle fingers into your mouth.Your tongue teased his fingers as they pressed down against your tongue.

"Oh, that's lovely. You know just how to please me, don’t you?" Colin's fingers below you continued their expert circular motions against your sensitive bundle of nerves, his index finger occasionally brushing against your entrance. His hips rocked against you, desperate for any kind of friction. He felt the vibrations of your soft grunts against his hand and felt even more eager. His fingers left your mouth with a wet pop, his chest heaving as he undid the top button of his trousers. He pushed you down gently, you held yourself up on the cushions. He threw the rest of the fabric of your gown up to your waist before quickly unbuttoning his trousers.

“Are you ready to have me?” He asked, his thumb running over your hip.

You nodded furiously. “Yes,”

When he finally freed himself from the confines of his undergarments, he gasped in relief.

"Colin, I-" You attempted to speak before his mouth was on yours, cutting you off and stealing any words that were about to escape. He took a grip of your thigh, startling you for a moment. He was excellent at making you lose your senses, his kiss as intoxicating as brandy.

“The door, darling. Eyes on the door,” He reminded you, sternly yet playfully.

“My apologies,” You whispered, whipping your head back around, your breaths erratic as ever.

“Just relax. I shall take great care of you,” He trailed a hand from the back of your neck down to your hips. He took a moment to marvel at your bare center before positioning himself at your entrance.

“Are you ready?” He asked, determined.

“Yes,” You nodded.

Colin grasped your hip once more before carefully pushing himself into you, his breath catching in his throat as he felt your tight heat wrapped around him. "Oh, God, love," he groaned quietly in your ear, his voice strained as he tried to control himself. "You feel so heavenly," Colin began to move slowly, his body pressing you into the couch while his hands wandered around your chest.

You had to balance yourself on one arm as the other was preoccupied with stifling your noises. You could feel your eyes roll back as he eagerly pumped away at you.

“Are you alright, darling? Should I slow down?” He asked, stopping briefly to brush your hair over your shoulder.

“Please, do not stop,” You shuddered.

His thrusts in combination of your sex rubbing against the settee was causing you to reach an intense peak. His breath quickened, the intensity building as he felt a familiar coiled heat in his abdomen. He continued to pump into you, each movement making his head swirl.

His breath hitched in his throat when he saw how tightly you were holding onto the couch. "You are doing so well," he groaned, his pace growing a bit more frantic. "I need you to, oh God, I need you to-"

He shuddered, his breaths coming out as pants. His head fell forward against your back, his hot breath sending shivers down your spine as it hit your sweat-dampened skin. "I'm getting close,"

“I am too,” You let your mouth say briefly before covering it back up. There was no telling if he’d make any more sudden movements to cause you to make noise. You weren’t willing to take the chance. Your breaths came out in short strong bursts from your nostrils, gradually crescendoing with each thrust Colin gave you. He licked his lips, then bit his bottom one. Seeing you lost in pleasure was a sight for sore eyes. You bent over in the most lustful position over the couch was enough to make anyone blush. Your stomach fluttered and you felt sweat running down the center of your chest, as you grew ever so close to an orgasm.

Once you had reached it, a muffled shriek came out of you. It worryingly echoed a bit, but you had no time to fuss about it now. A rush of pleasure started from your core and journeyed to your limbs as you came down. You trembled, sinking forward and onto the couch.

The spectacle of your out-stretched body and feeling of how your core pulsed on his cock was enough for Colin to go over the edge. His thrusts were becoming sloppy with little sense of rhythm. He gave a low grunt, followed by a strained hum, before grabbing a handkerchief from his vest pocket and finishing into it.

He carefully withdrew from your tembling body, his breath shuddering as he looked down at the mess you both made of the couch. "That was incredible," His voice was rough and hoarse, still breathless from their activities. He walked around then collapsed beside you, the cushions sinking under his weight as he pulled you off the edge close against his chest.

You two were lying there for a moment, gazing upon each other’s intense expressions as your breathing regulated.

“Get up, darling,” He said, taking a step back and buttoning his trousers back up. “Let me assist you with your dress. I want you to look perfect and pretty again when my family returns from their promenade,” He carefully bent down and helped you up. It was endearing for him to watch you stumble back on your feet.

“Thank you,” You said in your fit of dizziness.

He chuckled at your wobbling stance, his hand coming to rest on your back to keep you steady. "It seems I've left you a bit shaky," He said with a smirk as he placed a gentle kiss on your forehead.

He helped you readjust your gown and chemise before pulling your cap sleeves back up. "There," he said with a satisfied smile. "You look just as beautiful and proper as when you entered my study."

[tulipatheticee]

Hello hello! Could you write for Eloise x fem reader? They are secretly together and Benedict married reader to make it easier for them to be together and Eloise goes to live with them? You can change it up, it was just the first thing that came to my mind.

Thank youuu

Secret Love Song

eloise bridgerton x fem! reader

benedict bridgerton x fem! reader (platonic)

synopsis; When Eloise Bridgerton and Y/N L/N are caught in a forbidden kiss by Benedict, he offers an unexpected solution: a ruse marriage to protect their love

word count; 1.7k

master list

a/n; it's quite magical how much more i can write from wlw, i heart eloise and benedict so i hope i did this request justice! eloise can be a little hard to write dialogue for sometimes HAHA

as always, kinda proof read, kinda not :p

We keep behind closed doors

Every time I see you I die a little more

Stolen moments that we steal as the curtain falls

It'll never be enough

In the heart of the Bridgerton house, behind a door that was usually shut tight, Eloise and Y/N found a rare moment of privacy. The sun cast golden beams through the window, illuminating their secret, tender kisses.

"Eloise," Y/N whispered against her lips, "we shouldn't be doing this here."

"I know," Eloise replied, breathless. "But I can't help it."

Their tender moment was shattered by the sound of the door creaking open. They sprang apart, hearts pounding, as Benedict stepped into the room. His eyes widened, taking in the scene before him.

"Eloise? Miss Y/N?" Benedict's voice was filled with shock and confusion.

Eloise quickly stepped forward, trying to form a coherent explanation. "Benedict, I... we..."

Benedict raised a hand to silence her, his expression softening. "Eloise, it's alright. I understand more than you think."

Y/N, still reeling from being caught, looked at Benedict with apprehension. "You... you do?"

Benedict nodded, closing the door behind him to ensure their privacy. "Yes. I've had my own experiences that society would frown upon. If you're willing to trust me, I will keep your secret for this family does not need another scandal as big as this one."

Eloise exchanged a hopeful glance with Y/N, before turning to Benedict  "You promise?"

Benedict took a deep breath. "Yes, I promise. But you have to be more careful, not everyone will be as open minded. And perhaps I will remember to knock next time…" 

And with that Benedict took his leave, leaving the two girls feeling rather shaken up.

“I believe I should take my leave now” Y/N chuckled lightly “It was nice seeing you, Miss Bridgerton” Y/N teased

“The formalities? You wound me” Eloise acting like she’d been stabbed in the heart “Farewell, Miss L/N” 

It's obvious you're meant for me

Every piece of you it just fits perfectly

Every second, every thought, I'm in so deep

But I'll never show it on my face

The following days were filled with tension and uncertainty. Benedict had kept his promise not to say a word, but Eloise and Y/N could sense his worry. One evening, Benedict invited Eloise and Y/N to a quiet part of the Bridgerton house.

“I’ve been thinking,” Benedict began, his voice steady but his eyes betraying his concern. “About what I saw. About the two of you.”

Eloise and Y/N exchanged a nervous glance. “And?” Eloise asked, her voice barely a whisper.

“I want to help you,” Benedict said, his gaze sincere. “I’ve had some time to think about it, and I believe there’s a way for you both to be together without arousing suspicion.”

Y/N frowned. “How?”

Benedict took a deep breath. “I propose that Miss Y/N and I enter a courtship. Eventually, we’ll marry. This way, Eloise can live with us, and no one will question why you’re always together.”

Eloise blinked in surprise. “You’d do that for us?”

“Yes,” Benedict replied firmly. “I know what it’s like to hide a part of yourself. If this is the way to ensure your happiness, then I’m willing to do it.”

Tears welled up in Eloise’s eyes. “Thank you, Benedict. This means more to us than you could ever know.”

Benedict smiled warmly. “We’re family. We look out for each other.”

But we know this, we got a love that is hopeless

Why can't you hold me in the street?

Why can't I kiss you on the dancefloor?

I wish that it could be like that

The courtship between Benedict and Y/N progressed smoothly, with the ton none the wiser. Their wedding was a grand affair, filled with laughter and joy. Eloise watched her brother and her love exchange vows with a mixture of relief and gratitude. She knew that Benedict’s selflessness was giving her a chance at happiness she thought she could never have.

Although Y/N wished the person in front of her was her beloved, witty, Elosie, she knew this was for the better. The three all knew when Y/N said her vows, although her eyes were on Benedict, her words were for Eloise. Eloise had also gone out her way to write Benedict’s vows, so in a way, it was as if the two girls married each other.

Why can't we be like that?

Cause I'm yours

When you're with him, do you call his name

Like you do when you're with me?

Does it feel the same?

As the newlyweds settled into their home, Eloise moved in with them, but not till after a honeymoon that felt like years to Eloise, having been prohibited from visiting her friends during this period by her mama. For Y/N and Benedict, they took this time to get to know each other better, gathering that since they are wed, they should still have an unbreakable bond with each other. They had fun with each other and found they enjoyed each other's company a lot, becoming fast friends, they discussed the matter of their marriage, they would attend events together and produce a heir but agreed to discuss children more in depth with Eloise. 

The arrangement allowed them a semblance of normalcy, though their true relationship remained hidden. They had to be careful, always mindful of the watchful eyes of society. Despite the challenges, Eloise and Y/N’s love only grew stronger.

One evening, as they sat together in the drawing room, Eloise leaned in close to Y/N, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you ever wish things were different? That we could be open about our love?"

Y/N smiled softly, taking Eloise’s hand in hers. "Of course, I do. But what we have is precious, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. We’ll find our way, Eloise. Together."

Their love was a testament to their resilience and courage, a beacon of hope in a world that demanded conformity. And with Benedict by their side, they knew they could face whatever challenges came their way.

Would you leave if I was ready to settle down

Or would you play it safe and stay?

Girl you know this, we got a love that is hopeless

Their days were filled with quiet moments of stolen affection and whispered promises. Eloise often found herself watching Y/N as she went about her day, marvelling at how lucky she was to have found such a love. Y/N, in turn, cherished every moment they had together, knowing that their situation, while not ideal, was the best they could hope for.

Benedict was a constant source of support and understanding. He played his role as the devoted husband convincingly, always mindful of the delicate balance they maintained. He and Y/N developed a genuine friendship, bonded by their shared love for Eloise and their determination to protect her.

One afternoon, while the three of them were enjoying a walk in the park, Eloise found herself laughing at one of Benedict’s jokes. Y/N squeezed her hand, a silent reminder of their love and the sacrifices made to keep it alive.

"Eloise," Benedict said, his tone serious now. "We’re going to make this work. No matter what."

Eloise nodded, her heart swelling with gratitude. "I know we will. Thank you, Benedict."

He smiled, the warmth in his eyes unmistakable. "Anything for my sister."

Why can't you hold me in the street?

Why can't I kiss you on the dancefloor?

I wish that it could be like that

Why can't we be like that?

Cause I'm yours

One evening, after a particularly lively family dinner, Eloise and Y/N found themselves alone in the cosy confines of their shared sitting room. The fire crackled softly in the hearth, casting a warm glow over the room. Eloise sat on the plush sofa, a mischievous glint in her eye as she watched Y/N move about.

"Come here," Eloise beckoned, patting the spot next to her.

Y/N smiled, her heart fluttering as she joined Eloise on the sofa. "You seem in a particularly good mood tonight."

"I am," Eloise replied, leaning in close. "I was just thinking about how astonishing it is that we’ve managed to fool everyone. We’re practically masterminds."

Y/N laughed softly, her breath hitching as Eloise’s hand cupped her cheek. "Well, we have Benedict to thank for that."

"Don’t remind me," Eloise groaned, her gaze flickering to Y/N's lips. "You know, I don’t think I’ve kissed you nearly enough today. It’s quite a travesty."

Y/N's eyes softened. "We can’t have that, can we?"

"No, we certainly cannot," Eloise murmured before capturing Y/N’s lips in a tender, lingering kiss.

And nobody knows

I'm in love with someone's baby

I don't wanna hide us away

Tell the world about the love we making

The world seemed to melt away as they lost themselves in each other. Eloise’s hands tangled in Y/N’s hair, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened. Y/N responded eagerly, her arms wrapping around Eloise’s waist. The kiss was a dance of passion and love, a silent affirmation of everything they had fought for.

When they finally pulled apart, both were breathless and smiling. Eloise rested her forehead against Y/N’s, her voice teasing. "If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re trying to make me swoon."

"I love you so much, Y/N," Eloise said more seriously, her eyes softening. "Every day, I’m grateful for you."

"I love you too, Eloise," Y/N replied, her fingers gently tracing the contours of Eloise’s face. "More than words can say."

Eloise’s eyes sparkled with joy. "Let’s make a promise, right here and now. No matter what happens, we’ll always find our way back to each other."

"Always," Y/N agreed, sealing the promise with another sweet, lingering kiss.

They stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other’s arms, basking in the warmth of their love. The challenges they faced seemed distant, insignificant compared to the bond they shared. At that moment, everything was perfect.

As they eventually settled back onto the sofa, Eloise’s head resting on Y/N’s shoulder, she sighed contentedly. "Thank you for loving me."

Y/N pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Thank you for being mine."

With a playful smirk, Eloise added, "And thank you for tolerating my oh so insufferable wit."

Y/N chuckled, tightening her embrace. "Always, Eloise."

And as they drifted into a peaceful slumber, entwined in each other’s arms, they knew that their love story was only just beginning.

Why can't I say that I'm in love?

I wanna shout it from the rooftops

I wish that it could be like that

Why can't we be like that?

Cause I'm yours.

a/n pt2; crying this was pure fluff ngl, when i picked the song there was intention for angst, like y/n was gonna settle with benedict, start a family 'fulfil her duty' and eloise is like 'you cant have children with HIM' and it would be a whole thing BUTTT that was scraped hehe

also sorry if some scenes repeat? i wrote this in my notes app at different times throughout today and kinda smacked it all together tonight

[betweencomfortandchaos]

I need people to stop saying Penelope asking Colin to kiss her is pathetic. Do you even know Penelope? Have you watched her in past seasons? Penelope never asks for anything. That's literally her whole thing. She always takes what she is given because she thinks that's all she deserves, nothing more. Be it from her parents or her sisters or even Eloise; whatever affection and attention they gave her was what she accepted. So, for her to open her mouth and ask for a kiss? From Colin Bridgerton? That took courage, it took vulnerability, it took trust. We are literally watching Penelope grow and bloom from a shy wallflower into a strong woman and y'all think it's pathetic? If anything, it's empowering.

[cupidlovesastro]

𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐧- 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐢 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞

—>disclaimer: the author herself confirmed some of their zodiac signs so that’s my “trusted source”. for the ones that i don’t have confirmation on, im going based on what others think (popular opinion)

𝜗𝜚 daphne bridgerton- my guess is that she’s a water sign, i’m leaning towards pisces. she was you’re naive on sexual topics, very kind, and quite emotional over things in her relationship. i’m also getting slight taurus or scorpio vibes as well. taurus are traditional, sensual, and deeply loyal. scorpios are very sexual, and she had moments where she was quite dominating, when she REALLY wanted a child with the duke

𝜗𝜚 real sign- libra is her real sign, which i can kind of see, since she is very kind and charming. also, men tend to be attracted to venusian energy , and many men wanted to be her husband. she also cares a lot about her aesthetic and beauty, and she was the diamond of the season, which is basically the girl who is the most perfect to marry. much of her season was about becoming married and libra correlates with the 7h (house of marriage)

𝜗𝜚 anthony bridgerton- i have a feeling he is a capricorn, since he really held off being married and capricorns are ruled by saturn (the planet of longevity). as well as how sensual he is which many earth signs are. he also had to be the “mature” sibling who made many family decisions since their father passed. capricorn also can correlate with the 10h and the 10h is opposite of the 4h (mother) which makes sense since he disagreed with his mom quite a bit. capricorns also opposite cancer which are the rulers of the moon and represent your mother. there could also be a chance he is an aquarius, since he often didn’t listen to the rules and kind of did his own thing. but also there are times when you can see a bit of a superiority complex, and aquarius’s are said to have this since they value their intelligence so much

𝜗𝜚 real sign- virgo is his sign. i saw that he was born september 17th. this interesting, but virgos can also be seen as distant and dry. along with the fact that earth signs are sensual and are often slow to doing things (he was slow to marry). he’s also more realistic than idealistic as well, except for having an affair with is girlfriends sister LMAO. he also feels the need to provide for his family and virgos can directly be linked to doing services or being useful to those they love

𝜗𝜚 eloise bridgerton- i’m definitely getting mercurial vibes. if she is a mercury sign, i would say gemini, she loves reading, and the mystery of lady wistledown (geminis love things that stimulates their brain) as well as the fact that she can be very talkative and likes making witty and humorous statements. i was also getting sagittarius vibes since she’s quite opinionated and speaks her mind about things going on in society and politics.

𝜗𝜚 real sign- aquarius is what i’m seeing others say. i guess it kind of makes sense since she doesn’t want to get married and believes that women should be more than marital partners (totally agree). i did see one person agreeing with me, but most said aquarius !

𝜗𝜚 simon basset- i’m getting a scorpio energy from simon, he was quite mysterious, strong silent type, and LOVES sex. but i can also see capricorn, similar to what i said about scorpio, he is more of the distant and cold type. also he is very loyal as well, but has this intense energy. to be fair he did say he “burns” for daphne (a scorpio thing to say).

𝜗𝜚 real sign- i see that many other agree that he definitely as scorpio energy. any man who says “i burn for you” has to have scorpio SOMEWHERE in that chart lol. i did see that someone else said cancer, but he doesn’t seem to care about family or children as much as many cancers would or do

𝜗𝜚 kate sharma- she has aries vibes to me since she was quite headstrong, stood her ground, somewhat competitive, and had passive aggressive moments. she also did things that only men were supposed to or allowed to do. in season 3 there’s a scene where anthony is going DOWN on her which can show that she is quite a sexual person and aries are ruled by mars

𝜗𝜚 real sign- i’m getting a lot of mixed messages but i’m mainly seeing taurus, which i find interesting because she isn’t very focused on traditions, being married, etc. but she seems to be quite sensual and she is very stubborn when it comes to certain things. she was very good at keeping her guard up with the viscount, well until she completely folded

𝜗𝜚 colin bridgerton- huge sagittarius vibes. he travels a lot, and he’s quite the womanizer. also i don’t know why anyone else has said this about him, but something to me gives off “i have an ego but i try to be low key about it” also colin is quite the imaginative individual, and pisces is ruled by jupiter in traditional astrology, which pisces represents imagination as well. also, penelope found his journal which he writes in and sagittarius is opposite to gemini which is the sign of writing, language, speaking, etc.

𝜗𝜚 real sign- HES A PISCES, i felt like i had the right way of solving it but wrong solution. it makes soooo much sense tho, traveling is his escape (pisces = escapism) and he is very imaginative. he is also more naive than his other brothers

𝜗𝜚 cressida cowper- libra energy is what i get from cressida, maybe even leo as well. she’s quite a gossiper, and you can tell she cares a lot about her aesthetic and beauty. she also puts on a charming act in front of potential suitors, and will sabotage other girls for a chance at getting a husband. that can be seen as fake and shallow, and those are some of the negative traits that libras can show. as for leo, her ego shows more than confidence, as well as arrogance. i think she may be a undevolved leo if she is one. she has also said she has had a hard time keeping friends and libras and leo’s are known to be quite friendly so maybe she has harsh aspects to her libra or leo placements

𝜗𝜚 real sign- in seeing people believing she’s a gemini which makes so much sense. geminis are said to be gossipy and flakey , which correlates with when she said she has a hard time keeping friends. she also has clever little ways of getting a man’s attention

𝜗𝜚 penelope featherington- something is telling me she could be a virgo. i can possibly see this for the main reason being that earth signs hold on to things, and this can explain why she held such a long crush on colin. im also seeing possible aquarius vibes. she was like the “odd one” of her family, who just wanted to read books, and observe others from a distance. BUT she was also lady wistledown which was quite gossipy and virgos are mecurial, which represent your speech, writings, thoughts, etc. and that’s exactly what she put into her papers, her thoughts.

𝜗𝜚 real sign- i’m seeing a lot of things saying she’s a sagittarius. which when i looked into this, i saw some articles saying because of her “growth and progress” throughout the show, and i do see that. but also, since she is lady wistledown, she writes about the politics and gossip going around town. her writing is quite sophisticated as well, like she is a very good writer and sagittarius rule over high education.

[swiftholic-13]

The Season's Scandal Chapter 4

pairing → Eloise Bridgerton x Female Reader

summary → Y/N is having a heart to heart with Eloise. Her biggest fear might also become her reality.

warnings → none

words → 2.2k

masterpost chapter 3 chapter 5

The following day I woke up early and ordered a servant to get the carriage ready. I was trying to be as fast as possible, so my brother would not see me and could forbid me to leave the house. I immediately went to the Bridgerton House to go visit Eloise.

“What bothers you?” Eloise asked me in a caring tone. Soon after I have arrived she showed me their huge garden. Spending time with the Bridgertons showed me how caring and supportive a family can be. I really wished one day I'd have a family just like them. It was hot and sunny, so it was only natural that we would stay there for the next few hours. Spending time with Eloise was the only thing keeping me sane. The hours went by fast and soon her family left us alone and went back inside. I realized that I could listen to Eloise for hours without ever growing weary. There was nothing she could say that would make me stop hanging on every word from her lips. Sooner than later the sun began to set and we settled down on the grass beneath us, looking at the stars. While I was looking at the sky she was laying on her side facing me. The grass touching my bare arms felt unusual but also liberating. “I cannot stop thinking about returning home, my brother will kill me” I looked over to her and her eyes were reflecting the light of the moon. I could not stop myself from staring. She gently took my hand in hers and interlaced our fingers. This was different feeling now that we were not wearing gloves, more intimate than anything we have ever had. “Then do not” I smiled to myself “I cannot hide here forever, El” She shifted closer to me and placed her other hand on top of mine “He has no right to treat you like that and besides I have 7 siblings, do you really think one more would trouble my mama?” We both chuckled and I managed to relax a bit. I looked down at our intertwined hands. With Eloise I felt safe, I knew I could trust her with everything. “My brother was always my parents´ favorite. No endeavor of mine could ever please them. For a while, this granted me some freedom, but not for long. He was always the perfect child, the perfect Duke. Though he may not relish his position as Duke, he never had to prove himself worthy of their love. I have never been granted such affections by them. They are not incapable of love, just incapable of loving me and still I would not dare to bring shame on this family. My mama sent me away with him, hoping to never see me again”. My voice broke and I could feel her eyes fixated on me as I talked, a compassionate gaze that made me feel warm inside. I blinked a few times trying to prevent the tears from rolling down my face. “I am scared” I whispered barely audible and turned my face towards Eloise locking eyes. She noticed my glassy eyes and a sad frown settled on her face. “That they take the one thing that I truly care about away from me”. Eloise inched closer to me and brushed a strand of loose hair behind my ear. “You are the strongest person I know. I cannot imagine what the life you have endured must be like. You are truly remarkable. Please do not let anyone dictate your actions.” her eyes did not leave mine for a second. Her soft and caring tone made me want to kiss her right away. I wanted to pull her close and taste her lips, even if it would be the last thing I would do, I would die a happy woman. Her tone changed and became a bit more playful. “Besides, would you truly leave me to be a spinster all alone? You cannot allow me to be the sole social disgrace here” I smiled at her and chuckled. Her eyes were still fixated on mine, searching for something. “I like you more like that” she whispered. Trying to hide my blush from her I turned my head again, looking back at the beautiful night sky. My view was good but could never compare to her gorgeous smile.

“You really think you want to be spinsters with me forever, we have not known each other for long” I asked, waiting eagerly for her answer. I was scared to reveal my feelings for her. Society does not let people like me have these feelings, it is scandalous. I had to be careful who to put my trust in. I did not think that Eloise would tell anyone. But the fear of losing her, the only person I cared about, was to big to let my desire ruin it. She meant the world to me. “I feel like I have known you long enough” she answered and instantly made me smile again. I could feel her soft hand caressing mine. The way her thumb moved over the back of my hand made me shiver. She was always so gentle with me. I closed my eyes and enjoyed her touch in peace. It was something rarely granted to me. I knew It was momentary.

Our peaceful silence was soon interrupted by footsteps approaching. Eloise snatched her hand away and we both sat up as quick as possible. I straightened out my hair a bit and Eloise fixed her skirt, like we were just doing other things. The footsteps became louder and a figure passed the bush we were sitting behind. Benedict. “Eloise?” he asked surprised, his eyes wandering from her face to mine and back to hers. “I did not know you were still here” He said in a thoughtful manner looking at me. “I was just escorting Y/N outside, to her carriage” Eloise said and motioned me to follow along. She stood up and held her hand out for me to take. Our eyes never left each other as she helped me up. After a few times looking at Eloise and back at me Benedict understood the situation and smiled to himself. Eloise caught his eye “what?” she asked. “nothing, sister” he smirked and took his turn to leave. After he left we retuned to a rather uncomfortable silence. "You are right, I shall leave” I said looking down at my hands. “It is pretty late indeed” she agreed with me and lead me through the garden, inside the house and out through the hallway towards the gate. We walked outside in an uncomfortable silence. My carriage was already ready and the closer I got to it the worse I felt. I stopped in my movements short before having to enter the carriage. I turned and took her hands in mine once again. “See you tomorrow?” she asked, knowing very well that the chance of it happening was pretty low. My brother would not let me leave the house again, unless for another ball. I took a deep breath and nodded with a sad smile on my face. “tomorrow” I whispered back. She slowly leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on my cheek. I shivered at the contact of her lips on my skin. Luckily no one saw us, except for the carriage driver, which already got extra money from me. She slowly pulled back and let go of my hands, allowing me to enter the carriage. I wish I could just pull her in the carriage along with me and show her how much she means to me. I wish I would not have to leave her now and go back to my house where my angry brother was awaiting me. I took a last look at her as I settled down and she closed the door. The horses started walking and with every step they took the distance between Eloise and me grew. I touched my cheek where her lips have just been a few seconds ago. I smiled to myself. Every second I have spent with Eloise was worth all of what's to come.

————————

Soon after my carriage arrived at our house. A servant helped me out of carriage and walked me to the gate that decorated the entrance of the huge house. When the doors opened I was greeted with the sight of my angry brother. I simply ignored him and handed one of our servants my cape. “You better have a good explanation” he grunted. “No” I simply said and walked past him. “Y/N” a too familiar female voice said. I turned around and looked straight in the face of evil. My mother. I looked at my brother in shock. I expected many things from him but not this. He simply looked away. “Your brother has told me about your behavior” the look of bare disappointment plastered over her face. “I am going to bed” I said simply but she grabbed my arm, pure anger on her face “Where were you?” “promenading through the park” I scoffed. “At this late hour? It is scandalous for a lady to be alone this late, but if I should find out that have been seeing some gentleman I will kill you myself” she scoffed and grabbed my arm tighter. I just rolled my eyes and ripped my arm away from her. “Do not worry mother” I walked up the stairs as fast as possible. “You will not leave this house, you will not go any ball unless it is by my side and if you do not secure an engagement within this season I shall pick a husband for you myself. I will not tolerate this behavior of yours any longer”. I quickly took my left as I felt tears starting to leak from my eyes. I was afraid of this happening. Did my brother really had to bring our mother here? My life was about to get much worse. Now my mother forced me into marriage. I had no chance of escaping her. How would I even get the chance of seeing Eloise now.

My first instinct was to write a letter to her, explaining everything that was happening. I tried not to get to deep into it, a letter could get lost and the last thing I wanted was a scandal being caused by a single letter that I wrote to the girl of my dreams. The following morning, I rushed downstairs and handed the letter to a servant. Before they could walk of, my mother snatched the letter from his hands. “writing letters? To whom?” when I stepped forward, trying to get it back she gave me a knowing look and opened the letter. I grew impatient and felt my anger rising, I had to find another way to contact her. “Dearest Eloise…, who is Eloise?” she asked. “a friend” I replied and tried to get the letter back. Before I could get a hold of it she ripped it apart and the pieces fell to the ground. I looked at her in pure shock. “You are here to secure a marriage, not find friends” she declared and left me alone. I just wished to be a man, I could do whatever I wanted without anybody complaining or telling me what to do. I could just marry Eloise and make a good Life for us. Sadly this was just a dream and would never happen. Before leaving the room, my mother turned back around “you have a few visitors soon, get ready”. My brother was standing at the top of the stairs, watching us, as I tried to calm myself down. He didn´t say a thing as I rushed past him, upstairs, back to my room.

Dancing with possible suitors was bad, but this was much worse. I sat silently next to my mother, while she told the various men about my qualities as housewife and mother. The thought alone of having to give birth to a child made me sick. They smiled at me in a disgusting way that made me want to run away. The whole day I could not stop thinking about Eloise and how much I missed her. Her laugh, the way her eyes were glowing, her scent, her perfect voice, her gorgeous chestnut hair and just her presence. This was torture.

Over the course of the next week my mother did not allow me to attend the next ball and my various attempts of sneaking out failed. She did not let me out of her sight for one second and there was no way of letting Eloise know of everything that was going on. I was slowly losing my sanity. That was until Victor decided to show up, missing me at the latest ball. I was more than grateful to see him and almost jumped into his arms begging him to kidnap me. My countless attempts of getting rid of my mother during his stay failed and even his suggestion of a walk in the park got declined. He could sense the seriousness of this situation even though we were not granted a moment of peace. Before he took his leave he made it very clear that he would like to see me at tonight’s ball. Luckily that was enough to convince my mother to let me go. I had no idea how I could escape her at the ball but only the thought of seeing Eloise again after these long days made me get excited and forget about my fatal situation.

As always I hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't worry it's getting spicier very very soon.

[eloisesvalentine]

One Day

pairing: eloise bridgerton x female! reader

word count: 1642

summary: you and eloise hide under her bed to avoid getting caught. while she finds the situation hilarious, you, on the other hand, do not.

on ao3 here!

————

Eloise and you were now something more, no longer just friends. You were sneaking around, stealing kisses whenever no one was looking. It was exhilarating but also nerve-wracking, especially for you, whose parents would kill her if they ever found out. The Bridgertons seemed far more open-minded. Eloise didn’t seem as worried about them finding out as you were.

Both of you were making out on Eloise’s bed, your hair disheveled and dresses crumpled. The room was dimly lit by the setting sun streaming through the curtains, casting a warm orange glow over the scattered books and trinkets that reflected Eloise’s personality, a personality that you adored with every inch of your being. Eloise’s hands roamed freely, fingers tangling in your hair, then tracing the curve of your back. You responded in kind, your hands exploring the softness of her skin, the delicate lines of her neck, the curve of her waist. Her lips were warm and insistent against yours, each kiss deepening as you both lost yourselves in the moment.

Her breath mingled with yours, creating a heady mix that made your head spin. The taste of her, sweet and intoxicating, was something you craved more with each passing second. Your kisses grew hungrier, more desperate, as if trying to make up for all the stolen moments you shared. Eloise’s hand slipped under your dress, her touch sending shivers down your spine. You gasped softly, your heart pounding in your chest, a mix of desire and fear coursing through you.

When you heard Anthony’s voice booming from downstairs, your heart raced with panic.

“Eloise!” he called out, his footsteps echoing up the stairs.

You pulled away from each other and your eyes went wide with fear. Eloise laughed heartily, finding your panicked expression both endearing and amusing. “No need to worry,” she whispered, gently wiping at the smudged lipstick on your face. She glanced toward the door, hearing Anthony’s footsteps approaching. “Stay calm, my love. Let’s hide under the bed.”

You gulped nervously before nodding. Eloise grabbed your hand and tugged you down with her. You both slid underneath the bed, making sure your feet didn’t stick out from underneath.

Anthony knocked at the door. “Eloise, Mother needs you,” he called through the door. When she didn’t answer, he knocked louder. “Eloise!” His tone grew agitated. Eloise couldn’t help but stifle a giggle. The sound of her brother’s frustration only added to the thrill of the moment.

You shot her a look, a quiet huff escaping your lips. Eloise could barely contain her amusement.

Anthony continued knocking, his agitation growing.

“Eloise, I know you’re in there,” he thundered. “Come out this instant.”

Despite the situation, Eloise couldn’t help but find his frustration comical. The absurdity of hiding under the bed like children hiding from a scolding made her shoulders shake with suppressed laughter.

“Very well, I shall enter. I trust you will make yourself presentable.” He opened the door slowly, scanning the room as he walked in. Eloise stifled another giggle, her eyes sparkling with mischief. You glared at her, quickly covering her mouth with your palm. “Could you be quiet for once, Eloise?!” you hissed in a whisper. You could feel Eloise’s grin against the palm of your hand, the vibration of her silent laughter only adding to your anxiety.

Anthony’s footsteps thudded against the hardwood floor as he moved further into the room. He glanced around, clearly puzzled by Eloise’s absence. Each step he took seemed louder in the tense silence, and the air felt thick with anticipation. You held your breath, every muscle in your body taut with fear of being discovered.

Eloise’s eyes met yours, her playful demeanor unchanged despite the gravity of the situation. Her irrepressible spirit shone through even now, making it impossible for her to take her brother’s ire seriously.

Anthony moved around the room, searching for any sign of his sister. He was so close to the bed now, and Eloise fought desperately to stifle her laughter. She could see your wide, nervous eyes in the dim light and felt the warmth of your hand over her mouth. You were surely going to get caught, and the thrill of the situation was making everything more hilarious to her. But definitely not to you.

You pressed your palm harder into Eloise’s mouth, a silent warning to keep quiet.

“Eloise?” Anthony said. He walked around the room some more, his shoes heavy against the hardwood floor.

You were beyond scared. Eloise was not taking this situation seriously enough.

“Where did she go?” Anthony whispered to himself. He stopped directly in front of Eloise’s bed.

Your heart thumped against your chest. Eloise could feel the rhythmic beating of it against her side. The room was silent except for the sound of your ragged breathing and the creaking of the floorboards as Anthony moved closer. Every second felt like an eternity, the suspense unbearable. Eloise’s body shook slightly with suppressed laughter, her eyes sparkling with mischief. You closed your eyes tightly, willing yourself to disappear into the floor, every muscle tense with fear. The scent of lavender from Eloise’s perfume mingled with the dust under the bed, creating a strangely comforting cocoon despite the perilous situation above.

Anthony stood there for a moment, his new, shiny shoes inches away from your hiding spot. Eloise’s heart raced faster, her amusement replaced by a slight flutter of anxiousness. Yet, her irrepressible nature couldn’t resist the temptation, and she began to poke her fingers into your sides teasingly.

You grabbed Eloise’s wandering fingers with your free hand. Eloise took the opportunity to lick your palm.

“I’m going to kill you,” you whispered lowly into Eloise’s ear.

Even in the tension of the situation, with Anthony so close and the fear of being caught, Eloise couldn’t suppress her mischief. The feeling of your skin against her lips sent a shiver down her spine. It always did.

She smirked slightly against your hand, replying in a whisper, “I’d like to see you try.” Her breath was warm against your palm.

Anthony finally left the room, shutting the door harshly behind him as he went.

“Eloise! You don’t take anything seriously, do you?” you hissed, removing your hand from Eloise’s mouth. Eloise was still grinning like a child.

“Oh, come now, I do take things seriously… sometimes,” Eloise laughed quietly, rolling her eyes at your chastising tone. She inched closer to you under the bed, your faces just inches apart. The dim light cast shadows across her face, emphasizing every perfect feature.

“You worry far too much, love.”

You sighed with a shake of your head. “I know… I just don’t want my parents finding out. You know why, El.”

Eloise smiled, amused by the lipstick smudges still on your lips and cheeks.

She reached a hand up, her fingers gently touching the smudges of lipstick on your face, wiping them away tenderly. A sly grin tugged at the corners of her mouth. “I know.”

She leaned in closer, her breath warm against your cheek. “But you can’t deny that it’s exciting, can you?”

“Maybe a little…” you muttered quietly, a flush on your cheeks.

Eloise’s grin widened as you admitted the truth. She inched even closer, your faces tantalizingly close. Her hand still gently touched your cheek, tracing the contour, as her voice dropped to a whisper.

“A little,” she echoed, “Only a little? I think the way your heart’s racing speaks differently.”

“My heart is racing because we were about to be caught by your eldest and most intimidating brother if you hadn’t quit your giggling!” you replied, but couldn’t help the smile that formed on your face.

Eloise returned your smile, “I suppose you have a point. But I also think it’s partly from my touch, don’t you?”

She gently twirled a strand of your hair around her finger, her tone playful and flirtatious.

“It always is, Eloise,” you said, pressing a kiss to Eloise’s cheek. “Now, must we stay here all night?”

Eloise chuckled, her heart fluttering at the feel of your lips on her cheek. “No, I suppose not. Unless you would like to stay here… under the bed with me for the entirety of the night?”

“Anywhere with you is a blessing, but I fear this may prove rather uncomfortable as time goes on, darling.”

“True,” Eloise conceded with a playful pout. “As much as I’d love nothing more than to stay here with you, this isn’t exactly ideal. Besides…” she leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper, “We have plenty more room on my very comfortable bed.”

You both giggled as Eloise grabbed your hand. The pair jumped back onto her bed, Eloise attacking your face with kisses.

The giggles quieted as Eloise lavished kisses all over your face, moving from your cheeks to your neck. A soft gasp escaped your lips, your heart fluttering at the affection. You were laid out on the bed, Eloise hovering over you, a mischievous grin on her face.

“You see,” she murmured between kisses, “Much more comfortable, hm?”

“Mhmm,” you hummed.

Eloise smiled against your skin. “You need not worry, my love. You’ll have me, always,” she whispered.

You nodded, embracing Eloise into a tight hug, your arms wrapping around her waist.

Eloise returned the embrace. She buried her face in the crook of your neck, the scent of your strawberry perfume filling her senses.

“I swear it,” she whispered, her breath warm against your skin. “I wish I could marry you, just to keep you like this, in my arms, every night.”

“Me too. Maybe one day,” you whispered back.

“Yes, one day,” Eloise agreed, closing her eyes and holding you tighter. For a brief moment, the two of you held each other in silence, each lost in thoughts, hopes, and dreams of a shared future together.

[nostalgicmiscellaneous]

Colin's anger about Penelope/LW will be a good showdown, but i hope Pen reminds him that she never, ever manipulated him to like her or made herself look better using LW so that he could like her. And that she saved his ass from being used, from future unhappiness, as he can clearly see now that marrying Marina would've been a mistake, emotionally and with the child thing. HE was the one who went after her after, ruined her marriage proposal from Debling and compromised her in a carriage - yeah, he was the experienced partner there, she was the quite ignorant virgin who didn't really know what she was doing, her consenting means that she trusts him to not harm her and to do what he wants because she believes he will not do anything bad to her, and he didn't, but it's not like she knows what all of that meant. lol And then he basically steamrolled her with Proposal -> let's tell my family... And Eloise, that goes for you too.

[violeta223]

You're a Bridgerton, I presume? [Female Reader Insert] Ch. 2

This story and title were inspired by the 'You're the Ninth Bridgerton, I Presume?' playlist by Sonder on YouTube.

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Exiting the house in a rush with your family, servants, and all the noise, you barely noticed the Featherington Family exiting their home, only giving them a glance and well wishes to Penelope. You could not tell where everyone was, only Daphne. Most everyone circled her, rearranging her tiara and adjusting her hair and gloves while one of the maids held her train. You wanted to help but didn’t want to make a mistake or accidentally overwhelm your sister; you only stuck by her side, more like beside the head maid who was adjusting her hair, as a sign of support, ready to help if she called to you. As your sisters and mother climb into the carriage, with your mother and Daphne entering last, you couldn’t help but feel slightly anxious for her—not wanting your shoes to touch her train accidentally and for her introduction to the queen or why your mother looked slightly peeved when she entered the carriage but returned to smiling when she saw you looking at her, or where on earth Anthony was. While Daphne looked a bit nervous, she still looked confident and ready. You don’t know how she made it look easy, even though you knew of the years she prepared for this moment; she made it look effortless, and she would make it look effortless; you just knew it. That’s why you thought it best not to voice your worries; while you did not have confidence in yourself, you did in your sister. Unfortunately, that confidence did not come with the confidence of a comfortable ride. You were surprised Eloise was not saying something about feeling cramped and how we had not yet gotten a slightly larger carriage after all these years. But when you turned to look at her, you saw her reading something; you think you saw a few names but moved on in case you were invading her privacy. You did not even know where she had picked up the pamphlet. You decided to wait until she told you or someone asked, typically by lovely but nosy Hyacinth, but she was too giddy about seeing the ladies' debut even to notice. Francesca was enjoying her moment of peace.

You looked at Daphne, and as if sensing your stare, she looked up at you with a small smile and softened eyes. You felt yourself giving a small smile back to her, worries slowly fading away and being overturned by pride when you looked at her.

“How are you feeling?” “I’m alright. Anxious as any other debutante, but that is normal. Do not worry for me, [name].” She gently knocked her foot against yours to assure and calm you. You thought it funny that she was calming you down when it should have been the other way around, but she knew you were always more anxious than the rest of the family. Your mother gave a gentle smile at the moment between you and Daphne before speaking. “Yes, do not worry, [name],” she said as she leaned over, touching your hand and the other over Daphne’s. “You have seen how ready Daphne is. She will do exceptionally well.” Then, turning her head to look only at Daphne, “But no matter what happens, know I will always be proud of you,” She moves her head to look at all of us, “All of you.” It made you feel nice, and you could see it did the same with your sisters, except for Eloise, who still focused on reading the pamphlet. When your mother saw this, she couldn’t help but furrow her brows. Not wanting a tense atmosphere to appear, you did what Bridgertons did best: make fun. "Well, after all the practice I've given you, Daphne, I trust you won't be as clumsy as our brothers when they think they’re charming!” Daphne smiled, a knowing glint in her eye as she continued, “Certainly not, with how much practice I’ve had with Your Majesty.” Your other sisters giggled, and your mother began to smile again at what Daphne was referring to.

During Daphne’s practice sessions, Mother thought it was best to recreate what a debut would look like, which meant she needed a queen. Francesca often helped as a stand-in but couldn’t replicate the queen’s commanding presence. Francesca was too gentle for that, while Mother was either too gentle or too afraid to be more specific. Either way, Francesca eventually wanted to return to her music. Hyacinth played the role of the queen for a while; she had the confidence, loved the spotlight, had no problem commanding, and enjoyed anything about the debutantes and royalty. However, she was still a child and often got bored when the rehearsals became too serious for her. So, it was Eloise’s turn—or, she would put it, the new victim. She certainly had no problem speaking her thoughts or giving a poker face, or maybe it was just her off in her thoughts. Her sharp wit often made Daphne laugh and relieved the stress of preparing for the debut. But, as we all suspected, it lasted the shortest with Eloise. She already disliked the idea of the debut, and her frustration toward it led her to make snippy remarks; she was quickly removed from her duty to avoid further tension. That’s when it became your turn. You did not think you could act as the queen; instead, you chose to help Daphne in other ways, like helping her select her dress and hairstyle. Otherwise, you tried to avoid the rehearsals with your studies when they were looking for their new queen. The thought of embarrassing yourself in front of your family was too daunting, even though a part of you knew that your mother nor Daphne would tease you when they saw how anxious you were. That is why, when Eloise saw how you were, she offered herself up for the role because she enjoyed the idea of ordering Daphne around. The temporary replacement was Hycainth’s old plush toy, and while Daphne was doing a good job, not even she could take the plush seriously. That was when you offered yourself before they could ask. Once you saw how funny it was to see Daphne bowing to an animal plush, you decided to read stories about queens and articles about Queen Charlotte. She was certainly something. Regardless, you felt prepared for your role. To the surprise of Daphne and your mother, you were immersed in your role, even with your shaky start. It was the only time you saw Daphne stumble when she witnessed your confidence. You quickly fell out of character, worried about your sister and embarrassed by yourself. She rushed toward you, followed closely by your mother when they showered you with compliments. Word quickly spread around the house about your performance. Everyone teasingly called you “Your Majesty” or quipped, “Move out of the way for her Majesty.” Even Anthony once bowed and called you “Your Majesty,” joking that perhaps you should be the head of the household instead of him.

Your sisters began teasing you in the carriage, and Eloise finally looked up, joining the conversation. She was always ready to make fun of a sibling, and she and your sisters joked, “Oh, I’m sorry I forgot I was in the queen's presence,” or with an exaggerated, “Youurrr Majesty.”

When the teasing began to quiet down, we neared the castle, and everyone except Mother was leaning forward in awe. As the carriage came to a stop, everyone moved out with the help of the footmen. Looking around, you suddenly felt overwhelmed by how large everything was, the sheer number of people, and how much noise there was. You turned around, quickly moving toward Francesca and wrapping your arm around hers. She looked at you, placed a comforting hand atop yours, and gave a reassuring nod and smile. You knew she understood what you were feeling; she was one of the best people to comfort you in moments like this.

As your family paused, waiting for everyone to gather and to move only when Daphne would, you heard her exclaim in surprise, “Anthony! You are here.” You looked over to see a breathless Anthony approach everyone. Finally! You were relieved he was alright and would be at this special moment. You hoped to move closer to him in the castle for a comforting arm. While Francesca provided understanding and comfort, if you wanted to leave, you knew your brother would be there to help, defend you from any whispering voices, and do his best to comfort you even if he didn’t fully understand. You always felt more confident when Anthony was by your side.

“Of course, I’m here, sister. I would never miss such an important day for you and our family,” He replied. Mother hummed with a look that was ready to scold. “No, you would just be late for it.” While Benedict and Colin snickered at their brother being scolded, Anthony and Mother exchanged glances, having a conversation you didn’t understand. Only knowing it was causing tension, you quickly moved close to them, whispering and shaking your head, slightly frantic. Your voice tinged slightly with nerves, worried they would attract negative attention on Daphne’s big day. “Uh... Not the time.” They glanced at you before turning back to the front. Anthony offered his arm to Daphne to hold. “Shall we?” She nodded, and as they began to walk forward, she looked back at you, giving a kind smile to thank you and reassure you of the day ahead.