#lesbian polin

[sea-owl]

Pearl Gardenia

Remember a while back I said that I wasn't sure who I wanted to be the first to know about Colleen and Penelope's relationship? Well I figured it out. Here you go.

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45421066

-

It was the end of the season of 1818, the Bridgerton family was having a small get together at Aubrey Hall. It was a small event, with a select number invited.

"Are you sure it is alright for me to join you?" Penelope asked her lover. The two women were riding in their own carriage sitting across from one another. They planned to take off on another tour to Denmark once their trip to Aubrey Hall was over. "Eloise had told me it was a mostly private event."

Colleen only laughed before kissing her lover's wrist right where her glove would hide it. Colleen let her lips linger, willing her lip pomade to stain even just a little. "It may be smaller than during the season, but Mama still plans to host a ball for tonight. More local families"

"Besides," Colleen said as she pulled Penelope into her lap. "You've been around longer than anyone else my darling nymph."

Penelope blushed, but still wrapped her arms around Colleen's neck. "Charmer."

Colleen grinned. "Your charmer."

With an eye roll Penelope gave Colleen a quick peck before climbing off the taller woman's lap, and onto the seat next to her. Colleen pouted and made to pull Penelope against her once more when Penelope pushed her hands away with her own. Colleen managed to keep hold of one of those small hands.

"I can see Aubrey Hall," Penelope said.

Colleen sighed and plopped her head on top of Penelope's. Fine if she can't have Penelope in her lap, then laying against her will have to do. They can just say she fell asleep on the way over. Wouldn't be the first time she cuddled up to someone while asleep during a carriage ride.

Colleen raised the glove on the hand she held, giving Penelope's other wrist a kiss. Her wrists should match after all.

Penelope giggled. "Can I trust you not to make mischief until we leave?"

"But I love making mischief," Colleen pretnded to whine. Leaning more of her weight on the smaller redhead. "Almost as much as I love you."

Penelope giggled again but pushed back against Colleen. "Alright then, no mischief that involves me then!"

Colleen faked a wounded look, one hand on her chest, like she was scandalized. "My lovely nymph you wound me!"

Penelope shook her head, a fond smile on her face. She gave another quick peck to Colleen's lips. "Behave. We're here."

Colleen looked out the window to see they were indeed coming up to Aubrey Hall's front doors. Sitting up straighter she gave Penelope's hand a squeeze before the footman opened the door.

"Oh Pen!" Eloise exclaimed. Grabbing Penelope's hand Eloise began to drag her off. "I am so sorry I could not accompany you. Colleen practically shoved me in that blasted carriage."

Colleen pretended her smile didn't tightened.

"Come along dear sister," Daphne said, wrapping her arm in Colleen's. "We have to pick out your dress for Mama's ball."

-

Colleen sat on the floor in front of her mirror. Her hands were bare, gloves next to her, along with her cosmetics. Ever since she started traveling she has found she preferred applying her own cosmetics, or doing Penelope's while she does Colleen's.

A knock on the door.

"Come in," Colleen said. She watched from the mirror as the door to her bedroom opened and Penelope slipped inside. Penelope's face was bare, but her own cosmetics were in her hands. Colleen grinned as her eyes traced Penelope's reflection. "We match."

While Colleen's dress was blue and Penelope's green, they matched in jewelry. Both women wore a choker that looked like gardenias on silver vines wrapping around their necks. The gardenias were made out of pearl, and the two women both had dangle pearl earrings to match. It was a gift Colleen had gotten them when they first gotten together in 1815 on the Island of Ithaca. Colleen had thought it was the perfect way to declare her secret love to Penelope, after all she could always claim she thought the necklaces were pretty.

Penelope sat down next to Colleen, her hands playing with her cosmetics. She looked down in a corner of the mirror. "I thought it would be nice if we did each other's cosmetics like we do when we're traveling. Eloise is currently distracted so she won't be looking for me."

Colleen couldn't help herself. Penelope looked so cute, her cheeks taking on a rosy shade. Even with Penelope's head turned down, a glance at the mirror showed her bitting her lip. Really could you blame Colleen for stealing a kiss?

"No mischief!" Penelope giggled, pulling away.

"You make it very hard my dear nymph," Colleen said, leaning closer once again. "But if you share your lip pomade with me I might be able to behave during the ball."

Penelope raised an eyebrow. "Just the ball?"

"If you want me to behave after I just might need some more incentive," Colleen whispered in her lover's ear.

Penelope felt a shiver run up her back. "We'll have to get up early."

Colleen turned her head so her lips were just brushing against Penelope's ear. "Do you wish for me to behave?"

Penelope picked up her lip pomade. "Your room or mine?"

Colleen picked up Penelope's rouge. "Oh definitely mine my dear nymph. Not only are we less likely to be disturbed, but I've been wanting to put this mirror here to good use."

The two women worked in a comfortable silence. Penelope applying the lip pomade to Colleen's lips, while Colleen traced the rouge on Penelope's cheeks. When Penelope nodded satisfied with Colleen's lips, Colleen snuck a quick peck. She smiled smugly seeing that there was a faint trace of the color left behind.

Penelope only shook her head fondly but handed off the lip pomade to Colleen while she picked up Colleen's rouge. Two women switched places, and when deemed good by the other they turned to the mirror.

Colleen smiled at her nymph's beautiful reflection.

-

Colleen scowled in to her drink, her green eyes glaring at the dance floor.

She's going to kill Francesca. As much as she loves her little sister, Francesca still brought her husband's cousin, the merry bloody fucking rake, to their mother's ball. God damn Michael fucking Stirling was dancing and flirting with her Pen.

Colleen's free hand clenched in her skirt.

It's not like they haven't talked about the possibility of one of them marrying before so society wouldn't suspect them. They have and quickly came to the conclusion that Colleen would end up calling for a duel with Penelope's potential suitor. Colleen Bridgerton does not like to share what's her's, and Penelope Featherington most certainly was her's. No matter what Eloise says.

"Is that a new shade?" Daphne asked, sliding up to her sister.

Colleen tore her eyes away from the dance floor and down at her sister. Colleen is still unsure how she ended up taller than most of her siblings, she even has an inch on Anthony, which made for an interesting day when it was first noticed. She let her eyes ask her question.

"Your lip pomade," Daphne pointed. "I don't think I have ever seen you wear that shade before."

"Oh," Colleen said. "I had tried of mine, so Penelope was kind enough to let me try her's."

"It looks good on you," Daphne said.

Colleen nodded, she knew it looked good on her. She shares Penelope's lip pomade all the time when they travel. Speaking of Penelope, the merry rake had just had just released her nymph, and Colleen needs a recharge. "Thank you sister. I should go ask Penelope what she uses, perhaps I'll wear this shade more often."

With that Colleen was off to collect her nymph. She said she would behave at the ball, but she never said she behave in the library.

Something was off with Colleen. Daphne couldn't place it, but her older sister was being a tad more polite than what she usually is during society events. The type of politeness Colleen uses when she's tense or trying to hide something. Not to mention Daphne thought the glass Colleen was holding earlier was going to shatter from how tight she held it.

"Daphne, could you find Colleen please?" Violet asked. "There is an Earl here that I would like to introduce her to."

Daphne shook her head, a fond smile on her face. Trust their mother to always trying to play matchmaker. "Of course Mama."

Daphne walked around the ballroom but had yet to see her sister. Perhaps she had stepped out, it would not have been the first time. Colleen likes her food and what was often served at balls did nothing for her voracious appetite. Or Colleen would gather up a huge plate and then hide away so neither Violet or Anthony would chastise her for being more interested in the food then the men.

Daphne poked her head in the library. No sign of Colleen. Perhaps she's in her room?

A moan coming from deeper in the library made Daphne pause. That moan sounded like Colleen.

Is her older sister meeting with a lover? Oh dear, Anthony will surely lose it if he finds out Colleen has followed the family tradition of scandoulous courtships. Especially since they have been trying to get her to at least entertain the idea of marriage for so long.

Daphne had to make sure.

Walking back further, hidden among the book stacks Daphne was not prepared for what she saw.

Penelope Featherington was being held up against the books, her head rolled back allowing access to her lover to suck on her pulse point. Penelope's bodice was falling, her lover's kisses, going lower and lower until they began to kiss at Penelope's breast.

Penelope's lover, whose back was to Daphne, did not wear boots and a coat like all the other gentlemen. But rather a dress, much similar to other ladies at the ball tonight. The lover lifted her head to smile up at Penelope.

Daphne gasped as she recognized Colleen.

Daphne's gasp was enough to catch Penelope's attention who let out her own gasp. "Daphne!"

Colleen's head whipped around. At the sight of her sister she put Penelope down and turned to face Daphne. Her body immediately covering Penelope's smaller one as the red head began to pull her bodice back into place.

"Colleen, what is going on?" Daphne asked. The duchess didn't know what to think. Her sister with another woman? Not only that but a woman they have known since they were all little girls. Is this why Colleen never married?

Colleen reached behind her, and Daphne could barley see the slight movement of Penelope holding Colleen's hand.

Colleen stared Daphne in the eye. "Penelope and I are in love."

In love? Two women . . . in love? That can't be right. Daphne has never heard of such a thing. It has always been a man and a woman who married. They're parents, Anthony and Kate, Benedict and Sophie, herself and Simon.

"No," Daphne finally said, starting to make her way to the library door. Perhaps she should get Anthony. "No that can't be. Two women have never married. It has always been a man and a woman."

"Daphne," Colleen practically begged.

"Perhaps if Penelope was man-"

"If I was a man, I would have married Penelope already!" Colleen declared.

Daphne paused, her older sister's words sinking in. Looking into Colleen's green eyes she could she see fear, but also a determination. Colleen and Penelope were holding onto each other, the same way Daphne holds onto Simon, and how her brothers hold onto their wives. Eventually she sat down on a nearby sofa. "Okay," she said, "okay I'm listening. Tell me how this happened."

Colleen and Penelope sat across from Daphne. They look at one another, their pearl gardenia necklaces catching in the moonlight.

Penelope gestures, and Colleen gives her lover a nod. "It officially started three years ago when we went to Ithaca."

Daphne's jaw dropped. Three years these two have been hiding their relationship, and no one in the Ton had any clue about it. Though Colleen's wording was interesting. "What do you mean by officially?"

Penelope spoke next. "I was in love with Colleen before, but I didn't know what those feelings were right away."

Colleen held Penelope's hand. "And I don't know when, and I don't know how, but I fell in love with Penelope. My best guess though is that my feelings started to change when we started traveling together."

Penelope picked the story back up. "Being alone together so often in our travels probably helped speed up our feelings. We would also pretend to be married in certain areas where it was a safer option for us."

"I quite enjoy when I get to pretend to be your husband," Colleen said, shooting Penelope a grin.

Daphne watched as Colleen and Penelope stared at each other in adoration. She could see it so easily now, it's the same look she sees on Simon's face. The same look she sees when Anthony and Kate or Benedict and Sophie stare at one another. Colleen and Penelope stared at one another with love. A love they have to keep secret. Their gardenia necklaces make so much more sense.

On the the thought of love and now love making . . .

"So how do you," Daphne trailed off. Using one hand to make a circle she used her other hand to stick a finger in.

Colleen and Penelope looked at her for a moment before realization hit. Penelope's face went red, while Colleen smirked.

"Dear sister," Colleen said, her voice full of laughter. "Has Simon not been using his hands or his tongue? Do Pen and I need to leave him some anonyms detailed instructions?"

"Colleen Bridgerton!" Daphne gasped at her sister's crude language.

"You asked!" Colleen laughed.

Daphne turned to apologize to Penelope, for Colleen or herself she wasn't sure yet. She caught Penelope's eye.

The younger woman went redder before saying, "There are also toys that can take place of a man's private parts, such as a dildo."

"Pen's favorite is the ivory one," Colleen added.

Penelope shot Colleen a look, her face becoming less red. "Though Colleen has a thing for mirrors and tying others up."

Colleen shot Penelope a look back that was nothing but filthy, "I like tying you up, and getting to see you from so many different angles. All pretty and on display for me."

"Colleen," Penelope hissed. "Daphne is right there."

Daphne felt her own face grow hot. She may not have the same level of attraction to women that her sister does but the images the two lovers are putting in her head would make a nun blush.

Colleen turned towards her sister. "If you want, we can find you a dildo sister," Colleen offered. "That way you can experience some of this yourself. There's some that imitate a man coming but uses water instead. You can take a break from the pregnancies!"

Daphne really should not have been surprised to learn that either Colleen or Penelope had snuck instructions for Simon on how to use his hands and mouth on Daphne in her luggage. It was very detailed. They also left a dildo her a dildo buried underneath her night dresses before they left for Denmark. It was actually the one Colleen had described to her that night in the library.

Well, Daphne was kind of tired of being pregnant, but she did like the feeling of her husband coming. Maybe she and Simon should give this a try.

[hauntedfictionland]

Everyone who's disappointed or mad about changing Francesca's love story of Michael to a woman's version, argues that the show—writers shouldn't have changed the books so drastically. What they don't know is that the show ALWAYS has drastically changed the story and lines in every season compared to the books. And trust me they've changed it for the better. Kate and Anthony in the books got caught sucking the venom out of Kate's chest and forced to marry and then, did they have their enemies to lovers. Now tell me, which version did you like more.

Also, I agree Francesca may have loved John in the books truly and madly, but that's not the case in the show and they've changed the relationship accordingly. She sees him as a companion, not a partner. She feels peace with him, not butterflies. She feels he really understands her, and those are the sole purposes of wanting to marry him. Now when she meets Michaela, her breathing stops, she feels the swooning and butterflies her mother always talked about and wishes for her to feel the way Violet felt with Edmund. And the thing is, by the interaction, Michaela seems an extrovert and far from quietness. And yet Francesca still fell in love with her, because in love, as shown in Bridgerton, you love them not because it benefits you, but because your heart calls for their soul, whatever that may be.

[krazygirl05]

[infinityinakiss]

i like my men sad, wet, and pathetic.

excellent.

[kat-rose-griffith]

Actually it was a genius move to wait until Polin’s season to reveal that (at least) 2 of the Bridgerton siblings are queer because Nicola, being our wee lesbian from Derry Girls, brings a sapphic audience, most of who were waiting for her season to start watching Bridgerton, which they needed to defend their queer characters and maintain their numbers long enough to tell their stories

[conejita-canelita]

The one thing that (in a hilarious way) breaks the immersion into the Bridgerton world for me while watching is that at we are expected to unironically look at Nicola Coughlan and believe that she is undesirable even if it is for the sake of the plot. I don’t blame any of the crew or staff for this failure btw and actually I admire and respect them so much for it; there’s only so much you can do to try and make Nicola Coughlan appear undesirable as if she’s not Nicola fucking Coughlan.

[sunny-rants]

went into Bridgerton season 3 ready to watch just for Polin and the Peneloise friendship, only to come away with not just them, but also not one but TWO sapphic ships, and a throuple to boot!

[swiftiesbuddie]

RIP Cressida Cowper, you would’ve loved Little Miss Perfect by Taylor Louderman and Good Luck, Babe! by Chappell Roan

[this-is-a-podcast-fanblog]

ships m/f but only with the understanding that it's because he's a gay man and she's a lesbian and they fucking hate each other and want to be constantly covered in one another's blood because of their toxic codependency and they each have their own homosexual love interested but they can't be separated from each other

[lucethemoonwitch]

Holy sh...

I really really loved part 2 of this season

The way all the relationships were handled

What Tilley had said when she talked to Benedict about these goddamn feelings, my boy was having such bi panic and she was so great with her words, with understanding, with showing him trust and that he can have trust in her, in both

And Francesca... I'm sorry but i laughed really hard when it was her time to have bi panic - same girl same

I already related so much to Francesca but this moment- that really could've been me

I LOVED it

We just got two bi characters in one fucking season

I Am Thrilled

And POLIN.... I cried soooooo many tears i had to pause that shit because u couldn't SEE

[browneyesandhair]

Incorrect Bridgerton Quotes

Penelope: … and that’s the bisexual agenda.

*Colin walking up to Penelope and Eloise grabbing Penelope’s notebook*: What’s the bisexual agenda?

Eloise: We were just joking around.

Colin: No, I’m bisexual. I want to know the agenda.

Insp

[irenedubrovna]

Honestly I don’t give a shit about Colin and Penelope this season there’s just something missing there. Now Francesca and Kilmartin? Eloise and Cressida? Good stuff.

[conejita-canelita]

Shoutout to Colin and Pen for being the first straight couple I’ve seen out-lesbian lesbians

[cactusyogurt]

I finished the second half of bridgerton and my heart was crushed to find out that creloise didn't have a shot :(

BUUT

Benedict being a boykisser and Michaela appearing at the end of the season gave hope to my little lesbian heart

Plus, I like Polin, they were entertaining. And John and Francesca were a really cute match! (my favorite straight paring is still Kanthony)

[bisexualfemalemess]

Bridgerton spoilers

Peneloise back together, a chance for canon lesbian eloise, canon michaela stirling/ kilmartin, canon bisexual francesca bridgerton, canon pansexual benedict bridgerton, polin baby, polin baby’s the heir, polin marital bliss, masquerade ball mention towards the end of the season, I fear i have never been so up in my life!

[ganymediocre]

i have so many thoughts about bridgerton this season. like genuinely, SO MANY - and most of them are honestly regarding the “queer siblings” situation. especially francesca and eloise (im still pushing the acearo sapphic el agenda) and the hate i see them receiving! i could defend them for days. also cressida they could never make me hate you!! i actually have full essays in my thoughts 😭

also despite the fact that i dont have an issue with THOSE changes, this season also had so many objective issues. lord debling being completely forgotten about for the second half of the season, cressida’s writing and arc entirely, the lack of focus on polin itself despite them being the season’s main characters (though as someone who doesn’t really like colin i was honestly fine with it!), etc etc.

bridgerton is one of the only shows that has made me fully invested in the relationships and lives of its female characters. they are consistently nuanced, three-dimensional, and given decent amounts of agency for the time period, as well as actual issues that they struggle with. i cannot understate how much i DESPISE seeing people hate on said female characters. i love them all and will defend them forever.

so yeah. so many thoughts. id be ecstatic to organize them and write them down if anyone’s actually interested!