#quill-pen

[rom-e-o]

Bess and Wolf going to a business dinner with Bob and Ethel and a couple other associates and their spouses. (I imagine this is sometime after Starry is born and the Sunflares opted out for family time.). The dinner is going well; everyone is talking friendly business and such, even Ethel, impressing the hoity-toity associates with her knowledge and savvy (because Ethel is a business badass). At least, almost everyone is talking; Bess is the most quiet one. She engages when she can, but... she doesn't understand the topics like the others. Her business savvy really only extends to a farmer's market stall, after all--nothing at all on the level this group is speaking of.

She suddenly has a call and excuses herself to take it. Once she's finished there, she heads to the ladies room where she hears the voices of the other women from their party, sans Ethel, speaking. About her. Not in the most kind way:

"Well, they've certainly made it longer than I believed they would; I had my money on them splitting after three months."

"You don't think they'll actually wed, do you? A man like Ben Scrooge with a little floozy like her? For a spell of fun and excitement, yes, but to marry? I thought he had more sense."

"Sense does not factor in for any man when young cunt is so easily and willingly at the ready."

"True, but Ben's never seemed the type to throw all intelligence to the wind indefinitely, even for such things. Neither Twin has: Look at Ebenezer. True, he also married a younger and American woman, but at least she is closer to his age and has proven to be quite an asset to the business. She turned out to be a suitable if still questionable choice. Ms. Sullivan--what could Ben possibly see in her?"

"Mmm, I agree. For all the claims of her being a nurse, she seems quite lacking in the field of mental capacity. She's hardly contributed to the conversation all evening, and any contribution she has made thus far has been positively insipid and uninspired."

"You know she only has a job as a nurse of her aunt. And even then, Euphemia was only able to get her into the worst hospital in the city. If that doesn't speak to the girl's lack of intellect, I don't know what does."

"Clearly, tonight has proven that breeding means nothing, as a farmer's daughter is able to speak with more intelligence and insight of the business world than a woman with a pedigree. No wonder Gerald and Effie never speak of her. Mr. Marley must me rolling in his grave at his daughter's lack."

"I can only imagine how disappointed Ben must be with her. He hides it well, but doubtless he's ashamed."

"Mmm. We can only hope that Shane brings him round on her before it's too late."

When the women leave the restroom, Bess hides in the curtains to keep from being noticed. The rest of the night, she's particularly quiet, though she manages to hide the pain of what she overheard well enough that no one is suspicious. But she can't help but wonder.

The next day, she stops by the Sunflares' at an hour she's sure she'll catch them both and asks them if she can get their opinions on something. She explains to them the evening prior. It's much easier to recount than she thought it would be, as long as she has an adorable baby snuggling into her arms and happily suckling away at a bottle. But her vision is still swimming by the time she finally gets around to it: "Be honest with me: Is Wolf... ashamed of me? Or even just disappointed? On some level? I know I'm not exactly... the ideal catch. Or much of a catch at all, all things considered. I definitely leave a lot to be desired."

Secretly, or not-so-secretly, Adonis and Connie are plotting a way to find out the identities of whoever they were dinner guests with. Bob and Ethel will be good informants~ There will be dirt dug up, that's for sure. In the meantime, they both listen to Bess' story. They could tell when she first rang at their flat that something was amiss. Holding Starry obviously helps, but they can see that she's still troubled.

As Bess retells the story, both listen calmly, but Adonis' brow furrows with every words, and Connie's shoulders have hiked up to her ears by the end.

And they have a nice, long chat.

"I-I beg your kindest pardon, but did you just say you're NOT a catch?" Adonis huffed in disbelief. His eyes were wide as saucers, but his brows still pinched and framing deep lines that formed on his forehead.

Bess nodded quickly, almost embarrassed, and he was on his feet a mere second later. "Elizabeth! Now, I will NOT entertain such nonsense!"

"I must agree," Constance said. She stood in tandem with her husband, but opted to drift over to the sofa and sink into the vacant spot beside Bess, her hands going to the younger woman's shoulders and giving her a reassuring squeeze. "You think Wolf would be ashamed of you? Whatever for? You're easily the most brilliant woman he's ever been with!"

"Gods, I'll toast to that," Adonis said, his voice deepening as memories of his brother's older partners drifted through his mind. "Drink to it, as well. Heartily."

Bess blinked back tears before managing a weak reply of, "I-I'm not good enough for him." Like those ladies said.

Starla let out a light burble as a warm tear from above landed upon her tiny fist.

"Love, I've seen the women who aren't good enough for him," Adonis said, lofting a hand to the sky in exclamation. "Years after years - for literal decades, I watched Charlie fall in and out of love. I watched ladies that swooned one moment then turn on a heel and leave him, insulting him and all but kicking dirt in his face on their way out the door." Connie reached over the arm of the sofa to procure a tissue packet from her nearby purse. While Bess cradled Starla as if she was a cooing teddy bear (to be fair, she filled played the role quite perfectly), Connie dabbed her eyes gently. Bess murmured a soft 'thanks', but did not make eye-contact, fearing another incriminating tear would fall.

"Not only are you beyond good enough - you're EXACTLY the kind of woman Charlie needs," Adonis continued. With his long legs, he walked to the flat's panoramic window and gazed out, his lips drawn into a thin line. Constance recognized the nervous movements. He was getting animated, and if left unchecked, it wouldn't be long before he started to raise his voice. "Anybody who can't see that has their head so far up their own arse, they see their own failings as those of others!"

"Their own failings?" Bess repeated, glancing between the two. "On me?"

"They're projecting their insecurities on you," Connie supplied softly. It was treatment that Constance had endured as well, though to a far lesser degree. London's elite ladies had taken to gossiping about the Scrooge twins and the 'Yankee fleshpots' that had ensnared their hearts. Constance had many years of experience as a socialite in New York's most stuffy and yuppie-stocked inner circles, and the metaphorical battlefield had trained her aptly in the arts of parrying crude remarks and humbling perpetrators appropriately. The last time one had dared to imply her lack of intelligence because of her nationality, Constance had engaged her in amicable discussion of recent scientific discoveries. The chat resulted in the other woman leaving in a humiliated huff with the realization that perhaps she wasn't the second coming of glory that she had thought she was, and that her well-bred British sensibilities had failed in a pathetically one-sided match with some orphan from Manhattan.

It was hard, but whatever Constance had experienced was nothing compared to the scrutiny that fell upon Bess. The trust-fund ladies and other members of gentry took joy in looking down their noses at good people like her, all while using them as a merry distraction from the troubling facts that they did not possess any practical skills of any sensible merit. Bess had knowledge of medicine and practical business dealings - whereas the ladies that mocked her couldn't get into their Swiss boarding schools without their fathers pulling strings.

"But ..."

"I venture to say that those showboating harpies have very much in common with the other ladies who tried to woo my brother," Adonis mutters, his voice more terse than it had been before. Then, when his eyes flashed to Bess, they softened again. "All bluster, and no substance. They're jealous."

"Jealous? T-That can't be right."

"I'm quite serious. Whether they'll admit it or not, you are exactly the type of lady they want to be. They want their money, but your life experience. Your stories. Your intrigue."

Constance nodded, giving her soul-sister's shoulders a firm caress.

"When a man’s brother vouches for you like that, dear, that’s a powerful endorsement. He’s seen the women that have come and gone from Charlie’s life … the ones who never connected with him. Not like you. You and him have been magnetized to each other from the day you first reconnected and locked eyes. You are a woman who possesses a key understanding for the important things in life. You are kind, charitable, gentle-hearted and wonderful with children. Plus, you're a dark-haired beauty that is often described in romance novels - long, black hair and rosy cheeks. Blue eyes. A beautiful voice that draws crowds from all across London and beyond."

Bess shook her head softly. "I just ... I feel I leave so much left to be desired. Wouldn't a man like him prefer someone more ... I don't know. And that's the problem. I don't know. I can't even find the words, whereas I'm sure those ladies in the powder room would have n-ooo trouble."

Starla stared up at Bess' tear-streaked face with wide, opaque blue eyes. She reached up and toward her visage, as if if trying to wipe away the tears that were just barely out of reach.

Adonis sighed softly. "My dear, you have been wronged by too many when it comes to understanding your worth and beauty. You respect my brother's heart and soul. You've nurtured him and have helped him heal. Before you came along, he was a mere shell of the lively, albeit maddeningly sarcastic--"

Bess chortled at that.

"--Happy man he is when he's by your side. You don't shun his emotions - you encourage him to feel them. You respond to his romantic gestures and thank him graciously. You ...and correct me if I'm wrong, but you love him HIM for WHO he is, not for what he can give you."

After a moment, Bess nodded softly. "I do."

As the words left her lips, her lips formed a soft, crescent smile. "I do love him. Very, very much."

Adonis smiled. "I know."

Unlike the others, he could see she was truthful. His brother's heart was safe with her, and her heart was safe with him in return.

Constance laid her head on her soul-sister's shoulder. "What a wonderful thing, isn't it? To possess such an enduring affection for another, and to have that affection returned?"

Bess sighed, as if a weight had been lifted. "It ... is quite wonderful, yes."

A little cry came from her lap, and she looked down to see Starla fussing with the tip of an empty bottle.

"Oh, sorry, little one," Bess said, one hand lofting to wipe away a swatch of beaded mascara. "A-All done."

Such was also true for her tears, which had mostly dried by that point.

By the time Wolf rang the doorbell an hour later to pick her up, any suspicious puffiness had long-since vanished.

After paying a quick tribute to Starla, he returned faithfully to Bess' side and looped a casual arm around her waist. He wasn't lewd about his contact, but did pull her close to him, a twinkle in his eye while he did so. "Well, while last night's dinner was perfectly decent, I think I'm ready for us to enjoy a slightly more private evening," Wolf husked softly. "How about it? I made reservations for just the two of us tonight. Dinner and dancing at that new jazz club, Leuna."

"R-Really? T-That place is exclusive. I didn't know they were taking reservations."

"I have my ways," he quipped confidently. Then, by the next breath, the timbre of his voice quieted to a tone more befitting of speaking a private vow. "I hope you'll join me."

Sincere excitement shimmered in his eyes as he issued the inquiry. Behind his masculine bravado was an air of boyish sheepishness. Despite his age and status, at the end of the day, he was a smitten man of flesh and blood laying his heart bare for his woman.

Bess, in all her eternal gentleness, handled it with care and love.

"Nothing would make me happier."

[st0r-fruit]

Update:

Kamitani worked: Bryant is staying away from the dressing room. But his gross, drunk friends are catcalling and heckling from the bar during Bess' performance and starting to throw glasses and bottles at her when she doesn't comply with their rude requests. Some of the glasses and bottles still have drinks in them.

GRRR CURSE THOSE MENS

*Ryu voice*

"...This man, I swear. Alright, I have two possible options:"

"We should probably bring in Mr. Wolf, and hire some body guards." (If Bess already met Wolf)

"Or, replace all glasses with a rubber-copy glasses, crank up the volume to reduce their nasty catcalling, and have Bess wear a liquid-proof dress and maybe use liquid-proof makeup and hair spray to keep her dry from the throws. I hope they give up soon seeing their efforts are being defeated by OUR doubled efforts."

(this is so fun i really like rp-ing with you quill)

@quill-pen

[adjpngs]

(1) Nephele Moth, (2) Cabernet Wax, (3) Garden Statue of Fortuna, (4) Vintage 1920's Bank Log, (5) Vintage Letter Opener and Magnifying Glass, (6) Nostalgic Impressions Quill Pen (Holder), (7) Hardcover Vintage Book, (8) Preserved Garnet Red Roses, (9) Large Skeleton Key

[oldschoolfrp]

Orbs, candles, snakes, miscellaneous body parts -- I should tidy my desk more often (Nicholas Bibby, White Dwarf 38, February 1983)

[amnhnyc]

POV: You’re in the middle of the ocean and, for some reason, you need to write something down. To your surprise and delight, you discover that there are about three hundred species of sea pen! Unfortunately for you, none of them can be used for writing.

Named for their resemblance to old-fashioned quills, sea pens are actually not single animals: They are colonies of polyps. All of the polyps work together and each has a role to play. There are feeding polyps that catch plankton, as well as polyps that circulate water to keep the colony balanced and upright.

Photo: diverdan55, CC BY-NC 4.0, iNaturalist (Ptilosarcus gurneyi pictured) 

[illustratus]

King John reluctantly signing the Magna Carta by Arthur C. Michael

[autumnallunaphotos]

The writer’s desk 🖋️

“A tattered heart full of unsung tales

An amber soul brimming with poetry”

- R. F. Greystone

[offonaherosjourney]

I've seen people that have tried Dracula Daily before saying that when the book reaches those long stretches of time with no updates it's very easy to fall of the wagon. Well... not for me. JONATHAN HARKER YOU BETTER START WRITING SOON AGAIN BECAUSE I MISS YOU. Grab a pen and open your diary because I need to know what Dracula is secretly cooking you for breakfast!

[arielleshaina]

The prompt over on Twitter for today is #SketchesWithLucy, so of course I had to do some more pen sketches. Did I stay up till 5am in order to finish? Maaaybe...

[rom-e-o]

Okay, I gotta know. How much does Connie hear from the boys talk at the office concerning Bess and Wolf's feelings for her and how hard is it for her to not just blab because it's all evidence that Bess just needs to go for it? Girl has got to be fit to explode from the needless tension between these two dunderheads.😅

Oh, I imagine it’s DAILY. 😂

Every day, she hears Wolf and Adonis pecking away at each other, back-and-forth, about Wolf and his feelings.

Of course, Connie has insider knowledge on how Bess feels, and knows Bess has been hesitant to show her true feelings to Wolf because she doesn’t want to ruin his reputation, doesn’t want to ruin their friendship, etc.

Now, Connie goes to the office and hears Wolf talk about the SAME EXACT hang-ups (with slight modifications.

“I’m too old for her, Sammy! If I shackled her to me, I’d drag her down. She deserves a man closer to her age. Someone she can actually grow old with in tandem.”

“You remember how I once was. A miserly, dishonorable man. What if I slip back into those ways? Bess doesn’t deserve a love like that.”

“She wants a family, Sam. It would be irresponsible for me to become a father, and you know it.”

“What could I give her? A life of being hounded by paparazzi and appearing in tabloids? How alluring. She doesn’t want that life. I know she doesn’t.”

Of course, Adonis refutes each claim. He’s seen Bess tolerate the company of these other horrible boys - she wants a mature man.

Dragging her down? In what way? He wants to give her the world. “You’re making an excuse.”

Becoming a father is scary. So is becoming a mother. It a burble that’s meant to be jumped as a couple. Plus, that would be a future discussion.

And it takes ALL of Connie’s energy to not just burst into that meeting room and blab. She wants to, some days, just fling open the doors, grab Wolf by the scruff, and haul him back to the cottage. 😂

She would never do something under-handed, like recording their convos to play for Bess. No, she deserves a confession from this man. They deserve to come naturally into their feelings and realize their shared interest. After all, that’s the way of classic wooing and courtship.

That being said, watching these two hold themselves back from happiness for the SAME reasons is maddening.

She tells this to Bess, that he is SO interested (not going tomorrow detail, again, she doesn’t want to rob the glory of a full confession) but she does reassure Bess often.

“He talked about you again, today. Came in skipping and whistling after your lunch. Bess, he is SO enamored with you. He might think he’s not good enough for you. One of you needs to break that ice! Honey, you should go for it!”

She wouldn’t be so insistent if she didn’t know it was going to go over splendidly well.

And every time Bess and Wolf are at the office? Oh, she watches them with BATED breath. “This is it,” she thinks, “One of them has to crack!”

And they never do, and she if left rubbing her face and sighing.

[st0r-fruit]

Ryu, help! Bess' sleazy boss for her lounge singing job (Mr. Larry Bryant) refuses to leave her alone and give her space. The creep has even taken to bursting into her dressing room unannounced. She needs a guard at her door who won't back down, regardless of the threats hurled their way.

ALRIGHT A SCENARIO

*Ryu voice*

"Ah, this is tricky. I could ask Kamitani to guard the door for you, as he has more physical abilities than me. If that doesn't stop him, I can pretend to work there and give somewhat a poison to make him faint and unconscious. What we do with the body i don't know yet. I hope this helps, Miss Bess!"

@quill-pen

[5-turtleducks-in-a-trenchcoat]

Sasha (who's askin) Racket, my beloved.

I didn't even mean to finish this originally, but I have motivation for once so why not.

[myfckingnameisnuwanda]

Not the homophobic vase ૮₍•᷄ ࡇ •᷅₎ა

Masterpost

<- 037: Burnt Offering - 039: Infestation ->

<-<- 001: Angler Fish

[hogoflight]

Teacher: Has everyone remembered to hand in their parental consent forms for the upcoming trip?

Apollo kid: OH NO uhhhhhh *faces window* hey dad can you discreetly do the. Do the thing

Apollo, not quite physically formed, face squished against the glass: OF COURSE MY DEAR BELOVED CHILD MY BABY I CARE FOR YOU AND CHERISH YOU DEARLY

Apollo kid: hmm thanks dad that’s. That’s a lot of glitter but that’s okay. Ohhhhhhh you have a glitter pen?? You have GLITTER PEN DRAWERS?? That’s cool dad. Um

[dragoncall]

WHO REMEMBERS THESE BAD BOYS

[quill-n]

A good friend got me a fancy new quill and ink set, so I'm testing it out!!

the ink really doesn't like watercolor (which was expected but I'm a stubborn fool) but I made it work :)