just keep trying

🎆 - our muses get ready for/watch the fireworks together

"I'm not sure what you'll be seeing when you look across my chest but I'll take your word for it," Auden teased as he pressed a soft kiss onto the top of her head, careful not to mess up the hairstyle he'd watched her perfect earlier. "Every year for me is like that. The school year always takes an age to pass but the second I have a break– whoosh, it's gone. Even when I purposely try to slow it down. I guess we're always destined for that, though."

"Halloween costumes don't have to be scary, Ambrose," Auden commented, looking to the claws on his cousin's hands. "Are you supposed to be some sort of wolverine?" he asked, clearly not sure what he was meant to be. "Have you heard of Bridgerton? Of course you have, it's everywhere. I'm one of the Bridgerton brothers. Was pretty much an excuse to wear period clothing though."

closed starter - dakota & auden ( @audenwilkes )

"They probably didn't realise," Auden shrugged. "We have other people visit our place that don't have life threatening allergies, they can eat them instead of eating our kind of pathetic choice for snacks," he chuckled.

"I'd seriously consider whether you really want to speak to me right now. I don't promise you will make it out unscathed." Iris warned them as they came up beside her. She bit into the sandwich she'd bought earlier on when she'd managed to grab something. It wasn't exactly appealing but she was bone tired right now and honestly, energy was energy in whatever form it came in.

"What's gotten into you, Lestrange?" Auden teased as he took a seat directly next to her, looking at whatever she was stuffing in her mouth and making a disgusted face. "Is it that that's making you be so sour?" he asked, pointing at the food. "Because it looks grim, not going to lie. And that's coming from someone who eats free from food."

"Self-care is sexy, Auds," she told him, letting out a soft giggle at the obvious surprise from her boyfriend. "Was that not obvious? If I ever had an online dating profile I think I'd have to put that somewhere in my bio," Pepper joked. "You sure?" she smiled when he invited her in. "That sounds lovely honestly," she added when Auden mentioned having another robe. "And I'm sure it's fine. At least now I've got potential ideas as to what to get you for Christmas."

"Sexy... not sure that's the word I'd use but I'm going to go along with it," he chuckled awkwardly. "That tracks. I've never made one and only seen Kota's profiles, which are completely different to what yours would be." Then again it was his sister and his girlfriend, if they were anything alike... blegh. He didn't want to think about that. "Of course. Give me a second I'll run and get yours." Auden quickly stepped to his bedroom and pulled out the robe from his wardrobe, taking a moment to look at his appearance in the window. He looked ridiculous, but it was working for Pepper so that was something. "Here you go," he said, handing her the fluffy robe and taking a seat back on the sofa. "You do, though I feel like I'm not that difficult to buy for anyway."

"It's the weekend, I don't have to work and it is a glorious day so please tell me you don't have plans to stay inside because I don't want to look at four walls for at least as long as the sun is up. I would be much happier finding some gardens or a beach to go and spend the day on. Somewhere near actual water features or something. Maybe I can even catch a tan."

"Eli, how long have you known me? I live for the indoors," Auden shook his head at his friend's attempts. "Beach? Absolutely not. But if you can find a gardens that has some shaded seating so I can read in peace while you sunbathe, I'd be up for it."

All Pepper could do upon the door to her boyfriend's apartment being opened was blink in initial shock. It took her a moment to process what she was actually bearing witness to and when it clicked, the blonde couldn't help a laugh of surprise. "Well whatever it is– it's kind of hot actually," she remarked, clearly still amused by what was going on. "Maybe I should come back later? I wouldn't want to ruin your little self-care night," Pepper added with a playful grin.

"You think this is... hot?" Auden replied, a rather surprised tone to his voice. "So it turns out all I needed to do all these years was put on a face mask to charm you," he laughed softly. "No, don't be stupid. Come in. Let me go turn the bath off quick and put something else on," the man told her as he shut the door behind them. "Or, I have a robe upstairs that you can wear if you want. I know my selection of skincare won't be anywhere near as good as yours but it will make me feel a lot less silly," he suggested off-handedly in case she said no.

"So, you do realise the weight of this bet right? That if you lose you will get to experience my line of work for a day... Obviously within reason of course. I'm not going to give you something you are not capable of managing. Are you sure you want to get yourself into this?" He asked again with a little smirk of amusement.

"I feel like with a very extensive handbook I might be able to handle it for a day... yes," Auden confirmed with a nod, though he wasn't too sure after seeing some of the absolute disasters Hunter had to deal with over the last few years. "Remind me what I'm getting out of this again? Other than a day of manual labour, of course."

"And what response do you normally get? Not that I'm your average woman. Sweet talk rarely works on me." Briar answered with a gentle shrug of her shoulders. "And good, as you should. Pepper deserves to be treated like the Queen that she is." Not that he necessarily needed reminding of that but given how much Briar valued the younger blonde, she would always make sure to point it out. "As for saying something nice; I always think that anyone can fling out pretty words, they don't really hold much value given how easily they are broken. It's why actions count more to me."

"Some shy blushing, awkward thank yous, that sort of thing," he told her with a shrug too. "I treat her like a Queen. Always have, actually. She's always been on a pedestal in my mind," Auden admitted, the brief crush he had on her at school responsible for part of that. "I'm well aware of empty promises," he said, remembering his parents' words to always protect himself and Dakota from harm, how they crumbled in front of him. "Okay. Actions. What can I do for you that'll make you like me?"

"That makes sense," Auden nodded. "A little different to how I've met Dakota's exes in the past where they've turned up at my door to introduce themselves to me, but this is a lot more my speed," he added, remembering his first meeting with Delilah as she rammed on his door in the early hours of the morning. Delightful. "Just the small signs then, got it." Auden grinned, "Very honoured. I still don't know how I got so lucky. Pepper is so incredibly out of my league," he chuckled awkwardly.

"If you want to flatter anyone, you should probably be saving it for your girlfriend." Briar stated after Auden complimented her. The comment seemed to brush over her, not so easily swayed by pretty words. "Are you after something? Because from experience, that's usually the cause of such a compliment."

Auden pulled a face at the other's reaction. "That is not normally the response I get to giving out compliments," he said with a huff. "Just so you know, I do flatter her. A lot," the man wanted to add. "Can't I just say something nice without wanting anything in return?"

"You'll have to tell me how you two got together." Sebastian commented as he looked at the other man. "Because I remember Pepper telling me that you two were together and I'll be honest with you, not a pairing I would have seen coming in a thousand lifetimes. I still have a hard time believing it now, actually"

"Since when did you have the authority on who should or shouldn't be together?" Auden countered back, arms crossed over his chest. "A lot has changed since you up and left, Sebastian. And I'm not about to explain to you everything that has for your own benefit," he said, a harsh tone to his voice. Auden never used to be like this, but he had to grow a backbone in order to deal with his parents and it was times like these where it showed. "Pepper and I have been friends for years, and if you actually knew us, like, actually knew us and not the sixteen year olds you abandoned you'd see that we are indeed very compatible."

To say Auden was a little stressed about what to get Pepper for their anniversary was quite accurate– what on earth would be good enough for a woman beyond compare like his girlfriend? But all of that anxiety melted away once he saw her in front of him, pressing a kiss to his lips. "I think you have that a little twisted, Pep. I am the luckiest person in the world," he told her back, a goofy smile abound his face which only grew bigger as she presented him with flowers and a gift. "You got me flowers?" he questioned, taken aback a little by how sweet that gesture was. "I love them. Like, seriously. I've never gotten flowers as a gift before," Auden commented. "And of course I have something for you too," the brunet said, revealing a bunch of flowers from behind his back in her signature colours and a wrapped, though much less neatly, gift for her. "Looks like we had the same idea," he chuckled.