what a perfectly beautiful little lady

Kit took the response in stride, looking over his shoulder to make sure the man in question wasn’t anywhere in vicinity. “Well, looks like he left you all by your lonesome. Good thing you ran into me. Wouldn’t want you to end up in the clutches of some bad, bad man.” He smiled at her, nose still twitching, but this time playfully. 

“Oh I’m sure he’s around here somewhere. After all, someone needs to keep me safe from people like you.” Adelaide teased, chuckling a little as she nudged him lightly. “He has been very sweet though... he paid for my ride here and got me flowers. He even paid for my dress and mask. It’s been... quite a lot.” 

“I’d introduce you to him, but it might be in passing. It’s all very new and I don’t want to scare him off.” She smiled at Adelaide, turning the conversation back to her friend. “So, how did you and Mr. Ratigan meet? Was it love at first sight?”

“Are you saying I’m intimidating?” Adelaide teased, wrinkling her nose at her. “I wouldn’t say love... more simply attraction. I just met him in the street one day. He told me I had a pretty car and then gave me his business card. Then he came into the shop and bought his mask. And then he gave me a ticket for her and bought my dress and mask.” She confessed.

“What? Of course you’re interesting… you can’t just drive your pink Mustang into my life and not be interesting, darling.” Ratigan teased, nodding thanks to the waiter when she poured him the appropriate wine to match the meal. “You’re brave enough to be bold and stand out from the crowd. That makes you very interesting indeed. No doubt I’ll find whatever you say fascinating.”

Adelaide’s cheeks went pink at the praise, smiling at him shyly before taking a sip of her drink. “Well... I work at Urban Florals, as you know. Um... I have my own apartment. My parents got me the car for my birthday, a very late birthday gift.” She frowned a little before shaking her head. “Maybe you should just ask me questions. I don’t really know what to say.”

Rose raised an eyebrow, thinking about the age difference, but she hardly had room to judge. After all, James was almost ten years older than her and she trusted her friend’s judgment. “I’m sure he is. I’m with Mr. Hook, the owner of the Stinky Pete. He’s also… very sweet.”

“Really?” Adelaide couldn’t mask her surprise, though she was quick to put her smile back on her face. Stinky Pete was such an unsatisfactory place... but Rose seemed to like this Mr. Hook. Adelaide would simply give him a shot. “Well, I’m glad that the two of you came together.”

Ratigan nodded in agreement. Buffet wasn’t his preferred method of serving food, but there were some dishes that did look lovely. At her comment, he couldn’t help but smile down at her. “You.” he teased, and then looked back to the buffet, “But, I admit I am a very big fan of sweet things. I will definitely be coming back to get seconds of dessert.”

He patiently took a plate after queuing for a while. Ratigan could tuck away a lot of food, as food was one of the finer pleasures in life, but wouldn’t gorge himself. There was dancing to be done, bombs to detonate, a girl to possibly go home with. “Tell me more about you, Adelaide. I’d love to hear about your life.” he said, once they had loaded up and sat at a table.

Adelaide blushed at his playful comment, nudging him lightly with her elbow. The two of them waited in line until they both had a helping of food, making her way towards a table and sitting down. “About me hmm?” She asked with a soft laugh, wrinkling her nose a little. “I have to warn you, I’m not very interesting. I’m just a girl trying to live her own life.” She shrugged a little, taking a sip of her champagne and unfolding her napkin across her lap. 

“Thank you. I consulted a professional.” he said flirtily, holding his arm out for her to take. “Shall we go to dinner?”

Everything was ready to go on in the background. At midnight, the fountain in the square would explode, creating a sufficient distraction for his men to steal a priceless piece of art from the museum. He already had a buyer set up. Ratigan had alibi upon alibi so that he wasn’t involved with the actual heist. Adelaide was part of the plan. Not that she was disposable, he was actually quite fond of her and planned to keep seeing her.

Adelaide chuckled a little, taking his arm with a fond smile. She was very unaware of Patrick’s business dealings. How would she know after all? The two of them made their way towards a buffet table, Adelaide chuckling a little as she looked everything over. “It all smells wonderful...” She murmured, taking a sip of her drink and looking over at him. “What looks good to you?”

Ratigan smiled at her, nodding in acknowledgement. Arms dealing and setting up some ‘fire works’ for later did cut into his personal life sometimes. “Unfortunately, I had some business to attend to. But you’re here now, and you’re absolutely stunning.” he said, bringing her hand up to kiss the back of. One of the waitstaff offered them both a drink, which Ratigan gladly took, “Champagne?”

Adelaide nodded slowly, smiling up at him. She wasn’t sure what his business was, but she hoped everything was squared away so they could have a nice evening. Her cheeks went pink as he kissed her hand, chuckling quietly. “You look very handsome yourself... that mask really does look good on you.” She murmured, taking a flute of champagne with a quiet thank you to the waiter. 

Rose had not exactly told her about the awkward encounter she had gone through with Sam. “So, probably as good a time as any to tell you… I have a boyfriend now. I actually came here tonight with him. I hope you two get along.” She said the words out in a stream, almost as if she was afraid it wouldn’t be true if she did not get it out. 

Adelaide’s brows arched at Rose’s confession, her eyes widening a little before she smiled. “Oh Rose, that’s wonderful news.” She told her, taking her hand and giving it a small squeeze. “I’m sure we’ll get along fine... I suppose I should tell you that my date to the ball is Mr. Ratigan.” She told her with a blush. “He’s very sweet...”

“A lovely lady told me I was her date and I just kind of went with it. After all, who am I to argue with Adrianna Tokko? I have some self-preservation skills, you know.” He laughed and wrinkled his nose. “Can’t say I am a fan of your perfume though.” He drank from his own flute as well. “How about you? Bring someone special?”

“One doesn’t simply disagree with Adrianna Tokko.” Adelaide chuckled, wrinkling her nose as she took a sip of her champagne. She frowned at his words, bringing her wrist to her nose to smell her perfume. She smelled like roses... maybe he didn’t like rose. “Actually, I’m here with Mr. Ratigan.” She confessed to Kit, smiling shyly. “It’s um... a rather new development.”

Ratigan was talking to a few of his colleagues, waiting for his date to arrive. He’d arranged for her to be picked up and given flowers, but then he also had something to give to her. At some point in the night. When they had some alone time.

He spotted her when she arrived, a vision in pale pink. He was instantly smitten, staring at her and prompting the end of the conversation he was in, gliding across the dance floor to greet her.

“Miss Darling.” He said, holding his hand out to her, “You look very beautiful tonight.”

@littleadelady

It had been very sweet of Patrick to arrange a ride for her, and she was touched by the flowers that he had sent, but she did wonder why he didn’t pick her up himself. Had something happened? She certainly hoped everything was okay. She stepped into the ball, letting someone take her coat from her as she wandered inside, looking around with a smile. Everyone looked beautiful, and the decorations were perfect. 

She bit her lip as Patrick seemed to appear from the crowd, looking admittedly very handsome in his suit. She met him halfway, sliding her hand into his as she smiled up at him. “Hello Patrick.” She greeted softly, eyes sparkling behind her mask. “Thank you for the ride here and the flowers. They were lovely... it’s a shame you weren’t there yourself though.” She mused.

“It has been a while since I have worn anything so formal. It’s quite a nice change of pace, isn’t it?” She surprisingly did not miss much of her old life, despite the perks that came with money. However, the pretty dresses had definitely been one of the harder things to give up. She had never been one for extravagant parties, but they were just so aesthetically pleasing. “Seems like everyone in town is here.” Rose tried not to be nervous at the thought.

“It is, you always look so lovely in formals.” Adelaide told Rose sincerely, touching her shoulder gently. She looked around the room- it was indeed bustling, like the entire town was in one room. “It seems that way... but there are places to get away to if need be.” She assured her, turning her gaze back to her friend. “It’ll be okay.”

“Better now that I get to see your pretty face,” he said. It was an almost instinctual answer. The two knew each other well enough, considering Kit had been in town for four years. He had a way of finding wayward rich people, or in the case of the little lady, the formerly rich. But it was the same phrase he would use with any acquaintance. “Let me get you a drink.“ He said, somehow making champagne appear in his hand. Really, he was just quick with waiters. “Cheers.”

“Oh Kit.” Adelaide chuckled, her cheeks going the same shade as her mask. Kit was a charmer, he always had been. Ever since they met oh so long ago, he know how to talk to people. She finished off her first flute of champagne, taking her second with a soft laugh. “I suppose one more couldn’t hurt.” She murmured, clinking their glasses together before taking a sip. “Did you come with anyone?”

Pretty was one way of putting it. John had never grown an eye for stylish things, but he remembered one of the things Mr Porter told him that saved him from a hundred other situations of ‘do you like it?’ and ‘how does it look?’. Beauty was always in the eye of the beholder. 

“It’s very pink,” was the first thing he said, before showing a thumbs-up and a friendly smile. “I’ve never seen a car so pink before. Is it…nice to drive?” he asked politely.

Adelaide wrinkled her nose at his statement, giggling a little. She supposed the car wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Not everyone liked pinks the same way she did. But this man was very polite, and he had a very nice smile. “It is actually.” She told him with a nod. “It’s a lot nicer than walking everywhere, especially when it gets so cold out.” She confessed with a small shrug, tapping her car gently before looking back up at him, sticking out a gloved hand for a handshake. “I’m Adelaide by the way. Adelaide Darling.”

Ratigan regarded her for a moment, leaning in conspiratorially, “I’ll pay for it, if you’d like.” he suggested, putting his black debit card on the counter, “In fact, I assist.”

Adelaide’s eyes went wide at his offer, her mouth falling open in shock. “You... what?” She asked as Patrick slid his card towards her on the counter. She stared at it for a long moment before looking back at him. “Patrick you don’t need to do that for me, really.” She told him earnestly. She liked being independent, she liked getting the money to buy her own things. She barely took handouts from her parents- except for her car Rizzo of course, or anyone else for that matter. 

Valentine’s Day Meme

✏️ : How do you feel about love letters? Ever received a love letter? How do you feel about those Valentine’s Day cards that children use in school?

“I’ve actually never received a love letter. It sounds very romantic though, I hope I get one soon... and truthfully, I love those little cards. They’re fun. I remember wanting to get the best box of Valentines for my class when I was younger.”