#2ndbornson

" 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, if you looked any more miserable --- one might mistake you for a rain cloud. If you are going to be so open with your displeasure, at least put me out of my misery and explain why that might me... " Eloise flicked the ash from her cigarette before pulling it back to her lips. Watching her older brother from the corner of her eye as her feet gave a half-hearted kick from the ground to push the swing she sat upon in a light sway. " Besides, do we not have an unspoken agreement to be forthright when we meet here ?" ( @2ndbornson )

𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐘, or else she would have burst into laughter. Which, clearly, would be inappropriate right now. After all, Sophie had been forced to clean for many affluent families and their companies --- she knew just how fragile the ego on these types could be. Yet, most were not caught sleeping in their offices in the early hours, slumped over their desk and ending up with their laptop keyboard indented into their face. Turning to her cleaning cart until she could school her face. " Forgive me, sir. I was unaware anyone was working late... " she said, risking a glance towards the sleeping figure and seeing the indent from Q, W, E, R, T, and Y along his cheek.

" I can come back later, if you'd like ? " Technically, Sophie would be off the clock in an hour and a half and eagerly awaiting the five hours of sleep she'd get before Araminta or Rosamund decided the house needed to fully rise --- but she could leave a note for the day custodial staff. Not that it would matter, people hardly paid attention to the face that cleaned their waste baskets. Only that they were emptied. ( @2ndbornson )

@2ndbornson gets a starter!

Posy knows she didn't make the best impression with Benedict right off the bat, but that's in the past! Sophie is part of his family, and to Posy, that means she gets another chance to befriend the man.

Never let it be said she comes empty-handed, and her gloved hands hold a delicately wrapped gift of cufflinks that match Sophie's necklace. Isn't that fun? They can match!

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐀 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 in Benedict's voice that was equal, perhaps, only to the devastation it felt to hearing it. Their eyes shut, wincing as their sister's voice urged threateningly in the background. Control yourself, Sherlock. It would do you no good to tip your estranged husband off to the danger.

It was cruelty, he thought, nothing but pure cruelty his sister was exacting. The man they loved, the one they were awaiting the divorce papers from, caught in Eurus' twisted game like this was torture. Although, for which of them it was intended to be more so far - that Sherlock couldn't say. Eyes bore into the back of his head, from Mycroft and John. Likely a mix of anxiety, pity, discomfort, and (from John, most likely) rage. The fact this particular wound was being reopened on display...

Taking only a second to clear their voice, shaking the emotion that threatened to overwhelm him, Sherlock spoke into the phone again: " This is important, Benedict. " His voice perhaps a bit sharper than intended, steeling himself for what Eurus asked of him. " Please, just those three words. I need you to say them. "

continued from here for @2ndbornson

𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒, but no real frustration lingered behind them. It was not uncommon for her brother to get caught on a whim or fancy, but this was one occasion where she couldn't fault him. Planning a proposal, was there better reason than to be swept by daydreams ? She reached for her mug, taking a sip before clearing her throat to shake him from his thoughts. " Benedict, you are aware that if you wish to successfully ask them to marry you in such a grand way, you need to be able help me make the plans for it, yes ? " there's a laugh in her tone, gesturing with her gaze back toward her style inspo book.

In truth, Daphne was just glad to see her brother finding the person that made them feel those silly, indescribable and all-consuming feelings that true love blessed you with. She'd found it herself with her husband, and since she'd watched her family slowly fall one by one. Benedict, however, had remained a tricky case. She knew they lived their life against typical modern society. It was never a white fence, rings and children she had hoped for him --- but just that feeling of belonging, completeness, and home, regardless of however and whomever. This was what she was feeling confident that he'd found, and that was all she had ever wanted for him. " Penny for your thoughts, brother ? " ( @2ndbornson )

𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡, 𝐬𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐨. They had attended many balls, and they had attended many private parties together as well. The switch from playing the devoted wife of the reformed rake, to their friendly, closely knit, but unattached to one another dynamic in privacy and select circles had never been an issue prior. It was not even that they had never crossed paths with people from one setting in another --- it was more common that she would have initially thought. It was the life they had been living for just under a year now, and she had never been happier.

So, why had she felt the air tightening slowly in her chest the moment she spied a flirtatious exchange between her husband and one of their companions ? It was not the first one she'd ever seen, and she had been more than genuinely encouraging. Yet, she had felt herself intervene and pull her husband onto the dance floor rather uncharacteristically abrupt... and even then, she had felt herself unable to shake the feeling before she'd all but ran outside for air before collapsing in the hall. Hearing Benedict come after her was not surprising after that scene, even if it only gave her a moment to school her features and take a few heavy breaths to calm herself. " Apologies, I suddenly felt very faint... I did not mean to cause a scene. " Sophie attempted to excuse away, clearing her throat as she turned to face him once more. His face somehow managing to look even gentler under the moonlight, and it briefly made her heart squeeze even tighter. What was happening to her ?

"You dropped my hand while dancing, left me out there standing." : @2ndbornson

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐀 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄 on his face as his brother entered the Bridgerton drawing room. Watching as their family gathered around the newlyweds, Anthony couldn't help but note the light that seemed to radiate from the happy couple. They couldn't deny their concerns about Benedict and Sophie, and while it was likely a concern shared by others --- it had been Anthony who had chosen the upfront approach. It was strange, the way duty interfered with the roles of family. As a brother, he'd wanted nothing more than to celebrate any of his siblings finding happiness. Yet, that wasn't the life they lived, and society couldn't afford that on every front. It was a burden that fell onto his shoulders, one he always felt his father had shouldered better. It had been unfair, but he'd not known what else to do if they were to keep the family together and not tossed to the wolves.

Now, thankfully, there were no more reasons to stress ( on this front ), and there was only room for celebration of the fresh from their honeymoon couple. Moreover, Anthony liked Sophie. He had not had the chance to get to know her as closely as some of his sisters had, but what he'd been exposed to had been nothing but positive. He'd even already teased Hyacinth earlier about looking forward to seeing his favourite sister. Benedict, Anthony still felt unsteady on. Although they'd spoken a few times around the wedding, they worried if the camaraderie he'd once had with his siblings and had been attempting to regain in recent years might have been lost for good. Thinking of someone trying to forbid him from Kate, they doubted it would be easily forgiven and forgotten.

Waiting for the rest of his family to clear, Anthony approached his brother. " Brother, its good to see you both. I hope your travels were good ? " ( @2ndbornson )