#jouesrose

Eric would rather be anywhere else but at a ball, but he knew that as host, he couldn’t just take off, however much he wanted to. So he stood at the front of the ballroom, wearing his blue naval dress uniform, watching the colorfully dressed couples whirl across the floor. He wasn’t much for dancing—not this sort, anyway. He was much more comfortable slapping his knee to a sea shanty than waltzing with some girl Grimsby was throwing at him. He didn’t know how he was supposed to really meet anyone when everyone he met had an ulterior motive, and they had so little in common. He sighed, taking a champagne flute from one of the passing footmen with a grateful nod and taking a sip. His blue eyes scanned the room again before falling upon a familiar face. With a smile, he set the flute down on a tray and made his way across the room. “Princess Juliet.” he greeted her with a bow and a wide smile. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

@jouesrose liked for a starter with Belle

arden ╳ ⋮            SHE SHOULD HAVE fucking known there was a reason this  H O U S E  was so cheap, for the land && quality it sat on. she should have ASKED more questions, applied a little more ᴘʀᴇssᴜʀᴇ. but she had been so T I R E D of being disappointed && her own real estate agent was starting to drive her up a wall, so even when the deal sounded T O O good she just said yes! yes! i’ll take the fucking house, where do i sign.

but then she started seeing THE WOMAN. she thought she was ｈａｌｌｕｃｉｎａｔｉｎｇ at first—but it was just too S T R A N G E . && yeah, maybe there was some hidden M O L D in this house that was driving her insane like what happened in salem, but until then, she’s walking around her own house with a gun.

It is nights like these, at dinner parties filled with an abundance of pretentious colleagues who spend their entire evening rattling off their long list of impressive accomplishments to others who could not be bothered to care any less, that Henrik wonders why it is he chose this profession. 

The only thing that makes it worse is the realization that he fits right in with them. He has the impressive house, the fancy car, the multiple diplomas, and the all the awards congratulating him on various accomplishments. They are empty and meaningless achievements, but the plaques sit on the walls of his study nonetheless.  (  study. even the word itself is pretentious  )

The only thing that makes it better is the promise of a quieter night ahead of him, and having Juliet at his side.

She has gone off somewhere  (  the bathroom, the kitchen? he doesn’t exactly remember  ),  just as one conversation is drawing to an end. It is not until she is completely out of the room that he is approached by someone else---a long time acquaintance and fellow coworker.

Her intentions seem innocent enough, the conversation reminiscent of any other unremarkable discussion they have had in the past, and perhaps that is why the kiss surprises him so much.

He notices the taste of wine on her lips  (  a 1998 sassicaia---his personal favorite  ),  and then, with widened eyes and his lips parted slightly in surprise, he takes a step back, placing his hands on her shoulders.

“ I---well, alright. Then I will... yes. ”  Suffice to say, he is not entirely sure how to proceed. She is a friend, a confidant, and she is altogether harmless. Certainly, she meant nothing by it, and he does not intend on making a big deal out of it either.  “ I should... go. If you will excuse me. I... do hope you’re enjoying the evening. ”  And with that, he steps around her, intent on finding Juliet.  (  and still not sure what to think of the kiss  )

It is near the back of the room where he finds Juliet helping one of the guests clean up a spilled glass of wine. The incident already forgotten in his mind, he offers them both a smile. “ Oh, allow me to help, please. ”

“IT’S JULIET, right?”  the shapeshifter smiles widely, remembering their run in not too long ago. maybe it’s fate that they’ve met again. truthfully, she could use a friend.