castle walls

“Ennui?” Isn’t that the Japanese dish made from the sea creature with lots of pokey stuff? You know, the one they crack open to eat the inside yellow part? He can’t remember what it’s called but he’s pretty sure it’s that. “What does Charlotte actually do for you now?” Bellamy asks curiously, completely unfazed by the fact that Rory has this whole other life where she’s like, super rich or something. It just seems like this far off thing he doesn’t really think about because Rory is so Rory and that’s already so much to think about. “Since you’re like pretty much adult status, I doubt she’s got much to worry about. S’gotta be pretty cool though. Kinda like your own Alfred. Yanno, like Batman. Bruce Wayne,” he adds after a beat in case Rory needs a little more clarification. But he thinks Alfred is a butler or whatever but that’s probably the same thing. Maybe it’s the term for a Dude Nanny. “Robert the Bruce?” Correct him if he’s wrong but isn’t Bruce like… a name? “So… it’s about a Bob tryna be a Bruce?” 

“Ennui. It’s a word of French origin meaning: a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.” Rory stated matter-of-factly. It was a word that frequented her vocabulary and also one she’d grown up hearing used quite often. She sometimes forgot not everyone was familiar with the term. “As for the dish yer describing, I cannae say I’m familiar enough with Japanese cuisine to know what it is yer referring to. “ The extent of her knowledge of Japanese cuisine was sushi. And she’d never tried sushi. “Charlotte more or less is just there if I need her for anything; but in all honesty, she’s taken more on a role that’s a cross between a maid and a personal nurse... Oh, and a personal shopper too.” The Batman reference went right over the Scot’s head. She sorta knew who Batman was; but she had no idea who Alfred was. Or Bruce Wayne. As far as superheroes went, she was only really familiar with Superman, aka Clark Kent; and that was because of Bellamy’s Halloween costume and the fact that Orion used to like Superman when they were small. “A Bob trying to be a Bruce?” She couldn’t help the laughter that escaped her lips at that description. It was ridiculous. “Um... no. Robert I, more commonly known as Robert the Bruce, was the King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. And Bruce comes from the Bruce dynasty, or, uh, clan.”

“Well, I’ve been good,” he answers initially. Then– “Or not too good, but okay. I mean, I missed you a lot. It kinda sucks having like, 3 friends here.” It’s the honest truth. Bellamy doesn’t feel comfortable enough to just sit and talk to anybody. “Did really good on the homework you helped me with though. They should totally look into making a tutoring app via text or somethin’. Worked wonders.” Even if Rory was bed-ridden, she still managed to help him out with his studies. That was super bomb. In a way, it was like she was still there even if she wasn’t. He still prefers her actual presence than her online one though. Not that her online presence wasn’t cool too. “Uhh, I hired like a babysitter while you were gone.” It takes him a second to realize how weird that might sound. “I mean, like, from school. And like not for me,” he clarifies, face confused. “My sister,” he adds after a moment, wondering where he was going with this. “But uh yeah, that’s basically what I’ve been doing since you were gone. What’d you do?”

When Bellamy first said he’d been good, Rory’s smile widened. She was glad to hear he’d been good; but then her smile faltered ever so slightly. Okay was just that: okay. It wasn’t good. She’d rather him have been good. “Well I’m glad ye did well on yer coursework. Helping ye with yers actually gave me something to do. So I must thank ye for that... Otherwise, I think I might’ve perished of ennui.” She’d managed to keep up with her homework for the duration of her time out sick; and she’d always been one to complete her work rather quickly. “Oh, I knew ye meant for Peyton. Yer much too old for a nanny... by all standards other than me parents’. Technically I still have one whilst back at the castle; but Charlotte’s more like an honorary auntie than anything else now.” That was something she didn’t share with most people; but she knew Bell wouldn’t tease her. And if he did, she’d bring up the fact Charlotte was still technically Orion’s nanny too. And he was 24. “What did I do? I ensured I’d not return to school with any make-up work, slept roughly eighteen hours a day, and felt like utter shite... Oh, and I watched that new Netflix film about Robert the Bruce. But I fell asleep about thirty minutes in; so I cannae say much about it.”

That voice. Bellamy feels like he hasn’t heard that voice in forever. He looks towards it and his face immediately lights up. “Rory!” He’s abandoning his conversation and meeting her the rest of the way without warning, his arms quick to come around her in a hug. “Dude!” He can’t believe Rory is here in the flesh. “You’re alive!” He announces when he pulls back, hands on her arms as he takes her in. Tangible! Talking! “Thought the flu would have you forever, I’m so glad you’re back–” Glad is an understatement. Bellamy has an incredibly small handful of friends at Northlake, and the flu took a majority of them for the past two weeks. It’s safe to say he’s been suffering without their presence around. He’s pretty sure he’s clogged Rory’s phone with an absurd amount of texts for the time she’s been gone. “You’re all good?”

Rory was both surprised and not surprised as Bellamy quickly threw his arms around her in a hug. She knew he had to miss her while she was out sick. She’d missed him too. It’d been awful not being able to see him. “Of course I’m alive, ye numpty. Ye think I’d let influenza be the death of me? I’ve been through worse. This was nothing.” She teased, hugging him back for a few seconds before letting go of the embrace, a smile wide upon her face. She let out a light sigh before answering his question, the smile never leaving her face as she spoke. She was just too damn glad to be back and no longer feeling like absolute crap. “Mmhmm. I’m all good... How’ve ye been? I feel like I’ve much to catch up on.”

“Most people say Mean Girls, but yeah, that’s her. She’s not really that good, but she’s always in a bunch of rom coms.”

“Oh! I’ve actually seen Mean Girls!” Rory exclaimed, probably with a bit more excitement than was necessary. Usually when someone mentioned some popular movie, she’d heard of it but never saw it. She wasn’t a big movie fan. But when she knew what someone was talking about more than just recognizing the name, she got excited. She didn’t feel so left out.

Jordon: I'd rather you be flustered.

Jordon: Maybe a little

Jordon: I haven't quite given it my all just yet though.

“It wasn’t that great, so you’re not missing out. I only remember it because it played three times in a row once while I was at the doctor’s office. Believe me when I say I never wanted to watch another Amanda Seyfried movie ever again.”

Amanda Seyfried? Why did that name sound familiar? It took her a few seconds; but then Rory remembered why she knew that name. “She’s the girl from Mamma Mia, correct?”

Jordon: Failing to flirt with you.

Rory: Oh.

“I hope it was hilarious because I’m gonna get back at you when you least expect it.” She threatened, jokingly. She took one of the tissues and struggled to get the ice cream out of her nose. “Oh definitely. I’m pretty sure this was a scene in that movie Letters to Juliet. All that’s left is for us to fight before reuniting in an airport.” 

“I cannae say I’ve ever heard of that film.” Rory admitted with a slight shrug of the shoulders. Then again, she simply didn’t watch a lot of movies in the first place, not unless they were Disney or adaptations of her favorite books. 

Jordon: And you still seem to be immune to my ways. :(