#tell me you hate penelope featherington without telling me you hate penelope featherington

[dollypopup]

"Penelope should have chosen Debling!"

My sister in Christ. . .he literally dumped her???

Like just before Colin Bridgerton was on his knees after outrunning her carriage to profess how he can't stop thinking about her in his love me, choose me, I'm yours speech, Debling did the Regency equivalent of calling her a floozy who would undoubtedly cheat on him when he abandoned her for several years to chase his passions (because she would never be one of said passions since she asked outright if he could ever come to care for her and he went 'hmmmm seems unlikely! good thing you have solitary hobbies to occupy you instead!') when he has been given 0 evidence of such other than realizing she liked to look out the window because she had a crush on the boy across the street. I was ready to challenge that man to a duel for Pen's honor

His feelings for her were middling at best, I mean Christ on a Pogostick, after he asked her mum for permission to propose he isn't even happy when he opens the door and Pen is there? She's looking like a snack- nay, a whole ass MEAL, and he can't even smile? He just nods at her and dips the fuck out? You don't think it would kill Penelope to know that both her sisters have husbands who absolutely adore them and she's out here with an absent dude who likely won't even write to her?

Portia's 'Love is make believe!' speech is so transparently full of shit when you realize that we've got Dankworth who is so obsessed with Prudence that he makes heart eyes at her every waking moment and considers her his little bonbon and Albion who loves Phillipa so much that he was waiting for her to consent to sex (not realizing she didn't know what it was) for two entire years because he would never pressure her and so he was content with finishing in his pants when he kissed her to make sure she was comfortable. And you want Penelope to settle for a life of loneliness? When Colin is so besotted with her that he dreams of her and breaks every societal expectation in the book as a notorious People Pleaser to run after her and cannot even wait for the morning after being intimate with her to introduce her as his wife to his family in the middle of the night? You want her to turn down Mr "When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible" Bridgerton? For LORD PENGUIN?

Be so serious right now

[calummss]

Eye of the Beholder | Penelope Featherington

masterlist

summary: you had liked penelope for as long as you could remember and watched her change for someone else. at least so you thought

pairing: sapphic! penelope featherington x lesbian! reader

words: 1k

a/n: i <3 penelope sm and needed a wlw imagine so bad. spent 1 hour on this so if it’s bad i apologise but it’s 4am and i couldn’t sleep without finishing this story

“Pen!” You called out from the Featherington’s hallway. “Make haste, we are already late. Madame Delacroix promised us those fabrics from Paris and I am in desperate need of new garments.”

Farleigh raised her eyebrows at you but remained silent as she glanced up the stairs to see if Penelope had heard the lady shout from downstairs; improper manners but being late to an appointment was far more rude.

Penelope eventually made it downstairs wearing her bright yellow dress. Penelope hated the citrus colours her mamma always had her wear. You thought it rather suited her. It was a happy colour indeed and she looked the kindest in them. The details were too much—you agreed with Pen on that but she looked beautiful in any colour. How could she not? She had hair, orange like the sunsets over London; rosy cheeks that matched her fiery hair; when she was embarrassed or vexed, feeling too hot or cold, the apples of her cheeks would shine bright alike. She was so very bewitching but you could never tell her. It was unheard of—a woman in love with another? No one ever even uttered a word of queer affections. So you stayed silent and admired her from afar.

“Ready?”

“Indeed.” She beamed, taking your arms and headed towards the carriage that waited outside.

At the Modiste you eyed a pink fabric that Madame Delacroix had laid out for you. Pink like little piglets and flowers, decorated with the most marvellous design of glitter. Penelope had strayed away from the citrus colour and asked Madame Delacroix for the latest fabric from Paris that weren’t orange or yellow.

“Do you think it wise to alter your mamma’s signature colours?” You asked.

“I simply do not understand her fixation on citrus colours. ‘Happy’ colours indeed but it makes me look washed out. Sick even. It is not for me.”

“I think you look pretty.”

“You might be the only one in Mayfair who thinks so.”

“I doubt so,” you walked towards the mirror to stand opposite Penelope, “but if you must know, those colours Madam Delacroix chose rather suit you quite well..”

“You think so?” You swear you saw a tinkle in her eyes.

“Yes.”

Madame Delacroix promised Penelope six new gowns, one to be done in two days time just in time for Lady Danbury’s first ball of the season. It was both Pen’s and yours third season out with no prospects to show. Either men were too interested in you or not. Believed you to be some kind of dog they could just tell about. And with your conveyed feelings you weren’t even quite sure you wanted a love match with a man. A woman sounded much more pleasing but out of reach. Your family; your papa, mamma and younger sister knew of your unwise choices and savoured the word of acceptance over and over again but that it was a fantasy that could never be real. That you had to marry a man and that it would be easier to forget. Society liked women in brothels that performed together. Was queer love only good for the pleasure of others?

It was even harder knowing that Penelope felt for Colin Bridgerton. He barely eyed her and yet her affections were in a box with a key only he could open. Penelope had grown more silent on the matter and not staring too much out of her window. It was odd for Pen not to stare into Bridgerton house but you couldn’t blame her. A flame only lasted so long.

At the ball you had waited by the food table in hopes of Penelope finding you. The two of you enjoyed being stuck to the wall and observing the ton. The most peculiar things did happen when one thought no one was around to see. You saw the Featherington’s arrive when you noticed that Penelope hadn’t taken her cape off and when the staff helped her remove it, Pen stood on top of the stairs like a fallen angel. The green complimented her well. Well was an understatement. It was unmatched. You weren’t even able to get to Pen as the suitors went up one by one.

When the suitors did eventually leave, Cressida had walked up in the same moment and you saw her purposely edging the heel of her foot into her fabric so that when Pen tried to come towards you, her gown had ripped.

“How mortifying! I am so clumsy. My deepest apologies.” She said, cruelty marking her every word.

Penelope stared at you and without warning rushed outside. You followed her after telling Cressida off, hoping she would one day learn her lesson.

Outside Pen started weeping, a sight you wished you wouldn’t have to witness.

“Pen, I am so sorry.”

“I am the laughing stock of the ton even when I change my entire wardrobe!”

“You didn’t have to change to begin with.”

“All night I waited to be noticed. To be admired but who could I blame?” She let out a concealed sigh with a laugh.

“Pen,” you grabbed her hands, “I saw Colin look at you. I am very sure he was engaged by your charm.”

“Colin?” Pen pulled her hands back. “Who said I’m talking about Colin?”

“Are we not?” You asked carefully.

“No, I am talking about you!” She shouted, her chest rising and falling.

“What?” You mumbled.

“All day,” she breathed out, “I waited to be beholden by you. To see you gaze at me in a way that is considered forbidden but you didn’t.”

“I—“

“Nevermind, I should have never said what I said. I’m-a-fool-and-should’ve-stayed-quiet-and—“

“Shut up.” You muttered before kissing Penelope.

A momentarily calmness came over Penelope as she melted into the kiss. You had grabbed her by the face and pulled her in. Her hands held your wrists and she kissed you back so softly, unsure if the kiss was reality or fantasy.

“You have kissed me,” Pen pulled back.

“Shouldn’t I have?”

“I’m not sure, I—“

“Kiss me again.”

And she did. With the same tenderness as before as you nervously waited for the carriage to arrive and to take you two home.

[maevelin]

The entrapment thing.

So...did I like that scene? No. As a book reader I liked it even LESS.

I won't even get to the point where it was Colin who actively did his best to 'trap' Penelope, by consistently exchanging letters with her, dancing twice in balls, no chaperones over and OVER, demolishing her chances with Debling, 'ruining' her in a carriage LOUDLY with open curtains, having all sexual power over her because sure she is giving consent but she does not exactly know what she is consenting to, creating an engagement before she can have time to actually think about it and without the permission of her family and only presenting said engagement to her mother as a matter of fact and taking her daughter away to their new house without chaperone. I mean...my sweet summer child you are a chaotic TRAP in a human form.

However as a show-viewer I understand it and it kind of makes sense given Colin's background. Given his Bridgerton pride and his "I am a gentleman" attitude but most of all...his past traumatic experience.

The Marina thing has been a great shock for Colin. Colin has always been sensitive and on a certain level innocent and naive compared to his brothers. The shock he had with Marina shaped a new world view for him. It hurt his pride, his feelings and it shaped his character forward.

So we have a male character that has had his own trauma and insecurities and those can manifest at any time.

When he accuses Penelope of trapping him it is like...his worst insecurities coming to surface and he can't control them because he is hurting given how what he feels for Penelope is far greater that what he ever felt for Marina.

However we also need to see how Colin views his worth. At this point he is like...two out of two lied to me. Used me. 'Trapped me'. That alone is a massive hit to his self-esteem and we already know he had issues with that (given how he actively changed his personality to be able to function inside society).

When Colin lashes out to Penelope "then what I good am I to you."...It is basically all his insecurity coming out in waves. Because for Marina he was only good enough to cover for an unplanned pregnancy. She quite made it very clear to him even in S2 where she basically rejected him by telling him that he was not needed at all.

So that was his worth.

For Penelope, he has PTSD flashbacks of entrapment but then she is like...No, I do not need you to fix my problems which is contradictory for him because what good is he to Penelope then? She has power. He has not. She does not need him in THAT way (thus the conundrum of the trap). What other worth could he possibly have? It is unfathomable to him to be loved in such a a degree that his worth would be just that...being himself. Being loved not because he is there to serve a purpose but because he is worthy of love by being himself.

I am not even pointing out how at this point he even gets to the altar and when Penelope falters he is the one smiling encouragingly to her and is the most happy man to every be trapped (like he is one step away from: TRAP ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE I BEG OF YOU LOL)

Colin also sees himself as a protector and before he saw all layers of Penelope he viewed her with his own rose-colored glasses that saw her as a virginal damsel in distress needing of his constant protection and care. She was the shy, innocent wallflower he got to save at each ball, and the girl without any protector he had to save from Jack Featherington and after the Marina fiasco that gave him worth. Self worth and he felt as if that was stripped away from. Again.

So even though I hated that accusation I could see where he was coming from and it was growth for him in the end to be...I am in love with a BRAVE woman that has no need of protection and she only needs me to love her and she...loves me. That's it. She loves me. I am loved. No strings attached. I am loved.

Penelope telling to Colin that "I LOVE YOU", that I can live without you, you gave me more confidence and pleasure but I will solve my own problems and what matters is that I am CHOOSING YOU, because I LOVE YOU.

That is something Colin didn't even know he needed. So his was hurt, his behavior reflected that hurt but in the end he grew and got to appreciate having a woman with which they could be equals and he could be himself without pretending to either be a rake or to be the "protector" society has deemed very woman needs as a damsel in distress. It was different sides of the same coin and something both Colin and Penelope needed to work with.

[anxious-bisexual-0]

Episode 1: out of the shadows

Portia just walking and waving to buy stuff is so funny

Aww pen admiring the debutantes is so cute

MADAME DELACROIX SUPERIORITY

Gregory is a king

Hyacinth you are amazing

I love how no one knows it’s Francesca playing except for kate…

I do wish there was a “wow Bath really changed you” or something

Benedict knowing what Fran was playing is amazing

Ya know I knew he traveled and you can’t get out of England at that time without a boat but seeing Colin walk off the boat sparked something in me

Aw poor pen just wants love

“Squawking” hyacinth you’re lovely

Colin is a whore I’ll say it now and no doubt I will say it again

I don’t think Colin actually saw her,,,, he would have gone across the street to speak with her if he did.

YESSSSSSS INTRO SLAYYYYYY

I love how they change the intro with each season

MMMMM half naked Colin yay

“Sturdy” I love it

The queen being bored is so me

Those poor debutantes

So miss Stowell is the one who uses BSL but then is hearing for the rest of part 1? Maybe HOH? Idk but slay for representation

Colin where were you

The shock with “style of the season” is fantastic

Aw poor violet seems so sad with Fran wanting to leave

Fran is so lovely. Beautiful and relatable.

Brimsly slays always I can’t ever hate him

Colin what????? stop winking you weirdo

HARRY DANKWORTH IS JUST A PRETTY IDIOT I LOVE HIM

Poor aunt petunia

“Without any man telling us what to do!” -Finch and Dankworth looking at each other 😬😐

“Hiding jars of coin under the floorboards!” -like your daughter, Portia????

My poor pen, you deserve so much better with that outfit and hair

Cressida makes me want to scream idc how much they make me sympathize with her

Pen baby you can’t hide behind that bird thing I’m sorry love

Kate is as always ABSOLUTELY STUNNING I love her and her bond with violet

“Lady Bridgerton” “yes?” I LOVE THEM

Colin no doubt practiced those lines in the restroom or something

Him wearing green and pen’s colors is KILLING MEEEEEE

“Flowers in bloom. Each one of you.” The only flower you care about, my dear, is the WALLFLOWER who you’ve known your whole life SHUUUUT UP

The cowpers always sucked

The Featherington girls always steal the show I love them

Colin you think you’re not flirting with her? You absolutely are.

PEN READ HIM HIS RIIIIGHTS BABY

prudence shut up

Philippa makes me so happy I love her

Again, dankworth just being pretty and in love is fantastic

PORTIA GO AWAY

I love pen just laying in bed restless about her wardrobe cause that was me this past month and I just bought so many new clothes and I love them so much

Does madame Delacroix know about pen’s love of Colin?

THE BOW

“I lost count, in truth” -no you didn’t you liar

Wait don’t Colin and Pen name their daughter Jane after Jane Austen???? (In the books????)

“And what of Penelope?” -you’re obsessed

Eloise very heavily implied that Pen was LW and Colin didn’t catch on, the beautiful idiot

PENELOISE

also Rae is a queen I love her

“I wish you very well, Penelope” kills me

Ben says “Purpose” and Colin wants to cry

“A very cold lady.” “She is colder now, im afraid.” I love him idc

SLAY BARON OF KENT

Anthony is a munch yet again

YES PEN GLOWUP

She is so gorgeous I can’t even begin to describe it

I love how everyone looks at pen except Colin. And Eloise being in awe. AND ALBION BEING A PROUD BIL

Colin your jaw is on the floor stop drooling

I ACTUALLY LIKE EMBROIDERY

Pen, baby love, maybe you should have practiced the chitchat before you got there

Eloise just wants to talk to Pen I can feel the yearning ugh

Colin you idiot you should have gone to talk with her before she left the ball

How did the Queen not recognize Pen? Wasn’t she on those cards last season for unmasking LW?

I would like to see a zebra ball

Fife and those other assholes talking to Fran makes me want to SCREEEEEEAM

Kate what did you to do Anthony he’s so calm

I love seeing pen and Fran together

Ugh Nicola Coughlan is so short I love her so much

The way Debling read her so quickly is so funny to me

Cressida, as always, an asshole

ELOISE SAY SORRY LOUDER

Colin saw pen run away and IMMEDIATELY had to find her. Couldn’t continue to make conversation while she was in distress

“Charming dress” “the color rather suits you” GURL SHUT UP

yes you tell him, pen

I wish they spoke about the letters more this season

SHOCK HIM BABE HAHA BITCH SHE HEARD YOU GET OUTTA HERE

pen really shouldn’t have gone home so angry,,,, she needed to BREEEEEATHE before writing that Whistledown

Dundas talking to portia like that is kinda confusing,,,, isn’t this situation kinda similar to the Mondrich situation?

What happened to the cherry pit, dundas?

Cressida why are you boasting about being a bitch

I don’t think we’d heard Cressida talk this much

I love Anthony’s little ear flop

That’s a strong desk.

The house is so large that Fran and violet in the drawing room can’t hear kanthony fucking is so silly

I love violet making music metaphors without knowing much about music

Fran it’s ok I love you

COLIN YOU ARE INSANE

SO HE REMEMBERS THE COMMENT HE MADE.

the way his voice wavers a bit at “ashamed” kills me

“Very good friend” as he looks down and can’t make eye contact. That is a sign of a man in love. He doesn’t understand his feelings and he’s so confused

CHARM?? BABY THIS IS A CHARADE

“THE ONE PERSON WHO HAS ALWAYS TRULY MADE ME FEEL APPRECIATED” WHAT THE FUCK

The smile and second hand wrapping around hers? Killer.

She’s so happy and relieved and then

BAM

OH SHIT WHAT DID I WRITE LAST NIGHT OH NO

Mondrich family slay

Poor little baby lord Kent he’s so shocked

I love the tennis references. Cause tennis goes at least as far back as king henry VIII

so Philippa knows that pen loooooves colin?

Eloise not telling Colin is noble but also really stupid????

Colin calm down you drama queen it wasn’t that bad

“I will never forgive her” and Eloise trying to see if he knows that it’s pen, knowing that he will forgive her.

HELL YEAH YOULL RUIN HER (not in the way you think,, buddy boy)

[strangedreamings]

S3E1 (spoilers abound)

Already saw the first 5 minutes on Tudum. I'm firmly in the "Colin didn't see Penelope when he arrived, he was too busy looking at her house" camp. It's sweet that Pen as LW singles out the new debutantes and tries to prop them up.

I love that one of the debutantes is deaf, more diversity on this show is a good thing.

Ah, Francesca's been in Bath since the beginning of S2, thank you, Violet.

"If I can be at ease in the chaos of our home, surely I shall find my way in the Season." Truer words never spoken, Frannie.

Francesca's not the Diamond? WTAF?

Those fucking sheer gloves. I hate them SO MUCH. Long gloves were for modesty, making them sheer makes them pointless. Somebody fetch me the costume designer, I just want to talk.

So Eloise is already "friends" with Cressida and it looks like she is trying to protect Pen from her. We'll see how long this lasts.

Can we nominate Jessica Madsen now for the Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series? I always hate Cressida but if, as rumored, we're going to sympathize with her this season, then I'm sure Jessica will knock it out of the park.

I love that Violet and Kate are getting along so well. I'm also thrilled that Violet doesn't approve of Eloise being friends with Cressida.

"I will move into a dower house as soon as I find one." Oookay, 15 minutes into the first episode and we have our first error. Dower houses aren't something a dowager FINDS, it's a (relatively) smaller house on an estate that the family already HAS. What Violet is looking for is a TOWN house in London since the Bridgertons should already have a DOWER house at Aubrey Hall!

Shonda, please, hire me as a script doctor. I assure you I'm affordable.

Lady Danbury: "Lady Bridgerton." Violet and Kate: "Yes?" I love that and I'm sure Agatha did it deliberately, it's cute.

Colin, dearheart, what in the actual fuck are you doing? Flirting shamelessly is only going to get you in trouble.

Lady Cowper is a bitch but we already knew that. I wonder if she took as long as her daughter to find a husband.

Wow, Portia really has given up on Pen finding a husband. This is giving me "Like Water for Chocolate" vibes (I hated that movie, so it's not a compliment).

Error #2. Unless I'm wrong, this is Spring 1815. (According to Wikipedia, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story had Princess Charlotte dying in November 1814, three years before her real-life counterpart.) Emma wasn't published until December 1815. Yeah, we're talking about only a few months and the book does match what El is going through, but still.

Great, another El & Pen fight. El, you can pretend all you like (and you're not even doing a good job) but you are MISERABLE without your best friend. Someone El respects needs to tell her off so that she'll finally grow the fuck up.

Benedict took care of the estate while Anthony and Kate were on their honeymoon? Um, Anthony, WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A STEWARD?! You know, a person you PAY to look after the estate for you instead of asking your brother to do it for free! It gave him something to do, which I'm sure was Anthony's intention, but still!

The Mondriches have just joined the nobility! Well, their eldest son has. Oh boy, Alice is not happy. I don't blame her -- her stress level just increased a hundredfold.

I need to do a @regencyama post about titles, specifically inheriting them. With the Featheringtons and now the Mondriches having a son inheriting from his mother's bloodline, I need to emphasize how rarely this happened in real life. Good on Shonda for including the concept but really, did it have to happen twice in the same episode?

NEWTON!!! Bestest boy ever!

I know that ballroom! Lady Danbury's ballroom either is or is inspired by the Marble Hall at Kedleston. I'd know those columns and the lines of black-and-white panels anywhere.

Pen, honey, your entrance would go better if you didn't look FUCKING TERRIFIED. Albion is a sweetheart, he's the best brother-in-law for Pen (well, on her side). Oh good, she's finally smiling. Portia! How can you think that's a bad color for her? Is she a little color blind? That would explain SO MUCH.

Suddenly get thirsty there, Colin? LOL He has no idea what's coming.

Some of the (presumably) eligible men are finally noticing Pen. How long before Colin steps in? Oh, Pen, you are so awkward around people you don't know well, glad to see that hasn't changed (yet).

El and Cressida talking to some of the new debutantes while Pen is still being awkward with the men. Forget flirting lessons, she doesn't even know how to just talk to men. And El, lowkey making fun of Miss Hartigan for liking embroidery. Grow up, El. At least this girl is true to herself, unlike someone I could name.

Fife is giving off the CREEPIEST vibes as he talks to poor Frannie. What do you bring to the table, good sir? A title? Look around -- titles are a dime a dozen. Surely you can do better than that.

That's what sets Fran off? This scene was one the clips that Netflix released early. I assume the gentlemen had said something offensive but they simply asked her who she is beyond her hobbies. Well, she has been doing nothing but practicing the pianoforte for what, two years now? Maybe she feels there really isn't much to her than that. Well, she's what, 17 now? She's got plenty of time to find herself.

I love how sympathetic and sweet Pen and Frannie are to each other. They're like sisters already.

Cressida with a steel chair! Seriously, there would be a small room off the ballroom reserved just for mending dresses -- tears happened all the time, as well as melted wax dripping from the candles in the chandeliers, spills, etc. But back to Cressida -- she must think very lowly of herself if she truly cannot abide any competition at all.

Too little, too fucking late, El. Choke on your apology, it's neither needed nor wanted. (I love El but haven't liked her for a long time, if that makes sense.)

Another scene Netflix gave us early -- Pen confronting Colin about what he said about her the end of S2. She was already having a bad night and Colin being all smiles was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Uh oh, Pen's writing a new LW column without even getting changed first. Honey, you're writing this in anger, you're probably going to regret at least half of it.

Portia's sweating now with that phony document about the title being questioned. Oh, this guy is threatening her, in that so very English way.

Ooo, are we finally seeing the real Cressida?

A whispering bench! Sorry, I have the tiniest landscaping nerd inside me.

Looks like Kanthony will have a three-month-old with them the beginning of the next Season.

Colin comes the morning after to apologize. Good boy. Still clueless, but good boy.

The Mondriches at their new house and their eldest boy is addressed as Lord Kent. I'm horrible at guessing children's ages but I think this kid is a preteen at most and his life just changed forever.

I will say the portrait of Edmund and Violet is very good. (I assume it's an actual painting and not a photo that has undergone Photoshop or whatever.) Have the writers made Francesca aro? Or at least demisexual? It'll be interesting to see where this goes.

I fucking told you you'd regret that column, Pen. The funny part is that she's not wrong about Colin, but she's certainly not nice about it.

Colin, for fuck's sake, MARINA AND ELOISE RUINED THEMSELVES! If LW hadn't said anything, things actually would have gone a lot worse for Marina, El, your whole family, and especially you, so shut the fuck up.

Four whole minutes of end credits, seriously?

Well, that was certainly an interesting start to both the Season and the season.

[gleefullypolin]

Dating Lady Whistledown by GleefullyPolin

Read on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/57046732/chapters/145081255

Summary: Eloise always thought that her idiot brother was merely a distraction for their shared friend Penelope, always in her ear and never allowing her a moment to venture out on her own. But when Penelope begins online dating and finally meets a man who starts to slowly win her heart, was fate truly at play all along?

Chapter 1: Lady Whistledown

“Love is an untamed force. When we try to control it, it destroys us. When we try to imprison it, it enslaves us. When we try to understand it, it leaves us feeing lost and confused.” Paulo Coelho

“How long do you plan to be in Greece this time?” Penelope sat in the puffy chair tucked into the corner of Eloise’s office, her body dangerously close to being enveloped into the folds of the aggravating feathers jutting out of the cushions surrounding her.

She shoved one of the invading plumes out of her face as she listened to Colin’s voice humming in his usual caramel tones through the phone attached to her ear as he recounted his agenda for the next week of travel. She bit her bottom lip, as he recounted a tale about his latest hotel sitting right on the water and she tried not to sigh thinking about how wonderful he must look standing on the balcony with the rays beating down on his sun-soaked skin.

“Must be nice!” She responded to something he said about a beach or maybe he was talking about the mountains, honestly, she wasn’t sure as she had definitely drifted off again just listening to the cadence of his voice.

“You know it’s not always beaches and sun, Pen, you forget I have a deadline to meet.” He laughed in her ear, and she closed her eyes, trying not to think about how much she missed him. It had been a year since he had been home, a full year since she had last had him in her arms, the enveloping hug he had pulled her into as she dropped him off at the airport when he was heading off to Spain at the time.

“You mean you don’t just fuck off all day long?” She teased.

“Penelope Anne Featherington, how dare you!” He retorted sternly with a snort.

She rolled her eyes, pulling her ankles underneath her as she curled into herself, sinking into the infernal chair. “I know, I know, you work hard, my sincerest apologizes Mr. Bridgerton.” She sang.

“Better.” He half scolded, a light laughter hinting in his tone. “So, what are you and my sister up to tonight? Hot dates?”

“Oh um, not really.” She squirmed. “Mostly just ordering pizza and probably watching a movie.” The door to the office opened and Eloise bounded in with an air of determination.

“Is that my brother?”

“El says hello.” Pen sang into the phone.

“She has a job to do without you monopolizing her entire day!” Eloise yelled toward her in that motherly tone she had perfected so well over the years.

“Why does she always sound so serious? Is she not getting laid anymore?” Colin inquired and she snorted before covering her mouth and whispering into the phone.

“Theo and her broke up two weeks ago.” She whispered into the phone, earning her a glare from her friend who was rifling through the paperwork on her desk.

“Ah, you two really need to hit up a pub, meet some fine gentlemen or perhaps maybe acceptably nice gentlemen?” he questioned, and Pen frowned. She hated when he suggested she go out and meet men. Not when the only man she had ever actually wanted was on the other end of the damn conversation. She bit back another sigh and pushed herself out of the aggravating chair.

“Well, I should get back to work before your sister reports me to Danbury for dereliction of duty. Let me know when that next chapter is ready, I can take a look at it this weekend if you want.”

“Sounds good, Pen. I’ll send it over before my deadline. Tell El to smile more, she’ll scare less men that way. Love you!” His voice started to trail off.

“Love you too, Col” She added quickly as she disconnected the line and dropped her phone onto the desk. She plopped down next to it, staring at her friend who was scowling at her. “What?”

“If you spent less time conversing with my idiot brother and more time talking to actual eligible men, maybe you wouldn’t be single.” She scolded.

“El, first off, your brother is not an idiot.” She smiled softly before sliding off the desk and walking back over to the stupid puffy chair. “Second, you’re just upset because of Theo, who was an actual idiot by the way, and third, I’m not interested in dating anyone right now.”

“That’s only because Colin won’t stay out of your ear. It’s Colin this and Colin that.”

“He’s my best friend.”

She groaned. “And you always remind me of that, but it’s not normal the two of you. It’s a crutch, a distraction. If you don’t let go of Colin, you might never find the right person for you.”

Pen nibbled her bottom lip until she was sure she tasted blood. “Colin is not a crutch or a distraction, El. There is nothing wrong with being friends with a guy. Hell, half the time, he lives all the way across the other end of the world. It’s not even possible for him to be distracting me from anything.”

Eloise walked over and bent in front of her, taking her hands in hers before smiling at her. “Pen, you know I love you like you were my own sister, and I know that Colin and you have been thick as thieves since we were children, but you have to be honest with yourself.”

She blinked slowly, turning her eyes away from her friend, she didn’t want to have this conversation right now. She suspected that Eloise was aware of her feelings for her brother, but they had never actually breathed the words into existence. “Honest about what?”

She opened her mouth and closed it again, shaking her head with a laugh as if changing her mind. “Can you really say you have tried dating anyone?”

“El, I would, I just haven’t met anyone I am really interested in.” She said honestly.

“Because you don’t look.” She snapped back. “Can you honestly tell me you have looked a single man in the eye in the last year?” She paused, “And Benedict does not count!”

Pen groaned. “There was that one guy, at that one bar, when we were out that one time.” She lied.

“Penelope…” She growled and stood up, pacing in front of her. “Every single time we go out, you are on your phone talking to my damn brother, I swear there isn’t a single time that we have been out at a pub that you aren’t on your phone, you wouldn’t even know if a man was…” She paused, turning toward her as if she had suddenly figured out the answer to every question ever posed to her.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” She queried, reaching up to touch her hair as if suddenly she would find a bird perched atop her head.

“I have the perfect idea.” She grinned devilishly.

“Why do I have a feeling you and I are going to have very different definitions of the word perfect.” She deflated against the chair.

“Online dating.” She announced as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

“Absolutely not.”

“Oh, come on, it’s brilliant. You’re always on your phone, and now you can be on your phone and find love. Why did I never think of this before?” She smiled so widely that Pen wanted to agree with her simply to make her stop talking but she knew there was no way she was going to get her friend to quit with the way she was pacing in front of her.

“I don’t love this idea.”

“Why not? Come on Pen, do this for me. What can it hurt?  So, maybe you meet a few guys online, you talk to them a couple of times and maybe you make a couple of friends not named Colin!” Her final words, pointed and frank.

She let her head fall back against the chair and closed her eyes. “You aren’t going to let this Colin thing go, are you?”

“Do you really want to talk about that particular topic with me right now or would you like to reconsider my option? Because we can crack that egg open if you really want to.” El’s tone loomed through the room and Pen knew she was serious this time.

Pen didn’t want to confront her feelings for Colin. Not with El. The moment the words left her mouth, I’m in love with your brother, they would never be able to put them back in the bottle.

She peered through her eyelashes at her friend and considered her options. There was Eloise standing over her with the proverbial knife ready to cut her heart open and the corner of the room where she could continue to hide in her feelings. She chose the only viable option.

“How does one even start online dating?” She asked with a resigned groan, knowing immediately she was going to regret the question.

“Wonderful, I knew you would see things my way!”

“And I don’t mean Tinder, El. I don’t want to actually meet them, just talking online. No hookups.” She warned her friend.

“Baby steps, I know. Maybe we just start with a chat room. Like put yourself out there in a discord or something.” Eloise was already opening her laptop and tapping on the keyboard with a determined look on her face.

“This already sounds complicated El. I don’t know the first thing about any of this.” Pen could feel her anxiety rising the more she thought about randomly chatting up strangers.

“It’s not that hard, I mean what about a site for writers. You’d have something in common with them, mutual understanding, it would give you something to chat about.” Her eyebrows rose slightly. “Oh, this looks interesting.” She turned the screen around.

“The Lonely Writers Club, really?” She stomped her foot angrily. “Do I look desperate to you?”

“Oh, come on Pen, I’m just saying, it’s for writers, which is you. And it’s for lonely people who want to chat and find friends. So, I mean, they are ripe for the taking!”

“This is ridiculous.” She exclaimed with a heavy sigh, realizing that her friend was not going to back down from this. “Fine, I will do this, but...” she held up her hand in front of Eloise’s face. “If I do this, I have conditions.”

“Conditions? I swear Pen, you are being so dramatic about this, it’s just talking to people.” She rolled her eyes and sat down at her desk. “Fine, name your terms.”

“I will not use my real name.” She held up one finger.

“How does that allow you to...” Eloise began before Pen cut her off.

“El, I need you to listen, these are not negotiable.” She warned as her friend closed her mouth. “No real name.” Her friend nodded in agreement before she continued. “I will not post my photo.” She began again as she held up a second finger.

“Well how will they know what you look...” Pen narrowed her eyes.

“El...” She growled before continuing. “No photo.” She held up a third finger. “I will also not share any personal details that might otherwise tell anyone who I might be.”

“I do not understand how this is going to ever end up in you finding someone who might be right for you.”

“Because I will not be meeting any of these men. I am here simply to talk to other people, as you said, who are not named Colin. And I will do that. I will chat with these men, I will have pleasant conversation about the weather or whatever nonsense I must endure, and I will never, and I need you to hear me clearly Eloise, I will never meet any of these men.” She paused, meeting her friend’s eyes. “These are my terms. Take them or leave them.” She put her hands on her hips, leaning forward with a glare.

Eloise considered her demands, pinching the bridge of her nose. She blew out a breath before speaking. “Fine, I accept your terms. So, what will you call yourself, if you will not be providing your real name?”

“I was thinking...” She smiled brightly as she looked around the office, looking back at her friend with a bright smile. “I think I will call myself Lady Whistledown.”

[sea-owl]

Okay, so the Addams family (yes, I will make this reference even though the Featherintons are not gothic in this AU) are an ancestral and powerful family in the world of magic. And Penelope's mother just happened to be born in this family.

Portia Featherinton went to Hogwarts and had wonderful years in its halls, laughing at the ghosts and paintings on the wall. Somehow, she ended up in a marriage with a muggle.

Penelope grew up in two worlds, one full of magic, where her mother was actually happy, and the world of her father, surrounded by the restrictions of the ton, but she had Eloise, she had the Bridgertons, and most importantly, she had Colin.

On her eleventh birthday, she didn't pray, she didn't know which world to pick, so destiny choose to her. Weeks later, her mother woke her up, smiling and giggling. Penelope was going to Hogwarts, even with her obvious lack in talent in magic. So, she packed her bags, promising her mother she would never tell a soul about the school, and trying to calm Eloise nerves about being separated from her close friend. She didn't get to say goodbye to Colin, him starting his travels and not being home.

And the thing is, she adored the school, and even made friends who weren't Eloise. There's Simon, a former Slytherin who now worked as a teaching assistant in potions, and Kate, the brave Gryffindor that shined bright on the quidditch team, Sophie, a kind Hufflepuff with a talent for divination, and Gareth, her fellow Ravenclaw, a year younger, whom she took under her wing. Then there's Phillip, a sweet Hufflepuff who spent his days in the gardens, and Michael, a talented in transfigurations Gryffindor who spent his trying to get him out of there.

In comparison, she just kinda hated going back. She missed Eloise, just like someone misses their limb, but she hated the ton. Hated being looked as if she's weird just because she goes to an unknown school with her sisters, hated being ignored, just an unpleasant feeling by being there.

At 18, she graduates and starts working at the Daily Prophet, and spends most of her days away from her dad's side of the world. Away from Eloise, and the Bridgertons, and Colin.

In her 28th birthday she apparates to her mother's birthday party, only to be discovered by Colin.

Chaos ensues as her, her friends, with the addition of genius Lucy, a Slytherin who is claimed as the brightest witch, and who somehow likes arithmancy, and her family try to gaslight the boy into thinking he's crazy. Colin falls in love amist this.

Wait, I somewhat have a Harry Potter au! Link

The post is more to do with Michael kidnapping, I mean force befriending, I mean adopting, Phillip and Penelope at Hogwarts. Still applied the whole spouses only thing for the magical world but this a great expansion for it!

Again, fair warning everything I know about Harry Potter was absorbed through the fandom with random videos popping up on my tiktok. So this is highly me just winging it. I might tweak this though just a little bit.

Penelope, for all her life, had heard the whispers around her about how weird her family is. Even when others weren't making a sound. They say her family dressed oddly, that her mother miserable old bat, and that she was so unnoticeable it was creepy how she somehow always seemed to answer others even without them saying a word.

It was true that her mother dressed her daughters differently than others, but what they don't know is that citrus colors were to hide the reminisce of the magical world her mother was born into.

Yes, her mother was miserable at times, but wouldn't you also be miserable if you were forced to hide the one part of yourself that you loved the most? Her mother's misery was derived from being forced to stay in a world that forces her to supress herself.

As for Penelope herself, she can't help she hears things others say. Maybe they shouldn't be speaking if they don't want her to hear.

The truth was Penelope's mother, Portia Featherington, was not from the world of the ton. Born Portia Addams, Penelope's mother was a witch, born into the Addams family, a powerful and old magical family in Spain. During Portia's childhood she was brought to England's wizarding world, and later attended Hogwarts. Portia adored her time in school, and she adored magic. Things after Hogwarts became murky but somehow, she ended up married to Penelope's father, Lord Featherington. This marriage forced Portia to stay in her husband's world and hide her magic. Now the only time Penelope sees her mother smile is when they visit their Addams family members or during the nights when Portia brings her daughters outside and teaches them about magic under the moonlight. If Portia could, she would leave the ton behind and fully rejoin the magical world.

Penelope herself wasn't sure what world she would prefer to live in. Despite the whispers and restrictions of the ton she had her best friend Eloise, and her family the Bridgertons, who sometimes felt like Penelope's second family. Of course, there also Colin Bridgerton, Eloise's older brother, and the man Penelope was secretly in love with. But the magical world was also quite fascinating to Penelope, and there were times that she found herself smiling more in the magical world than she did in the ton. Even though Penelope does not have the same accidental magic bursts that her sisters displayed she knows her mother is hopeful all her four of her daughters will go to the same school she did.

On Penelope's 11th birthday she did not pray for one way or another. She was still unsure what world she wanted to be in. She decided to let destiny take the wheel.

About a month after Penelope's 11th birthday she was awoken with her rmother laying next to her, giddy as a child.

"Oh Penelope," Portia sang. "You have a letter."

Turns out Penelope was going to Hogwarts after all. With a promise to her mother to not tell a soul about the magical world, and reassuring Eloise that they will write to one another Penelope found herself in a carriage on it's way to her mother's world.

Once Penelope was at Hogwarts she found out why her mother loved it so much. There was something freeing about magic and Hogwarts felt like endless possibilities. That hat hesitated when sorting her, it had debated between Ravenclaw and Slytherin before ultimaly deciding to put her in Ravenclaw. Penelope also found out why she kept hearing whispers in the ton at Hogwarts. Turns out she had an affinity for legilimency and what she thought were whispers was really her going into people's minds and reading their thoughts. Oops.

Sorted into Ravenclaw Penelope found herself quickly making new friends too. It started with her fellow first year, and fellow Ravenclaw Edwina Sharma. Edwina proceeded to introduce Penelope to her older sister, Kate Sharma. Kate Sharma was a Gryffindor, a talented quidditch player, and had an affinity for magic associated with magical beasts. Next came her kidnapping, okay fine surprised friend adoption, from Hufflepuff Michael Stirling, who has a talent for transfigurations. Through Michael Penelope met one of his other surprise adoptees Phillip Crane, a fellow Ravenclaw who spends more time in the herbology greenhouse than he does in his dorm. While being dragged by Michael to the Huffelpuff common room Penelope met Sophie Beckett, another Huffelpuff who had a talent for healing spells. It was a slow build to friendship with Simon who was a Slytherin graduate at Hogwarts and now assists the arithmancy teacher, hiding from his father Penelope will accidentally learn later. During Penelope's second year Kate came bounding in the group study session with a nervous looking first year Gryffindor Gareth St Clair, who turns out was semi related to Simon and had a talent for charms. The last one came after Penelope's graduation in the form of Lucy Abernathy, a Huffelpuff divination specialist, who Penelope's sister, Felicity, had befriend.

During her time at Hogwarts Penelope found she did not want to return to her father's world of the ton. She found the longer she was away from it the more she came to hate it. She found even less reason to keep coming back when her letters with the Bridgertons lessened until they were practically non-existent, then her father died too when she was 14. Without a son Penelope's father wrote in his will that whichever of his daughters had the first son would inherit the estate and their son would become the new Lord Featherington.

Portia raged that it was one final jab at her, another reason to force her to stay around the ton.

When she was 17 and graduated Penelope had begged her mother not to debut her like she did with Prudence and Philippa. She argued that there was no way she would have the first grandson since the ton didn't even notice her for one thing, and Penelope wanted to stay in the magical world.

Portia gave her daughter her blessing and Penelope fled to the magical world, finally staying. In the magical world Penelope had a well-known novelist under the name Lady Whistledown. She's known for her characters being so lifelike and the enchantments she used to let readers hear the voices of the characters as they read. Penelope doesn't mention that the reason her characters are so lifelike is because she'll study people and with her legilimency she can casually hear their passing thoughts as they walk by her.

When Penelope is 19 and getting ready to write her next book Edwina drops a bomshell on her.

"You want to what?" She could not have been hearing Edwina right.

"I want to participate in a London season as a debutant," Edwina repeated.

"Why?" Penelope asked beyond confused. "And why do you want me to join you? What of Mr. Bagwell?"

Charles Bagwell was a scholarly man Edwina had met as she continued her studies at University. Since their first conversation Edwina has been infatuated with him, possibly love him. Penelope could not think of any reason why her friend would want to give up a rarity like that for a London social season of all things.

"Actually, it's all for research," Edwina answered. "I am researching on how enchanted instruments sound to muggels vs witches and wizards. I figured the balls of the London social season would give me both instruments to enchant and a group to study off of with the debutants."

Penelope raised an eyebrow because Edwina still hasn't explained why she wants Penelope to run the London social season with her.

"And I was hoping my very good friend with knowledge of the social season and the ability to hear others' thoughts would join me so I know what the debutants internal thoughts are when they hear the enchanted music."

"Edwina!" Penelope exclaimed.

"What? I'm not asking you to dig into their minds," Edwina said. "Just do what you normally do and passively listen."

Penelope stared down her friend, and Edwina stared right back.

"Fine," Penelope said," but I want that nice new quill set, the one with the raven feather."

"Deal," Edwina said.

"And," Penelope stressed. "You must get all of our friends who are of age to come too. So that means Simon, Michael, Phillip, Sophie, and of course Kate."

Edwina's jaw dropped. "How am I supposed to drag Simon and Phillip to London? And why do we need all three? Can't we just get Michael?"

"A debutant can only dance with a gentleman twice my dear Edwina, and you know the ton does think my family weird," Penelope said. "If you want me to gather as much information as possible we'll need all three."

Edwina groaned and plopped her head against her friend.

Somehow by some miracle (probably Kate) Edwina had gotten all their friends to come. She even got Gareth and Lucy. Though those two are on a break from Hogwarts and came with Felicity to laugh at them.

Portia had to hide her laughs when Penelope informed her of Edwina's research and that Penelope must debut to help her. With her husband dead Portia was much more relaxed. While she was still forced to stay within the ton until a grandson was born, she was now free to do as much magic as she wanted in her home. The staff to the Featherington home has dwindled as well but those who are on staff like the butler Briarly, and Mrs. Varley the head maid, are witches and wizards themselves.

Penelope had already sent her luggage ahead to her mother's house and was just grabbing a new journal to draft her new story in with her new raven quill.

"Here we go," Penelope sighed as she apparates to the Featherington House in Mayfair.

Well, not exactly to the house, but on a corner of it where one would have a hard time seeing her. While most should still be in bed or at breakfast before morning calls, one couldn't be too careful.

"Pen?"

Penelope froze. It's been years since she's heard that voice. The last time she heard it she was 16.

Turning around Penelope's horror grew as she saw Colin Bridgerton on his horse, most likely returning from one of his travels.

"Colin, it's been so long." Penelope said, her voice too high.

"Did you just appear out of thin air?" Colin asked, bewildered.

Damn, damn, damn! Deny, deny, deny!

"Colin don't be silly," Penelope said. "Humans appearing out of thin air? It's only the stuff of fantasies."

Penelope began to walk back towards her house. "If you will excuse me, my mother is waiting."

Once inside Penelope ran to the drawing room. Thankfully only her friends and Felicity were in there. "I fucked up! I fucked up!"

[swallowedbyfandom]

Lord Cowper,

I suggest you put an end to this delusion of demanding satisfaction from my brother over my dear sister's justified defense of her husband. You are to cease your ridiculous claims that our sweet Penelope marred your daughter's marriage prospects.

I should not have to point out that this is Miss Cowper's fourth season without a single proposal to show for it. My sister is not the issue, the issue is your daughter is an affront to common decency. If you want to cast blame I suggest you look in your own home. It is clear your wife raised your daughter abysmally, without any sense of propriety.

That you married a Lady so lacking in maternal instinct is your own failing. That you failed to recognize how dishonorable your daughter grew to be is once more your own failing. I will not have you sully my family name to cover up the fact that you could not manage the two Ladies you are responsible for.

Regards ,

Lord Bridgerton

Lady Cowper,

I just heard the silliest jest. There are tales of you speaking out against my darling daughter. A ridiculous fabrication, I know. How could you be anything but grateful my Penelope put an end to your daughter's vulgar display?

I am sure you are much too busy reeducating your daughter to have time to spread tall tales about my family. As you attempt guide Miss Cowper back from this shameful path, do be sure to remind her that no man wants to marry a Lady that appears so learned. While I am sure she is proud of her experience, as evidenced by the brazen way she rubbed herself against my son in public. She must be made to realize that sort of experience does not lead to marriage. It leads to ruin.

I am sure you will soon talk sense into your Lord husband. The fuss he is making over this entire mess is unbecoming. I am sure we can all agree it is best for your family's standing in society if this matter is quickly hushed over.

I wish you luck in getting your house in order. I would hate to take time away from enjoying my grandchildren to deal with this matter further. We all know how unkind I get when I am away from my grandchildren too long.

Regards,

Lady Featherington

Penelope Anne Bridgerton!

N ever have I felt so betrayed. How could you slap Cressida Cowper when I am not there to see it! I have wanted to slap that wench since she tried blackmailing me! You must tell me every detail, so I can live vicariously through you.

Are you well, Pen? I know when I punched Berbrooke in the face my knuckles and wrist were sore for days after. Did you break a nail on her bony face? Is it true you slapped her hard enough to knock her to the ground? I cannot fathom such a thing. You are such a gentle person.

Oh Pen, I still cannot believe YOU were the first Bridgerton to ever start a physical altercation at a ball. Mama must still be reeling in shock.

Love,

Daphne

Brother,

Thank you for officially making Pen my sister! It is by far the coolest thing you have ever done. Ant, saids you both must lay low for a while until the scandal dies down. That is so stupid! The Queen was not even upset. She was laughing! Although the Queen was quite put out you took Pen away before she finished insulting Cressida. I was too to be honest.

When you finally are allowed to visit, Pen simply must teach me how to slap someone with such vigor. It was most impressive.

Give the babies my love.

Your favorite sister,

Hyacinth Bridgerton

Apprentice

[devastatinglygreen]

Did your husband like season 2??

hmm. kind of?

like he thought it got tedious around ep 5-6? he started from liking kate a lot to being annoyed at the back and forth. i had forgotten how much of it there was tbh.

he ended up being more interested in the featherington plot, ha. he hates prudence tho. he is going to hate portia, i can tell.

he was annoyed that anthony didn't go see kate when she was unconscious. still not his biggest fan.

you have to understand, this man said he knew he was going to marry me the second he met me and still hovers if i'm using a knife in the kitchen because i cut myself really bad, like, years ago so he doesn't relate to men like anthony (would probably not vibe with simon either). i think he will really like eps 3-4 colin and part 2 colin tbh

loves violet. eloise is his number one girl but thought she was too hard on penelope during their fight. made a face during the whole thing.

he was also wildly unimpressed with colin after all of that, ha. which is fair but we got through to 3x01 so he was cringing at colin's flirting. i mean, we all were but he was like...??

made an ohhhhh sound at deblings first interaction with pen. he is not going to like the debling that entertains cressida's nonsense but he likes that someone was finally polite to penelope without having the name bridgerton attached to them.

he's cressida's biggest hater right now outside of colin himself.

he is not ready for that carriage scene (and beyond).

[hessafeelsfordayss]

Some of my thoughts about Bridgerton season 2 (these will be out of order) MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS:

• First off, I just want to start out by saying that Simone and Jonathan's performances were out of this world. You could feel every emotion they portrayed; you could feel the yearning, the frustration, the passion, the angst, every single time they were in a scene together. They brought Kanthony to life better than anyone else could have ever dreamed of.

• Because of them, Kate and Anthony's chemistry was unmatched. Every touch, every lingering stare, every almost kiss, had my heart fluttering and me biting my fist from pure excitement. During their intimate moments it almost felt like I was intruding on their privacy. I felt like Anthony and Kate were real people, and not just actors playing a part. All I'm saying is Jonathan and Simone better get all the rewards!

• I've already stated this, but Lord Featherington and Portia's scheming 'romance' was really boring to me and also quite gross. The fact that it came out of nowhere and the lack of chemistry was a turn off.

• But I'm so so proud of Portia for choosing her girls without hesitation. She has made some questionable decisions no doubt, and isn't the best at showing her affection towards them, but I know she does love them and want them to be happy. If she didn't she would have gone with Lord Featherington, because she obviously did have feelings for him. Big props to her for that.

• I'm gonna get hate, but I don't really like what they did with Edwina's character. In the book Edwina is more understanding and happy for her sister, and knows exactly what she wants in a husband, but then again Anthony didn't propose to her in the book 😒 I can understand her feeling hurt, truly I can, but I feel like she took it too far when she told Kate that they are only half sisters. That was a low blow, especially considering Kate felt she needed to earn her way into their family, and set aside her own happiness to ensure that Edwina and Mary got theirs first.

• Even when she wasn't blind to their feelings anymore, and she could see how much they truly cared for each other, she was still acting bitter and treating Kate poorly and calling her an unkind person and not forgiving Kate until the accident. Edwina in the book would never do these things. I still love her though. She is only human after all.

• I saw a lot of growth with Colin towards Pen this season. The way he stared at her when he first saw her after a while, him protecting her and her family and telling her she's special to him... Only for him to once again regress at the end. I love angst though, so I'm not really bothered by what he said. It makes me think that in season three it will play a big part in his and Penelope's story. What I am upset about is how he laughed at the expense of her with the guys. That was really messed up, especially after he had just got done telling her she was special to him and that he will always protect her.

• I better see Penelope distancing herself from him, or better yet straight up ignoring him. I want him confused and I want him to pine for her presence without even knowing that's what he is doing. Most of all, I need Penelope to have suitors. I need obliviously jealous Colin like I need the air to breathe! I want the tables flipped, I want Pen to give up on the fantasy of Colin and actually show interest to these suitors. After the little stunt he pulled, I need Colin to be the one doing the pining this time.

• My heart broke at Eloise and Penelope breaking their friendship. I love them both dearly, but maybe this is for plot purposes? Like maybe so Penelope won't be around the Bridgerton' s anymore, which will affect Colin? And Eloise and Penelope as well. Because let's be real, Penelope and Eloise are for life. I just wonder if El is going to tell her family or anyone about Penelope's secret.. 🤔😩

• Loved all the Bridgerton family scenes, along with all of the individual family members. They will always be one of my favorite things about the show. The playful jabs and banters, all of them always being there for one another no matter what, the raw emotional moments, etc.

• When Anthony sniffed the air when Kate walked by and Lady Danbury caught him and loudly cleared her throat - that was peak comedy 😂😂 I snorted so loud I was afraid I woke the rest of the house up.

• Not to mention his reaction to seeing her bare thigh.. the man is a capital R Rake but was left speechless and flustered at just seeing her leg. He already had it bad. 🤭

• Marina being the number one polin shipper... Hell yess! I didn't see it coming, but I'm so happy about it.

• The Queen's storyline was boring as well, but I love her so much for putting her own desires aside and approving of Kate and Anthony's love. If it wasn't for her, I'm not sure how Kate and Anthony could have ended up together without tarnishing their families names.

• That's all I can think of right now, but if I happen to think of more I'll be sure to share them with you all!

[a-lady-of-pseudony]

My bridgerton addiction had come back and I feel the need to share my opinion, despite it being unnecessary or unwanted lels hahaha.

But do allow me of the privilege to speak for I had kept whatever this is inside of me for weeks now.

Penelope by far, had been discriminated and been subjected of the scrutiny of some, for the choices she have made and the articles she had chose to release as lady whistledown. And pardon me if I say I find this hatred quite unnecessary, as a show watcher since season 1 and a book fan as well, I can say that whatever Penelope does isn't jealousy, that whatever it is that she had chosen to write isn't written to discriminate but rather to point out the flaw that she thinks she sees. And that one must remember that whatever she writes wasn't actually originally from her but from the wagging tongue of the ton themselves (except for some bits that she revealed to save some people ofc) , I mean yeah, she's the one who published such scandal but her scandal is ofc taken from the rumors she heard among the ton, that what she chooses to say is merely her opinions on the topics she had heard, hence it is called a scandal sheet not a news paper. Another thing is her revelation and articles about certain people namely; Marina, Colin, and Eloise. First of Marina and Colin, I have read and constantly heard so many foul words said because of this issue, and so allow me to explain my take on this end, Penelope had begged Marina, take note BEGGED Marina not to include Colin in her plans, and when this fails, she turned to Colin to warn him, which bad for him chooses not to believe her words, it is then that she decided to release and write that article about the pregnancy. Listen here people, check this out she didn't say anything about him calling on Marina, instead she just watched them from the corners with jealous eyes, and for those who claims that she did it for herself, why would she do that? If you notice Pen is Marina's cousin, Marina debuted under the featherington name which would mean that whatever fate marina had planned affects her prospects and fate as well, revealing Marina as a liar would result negatively to her family (as you have ofc seen). What she did isn't selfishness, but rather the opposite as it put her in trouble, she is merely saving a friend, who doesn't deserve to be deceived to take care of another man's children without his knowledge. Next of is Eloise, again and again, I will tell you that Eloise is the one at fault, she chose to put herself in situation that would bring her repercussions. Eloise is the one who chose to indulge herself in identifying lady whistledown's identity, and again, as always Penelope had warned her more than once that what she does will put her in danger. But no Eloise just had to push her way in because she is stubborn as that, if only Eloise listened from the very beginning that she shall not indulge herself in such things anymore, she wouldn't have met theo, who lead Eloise to become the Queen's prime suspect as Lady whistledown. I know that some would say that Penelope could just reveal herself, ofc she can, but do you honestly think that the queen would believe her? Hell no, the queen would only think of her revelation as a way of saving Eloise's reputation (which she explained, *scene with madame delacroix*), in which at that time would only result to bigger consequences (given the scandal between sharma and bridgerton).

What Penelope does isn't something we could say morally right, but something that the situation requires, she maybe harsh and cruel, but that is the point, honesty is often cruel as it is reflected by the show. If you wanted to blame someone, it is not Penelope but the characters who chose to do that to themselves.

Had Marina, Colin, and Eloise, chose to listen to what Penelope had said bigger consequences should have been prevented.

And as I end my commentary, I again beg of you that I want no hate, that I merely offer my opinion on such topic. That is all, thank you!

Pardon the crooked english and improper grammar, I am quite sleepy while writing this commentary.

[storiesforallfandoms]

unhappy futures ~ duke simon bassett;bridgerton

word count: 2286

request?: no

description: neither one of them wants to be there, so they decide to make it a little more fun

pairing: simon bassett x female!reader

warnings: swearing

masterlist (one, two)

I had yet to figure out why I still allowed my mother to drag me to these courting events. She had already allowed me to live without being forced into a loveless marriage, and even without that overbearing feeling over me I hated these social events. I had no reason to be there, and yet there I was, stood in a corner alone because no one wanted to interact with the future spinster.

I figured part of the reason why I went was in hopes of finding some new company. I only had two friends, Eloise Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington, and I loved them both to pieces, but I was also older than them both by a few years. As mature as they were, sometimes I craved the company of people my own age.

Sometimes, a very strong sometimes.

I watched as the women my age fawned over their potential suitors (or were being forced to by their mothers), and those who weren’t fawning were already sporting baby bumps. I didn’t belong there, I shouldn’t have gone.

As I looked around the room, I spotted a gentleman stood by himself. He didn’t look much happier than I felt, which made me feel a bit better about my current feelings towards the event.

His eyes met with mine for a split second. I looked away quickly, embarrassed by being caught. Not that there was anything to catch as I had only briefly glanced at him. I dared to look back after a moment to see his attention was drawn elsewhere. I took this opportunity to look at the stranger again, and I had to admit, he was incredibly handsome. So handsome that I was shocked that he didn’t have a wife hanging off his arm.

Tired of being alone, I decided to across the room to stand next to the only other person who seemed as miserable as I was.

“You look like you’re enjoying yourself,” I commented as I reached him. He glanced down at me and grunted in response. “I can’t blame you, these things are dreadfully painful. I do have a fun way to pass the time here.”

I could tell he was trying to ignore me, but my words drew some interest. He glanced down at me before turning his attention back to the socializing debutants. I looked out at the crowd as well and zoned in on a young lady who was dancing with an older gentleman.

“See those two there?” I asked, nodding towards the couple. “I saw one of two things have brought them together: either she’s struggling to find a suitor so she’s being forced to marry that old Lord, or she’s pregnant and they’re going to try to say the baby is his.”

A smile smile tugged at the stranger’s lips. “You think so?”

His voice was like velvet and it made me forget myself for a moment. I was proud of myself for getting him to speak, and I needed to make it happen again.

“I’d almost guarantee it,” I said. “We had a similar scandal last season when Lady Featherington tired to cover up her husband’s cousin’s pregnancy. Which leads me to the true nature of this game: the future of that soon to be unhappy couple. I picture a quick wedding before the old bastard croaks, and a baby roughly nine months later. He will be happy, obviously, he has a young wife with plenty of time before her body is not something he wants to look at, but she’ll live a life of misery because men her own age didn’t want to marry her.”

He was chuckling and I decided that his laugh was maybe better than his voice.

“This is how you pass the time during these events?” he asked, clearly amused. “By picturing unhappy futures for your fellow debutants?”

“Not a debutant,” I muttered, “and besides, it’s just the truth. All of these marriages will end the same way: unhappy, many children, and should a daughter be born the cycle repeats.”

“If you are not a debutant I am led to believe you’re speaking from experience.”

I snorted, rather unladylike, in response to his comment. This earned me another smile, which I gladly returned.

“Try for yourself,” I prompted him. “Our little game, I mean.”

“Our game?”

“Yes. You can use this game for future boredom inducing events as I’m sure they’ll be plentiful. Therefore, it can be our game.”

The handsome stranger smiled at me before turning his attention back to the crowd ahead of us. I took this moment to really look at him. He was about a head taller than I, even in my tallest heels. He carried himself rather highly, which made me wonder which family he belonged to. With the slight smile on his face and his body less tense than it had been when I had arrived, he looked even more unbelievably handsome.

“That lady there,” he said, finally bringing me back to reality. “The one who looks very cross with her suitor. Seems like she’ll be a very...difficult wife to that poor man.”

I looked at the woman in question, a lady who was not much older than I with a man who was of the same age. Even through the dimly lit room I could see her face was red as she scolded her suitor. I couldn’t help but giggle to myself at the sight.

“Difficult is an understatement,” I said. “I’d say she’ll be wearing his balls around her neck like expensive diamonds by the night’s end.”

My new friend let out a loud laugh that drew the attention of anyone around us. “You don’t speak like a lady, do you?”

“Being a lady is quite boring. I prefer to be myself.”

He seemed to like my answer, which part of me was proud to see for some reason.

We continued with our game for some time, passing the night greatly. At a certain point, we were laughing so hard at our stories that I was wiping tears from my eyes.

We found ourselves outside as the night began to wind down. We were perched on the railing of the house, overlooking the garden as we passed back and forth a bottle of wine that my new friend, who eventually introduced himself as Simon, had taken on our way out.

“This truly has been the best time I have had at one of these events,” he told me. “Most of the time I am being accosted by debutants and their ambitious mamas. Which I should apologize for my behavior when you first approached me as I thought that’s what you were trying to do.”

“Apology accepted. Although I can’t say I’m shocked to hear that. A handsome man such as yourself, I’m surprised you’re not wed yet.”

His face darkened. I suddenly felt awkward as I didn’t know what I had said wrong. I took another quick sip from the wine bottle before passing it back to him.

“I have no intentions of marrying,” he said after a moment. “I have told every mother who has tried to see me on their daughter this fact, but no one seems to listen.”

“That’s how these mamas are,” I said. “My own mother refused to listen when I told her I didn’t want to marry. She made me go through two whole seasons before she left me alone, and that was only because my sister caught the attention of a soon to be Duke.”

Simon raised an eyebrow at me. “It’s not every day that I meet a young lady that doesn’t wish to be wed.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to be wed,” I explained. “It’s just...I don’t want to marry someone just because I have to, and I certainly don’t want to be forced to marry a man just because of his title. I want to marry someone that I have feelings for, that I will actually enjoy spending my life with. I have two younger sisters, bless them, they’re the ones my mother is able to fuss over and find husbands for. Mother acted as though she were the one marrying the Earl and not my sister. But me, I’m the family disappointment. I will not bring honor to my family by picking a noble man to marry because I want love, not just a partnership.”

Simon looked at me for a long time. His eyes stared through mine and looked into my soul. I could feel my heartbeat racing under his gaze. I had to look away or else risk doing something I probably shouldn’t. Not until we were somewhere more private, at least.

I never told many people my true reason for not wanting to marry. Everyone I had told didn’t understand. They all thought I was mad. One man, the father of one of my suitors, even offered my mother his condolences on her “lost cause”. While I still held strong to my reasoning for not getting married, I couldn’t help but feel hurt at the way that I was treated by so many people because of this, my own parents included. I swear some days my mother is just one comment away from throwing me out onto the streets.

“I don’t see why that’s such a bad thing,” Simon finally said. “I personally don’t agree with the idea that women have to wed a man they barley know just so they can bare an heir to his family name. And to try and put some sort of value on these young women based on how many suitors they have coming for them, or who they end up marrying, no wonder there are so many of you who find themselves lacking in self confidence.”

I smiled gratefully at Simon’s understanding. Besides Eloise, he was the first person to truly understand what I was saying.

He extended the wine bottle to me again. As I went to take it, my hand brushed against his and I felt a spark run through my fingertips and up into my arm. I looked up into Simon’s eyes again and realized how close he had gotten to me.

His free hand reached up to gently caress my cheek. I shivered under his touch, but still leaned into it. I wanted more of it, I never wanted him to stop touching me.

“Is it indecent of me to ask if I could kiss you?” he asked.

My heart was racing so fast that it was starting to make my vision blurry. I could barley find the words to say, so instead I just shook my head. Simon smiled and closed the distance between us, pressing his soft lips against mine. The wine bottle slipped from his hand, or maybe it was from mine, and shattered on the ground beneath us, but neither of us could be bothered with that at the moment. We were too busy being lost in one another.

Simon’s other hand found my waist as his lips moved against mine. He was very gentlemanly, being gentle with me and not once pushing to go further than just a kiss. I was almost ashamed to admit how much I wanted him to take me. I didn’t care for the still dispersing crowd, I didn’t care that my mother was likely still a part of that crowd. All I cared about was wanting to feel Simon’s warm body on top of mine, his hands exploring my body, his lips on every inch of skin. I wanted him.

I was sure I would’ve gotten what I wanted, too, if it weren’t for a voice interrupting us.

“Your grace?”

Simon pulled away and looked over my shoulder with annoyance. I followed his gaze to see he was looking at a man whose dress told me he was a butler standing a few feet away from us.

“What is it, Jeffries?” Simon asked, his voice laced with irritation.

“It’s time to go, your grace.”

“A moment longer, then I will be with you.”

Jeffries looked between Simon and I. A knowing smile crossed his lips as he agreed and walked away to leave us alone.

I looked back at Simon in confusion. “Your grace?”

He smiled as his index finger gently grazed my cheek again. “Your mother would be happy to hear that your sister isn’t the only one who has gained the attention of a Duke, I’d say.”

I was absolutely speechless. I felt like such an idiot. Even then, knowing of Simon’s status, I had no idea which Duke he was.

But even knowing that Simon was of much higher status than I realized, I didn’t feel any different. Knowing that he was a Duke did not make my feelings for him greater, nor did it lessen them. I still wanted to sit there and kiss him all night, and then some if he would allow it.

He kissed me again, making my head spin yet again, before he rose. He took my hand in his and helped me to my feet.

“I shall call upon you tomorrow afternoon,” he told me. “If you are okay with it, I would like to continue what we started here tonight in a bit more of a...private setting.”

Still speechless, I simply nodded. He chuckled - oh, what a beautiful noise! - before leaning down to kiss me one last time.

“Goodnight, (Y/N),” he said.

“Goodnight, Simon,” I responded.

I watched him as he walked away, my heart swelling with happiness.

Who knew that the lady who refused to marry a man just for his status would end up falling in love with a Duke?

[mermaidsirennikita]

What the people going on about how disliking Penelope is fatphobic don’t seem to get is that the writing for the character on the show is fatphobic. Am I side-eying the people who hate her but don’t seem to mind what Daphne did? Yeah, and people characterizing Nicola Coughlan as some scheming attention whore sets off alarm bells too, but it’s not like writing the fat girl as sad, bitter, and unable to get a man isn’t also using inherently fatphobic tropes.

I'll be honest--I don't care for Nicola. However, I don't think she's a scheming social climber lol. I think that's projecting her character onto her. I think she's messy and needs media training--which, tbh, she probably learned based off of interactions with this rancid fandom. I can't particularly shake the deuxmoi shit in light of it being in response to RJP, who was receiving an explicitly racist backlash from the fandom... But I don't think she's... calculated lol. And I do think that REGARDLESS of how I feel about Nicola, she experiences fatphobia. It's apparently in how she is presented on Bridgerton. Nicola is objectively pretty. Like. I don't care what ya think about her personally. She's a conventionally pretty woman. Why is she cast as the girl who can't get a guy? Because she's fat. That's it.

Here's another blunt take here--I tend to wonder.... If a lot of the people... Citing "fatphobia" as the reason why people dislike Penelope... Are actually fat. Because like. While I won't pretend that I'm as big as some women who might find it more difficult to get through life--while I won't pretend that I can't hide shit with the right angles in my selfies--I shop in the plus size section at Target like many a girl (I actually have hyperinsulinism, so even when I try to lose weight... it's rough, buddy!). Many of my friends are in the same boat, or similar. Idk. I look at us, and I look at Penelope, and like... I rarely claim shit over anything, because I'm a cis white woman and am thus pretty fucking privileged in the country I live in... But it is oddly degrading?

And I felt this way with book!Penelope, too. The comments about her weight, the note that she lost weight before Colin decided to fuck her--but like, at least that shit was written quite a while ago. The show doesn't have that excuse. The show has Nicola, who they'll cite as hot enough to carry a Pat McGrath campaign... And be like "aw, this poor fat sap, he doesn't see her as anything but a friend". That's... not what I want to see. I don't want a pat on the back, and that's frankly not what I get in real life. Like, believe it or not, many men see fat women as highly fuckable. And Colin. Could totally. See Penelope. As that. Like you could even find a way to get the classic "uhhhh I'd never marry Penelope Featherington" moment in without making it seem like a condescension.

The thing is that I don't feel like... The show is gonna sell me on him being *sexually attracted* to her. And it's in part because Luke N. and Nicola don't have a charged chemistry (it's just her being like uwu Colin pls notice me and him being like *WHERE'S A SKINNY BITCH*) but also... in part due to the writing. Like, even the fact that Penelope is getting the, let's be fucking real, largely agreed upon *also ran* brother who the show has made out to be a dipshit compared to the Tortured Eldest Son Who Eats Pussy Like It's Breakfast and The Freewheeling Artist Threesome Brother.... is telling. Idk. I just. Don't buy that this show will honor Penelope as a woman who is fat, deserves love, *AND* deserves to have her clock rocked like her life depends on it.

And that is in part because, yes, she's been painted as envious of other women. I won't pretend to have grown up without body image issues. I've been a size 8 and been like "oh God nobody will love me" and I've been a size 16 and been like "oh God nobody will love me". But Penelope... That's like, her defining trait. You can be insecure as a fat woman in a world that caters to thin women (though uh, I will add, idk that body standards were the same in Regency England as they were in the 21st century) and also be talented and confident and bitchy. Penelope has *never* had a man look at her, and that's so fucked up to me. Like. What. Am I supposed to feel good about someone noticing her during the Polin season when she's gone 2-3 seasons beforehand being treated as this ugly, pathetic, jealous hag?

Like, I literally have no fucking idea why Penelope would feel that way... besides her fatness. Her sisters don't experience that. And you could say "well the bully her" yeah but why. Because of her fatness, right? And that's a choice the writers made. To make Penelope's fatness a key part of her personality and insecurities, rather than like... a fact of her body. A part of her hot, sexually appealing body.

Lol I just have zero interest in fat rep that's.......... about being jealous of skinny girls. And striking out against them. Idk. I was raised by a skinny bitch (who has also been not skinny) and I'm a sister to a skinny bitch. I won't say that I haven't experienced moments of jealousy, but I also see that there is a price to be paid either way, and we all have our fucking issues and burdens to bear. I've never been what I would call truly *skinny* but I've been way closer to that than I am now, I didn't magically feel better about myself. So idk. The messaging the show sends with Penelope... That she is suffering due to her fatness, that her behavior is linked to insecurities that are connected to her fatness and therefore we should just be down with it......... Isn't good for me.

[musical-shit-show]

could have danced all night

Pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x Reader Inspiration: Prompts #2 (“apparently all our friends have a bet going that we end up together.”) #14 (“when i’m not with you, it’s almost like…i can’t breathe.”) and #41 (“i may or may not have left some…marks.”) Warnings: sexual references, kissing, meddling siblings, fluffy fluff Word Count: 3,733 Author’s Note: This is my first request! Big shout out to @acmbooksandfilm​ for sending this in, I had a lot of fun writing it. Also, apologies on it taking a bit to get out, writing has gotten difficult as my real adult job has slowly turned my brain to mush. But, if you would still like to send in a request, feel free! My DMs and Askbox is always open, even though it may take a little longer to complete requests. And as always, check out my Masterlist, About Me page, and Prompt Lists. Thanks for all the love on my other one shots and enjoy!

“Colin, enough,” Benedict huffed as he threw on his shiny black tailcoat, “Surely you have better things to do than pester me about my love life.” Anthony, Benedict, and Colin often crossed paths when getting ready for the numerous events of the season, and now the younger Bridgerton brother was doing everything to get on his elder sibling’s last nerve.

“I’m merely pointing out the obvious, Benedict,” Colin said smugly, straightening his cravat as he looked at himself in the mirror. He couldn’t help but flash a mischievous smile at his reflection, “Practically everyone in the ton knows about you two, what’s the harm in proposing?”

“What on God’s green earth are you two talking about?” Anthony strode into the room, closing the door in the likely event that Colin said something inappropriate and scandalized one of their younger sisters or, heaven forbid, their mother.

Benedict couldn’t help but flush. Yes, he was close enough with his brothers to discuss all matters surrounding women, but it felt wrong for him to talk about you. Especially when your relationship wasn’t meant to be any sort of relationship whatsoever.

It had started out innocently enough; you had been close with his younger sister Eloise and Penelope Featherington for years, acting as surrogate older sister on account of you being several years older than them. You were also friendly with Daphne and Simon Bassett, and often had tea with the pair when they weren’t off performing their duties as the Duke and Duchess of Hastings.

In truth, you knew Benedict the least out of the Bridgertons who had or were close to coming of age, and was shocked when he requested to have his name written on your dance card at the first ball of the season. When it came time to dance, you had expected Benedict to act shy at first; but after some coaxing from you, he won you over almost instantly with his wit and humor.

He only asked to dance with you once more at that particular event, not wanting to be improper. However, it was clear from the way the two of you looked at each other that there was a spark.

“No one,” Benedict said, almost too quickly, “Our brother is just sticking his nose into affairs that aren’t his own, as usual.” Anthony rolled his eyes, thoroughly unamused by his younger siblings’ bickering. The three of them strode down the stairs of their home and seized a carriage so that the conversation could continue in private.

“So…” Colin drawled, “It is an affair, then?”

“You know that’s not what I meant at all.”

“A slip of the tongue, perhaps? You know, brother, you must choose your words more carefully—"

“Mark my words, Colin Bridgerton; I will kill you in this very carriage if—”

“Will the two of you, please,” Anthony huffed, feeling a migraine coming on, “Benedict, is this about who I think it is about…?” Colin nodded fervently, but Benedict remained stone-faced. He hated keeping things from his family, especially his brothers. But he couldn’t risk tarnishing your name, not after what had transpired between you two.

It wasn’t meant to happen. When Benedict had snuck off one night to another one of Sir Granville’s soirées, he was shocked to see you there, wearing a tightly-laced corset, undergarments, and practically nothing else. As soon as you saw him, your eyes widened to the size of your mother’s best teacup saucers. Without thinking, you grabbed him and pulled him into the nearest empty room.

“Benedict, wha—what are you doing here?!” he remembered you asking him, utterly flustered. His eyes drifted to the sheer robe draped over your shoulders, the fabric floating gently with your every movement.

“I could very well ask you the same question!” he attempted to whisper, now distracted by how your corset pushed up your bosom considerably, “How do you even know about these, um, parties?” For a moment, you hesitated, unsure of what to say as Benedict’s pale blue eyes bore into yours.

You sighed, resigning to come clean, “Genevieve—Madame Delacroix—she told me about them. I confided in her about my father’s money troubles,” you felt the tears start to well up, but could not bear to cry in front of Benedict in the state you found yourself in, “I barely have any money for a dowry to find a suitable husband, and Genevieve and Sir Granville are familiar so…I work when I can and just make the guests feel comfortable—you know, offer them drinks, tobacco, the like—but I provide nothing more than hospitality.”

You felt that you needed to make that distinction to Benedict. Though you suspected that any chance with him was gone now that he had discovered your secret, you wanted to at least maintain part of your reputation, “Granville is generous enough and I could not be more grateful,” you continued, pulling the nearly translucent robe tightly around your body, “And these parties are so secretive that I thought, perhaps, I could scrounge enough money together before the end of the season before I was discovered. Clearly not.”

You couldn’t help but laugh dryly, but Benedict stared at you, his expression earnest, “You need not worry about that,” he breathed, “I won’t tell a soul.” You absentmindedly bit your bottom lip, chewing nervously on a bit of broken skin. Could he really be trusted? Yes, you had crossed paths over the last few weeks, exchanging pleasantries and the occasional flirtatious glance, but would Benedict be able to keep your secret?

“Thank you, Mr. Bridgerton,” you replied coyly, deciding that you didn’t have a choice in the matter, “Perhaps I will be able to repay you one day.” A sly smile spread across Benedict’s face, his eyes flickering to the locked door. Though the party was continuing on the other side, you two had remained virtually undisturbed.

Feeling bold, he traced his fingers over your collarbone, instantly sending a chill down your spine, “Perhaps…you could repay me now?” he posited, trying his best not to sound like a complete and utter rake, “Only if you wish to, of course.” Despite your best efforts, you could feel a palpable spark that had been building between the two of you over the past few weeks. And you had grown tired of restraining your impulses any longer.

Gently, you placed a soft kiss on his lips. Your eyes fluttered shut and Benedict cupped your face with his hand, his grip surprisingly tender. His free arm wrapped around your body smoothly, pulling you flush against him. You frantically thought through the consequences of someone discovering you with a Bridgerton, but you were too preoccupied with removing Benedict’s clothing to pay much mind…

“Benedict!” Anthony snapped his younger brother out of his reverie as the carriage slowed to a stop, “Would you get your head out of the clouds and tell me what’s going on?” Benedict stared at him, utterly panic stricken. He had kept your secret for nearly a month now, and during that time the two of you had gotten even closer, both in the eyes of the ton and after nightfall in your bedchamber.

Benedict’s mind almost drifted to the night he had shared with you only hours before, but focused on the task at hand, “You needn’t worry your pretty little head, brother,” he said coolly, “I have it all under control.” Anthony looked as if he were going to be sick, and Colin smiled with devilish glee. The three brothers clamored out of the carriage and made their way into the bustling ballroom, more of their family trailing close behind.

Benedict could hear Eloise whine as Lady Bridgerton attempted to smooth down her hair, and he felt a small pang of guilt for not coming to his sister’s aid against their mother’s incessant prodding. But now, he had more pressing matters at hand; namely, what in the hell he was going to say to you now that his brothers were onto him.

He spotted you from across the hall, his heart fluttering with every step he took in your direction. He noticed that you were wearing an intricately laced shawl that was tied tightly across your chest, completely covering your collarbone and much of your breast. Benedict felt himself frown slightly, then immediately scold himself for being improper at a society function; surely, you need not show your bosom to the entire ton in order to draw the eye of him and a number of other suitors.

You were conversing with Penelope and Lady Featherington when he finally approached you, eyes wide with fear, “Hello,” he said politely, giving a slight nod to Penelope and her mother, “Is there a spot open for my name on your card?” You quirked an eyebrow, giving him a smirk as you removed the card from your wrist.

“Why of course, Mr. Bridgerton,” you replied in an equally cordial manner. Heaven forbid Portia Featherington get a whiff of your affair; you’d be certain your name would be splashed across Lady Whistledown’s pamphlet before you’d wake the next morning, “In fact, you are the first gentleman to ask, so you may have the first dance. If you are not otherwise engaged, that is.” He shook his head and his eyes gleamed as he returned your card to your delicately gloved hand.

Despite his anxiety being astronomically high, Benedict was delighted that he was able to dance with you so early in the evening. He always thought of you as a fluid dancer, light on your feet as the two of you would glide across the ballroom. He often found himself not being able to take his eyes off you, the lively music and judgmental crowd fading away the moment he embraced you.

More importantly, he wanted to speak to you about the precarious situation you found yourselves in. It was only a matter of time until either Anthony or Colin pried the truth out of him, and he wouldn’t let the news spread across all of London society, besmirching your good name. He cared about you too much to allow such a wretched thing to happen.  

A few moments later, all of the couples were signaled that the first dance was to begin. Benedict shot a glance to Colin, who had been talking Anthony’s ear off since they arrived. Now, the two of them were staring him down, whispering like schoolboys. He refrained from scoffing and instead took your hand gently, pulling you into his tall frame as the music began.

You instantly noticed the nervous and almost pained expression splashed across Benedict’s face, and you furrowed your brow in worry. However, you decided your best course of action was to try and alleviate the tension he must’ve been feeling, “I see you haven’t taken a liking to my shawl,” you remarked, a sly smile dancing on your lips, “I will have to tell my sister she has dreadful taste.”

Benedict ripped his eyes from his brothers’ stares and produced a small chuckle at your teasing. He realized he’d much rather converse with you than worry about what Anthony and Colin were up to, “No, it’s uh—it is, quite lovely,” he countered, lowering his voice, “Though I would prefer to see more of you, of course.” You raised an eyebrow, impressed by his boldness.

“I believe you saw plenty last night, Mr. Bridgerton,” you posited, weaponizing his own name against him, “In fact, I suppose you could blame yourself for my more…conservative attire, wouldn’t you agree?”

Benedict couldn’t help but flush, but cleared his throat to attempt to keep up with your rather scandalous banter, “Yes, well…I suppose…” he stuttered, “I may or may not have left some…marks.” He spun you, watching as your dress moved gracefully around your body and fluttered behind you as you gripped his arm once more.

You searched the panicked expression on his face. Surely, he only knew you were teasing, so why did he look like he was on the brink of sickness? “Benedict, why are you acting so strange?” you asked, attempting to keep the mood light while searching for information, “You’re not falling in love with me, are you?”

Benedict swallowed, attempting to maintain his composure. Besides the looming threat of every affluent family in Mayfair uncovering your secret, he was also painfully aware of how nervous you had been making him over the past weeks. The way your smile lit up every room, the way your eyes sparkled playfully, the way your laugh made his heart do a somersault.

“It’s just as well,” you continued, not waiting for him to answer your rhetorical question, “I overheard Colin and Pen whispering earlier, and Simon and Daphne as well. Apparently, all our friends have a bet going that we end up together.” He sighed, a little relieved that you had caught onto his family’s shenanigans before he worried you unnecessarily. He couldn’t help but appreciate your perceptive nature.

“Believe me, Colin and Daphne may be my siblings, but they are not my friends right now,” he joked nervously, only half-kidding, “And Anthony is on dangerously thin ice. It appears my family can’t help but get involved in matters that do not concern them.” You giggled, causing Benedict’s heart to swell. He was growing more infatuated with you by the second.

“I wish my family cared half as much as yours does,” you say, a twinge of sadness in your voice, “They are all so wonderful, and I’m sure they are just being protective.” Benedict nodded, heartened by the kindness and understanding you were showing to his siblings. You already got along quite well with Eloise and Daphne, and you were always courteous to his mother while still being able to hold your own when conversing with Anthony or Colin.

As the dance came to an end, Benedict had begun to realize his affection for you. Not just physically; yes, your first encounter at Sir Granville’s had brought you two together faster than he had ever expected. It was reckless, intimate, and completely wonderful, but getting to know you, without dozens of uppity members of high society leering at your every move, was more valuable than any nights you had spent together.

And he decided in that moment, as your hand released from his and you both bowed respectfully, that he could not bear to spend one more day without you by his side. But he could not profess his love in front of God and everyone, least of all his family; he quickly surmised that he must wait until a moment presented itself.

You were quickly whisked away by your mother, unable to even say a proper thank you and goodbye. But as your eyes met his blue ones, you couldn’t help but notice how they were sparkling in the candlelight, and you felt a twinge of melancholy. You cared for Benedict, but feared it was only a matter of time before your affair ended and he was married to another disgustingly wealthy aristocrat. You gave him a fleeting smile before getting dragged to the other side of the ballroom.

As you turned away from him, Benedict felt two hands grasping each of his arms, one hand belonging to each of his meddling brothers, “I knew it!” Colin whisper-yelled as he and Anthony pulled their love-struck sibling into a secluded corner of the lavish hall, “You know, you really aren’t fooling anyone, Ben.”

“How do you mean?” Benedict asked nervously in one last ditch effort to conceal the truth. He shouldn’t have bothered; his brothers had seen how smitten he was with you, and soon the entire ton would be abuzz with salacious gossip if he did not make his move that very evening.

“Benedict,” Anthony chided sternly, clapping him on the shoulder, “Please, do not deny it any longer. You’re clearly bewitched.” The eldest Bridgerton child could not help but smirk; it was almost entertaining to see his usually guarded brother so obviously in love.

Benedict sighed, defeated, “Alright,” he whispered, his face flush with embarrassment, “I apologize for thinking I could ever keep a secret from you two.” Colin smirked proudly, feeling as if he were London’s greatest detective, “I’ll tell you everything if you want, but for the love of Christ, it cannot be here.” He gestured to the room, which was growing more crowded with preening mamas, hunting for the slightest whiff of a scandal.

While Benedict and his brothers searched for a private room for him to regale your escapades, your night flew by, and hours later you found yourself chatting with Daphne and Simon on the gorgeously decorated outdoor terrace. The night was perfectly temperate, and although the noise had died down significantly as many guests had departed for the evening, your head was still swimming in thought. Specifically, you were overwhelmed by the thought of Benedict.

He was quite kind to you, and a very smart, charming gentleman, but you felt your heart lurch as you recalled the intimate nights you had shared over the last few weeks. Men of Benedict’s status would not wed a tainted woman, no matter how much you wished he would. It was only a matter of time before Lady Whistledown revealed your transgressions, and you would be marked as an undesirable to the entire upper echelon of society.

You shuddered at the thought. “Chilly, dear?” Daphne asked sweetly, noticing the unsettled look on your face, “I would think you’d be more protected from the elements with that beautiful shawl on.” Your heart jumped to your throat before you could cover for yourself; Benedict had appeared on the terrace, looking absolutely petrified. Simon and Daphne exchanged glances.

“Darling,” Simon said, turning to his wife, “It is quite crisp out here, don’t you think? Perhaps we should—”

“Go inside to warm up?” Daphne finished his sentence, that unmistakably mischievous glint in her eye that all Bridgerton children possessed, “Why yes, I think that is a fantastic idea, Simon.” She hooked her arm under her husband’s, and the two of them bid you and Benedict adieu, much to your dismay. You were certain he had been found out by his family and was here to end your affair before word reached the rest of the ton.

Still, you managed to smile politely. Simon was right, there was a slight chill that pervaded the terrace, mostly due to the lack of company that had populated the space only hours before, “Hello, Benedict,” you mutter, shifting your weight from one heeled foot to the other, “Will you be departing soon or—?”

“Erm, yes,” he answered a bit too quickly, and you raised an eyebrow. His strange behavior all night was another indicator that ending things was clearly as difficult for him to initiate as it would be for you to accept, “But first, I, well, I need to tell you something. Something I probably should have told you weeks ago.”

You felt a lump in your throat almost instantaneously. ‘Here it comes,’ you thought, more distressed than you hoped you would be. Benedict took your gloved hand, rubbing circles on the back of your hand with his thumb. If it were not slightly improper, you would almost find it comforting; his touch always seemed to soothe you, ever since your first night together.

“I never expected to…for us to become so close in such a short period of time,” he began, wondering at what point in this silly speech he would make a royal ass out of himself. Though he had gained a little brotherly insight from Anthony and Colin, he still felt as though he could vomit at any second, “And, well, truth be told, I have enjoyed every moment we have spent together.”

You smiled, pleased by his kind words, “Truthfully, I have felt the same,” you remarked, “But it’s quite alright, Ben, I understand—”

“You do?” he cut you off again, a bead of sweat forming on his brow, “Am I really so obvious about my affection for you?” You stared at him, confused. Was this not him ending whatever…relationship the two of you shared? Now you felt like the fool.

“Affection?” you repeated, your mouth twitching, “I thought you did not want to see me anymore.” Benedict’s eyes widened, and he couldn’t help but laugh dryly. You had mistaken his jittery behavior as a bad omen, when that could not be further from reality.

He shook his head, and you felt the pace of your heartbeat quicken, “My dear, I think there’s been a slight misunderstanding,” he joked, clearing his throat, “I know that our relationship has been a secret for some time, but I cannot hide how I feel for you any longer. You are kind, and witty, and strong, and incredibly adventurous, and when our dance came to an end earlier this evening, I…I felt like there was a part of me missing as soon as you left. I…when I’m not with you, it’s almost like…I can’t breathe.”

Your breath hitched in the back of your throat, taken aback by his doting and earnest words. “And it would be my honor,” he smiled, his gaze intense and impassioned, “If I could ask for your hand.” Your eyes sparkled back at his, and you nodded silently, attempting to conceal a squeal of girlish glee. You two were still, unfortunately, in public.

“Yes,” you exhaled, feeling foolish from your assumptions about Benedict only minutes before, “I would be equally honored to be your wife, Benedict Bridgerton.” You snuck him a quick kiss on his cheek, causing him to flush for what was probably the hundredth time that night, “I see our friends were right after all, weren’t they?”

“Yes, yes they were, and I doubt I will ever hear the end of it from Anthony and Colin,” Benedict mused, smiling sweetly as the corners of his eyes crinkled happily, “I’ll see to a proper visit first thing tomorrow morning, I promise.” He studied you, doing all he could to absorb the joyous look etched upon your radiant face. You smirked, turning in the direction of your family’s carriage.

“I shall hold you to that,” you said, pulling him towards the exit, “But don’t think this night is over, Mr. Bridgerton. I’m not done with you quite yet.”

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I hope you enjoyed reading! As always I would love to hear any comments or feedback! Like/comment/reblog, all that good stuff :)

[apinchofm]

Ooh, okay, so unpopular opinion! I respect people who are fans of Penelope and Polin, and even though I'm not on that train yet, I trust the writers will bring me around, like they did with Anthony. I also agree that maybe there's some fatphobia involved with people hating Penelope, or not wanting any sex scenes, or having sexist double standards when it comes to, say, comparing Anthony and Penelope's actions. And tbh, I've only seen a glimpse of the hate Nicola and Luke get for basically anything (their looks, performance, chemistry, behaviour off-set), and it's pretty bad (only got into this fandom, so I didn't even catch the hate Simone or Charithra got, which I assume was a lot worse). It's like they're not even going to give the actors a chance to pull a great, convincing romance/performance.

HOWEVER, it seems like people on the other spectrum are going to complete opposite direction and saying Penelope did NOTHING wrong, which also irks me. Like, you want complex, three dimensional characters, but you're unable to admit that Penelope did significant harm to Marina and Eloise? I don't think Marina or Eloise are fine, because they were hurt by Penelope's actions, and that matters. Marina, who is of lower class when compared to Penelope, which very much matters here because she lacks the security aristocrats do, nearly ended up killing herself, and was incredibly lucky Daphne helped her located Sir George's family otherwise she'd be homeless. But even then, she is now isolated outside town in what looks to be an unhappy marriage ("Not all of us are guaranteed fairytale endings.") Because of the scandal LD caused her, it looks like she'll not be able to return there anytime soon, and it also looks like nobody from there has been writing to her or calling on her (Penelope and Eloise weren't anyway, and we can assume the Featheringtons also weren't because Penelope had to ask Colin how she was. FWI I know we don't see Eloise and Marina interacting, but there was a scene in the pilot script where they and Penelope were all hanging out as friends, so I accept that as canon). Like, there were just so many other ways Penelope could have made Colin aware she was pregnant without involving the rest of the town. People saying she wasn't wrong in that area because it was just the truth are the same people who are say, "I'm not being a bitch, I'm just being honest. Honest about the fact I have nothing nice to say in general." And people hating Eloise for being a bad friend and "not accomplishing anything unlike Penelope", when she was literally trying to do that all season with her feminist work, and was only stopped because Penelope betrayed her! So what, when Eloise tries to do accomplish something worthwhile, she's judged for being reckless and inconsiderate of her family and going against societal values of being a good submissive lady? But when Penelope does the same, she's considerate a badass? Also, since Eloise was warned against doing so by Penelope many times (only to really prevent her from finding out she was LD and not out of any concern for her safety, let's be honest), but was ignored, Penelope had every right to tattle. It's also like saying, "Do what I tell you to do, or I'll punch you in the face. You won't? Okay, I punched you in the face. Don't be mad." While Eloise, unlike Marina, has a Bridgerton get-out-of-jail-free scandal card and does not seem to have to face any long-term consequences, she's now lost both her friends Penelope and Theo, and good luck getting her to trust anyone else again with her secrets or trying to do anything worthwhile.

I can accept that Penelope is a nuanced character whose actions had both good and selfish intentions, and were never maliciously planned out, but I can also accept that she deeply hurt people along the way and should own up to that. I can also accept that Eloise and Marina are also flawed characters who definitely didn't notice Penelope's inner turmoil, but I can recognize that Marina was going through incredible struggles that would never come close to Penelope's, so it's understandable why she wouldn't. I can also accept Eloise is still growing up and learning, at a slower rate than others, but she's still doing it, and perfectly capable of improving. There's also a difference between a bad friend and a straight up Brutus as well, haha.

I don't know, I'm actually interested in what they'll do with Colin and Penelope's season, but idk, it seems like whenever there's a fandom some people just straight up refuse to acknowledge when fictional characters fuck up. Also, leave the actors alone! We can judge them on whether or not they're bad when the season actually comes out.

I'm somewhat interested in season 3 too! But yes, lets discuss the whole Penelope can do no wrong. Yes, there is fatphobia when it comes to discussing her which is horrible and wrong because she is beautiful.

I personally find Colin and Penelope quite bland compared to Kathony and Simon/Daphne at the moment, which is why I was hoping for Benedict's season first to see some growth, but we move.

She's basically, by a lot of fans, given a LOT of leeway in the same way characters who have done lesser actions. Edwina gets dragged for being upset that her fiance was in love with her sister but Penelope is out here insulting everyone and their mother for coin. The misogynoir against Marina is disgusting. People call the Queen all sorts because she's black. The racism toward the Sharmas. A lot of these fans see being black or brown and slightly flawed as a worse sin.

Also, she is insulting people who actively care about her. I would understand if she was just dragging the Cressidas and even Portia. But Marina was only Penelope's friend, aside from Elosie. She literally wanted to marry Colin because that meant she would get to still see Penelope! She did nothing to tease or outright hurt her. Penelope could have told Colin herself if she was so concerned, but she did it in a way that destroyed Marina's life. That's objectively cruel. I don't care that she cried in a garden about it.

Let's discuss Eloise. Eloise was not a bad freind. She was upset, rightfully because she found out Penelope had been telling the whole of London her family business, to the point of straight-up insult and ruin. Eloise could have been done for treason. Colin was heartbroken. Marina tried to k!ll herself. Her reaction was mild compared to what Penelope had done to her and her family.

Yes, she's flawed and nuanced but I would like her more if people stopped pretending that she did all this to be benevolent or witty. She has hurt the people and that is why I do not like her. The writers are going to have to work double-time!!

Do they want me to stan a racist?? Is that it?? Nah, not here.

And yes, leave actors alone - it screams unemployed and sad.

[disasterofastory]

Disaster of the season Part 1 (Colin B. x Reader)

Disaster of the season Part 1 Colin Bridgerton x Reader Warnings: none

Four times when you embarrass yourself in front of the ton and one time when Colin decides you are the one for him.

I.

Colin stands beside his brothers, looking around the ballroom. Everybody tries to show their best self to impress the Queen, who sits at the end of the ornate hall with a stoic, unimpressed face. They can feel the tension as the man next to the great door reads the debutantes’ name clearly and loudly.

The Featherington girls look like lost chicks with big feathers on the top of their heads. They are paler than usual, and their mother tries to adjust them like an angry mother hen.

Colin tries not to smile at the thought, and the next moment, he forgets to breathe as one of the young girls falls over fainting. Her thin body meets with the floor with a thud, and everyone gasps at the scene. The poor girl doesn’t even have time to gather herself because of her fretting mother.

The next debutante is the Bridgerton boys’ sister. She is beautiful and flawless, as the Queen said a few moments ago. Colin glances up at his big brother, who watches their sister with a proud smile on his face. Daphne’s face is tinted with red from the praise as she curtsies before the Queen.

The last debutante of the season is you.

You stand behind the door as you hear the man reading your name. Your mother squeezes your hand one last time before the door opens before you. People look at you with interest and judge in their eyes, while the only thing you can focus on is the heavy feather in your hair. It pulls on your tied-up locks as you start to walk.  Your chest moves up and down by anxiety, and your knees weaken when you stop in front of the Queen with a curtsy. You keep your posture for what feels like long hours before you straight up, looking at the woman.

And the disaster happens.

You feel warmth above your painted lips, and you can smell the typical, steely scent of blood.

Oh God, no!

You can hear the gasps around the room, and you can see the disgusted expression on the Queen’s face as she notices your state. Your eyes burn with tears, and you stare at the floor in front of you while your mother stands next to you with a comforting touch and a handkerchief. You grab the soft fabric with a quiet thanks as you try to hide your embarrassment.

Colin watches you the whole time. He knows you since childhood. Your family was there for them when their father passed away. He knows you hate the attention, and he can see the shame in your eyes as you turn around with your mother’s arms on your shoulder. Mrs. Y/L/N’s lips move as she tries to comfort you without success.

“Poor Y/N,” Anthony says quietly, watching you leave the room.

“She is pretty despite the… blood,” Colin replies sympathetically.

II.

Lady Whistledown's sharp-tongued report about the debutantes leaves no hope in you for visitors.

You sit in the drawing-room with the paper on your lap, trying to hold back your tears. It’s not like you want to get married immediately to the first person who shows interest in you but still. Sitting alone in a room while the other girls probably bask in the flowers while the suitors line up in front of their house is heartbreaking.

“My poor girl,” your father sighs, sitting down next to you. “You shouldn’t be so sad about this.”

Without answering with words, you shrug, holding back your sob as you stare at the paper on your lap.

“It’s not the end of the world, you know?” He tries again. “Your mother and I met at the last minute. Both of us give up the hope to marry out of love and now look at us. I bet we are happier than a lot of couples of the ton.”

“Thank you,” you sigh, looking up at him with a small smile.

You are lucky if it comes to your family. Of course, they always make sure their name and honor are pure, but they know they are only people. Mistakes happen, and your parents definitely don’t want you to marry anybody who doesn’t make you happy.

“We should go to have a picnic,” he says, patting your knee. “I’m sure Daphne and Eloise would make you feel better.”

“It sounds good, dad,” you nod, standing up from your seat to get ready.

The weather is sunny and warm, and the park is full of people. Men talk with each other about the season and business while families sit around on their blankets and little kids run among them, playing and laughing. You see the Bridgertons as soon as you enter the park, and soon you and your family join their company.

Violet smiles at you comfortingly, squeezing you as you hug her as a greeting.

You look around fearfully while your parents start to talk with Mrs. Bridgerton, enjoying the clear air and warm sunlight.

“Y/N,” You hear your name from Eloise’s lips.

“It’s good to see you,” you smile at her, still busy with the others of the ton.

“You don’t have to worry,” she says when she notices your fidgety demeanor. “Everybody talks about Daphne and Simon Basset.”

“What?” You look at the brown-haired girl with surprise on your face. She nods, pointing not far at the walking couple. “Oh,” you gasp, relieved and a little bit jealous. Of course, the diamond of the season has no problem finding a worthy suitor to her liking.

It’s not like you are jealous because of the Duke, you don’t know the man, and your heart already found the person you want the most. It’s more about that Daphne has every chance to get a husband while you couldn’t be farther from it.

Speaking of…

“Y/N,” Colin mentions your name, stepping out from next to his brothers’ company to greet you with a kiss on your hand. “How are you?”

“I’m good,” you smile. “And how are you?” You ask him, looking behind him to his brothers. “What mischief you got into?”

The smile on your face becomes cheeky as they laugh.

“I think Miss Y/L/N knows us as rascals,” Anthony says with a smirk on his lips. He is happy you seem better after the unfortunate encounter with the Queen.

“I hope not,” Colin murmurs, but you don’t understand him, and you don’t even have time to think about it because his sister grabs your arm to pull you with herself.

“Come, Y/N,” Eloise says. “Walk with me. I want to talk with Penelope.”

The mentioned girl seems uncomfortable in her pink, flowery dress. She rolls her eyes at something her sister said when she notices your approaching form. She stands up to excuse herself before she joins your small company for a walk.

“I’m sorry about what happened at the ball,” she says, and you smile at her.

“It’s okay, Pen,” you tell her. “It’s in the past.”

You walk with the two girls beside the lake, chatting and laughing under the bright sun. Your mood changes fast as you listen to their words, and soon you don’t even think about the horrible event, doesn’t matter if the others look at you judgingly or not.

Colin stands next to his mother, listening to your parent talking about your sorrowful days without visitors. You don’t deserve it, he is sure of it, you are funny and smart and beautiful. Any man would be lucky to court you.

He looks around to find you, walking with his sister and Penelope next to the small lake. The smile on your face is much happier than before, and he can almost hear your laugh at something Eloise said. The light dress on you slowly waves as the wind rises.

At the corner of his eyes, he sees his younger siblings running around on the green grass. Hyacinth chases her brother, who laughs at his sister’s fury.

Colin straightens up as he stands, seeing his siblings running to your way with unchanged speed.

“Gregory,” he shouts warningly, and his younger brother looks back at him, confused, but it’s too late. His small body collides with your unprepared form. A small shriek leaves your mouth as you reach for Eloise, who tries to grab you without success.

You disappear under the water as you fall into it with a splash. The Bridgertons already run your way with your parents in their heels.

“Gregory Bridgerton!” Colin hears their mother's angry voice and the others’ gasps at the scene.

“Y/N!” He says your name in sync with his brothers, reaching for you to help you out of the water.

Your face is surprised as if you still can’t believe what happened. Your hair is ruined, and your clothes stick to your body, so your father takes off his coat to hide you.

“Are you okay?” He asks you worriedly.

Colin still holds your arm, and he can’t decide about the wetness on your face.

Are you crying?