bess d. fawcett (bestzeller) wrote in valesco,
@ 2012-09-29 07:58:00

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Drystan!
She wasn't sure how particularly long she could hide out in the kitchen without her disappearance becoming noticeable. The food had been a hit, the drinks were poured, but Bess had no desire to be out in the dining room or living room with her guests. The ball of nerves in her stomach had finally gotten the best of her, and for someone who'd dealt with death eaters invading her home, Bess decided that inviting her sister-in-law's boyfriend to dinner had been almost as big of a disaster.

Her fingers felt like they weren't hers as she moved about, getting plates together for dessert. Bess had been so bloody proud of herself for this idea and now she felt ready to get sick. In her mind, forcing Drystan and Penny and her boyfriend (she couldn't even say his name, she was getting anxiety) had seemed like the only way to get out of this ridiculous limbo the family was in. Penny seemed to be doing so well with everything, and Bess hated having to separate their lives and tiptoe and avoid.

Why was she so stubborn? Why did she get these ideas and not feel satisfied until they were seen through?

"Shit!" she let out quietly. Her knife had slipped while slicing strawberries and now her finger was covered in a mixture of juice and blood. Bess cursed to herself as she made her way to the sink. Maybe she could feign falling ill at the sight of blood and send every body home.

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bestzeller
2012-09-30 10:38 pm UTC (link)

Bess was quite sure she'd never found herself in a fight where she didn't think she would win. Drystan had scared the daylights out of her as he swooped into the kitchen and took hold of her, playing healer. Bess watched his hands move in silence, feeling quite like a child whose hand had been caught stealing some extra desserts. Once again the feeling of being sick overcame her.

She'd never make it through the rest of the night like this, however. Everyone had been rather pleasant save for the obvious tension. Penny's boyfriend---Charlie had been quiet and polite; mortified, but polite. It would have been like any boyfriend's first visit to his girlfriend's family home, really. Awkward. Strained laughs, teasing. It could have worked. It should have, if they were a normal family. But, really, who was she kidding?

Bess huffed, looking away.

"I should have told you and I'm sorry for that," she said quickly, neck twisting as if an owl, trying completely get him out of her vision. Bess felt herself start to heat up. Oh, she hated being embarrassed, and she squirmed uncomfortably. "I thought this was the only way to start building bridges again and it really hasn't gone terribly, but I won't bother trying anymore if you don't want me to and---" Her shoulders straightened, though she didn't know what good it would do when she couldn't look her own husband in the eye.

"She seems happy and I'm happy for her," Bess said, unsure if it was in her defense or a slight poke at her husband. Penny did seem to have a glow about her. She continued to stare at his reflection through the glass of the cabinet. "But I'm sorry nonetheless."

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brythonichero
2012-10-02 04:40 pm UTC (link)

Satisfied with the bandage, he dropped her wrist unceremoniously and flicked on the tap to wash his hands. Drystan felt like gnashing his teeth, but he wasn't quite that uncivilized, so he clenched his jaw instead. He hadn't even expected an apology, so by that score, this interaction was going much better than he would have anticipated. If one overlooked the fact that she then followed the rather stilted and entirely too defensive apology by throwing down a gauntlet.

Of course he was happy that his sister was doing well; it was an insult to even begin to imply that he wasn't. Penelope was pursuing a good living doing something she'd always loved, and he was proud of her for humbling herself enough to ask for second chances, for forcing herself to revisit a year full of nothing but bad memories and poor decisions. But he didn't think Spinnet had anything to do with those successes, and he might even be of the opinion that Spinnet was holding her back in some small way, not to mention the obvious fact that he wasn't good enough for her. Then to be backed into a corner because Bess wanted to meddle since the situation wasn't going to her taste? He knew she would have counted on his discretion and need for privacy to not make a scene when the two of them arrived, and that just infuriated him. He'd been played by someone he was supposed to be able to trust and that felt like a betrayal. With the way she defended her motivations so readily, it struck him as being a little selfish too.

Drystan gave her reflection a long, hard look as he dried his hands on the dishcloth and hung it back. "Fine."

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