you're living in the past, it's the 14th century

[dreamyphillip]

              meet  phillip hubert kingsley  !

                                 28 — HUMANITARIAN

favorite song? center of gravity by the brazen youth sexuality: pansexual pronouns?: he/him big three? capricorn sun, taurus moon, virgo rising

phillip was born to beatrice and hubert kingsley. they were a sound family, never having to care much over expenses thanks to his father's business, which spanned generations. it was expected of him to take care of that business some day and marry the girl his father approved of but those were complex ideas to relay to a seven year old boy who only wanted to have fun and do whatever he wanted.

he'd always been closer to his mother, she'd always stood up for him and implored for him to live life for himself. his father always hated this, it would ignite heated arguments on how he'd turn out to be if he wasn't raised under a firm hand. impassioned debates over his future were a constant, almost never ending at times. the disagreements eventually stopped once his mother passed away, he was at boarding school when this happened and was instructed by his father to focus on his studies instead of mourning. from that moment of phillip kept what his mother took to heart, he'd live life for himself. at any chance he could, he'd disobey his father's words. starting with that instruction to remain at school, phillip returned home for the funeral to properly say goodbye to his mother.

phillip was more free-spirited than his family's business could have needed. the business required someone disciplined, which phillip was, and one to take charge, which phillip was surely capable of doing, but his plans for his own future strayed further than that of simple real estate development. the whole idea of his life being lead up to buy large sums of land, of which echo isle was running low on, and then having to sell them to companies that ran on corporate greed was comical had it not been for the very real chance of that being a reality. for this reason, phillip tried his hardest to stay away from his family's business, traveling and making philanthropic efforts to make a name for himself.

he was always destined to come back, phillip tried everything to avoid it but slowly and surely echo isle was soon called home once again. echo isle is not the worst place, he'd forgotten how beautiful it could be and how lovely the people were, though he was certain these thoughts were mere talking points to rationalize his time on the island. the resignation to a single place had hardly been what he'd planned but with his father becoming ill, he couldn't bear the idea of not being there in those final days. it was his father, after all, it wasn't all complete disdain. even he knew he'd regret if he weren't present in his father's life now.

but, of course, with being close to his father again, it all felt like a curated trap just to remind him of the duties he'd be forced into. he was still in his father's will to take over the company once hubert was gone and the arranged marriage that he was hoping he could escape was now impending, hubert wanted to make sure he'd be there to ensure his son's future, just as he's wanted all along.

HC’s:

doesn't start anything he won't finish, determined as all-hell to accomplish a goal and has a hard time accepting defeat on the extremely rare occasion he does quit.

what he truly wants to keep doing is philanthropic work, help out those who aren't as privileged as he and his family are. personally helping out communities is a way to ensure his money is being put to good use.

his father's company is behind a lot of the lower-income properties being sold to big businesses, inherently pushing out mom and pop shops and driving up the rent. hubert plays a major part in the displacement of families who have lived there forever with nowhere to go now.

has gone to school in england for most of his life because his dad didn't want to deal with him. he's developed a bit of an accent from staying in england for practically most of his life. he likes it though, it distinguishes him more from his father which is all he could really want.

very aware of the arranged marriage his father had set out for him, but he cannot deny that a girl he only recently met has held his heart since the moment he laid eyes on her.

[sleeplessrose]

It was nearly unfair, how kind he could be when the world was being so deeply unkind to them. Aurora couldn't help but smile slightly, knowing the admission of jealousy was partially from him. Whoever he was about to propose to, she would be envious of, too, but a small part of her hoped she would never find out who the woman was. Still, she had no idea who he was, only that they were of similar age: her parents hadn't wanted her to find any reasons to talk her way out of getting engaged to whomever it was. "Just that he's about my age; I may have freaked out slightly when the idea had gotten into my head that he might be a decade or so my senior." Aurora wondered the same for him, whether he knew who he was betrothed to, but she wasn't sure if she wanted any information on the woman who he was going to spend the rest of his life with. "I know we keep saying we'll leave each other alone, but, I suppose, perhaps we should really mean it this time. For the sake of our futures, that is, not that I would ever want to leave you alone. Anyway, I thought ... perhaps, if you wanted to spend one last night together, before we have to ..." she trailed off, hoping he'd accept the offer.

[dreamyphillip]

"My father also doesn't tell me much, it's quite scary," He added a laugh, trying to make a joke of their situations but his laughter came out more nervous than intended. "What could they possibly be hiding that they won't share basic information?" It was a frustration he'd brought up multiple times and yet answers never came, they were as vague as the descriptions of his future wife. "I only hope it ends well for the both of us, I would like to think they wouldn't set us up with the worst people imaginable." He shot her a smile, aiming to reassure her and ease her nerves but the reality was, he couldn't be there to promise her that everything would be alright. Phillip kept his gaze towards the ground as she relayed their circumstances, he nodded along in a quiet sorrow that carried their conversations ever since last year. But it was what she said towards the end that prompted him to snap his head back up, her suggestion being something he would only dream of her saying. "I would love to, Rose." It was a decision he knew would hurt but in the end he couldn't resist saying no to her. With a shy smile, he held out his hand, "Do you wish to dance?"

[sleeplessrose]

The way they'd left things at the hospital had led Aurora to believe that perhaps she and Phillip could continue on as friends. She would've accepted this fate, had she been able to bear the thought of only having him as a friend in her life, which she was working on accepting, until her parents had revealed that she'd be meeting her future fiance the week after Halloween. It left her in a panic, in practical cold sweat every time she found herself able to sleep, waking up with the thought of being married to someone truly awful. Any time she wasn't spending attempting to be cheered up by her fairies was instead spent crying over her fate. It was the trio who had convinced her to go to the party, to get some closure with Phillip before having to accept the true fate that was facing her.

As she filled her empty glass with a colored beverage from an array across a table, Aurora felt a small tap on her arm, coming from none other than the boy whom she'd been both hoping and dreading to see. "Good evening," she greeted politely, a natural smile coming to her lips as she caught sight of him. He looked painfully handsome, an exact picture of the kind of husband she'd dreamt for herself as a girl. "Thank you, I'm glad I did, too. Luckily, I had my aunts to help nurse me back to health." She paused, not wanting to come to the sad conclusion they had to so soon, but knowing it might be easier to begin with the stipulation that this might be their last conversation. "I was hoping I'd see you here, actually. There's something I wanted to talk to you about." Aurora paused, only taking a small sip of her drink to give her a moment and gather the courage to speak. "I believe I'm meeting my fiance soon."

[dreamyphillip]

The roaring of music and partygoers did nothing to keep his attention away from Rose. His gaze hadn't left her and much less now that she had something to share with him. A feeling he had only felt in small waves before now all came at once. It couldn't even be contained with just one word, it was a mix of jealousy and heartbreak and defeat. Even when all of this was transpiring inside of him, he still felt he owed it to her to convey some level of optimism. "He is a lucky man; A man everyone should envy." His lighthearted comment gave way to his feelings but they weren't sentiments he hadn't said before. And anyone with even the smallest of knowledge on who Rose was would agree. "Have your parents told you who he is yet?" If her parents were anything like his father, the answer was likely no, but that didn't stop him from asking in the case that she did. With the knowledge of any information on her future fiancé, he could see if this was a man suitable for her. Maybe that could put him into a final ease in letting her go.

[sleeplessrose]

Though Aurora had the feeling he wasn't particularly fond of his father, it was still sad, knowing that Phillip didn't have much time left with him. Perhaps that was the reason he wanted his son married so soon: so he could witness it. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said sincerely. A flinch of her hand nearly reached for his, as though to offer her slightest show of comfort--her conscience got the best of her, deeming the gesture entirely inappropriate as Aurora simply wove her fingers behind her back. "I'm at least glad you were able to avoid all that, whatever the reason. Even if you did manage to exit unharmed, it was still a painful sight to see."

He was perhaps one of the only people with whom she did feel safe to discuss the events of the night. Aurora had always felt that way around Phillip, never stopping to worry about his intentions with her. "No, I was simply trying to leave, and I wound up sustaining a terrible fall, and ... there were people everywhere, trying to go out this small exit, which turned out to be a rather large hazard," she explained. It was simply a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, unfortunately for the blonde. "But, otherwise, everything is well. My parents did come by, briefly, though really only to tell me that we'll be discussing my engagement once I'm released, and home," Aurora admitted; despite the prior knowledge from Mal that she would be married soon, it was the first she'd heard it confirmed from her parents themselves.

[dreamyphillip]

-timeskip to hotel transylvania halloween party-

The amount of times Rose passed through Phillip's mind became less frequent, and though it pained him to let her go, he had to. His days were now concerned with his father, business deals, and his upcoming marriage, they didn't leave much room for pining, especially not for pining girls who were also engaged to someone else. It was a unique torment to think of her that much anyway, the feelings that never seemed to diminish didn't have any place in his life. So Phillip went on with his routines, hoping that there could be a day when his longing wouldn't plague him, that day certainly didn't feel like it was coming up anytime soon but he believed it was possible.

It was a certain acceptance for him to even want that to happen when just a year ago he clung onto every minute he could share with Rose like his life depended on it. However, the resignation to an easier life did already make a difference to the sight of the familiar blonde. It was bittersweet seeing her just as it had been for the past year but with some sense that both their futures could be alright, it wasn't as unbearable. Phillip gave her arm a light nudge as he inched closer and gave his usual polite greeting. "It's good to see you again," his words were genuine as was the smile on his face. "You look much better than you were in the hospital, I'm glad you recovered alright."

[sleeplessrose]

She should've denied him with the first offer she had to let him go, but Aurora couldn't seem to bring herself to simply sending Phillip home. He'd come all the way to check on her when he had no obligation to do so, and the company would be nice, after all. In her current state, Aurora instead couldn't help but fall into the trap laid for her that would likely leave to a far more difficult goodbye later on. "I suppose just a moment would be acceptable," she agreed. At the very least, she would have long enough to hear how he was doing, if he was in fact still planning to be engaged or if it had somehow been postponed after all this time. "Though, with the current state of things around here, I don't think the nurses are entirely concerned with an unapproved visitor. I think that may be the least of their worries." Aurora started toward her temporary residence, gesturing for her visitor to follow. "Are you alright, after the other night? You weren't injured, or anything? Admittedly, I'd been terribly worried, thinking you might've been, and there was no way for me to know, really. But, I do hope you were unharmed, and everything else is going well for you, otherwise," she confessed, hoping he might give any indication of both his physical and, more importantly, relationship status.

[dreamyphillip]

Phillip's spirit had risen in contentment knowing that, even for a brief moment, he could see Rose and be around her. It was bitter in knowing he'd eventually have to face the world without her in it once again but he could leave that for the future, right now he was simply invested in how she'd been since their last meeting. He'd walked alongside her on their way to her room, trying not to get in the way of the busy nurses and doctors. He shook his head at her inquiry towards his health, "There's no need to worry over me any longer, I'd been occupied with my father so I was unable to attend the festival at any capacity. He is as stubborn as he is ill, there's not much I can do about him now."

Had he not been worrying over his own father's health, perhaps he would have gone to the festival. Instead, his efforts over the last few days had been towards begging a sick man to change the plans for his marriage. Phillip had been hoping that with his father's illness worsening, perhaps there would be some compassion could come about. That just maybe, by some miracle, his father would gain some sense into seeing how forcing his only son into marriage might be foolish. But rather than postponing the wedding for his own wishes, it had been for not wanting to have the festival's attacks to overshadow the wedding. His thoughts had been too set on his father when they should be dedicated towards his present company, "I do hope your injuries weren't targeted by anyone in particular. But If you do not wish to talk about that night, I understand completely."

[sleeplessrose]

It'd seemed her feeble attempt at an escape hadn't gone as planned, as the name she'd given him to call her had been called not once, but twice. Aurora feared that having him within reach once again would be too much for her heart to bear, but so was the pain and pleading in his voice. Though she remained strong, keeping in her path ahead toward her room, it seemed her plans to avoid him were being forcefully intervened as Phillip physically stopped her in her tracks. The face before her was one she'd only dreamt of in the past few months, hoping he could remain there forever while she knew he couldn't be hers while they were awake.

"You came to find me," she stated the obvious, the gesture one that she was wrapping her head around. He still thought of her as she did of him--perhaps she would've taken the same mission had she not been stuck in her own hospital room. "I'm alright, I just needed to get out of there--my room, I mean. It's terribly lonely, and I'd just finished my book," Aurora explained, peering over her shoulder to be sure that none of her nurses were looking for her after she'd managed to slip out. "You certainly don't have to stay on my account, though, I--I should probably be getting back to my room, before I'm in trouble with the nurse."

[dreamyphillip]

This was as much as he should have done, made sure she was okay and ensured that she was under caring watch. It would be sensible to leave now, as he was already defying their agreement so any time spent longer in her presence would be to throw salt in the wound. But the larger part of him didn’t exactly align with sensibility, "I could stay for a moment, if that’s what you wish. I wouldn’t want you to be in that room all alone, and I’d very much like to hear all about the book you’ve read.” It was easy for him to throw away months of progress, in fact he did it with some eagerness because he really did want to cherish any second spent with her. It was a bit doomed, in a way, taking up as much of her time knowing she could dismiss him as she had every right to, but he had to at least try to find a way to prolong this visitation. “At the very least, let me accompany you to your room so that if you do get in trouble, I may take the blame for it."

[inneffablehusbands]

#Where's the twirling his hair gif

[sleeplessrose]

who: aurora & @dreamyphillip where: echo island hospital

Perhaps this had been why her fairies had kept her inside for so long. For how long she wanted to believe that people were good, that the dangers they'd warned her of were simply falsities to keep her content with what had already been decided of her, it had unfortunately been all along true. It was how she'd wound up in the hospital, alone, after being nearly trampled while people had begun to flee from the boardwalk and to safety. With her limbs scraped, and a cut on her head that had thankfully been stitched, Aurora quietly slipped out of her bed, hoping that the nurses wouldn't notice her absence while she simply wanted to take a stroll down the hall, just to get out of the room she'd been cooped up in for hours.

If anyone were to find her, she would be in trouble, but Aurora could hardly care. There were far too many people in the hospital for anyone to be worried about one missing patient with minor wounds when there were bigger problems to take care of. She'd nearly made it to the desk near the elevator when she saw him--Phillip, speaking to the nurse behind it. Her socks suddenly glued to the floor, she could hardly believe the sight of him: he was clearly fine, thankfully, but she couldn't imagine what he'd be doing here, now, if he didn't need to be. She met his eyes for what felt like an eternity, but could only hope was a split second, not long enough for him to recognize her. Perhaps this was all a dream, and that was all Aurora could hope as she spun on her heel, deciding that leaving her room was a terrible idea after all.

[dreamyphillip]

"Rose?" With the very luck that caught him in the woods when he had met her, Phillip had come across her once again. He'd nearly succumbed to the tranquility in sensing that if she wasn't here, she was safe at home. But when his eyes caught a glimpse of familiar golden locks from the receptionist's desk, he refused to let go of the sight and tried to decipher if what he was seeing was an illusion. Though it could have been likely he was seeing her now as he often saw her in nearly everything since their parting, this time he was quite certain she was real and he was going to chase her down to prove it. "Rose, please," Begging for her to stop, he thought that maybe for a second their eyes hadn't met and she didn't know who it was following her.

He'd sped up enough that he'd been able to catch up in her path before she could, finally under the cold hospital lights he'd been able to see her in the close proximity he'd been missing for the months now. "I apologize, I am aware we agreed that we wouldn't see each other again but I had to know if you were alright. I've gone to every clinic searching for you but none of them had your name in their system. This one didn't either..." He knew it didn't help that he didn't have her last name but certainly the system had to have something under 'Rose'. But Phillip didn't let this confusion take away his focus from the fact that she had been injured. "Are you alright? Shouldn't you be resting? Why are you out of your room?"

[roseapothecary]

VOGUE: Getting Ready with Nicholas Galitzine (2024)

[sleeplessrose]

Phillip had no idea what was coming; the results of keeping him so deep in the dark were about to come back to haunt her. She'd never meant to hurt him as horribly as she was about to, or to break her own heart in the process. But the longer she kept this going, still holding her secret close to her heart, the more she was inevitably going to worsen the blow. Even to have taken one last night for the two of them, despite the repeated advice to avoid such an ending from her fairies, had been incredibly selfish of her. He was so gentle, even now, that all Aurora could hope was that he would be just as kind to her once she told him the truth. Aside from the fear of hurting them both, what had haunted her most about this very interaction was the thought of Phillip hating her forever.

"We should sit," Aurora decided, bringing his hands from her cheeks into her own as she guided them to his sofa. She ran her fingers under her eyes carefully, wiping any makeup that had spilled onto her cheeks as she let out a sniffle. Aurora let out a breath, calming herself before preparing to deliver the news. "I don't want to lose you, but I'm afraid I have to," she admitted quietly, dreading the explanation. "Phillip, my aunts told me, after I told them about you, that I'm supposed to get engaged. I had no clue when I met you, or even who it's to, now that I know--just that it's supposed to happen, apparently soon." She managed a sad, apologetic smile as it was now laid out in front of her, the weight passed from her shoulders in between the two of them. "I'm so sorry, I should've told you the moment I knew, but I thought--I hoped it wouldn't be true, or that it would just go away, but they said that ... this should be our last time, seeing each other."

[dreamyphillip]

In the pits of his stomach, Phillip knew something was wrong. He’d hoped it wasn’t true, that any news in her presence couldn’t have been truly that bad because as long as he had her near then everything would be fine. The solace of her touch was needed before the heavy truth was revealed. The heartening smile he had put on for Rose slowly dissipated as it felt like everything good had been taken away from Phillip in an instant. Not only was he taking the news hard, he had to take into account how scary this had probably been for her. It was a situation he could unfortunately relate to. He brought her hands towards his lips, leaving a light peck on them for reassurance. “You do not have to be sorry, those that have put you in this scenario should be apologetic towards you. You deserve much better than what has been laid out for you,” He’d felt passionately that her life warranted the best plans that could have, whether that involved himself or not, he didn’t think it was fair that she had to be forced into a marriage. It was all unfair, and the reality of everything was that he hadn’t even gotten into his own confession of his truth. Which he was now aware he had to do immediately.

“You are a more candid person than I have been. My father has likewise plans in store for me...” He revealed slowly, finding it very hard to meet her gaze due to the shame he carried. It was difficult for him to believe he was worthy of looking into her eyes, the very eyes he could get lost in for days it would seem, were the same ones he’d kept a secret from. Perhaps this is what he’d deserved for lying to her, a harsh punishment but nothing less than he would’ve asked for in return for this transgression. “And I tried telling you but I couldn’t-” But that wasn’t the exact truth and he knew it. If Phillip had left it at that, he would only be adding to the lies. “No, I had many opportunities to but I wouldn’t because I, too, hoped it wouldn’t be true. I thought I could have my own agency, that my father would allow that for once but I was wrong. I hope you can forgive me for keeping this from you.” He dared look into her eyes, hoping they weren’t filled with disappointment in him, “I understand if you would have to lose me, I do not wish to hold you back. But I do not think I could lose you, My Rose.”

[sleeplessrose]

who: aurora & @dreamyphillip where: phillip's house

To ring in a new year with other people was truly one of the most exciting things Aurora could think of. Each person hoping for a new beginning once the clock struck midnight, brought together by the prayer that the year would be spent with the people who surrounded them. Her parents used to throw little parties for it when she lived with them, but ever since she'd been sent away, there had been truly only one thing she'd ever wanted for the new year: to spend it somewhere dancing, laughing, and loving without a single care in the world. It'd finally come true with the announcement that a large party would be thrown, to which Phillip insisted she would come with him. It had taken an unprecedented amount of convincing, but she got her fairies to agree to accompany her in human size to keep watch so that she could have one last, final night with her dream boy.

She still hadn't told him that it was supposed to be their final time together, on the account of the unnamed fiance that she was supposedly to meet sometime in the next year. Aurora had tried to ignore the sadness that had been eating her alive the first half of the evening, but once Phillip had suggested that they end the night somewhere more quiet, the grief was nearly all-consuming. She attempted to hold it in the entire car ride to his house, an offer that would've been accepted with unmatched joy if he was truly hers. Instead, she was silent nearly the entire way, about to burst at the seams with her secret the moment they settled in.

"This is beautiful," she commented, taking in the sight of where he lived for the first time. It would be rude to start on such a somber note, she thought. Plus, she was desperate to shove it all back into her heart and never have to tell him the truth. "Phillip, I--there's something I have to tell you, that you should know. But, I want to preface with saying how deeply sorry I am that I haven't told you sooner. I don't even want to say it now, but my aunts told me I have to. I suppose I just ... I didn't want to lose all of this," Aurora started, offering a small, sad smile.

[dreamyphillip]

In some ways, getting to know Rose had been a mistake, the biggest one he could make, because Phillip knew he was bound to someone else who he knew nothing about. However, even through many attempts at facing reality, Phillip could not find it in him to let her go. The sooner the days came by that he would eventually have to lose her, the tighter he held on. It was a selfish act on his part, he could admittedly see how a determination to keep her close when he was meant to do the opposite would end poorly. But until his father had resolutely told him of the girl he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with, he kept sublimely acting in his fantasy that allowed him to stay with Rose for as long as possible.

Thankfully, the night allowed the two to celebrate the new year together. It took Rose the convincing of her aunts to let her out, but by the end of the night, Phillip wished for more privacy with her. And so came the idea that sneaking out to his home where the two would be safe and away from the crowds of people. He took note of her silence in the car ride over, thinking it was nothing more than the nerves at play from hiding away from her caretakers, of which he assured her that they would be back before anyone would notice.

His audible excitement over showing her around his house stopped as fast as it possibly could when he was able to see her better under the house lights. This was no time to gloat over his luscious conservatory or the library he’d handpicked every book that was in the collection. He took both her hands in his, instantly overwrought over her emotional state. “What’s wrong?” The bright eyes he was so used to seeing creased in happiness were now reddened from the tears welling up. Rose was at the beginning of something grave, the dread had left Phillip with a sinking feeling in his stomach. “What should you have to be sorry for? You can tell me anything,” he cupped her cheek, wiping away at any tears that dared to come down. “Whatever you have to say, just know you could never lose me.”

[sweetfridays]

♡ nicholas galitzine for good morning america

[landonlocks]

~time skip~

Landon didn't handle rejection well. Even though he knew that he and Phillip weren't meant to last, it still stung to think that someone who he'd kept around for a while was about to leave for some girl he'd been matched with when he was a child. As a result, he'd been a bit more grumpy since the blonde had showed up to effectively dump him at his office. At least he'd been able to convince Phillip to have one last round of fun, which Landon was fairly certain he could make happen again after the ball if he played his cards right. He had technically come with Sadie, but who said a pit stop on the way back to their bed was illegal?

"Your mask can't be that good if I found you this easily," he remarked as he approached Phillip, slinging an arm around the blonde's shoulders without second thought. Landon had no idea if he was here with someone or just on his own, but honestly, he didn't care. With enough alcohol in him to probably call it for the night, Landon was feeling above his usual level of confidence. "I'm here to rescue you from this stuffy boredom becoming the rest of your life, you're welcome."

[dreamyphillip]

Though there might have been some space to blame Landon in the night that should’ve never been, Phillip’s own choice to cave in was where his guilt was stored. He knew he shouldn’t have stayed after wanting to end things only to end up in bed one last time but in a sense, Landon had served as a symbol of his freedom. It was of his own accord to start their indecent meetings and it was more that he didn’t want the last thing he had control over to be taken away from him. Had it been Phillip pushing anyone else away, things could’ve been easier but as it turned out, Landon was also not as willing to let the idea of them go as easily as they should have.

It wasn’t usually like Phillip to avoid, he naturally took charge of things head-on. So it was out of character for him to actively steer clear of anyone. It only served him right for trying to dodge the other's company that Landon seemed to go out of his way to find him. Landon seemed to be relaxed, almost unfazed by the formal ambiance of the event and even the formal dress code itself, “My god, did you forget to leave the house without a shirt on?"

[violencetendency]

who: @dreamyphillip where: lottie's halloween masquerade

Things were coming together nicely. Mal had known what the night would bring from the moment she arrived, having a few tricks up her own sleeve for the evening. Tonight she came with a gift, a wedding gift to be exact. It had been brewing for some time now and this party would be the perfect time to present it to the lovely couple. A set of curses for a pair of lovers, though neither of them had any idea what it was in store. Meanwhile, Mal had done her research so that she was able to hone in on exactly who and what she wanted.

The woman waited until he was outside to approach him, the night air gave a chill to her skin but a thrill to her spirit. It was in the darkness that she came to play and tonight she'd gotten an open invitation. "Beautiful evening, don't you think?" Mal asked while walking up behind him. "A shame we're all crammed inside when there's all this space out here." Each word was particular and placed meticulously so that her truth would all soon be revealed.

[dreamyphillip]

A quick refresh was all Phillip needed before he would head back inside. The cold air did help with the nerves he’d accumulated over the night which was a rare occurrence but for some reason did not go away even with some drink in him. While the other guest wasn’t expected, the small talk was welcome nonetheless. He’d turned to greet her and was quickly reminded of the masks being worn tonight, “I agree, it’s all so remarkable.” Truly, the night was shaping up to be a memorable one for multiple reasons but ones he was only hoping he could remember fondly rather than memories he’d dread recollecting. 

“I’m afraid the cold air ruined any chance of using this venue to its fullest extent, but yes, on any other given time of the year, I would hope the outdoors are put to good use.” The spacious gardens nearby were less full thanks to the frigid weather coming in, still, his sentiments remained that he’d rather be outside than crammed indoors. It occurred to him that there hadn’t been many guests out now, the few he’d seen before had probably gone back inside and now it seemed that it was only him and this woman. “I believe I’ve been out here for a while now, I should return inside to find my date.”

[sleeplessrose]

The way he said her surname made Aurora wish she'd told him the truth. Though not entirely a lie, she simply yearned to hear him say her given name aloud, like it was poetry. It was even followed by nearly just that: a quote from one of her favorite stories she'd ever read. The mysteries that had kept her wondering while she had so few answers. "We have so much to hope from the flowers," she responded, one of her most favorite quotes she'd ever read before.

Aurora had wondered for so long how he was doing, and it was at least a relief to hear that his tasks were so mundane as meetings. It was far better than more dangerous activity, the worst of which that had crept into her head since she started to hope he was still alive. "I assure you, you could never bore me." Whatever meetings he had must've been more interesting than simply spending her days reading, finding herself wandering into town when she was simply in need of air. "I've been quite the same since we last found each other here. I've certainly wandered back to this spot with the same hopes as you," Aurora admitted. "Though, I suppose it depends on your intentions. I've simply missed your company."

[dreamyphillip]

It was hard to articulate exactly what it felt like when the person you’ve been thinking about for the past month exceeds the interpretation one has had of them in their mind. Phillip wasn’t even sure that was possible, and yet here Rose was, doing exactly that. He’d assumed his idea of her was so grand that it was easier to be let down whenever they met once again so that he could be fine with letting her go. But just then, that continuing of quotes left him with an insane hypothesis, an idea so unsound but felt right to him, that Rose could be his soulmate. The whole falling in love at first sight theory he tried to convince himself was untrue, may have been entirely possible in this case.

-timeskip to masquerade-

Phillip had been keeping secrets from Rose and that didn’t sit right with him, not only had he been keeping his family’s name undisclosed but the matter of his arranged marriage weighed on him with every passing moment he shared with her. He still didn’t want to believe that would be happening but with the plans for betrothal coming into more immediate effect, he’d have to face the truth sooner or later, and later wasn’t really a suitable option for him. He'd expected the drink he'd gotten from the punch bowl would've helped alleviate some stress but it only worsened the burden to the point he felt he had to confess a truth even if it meant the loss of something that, for once, felt impossibly perfect.

Relocating his date wasn't a problem for him, he could spot her out in a crowd of thousands. The real trick was finding an excuse to take her away from the fun she looked like she was having. "Rose," Her beauty entranced him every time she glanced his way. Even with some of her face concealed with a mask, it was hard not to get lost in her eyes. Yet he had to. "Would you mind taking a walk outside with me?" He held out his hand, almost hoping she'd say no so that he wouldn't have to ruin her night with the truth.

[landonlocks]

It'd been made clear early in the situation that Phillip and Landon had found themselves in that things weren't intended to be permanent. Not only did Landon have absolutely no intention of being with anyone other than Brandon or Sadie long term, but Phillip also had an arrangement his father had made him unable to form some kind of attachment to anyone. As much as he'd been warned about this possibility, it didn't make the sting of it coming to this hurt any less, especially when Landon himself would've had no issues whatsoever continuing to hook up with him while also navigating a legal engagement. But, Phillip was a better person than he was, and that was something that also had been established a while ago.

"You made an appointment to dump me?" he asked with narrowed eyes, letting out a scoff as he shook his head to himself. As much as he wanted to tell Phillip to put his soon fiancée off to the side and forget about her, something told him that he'd never go for that. "You're gonna at least need to tell me who's the girl you're being chained to for eternity." Phillp wasn't engaged yet, though, and Landon's specialty was getting people to follow through on his arguably morally ambiguous ideas. "And, for argument's sake, I think you deserve one pre-engagement last night of fun, don't you?" he suggested, a smirk forming as he pushed himself off his desk and closer to Phillip.

[dreamyphillip]

“When you phrase like that, I suppose I did.” Phillip saw it more as a following through with an agreement than breaking up. But with the damage it was doing to his spirit, maybe he should be considering it a more critical event. “If you want to know so badly, you can ask my father himself. I, however, hope I never get to find out who he’s picked out for me.” It was easy to talk about his arranged marriage to someone who was well aware of it, there was no holding back especially with someone who would probably agree to his complaining.

One look at Landon’s expression made his intentions well aware. Phillip couldn’t hold back a smile as the other approached, though that probably wasn’t wise. With how tense he’d been over the situation, he wasn’t completely opposed to such an idea but having an impending official engagement on the rise made it clear that even allowing this to happen even once would open up the possibility that their relationship couldn’t truly end. And as much as he would like for this to never end, the idea of sneaking away through a betrothal and possibly even through a marriage didn’t feel right. Trying to conceal his grin, Phillip took a step back, “Did no one ever teach you when to let a good thing go?”

[sleeplessrose]

Aurora had feared this very moment from the second she'd left him last. She hadn't thought of what his name might be, or even really dreamed it since: all she'd known him as in her head was the stranger in the woods. What she'd been thinking of more was what she was going to tell him her name was: admitting that she was a Rose was tagging a reputation onto herself that she didn't quite want with him--Phillip, as he'd just told her. Her fairies had always advised her against telling her name to strangers, for her safety.

"Rose," she said instead, using her surname as her first as she introduced herself to Phillip. "Please, um, sit," Aurora offered, moving her book to the side as she took a seat on the bench herself. What was she to say to the man who had consumed every waking thought since they'd met? She wanted to know everything about him, and yet, she'd only just learned his name. None of her romance novels had prepared her for this: getting a second chance with the one who had nearly gotten away. "How have you been, since I saw you last? What brings you out here this time?" she asked, starting slow.

[dreamyphillip]

His reaction to the seat offering was swift, claiming the spot next to her without hesitation. “Rose…” he repeated once out loud and then a million times over in his head, not letting that name escape him. The name suited her, Phillip thought, it paired well to name a beautiful girl after a beautiful flower. The very mention of the plant reminded him of a quote he once read that, while short and simple, felt apt to mention, “What a lovely thing a rose is.”

The days since have been nothing but getting familial and business matters in order, he’d spent more time with his father in the past few weeks than in his entire life combined. Phillip’s honest words would have him miserably ranting in front of someone whom he would rather not scare off so he kept it mild with a so-so hand motion, “I have been busier than I’d like to be. Without going into heavy detail, my schedule has consisted of business meetings which I wouldn’t wish to bore you with. Instead, I am interested in hearing how you have been since the last time we’ve spoken.” As for what would bring him out to this particular spot, to anyone else it could have been many other things such as the lush green plants or the quaint pond, but for Phillip, it was very clear to him what it was and he wished to make it known, “If I could be frank, my purpose of being here today was to find you.”