☆ pride & prejudice!au doyoung
others: yeosang
something catches the heel of your boot as you make your way through the freshly wet grasslands of the countryside
there had been a horrible storm last night and you were worried that your dear sibling had been caught up in it after your parents had sent her off on horseback to that rich mans manor
you stop to look up at the now sunny and expansive blue sky
your sibling had fawned over him all week after first making his acquaintance at the ball you’d been forced into attending
you try to remember, but all that you recall is the name of his perpetually scowling and stone-faced friend
other guests at the ball had whispered about him, some kind of surviving heir to a handsome estate and a gigantic load of money
he was even wealthier than the young gentleman throwing this ball, and from the amount of frivolous furniture and expensive wine strewn around the place
that was saying something
he had been beside the man your sibling was being obviously courted by the whole night
and when you’d had enough of the brooding silence
you had introduced yourself - or you had attempted
with one glance that seemed to take in the entirety of your existence
he had stated his conclusion
“plain, everything about you agrees with the status you and your family are currently in.”
your sibling had a hard time swallowing the statement, but they were easily quelled with their new potential partner
you, on the other hand, just smiled in response
and everything about your pompous attitude makes me happy to report that rich people are just as self righteous and despicable as ive always assumed them to be
you hadn’t said it outloud - you wanted to - but youd just driven your nails into the skin of your palm behind your back
at home that night your sibling had told you to forget about doyoung, and you had assured her you werent about to live by the gospel of a man born with a golden spoon in his mouth
plus - he was nowhere near your type anyway
you were much more interested in selfless men, with some inklings of kindness and manners
plus, you didn’t think he was all the handsome anyway.
(that was partially a lie, for his lean but broad figure and dark eyes were charming - but it didnt matter. his character shined very, very well through)
finally, after an almost two hour walk - you make it to the manor
and you remember the name of the man who owned it
“im here to see sir taeyong.”
the maid takes a look at the boots you have on - mud and leaves stuck to the toes. the hair you’d tried to make presentable before leaving was now slightly curled with a bit of sweat and the hanging dew still in the air
your skin was glowing with it too, the shawl around your shoulders hanging slightly crookedly
“ah! of course, come in. ill take you to the drawing room.”
you’re not surprised at the size of the halls and the ceilings that arch up, you feel like you’re in a church rather than a home
but you presume rich people must enjoy the ,,,,,,,,,, open space
when the maid announces your presence you step inside and into a room of three pairs of eyes
the other is a women, who might assume is the sister of taeyong or the last person in the room
“heavens, what is on your feet?”
you look down and think - isn’t it obvious? it’s just mud
another voice, deeper, asks
you look up and see doyoung’s gaze fixed on you, a quill in one of his hands
“ah yes. my sibling took our horse here, but i generally do enjoy the exercise.”
taeyong is the only one in the room that gives a little laugh, the other two occupants eye you over again
“by the way, where is my sibling?”
taeyong hurries over and with a sympathetic look explains that they’ve caught a cold and are staying in one of the rooms upstairs
you vaguely remember how persistent your mother was about not allowing your sibling to take the carriage - even when the greying clouds had been peeking through
it was probably the plan all along, im sure sir taeyong has enjoyed taking care of them immensely
taeyong begins, but suddenly doyoung is at his side and as taeyongs hand reaches to hand you the key to the room - doyoungs interrupts and your hand brushes his instead
a small sound emits from you as you step back
but doyoung quickly turns away and calls for a maid to do it instead
you follow the maid up to the room
hands cradled in one and other as you push away the instances thats just happened into the corners of your mind
you unlock the door to the spacious room where your sibling is almost drowning in the extravagant velvet blankets in a lacquered black wooden bed
you can see that they’re paling and shivering and you think its ridiculous what people do to have the attention of someone they love
although, you’re pretty sure your sibling is innocent in the case of this situation
you talk for a bit and before you get up to go, their hand touches your wrist lightly
“i didnt know if it would be important to mention but sir doyoung asked about you.”
the surprise perks you up a bit
“he asked if id relay an apology to you,,,,,,about his comment at the ball.”
as quickly as you’d been interested, you let out the tension in your shoulders
“ill tell him you did, but honestly im just more irritated he’s brought it up again.”
your sibling’s smile is weak and you leave them to rest
you intend to start the long walk back after you’ve excused yourself
but as you say your farewell in the drawing room, the sound of a chair pushing back breaks through your words
doyoung stands and the weight that has hung in the room since your arrival shifts
you’re not sure if that’s a suggestion for which you should give an answer (your answer would be no) but he’s already making his brisk way toward the hall
you follow and are a little bit peeved that he doesn’t stop at the doors
you’re side by side now, and a well halfway through the sprawling path that leads off the property
the lack of explanation irks you - am i so unworthy of even a word?
you stop and he seems only to notice a few paces later as he turns around
there’s a good five or so feet between you - and from now on you think you’d like to keep it that way
“im sorry if this is crass, but i must ask - do you intend to make the treacherous walk back with me?”
the high collar of his perfectly pressed shirt seems to stiffen around his neck
you can’t help yourself and jab for further measure:
“as you’ve noted about me before, the place where i come from is indicative of my class and so i dont think you’d like it much sir.”
his eyes - usually dull and cast to the side are suddenly transfixed on your own
“ive already inquired that your sibling pass on my sincerest apology for th-”
you uncross your hands and the shawl falls a bit from your shoulder
it exposes just a bit of the curve of your neck from the swoop of the line of what you’re wearing and you don’t notice it in the split second of the motion
but the nape of doyoungs neck seems to sweat at the slightest baring of skin
“you don’t have to pretend to want to be in my company simply because your friend is entranced with someone from my family. although it may spite you that he has fallen for someone poor-”
“i never intended to insult you or your family. i apologize, but i don’t think i can keep repeating it until you’re satisfied if that’s what you are asking of me.”
your hands reach your hips now and you lean forward, the strands of your hair are still a little wild since you had no time to brush them back
and the stance makes doyoung take a careful step back
although he’s dealt with many prying persons in his life, and he’s been accustomed to earning the immediate dislike of them
something about you right now is less so an annoyance as it is - rather engrossing
he thinks if you come any closer the heat that’s its way up his jaw might tickle its way onto the rest of his face
“im not asking you to do anything for my pleasure, sir doyoung. i would never ask someone so untouchable to perform any kind of favor - especially not you.”
he snaps from the momentary daze of fascination
you straighten up and march forward, passing him and nearly brushing your shoulder against his
the steps are quick and you are deliberately making them loud to aid your message
but for some unknown reason they play out like a slow scene in doyoung’s mind
the smell of the dew and honey float by him in the ends of your trail and he swallows a lump that rarely ever grows in his throat
you turn back when you are once again at a good distance
“yes you, ive met enough new people in my life to know that some are just not meant to be my companions, much less even a neighbor to greet occasionally when we cross paths.”
your look is fiery, but not dotted with the usual sparks of momentary greed driven anger doyoung is so used to
instead the flames are yours, and although your expression reads as if you would like nothing more then to take a hold of his throat and wring him out
doyoung is in awe of the beauty that radiates from all around you - like a glowing halo of the setting sunlight
“and i believe you would agree as well - that you and i should keep our interactions to a minimum, and at best, we should never meet again at all!”
with that you start your march again - but his voice only reaches out to you after a minute of a pause
“i was going to offer that you take my carriage hom-”
you wave your hand and doyoung stands as he watches you disappear into the countryside
the rapid beating of his heart and sweat on his palms is new
he’s never reacted like this to someone before
he doesnt realize he’s standing there thinking about the shadow of your back until taeyong runs out to ask him what happened
doyoung doesn’t know how to answer that
what did happen? you had chided him, but he would have done nothing more than to keep hearing such sweet, rude words come from your mouth again.
you keep walking - the fuming anger dying down a bit with each step as you think about the look on doyoung’s face
he hadn’t responded with as many quips as you’d expected, or even turned away to ignore you completely
you know you should forget, but as you near home you bring your hands together and the only thing left on your mind now
is how it had felt when your skin had brushed his
ugh - what i wouldn’t do to keep telling him off! although now im sure he’ll never want anything to do with me again.
oh, but how wrong you are.
