Ok since Benophie is Black Cat x Golden Retriever how about Sophie laying in Bed reading while Benedict just lays on her just to be by her side while Sophie gently strokes his hair :3
It's been snowing for days, and while Sophie thought she would feel restless and cooped up, her pregnancy has her constantly tired, and the cold weather makes it even easier to laze in bed with a book.
And her husband isn't complaining. He's resting with his head on her hip as she lays on her side. One of her hands is threaded into his hair, stroking his waves slowly.
"You need a haircut," she mutters. "I should trim it for you."
"Mm. S'fine," Benedict tells her softly. "S'just hair, and no one minds here."
Sophie smiles a little. "I suppose you can have it cut when we go back to town."
He makes a noise somewhere between a groan and a dog whimper. "Must we go back?"
"Hyacinth is coming out this coming spring," Sophie reminds him. "And the family will want to meet the baby when it comes."
Benedict huffs out a breath into fabric of her chemise.
"Benedict..."
"I find it entirely unfair that Anthony and Kate were allowed to put multiple continents between themselves and the family when they had Neddy, and we are obligated to share so soon."
Sophie laughs softly and turns her head to look at him. "I wish to share our baby with our family...and we will have a month to ourselves before the season starts."
"I know," he concedes. "I suppose I am just feeling greedy."
"That's sweet," she tells him, scratching his scalp gently.
Benedict buries his face back against her hip and closes his eyes, his shoulders loosening at her touch.
Sophie feels him start to drift off, his breathing evening out as the snow falls harder, and she goes back to her book.
Tags: Bridgerton, Canon Compliant, Benedict x Sophie, Missing Scene
Benedict, Sophie, and an extension of their conservatory date, with some words borrowed from Romeo and Juliet.
Excerpt:
An autumn’s chill blew into the orangery, rustling the browning leafs. Sophie should return to her quarters. The hour was far too late. Their mortal planet had nearly completed another rotation, and she had a full day’s work ahead of her when London turned to face the sun once more. She’d promised to help Celia with some mending, Hazel with some dusting, and John with shepherding a love note to Hazel, anonymous though it was. Then there were her own duties with her charges: Miss Bridgerton would likely wish to discuss another novel, to keep her mind off the marriage mart and all this trouble with her youngest sister. Said youngest sister, Miss Hyacinth, would likely busy Sophie with her plans to host Lady Kilmartin for tea — the countess had previously pitched the idea of properly introducing Miss Hyacinth to her new cousin, Miss Stirling, and the youngest Bridgerton very much liked the thought of befriending such a fascinating and worldly young lady already out in society.
But in this sanctuary of weathered glass and citrus fruits, safe in the embrace of Benedict’s arms and the blanket he’d pulled tight around her, Sophie cared very little for morning. Frankly, selfishly, she’d rather not think of the Bridgertons at all. She did not even wish to think of Benedict as a Bridgerton, if only for this one night, if only to sooth the ache in the hollow of her chest at the knowledge that, one way or another, her employment must swiftly come to an end.
“And what of your family?” she had asked, moments ago.
“We … I … I will find a solution to that. Please. Just allow me the chance to show you that I will keep my promise.”
Oh, but how could he? How could he strike his own family’s name for her? How could he possibly keep it? Were she alone, doubts would’ve already come creeping in. Cocooned in his embrace, however, with her head resting upon the rise and fall of his chest, pressing slow, sweet kisses into the crook of his arm, his elbow, his hand, courageous found Sophie more readily. Perchance to dream.
Please rewrite Benophie’s first time with added dialogue😭 what they said in between and after. (In details if possible)
(Ooh I won't do a rewrite because that's a lot of work and it won't be as good, but...)
She clings to him after, her eyes sleepy, and he leans in, kissing her tenderly.
"What do you need?" he asks gently.
Sophie doesn't know how to answer. She doesn't know what to say to that question. What does one ask for after...after all that?
Benedict waits patiently, brushing her hair away from her eyes, gazing at her so tenderly she feels as though she should run away. Or burst into flame.
Something other than lay speechless in his arms.
He grins a little and kisses her one more time, before slipping out of the bed, still completely naked. She sits up and watches him as he pours a glass of wine from a carafe and brings it over, handing it to her as he sits on the edge of the bed.
She takes it, but doesn't move otherwise.
"Sophie," Benedict chuckles softly. "You must drink, love."
The endearment makes her feel warm and she takes a sip. It does help her to come back to herself, and she watches him still as he goes back to the table at the far end of the room, bringing back a bowl of water and a cloth. "What is that for?"
"You," he responds simply, sitting again and taking the wine from her, setting it down.
"Oh, but I do not..."
"I want to," Benedict insists gently. "If you do not wish me to, obviously, I won't, but...I want to take care of you."
Sophie stares at him, the simple truth of his words washing over her, and she lays back on the bed, nodding her permission.
He uses the damp cloth, running it over her skin carefully, wiping away the proof of their previous activities. "How are you feeling?"
She doesn't know how to answer. The man she's been in love with for months just made love to her, multiple times and she feels almost indescribable. "I am...well," she responds finally. "Good."
Benedict smiles at her gently. "Good." He finishes and then climbs back into the bed with her again, pulling the sheets over them, wrapping an arm around her again.
She knows that in the morning, she'll likely have some form of panic about what they've done tonight, but Sophie is determined to make that her future self's problem.
For now, she snuggles in against his chest, closing her eyes. "Good," she repeats.
She feels him smile against her head and kiss her head, and eventually, she drifts off.
Just a few days to sort himself out in the hospital. To think about what happens next. Where to go from here.
And Sophie knows that Ben must feel like his life is in a continuous state of ruin. It makes sense that he would want a little time.
It still hurts.
She wishes she were at the hospital, but she's currently shelving at the Hive, an ear bud settled into her left ear, letting a playlist Kate made for run through.
She's not sniffling her way through her shift. Not at all.
“I've got some graphic novels for you to reshelve,“ Kate says, setting the pile of books down next to the one she's already working on.
“Okay,” Sophie mutters quietly, turning away.
Kate doesn't walk off, though. “He'll text soon,” she promises. “Anthony says he's just figuring some things out.”
“I know,” Sophie responds quickly. “And he deserves some space.”
Kate nods. “And what about you?”
Sophie doesn't respond. Instead, she just cries, and Kate reaches out, pulling her into a hug.
“I'm sorry,” Kate mutters.
“It was so awful,” Sophie sniffles. “Rupert came at us and then…and then…”
Kate nods, and just hugs her tighter as she cries.
It takes a little while for Sophie to calm down, and they sit against the shelves as she wipes her eyes.
“It’s fine that he wants some space,” Sophie mutters. “He deserves it. He’s been through so much.”
“So have you,” Kate reminds her.
Sophie closes her eyes. “I would be fine if he wanted to break things off. Eventually. I’d be fine eventually.”
“Maybe he doesn’t want to at all,” Kate points out. “I know it’s easy to fall into the spiral, Sophie, but…but give him a chance, okay? Don’t jump the gun.”
“Oh, my god, what if he’d had a gun?” Sophie blurts out.
Kate sighs and pulls her into another hug. “Just breathe.”
*****
Hi.
I know you're asleep but I can't sleep. Things hurt and I'm trying not to ask for stronger drugs to deal with it.
Thanks for giving me some space over the last day or so.
I'm trying really hard.
Just
I'm trying.
I guess from here, sitting in a hospital bed, plus one stab wound, sans one appendix, I need to make some choices about where to go from here. Clearly there are things that aren't working.
I think maybe it might be a good idea for me to check back into rehab. The idea of getting out of here and then trying to go home and keep on like nothing bad happened feels impossible. And you deserve better than someone who is perpetually falling apart.
So rehab.
And then if you still want me around I can come back and we can
I don't know. Maybe that's a bad idea, too. But I really don't want to lose you.
I understand though. If you want out. I doubt this is what you thought it would be.
Anyways. You're sleeping. Maybe if you wanted to come by tomorrow we could talk?
Love you.
*****
Sophie is not actually sleeping. She's been staying at Ben's flat for the last couple of days. Not that anyone has realized it yet.
She curls up in his bed on his pillows and hugs his childhood toy and she goes to work and class and she organizes his art supplies and stares at the unsettling unfinished painting on his easel.
She reads the text message twice more before getting out of bed, tugging on one of Ben's button-down shirts and her jeans, grabbing Picasso the dragon and heading for the train station.
When she gets to the hospital, no one stops her or questions her. It's strange to have such unfettered access in a place like this, but she's grateful to Mrs. Bridgerton for including her on the short list.
When she gets to his door, she finds Ben laying in bed, looking at his phone, obviously tired.
“I wasn't sleeping,” she tells him softly.
He looks up and tries to smile. “Hi.” That smile turns nervous. “You got my text.”
Sophie nods and steps fully into the room, sitting on the edge of his bed next to him, still hugging Picasso.
“You don’t-” Ben shakes his head. “I don’t need you to answer now.”
“No,” she says, her voice quiet and firm. “If you go in for treatment, then when you get out, I’ll be right here waiting for you.”
“It’s a lot to ask,” he tells her.
Sophie shakes her head. “It really isn’t.”
Ben swallows and gazes at her through tired eyes.
“You’re not asking me to leave school or quit a job, or move away,” she explains. “You are literally asking me to live my life while you put yours back together a little more. That isn’t-” Sophie stops talking, tilting her head at him. “What did Paul and Tilley and Rupert and Tessa say when you told them you were going in the first time?”
He looks away.
Sophie lets out a slow breath, calming her anger. “I think that if you feel like you need to go back, then you should go back. And you and I can text, and I can visit if you’re there for a long time, and when you get back, I’ll be right here.”
“Like ET?” he asks, trying to joke.
Sophie laughs despite herself and leans in, kissing his cheek, and then presses Picasso into his hands. “You take this. And try to get a little sleep.”
“You need sleep, too,” he points out. He does his best to shift over in the bed, making room for her on the left side.
“Ben…”
He shrugs. “Nap before class?”
Sophie grins a little and shifts carefully to settle beside him.
*****
“He didn't mean to.”
Louis stares at Paul as if the other man has grown six new heads. They’ve met for coffee, and in all honesty, Louis isn’t sure why he agreed to anymore. He thought maybe giving the other man one last chance to connect…to talk about what happened would be good for both of them.
He was clearly mistaken.
“He showed up at Ben's flat with a knife and stabbed him in the appendix. What do you call it?”
“I call it withdrawal “ Paul snaps.
“He'd just hoovered up a metric fuckton of coke,” Louis argues. “God knows where he got it from, considering Henry told everyone and their mother to stop selling to him.”
Paul doesn't respond.
“...He stole it from you,” Louis surmises. “Paul.”
“It's not my fault!” Paul yells.
“Good god, man,” Louis marvels. “Take some responsibility for once in your life. Your roommate did your drugs, took a knife and stabbed one of your friends.”
Paul closes his mouth.
“I get that deniability was easy before,” Louis says. “But Ben is in hospital. Rupert was arrested. This is real.”
“I know that,” Paul snaps. “I know. I just-” He squeezes his eyes shut. “Ben will always have an army of support. Rich family members. Kind friends. Now a girlfriend who seems like she’s not going anywhere. For having such a rotten time, he also has amazing luck. Rupert has no one. No family. No partner. Just…us.”
Louis listens quietly, thinking that over. “Do you support what Rupert did?”
“God, no, of course not,” Paul sighs. “But…he’s still my friend. He still needs help.”
“I think it’s far too late for the kind of help you’re thinking of,” Louis tells him gravely. “Maybe if he’d gotten help after he drugged Ben, it wouldn’t have been too late. But we are way past him being able to get out of the consequences here.”
Paul goes silent, fiddling with a paper napkin.
“What does Tessa say?” Louis asks.
“Not much,” Paul shrugs. “She left for France yesterday. She said she can’t be around for all of this.”
Louis nods. “And Henry?”
“Talking about giving a statement to the police,” Paul mutters. “He’s angry. At Rupert. At me.” He rubs his eyes. “None of this ever would have happened if Tilley were still here.”
Louis snorts into his coffee cup. “Tilley rarely made things better, especially where Ben was concerned. And she would have hated Sophie’s very existence.”
“That’s not-”
“It is,” Louis interrupts. “And you know it is.”
Paul goes quiet again.
Louis sighs heavily. “The family isn’t really letting people visit while Ben is in hospital. I was going to send some flowers.”
“Fine,” Paul says quietly.
Louis nods, and gets up to go without another word.
*****
When Sophie gets back to the hospital after class, she finds five of Ben's siblings piled into his room, all holding little paper plates piled with generous slices of cake.
She taps on the door, and Ben lights up when he sees her.
“Hi. Cake?”
“Is that Cressida's cake?” Sophie asks as she steps inside, sitting next to him on the end of the bed.
He nods. “Mhm.”
“It's amazing,” Colin announces. “It's the best cake I've ever had.”
“Damn right it is,” Eloise grins proudly.
Ben lifts a fork full of cake to Sophie's lips. “Here.”
Sophie takes the bite and closes her eyes. It really is the best cake. Balanced and not too sweet; the cake moist and the filling and frosting creamy. “Mmm.”
When she opens her eyes, Ben is staring at her, lips slightly parted, ears a little red.
“You're in a hospital room, surrounded by your siblings,” Francesca points out.
Ben clears his throat and tears his eyes away from Sophie. “Sorry. It's really good cake.”
Sophie tries not to laugh behind her hand. “It is.”
Ben purses his lips as he looks around at his siblings. “So…uh…I'm glad you're all here. I've been doing a lot of thinking, and I've made some decisions.”
Sophie rests a hand on his arm, holding on gently, and then looks over the curious and worried faces around them.
“A lot has happened in the last little while,” Ben presses on. “And…and I'd love to tell all of you that once I get discharged from here, I can…I can keep going on my own. I mean…I have all of you and Sophie and Gran. And mum now. I guess. But I uh…I have to be able to stand on my own two feet in a lot of ways, and I'm not…”
Anthony watches him, seemingly understanding him through the rambling. “You need more help.”
Ben nods. “Yeah. Yeah. So. So after I'm discharged, I uh…am going to check back in for rehabilitation.”
The room goes momentarily silent, and Sophie feels Ben tense up beside her.
“Then we'll just have to bring the cake to rehab,” Colin says eventually.
“Whatever you need,” Daphne adds. “And I was thinking of spending more time at Aubrey Hall. That's close to the center you were at last time. I can come visit.”
“I'll make the arrangements,” Anthony promises. “Sophie and Kate and I can pack your things for you.”
“And Sophie can stay at your nice big flat without you pestering her,” Eloise teases.
“Oh, I can't afford the rent for that place,” Sophie says quickly.
“Mum owns the building,” Francesca informs her. “I'm certain she wouldn't make you pay rent.”
Sophie bites her lip.
“If you wanted to stay there,” Ben tells her gently. “Mum would probably be fine with you paying your current rate.”
Sophie swallows. She’s just not sure if she wants to give up her own apartment, especially with the future feeling so tenuous, and she doesn’t want to have the conversation in front of his siblings. “I'll think about it.”
Ben nods, taking her hand. “No rush. No pressure.”
The room goes back to a steady stream of conversation, and Sophie rests her head on Ben’s shoulder. “Can I have more cake, please?”
Ben chuckles and hands her the plate.
*****
Violet Bridgerton finds that more and more, she’s tired of society functions. Galas and dinners and garden parties, on and on and on.
For the first time in a long time, she would rather be with her children, but here she is, drinking a martini at a cocktail hour hosted by the Trowbridges.
“Violet.”
It’s Araminta Gun’s voice, sounding rather smug, all things considered, and Violet really isn’t in the mood, but she schools her face into a soft grin and turns.
“Araminta. So very nice to see you.”
“I heard what happened with your son and my stepdaughter,” Araminta says. “It must be so disappointing.”
Violet doesn’t respond, waiting for the other woman to elaborate.
Araminta looks confused at her lack of response. “To have such a failure in the family.”
Violet still doesn’t answer.
“It’s no wonder Sophie was attracted to him. Two failures together,” Araminta goes on.
Violet waits for a long moment before finally speaking. “I find it so surprising, Araminta, that you would criticize either of them, considering your own failures.”
Araminta stares, a little stunned.
“Fucking your stepdaughter’s young boyfriend, and keeping him as your little pet?” Violet comments disdainfully. “I wonder why you don’t feel more ashamed.”
Still Araminta remains silent, her mouth opening in surprise and outrage.
“Ben does his best,” Violet tells her. “He always has. I’m not the least bit disappointed in him. And he found such a lovely girl. Sophie is hard-working and intelligent. Kind, too. It’s no wonder she keeps her distance from you.” She finds now that she’s started, she has a hard time stopping. “Cruel, and insufferable and absolutely unbearable to be around. You think yourself so classy, and I watch you at these parties every time, making a fool of yourself. Trying to convince the room that you belong here, when you don’t. You and your little boyfriend and your disdain and your snobbery. No one is interested, Araminta. Especially not me. And if you ever speak poorly of any of my children again, you will regret it.”
With that, Violet walks off, sipping her drink without turning to back.
“Reality feeds your heart.” “I stay away because you consume me…The reality of you has become more tantalizing than any fantasy ever could be.”
[ i.e. who needs food or drink when you can have your wife for (Sophie) Baekfast-lunch-and-dinner ;) ]
