Bridgerton ABO AU
Chapter 5: The Boy Who Stopped Playing (Alpha Colin)
Dynamics: Alpha!Edmund/Omega!Violet, Alpha!Anthony, Omega!Benedict, Alpha!Colin, Omega!Daphne, Alpha!Eloise, Omega!Francesca, Alpha!Gregory, Omega!Hyacinth
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Colin always wanted to travel the world. Meet new people, learn about different cultures. His father encouraged him all the time, that when he was older he could go wherever he wished. “You’re an Alpha after all my boy” Edmund had told him.
Growing up as the third eldest had always been liberating. Anthony was the mature older brother, the one everyone could go to when they did something wrong, knowing he could fix it. Especially when it was in regard to getting into trouble with their father. Anthony knew how to soften him up so his punishments weren’t as harsh.
Colin remembers when he was 6, he had broken Daphne’s favourite doll, during one of their fights in anger, and while Benedict had taken their sister aside to comfort her, Anthony had grabbed him by his shoulders, “Gentlemen do not do that, Col” He admonished him gently, “And as Alphas we protect our siblings we do not cause them pain” “But you and Ben argue all the time!”He responded back.
“Yes, we argue, Col. But I’ve never broken anything dear to him.”He told him. “Daphne is younger than you, Col. You are a big brother and as such, you should behave like one. Now please. Go apologize and I will go ask father to not go too hard on you, alright?” Colin nodded, and made his way towards their little sister who was inconsolable. “I hate him! I hate him!”She cried while clutching her broken doll.
Benedict looked up at Colin from where he was holding her and he corrected her gently, “We do not hate our siblings, Daphne”He kissed the top of her head gently, “I know he feels very bad about what he did to you and Miss Esmeralda” He said while taking her doll. “I bet Mrs.Wilson can fix her” He assured her.
He looked at Colin with a very serious expression as he stood up from the ground. “Now I will take Miss E to Mrs.Wilson while you and Col here have a chat” He kissed her forehead again, and helped her stand up. He gave Colin a quick kiss on his head for reassurance too before making his way towards their housekeeper.
Now alone, Colin looked at Daphne with shame. “I am truly sorry, sister” He apologized. “I regret hurting Miss E, and I deeply regret hurting you” Daphne wiped the tears from her eyes and with an angry huff she said, “I forgive you. Only because Benedict said Mrs.Wilson can fix her. Now I am going to check on her, do not follow me!” She pouted at him and made her way towards their brother and housekeeper.
After both father and mother had come home from visiting Lady Danbury, Anthony had managed to tone down his punishment and had saved Colin from getting spanked to just not being able to have his usual dessert for dinner.
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Now Colin Bridgerton was 12 years old. He was Anthony’s heir to the viscountcy, and he was the elder brother to five siblings. Colin tried his hardest to be more supportive and attentive towards their younger siblings but Anthony and Benedict always dismissed him. Anthony would tell him to just focus on himself and to just be a kid. Benedict would encourage him to go make more friends, “Penelope does not count, Colin. She was Eloise’s friend first” He told him.
And now again. He can’t do anything but feel helpless as he listens to his older brothers argue in what used to be their father’s study.
“Why would you even think of going into a room alone with him?! Did mother and I not teach you anything, We are an honourable and respectable family! How could you do something so stupid that compromised you and put our family’s reputation at risk!” He heard his eldest brother cry out in exasperation as he hit his desk. The loud sound made both Colin who was hiding behind the door and Benedict flinch.
“I did not go alone in a room with Lord Penwood, brother. I was already there. Alone.” He could hear the distress from Benedict, “He came in suddenly and when I went to leave, he grabbed me! That is when one of his friends, Lord Birch came with a couple of people and practically told him to propose and when he did they all looked at me! They said if I wanted to keep my reputation intact I should accept so I did! So no Anthony! I did know better! because at the end I did do the correct thing that would keep this family from ruin!”He heard him scream.
After what seemed to be an eternity of silence he heard Anthony ask him, “He planned this then? and he got Lord Birch to go along with it.” He realized. “Then no matter. You will not marry him. I must simply duel him.” He said it so confidently that their brother could only shake his head in despair “You will do no such thing, Anthony!”
“Why the devil would I not?! He is a cunning man who wanted to do everything in his power to ruin you and our family if he could not have you. I will duel him and I will save you from him!” Colin could see from the tiny gap on the doorway that Benedict continued to shake his head in disagreement.
“No, Anthony. You will not. I will marry Lord Penwood and that is it. I will never want you to put your life at risk for this. You still have to protect and take care of all of our siblings and our mama. I could never live with myself knowing that something bad happened to you because of me”
Now as Colin watches his brother marry Lord Penwood he could not help but be angry. At that stupid evil man, and at himself. Why couldn’t he have been born earlier so he could have helped Anthony keep an eye on everyone. It was his fault that Benedict was leaving them so soon. It was his fault that all his siblings were losing their brother. It was his fault that his mother was losing one of her children to a bad man.
“I would say that was a successful ceremony, family!” Lord Penwood exclaimed as he approached them all, holding Benedict whose smile did not reach his eyes by his hand. “Let us go now to enjoy the Wedding Breakfast at my lovely new family’s home!” He announced to the crowd of guests.
Colin could see how Eloise wanted to go hit their new brother, but before she could though, he managed to grabbed her, “Let me go, brother” She hissed at him. “You will do no such thing. Our brother has sacrificed so much for this day and I would not have you compromising that” He admonished her, he could see her lip wobble in frustration but reluctantly she nodded. Once he was satisfied that she would not try anything he let her go not before rubbing her arm in comfort.
Daphne and Francesca were holding each other and he approached them cautiously, “Come on girls. We must make our way home” He told them gently. “Do you not care?” Daphne whispered at him, confused. “I promised Benedict that I will behave today. I also promised Anthony that I would help you all behave” He admitted. Daphne took a moment to process what he had told her, “Benedict and Anthony said that?”
“Yes, Daphne. So please. Let us go now.”
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“We will be expecting Alpha heirs from you soon!”Colin heard Lord Birch exclaim which made Lord Penwood laugh in content, again Colin was eavesdropping, but this time he was listening to both of them who were alone “Very soon! If he is anything like his mother, I expect I will have more than enough heirs” He smirked.
Colin hated him, he wanted nothing more in this world but to punch that man, as he was about to open the door and do so he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.
“Do not. Please Colin.” It was Benedict. “But they are being disrespectful, brother!” Benedict smiled, “I know. But that is not something you should worry about. Come on, leave them to that. Mama wants us all to go to our family room before I leave.” And with that his brother expertly guided them to where their entire family was.
“My darling!” Their mother exclaimed from where she was sitting. “Benny!” Hyacinth babbled reaching for him with her tiny arms, Benedict grabbed her from his mother and kissed her all over making her laugh, and in turn their family.
“We will soon depart, mama. Lord Penwood wants to leave to Penwood Park as soon as possible” He admitted quietly. Their mother’s eyes grew in surprise, “Penwood Park?! His country state?! You will not take residence in Penwood House instead?” She asked him.
“His primary residence is Penwood Park he wants to introduced me to the staff there and stay away from society for the remainder of the season. He explained that he has a lot of work to do there too” Colin noticed Anthony had remained quiet throughout the entire conversation.
“Well yes I understand but to leave so soon?” She inquired in desperation. “That would be my fault, mother” A new voice that could only belong to Lord Penwood interrupted them. “I need to settle some affairs and I prefer to do it in my country state where no one can interrupt me and now my new wife.” He smirked
No one knew what to say after that. Lord Penwood unbeknownst to the tension in the room or he simply did not care enough about it continued, “Well, family. We must go. It is a quite a long journey and we must depart now.” And with that Benedict went around hugging all his siblings close and kissing each of their foreheads, leaving Anthony for last they both clutched each other tight.
“I will miss you, Anthony” Benedict told him where he was laying his face against their brother’s shoulder. Anthony closed his eyes and released some of his comforting scent, “And so will I, Benedict.” Moving on to their mother, she kissed his cheeks, “If you ever need anything, darling. Anything. You can always come to me” Hesitantly she let him go.
But before they could leave, Daphne ran up to their brother and grabbed his arm interrupting them from leaving, “When can we go visit, brother?” She inquired desperately. “Once your nephew is born.” Lord Penwood stated firmly before Benedict could respond. At that Anthony growled, “If we wish to visit our brother we will visit him, Penwood”
“Of course, brother. But it is a long journey to my country estate. I just do not want you all to go for no reason.” And with that they got on the carriage and that was the last Colin and his family saw of Benedict, all the would receive from him in the year that followed would be letters.
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“I hate him, Penelope.” Colin said to someone he considered a close friend. “He is the worst person in the world, Penelope!” Eloise added, “I just wish we could go visit him” Penelope frowned alongside them.
“Why can’t you go visit him? It has been months since he married” She asked. “Benedict always has an excuse on why he can’t have us over.” Colin explained, “A couple of months ago on his letter he mentioned that he was with child. Said that the doctor recommended no exciting activities for him, so he’s just been sleeping.” Eloise mumbled.
Colin continued, “Which makes no sense when we were around mama every time she was with child!” He threw his arms up in exasperation. “How is Daphne taking it?” Penelope asked them, sharing a quick look between both of them they admitted, “She is sad. Anthony and Francesca are trying to keep her spirits up but she even stopped playing the pianoforte. She said debuting is not worth it.” Eloise shrugged.
“That is awful” Penelope teared up and Colin could not help but appreciate how caring and loving Penelope was towards their family. What a lovely wife she be to someone in the future. “She told mama, that if she does not visit Benedict and see what his life is like then she will not debut.” He told her.
“And I will be leaving to Eaton soon, so I am worried about everyone.” Penelope looked sad at that prospect of him leaving, “Anthony is always stressed, Mother has become very quiet and withdrawn like Francesca. Hyacinth and Gregory are always crying out for Benedict so Anthony asked Mrs.Wilson if Hyacinth could move into Benedict’s room as she and Eloise are always in there anyways.”
“Because it still smells like him, Colin!” Eloise abruptly interrupted him blushing in embarrassment. “It is comforting, at least until we can see him again.”She looked down, Colin smiled at her, “I didn’t say it to make fun of you, El. Trust me if Anthony would’ve let me, I would have join you both a long time ago.” Penelope smiled at both of them, grabbing their hands into her smaller and softer ones.
“Well, let us hope, the baby is born soon so you both can see your brother again!” She hoped. After that they continued chatting about something else. But it wasn’t long until Daphne came running from the house to them.
“Colin! Eloise!” She yelled at them, “Mama just got a letter from Benedict! He said he is going to come visit us soon!” Making both of her siblings cheer in joy. “Come! Mama wants us to read the letter together, he sent a letter for each of us!” She stopped and looked at their companion. “Oh. Good day, Penelope!” She waved happily. “Good day, Daphne!” She waved back, “Come with us, Penelope.” And with that she was also dragged into the family room where all their family was.
Anthony was seated away from all of them, already reading his letter, a deep frown had formed on his face which worried Colin. While their mother was elated at seeing them come in. “My darlings! great news, we have a new member in our family! Benedict wrote that in a month or two he and little Charles will come to visit us!” She announced happily.
Before Colin and Eloise could seat down, Anthony stood up abruptly, chair scrapping loud making all of them quiet down and look at him. “Excuse me, family. I must write back to him immediately.” He left all of them speechless, including their mother who could not find the right words to say.
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It had been more than two months,than what the letter had told them, but nonetheless Benedict and their nephew Charles had come to visit them. “My darlings!” Their mother had cried in joy, going towards their brother and hugging him close to her, being careful not to hurt him as he came in with a sling on his arm and a couple of bruises on his face that had faded a bit. Lady Danbury, Benedict’s godmother had also come to meet her great godson and she went up to the lady beside their brother who was holding little Charles. “And who might this be?” She inquired with a raised brow.
“This is Sophie Baek, my lady’s maid” Benedict introduced the blacked haired young lady. “Due to my current condition, I am unable to carry him, so in the meantime Sophie has been a life saver.” He smiled warmly at his maid, which she returned equally as warm. “Thank you so much, Sophie.” Anthony interrupted from where he was standing. Everyone held their breath as he made his way closer to all of them until he was facing their nephew.
“Well, aren’t you a handsome boy” He smiled down at young Charles releasing some of his welcoming earthy and familiar scents. The baby welcomed it and held his arms up, Anthony gently took him from Sophie’s arms, kissing the top of his head warmly. “And quite heavy at that.”
Violet hit him in the arm, “Anthony” She admonished him, but Benedict laughed lightly, “He isn’t wrong, mama. Charlie here is a big boy.” With his good hand he rubbed his wrist to scent his babe. Their other siblings took that as their queue and joined Anthony with the baby while Colin finally moved towards his big brother, “Col!” Benedict said grabbing him towards his arms in a hug.
“Brother!” Colin said as he hugged him back, he had grown quite a lot in the past few months which made it easy for him to bury his face into his brother’s shoulder in comfort. “How I missed you all” His brother rubbed his scent all over him and for once Colin could finally breathe in relief.
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Yes in this house Lady Danbury is also Benedict’s godmother and an Alpha💅🏼💁🏻♀️ lil penelope has also finally made her lil appearance✨