forum A Gentleman? // OxO // Closed

Started December 09, 2019 by @ElderGod-Icefire

tune

If it was Alexei, he must have completely changed his fashion from earlier. The man stopped a few paces away and cocked his head curiously at the sight of Jack. “Montague?” Francis. “What are you doing out here?”

Jack let out a disappointed sigh. "I… nothing, I guess." He replied quietly, wrapping his arms around himself and suddenly looking very small and very unsure of himself. He didn't meet Francis's eyes. He knew the judgement that would lie in them, and he didn't feel like seeing that again.

(ack- sorry I haven’t posted in so long)

Francis squinted back at Jack. There were too many possible reasons he could be out in the middle of the night, and one being the same reason as Francis. Otherwise he didn’t want to know. “Are you alright?” Not that he should be concerned, but he was supposed to be keeping an eye on him.

(it's alright)

Jack gave a humorless smile. "Perfectly alright. Why wouldn't I be?" he responded, still not looking at Francis. Alexei…Alexei must not be coming. His shoulders slumped faintly at the realization that he had been abandoned again.

“You look…” Francis searched for the right word, and when he couldn’t find it, decided to change the sentence completely. “You’re just standing out here alone. In there middle of the night. You have to admit that is a little strange, right?”

He raised an eyebrow slightly. "You're here too." he retorted, cocking his head as he looked at Francis.

Francis’s lips dipped into a frown. “I was taking a walk. Not just…standing in the middle of a street.” He shifted his weight from foot to foot, rather uncomfortable with the conversation. “How long were you out here?”

"It doesn't matter." he waved a hand vaguely, rubbing his face and sighing quietly. If Alexei wasn't coming, there was no reason to stick around.

Francis was quiet for a matter of moments before he spoke again. “I guess I’ll be on my way back. You can come with if you want. Or you can just continue to stand there.”

He shrugged faintly. Since Alexei wasn't coming, he supposed that he may as well head back. They were going to Paris the next day, after all. "Alright."

Francis only nodded in acknowledgment, wordless, as he turned to head back to the house. Listening for Jack’s footsteps behind him. It was late, and it’d be best to get as much sleep as he could before they were off to Paris. Heaven knew what kind of trouble Jack could get into there.

Jack followed Francis silently, still a little disappointed that Alexei had never shown. He didn't understand why not, either. They had both been looking forward to it…

Francis tucked his hands into his coat pockets. He wasn’t sure whether to be relieved Jack wouldn’t be getting into any trouble tonight, or feel bad for the man. He did look terribly disappointed from the brief glance Francis casted him.

Jack kept his eyes a bit downcast, not looking at Francis as they walked. He didn't understand why the Frenchman hadn't shown.

(Here ‘tis!)
Francis spent the majority of the ride to Paris in silence. His gaze most often hung on a single page in his notebook, though he could only read the same words so many times before having to drag his eyes away. Beyond the window, the looming mansions of Paris looked like nothing more than pristine doll houses. Stuck in place. Stuck in a carriage with the two people who made his head spacey and the ride unbearably long. Both for their respective reasons.

Francis let out an audible breath of relief once the carriage stopped in front of one of the doll house mansions—now that it was considerably bigger. The place was concealed by a tall fence, a lavish garden behind it, and finally the residential treasure towering within. The first to pass through the large double doors was the footman, a dapper young man clad in a neatly pressed oxford blue coat, sent to greet the newcomers.

(thanks!)
Jack sat up as they arrived. He had switched between drinking or sleeping for the entire trip, sometimes humming inanely to himself, sometimes staring out the window in a fit of melancholy. No matter what he happened to be doing, he somehow always managed to take up more space than he needed to, whether sprawled out while sleeping or extending his legs out or kicking while awake. Elizabeth, for her part, read or slept, not really attempting to make conversation, since her brother would only have ruined it. At least, in her opinion, in any case.

(np!)
Just as Francis was about to unfasten the latch on the door, the footman already had it open. He stepped aside, tucked one arm behind his lower back, and dipped his head of sandy blond hair to each of them in greeting. “Mademoiselle.” He regarded Elizabeth first, holding out his free hand to offer assistance.