Author’s note: Hi! This is my first Desire and Decorum fic and since I feel insecure about writing in 19th century British English, I’m writing an AU. I don’t know where this story will go, I’m just testing the waters. [All characters are owned by Pixelberry studios]
Book: Desire & Decorum (Modern AU)
Pairing: Prince Hamid x MC (Daphne) [x Mr. Sinclaire]; Mr. Sinclaire x Miss Holloway; Miss Sutton x Mr. Marlcaster [x Briar]; Briar x Mr. Woods
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 2082
Summary: Briar convinces Daphne to a attend a Halloween sorority party at college and she realizes Ernest is there. To avoid running into him, she seeks help from a dashing stranger.
Based on the prompts: My friend dragged me to this party and I just saw my ex. Quick make out with me – I’ll pay you. (from @choicesprompts)
Daphne warmed some hair pomade between her hands and smoothening her hair down, adjusting the flyaways with a comb while looking the mirror. She honestly didn’t want to leave the room, let alone the building, but her roommate insisted, otherwise she wouldn’t travel with her and bake the cranberry pie her family loved. At least her best friend’s culinary talents and ability to make small talk with anyone could ease out the tension of lying to her parents about the life she was living on her own at the States.
“Daphne, I know you’re stalling. You don’t take that long to get ready. Come on,” Briar called out from the doorway.
“You should go ahead. I’ll meet you there.”
“Oh no. I’m not falling for that again. Last time you said you’d meet me at the Red’s and you left me there with Jess and her friend, who was supposed to be your date,” Briar chided.
Daphne turned around to look at her roommate. “I told you I wasn’t ready to meet someone new. And if you set me up again…”
“I didn’t. I just want you to stop watching Netflix while eating all our candy bar stock and have some fun.” Briar opened the shoe storage cabinet and picked up a pair of golden strap sandals and handed them to her friend. “Now put these on and let’s go.”
Daphne put on her heels and sighed. “This is why I love chocolate. It doesn’t ask questions and never makes me go to parties when there’s a perfectly good new series to binge-watch.”
“I’ll let you go back to your serious relationship with Netflix and chocolates after you pass out from drinking. But tonight you’ll leave your issues in this room and lose yourself on the dancefloor,” Briar smiled.
…
The car stopped in front of the Alpha Phi house and Daphne stayed in the car to pay the Uber driver. Briar was greeting her some of her classmates when she spotted Daphne’s ex-boyfriend walking into the house with a blond girl in his arms. She looked inside the car and saw Daphne searching for money on her purse. “Hey, everything okay in there?” She asked, standing on the doorway and blocking the view.
“I’m fine, I’m just waiting for the driver to give me the change. Or maybe I’ll just let him keep it. I know you’re eager to go to this party,” Daphne smiled at her.
“No, no… Take your time. You know if you don’t- ” Briar knocked over Daphne’s purse, spreading all her belongings across the backseat. “Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry, let me help you,” she said getting in the car and helping her roommate collect her things.
“It’s alright, Bri,” Daphne replied eyeing her friend suspiciously. Briar is anything but clumsy. However, she didn’t dwell that much on it. Placing all her stuff back in the purse, she paid the driver and they walked out of the car, heading towards the door. Briar immediately went to the main lounge, where she began dancing with Arthur. Daphne smiled watching her childhood friend flirting with her date on the dancefloor, then wandered around quietly looking for a drink.
The sorority house looked like a far different place with a Halloween theme. Somehow the spooky decoration and black lights felt less threatening than the usual dark wooden walls with pompous paintings. All the people who enjoy gossiping about her were already too drunk to notice her and it was certainly an added bonus. “Having fun, Daph?” She turned around to see Edmund standing next to the refreshments table with a welcoming smile.
“Eddie!” she beamed hugging her stepbrother.
“Hi there,” he promptly returned the embrace. He may have only have known her for a year, but Edmund was very fond of his stepsister, despite his fiancee and his mother’s attempts to diss her.
“I thought you were handling business at Edgewater. When did you arrive?” She pulled out of the embrace and they grabbed a beer from the table, clinking the plastic cups before drinking.
“Yesterday. Theresa told me about this party her sorority was throwing here and I thought you could use a friendly face after you broke up with Ernest,“ he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.
“I’m fine,” she said, avoiding eye contact.
“Briar disagrees.”
“Does your fiancee know you’re talking to Briar?”
“Daphne…”
“Stop toying with my best friend’s feelings, Edmund. You’re engaged.”
“You should tell her to stop toying with mine too. She reached out to me and said things she shouldn’t say and now she’s there with Arthur Woods, rubbing her body all over him,” he glared at the sight of Briar rocking her body to the beat of the EDM song, Arthur’s hands running down her back.
“Darling, you’re here!” Edmund and Daphne were startled by the sound of his fiancee’s brashy voice. “I missed you,” Theresa’s arms circled around his waist as she kissed his neck.
He swallowed hard, composing himself before turning to greet her. “I missed you too,” he replied, kissing her quickly. Daphne rolled her eyes. She hated the fact that her brother had to marry someone to maintain family alliances instead of being with the woman he cared about.
“Oh, hi Daphne,” Theresa faked a smile. “I didn’t think you’d be here since Ernest came by with Felicity.”
“What?” Daphne’s eyes grew wide and bit her lips nervously scanning her surroundings.
“You know Felicity is an Alpha Phi girl and she’s dating him now, right? She had to bring him. They’re Touchdown’s dream couple.”
“Actually I didn’t. I don’t really have time to keep track on campus gossip when I have classes to attend plus all my extracurricular activities. By all means, do go on praising your friend. It’s nice to know when you’re not talking shit about someone. But since I don’t have to stay here and listen, excuse me.” She dashed out of the room trying to hide her fear of meeting ex-boyfriend.
Theresa pursed her lips at Daphne, but Edmund narrowed his eyes at his fiancee. “Why are you looking at me like that? She was the rude one.”
“Because you provoked her,” He ran his hands through his hair. “Why can’t you get along with her?”
“I tried. We have nothing in common and I love Felicity. Daphne needs to get over Ernest. Or get under someone else, at the very least,” Theresa sneered.
“And you wonder why people say you’re frivolous,” he took a large gulp of his beer, grabbed another cup and walked down the hallway in the same direction his sister went.
Daphne headed towards the back door and found herself in the backyard. A few partygoers drank by the pool area dancing, however, she just wanted to be alone for a moment. She saw a quieter place by the railing and sat on the comfortable patio couch. Musing at the night sky, she didn’t notice someone sat by her side. “Good to know I’m not the only one who appreciates the beauty of a full moon,” a smoky soft voice said.
“Huh?” She turned to the side and found herself beside a tall good looking olive skin stranger with dark blue eyes flashing an impeccable bright smile as he sipped an amber colored beer.
“If you preferred to stay out here by yourself, I believe the party wasn’t that much fun to you,” he added.
“Yeah, you could say that,” Daphne looked down her hands, then at him. “But you’re out here too. Aren’t you enjoying the party?”
“I mingled with many different people, played beer pong, danced with some pretty friendly ladies and laughed at the frat boys’ silly jokes. I did everything I was expected to do as an exchange student. Now I can do whatever I want.”
“And what would that be?”
“Right now, I’m perfectly fine with relishing the company of a beautiful woman dressed like an heaven sent creature while I watch the stars,” he smiled softly as the feathers of Daphne’s dress were moved by the cold fall breeze. She felt her cheeks heat, but before she could reply, she froze as she spotted Ernest. One of his hands were placed on the small of Felicity’s back as he eagerly chatted with some of his grad student colleagues. “Is everything alright?”
“Shit, he’s really here,” she covered her face with one hand.
“Who’s here?”
“My ex-boyfriend.”
“Oh,” he pressed his lips together. “Should I leave?”
“Please don’t. I can’t be alone if he decides to talk to me. Can we fake make out here?”
“What?” He raised his eyebrows in confusion.
“My friend dragged me to this party and I just saw my ex, quick make out with me, I’ll pay you. We can just kiss and you can put your hands around me, nothing major. Please, don’t leave alone here,” she begged.
“I’m sorry… what?” He queried, looking even more confused. He was about to say something else when Daphne pulled him by the neck and their lips crashed. Ernest was making his way towards them, holding hands with his new girlfriend. The stranger looked at her, both of them with their eyes open as their lips moved together emotionlessly. He could see the vulnerability in her eyes and, placing one hand on the small of her back, he pulled her close and shut his eyes, his tongue gently invading her mouth. His other hand rested on the nape of her neck, playing of the strands of her deep black hair that fell out of her ponytail.
His touch sent a small electric charge through her spine and she tilted her head back as his lips traveled to her jawline and neck. Her hands tugged his costume and she straddled him, savoring the taste of ale beer from his mouth and the goosebumps slowing forming on her skin on the spots his hands caressed.
“I told you that pity party of hers was for show, Ernest. She’s already making out with Hamid.” Felicity’s displeasing voice pulled them out of their frenzy. Daphne looked to the side and watched Ernest walking away, his head down as Felicity murmured something his ear. She had mixed feelings about the heavy make out. She was glad he saw her, but a part of her didn’t want Ernest to think they wouldn’t have a second chance. Although, this stranger and the way he kisses…
“Mission accomplished?” Hamid gave her a lopsided smirk.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Daphne smiled sheepishly.
“Good. I take cash, wire transfer, credit card, and PayPal,” he uttered. She stared at him with her jaw open. “I’m joking, I would never charge for making out with an angel,” he smiled as his fingers played with the feathers of her dress. “The other gods would say I’m taking advantage of my power for selfish motives,” he winked.
Daphne smiled blushing. “You’re a very noble kind of god, Hamid. Or should I say Hermes?” she cocked an eyebrow.
“I still need something in return for my services. What can you offer me?”
“Umm…” she scratched her chin mocking. “Do you prefer credit card or wire transfer?”
“How about I get your name and you can use your credit card to buy us a nicer beer than this one?”
“Alright, I’ll accept your company, fellow heavenly being. Let’s get out of here.” She stood up and held out her hand to him. “And it’s Daphne.”
“What a befitting name to such an enchanting lady,” he kissed her knuckles, locking eyes with her. She blushed once again and he smiled as he stood up and they marched back to the house.
“I bet you say that to every girl you meet,” she commented.
“I do, actually. But this time, I truly mean it,” he murmured in her ear and placed his arm around her waist. She shook her head hiding a smile and he laughed as they walked past everyone and left the party, not caring if anyone else was looking.
