Do You Ever Knock?! For Elizabeth

[Benedict Bridgerton]

I'm not bound by                                  

◈   ◈   ◈  ◈  ◈ "Do You Ever Knock?!" ◈   ◈   ◈  ◈  ◈ Tag Elizabeth Davenport

                        the rules of society.

[Elizabeth Davenport]

When in doubt, Elizabeth could always count on Benedict to put her in a decent mood. Whether they would simply sit in one another's company or joke around with one another, Elizabeth could not think of a time where he had not been comforting. She had no reason in this particular moment to be in a sour mood but she found that she was. Fortunately for her, it was hardly considered improper or rude to show up at the Bridgerton house looking for Benedict, or any Bridgerton for that matter. It was just another reason that Elizabeth was so thankful for growing up so close to the family. Someone was always there if she needed it. Of course, that wasn't to say her own family was bad but sometimes she couldn't find what she needed amongst them. 

Although an unplanned visit, Elizabeth found herself waiting in the drawing room for what felt like ages. She was certain that someone said they would find Benedict for her to tell him that she was there, but at this rate, she believed there must have been a miscommunication. Finding Benedict shouldn't be too hard, as there were only so many places he could be. After huffing in annoyance, Elizabeth retreated from the drawing room in search of her dearest friend. 

She searched the places he liked to paint the most, but was unable to find him there. Elizabeth walked down the hall towards his bedroom, noting the closed door but not paying much attention to it. Perhaps he was inside painting and just wished for some privacy. In any case, Elizabeth grabbed the handle and opened the door. "Benedict did no one tell you -" She stopped talking and her eyebrows flew up at what she saw. Some sort of noise left her lips, mixed between a squeal and a laugh, before she backed out and slammed the door behind her. 

Elizabeth took a step and leaned against the wall outside of Benedict's room. What had he been doing? Elizabeth felt her face flush in embarrassment, knowing that it was certainly something she had not been meant to see. A soft giggle escaped her lips and she immediately covered her mouth with her hand. It must be an automatic reaction when she was uncomfortable or did not know how to react. Oh, she knew Benedict would be so cross with her if he ever decided to come out of his room. 

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Tag: Benedict Bridgerton

credit to Laura of Adox

[Benedict Bridgerton]

Tag: Elizabeth Davenport

i' m    n o t    b o u n d    b y 

THE RULES OF SOCIETY

Things had been hard as of late. Very . . . incredibly . . . hard. Being around Sophie was maddening. And she was quite literally everywhere. And even when she was not physically present, he was hoping she would be. And his mind was be consumed of thoughts about her. Yes. Maddening indeed. Benedict found himself incapable of thinking of anyone else with how deeply he was falling for her. He had not been with another since she had come into their lives, nor did he want to be. But being a typical virile man, it left him with all this pent up . . . frustration and desire. He had remained in his room for some time, not having planned it. It all started with him leisurely sitting on the sofa in his chamber, legs stretched over its length, and exceeding it with his feet dangling off.

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His sketchpad was on his lap, drawing a picture of her. He had practically committed to memory every one of her exquisitely beautiful features. Her bright eyes, the way they shone yet easily delivered him glares in moments of playful banter. Her soft lips . . . ah yes. Her lips. The way they curved when she smiled. The way they parted when she spoke. How he longed to touch them, and taste them . . . Benedict's mind slowly drifting to this desire. A desire that was burning within him. He leaned his head back, closing his eyes as his hand went a little limp, prompting the charcoal to ease from his grasp. But while his hand went limp . . . another part of him certainly did not. His hand of its own accord started to slide downward, under his sketch bad where it made swift work of slipping under his breeches, just enough to wrap his fingers around his building arousal.

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Benedict let out a heavy breath, mixed with a slight moan as he imagined her. Each stroke of his hand, moving in tune with his imagining of her. The way she looked, the way she felt, the way she tasted -- "Benedict did no one tell you -" To say that he was startled, was an understatement. The unexpected voice and presence caused him to leap from his position, the abruptness and surprise of it causing him to tumble off of his sofa and land on the ground. "Dammit Elizabeth, knock!" He exclaimed, able to recognize her voice even though he barley caught a glimpse of her before she rushed out. He stumbled to his feet, quickly doing up his pants.

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If there was anyone who could do a good job of causing his arousal to ebb, it was certainly one of his sisters, or Elizabeth who was practically as a sister to him anyway. Once his pants were done up he made his way to the closed door, though paused, leaving it closed and standing on the side of his room. Dear god, how much had she seen?! Enough to cause her to rush out and as his mind caught up to it . . . make a sound akin to awkward laughter. Still standing, he did not yet open the door yet instead, spoke through it closed. "Are you . . . still out there?" He questioned, having a feeling he already knew the answer.

[Elizabeth Davenport]

She kept her hand over her mouth as her mind processed what had transpired. Benedict had completely fallen off the couch he'd been on and Elizabeth found the sight too funny but knew that laughing right now was not going to make things any better. She felt awful, knowing that she certainly should have knocked. It was something she almost always did but for some reason she had failed to do so this time around, clearly. Oh but she wished she had knocked. It would have saved the two of them so much embarrassment and Elizabeth did not know how the pair would be able to look the other in the eye after this. 

Elizabeth heard Benedict approach the door but he did not open it. She removed the hand from her mouth, feeling like she had come to compose herself just the slightest bit. "Perhaps," she said, squeezing her eyes shut and letting the whole thing wash over her again. Reaching over, she let her hand hover against the door before she let her knuckles knock against the wood. Well, better late than never. The action caused Elizabeth to begin chuckling again and she slapped her hand over her mouth. "I'm here, in case no one told you," she said, her face flinching as she still didn't know how this whole thing with Benedict would pan out.

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Tag: Benedict Bridgerton

credit to Laura of Adox

[Benedict Bridgerton]

Tag: Elizabeth Davenport

i' m    n o t    b o u n d    b y 

THE RULES OF SOCIETY

She gave a teasing response and then . . . . proceeded to knock. Though she could not see him, he practically rolled his eyes at the belated gesture or compliance with his words upon her barging into his room. "Well, it's a little late for that Elizabeth Davenport," he full named her through the still closed door. He was, uncomfortable. It was not often that his body was left . . . unsatisfied and so this unfamiliar, horrible ache unsated did indeed cause quite the discomfort. And as Elizabeth was the one who had come in announced, she was the one who would have to cope with his, frustration.

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Though as Benedict was not one to be overly rude or cruel, he knew that it would be expressed rather minimally. But still expressed nonetheless. She she added that she was here in case no one told him, he gave a look at the door. "Clearly not," he added. Taking a deep breath, he knew that he could not avoid her forever, regardless of the embarrassment. Though, then came the question in his mind . . . did she actually know what he was doing? Did she . . . understand?

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She had seen enough to prompt this awkward encounter yet he wondered how much of it she actually comprehended. Biting the bullet, he slowly opened the door, one hand on the handle while his arm leaned against the doorframe, standing -- perhaps blocking -- entrance. "What?" He asked looking at her rather unamused, despite her own . . . amused sounds. He continued his question. "Was so important that you came in without thinking to knock." And it had better be good!

[Elizabeth Davenport]

Elizabeth could practically feel his frustration through the door when she knocked. Clearly, he had not found it quite as amusing as she had. Elizabeth had not been trying to be funny but she was in such an awkward situation that she could only make herself laugh or do things that would make the predicament even worse. If she hadn't walked in on Benedict doing something quite personal, she would have made a remark in return about how he was quite sensitive and clearly annoyed with her. But instead, she kept her mouth shut for the time being. If he needed to snap at her to feel better then she supposed she deserved it.

It wasn't her fault one of the house staff had not told Benedict she was there. They had told her they were going to and so she had been left waiting and waiting for her dear friend. Clearly he had been otherwise preoccupied and perhaps at a later time, she would come to question more and more what exactly it was he had been doing. Elizabeth and Benedict were close but she did not think they were that close where she could openly ask him about it. Finally, the door opened and Elizabeth jumped slightly at the noise. He stood there, glaring at her and she had to purse her lips to keep from falling into another fit of uncomfortable laughter. "Shall I make something up? Will that perhaps make you feel better?" She tried, her nose scrunching up slightly as she felt incredibly unsure about what to say. "I was waiting for such a long time and was growing terribly impatient. I didn't think you'd be . . . otherwise occupied." 

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Tag: Benedict Bridgerton

credit to Laura of Adox

[Benedict Bridgerton]

Tag: Elizabeth Davenport

i' m    n o t    b o u n d    b y 

THE RULES OF SOCIETY

Would making something up cause him to feel better? No. It would most certainly not. Nothing would make him feel better short of having been able to finish what he started . . . or being with Sophie. But since both were not within Elizabeth's capabilities, there was nothing she could do. Apart from being on the receiving end of his . . . frustrations. She went on to offer explanation and Benedict slightly raised an eyebrow at her reasoning.

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"Allow me to see if I understand this correctly . . . " He began. "There was no, emergency? Nothing was on fire, nor was anyone gravely wounded but rather . . . it was your impatience that prompted you to barge into my room without a second thought?" His question somewhat rhetorical, but it was there to be answered as he was certain she would have some sort of retort. "God forbid my personal affairs stand in way of your impatience." he teased, though he was still unamused by the entire intrusion. Perhaps one day Elizabeth would understand but he certainly was not going to be the one to thoroughly -- or even briefly -- explain it to her.

[Elizabeth Davenport]

Elizabeth had to purse her lips to keep from letting an uncomfortable grin appear on her face. She shut one of her eyes as she listened to Benedict talk, taking in his understanding that nothing urgent had required her to fetch him that very moment. "You are not incorrect," she said rather slowly, knowing how awful it must sound being said out loud. But surely it would not have caused quite the commotion had she simply walked in and he'd been drawing or reading a book. Yes, she had entered without knocking which was entirely rude of her but there was nothing she could do to take it back now. Elizabeth felt awful for it and the entire encounter would be quite difficult to forget, though she wished she could scrub it from her brain.

There was a bit of relief when his tone eased up slightly, but she could tell he was still on edge. She was unable to help the comment that fell from her lips. "Is that what that was? A personal affair?" She jested, quickly taking a step back from the door and laughing slightly. Not that she thought Benedict would hit her but they certainly swatted at one another in annoyance when it was just the two of them. Like squabbling siblings. Truthfully, Elizabeth had no idea what Benedict had actually been doing but there were bits and pieces she understood. Normally, she would have no qualms going to Benedict with a question such as this but considering she'd walked in on him doing it, she made the assumption that he was probably not the best person to talk to about such a thing. "Shall I go? I feel as if I should go," Elizabeth said, the grin on her face. 

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Tag: Benedict Bridgerton

credit to Laura of Adox