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"To feel anything deranges you."
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Post by Connor Morrison on Mar 23, 2021 0:07:04 GMT
Connor knew, without having to ask, that Hippolyte must be idly running through the names of muscles and tendons as he trailed his fingers along them. He was fond of doing that, in the rare moments that they lingered like this. Once, Connor had begun to murmur the names aloud as Hippolyte traced them, to test his own recollection — but that required actual effort, which Connor was not inclined to expend at the moment.
There was a part of him, even in this lazy, half-dormant state, that kept insisting that he ought to get up and dress instead of allowing this moment to stretch out any longer. To Hippolyte, the intimacy might mean little, but to Connor, it meant a little too much. The haze of the heat was enough to banish most coherent thoughts on that matter now, but Connor knew he should cut the moment short to save him the obsessing he would no doubt find himself doing later. The last time he had allowed himself to allow these small intimacies, he had berated himself nearly a fortnight for the weakness of it. And so, no doubt, he would again tonight.
But the part of him still lulled by the sunlight and the soft drag of Hippolyte's fingers along his skin kept him tethered, for now. In any case, if he rose now and severed off their conversation, Hippolyte would find it odd; they had no pressing engagements for several hours, and if Connor made a fuss of departing, Hippolyte would no doubt raise questions. That was enough of an excuse to indulge, for now.
He kept his eyes shut as he brought his hand up to hook his fingers lightly around Hippolyte's wrist, letting the index and middle finger come to rest on the slow, steady pulse. Under the Frenchman's own hand, Connor's throat rose and fell with a soft sigh. "Not many. Cooper, I suppose, but you know him. Guthrie continues to be an absolute bore. Anwyl speaks highly of Grainger, but I cannot say I've met the man myself." He cracked one eye open, just enough to peer over at Hippolyte, rendered almost glowing by the sun. Connor tried not to think much about that. "Abernethy is quite good — I believe he will be in attendance tonight, if you desire an introduction." |
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Junior Member
"To feel anything deranges you."
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Post by Connor Morrison on Mar 22, 2021 22:57:21 GMT
Connor, reclining lazily on the bench, regarded Benedict with genuine curiosity as the man explained. He seemed reluctant to address the matter at all, and even in his own inebriated state, Connor could detect the strong note of embarrassment in his tone. Clearly, he did not think very highly of his own talents. Connor did not know Granville well, but he believed the man to have rather discerning taste; if Benedict's art was really as terrible as he was making it out to be, Connor doubted it would have caught the eye of Henry Granville.
Unless Benedict's art had not been what caught Granville's eye at all.
Now, there was a curious prospect. Connor may not have known Granville well, but he had certainly been to enough of these parties to learn both that Granville preferred the company of men and that the artist had a remarkable skill at sniffing out others who shared that preference. Oh, not every man here was like that, certainly — the sheer amount of feminine moans of pleasure ringing out at every party proved that well enough. But Connor thought there might be a special sort of reverence in the way that Benedict spoke of Granville. Perhaps he was hearing things that weren't there, but perhaps there was something more to it than a shared affinity for art.
In any case, that was not something he was likely to ferret out tonight. These sorts of things required a bit of delicacy. It would be interesting, however, to keep an eye on Benedict Bridgerton. With a sigh, Connor tossed back the last mouthful of his own brandy, set the glass aside, and flexed his shoulders to stretch them as he sat back up fully upright. "You're a dreadful bore for cutting us off so early, Bridgerton, but I should not like to incur your brother's wrath by returning you to him too drunk. Permit me to see you home, at least." |
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Junior Member
"To feel anything deranges you."
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Post by Connor Morrison on Mar 22, 2021 19:25:29 GMT
Connor might have been pleased to learn just how much Benedict perceived him to be at ease. In some regards, he was: these parties allowed him to loosen his cravat, drink as much as he pleased, and let go of most inhibitions. There was a certain freedom to be had in these halls. That much, he appreciated.
But he was not quite so much at ease as Benedict — or the rest of the partygoers — believed him to be. The construct of the relaxed and uninhibited man of leisure was a game of pretend as the construct of the fashionable and respectable surgeon. It was a game, however, that Connor had played for so long that he scarcely continued to recognise it as a game at all. Indeed, if Benedict had asked if he found himself entirely at ease, it would not have been a conscious lie to answer that he did.
So, still smiling, he took a sip. "Medical students," he replied, "have a reputation for a reason, Mr. Bridgerton. I saw enough scandal among my peers by age twenty to outstrip anything that goes on in these four walls." He paused to consider his next assumption. Now that the easier guesses were out of the way, it was a little harder to come up with new things to ask. After a second or two, he decided to return to their earlier topic. "In spite of your art, you would not call yourself an artist." |
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Junior Member
"To feel anything deranges you."
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Post by Connor Morrison on Mar 22, 2021 17:39:35 GMT
Connor was rather surprised, really, that Benedict chose to make no further comment on his art. Even if the man did not wish to expound further on how his art had managed to catch Granville's eye, Connor had expected him to at least address the type of artwork he did. If anything, Benedict almost looked embarrassed about the topic. Perhaps, Connor supposed, the man was not entirely confident in his own abilities. Second sons tended to be that way, in his experience — being an only child himself, he could not claim to know how it felt on a personal level, but he had met more than his fair share of second sons desperate to prove themselves worthy or unique.
Better not to remark upon that. And, in any case, any curiosity over the matter of Benedict's artwork was entirely struck out of Connor's head by the Bridgerton's next assumption. It was a natural enough leap, given the sort of party that this was, but Connor had not expected the young man to grow so bold at such an early stage of the game. He was almost impressed. Shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, he took a sip of his drink. "Bit of a cheat, that," he said. "If anyone here was interested only in art, they would go to a gallery. But fair is fair." He tipped his head back, swilled his drink, then twitched his index finger up to point towards Benedict with a bit of a devious smile. "I would wager you have enjoyed a bit more than art at these parties." |
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Junior Member
"To feel anything deranges you."
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Post by Connor Morrison on Mar 22, 2021 15:40:42 GMT
Connor made no attempt to conceal his satisfaction as Benedict sipped his drink to confirm the assumption. He was rather pleased that the man chose to elaborate further; it was not strictly necessary, and it was certainly possible to play the game based simply on confirming or denying, but it was always a bit more fun when the players offered further information. Benedict's third party, then — Connor would have leaned more towards the assumption that it was his second. Evidently, it took a little longer for the wonder and the naïveté to fully rub off from a man with Benedict's upbringing.
Benedict's assumption earned him a snort of laughter. He couldn't exactly say it wasn't a fair one for the man to make, given the fact that Connor had been the one to suggest this game in the first place. Nodding, he raised his glass to down a small sip of the brandy. "That I can, Mr. Bridgerton. Most, at least. Liston drank me under the table last month, but that was hardly a fair match — he's nineteen and built like a fucking bull." He paused a moment to think up the next assumption. "Mm... I think Sir Granville first noticed you because you draw. Or paint." |
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Junior Member
"To feel anything deranges you."
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Post by Connor Morrison on Mar 22, 2021 14:52:12 GMT
Connor had wagered that it would be a 50 / 50 split on the likelihood of Benedict turning down the invitation or accepting it. The man clearly had more daring than the majority of his social peers — he wouldn't be here at a party like this, after all, if he didn't — but the man still seemed rather green, and a game like this was not particularly for the faint of heart. Drinking games themselves could be daunting enough, but a young man who hadn't learned to hold his liquor by his twenties was not a man who would survive a London season. What frightened most people off from this game, in particular, was the twofold fear of learning what assumptions one's companion might make and what assumptions one would then have to confirm.
As the Bridgerton boy hesitated, Connor watched with an eyebrow still raised. For a moment or two, he was sure that Benedict was going to turn the offer down — but then, at last, he gave in, and Connor's grin widened into a full-on beam of wolfish delight. He reached a hand out to slap Benedict's shoulder hard.
"There's a good lad! I knew you would have the stomach for it." Leaning back again to lounge against the arm of the bench, he took a moment to study Benedict in order to firm his first assumption. The younger man's demeanour, above all, was what intrigued him most — he was comfortable enough to let loose a little, but he had still not rid himself of that look of childish wonder. "I assume," the Scotsman said finally, "that this is not your first time at one of Granville's parties, but that you've attended less than... mm, five? Second or third time, perhaps?" |
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"To feel anything deranges you."
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Post by Connor Morrison on Mar 22, 2021 1:29:36 GMT
Connor had expected questions, naturally. These sort of parties bred curiosity — everyone here knew that everyone else had been invited by someone here, be it Granville himself or one of the other guests, and that involved a bit of a delicacy. One wrong invite could result in the ruining of every attendee's reputation. The question uppermost in nearly everyone's minds, Connor suspected, was the same one: what was it about their fellow partygoers that had marked them as trustworthy enough to earn an invitation to a place like this?
He could have answered Benedict's questions straightforwardly, one by one, and interspersed with those answers with questions of his own. That, however, sounded dreadfully like half a dozen conversations he'd already had tonight.
There were ways to make the conversation a little more interesting.
The lopsided grin from earlier worked its way back onto his lips. He regarded Benedict in silence for a moment, trying to gauge whether the risk was worth the gamble, then decided in favour of it. "I have a proposal, Mr. Bridgerton." He swilled the brandy in his glass, took a small sip, then let the glass come to rest on his knee. "There is a game that the lads and I used to play when we were students. It doesn't have a name, really, but it goes this way. Instead of asking me a question, you make an assumption — could be anything you want. If you're right, I drink. If you're wrong, you drink. Then I have a turn to make an assumption, with the same rules." He raised an eyebrow. "Simple enough, mm? Man enough to play?" |
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Junior Member
"To feel anything deranges you."
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May 11, 2021 19:15:15 GMT
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Post by Connor Morrison on Mar 21, 2021 23:36:16 GMT
As the cool night air hit Connor's skin, he paused a moment on the back steps to drink the sensation in with a long, satisfied exhale. He never quite realised just how stuffy it tended to get inside these parties until he stepped out of them; with so many candles lit and so many men and women milling about, the place was often a veritable furnace, especially in the height of the summer months. The comfort of the alcohol and the haziness of the whole evening had kept him from consciously noting the heat, but the breeze was just as pleasant all the same.
He lingered no more than a second or two on the steps to enjoy the feeling before continuing on, following Benedict to the ornate bench. He was pleased to see that the garden was relatively empty; he certainly did not mind the busy atmosphere indoors, but it was hardly conducive to actual conversation. Besides, he should not have liked to stumble upon any couples making the most of the hedges.
Careful not to spill any of his brandy, the Scotsman dropped down beside Benedict and slung one leg over the armrest of the bench. Taking a moment to consider the question, he pursed his lips, then shrugged. "God, two years, at least. I reside normally in Edinburgh, so I only come by when I have occasion to be in London. Shame, really."
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Junior Member
"To feel anything deranges you."
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Iris
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May 11, 2021 19:15:15 GMT
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Post by Connor Morrison on Mar 21, 2021 17:46:34 GMT
Unseasonably warm, for the time of year. Even with the drapes blocking out the direct strike of the sun's rays, the air of the room was heavy with the afternoon heat. Under normal circumstances, Connor might have lingered only long enough to take a pinch of snuff before rising to dress. The warmth, however, urged laziness, and even the act of twisting his head on the rumpled sheets to watch the Frenchman rise for the snuffbox felt like a monumental effort.
The hazy heat gave an almost dreamlike quality to the whole scene. Hippolyte, long-limbed and pale, grew dappled with small patches of shifting sunlight as he crossed the room. The black hair that was always kept so carefully maintained in the public eye had fallen out of its usual neat arrangement; when he bent forward, the light caught the errant strands and struck them through with gold. There was something oddly satisfying, in seeing the great Ecole de Médecine's chef des travaux anatomiques look so eminently human.
As Hippolyte placed the snuffbox down to turn aside and pry open the window, the Scotsman shook off enough laziness to prop himself up on his elbows and stretch forward to take some of the snuff for himself. Once he had taken his fill, he slid the box back onto the bedside table, making a mental note — that he would, in all honesty, forget within a few minutes — to remind his companion not to forget it when they left for tonight's soireé.
The opening of the window, slight though it was, let a breath of a light breeze into the room, and Connor exhaled long and low in satisfaction as he twisted himself over to lie on his back, half tangled in the sheets. With his eyelids drooping, he did not see Hippolyte move to rejoin him, but the creak of the floorboards was enough to herald the man's approach — and, a moment later, the mattress sunk down under the Frenchman's weight, just as expected. Twisting his head again, Connor pried his eyes back open to watch as Hippolyte's hand reached out to wander its way along his collarbones. The press of those fingers against the blossoming marks was not quite enough to produce pain, but the tenderness of the skin warned that they would not soon fade. Thank God the fashions of the decade favoured high collars.
It was almost unnerving, this level of intimacy. This was far from the first time that they had shared a bed, but it was exceedingly rare that they ever lingered like this. Perhaps it was the heat, perhaps it was the new locale, or perhaps — Connor would not like to think of it — the prospect of the impending journey to Paris at the end of the season was hanging heavily enough between them that such intimacy could not quite be avoided. There was only so long Connor could put off questioning what that might mean.
But for now, in the warm, quiet London room, he was not inclined to dwell on the matter. For now, he leaned against Hippolyte's hand on his pulse and shut his eyes once more. Letting out a quiet hum of thought, he murmured, "We have had a few promising students. I think you met Liston last time you came — beast of a man, ought to qualify as a house surgeon by next year. More talent in his left thumb than half the rest of the students combined." |
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Junior Member
"To feel anything deranges you."
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Post by Connor Morrison on Mar 21, 2021 15:38:18 GMT
Even in this place, there was a certain sort of naïveté about the Bridgerton boy. He could not have attended many events like this — Connor would wager it was not his first, given the extent to which he had let himself relax, but there was still a hint of that wide-eyed awe about him. The young fellow was green enough that he still seemed delighted at his own daring. It was almost endearing, really; Connor supposed that he had once been like that, years ago. Most men and women who chose to subvert society's rules in secret had gone through a similar phase, he was sure. When one had been raised to follow a rigid set of expectations, it was always a bit of a rush the first time one began skirting those expectations.
Languidly, the surgeon pushed off from his half-reclining position against the wall. He paused, briefly, to pick up a decanter to refill both his glass of brandy and Benedict's; then, with his own drink in hand, he motioned towards the back hallway. "The Granvilles keep a fine back garden," he said, "and I am rather in the mood for a bit of fresh air. As long as we avoid the hedges, I'm sure we can avoid disturbing any of the other guests." |
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Junior Member
"To feel anything deranges you."
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Post by Connor Morrison on Mar 21, 2021 3:25:51 GMT
Benedict Bridgerton, of all men, here, of all places. Like anyone in the city who had spent their share of time in the social season, Connor was well practiced at faking surprise in most situations. After the fiftieth time one had to hear about Lord Something-Or-Other's secret affair with Duchess Who-Gives-A-Rip, it became rather difficult to summon up any actual interest. It was rare that something truly surprising ever happened in London's social circles, but this certainly fit the bill. Most sons of wealthy families liked to rebel — Connor was more than familiar with that — but it was generally in the same old boring ways, in gambling dens and drinking hovels. For a Bridgerton to end up at the sort of party hosted by Sir Granville was not something Connor would have expected.
With the lopsided grin still firmly lodged on his countenance, the surgeon leaned aside to brace his free arm against the wall and studied Benedict for a moment. He had come from the room generally dedicated to models for artistic study; that, coupled with the charcoal staining the young man's fingers, suggested he had been engaged in drawing. That was not so unusual — most people who came here liked to try their hands at a sketch or two, if only for the excuse to gawk openly at the model's bare breasts. Whether the Bridgerton fellow had a genuine interest in art or merely a genuine interest in the models, Connor could not rightly guess. He brought the glass of brandy back to his lips, took a brief swallow, then said, "Unwelcome? No. If you are a guest of Sir Granville's, I would wager you are more worth knowing than most of the ton." He jerked his head to the side. "Come and sit with me a moment, if you are not otherwise engaged." |
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Junior Member
"To feel anything deranges you."
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Post by Connor Morrison on Mar 21, 2021 1:57:43 GMT
London. For all its fog and its clamour, Connor adored the city. Edinburgh had an old world sort of charm, and it certainly boasted its own fair share of entertainment, but it lacked the sheer excitement of London; the city practically had a pulse of its own, beating on through a thousand veins and arteries, unceasingly thrumming from the earliest hours of the morning to the blackest pinnacle of night. There was never a shortage of things to do, never a shortage of events to attend, and, above all, never a shortage of people to meet.
Connor could not precisely recall when he had first been introduced to Henry Granville. Some party or another, either the last time he had been to London or perhaps the time before that. The artist had a marvellous knack for sniffing out the sort of men and women who would enjoy his sort of parties more than the high society balls that the rest of the ton swirled through. From the first visit, Connor had been intoxicated. When he found himself back down in London for a whole season, therefore, he had wasted little time in seeking the artist's house out once more.
It had not taken long for the place's haze to lull him into a pleasant, drunken sort of stupor. How much he had drunk — or smoked — he couldn't say; he was lucid enough to take note of what was going on around him, in a vague sort of way, but not quite lucid enough to care much about propriety. Like the majority of the men (and, frankly, women) in this household, he was in a state of half undress, having divested himself of his jacket and waistcoat. When the sudden bump of a shoulder against his startled him from his haze, he might have paid the man little attention, but a sense of familiarity struck him. For a moment, he stared, trying to figure out precisely who the man was and how he might know him; then, with a lopsided grin of triumph, he lifted the hand holding his brandy to raise an index finger in Benedict's direction. "Bridgerton, isn't it? By God, I did not expect to see a Bridgerton at a place like this." |
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Junior Member
"To feel anything deranges you."
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Post by Connor Morrison on Mar 20, 2021 3:40:16 GMT
.:Name:. Connor Morrison .:Nick Name:. None .:Rank:. Noble .:Age:. 30, born in 1783 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄. .:Physical Appearance:. Connor is incredibly fastidious about his appearance and attire. He scarcely ever has a single curl out of place, his clothing is always of the latest fashion and finest fabrics, and he carries himself with confidence. He is of average height and a fine build, with dark green eyes, brown hair, and high cheekbones. In demeanour, he is generally outgoing, although his general air of confidence does often tip over into the realm of arrogance. .:Height:. 5’6” .:Portrayed by:. Leo Suter 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘. .:Personality:. Raffish, bold, and self-assured, Connor Morrison is always intent to make himself the talk of the community, and he is often successful in doing so. He places quite the weight — too much, some might say — on his public appearance, from the reputation he cultivates to the minutest placement of folds in his cravat. Within his social circles, he is outgoing and confident; he is happy to be the first to strike up a conversation, both with those he knows well and those he has not yet met. Within his professional circles, he is just as confident. Edinburgh is a cut-throat city — pun very much intended — when it comes to the medical community, and Connor is more than willing to be as calculated outside of the operating room as he is within it. He is practiced in the art of getting his way, whether that means sweet-talking the right benefactor or undermining rivals behind their backs, all of which he gladly does with little shame. In spite of the outward confidence, however, there is a private part of him that is unhealthily obsessed with his image and public perception. In his own skills and worth, he has genuine confidence, but he is forever concerned with the possibility of losing any public favour he has gained. It’s anyone’s guess how much his preoccupations with his appearance and his reputation are for his own benefit and how much are for the benefit of a hollow persona. He is profoundly reluctant to ever confront any real feelings of his own, especially if they don’t fit with the way he wishes to be perceived. That is a side of him that very, very few people will ever see, however. To most, he is simply the boisterous, charming, confident fellow — a little self-obsessed, perhaps, and certainly a bit of a dandy, but a fine man and an excellent anatomist. .:Skills:. Charisma, medical knowledge, social connections, wit. .:Weaknesses:. Condescension, obsession with appearances and perception, repression. 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘. .:Birthplace:. Aberdeen, Scotland .:Family:. Lord Robert Morrison (father), Lady Margaret Morrison (mother) .:Occupation:. Assistant teacher of anatomy .:History:. Born as the son of a minor lord, with decent wealth to go along with the title, it would have been easy enough for Connor to live a life of idleness. Early on, however, he found that such a life was not quite to his tastes, and he determined to make his way to Edinburgh, the Athens of the North, to study medicine. There, he spent his student days the way most medical students are wont to — in gambling dens and drinking hovels more than operating theatres and dissecting rooms. Nevertheless, he managed to do well enough in his studies to earn his qualifications. With the anatomical teaching of the university itself overseen by a thoroughly incompetent professor, private schools of anatomy were thriving in the Scottish capital, and Connor was fortunate enough to find himself a well-paying position as an assistant to one private teacher. This is a position that he has held for several years now. He has made a reputation for himself in Edinburgh’s medical community, where he is highly regarded and well respected. He is quite comfortable remaining in Scotland, but out of a wish to make an equal name for himself in London — and to enjoy the pleasures of the season — he has chosen to spend the summer of 1813 in the English capital. 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎. .:Name or Online Alias:. Iris .:How Did You Find Us:. post in the tumblr tag
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