[Dalemain - Masquerade Ball] is it me you're looking for? [Farren]

Anonymity.

That was the purpose of a masque ball wasn’t it. For someone to be who they were afraid to be otherwise. The masks provided courage to those who couldn’t find it anyplace else. It always made him wonder why the first of its kind had been thrown. Was it a man who couldn’t express his feelings otherwise or was it a woman who needed to know the truth? He wasn’t entirely sure who he was supposed to be with his mask on. All his secrets had been revealed there was no need to try to be anyone else. Blue eyes gazed back at him as he stared at himself in the mirror. Suddenly his entire world was different and he was the cause. He had always wondered what would come of being honest about his feelings. Nothing had changed aside from her knowing the truth. Yet it seemed to be nothing and everything at the same time.

His hand ran down the length of his suit jacket and into his pocket before he turned to exit the bathroom. He had done enough thinking for one night. So much running through his mind he needed to get his thoughts together. He couldn’t very well do that with women hanging off him on the dance floor. Once outside the door his hand rose to adjust the mask on his face before running through his hair a few times. The white and gold mask complimented his slightly tanned skin while it provided the only color to his otherwise black ensemble.

He made his way to the ballroom slowly, reaching out to grab a glass as a tray passed by him. His gaze flicked throughout the room looking for her somewhere in the crowd. They needed a moment alone, if to do nothing else but talk. Ah, there she was dancing yet again. He watched her for a moment this time a smile crossing his face. She was always so elegant and poised even while dancing. Sliding his hand from his pocket he moved through the dance floor over to her while taking a sip from his glass. “Right, here you can have this.” His glass was held out for the man to take as his free hand was used to provide a bit of space. “And I’ll take her.” Once his glass was taken he rested his hand on her lower back leading her away from her guest. “You know you’re a hard woman to get a moment alone with.” He whispered softly into her ear as he led her away from the crowd.

He paused just before leading her into an empty hallway to grab them each a glass of champagne.  “I don’t know if it’s been said tonight, but you look stunning.” And she did. But this was Farren, of course she did. “For you.” He held the glass out to her wondering then if he should give in to his thoughts. What he wanted to do and what he was actually doing seemed so vastly different. It had been some time since they had been alone since that night and he wasn’t sure how things would happen. Oh, he had thoughts of probable outcomes, but really it was all up to her.

Farren was whirling across her ballroom in the arms of an able stranger. Maybe he wasn't a total stranger, she strongly suspected it was her old friend Dair but his mask kept him hidden and it'd been so long since she'd seen him she wasn't sure but it certainly sounded and seemed like him. They'd only had half a dance so far so she had a bit more to place him. As the skimmed the edge of the floor Farren noticed a man moving towards them with purpose. She knew who it was instantly, not just because she'd seen him earlier, but because his swagger was recognizable anywhere.

He stepped into her dance so smoothly she herself almost didn't notice it was happening. She barely had time to apologize to her dance partner. "So sorry, hosting emergency, that's why they sent him," she said quickly as she was whisked away, intentionally holding in her smirk to make the whole thing seem more polite.

She followed him stoically secretly relishing the possessive hand on her back steering her and her voluminous dress through the crowd. He gently scolded her for being hard to catch and a hint of a smirk crossed her lips. "Well...in case you hadn't noticed dear cousin, our house is full of guests, at my invitation," she snarked playfully back at him. He was leading her to a cooridor that naturally would be empty. An old home like Dalemain had many secrets, most of which they knew. Though Terrence had never officially live in the family estate he had visited as a child and after the war he'd spent a better part of a year living there to help Farren with the state of things and personally support her through the traumas.

The corridor led towards the family's massive library and has been charmed as off limits to non-blood relatives for the evening. A shimmering barrier, like a thin clear pane of star dust, would keep non-Abercrombie's out but they passed through it without event. His compliment made her smile as she turned to face him her hand extended towards him as if to take the glass being offered but instead she pulled his mask away, gently dropping it to the floor before doing the same to hers, "It has been said, many times," she said batting her lashes at him coyly, "But it means more coming from you."

Taking the glass she took a slow sip from it enjoying the cool, sweet bubbles. She wasn't sure exactly what he wanted but she had an idea. His sudden return from France had been just a few weeks prior. It had been emotional to say the least. After a drunken argument at the social club about him walking out on the family, particularly her, while adjusting to the death of her mother had led him here to Dalemain. What had happened then still left her confused. Were they in love? She wasn't sure. It would seem that he'd said basically that to her. When they'd kissed it had electrified her and falling asleep next to him had helped quiet the nightmares that plauged her. But since then she'd seen little of him, she was afterall planning a huge party, and from what her father told her he was talking about getting into investment properties.

Seeing him now though, she'd be lying if she said it didn't make her heart skip a beat. He knew she loved dominant men and stepping between her and a dance partner was just the kind of thing to set her off. It made her feel more desirable somehow when men were driven from their upperclass English civility and manners to a blatant display of possessive dominance.

"I dare say, you look very handsome yourself, I think your mission to cloud the minds of all women has been accomplished," she teased gently before taking another sip of her champagne. It was rare that someone made Farren the least bit submissive and meek but something about him did. "I'm sorry I've been so busy," she chimed in, "The ball.....it's taken up every moment...."she smiled nervously, "And....I'd kind of hope you would call on me more often now you're back," she smiled weakly, "Maybe we could even go somewhere, prearranged for privacy, so not to create a stir in the gossip papers," she sighed looking over at him a bit forlornly. It was awkward, having left things as they were, with no idea when they'd see each other next or what it all meant.

Farren was beautiful. Take your breath away beautiful. Terrence had never lost sight of the fact of just how beautiful she was. Seeing her in the lighting without her mask, her blue eyes captivating, was like falling in love with her all over again. His lips formed a sly grin as he slowly closed the distance between them. "I was hoping to cloud one mind in particular." His hand rose to let his index finger trace the outline of the necklace she wore. "I was wondering how I was doing?" The teasing, it had always been their little game. She was far better at it then he happened to be, but he claimed that to the fact she was a woman. Women were natural seductresses. It seemed at a young age they learned how to get their way.

His head shook as she went on to explain how busy she had been. A smile crossed his lips as he took a sip from his glass. "It's okay. I plan to call on you..." He lifted his free hand to brush a loose strand of hair back. "but this is a hint more fun, wouldn't you agree?" They were so close, he make sure that they never touched though. "You've been on my mind a lot lately..." He constantly wondered about this moment. If it would be awkward or if somehow they would pass by that phase in this sudden change.

"I know I revealed a lot the last time we were alone." He also had heard what she had said to him. If they would ever have any chance of making it he would have to stop being afraid of failing. "I thought about what you said, really thought about it, and your right." He couldn't look at this as he had any other relationship. This was different, this one was for all the gold. The one thing he wanted could very well be the one thing to ruin him. Loving her had not been a choice, it had happened in the blink of an eye and the intake of a breath.

He knew what their relationship could stir up. He knew the rumors that may follow if he acted rashly. He hoped he had thought everything through, down to the finest of detail he hoped. "So, I was hoping you would join me for dinner and maybe a walk by the water next Saturday?" He was asking her on a date, a bit badly but still. Terrence had never been the man to date. Women sometimes assumed that was the case and he never told them otherwise, well until the next morning he didn't. He had it all planned out already, he was just hoping that she would say yes to this.

"I want the chance to make up for my foolish choice in leaving, while hopefully beginning something more between us." He was taking the first step, he was trying to give her what she wanted. He knew that doing things her way wouldn't be a bad thing, it would make things more solid. They had changed so much in the time he was gone they had to get to know each other again.

Farren glanced to their right back towards the party as he closed the space between them to make sure no one had followed them. There was no one in sight, not that she'd have been in a place to do anything if there had been. The second he moved closer to her all her attention was shifted back to him. She immediately became aware of a score of things she hadn't been before. The smell of his cologne mixed with the scent of liquor on him. The way his tuxedo laid perfectly across his frame and accentuated his muscular, wide shoulders. It was these small things she couldn't help but notice that she knew were all bad signs. Signs that hinted that the things she thought she felt for him might be real. People didn't notice such things about platonic friends, maybe not even friends with benefits. Those were things people noticed once you already knew the person so well it wasn't necessary to read their actions.

She smirked as his finger reached up and traced her necklace. It made her heart beat a little faster as he did, the warmth of his finger felt more like white fire against her skin. "Well now that you finally found me I'd say you're making things a bit foggy," she said leaning back into the wall behind her casually part of her mind wishing he'd keep his finger on his skin and trace it elsewhere. Part of her scolded herself for such a thought though. They were in public and cousins. What happened in private was one thing, it's not like they were lovers, just bored. But the chances of being caught in what looked like a compromising position, when all of society was present, it wasn't a good thing. They both needed to marry sooner rather than later and whispers of an affair with a distant cousin would ruin any reasonable prospects.

And that was the root of the problem. They had feelings for each other, surely that was true and obvious to each other. Though they'd never gone so far as intercourse they had shared their share of intimate moments. Always in the privacy of their home, or at least the privacy of an empty Slytherin dorm room. Two beautiful, close people that had watched each other develop into the prime specimens they were now were bound to have a whole host of temptations. That didn't mean it was a good idea to act on it, even if they wanted to. Marriage was more important than fleeting fulfillment and deep companionship. For Terrence it was different, he'd most likely be praised for his escapades. A somewhat unimportant Abercrombie, disgraced by his Grandfather's politics with full access to the family heir and intimate knowledge of her pleasure points and sexual awakening was only a benefit to him in a political marriage. She on the other hand though, well it was always different for women. If they took any further steps with their feelings it could be a disaster for her.

She shook her head dismissively, "Fun maybe, but this isn't exactly as productive as calling on me but at least I've been on your mind, I suppose," she remarked giving him a bit of a pouty look. It seemed though he was taking a more serious tone. Something she wasn't sure she was ready to do. It was all fine and well to be serious and emotional in the middle of the night after a drunken night at a party when anything said could be ultimately dismissed as high strung drunken emotions. This was different. This was a fancy event, not just some stupid party. They were dressed to the nines and at least she was not at all drunk. He didn't seem too far gone either so that meant they were both sober. That mixed with the number people as possible witnesses, this was all very different.

Him admitting she was right didn't make this any less serious either. She wasn't quite sure which bit she'd been right about but she was either curious or worried, she couldn't tell which. But he didn't elaborate and instead he proceeded to ask her out...on a date? Farren was temporarily flabergasted, her face scrunching in concentration as she waited for there to be more explanation of what this was truly about but she quickly realized it was exactly what it appeared. Terrence was asking her out. Something about it was incredibly weird and even though this man had known her as a baby and subsiqently knew almost everything about her it all felt like it might be some kind of hoax. No one went with their cousins on dates anymore unless their parents arranged it and here they were voluntarily doing so.

She smiled awkwardly laughing a little to attempt to ease the tension she felt. "Dinner and a walk with you?" she questioned leaning closer to him, her frame lightly pressing into his. "I suppose I can be free for that," she teased gently as she reached up to gently touch a strand of his hair near his face.  She was surprised that he said he wanted something to begin between them. All of this was fine and well but again she kind of thought it had to do with the booze and the situation. She laughed a little as he said it trying to defuse the tension she felt almost entirely in her inner monologue. "Are you sure you're not drunk yet?" she teased gently.

Hearing these things had weighed more on her than she'd expected. She liked hearing it but somehow it still scared her. A slight blush rose to her cheeks and she had to break eye contact with him as she scoffed nervously. "So serious," she said softly looking up at him from under her thick black lashes. She smiled her lips pursed together nervously. "I'll go on your date, ok?" she said flirtily leaning into him. She wanted him to take all the leads and her submissive stance and response were her hint to him. "Are you going to dress like this for it?" she asked teasingly as she ran her hand over his lape, another invitation for him to also touch her. The soft, subtle game of flirting was a dangerous one for the two of them.

It was strange how the circumstance of a situation affected it's outcome. There happened to be things beyond the control of any one man, love happened to be one of those things. Terrence had once been a non-believer, having had women come and go in his life. None had left a mark, none had made him ache for a change. It seemed for sometime that he would one of those men who never married. He would be fine with that, marriage was a cage anyway. The last thing he wanted in his life at the moment was an invisible cage keeping him in line. Maybe it was the chase, the flirting back and forth. It could be the banter here and there. Whatever it was the thought going through his mind were clear. There was no doubt in his mind about how he felt, just about doing something about it.

Blue eyes washed over her frame as she leaned back against the wall. The smile that found it's way to his face was soft and followed by a smirk. "Just a bit..?" His voice dropped low as if they were sharing a secret. "tsk..tsk...I must not be as appealing as I made myself believe tonight." As much as he wanted to close what little distance there was, they were in fact at a party. Not a party where people vanish throughout the night into various rooms, it was the kind that any absence would draw question. His gaze shifted over his shoulder to see if someone had spotted them. He knew that whisking her away would seem weird but he needed to be alone with her. Being so close to her and not being able to touch her was proving as hard as staying away.

"You're right, this limits us in many ways. You do have a party to host, but I had to have a moment alone with you." The drink in his hand was placed to his lips so that he could have a sip. It was unheard of for him to even want to express his feelings and yet for her he did it willingly. Well, almost willingly. The first time he'd been too drunk to really want to remember what had been said and now he felt somehow out of place. This was her world, it always had been. Ter, as much as he wanted had never truly fit in with this side of his family. He could remember being around them as a child, but if he was being honest it never suited him well.

Maybe it had been this feeling that had caused his ace to be splattered on the cover of numerous magazines. It would seem the form Slytherin had made a name for himself bedding the women he had and attending the gathers he'd been invited to. The Abercrombie bad boy, always the life of the party. Would he be willing to give up his freedom for the life that came with being with Farren? It was a a hard question to consider let alone answer. The business man knew that his old ways would have to change, they would need too or things with her would never work. His fear was had nothing to do with her love for him, no it was based purely on him being good enough. He'd been groomed for a life with her. As much as he fought it growing up he was now grateful his father had chosen to teach him the things he had.

As her body drew closer his hand rests on her waist instinctively.  There she was in front of him clouding his mind as everything about her took over his senses. The warmth radiating from her body, the sweet smell of her perfume. "I know it feels like this came out of left field, but I thought about this before asking. I know us being seen together can give people the wrong idea." And he knew that with her that would be a problem. She had an image to uphold and he would surely ruin it. "So we don't have go anywhere fancy, I just want to sit with you and talk. Just have a good time without alcohol and everything else making it impossible to do." It was true, he wanted to get to know her again. He had left during one of the hardest times in her life, he knew the affect change her.

He wanted nothing more than to go back and keep from running, but that time away had been good for the man. Terrence could admit that he had feelings now even if those feelings struck fear into his heart. He laughed as he lifted his glass, giving a thoughtful expression for a moment. "Nope, not drunk. I've decided to limit myself tonight, the last thing we need is a drunken me standing on a table professing my love to the world." His lips twitched as he spoke. The sight in his head comical to say the least. After that drunken night he'd made it a point not to drink too much. So much weighed on his mind that alcohol would only bring it to the surface. In the privacy that was provided by home was one thing but to display drunken behavior out in public was a no no.

Suddenly he became aware of just how close she was to him now. He could lean and kiss her if he wanted to. Blue eyes dropped down to look at her lips for a long moment as his hand slid farther around her waist. The air around them seemed thick, the noise that had kept his mind from drifting seemed to have disappeared. "A suave as I look tonight, I think I'll dress so I blend in better. But..." He leaned stopping so close to her lips he was nearly touching them. The way he was standing kept the eyes from behind, if there were any, from seeing exactly was going on. One could tell they were talking but his angle prevented much from being seen. "right now my mind is on other things." He now understood the saying, 'so close yet so far away'. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her but the distance seemed too far to reach.

"Before I kiss you...." As he spoke his hand rose from her waist to push so hair from her face, as his thumb ran over her cheek. It was then that he knew she had always been the girl he had been looking for. She was always so true to herself. And so he leaned to close the distance, to kiss her with alcohol being in the way. If she wanted she could stop him, but he hoped that wasn't the case. Man, who know that loving someone could be so hard?

Farren smirked up at her handsome cousin. "Someplace not fancy?" she asked as if he'd just told her the sky was green or some other outlandishly impossible statement. "Don't be insane, we'd run into more trouble at some normal place with the tabloid readers clicking away with their pocket cameras that we'd shown up at the pub," she said with a slight chuckle shaking her head slightly in a bemused manner. "If we're to stay in London the only way to have some peace is to go somewhere so exclusive no one else can bother us and the people who are there are just as keen at being out of the public eye as we are," she tugged gently at his bowtie, "So maybe do keep the tux handy."

His presence was starting to cloud her mind with every moment that passed. He was abstaining from drink which was something unfathomable but his reasoning made her even more uncomfortable than the uncharacteristic behavior. He joked so freely about his feelings for her, the way one did when they were confident. Yet she was entirely unconfident in anything about this situation. Sure, she had no problem admitting that there was a dangerously lustful attraction for him. Nor did she balk at admitting that he was one of her closets and most needed confidants and friends. The way he bandied about the term love though made her uneasy. It was so definite.

She knew that under her corset and the impeccable blue gown her heart was beating quickly and she was starting to sweat, symptoms of being so close to him. Glancing over his shoulder back towards the party she made sure no one was watching them. "I dare hope regardless of how much drink you'd had you'd never climb on a table and proclaim anything," she said trying to ease the mood. He brushed the hair back from her face, running his thumb over her cheek and she paused, her eyes almost fluttering closed. This was her chance to bolt back to the party and put all this silliness behind her. It was ridiculous really to think she was going to play into his game. One tender evening does not a love story make. He was just remorseful for having abandon her when her mother died, that was all. It was just their typical teenage hormones mixed with guilt, a potent combination if there was one. Neither were teenagers anymore but she supposed when it came to each other they acted as such.

He was going to kiss her, he wanted to kiss her and even though part of her thought this was all a bad idea, or a silly one at best, she wanted to be kissed. It'd been a long time since she'd been in the arms of a man she trusted. Despite the awkwardness of their situation and the history he was a dashingly handsome man and she was a gorgeous woman. He clearly wanted her in more ways than she was willing to admit to herself at the moment and she ached for the affection and attention. Not just any attention though, he was trusted and familiar, he was a harbor in all of her storms and his affection meant something more.

Farren didn't pull away, she leaned forward meeting him halfway, pressing her lips to his gently. He tasted of champagne, his soft lips drawing her in. Her hands, resting against his chest, slid so her arms were wrapped loosely around his waist. Her eyes closed, she lingered, her lips barely pressed against his her head swimming as she debated how deep she should let herself fall this evening.

Before she knew what she was doing she'd taken his hand, sliding from between he and the wall she dragged him a few steps to their right. A door was flung open and she led him through it not even knowing herself what the room was in her rush. A narrow room, dimly lit from above greeted them. She paused in the doorway before deciding it didn't matter what was in the room and pulling him inside behind her. The small room was storage. Elegant wood tables were shoved against the walls, chairs were stacked in scattered piles around the room. An extra chaise lounge here, an extra set of serving vessels there, a box of table linens. Farren leaned against a spare table that was directly to the inside of the door and without hesitation pulled Ter towards her.

Heart hammering under her corset, her blood pulsing as the adrenaline of the moment pumped through her she met his lips with a passionate kiss. Pushing a hand in his hair she deepened her kiss. The pair fumbled for a moment, their passion pent up, releasing in a sudden burst. Farren used her free hand to help hoist herself onto the table, reaching out and pulling his hips between her thighs, his body dwarfed in the sea of blue silk skirt. Her kiss was unrestrained, begging for his attention and affection. She wasn't ready to consciously come to terms with any of this but she couldn't control the way her body responded to him.