January 2, 2022 – 12:28 AM
Last modified: January 2, 2022 – 12:31 AM by Basil Foxwood.
Basil Foxwood — Played by Fox
Basil could not count the minutes down with any more anticipation as the evening of December 31st ticked slowly past. He was more than finished with the ridiculous Prewitt gala Atticus had forced him to attend (after much heated debate) and then
not bothered to deign attending himself! Oh, just the thought made Basil’s collar heat. His brother was going to get quite the earful when the new year came!
Snapping his pocket watch shut with more aplomb than was due for the second time that evening, Basil took the last sip of his bizarre cocktail (the one he’d managed to snag while quite forcibly trapped in conversation with Ms. Malfoy). He’d given Atticus more than enough time. It was getting late and Basil had a more urgently pressing event to attend; one that didn’t make him want to gouge his eyes out
as much. (There was still some desire for eye gouging, as it was a social affair that required him to engage with others.)
Tonight the Morgan family was also hosting a New Years Eve engagement, one that was meant to serve as Eldritch’s sister’s first return to society after the mourning of her husband. As best friend of one of the hosts, he had his own duty to support the family by attending (and quite frankly, he would find more familiar, more palatable faces to engage with there than he would anywhere else in London this evening). Basil himself had very little opinion on the matter of mourning periods and dress codes. He was just pleased to have an excuse to escape this wretched event.
Gathering himself and his things, the professor made a beeline for the door. His head felt funny after… whatever was in that cocktail. He wasn’t sure appariting was going to do his stomach any favors either. (Had he eaten anything yet tonight?) Basil resigned himself to making it the long way. It was going to take an eternity to get to the Morgans. He hoped he’d manage to flag a carriage at some point before midnight!
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WC: 345
Open to anyone and can take place at the prewitt gala, in transit, or even upon arrival to the morgan shindig. I leave it entirely open to whatever strikes your fancy!
January 4, 2022 – 10:04 PM
Atticus Foxwood — Played by Gin
Atticus had spent the better part of the night weaving his way in and out the crowds, joining in conversations he had no interest in listening to, but felt the obligation to. In any other circumstance he would have been happy to spend hours engaging in meaningless talk, but tonight he had two goals in mind: find his little brother to ensure he’d actually shown up (though Atticus would dare to say how much he would enjoy to find Basil in a weave of lies), and keep away from a woman he’d been eyeing him up and down all night.
Taking another champagne off a tray, Atticus took a generous sip of it as he took a step away from the crowd, finding even he needed a breather every now and again. The parties that were held on New Years Eve were always Atticus’ favorite - there was something about the dawn of a new year that was refreshing. Tonight seemed different than the past (there was a refusal to admit that he was getting older, even if thirty was nowhere near an old man by any means), and he found his eyes flitting around for the woman he’d lost in the crowd before they were drawn toward the door.
And that’s where he saw his little brother beelining toward it, as if it was an acceptable time to leave. (He may have stopped himself had Basil had a female in tow, although he merely snorted at the thought.) Instead he downed the rest of the champagne in his hand and scurried ahead of him, reaching out to wrap his hand around Basil’s shoulder.
“It’s not even ten yet,” Atticus half hissed.
January 4, 2022 – 10:54 PM
Basil Foxwood — Played by Fox
Still irritated at having to hail for a hansom, Basil was entirely unprepared for the sudden arm grabbing his shoulder. He should have known better than to think he could escape an event like this one that easily however. Stiffly, he paused and rounded on the man accosting him whom he recognized by that irritating voice as none other than Atticus himself. So his brother
had deigned to show up after all. (How the familiar facade had managed to escape him all this time made Basil wonder. Had he really been so caught up in his conversation with Ms. Malfoy to have failed noticing Atticus altogether? Surely not.) Basil tugged down his waistcoat indignantly.
“Well I regret to inform you, but I have other more important commitments to keep,” he all but huffed. Basil wasted no time with idle greetings. He’d seen his brother just this morning and undoubtedly would see his again this evening and he was not in a forgiving, pretending mood. Taking in the other’s expression then, Basil steeled his own. He could sense that there were going to be words had on this topic and he was not prepared for them. Especially not here, in this too crowded ballroom. He supposed he had one of two choices: either he and his brother lower their proverbial weapons that had already been brandished (unlikely) or, Basil could turn on his heel and continue on his way leaving Atticus to follow and continue the conversation outside or not at all.
He opted for the latter.
Turning rather abysmally away from his brother with no warning whatsoever, and resisting the urge to snicker to himself about it, Basil continued to make a beeline for the exit. He accepted his hat and other belongings from the usher who was waiting promptly by the door and then stepped out into the corridor. He could already feel some of his unease abating just from the mere absence of the stuffy ballroom and its inhabitants. A nice brisk dive into the cold December night would be just the ticket to clearing a muddled head before he got to the Morgans. Assuming Atticus would let it, or rather him, go without further discussion.
January 5, 2022 – 12:34 AM
Atticus Foxwood — Played by Gin
Basil pulled away from him and Atticus allowed his arm to fall back to his side, his lips tightening into a thin line. Whatever anger his brother was feeling was boiling over, although he couldn’t think back to what. They had been fine this morning. Cordial, at least, with a good morning even if there had been nothing more than that. (Did he miss his little brother? Sometimes it was hard to tell.) They always had their shields up, as if waiting for the other to finally take a stab; it would break their mother’s heart more than his own when Basil finally abandoned the family to do as he fancied.
And Atticus would be the only one left to clean up the pieces of her broken heart.
Just as he’d been the one to help clean up the mess that the relocation had caused her, and just as he’d been the only one to help Basil in his time of need.
Lost in his own thoughts, Atticus huffed as his brother turned heel and accepted his garments from the usher; he waved them off for himself as he knew he’d reenter the party with or without Basil in tow, but did manage to push the empty champagne glass into his hand as he followed his little brother.
The cool air hit him like a ton of bricks and Atticus gently shook his head. He waited until they were out of ear shot, lest the newest rumors would be of their fractured family - like Atticus wanted
another thing to clean up. He wasn’t a damn maid!
“More important commitments? You get to choose your own commitments all year. I asked one thing of you. One. And now you’re running away.” He quickened his steps to catch up to his brother.
January 5, 2022 – 5:39 AM
Last modified: January 5, 2022 – 5:45 AM by Basil Foxwood.
Basil Foxwood — Played by Fox
The walk down the hall was short but Basil was surprised that Atticus followed him all the way outside. Just as expected, a cold slap in the face from the December evening was enough to startle the professor’s slightly fuzzy mind and sober his senses, if only minutely. He didn’t enjoy spending time in London. The streets always smelled of bile and people here were rather abrasive, but on this occasion anything was better than standing around indoors being suffocated. Footsteps on the cobblestone behind him made Basil cringe and the brunette took a harrowed breath to let out slowly as Atticus addressed him again.
“One thing?” he snorted.
“That list you handed me when I arrived in Wellingtonshire for the first day of the holiday break might preclude you from making such a blatantly erroneous statement. Or have you forgotten already?” Basil shook his head condescendingly at his brother.
“An idle brain becomes quite sluggish after a time. It might do you well to pick up a book occasionally.”
His words were sharper than Basil intended but the peak of irritation simmering at him upon Atticus’ sudden intrusion was difficult to dissuade. How dare his brother grab him in public and berate him for leaving early? If he hadn't been on the cusp of drunk he'd be outright scandalized! Besides, he'd
shown up hadn't he?! Basil grit his teeth together. Perhaps there had been some whiskey in that last drink; it always did tend to make him grouchy. And overly verbose. Basil tugged on his leather gloves with pointed disinterest in Atticus. Then, raising a hand he began the arduous task of hailing that hansom. This really was going to take forever.
January 7, 2022 – 9:07 PM
Last modified: January 9, 2022 – 10:07 PM by Atticus Foxwood.
Atticus Foxwood — Played by Gin
Ah, there it was - the anger that Basil kept burrowed deep inside himself, only unleashing it when Atticus was around; he had his own rage that sometimes sneered only for his brother from years and years of being buried deep. There was something tiring about trying to keep his brother in line, about trying to make sure he stayed in the good graces of the upper class for when he wished to marry. One day soon, he may give up entirely - even if that meant giving up on his brother.
Atticus gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to rub his temple with his fingers. He loved Basil with all his heart, but sometimes he was frustrating beyond belief; the world did not in fact revolve around him, and getting any commitments out of him without force was next to impossible. Basil did what he wanted, when he wanted. He knew their mother coddled him, but now it was showing to be too much! Had he any bone in his body for responsibility beyond what he merely wanted to do?
Freezing at the tone from his brother, Atticus inhaled sharply before he slowly exhaled, which did little to let out the anger boiling beneath his skin.
“Yes, one thing.” He grit out.
“Show up to the events on the list. It’s not as if every moment of every day was scheduled for you, as you had time to visit with whomever you wished during the day.” He had put together a meticulous list for him, of events and places he had to be seen at, although perhaps when he returned home for summer, the list would be even more measured, down the minute.
Had he not been so pointedly angry at him for something he had agreed without much pushback, Atticus may have thanked him for showing up. The words choked him, and he swallowed them back down; he wouldn’t thank his brother for doing the bare minimum.
He ignored the comment of the idle brain, instead watching as Basil tugged on his gloves to hail a hansom; an act that made Atticus arch an eyebrow at him, before he sighed and pressed his lips together.
“You are drunk little brother. Perhaps you could use a chaperone for your next commitment lest you embarrass yourself further there.” It was a challenge, a threat. Still he managed to turn his head and smile at his brother as he stepped up next to him.
January 12, 2022 – 7:07 AM
Last modified: January 12, 2022 – 7:08 AM by Basil Foxwood.
Basil Foxwood — Played by Fox
Basil could feel his blood boiling under his skin at his brother’s last comment. He managed to ignore the majority of the stupid arguments Atticus made, usually, and tonight he’d planned for this little altercation to be no different. But as the accusation of being
drunk slipped from his menace of a sibling’s lips, Basil felt the urge to round on him and slap Atticus clean in the face. Closing blue-grey hues and attempting to steady himself, Basil tried to reason that they were still in public very much visible to anyone who might meander past. He had to keep a hold of his composure, however much he might want to let it all rage.
“Don’t you dare question my composure,” he replied, voice low and dangerous.
Basil didn’t much care what Atticus chose to do, whether he decided to come to the Morgan’s event or not, but the very implication of needing a spotter set his teeth on edge. Tipping his hat down further over his head, Basil willed desperately for a
wretched hansom to appear. He bit back a scathing remark about Atticus’ inability to chaperone anyone because he still needed a governess himself, and finally -
finally - a driver seemed to take note of him.
As the hansom pulled up before them, a big brown thoroughbred tugging it along, Basil let out a short breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He gave the man instruction on where to go and climbed in, slamming the door hard in Atticus’ face. (His brother could find his own way there, damn him.) Turning to face him, Basil’s face hardened.
“Do what you like,” he spat out.
“But heed my warning: I shan’t mind making a spectacle of you tonight if you push any more.”
January 13, 2022 – 2:21 AM
Last modified: January 13, 2022 – 11:49 AM by Atticus Foxwood.
Atticus Foxwood — Played by Gin
Perhaps Atticus was a little surprised (and a bit elated) that Basil was able to control himself in the way that he did; he could see the anger fleet across his features, and as his brother composed himself, Atticus took a moment to pull in a deep breath of air. The cool air filled his lungs. It was a welcomed feeling - clearly whatever was (is) transpiring between them wasn’t going to be resolved tonight. Time away from Basil would do him some good.
The younger Foxwood rattled off, but Atticus again chose to ignore his words. He stepped back as the hansom appeared, merely watching as his little brother rattled off an address while slamming the door in his face. So much for any manners their governess had drilled in them as children. Atticus grit his teeth, sharp words pressing against his teeth that he refused to allow out, even as his brother spat words that would have once cut his skin.
Tonight there was no point in arguing with him - not with so many people around with monolithic ears and loose lips. He had no desire to squash any rumors of the Foxwood family that tonight may spur.
Atticus stepped forward and kept his voice low.
“Such a cumberworld since your return home. Off you go, child.” He didn’t care how his brother reacted; instead he turned on his heels to make his way back toward the party, his fingers already itching for a drink. Basil did that to him.
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