She must know people would talk — he certainly wasn't the most eligible bachelor in Society. Indeed, he wasn't sure what the scope of Society was, given the effort he took to keep out of it, but the talk around town at his brother's elopement and the circumstances around that had to have at least reached her in some capacity. And though he fully intended to go about things the proper way, there would inevitably be talk, wouldn't there? And what would she do if it reached her? All this and more raced through his mind as she pressed her cheek into his hand, and he forced himself to focus on her in front of him as she opened her mouth to speak.
This was it then, she would let him know she thought he was right all along, and that there wouldn't possibly be any way for her to accept him, that it wasn't worth enduring whatever inevitable talk rustled throughout their community —
But she didn't. In fact, she said something quite the opposite, and Faustus listened stunned, an overwhelming sense of adoration washing over him as he saw color flood into her cheeks again, heard her declare that her heart was his; that she felt she was too old, and that his family would hardly have chosen her first. At this part, he opened his mouth to stay something, anything, but found himself unable to as he took her in and she continued on as if she wouldn't be able to say them anymore if she didn't say it now.
And then as she glanced back down at the imperceptible space between them, Faustus traced the delicate skin of her jawline with his finger, pausing at her chin to lift it up ever so gently. Despite him having attempted to sketch around what his heart had begun to tell him, Faustus found himself steeling against her reasons. He couldn't deny that his family might have some words — that the idea of him marrying a halfblood wouldn't raise some questions, but in truth, his sister, Fee worked, and so did his cousin Annabelle. He didn't know much of her family, but knew that he would welcome them with open arms if he were so lucky. And so all these things seemed so inconsequential, that there couldn't possibly be anything she would say, barring telling him to leave and never return, that would dissuade him from saying next: "Perhaps it's time we both learn to be a bit more selfish." He laughed softly before gently drawing her to him as he went to press his lips to hers again, firmly this time, more sure than he had been before.
This was it then, she would let him know she thought he was right all along, and that there wouldn't possibly be any way for her to accept him, that it wasn't worth enduring whatever inevitable talk rustled throughout their community —
But she didn't. In fact, she said something quite the opposite, and Faustus listened stunned, an overwhelming sense of adoration washing over him as he saw color flood into her cheeks again, heard her declare that her heart was his; that she felt she was too old, and that his family would hardly have chosen her first. At this part, he opened his mouth to stay something, anything, but found himself unable to as he took her in and she continued on as if she wouldn't be able to say them anymore if she didn't say it now.
And then as she glanced back down at the imperceptible space between them, Faustus traced the delicate skin of her jawline with his finger, pausing at her chin to lift it up ever so gently. Despite him having attempted to sketch around what his heart had begun to tell him, Faustus found himself steeling against her reasons. He couldn't deny that his family might have some words — that the idea of him marrying a halfblood wouldn't raise some questions, but in truth, his sister, Fee worked, and so did his cousin Annabelle. He didn't know much of her family, but knew that he would welcome them with open arms if he were so lucky. And so all these things seemed so inconsequential, that there couldn't possibly be anything she would say, barring telling him to leave and never return, that would dissuade him from saying next: "Perhaps it's time we both learn to be a bit more selfish." He laughed softly before gently drawing her to him as he went to press his lips to hers again, firmly this time, more sure than he had been before.