Chapter Text
Colin loved his building. It was shiny and new, but still had the remnants of the character of whatever centuries of living that had gone on at the address before. He knew the doorman’s name, Ernie, who may have just been the most friendly person he had ever met. The kind of person who talked to everyone and anyone, and you were more than happy to keep the conversation going. He knew everyone’s name and birthday and always had a bowl of sweets sitting on a table at the front. He knew Mrs Danbury from the first floor, a sweet but opinionated old lady who pinched his cheeks with more force than necessary, and he was quite certain she did it on purpose. She thanked him to no end when he helped her into the building with her groceries or when he nipped to the pharmacy to pick up her prescription. Pushing a pound coin into his hand before he left. He actually knew about half the building if he thought about it. Which was rather impressive given that he was gone about 70% of the year.
But there was one more reason that he loved where he lived, emphasis on the where, because across the hall was Penelope Featherington. His neighbour turned friend, he had met her on the day she moved in after her dog ran into his apartment in an attempt to escape. She was so grateful that she invited him in for a cup of tea, and the rest was history.
A year exactly had passed since that day, a fact that he happened to remember as he knocked on her door.
“Happy Anniversary!” He called out when her door swung open,
“Have I missed something?” she laughed, stepping back to let me inside
“Penelope, are you telling me you do not remember?”
“That depends on what I am meant to be remembering”
“You moved in here a year ago today, so today is our friendaversary”
She narrowed her eyes,
“Hmmm….I do not think it was a year ago since we actually became friends. Met yes…But I don’t think I actually considered you a friend until I finally gave in and let you hang my shelves”
“That was like six weeks after!”
“Yeah…so I guess you got the date wrong” she shot back with a grin,
He wiped a fake tear from his eye, “and to think I was your friend from the start, it took you six weeks to realise I was the best thing that ever happened to you”
She rolled her eyes, “It took me six weeks to figure out if the occasional pleasantness outweighed the annoying.”
“Lady came straight to me, dogs are a great judge of character, you know, better than their owners”
And as if summoned, Penelope’s red cocker spaniel, Lady, came rushing out of the bedroom and made a dive for Colin, who immediately sat on the floor soaking up the mostly erratic, excited dog cuddles.
“She is a traitor” Penelope shook her head,
“Maybe she just likes me more than you, I mean, she did try to escape to me that day”
Penelope just narrowed her eyes at him, “Do you want your post or not, Bridgerton?”
“Yes, please!” He grinned,
She went into her office, lifting a pile she had wrapped in a yellow bit of ribbon and handed them over.
“I may have stolen your coupon for the new Chinese place on the corner”, she shrugged,
“You know it is illegal to open someone else’s post”
“Well, one, it was just a flyer shoved into your mailbox, so no need to open. And two, it’s not addressed to you. Who's to say it wasn’t meant to be mine?”
“Did you at least make good use of it?”
“Oh, definitely! I had leftovers for about three days. It was great!”
“I will look past your sin, then, but we could have used it…together, Pen” he professed dramatically.
“It would have expired”
“Then, you should have abstained in solidarity with your best friend”
“You’re not my best friend” she deadpanned,
His jaw dropped, “You take that back!”
“No…and Clara is a lot scarier than you are”
“She is not”, he argued, but a single look from her had him retracting, “Ok fine, she is scary, even more so now if I am honest”
“You said she was massive” she said, trying to stifle a giggle.
“She…hmph” he began to say, cheeks turning pink, “I just meant to say the baby was clearly going to be on the bigger side, I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Chunky babies are very cute, preferable even.” He said, rubbing a hand over his face at the memory,
“You know, with so many nieces and nephews, you should be better at that kind of thing”
“I know…God, I know. I genuinely don’t think I have ever been so mortified in my life. The words had just come out very, very wrong”
“Can I let you in on a secret?” She said, feeling slightly bad at how guilty he still felt. “She found it hilarious; she just likes messing with you”
“Seriously?” He exclaimed, and she nodded, “I wish you had told me that before I bought that pram she wanted as an ‘I’m so sorry gift’”
“Colin! That was more than £1000”
“I know, that is how bad I felt. Plus…the whole trust fund thing, it really was fine”
“I forgot about your family and the trust funds” she nodded, “I mean, if you ever want to insult me accidentally, I kind of need a new phone” she grinned,
“Doesn’t count, we are friends Featherington”
“Ugh, fine!” She groaned, “So, how was New York?”
“Loud, as always, but I did eat my body weight in bagels and pizza, so it was a great trip” he smiled,
“And where is Mr Jetsetter off to next?” She asked, plopping herself down on the sofa, Lady launching away from Colin and onto her lap.
Colin stood up and sat on the other end, facing her.
“I’m not”
“You’re not?”
He shook his head, “I think it’s time, I need to be home now”
Penelope couldn’t help but notice how sad he sounded,
“Hey”, she said, moving towards him and putting an arm around his shoulders, “talk to me”
“I just have missed so much. Did you know Eddie asked who I was the other day? He couldn’t remember when he had seen one of Ant and Kate’s wedding photos, Ben let it slip. I’m his godfather. How terrible have I been?”
“Colin, no” she said softly, “You were working, just like anyone else. Just because your work doesn’t take place in London or from an office doesn’t make it worth any less, do you understand me? And Edmund is two, he doesn’t remember all the time that he has eyes, give yourself some credit”
He huffed out a little laugh,
“That can’t be the only reason though…”
He took a deep breath, “I think I am just tired of feeling unsettled constantly. I think I need to try being here for a while. Figure out the person I want to be and let the rest happen. I asked the magazine to reassign me, and they agreed. I am managing the younger versions of me now. No more long trips away unless I fancy a nice holiday.”
“You sound sure” she smiled,
“I am”
“Does that mean I am going to have to get used to you?” She teased,
“Oh, definitely”
“Hmmm…pity” she shrugged,
“Hey!” He exclaimed, poking her in the side,
“Sorry, sorry!” She said through laughs,
“Do you know how you can make it up to me?” He said, batting his eyelashes at her,
“You want a Chinese takeaway from the new place on the corner, don’t you?”
“Maybe…”
“Fine, but you are paying, trust fund”
“Deal!”
—————————
“You were right, this is great” Colin said, stuffing another spring roll into his mouth.
“I know” she said lightly, stabbing a piece of chicken on her fork.
“So tell me what has been happening with you for the last six weeks” he asked,
“Well, work is as normal as ever. I planned a kick ass baby shower, learned to bake macarons, quite successfully, might I add. Contemplated dying my hair, and painted my bathroom.”
“Sorry, my ears stopped listening as soon as you said bake, do you…have anything lying around or…”
“I hate you”
“No, you don’t”, he shot back, “but seriously, I, a mere man, can’t tell you what to do, but never dye your hair. The red is a gift to the world”
She blushed, coughing slightly, “Thanks”
“Just the truth” He shrugged,
They continued to eat, gossiping, mostly about the neighbours, when Colin remembered something,
“Oh! Are you free on Friday?”
“Should be, why?”
“My mum is having a dinner party with the family to celebrate my grand return. Would you like to come?”
“Oh…erm” she hesitated. She hadn’t met any of his family before, except Anthony, who had dropped by once. He was nice, and she had heard plenty about the rest of them not to be totally lost. But it was still a little daunting. “I wouldn’t want to intrude if it is just family”
“I want you there” he said sincerely, “not in a pity way, or a polite way. I would like to have you there to celebrate with us and to meet everybody”
“I…”
“And if you are still in doubt, I told my mother as much, and her exact words were ‘Finally! I need to meet this friend of yours who manages to keep you in line so well and give her a hug or five.’”
“Ok”
“Kate and Sophie will love you, no doubt about it. Eloise… actually, I will try to protect you from El at all costs. She will snap you up, and you will forget you were my friend first. Gregory will….”
“Colin” she said, and he stopped talking, “I said ok, I will come”
“Really?”
She nodded,
“Yes!!” He beamed, “I promise you won’t regret it”
“I could never, but I am not arriving empty-handed, so you get to pick what I bring”
“So you can blame me if it is wrong?”
“Now would I do that?” She said innocently,
“Of course you would!”
“Hmm…yeah, I would”
“You will fit in great, I promise”
“I will choose to believe you until proven otherwise” she replied,
“Pen, they are my family, I will bet you £20 that they will like you more than they like me by the end of a single evening”
She looked up at him, seeing the earnestness in his expression,
“Alright, I guess I will have to put on my most charming personality that day”
“You say that like you aren’t usually charming?”
“Am I?” She questioned,
“Well…maybe charming isn’t quite the word, but you have a very charismatic aura about you. People can’t help but like you. You will be fine, I promise”
She sucked in a deep breath, “I will pretend as if I believe you” she said, “Now, are we watching the next season of Bones?”
“You mean you actually waited?” He said, eyes lighting up,
“No” she whispered,
“Penelope!”
“I couldn’t help it, I just needed another one”
“How many seasons?”
“Two…”
“Penelope…”
“Fine, three. It was three. I am sorry, I couldn’t help myself. I just love it, how was I meant to wait until you came back?”
“And on our anniversary”
“It isn’t our anniversary” she quipped,
“A mere technicality” he said with a wave,
“What if I pretend not to have seen it? I will be surprised and won’t spoil anything”
“Fine” he said, pretending to be wounded, “It will have to do”
“Drama Queen” she muttered, laughing under her breath,
“Betrayer” he said a little louder, settling into the sofa as the episode started.
Penelope ended up seeing him out four episodes later, with a promise that he would make dinner tomorrow and they could watch some more. She closed the door, dropping her head against the wood for a moment. Sighing, she cleaned up the kitchen and headed for bed.
Private Message between Clara Livingston and Penelope Featherington
P: He is back….
P: Pray for me
C: Who’s back???
P: You know who…
C: Voldemort? Pen, you do know he isn’t real…
P: 🖕
C: Is it…..
P: …..
C: Hottie from across the hall
C: Your fetching friend
C: The Beguiling Bridgerton
C: Captivating Colin
C: Sexy Sidekick?
P: Oof, scraping the bottom of the barrel with that one
C: Not my finest work, but I stand by the intent
P: again…
P: 🖕
C: I KNOW for a fact that you agree with me…I know everything about you
C: **evil laugh**
P: He is back, we had dinner, watched our show…
P: He is staying this time
C: For how long?
P: For good
C: Shit…Pen!!
P: I know, and he asked me to meet his family this weekend at a welcome home dinner for him
C: I mean, a year is a little long to meet your boyfriend’s family for the first time
C: but never late than never
P: Not funny…
P: You know we are just friends
C: I know that you both think you are just friends, there is a difference
P: Clara….
C: Look, I am going to say it once more, then I will give it a rest for a bit…
C: Tell him…you never know, what if he is waiting for you to make the first move, not wanting to freak you out.
C: Pen…I can see how he looks at you
P: You just think that because you're my friend
C: No…I think that because I have eyes!
P: How is my niece?
C: Changing the subject…nice…😑
P: So you are not going to tell me or?
C: She is fine; she has decided she is nocturnal, which doesn’t bode well
C: But I cannot wait until she gets evicted from her very cushy house
C: I can’t wait to take a proper breath again…
C: Oh, what have I become
C: I am dreaming of sushi, wine and breathing
P: Wild!
C: I know, right
P: Well, I am going to try to sleep. I would suggest you do the same but…
C: 🖕
P: Hey, that’s my line!
P: But figured as much
P: Night, Clar
C: Night, Pen