Request: Could you possibly write a Simon Basset fic where maybe the reader is like a childhood friend and he bumps into them and they talk and catch up with maybe some romance or something?
Pairing: Simon Basset x Fem!Reader
Warnings: childhood friends, pining, mutual pining, fluff, some angst, she/her pronouns, female reader.
Word count: 3.8k
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There was not a cloud in the sky as you made your way through Mayfair after having turned down a carriage. Instead, you chose to walk away the morning, happy to feel the warmth of the sun through the layers of your dress.
The streets had started out as quiet; a few souls here and there, but they soon grew busier and busier as routines were started. Dodging bodies here and there, you found it hard to be annoyed at the crowds – the weather too perfect for your mood to be sullied.
A flash of deep red amongst the crowd has your eyes and body on alert; the sound of a deep voice has your ears pricking. "Simon?" You call out, eyebrows furrowing as you spy a familiar head of hair making their way through the crowds.
"(Y/N)?" The man in question answers, eyes wide as he takes in your form.
"It's been so long," You whisper, staring into his brown eyes. "I suppose I should call you 'Your Grace' now. I was sorry to hear of the passing of your father," You comment softly, not overly sorry for the death of the man who had mistreated his son so poorly but offering your condolences as a form of social etiquette.
Nodding his head, Simon smiles at you. "Thank you," He gestures to the elderly lady on his arm, "I am sure you remember Lady Danbury."
You smile widely at the elderly lady as she grins back at you. "Of course I do," You laugh, "We meet at least once a week to have tea."
If possible, Simon's eyes grow wider to the point where Lady Danbury snorts. "Really now, Simon. Did you expect us ladies to go our separate ways when you left the country?"
"Of course not," Simon drawls, amused by the elder. "I just didn't realise you had a close relationship."
"Well we do. That reminds me," Lady Danbury pipes up, "I will not be able to make our tea appointment this week, dear (Y/N). My grandson, Gareth, is visiting."
"Of course, Lady Danbury. We can always rearrange to the following week."
"Nonsense," She declares, slamming her cane onto the ground, "Simon will meet with you."
Casting your gaze to the tall gentleman, it is not hard to miss to the surprise in his eyes. Shaking your head, you state, "I am sure the Duke has more pressing issues than tea with an old friend."
Lady Danbury opens her mouth to protest your point but is beaten by the Duke. "I have nothing so pressing that cannot be rearranged. I shall meet you tomorrow, I assume Lady Danbury knows the spot."
With a nod of your head, Simon smiles. He reaches out, grabbing your gloved hand and presses a kiss to the back of it. "Until tomorrow then," He promises, stepping away from you with Lady Danbury in tow.
"Until tomorrow," You whisper, watching the strong figure of your childhood friend walk away from you.
Glancing up at the still cloudless sky, you wonder how it is possible that the world keeps spinning when your own has changed so much. Simon left the country years ago, and even then, contact with the man was few and far between. He had left for school and seemingly left you behind. The very fact that he was happy to have tea with you sent shockwaves through your body; not a word for so many years and then this out of the blue.
Now glaring at the sky, you wonder whether there wasn't a larger game afoot. One that had you reuniting with the childhood love that had left you a bereft teenager; it had you hoping you would not be left a heartbroken adult.
------
The pleasant weather was to continue, you thought to yourself as you sat down in the drawing room. Despite the calmness of the room; the sweet sound birdsong outside of your window, your stomach would not calm. Instead, it was threatening to make a mockery of your breakfast. A missive had arrived late yesterday evening from Lady Danbury explaining that Simon would indeed be calling on you for the promised tea.
Smoothing out your pale blue skirts, you wish desperately that you had brought something to keep you occupied as you wait for his imminent arrival. You curse the fact that you left your latest cross-stitch upstairs in your room, having worked on it late into the night. You could have used it to the pass the time to keep your mind busy.
"The Duke of Hastings," The butler announces, startling you slightly, stepping aside for Simon to stride into the room.
Simon smiles widely as he spots you standing by the table; he rushes over to you, reaching for your hand, placing a lingering kiss to the back of it before straightening. "(Y/N)," He greets, breathless as if he had rushed all the way over here.
"Simon," You answer, smiling just as widely.
Following his lead, you take a seat at the table, waiting for the tea service to be brought up.
"How is Lady Danbury?" You question, trying to fill the time for the service to arrive.
Simon laughs. "It seems she is on the warpath. Her grandson, Gareth, arrived this morning still out of sorts from the previous night."
"No!" You gasp, "He's barely of age!"
"That is what dear Lady Danbury was reminding poor Gareth as she swung her cane at him. I thought I better leave before her attention and her cane turned to me."
"A good decision to have made."
"Definitely," Simon agrees, "As I was leaving, Gareth was promising his grandmother not to touch another drop of alcohol again though I doubt that promise will stick."
"Poor Gareth," You lament, thinking of the times you had been on receiving end of a lecture from Lady Danbury. "She does love him so though."
"She does," Simon states, "I remember his birth. It feels so long ago."
You hum in agreement; wondering how quick time had flown by. Gareth was to be part of the next generation of society; he was to bring it into its future, especially if his grandmother had anything to say about it.
"How long have you been home?" You ask, pouring the both of you some tea now that it had arrived.
"I travelled to Clyvedon to settle things there before journeying down to London. I've been back in England just short of a month."
"Oh," You murmur, trying your best not to feel hurt that he hadn't actively sought you out. After all, it had been years since you had last spoken. No correspondence had been exchanged throughout the duration of his travels; Lady Danbury had been the one to update you on where Simon was in the world. He hadn't written you a single letter despite the long friendship that you still held dear. Instead, it had been an utter coincidence, a meeting in the streets that had proved to you he was still alive and breathing.
"I wanted to come see you," Simon states, feeling bad about the broken sound that had left your mouth just now. He wasn't one to talk so openly about his feelings, but he found himself needing to explain to you that he hadn't stopped thinking of you since he stepped foot on English soil.
"Did you?" You question, sounding very much as if you did not believe a word leaving his mouth. By the unimpressed expression on your face, Simon knew you did not believe him.
"I did, but I got so busy. There were estates to manage, ledgers to balance and announcements to be made. By the time I landed in London, I was so thoroughly exhausted that I simply wandered to Lady Danbury's home and fell asleep on her chaise-lounge. She wasn't impressed."
You snort before realising the impropriety, "I can imagine."
Simon laughs entertained by the thought of Lady Danbury's face when she found him snoring away on her chair. "As punishment, she made me accompany her on a walk... where we ran into you."
"What a punishment," You drawl.
Simon rolls his eyes at your tone. "I like to think of it as a happy coincidence."
"Then I shall look at it in the same manner."
There was something different about the man sitting across from you. Was it how he held his spoon? How he stirred his tea? Had the years abroad moulded him into a new person, one you could barely recognise?
Simon held himself entirely different to how he would when he was younger. His posture, perfect. His stance, brimming with confidence. It takes you aback somewhat as you take in the changes the years away at school and abroad have placed on his body.
Would your friendship still stand after so long apart? Is Simon simply placating Lady Danbury by having him meet you for tea? He talks such pretty words; can form sentences that leaves your mind in a spin, but this is the same man that had left the country without so much as a goodbye in your direction.
Reaching for your tea, you distract yourself from such intrusive thoughts. The tea clears your mind; letting you form a blank slate in your mind. "Enough talk of the past, no matter how recent," You declare, "You left so long ago and came back a new person. It seems I need to get to know the new one."
Simon smiles at you from his place across the table. "The same could be said for you too."
You smile though it doesn't reach your eyes. You don't mention how you had spent the last few years turning down every marriage proposal offered to you due to your heart belonging to another even in its broken state. "Time is a marvellous thing," You offer instead, grabbing a small cake from the stand.
"Indeed," Simon murmurs, eyes following the cake from the plate to your mouth. Despite the time that had passed, his feelings had not changed. They had grown stronger instead. By now, Simon truly understood the meaning of absence making the heart grow fonder. All through his travels, he had cursed himself for not asking you to join him. Through every country, principality and dominion, Simon wondered how it would be for you to be there with him, experiencing the wonders of it all.
"Where was your favourite place to travel?" You ask, leaning forward slightly, "I've never travelled further than France."
Simon nods, remembering your trip abroad with the same pang of sadness he felt back then. He knew logically that you were sat across from him, yet the longing in his body did nothing to help repress the urge to reach out for your hand across the table – to touch you so he would know that you were there, and this wasn't a figment of his imagination.
"I think my favourite place to visit was Greece. I stayed on the mainland for a while before eventually making my way around the islands. Each island had its own charms, but there was one that had me questioning whether I could live there for the rest of my life. It was so calm, so quiet. Not even the thoughts in my head could distract me from its serenity."
"Do you miss it?"
"The island?"
"The travelling."
Simon sighs, staring out of the window as he thinks of over his answer. Eventually, he says, "I miss the sights and the people. I miss the smells and the food. However, I do not miss the time zones. There were moments where I didn't know what time it was, let alone what day it was."
"It sounds as if you had a magical time," You sigh, trying your best not to think of Simon in the desperate heat of the Mediterranean.
"It had its moments," Simon admits, thinking of the hours he had spent in markets, trying local delicacies and drinking traditionally made coffee. He had adored every second of his travels; he hadn't minded the odd illness that came along with a new environment when there was so much to learn and so much to experience.
"Will you be travelling again soon?"
"It depends," Simon answers.
"On?"
"On whether I find anything to keep me here."
Silence falls over you both as you take in his words, trying to find the meaning of them. Taking a sip of your tea, you wonder whether your friendship with the Duke would be enough to keep him grounded at home for longer than a few weeks at a time. Your heart skips a beat at thought that you might not be enough; your feelings for the Duke had never surprised you. They had not surprised Lady Danbury when you showed up on her doorstep in floods of tears after Simon had left for the continent; she had simply welcomed you into her home with words of comfort and reassurances.
"Will you be attending Lady Danbury's ball later this week?" You ask, needing to take your mind off that terrible evening.
Simon chuckles, placing his teacup on its saucer. "I shall be in attendance. I find it hard to turn down Lady Danbury. Will you be there?"
You nod, thinking of the dress you had made special. "I will. I'm quite excited if I'm to be honest."
"Why is that?"
You shrug, "The theme, the music, the company. Lady Danbury never fails with her balls."
"She does not," Simon agrees, remembering the grandiosity of such events before he left to travel.
"So I shall see you there?" You ask, your voice hopeful as if daring to wonder whether Simon would attend before no doubt leaving the country once more.
"You shall. Would you save me a dance perhaps?" Simon asks, his usual mischief alight in his eyes.
You smile widely, "Always."
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The rest of the week is spent in anticipation; desperate for the hours to quicken so you could walk through the home of Lady Danbury to find Simon already waiting for you. A hopeless dream, but a dream, nonetheless.
The Duke of Hastings remains on your mind for the rest of the week. One chance meeting and one organised tea and it seems that the man had made his home in your mind and brought to life the feelings you were certain were dormant.
With those feelings in mind, you prepare for Lady Danbury's ball knowing full well you were about to spend the evening in the presence of Simon, but also watching the mothers of London's available fawn over him as if he was a prize to be won. It was enough to make your blood boil.
Ridding yourself of such anger, you enter the home of Lady Danbury.
Lady Danbury never spared any expense when it came her to time to host the event of the season. She knew that it would be reported on, that it would be spoken about. She also knew that there was a chance that many matches could be made that night; so no expense could be spared in the battle for love matches among the ton.
The sight of the ballroom takes your breath away as you enter. Lady Danbury had chosen the theme of the moon, stars and sun – asking her guests to dress in colours relating to either. Your navy blue skirts swish together the further you walk into the room, distracted by the moon and star decorations hanging from the high vaulted ceilings.
You're so enraptured by the scenery that you do not hear the footsteps approaching or the whispers of the women beside you. It isn't until you hear him call your name that you turn your gaze from the silver decorations.
"Simon," You greet with a smile, "How have you been?"
"Very well," He replies, "And yourself?"
"I'm fine, thank you for asking."
"You look wonderful," Simon compliments; eyes raking up and down your body.
Your skin heats at his rapt attention; flashes of heat soaring through you as your mind begins to think of all sorts of scenarios where you could keep his eyes on you for much longer. "Thank you," You answer, voice breathy, "You look very handsome too."
"Would you do me the honour of dancing with me?" Simon asks, voice quiet in the loud room.
Nodding your head, you take his outstretched hand and allow him to lead you onto the dancefloor where many other couples are gathering.
Simon's hand is soft on the small of your back; soft but insistent as it brings you closer to his own body. Wrapped up entirely in him, you find it hard to concentrate on the steps of the dance, easily being led around the dancefloor by the man who had captured your heart before you had even known the meaning of the word.
A large smile spreads over his face as he spins you out and brings you back. A surprised laugh leaves your lips as Simon spins you once more; the delight settling deep within your bones, melding to become a memory that would always be with you. Simon's own laughter soons join yours and before long, neither of you are paying much attention and custom – the both of you having far too much fun in each other's arms to be aware of the looks and glances being sent your way.
As the music fades into silence, Simon's grip on you loosens reluctantly. He doesn't want to let go of you; doesn't know when the next time he can hold you this close will be. If he could, he would steal you away right now, but etiquette and his title demands he be a gentleman.
With a strained smile, Simon bows at you once before turning away without a word. So deep in his thoughts, he doesn't see you escape to the gardens before it is too late.
------
The gardens at Lady Danbury's home had always been spectacular, but in the night, they were even more magnificent. Despite the shadows of night, you were not scared as you walked down the paths, fingers absently brushing over the flowers of delicately blooming flora.
Rather, your mind was occupied by the one man who had returned into your life after such a sizeable absence. Simon had danced with you tonight, and every aspect felt so perfect. The way his hand covered yours; the way his palm felt pressed against the small of your back. Bringing your hand to your mouth, you hide the smile on your face as you think of the way he had laughed with you as he spun you across the floor. He had looked so young; so carefree, as if he hadn't the weight of the world on his shoulders.
"I wondered where you had wandered off to," A voice sounds from behind you, startling you.
"Simon!" You gasp, clutching your chest, "You scared me!"
He chuckles, holding his hands up in surrender as he steps closer to you. "That was not my intention," He promises, his smile wide.
"What was your intention then?" You ask, an eyebrow raised in challenge.
"I wanted to ask you a question should you allow it."
"We are alone," You remind him, "We should move inside."
"Please," Simon pleads, "It won't take long."
You pause your steps. The cool night air settles around you as you wait for Simon to ask his question.
"Why did you never marry?" Simon demands; his eyes blazing with the need to know. "I know you had proposals; Lady Danbury even told me so."
"There was never anyone good enough," You confess, fisting your hands in the skirts of your dress to keep yourself from reaching out for him. "I tried. I really tried, but I always found myself thinking of you or wondering about you. Even though you never wrote, I still fell in love with you."
Simon inhales sharply; not expecting your confession. You hadn't expected to be so honest, but your heart was in control of your mouth; your mind taking a backseat on this one. Your heart had yearned after this man since you had learned the very definition of the word 'love'.
"Why did you never write?" You ask, finally verbalising the question that had plagued your mind since the moment he had left.
He remains silent, so you repeat your question with a firmer voice. "Why did you never write, Simon?"
"If I had written to you, I would have come home."
"Would that have been so bad?"
"I needed to get away, I had to leave. To do that, I had to cut strings with you, or I never would have become the man I am today. I never would have become worthy of you."
"It is for me to decide whether you are worthy of me, Simon Basset. I have found you worthy of my love since you were ten years old and getting caught hiding a fish in the footmen's bed if you must know."
"For that long?" He asks; his voice a mere hoarse gasp as he battles with this new information.
"For that long," You affirm.
"I always found myself travelling back to you," Simon admits, "I would be in the furthest corner of the world and my mind would question why you were never by my side. On my last trip, I found myself packing my belongings with you on my mind before I had even made the decision to return home. My father was part of it, I'll admit. But you... you were the whole reason why I returned to London."
"What does this mean?" You ask, confused and emotional over the night's confessions.
"It means I no longer want to travel the world if you are not by my side. It means I want to court you and follow the traditions of society. I have two loves in my life: travel and you."
"You love me?"
He nods, "I have since I was a teenager."
"I love you too," You respond honestly, seeing no reason to lie in a moment like this.
"So," Simon sighs as your words settle over him like a balm over an open wound, "Shall we do this properly? Courting and the like."
"I think I would. I think we could start right now," You whisper, stepping closer to the man who you felt certain was the love of your life.
"Right now?"
You nod you head, smiling widely as you reach for the lapels of his jacket. "I think we could start this very moment with a kiss. What do you think?"
Simon glances from side to side, checking for witnesses, "Only if you promise not to kiss another."
"I don't think that would be an issue," You admit, "Kiss me, Simon."
He doesn't need to be told twice.