Because no one says no to Henry Bolingbroke

[newredmuses]

Only the strength of his father's friendship with Bolingbroke has him here -- that and Kate's insistence that he must occasionally act like he is part of a company, with responsibilities to allegiances greater than his own. This is why he is glumly walking up this long driveway with a bottle of good scotch under his arm, though he neither cares much for whiskey nor for the man in whom most of it will inevitably end up.

"I have far better things I could be doing with myself tonight," he mutters, when there is still time to make a phone call and go home to those pastimes, like building a model airplane or butchering some karaoke or, God save them all, babysitting.

Comments

[newredmuses]

Even gloomier: "The fact that you just called me 'darling' confirms it."

[adivasheadvoices]

She rolls her eyes. "If you promise to behave I'll call you something else."

Getting Harry through this sorts of functions is always at least a touch trying, especially when Harry will switch from needing bribes to bullying in a blink. Kate gets the sense that Harry's father is positively brimming with relieved schadenfreude that someone else has shouldered that burden.

[newredmuses]

"I cannot promise anything so long as I must endure that madcap souse of a son of his."

He looks down at the bottle and hefts it in his hand. Perhaps if it became necessary, he might make the damn thing useful in ways other than as it was intended.

[adivasheadvoices]

"Harry." She stops, grabbing his shoulder to swing him around to face her. "You are not to start anything with Hal tonight, d'you understand?"

[newredmuses]

"I never start anything! He always..." Harry gesticulates. "Riles me up. And I think he does it for sport. This time, I'm putting my foot down!"

[adivasheadvoices]

"Of course he does it for sport. And you get riled up because you simply can't resist a challenge like that. And he knows it!"

[newredmuses]

"He's not a challenge! He's a damned nuisance, and he doesn't aspire to be one thankless thing more."

His voice is starting to arpeggio and they're not even in the front door yet. Though the front door is starting to get dangerously close, perhaps within earshot if at least one of them isn't careful.

[adivasheadvoices]

"Harry."

She takes his chin in her hand.

"You are going to hold your tongue on that sort of thing or I'll hold it for you."

[newredmuses]

In any other context, any other in the world, he'd have asked if that was a promise. Instead he just sighs hotly and looks away (inasmuch as he can; Kate has a very firm grip).

"I'll be good," he mutters.

[adivasheadvoices]

"You had better," she says, then leans in for a quick kiss on the lips.

"It'll be fine, love. Maybe you can avoid him."

[newredmuses]

The front door swings open. From the ratio of music to chatter inside, the party is still in its early stages. You'd hardly know it from the enthusiastic greeting belted out from inside.

"Heyyyyy, I thought I heard Percys out there!" Hal, in all his lanky, ridiculously attired glory, spreads his arms impossibly wide and bounds out to hug them both. Harry grunts as he's swept up in the embrace.

"Welcome to my father's house!" Hal announces, then beams at Kate. "Look at you! Didn't you just have a baby or something?"

[adivasheadvoices]

. . . Kate hates it when she's wrong.

Usually she finds Hal Bolingbroke sort of charming, at least in small doses, but not when she's just talked her husband into not punching him in the neck. God give them strength.

"Hello, Hal," she says with a light laugh. "That was a few years ago, actually."

[newredmuses]

"This is for your father," Harry says, scowling, and shoves the scotch forward.

Hal holds both his hands up with a smirk. "You'd better give it to him, then, I'm clearly not to be trusted with such a fine display of fealty."

Harry's brow darkens, and he begins to open his mouth.

[adivasheadvoices]

"Brilliant," quickly. "Why don't you go find Henry, dear?"

HINT HINT.

[newredmuses]

Harry raises an eyebrow, but nods, and pushes past Hal with only the slightest of glowering backward glances.

Hal gives a self-effacing laugh and holds the door open for Kate. "Your marriage fascinates me, have I ever told you that?"

[adivasheadvoices]

"Why, no," she says, all sweetness. "Really it's dreadfully mundane. You'll find that out if you ever manage to settle down with someone."

[newredmuses]

He snorts. "You'll pardon me if I disbelieve you on several points of that argument. My father is always telling me I should try it, though." Hal screws up his face and drops his voice to a drawling growl. "'Why can't you be more like Harry Percy? Come home with a woman like Kate Mortimer, Hal. Then you'll finally make me proud!'" A wink. "He likes you and your family. After all, he's got to like somebody."

[adivasheadvoices]

Kate laughs. See? Charming.

"Do yourself a favor, Hal, don't marry a girl like me. You'd never have any fun again."

[newredmuses]

"Unfair! Very unfair to yourself, Kate. I don't see how that's possible. Although..." He leans close, conspiratorially. "If you're really so lacking in fun, Ned Poins is coming by later. He says it's a real caper. Even your gallant husband could tag along if you wanted."

Is it a real offer? Hard to tell, considering that Hal has been pre-gaming the party some.

[adivasheadvoices]

She pats him on the shoulder. There is a very specific amount of condescension in that pat.

"You enjoy yourself. I'll take my gallant husband home to say goodnight to his son."

[newredmuses]

Hal smiles and spreads his arms. "This is why I need one like you. I'll get there someday, though why hurry for the second best of the bunch?"

[adivasheadvoices]

Kate laughs.

"You're such a flatterer."

[newredmuses]

He gestures at the house. "It's gotten me this far."

[adivasheadvoices]

"I hope it gets you farther."

She sighs, and reaches out to touch his shoulder again.

"Hal -- won't you do me a favor tonight and not bait him?"

[newredmuses]

There's a moment, between the sardonic smirk and the furrowed brow, a flash of canniness that belies the rest of him. Hal cants his head and pauses. "How on earth do you live with him?" he asks quietly.