#and yes my current reading list is indeed compiled of every appearance ever of certain characters | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mskatesharma · 3 years

Text

she only smiles, i laugh

Anthony is in his study, sitting at his desk reading over invoices that have been marked for his attention, his eyes struggling to take in the numbers he is supposed to be adding. He wonders for a moment why his mind seems stuck on the numbers, unable to properly take them in, before he shakes his head and tries to move on. It’s only once he has finally finished reviewing the particular details of this one invoice that he realises his lack of concentration is due to him feeling restless.

He closes his eyes for a moment, hoping it will focus him, when his mind, quite without his permission, wanders back to two days ago. He had been keeping Kate company while she lay in bed, her injured leg propped up on a small mound of cushions. It had been the most pleasant interlude, his head resting in his wife’s lap, her fingers idly stroking through his hair while she read from a novel Edwina had left that morning.

ao3 link or under the cut

He can’t recall the title of the book, but he remembers how he had closed his eyes, relaxing further and further into a state of glorious idleness with every press of his wife’s fingers against his scalp; her voice dulcet and hypnotising as she curled her tongue around the words in front of her. Something unfamiliar, yet wholly marvelous had sparked in his spine, tingling up until it had burst and he had felt it throughout his body, each stroke of Kate’s fingers further etching the feeling to his body.

There had been one passage in particular, Kate’s fingers had migrated to his earlobe, massaging the soft flesh, that had made Anthony snap open his eyes and ask his wife to repeat the last sentence. She had looked down at him, brows raised quizzically, and she had smiled at his quiet “please” as he had taken the hand that had been preoccupied with his ear and pressed a kiss to her fingers.

“I am the happiest creature in the world. Perhaps other people have said so before, but not one with such justice. I am happier even than Jane; she only smiles, I laugh.” As Kate’s voice had washed over him, he had been immediately struck by the truth of the words, and how they very much applied to him and his life.

“You look a little dazed my dear, is there something I can help you with?” His wife had worn a teasing glint as her voice whispered through his thoughts, and before Anthony could reply, she continued. “Has Miss Austen’s writing affected you in a peculiar manner?”

His stifled smile had felt petulant as he muttered “no” under his breath, unable to maintain a frown when Kate had snorted, as though she was quite right in not believing what he was saying. Which she was, of course, but Anthony didn’t have to tell her that.

“Are you sure? I can read the passage for a third time if it would help your current confusion?” Her smile had been wide, as her voice had taken an officious tone. “One must share with their wife, especially when unable to decipher a deeply felt emotion. I can help you find the words to best describe the feeling that has you smiling so wonderfully.”

“I have no doubt that you could help, dearest Kate, but I have no need for a dictionary at this moment. Unless you require use of one?”

“I have an inkling of why exactly you have been affected so. If you like, I would be happy to enlighten you on…” Her voice trailed off as Anthony had flipped himself onto his stomach, and he was certain that he must have done a poor job hiding the devilish glint in his eyes. “What are you doing?” His hands had begun to gently bunch her dress up her legs, careful of her leg, his mouth ghosting kisses where the material had sat a moment ago.

“What do you think I am doing?”

“I think my hus-..husband is trying to distract me.”

A muffled “don’t know what you’re talking abou-” was all Anthony could say. He heard a soft thud on the bed as Kate had dropped the book. A gentle bite to the soft flesh of her thigh, and he allows himself to smirk against her skin as a hand tangles itself in his hair.

“I will remember..you haven’t...you haven’t won... ”

Anthony’s “of course not” are the last words spoken for quite some time.

But as he sits at his desk, two days later, he remembers again why he had been struck by that sentence, why it had seemingly affected him so much. He merely needs to think of Kate for the same wonderfully strange feeling to burst in his body. But as he thinks on it some more, there is still something he cannot not quite place…

He can’t help but smile as he remembers how pleasant the rest of that afternoon had turned out to be. He had quite forgotten about his temporary foolishness; the uncharacteristic shyness he had felt in the moment, feeling so overcome, so reticent in fact he had hesitated and had been unable to share with Kate. Distraction once again proving the only way to quiet her enquiries. At least for the afternoon.

But as he looks around his study, his gaze settles on something just right of the window, and he thinks that maybe now that he knows why he was hesitant, his mind will not rest until he recalls a particular word.

He stands and makes his way to the small pile of books by the window, leftover from earlier in the week, when Hyacinth had called in with his mother and demanded his assistance in compiling a list of uncommon and unusual words. He picks up a notebook she had left behind, and flicks through until he lands on the page he is looking for; a list of words Colin has collected so far on his travels.

His eyes scan until he finds the word he is looking for. There is a slight clench of his heart as he recalls Hyacinth recollecting what Colin had told her, and how he came to know the word. The roll of his eyes is involuntary as the grin spreads across his face. But of course.

He walks into the drawing room, having just bid goodbye to Eloise and Edwina, and sees Kate leisurely leafing through the same book as their pleasant interlude from two days earlier.

She sits with her legs atop the settee, a cushion under her healing one. Her face lights up at him, and Anthony is positive his face reciprocates in kind; he knows his heart certainly does. He will never tire of her smile; where he may have once resented the feelings it inspired in him, now it is all he can do to revel in it.

He makes his way to Kate’s side, and sits impossibly close to her, his head resting on her shoulder. He spies Newton, his purred snores drifting up from beneath the table. His eyes move to the pages in his wife’s hands, following the words on the page.

He feels Kate’s head rest on his, and realises the restlessness he had been experiencing a moment ago in his study has disappeared. He will never cease to be in awe at how simply his wife’s presence is the most soothing balm. Anthony feels himself sigh when Kate speaks.

“Tell me my Lord Bridgerton, do you now feel comfortable telling me what had you so enthralled when I read to you the other day? My current disposition finds me most generous, and I may grant you a boon if you choose to share with me.” He lifts his head, which forces Kate to do the same, and he shifts his body to face her.

“Hm, that is a most tempting prospect, but I do find myself hesitating to accept.”

She scoffs. “I find that hard to believe.” Before she can question him further, Anthony stands, and as gently as he can, lifts Kate’s legs before he sits on the sofa, and carefully places her legs over his thighs.

“Is that so? Would it pacify you to know that you inspired the feeling that caused me to be overcome by a sudden bashfulness?” He shuffles closer still, until Kate is sitting on his lap, her legs stretched out on the rest of the settee.

“That, my lord, appeared most obvious.”

“Really?” His hand begins to make its way under her dress, his fingers tracing circles on her skin.

“Hmm, yes.”

“Should I tell you, then, the thought caused my shyness the other day?”

“As my husband, it is your duty to share with me the emotional burdens you face.”

“And what will you grant me in return?”

“Well, what would you like to be granted?”

“For what I have to say? A kiss would be an appropriate boon.”

“I think that could be arranged.”

He leans his face closer to hers, his lips brushing against hers as he murmurs “my most sincere thanks.” Just as he opens his mouth to deepen the kiss, Kate pulls back.

“For shame my lord; I will grant you your boon only after you tell me what was on your mind.”

Anthony clears his throat. “My apologies, but you inspire the most forceful distraction in me.” Kate simply rolls her eyes in response, but the beaming smile that breaks over her face tells Anthony all that he needs to know. “Tell me, dear wife, do you know of the word ataraxia?”

Anthony nuzzles his wife’s neck, pressing light kisses against the skin, breathing in the ever present soap and lillies. “Hmm, not that I can immediately recall.”

“Would you be interested to know that it is a Greek word.” His mouth finds her earlobe.

“Oh, how fascinating.”

“Indeed. Would you like to know it’s definition?” He tugs her lobe between his teeth, pulling softly.

“Well you have certainly piqued my intrigue.”

Anthony pulls back slightly. “According to Colin, it means a state of serene and blissful calmness.”

“How interesting.”

“I think so.” His other hand finds its way to her hair, gently tugging some of it free from her simple coiffure.

“And what, praytell, does this have to do with your sudden bashfulness?”

“Do you really not know?” He wraps the strands around his fingers.

“I find myself needing you to tell me explicitly.” He smiles against her neck.

“Well, let me make myself clear. You, my dearest Kate, and being with you, inspire a state of serene and blissful calmness that I never thought possible.” He pulls back slightly, wanting to see her face, and he’s unsurprised by the warmth infused in her face, or the tears pooling in her eyes.

“Oh.” Her voice catches on the word, and something blooms ever brighter in Anthony’s chest. “You’re the same for me, you know.” The words are quiet, but they light something quite fierce within him.

He lowers his voice. “Do you give me permission to claim my promised boon now?”

“If you have need of that question, maybe I should reconsid-'' He doesn’t let her finish as his lips descend on hers, and Anthony feels her smile against him.

And really, he knows it’s a game of push and pull that they play, and that she is the only opponent he ever wishes to face in such a fight. He knows that they both win when their respective battles end with one of his hands tangled in his wife’s hair and the other up the skirt of her dress.

And while he’s also certain of the fact that he will never experience another bliss quite like this one, he knows it is more than he ever could have hoped for.

ataraxia (greek, noun.): the state of serene and blissful calmness

#kathony #anthony x kate #kate x anthony #anthony bridgerton #kate sheffield #kate sharma #kathony fic #kanthony #bridgerton fic #bridgerton fanfiction #my fic #im not really happy with it but had to post it before it annoyed me even more #hopefully it’s not as bad as i think it is #started with one of those uncommon words posts and now we’re here

33 notes · View notes