regency au } { of revealed admirers and new happiness

[impetere]

Stiles: [he traveled with the Hales, had a different mask that he would have shown Cora somewhere beforehand. And then the boys are all together getting ready and Roland has Stiles' real outfit in a trunk, and they get him sussed up, knowing that this was the endgame, and a lot of good lucks and then Liam was leading him though the party. His mask was covering most of his face, so he kept a hand on the squire's shoulder as they went to find Cora. In his hand was a red rose, and a letter that Roland had written for him while they were getting dressed]

Liam: [finding Cora leading Stiles over to her, bowing] Lady Cora, I have found the fox you have been waiting to meet.

Cora: [Cora turns, pulling down her mask almost immediately, though hers wasn't on her head like his. A wide smile crosses her face, and she turns to face him completely] I was hoping you wouldn't stay away.

Stiles: [he gives her a bow, the very edges of his smile peeking out from the corners of the mask before the moss and herbs along his collar began. They were also at the cuffs of his fur lined gloves, and along the edges of his jacket. He then looked at Liam, and nudged him]

Liam: Oh yeah. Um, Sir Fox begs your forgiveness, but as he feared your beauty has left him speechless, and he says he... [looks up at Stiles] He said he didn't want to risk speaking wrong right away, and hopes you will at least honor him with a dance before his nerves overwhelm him.

Cora: [she can't catch a clear scent, which makes it hard to pin down who it is, and she takes a deep breath, before nodding] Of course.

Liam: [looks up at Stiles] Can I go now? I'm supposed to be dancing with Malia.

Stiles: [he nodded, and then took a deep breath and held out the letter and rose to Cora.]

Cora: [she takes the rose with a smile and a nod, before turning the letter over and opening it]

Stiles: [and in the handwriting she is familiar with: My Dearest Lady - I wrote this quickly as my nerves are betraying me. This day has come and I am both excited and scared to be able to spend the night with you in my arms as we dance. I do fear though that I may sabotage my own efforts to woo you tonight, so I apologize if my silence was not what you were expecting. However, I promise you that in my silence, you will be able to see just how precious you have come to me. Let my hands, and my heart, show you what my words would never be able to explain no matter how vast my vocabulary is. Please, do me the honor of the next dance, and every dance until we can dance no more. Perhaps then, my fears will have floated away and then I can speak to you the words I have longed to speak to you for so long.]

Cora: [she reads the words once, then twice, before glancing up at him with a small smile and she nods] It would be my pleasure.

Stiles: [and he will offer her his arm, taking her out onto the dance floor. He has really been practicing his dancing with some of the ladies, trying to smooth out his lines, glide more, and how close to hold someone to still be respectful, but to be personal and affectionate. The mask is carved to create a shadow over his eyes, but every now and then the light hits it right and she will get a glint of the golden brown eyes behind the eyeholes]

Cora: [her eyes don't tell her much but she keeps up with the dance easily, just letting herself be whisked away into the dance. It's easy enough to do, to just be caught in the moment as she tries to hold her tongue in wanting to know who he is and just enjoy the moment]

Stiles: [and every now and then, his fingers will gently caress her hand, or slide along her back just enough for her to feel it along her spine]

Cora: [the finger along her spine makes her shiver, just a little and she moves a bit closer to him, feeling the press of him against her]

Stiles: [there is a small, pleased noise at that, and he playfully traced the edge of his mask's nose along her cheek playfully]

Cora: [she laughs softly, shaking her head a bit as she continues to follow his lead with the dance]

Stiles: [and he will guide her a bit closer as the music slows into a less formal slow dance, his hand guiding hers to his shoulder, and then letting it reach up to run along her cheek a moment, down along her neck, and then resting on the back of her shoulder]

Cora: [she closes her eyes as she's brought closer, her nose dipping as she tries to catch his scent again, but it's still buried under the scents of the forest. Frustration is starting to roll off her to anyone with a nose, but she tries her best not to let it show on her face]

Stiles: [nope, the knights are not coming to your rescue. In fact, they are all but watching out of the corner of their eyes, waiting to see what happens. Meanwhile, he's going to lean in a bit closer, enough to gently breathe along her ear. And he was going to speak in French since his cadence was different in that language] You are the most beautiful star in the universe.

Cora: [fortunately for Stiles, she speaks French. Unfortunately for Stiles, she knows what he's doing] And you're cheating.

Stiles: [there is a soft chuckle, still in French] Perhaps, but I am not lying. My heart speaks the truth. [and it does, strong and steady]

Cora: I didn't call you a liar. I called you a cheater.

Stiles: You do not appreciate the challenge?

Cora: What I don't appreciate is being teased.

Stiles: My apologies. That was not my intent.

Cora: I know. It just feels like I've been waiting to find out who you are for so long and now you're here and I'm ... just waiting more.

Stiles: [he pulls back to look at her in the eye, and then looked off towards the alcoves. He nodded with his head to one of them, and then tilt his head as if to ask her if she wanted to speak in private]

Cora: [she nods, because yes. Yes she does.]

Stiles: [and he is going to take her hand, leading her away to one of the alcoves that are half hidden from the rest of the guests by drapes. He leans up against one of the walls, leaving her room to join him is she wants]

Cora: [she does, moving closer so that there isn't a lot of space for them to be seen. She hesitates, just for a moment, before reaching up and letting her hand rest against his mask] May I?

Stiles: [he licks his lips, then nods. His heart starts to race, nervous]

Cora: [hers is just as nervous as she reaches forward for the bottom of the mask, before lifting it up slowly and pulling it off so that she can see his face. When she does, her face falters for a moment, not in a bad way, but a quick flash of surprise, before it melts into a smile] Of course it's you.

Stiles: [gives her a nervous smile] You're not mad?

Cora: [the smile widens and she shakes her head] No. [and with that she takes another step in before leaning in to kiss him softly. It's different from the first time she kissed him where she thrust her lips against his, but something gentler, more akin to a real kiss]

Stiles: [he just melts into the kiss, his arms gently wrapping around her waist to keep her nice and close, sighing softly]

Cora: [she doesn't hold it long, just long enough to enjoy it, before pulling back again] Why didn't you just tell me?

Stiles: I just... I was scared. I first just wanted a way to talk to you after you left. I was afraid you would never speak to me again. And then I enjoyed it, being able to woo you and see how much those letters meant to you. [he reached up to run his fingers along her cheek] To learn how to make you feel as special as you are to me. Something I am still trying to learn to do verbally. They meant so much to you... I didn't want you to think I was playing a trick on you.

Cora: [her head tips towards his hand subconsciously, before shaking her head] Not you. I know you better than that.

Stiles: And I've gotten to know you ever better now. Like your insatiable curiosity of medicine. [smiles]

Cora: [her head ducks a bit] I like to learn.

Stiles: I know. And like I've said, your intelligence is just as beautiful as you are. [he tiled her head up to look at him] And I hope you never stop wanting to learn. About the world, or me... or what we can be... if you want it. If you want me.

Cora: [she lets him lead her eyes up as she listens, and while she's still drawing the two pieces of him together, she does want it and him. She doesn't say it, but she does nod, looking up at him with a small smile]

Stiles: [and he just smiles back, leaning into her but just an inch from her lips] My dearest lady, it would be an honor if you will allow me to properly court you then. To always strive to make you feel as special as you do every time you received one of my letters. And to let you learn what it means to have someone love you as much as one heart can.

Cora: [she swallows for a moment, before looking up and nodding again. She still doesn't have words for it, but she can at least agree to what he's proposing] Yes.

Stiles: May I kiss you then? Because I am much better without using my words sometimes.

Cora: [that makes her smile before she nods. In all of this, she has been kissing him. She's curious about how it would be the other way around]

Stiles: [and he leans in the rest of the way, his hand coming up to gently cradle the back of her head as he kisses her. There is enough familiarity from their few times that he knows which way to tilt his head, but he lips caress hers gently, but firmly, enough to show his soft touch with a hint of promising more in due time]

Cora: [she relaxes into it easily, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders and staying close]

Stiles: [and he will kiss her long enough before he needs to breathe, and then smile and press his forehead back to hers] I have been waiting to do that for a very long time.

Cora: [smiles softly before nodding] I know.

Stiles: [and he just takes her in a moment, smiling] We should probably go back to dancing before your brother or uncle notice you missing for too long and think ill of Sir Fox.

Cora: Mmmm. Assuming that they don't already know who you are. [she knows well enough that Peter at least had to have been involved]

Stiles: Will you be mad if I tell you that there are a few in the manor who know because I asked for their help?

Cora: [she smirks] I had a feeling. Liam at least, and Peter or he would have intervened when he first learned I was getting the letters.

Stiles: The handwriting belongs to Roland. I knew you would recognize mine. And Lord Parrish helped me learn the art of a love letter, something I'm still a student to. [which promises more letters to come]

Cora: I think you learned very well.

Stiles: It's been more for me the art of paying attention more. [he gently caressed her face] To listen to what it is you need, not what I need. I already know what I need.

Cora: And what is that?

Stiles: I have my family. I know who I am now. I'm learning to live this new life... I have air, and food, wealth...all the things that a man needs. The only thing I have left to find that I need is to find someone to love, and who loves me in return. And that is what I hope we will become.

Cora: Maybe we will, if you are willing to give me the time to find out.

Stiles: I will give you the world. And if I step over the line again, tell me and I will make it right. I cannot promise I won't make mistakes because I am human... but I will always do right by you.

Cora: [nods with a small smile] Good.

Stiles: [looks back to the floor] I will need my mask back.

Cora: [nods before handing it back to him] Of course.

Stiles: [and he goes to slip it back on, and then grins under it] My lady? [and he offered his arm]

Cora: [she smiles, before slipping her arm in his and letting him lead her back out again]

Stiles: [and he will lead her back to the floor where another slow song has started, and he will gently pull her into his arms]

Cora: [which she will go and they will resume dancing again for the rest of the evening]

Derek: [and he will see that and smile, and then look across the way for Laura]

Laura: [she knows. She and Jordan are sitting off to the side because she's not good for dancing at the moment but she catches Derek's glance and she nods]

Derek: [nods back, happy for his younger sister, and then just going to nuzzle his wife because yup, finally things are really good for all the Hales]

Laura: [yep. Everybody's happy.]