Baking with Hudson on Saturday was always something she looked forward to and greatly enjoyed. Abby looked around for the spare key Alex usually had lying around, finding it tapped to the nearby windowsill this time. “Well at least it's not the dirty rock…” Carefully plucking the tape from it's spot she moved back over to open the door so she could let herself inside. “Alexbee I'm letting myself in again! Teddy said I could come over for baking!” she wasn't sure if her older cousin or Katya heard her but it didn't really matter, she was already inside and now all she had to do was go and get some stuff ready for her little baking session with Hudson.

This time she was wearing a dress that was easily washable, that way her mother wouldn't have a heart attack when she came home.


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Rene had been laying on the couch reading since Alexandre was off grabbing something and had told him to stay behind. It was a bit annoying since it was the weekend and he was staying over as usual to spend some time with his little blonde. Flipping the page, he shifted on the couch as he thought he heard someone shuffling around outside then unlocking the door.

Peeking up over his book, he was thoroughly confused. “Quoi? Qui es-tu?” They were blonde but the names they were using had him even more confused. “Alexbee? Teddy?” Fully sitting up, he watched as they came in and made themselves known even though he knew the other cousin wasn’t here either. Though that had been more of a last minute run out to the store for more eggs because they’d somehow run out of them. Not that he was going ot say it was because he’d tried practicing cooking and had burned half the dozen trying to make an omelet.


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The French threw Abby off so much that she squeaked instead of sounding all adult. Blue eyes spotted someone on the couch that seemed familiar…Visually at least. Placing her hands on her hips she tried to look intimidating, Abby walked over with narrowed eyes. “And just WHO are you?” she knew she'd seen him somewhere, but was never introduced. “Last time I checked it was just my two cousins and their cat that lived here. I didn't think he was renting out rooms.”

There was an air of haughtiness around her as she uttered her next words, “You have five seconds to tell me who you are before I call security. One second has already passed.”


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Giving the girl a look he pulled the ribbon back in place as a bookmark and closed his book. “Merde..” They definitely had the same sort of attitude his little angel had at times but none of the actual threat behind it and it had him wanting to ******** with her a bit.

“Alexandre’s lover~ Who else would be left alone in the house?” Smiling and teasing a bit as he looked over the girl, she looked barely out of high school and very much like the rest of the rich brats from back home like his ex. Though he was used to the brattiness of his blonde, this was a bit annoying.

“Katya won’t like it if you interrupt her reading time so maybe quiet down a bit miss…? One of the cousins right?” She had the features but it was hard still for him to differentiate the hundreds of blondes he’d seen at each family gathering. There were just so many and he’d lost his specific blonde on more than one occasion but at least Colette was always nice enough to help him find Alexandre while sharing some of the juiciest gossip.


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That little bit caused her brain to short circuit.

“L-Lover?!” her face scrunched up and she backed away just slightly. There was a lot of things that came with having a lover and she really didn't want to think about her beloved cousin that way. Shaking her head to clear it, Abby went from her hands on her hips to crossing them. “You understand I wasn't yelling right? I was talking in a perfectly calm voice.” She rolled her eyes, “So…Your name? Or do I just call you the lover?” She grimaced at that part, the romantic indications of it all making her want to gag.

Katya would be fine.

Wait….

Abby's eyes narrowed, “You're one of us aren't you?” Thats the only way he would know that Katya…A cat had a reading time. If he was a normal civilian he wouldn't know about that would he?


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Laughing as they backed away and crossed their arms, he rested his chin on his palm as he watched them. “René though I don’t mind the other since it’s true. You might see Alexandre turn all new shades of embarrassed though, it’s really quite cute how he gets so easily flustered…” It seemed getting embarrassed over things might be a common occurrence in the Evans family though because even Lorcan and now this one had made a face over things.

Smiling while giving nothing away he made a non committal shrug. “Katya quite likes me, we are rather close. Such a good cat.” And they had a good sense of what to read as well which was nice since Alexandre preferred audio books or television which were both things he didn’t much like. It was nice to talk with the Mauvian about books and things while on patrol too, things to pass the time as she kept his signature hidden so he didn’t get sensed by those order senshi or knights. It worked most times at least. But if they were hinting things that meant that they were involved as well, the question just boiled down to if they were a senshi like him or an agent like Alexandre and the other Evans he had met.


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“I'd rather not see Alexbee do anything of the sort, thank you. Keep it to yourself.” She swore to the high heavens if he started going on about all that stupid romance stuff then she was going to go find Katya and have the cat keep her company till Hudson came back. Heaven forbid it was Alex. Scrunching her nose, Abby supposed it was only right that she tell the man her name even if she just wanted to keep as much distance as possible. “My name is Aberdeen but Abby will suffice.”

The fact that he didn't give an answer to her other question made her want to power up just to make him feel like s**t while she drained him, BUT powering in Alexander’s house without permission or thinking would incur the wrath of everyone, something she did not want in the slightest. Either way, she let it go and looked around for a spot to sit and wait, choosing a comfy chair the furthest away from the new person. Politely taking off her shoes, she set them on the floor next to her and lifted her dress enough to sit cross-legged on the chair, covering her legs once she was comfortable. Bringing out her cell phone she started looking at videos of her latest ballet performance, pulling a well-used notepad out of her bag with a pretty pink pen, instantly taking notes on what she could do better.

Andy would also have to see these too she supposed since there was the nutcracker around the corner now.


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“Okay okay then Abby.” Shrugging before picking his book back up, he watched as they were looking over some sort of video and taking notes. “So what sort of thing do you do? Are you an artist like Alexandre or Fiona? Or are you more like that stick in the mud Lorcan?” Not that he wasn’t glad that there was an inhouse doctor that didn’t ask him for papers to get treated, he was just still not used to how stiff they were. It was painful sometimes and he couldn’t help but ******** with them to try and get them to loosen up a bit.

“I paint, though portraits and still life styles out in the field.” Only paying half attention to his book, he shifted a bit to try and see what she was writing. It was hard to make out though from both the angle and distance. “I believe at least one of the two should be back soon, not sure which first though.” Either way it meant dessert would be happening before dinner which he was perfectly alright with. Whether it was from the bakery Alexandre would be stopping by or home made from Hudson, he was very much looking forward to it.


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Abby looked up from her notes, “I perform ballet. I also practice aerial silk performances.” she managed to smile a little at the bit for Lorcan, “No, I'm not like Lory. Just….Keep the romance stuff to yourself. That's the only requirement I have.” She can and will gag, very loudly. As for what she was writing, she sighed and got up from her spot, picking up her shoes and making her way towards the couch where he was sitting, taking up a spot next to him. Close enough for him to see her videos and notes, but not enough to be considered inappropriate. “Since you're so curious….” She showed him her tablet and the notes that she was taking.

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That was…. Awfully close to what his ex did and he grimaced slightly for a moment but caught himself. “Oh I didn’t think he let people nickname him, I might have to torment him with that during our next chess game.” Smiling for a moment, he noticed them getting up and pulled his legs in to give them space.

Watching for a moment, it looked good, at least it wasn’t the ballet he was used to seeing Ushka in… “Not a hobby I figured many people did anymore, but things are different here than home.” Even back then there had only been a few events here and there where performances were held but that hadn’t been up his alley.

From the notes he saw they were dedicated at least which was good, he knew a lot of the younger rich people bought their way into things. Hell he’d done it himself and blown through a lot of money as he did nothing productive, according to his family.

“So how is Alexandre a bee? I know he’s small and a bit feisty but I’m not sure I get the nickname…” Was it just some sort of thing they did here? Usually wouldn’t it be shorted to Alex even if it didn’t carry the same accent?


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“Hmmmn? I've called Alex that since I was old enough to talk.” When speaking about ballet, Abby lit up, “It's so amazing though. Ballet is all that I've ever wanted to do. My parents wanted me to get a proper education first beforehand, which I suppose is the correct thing to do. It's not like I will be taking over my father's company.” No, unfortunately, should Abby get married (gross) then her father’s business would go to her husband OR one of her uncles if she manages to stay single for the rest of her life. This was fine by her, she didn't really have the mind for business ventures anyway.

Oh….He did seem like he wasn't from here, with the heavy accent and everything. “Pardon me for asking but where ARE you from? Is it France?” Paris was a place that she would be fine going to once just to say she went. Her parents did not want to step foot in the city but that was due to the fact that Paris is considered to be the city with the highest human trafficking in the world. Pfft! Just because Taken was a movie doesn't mean this would be accurate. Of course she would have bodyguards from her fathers employ…But apparently they didn't want to take the risk.

“Alexandre is a bee because he can sting like one when provoked properly. But he is also adorable and nice and amazing!” She could talk about her older cousin all day, in fact she could talk about any of her cousins all day. “Just like Hudson is teddy because he gives the best hugs and makes the sweetest cakes. He's super big and looks intimidating but is really a big softie.”


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“Ah that I know, I wanted to go to art school which, I did in part, but they mandated I get a degree in business at the same time.” It had been annoying and luckily he’d slept with the right people to make things easier as he studied and made his way through both things at the same time. In hindsight it helped get him where he was running his shop now but at the time he’d hated it.

“Lucky you, though I dodged a bullet when it came to inheriting my family’s business.” Even if he hadn’t dodged the one from his ex, just thinking about it made his shoulder ache and he rolled it abesentmindedly to try and get that ache to go away.

“Versailles though I mean I feel like it’s obvious I’m not from here.” Holding the book he was reading open for her to look at, it wasn’t in English but French instead. “Alexandre got it for me to read along over some show he was pissed about being butchered? I think the books are nice but the show… he is very right about.” A sour look came across his face as he remember the hours long rant and ravin his little blonde had while he’d been reading along and barely paying attention to the show on the TV that had caused such a controversy.

“Yes he is, such a precious angel. He lured me in with kind little actions and gifts you know? The rest was a bit of a shock but I think I like pulling him back a bit to more of these nights sitting around watching TV and reading or going to museums.” Pulling them away from the war and the fighting and getting some time to rest and do things that weren’t so dangerous.

“Hudson makes the best sweets, I eat Alexandre’s share since he doesn’t care for them. I’ll take the rest at your word though.”


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“What was your family's business? If you don't mind me asking.”

Abby went back to watching her dance videos intently, scribbling down notes as she went. Ugh! That spin would need to be tweaked, her foot was not straight enough! Why didn't Andy tell her that? Or better yet why didn't her teacher mention something? How was she supposed to be the perfect ballerina when her dance partner and teacher did not point out imperfections like that?!

“What's the name of the show?” Granted, Abby did not watch much tv but maybe she could gather something and ask her mother about it later. She was the one that watched all the dramas. Instead of making a face, she actually smiled at what Rene said about Alex. Well it's good that he has someone…Supportive. While she still didn't really understand romance nor did she care to even try, hearing about her cousin's happiness is what always made her happy. She was the first to hear movement at the door and figured it would be either of the previous cousins they were discussing earlier. Sitting up and dusting herself off, Abby turned to face Rene with a smile instead of a frown, “It was a pleasure meeting you, Rene. Thank you for taking care of Alexbee, he really needs it.”


quote="Sara Draconia"]