Chapter Text
Penelope was exhausted after finishing her fourth and final essay in English. While she loved creative writing, these assignments felt like she was putting a drill to her head and pulling the trigger, slowly but permanently throughout the process. It was the opposite of everything she loved about writing. There were strict regulations and guidelines that were somehow assumed general knowledge, but yet also unspoken, at least in her case. The most frustrating part was that while she enjoyed researching for her own creative efforts, it was borderline impossible to find the right article to use the exact quote to make her point. Where she could usually make up something that felt believable after a small amount of research, there was no such outlet for academic papers.
She was looking forward to a long shower once she made her way back to the dorm. Penelope couldn't help but smile knowing Eloise would likely already be there, waiting for her. Her playfully dramatic roommate never failed to bring a smile to her face and an ease to her weary mind. As if her thoughts conjured the lady herself, Pen’s phone began to vibrate in her pocket, after digging it out she quickly answered.
“Hel-”
“Oh, Pen! It’s terrible!! The whole dorm is flooded and frozen… It’s like something out of a sci-fi movie.”
“What?!” Penelope stopped in her tracks. “What do you mean flooded and frozen?”
“The RA said that there were some issues with the H-Vac and more than a few water lines busted last night, so it’s like a skating rink inside the walls or something.”
“What are we supposed to do?” she asked, realizing quickly that some of the students had family nearby but Penelope was alone in the city. The only close friend she’d made was Eloise, and with her in the same situation, it’s not like she could impose further.
“Well the school has told everyone that the gym would be open, but--well it would be sleeping on the floor or as good as.”
Penelope let out a grateful breath. It wasn’t going to be comfortable but it was surely preferable to freezing to death, which had mostly been her other option.
“Thankfully for you, your very best friend has already secured better lodgings for the two of us, as I refuse to give myself Scoliosis because the school can’t maintain their dorms properly.”
“What exactly do you mean by better lodgings? I’m not quite sure I trust your judgement.”
“We’re going to stay with Ant until everything is fixed…it seems like it’s going to be a while and he has spare rooms, free food, and the good fortune of having me as a sister.”
“I can hardly move in with someone I don’t know, Eloise! I-Thank you, truly. It means a lot to me that you’re willing to take me in but I’ll just stay in the gym-”
“Oh please, it’s not like Ant will even be there very often. He hardly ever stops working. Not to mention, you’re like the best roommate. You’re tidy, thoughtful, and you’re so quiet that if I take my eyes off you for a second, I’ll forget you’re in the room with me. What could he possibly complain about?”
“I think you forgetting me says a lot more about you than my silence, El…”
“I’ve already asked, he’s said yes, and if you refuse to come with me I’ll tell him it’s because you were afraid he was some type of pervert.”
“Eloise Bridgerton! You wouldn’t?!”
“I suppose you’ll have to go with me or risk it...”
Penelope sighed, “Fine, because I do not have the strength to argue with you tonight, perhaps tomorrow I will put up more of a protest.” After making a list in her head of everything that was and was not present in her backpack she frowned. “Are they letting anyone inside?”
“Yes, though I was hoping to use it as an opportunity to con my brother out of a new wardrobe…ooh maybe we could-”
“I’m not lying to your brother so he buys you new clothes, Eloise.”
“Hey you could get-”
“I’m not going to let your brother buy me new clothes either!” Penelope laughed, having finally had enough of her friend’s ridiculous antics. “I’m over by the student center so I’ll see you in a few minutes when I get back. Byeee.”
There were a few muffled complaints before she ended the call but Penelope didn’t pay much attention. Eloise was a wonderful friend and roommate but she was in desperate need of a long shower, and what she hoped would be a few hours to herself.
El often talked about her family but her eldest brother rarely got much mention beyond a few complaints about his lack of generosity; read not bowing to her every whim.
For the most part, Penelope would admit that Eloise wasn’t as truly spoiled as she acted…in that while it was obvious that most of her family was affluent, bordering on celebrity, she was quite down to earth herself. After all, it’s not as if she couldn’t have afforded her own apartment in the city, but she chose to stay in the dorms. Instead of driving, she walked or rode a bicycle around campus. There were a lot of ways that Eloise tried to separate herself from her family’s fame and money, but she did occasionally allow them to spoil her with the things she loved like books, clothes, and what she called ‘experiences’, like concerts, tours, cruises, etc.
Penelope was proud of her for trying to forge her own way, though sometimes she was a little jealous; wishing she had the opportunity to snub a small fortune, or rather accept it, which is likely what she would have done if it was her own family. They certainly hadn’t given her anything else, the money would have been useful at least.
When she made it back to their dorms, there was still a small crowd hovering around but when she spotted their RA, they gave her a nod and ushered her directly inside with a fifteen minute packing timeline.
Eloise had already thrown one of her suitcases onto Pen’s bed, knowing Penelope did not have one of her own. Another way in which her friend was incredibly thoughtful. Penelope had been embarrassed arriving on campus with a large black garbage bag to hold her things, but she didn’t let it wear on her too much because she’d made it. She’d gotten a full-ride scholarship to her dream university and was finally able to move away from her mother’s sharp gaze and even sharper fingernails.
“Thanks El, I’ll give it back as soon-”
“It’s quite fine, I have plenty of bags. Have you seen that black band shirt I got at-”
“You left it on the back of your desk chair the other day. I threw it in the wash with my own things and folded it, put it back in your wardrobe.”
“See what I mean? You’re the best roommate, Pen. THE BEST!” Eloise grinned, tackling her forward with the force of her hug.
“Yeah yeah,” she said, teasingly throwing Eloise off of her.
“So tell me about your brother, Anthony. While I have heard many things about Benedict, and some about the others…you don’t mention him too often…”
“He’s--” Eloise hesitates, which rarely happens but when it does, there’s a meaning behind it. “You can’t ever tell him I said this or I’ll block you in real life--but Anthony is a good man and a wonderful brother. When father died, he-he sort of took over the male role model position in our house. He was younger than we are now when he inherited the empire known as Bridgerton Inc, but he didn’t once complain. He just-he just did it. For a while, I was- well still am, quite a rebel really, but I had no idea what he sacrificed, what he gave up until Ben sat me down last year and explained the fullness of the situation.”
Penelope had been folding her clothes gently into the bottom of the loaned suitcase, because they were in fact, on a deadline but she stopped long enough to pull Eloise into a hug. “At least you know now--right?”
“Mhmm, but if he asks I told you he’s a grump, penny-pincher, like Mr. Scrooge.”
Penelope laughed, and returned to her packing, allowing Eloise to do the same. “I’ll try to remember that, but I doubt he will ask.”
“The RA; Fyte, Finn, whatever their name is, said we could come back tomorrow morning if we forgot anything incredibly important so you don’t have to stress about getting everything tonight.”
“I’d rather not inconvenience your brother as I imagine he will already be responsible for the daily commute, and as we don’t have classes tomorrow, it would be a wasted trip.”
“I could drive, though it’s unlikely Anthony would let me use any of his cars--”
Penelope raised a single eyebrow at her and grinned, “I’d quite like to keep all my parts where they belong so I’ll pass.”
“Oh you-!”
They both laughed, and the warmth of their friendship followed them all the way down the hall and back out into the crisp, winter night.
The first time Penelope saw Eloise Bridgerton, even in a baggy hoodie, pajama pants, and looking half asleep she knew the girl was gorgeous. Over the following months as they got to know one another, she realized that Eloise was more than beautiful, she was kind…well that might be a stretch but she’d been kind to Penelope, immediately declaring them best friends when she realized they shared a love of reading. She was witty, charming, hilarious, and strong-willed, which was usually something she considered a good thing.
Maybe it was because she was distracted with trying to pack in a rush, or trying to figure out how she was going to talk Eloise into allowing her to come stay in the gym with the other nomads, but for some insane reason she never thought to question what an older brother of Eloise would look like.
So when Anthony Bridgerton stepped out of his sleek SUV and smiled at his little sister and her dumbfounded best friend, she squeaked…full SQUEAK. Like a mouse. Like a stupid, chittering mouse.
“You must be Penelope, or Pen?” he asked, holding a hand out to her and she tried her very best to not just stand and stare at him, but it wasn’t easy. Eventually she lurched forward and awkwardly shook his hand.
“Either is fine,” she said, swallowing around the lump of nerves bubbling in her throat.
“I don’t know whether I should thank you or congratulate you for being able to put up with Eloise for the last few months,” he said, earning an elbow to the side from Eloise.
They had a go at one another, arguing back and forth while Penelope tried to sort out her thoughts. Usually she didn’t pay much attention to whether people were attractive or not, at least not in a meaningful way. She might see a smile, a pair of eyes, or a fond look, and take inspiration for a character at a later date but this was just…overwhelming.
Another swallow before she forced herself to get it together and smiled up at him, very far up…because he was at least a half foot taller than she was even though there was a steep curb giving her a boost. “Thank you, for taking us in…well me, specifically. I don’t imagine you’d have had a choice with Eloise, not that she likely gave you much choice with me either.”
“Oh it’s fine, I’m sure El has told you I don’t spend much time at home anyway, and there’s plenty of space so it’s not any trouble,” he said, picking up the bag next to her.
“I can get tha-”
“What kind of gentleman would I be if I made a lady carry her own bag?” he said, shaking his head.
‘Don’t forget mine, brother.”
“I said lady, not gremlin or--whatever you are,” he said, but Penelope noticed that he’d already started to reach for the other bag when Eloise slid into the backseat.
She was about to make her way around the car when he opened the passenger side door for her and she smiled, not willing to further inconvenience him by insisting on sitting in the back with Eloise. “Thank you.”
“It’s nothing.”
Her poor heart…definitely didn’t agree.
Anthony stepped out of the shower feeling a little more himself. He’d been caught up in his work lately, though if he’s being honest with himself it’s less a ‘recent’ change and more just how he’s become accustomed to living. Dragging a towel over his hair he took a deep breath and sat himself on the edge of his bed. If not for Eloise calling him tonight…he probably would still be at the office. He would never openly admit it, but he was looking forward to having her underfoot again. The older he got, the more he realized how rare the bond he had with his family truly was. For one, he imagined, most people don’t have eight children anymore--a smile drawing up the corner of his mouth. His mother and father had truly outdone themselves. Growing up, his home was full of love and laughter in a way that very few are privileged to have. And while they were nearly always bickering in pairs, there was more than enough love for twice as many people.
After moving into his own home he relished in the peace and quiet for all of two days before it became less comfortable and more lonely. It’s probably not the only reason he’d started to put more hours in at work, but the thoughts of coming home to an empty house certainly had not discouraged the habit.
He was just about to get ready for bed when he remembered that Eloise might be able to guess his access code; Hyacinth’s birthday but it was unlikely that her friend would be able to come and go as necessary.
Penelope, or Pen as his sister called her affectionately, was an interesting outlier in his life. He’d picked up a few details here and there in Eloise’s college era monologues but otherwise didn’t know much about her.
Anthony knew that she would sometimes prepare meals for the both of them, and smiled when he remembered his sister expressing both delight and worry when her roommate began stress baking throughout their finals last semester. Then there was something about an interest and burgeoning talent in creative writing. Beyond the fact that his sister declared her a soulmate or perhaps the sister she’d always wanted but didn’t get within the Bridgerton brood, that was the extent of his awareness of Penelope.
After making a few quick strokes of a pen on a post-it note, he went to speak with Eloise, figuring she could pass the information along to her friend.
The door was cracked open and he was nearly about to make his presence known when he stopped, concerned that they might be having a disagreement.
“-could have warned me!”
“About what exactly?”
“You know what, Eloise.”
“Oh please, while I admit that other people think he’s moderately attractive, there’s no accounting for taste. Besides, you never notice anyone, how was I supposed to know you’d be surprised?”
“He’s so pretty that I squeaked! I don’t squeak because people are normal levels of attractive, El! Ugh,” there was some sort of plopping sound, as if she’d just thrown herself down on the bed. “He’s going to think there’s a rodent problem.”
Eloise must be getting over her friend’s whining because there’s the familiar, ‘I’m done.’ sigh escaping his sister.
“How about I make him wear a bag over his head at home?” Eloise offered, and he couldn’t resist moving further into the room now. Of course he did realize belatedly, that he’d dressed for bed which unfortunately did not include a shirt. He hadn’t really paid attention until a rush of air from the door’s movement tickled against his torso.
There was another cute squeak as he stepped inside, ignoring his sister and instead turning to the beautifully pink-cheeked Penelope. “I thought you might want the security access code and I wasn’t sure Eloise would think to share because she has a spare key.”
“Thank you-thanks.”
“No problem, Penelope. Let me know if you need anything else.”
He turned to Eloise and dropped a kiss on her forehead before leaving. “Goodnight, ladies.”
Just as he was about to close the door, Anthony heard a disgruntled groan and smiled. An adorable rodent problem indeed.