Chapter Text
Laughter filled the restaurant in which Rupert found himself. His and Bas’. Everyone else around them seemed rather bored, or perhaps they were just boring people. Which was incredibly likely as per his experience.
Most people could be so awfully boring, and Rupert recognized such a thing, he had been married to boredom made flesh a few years ago. With the years people changed, became shells of their former shells. But not Bas, thankfully, and not Rupert either.
“You know what I fancy most about this restaurant?” His friend leaned forward in a conspiratorial manner.
Rupert lit his fourth cigarette of the night. Smoke clouds surrounding them were made visible by the dark lights and candles.
“Knowing you, I can imagine” he replied with a snort “The women, no doubt”
Who, he could agree, were pretty hot.
“They are delicious” Bas nodded with vigor “Better than the food. And the food is fucking magnificent already”
Rupert laughed at the words, no doubt as a result of the two bottles of wine they had emptied in the past five hours.
“I’ve tried better food” Rupert waved his hand dismissively “But the women are…conveniently attractive and scandaly dressed. Which I'm sure it's part of the marketing campaign. Not that I'm complaining”
It was Bas’ turn to laugh. But he did so in such a loud and, apparently, unexpected manner that one of the waitresses jumped and let go of the platter she carried.
The metal made a terribly bothersome noise when it touched the ground, plates shattering and spilling the leftovers on the carpet.
“Agatha!” he heard someone shout “Pick that up immediately!”
The misfortune had his friend laughing like a schoolboy, and would have him doing the same if he was not met with the view of the girl’s scarcely clothed behind.
Rupert licked his lips before making his mind.
Quickly, he moved towards the girl, kneeling by her side to help her pick up the pieces. The poor thing was shaking so badly that the tears in her big blue eyes spilled down her cheeks. When she met his gaze, her expression reminded her of a deer caught by hunters.
“You…you d-don’t ha-ave to help me” she stuttered with a delightful voice.
Rupert took a moment to assess her. Eyes wandering to a wavy strand of her hair, auburn by candlelight, that fell over her face, having gone free from the right bun that imprisoned the rest of her mane. Full lips parted as she breathed heavily, only meeting his gaze once before looking down to the mess she’d made. The pale skin of her cheeks reddening in shame.
God, she was a beautiful little thing.
“I want to help you, angel” he told her, resuming his work “Someone should”
It was on purpose when his hand brushed hers, only to see her reaction. And the girl reacted just as delightfully as he had expected. Her gaze finding his nervously and going back to the shattered pieces of the tableware immediately, face reddening even more.
“T-thanks” she muttered.
“Nothing to thank me for” his smooth reply had the poor girl staring at him, mouth slightly parted.
Oh, she would be an easy one.
“Mr. Campbell-Black” the manager came to stand awkwardly in front of them “I apologize for Agatha's mistakes, there is no need for you to fix what she broke”
The sweet girl seemed to be on the verge of tears.
“I’m simply helping Agatha, because someone should”
And because she has a very nice behind.
Rupert glared at the man with enough intensity to have him gulping and walking away after apologizing.
Soon, Agatha had gathered everything back into the platter, all the pieces and the rest of food.
When they stood up, she nervously wiped her hands on her little apron.
“It’s Ta-aggie” the lovely girl whispered, still not meeting his eyes “M-my… name. Well…it's…it's really Agatha, but I don't…I d-don't like it much”
Rupert smiled at her.
“Taggie” he liked the sound of that “It is nice to meet you, Taggie”
Taggie smiled shyly at him, cheeks still red. What a sweet thing she was.
“I-I…have to… keep w-working”
“Of course, Angel”
She ducked her head as she walked away, but Rupert could see a sliver of a smile upon her pretty face.
“She looks like a deer, in a good way” Bas commented when he sat at the table again “You’re going after her, aren't you?”
Was there even a doubt in his mind?
“Wouldn’t take much” Rupert commented “The poor thing is desperate for attention”
“Attention you will give her” Bas snorted and took another sip of wine “I have never once doubted your capabilities, Rupe, but that sweet girl looks like she doesn't even know what sex is”
And she did, but that was part of the appeal. Normally Rupert wouldn't bother with virgins, they were far more trouble than they were worth, but this Taggie… She was too beautiful for him to let the opportunity slip away.
“How long do you think it’ll take me?”
His friend's eyes widened, but soon a smirk decorated his face.
“You will not be able to shag her without…three weeks of work, I would say. Just look at her…she's like a baby deer, or a baby bunny…Whatever it's sweet and malleable and knows nothing of shagging”
“Don’t worry, she'll know all about sex soon” Rupert winked.
Bas chuckled.
“So I take it you’ll stay in London a little longer”
Rupert turned his head to the bar, where she still was, sending little glances his way. Like a little schoolgirl. Yes, she would be quite easy.
For the rest of the dinner Rupert's eyes remained on his little angel. She came and went serving dishes and taking the leftovers, but her eyes were firmly set on what was ahead of her. Trying to avoid another incident, he would suppose.
It had to be fifteen minutes later that darling Taggie finally stepped outside, finishing her shift. And him? He went after her. Which was a strange thing for Rupert to do, but Bas had told him it would take him three weeks, therefore he would do it in one and a half.
“Taggie” he pronounced, not really called, once outside.
She stopped under a streetlight.
“Mr. Campbell-B-black” Taggie breathed, utterly surprised and almost shaking like a leaf.
Sweet.
He grinned at her.
“Just Rupert, darling”
“I should…Thank you…for h-helping me. Before”
“I already told you, Angel, there's no need to thank me”
“There is!” she insisted, suddenly coming alive in a way. Suddenly becoming louder “I made a mess. I… and you helped me. You didn't have to. So, thank you. That was kind”
Kindness did not drive me, darling.
“Well, I did feel a bit guilty. After all it was my fault that my friend laughed so loud”
She shook her head.
“People don't usually help me, even when it's…n-not fully my fault”
Looking at her, glowing under the streetlight while he loomed in the shadows, Rupert doubted anything was ever her fault.
“Fully? I would say you have little fault, if any, Angel”
That made her chuckle sweetly as she tucked a loose strand of auburn behind her ear.
“You don't know that”
“I can imagine. You are far too sweet to truly be at fault of anything, sweetheart”
For a moment Taggie just stared at him, lips only slightly parted and fingers fidgeting with her cardigan. But it was strange, the words had flattered her, but that came wrapped in some sort of sadness.
“I don't think that's true” she finally said, quickly wiping away a tear with the sleeves of her coat “I…It has been really nice meeting you, Mr…” Rupert tilted his head “Rupert”
Good girl.
A fast learner. All the better.
”It was nice meeting you too, Angel. However, I fear I must return to my friend before he pays with my money”
Taggie snorted adorably, smiling as she did.
“Good night, Rupert”
He found himself smiling with far more tenderness than previously intended.
“Good night, Angel”
Sometimes he found himself wondering why he had even thought getting into politics was a good idea. Mostly to get away from Helen, yes, and to keep himself busy, but not really a great choice for him. At least not after having to listen to Maggie slowly rant about…he didn't even recall.
Wasn’t that important, probably.
And even if it was, Gerald would remind him. That was his job after all.
“Where are we going, exactly?” Gerald asked, once they were inside the car, driving through the streets of London.
“To find an angel” he replied with a smile.
Rupert had dreamed of auburn locks and big doe eyes even as he fucked that one woman whose name he could hardly remember.
Taggie.
The sweet girl had not left his mind since last night. Which was odd, but not something he would complain about. Could not complain about thinking of a girl with such long legs and perfect arse.
Inside, the restaurant was somehow darker than during the night, and emptier. They only worked during the night, for whatever exclusive reason.
“Mr. Campbell-Black” the man from last night smiled at him “Another reservation?”
“I’m searching for the waitress, Agatha”
“Agatha?” the man frowned “She is not here yet, but she will be soon. There's a lot to clean up”
Rupert rolled his eyes. He hardly thought that that beautiful girl should be cleaning anything.
“I’ll wait then”
And wait he did, for some reason. It was Bas’ dare that made him put so much effort into seducing sweet Taggie without a doubt.
It did not take long for her to arrive, with her hair down and wearing simple jeans and a shirt. Nothing provocative, nothing posh, and yet she looked utterly delicious when her eyes widened upon realising he was there.
“Mr. Ca-ampbell-Black” she stuttered, something that would annoy him, but in her it was utterly adorable “Are you…r-returning tonight?”
Rupert smirked.
“No, with luck I shall be dining somewhere else with a beautiful angel”
Taggie frowned, looking down.
“Oh” she sounded so disappointed.
It was so endearing.
“Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”
Then the sweet girl's eyes were back on him, widened in surprise the moment she understood.
“Oh….M-me? I…why—?”
“If you don't want to I won't take offence, I swear” that was a lie.
“No, no! It's not that…it's just…I…why do you want to have di-inner with me?”
“Why wouldn't I? You are a lovely girl, Taggie. Beautiful and kind”
Sheepishly, she batted her eyelashes at him.
“I don't think you have not come across many lovely girls”
“None as enchanting as you, Angel”
Taggie just shook her head, but she was smiling.
“That cannot be true”
“It is. Trust me, darling, you are something I rarely see”
Virgins were getting rarer and rarer, not that he cared, and beautiful ones even more so.
“Y-you really want to take me to have dinner?”
“I really do” she would need quite a lot of reassurance “But do you want to have dinner with me?”
Taggie ducked her head, but nodded with eagerness. The movement reminded him of one of his puppies. Strangely, because Taggie was so obviously not a purebred one, but an adorable mutt desperate for love and attention. One who would do anything for some resemblance of care.
“I would like to have dinner with you, Rupert” she said shyly.
Maybe training her would be easier than training Beaver.
“Wonderful, sweetheart. I do hope you’re old enough to drink” it was a joke, mostly.
Taggie took it well, snorting good-naturedly before nodding.
“I’m twenty” she nodded.
Twenty. Twenty years old and a virgin. God, at twenty he was….
She is a rare thing indeed.
“Old enough” Rupert agreed with a smirk “What time should I pick you up?”
“E-eight is good, but you don’t really need to pick me up…I can walk”
“Nonsense, you deserve better than that”
Taggie beamed at his words, smiling sweetly while a furious red tinted her cheeks.
Very easy.