An Unexpected Meeting - Richard Armitage

7 ~ Methinks

"Hey, Scarlett?" Richard called from the kitchen.

They had been dating for the past month or so now, and Scarlett had just visited for lunch.

"Yeah?" Scarlett answered.

"I was wondering," He asked as she approached him, eyebrows raised.

"What?"

"I'm getting to it - hang on!"

"Okay, sorry," Scarlett laughed. "You were wondering?"

"I was wondering, if you, would like to attend the BAFTA's with me?" his words came out in a jumble - at speed.

"You were wondering if I would like to attend the BAFTA's with you?" Scarlett repeated - more for herself than Richard.

"Yes." he sighed, looking into Scarlett's eyes. "Of course you don't have to - if you don't want, but I just thought it would be nice."

"Richard. Of course I would like to attend the BAFTA's with you! Why on Earth wouldn't I?" Scarlett interrupted, laughing.

Richard pulled her into a hug.

"I don't know, I just thought you might not want to go or something?" He chuckled, and she giggled as his chest vibrated with each laugh.

"Wow. This is so exciting!" Scarlett grinned, finally pulling away from the hug.

"I can tell you now that it isn't as great as it seems."

"Don't rain on my parade Richard."

"I apologise."

Scarlett grinned again, and Richard opened his mouth as though he had forgotten to mention something.

"Oh! And I have another 'plus one' for the afterparty, and all my friends are there anyway, so you can invite Ava if you wish,"

"Oh my goodness! Really? You'd let Ava come?"

"Yes of course - as long as she promises to behave herself." Richard laughed, and Scarlett shook her head.

"She will if you introduce her to Benedict Cumberbatch," Scarlett laughed, and Richard smirked.

"That can be arranged."

***

"Ava?" Scarlett yelled as she opened the door to their apartment.

When there was no answer, she yelled again.

"Ava!"

"Shhhhh, I have a headache," Ava whispered as she walked out of her bedroom, sipping her 'there's a chance this might be whiskey' mug.

"What's the chance that that's whiskey then?" Scarlett laughed, and Ava gave her a serious look.

"Try 100%."

"Oh Jesus, what happened at work?" Scarlett asked.

"That stupid little kid came for his top-up jab - and guess what?" Ava smiled.

"He bit you?"

"Ding ding ding - we have a winner!" Ava replied sarcastically.

"Well I have some news that will cheer you up,"

"Unless it involves Eddie Redmayne it will not cheer me up." Ava said as she plonked herself down on the sofa.

"Well, I suppose it kind of does involve Eddie," Scarlett grinned, and Ava raised her eyebrows.

"I'm listening..."

Scarlett sat down opposite Ava, who was half-focused on the TV.

"Well I was just at Richard's, and he invited me to go with him - to the BAFTA's!" Scarlett grinned.

"Oh my God! That's amazing!" Ava grinned, and leant forward. "When is it? Bring me back a Benedict Cumberbatch!"

"Well maybe you can bring him back yourself," Scarlett grinned.

"What?" Ava asked, confused. "You're not saying - no. No, no, no."

"Yes!" Scarlett grinned, nodding her head.

"No."

"Yes! You're coming to the afterparty!"

"Oh my God. No freaking way."

"Yes freaking way."

Ava leapt on top of Scarlett in a hug, and almost crushed her.

"Oh my Goodness Lettie I absolutely love you,"

she laughed, and Scarlett pushed her off.

"Yes, thanks, but try not to kill me beforehand."

"I apologise profusely."

"Good. Well it's on Saturday night next week, and I have to go at about 7pm, then the afterparty starts at around 9 or 10pm."

"Sounds great!" Ava laughed, downing the rest of her tea - well, whiskey - and almost shaking with excitement.

"So before then, we need to figure out hair, makeup, dresses, shoes, and all that jazz." Scarlett began.

"Right, easy peasy." Ava laughed, and Scarlett glared.

"No, not easy peasy, quite far from it actually. I need to find the perfect dress within a week. One week."

"7 whole days." Ava laughed.

"One short week."

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks," Ava grinned, which was greeted with another glare.

"If you quote Shakespeare one more time, so help me God I will bite you harder than that little boy ever can."

Ava smirked.

"I have been bent and broken - but I hope - into a better shape,"

Scarlett bared her teeth and Ava laughed.

"That wasn't Shakespeare, it was Dickens. Therefore you cannot - so help you God - bite me harder than that little boy ever can, which I highly doubt is possible anyway," she rubbed the bruise on her arm.

Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"Just stop quoting random literature."

"As you wish,"