Bridgerton One Shots

I can leave you alone, if that's what you want. [B.B x reader]

"I do not want to bump into him tonight, Mama."

"You know you will. He is a Bridgerton. He's going to be there."

Your Mama was right, of course. Every ball Benedict Bridgerton along with his siblings and mother, would be there.

"He is also very annoying."

She laughed and nodded her head. It was known to your Mama that something had sparked between the two of you at some point. She was a very forgiving Mama and if you never got caught doing the things you liked to do, then all was well.

And you never had. Until somehow Whistledown had caught sight of you leaving the family home late at night and well, that put a stop to it. It was saddening really because you had enjoyed going to the art parties. Never once partaking in those kinds of activities but just to go there to paint.

And that's where you had met him. The Benedict Bridgerton. As soon as he saw you that first night, he had known you were from high up society. No one of high up society should have attended these parties, especially not a woman.
You had spoke night after night, becoming interested in him and him in you.

Private rooms, just the two of you as he sat and sketched your face and you his. It was something out of a romantic novel by Jane Austen herself.

That was until you had walked in on him, partaking in such activities with two other women, right on the stairs. He had seen you and had run after you as you walked towards the door, "Wait, Y/N – Wait I can explain."

"I see everything very clearly, Mr Bridgerton."
You said, shutting the door on his face.

You had since attended after this had happening but avoided him at all costs, simply going there to sketch and leave. Every single time you came, your heart would ache. You truly believed that he liked you in some capacity. Maybe you were a fool, you felt like one.

Until of course, Whistledown had caught site of you and as to not cause any more scandal, you stopped attending.

You had been at the ball for around an hour, dancing with a few gentlemen but trying to stay out of the way. You weren't looking for a husband, you weren't interested in any of that and that is what you had thought until you had met him. But he had reaffirmed it. As men do, they always let you down.

"Miss Y/L/N, what a pleasure to see you." The voice had startled you out of your daydream. The person talking was Antony Bridgerton.

The eldest of the Bridgerton and the most rake-ish of them all. You had assumed that Benedict had told his brothers about you and what had happened, he was close to them after all.

"Lord Bridgerton," you said, bowing your head in his direction.

He nestled closer to your ear and whispered, "My brother sends his many apologies."

You scoff, "It was many months ago, My Lord." You tried to keep your emotions from coming to the surface. Benedict was all you could ever think about, and you hated it. He had consumed your every thought, every artist choice and the way you chose to live your life.

"He would never care to admit how much it pains him." Antony stepped back, placed his hands behind his back and watched the crowd dancing.

"With all due respect, Lord Bridgerton, he did it all on his own."

"I am aware already of what a fool he is." Antony held your hand in his and kissed it gently, "I'll be seeing you, Miss Y/L/N."

You bowed your head once again as he left you to think about what he just said. Did Benedict really feel remorse for what he did? You needed some air.

You stepped out onto the balcony and noticed it was not populated, as everyone was on the dance floor. Grabbing the sides of the balcony you took a few deep breathes and looked up into the night sky. How you wished you could take a pencil and sketch it, to capture the true beauty of the night above you.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

You froze.

"Did Antony put you up to this?" Is all you simply said. Not looking at him.

"No." He walked closer to your side, but not too close as for the fear you may move away from him and oh, how he did not want that. He wanted you so close to him that he would be able to feel your heartbeat, smell the perfume you were wearing and smell the shampoo in your hair.

He wanted everything to go back to the way it was. He knew he was the one who had messed everything up, and he needed to change that.

You didn't move when you felt him
approaching, "What are you doing out here, Benedict?"

The way his voice fell effortlessly from your mouth. The way he wanted to hear you moan that name as he made you his and only his. Never to be looked at by another man, and forever be his.

"I owe you an apology, Y/N."

"An understatement, I am sure." You turned to face him, the venom in your voice evident. But he looked so handsome, and you couldn't deny that. You couldn't deny that you pined for him, and you had secretly hoped, he had too.

"I came to thoroughly apologise for my behaviour that night. It is all I think about, the way your face dropped, and all the golden glows had left your face." He started to walk closer to you, "You are my last thought before bed and my first thought when I wake up in the morning. I have been a fool, a tremendous fool, but you are forever stuck in my mind." He took your hand in his, you were too in awe of the way he was speaking to you to do anything else.

"I'm not asking you to forgive me, I can leave you alone if that's what you want. I just want to tell you that I feel I have lost the best possible thing in my life." He stopped and placed a kiss to your hand, "You."

Blinking twice over, you looked up at his face and smiled, you didn't want to forgive him that easily but after a speech like that, who could blame you?

"You are smiling?" He looked confused.

"Did you want me to be angry?" You squeezed his hand in yours.

"Of course not." He smirked back.

"I don't forgive you."

His smile dropped. He felt so deflated, but he understood.

"However, I can learn too, Mr Bridgerton."

Benedict smiled again, that gorgeous smile you couldn't resist, "Then shall we restart?"

"That sounds like a good idea." You agreed.
He walked off from you and went back inside, leaving you confused for a second until you realised what he was going. He emerged again and walked up next to you. You were pretending not to realise he was there.

"A lovely summer evening, don't you agree?" He began.

"Indeed, Mr – "

"Bridgerton. Benedict Bridgerton and yourself?" He smiled, kissing your gloved hand whilst looking up at you.

"Y/N Y/L/N." You giggled.