icarus falls • felix catton

SEVEN

seven's theme - time to pretend - mgmt

Dinner went off without a hitch, mindless conversation occurred and the drinks flowed save for the implied words that Pamela needed to leave asap.

Ariadne felt better when she woke up the next morning, to Felix brushing strands of hair away from her face, peppering kisses along the way. She woke up with a smile on her face and the thought that life couldn't get any better than this. She had heard movement in the night but thought nothing of it as she tossed and turned, not finding any respite. Breakfast would be served soon and she was starving as she made her way down the spiral staircase, Felix leading in front of her. 

Before he sat down, he pulled out the chair next to him for Ariadne, making sure she was settled before he sat down. 

They were half way through breakfast when Oliver made his first appearance of the day. Ollie muttered a good morning and Venetia and Sir James muttered one back in tandem, like father like daughter, as Felix asked Ollie through mouthfuls of food 'You sleep well, mate?' as Ollie mumbled a quick yeah before settling in his seat, next to Pamela as Felix urged him to have some breakfast. 

Ollie observed Duncan, the butler place a poached egg on a plate next to Ariadne as she looked up to him in thanks and asked 'Oh, could I have a full English breakfast too please?' and then silence fell across the room. 

Ariadne visibly cringed at the fact that the boy was not perceptive enough to have looked to the counter where all the food had been laid out for the taking. 

Elspeth wore a strained smile as she told Oliver kindly the whereabouts of the food as he looked to the side. 

Farleigh scoffed, clearly enjoying the uncomfortable situation that Oliver had placed himself in. 

Duncan then enquired how Oliver liked to take his eggs and Ollie waved him off in a confused manner 'It's fine. I can get them' as Farleigh smiled deviously into his newspaper from across the table. 

Farleigh took great joy in seeing Ollie squirm as he explained to Ollie as if he were a child 'Not the eggs. The eggs are made for you.' with great emphasis on the you. Elspeth instantly agreed and explained in a similar fashion to Oliver, to not over complicate matters. 

Felix had enough of the egg talk and swerved the conversation to one without room for judgement 'Ollie, we were just talking about that Shelley biography' as Ariadne nodded her head, eager to talk about anything to do with Percy Shelly. Oliver's interest piqued at this 'Oh, yeah?' as Pamela tried to decipher who Shelly was and Sir James corrected her like she was a school child. 

Venetia then decided to regale the congregation with a tale of the macabre 'Do you know the story about Shelley's doppelgänger?' she asked in earnest, wanting to really wind Felix up. She continued 'Shelley's housekeeper was cleaning one of the rooms when Shelley walked past the window and waved at her. So, she waved back before she realized that Shelley was in Italy. And she was on the top floor of the house.' Venetia sat back with smirk as she noticed that she had caught Ollie's attention. 

Felix grew distressed as the story always sent shivers down his spine at the mere thought, he vocalised his troubles 'Oh, Vee!! Stop, stop, stop!! I won't sleep!' he cried out as Ariadne smiled at his over dramatics, he made her laugh, he truly did and Felix fed off it like it was his last meal alive. 

Venetia, announced in a foolish, scary tone 'A few hours later, he drowned.' as an uncomfortable, deep silence settled across the room while Elspeth stated that it had given her goosebumps. 

Farleigh crudely broke the silence 'I heard he fucked his sister', as Oliver was quick to correct him that it was more likely Byron than Shelley.

Ariadne decided that she had enough of her food and asked to be excused from the table, it was too warm in the hall and she needed to have a smoke. She kissed Felix on the cheek and promised to meet him before they headed out for the day. 

Oliver watched Felix as he watched Ariadne leave the room, Elspeth commenting about how she wasn't the same since Achilles had died which Oliver caught on to. He knew she had a brother and that he had died, but not how. He was going to find out, he had to. 

Laughter blew across the wild meadow as the four friends lay nude in the grass, Ariadne on her front reading The Secret History, it was riveting truly, as Felix read the latest Harry Potter for old times sake. Felix's fingers trailed up her back as they both focused on their books, not noticing the newcomer in his swimming trunks as Venetia called out to him. 

'We're over here, Ollie!'

Oliver's head whips from Venetia to Ariadne, who looked insatiable in the sunlight, her tanned skin glinting in the morning light. Felix shouts across a 'Hi, Mate' as Ollie turns to him, he looked like Icarus as the sun formed two panes out from behind him, creating a mirage of wings. 

Farleigh mutters out reluctant words of acknowledgement as he looks towards Oliver, growing amused at the fact that Oliver can hardly believe that they are all naked. 'No trunks allowed in the field.' He states as he watched Oliver slip off his swim trunks, 'Well, well, well.' 

'Leave him alone.' Felix deadpanned, looking towards Farleigh as he went to make a crude remark. Ollie appreciated the gesture as Ariadne chuckled across to Farleigh 

'He's not so horrible now, is he?' 

She fell into a fit of giggles, Felix smiling at the sound of her laugh, Venetia laughing along with her. 

As Ollie walked out towards them Ariadne looks over to the thistles that were flowering in the field, remembering a time where Achilles had tripped and fallen flat on his bare arse onto one and the fact that he was pulling thorns out of places where they shouldn't be for weeks after. It was a fond memory of hers. She called out to Ollie, warning him not to make the same mistake her brother did, Ollie's face showed visible confusion so Felix cleared it up for him. 

'Watch out for the thistles, mate! Thistles, they're everywhere. Seasonal.' 

Ariadne looked to Felix, grateful for the fact that he didn't mention Achilles, that conversation with Ollie was inevitable, considering the amount of times Elspeth had brought him up in conversation, but she wasn't ready for it yet. 

Summer was passing like a blur, from drunken tennis matches to nightly swims, it seemed like the famous five had all the time in the world, but that was hardly the truth at all. 

a/n: here you go! enjoy it lovelies!!