Author's note: So this is my first fanfiction EVER. I'm quite excited to be writing it and I hope you will enjoy it. I do apologize for grammar and punctuation mistakes...I've never been good with the technical stuff. Contrary to my pairing of Bash and an OC I'm actually a huge fan of Bash and Mary in the TV show. I do not claim Reign or any of its characters.
The Secrets In Arrangements
Chapter 1-First Encounters
This is ridiculous. Bash thought as he lay on his bed. Actually, as he lay on his newly acquired bed. Even in his irritated mood, the overly padded mattress did nothing to help calm him as he replayed the events that lead to him moving in with his father, stepmother Catherine, and half brother Francis.
Sebastian Rousselle. Standing about five foot eleven, Sebastian, or Bash as he preferred to be called, found himself to be somewhat attractive. His light blue eyes usually hidden underneath his messy dark brown hair made for a mysterious look while his brash attitude seemed to appeal to the ladies. However, that's normally where the complements ended. Bash, himself, was a product of a married man and his mistress, which obviously didn't sit well with his bitter stepmother. Growing up with his mother, they lived in a small apartment in Billings, Montana, far away from the rest of the world. She worked full time at a bank and he attended a small public high school. Bash quite enjoyed the country life; hunting, fishing, and riding horses were just a few of his passions. But wrestling was by far his favorite, and also what got him into his current situation.
His junior year of high school had ended with him turning eighteen and taking first at the state wresting meet. Bash hoped that senior year would bring him another state championship, along with a college scholarship but his mother had different ideas. She feared that a small town school would only limit his possibilities for colleges and with her salary he needed a good scholarship, so she did the one thing Bash didn't ever see coming: she sent him to Chicago to live with his father.
New city, new school, new friends, new family... Bash listed all the things to himself as he uncomfortably rolled on the bed. Sure he didn't hate his dad, he had called all the time, kept up with his life, and even sent him gifts. Problem was the first time he had physically seen his father in about ten years was a week ago when he had flew into O'Hare Airport, only a suitcase and backpack in hand. It was an awkward meeting, not really something you would see between a father and son, but at least his father was trying. His stepmother was a different story though. Catherine went absolutely livid upon his arrival, truth be told part of Bash found this slightly entertaining. Apparently she was in denial about her husband's bastard son, as she frequently says, actually moving in with them. The only eye contact they actually had made it perfectly clear that she wasn't going to make his life here easy. His half brother Francis, on the other hand, was overly friendly probably due to the fact that he had pretty much been an only child. Bash remembered meeting him only once or twice when they were children. And now, this was his new family...or whatever else you want to call it.
Bash slid off the bed needing to get out of the house. Francis probably gets lonely in this giant house by himself. Which wasn't hard to believe, the house was more like a mansion than a family home. Six bedrooms maybe? Three or four baths? Spacious kitchen, large foyer, grand dining room and that was only part of the inside. The three bedroom apartment back home had seemed like luxury, this though was a little too ridiculous for his comfort. He slipped out his door and down the stair as swiftly as possible, hoping to avoid any encounters.
"Bash? Are you going out?" He had almost made it to the front door before he heard his little brother. It sounded a little weird hearing his name come out of Francis's mouth, not that he didn't like it but it just sounded like Francis was trying so hard to become brothers that "Bash" seemed a little forced.
"Yes, I was just going for a walk or something, needed some air," Bash didn't know what else to say, he needed out of the house but it wasn't like he had a car to take him anywhere and the thought of strolling around the lavished neighborhood made him a little sick. Francis picked up on the hesitation.
"Why don't we take my car and maybe grab some food?" Francis offered hopefully. Honestly, it didn't seem to like a bad idea at all.
"Sure, what's good around here?" Bash finally noticing he hadn't eaten all day.
"Ever had White Castle?" Francis asked excited that Bash so easily agreed and when Bash shook his head his little brother just pointed to the car eagerly. Bash chuckled to himself a little, maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all: forming a relationship with his half brother might turn out to be one of the few things that will keep him sane here.
Lunch was unexpectedly nice, turns out the place Francis had chosen was a popular fast food joint, not something Bash expected from his overly dressed little brother. Francis' plan to put Bash at ease worked, cheap restaurant and pointless guy talk calmed him down a little, Bash thought to himself as he got out of Francis' BMW.
As they reach the front door Francis' carefree tone shifted a little, "I didn't mention this earlier but we're having dinner tonight with my...our dad's friend." Francis tried to catch the slip up before Bash noticed. "We will be meeting him and my mom at the Devereaux's residence," Francis' eyes flashed to Bash's wardrobe, "You might want to change into dinner clothes before we go."
Bash looked down at his old T-shirts and workout shorts, he definitely needed to change but thinking about it now, he didn't know if he even owned anything that fancy.
"What exactly is this dinner for?" deciding to worry about his clothes later as he stepped through the threshold into the foyer.
"It's kind of a business dinner." Bash raised his eyebrow to the obvious conflict in his brother's voice. "Well...it's hard to explain fully but the only thing you need to know is that tonight's dinner is about my engagement to Bart Devereaux's daughter," Francis managed to blurt out quickly.
"What?..." Bash halted in complete shock. "What are you talking about?! You're sixteen and how is this even in the category of 'Business Dinner'?"
Francis just signed as he looked at the confusion in Bash's face. "I'll be 17 next month. Plus it's nothing big really... both our grandfathers started businesses that grew into large profiting companies. To ensure that both companies stay within the family and continue their partnership it was decided that Lexi and I were to marry,"
"Aren't arranged marriages a little outdated?" Bash half-heartedly joked, still trying to digest everything. He had an odd feeling that his brother wasn't giving him the full story but by the tense look on his face it didn't seem like he was going to elaborate anymore.
"It's whatever," Francis mumbled and he pushed past Bash to the staircase. He made it half way before turning back, "Jeans and a dress shirt will do just fine for tonight."
Even in jeans and a dress shirt Bash still felt under-dressed, he wasn't going to show his discomfort though. He rolled the sleeves slightly and left his hair just messy enough to irritate Catherine. The car ride to the Devereaux's was short, he couldn't get much conversation out of brother either. When the car finally came to a stop Bash just shook his head, he had been transported from one mansion to another equally ridiculous mansion. I wonder what kind of rich, spoiled brat my brother is engaged to. He thought to himself and he shut the car door. Francis rang the doorbell but turned to Bash for one last remark.
"Don't let her looks fool you." This left Bash confused.
As if on cue the door opened and there stood a young boy, probably fourteen or fifteen. Instead of greeting Francis and Bash he just turned walked back toward what was probably the living room. Definitely not the friendliest kid, Bash thought, Francis walked inside unamused which probably meant that this wasn't something new.
"Alexandria, stop arguing with me, we are going to have a nice dinner with the Mercier's, you will be present and you will behave!" was the next thing Bash heard.
"But seriously mom, it's not like I even want to do this, can't you just pretend I'm sick or I have practice? Something! Anything but making me sit through this dinner!" After a minute of no reply Bash heard a frustrated noise and then angry footsteps. Bash prepared himself for whatever was coming next. The girl stomped out of the hallway and Bash's breath caught in his throat for just a second. He definitely didn't expect to see what he did standing in front of them. She turned towards them, slender body, light skin, long blonde hair pulled back; the curls still long enough that they draped over one of her shoulders. The light blue sun dress she wore clung to all the right places and as his eyes made their way up to her face, he caught her eyes. A deep blue. As he stared he did the only thing he think of; he smiled. Obviously that was the wrong gesture because her eyes turned dark with a glare and as if she didn't care that they heard her, she spun around and headed right up the stairs without a word.
"Told you" Francis let out the comment with irritation. It was apparent she really didn't care that we had heard the argument.
Bash didn't know what to say, the only thing that ran through his mind were those blue eyes: eyes that looked like they held a lot more than Francis, or the world knew. But he would keep that thought to himself.
