Deryn had to admit that these may have been some of the most promising and horrendous hours ever spent. She got to preen and flirt with eligible ladies, making them go weak at the knees and kept Alek on his toes. They both loved this game of the Society, trying to one up each other in their peacocking. But she had watched Alek get cornered by this ghastly young miss wearing a peach dress with matching silk roses in her hair. The cut had been ridiculously low (not that she paid any attention to fashion), but it unnerved her (and her own ego).

This girl was currently holding onto Alek's arm (as she had been for the past two hours) in a brazen manner and pulling him off to a secluded area, far from prying eyes. A turn about the rooms her arse. Deryn waited for their return with a cool anticipation.

They finally returned arm in arm, the girl's laughter ringing clear as a bell at something witty Alek said (complete bollocks). Deryn was stuck half-listening to a boffin, unknown to her, discuss some research she herself had already heard about from Dr. Barlow. Unfortunately, it would be rude to leave in the middle of a story.
Her other half and his unappealing accessory seemed to be doing alright for the time being. The leech had obviously met up with a few other persons their age and it seemed Alek held everyone's attention. She could tell by his animated conversation and the laughs he brought. She heard the clock strike one soon after. Everyone would be on their ways to get their wraps and head back out in the chilly December air.

Deryn waited in the foyer for Alek, who had escorted peach fuzz to the awaiting carriages. She watched as the finery made their way out the door, some drunk and others still gossiping about one thing or another. Being so distracted by this petty parade of patrons and boffins among other guests, Deryn did not notice Alek return to her rigged and unamused person.

"You ready to head out?" he asked once he had reached her side. She turned languidly to look at him. Her eyes flicked up and down once before meeting his.
"If you are." She replied. They travelled the darkened corridors onto the back street in silence. There was a light snow falling on London, glazing the city in a sparkling layer. Her hand was taken captive by Alek for a moment and they stopped on the abandoned street, lit only by bioluminescent lanterns. Alek turned to face her and wrapped her muffler tighter around her mouth.

"I can hear your teeth chattering." He laughed lightly. Deryn nodded a thank you and they continued tramping away to her flat. Her cheeks burned red under the wrappings. Thank god she could hide her pitiful mooning.

"Do you want to come up for a cuppa? It'll warm you up before facing the cold again." she asked in a subtle earnestness as she fumbled with her keys. The nasty image of him making that girl's laugher was ebbing away rather cruelly at her mind.

"Sounds perfect." He responded and Deryn's ears piqued at the sincerity in his voice. She just needed to think rationally.

Once inside they helped each other brush the snow off of their coats and hats, unwrapping mufflers and stuffing gloves into pockets. It was a delicate, intimacy. Alek took care to hang them on the hooks by the door as Deryn moved to the small kitchenette. Their suit coats were then wrapped on the back of a wooden chair.

"That Lady Whatsherface took quite a fancy to you." She started, filling her tea kettle with water from the tap. "She laughed at everything you said. You aren't even capable of being funny."

"Just because you have a base sense of humour doesn't mean other people do not find me entertaining." He was opening the cupboards for the mugs and the sugar jar. "And her name was Amelia. She is the second daughter of the Earl Rochester, a rather wealthy benefactor."

"Well whatever her bloody name was had her diddies out and about for everyone to see and whomever told her that peach was a flattering color was barking mad." Deryn snapped while lighting the stove's burner unsuccessfully with a match. The third match brought success. Alek leaned against the counter to roll up his shirtsleeves, a realization sinking in.

"Are you jealous?" Alek taunted. She could feel his smirk behind her back. That made her insides boil like rotted potatoes. How could he even think for a moment she was jealous of that ignorant twat?!

"No! Abso-bloody-lutely not!" Deryn scoffed, "Take that ridiculous notion back and shove it up your arse." In response, Alek laughed at her outburst.

"Liebe, we go to these sordid events on a regular basis. Why has this one got your knickers in a twist?" Deryn moved towards the table, a basic wooden square only big enough to fit in this room. It was currently covered in papers galore. She cleared a place for her and one for Alek in silence. There was nothing to hide. She was just being daft.

"I am not jealous of anything." Deryn huffed in defiance. She wasn't! "What is there to be jealous about a seemingly well bosomed, flighty, stuffy lady of no real importance? I'll tell you. Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"You're in denial." He said pressing a light kiss to her neck before turning to go shut off the bubbling kettle. Deryn took a seat as he prepared their tea. His with a squick of sugar and hers black with no fancy fixins. He placed the steaming mug in front of her and took the adjoining seat. Begrudgingly, she allowed him to take her hand in his. A warmth spread over her as his thumb rubbed lightly over hers. "I'm not forgetting this."

"Believe whatever you like, daft prince." Deryn muttered, slightly preening that she was the one who he ended up holding hands with at the end of the night.