It's a Date
Hello everyone! If you've found yourself here as a fan of Lilgrimmapple, then you love her work just as much as I do. I sincerely hope the summary isn't too vague, but this is indeed the Villain!Basil AU story. I'd love to thank Lilgrimmapple for giving me permission to write and post this story with her wonderful input. Fair warning ahead of time, please do not read this story if you are squeamish when it comes to coarse language, smoking, drinking, violence, and sexual themes, because believe me this story will become quite dark at times. Trust me. Trust me. You've been warned...
And also a special mention to Bookwriter94, who's work in "Silver and Gold" still continues. Please be sure to follow him and the story, as this story in particular wouldn't exist without him or Lilgrimmapple to begin with. Both their works inspire me, and Anna's input in this means so much to me. So thank you to both you and Bookwriter94 for bringing these characters to life and allowing me to do the same in such a big way. So again, please read Silver and Gold first if you can, as he deserves all the love and respect from you readers. As Twisted and Turned is the official sequel, it would make more sense to read the original story first.
The Great Mouse Detective characters belong to both Disney and Eve Titus.
Anna Johnson, Basil Rathbone, and other AU characters belong to Lilgrimmapple.
And now... B.B.B. Studios presents... Twisted and Turned
"Anyone can see I love you
Anyone can see I care
The way I hold your hand, and smile in your direction
Tells the world my heart is filled with nothing but affection…
Lock me in your arms forever
That's the place I want to be
So anyone can see
That I belong to you, and you belong to me…"
"Anyone Can See I Love You" - Marilyn Monroe
I'm cursed. That must be it. How else can a man with as much intelligence, as much strength, as much power as I have constantly have the world against me? All the hurdles I've jumped, the flames I've endured, the hell I've lived; none of it mattered. Is what I desire so hard to imagine or understand? I was truly the most brilliant crime lord London had ever seen. No… the WORLD! Mousedom simply would have been a jewel in my crown. The world, and every inconsequential, helpless soul in it; everyone who denied me, every man, woman and child, at my command and under my thumb. It was all within reach… and now? I have nothing.
And why? Oh… if I dare say his name, I fear the last of my sanity I keep will be lost. That miserable, second rate, tiresome detective that haunts my every waking moment, threatening my good fortune and chances at power and control.
And that girl… with a name that still leaves a nauseating taste in my mouth. I daresay she was truly as much of a thorn in my side as… him. On top of that, I truly began to think that his weakness for that wench would be his downfall. I'm never wrong. I thought surely that I had it all figured out. But perhaps there was something about the two of them I truly couldn't understand; it pains my pride to admit such a thing. And therein lies perhaps my greatest failing, in understanding the inner workings of a self-righteous and pious mind. Both of which I have never truly been. There was something fueling him that night, something felt off. That meddlesome detective has always matched my tenacity and eccentricism every step of the way, much to my contempt. But something about the way he foiled my greatest chance at success, whatever it was that drove him, it was different. His will power was far greater than I could ever give him credit for; it was certainly enough to throw me off my pedestal.
And what changed, you wonder? What was the divergence in our usual game of cat and mouse? Once again I'm forced to utter that sickening name. And now, whenever I try to formulate what I could have done differently, I see her. All of her, including that red hair, and those damned eyes that challenge every aspect about yourself. If it hadn't been for the part she played, perhaps I would have finally bested and disposed of Basil once and for all, and the kingdom would have been mine! And I wouldn't have to worry about being plagued by that little pipsqueak's smug face ever, ever again! But Anna seemed to spark some small change in Basil's determination to survive. He was protecting her, and in turn she tried to protect him from my wrath, the irksome little wretch. But why? What possessed those two to fight for each other's life?
I've surmised one possibility. I may be an unfeeling, cold hearted man, but I'm no fool.
Love. The most grotesque emotion I can imagine, but that's what it must have been. I fought such a theory for the longest time, hoping anything else would be a better answer. Was this truly it? Was the answer this painfully simple? Unfortunately so. It's so predictable. Too predictable. His weakness was the same as any other dull fool, a pretty tart in a skirt. Despite it all, I expected far better of him. It's truly monotonous; no, infuriating, that Basil would fall into such a common pitfall among men. Disgusting, even.
And yet…
Why didn't I think of it before? It's perfect… If Basil is veritably this foolish, then I can think of no better way to end it all. None other. If all it takes for him to be vulnerable is the threat of losing her, then this will be possibly the easiest case of revenge I've ever enacted in all my years of transgressions and criminality by far.
Keep her while you can, Basil. Before you know it, you'll come to understand what happens when you cross a man with as much contempt and passion for revenge as I do.
You'll see, Basil of Baker Street. I'll take everything from you, as you've taken everything from me. And you will truly know regret and fear like never before. I promise.
You'll see…
June 27, 1897
There's a lot of words in this world that sound so complicated or offensive to others. But there's no word quite like "hate". All my life, I've been taught never to hate. Hatred, whether turned inward or out, creates a destructive state of mind that wreaks havoc on oneself, and those around you. Your physical health and mental well-being become nothing more than fodder for the flames; and soon, everything in sight becomes another thing you can seek to destroy. I know. I've been caught in the crossfire of one man's lust for revenge. Or in this case, a rat.
Ratigan is gone. At least… I hope so. If there's one thing about Ratigan I know for sure, is that he's practically a damn cockroach. Seemingly unkillable. He always terrified me, even as a child; and that was just seeing him through a television screen. But my childhood nightmare became a reality over two weeks ago when I arrived here in Basil's world. Of course, it wasn't nearly as nightmarish when I first got here.
Meeting characters I've known for so many years, with them being blissfully unaware of who I was, made it feel as though my life had a clean slate. I could start over if I wanted to. Living with Hiram Flaversham and his daughter Olivia had been the highlight of my life at the time. In an odd way, Hiram felt like the father I had deeply missed. On top of that, they had practically welcomed me into their lives as a part of their family. I'll always be grateful to Hiram for being that support I needed in such an oddly familiar, but otherwise strange location. His hospitality, generosity, and deep love for his small family made me want to do everything I could to keep them safe. And Olivia… words can't describe how being her friend and nanny truly made me feel. I felt as though I was a big sister. I felt this protectiveness for her. Anything that came her way, bullies or hardships, I was always there to give her a sisterly hug and advice. Being with them made me feel needed, it made me feel loved.
Then… I met Basil. Where do I even begin with Basil of Baker Street? When we first met, he was just as much of an egotistical asshole as he was in the film, if not moreso. Despite this, I finally experienced the passion and drive he so clearly possessed on our adventure. Seeing him in his element: his tenacity, his goofiness, his experience, it was everything I ever dreamed about and more. Nothing feels like it could come close. The hero of my childhood, now becoming the defender of my future, and the detective of my dreams… Sometimes I really do think that I will eventually wake up and this whole experience, including Basil, will all have been one long, cruel dream. But every day, Basil has found his own ways of reassuring me that he is very much real, and that he will never leave me. I hate to say that I nearly cried in front of him the first time he told me that. Thankfully he's been more understanding than I could have ever asked him to be. He listens to me, looks for my input, and makes me feel as though my time is important. And for the first time in a long time, I just feel… lucky.
He's been really patient with me this past week especially. In the aftermath of Ratigan's defeat, a ceremony was held at Buckingham palace in our honor, and thus we were granted titles to pay homage for our rescue of Her Majesty, Queen Mousetoria (Yes, even I feel slightly ridiculous saying that). Basil has tried to be understanding of my uneasiness in this, but I can tell he feels differently about it himself.
I can't help but think-
"Anna?"
Anna jumps out of her skin as she's pulled from her train of thought, accidentally tossing her pen in the process, "Jeez! Oh, Basil. Please don't do that again, you scared the daylight out of me."
"Quite sorry, my dear. I didn't mean to frighten you like that," Basil says with slight amusement, "Did I disturb you?"
"No, you're fine. I was just journaling." Anna holds the book in her lap for a moment, a small taupe colored book with a delicate lavender flower pattern stitched onto the spine towards both end caps.
"Oh? Then I'd love to read some of your musings sometime, unless it's more for your private use, of course." Basil gives Anna a thoughtful smile as he holds both of his hands behind his back, an odd detail about his posture that Anna began to pick up on when Basil was in a conversation with pretty much anyone. "You always seem so focused when I notice you writing. It'd be quite interesting to have a peek into the mind behind those winsome eyes. Who knows, the possibility exists that my own may learn something from it."
Anna's cheeks take the slightest pink hue when Basil compliments her eyes. It seems to be something, if not one of the things, about her that he seemed rather fond of. She should be used to it, she thinks.
"A dangerous inquiry," she said with a hint of amusement. "Peeking into a woman's mind is probably not the sort of rabbit hole you want to go down. But…maybe one day I'll offer you a glimpse." Anna smiles awkwardly as she closes her journal and proceeds to set it on the side table next to Basil's chair, before remembering she's missing something.
Where's my pen? She thought to herself.
She stands up from the red armchair as she checks the cushions and pats them down before getting on her knees and checking the floor around the chair.
"Where is it? I know I just…"
"Looking for something?" Basil asks, an oddly playful tone in his voice, as he gets down on one knee next to his chair, waiting for Anna to notice.
"My pen. I had it a minute ago, but I can't figure out where the hell it would've-"
"This one?"
Basil casually reaches into his pocket and presents the evasive pen to her in his open palm, with a cheeky expression on his face as he does so.
"How the… how did you do that? I didn't even see you pick it up."
Anna's astonished impression amuses him, as he chuckles a bit at her expense.
"Just a bit of sleight of hand, my dear, nothing more." He proceeds to stand, offering her a mannerly hand to help her off of the floor as well, which she accepts with gratitude. Gently pulling her up to her feet, Basil momentarily gives her hand an affectionate squeeze once she's fully upright, offering a warm smile with a small sparkle of cheekiness in his eyes. He holds Anna's pen out to her and she takes it, lingering her fingers against his with a purpose, causing both of them to break into a small smile.
Still in a bit of a frisky mood, Basil winks as he runs his hand through his hair "I'd take better care of your things if I were you, missy." He walks toward the other side of the room somewhat briskly, seeming to enjoy this.
"Gee, thanks, but I don't typically lose things. I could have found it without your help, you know. Besides, you cheated. You hardly gave me a chance." Anna retorts, rather taken aback with her hand on her hip.
"Ah," he holds up a finger matter-of-factly, "but when you do lose your personal effects from time to time, do you ever find they go missing permanently, or do you typically manage to find them? Or more to the point of your case, do they turn up in others' pockets without your knowledge?" He smirks.
Anna smirks in return and folds her arms in mock indignance.
"You're a cad."
" Oh dear, you've cut me to the core," Placing a hand over his heart in a theatrical manner and sweeping his hair back away from his eyes, "Such denigration… My, oh my, how shall I ever recover?" He sneaks one eye open at her, hoping to gauge a response.
He truly enjoyed these moments with her. Very few of these interactions ever stemmed from genuine distress or annoyance with one another. Quite the opposite. If anything, what would normally present itself to others as banter or sarcasm at times, proved to be a shared love language of sorts between the two. They felt comfortable speaking to each other this way, and it showed. But especially for Basil, it became a recent addition to his life that he wasn't certain he could manage without anymore. Basil of Baker Street is a man of incomparable intellect and wit, but there comes a time when such characteristics, combined with an ego in a class all its own, make finding decent or like-minded companions to be incredibly arduous, if not burdensome. But Anna Johnson seemed to be the answer to such a dilemma. She was just as witty as he, with a fiery and spirited temperament to boot, leading to some of the most entertaining and intellectually stimulating conversations he had gotten a taste for in a very long time. Dawson is a kindly fellow, of course, and provides a good ear. However, the conversations had with the doctor, no matter how lengthy, never seem to relieve that itch for a challenge in the back of his mind. But with Anna around, he'd never have to worry. All they have to do is say the first thing that comes to their minds, and such a thing would never leave him wanting for more as far as satisfying, fulfilling conversation goes. Amongst other things.
"Well, Sir Basil of Baker Street, you're smart, I'm sure you'll manage to find a way," Anna leans casually against the back of Basil's chair with her arms crossed, shooting a feigned expression of annoyance his way in response to his theatrics, "Unless your pride is actually that easily wounded by others' opinions. Then maybe you're not the greatest detective after all…" She enjoyed these little games just as much as him.
Regarding her expressive face and listening to the playful tone in her voice, Basil can't abstain himself from his ever growing attraction to this woman. Especially in this particular moment. "Is that a challenge my dear?" His expression shifts from one of feigned anguish to one of mischief at Anna's accusation. "Then perhaps you'll allow me to put my powers of deduction into practice for your pleasure, eh?"
"Enlighten me." Anna smirks with her arms crossed.
"Certainly. Now," Basil takes deliberate measured steps towards her as he assumes an even more smug expression, "If I were to refer back to your incrimination of me just moments ago, your belief was that I am a man of touchy pride. And a cad, was it?"
"That is correct."
"Well, my love, let me make one thing quite clear before I get ahead." Basil proceeds to quicken his measured steps until his and Anna's feet are mere inches apart. The smirk on Anna's face dissolves only slightly, expressing more confusion at his sudden proximity while Basil positions his hand above her shoulder right near her head. She tries everything not to let anything resembling a gasp be emitted, not wanting her already burning excitement to be found out, lest Basil be proven right and have the upper hand once again. But damn was it hard with this man.
"Perhaps I am a cad. Maybe even a-"
"A schmuck? Dipstick? Git?" Anna's own smugness had returned as she smiled at his growing befuddled expression at her choices of words.
"I was about to call myself a scoundrel, but I see you're quick to beat me to the jibes as usual." Basil smiled pridefully at this woman he had chosen who was always quick to retort. He adored her for it.
"Someone has to, and it's certainly not Dawson." She said matter-of-factly.
Basil's bearing became more wicked in an instant as he brought his body closer to hers, nearly chest to chest as he kept his hand pinned near her head.
"Well this 'schmuck', as you call me, can deduce..." He brings his fingers up to her cheek as he can feel the heat and takes note of the rosy hue. This leads to those same fingers tracing a delicate path down her neck, stopping for a moment to feel her pulse, then slides further down until his hand is resting on her chest, her excitement evidenced by her racing heart, "that you are quite excited..."
Anna's once proud, overconfident manner began to unravel as Basil called her out on her reactions. He was close, close enough for her to even feel his own excitement just going off of his breathing becoming just slightly more labored than normal. This pleased her, of course, as she would have felt like a fool if she found herself to be the only one with weak knees.
"And if I may be so bold..." he proceeds to bring his second hand away from her chest to press against the chair as well, trapping Anna in quite the unseemly position should they be spotted by Dawson or Mrs. Judson, "I further surmise that such excitement emanating from you is stemming from rather unladylike thoughts." He finishes his musing with a sly smile, inching his nose close to hers so that they'd brush against one another, and a small chuckle leaves his lips as he lowers his muzzle further; a low, husky hum of satisfaction can be felt against Anna's neck. Her golden fur prickles up as a giddy shiver travels up her spine like an electric current. Anna could feel the blood rushing up to her ears as well. She still has a hard time coming to terms that Basil of Baker Street, her childhood icon, is capable of meddling with the uncharted territories of her heart. It makes her feel flustered but delighted with this game. Her eyes dart to the side and her ears twitch to make sure they are alone. Her brain struggles to get a handle on itself so as to not lose to this flirtatious sleuth.
"And how would you prove my guilt?" The corner of her mouth twitches as she feels his warm breath tickle her skin. "The last thing that anyone would think of is how unladylike I'm being when a gentleman like you is cornering me so provocatively."
He chuckles.
There it was. That same damn cocky sound that never seemed to fail to make her face feel like it burned; whether it was out of frustration towards him and his egotistical self assured attitude, or out of the weird fluttery feeling it stirred in her stomach and chest. She was happy for him whenever he accomplished something enough to warrant such a satisfied sound, no matter how little the victory; his boisterous, peppy energy made him a delight to watch in those circumstances. In this case, however, it was a prime example of how easily he could get under her skin, and make a little nest in her heart and play her strings like he would his violin. There was no way he couldn't have known this effect he had on her, as evidenced by this game he started. And come hell or high water, he was going to finish it, and she knew it too well.
"Well, then I suppose it's rather to your benefit that we are alone, otherwise we'd certainly have some… explaining to do…" And with this, he places a feather-like, soft kiss on what he knows to be the most sensitive part of her neck, causing her to squeak slightly, and the hand she was originally clutching her own sleeve with was now tightly gripping his neck tie in response to his brazen approach to remind her of who between them was the great detective. He chuckled against her fur at the sweet noises she made when it came to his bold acts of physical intimacy, as if she never expected it. He had imagined, or at least hoped, that she might possibly be used to such behavior from him by now, but in a way he still had a secret fondness for it. It made his own heart flutter to know that he had such an effect on someone seemingly immovable as Anna.
"My benefit? Speak for yourself, Basil. Be thankful Mrs. Judson is upstairs." She smirked, knowing Basil's grim fate if their landlady caught them in an unseemly position.
There's practically a record screech in Basil's mind as he pauses in his flirtation. The idea of Mrs. Judson threatening to pummel him with her good rolling pin causes him to let out a small disappointed groan against Anna's shoulder before sheepishly pulling away. There was no escaping that old woman's grasp on what's customary and proper, though she did mean well. Basil ran a hand through his hair once more and began to straighten his tie as he remembered what he originally approached Anna for in the first place.
"Perhaps that is a fair notion, my dear. I'll behave myself, for now," he smirked impishly at her as he tucks his green tie into his vest, smiling sweetly, "for the time being, I have a proposition for you. A rather enjoyable one at that, if I may say so."
Anna looks at Basil with a curious smirk, her cheeks still rosey from their little exchange, "Oh? What kind of proposition?"
"One that involves you allowing me a chance to spoil you for the day, sweet Anna." He gives her a little wink as he walks into the foyer to retrieve his brown jacket from inside the door of the grandfather clock. Anna followed gingerly as he spoke of his plans for taking her out for the day, and she can't help but smile every time she watches him fetch his jacket, just like the night they first met in person. She admits she can't quite bring herself to ask him why he finds the clock to be a suitable place to keep any of his clothes at all, as she likes to come up with her own theories.
"Erm, spoiling me? What are you talking about?"
"Well of course. I gave it quite a think and I do believe you could do with a proper evening gown for tonight, don't you think?"
"Oh, right. Wait, what's wrong with what I'm wearing?"
Anna refers to her royal blue dress, the very same one she had been wearing on Olivia's birthday, the night they all met Basil for the first time. She had a particular fondness for this dress for those reasons.
Basil comes back down those couple of steps into the sitting room, securing his jacket closed with the attached belt. As he looks back up, he indeed gives her a generous once over of her current state of dress. He rather liked this dress on her as well; it suited her nicely. Royal blue was a lovely color on her in his mind. He could see why she liked it so much.
"Absolutely nothing, Anna dear. You make everything you wear look lovelier than it would by itself, certainly not the other way around," he smiles at her in that way like he only has her feelings and happiness in mind, "but in this particular case, I do think a little spoiling is in order, considering everything."
Basil made a point. In his eyes, Anna deserved the world for all she was put through after everything that happened. And he'd be damned if he wasn't the man who would offer her that happiness. He had to, he wanted to. She could wear what she's wearing now to tonight's event, and he'd still feel like the luckiest mouse in London. But she had a right to feel special.
"You really don't have to do that, Basil. If you're suggesting what I'm assuming you are, I'm just not sure how I feel about you buying me a dress," She holds her hands up in front of her chest nervously as she continues, "D-don't get me wrong! I'm flattered that you even considered it. But, I'd like to at least have the chance to pay you back."
"Oh darling," he smiles, folding his hands in front of his chest in a purely affectionate gesture as he steps closer to her still, "It warms my heart that you are still so humble. But really, Anna, please let me do this. Besides," He gingerly unfolds his hands and moves them to rest gently on her hips, "The only payment I require from you… is to be granted the privilege of seeing your beautiful, happy smile. Just for me."
He lightly squeezes her hips, pulling her a tad closer to him; not in a possessive or nefarious way, though it was somewhat suggestive. But Anna didn't seem to mind his shameless approach to flirting with her, as evidenced by the blush creeping onto her cheeks as a small, slightly goofy little smile forms on her lips. It still sends her reeling when she sees Basil act like this. She's not used to feeling wanted in this way, and it shows. Something Basil would very much love to rectify.
"Just for you?" Anna asks, the goofy smile on her lips turning into a cute grin.
He responds as his previously flirtatious smile turns into one of warmth and love, "Indeed. Just for me. You can smile at anyone you wish to, my love, and I wouldn't feel the slightest bit put off by it. Your joy is quite infectious, and I personally think anyone who sees you at your happiest are truly lucky. For today, I'd simply wish to be the reason for that smile and happiness…"
As his words start to trail off slightly, he brings his forehead forward to gently press it against Anna's, their noses brushing up against one another as a result, his eyes searching hers for any sort of approval for his attempts at taking initiative here. Anna chuckles softly as his face slightly tickles hers, and she smiles sweetly at him.
"I can't just leave it at that, Basil. You know I can't just receive without giving back somehow, no matter what it's for…" She speaks to him in a softer, more playful tone of voice.
Basil hums slightly almost as if in approval of her words and point of view. He chuckles as well as he slides one of his hands from her hip and gently up her arm and up to rest on her shoulder.
"Quite understandable. How about this then…" He takes his hand off of her shoulder and delicately holds her chin between his thumb and forefinger to tilt her head up a bit to get a better look at her face as well as make sure she is listening, "What if I were to receive a kiss as payment, hm?" He asks through half lidded eyes filled with affection and the faintest hint of desire just for her.
"I would agree, except I'm not sure one kiss would be enough to cover the cost of a dress." She giggles, blushing at the way he holds her chin up like this.
"Hmm, I rather like the way you think, my dear… I'm sure we could spread out this method of payment over an extended timeframe. What do you think?"
"Deal." No hesitation on her part as she stands on her toes to close the distance between the two of them. This catches him off guard for only a split second as he returns the kiss, putting a little more passion into it as his hand cupping her chin moves to rest on her cheek instead, as his left hand remains resting on her hip. Anna's hands come to rest on his chest, her fingertips lightly stroking his tie as she giggles playfully into the kiss. Basil moans softly into the kiss in response, and he takes notice of the way her fingers play with his tie. He smiles and gently pulls back, looking down at her with a rascally expression as he brings his own hands back up to his tie. He chuckles out loud as he adjusts his tie for the second time in the past ten minutes because of this young woman's impish behavior; not that he minds. His own conduct wasn't without blame either.
"You seem to have a rather peculiar interest in my tie, dear. Does something about it appeal to you?"
"No, not particularly. Just the man who's wearing it." Anna answers softly with a genuinely affectionate expression as her cheeks still keep a tinge of pink from their kiss.
Basil's face changes from a cheeky expression to one of mild surprise and then a gentle smile forms on his lips as he finishes tucking his tie into his jacket.
"You flatter me, Anna, you know that?" Basil smiles fondly at her as he searches his jacket pockets, and he's satisfied in finding his old, trusty pocket watch, "We best be off, now. Our day will be far more enjoyable when we're not in a rush and can simply take pleasure in one another's company rather than fuss over our schedule, yes?"
Anna grabs her periwinkle blue shawl from the coat rack next to the kitchen door to wrap around her shoulders. Something about the way Basil seems to want to make good time for the sake of their time together and not simply out of a desire for punctuality, it makes her feel truly important to him. There are times when she may have felt less than significant when it comes to the life of Sir Basil of Baker Street, but he has his own subtle ways of reminding her that she's more important to him than they may realize. With this, she thinks of no better way in this moment to show her appreciation for his thoughtfulness than to step up towards him as he stands next to the open front door with an inviting hand for her to step outside before he does. She gives him a mischievous smile along with a flirtatious twinkle to her greenish grey eyes as she suddenly puts her hands around the back of his neck. Basil is a bit caught off guard. "Darling? What are y-"
Anna cuts him off and pulls him in for a truly passionate kiss. Basil's eyes are wide open as her eyes are closed. She even lets a little sigh escape her as she deepens the kiss, their mouths now slightly open to each other. Just as things begin to get taken up a notch, and Basil's hands slip down to her hips as his eyes finally close, Anna grins into the kiss and pulls away from him without warning, making Basil look like a deer in headlights. She's already out the front door, giggling to herself as he attempts to bring himself back down to earth. His eyes have a dazed look about them now. "What on earth?"
"I'm just getting a head start on that little payment method we discussed..." Anna has an innocent tone to her voice as if she's done nothing. But her eyes and smile say the exact opposite. As Basil adjusts himself yet again, he's caught staring at Anna with awe in his green eyes. She's the image of a woman who is beautiful simply by just being. the way she smiles at him, the shawl around her shoulders that reflects her simple yet lovely tastes, the way the late morning sun shines down through the rose bush that surrounds the entrance to their flat, breaking through the leaves and shining upon her in all the right ways. Anna was radiant in his eyes, perhaps mores o than any other woman he's met or could ever care to meet. And nothing would ever change his mind about that. Not over his dead body. He breaks free of his reverie after several moments and breaks into his usual smirk.
"You cheeky young lady. If all of your kisses were like that, I'd have half a mind to extend your payment plan just for my own interest."
'You cad." Anna smirks right back.
"You love that I'm a cad, don't you? Don't deny me that, my dear..." Basil's smile turns even more smug as he closes the front door behind himself, stepping closer to Anna as his tone shifts to a more alluring one.
"I don't know, do I?"
Anna giggles as she rushes out of the rose bush and out of Basil's reach, leaving him with a perplexed look on his face before he quickly walks after her. "You really are a cheeky little lady."
"But you love it, don't you?" Anna teases him, reflecting his own words back at him.
Basil's smirk fades into a warm smile. He could repeat Anna's own words to him right back at her, but he can't bring himself to not admit to his own deep affections for her. "Yes. Yes, I do."
Anna looks surprised for a moment that he chose not to take the bait to tease her right back, but instead her heart melts at his voice and his words. They stand there together for the longest time, looking like nothing could draw their attention away from each other. The sight would most likely make most cynical folks feel sick. And perhaps at one time in his life, Basil may have been one of those cynical folk. But therein lies one of the reasons he has such admiration for Anna Johnson. Her ability in being the only one to make his stone heart waver, and he can no longer imagine himself being the cynical man he used to be. With her at his side, how could he be?
