(A/N: Sorry about the title.... I'll change it if I think of something better. Requested by BRoaDWAYOUNCERFREAK (i too love kath v v much btw). I sincerely hope this is okay? Thank you for the request!! They're still open, anyone who would like to! -M)
Shifting uncomfortably in your seat, you glanced around the richly furnished room. The slivers of wall visible through the many detailed paintings were papered with burgundy patterned wallpaper, the busy pattern making your stress even worse.
You, of course, knew you had no reason to be as stressed as you were. Mr. Pulitzer and your father, William Randolph Hearst, would surely come to an agreement, and the two newspapers they ran would stop with the petty competition they had held since the war. Everything was running smoothly. So why, you asked yourself, were you so anxious?
Well, some of it may have been caused by Mr. Pulitzer's very attractive daughter, who was sitting next to her father in the seat across from you, trying to discreetly catch your eye. You were pointedly looking anywhere but at her, picking at your nails and pretending to study the paintings adorning the walls.
"Y/n. Y/n!" Your father's booming voice called your attention back to the meeting to find him glaring at you. "Mr. Pulitzer has suggested you and his daughter exit the room to recieve a tour of the estate." That was, quite clearly, the last thing you wanted to do, but his tone made it clear you didn't have a choice.
Nodding politely, your eyes flicked to Mr. Pulitzer's daughter before standing and curtsying. She offered a small smile as was proper, her warm brown eyes friendly and showing clear interest. You watched, slightly starstruck, as her reddish brown curls bounced against her back as she left the room, turning towards you with a smile as she held open the door for you.
Clenching your formerly slack jaw, you stepped gingerly toward the door and nodded to Pulitzer's daughter as you passed her holding open the door, voice lost somewhere on the way out. You hesitated awkwardly outside the room as she followed, shutting the large, intricately-carved oak door.
"Well," she said, brushing off the lap of her skirt, "That was altogether incredibly boring. I'm sorry it took so long to get us away." She paused, taking in your expression. "I'm sorry if you were.... Enjoying it?" Her smile faded slightly to a look of confusion as she scanned your face.
"Oh no, absolutely not." You replied when you had found your voice again. "I am inexplicably grateful for...." You gestured vaguely around the hall. "This."
She nodded, smile returning to her face. You wished suddenly that you could somehow capture it, keep it with you so that you could look on it whenever life got you down. That wasn't that creepy, right?
"You're welcome." She held out her hand. "I'm Katherine, by the way."
You took her hand, shaking it gently and introducing yourself. "Y/n."
Katherine smiled, wider and easier this time. Gosh, she was beautiful. "Y/n. What a lovely name."
You blushed, staring at the floor. "Thank you. Katherine's a nice name as well." She smiled at that, clasping her hands in front of her.
After a few moments of awkward smiles and shy glances, Katherine tapped her feet on the floor with a sigh. "Well, I should probably give you that tour, hmm?" You nodded before following her down the hall.
°•°
You had been into barely three rooms before falling into relatively easy--even if awkward-- conversation with Katherine.
