Netherfield and the nearby towns were of no interest to Fitzwilliam, let alone the people who took residence in them. With the Bennet family among the top of people to avoid for a variety of reasons.

The youngest three daughters were merely an annoyance at best. The parents shallow and loud with little care for appearances. The eldest a sharp young woman who knew how to use the weaknesses of his friend for her own benefit, and the second a figure in the background of their life.

A second son, not handsome enough to tempt anyone with a hasty marriage and destined to live off others back's for the entirety of his life.

Charles' back if the siblings got their way.

But as of now it was still of little consequence, Charles wouldn't fall that far nor fast. They had more than enough time to enjoy the house and neighbourhood, no matter how little joy they brought Fitzwilliam.

Mr Bennet Junior the main reason for that.

Their first meeting at the ball hadn't gone any worse than his usual introductions, though he couldn't think of a time he had almost insulted someone to their face before. He was raised better than that, and took comfort from the fact that Mr Bennet would never become privy to that small conversation he had had with Charles.

'Not someone that could tempt him.'

Oh how wrong he had been. He had barely managed to convince his company that Mr Bennet didn't have a single handsome feature in his face, then he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of his dark eyes.

Eyes that seemed to follow every person in the room, sans him, knowing what they would do before the person in question even knew about it.

He wasn't pretty or soft and petite, nor any of the other qualities his aunt would look for in his partner, in the unfortunate event that Anne died before their marriage or he would fall in love. His aunt didn't care about a lot of issues, but she would respect it when he would fight for his own happiness. As long as the person in question was good enough in her eyes, and most importantly capable of bearing children.

It had been clear to him from a very young age he would marry his cousin, or another petite pretty lady of high social standing, Mr Bennet being none of those things.

His dark thoughtful eyes had only been the beginning of the road Fitzwilliam was now walking upon.

Mr Bennet wasn't handsome nor pretty in the way Charles' sisters were, he wasn't a classic beauty nor would ever be. He reminded Fitzwilliam of himself when he had been younger, and begrudgingly admitted that Mr Bennet was in fact taller than himself.

It had been a mortifying ordeal.

An ordeal that wasn't going to end anytime soon, as Charles wasn't willing to part from Netherfield yet.

He wished to get to know more about Mr Bennet, a bit, not too much, just enough to satisfy his curiosity. The first step towards that was to converse with him, but as that was too much yet, Fitzwilliam decided to listen to him converse with others.

His doing so caught the attention of the Mr Bennet in question, while attending a large party in Sir William Lucas' house.

Fitzwilliam had been wandering through the room, trying his best not to give too much of his attention to Mr Bennet Junior, when he was addressed by the Mr Bennet he had been trying, and failing, to avoid.

"Did you not think, Mr Darcy, that I expressed myself uncommonly well just now, when I was teasing Colonel Forster to give us a ball at Meryton?"

Please, do not speak to me. Just leave me alone and let our acquaintanceship die in peace.

"With great energy; but it is always a subject which makes an unmarried youngster energetic."

He should have been rude and just walked away from the conversation, everything would be better than him speaking. Miss Bingley might not have noticed the tingly veiled insult, but he had no such illusions concerning Mr Bennet.

"You are severe on us."

It might have been a sign that he was a coward, but Fitzwilliam swiftly turned on his heels and marched to the other side of the room. If everyone could just left him live in peace, social conventions wouldn't be as tiring.

-

The evening hadn't been following a routine Fitzwilliam was comfortable with, but when the youngest Miss Bennet's actually pestered the rest of the room into providing an impromptu ball, did the annoyance rise to new heights. This was a social affair and he would be social, with other people, that didn't mean he was willing to spend anymore time amongst people during a ball, unless in the company of Charles. Now it was an unbearable affair.

He was so absorbed in his own mind that he didn't notice Sir Lucas standing next to him, until the man started a conversation.

"What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr Darcy! There is nothing like dancing after all. I consider it as one of the first refinements of polished society."

The man continued in fashion, while only being given short answers that weren't dismissing but certainly not encouraging. Sir William Lucas might not be his preferred partner in social context, but at least the man wasn't stupid, nor a bootlicker to higher society.

They talked about London, dancing and high society, but at last Sir Lucas knew no more to say and Fitzwilliam wasn't willing to continue the conversation for his benefit; when a certain person was mindlessly moving closer to them.

One Fitzwilliam in fact minded very much to associate with, it was better to not tempt fate, but Sir Lucas had different plans.

"My dear Mr Eli, why are you not dancing? Mr Darcy, you must allow me to present this young gentleman to you as a very desirable partner. You cannot refuse to dance, I am sure when so much beauty is before you."

He was doomed, it only got worse when Sir Lucas' hand captured Mr Bennet's and attempted to give it to him, when Mr Bennet quickly retreated.

"Indeed, sir, I have not the least intention of dancing. I entreat you not to suppose that I moved this way in order to beg for a partner."

It suited Fitzwilliam quite well that Mr Bennet didn't want to dance with him, that way he didn't need to deny the other himself. He should hold on to the social persona he had created over the years, but as a gentleman he should accept and pursue the other now that the invitation had been extended.

So with grave propriety did he request for Mr Bennet's hand in the next dance, he was a gentleman afterall.

Fortunately it was all in vain as Mr Bennet could not be persuaded, not by him nor by Sir Lucas.

After being politely turned down by Mr Eli, as Sir Lucas called Mr Bennet, found Fitzwilliam in more unwanted company.

"I can guess the subject of your reverie."

Miss Bingley liked to show how smart she was, how much education was given to her.

"I should imagine."

Unfortunately for her company, as it did not make Fitzwilliam more willing to converse with her. But she was Charles' sister, so the least he could do was stay polite.

"You are considering how insupportable it would be to spend many evenings in this manner - in such society; and indeed I am quite of your opinion. What would I give to hear your strictures on them!"

As always there were many opinions, most of them she hoped he shared with her, and though she wasn't wrong there, he would sooner marry Mr Bennet than acknowledge that.

"Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. My mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty young woman can bestow."

Or man, but that part he would not share with Miss Bingley; he wouldn't trust her to keep a secret.

"Who could it possibly be to have caught your attention?"

"A child of the Bennet family, who else did we meet."

It was better to redirect Miss Bingley's attention as fast as possible, keeping his composure and laugh along with her jokes. It would turn out all fine, as long as he kept his mouth shut about what was truly transpiring in his mind.

Author's note:

So this was Mr Darcy's pov of last chapter.

Would you be interested in reading more from his pov or should I just follow the original storyline in that regard?