Wake

[highnoonsun]

Who: Rudolph Atkins, Isaiah Boswell, Antonin Dolohov, Daphne Greengrass, Demetrius Greensmith, Auror Gunn, Draco Malfoy, Edric Nott, Theodore Nott, OPEN
What: Seeing family and saying goodbye
Where: Margo Nott's manor, Waterford, Ireland
When: 2 o'clock, Friday, June 9th, 2000
Status: Incomplete

Comments

[mister_draco]

Through all the years, you would think Draco would learn his lesson. The lesson being not to listen to father dearest but here he was at twenty years old and still listening to the man. The latest advice was attending the funeral of Margo Nott. The speech included something about old family friends and proper public appearances. Draco had tuned out after a few minutes of the grand rant and simply nodded his head every once and awhile. Little did he know at the time what he was agreeing to?

So, now Draco was all dressed up and feeling very awkward. He did not really socialize with these people, well, correction, lately he didn’t. In years past, he rubbed elbows with all the rich and influential. He had the world at his feet and the stars were all his. Oh how he longed for those days to return to his grasp. Maybe if he promised hard enough not to be snot this time - he would gain it all back.

He was ready to leave; he had made an appearance after all, when he heard someone say his name. Blast it all to hell. Turning around, Draco froze - it was Rudy. The man was someone Draco enjoyed greatly but in different circumstances. The other was here, someone Draco did not prefer one bit. He changed Rudy, something that should not happen if the person cared about you truly.

“Hello,” Draco replied slowly. Merlin, all his wit must have evaporated along with his sizable wealth. He always had clever things to say, always! So, what was wrong with him? Really, he wanted to know. “How have you been?”

[maledettodolly]

Muscles stalled, uncertain until Rudy could set down the tray, stare at the beer, and the box of matches, undoubtedly suspicious, and then slide them behind him on the counter. His returning grin was charming, distracting, his hands open before him to welcome the young man into a polite hug.

"Young Mister Malfoy- I've been as best as can be expected in these circumstances! Have you been taking care of yourself? You feel thin." And it was with a firm pat to Draco's waist that Rudy observed this, holding the boy at arm's length to judge his weight with discerning, smile-wrinkled eyes.

[mister_draco]

A returning smile appeared on Draco’s face. Now, this was the Rudy, Draco was used to and most fond of. Draco stepped into the hug, grateful for the brief show of affection. His father had never been the hugging kind, which is not one bit shocking. Not to say that the man did not care because he did.

“I understand that,” Draco replied, gazing at Rudy intently. He seemed drained, forcing things as it were. “If there is anything I can - do -”

Chuckling, Draco nodded. “Yes, I am doing as well as I can. You know I’ve always been thin.” He could eat everything in sight and not gain much, both a blessing and a curse. Nevertheless, he did not always eat what was best for him. Like vegetables - they were disgusting, all green and slimy. Pausing, he smiled fully at Rudy. “If you had your way, I’d be too large to even fit through a doorway.”

[maledettodolly]

Rudy rolled his eyes and breathed a sigh through his nose, pointedly mussing the boy's hair with one hand. Yes. Well. Was Draco calling him fat?

"I am not fat. If that's what you're getting at. Fatty." He patted his stomach to prove his point. Syrup appeared quietly, having been instructed in the ways of a funeral, but upon seeing the young man jumped from Rudy's shoulder to the front of Draco's shirt, clinging helplessly, his squeaking small and pathetic.

With raised eyebrows and the sneakiest sneak he could manage, Rudy backed into the counter and reached blindly behind him, his fingers landing on the tray while he mentally tried to prepare a transfer. If he could just... send it to Ed, Draco wouldn't... well. He wouldn't question why Rudy or anyone here might need beer and matches. These things were a clear Edric need, and no one was supposed to know he was here. Really.

[mister_draco]

Draco mocked frowned, smoothing down his hair before lightly pushing Rudy. “Hey, watch the hair, now.”

“Never said you were fat,” Draco claimed, nodding his head, innocently. “But have you looked in a mirror?” He continued to tease. It was all good-natured teasing, something Draco couldn’t do with many other people.

He was about to say something else when he was assaulted with a white rat. Taking pity on the poor creature, Draco cradled him, lightly stroking his fur. He loved animals.

Arching an eyebrow, Draco glanced at what Rudy was doing. He couldn’t help it, he was far too curious for his own good. “What are you doing?” Draco asked, almost cooing at the small creature in his arms. However, he would never say he was doing that.

[maledettodolly]

Eyes wide, Rudy stalled with one hand arched behind him awkwardly. He licked his lips and glanced to the doorway, and then an easy smile appeared, reassuring as he grasped for an answer.

"Getting myself a beer. And here I was trying to pretend I was watching my weight." He laughed and pressed the bottle to his lips, determinedly not pulling a face at the texture and taste. With his mouth full of beer he nodded, eyes dancing along the floor till he could swallow and set the bottle down.

"It's lovely. Edric introduced us. It's... uhm. Kostritzer. Very smooth."

[mister_draco]

Grey eyes watched Rudy intently, looking for signs of untruth and hiding. Draco knew Rudy extremely well and he did not like people toying with him.

“If that was all you were doing, why didn’t you just grab it from the start?” Draco asked, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “Are you hiding something from me?” If that was true, Draco was hurt.

Edric, of course, Draco should have known. “Oh, him,” Draco commented, gazing down at the rat, so Rudy would not see the displeasure on his face. He did not know Ed all that well, but he had heard enough stories to feel he knew all he needed to know. Such alarming tales, indeed. Rudy did not need someone like that; he needed someone that was - well - not a psychopath. Rudy was too nice and sweet - like a snowy white lamb. While Ed was more like the wolf that slaughtered the innocent.

[maledettodolly]

Biting his lips, Rudy pushed the beer away. Worried, he scratched under his nose, then behind his head, till he arms rested against his side. Not for long before they were coming up to flatten his shirt.

"Yes. Him." What was Draco getting at? The displeasure was evident, but it would be a whole lot more troublesome if the young Malfoy actually knew Ed was... around. Was he just in general very turned off from the idea of Edric? Or... He looked away again, hands in his pockets, his jacket folding under his arms.

"You think I need a haircut, Draco?" His voice was soft, barely questioning. "I haven't had it cut. I was supposed to. A couple days ago. But something came up..." A grimace, gentle and ragged formed on his face and he was moving forward silently to find Draco's biceps and rub them distractedly, staring at Syrup and the boy's fingers between his ears.

"Him...I love Ed. And I hope one day he'll come back to me. I love him."

[mister_draco]

If there was only one person that Draco could not have mad at him - it was Rudy. He thought very highly of the man and did not want to disappoint him. What Draco really wanted was someone to be proud of him and he was not going to earn it from his own father, no matter how hard he had worked for it. There was still a chance he was going to earn it from Rudy, hopefully one day. It was due to this that Draco looked up at Rudy and smiled, trying to convey what he could not put into words.

The sudden question took Draco slightly off guard. “Hmm.” Draco pondered, gazing intently at Rudy’s appearance. “You are pulling this look off, rather well, but I do believe, yes, you need a haircut. Nothing too much. You look dreadful with your hair is too short. Shows all your wrinkles and oldness.” Draco, knowing how affectionate Rudy was, smiled, beginning to stroke the rat’s fur again.

“If he is truly that important to you, then, I should - well, I’ll give him a chance,” Draco began, rather hurriedly, how he always talked when unsure about something. “I just don’t want - you - to…” Draco could not continue there was no way for him to tell Rudy how much just talking to him meant.

[maledettodolly]

A quirk of confusion and Rudy was leaning against the counter again, comfortable. Syrup was too, soft and dreamy and milky in Draco's palm.

"My wrinkles were given to me by time, and I would appreciate you speaking about her with reverence, my dear boy." Again a pause as he looked into the boy's eyes, regarding, considering.

"Don't want me to what?" His eyes narrowed, though it wasn't with any sort of resentment. He was truly curious to hear, now. He didn't appreciate things being kept from him; being teased.