Birthday gift fic
Happy Birthday Berny! It's been ages since we RPed together, but these two were always my favorite! I hope you have a great birthday hun!
Rodolphus Lestrange was not used to being ignored. As the oldest and strongest of his father’s sons, he was accustomed to lavish attention from his father and mother, adoration from swooning females, and admiration (with jealously) from the rest of his peers. However, when his younger brother Rastaban began studiously ignoring his presence for the last month, Rodolophus had become frustrated and confused.
He knew his brother was still upset (livid to be more accurate) about his kitten’s death. It had been purely an accident, everyone knew it, and who could blame Rodolphus? He forgot the kitten had been sleeping cuddled up next to his back during one of Rodolphus’s naps, and when the brawny young man had woken up, he rolled over and unfortunately crushed Rastaban’s beloved kitten beneath his bulk. However, Rastaban had flown into a hysterical outrage, sending painful curses and hexes in his brother’s direction before Rodolphus was able to get out of the path of Rastaban’s wrath. He felt bad of course…but it was just a damn kitten. Rastaban should have gotten over it in a week! Instead, He had refused to acknowledge his older brother in any form.
Damnit all…he was beginning to feel almost…lonely. Rodolphus and Rastaban were vastly difference in terms of most things; size, strength, intelligence, personality; but he always counted on his little brother being there when he needed him, for anything. Rodolphus tried to talk or joke with Rastaban, but was ignored. Even when he cornered his brother, Rastaban would stare past him, as if he wasn’t even there.
At the moment, the Lestrange Manor was in a frenzy of cleaning. Their mother was holding a feast and formal celebration for Rastaban’s 17th birthday in two days. As Rodolphus was their father’s favorite, their mother doted on Rastaban in particular. Every year, she held a fancy celebration and showered him with gifts. Rodolphus already knew that one of his mother’s closets was packed with gifts already and his father had a few expensive gifts for his youngest son as well. But so far, Rodolphus had nothing. He had gotten Rastaban a bottle of expensive fire-whiskey last year and proceeded to get him drunk as well as give him his first hangover. This year, he had joked that he would give Rastaban a sexy woman to make him into a “real man” although his mother found the joke distasteful and forbid it.
Even though it was Rastaban’s birthday celebration, Rodolphus wanted Rastaban to gift him with forgiveness and talking to him again. He wanted things to go back to normal, before the completely accidental kitten death mishap. To laugh and joke and tease his brother, to go flying in the countryside, or play wizarding chess in their rooms. Sighing to himself, Rodolphus strained to think of a gift that would put things right.
~*~
The festivity had been going on the entire day, as well as into the night. Even now, more than half the guests were still celebrating even as the night bled into the witching hour. Looking around the Manor’s ballroom, Rodolphus couldn’t find the boy of honor. Frowning, Rodolphus backed out of the party and went in search of his younger brother. He half-hoped to find his brother outside, snogging into the bushes, but a quick glance outside and cursory sweep of the kitchen, various parlors and other rooms in the manor, he retreated to their personal quarters. Stopping outside Rastaban’s door, he could see light coming from underneath the door, telling him that his little brother was still awake. Figuring that Rastaban has grown tired and annoyed of the guests and commotion and returned here for peace, Rodolphus was almost reluctant to intrude, but he raised his fist and knocked anyways.
“What?” a tired voice snapped from behind the door. There was a click at doorknob that meant that Rastaban had magically locked his room before and was now unbarring it. Rodolphus pushed the door open and stepped into the frame. Rastaban looked up from his bed where he had been sitting cross-legged, reading a book, and scowled at the appearance of his brother. True to as he had done for the last month, he didn’t speak to Rodolphus and bowed his head again, glaring at his book.
“Is that one of your presents?” Rodolphus tried to search for a passive opening into a conversation but got no response. Sighing internally, he moved into the room coming to stand at the end of Rastaban’s bed. “You sure got a lot of them this year. The pocket watch from Father was nice.” Rodolphus shifted uncomfortably as the silence grew tenser.
“I know I didn’t present you with anything downstairs…wasn’t sure what to get you anyways.” He confessed. “I didn’t know if you’d even accept anything from me.”
That got a reaction from Rastaban who pursed his lips and spoke back for the first time in a month. “There is nothing you can give me to make up for your complete oafishness.” He looked up and glared at Rodolphus.
“I got you something anyways.” Rodolphus told him as he pulled out his wand. Rastaban tensed and reached for his own wand that lay on the bed beside him. The older of the two flicked his wrist and with a small ‘pop!’ a box appeared between them.
Rastaban looked from the box to his brother and said coldly, “I told you I don’t want anything from you.”
Rodolphus pushed the box forward. “I’d still like you to have it.” When Rastaban didn’t move, Rodolphus added, “Please open it.” There was a soft edge to his tone and Rastaban scowled even more before reaching out and pulling the box into his lap.
The present was not beautifully wrapped, merely the white color of the box itself and a lopsided bow pasted onto the top. Rastaban dug his fingers under the lid and pulled it up, peering into the box. There were several moments of silence, with Rastaban staring at the content of the gift and Rodolphus waiting almost nervously for a reaction. Slowly, a small smile broke out on Rastaban’s face as he set the lid aside and reached into the box to pull out a small dark calico kitten.
“I’m sorry.” Rodolphus broke the silence. “I want you to forgive me.” He caught Rastaban’s eyes as the younger brother cradled the kitten to his chest as it mewed softly up to him. “I would never hurt you like I did on purpose. It was an accident. You know that, right?”
Rastaban nodded as he looked back down at the kitten. “I suppose your blunderous ineptitude is not entirely to blame. “ He granted to his brother. “You didn’t know Fulke was next to you.” He rubbed the top of the kitten’s head with his finger and smiled as it started to purr. “Alright Rodolphus. I forgive you.”
Rodolphus heaved a sigh of relief and broke into a huge grin himself. “Glad to hear it.” He moved around to sit on the edge of Rastaban’s bed and stroke the kitten with a finger. The exchanged gifts of sincere apology and forgiveness were the best birthday presents ever.