100quills ficlet: Laughing Off Disgrace
Title: Laughing Off Disgrace
Rating: PG-13 for strong language
Prompt Set: 100.1
Prompt: 036 Family
Word Count: 528
Summary: Lily and Severus are comparing insults that they've received from certain family members.
Warnings: Just some bad language.
Disclaimer: This is JK’s world, I merely play in it.
“Alright.” Severus brushed his hair out of his eyes as he slumped forward, leaning his elbows onto his knees. “Cack-handed arse.”
Lily’s brows furrowed thoughtfully. “Mm,” she murmured, musing over a suitable reply. “Arrogant cow.”
“Gormless duffer.”
“Lady Muck.”
He snorted, watching her with his dark, glittering eyes. “She called you Lady Muck?” he asked.
Lily nodded and stifled a giggle. “You didn’t say that they had to be witty scathing remarks!”
“I assumed there might be a decent one in the bunch.”
“This is Petunia we’re talking about, you realize.”
He shook his head. “I realize.” There was another long pause as he stared at the floor, thinking of another insult to share. “Miserable twannock,” he finally offered.
“Oh.” Lily was more surprised than amused, and she blinked at him, eyes wide with disbelief. “He didn’t, really.”
“He did, really.”
“Well,” she reflected, “that’s not very nice. It’s much worse than my next one.”
He arched an eyebrow expectantly.
“Mental freak,” she said with a sheepish grin. It was hardly offensive in comparison.
“You don’t hear that on a daily basis, then?” he asked.
“Only when your name comes up.”
“Ha, ha,” he laughed dryly. There was a hint of a smile on his lips. “Shall I go?”
She nodded.
He shifted, leaning back into the chair and folding his arms across his chest. “Drunken cockup.”
Although he said it lightly enough, the good humour behind their exchange quickly deteriorated, leaving behind an awkward pause. Lily couldn’t imagine her own mum or dad saying something so harsh. She wanted to reply, but instead sat with her mouth hanging slack, mind idly searching for a suitable response.
“You look surprised,” Severus said. His expression changed then, and though he veiled the bitterness in his face well enough, the tone of his voice made Lily think that he was getting some sort of sadistic pleasure out of her reaction.
“That’s not funny, Severus,” she chided softly. “That’s horrible.”
“Perhaps,” he replied, “but true all the same.” Exhaling through his nose, he shrugged a shoulder. “If he’s done me any favours-besides dying that is-“ Lily flinched, but he continued unapologetically. “--It’s that he’s made me more impervious to the effects of verbal insults.”
“I’m rubber and you’re glue?” Lily asked wryly.
“Something like that.”
She shook her head sympathetically. “I suppose I understand, but I don’t think you should learn that particular lesson from your father.” She’d never met Tobias Snape, and though her curiosity about Severus’s family had been piqued on several occasions, she was beginning to think she was better off for not having witnessed it firsthand.
“It’s better coming from your sister, you think?” Severus asked her.
She cracked a small smile, thinking of Petunia and the proverbial cold shoulder that she received on a daily basis. “No. But when you meet her, you’ll understand the difference.”
“I don’t know that there is much of a difference,” Severus replied. “In any case, I’m looking forward to meeting her.” He gave her a thin-lipped smile that she returned, flushing slightly. “And at least I’ll be prepared.”
And that, Lily knew, was an understatement.
Rating: PG-13 for strong language
Prompt Set: 100.1
Prompt: 036 Family
Word Count: 528
Summary: Lily and Severus are comparing insults that they've received from certain family members.
Warnings: Just some bad language.
Disclaimer: This is JK’s world, I merely play in it.
“Alright.” Severus brushed his hair out of his eyes as he slumped forward, leaning his elbows onto his knees. “Cack-handed arse.”
Lily’s brows furrowed thoughtfully. “Mm,” she murmured, musing over a suitable reply. “Arrogant cow.”
“Gormless duffer.”
“Lady Muck.”
He snorted, watching her with his dark, glittering eyes. “She called you Lady Muck?” he asked.
Lily nodded and stifled a giggle. “You didn’t say that they had to be witty scathing remarks!”
“I assumed there might be a decent one in the bunch.”
“This is Petunia we’re talking about, you realize.”
He shook his head. “I realize.” There was another long pause as he stared at the floor, thinking of another insult to share. “Miserable twannock,” he finally offered.
“Oh.” Lily was more surprised than amused, and she blinked at him, eyes wide with disbelief. “He didn’t, really.”
“He did, really.”
“Well,” she reflected, “that’s not very nice. It’s much worse than my next one.”
He arched an eyebrow expectantly.
“Mental freak,” she said with a sheepish grin. It was hardly offensive in comparison.
“You don’t hear that on a daily basis, then?” he asked.
“Only when your name comes up.”
“Ha, ha,” he laughed dryly. There was a hint of a smile on his lips. “Shall I go?”
She nodded.
He shifted, leaning back into the chair and folding his arms across his chest. “Drunken cockup.”
Although he said it lightly enough, the good humour behind their exchange quickly deteriorated, leaving behind an awkward pause. Lily couldn’t imagine her own mum or dad saying something so harsh. She wanted to reply, but instead sat with her mouth hanging slack, mind idly searching for a suitable response.
“You look surprised,” Severus said. His expression changed then, and though he veiled the bitterness in his face well enough, the tone of his voice made Lily think that he was getting some sort of sadistic pleasure out of her reaction.
“That’s not funny, Severus,” she chided softly. “That’s horrible.”
“Perhaps,” he replied, “but true all the same.” Exhaling through his nose, he shrugged a shoulder. “If he’s done me any favours-besides dying that is-“ Lily flinched, but he continued unapologetically. “--It’s that he’s made me more impervious to the effects of verbal insults.”
“I’m rubber and you’re glue?” Lily asked wryly.
“Something like that.”
She shook her head sympathetically. “I suppose I understand, but I don’t think you should learn that particular lesson from your father.” She’d never met Tobias Snape, and though her curiosity about Severus’s family had been piqued on several occasions, she was beginning to think she was better off for not having witnessed it firsthand.
“It’s better coming from your sister, you think?” Severus asked her.
She cracked a small smile, thinking of Petunia and the proverbial cold shoulder that she received on a daily basis. “No. But when you meet her, you’ll understand the difference.”
“I don’t know that there is much of a difference,” Severus replied. “In any case, I’m looking forward to meeting her.” He gave her a thin-lipped smile that she returned, flushing slightly. “And at least I’ll be prepared.”
And that, Lily knew, was an understatement.