(no subject)
Bi-Weekly response: “Captivated”
Who? Matthew Heim and Lucius Malfoy
What? Lucius watching his son sleep
When?
grownhp6words timeline
Why? Because he has never been able to deny family anything.
Lucius Malfoy was only able to stay at the door that first night. Every night afterwards, Lucius had walked in and sat at the bedside. He was soundless, even with the fake leg, because the boy needs to sleep, to rest and run from whatever nightmares he’s facing. But every night he comes in, Lucius finds Matthew dreaming his nightmares, regardless.
He knows of course, that every comfort the hospital can offer is given; (he demanded nothing less) the Healers come in, with soft smiles and softer hands. He knows the Auror ensure they are kind, and gentle. He knows they try. But he also knows the boy is small, frightened and beautiful. They are not his family. Lucius’ has always understood the power of family; it has been his only certainty, his only comfort, his only strength and he knows how quickly and easily one can drown without them.
He sits there, staring the child for hours. Keeping vigil. Ensuring there’s no nightmare that brushes his brow, and tickle his ear.
Like he could have done with Scorpius.
Like he should have done with Scorpius.
The first night, he stood at the doorframe, leaning unceremoniously on the door, staring in but every day after, he sits by the bedside, marveling how very beautiful the child is. Lucius has spent his whole life looking for such beauty, but has only ever find truly in the face of his children.
He can get lost in that face, and does- often. When he’s brave, and Lucius is so very rarely brave, he’ll reach over and brush the hair from his face. Matthew stirs from his touch, sometimes flinching and sometimes curling towards it. It depends on the dream.
Every bone in his body aches. He can feel the way the blackness creeps into his lungs and steals his breath. He can feel himself slipping, but he tries harder to stay. He forces himself to focus. His son needs him.
…His grandson needs him.
The boy does look like Draco, doesn’t he? Like Silas? Like Scorpius? He has such beauty in every feature, it’s so easy to catch it, to stare at the child and promise him his family’s there, and no one will ever harm you again.
Because of course he doesn’t, because Lucius is not his father- or his grandfather. Lucius is a man from an old order. He has never understood the concept of mixed families. His children are glorious because they have Narcissa’s blood, his father’s. His grandchildren are the same because they are Draco’s, and Cassie’s. He would rather die then give any child that called him father and grandfather less then everything.
Isn’t that why he was leaving? Because he had failed Scorpius, Capella, would do the same to Cassie’s child. Because he wasn’t what they needed.
The boy stirs in a nightmare, and without thinking, Lucius cups his arm around the boy’s forehead and shoulders, and he sings. Softly. He calls him beautiful because he is, and will always be, and Lucius stays there with the child till the nightmares go away. Like he has done with every child and grandchild, he has ever been blessed to have.
Eventually the pain his chest lessens, and his vision clears because Lucius isn’t minding the illness so much that he neglects his son…the boy. He takes the peacock Scorpius had sent him, the one to keep him company when Lucius isn’t there and tucks him closer to Matthew.
In the morning, he is gone of course because he has other matters to attend to, other battles to fight. But every night, even though he can’t explain why Lucius will find himself at Matthew’s bed again, staring at his beauty.
Who? Matthew Heim and Lucius Malfoy
What? Lucius watching his son sleep
When?
grownhp6words timeline
Why? Because he has never been able to deny family anything.
Lucius Malfoy was only able to stay at the door that first night. Every night afterwards, Lucius had walked in and sat at the bedside. He was soundless, even with the fake leg, because the boy needs to sleep, to rest and run from whatever nightmares he’s facing. But every night he comes in, Lucius finds Matthew dreaming his nightmares, regardless.
He knows of course, that every comfort the hospital can offer is given; (he demanded nothing less) the Healers come in, with soft smiles and softer hands. He knows the Auror ensure they are kind, and gentle. He knows they try. But he also knows the boy is small, frightened and beautiful. They are not his family. Lucius’ has always understood the power of family; it has been his only certainty, his only comfort, his only strength and he knows how quickly and easily one can drown without them.
He sits there, staring the child for hours. Keeping vigil. Ensuring there’s no nightmare that brushes his brow, and tickle his ear.
Like he could have done with Scorpius.
Like he should have done with Scorpius.
The first night, he stood at the doorframe, leaning unceremoniously on the door, staring in but every day after, he sits by the bedside, marveling how very beautiful the child is. Lucius has spent his whole life looking for such beauty, but has only ever find truly in the face of his children.
He can get lost in that face, and does- often. When he’s brave, and Lucius is so very rarely brave, he’ll reach over and brush the hair from his face. Matthew stirs from his touch, sometimes flinching and sometimes curling towards it. It depends on the dream.
Every bone in his body aches. He can feel the way the blackness creeps into his lungs and steals his breath. He can feel himself slipping, but he tries harder to stay. He forces himself to focus. His son needs him.
…His grandson needs him.
The boy does look like Draco, doesn’t he? Like Silas? Like Scorpius? He has such beauty in every feature, it’s so easy to catch it, to stare at the child and promise him his family’s there, and no one will ever harm you again.
Because of course he doesn’t, because Lucius is not his father- or his grandfather. Lucius is a man from an old order. He has never understood the concept of mixed families. His children are glorious because they have Narcissa’s blood, his father’s. His grandchildren are the same because they are Draco’s, and Cassie’s. He would rather die then give any child that called him father and grandfather less then everything.
Isn’t that why he was leaving? Because he had failed Scorpius, Capella, would do the same to Cassie’s child. Because he wasn’t what they needed.
The boy stirs in a nightmare, and without thinking, Lucius cups his arm around the boy’s forehead and shoulders, and he sings. Softly. He calls him beautiful because he is, and will always be, and Lucius stays there with the child till the nightmares go away. Like he has done with every child and grandchild, he has ever been blessed to have.
Eventually the pain his chest lessens, and his vision clears because Lucius isn’t minding the illness so much that he neglects his son…the boy. He takes the peacock Scorpius had sent him, the one to keep him company when Lucius isn’t there and tucks him closer to Matthew.
In the morning, he is gone of course because he has other matters to attend to, other battles to fight. But every night, even though he can’t explain why Lucius will find himself at Matthew’s bed again, staring at his beauty.