Derek agreed with Darin's sentiments exactly. It was the beauty of unloading on your best mate. They weren't going to give you the 'what, that's not awkward, quit being a prat' look. The Faybrooke's coming over was fine and well. Derek was sort of looking forward to it. He loved his mum's parents, he just much rather would have gone to them. Now there was no where to flee but the twins or Becca's house. Derek had been doing a lot of that so far and Christmas was still a few days off.
He nodded agreement and answered the second question. "Yeah, I think they're making a trip to the tropics or something out of it." It wasn't unheard of for Derek's favorite aunt (only, now) and her family to be absent. They traveled quite a lot. Usually they were home for the holidays though. "I don't know," Derek admitted. "It's probably easier with them gone." It definitely would be. Derek wasn't looking forward to any more of his dad and Rosalyn in the same room. Or Grandpa Tiberius. It was just a bad mix right now. Must be nice to have that as an option; run away, ignore it all. "I almost wish they'd take me with," he admitted. "Except not really." Derek shook the thought off. Running wasn't going to solve the problem it was just going to put it off. But who knew, maybe if Rosalyn just stayed away for awhile people would cool down.
"I don't know," he repeated. "I'm almost glad she's going to be gone. She's been...weird." Things Derek didn't really understand as being relevant kept coming up in arguments and Derek wasn't sure Aunt Rosalyn was saying what he thought she was saying. Rosalyn didn't think like that. Or maybe she did but not...like that.
"Weird?" Darin gave his friend a look to get him to explain. The kettle started whistling so he moved to pour their water while he waited for more. "How so?"
Derek wasn't exactly sure what he meant either- at least he didn't have a specific example to pinpoint it. "I-" He sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know. Marcus and Trav were saying something yesterday too though. About Muggles and that last attack. The plague..." Derek didn't really want to elaborate or think about it enough for it to make sense so he just shook his head again and let it drop. "It was a weird conversation. I don't really get them anymore, I guess." Derek tried to put it out of mind. He hadn't been as close to his older cousins for awhile but it was disconcerting to suddenly feel like there was something there, some serious difference. Derek felt like he'd picked up more than he wanted to know about his once-close cousins- and he was afraid he knew exactly what it was.
Which was why he was here instead. "Anyway, they're taking off too. I think Trav is going with Aunt Rosalyn and George but," he shrugged like he didn't really care. "They won't be around anyway." Maybe things would calm down once the DuBois' left. If he didn't have anymore awkward conversations with them, that would be a start at least. Derek could only hope hols would improve.
"Oh, by the way, that reminds me. Mum said you and Taylor are welcome by if you want." Derek wasn't sure how things were with their parents still but his mum had wanted to make sure the DeLouises knew they had somewhere to come for Christmas if they needed it.
Darin frowned as he passed Derek's tea down the counter toward him. "Hmm." There was more to that than was being talked about but Darin followed Derek's lead and left it alone. There was plenty enough crazy going around without fixating. Besides, Derek was here to get it out and then ignore it right? And hey, tea was done.
Darin blew across his tea and smiled at the invitation. "Did I ever mention that your mum is good people?" He grinned. "If I didn't like your dad so much I might have to marry her."
Derek made a disgusted sound as he fixed his tea. "Yeah, right. She'd break you. And I'd have to kill you anyway," he added, as though that needed saying. It being Darin, it wasn't as though Derek hadn't heard it before.
"Not that you're welcome anymore or anything," he continued, "but yeah, if your parents are still pissed or whatever. As though I haven't made it sound like an awesome time already," he added sarcastically.
That woman probably could break him. Happily for all involved, Darin was (obviously) completely joking. He wasn't Derek after all, he didn't go for girls that were quite that threatening. Besides, it would have ruined the perfectly good free meal thing he and Taylor had going on.
Darin laughed. "Yeah, sounds like fun," he agreed in similarly sarcastic tones. The truth of the matter was Darin wasn't sure if he and Taylor would be welcome at home or not. He was pretty sure Taylor didn't want to try at all. His twin seemed convinced that their father would kill him at least. Taylor might have been right. "We might though. We don't have plans yet so. Yeah." It was going to be pretty miserable spending the holiday with no one but themselves and the pub. "Sounds like you could use the moral support anyway," Darin teased.
"Yeah, whatever," Derek returned. Just because it was true didn't mean he had to admit to it. "I'm probably heading over here as soon as I can afterward anyway." Dinner was the important part- and the easy one. The hanging around after the meal and all of that spare family time was what Derek really wanted to get out of. He thought his mum would let him go if he stuck around for the critical bits. After all, it wasn't like he got to see Darin and Taylor all the time now.
Darin thought he could make it through someone else's awkward family time if they got to split soon afterward and he nodded. He liked Derek's family anyway. Darin was pretty sure he and Taylor could come in, lighten the mood for awhile and whisk their mate to safety before anything got too bad. "Sounds like a plan."
As for the pub, "Oh yeah. Probably. People have to drink right? I hear it can be plenty busy but if it's not we'll just shut it down and have a yule tide party to ourselves, eh?" This living as an adult stuff had it's drawbacks but it was also pretty bloody cool.
"I like that plan," Derek agreed. Things wouldn't be too bad then. At least he was still managing to see plenty of his best mates while he could, the reasons for it be damned. Derek settled against the counter and sipped at his tea.
"Where is Taylor anyway? I expected him to be up more than you. Or for you to be seeing some girl off as you let me in. He hasn't gotten sick of listening to it has he? Taken up lodging somewhere else?"
"I'm not sure where he is," Darin answered. He looked around the room as though an answer might be laying in a yet unsearched corner, but of course it was just the kitchen. If there was an answer in the form of a note somewhere, Taylor was far more likely to have written it on Darin's face while he slept so he could read it in the mirror when he finally got up. Come to think of it, he hadn't paid a great deal of attention to his reflection yet this morning but Derek probably would have said something. As for the rest of it, Darin laughed. "I can't always be entertaining, Derek. I've got a business to run. And for the record, I do a very good silencing charm." Honestly. You'd think people expected so little of him.
"He's probably run off to see Anora," he shrugged. "Or he's pining over her last owl. He does that you know," he confided seriously. Between those two and Derek apparently back with Hannah, Darin was right back to being the only bachelor. It did cut down on the competition at least. "What about you?" he nodded toward Derek. "How go the plans to get some over break?"
Derek gave his best mate a look. "Just great, thanks," he said dryly. It wasn't 'getting some' that he was particularly concerned with so much as seeing his girlfriend for once- now that she was again and before they headed back to school. Darin knew that of course. It wasn't that Derek wouldn't have enjoyed the other side of it too but, yeah. He was a bloke but Derek tried to also be a decent human being. It wasn't hardly his main motivation, thanks. Now that it wasn't just pathetic of him to miss Hannah he did. Derek would have liked to see her again and he was working on it but there weren't plans yet. At least he had plenty else to distract him from that relatively minor problem.
"I'm trying to convince mum and dad a trip to Newcastle after Christmas is totally safe," he explained. "Assuming her parents will even let her out to see me. I don't know. Only two weeks either way." This whole thing would have been much easier if they could apparate already. Derek supposed he could still sneak around by floo but it didn't seem as convenient. He'd have to find a fireplace to appear in on the other side for starters. Ah, well. They'd figure something.
"Hey," Darin raised his arms innocently, "I'm just looking out for your happiness. You're the only example of a long standing relationship I have up close." Aside from Taylor, who's sex life Darin assumed was just fine without his help or butting in. *snickersnort* "Well, long standing-ish," he amended, going on with a smirk before Derek could take that too personally or get upset. "I just want you to do well, is all."
Darin remained unsold on the Hannah thing but his mate was back with her so he'd support it. Something about the girl made Derek bloody ridiculous for her so it wasn't Darin's place to nay say it. He seemed happier again, with that anyway. Darin was glad to see it- so long as she didn't fuck him over again. There was enjoying the abuse and then there was being an idiot. If things turned sour again, you'd better believe Darin would be stepping in to look after his best mate's interests, especially if he couldn't himself. For now though, Darin was good with supporting Derek. Hannah was definitely hot, just way more than Darin ever wanted to have to deal with. Good on Derek for being able to.
He nodded agreement and answered the second question. "Yeah, I think they're making a trip to the tropics or something out of it." It wasn't unheard of for Derek's favorite aunt (only, now) and her family to be absent. They traveled quite a lot. Usually they were home for the holidays though. "I don't know," Derek admitted. "It's probably easier with them gone." It definitely would be. Derek wasn't looking forward to any more of his dad and Rosalyn in the same room. Or Grandpa Tiberius. It was just a bad mix right now. Must be nice to have that as an option; run away, ignore it all. "I almost wish they'd take me with," he admitted. "Except not really." Derek shook the thought off. Running wasn't going to solve the problem it was just going to put it off. But who knew, maybe if Rosalyn just stayed away for awhile people would cool down.
"I don't know," he repeated. "I'm almost glad she's going to be gone. She's been...weird." Things Derek didn't really understand as being relevant kept coming up in arguments and Derek wasn't sure Aunt Rosalyn was saying what he thought she was saying. Rosalyn didn't think like that. Or maybe she did but not...like that.
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Which was why he was here instead. "Anyway, they're taking off too. I think Trav is going with Aunt Rosalyn and George but," he shrugged like he didn't really care. "They won't be around anyway." Maybe things would calm down once the DuBois' left. If he didn't have anymore awkward conversations with them, that would be a start at least. Derek could only hope hols would improve.
"Oh, by the way, that reminds me. Mum said you and Taylor are welcome by if you want." Derek wasn't sure how things were with their parents still but his mum had wanted to make sure the DeLouises knew they had somewhere to come for Christmas if they needed it.
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Darin blew across his tea and smiled at the invitation. "Did I ever mention that your mum is good people?" He grinned. "If I didn't like your dad so much I might have to marry her."
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"Not that you're welcome anymore or anything," he continued, "but yeah, if your parents are still pissed or whatever. As though I haven't made it sound like an awesome time already," he added sarcastically.
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Darin laughed. "Yeah, sounds like fun," he agreed in similarly sarcastic tones. The truth of the matter was Darin wasn't sure if he and Taylor would be welcome at home or not. He was pretty sure Taylor didn't want to try at all. His twin seemed convinced that their father would kill him at least. Taylor might have been right. "We might though. We don't have plans yet so. Yeah." It was going to be pretty miserable spending the holiday with no one but themselves and the pub. "Sounds like you could use the moral support anyway," Darin teased.
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"You lot keeping the pub open?"
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As for the pub, "Oh yeah. Probably. People have to drink right? I hear it can be plenty busy but if it's not we'll just shut it down and have a yule tide party to ourselves, eh?" This living as an adult stuff had it's drawbacks but it was also pretty bloody cool.
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"Where is Taylor anyway? I expected him to be up more than you. Or for you to be seeing some girl off as you let me in. He hasn't gotten sick of listening to it has he? Taken up lodging somewhere else?"
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"He's probably run off to see Anora," he shrugged. "Or he's pining over her last owl. He does that you know," he confided seriously. Between those two and Derek apparently back with Hannah, Darin was right back to being the only bachelor. It did cut down on the competition at least. "What about you?" he nodded toward Derek. "How go the plans to get some over break?"
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"I'm trying to convince mum and dad a trip to Newcastle after Christmas is totally safe," he explained. "Assuming her parents will even let her out to see me. I don't know. Only two weeks either way." This whole thing would have been much easier if they could apparate already. Derek supposed he could still sneak around by floo but it didn't seem as convenient. He'd have to find a fireplace to appear in on the other side for starters. Ah, well. They'd figure something.
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Darin remained unsold on the Hannah thing but his mate was back with her so he'd support it. Something about the girl made Derek bloody ridiculous for her so it wasn't Darin's place to nay say it. He seemed happier again, with that anyway. Darin was glad to see it- so long as she didn't fuck him over again. There was enjoying the abuse and then there was being an idiot. If things turned sour again, you'd better believe Darin would be stepping in to look after his best mate's interests, especially if he couldn't himself. For now though, Darin was good with supporting Derek. Hannah was definitely hot, just way more than Darin ever wanted to have to deal with. Good on Derek for being able to.
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