Just....strange. - OTA

[black_nimbus01]

Even after relaxing for most of the day in front of the television, Draco still had to limp his way to the cafe for his supper. Sure, he could have eaten at the hotel, but the weather was nice and one could only stay inside during the summer for so long. After ordering a sandwich and tea, Draco sat - gingerly -at one of the outdoor tables.

He sipped

Comments

[imawesome_ruby]

Ruby had run out to the cafe to pick up sandwiches for herself, Robin and Lek. With all the wedding plans coming to a head, there just wasn't time for cooking.

She saw Draco sitting at a table, and sat across from him as soon as she saw the pink, raw-looking marks on his neck. The finger marks might have been gone, but she wasn't stupid.

"Did you tell Robin?"

[imawesome_ruby]

"Oh, it does," Ruby smiled. "It's actually quite complicated. From what I understand, it's like...a Scottish plaid mixed together with a family ballad. I think the colors and patterns of the cloth weave spell out the notes of the song? It's more complicated than that, and takes on quasi-religious overtones when you're talking about Weavers like Kerai, but it's a very important thing in his culture."

She smiled a bit in reproach.

"Look at you. You've got me talking about my wedding and Robin instead of the horrible things that have happened to you. Maybe I am a horrible bridezilla."

[black_nimbus01]

"I can't wait to see for myself."

His smile turned into a smirk. "No, you're just a woman excited about her marriage, and I'm a silver-tongued serpent. I'm very good at manipulating a conversation."

He was very smug about this.

[imawesome_ruby]

"So I see," she said with a raised eyebrow. "Well, no more. I'm going to check on you tomorrow, and if you're not better, I'm going to take you to see Dr. Koscuisko, whether you want to or not."

Perhaps a rather amusing claim - Ruby stood only 5'2, and with her powers strangely absent, she had very little to enforce it.

[black_nimbus01]

"I am not going to a healer," he said stubbornly. "There are no wounds, no bleeding, and I'm quite safe from keeling over."

[imawesome_ruby]

Ruby made a slight clucking sound.

"I think you're afraid," she teased. "Because there are injuries that have nothing to do with wounds or bleeding. And you know it as well as I do."

[black_nimbus01]

That hit closer to home than he cared for. An eyebrow twitched.

"I would be more afraid of an axe sticking out of my chest," he said, and slurped his tea.

It was a lie. An axe to the chest would be quick. Dying slowly from a bloodless wound to the heart hurt more.

[imawesome_ruby]

Ruby sat down again, the sandwiches forgotten. She hadn't been able to manipulate people to her bidding for years by missing tiny facial expressions like that twitch.

She shook her head.

"No, I don't think so."

[black_nimbus01]

Damn demons. Draco frowned when she sat again.

"Leave it, Ruby," he told her. "Don't make Robert come looking for you."

[imawesome_ruby]

Demons were, of course, also stubborn.

"Robin would understand. And he loves you, too. Are you okay, Draco?"

She wasn't referring to the recent injuries.

[black_nimbus01]

"I would be happier if you stopped worrying about me," he said. "Else I'll steal one of his sandwiches and see how much he loves me then."

[imawesome_ruby]

"I'm not going to stop worrying about you. Somebody has to, and you're my friend. You're Robin's friend."

At the comment about the sandwiches, she raised an eyebrow.

"He is a highly trained security troop, you know."

[black_nimbus01]

"Plenty of people worry about me," he said, and wished they wouldn't. Worry never did anyone any good.

"He won't do anything as long as my arse hurts," Draco pointed out. "And he would have to catch me."

[imawesome_ruby]

"Maybe not. But he's also home right now with an old friend, and he's not going to notice if I'm gone for a few minutes. Hours. Days."

She looked at him with seeking eyes, looking for those little clues that had caught her attention in the first place.

"Whatever it is, Draco, I'm hardly the sort of person that could pass judgement. I have no room to do that, with everything I've done."

[black_nimbus01]

Draco snorted. "I assure you he knows exactly how long you've been gone."

He stared back at her, his face smooth as stone. "You think I feel guilty about something?"

[imawesome_ruby]

"He also trusts me to take care of myself, and knows I'm capable of getting a few sandwiches."

Ruby shrugged.

"I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"