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Post by RABASTAN RORICK LESTRANGE on Sept 16, 2012 20:01:43 GMT
  
Rabastan
Rabastan sat in the forbidden forest, in the exact same place he had been when he had first met Theo. He sat on the same tree, in roughly the same position, smoking a cigarette as he passed the time. He was in the same place because the forest was vast, and it was very difficult to distinguish one tree from another, especially when describing a meeting place. He sat in the same position, and smoked a cigarette because... well, old habits die hard. Rabastan didn't smoke habitually, but he did when the mood took him. He smoked when he had something to be nervous about, and there was plenty to be nervous about with this meeting. He had arranged the meeting with Theo via their two way mirrors, and seeing Theo again had been his top priority. No matter what, Theo came first, and Rabastan had been counting the days until he could see his son again. But there was someone else hew wanted to see too, and so he had suggested to Theo that maybe he bring her along... Theo had been surprisingly enthused about the idea, and so Rabastan was able to see the two people he most wanted to; Theo Lestrange (he would always be Lestrange to him), his son, and Vivian Blackwell. Rabastan had been thinking about Vivian a lot since that night they had spent together, wondering how best to see her again. He could send her an owl, but that was risky. He could use the floo network, but what if she was with Theo? The mirror was the safest way to communicate, and so Vivian coming along with Theo was the safest way to see her again. Except he would have to be very careful; Theo couldn't know. Rabastan Lestrange felt guilty about lying to his son, but mostly he was looking forward to the meeting. He wanted to see Theo, and he wanted to see Vivian. Seeing them both together was the best way to keep them both safe.
Vivian walked with Theo down to the forbidden forest. It was after dinner, and getting dark, so the grounds were almost deserted. There were some people scattered around, but there was nothing unusual about seeing Vivian Blackwell and Theodore Nott walking together. She had been surprised to hear from Theo that his dad had arranged a meeting with him, and that she could come along. She had been wondering how Rabastan would get in contact with her, and had been starting to worry. In truth, she really wanted to see Rabastan alone. With Theo there she would have to keep her distance. But Vivian knew that Theo seeing Rabastan was more important than her seeing him. "Why did he want me to come along?" she asked Theo, feigning a lack of insight so she could see Theo's opinion on the matter.
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Post by THEODORE JACOB NOTT on Sept 16, 2012 23:56:07 GMT
Theo was making his way to the forest, Vivian at his side. It was late, but Rabastan had said to meet in the woods. He'd suggested that Vivian come along, and while Theo was perplexed at first, he agreed. It would be nice to meet with the both of them, as they were both big parts of his life now. It was the slightest bit chilly and Theo was thank he'd grabbed his cloak before they exited the castle. Vivian asked why Rabastan had wanted her to come along and he shrugged.
"Beats me," he said casually as they stepped into the woods. A branch crunched beneath his heavy footsteps. There weren't many people outside, so he wasn't worried about people seeing them. Yes the forest was forbidden, but since when was it known for Theodore Nott and Vivian Blackwell to obey rules of any kind? He smirked at the thought as he wandered through the woods, going back to the same spot when he and Rabastan first met. He smirked as Rabastan came into view, in his same stance that he had been the first time. Theo remembered pulling out his wand and feeling threatened. Oh how opposite he felt this time. He felt warm and welcomed and happy.
"Dad," Theo said with a smirk as the pair of them approached him. "Glad to see you keep your promises." [/blockquote] |
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Post by RABASTAN RORICK LESTRANGE on Sept 17, 2012 0:13:37 GMT
Theo said that he didn't know why Rabastan wanted to see her, and Vivian bit her lip. She hoped Rabastan had some sort of plan, some reason why he had said she could come along. And she hoped that he would be as quick as he thought he was when it came to picking up on the story she had told Theo, about staying in the Hogs Head, if it came up. Vivian was an excellent liar, she was calm, cold, and nothing phased her... but this was Theo. If Theo caught even a hint that they were lying to her, if he looked at her in that confused, hurt way that he did, Vivian thought that she might crumble. And she didn't think Rabastan would thank her for that. "Huh," she said, non-committally , as the two of them kept walking. There wasn't really anything else to say to that. But she was glad that she was finally going to be able to see Rabastan, and hoped that the two of them would be able to snatch even a moment alone together. She had been thinking about seeing him again ever since she had left him that morning at the Hogs Head. Theo seemed to know where he was going, and Vivian followed him, until finally they came to the clearing where Rabastan Lestrange was waiting for them. "Glad to see you keep your promises."Theo approached his father, and Vivian watched as Rabastan walked towards Theo and embraced him, laughing slightly. "I'm glad I'm gaining your trust," he replied, releasing him and looking at Vivian. Their eyes met for a moment, and Vivian wished she could embrace him too. "Blackwell," he said, but with a smile as he used her last name; he wasn't serious. "Lestrange," Vivian replied, in the same amused tone, their eyes on each other... but then they both looked away, back to Theo, their common ground.
Rabastan stood up as he heard people approaching, and smiled as Theo and Vivian entered the clearing. "Glad to see you keep your promises."Rabastan grinned as Theo spoke, and walked towards him to embrace him with a quick, hard hug. "I'm glad I'm gaining your trust," he said as he let him go, before daring to look at Vivian. She looked beautiful, even more beautiful than he remembered, if that were possible. He didn't think he'd ever seen a sight so lovely as her lying beneath him, her long blonde hair tousled, strewn across the pillow. He had thought about her a lot since that night, and had wished more fervently than ever before that things could be different. He wished for a world where he was a free man, where the sanctity of pure blood was recognised and he, and his son, would have their rightful places. But in the world he dreamed of there were no 'Lords', dark or otherwise. If he lived in that world he could claim Vivian as his own, and rip out the throat of anyone who tried to lay a finger on her. "Blackwell," he said, smiling, managing to keep his tone light despite the war raging in his head. He wanted to feel her in his arms again. "Lestrange," Rabastan felt like the two of them were sharing some kind of inside joke as their eyes remained on each other, but then they both looked away. Rabastan turned back to Theo, his son, and for a moment felt guilty. He sat back down on the tree trunk, pulled out another cigarette, and lit it with the tip of his wand. "So, tell me," he said, looking at Theo, "any news?"
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Post by THEODORE JACOB NOTT on Sept 17, 2012 1:41:13 GMT
Rabastan embraced Theo and he grinned, hugging Rabastan back as Rab said he was glad that he was earning Theo's trust. Theo smirked before Rabastan's eyes flew to Vivian. Theo watched as the pair of them seemed to share some kind of... joke or something and he raised a slight brow before Rabastan sat back on his tree and lit another cigarette. He asked if there was any news and Theo shrugged lightly.
"News about what? Nothing about the letter since they hauled Vivian away. What about you? Anyone been snooping where they're not supposed to?" he asked, wondering if anyone had taken any kind of keen interest in finding Rabastan since the letter. A part of Theo hoped that the Ministry had thought Rabastan dead. He wasn't sure what this letter may have renewed for the Ministry. He hoped it wasn't much.
Theo stood quietly for a moment before looking between Vivian and Rabastan, his brows furrowed. "Did you have something you wanted to talk to Vivian about? A question or something? She said you already decided you could trust her, so what's the deal?" Theo asked. He was happy to bring Vivian along with him to meet with Rabastan in the forest, sure, but there was a part of Theo that felt like there wasn't really a point to it. What could they have to talk about that hadn't already been discussed when they met at the Hogs Head? [/blockquote] |
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Post by RABASTAN RORICK LESTRANGE on Sept 17, 2012 17:05:19 GMT
Rabastan shook his head as Theo asked if anyone had been snooping around. "Not that I've heard," he said, and if something had happened then Rabastan would have heard about it. "That owl was flying around aimlessly when it was intercepted. You were their lead, but when Vivian took the fall for you," he inclined his head towards her "she royally messed things up for them. They focused the charges on her, and she got off..." Rabastan paused for a moment, thinking of how Vivian's step-dad had gotten the charges dropped. Thinking of that man made his blood run hot. After a moment, he continued. "Obviously Vivian had no ties to me, inquiries into her lead to a dead end. And no one could literally come snooping around. You're the only other person apart from myself and Rodolphus who knows where the house is." Rabastan wondered if he should tell Vivian the location of their hide out. He was secret keeper, and so she could find out only from him. He had decided to trust her, and if he told her then maybe she could visit him there... it would be safer than the Hogs Head. Getting into a routine of going there would be very dangerous, and without means of regular communication a routine may become necessary. But what would Theo think of that? It might look very suspicious to tell Vivian the location here in front of Theo, but when else would he do so? Then Theo asked why he had said Vivian could come along, and Rabastan sensed Vivian tense slightly, although he was careful not to look at her, for fear the real reason would show on his face; he had longed to see her, even if it had to be like this. Seeing Theo was his main priority, but he hadn't been able to resist seeing Vivian too. For a moment Rabastan thought how much easier it would all be if he could just tell Theo. If he could make Theo understand. But one look at his son's young face told him he wasn't ready for that yet. "You two are the only people who know my secret," he said, the lie coming sickeningly easily. "I wanted to check in, make sure everything was okay." Rabastan looked at Vivian, and forced his voice to be detached. "Did you get back to the castle okay? Has anyone asked any questions?"
Vivian tensed as Theo asked his question, and hoped that he wouldn't notice. She looked at Rabastan as he answered, and the lie was simple enough, very believable. Theo would probably buy it. That only made her feel worse. "Did you get back to the castle okay? Has anyone asked any questions?"Rabastan looked at her as though she were anyone when he spoke, as though she was just his son's friend. She knew it was necessary, but she didn't like it. Her eyes met his for a moment, and selfishly she wished they were alone. His question was clever, making it so that Vivian could let him know what lie she had told Theo. "No one saw me come in the next morning," she replied, her voice as neutral as Rabastan's. "No one other than Theo and my dorm-mates noticed I was missing. And my dorm-mates don't ask questions."For a split second she almost started to tell Rabastan that he had been right, that Theo had fallen asleep on the couch waiting up for her, but then she stopped herself.
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Post by THEODORE JACOB NOTT on Sept 17, 2012 22:15:14 GMT
Theo smirked as Rabastan said he wanted to make sure Vivian got back from the Hogs Head okay, to make sure she hadn’t been seen or questioned by anyone.
”If she’d gotten in any kind of trouble I can assure you, you’d know,” Theo said with a small laugh. If Rabastan’s meeting with Vivian had gotten her into any kind of trouble at all Rabastan would have been the first person Theo went to. Not just because he’d have been the last person to see her, either. Just because… well, he was his father now. That’s what people did with their parents. When things went wrong, most of the time, they went to their parents. Vivian said that no one seen her except for Theo and her dormmates and Theo shook his head lightly.
”It would’ve only been her dorm mates but she decided it was necessary to wake me up from my slumber on the couch,” Theo said narrowing his eyes playfully at her before grinning. He’d only been joking. He wasn’t really sure what more there was to say, not about their meeting, so Theo took it upon himself to steer the conversation in a direction he wasn’t sure Rabastan would like, but he was curious.
”How is Rodolphus doing? I mean, without Bella,” he wasn’t sure why he cared, but Rodolphus was his uncle, and he knew that Bellatrix Lestrange was killed in the war. They were a family, as odd and broken as it was. [/blockquote] |
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Post by RABASTAN RORICK LESTRANGE on Sept 18, 2012 21:39:59 GMT
Rabastan watched, smiling slightly, as Theo joked around with Vivian. This was the first time he had seen the two of them together, and the first time he'd been able to see the dynamics of their relationship. They seemed to be good friends, and had that way about them that showed they had known each other for a long time. They were completely comfortable with each other. Rabastan hoped he wasn't going to ruin that.
Theo asked about his brother and late sister in law, and Rabastan frowned slightly. That was an unexpected turn. In truth Rodolphus had been very difficult at first, but he was getting over it. Perhaps he had cared for Bellatrix, but Rabastan knew- everyone knew- that theirs was more a marriage of convenience than love. A good pure blood match. Bellatrix had been obsessed with the Dark Lord; Rabastan would not call it love.
"He's doing okay..." Rabastan said slowly, not sure what kind of picture he wanted to paint for Theo. Showing him his aunts true colours might not be such a good idea. "Your aunt Bellatrix..." had been a psycho? Not a very tactful thing to say. Rabastan instead decided to say nothing, and trailed off. He hadn't been sorry when Bellatrix had died.
He turned the conversation in another direction.
"You haven't told anyone else about me, then?" he said, looking at Theo, not doubting him for a second, but trying to be delicate about approaching the next subject. "Your girlfriend, have you thought about whether or not you can trust her?" Rabastan would prefer as few people as possible know, but he worried that the more serious their relationship got, the more Theo would want to tell her.
He heard a sharp snort of laughter, and looked over at Vivian, smiling at the expression on her face.
"You don't." he said, stating the obvious, still smiling at her. He could see that being the case. He didn't think any girlfriend of Theo's would like Vivian one bit. She was beautiful and formidable. A Blackwell would eat a Greengrass for breakfast.
"You could say that," Vivian replied, smiling back at Rabastan. She looked so sweet and yet her eyes looked so vicious, that Rabastan could barely resist her. She had the face of an angel and the soul of a demon. She was dangerous to anyone who threatened her, and the thought made him proud.
"Vicious little thing..." he said, still looking at her and grinning, his tone approving. "Isn't she?" he added, looking at Theo, almost forgetting himself and trying to correct his near slip by addressing Theo instead.
Rabastan mentioned Daphne Greengrass, and whether or not Theo could trust her, and a derisive snort of laughter left Vivian before she could stop herself. Daphne, in Vivian's opinion, was an ordinary girl; self involved, with about as much insight and experience of life as a turnip, desperately clamouring for the title of 'Slytherin princess' with a desperation that made Vivian feel like she would loose her lunch. Of course, she kept that less than flattering opinion to herself, by and large. Theo knew Vivian didn't like Daphne, and she often mocked her, but she respected Theo too much to say exactly what was on her mind to him.
But did those things matter when it came to trusting her with a secret? Yes, Vivian thought. Ordinary girls cared about ordinary things, like who the boy they liked kissed... if she and Theo broke up, Vivian didn't think she'd see beyond her own, self involved emotions...
"You don't." Rabastan asked her, looking at her and smiling. Vivian couldn't help a smile spread across her own face, too.
"You could say that," she replied, looking at Rabastan and knowing from the smile on his face that he understood how she felt about Greengrass.
"Vicious little thing... isn't she?" Vivian looked slightly amused as Rabastan turned his statement into a question to Theo, thinking of how they'd lain in bed together, how he'd commented on her wand core...
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Post by THEODORE JACOB NOTT on Sept 18, 2012 22:25:29 GMT
Rabastan said that Rodolphus was doing okay. He seemed to be going to say something about Bellatrix Lestrange, but soon thought better of it. He wondered what his father would have said, but at the same time a part of him knew. Bellatrix had been completely nuts. Anyone who read the articles about her knew that, and Theo had made it a point to read about all of the death eaters he could, especially the ones he knew were related to him. Bellatrix seemed to have lost her mind long before she went to Azkaban.
”Was mental?” he asked Rabastan with a smirk, hoping that Rabastan wouldn’t feel too bad about disliking Bella. His family relationships were his own business, but there’d be no denying the fact that Bellatrix Lestrange was completely off her rocker.
Rabastan asked if he’ told anyone else about him and Theo shrugged in reply, but he brought up Daphne and heard Vivian give a disapproving snort of laughter. Theo narrowed his eyes at her for a moment before rolling them and smirking. She’d always dislike Daphne, no matter how much Theo would have wanted them to get along, it just didn’t seem to be in the cards for them.
Rabastan began speaking to Vivian saying that she didn’t trust Daphne, and even Theo let out a sarcastic laugh as she said ‘you could say that.’
”You could say that? Talk about understatement of the year. Daph is probably the last person on earth Vivian would trust though I’m not sure why…” Theo smirked as he glanced toward Vivian ”Daphne only went after her because she was kissing people she shouldn’t have been.” Theo placed an innocent smile on his face before grinning and laughing, knowing that the situation was likely still a very sore spot for both of them. Daphne hadn’t acted correctly, no, but if Vivian had just listened to Theo and not kissed him again than they could have avoided the whole thing entirely.
”Only kidding,” he blurted out quickly, unsure of how Vivian would react to his jabs about her fight with Daphne. It was entirely the reason that their friendship almost fell apart, but Theo was happy to joke about it now. Now that things were… kind of back to normal.
Rabastan said that Vivian was vicious and there was something about the look in his eyes, the smirk on Vivian’s face that was… different. Were they… were they flirting? No, they couldn’t be. That’d be way too weird. No way. Theo pushed the thoughts aside before looking back to Rabstan, only then realizing that he hadn’t answered his questions.
”I think I can trust her. She already knows about Nott and mum and that whole deal,” he said, remembering that day back in the Quidditch pitch when he and Daphne had finally made amends and grinning slightly. It had felt good to share about his mother for that very first time. It was like a weight he’d carried his whole life had been lifted off his shoulders.
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Post by RABASTAN RORICK LESTRANGE on Sept 18, 2012 23:15:44 GMT
Theo said that Daphne went after Vivian, and that Vivian had been kissing people she shouldn't be. That piqued his curiosity to no end, because he wanted to know what exactly Theo meant when he said someone had 'gone after' Vivian, and who exactly Vivian had been kissing. But he didn't want to ask; his interest might be interpreted correctly. But he let his confusion show on his face, as he looked from Vivian to Theo.
Vivian rolled her eyes at Theo. Why did he insist on defending Daphne, even implying that they had done something wrong! How many times would Vivian have to say it, Daphne and Theo had not been together when she had kissed him. Not even close! And even if they had been, why would Vivian care? She had kissed Theo hundreds of times.
Theo went on to say that he thought he could trust Daphne, because he'd told her about his mother, and about Nott. For the first time Vivian realised that he had probably told Daphne Greengrass about his mother before he had told her.
That hurt. Vivian had told Theo everything about herself, but Theo hadn't wanted to share his past with her? Instead he had confided in Greengrass... all those years and he never said anything. Despite herself, Vivian let her hurt feelings colour her tone as she spoke next.
"No." She said, flatly, before looking at Rabastan, determined to let him know what Theo's 'sweetheart' was really like.
"Before," she shot Theo a look "Theo and Greengrass got together, I kissed Theo." All of a sudden Vivian realised that Rabastan may not be okay with the fact that she had kissed his son, and in fact a couple of years ago it had been rather a bit more than that, but... well, he'd just have to deal with that, wouldn't he? Its not like she could have known. Vivian shrugged as she continued, "It was just for fun, you know. Before she came along it would have been our business. But some how she found out, and the bitch attacked me." she raised an eyebrow, looking at Theo and hoping he remembered. "Somehow I survived," she said, sarcastically, looking back at Rabastan and noticing a slight smile on his face. "But if that was her reaction to something as small as that, before you were even dating, what will happen if you two have a fight, or break up, and she has that information against you? She doesn't exactly seem like she can control herself." Vivian looked at Theo, feeling slightly guilty as she did. Perhaps spite and hurt feelings played a part in driving her to tell such harsh truths? But harsh or not, it was something Theo needed to hear.
Rabastan listened in silence, frowning slightly. The news that Vivian and Theo had kissed had shocked him, and the way Vivian talked about it made it seem like it wasn't a one time thing. He had never thought about it before, but hadn't he assumed, when Theo had first mentioned Vivian to him, that they had been something of an item? They had been friends for so long, maybe he had been a fool to think that nothing would ever have happened... the thought was extremely uncomfortable and he tried his best to forget all about it. He focused instead on the rest of Vivian's story.
His eyes narrowed as Vivian told her story. He didn't like the sound of this one bit. He was certain to be naturally prejudiced against anyone who attacked Vivian, and maybe the way Vivian told it coloured the story slightly... but Theo himself had said that she had attacked Vivian. From this the girl sounded petty, hot headed, and, as Vivian pointed out, unable to control herself. Would she be just as petty if she and Theo broke up? What Vivian was saying was no reason to dislike the girl without ever meeting her, and no reason to pass judgement on her character, but it was definitely a reason for him not to trust her, not with his son, at any rate. Protecting Theo was more important than anything else.
"I think Vivian may have the long and short of it..." he said, after a long moments contemplation. He looked at his son, and worried that no matter what he said, he would make up his own mind. "I don't know her, you know her better than both of us combined, but... remember what I said, Rory, romantic relationships, they can change in a heartbeat. I wouldn't trust anyone with your safety if there was even a shadow of a doubt. I toyed with the idea of unbreakable vows, but..." he looked at Vivian, and a grin spread across his face again. "You wouldn't have gone for that, would you?" he said, smiling at her, his black eyes on her green ones.
"No," Vivian replied, looking at him and seeing his eyes on hers. "I don't want to just drop down dead. If you want me dead, you do it. You promised." She remembered their conversation, how he had talked about taking her life, and how afterwards he had kissed her like he was going to rip it from her and claim it as his own. "You know what I want."
She spoke completely normally, with no hint of subtext, but her words teased him, and he bit back a low growl. This was torture, being so close to her and yet they may as well be in different worlds. Images from that night flashed unbidden into his mind, and for one, mad moment, he thought it would almost be worth letting Theo find out right now just to kiss her.
"I do," he said, his voice low, "and I'll keep my promise." seeing that longing in her eyes for her life to be ripped bloodily from her did more for him than an army of primped and preened women batting their eyelashes.
Rabastan looked back at Theo, starting to think that meeting the two of them together like this had been dangerous. Were they giving too much away? He tried to remember what they had been talking about... the Greengrass girl, of course, Theo's girlfriend. He reached for another cigarette and lit it, going through much more than he usually did, but really needing something to do with his hands.
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Post by THEODORE JACOB NOTT on Sept 19, 2012 2:33:56 GMT
Theo waited for Vivian’s backlash and it came just as he expected. There was a flash of something in her eyes that he couldn’t quite place, but he listened as she explained that Daphne had attacked her and that before it would have been none of her business. Theo let out a small sigh, unable to keep the smirk from his face. It still got Vivian entirely fired up and it amused him to no end. Vivian said sarcastically that she somehow survived and Theo let out a laugh.
”You act like you didn’t do a number on her too, Vivian. Don’t act like you did nothing. I mean I know it was in defense, but let’s both be realistic, you could kick Daphne from here to next week if you wanted. It’d be like putting me against you in a duel,” Theo said shaking his head at her before walking over and wrapping an arm around her shoulder and bringing a fist up to rustle against her hair. He grinned as he released her, but her following words didn’t sit comfortably with Theo. Of course Vivian didn’t trust Daphne but that didn’t mean she was untrustworthy. Vivian and Daphne had never, ever gotten along, so why would Vivian trust Daphne? He stared at her for a moment, considering her words, wondering about whether or not she was right. And then Rabastan began speaking and then all of a sudden he felt like he was being lectured by his parents for doing something wrong. Was it so wrong of him to want to tell the one girl he finally wanted to date for a while about something so important, so big? An omission of information was still a lie, and while Theo didn’t entirely mind lying about things this was something that was obviously important.
Rabastan was saying that relationships could get messy and Theo almost snapped at him for it, but he held his tongue, biting it slightly as his face remained serious and he stared at the pair of them. Why did he feel like this? Why did he feel so… ganged up on? Wasn’t it true that when you told someone not to do something they went and did it anyway? Part of Theo felt like this was only fueling his fire to tell Daphne. Neither of them knew her the way he did. He stared at them for a second. He opened his mouth to say something, but then Rabastan was speaking to Vivian again and it was like they were once again sharing some kind of joke. He looked between the two of them, his eyes narrowed in confusion and hurt and anger all at the same time. What in Merlin’s name was going on. Rabastan had promised to kill Vivian and she wanted him to?! What in the…!?!?
Theo’s mouth fell open slightly as he stared at them. It was astronomically impressive how he could go from feeling ganged up on by the pair of them to feeling completely alienated and confused.
”Neither of you are killing anyone,” Theo said firmly, loudly, to make sure they heard them. Part of him wondered if he’d been a more soft-spoken person if they’d have heard him at all. They seemed to be wrapped up in their own little world that was a mixture of telling Theo how to live his life and taking part in some inside… joke… thing that didn’t involve him. He stared at the two of them, hard, wondering if he should spout the question on the tip of his tongue. They seemed awfully cozy with one another. They must have been in the Hogs Head a long time…
”And, if either of you still care, I don’t know if I’ll tell Daphne or not but either way… It’s my life. I’ll let you know what I decide, and I’ll take what you’ve said into consideration. But … what’s going on? How long did you two spend in the hogs head together?” He asked, looking between the pair of them. There was too much there, too many smiles from Vivian that Theo was sure he’d never seen before. It was all… weird. Just weird.
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Post by RABASTAN RORICK LESTRANGE on Sept 19, 2012 3:19:45 GMT
Vivian couldn't help but smile as Theo came over and put an arm around her, and didn't even try to stop him as he ruffled her hair. It was a small gesture, but an affectionate one, and she appreciated it. Not to mention the fact that he (quite rightly) said that she would beat Daphne, hands down. That softened her up quite a bit. Vivian was starting to feel more and more guilty about having been so harsh on Theo. It wasn't his fault, and he was in a difficult position... it may not be one she understood, but she needed to try.
When Rabastan continued to speak Vivian could feel Theo growing angry. He wasn't happy with the way they were talking about Daphne, or maybe he just wasn't happy about how they were talking to him.
Rabastan could see that Theo was getting angry, and he ran a hand through his hair. This was exactly what he had wanted to avoid. If Theo got angry, he might be likely to make a rash decision. Rabastan knew that he would have done, at his age. And Rabastan had only just walked back into Theo's life. He had no right to tell him how to live it.
"Whatever you decide, I'm behind you," Rabastan said, walking over to Theo and clapping a hand on his shoulder. He meant it; he'd be behind Theo completely, no matter what sort of a mess he got himself into. And even if worse came to worse, and Theo got into a world of trouble, Rabastan had no reservations about putting his own neck on the chopping block to save his son. He'd even go back to Azkaban, if it meant keeping Theo out.
"But you know what I think." Rabastan had no personal feelings towards Daphne, wasn't thinking of himself at all. He would only act in Theo's best interests. "I was wrong about Vivian, but I'm rarely wrong twice. I know its hard, and if this were just about me then you could tell her... but you're at risk here too. Perhaps even more so than I am." If someone got information that Theo knew where Rabastan Lestrange was, he would be captured, questioned, sentenced... but he couldn't tell anyone where Rabastan was. Theo wasn't the secret keeper for their house. But they'd still lock Theo up anyway.
But at Theo's next words Rabastan's heart sank, and he let his hand drop from his son's shoulder. He should have known this would happen. Theo wasn't stupid, and he had been reckless. He hadn't wanted to hurt his son, and he had convinced himself that not telling him was the best way to protect him... but really, Rabastan was deluding himself. What he had done with Vivian, his son's best friend, the only person he'd been able to count on for so many years, would hurt Theo. It would hurt him because he wouldn't understand. He'd think that he had betrayed him. Rabastan was still a new addition to Theo's life, and he couldn't feel entirely secure with him, not yet. He could feel secure with Vivian, but now Rabastan might have taken that away.
Vivian's eyes were wide as Theo asked what had happened at the Hogs Head. He didn't just mean about their conversation, they all knew exactly what he was asking. She hadn't expected this, she hadn't expected him to figure out that something was going on. To keep it from him they'd have to flat out lie, not just leave out the truth. And Vivian didn't think she could do it. She looked at Rabastan, and found him looking back at her. For a long moment there was silence.
"I can't..." she said, and Rabastan nodded.
"I know."
Vivian was afraid that if they told Theo now that he would run off, angry, and maybe do something rash like tell Daphne everything. It would be one thing for Theo to be hurt and angry because he didn't understand, but if what they had done actually caused him to do something that could really put him in danger...
Rabastan knew that it would have to be him who spoke.
"...what’s going on? How long did you two spend in the hogs head together?”
"The whole night." The words hung in the air, and Rabastan silently prayed that Theo would at least stay and hear them out. He felt sick with himself.
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Post by THEODORE JACOB NOTT on Sept 19, 2012 3:55:10 GMT
Rabastan came over and said he supported Theo no matter what, and Theo grinned as he felt the hand clasp on his shoulder. He was going to thank the man, but Vivian and Rabastan did that whole own little world thing again, and so Theo stood in the silence that followed his question. Vivian's eyes went wide and he saw Rabastan's face contort into an expression he'd not seen before. Vivian said she couldn't... but couldn't what Theo hadn't a clue. But then Rabastan's words hit him like a brick to the face. He stood there for a second, not really comprehending what he'd said at first. He knew Vivian was at the Hogs Head all night.... but they'd been together. His eyes widened slightly as he stared between the two of them. He was filled with a mixture of anger and shock and hurt and confusion. What?
Theo felt sick. It felt like he'd gotten punched in the stomach. They were at the hogs head. All night. Together. He looked between the two of them, his eyebrows furrowed.
"What did you do?" he asked, his voice low and angry and hurt. He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer. Maybe they'd just both gotten so tired... and it was cheaper to rent a room together than by themselves... that had to be it. He felt sick again at the other possibility that crossed his mind and before he knew what he was doing he pulled out his wand and turned toward the nearest tree and just started firing. He wasn't even sure what he was thinking. There was fire and lightning and spell after spell after spell until the tree was burned, but not falling over. He stared at the tree for a moment before looking back to the pair of them, swallowing hard.
"What did you do?!" he shouted, truly sure he didn't want to know the answer. He knew what had happened, and the idea of it made him sick to his stomach. He wanted to leave, to run, to disappear into the forest floor. He wanted to be anywhere but there and yet he knew he could do nothing but stay there and wait until they told him the miserable truth. He wished beyond wishing that it wasn't true. And then another realization crashed over him like a wave. His eyes found Vivian in a second, his jaw clenched, his eyes narrowed.
"And you lied about it? Straight to my face..." he let out a pathetic, hurt kind of laugh before his eyes fell to the ground. So they had both lied to him. He looked at his father, his brows furrowed only slightly. He said nothing before his eyes fell back the ground and he turned to face the direction of the castle. He wanted to leave, but his feet would not comply. But he could not bring himself to look at either of the people before him. He felt betrayed, stabbed in the back. Rabastan had stabbed him and Vivian had twisted the knife.
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Post by RABASTAN RORICK LESTRANGE on Sept 19, 2012 4:28:05 GMT
Vivian sat down on a fallen tree as Rabastan told Theo that they had spent all night together. She felt like all the air had been knocked out of her lungs.
Vivian hadn't realised how lonely she had been until she had met Rabastan. She had felt it for so long, without really feeling any of it. There was no one else like her, no one who understood... and then she had met Rabastan and something had just clicked, and she wasn't so alone and afraid any more. And that night had been amazing, and wonderful... but as she watched disgust make its mark on Theo's face, and he made everything feel cheapened, like a dirty secret. If Vivian had been a normal girl, she would have cried... but if Vivian had been a normal girl, none of this would have happened.
Theo started getting angry, and then he took out his wand. Vivian saw Rabastan flinch towards her slightly, as though about to move to protect her, but Vivian didn't so much as move. She knew, and so did Rabastan, that Theo wasn't going to hurt her. It was the tree he took his anger out on.
Rabastan watched as his son attacked a near by tree, every hit feeling like it went straight to his gut. This was as bad as he could have imagined. Theo was hurt, angry, betrayed... Rabastan felt like a terrible person, a terrible father, but he hadn't felt like he'd had a choice. He had had fifteen long, dark, lonely years. Fifteen years spent alone, trapped in a nightmare. When he had found Theo he felt hope again, and then Theo had lead him to Vivian, and his strength had left him. He had been strong for too long. He hadn't been able to fight the temptation to lose himself in the comfort she had offered.
Vivian looked at Rabastan as Theo shouted at them, demanding to know what they had done. What did they say to that? Theo didn't want the details, she knew, but how did they say it? How did they begin to explain? And then Theo accused her of lying to him, and her eyes snapped back to him. She thought her cold little heart would snap in two as she saw the look in his eyes.
"Theo, I'm sorry," she said, her tone desperate, begging him to understand, "it just happened, and we didn't want to hurt you." Vivian had always vowed that she would never hurt Theo, no matter what, and now she had anyway. She was the worst kind of person, the lowest of the low. She felt like she deserved whatever he dished out.
It was all getting just too much. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she felt misery, guilt, pain, disillusionment... she felt everything Theo was going through for him, and she wanted to make it stop. And still she felt that same, deep longing for Rabastan's arms around her, for comfort and warmth. It was too much for her, she wasn't ready for it all. Only a short time ago she had been feeling nothing at all, she had closed herself off because the pain was just too much. And then Theo had persuaded her to try to get better, and she had tried opening herself up more and more, to feel things. But she was still scared to, and now it was all coming so fast. Vivian put her head in her hands, taking steadying breaths and clutching at her hair as though trying to hold it all in. She let go and looked up at Rabastan, her eyes feeling slightly wet though she didn't feel like she was crying at all.
Rabastan's eyes had left Theo and were now trained on Vivian, watching as she battled with what she felt. When she looked up at him, her eyes shining with tears, he strode over to her thinking 'fuck it'. It was hardly as though they could piss Theo off any more.
"Its okay," he said, pulling her to him and stroking her hair, gently. She was sitting, and he was tall; her head came to almost the middle of his torso. "Shhh..." he soothed, softly and quietly, almost so Theo wouldn't hear. He soothed her like she was having a bad dream, and he was there, as he'd promised her he would be.
Vivian clung to Rabastan as he hugged her, feeling intolerably weak but needing it all the same. She couldn't handle this if she fell apart, and she couldn't hold herself together right now, not without help. Vivian had enough personal battles to deal with, without throwing in a conflict with her best friend, not something like this.
"Try to understand," Rabastan said, this time speaking to Theo. "I know I have no right to ask you for anything. Don't do it for me, do it for her."
He held the young girl in his arms and felt like a monster for what he had done. She was half his age, he should have left her alone. He shouldn't have dragged her into this. He should have known better. It was his fault.
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Post by THEODORE JACOB NOTT on Sept 19, 2012 4:53:01 GMT
Vivian apologized and Theo just stared at her. What did she want him to say? That it was okay? That it was just all fine and jolly and well that she slept with his father? Not only slept with his father, but not for knowing him more than what? An hour? Two? For someone who was so against being touched Vivian sure seemed to forget about that really fast. It was probably the most bitter and hateful thing he could think, and a part of him felt guilty for it. And he watched as Vivian began to cry. Of course she did. She could never just... leave it alone, could she? She had to kiss him and then cry when he didn't want her, and now kiss his father and cry when Theo got angry?
Theo was fuming. He watched as Rabastan seemed torn, but eventually he went to Vivian, like part of Theo knew he would. He closed his eyes for a moment, and listened to him shh her, like she was some kind of... he couldn't even think of a proper word. He stood in silence before opening his eyes again to see the sight of them. His jaw clenched as Rabastan told him to try to understand. Oh he understood perfectly well what had transpired. Try to understand for him? For her? And how would Vivian feel if the situation were reversed, he wondered. He just wanted to explode, right then and there. Then he wouldn't have to deal with any of this. For a moment he considered just telling him they could have their little thing, whatever it was. And just walk away. It would be simple, it would be so easy. And yet again his feet refused to comply. He looked at them, and his brain was at a loss for words.
"Whatever," was all he said as he stared at them. "Just don't.... that," he said pointing toward the two of them. "Not when I'm around..." He didn't know what else to say at this point, so he shoved his wand back into his pocket and just looked at them, wondering what in the world this meant for them. He hated it, and he still wanted to be sick, but... whatever. [/blockquote] |
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Post by RABASTAN RORICK LESTRANGE on Sept 19, 2012 5:15:50 GMT
Vivian held on tightly to Rabastan, her eyes shut. Why, why was this so wrong? Why couldn't she have this? Why couldn't she at least just have him hold her, until she felt a little bit more secure, a little more steady? It wasn't fair, none of it was fair. She wanted him to hold her so tight that she disappeared into him. She wanted everything to stop.
Theo seemed to simmer a little bit, but then said not to do 'that' in front of him. Like it was dirty, disgusting. Vivian didn't want to let go, and held onto Rabastan tighter than ever for a moment, before slowly, reluctantly, letting go of him, though it wrenched at her heart. She needed someone to help support her right now, and god knew Theo wouldn't. His promises seemed negated, now.
Rabastan wanted to take Vivian away, somewhere where she would be safe and peaceful, but he couldn't. He couldn't walk away from Theo. Theo had to come first. He held her tightly for one last moment, and felt her do the same, before moving away. They stood apart now, and Rabastan looked at Theo, searching for words, when he noticed Vivian standing up.
"Sorry," she said, quietly, before vanishing into the forest. Vivian walked just far enough so that they wouldn't be able to see her. She needed a moment to herself, she needed to try and hold it together, and if she had to do it alone then she would be alone, in privacy. She couldn't stand the way Theo was looking at her, like she was some kind of whore. Vivian pressed her forehead against a tree, screwing up her eyes tightly and gripping the bark, digging in her fingernails. She bit her lip hard, till it bled, trying to get some control of the emotions raging inside of her.
Rabastan was left standing alone, with his son. He had already let Theo down so much. Maybe it would have been better if he stayed away.
"It didn't happen how you think," he said, in a low voice. He didn't want Theo to think he had just... used her. It had meant so much more than that. "And if you want it to stop, it stops. We both agreed. She never wanted to hurt you. Please, believe that. She loves you, Theo." Vivian may not have expressly said so, and Rabastan doubted she even knew if she did, if she even understood what love was, but he did, and he knew. Vivian loved Theo like family. She would do anything for him. He knew that, as surely as he knew that he would do the same.
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