Iâm so sorry. I know I donât have any room to speak to what youâre feeling. I never even got to meet Camilla. I hope you donât feel Iâm overstepping my sending this. Throw it straight into the fire if you never want to hear from me again. She sounded like an incredible woman, and she didnât deserve that.
I hope you have people there to help support you right now. You have no idea how hard it is not to return myself to see you. Maybe someday I will, but I donât want you to feel obligated to me. We barely knew each other, and you can tell me if youâve changed your mind Iâll understand if youâve moved on. Part of me wonders if it wouldnât be easier if you did.Â
I didnât mean for this to be a sad letter. It has a sad topic, but I wanted to comfort. It seems I donât know how to do that in print. Iâm sorry I havenât written sooner. I wasnât sure how.Â
I need you to know I still think of you, Henry, especially now. I canât be there to comfort you, but please find people who can. Find people better than me who can give you everything you need right now.Â
Dirk stumbled into his living room, too exhausted to brush soot from his clothing.
His lip trembled as he looked around the place. Heâd been warned that Aurors had searched it when he was brought in for questioning, and it didnât feel safe anymore. Thankfully they hadnât fully trashed it, but he could tell. That drawer wasnât shut. That blanket was unfolded and sitting on the wrong side of his chair.
Tipping his head back, Dirk finally let the tears heâd been struggling to hold back flow. It wasnât his first time crying tonight. Heâd cried twice while in custody. Once during questioning as an Auror he didnât know continuously pressed him to admit why heâd done it. He pushed Dirk all the way to the edge, but the final straw was him leaning in and sneering, âIf you were trying to stop her from expanding the Riff-Raff Reform from including your kind, youâve failed. Mudbloods will be the next ones under Ministry surveillance regardless of who runs the show. I think your little display tonight has seen to that.â
âI didnât do it!â heâd choked out, tears finally falling.
The man looked at him in disgust and left. Dirk had cried again a few hours later when no one had come to check on him and heâd gotten too far into his own head. Despite his own innocence, Dirk had been sure they were going to throw him in Azkaban for this.
Then heâd received a âheartfeltâ apology and a promise that he was free to go without scrutiny.Â
Without scrutiny. That was laughable, he thought to himself as he slid down the wall next to the fireplace. He rubbed his palm against his face, trying to clean himself up. His reputation was in tatters, and Dirk hadnât done anything to deserve it. First The Prophet had published those nasty rumors trying to implicate him in a scheme that didnât exist. Now this. Now he was a murder suspect. Even though heâd been cleared and someone else charged, Dirk was never going to be able to live without that hanging over his head.
A loud âmrrow!â pulled his attention, and Dirk coughed out a laugh as he saw Sylvia pop around the corner.Â
âDid they harass you much?â he asked as she climbed onto his lap.Â
She chattered at him for a moment before turning in a circle against his legs and lying down.
He wiped his face against to get rid of some of the excess moisture before dropping his head down to rest against her fur.
Dirk stayed there on the ground for nearly an hour before heâd fully cried himself out and drag himself up, finally letting Sylvia down. He picked up his blanket, but Dirk couldnât find the energy to refold it. He placed it back in a pile, but at least now it was in the right spot.Â
Sylvia called again, this time from his bedroom, and Dirk figured he should listen to the instructions. He kept a hand along the wall to steady himself as he walked into his room for the first time.
Things were more in disarray in here than the living room, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he mentally prepared himself to clean it all up tomorrow.Â
Dirk flopped down on his bed, freezing when he head the slight crunch of glass. He sat up, flipping down his blankets.
In between the layers was the photo of Dirk with his parents and sisters that normally lived on his bedside table. He stared at them through the fractured glass, growing cold as he wondered how it had gotten there. Hesitantly, he flipped it over, and the words he found there had him dropping it back onto the bed.
Cute family, it read in a sloppy scrawl on the back of the frame.
Whoever had written it had deliberately left as a gift for him to find, though a gift Dirk didnât see it as. He couldnât see how it would be anything other than a threat.
Heâd been so careful to keep his family separate from him. Heâd skipped Christmas and missed birthdays. Heâd sacrificed so much in concern for their safety.
And it was all for nothing.
All at once, Dirk sprang into motion, moving without thinking.
He had to fix this. He had to leave, to do something. Dirk threw some clothing in a bag before heading to the bathroom. His toothbrush and a soap dispenser gifted from his mother. The living room: his blanket and the papers from his fire safe. A book Asher had thought he would like.
Dirkâs bag was small, but he stopped to pack another. A jingly mouse, yarn ball toys, and a collar all went into it, although with a half-empty bag of cat food.
Sylvia meowed at him suspiciously, and he scooped her up to press a kiss to the top of her head. âYouâll hate this,â he said as he deposited her into the carrier usually reserved for vet visits. She protested loudly.
Dirk looked down at the few bags in front of him. This was it. His whole life, and this was all he had to take with him.
He looked over at his desk. He should write. He should at least let Asher know what was going on, maybe say goodbye to Amelia and Edgar. Maybe even Henry.
He blinked back tears again. No, if Asher saw the letter before Dirk convinced his family to get out of the country, it would be all over. Asher would follow him and try to talk him out of it. But Dirkâs mind was made up.
Henry let out an audible sigh when Dirk dismissed his past. Heâd never been ashamed of it before, and he- he wasnât, still, but he hardly wanted to tell Dirk that he used to sleep with pretty much anyone who so much as side-eyed him. He didnât want the other man to think that it meant Henry didnât take the physical seriously, or that he was just here for a quick thrill. Because he wasnât. Even if Dirk told Henry he never wanted to kiss or do anything else at all, Henry would still be wild about him.Â
Henry bit his lip, listening intently as Dirk spoke, one hand still on his neck, the other reaching out for his hand, lazily interlacing their fingers together. When he finished speaking Henry leaned forward and gave him another kiss, this one slow and sweet and lingering.Â
âIt terrifies me too,â he admitted. âI donât- I move fast with everything but it means Iâve never done anything serious, not like this.â He knew he was blushing again. Merlin he felt like a fish out of water. He couldnât believe he was admitting this. Normally he felt so confident, or looked confident at least, but he was silly as a schoolboy over Dirk Cresswell. Wasnât that ridiculous? But the other man was taking everything so far in stride so maybe he could take this, too. The fact that Henry was quicker to make out in a public park than he was to admit heâd never had a real relationship before.Â
âIâm glad you think itâs good, because you- you make me want to slow down. I donât suppose we can meet in the middle?â he grinned. âItâs alright if you need a little liquid courage. I had more than a bit myself before you got here, I was so nervous. You make me nervous. No-oneâs ever been able to do that before, you know.â
He knew he should probably propose they keep talking, or finally start eating, but he was a creature of eternal impulse. He pulled Dirk down and started to kiss him again. Merlin, heâd never get tired of this.Â
âI donât suppose- I donât suppose youâd like to come home with me?â he murmured. âIf you donât want to of course thatâs alright, we can- actually get to the picnic,â he laughed. Peppered kisses all over Dirkâs face again, pressing close. âOr we could go home. Even if itâs just to cuddle on the couch. I have a very comfortable couch. Much more comfortable than a picnic blanket. Merlin, two seconds after I said I should be slow.â
âThat-â Dirk said in between the kisses against his skin, âdoesnât sound like taking it slow.â His head was feeling a little floaty from all the compliments. How could someone like him make someone like Henry nervous? The very idea seemed crazy, but this seemed like too much work for Henry to be playing with him.
The power was back in Dirkâs hands, and he wasnât sure what to do with it. He turned his head, burying it against Henryâs neck. Heâd meant it as a way to give himself time to speak, but being pressed against Henry with this much skin contact was perhaps causing him to short-circuit. With it, Dirk could imagine how the next couple hours could progress if he stayed relaxed. The idea was tempting--tempting enough that Dirk decided to go with it.
âYes,â he said, pressing a kiss to Henryâs neck before pulling away. âLetâs clean this up, take it with us. We can eat after.â His stomach was a flutter of nerves, but Dirk knew it was the good kind.
Maybe Henry was exactly what he needed right now. Dirk had been in the same funk for so long. He wasnât going to find someone who recaptured that same slowly-falling-in-love feeling heâd had his first time in love, but that was good. Every love was different. Dirk wasnât about to say he was in love in Henry, but neither of them could deny whatever this connection was.
Dirk could give up caution for once and let himself live without worrying about the morning. Tonight had that kind of promise.
âYes,â Henry laughed, giddy with the feeling of Dirkâs hands on his hips. âIâm shit with money to begin with but- honestly, how can anyone be expected to sit still and listen to you, with lips like yours? Itâs practically a sin. And then you started talking and I wanted to pay attention I really did, but youâre so cute when you talk about numbers and I donât even understand how thatâs possible.â
He was rambling again, and snapped his mouth shut. Merlin, he was never this verbose normally. Sybill made him feel quiet and just want to nap with her curled up next to him, but something about Dirk made it impossible for him to shut up. He just wanted to sing the manâs praises 24/7.
At the mention of spontaneity, Henryâs face went red. Merlin, how to answer that? He coughed awkwardly, but made no move to get off Dirkâs lap, even as he noted how the man surreptitiously looked around for wandering eyes. Henry really could have cared less at that point.Â
âMerlin, itâs going to sound really bad if I say no, isnât it?â he laughed awkwardly. âI just- Iâm a very physical person, and in my life thus far I- Iâm sort of a bit of aâŚâ Utter slag was probably the best way to put it. âWell. Itâs not important.âÂ
Much as he wanted to keep kissing Dirk, he felt that he was digging himself into a bit of a hole, so he slid off the manâs lap but kept himself pressed close, one hand on the back of Dirkâs neck, not wanting to lose the precious contact.Â
âI donât necessarily have to like a person to want to kiss them,â he said after a moment to collect his thoughts. âAnd sometimes I donât really feel like kissing the people I like. But you sort of check every box for me. In that, I like you. I really really like you. And Iâd also like to kiss you again, and do many other things which are definitely not appropriate in the current setting. If you want to, I mean. If this is all too fast for you just tell me, please.â
Dirk tipped forward to hide just how red his face was growing, letting it fall against Henryâs shoulder. He felt almost faint with giddiness, and Dirk knew he had to pull himself together. This wasnât the way Dirk normally did things. He tried to always be methodical about his choices, and that meant he put as much effort into making a choice as following through on it. Dirk did not do things like spontaneously kiss people in the park, no matter how beautiful they were.
But then again, Dirkâs typical strategy didnât seem to be paying off. He was too nice, too gentle, too good a friend. It never worked out for him. Maybe it was time to embrace doing things a little differently, especially when heâd already rushed the first move on physical contact.
Dirk looked up sharply as Henry pulled away, but he let out a small sigh of relief as the man stayed close by. If he was regretting his choice, surely Henry would create more space. âI donât think it matters whatâs in the past,â Dirk said, trying to find that courage heâd just used to kiss Henry. Hopefully he hadnât used up all of it.Â
Initially it was a bit of blow to hear Henry say he liked to kiss people just for the sake of kissing them, but as he continued, Dirk regained a bit of hope. It sounded like Henry wanted him and wanted him in ways no one had wanted him in over two years.
âI donât normally go fast,â he admitted. âI tend to overthink things and drag my feet until Iâm sure the situation is exactly what I think it is.â Dirk took a shaky breath. âI think I need a little more wine.â He picked his glass back up and downed it, not even caring about the taste. âI think I want to move faster.â He said it in a rush, as if the words wouldnât come out unless they did altogether. âI donât really know what this is, and that terrifies me. But Iâm pretty sure itâs in the good way, and I want to break out of my pattern.â It wasnât working for him anyway.
âMerlinâs beard,â Edgar muttered, frowning. He shouldâve known the Westenbergs would be smart enough for that. To be fair, the Bonesâ were also smart enough to put an anti-theft enchantment on their vault it was just Edgar as a person was not.Â
And then it dawned on him. Edgar was in another manâs vault. Another very rich mans vault. Edgar and Ashy were good enough friends where heâd know that Edgar wasnât trying to steal from him right? Right? âWhat if he thinks I planned this?â Edgar asked in distress. âWhat if he thinks Iâm stealing from him?â
Dirk looked over at Edgar, blinking in surprise. âYou planned to stop at the bank at the same time I did and get trapped in his vault? Iâd think you would have done a better job disarming me if that were the case.â He shook his head. âBesides, why would Asher suspect you of anything anyway. Youâre friends.â Dirk knew Asher wasnât as close to Edgar as he was to Amelia, but that shouldnât matter.Â
âThat seemed like an awful lot of work when you didnât even know what was down here. Maybe I was coming to the vault where he keeps the twigs to be tails on his brooms.â That was just a storeroom, not a vault at Gringotts, but knowing Asher, it was possible.
Mafalda shrugged. That, she couldnât answer. âMaybe they just needed a scapegoat, and you drew the short straw?â She suggested, fully aware of how wildly unhelpful it was. Stopping someone from being confrontational was relatively easy, but actually having to be nice, to help out? Not so much. âIâm sure it wasnât for something that you did. I mean, you wouldnât be working there if you were doing that sort of stuff, right?â
Dirk rolled his eyes. âMaybe I am the scapegoat,â he said, âbut Iâm the scapegoat for a story that doesnât exist outside their own minds. There was no story to tell, not secret to uncover. Companies declare bankruptcy all the time. Why did this one have to be a big deal?â He sighed. âExactly. The people making all this up having never even set foot inside my bossâs building. Perhaps thatâs why. He wonât give them the time of day, so they have to try and make him look bad. Heâs a hard working guy, and I hate to see this add to his plate.â
âPeople canât actually believe any off that is true, can they?â Amelia raised an eyebrow in surprise. She figured most people would have enough sense to figure out it was bullshit and that there wasnât any truth behind that article. âI would suggest people to do their own research, instead of believing everything they read in the news, but that is just not realistic, sadly.âÂ
âIâm fine physically, but Iâm not gonna lie, I havenât been great. Obviously. Asher and Ed have been there for me a lot. I miss Eli, every day. They say itâs supposed to get easier with time, but so far it hasnât.â She sighed. âI take full responsibility for that. Iâve been throwing myself into work. Less time to think about Eli if Iâm busy, you know?â
âYouâd be surprised,â he said bitterly. Honestly Dirk was sick of everything around here being made out to be life or death. A company couldnât even close without someone outside the company being made. Everything had to be a conspiracy; it couldnât just be poor money management and bad business skills.
âI realize we caused scandal last time, but Iâd like to give you a hug if youâll accept one.â Dirk held his arms out ready for it. âIt doesnât have to get easier right away. Youâre entitled to as much time as you need.â He couldnât even imagine losing one of his sisters, so Dirk knew this must be incredibly hard for her. He just didnât know how to tell Amelia that without sounding like the same broken record sheâd been hearing for weeks now.
Henry looked over at Dirk again, his expression surprised, when the other man said it sounded like a dream. How- how wonderful. Not entirely unexpected, but it was so nice to hear that they were, perhaps, as compatible as Henry thought they would be. Heâd been surrounded by passionate and loud people for so long, and Dirk made him slow down, brought out his softer impulses. He couldnât help the warm smile that spread across his face, sure that he was shining again.Â
And then- then Dirk was kissing him. Dirk was kissing him?!
Henryâs brain short-circuited, the kiss over almost before it began, and he stared at Dirk. When the man hadnât come home with him the other evening, Henry had been disappointed but not angry. Dirk struck him as- not the shy type, perhaps, but intentional with his body the same way he was with his words. In that sense, the complete opposite of Henry. But here he was, boldly making a move, and now he was staring at Henry and- apologizing? And Henry was staring at him with blank shock and- oh. oh. This was not how he wanted this to go.Â
Henry chucked aside his glass- heâd pick it up later, and who cared about spilled wine?- and surged forward, picking up where Dirk left off. He lifted one hand to cradle Dirkâs face while the other wrapped around his waist, except that it was harder to kiss someone when you were both sprawled out on a picnic blanket on uneven ground and Henry had pitched himself forward a little bit too much, so he ended up pretty much straddling Dirk, kissing the man with all the pent-up feeling heâd had since he first walked into his office.Â
When he broke away for air he didnât move his hands at all, and grinned down at Dirk, sure that he was shining but unable to stop it. When he was happy he became a bit of a beacon, and he was not inclined to smother the light.Â
âMerlin, Iâve wanted to do that since I first saw you,â he said, then swooped down for another quick kiss on Dirkâs cheeks. âAnd that.â On his forehead. âAnd that.â And again on his mouth. âYou are so kissable, did you know that? And you- and youâre so cute, and you say the sweetest things, and you donât think Iâm absolutely mad but even if you did Iâd still like you so, so much.â
Dirkâs face grew warm as he waited for a response. Henry was just staring. Why was he staring? Dirk had misread everything. Heâd thought it as a chance to be brave, and it had just been a chance to bury himself in embarrassment.Â
He looked away, opening his mouth to apologize. Then Henry was right there. His body was much closer, and he had a hand up, guiding Dirkâs face. His eyes widened as he caught up with the moment. Henry wasnât rejecting him. He was... kissing him much more aggressively than Dirk had when he initiated this.
The force wasnât unwelcome, though, and Dirk gripped his hips to keep Henry steady on his lap. When the man pulled away, Dirk kept his hands there, not wanting to let him slip back over to the other side of the picnic blanket. He laughed as Henry peppered kisses across his face. âThe very first moment?â he asked. âWhen I was trying to help you with investments? No wonder you werenât paying attention.â
He leaned up, catching Henryâs lips again in between his compliments. âMaybe you are a little mad,â Dirk admitted, âbut I donât think Iâm opposed to it.â
It occurred to Dirk that they were sitting in the middle of a public park with Henry on his lap. He flushed slightly, facing barely tinging pink as he looked around to see if anyone was watching them. It didnât seem like it. He let out a nervous laugh. âThat spontaneous for you?â he asked, looking up at Henry. From their current positioning, Henry towered over him.
Modeling. Yes. Where to start. Henry hummed, a brief tune from somewhere he couldnât remember, and looked at the park around them, at the sunlight through the leaves, as he thought.Â
âHonestly? I really just sit there and look pretty,â he said after a moment. âSometimes I walk shows and thatâs fun, but really it- itâs just my body doing it, you know? Itâs so easy I sometimes fall asleep, but as long as the pictures come out alright- and they always do- I get paid, and thatâs that.â The question of what he liked to do was what stumped him, though. Heâd never given it extensive thought, really. His job was fun, he never had to fight for anyone to take him seriously- because a model didnât need to be taken seriously- and he hadnât even had to Charm his way into it. It paid his bills. It let him travel and meet new people.Â
But what did he like to do? He frowned a little. âYou donât talk much, but when you do, you make it count, donât you?â he said, smoothing over his expression quickly when he looked back over at Dirk. âItâs one of the things I really like about you. Youâre so intentional.âÂ
He set down his glass and lay back against the blanket, tucking his hands beneath his head. âI like⌠honestly? I like it when people leave me alone.â He let out a laugh, glanced over at Dirk and smiled brightly. âNot you, of course. But being what I am and doing the work I do, Iâm constantly being fussed over and talked at and stared at and really I couldnât care less about any of it. I want to spend time with the people I love, and I want to take long naps in the sunshine, and get to finish reading all the books on my To Do list, and I love to travel to new countries and just explore, and in my spare time I confess I fancy myself a designer. Thereâs something so orderly and energizing at the same time about design- I get to look at the body, and frame it, but I also get to know the personality of who Iâm dressing, or the personality of the fabrics Iâm working with. Itâs- a sort of meditation. And I suppose my brain just feels so loud sometimes, itâs a welcome distraction.â
Sometimes, he reflected, he really was such a Ravenclaw. The sorting hat was right- he wasnât made for Slytherin.Â
He pulled himself up. Took a long sip of wine. Ran a hand through his hair, suddenly unable to meet Dirkâs eyes. âI sound like a total nutter, donât I? âWoe is me, the gorgeous model, I just want to nap all day and draw pretty pictures.â Merlin, how shallow.â
Dirk listened, sipping on his wine all the while. Liquid courage and all, although he wasnât sure if a single glass of wine counted. âDo I?â he asked with a laugh. Dirk preened a bit under the compliment. He did try to be careful with his words, for better or for worse. He wasnât always sure which was wich.
Although heâd told himself, not to get his hopes up, Dirk felt his heart flip as Henry described what his perfect time was like. Naps, books, art. Granted Dirk couldnât do the latter, but he wondered in that moment how someone so perfect had fallen into his lap like this. There had to be some kind of catch. Maybe he was secretly married or something.
Dirk decided he didnât care. He took a moment to steel up his courage. âThat sounds wonderful, not nutty. I think it sounds like a dream.â Perhaps he was living in one, he mused, and that thought, that need to prove reality, was the thing that gave him the boldness to lean forward and press his lips to Henryâs.
As soon as heâd done it, Dirk pulled back with a small squeak in his throat. âOh, um, Iâm so sorry! I should have asked, and weâre not there yet. I know, timing and...â He trailed off, looking at Henry carefully out of the corner of his eye to see if heâd mucked everything up or started something good. He really hoped heâd started something. While it had been too short for Dirk to really enjoy the kiss, he wanted to be able to repeat it.
âHey, Iâm trying to help you, man.â Mafalda frowned. And she had. There was no need for her to step in, in fact, she thought it wouldâve been quite funny to see a fight break out, it sure as hell wouldâve brightened up her afternoon. But recently there had been this niggling voice in her head, one that told her to be nice, to help. And so she did. âTrust me, if you let them get to you, it only makes you look worse.â
Dirkâs first instinct was to tell her that he already knew that, but he knew she was just trying to help. He ran a hand through his hair as he considered the situation heâd been thrust into. âI donât understand why they want me to look bad in the first place,â he said. âI havenât done anything to piss off anyone.â Part of him wondered if it was about being muggleborn, but Dirk refused to let a chip form on his shoulder over it. He was who he was and didnât intend to let others make him feel bad about it. He had enough other issues to worry about.
âThatâs preposterous..â Amelia shook her head, not even entertaining the thought for a moment, having known both Asher and Dirk for years. They were honorable businessmen. Asher would never instruct his employees to obstruct justice. Whoever came up with this stupid rumor must have had too much to drink. Or they were jealous of the Westenberg success. Either way she knew there couldnât be any proof behind it. âAnyone with a good head on their shoulders knows this isnât true.â
Dirk sighed, letting her outrage roll over him in comfort. âIâm glad at least one person believes it,â he said. âI know a lot of people donât particularly trust The Prophet anymore, but most still do. Their crazy speculation canât be good in the long run.â
He shook his head. âEnough about that, though. How have you been? I hear a lot about you, but I feel like I never see you anymore.â
Henry gave Dirk a curious look. What an odd thing to say. âItâs a date- the whole point is to make time for someone,â he said, not unkindly, sure that his confusion was evident. âIâm very glad you decided that this was worth your time, which is certainly worth more than mine.â
And it was, in the literal sense. Henry had nothing but time, and wasnât doing anything of particular importance, while Dirk had a full-time job. Yet here he was, indulging Henryâs infatuation.Â
When Dirk said it looked amazing Henry lit up, but he realized, suddenly looking at Dirk, that he looked, if it was possible, even more fish-out-of-water than their first date. Merlin, was Henry shining? He was always careful about not using his Charm around people, careful not to influence someone unless it was necessary, but when he was over-excited he tended to have a similar effect on people. Get a grip, Henry. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm the flush on his cheeks, the moths in his stomach, trying to make himself a bit less effusive, just on the off chance that Dirkâs wide-eyed stare was magic and not just natural nerves.Â
When he opened his eyes, Dirk was examining the wine, a red that catered to Henryâs sweet tooth but also hopefully wouldnât be overwhelming if Dirk preferred dryer stuff. Â
âIt is,â he said, pulling out two glasses. âIâm very fond of them, sometimes more than I am of wizards, if Iâm being honest.â
He poured them both glasses, and clinked his against Dirkâs gently, still doing his best to smother the faint starlight glow of his excitement.
Dirk wanted to point out that Henry had no obligation to take him on another date, that heâd already paid for one with little to go on from Dirk in terms of positive encouragement. Heâd been pleasant, albeit a stammering mess, but Dirk had refused to get his own hopes up. He was glad Henry had seen past it.
He handed over the wine readily as Henry reached for it. This was comfortable enough, easy enough. Wine in general wasnât Dirkâs favorite, but he didnât mind it as much as most alcohols. He took a sip after Henry held his up to clink in a small toast. It wasnât bad by any means, so he took another.
âSo,â he said as he set the glass down. âI know modeling and all that.â Merlin, what a crazy thing to be able to say casually. He was on a date with a model. âWhat specifically do you do? Or perhaps a better question would be what do you like to do?â He suspected the answer would tell him a lot about Henry, but more importantly, it turned the spotlight of conversation away from himself. Dirk could happily listen to Henry talk about himself for hours.
Dirk liked to be that supportive figure. He liked to listen to dreams and ideas. He remembered once dancing with Alaric to the radio--having actually convinced his then boyfriend to let him lead for once--and just listening to him rattle on about what he hoped the future would bring. None of it had come true, but it had been a lovely moment. Dreams were a precious thing.
He shook his head, bringing himself back to reality. It made no sense for Dirk to be dazing off about the past when the present looked so handsome next to him. Dirk wanted to fully be in this moment and enjoy it as long as it lasted.
He smiled back at his friend and leaned back, exhaling heavily. The past few weeks had been heavy and filled with a great deal of responsibility, so it was nice to have an evening where he could have a pint or two and discuss life. Asher, not for the first time, was thankful that Dirk was remaining at his side at work. Heâd not wanted to lose him to Hogwarts, supportive though he tried to be.
âIndeed. Iâm beginning to draw designs in my sleep.â Shaking his head, he took a sip of the pint that the bartender brought over and gestured for Dirk to order something. âSheâs hanging in there,â he responded with a small smile. âSometimes I think sheâs pushing herself too hard with work, but if it helps her, who am I to complain, yeah?â His lips twitched at the corners. âAnd sometimes itâs hard being the rock for her. I knew Eli for much of my life, too. Even if it was nowhere near that close of a relationship.â
Dirk chuckled, shifting to get more comfortable in his seat. âAre they better or worse if you arenât awake to look at them?â he asked without any malice. Asher had worked so hard to get where he was. Yes, heâd been positioned well by his parentsâ money, but Dirk had seen the effort heâd put in to build his own reputation for excellence.
âI donât know that youâre the person who gets to talk when it comes to working too hard.â Dirk shrugged, softening at the mention of Eli. âYouâre allowed to grieve him too, you know. Amelia needs you, but she doesnât expect you to be perfect, just you.â
Henry bit his bottom lip, rapt as he watched a flush spread across Dirkâs cheeks. He was still holding the manâs hand in both of his, reluctant- unable, perhaps- to let him go. Merlin, Henry wanted to kiss him senseless. He wanted to cuddle with him on a couch and make tea and be disgustingly domestic.Â
He thought, with a bit of absent wonder, that Camilla would probably approve. Of Dirk, of the quiet, flustered side he brought out in Henry. It calmed him to consider the fact that he wasnât drifting away from Camilla by pursing things like this- romance. That he was just⌠making his heart a bit bigger. Yes, he could work with that. Not that he would be introducing Dirk to Camilla any time soon, of course. He knew he and his twin were overwhelming as separate entities- together, they tended to stop traffic, so to speak. Literally, in at least one case.Â
Of course, if he managed to get Dirk home with him tonight there was the possibility that theyâd be having breakfast with Camilla. The thought made the moths in his stomach beat faster, fluttering and desperate.Â
âSorry,â he breathed, squeezing Dirkâs hand. âIâm- staring. Canât help it. I canât help a lot of things when Iâm around you, I guess. Iâm glad youâre doing well. You deserve it. To. Do well. Be well.â
He pulled Dirk toward the blanket and the basket, hoping heâd gotten his food choices right. Heâd gone a bit off what they had on their first date, and a bit of it was guesswork, but Henry had been told he was good at predicting peopleâs tastes.Â
âNothing exciting at all, actually,â Henry admitted. âErm, I chased someoneâs escaped dog for them. I finally agreed to take a gig in the city- I thought my manager was gonna cry when I told her. Iâll be honest, I spent a frankly ridiculous amount of time daydreaming about seeing you again. Iâd apologize, but Iâve been told Iâm⌠a lot to handle, sometimes? And itâs better to be up front about these things. Or so Iâve been told.â
Dirk wasnât used to be given so much undivided attention. It was a bit intense if he was honest. Henry hadnât let go yet, and Dirk felt like he was swimming. Last time theyâd met--the first time; Dirk had to remind himself the journey had been so short--Henry had promised not to use his charm to dazzle him or coerce him in any way.
Dirk trusted him to stick with it, but he wondered if Henry had forgotten or if that was simply the allure of his gaze. He suspected it was the latter. That didnât take his breath away any less.
âI- Itâs fine. Iâm... Iâm glad you had time for this.â Time for me, he wanted to add, but he wasnât sure if it was fishing or proof of his own insecurity to add it. He cleared his throat, readily moving toward the food.
He smiled at what Henry had brought. It looked like comfort food, and he loved it. âIt is a lot,â he admitted. âI wasnât sure what to expect, but youâve made it amazing.â Dirk still didnât understand how someone who looked like Henry could be enamored with him, but he didnât want to examine it too closely.
Instead Dirk vowed to enjoy the night as he picked up the bottle of wine Henry had included. âIs this muggle?â
âI donât appreciate a gossip rag trying to blame me for something that doesnât exist,â he told the obnoxious witch in front of him. Dirk tried to keep his temper in check as he turned away from her. When someone else stepped into his path, he put a hand up. âI really donât want to deal with this right now.â
Originally posted by ruinedchildhood
âI havenât opened one of those magazines for months.â The last time she did it made it seem like the two of them had an affair when they were just friends. It was weird.  âIâm assuming thereâs some lies about you in it?â
Dirk let out a sigh of relief as he realized it was Amelia, although she apparently hadnât seen the article. âIâm afraid itâs bigger than Witch Weekly. The Prophet is trying to claim that Iâm responsible for underhanded dealings on Asherâs behalf, even though there are no underhanded dealings happening at all.â
"I don't appreciate a gossip rag trying to blame me for something that doesn't exist," he told the obnoxious witch in front of him. Dirk tried to keep his temper in check as he turned away from her. When someone else stepped into his path, he put a hand up. "I really don't want to deal with this right now."
Merlin, he knew the Westenbergs were rich but not this rich. Despite being Purebloods the Bones lived a relatively modest hardworking life and never had the type of old money that the rest of the family seemed to have. Knowing his own personality, that was probably for the better.
âOh sorry,â Edgar said as the doors closed, not experiencing the same sort of panic that his friend seemed to have. Wouldnât the goblins notice? Or maybe they hated Edgar so much that they would never want to let him out. âUh, do you think thereâs another handle on this side?â
Dirk rubbed his hand against his face trying to think. âThereâs no handle,â he said miserably. âItâs an anti-theft enchantment. Asher got me included on it, which his parents didnât love, mind you, but it makes sense with how often Iâm here. I forgot all about it.â
He looked up at the door with a sigh, knowing it wasnât about to budge. âSurely heâll realize somethingâs wrong when we donât come back right away, but it would be just like him to go back up to report it first and turn it into a long process instead of just walking over and letting us out.â
