BARREL ON THROUGH

Davey || 20 || Order of the Phoenix || Former Gryffindor || Shop Assistant 

[middlegudgeon]

obagman‌:

Turns out Davey wasn’t done with the surprises. Frankly this one was more shocking than any of the fighting Death Eaters stuff had been. And more unbelievable if he was being honest. Davey was dating Dorcas Meadowes. Dating! Sure she was hot but she was also scary as fuck. And frankly a little out of their league. Even with the whole secret army shit probably elevating Davey’s league out of his, she still felt out of it. Not that it stopped him from deciding Dorcas was the lucky one because his mate was awesome. He was just surprised as fuck. “You’re dating Dorcas? Now you’ve got to be fucking with me. Dorcas? Whoa. Things really are different.” He wasn’t so sure about the liking her part. Sure he got along with most people so he might but he wasn’t so sure she’d like him. That was probably gonna be as much fun as one of those dinners Ludo sometimes dragged him to. Only this would probably involve a pop quiz of some sort.

Otto smile at Davey’s words, glad Davey wasn’t made at him for not trusting him. It was kind of a bummer he couldn’t tell Ludo but he wouldn’t. “Promise,” he said solemnly. That didn’t last too long once Davey told him about what everyone had been doing. That and the idea of Davey following a rule had him laughing. “Guess there was a reason for not following them before after all,”  he quipped. “Imagine all. The arse biting you saved yourself from. Kinda makes all those detentions worth it.” He smiled over at Davey glad things were good again. But he still had loads of questions. “So crazy Toots really fights Death Eaters? That’s wild, mate.” Almost as wild as the whole Davey dating Dorcas Meadoes thing. Maybe people were right when they said the world was all mixed up now. Sure felt like it right now.

Davey couldn’t help but chuckle when Otto asked if Davey was fucking with him. That was the same reaction he’d have had if Otto told him he was dating Dorcas Meadowes. And quite frankly, the fact still shocked Davey most of the time. His smile turned sheepish, though, when Otto mentioned just how different things were. “Yeah, you can say that again,” Davey agreed, taking another sip of firewhiskey. “I sorta keep expecting her to wake up one day and realize how out of my league she is,” he admitted with another chuckle. Merlin, he was glad he could talk to Otto again.

“Thanks.” He smiled at the other’s promise. That was all the assurance Davey needed to know Otto would keep his secret safe. And just like that, things felt almost normal again. Davey laughed. “Hell yeah it does! Only lesson I’ve learned is there are no rules worth following, I mean fucking hell,” Davey shook his head, still aghast that this was how his one attempt at rule following turned out; it had almost lost him his best friendship. Again he laughed when Otto asked about Tilden, his reaction the same as Davey’s had been. “Yeah! Weird, right? Still, I don’t think anyone was more shocked than they were when I showed up. Wish you could’ve seen the looks on everyone’s faces when they all saw me for the first time.” Davey grinned. It hadn’t felt so funny at the time, but talking about it with Otto now, Davey was almost proud of how much he’d had everyone fooled.

[middlegudgeon]

obagman‌:

Otto wrinkled his nose a little at the whole quiet thing. Living at home since Ludo had moved out had been too quiet for Otto. Living alone sounded even worse. But Davey left him wondering about something completely different. “Wait, Meadowes isn’t just Doe now she’s coming over to your place? Are you two legit mates now?” That seemed weird. Not Davey being friends with a bird but Dorcas Meadowes wasn’t just a bird. She was a crazy intense, uptight bird who’d been housemates with Galvin. That was a whole lot of weird regardless of what Davey said about it not being weird.

Maybe it was shallow of him to feel good about the fact that Davey was basically saying he was cooler than all his new secret army mates but he did. Mostly though he was just glad to get his best mate back. “You were but maybe you weren’t the only one that was an idiot,” Otto decided. “I knew something was going on with you. I should have trusted you. It’s just everything was changing and if you were living up to your potential where’d that leave me?” Otto knew he really didn’t have any potential. But he was also not so dumb that he didn’t know Davey was a lot smarter than most people thought. Something that had never mattered but once Davey had started lying and sneaking around he couldn’t help thinking maybe it did now. “I’m glad we’re best mates again but I don’t want you to get kicked out. What you’re doing sounds important and pretty groovy. So do you have to like wipe my memory now or something?” He knew they did it to muggles all the time so it was probably safe. But he wasn’t sure where that would leave him and Davey now which sucked. “Can you leave the part where we’re back to being mates?”

Of course Otto would understand Davey’s distaste for living quietly. But before he could dive into that one any further, Otto was reminding him of something else Davey had yet to fill him in on. “Oh. Right, sorry, erm, I guess I thought you saw her at the hospital. I uh...well mates probably isn’t the right word for it,” he smiled sheepishly. “We’ve, er...sort of been seeing each other, actually.” Which was still strange to say out loud, though this one at least was good strange. Definitely strange though, and he could only imagine what Otto would think of it. “She’s actually a lot cooler than she seems at first. I really think you’d like her if you got to know her. Like -- actually got to know her, ‘cause it took me about a month before I stopped wanting to jinx her mouth shut,” Davey admitted with a sheepish chuckle, mostly so Otto would know he hadn’t just done a complete 180 overnight. He trusted Otto not to repeat that to anyone, though he also knew that Doe knew perfectly well how he’d once regarded her, and it had been mutual. It was wild to think how far they’d come since. But brilliant as she was, Doe couldn’t fill the hole that Otto’s friendship left behind. 

He was surprised when Otto said Davey wasn’t the only idiot. As much as Davey appreciated the sentiment, he shook his head. “Nah, you didn’t do anything wrong, mate. I don’t blame you for being pissed.” Davey would have been, too. And he could only hope he’d have been as forgiving as Otto was being right now. Especially at the next thing he said. I’m glad we’re best mates again. Just like that, they were best mates again, and just like that Davey felt a giant weight lift off his shoulders. A wide grin pulled at his lips and he laughed as he shook his head at Otto’s questions. “Wha -- no way! Just -- y’know, don’t tell anyone. Ever. I told you, the problem was never that I didn’t trust you. Turns out everyone was just talking out their arses about the whole ‘don’t tell a soul’ thing. I mean -- it is a huge secret. But apparently just about everyone’s told somebody they trust outside the Order.” Davey shook his head, pissed that he hadn’t known that for so long. “Figures the first time I actually cared about following a rule it’d bite me in the arse, doesn’t it?” He grumbled. Talk about irony.

[middlegudgeon]

obagman‌:

At least Ludo wasn’t right about Davey turning into a know-it-all git like his brother. Or changing so much that he thought thick arse books were fun. It was probably more of a relief than it should have been considering everything else Davey was telling him. Especially that mention of weird injuries. But hadn’t Davey always gotten weird injuries? It was kind of normal in a sea of not normal. Though normal would have been him and Davey getting them together. Or him at least knowing about them. Instead it was from dueling of all things. Something they didn’t really do. Or hadn’t. Apparently it was something Davey did now. But not for fun so it didn’t feel too different. Just a different version of sticking up for someone he supposed. “You like it at least, living on your own? Must be kinda nice. No one to tell you not to eat cereal in your underwear in the living room at three in the afternoon.” Not that Otto had ever tried that but Ludo had plenty.

The job thing was the thing that stung the most because that had happened about the time that he’d dropped Otto. All Otto’s feelings about everything had gotten all tangled together.  But even he could admit what Davey was saying made sense. After all those last few weeks at work he’d been a pretty shit employee which was saying something because he and Otto had never really taken the shop seriously as it was. The rest of what Davey had to say was a lot. Otto didn’t know what to make of it all. Davey’s explanations were living him with more questions really. Like since when was Meadows, Doe? Or since when did Davey like working? Especially to the point where he might wanna work for the Ministry? Though Otto had to say if you were gonna work for the Ministry the Department of Mysteries was probably the coolest, if you could call any part of the Ministry cool. While he didn’t admit it out loud he kind of didn’t like that Davey wasn’t miserable in his new job. Which made him feel like a shit friend because what sort of friend wants their best mate to be miserable at work?

It was hard to keep up with the last of what Davey had to say. Otto was pretty confused till the very end. That at least he knew what to say to. “Glad about that cause I didn’t really like that version.” Davey had been a little too good at being a shit friend. Though with everything Davey had just told him he was left with yet another question. “Why do you wanna be friends with me again? I mean it kinda sounds like you’ve got all these new mates that you’re fighting Death Eaters with and shit. I’m still just me, a bloke living with his parents and working at the quidditch shop.” Not that Otto didn’t like his life, it was okay. He really wasn’t sure what he’d be doing if he wasn’t working at the quidditch shop, probably working at another shop. He didn’t even mind living at home. Well a little more now that the creepy house elf was there but before Ludo had brought her it hadn’t been too bad living at home. But Davey’s new life sounded decidedly cooler than his. While Davey hadn’t said anything about new mates Otto figured if you were in some sort of secret army together you kinda had to be mates. I mean why wouldn’t you be?

Did Davey like living alone? Of all the questions Otto could have asked, this was one of the least expected -- but Otto had always been good at unexpected. It was one of the reasons he and Davey always got along so well. Davey chuckled in spite of everything else at the comment about eating cereal in his underwear. “It’s...I dunno, it’s alright,” he said with a shrug. “I guess I haven’t had that much free time to really enjoy it. It’s...quiet.” Davey had never minded living with his parents and Gladys before his own lies became an issue. And he’d never much liked quiet. “Good thing is I can have Doe over without it being weird.” Or without her deciding he was too much of a loser for her, which Davey was still sort of surprised had yet to happen. 

It was even harder to talk to Otto about his new job. Not caring about that sort of thing was something they’d always shared. What if Otto didn’t like this new version of Davey that cared about things? It hadn’t occurred to him that Otto might think Davey didn’t want to be his friend anymore. “What?” Davey blurted in surprised. “So? I worked in the shop and lived with my parents until about a month ago.” As if Davey cared about that sort of thing, now or ever. “And the people in the Order are cool but they’re not really my friends. Definitely not my best mate. That’s you, man. Always has been. I -- I know I haven’t done a good job of acting like it. But I swear it never had anything to do with you. I was just an idiot. I was scared they’d kick me out of the Order, and...I guess I was scared of how fast everything was changing. But losing you as a friend is worse than either of those things.”

[middlegudgeon]

obagman‌:

“Fuck,” Otto breathed out when Davey mentioned Azkaban. That was an actual consequence, something Otto really hadn’t been thinking about. In fact if it hadn’t been for how not excited Davey seemed he’d have thought the whole thing was pretty fucking awesome. Fighting Death Eaters as some secret auror sounded like an adventure. But maybe it wasn’t that cool and Otto was glad he hadn’t said it. If he had taken the time to consider that death maybe was an actual consequence he might have not thought the whole thing was some grand adventure. But death wasn’t something Otto really considered as a real consequence. Not even with Davey flipping the bird to the old Grim Reaper lately. In fact that just sort of solidified the idea that it was something to escape not something that happened despite the fact that there had been plenty of people their age and younger that had been in the papers lately. It had just been easier to keep his head down and keep living his life. Something that had been getting harder even before Davey gave him this news.

He shook his head at Davey’s words about the bees. “That’s crazy, mate,” he replied before taking another swig of what was left of his firewhiskey. “Don’t have to worry about bees at the shop.” Otto couldn’t help adding that because he was still bummed that Davey had decided to ditch the shop in favor of working for crazy Toots. “So all this time you’ve been training to be in some sort of secret not Ministry sanctioned army led by Dumbledore to fight the Death Eaters?” Something that sounded pretty insane but Otto still thought if Davey was gonna lie to him he’d have told him something more believable. There was just a few details Otto didn’t understand. A lot of details actually but a few that came to mind easier than the others. “What’s that got to do with you reading thick arse books, changing jobs, and moving out.” Something he’d heard about from other people.

Crazy was an understatement, but at least Otto wasn’t telling him to get lost. Yet. Davey just nodded and took another swig of his firewhiskey. He grimaced at Otto’s next comment, giving him a slight nod. “Guess not.” There were lots of jobs where Davey wouldn’t have to worry about bees. But it wasn’t like he’d sought this one out because of them, either. He just hadn’t let their presence stop him from taking it. “Pretty much, yeah,” Davey nodded, though he doubted Dumbledore would like to hear the Order referred to as an army. That was what it was, though. From anyone else it might have been a surprise that after everything Davey just shared, he was being asked about the books and the job and the move. From Otto, it felt normal. Davey couldn’t help a slight grin and a soft chuckle. 

“The books were for training,” Davey started with the easiest answer. “And they were as boring as they looked.” At least that was something that hadn’t changed. “As for moving out, it was hard enough lying to mum and Gladys about where I was when I was just training. Once they started sending me out, I was coming and going at all kinds of strange hours and with weird injuries I couldn’t explain away. The lying was just too hard, so...I moved. My parents and Gladys can’t worry about why I’m not coming home ‘til 4 am if I’m not living with them.” Davey shrugged. It didn’t feel great, but that was the truth. 

“The job’s sort of the same. Tilden’s in the Order, too -- that’s how I overheard him talking about needing a potioneer - so I don’t have to make up excuses when I need to come in late or reschedule a shift. It’s easier.” Davey paused, his fingers tapping the side of his bottle. It would have been easy to leave it at that. It was all true, after all. But it was only part of the truth. He took a breath. “But...it wasn’t just that. I mean -- I wouldn’t have even thought about it if it wasn’t for the Order, but...I dunno. It’s the first place where fucking around and being an idiot isn’t a good thing, ya know? I have to actually work at it, and...it turns out I’m sort of good at it? And Doe started telling me I could be doing more, and that maybe there were other options besides the shop or the Ministry, and...I dunno.” Davey’s eyes flickered down to his firewhiskey bottle. “I was actually going to apply to the Department of Mysteries,” he admitted quietly, knowing exactly how that would sound to Otto. Exactly how it had sort of felt, or felt like it should feel to Davey. “Then I heard Tilden, and -- well, he was probably the only person who had any reason to believe I’m decent with potions, and I don’t have to wear a tie or anything, and so far it’s not bad. It’s not as fun as the shop. But...I don’t hate it.” That felt like a bigger admission than it should have been. Because it was admitting that he might be changing. And what if Otto didn’t like him as much anymore? 

Davey met his eyes again. “I wanted to talk to you about all of it but I didn’t know how without tying in all the Order stuff too. It’s like...everything’s flipped upside down and I can’t tell which parts I actually want and which parts are just ‘cause of the order anymore. It’s just all different and I don’t --” Davey ran a hand through his hair. “I feel like….I’m two different people or something, and neither version works with the other, and -- I dunno which one is right and which one is -- I dunno. I just don’t wanna keep being the version of me that’s a shit friend.”

[middlegudgeon]

obagman‌:

Otto just looked at Davey with a raised eyebrow when the other pulled out his wand and cast a spell. Maybe he was more afraid of Ludo than Otto had realized. Sure Ludo could be a hot head but Otto was sure he wouldn’t hurt Davey. Certainly not if Otto asked him not to. Or maybe what he was about to tell Otto was bat shit insane. As Davey talked a lot of things played out on Otto’s face. Disbelief, surprise, concern, the top three. There was a lot to take in. Otto didn’t fully understand all of it. Anyone else and the doubt might have been the primary reaction. But Davey didn’t make up long winding stories like this. And if he was gonna wouldn’t he have done it right from the start? Otto sat in stunned silence for a few moments after Davey finished trying to take it all in.

“I think I’m gonna need one of those fire whiskey’s mate,” he finally said, still clearly overwhelmed by everything Davey had told him. He drained almost the whole bottle before speaking up again. “So you’re like an auror now?” He didn’t know what Dorcas Meadowes did but he knew Mike McKinnon was an auror. “Hang on, Death Eaters? Was that why you were in the hospital, not bees?” The thought just connected for him. Had Davey nearly been killed a second time by Death Eaters? He had said he was fighting Death Eaters. A thought that was insane. Not because he doubted Davey’s ability. His best mate could handle his wand and had never backed away from telling people what he thought, especially those Slytherin losers. And everyone knew that Dumbledore had defeated the biggest dark wizard ever so him being a secret auror made a lot of sense. There was probably not much that bloke couldn’t do.

As Otto stared at him in stunned silence, Davey braced himself for the worst. For Otto to not believe him, or not believe parts of what he’d said, or maybe even just to laugh him off. Davey had never made up stories like this before, but he’d been acting so oddly lately, he wouldn’t even blame Otto for deciding that Davey was starting now. Only that wasn’t what happen. Davey let out a slightly relieved chuckle when Otto grabbed a firewhiskey. “Reckon I could use one, too,” Davey agreed, taking one of his own and sipping on it until Otto finally spoke up again.

“An auror?” Maybe it was a good sign that was the first thing that Otto was asking, and not something along the lines of, why should I believe you. “I -- only sort of. There are a lot of aurors working with us, but...we’re not Ministry-sanctioned. Actually, the Ministry is a huge part of the reason we have to keep things quiet. They’d probably send us all off to Azkaban for working outside the law or some other bullshit,” Davey scoffed. “Like we’d be taking it on ourselves to fight Death Eaters if the Ministry was actually doing it themselves.” He shook his head, though Otto’s next question surprised him enough to distract him from that train of thought. Davey let out a dark chuckle. “You’d think, wouldn’t you? But no, ah -- that one was actually bees, believe it or not. I took that job with Tilden Toots, he’s got loads of plants everywhere so...guess it was just a matter of time.” Davey shrugged and took another swig of his firewhiskey. There were too many ways he could die these days, it seemed. 

[middlegudgeon]

obagman‌:

So he did know Otto had come by. Rats. Or not. Otto wasn’t really sure what to think about that ‘sorry I missed you.’ After all Davey had been pretty clear on the state of things the last time they’d talked. Maybe almost dying a second time had fixed whatever the first time had messed up? Otto had probably almost died a few times but not really in the way Davey had recently. His was usually the result of some dumb shit that hadn’t worked out. Fun, and usually worth the trip to Saint Mungo’s or a healer if need be. Davey’s were decidedly not fun and so not something Otto knew about. Just like he didn’t know about what Davey was saying so he didn’t say anything back. Instead he just nodded and let Davey know he wasn’t in the mood for a repeat of last time.

But apparently Davey wasn’t looking to rehash that conversation. Instead he was offering the truth. “Yeah, you are,” he agreed without any venom as he tried to decide if he should trust Davey. He was swayed by the ‘I miss you,’ because he too missed Davey. Not that anyone who knew him would be surprised at his acceptance, Otto never held grudges. “Yeah, alright,” he agreed. Two steps to the house he stopped. “Er, let’s go to the garage.” Otto wanted to hear Davey out, not have Ludo slamming doors in his face again. Not that he hadn’t appreciated his brother for doing that. But twice in one night was too much. Especially when he really did wanna hear Davey out. He led the way to the garage, knowing Davey would follow rather than face Ludo again. Once inside he pulled out two crates his dad kept out there to use when he had to have man-to-man talks with him and Ludo. Not the most comfortable things but Otto found the chats way worse than the crates. A quick cushion charm and they were passable.

“Glad your okay now,” he finally said as he settled on one. Thanks to the charm the only uncomfortable thing was the weirdness between him and Davey. “I maybe missed you too, a little.” A massive understatement. Sure his other mates were fun but they weren’t Davey. Work hadn’t been as much fun either. Otto had almost owled Davey a dozen times at least before remembering that Davey was being a jerk. It sucked, a lot. “So uh, let’s here it.”

Perhaps Davey should have been offended at Otto’s quick agreement that he was an idiot, but Davey just felt relieved that the agreement didn’t come with the bitterness or venom that was, quite frankly, deserved. But Otto had always been kinder than that. Davey had always done his best to make sure that kindness wasn’t taken advantage of. Now it felt like he was the one taking advantage. But still Davey was relieved when Otto agreed to hear him out, and even more relieved when he stopped short of heading into the house and chose the garage instead. Thank Merlin for that. This was going to be a delicate enough conversation even without  considering the fact that everything Davey was about to tell Otto was top-secret Order secrets. 

Leave it to Otto to offer him privacy for that even when he didn’t know that was what Davey needed. “Thanks,” he gave Otto an appreciative smile and followed him inside, taking a seat on the crate opposite Otto and giving him another small smile when Otto offered more kind words that Davey absolutely didn’t deserve -- but he was relieved to hear all the same. Their friendship wasn’t completely over. Not yet. 

“Right,” Davey nodded, but before he launched into his explanation he pulled out his own wand and cast another spell, this one to ensure no one would overhear them. “Okay, I…” Davey paused, realizing that he had no idea how to explain any of what had been going on. He settled for just laying everything out there, and then filling in the blanks and answering the inevitable questions later. “There’s a group. A secret group, led by Dumbledore. And -- we’re fighting the Death Eaters.” Davey paused a moment to let that sink in, then continued, “I joined after the attack at the quidditch shop. Dorcas Meadowes is a member, that’s how I found out about them. Well -- Mike McKinnon told me about it after I started asking questions about why Doe was so good at fighting Death Eaters. Anyways, I -- she trained me for about two months. Combative spells, jinxes, shield charms, non-verbals -- all kinds of stuff. That’s why I was so busy, missing shifts, rearranging my schedule. And then after that...the actual fighting started.” Davey’s shoulders drew in slightly, his gaze drifting away for a moment before he focused back in on where he was and why he was there. “I wanted to tell you everything so bad, Otto,” the words came out in a rush, the anguish and stress he’d been carrying for months seeping into his voice and rising as he continued. “Everything started happening so fast, mate, and I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone, anyone, and it wasn’t just something I could -- I knew I could trust you, Otto, I never doubted that for a second, but they give us bloody truth potions, Otto, and if I told anyone and they found out then they would stop trusting me, and they’d kick me out, and then I wouldn’t be able to do anything, and after that night at the shop I just -- I couldn’t not do anything anymore. I can’t. And I was so scared that if I told you, someone would find out and -- and that would be it, and I’d be helpless again, but -- I was an idiot, Otto, to think I could just deal with all of it without you, and I was an idiot to lie to you because you deserve so much better than that, and everything’s changing so fast but you’re my best mate, Otto, and I just -- I’m so sorry.” Finally Davey’s voice broke off, and it was all he could do to look helplessly at his best mate -- because that was what Otto was to him, even if he would respect Otto’s decision to decide Davey was no longer his best mate -- and hope that he hadn’t lost him forever.

[middlegudgeon]

obagman‌:

A house elf opened the door to the Bagman’s house and peered up at Davey. “Can I assist you, sir?” The question was no sooner spoken than Ludo Bagman’s voice boomed out from in the house. “Is that the food, I’m fucking starving!” Another voice, this one Mrs. Bagman’s, called out softer than the first but with an unmistakable firmness. “Language Ludo!” His reply sounded closer giving away that Ludo was coming towards the door, “Sorry, mum!” The sound of Ludo muttering under his breath preceded him coming into view. As soon as he recognized Davey his face showed first disappointment and then anger. “You’ve got some nerve showing your face around here. You can fuck right back to where you came from. Otto would tell you himself but he’s out.” Ludo pushed aside the house elf so he could slam the door. Pausing before he did so to add, “Let Galvin know I got my mum a house elf. There’s no way those losers pay him enough to do that.” With a grin he slammed the door in Davey’s face. Through the door he could be heard telling the house elf, “ That’s exactly what you do if he shows up here again. He’s not welcome.” Followed by a slightly louder, “It wasn’t the food mum.”

Otto hadn’t seen the whole thing but he’d seen enough to know what was happening. He could have snuck away and waited till Davey had gone. That was sort of what he’d done at the hospital. He still wasn’t sure why he’d even bothered going. Except Gladys’ owl said he’d nearly died and well just because Davey had turned into a massive asre didn’t Otto had to. Still it had been a relief when Davey had been sleeping because Otto didn’t know what he’d say. Even though he hadn’t said anything about visiting he had a feeling Davey found out somehow and that was why he was here. It didn’t dawn on him that he’d bought the same gift, Davey’s favorite candy from Honeydukes, that he’d given Davey after the Whomping Willow. Or that he’d nearly signed the card, stopping after O. Or even that after all their years of friendship Davey would have been able to recognize his writing. Instead he’d thought he’d been pretty stealthy about it all. Except here was Davey.

With fire whiskey like the night Davey had decided they weren’t gonna be mates anymore. Otto didn’t know what to think. But he decided he wasn’t gonna sneak off anywhere. He deserved an answer as to what Davey thought he was doing. And why Davey had apparently not told his family they weren’t mates anymore. “Out of the hospital, eh,” he called out from behind Davey. That probably wasn’t what you said to an ex-best mate who owed you a hell of a lot of answers but Otto had never been aggressive. Or had any experience on what to do with ex mates, let alone a best one. He didn’t make any move towards Davey and his house. Ludo would have lots to say if Otto let Davey in and he didn’t really wanna hear it. He loved his big brother but some things a bloke had to do for himself. He figured this was one of those things even if he didn’t know exactly what was happening here or what to do with it. “If this is you deciding we need to have another one of those talks where you just decided we’re not mates anymore you can just leave the fire whiskey and spare me the half-arsed apologies and what-not.” The words didn’t have the heat he’d have liked them to have but there was still enough to get the point across that he wasn’t in the mood for another chat like their last one.

It was something of a relief when the house elf answered the door, but that was short-lived when Davey heard Ludo’s voice, close and getting closer. Shit! “Uh -- y’know what, I think I’ll just --” Davey’s excuse to the elf was cut short when Ludo appeared. Fuck. Davey knew he deserved the look Ludo gave him, as well as the words that followed. What felt uncalled for was that last dig at Galvin before the arse slammed the door shut in Davey’s face. Honestly, Ludo should have known Davey at least well enough to know that he couldn’t insult Davey by insulting Galvin. And yet, this time it sort of bothered him. 

Davey let out a defeated sigh, wondering what his next move should be. Should he leave and come back later? For all Davey knew, Otto wasn’t even out, but had instead instructed Ludo to slam the door in Davey’s face if he showed up. He didn’t have to wonder about that one for long, though. Davey jumped in surprise when he heard Otto’s voice from behind him, whirling around to face his -- mate? His ex-mate? Davey had never stopped thinking of Otto as his friend, but that didn’t mean Davey had been a good one. “Uh...yeah,” Dave nodded awkwardly. “Thanks for the candy. I um, I was sorry I missed you.” Maybe Otto wouldn’t believe that, but it was the truth. It also hadn’t escaped Davey’s notice that Otto had brought Davey the same thing he had after the Willow Incident. How different things were now. 

Davey knew he deserved the harsh words from Otto, but he winced all the same. “No, I --” Davey hated how poorly that had gone. Hated that Otto thought Davey didn’t want to be his friend anymore. But he couldn’t blame Otto for that. “I’m here to tell you the truth. ...If you want to hear it,” Davey tacked on. He couldn’t blame Otto if he didn’t want to hear anything else Davey had to say. But he had to try. “I’m an idiot, mate.” That felt like the understatement of the century. “And -- I miss you. Please, just -- hear me out?” 

[middlegudgeon]

Davey had always figured it would be bees that finally took him out. He’d also always sort of figured it would happen sooner than he was ready for it. Maybe that was part of the reason he took all the risks he did. Davey wanted to live life on his own terms. Unafraid. Why should he let an allergy stop him from taking a job he wanted? Why should he walk around with a potion in his pocket like a paranoid worrywart, when he could just as easily get killed walking around Diagon Alley these days? Not to mention how he was spending his free time lately. 

And yet, it wasn’t Death Eaters that landed him in St. Mungo’s. It was bloody bees. So now here he was with a small vial of antidote weighing heavily in his pocket, an ever-present reminder of how close he’d just come to dying and how easily it could happen again. ‘Not if you just take the potion, dumbarse,’ Doe’s voice echoed in his head. But Davey had always struggled to see past the small disclaimer he’d noticed on the bottle he was given after his first bee sting: 80% effective. 

Sometimes it felt a little bit like the universe was telling him something. From that first bee sting when he was a kid, to the incident with the Whomping Willow (though Davey had quite literally flown right into that one), to the attack on the quidditch shop, and now his latest bee sting, Davey wondered if his entire existence up to this point was a fluke. Or if this was a sign; everything in his life was changing so quickly, it was becoming harder to pretend he didn’t care. Or maybe it was just that before now, he hadn’t been pretending. He’d gone with the flow, and that worked for him. Only it hadn’t, had it? That was what landed him at the attack in the quidditch shop in the first place.

Whatever the universe wanted for him, though, the fact of the matter was Davey hadn’t died yet. He was still alive. And he was tired of lying to the people he cared about -- especially Otto. Maybe he couldn’t tell his family about his new hobbies, but he also wasn’t going to lose them over it. Davey thought he’d already lost Otto, until he woke up in the hospital to discover the other had been by to see him. The fact Otto left said plenty about the state Davey had left their friendship in -- but Otto had come. That had to mean he could still save it. So thanks to an eye-opening conversation with Doe, Davey stood at Otto’s doorstep just as he’d done a few weeks ago, with a 6-pack of his and Otto’s favorite firewhiskey in hand. But this time he wasn’t just going to apologize. This time he was going to tell the truth. All of it. Bracing himself for the sight of Ludo or Otto’s parents, or even for Otto to slam the door in his face -- if he didn’t just ignore Davey’s presence altogether -- Davey reached out and knocked.

[middlegudgeon]

obagman:

It wasn’t about who found out first, Otto didn’t really care about that. It was about showing up to Davey’s house to help him out only to find out it’d been a lie. It was about Otto not knowing how long Davey had been lying to him or what all had been lies. It was about Davey changing. And Otto feeling left out by that change. Left behind. It was about Otto not knowing what to do because he wasn’t sure he could trust Davey, Davey had lied to him. The thought made him feel sick. Was Davey telling the truth about this being the only time he’d lied to Otto? Was he telling the truth about anything? Had he ever been? Otto hated this. He hated not knowing if Davey was being honest or not. He missed when things were simple. When he knew without any doubt he could trust Davey completely. Knew that the pair of them were best mates. This was all so complicated. “We haven’t had plans to cancel in a while,” he mumbled out looking at his firewhisky. It wasn’t important to the conversation but it was easier to think about that than what he was supposed to be thinking about. If he wanted to stay mates with Davey despite Davey telling him nothing was going to change. Which fucking sucked! Why was this on him when it was Davey? “It felt like you’d already made the choice not to be friends for me.” Before Davey showed up at his door it had felt like that. Now he was supposed to make the choice? And what choice? Did they count as friends if Davey jsut popped by randomly? “I dunno what you want me to say. That it’s okay you’re lying to me and blowing me off? Cause it’s not okay. It pisses me off. I was really worried about you, man. I thought you were having some sort of meltdown or something.” And then he’d found out Davey was just blowing him off for other people. Only Davey wasn’t even being honest about that part.

Otto had a point. They hadn’t had plans to cancel for a while. Because Davey hadn’t tried to make any, and he’d been busy every time Otto asked. That part hadn’t been lies -- it was just the why that had been. Not that that mattered; of course it didn’t. Why should it, from Otto’s perspective? Maybe he was right. Maybe Davey had already made the choice. Only it wasn’t a choice he wanted to make. He didn’t want to lose his best friend. But he also couldn’t blame Otto for not being okay with lies. Davey wouldn’t have been, either. For a bloke who’d always prided himself on creativity and invention -- he couldn’t think of a single way out of this one. Couldn’t think of a single way to fix this. “Who says I’m not?” Davey couldn’t help asking softly, a humorless laugh following. It certainly felt like he was having some sort of meltdown; his life unrecognizable in such a short amount of time, no one he could truly confide in. The one person he might have hurt because of him. “Guess I should go then,” he said after another moment, words spoken to the carpet. Davey wasn’t a quitter. But he didn’t know how to fix this, couldn’t wrap his mind around something that worked, and he couldn’t bring himself to risk getting kicked out of the Order. It was too important. More important than keeping his friendship, because if the Order didn’t succeed none of that would matter, because the Death Eaters would win and he and Otto would be lost regardless. He was doing the right thing; Davey was certain of it. 

He just wished it didn’t feel so horrible. 

[middlegudgeon]

obagman:

Otto didn’t know what to do. He wished Ludo was around to tell him, or his parents. Davey used to be on that list. A thought that just upset him more. “Sure, it’s got nothing to do with me. I’m just getting blown off, lied to, the last person to find out my best mate quit. But it’s nothing to do with me, whatever.” Otto kicked the carpet under his foot. Sure felt like it had something to do with him. “Hell am I even going to see you anymore now that you’re not gonna be blowing me off at work?” It was sad that felt like what their friendship had been since Davey got attacked. This was starting to feel like maybe the six pack was a goodbye for good and not a ‘sorry I’ve been such an arse.’ Otto sighed, his head felt jumbled up, his heart too. Davey had been his best mate since they were eleven. They’d done stupid shit together. Davey had always had his back. Otto knew he could get talked into shit too easily but Davey was always there to make sure Otto never got talked into anything bad. He’d never have guessed that Davey would be the one to lie and treat him like this. “I dunno what to do,” he confessed. “What would you do if I was the one blowing you off, lying and avoiding you? Getting some new life and only telling you after. Saying all this shit about not being able to tell you why. Making you feel like some idiot loser because you were worried I was in a bad place mentally and didn’t know how to help but turns out you were just doing secret stuff.” Otto got turned around at the end, switching him and Davey had gotten too complicated. But he didn’t notice it, he was too busy thinking that he was proving he was an idiot loser by asking the person who was treating him like crap what to do. He just didn’t think Davey would let him get away with treating him like this. Davey never let anyone treat him badly. He’d even stood up to Jones and she scared the shit out of Otto.

All of this was Davey’s fault and he knew it. Otto had every right to draw whatever conclusions he wanted about what Davey was doing and why, because Davey wasn’t telling the other anything himself. But it still stung, that Otto seemed so set on taking this personally when Davey wanted so badly to tell him the truth. If it was just a matter of trusting Otto he’d have broken the damn rules already and told Otto what was going on. But it wasn’t. It was a matter of the Order trusting Davey, or that was how he saw it. Wasn’t that why they’d all been pumped up with truth potion that night? What if that happened again, and Davey was forced to reveal he’d told someone about the Order? He doubted Moody would care however much Davey vouched for the person he’d told. It would be a betrayal. He was stuck with this, all bottled up inside himself while his whole life spiraled further and further from what it used to be. Otto included. “It’s not got anything to do with you,” Davey insisted again, even though Otto didn’t believe him. “And you’re not the last person to find out, the only others I’ve told are my parents.” Like that really mattered. What mattered was he hadn’t told Otto first. What mattered that he was a shit friend. He’d known trying to tell Otto he couldn’t tell him the truth wouldn’t fix anything. Hadn’t come here planning to say that much. But it spilled out, because he was desperate, because he missed his best mate, and all he’d done was make everything worse. Everything Otto said, everything he accused Davey of doing was true, each statement a knife in his gut. Davey wanted so badly to explain everything away. But Otto wasn’t asking for an explanation, at least not any explanation Davey could give. He was asking what Davey would do. The least he could do was be honest. “If our positions were reversed?” He asked, letting out a long breath. “I’d do whatever I could to make you tell me what was going on, because you’re my best mat and you’ve never lied to me before. But you wouldn’t tell me. No matter what I did. No matter how much you wanted to.” Davey forced himself to look at Otto then, because that was the painful truth. He couldn’t tell him anything. “And at that point? I’d have to decide if it was worth being friends with you, knowing you were going to have to lie to me and cancel plans all the time.” Davey swallowed hard, eyes finding the carpet, his words nothing more than a whisper. “I won’t blame you if it’s not.”

[obagman]

middlegudgeon:

Bloody hell, did it feel good to sit here in Otto’s living room with firewhiskey, laughing with his mate about the stupid shit their older brother’s did. If only that feeling could have lasted. If anything, it just felt like a cruel reminder of what he felt like he’d lost as everything crumbled again so quickly. Davey was a git. And an idiot. And like Galvin? Fuck. If that one had been intended to sting – and how could it not have been, when Otto knew what a sensitive subject he was poking at – then mission accomplish. But Davey couldn’t even say anything. Because Otto was right; why was he here, when he couldn’t even be honest? What did he expect Otto to do, just happily accept the fact that Davey was going to be lying from him and dodging questions until – when? Until the war was over? If it ever fucking ended, if Davey even survived that long. This was why he’d been avoiding Otto in the very limited free time he did have. He hadn’t been avoiding his mate; he’d been avoiding this argument. He hadn’t even wanted to have it today, but he should have known it was going to come up. And he should have known that trying to apologize, trying to explain himself, was only going to make things worse. But what else was he supposed to do, aside from betray the vow he’d made when he joined the Order? How the hell did everyone else in the Order do it? Only Davey already suspected the answer to that. Most of them had come in pairs, hadn’t they? Toots and Dearborn, Doe and Nicholson, The Prewett, all the damn McKinnons – the list went on. Being in the Order wasn’t easy for anyone, but surely that had to help. But Davey was alone. He looked up when the anger left Otto’s voice, his heart only sinking further. He wanted to say yes. He wanted so badly to say yes. But he couldn’t. “You’ve always been my mate,” Davey said quietly. Davey may not have been a good one in return, but he’d never not considered Otto his mate. He didn’t blame Otto for feeling the opposite. Especially considering what he had to say next. “But….I don’t know when things are gonna be normal again. I…I put in my two weeks’ at the shop,” he breathed out, the thing he’d actually come here to tell Otto. “I wanted to tell you in person. I overheard Tilden Toots saying he needed someone to help brew his new line of potions so I uh, asked him about it and he took me on. Already knew I was good with potions,” Davey dared to add with a small smile that felt pathetically hopeful as he called back to the time he’d accidentally dosed Toots with love potion.

Otto didn’t want to be mad. He hated the feeling. It was why Ludo won all their arguments. But this wasn’t about Ludo eating more than his share of a cake or stealing his favorite shirt. This was about Davey lying to him. Blowing him off. It didn’t make it any better that Davey apparently never stopped thinking Otto was his mate because he hadn’t treated Otto like his mate. He’d treated Otto like he didn’t matter. Like his feelings didn’t matter. And now he was leaving? “What?” Otto couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was so upset he couldn’t even find it in him to laugh about the fact that Davey was going to work for the bloke he’d doused with love potion. “You already put in your notice?” Was he the last person who was finding it out? Should that even matter? “Is that why you’ve been wearing glasses and reading books now is cause you’re hanging out with Ravenclaws?” That sort of thing shouldn’t matter now that they were out of Hogwarts. But it kinda did. He’d always known Davey was smarter than him. Maybe it was only a matter of time before he found better people to hang out with. Smarter people. “So where’s that leave us then? You gonna keep lying, blowing me off, and we’re not even working at the same place? The only thing changes is instead of running into you at work I’m not gonna see you until you get bored and decide to slum it?” Otto knew he wasn’t being very fair but Davey seemed to be hitting at all his insecurities now. Felt like Davey was outgrowing him. Besides the only reason he’d gone to work at the shop was Davey was working there. He might have still ended up there, it wasn’t like Otto had a lot of prospects. But getting to work with Davey had been a big draw. Maybe not seeing him at all would be easier. Hard to blow someone off if you never saw them.

[middlegudgeon]

“I…” It was only in this moment, hearing the shock and betrayal in Otto’s voice, that Davey realized he should have talked to him before he gave his notice. Of course he should have. He would have, it things had been normal. But nothing in his life was normal anymore. Everything flipped upside down, pieces falling like dominoes before Davey could even fully grasp what was happening. He’d gotten this new job yesterday, on a lark. Sure – he’d been considering applying to the Ministry before then, but nothing had really happened yet. Nothing that felt like he was really keeping something big from Otto, outside the obvious thing he couldn’t talk about. It was the same thing with the apartment. He’d come back from that mission injured yesterday and owled in to sign a lease because just like that, he knew he couldn’t stay at home anymore. Another thing he’d been looking into already – but there still would have been time to tell Otto. Would he have? Davey hoped so. He really fucking hoped so. But it was hard to say when all these changes were so mixed up in the Order, one way or another. When it was all happening so fast it suddenly felt like he had years to catch Otto up on, only Otto probably didn’t want to hear it anymore. And Davey couldn’t blame him. He looked down at the carpet again. He could still remember how scorched both their faces were, sharing glances and trying not to laugh while Otto’s mum chewed them out.

Fuck, he missed that.

Davey’s mind whirred, thoughts flashing through it at a pace too fast to keep up with, but Otto’s questions that stopped him from answering the first one had him looking up again. Ravenclaws? What was that even about? Had he seen Davey with Doe? “No, I’m not hanging out with Ravenclaws, fuck that.” He was hanging out with Ravenclaw, singular (or he was trying to), and not because he wanted to sit around reading textbooks with her. “I’m wearing fucking glasses because the healer told me I have to and I can’t wear contacts because I got hit in the eye by a bloody tree.” Something that might have been funny if not for the accusation in the way Otto asked him about it. Davey didn’t wake up one morning and decide he wanted to change everything about his life. It had just – happened, too quick for him to keep up.

So where did that leave them? It shouldn’t have mattered. It wouldn’t have mattered, maybe, except for the fact that Davey couldn’t tell the truth. But – “Slumming it?” The disbelief and hurt were clear in his voice, even if he deserved both of them. He shook his head. “Come on, mate, that’s not fair. That’s not what this is. I’ve missed you, I just…” And that was the problem, wasn’t it? The just. The but. He couldn’t be a good friend. He couldn’t be someone Otto wanted to be friends with. All he could be was a liar. “I want to tell you the truth, mate, I do, but I can’t. And it’s literally nothing to do with you, Otto, I swear. But….I’m sorry,” he repeated the words because it felt like all he could say that meant anything at all, each time more miserable than the last. “I can go, if you want.”

[obagman]

Otto felt bad and it made him angrier. This was on Davey. Davey was the one lying and being a git. He was the one being lied to. Left behind because his best mate decided to use his potential. Davey was the one people said had potential. Not Otto. Sure Davey blew it off. Laughed it away. Acted like they were wrong. But they hadn’t been. Even Otto knew that. Davey’s denials felt like the one person who had never made him feel dumb was now treating him like he was. Everything Davey was saying stung. And everything he wasn’t saying stung more.

“Not hanging out with them but you just happened to overhear him talking wherever you’re hanging out these days.” Otto was hurt and his voice reflected that. But it wasn’t just the new job, the new life it felt like Davey had now. “The Davey I know was proud of almost losing an eye to the Whomping Willow,” Otto reminded him sullenly. That had been one of the most amazing moments in Otto’s life. His best mate had faced the Willow and lived to brag about it. That Davey would have taken pride in not being able to wear contacts because of it. “Did you just come over to rub it in my face you got a new job? All this shit about how you can’t tell me anything. Why because I’m too stupid to understand?” Otto didn’t answer the question about Davey leaving because he didn’t know if he wanted that or not. All he knew was that this sucked and… “I just want my best mate back,” he mumbled miserably.

[middlegudgeon]

“I....yeah,” was all Davey could say to Otto’s comment about the Ravenclaws he wasn’t hanging out with. That was the truth, after all -- Davey did just happen to overhear Tilden at the place he’d been spending all his time. It was just that Davey couldn’t tell Otto where he was hanging out, that it wasn’t hanging out at all but something much worse, that he’d so much rather be getting into shit with his best mate like they always did. But maybe that was over, now, if Otto’s next words were any indication. The Davey I know. So what did that make him, then? Someone else? Maybe that wasn’t so far off, what with all the other changes that were coming at him in rapid succession. But one thing hadn’t change, would never change. “I am proud, mate, best day of my damn life,” Davey insisted, “but I’m getting sick of people getting on these damn glasses like they were my bloody idea!” Not people so much as person. As Otto, talking like Davey woke up one morning and decided he wanted to wear glasses and read textbooks and turn boring. Only Davey couldn’t very well blame him, could he? Not when he couldn’t tell Otto the truth. Not when Otto apparently thought Davey came here just to rub shit in his face and call him stupid. Too stupid. Davey should have seen this coming. He had seen it coming, sort of, only he hadn’t wanted it to go there. And it made him angry. Hadn’t he always had Otto’s back? Always been the one to say none of that shit mattered, and mean it? So he’d lied. He was trying to explain himself as best he could, and it felt like now Otto was just trying to paint him in an even worse light than he already saw himself. “No, mate, fuck that, I told you it’s nothing to do with you,” he repeated, frustration mingling with the misery he felt now. He let out a breath at the next thing Otto said, looking down again. “...So do I,” Davey whispered to the carpet.

[obagman]

middlegudgeon:

Bloody hell, did it feel good to sit here in Otto’s living room with firewhiskey, laughing with his mate about the stupid shit their older brother’s did. If only that feeling could have lasted. If anything, it just felt like a cruel reminder of what he felt like he’d lost as everything crumbled again so quickly. Davey was a git. And an idiot. And like Galvin? Fuck. If that one had been intended to sting – and how could it not have been, when Otto knew what a sensitive subject he was poking at – then mission accomplish. But Davey couldn’t even say anything. Because Otto was right; why was he here, when he couldn’t even be honest? What did he expect Otto to do, just happily accept the fact that Davey was going to be lying from him and dodging questions until – when? Until the war was over? If it ever fucking ended, if Davey even survived that long. This was why he’d been avoiding Otto in the very limited free time he did have. He hadn’t been avoiding his mate; he’d been avoiding this argument. He hadn’t even wanted to have it today, but he should have known it was going to come up. And he should have known that trying to apologize, trying to explain himself, was only going to make things worse. But what else was he supposed to do, aside from betray the vow he’d made when he joined the Order? How the hell did everyone else in the Order do it? Only Davey already suspected the answer to that. Most of them had come in pairs, hadn’t they? Toots and Dearborn, Doe and Nicholson, The Prewett, all the damn McKinnons – the list went on. Being in the Order wasn’t easy for anyone, but surely that had to help. But Davey was alone. He looked up when the anger left Otto’s voice, his heart only sinking further. He wanted to say yes. He wanted so badly to say yes. But he couldn’t. “You’ve always been my mate,” Davey said quietly. Davey may not have been a good one in return, but he’d never not considered Otto his mate. He didn’t blame Otto for feeling the opposite. Especially considering what he had to say next. “But….I don’t know when things are gonna be normal again. I…I put in my two weeks’ at the shop,” he breathed out, the thing he’d actually come here to tell Otto. “I wanted to tell you in person. I overheard Tilden Toots saying he needed someone to help brew his new line of potions so I uh, asked him about it and he took me on. Already knew I was good with potions,” Davey dared to add with a small smile that felt pathetically hopeful as he called back to the time he’d accidentally dosed Toots with love potion.

Otto didn’t want to be mad. He hated the feeling. It was why Ludo won all their arguments. But this wasn’t about Ludo eating more than his share of a cake or stealing his favorite shirt. This was about Davey lying to him. Blowing him off. It didn’t make it any better that Davey apparently never stopped thinking Otto was his mate because he hadn’t treated Otto like his mate. He’d treated Otto like he didn’t matter. Like his feelings didn’t matter. And now he was leaving? “What?” Otto couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was so upset he couldn’t even find it in him to laugh about the fact that Davey was going to work for the bloke he’d doused with love potion. “You already put in your notice?” Was he the last person who was finding it out? Should that even matter? “Is that why you’ve been wearing glasses and reading books now is cause you’re hanging out with Ravenclaws?” That sort of thing shouldn’t matter now that they were out of Hogwarts. But it kinda did. He’d always known Davey was smarter than him. Maybe it was only a matter of time before he found better people to hang out with. Smarter people. “So where’s that leave us then? You gonna keep lying, blowing me off, and we’re not even working at the same place? The only thing changes is instead of running into you at work I’m not gonna see you until you get bored and decide to slum it?” Otto knew he wasn’t being very fair but Davey seemed to be hitting at all his insecurities now. Felt like Davey was outgrowing him. Besides the only reason he’d gone to work at the shop was Davey was working there. He might have still ended up there, it wasn’t like Otto had a lot of prospects. But getting to work with Davey had been a big draw. Maybe not seeing him at all would be easier. Hard to blow someone off if you never saw them.

[middlegudgeon]

“I...” It was only in this moment, hearing the shock and betrayal in Otto’s voice, that Davey realized he should have talked to him before he gave his notice. Of course he should have. He would have, it things had been normal. But nothing in his life was normal anymore. Everything flipped upside down, pieces falling like dominoes before Davey could even fully grasp what was happening. He’d gotten this new job yesterday, on a lark. Sure -- he’d been considering applying to the Ministry before then, but nothing had really happened yet. Nothing that felt like he was really keeping something big from Otto, outside the obvious thing he couldn’t talk about. It was the same thing with the apartment. He’d come back from that mission injured yesterday and owled in to sign a lease because just like that, he knew he couldn’t stay at home anymore. Another thing he’d been looking into already -- but there still would have been time to tell Otto. Would he have? Davey hoped so. He really fucking hoped so. But it was hard to say when all these changes were so mixed up in the Order, one way or another. When it was all happening so fast it suddenly felt like he had years to catch Otto up on, only Otto probably didn’t want to hear it anymore. And Davey couldn’t blame him. He looked down at the carpet again. He could still remember how scorched both their faces were, sharing glances and trying not to laugh while Otto’s mum chewed them out.

Fuck, he missed that.

Davey’s mind whirred, thoughts flashing through it at a pace too fast to keep up with, but Otto’s questions that stopped him from answering the first one had him looking up again. Ravenclaws? What was that even about? Had he seen Davey with Doe? “No, I’m not hanging out with Ravenclaws, fuck that.” He was hanging out with Ravenclaw, singular (or he was trying to), and not because he wanted to sit around reading textbooks with her. “I’m wearing fucking glasses because the healer told me I have to and I can’t wear contacts because I got hit in the eye by a bloody tree.” Something that might have been funny if not for the accusation in the way Otto asked him about it. Davey didn’t wake up one morning and decide he wanted to change everything about his life. It had just -- happened, too quick for him to keep up.

So where did that leave them? It shouldn’t have mattered. It wouldn’t have mattered, maybe, except for the fact that Davey couldn’t tell the truth. But -- “Slumming it?” The disbelief and hurt were clear in his voice, even if he deserved both of them. He shook his head. “Come on, mate, that’s not fair. That’s not what this is. I’ve missed you, I just...” And that was the problem, wasn’t it? The just. The but. He couldn’t be a good friend. He couldn’t be someone Otto wanted to be friends with. All he could be was a liar. “I want to tell you the truth, mate, I do, but I can’t. And it’s literally nothing to do with you, Otto, I swear. But....I’m sorry,” he repeated the words because it felt like all he could say that meant anything at all, each time more miserable than the last. “I can go, if you want.”

[obagman]

middlegudgeon:

It was almost crazy, how quickly Davey felt relaxed when he felt like he hadn’t truly relaxed in ages. Only it wasn’t crazy. This was how things worked with best mates, wasn’t it? Didn’t matter if you didn’t talk for awhile, because as soon as you were back together again it was like no time passed. Only in this case time had passed, because the story Otto was telling was one Davey was certain he’d have hard already if he hadn’t been a shit mate. Still, he brushed the thought aside, not yet willing to go back to the tension from before. “The fuck?” He pulled another face. “You didn’t eat it though, right? I mean – I’d have pocketed that shit, yeah?” Manners be damned, if someone gave Davey a plate with gold on it you can be he wouldn’t be eating it. His smile broadened when Otto got in a dig at Galvin, Davey choosing to ignore the uncomfortable twinge of guilt in that given how Galvin had covered for him yesterday. He was still a git. And Otto’s joke was still funny.

If only they could have kept things light. Maybe Otto would have let him, if Davey hadn’t opened his big mouth. But it had been the right thing, clearly, because Otto wasn’t telling him he hadn’t been a shit mate. He was nodding his agreement. Davey deserved that, even though it stung. What he wasn’t ready for was what Otto finally said. What was this about new mates again? Confusion flickered across Davey’s face, his heart dropping when Otto explained. “Fuck,” he breathed, his free hand moving up so he could press his palm to his temple. Truthfully – Davey didn’t remember the day Otto mentioned specifically. Yard work was one of many lies he’d made up to tell Otto why he couldn’t hang out. A fact that just made this even worse. Otto had been trying to help him, and all Davey could do was lie. Even now, as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t tell the truth. “It’s not like that, Otto,” he said quietly, moving his hand so he could look at the other, voice dripping with desperation for the other to believe him. “I haven’t got new friends or anything, I just… I lied because I can’t talk about it,” there it was again, that truth that wasn’t good enough. ”But I shouldn’t have lied, I should have just …told you I couldn’t tell you what I was doing.” Fuck, that wasn’t any better. And Davey wasn’t sure how much that would have helped things, really, but it would have certainly been better than Otto showing up to help him only to find out he’d been lied to. “I want to tell you, mate, I do,” he said in earnest, wanting so badly for Otto to believe that. “I just – I can’t. And it’s fucking killing me, you know?” Davey’s voice cracked at that, his gaze dropping to that burn mark in the carpet. All of it was killing him. The secrets, the lies, the fact he wasn’t even done with training but now he was sporting a burn on his side that still wasn’t fully healed because he’d been called into the field already. The fact that his whole life felt like it was being flipped upside down, and even though some of it was good it was still a lot, a lot that he wanted to be able to talk through with someone who understood him. “I’m sorry,” he whispered to the carpet, feeling like an even bigger prat. Why had he even come here, knowing he couldn’t offer Otto anything? Joining the Order had been an easy enough decision, all things considered – but Davey hadn’t thought he might lose his best mate over it.

Otto laughed at Davey’s words. This felt normal. Like maybe whatever weird shit had been up with Davey was finally passed. His parents had said they thought it was just because of the whole almost dying thing. Told Otto to give him some time. He’d come around they’d said. And it looked like maybe they were right. Ludo was wrong with his assessment that Davey was becoming more like Galvin. “Who the fuck eats gold, mate? I don’t think that shits edible.” Just because they put it on a plate didn’t make it edible. “Besides why else do you think I’m here? Ludo says he’s never taking me out to eat again. A win, right?” It wasn’t that he hated going out with Ludo. But now that Ludo was famous going out felt very high pressure. Something Otto just couldn’t handle. “Sadly the goblins wouldn’t take it. Said there wasnt’ enough there to be worth anything.” That felt like bullshit given that it was fucking gold. All gold was supposed to be worth something. Or so Otto thought. “Anyway I got it in a jar in my room now, it’s pretty cool.” Even though this was a sign of how distant things had been between the two Otto still smiled over at Davey as he talked.

But the fun had to stop sometime with all the weeks of being blown off between them. All the lies. Lies that Davey looked sorry for. Yet he was still talking around things, claiming he couldn’t talk about it. What the fuck? “No, I don’t know,” he told Davey honestly, anger seeping in. “Because you’re not fucking talking about it. What the hell are you doing, mate? Are you into drugs or some shit? We’re supposed to be best mates, best mates that tell each other everything. My parents say it’s because you almost died. Ludo says you’re turning into Galvin. And you say you can’t fucking talk about it. Why the hell did you come over here if you didn’t want to talk about it?” Otto felt weird being this mad. Especially at it being directed at Davey of all people. Davey who looked more miserable than Otto had ever seen him. “Just tell me this,” he spoke up, no longer angry sounding. “Are you done with whatever has been going on? Are we gonna hang out again? Screw off at work? Be mates again?” Because they hadn’t been mates. But Otto wanted that. He wanted his best mate back. If this was over, if Davey was done acting like a prick Otto was willing to let go of it all. Even without a proper explanation.

[middlegudgeon]

Bloody hell, did it feel good to sit here in Otto’s living room with firewhiskey, laughing with his mate about the stupid shit their older brother’s did. If only that feeling could have lasted. If anything, it just felt like a cruel reminder of what he felt like he’d lost as everything crumbled again so quickly. Davey was a git. And an idiot. And like Galvin? Fuck. If that one had been intended to sting – and how could it not have been, when Otto knew what a sensitive subject he was poking at – then mission accomplish. But Davey couldn’t even say anything. Because Otto was right; why was he here, when he couldn’t even be honest? What did he expect Otto to do, just happily accept the fact that Davey was going to be lying from him and dodging questions until – when? Until the war was over? If it ever fucking ended, if Davey even survived that long. This was why he’d been avoiding Otto in the very limited free time he did have. He hadn’t been avoiding his mate; he’d been avoiding this argument. He hadn’t even wanted to have it today, but he should have known it was going to come up. And he should have known that trying to apologize, trying to explain himself, was only going to make things worse. But what else was he supposed to do, aside from betray the vow he’d made when he joined the Order? How the hell did everyone else in the Order do it? Only Davey already suspected the answer to that. Most of them had come in pairs, hadn’t they? Toots and Dearborn, Doe and Nicholson, The Prewett, all the damn McKinnons – the list went on. Being in the Order wasn’t easy for anyone, but surely that had to help. But Davey was alone. He looked up when the anger left Otto’s voice, his heart only sinking further. He wanted to say yes. He wanted so badly to say yes. But he couldn’t. “You’ve always been my mate,” Davey said quietly. Davey may not have been a good one in return, but he’d never not considered Otto his mate. He didn’t blame Otto for feeling the opposite. Especially considering what he had to say next. “But….I don’t know when things are gonna be normal again. I…I put in my two weeks’ at the shop,” he breathed out, the thing he’d actually come here to tell Otto. “I wanted to tell you in person. I overheard Tilden Toots saying he needed someone to help brew his new line of potions so I uh, asked him about it and he took me on. Already knew I was good with potions,” Davey dared to add with a small smile that felt pathetically hopeful as he called back to the time he’d accidentally dosed Toots with love potion.

[obagman]

middlegudgeon:

“Exactly!” Davey agreed with a laugh, easy and natural as if things hadn’t been weird between lately and Davey’s entire life wasn’t being completely flipped upside down. “First of all, I dunno how people manage to eat in a tie without getting the damn thing all in your food. And C,” it was a running gag they’d had since Davey pointed out how their defense professor in fourth year had a habit of listing things ‘first, b, and d,” as he rambled on senselessly, and it was natural as breathing to slip it in as he spoke now, “Don’t those places just serve you, like, a piece of lettuce with a snail on top and everyone has to pretend to like it? No thanks.” Honestly, people like Ludo and Galvin could be so pretentious sometimes, and bloody hell it was nice to talk to Otto again. If only he could completely shake the weirdness that was still lingering there. Pizza sounded good, though. And normal. And for all the right he had to be a dick if he wanted, Otto was being a damn good mate right now. All the more reason for Davey to feel like shit, but also to appreciate what a good friend he did have. “Pizza,” he agreed, taking a swig of firewhiskey before he added, “Best food on the planet, and you don’t need a bloody reservation.” He grinned at Otto. Maybe he hadn’t fucked things up too badly just yet. After the food was ordered Davey made himself comfortable on the chair he always occupied whenever he was at the Bagmans’ place. He’d missed being here. Mostly because he’d missed Otto. His eyes flickered down to the scorch mark they’d burned into the carpet years ago, somehow to the extent that Otto’s parents were never able to hide the damage. An accomplishment if there ever was one, in Davey’s opinion. As much as he wanted to just hang out here and shoot the shit like nothing happened – he couldn’t. He’d been a prat. “Look…I know I’ve been a shit mate, lately.” Davey’s gaze moved from the carpet to find Otto’s. “I’ve been….going through some stuff.” It was the only explanation he can give, truthful but not truthful enough, for what did it really tell Otto? “Stuff I can’t really talk about,” he added. That didn’t help either, and Davey could only hope that it showed in his face, in his voice, that he was telling the truth. He was more stressed, more scared, more exhausted than he’d ever been. Fucking hell, did he want to talk to Otto about it. At this point he wanted to talk to anybody about it, but he didn’t feel close enough to anyone in the Order. He couldn’t dump all his shit on Doe. “But I’m really sorry,” he finally settled for. It was true, even if it didn’t feel like enough.

This was the Davey, Otto knew. The Davey that would make fun of things, managing to make fun of two separate things at the same time. In a way that was funny and natural. Otto laughed, enjoying the moment whole heartedly. He’d missed his best mate. “Last time Ludo made me go to one of those they served fucking gold, mate. It was a proper salad but topped with fucking gold. I think I’d have taken the snail, honestly.” Fancy places like that were not his thing. Something he and Davey had in common. Never mind that Davey hadn’t heard the gold thing because that had happened while Davey was blowing him off. But that did add to the weirdness of this. That was a story he’d have told Davey as soon as it happened. Still it was nice to finally tell him. And offering him pizza felt like they were getting back to normal too. “We can get it from that place Galvin hates because they have trolls working. It’s the greasiest.” Otto added with a grin before taking a swig of his firewhiskey again.

This was starting to feel like any other night. He and Davey hanging out at his parents while Ludo had them out somewhere. Getting take out and drinking firewhiskey. He’d missed this. Missed Davey. It would have been easy to tell Davey he hadn’t, maybe even the right thing to do. But he had been a shit mate. In fact Otto hadn’t even known if they were mates still before tonight so he didn’t say that. Instead he just nodded. He nodded again when Davey said he’d been going through some stuff. That part was understandable. What wasn’t understandable, and his face showed that it wasn’t was Davey saying he couldn’t talk about it. Otto wanted badly to just accept Davey’s apology and move on from this. But he couldn’t. “We’re supposed to be best mates, tell each other anything. But you what think I’m too dumb to understand what you’re going through cause you almost died? Do your new mates understand?” Now that he’d mentioned it twice he kind of had to fess up to it. “You remember that day you told me you had to help your mum clean up the yard? I came over after work to help you but you weren’t there. And your mum clearly didn’t know what I was talking about. You lied to me.”

[middlegudgeon]

It was almost crazy, how quickly Davey felt relaxed when he felt like he hadn’t truly relaxed in ages. Only it wasn’t crazy. This was how things worked with best mates, wasn’t it? Didn’t matter if you didn’t talk for awhile, because as soon as you were back together again it was like no time passed. Only in this case time had passed, because the story Otto was telling was one Davey was certain he’d have hard already if he hadn’t been a shit mate. Still, he brushed the thought aside, not yet willing to go back to the tension from before. “The fuck?” He pulled another face. “You didn’t eat it though, right? I mean -- I’d have pocketed that shit, yeah?” Manners be damned, if someone gave Davey a plate with gold on it you can be he wouldn’t be eating it. His smile broadened when Otto got in a dig at Galvin, Davey choosing to ignore the uncomfortable twinge of guilt in that given how Galvin had covered for him yesterday. He was still a git. And Otto’s joke was still funny.

If only they could have kept things light. Maybe Otto would have let him, if Davey hadn’t opened his big mouth. But it had been the right thing, clearly, because Otto wasn’t telling him he hadn’t been a shit mate. He was nodding his agreement. Davey deserved that, even though it stung. What he wasn’t ready for was what Otto finally said. What was this about new mates again? Confusion flickered across Davey’s face, his heart dropping when Otto explained. “Fuck,” he breathed, his free hand moving up so he could press his palm to his temple. Truthfully -- Davey didn’t remember the day Otto mentioned specifically. Yard work was one of many lies he’d made up to tell Otto why he couldn’t hang out. A fact that just made this even worse. Otto had been trying to help him, and all Davey could do was lie. Even now, as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t tell the truth. “It’s not like that, Otto,” he said quietly, moving his hand so he could look at the other, voice dripping with desperation for the other to believe him. “I haven’t got new friends or anything, I just... I lied because I can’t talk about it,” there it was again, that truth that wasn’t good enough. ”But I shouldn’t have lied, I should have just ...told you I couldn’t tell you what I was doing.” Fuck, that wasn’t any better. And Davey wasn’t sure how much that would have helped things, really, but it would have certainly been better than Otto showing up to help him only to find out he’d been lied to. “I want to tell you, mate, I do,” he said in earnest, wanting so badly for Otto to believe that. “I just -- I can’t. And it’s fucking killing me, you know?” Davey’s voice cracked at that, his gaze dropping to that burn mark in the carpet. All of it was killing him. The secrets, the lies, the fact he wasn’t even done with training but now he was sporting a burn on his side that still wasn’t fully healed because he’d been called into the field already. The fact that his whole life felt like it was being flipped upside down, and even though some of it was good it was still a lot, a lot that he wanted to be able to talk through with someone who understood him. “I’m sorry,” he whispered to the carpet, feeling like an even bigger prat. Why had he even come here, knowing he couldn’t offer Otto anything? Joining the Order had been an easy enough decision, all things considered -- but Davey hadn’t thought he might lose his best mate over it.

[obagman]

middlegudgeon:

It wasn’t a warm welcome, but Davey was relieved to be let inside at all and he was quick to follow his mate – were they still mates? – inside before he could change his mind. “Thanks,” Davey answered, even though that felt weird, too. Fortunately Otto broke the silence before Davey had to. And where he could have continued to be sullen and bitter, could have gone straight to accusations or demanding why Davey was here in the first place – instead he offered up the most normal thing Davey had heard since he joined the Order. His shoulders sagged slightly, relieving some of the tension that had become so common he hadn’t even noticed it was there as he pulled a face at his mate without thinking about it. “A year? Who the hell remembers a dinner reservation they made a year ago? Who the hell makes reservations?” He added, because that alone felt too swanky for Davey’s tastes. Though now he was seeing Dorcas Meadowes he might actually have to do that. Not something he wanted to linger on when things felt normal for a moment, though that upped his guilt as well. Otto was a great friend – Davey had always known that – but he was a shitty one. He just didn’t know how to be better right now. “Ah – only if you’ll have some,” he answered, not wanting to put Otto out any more than he felt like he was already doing. Quickly he grabbed a firewhiskey and popped the top off, offering it to Otto before he got one for himself. “Cheers, mate.”

For a moment it was like normal, aside from the sagging shoulders. “Right? I don’t even know what I want for dinner tomorrow let alone a year from now. Stupid tossers. Besides those places are so fake. Who wants to wear a tie to eat?” Ludo was into that sort of thing but that was Ludo. Otto was relieved to know Davey hadn’t changed so much that he was doing stupid things like wearing suits and making reservations. But the vibe quickly changed when he offered Davey some chips. A reminder of how weird things still were between them. Otto wanted to make it normal again. Only this wasn’t Otto’s doing. Davey had been the one to blow him off. “I was actually thinking of ordering a pizza,” he said while taking the firewhiskey Davey offered him. He couldn’t help the smile on his face when Davey called him mate. Maybe things really could go back to normal. “Cheers!” He tipped his bottle in Davey’s direction before taking a drink. “So, pizza?’

[middlegudgeon]

“Exactly!” Davey agreed with a laugh, easy and natural as if things hadn’t been weird between lately and Davey’s entire life wasn’t being completely flipped upside down. “First of all, I dunno how people manage to eat in a tie without getting the damn thing all in your food. And C,” it was a running gag they’d had since Davey pointed out how their defense professor in fourth year had a habit of listing things ‘first, b, and d,” as he rambled on senselessly, and it was natural as breathing to slip it in as he spoke now, “Don’t those places just serve you, like, a piece of lettuce with a snail on top and everyone has to pretend to like it? No thanks.” Honestly, people like Ludo and Galvin could be so pretentious sometimes, and bloody hell it was nice to talk to Otto again. If only he could completely shake the weirdness that was still lingering there. Pizza sounded good, though. And normal. And for all the right he had to be a dick if he wanted, Otto was being a damn good mate right now. All the more reason for Davey to feel like shit, but also to appreciate what a good friend he did have. “Pizza,” he agreed, taking a swig of firewhiskey before he added, “Best food on the planet, and you don’t need a bloody reservation.” He grinned at Otto. Maybe he hadn’t fucked things up too badly just yet. After the food was ordered Davey made himself comfortable on the chair he always occupied whenever he was at the Bagmans’ place. He’d missed being here. Mostly because he’d missed Otto. His eyes flickered down to the scorch mark they’d burned into the carpet years ago, somehow to the extent that Otto’s parents were never able to hide the damage. An accomplishment if there ever was one, in Davey’s opinion. As much as he wanted to just hang out here and shoot the shit like nothing happened -- he couldn’t. He’d been a prat. “Look...I know I’ve been a shit mate, lately.” Davey’s gaze moved from the carpet to find Otto’s. “I’ve been....going through some stuff.” It was the only explanation he can give, truthful but not truthful enough, for what did it really tell Otto? “Stuff I can’t really talk about,” he added. That didn’t help either, and Davey could only hope that it showed in his face, in his voice, that he was telling the truth. He was more stressed, more scared, more exhausted than he’d ever been. Fucking hell, did he want to talk to Otto about it. At this point he wanted to talk to anybody about it, but he didn’t feel close enough to anyone in the Order. He couldn’t dump all his shit on Doe. “But I’m really sorry,” he finally settled for. It was true, even if it didn’t feel like enough.

[obagman]

middlegudgeon:

Davey braced himself even before the door opened, but he still wasn’t ready for the way Otto greeted him. Sullen. Bitter. Fuck. Davey’s heart sank. It had been stupid, probably, to hope this could be normal, but normal was the one thing he’d been craving since that night the Death Eaters attacked the shop. And it was the one thing he’d probably never get again, Otto’s reaction to him proof enough of that. “What?” Davey asked, genuinely confused at Otto’s question. Other mates? Okay, so maybe he’d originally had plans with Doe, but this was really long overdue. And Doe didn’t count as a mate. But Otto didn’t know that. Couldn’t know that. So maybe it made sense he figured Davey had just found better things to do. “No, I just – thought maybe we could talk. …Can I come in?” It wasn’t a question he’d ever had to ask of Otto before, and it left a bad taste in his mouth. He was struck by the worry that maybe this was too little too late. Maybe Otto wouldn’t even let him in.He scuffed his foot against the mat outside the door, wondering if Otto’s parents were home. Unsure if it would be better or worse, if they’d be more of a witness or a buffer.

Davey’s confusion was misinterpreted by Otto. Obviously Otto wasn’t supposed to know about Davey’s new mates. It felt weird admitting he did. He hadn’t been checking up on Davey, just coming over to help. Yet now everything was weird and it felt dodgy telling him that he’d caught Davey in a lie. It was another surprise to hear Davey had come over to talk when he had been avoiding Otto for so long. At least it felt long. He knew if Ludo was here he’d tell Otto to tell Davey to fuck off. Otto had never told anyone to fuck off in his life and starting with his best mate —former best mate?— didn’t feel right. “Yeah, alright,” he answered with a half shoulder shrug. “Only cause you brought firewhiskey.” The lie was obvious but it made Otto feel like less of a doormat letting Davey in. Otto stepped aside to let Davey in and closed the door behind him. Leading the way into the living room he spoke up again. “Ludo took mum and dad to some fancy restaurant that jsut opened. Apparently normals like us have to wait a whole year to make reservations but Ludo got in no problem.” It was the sort of thing Davey probably would have relayed to Otto bitterly if it had been Galvin. But to Otto it felt more like joke. Who’d make dinner plans a year in advance? Seemed like a dumb thing to him. “Want some chips or something?”

[middlegudgeon]

It wasn’t a warm welcome, but Davey was relieved to be let inside at all and he was quick to follow his mate -- were they still mates? -- inside before he could change his mind. “Thanks,” Davey answered, even though that felt weird, too. Fortunately Otto broke the silence before Davey had to. And where he could have continued to be sullen and bitter, could have gone straight to accusations or demanding why Davey was here in the first place -- instead he offered up the most normal thing Davey had heard since he joined the Order. His shoulders sagged slightly, relieving some of the tension that had become so common he hadn’t even noticed it was there as he pulled a face at his mate without thinking about it. “A year? Who the hell remembers a dinner reservation they made a year ago? Who the hell makes reservations?” He added, because that alone felt too swanky for Davey’s tastes. Though now he was seeing Dorcas Meadowes he might actually have to do that. Not something he wanted to linger on when things felt normal for a moment, though that upped his guilt as well. Otto was a great friend -- Davey had always known that -- but he was a shitty one. He just didn’t know how to be better right now. “Ah -- only if you’ll have some,” he answered, not wanting to put Otto out any more than he felt like he was already doing. Quickly he grabbed a firewhiskey and popped the top off, offering it to Otto before he got one for himself. “Cheers, mate.”

[middlegudgeon]

Things had been…tense with Otto recently, to say the least. It was Davey’s fault. He knew that. It was just that he didn’t know how to fix it. Ever since that Death Eater attack at the quidditch shop and his subsequent recruitment to the Order, Davey hadn’t been able to be honest with his best mate. Where they’d once been a unit, practically inseparable, Davey found himself pulled down a separate path that he couldn’t even tell Otto about. And how could he possibly expect Otto to understand why he was suddenly so busy, so dodgy, reading about advanced magic and wearing glasses and looking for new jobs and moving – when he couldn’t tell Otto the reason why? So Davey hadn’t tried to explain. Instead, he’d pulled away. It wasn’t hard, given how little free time he had anymore. How his new training schedule meant fewer overlapping shifts at the shop, and when they were there things were tense, heavy with all the things Davey couldn’t share, as much as he was dying to. The truth was, he missed Otto. He just didn’t know how to be his best mate when he couldn’t share everything they way they used to. But something had to be done, at the very least because Davey didn’t want Otto to hear from their bosses that Davey had just put in his two weeks’ notice. But there was more than that. He was moving tomorrow. Galvin was helping, supposedly, though Davey wasn’t sure he expected his brother to come through. Wasn’t sure he wanted him to. And then there was the fact he was kind of sort of seeing Dorcas Meadowes, if Order business didn’t keep interfering with their efforts to actually go on a date. Never mind that Doe had been his original plan for the evening. Maybe it was a good thing she’d been called away, because it gave him a chance to do what he should have done weeks ago. A six-pack of firewhiskey in hand, Davey apparated to Otto’s place and rapped at the front door.

[obagman]

Otto had never been accused of being the brightest wand in the room but even he knew that things were different between Davey and him. They used to hang out all the time, the best of mates. Coming up with pranks and schemes. Davey doing most of the coming up with but Otto was always up for testing something out or doing other grunt work. In his eyes there is no one as cool as his best mate Davey, not even his big brother. He never thought Davey would stop being mates with him. But the Davey he sees now is not the Davey he was best mates with. He doesn’t even know who this Davey is. He’d heard near-death experiences changed people, he just didn’t expect it to change Davey as much as it has. Now Davey’s always too busy to hang out. Busy with what? Otto doesn’t know because Davey never says. He’s wearing glasses and reading thick boring looking books. It’s like the fun loving Gryffindor he grew up with got replaced by some nerdy, boring Ravenclaw. A nerdy, boring Ravenclaw that had no time for him. Sure Otto had plenty of mates but Davey was supposed to be his best mate. Even working at the shop wasn’t as much fun because Davey was always dashing off after his shift or coming in late with vague apologies and brushing Otto off. Otto had gotten so confused he’d asked Ludo for advice. What he got instead was Ludo telling him Davey had probably just become as much of a prick as his brother, Galvin. That he shouldn’t sweet it, instead hang out with his other mates, let Davey go off and be a boring prick on his own. Not the best advice, but Ludo did have something of a point about Davey acting a little like Galvin. Like he was more important than Otto, his time somehow better than Otto’s. Needless to say it was a surprise when he opened the door to find Davey standing there with a six-pack in hand. Normally not something that should have been a surprise. “Hey,” he spoke like he felt, not sure what to even say to Davey anymore. “Your other mates blow you off?” Sullen and bitter were not things that came naturally to Otto but hadn’t he been inviting Davey to hang out for weeks now only to get blown off? At first it’d been easy to believe his excuses because Otto wanted to. But after he’d gone by the Gudgeon’s house once when Davey claimed his mum needed him to help clean up the yard to help out too and found out that Davey wasn’t home he’d figured it out. Davey was hanging out elsewhere. 

[middlegudgeon]

Davey braced himself even before the door opened, but he still wasn’t ready for the way Otto greeted him. Sullen. Bitter. Fuck. Davey’s heart sank. It had been stupid, probably, to hope this could be normal, but normal was the one thing he’d been craving since that night the Death Eaters attacked the shop. And it was the one thing he’d probably never get again, Otto’s reaction to him proof enough of that. “What?” Davey asked, genuinely confused at Otto’s question. Other mates? Okay, so maybe he’d originally had plans with Doe, but this was really long overdue. And Doe didn’t count as a mate. But Otto didn’t know that. Couldn’t know that. So maybe it made sense he figured Davey had just found better things to do. “No, I just -- thought maybe we could talk. ...Can I come in?” It wasn’t a question he’d ever had to ask of Otto before, and it left a bad taste in his mouth. He was struck by the worry that maybe this was too little too late. Maybe Otto wouldn’t even let him in.He scuffed his foot against the mat outside the door, wondering if Otto’s parents were home. Unsure if it would be better or worse, if they’d be more of a witness or a buffer.