You wore Adrian’s name on your wrist, just as he did yours. Only stumbling upon his home by chance in the midst of rain, unable to see the two corpses staked outside his gates.
While you were elated, he was weary.
Adrian expressed caution towards you, keeping you at arm’s length and making interactions brief—essentially tolerating your presence in the castle. He feared your betrayal or abandonment. Adrian wanted to love you, but he feared to open up and lay his very being bare to you.
M/n kneels in the garden his knees soiled by the dirt and his hands pink from the cold air. He hums a small tune as he plants the flower seeds. Adjacent to the main manor, the gardens were a haven of beauty. Flowerbeds, bushes, and trees all surrounded the large space. They were perfectly manicured. Adrian’s footsteps quietly approached M/n, he doesn't look up as he continues to plant the seeds.
"Mr. Tepes, I didn't think you would be out of bed this late"
Adrian paused, stopping in place as he looked down upon the young man with an unreadable expression. He said nothing, he just stood there silently.
His golden eyes were like mirrors, a reflection of a man burdened with great weight. In his stillness and somber expression, it was as if he were battling himself for control.
M/n sighs and dusts off his hands.
"You won't have to worry about my presence much longer. I will be leaving at first light"
Adrian said nothing; he just continued to watch him. The silence was like a thick fog, stifling and smothering. Something in Adrian’s expression shifted somewhat, but it wasn’t noticeable unless one really was searching for a change. A flicker of something. A flash of guilt.
“Why?”
M/n closes his eyes for a moment and sighs.
"A blind man could see that my presence isn't wanted. I will not burden you any longer"
Adrian’s hands curled into fists, the skin on his knuckles turning white. He felt betrayed, again.
The silence continued.
Adrian was trying to figure out what to say, but he struggled to even find a voice. He wanted to yell, demand reasons and answers—tell him he was wrong. He wanted to pull him in until he was pressed against his chest, his lips against his neck where the pulse raced. He wanted him to stay, to never leave. M/n stands and begins to walk into the castle heading to his room to pack his belongings. Adrian snapped.
His hands reached out to clamp around M/n’s arm, and he was pulled back. Adrian had no patience for this anymore; he was done with the facade. He was done pretending he didn’t care. He was done denying his feelings.
There was desperation in his voice, along with a raw edge.
“Don’t.”
M/n's head snaps to look at Adrian and he frowns.
"What? "
“Don’t leave.”
Adrian was firm. No nonsense.
He stared the young man in the eye, as if pleading with him to listen to his words. As if his heart depended on it.
His pale eyes gleamed.
“I’ll be damned if I let someone else leave. Not you too.”
M/n's eyes softened and he lays a hand over Adrian's.
"I don't want to stay if that means I'm not wanted"
M/n's eyes softened and he lays a hand over Adrian's.
"I don't want to stay if that means I'm not wanted" Adrian’s grip tightened.
“You don’t know how much I’ve wanted you,” he said softly, “and how much I still do. How much I need you.”
His eyes were vulnerable, raw, and filled with so much hurt and pain. M/n turns and pulls Adrian into a hug resting his head on top of Adrian's.
"You certainly have a funny way of showing it "
Adrian froze at first, not expecting it. His own arms wrapped stiffly around the other man, holding him close.
He inhaled sharply at his comment, a wave of heat flushing through his body and his heart racing in his chest.
He’d been so afraid, he’d pushed him away when he’d tried so hard to get close.
“...I know,” Adrian finally whispered, voice cracking. M/n chuckles and holds Adrian closer to him.
"I had to. "Adrian’s breath hitched for a moment.
After a long moment, Adrian pulled Ryo closer to him, wrapping his arms tightly around his back and pressing their chests together.
He breathed deeply of the young man’s scent, inhaling as if he were drowning and this is his final gasp for air.
Just when I thought I'd lost it all. Now I've lost you too.
Tagged: Adrian Pucey
Time: Evening of January 23rd.
Location: Adrian's Dorm
Adrian had spent his entire day in bed nursing a hangover by filling his body with even more booze. He had barely eaten at all and he'd only gotten out of bed to go to the bathroom. Basically he was a wreck and in his mind he had hit rock bottom. Nothing could possibly be worse than him having to get marked and doing exactly what his dad had always wanted. Nothing could top loosing the one person he finally let himself have feelings for and nothing could be worse than him feeling so utterly useless even though he was giving up absolutely everything.
Unfortunately he had let himself think that too soon because as evening fell he was about to be hit with the worst news yet. A slight tapping at the window was all that alerted him to owl outside it and for a moment he was tempted to ignore it. Adrian had already heard from Daphne and there was nobody else that really mattered right now. The owl was relentless though and within a few minutes he had a headache from the tapping so he jumped up and opened the window before snatching the letter and nudging the owl away and then slamming it back shut.
Almost immediately he recognized the writing of his name on the outside and he scowled. Adrian tore open the letter and another envelope dropped from within hitting the ground with a soft thud. His brow furrowed as his quickly read the letter from Tracey and then tossed it to the side. He had no idea why she got a letter from his dad or whatever it was but if it was his then apparently he needed to read it. Swooping down he grabbed the fallen letter and quickly opened it. His eyes moved to the bottom of the first page and he frowned when he saw Tracey's dad name.
Adrian,
It displeases me to inform you that your father has passed away in the line of duty. His death was an honorable one and you should be proud to be his son. I've enclosed his Last Will and Testament since he has left everything to you. There is also a letter he addressed to you. Since you are legally an adult in our world you are now your own guardian. Good Luck.
The letter was signed in a looping cursive that would had been impossible to read had he not known the signature belonged to Tracey's dad. Before Adrian could even think to flip to the next page the letter dropped from his hand and fluttered to the ground. It felt as if all the air had been sucked from his lungs and he dropped to his knees his entire body seeming to give out in a single moment. Not more then a few minutes before he had been mourning the lose of his entire life and now this. Now the only parent he had ever had was dead. Dead because of Voldemort.
Had anyone seen his face then they would have merely thought he had lost his balance because Adrian was completely numb. Not a single emotion showed in his eyes even though they swirled through his head and body at an alarming rate. After a moment something clicked and he tore forward on his hand and knees grabbing the other two pages of the letter from the ground. The first was a will giving him control of all the Pucey assets and the second was the letter. This was the last thing he would ever have from his father. A simple letter written for an eventual death.
My Son,
If you are receiving this then I suppose I have met my untimely demise. I only hope that I want out fighting like a proud Pucey man. As you will see my Will is enclosed in this letter. I have left you everything in the hopes that you will grow to be the man I've always dreamed. I know you will follow the path that we always talked about in your childhood. You will make the right choice if not for yourself then for me. I regret that I didn't get to live to see you do the right thing for once but I hope that you will still live as if you can make me proud. I only want what is best for you Adrian. Good luck with everything. Don't let me down son.
There was more but he couldn't even read it because at this point Adrian could barely see straight. Angry tears filled his eyes and he threw the letter to the ground before forcing himself into a standing position. Even though his dad was dead he was still making him feel like absolute shit. Somehow the damn idiot managed to enrage him even though he was gone. Adrian stumbled over to his closet and threw it open grabbing a jacket he had charmed so that the pockets could hold many things. He pulled it on before grabbing the bottles of alcohol that still remained in the back.
He shoved at least three separate bottles of strong alcohol into the pockets before turning on his heel and heading for the desk. Grabbing a quill he scrawled a quick note back to Tracey and then stormed out of his room. Not only did he have to respond to Tracey's heartless note but he was going to get trashed and he was going to be as reckless as he possibly could at the same time. As soon as he had sent off the note he was going to find a good hiding place and drink himself senseless. Adrian had no idea what else he could possibly do.
