Where: Brenton’s house Who: Brenton && @dolohovant
He wondered if inviting Antonin round crossed a line neither of them had been trying to stray too close to. It was one thing to meet up at other events or bump into each other as they go about their daily lives and from there end up and one of their houses. It was even okay to make arrangements to meet up when they’re using something else as an excuse, such as Antonin giving Brenton his birthday present. It was a different thing entirely to invite him round to just hang out. Drinks, just the two of them. Getting to know each other. Not that it was a date or anything. No way. It was more of a booty call. Someone solid and reliable to get his kicks on with while he was still Walden was being Walden and everything with Rabastan was still too complicated to consider.
Even expecting Antonin, he still jumped out of his skin when the doorbell rang and not just because time-management had never been Brenton’s strong point. Nobody ever rang the bell. His family just let themselves in (occasionally with a courtesy knock just for show) and anyone else who came by semi-regularly knew that the doorbell was completely unnecessary and probably should have been disconnected by now. “Fuck, Ash, it’s just a bell, calm the fuck down you daft dog.” He had to raise his voice a bit to even hear himself over the dog’s frantic barking, soon joined by the newest addition to the Avery household. “Don’t you start,” he told Ember, scooping the puppy into his arms. “Just ‘cause he’s shouting away, you don’t have to. He’s just an idiot about that fucking bell. See?” he swung the front door open but eyes were still on the Catahoula trying to get between his legs and the part-crup puppy wriggling in his arms. “Not the end of the world. Just Dolohov. Fucking dogs.” But there was a marked gentleness to the way he placed Ember down on the floor before pulling Antonin through the door and out of the way for Ash to get onto the doorstep and do some proper barking at the now completely silent doorbell.
“Shoulda told you not to ring that damned thing. Nothing says hello like my dumb dog’s obsession with the doorbell. You met my new baby yet?”
