Dexter D'Angelo. Don't bother committing the name to memory. I'm not your friend, I'm not your grief counselor; just a guy who teaches you to get from one place to another in one peice and someone you'd rather not see behind closed doors.
The first few months of school were predictably the most stressful for Adam. The guidance counsellor was constantly swamped with students who were dealing with their own stresses, panicking over their futures, their significant others, grades, parents, anything that could cause them to worry was discussed. Adam was an extremely empathetic person, the worrisome students always affecting him and causing him to be a bundle of nerves for months, usually managing to relax when Christmas time came around and the majority of students had settled into the rush of things.
But now as he stood in his office, arranging papers that were scattered around his desk, he couldn’t remember what it felt like to have everything figured out and organized. His office was an unorganized clutter, and he hadn’t spoken a human being that was his age in what felt like weeks, but was really a short two days. This included Dexter D’Angelo, the person that he not only missed the most but craved the most. He didn’t know how his lover managed to do it, but he seemed to take all of Adam’s worries away whenever he was around, with gentle touches and searing kisses that contrasted the careful hands that Adam loved.
As if Dexter knew when he was needed the most, the guidance counsellor heard his office door open and close gently, and he turned to see the man he was just thinking about in front of him. “Hi,” he whispered, grin immediately spreading across his face. Instead of hugging him like he would usually do, he side stepped around the other man, pushing on the door to make sure that it was fully closed, twisting the lock into position, before turning back towards Dexter. “I missed you,” he admitted quietly while ringing his hands nervously. He wanted so intensely, but was always shy when it came to asking Dexter if he could have what he wanted.
Adam shuffled forward slightly, hands hovering just in front of Dexter’s chest, before letting them drop to his sides, biting on his lip deep in thought. “Um.” The silence was choking him, making him want to blurt out words before he could think through his sentence, something that never ended well when it came to Adam. Instead of talking, he let out a short sigh, cupping Dexter’s face and leaning down, pressing a quick but heated kiss to his mouth, “I missed you,” he emphasised, pressing more kisses to the Slytherin’s mouth and across his face, hoping he understood what Adam meant without him having to say it.
He tried, Dex had really tried to stay away, if anything for the sake of not intruding upon Adam's busiest season. But eventually he missed the other man too much and frankly he was getting way too tired of sitting alone in his apartment with both their cats constantly staring at him as if he'd make their nicer daddy come back.
He wouldn't admit to sort of power-walking to Adam's office but it happened and he couldn't even be bothered to knock before walking right in. In retrospect he should've, in case there was a hysterical student in there, but he didn't. He could tell something was up the second he caught Adam's eye. There was a look in it that he didn't see all that frequently and wondered if he was about to be treated to what he thought that look meant.
He wasn't sure if he visibly raised a brow or not but he was a bit confused when Adam sidestepped the hug he opened his arms out for. However when he heard the lock click behind him, he couldn't help the corners of his lips from flickering upward. He forced the smile down though when Adam came to stand in front of him and he tilted his chin, trying to catch Adam's eye as the younger man showed clear signs of nervousness.
"I missed you too, Clair," he spoke low, the way he always did when he had Adam right where he wanted him. He watched Adam struggle, standing just as he was, trying to keep the smirk from gracing his lips. He's caught a little off guard by the kiss, but doesn't miss a beat in responding to it. He cover's Adam's hand with one of his own and presses into the kiss, his other arm moving around Adam's back to pull him closer.
With their bodies pressed together Dex inhales through his nose and pulls away from the kiss only when he absolutely has to. He doesn't move far though; with his lips close to Adam's ear and his hot breath brushing the younger's skin he asks, "Wanna show me how much you missed me?"
Age: 29
Occupation: Apparitions Professor at Hogwarts
Portrayed By: Henry Cavill
BEFORE THE WAR
Upon first impression Dexter is exactly how most would expect a Pureblood Slytherin to be; sarcastic, brutally honest and self-centered. However, looking further they can see the result of being disowned for following his heart, losing those dear to him and learning as many lessons as he’s taught since returning to Hogwarts. Having faced one trial and tribulation after the other, a wayward Dex searched for solace within his childhood home of Hogwarts. And solace he found. The man that had started off entirely detached from his students, hardly allowing them to know more than his name, became friends with his them over time. With the help of the right people, young and old, Dex found healing in what he thought would be a temporary job to get himself back on his feet.
So in turn, Dex decided to be there for the castle that had helped him come to terms with the events that near broke him. He’s made friends in colleagues that he’s sure will last a lifetime and helped students through thick and thin despite how rough he might be around the edges when it comes to guidance. Still, Dex is doing his best to keep it together and keep from moving backwards in what seems like a journey of a thousand miles.
AFTER THE WAR
The Battle of Durmstrang took a bit of a toll on Dex, triggering a slight case of PTSD. Of course he was glad to help out the efforts, but sometimes he can’t help but wish he would have stayed back if it made sleep and other such day to day activities less stressful now. Considering he’d lived a life of debauchery and hedonism not so long ago, this is quite the change for the apparitions professor. Between managing his disorders, maintaining the relationships he built for himself within the castle and being the teacher he is expected to be, Dex certainly is developing more grey hairs than any ordinary 29 year old should.
On top of his internal mess, Dex is facing a bit of backlash from his actions of the last few years. Now that he’s calmed down some and finally started to take his place in Hogwarts seriously, it’s proving only a little difficult with the reputation he developed early on in his career. Bottom line is that this school year and the way Dex conducts himself not just in regards to students, but his fellow staff members as well will make or break the second chance at life that he’s been so graciously been granted within Hogwarts’ magical halls.
The room was finally ready. The walls were already painted and decorated, the furniture was in the right place, the curtains were covering the windows, the toys were already there, fairytale books were perfectly organized in a shelf, little clothes hanging in the closet, everything ready for the little girl that would soon be sleeping there. Lyla. Dexter’s daughter. Adam’s daughter.
oH MY GOD FUCKING BYE HE WAS AFRAID OF HER WANTING TO HOLD HIS HAND SO HE FUCKING PUT HIS HAND IN IS POCKET I LIT SHOULD'VE STOPPED READING AT THAT POINT BC SHE SAID PAPA AND I FUCKING I LIT WOKE MY MOM UP NEXT TO ME BC OF THE SOUND THAT CAME OUT OF MY FUCKING THROAT LIKE BYE I DIDNT ASK FO R THIS EXCEPT I DID LIKE FUCK MY LIFE AND THEN MASON U FUCKING SPAZZ OMG I UNDERSTAND HIS POINT OF VIEW BU T LIKE U FUCKED UP OMG LYLA HAD NO INSECURITIES ABOUT MASON BC OF HER YOUTH AND INNOCENCE BUT MASON LITERALLY CREATED INSECURITIES IN HER BC OF HIS INSECURITIES LIKE AFTER THAT SHE WOULD PROBABLY THINK HE DIDNT WANT HER TO CALL HIM PAPA SO SHE WOULDNT DO IT ANYMORE OH MY GOD LITERALLY DON'T TOUCH ME I CANT HANDLE THIS RIFGHT NOW BYE.
It's a little surprising to Dexter that he's gone an entire 32 years of his existence without ever having held an infant. But he has and so the first time Lyla St. Clair-D'Angelo is placed in his arms it takes his breath away. The child wasn't even brought into this earth because of him, there's no blood relation, but she will grow up calling him dad and she will grow up dependent on him and she will grow up loving him and that thought is what breaks Dex down. The fact that there is a life quite literally in his hands now blows him away and when he looks up from the child, to the man standing in front of him, there's nothing to describe the grin on his face but purely idiotic.
He can't even bring himself to say anything as Adam asks to hold Lyla, just hands the baby over. He watches Adam dote over the child, watches her clutch his much larger finger and gurgle as he tries to pull it away. He watches the happiness in the eyes of the man he's loved for years and he watches the gift of a child that's been made possible because of Adam.
He opens his mouth to speak but finds his throat dry and has to take a moment to gather himself. And when he does, all he can whisper is, "Marry me." It's barely audible and Adam looks up to ask, "What was that?"
Dex clears his throat. It's been years, they have a child, it seems like the only thing left to do, the only logical move to make; the only way to thank Adam for giving Dex the opportunity to have the life he didn't deserve. "Marry-" he licks his lips and raises his voice, "Marry me."
And then, as if to remember the formality in such an occasion, he fumbles through his coat pocket to retrieve a small blue velvet box from its inner pocket. He opens up the box and as an afterthought, lowers himself onto a knee and holds up the shining silver band to Adam. "I-I've been carrying it for months, trying to find the right time, the right words and this-I love you, Clair. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you...if you'll have me?"
He rises to his full height again so he can gauge Adam's response properly and can tell just by the way Adam's expression changes, the way Lyla falls silent and by how much lighter his chest feels, that he's finally reached his happy ending.
Oh, thank you. I used to have crooked teeth but then I went to the dentist and they fixed them. I still don’t understand why my dad didn’t jut fix them with a spell…He gave me a good reason, I’m sure but I didn’t pay attention long enough to remember.
Well, I don’t think being weird id too bad either. I think is more fun, the world is much better if your view is not what people think is normal. Probably not. But at least he had fun going to Madagascar and all that. Yeah, I don’t think he’d be sorted in Ravenclaw either. Why do you think the penguin would end up in Hufflepuff?
Our parents always know what's best for us so he probably had a good reason...or maybe he just wanted to see you suffer. Maybe he secretly liked it. Maybe he's secretly evil.
I don't know, I guess because he wanted something and he followed his heart and went for it regardless the consequences. Some might say that's a Gryffindor trait, but Gryffindors do things to prove a point, not for the wide eyed wonder.
Your smile. Smiles are contagious in a good way, they are nice and lovely so…Yeah. You can bring hope to people with smiles and gestures of kindness. Or stick to your original idea of glowing green and find someone who likes Gatsby, I’m sure it will be wondrous!
Oh, really? I’ve never found it weird. But maybe it is weird and I’m weird but since I’ve always been this way, I don’t find myself weird. Well…Maybe the penguin liked to travel and went to Madagascar to take a sun bath but fell asleep and got sun burned.
I-oh er...[Her eyes dart away from him, unable to figure out how to respond to his statements which make her feel pleasant inside.] You have a nice smile too...for a sunburned penguin.
My mom and dad call each other weird all the time but they really like each other so I don't think being weird is too bad. Well that penguin clearly didn't think his decisions through very well. I don't think he would be sorted into Ravenclaw like me. Hufflepuff maybe.
You don’t have to shine green to be someone’s hope. Just offer them one of those pretty smiles of yours and I’m sure even the most pessimist of people will feel a bit optimistic.
Well, I absolutely adore penguins and pink so…I’ll be a sunburnt penguin!
That's a weird color for a boy to like. Being weird is ok though. Sunburned penguins are highly illogical though, why would a penguin ever be in enough searing heat to get burned?
mason-stancliff replied to your post:I’ve been sitting in this hospital waiting room...
As cute and heart warming as that is…What are you doing in a hospital waiting room? Is u okay?
omg yeah i'm fine i just needed a refill on my birth control and they were lit taking 3000000 fucking years with it cause the american health system is piss.
oH MY GOD BUT LIKE LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT HETEROSEXUAL CHINESE ANGELCLIFF THAT WAS SITTING IN FRONT OF ME AND RICH WHITE GABRIKAI THAT WAS SITTING NEXT TO ME HOMYGOD. THE LADY CALLED HER HUSBAND "OLD MAN" JOKINGLY AND HE MADE A FACE AND I HAD A HEART ATTACK AND THEY HAD THIS RIDICULOUSLY SHY LITTLE BOY AND GABRIKAI'S 2 LITTLE BOYS WERE TRYING TO SOCIALIZE WITH HIM BUT HE WAS NERVOUS AS FUCK FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE WARMING UP TO THEM AND HIS MOM HAD TO KEEP ENCOURAGING HIM.
AND GABRIKAI WAS SO FRICKIN LOVEY DOVEY? LIKE THEY HAD A BABY AND 2 BOYS THAT WERE RUNNING AROUND AND THEY COOED OVER THEIR BABY LIKE NO TOMORROW IT WAS SO CUTE AND SHE WAS BLONDE AND HE WAS A SCRUFFY DARK HAIRED DUDE WITH A JAW AND I WAS LIKE GOODBYE.
AND THEN THEY STARTED TALKING CAUSE THEIR KIDS WERE PLAYING AND IT TURNED OUT THAT THEY USED TO WORK IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD YEARS AGO AND IM LIKE
I've been sitting in this hospital waiting room for like 12 years watching this family that is literally Angelcliff+kids interact with this family that is literally Gabby and Malekai+kids like BYE IM GOING TO DRABBLE THIS SO HARD WHEN I GET HOME.
Oh, good! Of course we can scare people, it’ll be super fun. What colour do you want your skin to be? There’s green, orange and pink which are the classic ones but there are tons of other’s colours.
Yep, I do. Most of the time it’s not intentional. Have you ever seen a little kid with a sugar rush? Well that’s how I am most of the time. It has nothing to with sugar, though.I just have too much energy and that’s why I talk a lot and that’s also why is hard for me to focus in one thing. Hence why I tarted talking about Halloween and stuff.
I’ve done that before! I mean, not with glowing skin but I’ve scared some people. In Halloween, mostly. My dad took us trick or treating and I’d always scare unsuspecting people. It was rather fun, although sometimes I felt bad for scaring them so I gave then candy. I had to take extra candy with me all the time because of that. Then my dad suggested to stop scaring people but the whole point of Halloween are the scares. Specially if you’re wearing a scary costume. If you’re wearing a costume that is cute then there’s no need to scare people but um…What were we talking about? Oh, right…Glowing skin! Will you take some gum to make your skin glow?
FUCK ME WITH A FUCKING CHAINSAW. SHYMA I HATE YOU AND LOVE YOU AND HATE YOU AND LOVE YOU MORE.
I CAN’T EVEN GATHER MY THOUGHTS. HELP. I JUST AKBNDFJBFJBD OKAY, BREATHING, THAT’S IMPORTANT. OKAY NOW WHAT? THE CAPS. I MUST TURN OFF THE CAPS.
There. Much better. Okay so…How do I even start? Firstly if I Should’ve recorder myself, I swear I did so many faces and pulled my hair and squealed and died. Now…What else? Oh, right FUCK YOU SEBASTIAN SR. FUCK YOU. WHAT DO YOU THINK UR DOING NOT TRATING LYLA LIKE A MOTHERFUCKING PRINCESS, U ASS. Then Clarke u cutie, I love you. U i perfection. And Amira, I like you too. Callum…Callum meeh. I don’t want to punch you and you’re trying so THERE’S THAT.
AGAIN, SEBASTIAN BE NICE TO YOUR GRANDDAUGHTER. SHE IS BEING ENTHUSIASTIC, PLS. PRETEND TO BE INTERESTED, DAMN IT.
"I’m getting myself ready" Perfection. SO MUCH PERFECTION IN ONE SENTENCE.And then…Then Dexter. DEXTER. YOU CALLED HIM WIFEY. WIFEY. I CAN’T WITH YOU, YOU DORK. "No, I’m going to go poison yours." ANOTHER PERFECT SENTENCE.
And Mason and Aana’s relationship, man. ETERNAL CRIES. She lets him into her kitchen. HER KITCHEN. As a person that knos ho precious a kitchen is, I feel da love. BLESS.
AND SEB WITH SEBASTIAN. OMG CAN WE NOT? MY BABY IS SO QUIET AND NICE AND A BIT AWKWARD AND HE IS SO PRESH. AND LOR AND SEB BEING CLOSE AND MILO BEING SO AWESOME AND…AND…AND…
Basically this is the reason I write. Because reactions give me life. Bc Alexia gives me life. I love the D'Angelo family so much they're all so fuckin dysfunctional I could write about them all day and tbh I probably will write more about them. Sebastian never accepted Adam for being a squib but he's a little more open minded by the time this ficlet takes place. Like he sort of wants to fix things with Lyla because he feels bad, which is why he calls out to her later to let her know where Clarke is, but he's an emotionally stunted old man so he doesn't really know how to fix things.
AND I'M SO GLAD YOU LIKED THE ANGELCLIFF INTERACTION LIKE THEY ARE LITERALLY AN OLD MARRIED COUPLE. I PRIDE MYSELF IN THAT I'VE FINALLY REACHED A LEVEL WHERE I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW THEY BEHAVE WITH EACH OTHER ANYMORE, THEY JUST TALK IN MY HEAD.
And I don't even know why, I just imagined Mason getting along with Aana. Maybe because they're both gruff kinds of people and she's more sympathetic to life than Sebastian is. Like she's got her prejudices but if it were up to her she never would have kicked Dex out on the account that he wanted to marry a muggle. She's more sympathetic to her kids and like I dunno, I can just imagine Mason offering to help cook the first time they meet and her going, ok he's not so bad. She's a tough love kinda chick and she secretly thinks Mason is right for her son :3
SEB AND SEBASTIAN EUGH. TO SEB HIS GRANDFATHER IS JUST A STRANGE OLD MAN BUT TO SEBASTIAN HIS GRANDSON IS A SECOND CHANCE AT RAISING A SON PROPERLY BECAUSE HE LIT FUCKED UP THE FIRST 34580349 TIMES. AND THAT IMBALANCE KILLS ME. LIKE SEBASTIAN IS A SHIT HUMAN BEING OFC BUT HE'S TRYING TO HARD WITH SEB, ALL HE WANTS IS TO FEEL LIKE HE'S FORGIVEN CAUSE GOD KNOWS HIS ACTUAL SONS WILL NEVER GIVE IT TO HIM.
I just have so many D'Angelo family feels good frickin bye aH.
They arrive at the D’Angelo Manor by floo like they always do because age hasn’t done anything for Dex’s laziness. Stepping out of the fireplace they see Sebastian D’Angelo sitting in his armchair reading that morning’s paper. He finishes the sentence he’s on before folding the paper over the side of the chair and peering up to his eldest son’s family.
Fifteen year old Lyla, the first in line, avoids Sebastian’s eyes and sidesteps his armchair in an attempt to dive into the rest of the manor before she can be spotted. She hadn’t looked him in the eyes since she overheard him shouting to Dexter about having a half-blood grandchild that wasn’t even blood years ago and she didn’t plan on looking him in the eyes anytime soon either.
Sebastian looks at her though, but only briefly as Charlie pounces onto the armchair, announcing that she’d gotten sorted into Gryffindor. Sebastian isn’t nearly as enthused as the child, but he listens to her rambling anyway and interrupts her before Lyla can leave the room to inform her that her favorite uncle is in the backyard. Lyla thinks to mutter a quiet thanks but decides not to and goes out in search of Uncle Clarke instead.
She finds him sitting out behind the manor at the white lawn table with Uncle Callum and Callum’s wife, Aunt Amira. As she approaches the table she’s greeted by a collective, “Hello Lyla,” the least enthusiastic of which comes from Callum, the warmest of which comes from Clarke and the smoothest of which comes from Amira. Amira Flynn, now D’Angelo, who was a childhood friend of the D’Angelo clan was the only one who dares to shoot Callum a look once she heard his tone of voice.
Lyla receives a warm hug from Clarke, who beams at her as Amira pulls out the remaining chair for her to sit. “You’re getting prettier every day, sweetie,” she smiles at the girl and Lyla gives her a bewildered thanks, as if she wasn’t told that very frequently.
“How’s school going, kiddo?” Clarke asks, pushing the plate of cookies on the table towards her.
“Good,” Lyla is suddenly more enthused to be speaking to Clarke, someone she’s entirely comfortable with, “I’m a prefect now!” She exclaims just before putting an entire cookie in her mouth.
“Congratulations, sweetie,” Amira pipes in.
Clarke opens his mouth to say something but is cut off by a hesitant Callum who clears his throat before speaking, “I was a prefect too…in my school days. It uh, it’s hard work so good luck. And good job.” He adds as an afterthought. His wife smiles widely at him and mouths a “thank you.” Clarke doesn’t think his brother should be praised for common courtesy and making an attempt to be good to someone he should be good to anyway but he supposed every dog learned his tricks differently.
“I’m proud of you, kid,” Clarke high fives his niece, who reminds him very much of her biological father. Clarke remembers the squib he’d met only a few times. He remembers being fond of the man that brought the smile back to his brother’s face. He remembers Lyla being the reason behind that same smile even after Adam’s loss.
Meanwhile, back in the manor Sebastian notices Mason approach the whiskey cabinet at the corner of the room and comments, “Really Stancliff, I haven’t even began speaking to you yet.”
Mason tips his glass and raises his brows, “I’m getting myself ready.”
At this point, Charlie, realizing that her grandfather isn’t really interested in listening to her stories, inquires, “Where’s Aunt Ellie?”
Sebastian looks up at his son who is the last to leave the fireplace with the last Stancliff-D’Angelo child in his arms. “Where is your sister?”
“How should I know where she and Jude are off to?” Dex shrugs, “They’ll make it in time for dinner I can tell you that, but who knows what they’re up to now.”
Sebastian looks back to Charlie, “That’s your answer.”
The red headed child scrunches up her nose and hops off the armchair, dashing off to amuse herself elsewhere.
“Is Aana in the kitchen?” Mason asks as he puts his empty glass down on the counter and begins towards the door.
“She’s cooking, yes,” Sebastian answers, picking up his newspaper again.
“You going to help her make dinner, wifey?” Dexter teases with a thousand watt grin.
“No, I’m going to go poison yours,” is Mason’s reply before he’s exited the room as well. It’s been years and he still has trouble navigating the entire manor properly so it’s a little while before he makes it to the kitchen, but walking in he sees the usual.
Aana D’Angelo was always one to do her own cooking. Her house elves helped her out, cut things up and hand her things, but she did all of the preparing on her own.
“Need any help?” Mason asks after a moment of watching the woman do her work from the door.
“Yes, dress the chicken, will you?” she says immediately, not even looking at Mason, who is the first person she’s ever allowed in her kitchen. She puts him right to work because she knows he’s capable and perhaps, even enjoyed his company.
“Yes, ma’am.” And Mason does as he’s told, able to find things much better in the kitchen than he can in the rest of the manor.
“So how are you, Aana?” Mason ventures after a moment, but is immediately met with, “Stop distracting me.”
It’s her form of affection and he knows it. “Yes, ma’am.”
Back in the main room, Dex approaches his father, “How are things?”
“As per usual,” Sebastian says absentmindedly, focusing more on his newspaper than his son. “Where’s your oldest?”
“He’s coming over with Emmett and the kids in a little bit,” Dex answers, beginning to sit down in the armchair closest to his father, but is stopped by a hand gesture from the older man.
“Go find your brothers and bring them in.”
Dex sighs, being demanded to do menial things at his age and all, but doesn’t protest.
“And leave the boy with me.”
Dex looks down at the son who has been quiet as usual in his arms the entire time. “Seb, you wanna stay with granddad for a bit while I go out?”
A six year old Seb shrugs and is still quiet when he’s lowered into his grandfather’s arms. He doesn’t hesitate to make himself comfortable under the older man’s arm and is only a little concerned that his daddy is walking away without him. He’s used to one on ones with his grandfather, who had spent enough time neglecting the most timid of his sons to feel guilty now and attempt to redeem himself via Seb.
“How are you, Sebastian?” the older man asks.
“Good, granddad,” Seb answers curtly, a thumb raised to his lips to nibble on the nail. Social interaction, Sebastian had noticed, was not a strong point for his grandson and it reminded him very much of Clarke’s youth.
“Good. And did you get the birthday present that I sent to your father?” Sebastian asked their heir of his.
“Yes, grandad, it was nice, thank you.”
Sebastian couldn’t help but feel detached at the well behavior of the boy, but he supposed it was too much to ask for to want the full satisfaction of redemption from nearly destroying his youngest son’s person and esteem.
Before he can try to connect any further with his grandson, a crackle sounds in the fireplace and there is the Marsters family.
“Hey there little crapper,” Eloise beams as she comes forward and ruffles Seb’s hair fondly. “Hello, daddy,” she says, leaning over to kiss Sebastian on the cheek. The very moment she straightens out, Charlie barrels back into the room right into Eloise’s legs. “Little Red!” Eloise shouts as she picks Charlie up and carries her off, talking animatedly to the child.
“Sebastian,” Judah nods curtly as he steps out of the fire. Sebastian nods back, but doesn’t speak. His skin still crawls just a bit having a muggle set foot in his home but he had learned from the first time he’d tried to restrain a child from being with the one they loved and decided not to make the same mistake with his little girl. When this happened, part of Dexter beamed that his sister got what he couldn’t and part of Dexter felt needles in his chest.
Judah takes off to find Dex, who is more or less the only person he can bond completely with in the household until his nephew shows up. And finally Milo and Lorelai exit the fire. Sebastian catches Lorelai’s eye but she immediately looks away, still adjusting to the surrogate family of hers and having regular human interaction to deal with. As she walks past the armchair, Seb reaches a hand out towards her, “Lor!”
“Hi Seb,” Lorelai offers him a small smile and touches his hand briefly before leaving to find Uncle Clarke. The two children are the same age and had found that they bonded rather well in their silence and soft communication. Seb thinks to follow after her, but doesn’t want to hurt his grandfather’s feelings by leaving so he stays put.
“Milo my boy, sit,” Sebastian greets his older grandson. He has a particular fondness for the tall, slim young Slytherin that reminds him very much of his son, Callum. Milo accepts the offer and takes the armchair that Dexter had tried to moments earlier. His eyes had followed Lorelai out the door to see where she was headed out of instinctive protectiveness over his adoptive sister, but now returne to Sebastian as he begins speaking to his grandfather about his newest potions discoveries.
Between them, Seb sits quietly, hearing voices instead of words. He doesn’t mind being the observer even with Milo around, who he doesn’t know very well due to their age difference. And that’s where he stays until the fireplace crackles again and the D’Angelo-Gallagher clan makes an appearance.