[ though he's been beneath the care of stubborn friends before, luke's always been successful in pushing them away. seeing them gather new circles, moving far from him — it's always hurt him to watch as annabeth grew away from him, but he never felt as though it was right to give into the instinct to reach out for her and keep her close. much safer from him and his anger, he distanced himself purposefully from everyone he knew and cared for as if he possessed the foresight to know how damaging his presence would be for those who he cared for. but he appreciates it from hermione, her stubborn will to remain by his side, even though he knows and fears that one day she'll huff and shut off her locket from him, cutting him out of her life as successfully as he had his entire family when he had turned his own back on them. but he doesn't feel the desire to do so, finding that, despite her having a very nice back and posture, he doesn't wish to see her walk — or apparate — away from him. ]
[ and it's nice, enjoying himself, comfortable with someone once again as he's no longer alone. though george and martha and maia are comforting presences, even the cows who linger outside his window to watch him carefully, he's been without friendship for so long he isn't quite certain how to cope with it being presented to him on a golden and rather stubborn and intelligent platter. he supposes, though, it's only fair he fetch her her ingredients when she gifts him something he has been without, finding happiness and something with her as she's right — though he strives for greatness, if he can be the person someone needs, instilling hope and friendship and reminding them of the love he isn't sure he's capable of giving as his heart has been shredded beyond repair from the talons of a dragon, it'd be the best heroic act of his life. ]
[ too bad he can't really enjoy the moment. ]
[ looking down at her, he smiles, hand tightening around her as he relaxes against the back of the couch. and he laughs, prepared to inform her of how tiny she is, capable of being picked up by him as if she weighs that of a feather, when he hears the commotion within his own mind as their audience begins to grow restless with being unwelcome spectators. ]
Rat! [ luke rolls his eyes as he leans back slightly. george slithers beneath the couch to coil up the length of the table before them. sitting atop it, he looks to hermione with glee on his features. ] You can turn cups into rats!? [ he's beaming with happiness. his voice is much louder as he shouts toward the couch, ] Martha! Did you hear that? Rats! In cups! Cup rats!
[ martha appears at the back of the couch, tail brushing against the cushion as the fox behind it begins to move once again. ] Yes, dear. [ with her tail, she pushes the very edge of the cushion to see it fall to the floor, freeing maia from her makeshift prison as she leaps off the couch to hide beneath the table. ] Though, she isn't bound to giving you the rats. [ george begins to open his mouth in protest — ] George.
Martha! It's a cup rat! I haven't seen the likes of it since … since …
[ martha shakes her head. ] Oh, George.
You're not getting a rat, buddy. [ luke shakes his head, his arm remaining around hermione despite it slipping away just slightly. ] Because I'm going to check in on time. A minute before, too. So, you're screwed.
[ george whines, ] Luke!
[ from beneath the table, maia darts out, running in wild circles around it as she chases nothing in particular. ] You're meant to be on my side. I'm the one who freed you from the Staff. [ martha knocks into his leg. disengaging from hermione, he leans over to grab her around the stomach, pulling her into his lap where she immediately curls. she looks up at hermione as luke's fingers stroke her fur hard. ] Didn't we, Maia? George doesn't know how to do shit.
I resent that! [ and as george glares at luke, one hand remains in maia's fur as the other rests against the back of the couch behind hermione. looking to her, george carries on: ] Give me the list! I'll go fetch your things! Give me, give me!
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[ and it's nice, enjoying himself, comfortable with someone once again as he's no longer alone. though george and martha and maia are comforting presences, even the cows who linger outside his window to watch him carefully, he's been without friendship for so long he isn't quite certain how to cope with it being presented to him on a golden and rather stubborn and intelligent platter. he supposes, though, it's only fair he fetch her her ingredients when she gifts him something he has been without, finding happiness and something with her as she's right — though he strives for greatness, if he can be the person someone needs, instilling hope and friendship and reminding them of the love he isn't sure he's capable of giving as his heart has been shredded beyond repair from the talons of a dragon, it'd be the best heroic act of his life. ]
[ too bad he can't really enjoy the moment. ]
[ looking down at her, he smiles, hand tightening around her as he relaxes against the back of the couch. and he laughs, prepared to inform her of how tiny she is, capable of being picked up by him as if she weighs that of a feather, when he hears the commotion within his own mind as their audience begins to grow restless with being unwelcome spectators. ]
Rat! [ luke rolls his eyes as he leans back slightly. george slithers beneath the couch to coil up the length of the table before them. sitting atop it, he looks to hermione with glee on his features. ] You can turn cups into rats!? [ he's beaming with happiness. his voice is much louder as he shouts toward the couch, ] Martha! Did you hear that? Rats! In cups! Cup rats!
[ martha appears at the back of the couch, tail brushing against the cushion as the fox behind it begins to move once again. ] Yes, dear. [ with her tail, she pushes the very edge of the cushion to see it fall to the floor, freeing maia from her makeshift prison as she leaps off the couch to hide beneath the table. ] Though, she isn't bound to giving you the rats. [ george begins to open his mouth in protest — ] George.
Martha! It's a cup rat! I haven't seen the likes of it since … since …
[ martha shakes her head. ] Oh, George.
You're not getting a rat, buddy. [ luke shakes his head, his arm remaining around hermione despite it slipping away just slightly. ] Because I'm going to check in on time. A minute before, too. So, you're screwed.
[ george whines, ] Luke!
[ from beneath the table, maia darts out, running in wild circles around it as she chases nothing in particular. ] You're meant to be on my side. I'm the one who freed you from the Staff. [ martha knocks into his leg. disengaging from hermione, he leans over to grab her around the stomach, pulling her into his lap where she immediately curls. she looks up at hermione as luke's fingers stroke her fur hard. ] Didn't we, Maia? George doesn't know how to do shit.
I resent that! [ and as george glares at luke, one hand remains in maia's fur as the other rests against the back of the couch behind hermione. looking to her, george carries on: ] Give me the list! I'll go fetch your things! Give me, give me!
You don't have opposable thumbs, George.