“Why? Why not? You’re all about music and you don’t dance, Hart?”

“I’m shocked!” He grabs Hartley’s hips, trying to move them with his. Shane huffed, jumping on the couch and resting his head on the arm. He wasn’t having any part of this, Hartley; you’re on your own. 

Wally really was going at it, wasn’t he? Without a care in the world, he has his music up loud and Shane hanging nearby wondering what in the world he had done to deserve this. The dog tilted his head when he noticed Hartley emerge, but it seems like Wally hadn’t quite noticed.

…Yet.

“Come here!” Instead of getting embarrassed by it and stopping, he’s suddenly rushing up to Hartley and pulling him close. Once he has him, Wally’s going right back to the movements, but dragging poor Hartley along with him. 

“Oh, there’s plenty.” His tone shifted to something lighter, more familiar and casual all of a sudden. Clawed tips tap against the wall before retracting back into his fingers like a cat’s. His other hand reaches down to retrieve a cigarette, lighting it up and taking a long drag before he begins.

He didn’t need it, not really. Then again, Roscoe didn’t need to do a lot of things he was doing lately– like entertaining Mark’s idea that they were partners. That idiot trickster was already terrified of him, and he knows he could bully Mardon into submission.

He knows he could break him if he wanted.

“You probably didn’t know, so consider this your courtesy call. I’m running the shots here in the Twins. Don’t forget it. It would be my pleasure if you had our speedy friend come rushing in to save the day.”

@timxtopaythxpipxr​ continued from – ☠

“I don’t think so.”

A clawed hand strikes out, slamming it’s palm against the wall and effectively blocking Hartley’s path. “We have some catching up to do.” 

As Hartley awoke, Draco found his way further into the present tense. He was laying in bed, had been cuddling the person he cared about most in this world that hadn’t given birth to him. The words were soft and helped bring him comfort, but for the most part it was just the sound of Hartley’s voice that did the trick. Draco didn’t even wait for the other boy to finish speaking, the moment that head fell onto his shoulders, he turned. The motion allowed him to face Hartley, and from there it was just a few short motions to pull the other boy into his lap and rest his forehead against his.

Their hands and bodies entwined, he sighed softly, pushing the dreams he’d been having off to the side. “Thank you,” he managed, lifting his chin enough that the tips of their noses brushed against each other. “I’m okay, you’re here.”

The unspoken words were that he wasn’t there, that the visions that had haunted his dreams were all in the past. None of those dangers could hurt him or any of the people that he loved. Not anymore. A moment of comfortable silence enveloped them, and then he realized how late it must be. “I didn’t mean to wake you, we can lay back down.”

It was happening again; Draco was dreaming about his time beneath The Dark Lord. He could see it as if it were happening at that moment, he could feel the cold dagger of fear taking him over. He could see himself parting from his friends on the side of good to make the long walk to Voldemort’s side. He could feel those arms snaking around him as his heart beat so hard it felt like it was climbing up his throat. He could feel all hope leave, replaced with a deep sense of empty, threatening darkness.

When he awoke, he raised his wand and stood from his bed. In his mind, he was standing in front of Dumbledore again, ready to throw a killing curse that would never come.

Realization hit and a soft sound was elicited in surprised anxiety as he dropped his wand. His breathing was rigid, shallow, and uneven, a product of his currently unkempt mental state. It was just a dream, Draco. He was safe. Voldemort was dead, and for good this time. Slowly, he lowered himself back down onto his bed, seating himself on the edge.

warning:  adult language and mild sexual themes. change pronouns to your liking/as you see fit!

❛ Now that I’ve untangled you, how about you do something for me? ❜ ❛ All right! I just don’t see why you like it so much! ❜ ❛ Babe, if you know it through a wall, you know it too well. ❜ ❛ I’m fine! Hey, I’m great! I’m just, I’m just proud of us. ❜ ❛ I realize that you didn’t expect to walk in and see that, but… Let me explain, okay? ❜ ❛ We weren’t doing anything!  ❜ ❛ Well, maybe the next batch, we could all get some. ❜ ❛ I’m sorry, it must be the pressure of entertaining. ❜ ❛ How could you mess this up? It’s so easy. ❜ ❛ If I wanted this cake to be a disaster, I would have baked it myself! ❜ ❛ I know what you’re thinking! The resemblance is uncanny! ❜ ❛ It’s the longest I’ve ever spent on a computer without looking at porn. ❜ ❛ You just got to accept the fact that this is going to cost you a lot of money. ❜ ❛ Dude, I don’t think you should be wearing that. ❜ ❛ Oh, I see. Somebody’s afraid of a little competition with the ladies? ❜ ❛ If you had to, what would you give up? Food or sex? ❜ ❛ It’s perfect! It’s everything we’ve been looking for! ❜ ❛ What? When have I ever touched myself in front of you guys? ❜ ❛ Why don’t you sit down… get yourself comfortable… because I have a little surprise for you. ❜ ❛ Please just…just pull yourself together okay? ❜ ❛ We’re not a couple- we’re definitely not a couple. ❜ ❛ What, I’m not good enough for you? ❜ ❛ Wow, you, uh, you seem pretty insulted by that.. ❜ ❛ We’re not gonna have this conversation again. ❜ ❛ Oh, you are, you really do like big butts, don’t you? ❜ ❛ Why can’t you be supportive? ❜ ❛ You have always been jealous of me! ❜ ❛ You want to know why you don’t want me to have the baby? ❜ ❛ You have to have everything and I couldn’t have anything. ❜ ❛ Wait a minute; you don’t think it was intentional? ❜ ❛ So, does anybody have any ideas how to organize this?  ❜ ❛ Uh, don’t you think that would be a little weird? ❜ ❛ We were on a break! ❜ ❛ For the last time, I don’t care what the computer says. ❜ ❛ I’m kind of going through a dry spell, sex wise.. ❜ ❛ I’m across the street, having sex right now. ❜ ❛ Whoa—hey—wh-wh-what do you got there? What is that? ❜ ❛ What? Are you afraid you’re gonna run out? ❜ ❛ Any minute now, the police will be here. ❜ ❛ Well, if you’re gonna get to know him then you’d better do it now. ❜ ❛ Well, excuse me for trying to put a positive spin on a traffic jam! ❜ ❛ If only there was something in your head to control the things you say! ❜ ❛ You know what, ____? Why don’t you just put that on your answering machine! ❜ ❛ Oh, I’m sorry, were you speaking to me or sleeping with someone else? ❜ ❛ There is no right or wrong, here. ❜ ❛ You just asked me whether I wanted to go to bed with you tonight! ❜ ❛ You know how some people walk in a room and everybody takes notice? ❜ ❛ It’s never taken me a week to get over a relationship. ❜ ❛ It’s never taken you more than a shower to get over a relationship. ❜ ❛ Why would you start again after chewing all that quitting gum? ❜ ❛ I started using humor as a defense mechanism. ❜ ❛ Uh, do you guys have plans for the weekend? ❜ ❛ Now it’s not gonna make any sense! ❜ ❛ It’s not the sweater. It’s what’s underneath the sweater that counts. ❜ ❛ You’re so stupid, how are you not yet extinct? ❜ ❛ I broke up with you because I was mad at you, not because I stopped loving you. ❜ ❛ Why would you need to say “hi” to them? ❜ ❛ I’m just going to wander around in the rain. ❜ ❛ I just got us dates with two unbelievably cute nurses. ❜ ❛ That’s kind of a masculine name, don’t you think? ❜ ❛ “Don’t count on it.” Seems like it works to me. ❜ ❛ I went to the park and let a bee sting me. ❜ ❛ I’m really getting tired of always sneaking around all the time. ❜ ❛ I don’t even feel like I know you any more.  ❜ ❛ Whatever you say, I’ll believe you. ❜ ❛ All right, I’m just going to ask you this one time. ❜ ❛ I’m surprised you didn’t go home wearing your lunch! ❜ ❛ Someday I’ll tell you about the time I stabbed a cop! ❜ ❛ Look, we’re not just messing around!  ❜ ❛ I’m so sorry that you had to find out this way. ❜ ❛ You guys probably wanna get some hugs in too, huh? ❜ ❛ You were worried about me? You didn’t know how I was going to react? ❜ ❛ Do you really think the best reason to get married is because you’re sorry? ❜ ❛ I was gonna ask you to marry me because I forgot to say hello to you last week. ❜ ❛ I can’t talk you out of this. It’s a great life. ❜ ❛ I just realized I can sleep with my eyes open. ❜ ❛ I mean, didn’t you even run so fast you thought your legs were gonna fall off? ❜ ❛ What did you do that bad that make dad cut you off? ❜ ❛ I guess it makes sense, you know, having such a terrible childhood. ❜ ❛ I had a terrible childhood and I don’t do porn. ❜ ❛ I always thought having a heart attack was nature’s way of telling you to die! ❜ ❛ I mean… you — you are going to die, but you’re not gonna die today. ❜ ❛ I mean, if you’re not careful, you may not get married at all this year. ❜ ❛ Can we come in yet? We’re dying out here! ❜ ❛ I didn’t know it was a big secret. ❜ ❛ Why is this woman leaving a message for you on my machine? ❜ ❛ It’s a known fact that women love babies, all right? ❜ ❛ I was doing great before I found out about you! ❜ ❛ And it’s not like I didn’t try, but things got in the way! ❜ ❛ I’ve been doing this for ten years and I haven’t gotten anywhere. ❜ ❛ You know what we should do? We should do, like, a soap opera theme. ❜ ❛ Do you know me or are you just really good at this game?  ❜ ❛ What’s the worst that could happen? ❜ ❛ How do you expect me to grow if you won’t let me blow? ❜ ❛ Why must everybody watch me sleep? ❜ ❛ Haven’t you ever gotten beat up before? ❜ ❛ It’s such a shame you can’t see what finger I’m holding up. ❜ ❛ I didn’t know what I was taking responsibility for! ❜ ❛ When I walk outside naked, people throw garbage at me. ❜ ❛ I would’ve thought it was the other way around. ❜ ❛ I remember I cried the night you made that up. ❜

The ability to relax and be who he was went both ways; Draco felt most comfortable with Hartley, even more comfortable than he was with his Slytherin “friends.” He was able to be himself, no worries about being tough or bullying others enough to fit in and lead like he was always told he had to. The difference was especially noticeable in these moments, when they first moved out of populated areas and finally found themselves alone. It was like he lost inches in height, because he no longer had to stand rod stiff and obey the rules of his family name.

“I hope my family’s insistence that you stay with us, no matter how many times or how often you’re sent away, says just as much.” A gentle squeeze to that hand and he looked up at the sky peeking out between the rubbled pieces of ceiling above them. The sun felt warm, he hadn’t realized that it would. Being cooped up inside all day, lost in his woes, had made him forget all about what time of day and year it was. For a moment, he closed his eyes, letting the warmth soak into his pale skin.

“What were you doing, anyway?” He asked, blinking his eyes open before tilting his head back down so he could look at Hartley. He was modestly curious about what he had stolen the other boy from. Not that he felt bad about it; he’d actually feel pride if he were told that he’d interrupted something important. It was selfish and bratty and totally Draco. “When you found me in the library.”

[ @timxtopaythxpipxr liked for something dark ]

He really ought to be better at this by now. Michael has been this way for years and yet the first real friendship he gains since he began this life begins making his habits and patterns slip up. He wasn’t supposed to be out hunting the night before and instead he was with Hartley.  He was stupid then, and now he was paying the price; locking himself away as the hunger that would eat at both his body and mind twists his stomach and steals his focus.

He doesn’t need his friend to come knocking now, but he essentially set it up to happen.  Hartley was already around by the time the hunger returned in a sort of second wind like this, leaving Michael to simply hide in the bathroom for the time being while the younger’s keen senses surely would alert him to trouble even if the time passing didn’t.

It was strange, but it felt nice to have this kind of a connection with someone else. Hartley made Draco want to be a better person, he tried for the other boy. And he really did have to try; even the simplest kindnesses were foreign to him and it took an immense amount of effort to ignore his impulses. He didn’t always succeed, as was just proven, but he tried. And Hartley forgave him, he could tell by the way those lips lingered on his cheek. Or perhaps the lingering was wishful thinking. Either way, he enjoyed it.

The rats had been fed their little sunflower snacks more out of habit than anything else. Draco was so used to having Hartley around that he carried at least one type of rat snack in the pockets of his robes at all times. He treated those rats as if they were his own. It was one of the many random ways that they had fallen into something almost domestic.

And then they were off, heading out of the library with Draco in the lead. He liked that, as silly as it was. He felt more powerful when he was standing at the front, leading. It was made even better by the way Hartley held onto his sleeve. He could have been walking on clouds for all he knew, which was such a stark contrast to how he had felt while he’d been sulking alone in the library, The second kiss landed and he could swear it left a little bit of heat behind in its wake. It inspired him to leave one on Hartley’s cheek as well, though his attempt was much quicker and less graceful. It spoke silently, telling the recipient that Draco wasn’t really good at this sort of thing, but he was still inspired.

He remained quiet for the rest of the walk. His posture was more relaxed and comfortable, but he did keep his chin tipped upwards and he made sure to narrow his eyes and silently threaten anyone that dared look at them even a little bit funny along the way. He was aware that homophobia was a very sore spot for his companion and he would not allow any of it to be directed at them here. It seemed like ages had passed by the time they finally got to the ruins, but only because Draco had been holding in words that he finally felt safe enough to let go of, now that they had some privacy. “I don’t know how you’re always so bloody brilliant, or so good with words, but.. you’re a lifesaver, mate. Now.” He cleared his throat, sliding his hand down so that instead of Hartley holding his sleeve, he could take the other man’s hand. “I hope you’re aware that your family is never getting you back, I simply won’t allow it.” He was joking; sort of.