dorcas meadowes took one for the team (dontcallmedorky) wrote in elysianfieldsb4, @ 2010-07-05 11:38:00 |
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Entry tags: | dorcas meadowes, evan rosier |
Hate? Not so much.
Characters: Dorcas Meadowes and Evan Rosier
Date: July 1973
Summary: Friendly annoyances for a not-always-so-friendly pair.
Status: Complete
Dorcas hated these types of functions. Stuffy old men and snooty old ladies in their too-pressed clothes working way too hard to impress people they'd known for decades. It was an exercise in futility. Chances were, if someone didn't like you after a twenty or thirty year acquaintance, one mid-summer barbecue wasn't going to change their minds.
It was July 1973 and Dori was 15 years old. She didn't notice the changes in her body, because they were happening so gradually, but many of the party's attendants did, seeing her only once or twice a year. She was a head taller than most of the boys her age, thanks to a growth spurt over the previous winter, and near her full adult height. She'd gotten through the worst parts of that ridiculous teenage affliction called acne and, by then, her complexion was clean and clear, her skin translucent enough that someone looking could see the faint tinges of the blue veins running just below the surface. Dori had grown into the features that, just the summer before, had looked ridiculous and out of place. She was growing into a young woman, for all that she was still mentally and emotionally in that awkward, in between stage, straddling the cusp between adulthood and childhood.
She spent most of the party at her mother's side, smiling and nodding appropriately, trying hard not to accidentally stain her sister's borrowed dress She stole glances out the window to the pick up quidditch match being played in the garden, and did her best to contain any wistful sigh that might escape.
Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, Dori managed to excuse herself from the ladies inside and she escaped to a small private patio. She closed her eyes and took a deep breathe of fresh air, reveling in the freedom of the moment.
Evan had never been a fan of these parties, but it was always a good opportunity to meet the right people and renew acquaintances with those he had known almost all of his life. Normally, he would have been playing Quidditch with the rest of them, but his father had clearly informed him that today was not the day. He was to keep his robes looking sharp and clean, just the way he had received them from the House Elf. It was aggravating. He wanted so very much to be out there playing with the rest of them, but he was awful with cleaning spells and he didn't dare disobey his fathers orders. Not today at least.
He had been hiding out on the patio, watching the game as he avoided his mother and her attempts to introduce him to one of the many "proper" ladies he should be courting. Proper was no fun, and Evan figured that there would be plenty of time for his mother to find him a wife. After all, its not like he had to be faithful to her. His only job was to sire heirs and maintain the family fortune. Not a difficult task, that.
He heard light footsteps and sighed inwardly. It was surely female, and he feared if he turned around, he would be faced with one of two options--his mother or a woman who had been sent by her.
Dori hadn't noticed anyone on the patio when she first entered it but after a long, relieving sigh, she opened her eyes and saw that she was not alone.
"Shit," she muttered softly before reminding herself of her manners and crossing to greet the person she was sharing the space with. With any luck, whomever was sitting with his (hers? Looked like a his, though) back to her wouldn't squeal to her mother about her language. She wasn't going to hold her breath about that, though. "Sorry... I thought I was-"
Dori stopped when she saw who it was. "Oh. It's you."
Evan reluctantly turned around as he heard the woman sigh, perhaps he had been too quick to judge and it was neither his mother nor did he seem he was about to be ambushed by someone unknown. A smile began to tug at the corners of his mouth as he realized who it was. Sure, he had an antagonistic relationship with Dori, but it was usually fun.
"Enjoying the party?" He asked, leaning back onto the banister.
Dori sighed again, taking up a similar stance to Evan's, but on the opposite side of the patio. "Oh, smashing," she said, words heavy with sarcasm. "That's why I ran out here. Too much fun, not enough me."
Dori felt uncormfortable and, well, naked in the light summer dress her mother had forced her to wear. Normally, when she had to deal with Evan, she was wearing layers and layers of clothing as a sort of armor. Dressed like this, and confronted with him after her recent realization that he was male, charming, and good-looking, left her feeling on edge.
"You? Having a good time fending off the ladies?"
Evan grimaced at her question. "I prefer women who aren't only looking at the fortune or my mother." He replied with a tiny shake of his head. "There is much more to life than money." He grinned. "My good looks, my wit, I am incredibly talented at quidditch, just to mention a few."
Evan knew he was cocky, and wasn't afraid to show it. After all, humility was for those who wanted to be promoted and he saw himself already at the top.
"Your sense of humor," Dori added dryly, trying to will away the blush that threatened to rise in her cheeks. She was aware of his looks enough without him having to point his assets out to her, painfully aware of them sometimes. She kicked herself mentally for letting her thoughts stray in that direction, because that way only laid heartache. And Evan.
Evan noticed the blush, but for the life of him could not figure out why she was. It was probably the heat--it was an unusually nice day out, and the cooling charms did not work as well outside as they did in.
Dorcas was a very attractive girl, but Evan knew that she wasn't the type of girl who would go for him. She was smart, competitive, and deserved someone who wasn't in it for the thrill of the chase. Although their banter was amusing, it took a much more competitive and antagonistic turn more often than not. That wasn't to say he didn't enjoy her company, he did.
"Just one of the many." He smiled again. "Why aren't you out playing Quidditch?" He asked, knowing what the answer was.
Evan's question earned him a grumbling, but still wistful, sigh. She moved closer to him so she could watch the game being played as they spoke. "Mum won't let me," she said, pouting a little, wrinkling her nose in displeasure. "Says it's time I stopped acting like a little kid playing games and started acting more like a young lady."
Dori's face clearly said exactly what it was she thought about that. "What about you? Something along similar lines, I'm guessing." That was really the only thing that would keep people like them out of the air. Parental insistence.
Evan nodded. "Though I doubt I'll find my future bride in this lot," he said dismissively, glancing at the crowd inside. He could understand the importance of networking, but that didn't mean he liked it. In fact, he saw it as an annoyance, there was only one crowd he actually wanted to network with, and marriage had nothing to do with them.
"Apparently, asking the house elf to clean my robes once again, or even to bring an extra set was too much of a bother." He shrugged. "You do look nice, though. I'm guessing the dress doesn't belong to you?"
"Thank you," Dorcas said automatically, her cheeks coloring for a moment before fading back to normal. Compliments were still something difficult for her to deal with, mostly because she had never received them often. "It's my sister's dress," she confessed, making a face. "Had to borrow it. I don't own a single one and Mum wanted me to look presentable today."
Which, in Dori's mind, spelled bad news. It was hook up season, the time of year when affluent families tried to steer their offspring into the best possible matches and Dori, much to her chagrin, was entering the prime age for it. It was annoying to have to be polite and put up with some forced fawning-over by boys who had no idea what they were doing.
She sighed, looking to the passel of young ladies still indoors. "You wouldn't want to marry any of this lot, anyways. They're all too..." She paused, trying to come up with the right word. "Stupid."
Evan shook his head. "I can deal with stupid. Problem is, these women think they're smart." That made them way more aggravating than they originally would have been. Stupid girls were easy to get into bed, to toy with and then discard. Those who thought they were smart also unfortunately came with a sense of entitlement, believing that they were practically the center of the universe and therefore were entitled to everything.
He reached over and tucked a stray hair behind Dorcas' ear. It was more of an absentminded gesture than one which was deliberately calculated. "Want to get out of here?" He asked, with a mischievous grin.
"Unfortunately, cunning and manipulative doesn't always mean smart," Dori grumbled, her nose wrinkling again. "I can't stand how vapid they are. Mothers raising their daughters to be just as vapid, if not more so. Which I didn't think was humanly possible."
And then he did the hair-tucking thing. Dori's cheeks flushed again at the contact, and she mentally kicked herself for it. It was Evan, for Merlin's sake. Half the time she wanted to beat the snot out of him, but the other half of the time he wasn't so bad. Like now. Being not so bad and looking dashing in his robes and with that smile...
She almost missed it when he suggested they leave. She had to blink and clear her throat and force herself to concentrate on his words, rather than the look in his eye. Stupid teenage hormones. Apparently knowing you were going through puberty and developing a crush on someone who annoyed you more often than not didn't make the experiences any easier. Who knew? "Get out of here?" Dori quirked a brow in his direction. "I'm game. But if we get caught, I'm blaming it entirely on you."
"Fair enough. Though we could just please both sets of parents at once by suggesting we had gotten distracted..." he trailed off suggestively, with a smug grin. He looked down over the railing. "We can sneak out over here.." He murmured. With a quick flick of his wand, he transfigured the bushes below into a mattress and jumped over. "Come on down," He looked back up at her. "Promise I'll catch you!"
"There are so many ways that could backfire," Dori said, rolling her eyes. "The number one way being them thinking me making an honest man out of you is a good idea. So no." There was bound to be someone who saw them talking already, so rumors would inevitably be started. They didn't need to fan them.
She looked around and made sure no one important was watching, then took off her shoes, tossing them down to Evan before she started to climb over the railing. "Catch these first. And don't look up my skirt."
Evan snorted. "Even if it did happen, I doubt either one of our parents would believe it." He caught her shoes first and waited as she climbed over the railing. It wasn't like he wanted to see up her dress anyway, it was Dori.
He waited until she jumped and caught her, his arms curling around her back and to where her knees bent. His eyes widened and he lurched forward, pretending to slip and drop Dorcas.
In some deep, dark recess of her brain, Dorcas had expected Evan to try something like this. She'd hoped he wouldn't, that he would have matured sufficiently to not mess with a helpless girl of his own making. But the larger part of her had been expecting it.
She wrapped her arms around Evan's neck when he caught her and began to lose his balance, deciding that if she was going to hit the ground, he was damned well hitting it with her.
He made to almost drop her, but steadied himself at the last moment and stood up straight. "You didn't think I was actually going to let you drop now, did you?" He asked with an easy grin. If she did, she had good reason to. If they had been just two or three years younger than they were now, he definitely would have. But now, she was beginning to turn into a young lady and he would have gotten the scolding of his life if he had played any of those tricks on a lady.
He held onto her for a moment too long before bending down to place her feet gently on the ground. He waited until she had unwrapped her arms from around his neck before handing her the shoes, wondering what to do next. He hadn't thought this far, but now that part one was complete, he had to quickly think of a plan.
"I knew you were going to try something like that," Dori said, chuckling in relief. She peeled herself away from Evan and took her shoes back, grimacing slightly as she slipped them back on her feet. Oh, what she wouldn't give for a simple pair of plimsoles right then. At least the dress shoes were flats, so they weren't as bad as they could possibly be.
Then she balled up her fist and punched him squarely in the upper arm. "And that's for scaring me. Jerk." The words were playful and didn't hold any heat in them, much like the punch, so it was clear she was still playing along. In reality, the adrenaline rush from the not-fall had put her in a much better mood already. That, and the prospect of escaping, even for a little while. They'd probably get in trouble for it (or at least she would), but getting to leave, even for a few minutes, would be worth it. "So where are we going now, oh fearless leader?"
Evan looked around as he pondered what they could do--there weren't too many options. The grounds were much to big to make a quick escape out, and either set of parents were sure to notice one or both of them missing at some point.
"Theres the maze over there," He pointed, not too far in the opposite direction of where the quidditch match was going on.
"Mazes are good," Dori said with a grin, heading in that direction. "I like mazes. Even getting lost in them." She stopped talking for a moment, face screwing up as she thought. That had sounded an awful lot like she'd like to get lost in one with Evan.
Whatever, he could take that any way he wanted to.
"Anyway, it just backs up your proposed excuse that we went out to find someplace more private. That's a decent enough excuse to use, I guess. Mostly because you're right and I doubt they'll believe it. It'll make more than a few of the young ladies at the party jealous, too."
Evan offered his arm to Dorcas before they set off towards the maze, the entrance not too far from them. As much as he hated to admit it, he enjoyed these moments of civility with Dorcas. They came so rarely that he was sure this one was almost over--after all, he would do something and then she would say something and then it would all be over.
"The ladies," Evan scoffed, "are just going to have to deal with it." He believed he was much too young to have to deal with the idea of marriage anyway. What was the harm in having a bit of fun? There wasn't any rush, they had all the time in the world.
"And what about you?" He asked, curiously. "Any of the lads at this party interest you?"
Dori took Evan's offered arm and tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. She, like Evan, enjoyed the few civil moments they would occasionally have. Also like Evan, she was sure this one wouldn't last long. They were both, at heart, tempestuous and competitive people. But, really, Dori liked that about him. Oh, Evan made her mad a lot of the time, and on purpose, madder than anyone else in the world possibly could. But he challenged her. She liked that too.
If the truth were to be told, she liked way too many things about Evan Rosier, more things than she disliked. She wasn't about to tell him that though. The boy's ego was already over-inflated. He was over-confident and over-sexed and he had, and probably always would, enjoy tormenting her far, far too much. She shot him a glance at his last question before looking toward the maze. "The lot here? No, no one here," she lied. "They're all either too old or too young. Or you."
Evan pouted playfully, placing his free hand over his heart. "How you wound me, Meadowes. I don't know if I can survive your rejection." He was joking, of course. She was probably the last person he thought he would end up with--not because he hated her, but because he just couldn't see it happen.
He wasn't planning on being faithful to any one person for the rest of his life, and she was the type of girl to expect it. She also probably looked for someone that wasn't going to be involved with the Dark Lord, and it was one of his life's ambitions to serve. The person Evan ended up with had to be content with at the most, third place in this life. The first being his sister and the second the Dark Lord, of course.
"I know it's a crushing blow, Rosier," Dori replied, a little grin playing on her lips. "But, do try to carry on. Having loved me and lost me, I'm certain you'll be better person in the end and look back on our romance-that-never-was fondly." Oh, the melodrama.
She chuckled softly and, leaning into his arm just a bit, followed Evan's direction to the maze. "I don't understand the pressure behind marrying young," she confessed. "My sister and brothers succumbed to it, but... why? It's not like we've got Muggle lifespans here, with a relatively small window to procreate. I get that the number of pureblooded children born is dwindling every day and that needs to be addressed so we, as a society, don't die off, but intermarrying to the degree that's been done the last few generations? It can't end well, from a genetic stand point."
Evan sighed dramatically. "I do believe I shall throw myself to the dragons, having been unable to win your love." Not that he would ever dream of doing such a thing, but it was nice to be silly, even for a moment. Especially at stuffy functions such as these.
"Always with the logic." He teased, even though he agreed with her. "Its because the longer you wait, the less chance you have of finding the perfect match. You could end up with Goyle or Crabbe or someone like them just because you waited." As friendly as he was to Goyle and Crabbe, he pitied the women who would end up with them.
"As for inbreeding, it's bound to happen whether you marry now or later." He shrugged. It was true. Evan's parents had already suggested the Black sisters, to which Evan had strongly protested. Not only were they his first cousins, but there was something off about the girls in that family. They were beautiful, but Bellatrix was crazy, Andromeda seemed to love muggles a bit too much, and Narcissa was frigid. If he was to end up with one of them, he didn't see himself creating heirs.
Dori shivered at the idea of either the Goyle or Crabbe heirs. "Honestly? I would forgo marriage entirely if it came down to those two. And I know you're friendly with them, but still." Really, Dorcas doubted she'd marry. At least, she wouldn't be marrying anyone in in Britain.
"I don't think that inbreeding is a natural, forgone conclusion. I think we just need to branch out a bit and spread the genes apart." There were plenty of pureblooded wizards out there for her to choose from, because she honestly believed that it was her duty to perpetuate her line, but no one ever said that the man she'd choose had to be English. "Like the royal family, you know? You have to get some new material in the mix or, before you know it, your heirs can't function sexually because they have too many health problems."
Evan grinned. "I doubt my heirs will ever have that particular problem." He didn't think that the apple would fall that far from the tree, but then again, he was going to be sure of that by avoiding his first cousins. "Besides, it's not like I'm likely to marry a first cousin. I only want you." Evan dropped the comment casually, making a solid attempt not to snicker.
"Oh, so that's why you're trying to get me all alone in the maze, hm?" Dori said, playing along as they passed the maze's high-walled entrance and slipped from view of the rest of the party. She knew he was full of it, no matter how much it made her heart beat faster. Damned stupid teenage crushes. The sooner she was over this one, the better.
Still, it didn't mean she couldn't have a little fun. Dori stopped walking and turned towards Evan, pushing him back against the hedge wall and leaning in close enough that he could feel her breath on his skin, but not making any sort of physical contact. "You know, you really didn't need to use a ploy like this."
Evan wasn't quite sure of what to do--sure, he joked around with Dori all the time, but she usually never behaved like this. He had come to expect a blush or a punch from her and a quick retort, but this was new.
He decided to play along for now, wondering how far, exactly, she was going to take this. It wasn't like her to back down in anything, but he didn't imagine she would actually do anything.
"The maze was a cheap trick, I'll admit." Evan responded softly, only moving his hands so they rested lightly on her hips.
She had expected shock at her actions, but other than a small flare of it hidden carefully behind his eyes, she hadn't gotten it. Interesting. Of course, Dori had no idea what to do beyond that. She'd seen her brothers with their various conquests, but those girls were nothing like Evan and she was nothing like her brothers. Still, she could use her imagination.
Dori placed her hands lightly on Evan's shoulders, affecting an appreciative look (that she honestly didn't have to work too hard for) as she ran them down his arms toward the hands that were resting on her hips. "Sadly, you'll have to work a little harder than that," she replied just as softly, pulling his hands away before setting off further into the maze, leaving him against the wall.
Evan let out a small sigh of relief--he had called her bluff and she had folded. He knew what he would have normally done next if it was a girl, but it was Dorcas. Dorcas, who still sometimes reminded him that she had almost broken his nose when they had first met, and the same girl who was fiercely competitive when it came to everything--even school, which he didn't care much for.
Though, it had sounded like she had left the door open for whatever that just was. Banishing the thought from his head, he pondered whether or not to follow her. It would be the gentlemanly thing to do, to prevent her from getting lost in the maze, but she could find her own way out. That is, if the maze didn't shift. Magical mazes were tricky like that. He decided against going after her, and turning around, walked in the opposite direction, whistling to himself.