Authors:lee_west and ceria Rating: PG-13 Pairing: Gideon/Kingsley Summary: Written for the AWDT prompt, “open to interpretation” Plans are interrupted... Disclaimer: We don’t own the boys at all; if we did, their story would have a happy ending. And obviously we aren’t rich enough to pay wonderful help who cook so well. Warnings: Chan-ish - but the minor in question isn't innocent at all!
Kingsley and Gideon walked the path in silence, their thoughts miles away. Kingsley was making mental plans: he had to leave a note for Grandpa, saying that he was going to Gideon’s flat and from there to a Quidditch pitch to practice a little. It seemed a very good excuse and he was sure Southwood wouldn’t mind. Hopefully he was having a good nap with Mrs. Wilcott and would be in a great mood. Kingsley would come back to keep him company the next day anyway. He would Floo his grandfather later, saying he’d sleep over at Gideon’s.
He was elated; finally he’d be able to shag Gideon in peace and he hoped to make a whole night of it.
He wasn’t prepared, then, to see his grandfather sitting at the table in the pool area, happily sipping a cup of tea. In his surprise, he forgot he was wearing a very low tied sarong - with absolutely nothing else underneath.
What in the world did I just agree to?
Thankful that Kingsley wasn't talking – or gloating – Gideon walked silently beside him, thinking. If he chose to be honest with himself, taking Kingsley there was stupid – something Gideon usually wasn't.
The good thing was that Mac wouldn't stumble upon them at his flat. Confident he could stall Kingsley, Gideon knew that he had plans with Fabian later in the day and could technically get out of Kingsley staying for too long.
It would leave the imp mad at him. Again. Suddenly that was becoming normal.
When did any of this become normal?
Refusing to think about it any longer, Gideon accepted that he'd given in to the inevitable and somehow let Shacklebolt in his life. Well, his sex life at least.
Southwood squinted at his grandson. “Kingsley! Are you wearing a skirt?” he asked, frowning. He was usually not too surprised with the things his grandchildren wore, but he’d never seen that.
Hands suddenly clammy, Kingsley thought quickly. “No, Grandpa! This is a sarong. It’s…beachwear. Or lakewear, in this case,” he said with a too-happy grin.
Southwood shrugged. It was probably another invention of Santini’s, who always brought fashionable things from Italy. He looked again at Kingsley. “It’s…a bit revealing, isn’t it? Are you wearing your trunks underneath?” He knew the boys wore very skimpy swimsuits, but that…sarong was tied too low.
No, Grandpa, I hate to wear clothes right after sex, Kingsley thought, quickly retorting, “No, Grandpa, Gideon and I went swimming in the lake and my swimsuit is wet.” He fervently hoped that his grandfather wouldn’t see the very dry white suit in his hand. “And it’s not revealing – we’re all blokes, right?”
“Yes, but you’re not a little boy any more and some measure of decorum is needed with Mrs. Wilcott around.”
Kingsley was about to point out that she wasn’t around, but he didn’t want to get on his grandfather’s bad side. He wanted to dress and Apparate to Gideon’s flat. He answered simply, “I’m sorry, sir,” then turned his back to Southwood and pulled the swimsuit under the sarong. It was just a little glitch in his otherwise perfect plan. He had wanted to Apparate to Gideon’s flat in the sarong and have Gideon untie it with his teeth.
Oh yes! Gideon loved Southwood, stepping around Kingsley to block him a little – he was dying to bring this conversation back later; while Kingsley fumbled with his clothes, Gideon said, "Mr. Shacklebolt, I just wanted to thank you again for the invitation, it's been a wonderful day."
How he managed to keep a straight face with Kingsley's grandfather was beyond him. He couldn’t wait to needle him some more. A skirt? Kingsley wasn't going to escape that one anytime soon.
Kingsley had just finished getting dressed and was slipping his shoes on, when his grandfather said, in answer to Gideon’s thanks, “It was a pleasure meeting you, Gideon, but the day isn’t over. I hope you join us for dinner tonight.”
Oh, no, Grandpa, he won’t. His dinner will be really special tonight. No food – just Kingsley, but still a Shacklebolt meal, Kingsley thought, while grinning broadly at his grandfather. He answered quickly, before Gideon decided to accept, “Grandpa, we can’t. Gideon has invited me to go to his flat and from there to a Quidditch pitch for some practice. And then we’ll probably go to Muggle London, for a movie, maybe.”
“Tonight? Sorry, son, you’ll have to make plans for another day. Alastor Moody’s coming to dinner and I told him you were here. He’s very interested in meeting you personally. And it’s something you have to do. He’ll be your boss next year.”
“But Grandpa –“ Kingsley started in panic, “We had plans.”
“And plans can be changed. Your parents will be here, too.” He turned to Gideon. “Please stay for dinner. I mentioned to McIntosh that you were here and he told me he’d invite your brother, too. He thinks quite highly of Fabian. It’ll be quite a gathering,” he said with a very pleased smile, and in a tone that meant he would not accept no for an answer.
"Mac… McIntosh knows I’m here?" Gideon stuttered, vividly remembering the last time he saw Kingsley's father. At Mr. Shacklebolt's odd look, he shrugged, "That's fine, then. I had plans with my brother this afternoon either way. Thank you."
He recognized that firm tone, polite but unbending. Gideon didn’t argue once, knowing it would only look suspicious, something he and Kingsley couldn't afford right now. Kingsley had already said enough. He began planning how to act and what he could and could not say. He knew what phrases he had to avoid, how often he could look at Kingsley without Fabian getting suspicious. He pushed all the doubt away and locked it up. Typical of him, really. After the dinner was over and he was safely home, he'd panic. Now to calm Kingsley.
He turned toward him, smirking at the panicked look, "I'm not sure I could find that spare room on my own; I don't think the denim shorts would be appropriate. Care to show me where to go?" he asked, running fingers through messy hair. He really hoped Kingsley's grandfather bought the slim excuse. He assumed that Kingsley wasn't that far outside his norm, or so he hoped. Or else his grandfather would get suspicious quickly.
He followed Kingsley, who was walking fast. As soon as they were out of hearing distance, he moved closer, whispering in a laughing voice, "Nice skirt, Shacklebolt."
* * *
Fabian woke with a start; he could hear someone calling his name in the Floo. He rolled out of bed; it had to be late afternoon from the position of the sun, and crawled closer.
"Damn, Gideon why are you making so much noise, you know she's already…" he trailed off as he looked up, into the laughing face of McIntosh Shacklebolt. "Oh. Excuse me, sir."
“Hello, Fabian. Sorry to wake you; I just received a Floo from my father, and he’s inviting you for dinner with Moody at his house. Your brother’s there already; he went swimming with Kingsley."
"Gideon is there, with Kingsley?" Fabian shook his head, something wasn't quite right about that, but he was too sleep-muddled to figure it out. "Certainly, sir. I'd be glad to join you."
Signing off the Floo, Fabian thought a bit more about the implications of what Kingsley said yesterday, and his brother's defensive reaction following the game. He had carried on about his prior plans in an odd way, and Kingsley had reacted just as strange.
Something was not quite right.
* * *
“Fuck off, Gideon. Skirt, my ass.” Kingsley answered, walking quickly towards the guest bedroom. He was extremely upset at the turn of events and even more at Gideon. “You had plans with your brother?” he hissed without looking at Gideon. “Were they made before or after you invited me to your flat? Or are you into threesomes, Mr. Prewett?”
"Well, for starters, I didn't expect you to invite yourself to stay all day. You, er, don't strike me as the type to stick around afterwards, and if that's a way of implying interest in Fabian, I'm leaving right now. He's my brother, Shacklebolt. And he's straight. Well, for the most part.
"I know your grandfather's type; he's just like my dad. Arguing would have made it worse, Kingsley."
Following Kingsley, Gideon shook his head, unsure why Kingsley was so upset. "Besides, you weren't really planning on wearing that back to my flat, were you? How would you explain Floo'ing home in nothing but a skirt the following day?"
Oh, he was sure he would suffer for these comments. At least he knew Kingsley wasn't carrying a wand – not enough clothes to hide it – and was too young for wandless magic.
“You’re really an ass, you know? First of all, as far as I remember, you invited me to your flat. Second, I have zero interest in your precious brother and couldn’t give a fuck if he’s straight or not. And,” he added with a scowl, “it’s all very nice and dandy for you to be all happy about this dinner invitation. You got off quite nicely, didn’t you, Gideon?”
He was marching towards the guest bedroom in big strides. “For your information, I was planning to take my shorts and shirt to your flat, so I would not Floo home in any fucking skirt. And finally, yes, I do not stick around after sex; I’m not a fucking girl. But, probably unlike you, I can have sex more than once a day. So yes, I was planning to stay for quite a while, because I can.”
Aware that he'd crossed one too many lines, Gideon simply shut up and followed him until they reached the guest room. He was aware he was furious, as one was aware it was raining outside while looking out a window. Shutting the valve on his anger was something he learned years ago, the same way he buried panic. It was also something he hadn't needed since the week before his sixth year began. Had it been that long since he and Fabian fought?
Coldly rational, he realized several things at once. First, he was treating Kingsley the same way he treated his brother and that part of him expected Kingsley to react the same way. Secondly, he was extremely upset about the threesome comment. Thirdly, the comment about sex, while it stung his pride, could be accurate. It had been a long time since he tried.
He stopped as Kingsley flung the door open, stopping in the hall. Gideon quietly said, "After you," and pulled the door shut behind them. Leaning against it, he took a deep breath, staring at the ceiling without looking at Kingsley. He knew what he had to say, but damn if he didn't want to.
"Look, I'm sorry. I believe that hearing the threesome comment pushed a button I haven't had pushed in a long time. Every person I know wants Fabian; I might have taken what you said out of context due to that.
"Secondly, you don't know me. You don't know how I react. I just treated you the same way I treat my brother. I… I think I expected you to react the same way."
Kingsley was still scowling, arms crossed over his chest. “Well, I don’t want Fabian and I never implied that I wanted a threesome with both of you; that’d involve incest and I don’t like it. It pissed me off that you’d made plans with him and then made other plans with me – or didn’t you mean to follow those plans? Was that another attempt to brush me off? I hate being lied to and being treated like a child. I’m not a fool – or a child, Gideon. And I’m certainly not your brother, so you’d better learn how to deal with me.”
"I'm not lying to you. I don't like lying about things, it's messy and stupid, and too easy to get caught. I did have general plans with Fabian, but nothing set in stone beyond 'I'll Floo you in the afternoon,' which is very open to interpretation. I truly didn't expect you to stick around all day. I expected to eventually meet up with my brother tonight.
"And I can definitely say that this morning I didn't plan to take you back to my flat, but this afternoon, in this room, I meant what I said."
Damn, he really hated explaining himself. It was tiresome and annoying. Yet, here he was again, doing just that. No wonder he only hooked up with one-night stands or random visits with men or women he hardly knew. No matter how hard he tried, he could feel the window cracking beneath his anger, as if the angry storm inside him wanted to find an outlet.
There was no way in hell that Kingsley would admit to Gideon that he had heard the invitation to the flat and immediately thought about spending the night. One experience that he had been sorely missing was morning sex. At school it was impossible, of course, and, whenever he and Santini went out dancing, they had to come back home, as dictated by either his father or grandfather.
He was sick and tired of being underage. He was even more sick and tired of waiting for Gideon. He decided there and then that he might as well forget it all. He’d call one of his female friends and set up a date for the next day. They had no problem with his age. He just needed a regular old shag. And Gideon could just go fuck himself.
“Well, your wishes will be fulfilled. You will meet your brother tonight. And my parents and Moody, who, by the way, is very perceptive. It’ll be a really fun dinner, Prewett,” Kingsley replied sarcastically. He went to the large wardrobe in the room and opened the door, revealing both Muggle clothes and robes of various sizes and shapes. “Take your pick, if you want. These are my cousins’. There are towels in the bathroom and toiletries in the cabinet. Grandpa will be expecting us for tea in about fifteen minutes.”
He turned around and left the room, going to his own bedroom for a shower.
"Believe it or not, I work for Moody. I get how perceptive he is," Gideon said to himself while picking out plain dark blue robes. Taking a quick shower, he borrowed more Shacklebolt things as he cleaned and dried himself. Leaving the guest room, he reminded himself again that it was no time to worry and reviewed what he knew of the guests.
Briefly curious about which way Kingsley went, he buried it and made his way through the house to find Mr. Shacklebolt on the same terrace where Kingsley had breakfast.
Pulling the robes up as he sat – Gideon suddenly had this urge to show the man he was wearing proper trousers – Gideon accepted tea from Mrs. Wilcott and thanked her quietly.
Kingsley took a quick shower, dressed in khaki slacks, shirt and tie and carried his navy blue blazer downstairs, leaving it in the library while he used the Floo to call Hestia Jones. She wasn’t home and he left a message for her to call him back.
He went to the terrace and pointedly took the seat farthest away from Gideon. Mrs. Wilcott had set a light tea service and he helped himself in silence, distractedly looking around, thinking about where he could take Hestia. He’d have to suffer dinner, but he’d be damned if he wouldn’t have tons of fun the next day.
Gideon knew that look; he'd used it enough times himself. That was fine, he decided. This whatever they had going on had overextended itself. Taking a deep breath, Gideon tried to release the anger he felt. It was ridiculous to be so furious over a fling. It wasn't like he thought to make anything permanent of their flirtation. He settled into a conversation with Kingsley's grandfather, slowly turning the talk to the Aurors they both knew, and hoped Fabian would arrive soon. While he had the chance, he wanted to wring some stories out of the man, things that didn't make the textbooks.
Despite himself, he began paying attention to the conversation. He was always interested in his grandfather’s old stories. Southwood had had a long career and knew the best anecdotes.
Soon enough he was laughing aloud, or getting tense and angry, depending on the story. But he still avoided Gideon’s eyes.
When Mr. Shacklebolt asked him for stories of his own, Gideon was surprised and tried to change the subject. He really didn't like to talk about it and he was sure what story Kingsley's grandfather would ask about.
"Come now, Gideon, Moody told me a version of the Giant story; I want to hear yours. Besides, my grandson needs to know what he'll be up against during his internship."
He turned towards Kingsley, "Did you know Moody often puts his trainees through simulations against the Prewetts? He says no one has ever beaten them." Turning back toward Gideon, he asked, "How long has it been now?"
"Since I finished Hogwarts, sir. Fabian and I have been testing trainees together during the off-season. Fabian's partner usually covers for me during Quidditch season."
"Moody still says you should become an Auror."
Which was the reason Gideon didn't want to see the man today. "Yes, he tells me that often." Mainly for Kingsley's benefit he added, "I was one NEWT short and didn't apply. Moody thinks I did it on purpose."
Smirking, Kingsley answered, “I’ll be looking forward to be pitched against him and his brother. They’ve never had to face a Shacklebolt, have they?”
Southwood roared. “Gideon, you’ll have to work hard for this one! He’s very determined.”
Kingsley’s voice had a very defiant tone. “You can’t imagine how hard, Prewett.”
Gideon shrugged, "Words are one thing, action is another. We'll see how hard in time. I've yet to be beaten on my own ground."
Thinking rationally for the first time in a while, Gideon considered leaving early. He had had enough of the snide remarks with their double meanings. Obviously, whatever method he used to control his anger didn't apply to being around Kingsley Shacklebolt. Fabian always provided relief from his anger the rare times Gideon couldn’t control it. Not much in the mood to bandy words with the imp, who was obviously just as angry with him, Gideon hoped the others would arrive soon.
A loud Crack! announced the arrival of McIntosh and Maura. Kingsley immediately rose to greet his parents, giving his father a one-armed hug and his mother a kiss. She was a petite woman, and he grabbed her by the waist and twirled her around, then placing her gently on the ground. Giggling, she kissed her father-in-law and was properly introduced to Gideon.
Kingsley held a chair for her, positioning his mother in such a way that McIntosh had to sit next to Gideon.
Standing up to greet her, Gideon settled in his seat - next to McIntosh – and thanked him for inviting Fabian. He buried all his anger, tightly wrapping them with layers of politeness that he'd learned over the years. It wouldn’t fool Fabian, but it would buy him time.
Approaching footsteps announced the arrival of Moody and Fabian, and Gideon barely caught himself before rolling his eyes. It figured that they’d come together. He stood to shake hands with his brother, needing the friendly contact, just as Kingsley's grandfather said, "Perfect timing, Fabian. I was just asking Gideon about the Giants…"
"Don't you dare," Gideon said between clenched teeth, smiling.
Kingsley rose again, feeling cold inside. Alastor Moody intimidated him immensely. As a little boy he had overheard many stories at home about the Auror; both Southwood and McIntosh had always spoken highly of Moody, and, in Kingsley’s mind, he was this almost supernatural super-Auror.
As he grew up and understood he would be working under the man, the boyish hero-worship turned into a fearful respect he only had for his own father and grandfather. However, unlike the two older Shacklebolts, he knew that Moody wouldn’t be prey to his charms.
Today, especially, Moody made him feel very uncomfortable. And he just had to come in with Fabian!
Plastering a smile on his face, he shook hands with the two Aurors.
Fabian frowned as he met his brother's eyes; there was a tension there he rarely saw. Granted, Gideon was upset anytime someone tried to wring the story out of him about the first death he witnessed, but this was something else. Gideon's clenched teeth and abrupt manners all implied he was furious, and barely containing it. Fabian greeted Mac and his wife as his brother turned toward Moody.
Turning toward the elder Shacklebolt, Fabian said, "Not from me, sir. Gideon forbade me from talking about it the day after his release from St. Mungo's."
Gideon moved closer and bumped his shoulder, "Clumsy Auror," he said softly, already feeling his anger draining away at Fabian's grin. They both knew it was Fabian who had gone to St. Mungo's.
His grin got bigger as Moody sat next to Kingsley.
Fuck! Kingsley thought, as Moody sat right next to him. He hid his discomfort, though, with a smile and offered the Auror a drink. He was thinking about something to say when Mrs. Wilcott came to the rescue, announcing to him that a Miss Hestia Jones was waiting for him in the Floo; she was returning his call.
Kingsley rose immediately, excusing himself and addressing his grandfather. “Grandpa, can I invite her to come over for a swim tomorrow?”
Southwood nodded. “Of course, son. You might as well ask her to join us for lunch, if you want.”
“Thank you, sir,” Kingsley answered, rushing indoors to answer the call.
As soon as he disappeared through the door, McIntosh turned to his wife. “Hestia? Wasn’t his girlfriend’s name Marlene?”
Maura shrugged. “I don’t keep track, darling.”
Southwood sighed, talking to Gideon. “This means I won’t be able to take a nap tomorrow. I know better than to leave a hormonal boy and a girl alone.” He laughed. “Very different from having you here – today I could nap safely! But with a girl…”
“He’s girl crazy,” Maura pointed out, “but it’s the age. Actually, I’d rather he has a lot of girlfriends than just one; he’s too young to be serious about anyone.”
“And I’m quite glad he’s girl crazy.” McIntosh shuddered. “Merlin forbid he’s like Chambers,” he mumbled.
“Poor Brunswick, what a burden to bear,” Southwood agreed. Turning to his guests, he explained. “Chambers is my grandson, Bruns’s only boy. And, unfortunately, he’s…erm…”
“Gay,” Maura said. “He’s gay, sir. It’s not a big deal. Chambers likes boys, so what?”
“Maura, my dear,” McIntosh was horrified, “you can’t mean it.”
“Of course I do, Mac! You know that!” She turned to the guests, who were observing the exchange in silence. “It never ceases to amaze me that the Shacklebolts are so open-minded about everything and yet, can’t accept homosexuality.” She looked firmly at her father-in-law, then at her husband. “I saw Eloise’s despair when Chambers was suffering from depression. We talked, she and I; she was afraid her only boy would commit suicide. Bruns’ pain because of Chambers’s orientation is nothing compared to what she had to go through, not knowing what was eating at her child and afraid of losing him. Chambers’s a much happier person now. And Bruns better accept it,” she affirmed with determination.
The silence was broken by Kingsley’s footsteps, retuning to the table.
Well, that was interesting. Gideon almost choked on his water when he heard Kingsley's grandfather. The irony was horrible, and he almost turned to grin at his brother, before realizing that Fabian wasn't included in this joke. Couldn't be included in this joke. Considering Kingsley's choices, he was glad that Mrs. Shacklebolt stood up for this cousin. If Kingsley ever fell in love – Merlin forbid – with a man, he had one supporter in his immediate family. Of course, the rest of the conversation was a moot point for Gideon. He didn't care one whit at the moment how they felt about gays. He just wanted dinner to end so he could leave.
Surprised they even brought the subject up with outsiders, he and Fabian remained quiet. They didn't even look at each other, though they were probably both thinking similar thoughts. Moody remained entirely silent during the conversation, something Gideon didn't think possible. That man had an opinion about everything.
Gideon silently counted the seconds until Kingsley public announced he had a date the following day as he heard returning footsteps. He knew that Kingsley would find a way around the grandfather. Gideon simply hoped he could continue to ignore Kingsley if he carried on with his snide comments.
Kingsley looked at the silent people around the table and shrugged. The adults must’ve been talking about a subject the sensitive ears of a child couldn’t hear. Normally he’d be upset about it, but tonight he was much more upset about other things. And he was confused, too; the night before he thought he had Gideon all figured out and this afternoon had been brilliant, but then Gideon had blown cold again. In Kingsley’s mind there was no doubt that Gideon had accepted the dinner invitation too quickly, as a means to stave him off – and only after he got excellent head. Well, there would be no more of it. If Gideon wanted unilateral sex again, he’d have to find someone else.
Pulling his mother’s chair out, he announced that dinner was served.
Considering the best way to avoid Kingsley was to stay by Moody's side, Gideon initiated a conversation with the Auror. Every fourth week they had a light week of practice and he wanted to offer his spare time to the Aurors.
Maura indicated where each person should sit: Southwood, of course, at the head of the table, with her opposite him, doing the honors as hostess. It was a tacit agreement among the daughters-in-law to take the place of their beloved late mother-in-law in such occasions. Maura, as the wife of the eldest son, routinely occupied this position and she moved with ease, taking the burden of such social gestures off Southwood’s hands.
Moody, as guest of honor, sat on Southwood’s right side and she placed Fabian on the left. Gideon was directed to her right and she placed her husband next to Moody.
The table been set for an odd number of guests, she gestured Kingsley to sit between the two Prewett brothers, and they all sat down for a delicious dinner of soup, leg of lamb, roasted potatoes and a medley of vegetables.
Still unsure what bothered his brother, Fabian turned toward Kingsley. "Is Professor Flitwick still the head of Ravenclaw?"
At Kingsley's nod of agreement, Fabian told a tale about Flitwick and Professor Sprout, involving himself and a Hufflepuff trying to arrange a date between them. Even Gideon was chuckling as he talked with Maura.
"You shouldn't give him any ideas," Moody said, laughing himself.
"Oh, I doubt I can. From what I've heard, you'll have your hands full if any of his classmates want to become Aurors. I've not heard much good about the Gryffindors this year."
Gideon knew immediately whom Fabian was speaking of, the four students that were the joy – and bane - of McGonagall's existence. She complained about them enough and laughed about them more often. Yet, he had no reason to know McGonagall well enough to mention it here, so he remained quiet, turning back to his conversation with Kingsley's mum.
Mentally Kingsley cursed his mother’s good manners. He’d rather sit anywhere but next to Gideon. Still intent on ignoring him as much as possible, he engaged Fabian in a lively conversation about the professors, classes and the NEWTs he’d be taking; soon enough they were talking about what Kingsley could expect once he joined the Aurors the next summer. The excitement about finally being able to fight against the Dark Side made Kingsley forget about the frustrations of the afternoon and, without noticing, he turned to Gideon, asking, “Can you pass the bread, please?”
As Gideon handed him the basket, their hands touched.
What the hell is wrong with me? Gideon thought as the minimal contact startled him. Sometimes being near Kingsley felt like being caught outside in a rainstorm after the lightning began. He could feel the cackling energy even if he couldn't see it. Smiling broadly for a moment, he waited until Kingsley set the bread down before leaning over to whisper, "Mrs. Wilcott is trying very hard to impress your family."
He leaned further back, as if to talk to his brother so the whispering wouldn't be completely obvious.
Kingsley smirked. “I told you she was – but it’s one member of the family she wants to impress,” he said in a low voice as Gideon leant behind him. He remembered vaguely his decision to give Gideon the cold shoulder treatment, but now they had shared a joke and he couldn’t really keep his pretense.
Despite being a less than ideal shag, on account of his refusing to shag, Gideon was a cool bloke. Kingsley had to admit that they’d had a lot of fun together: the movies, the Quidditch matches, swimming that afternoon and even going dancing. It was useless to insist on having sex with Gideon if he didn’t want it. Kingsley never had to work for a shag before and he had already done too much. But he liked Gideon’s company and they could be good friends.
He turned to his mother and told her that Gideon had also liked Star Wars a lot. To Gideon he said, “She hated it.”
Gideon sighed loudly, "It must be a girl thing," he teased, rolling his eyes at her. "I'm sure your husband loved it."
"Loved what?" Fabian asked.
"This Muggle thing called a movie that Kingsley took me to see. If I could navigate it on my own, I'd take you, brother mine."
"Isn't that Meg's job," Fabian asked, "to provide us with Muggle service?"
"That's not a bad idea," Gideon said, grinning at him, "I think you'd love it and she can take you."
Moody mumbled under his breath, loud enough for those at the table to hear, "Why do you need Muggle things? We've our own world here."
McIntosh surprised Gideon by answering; "I've told you before, Alastor, you don't know what you're missing. And yes, Gideon, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe we blokes can all go again and take Fabian with us this time."
He heard Kingsley's mum ask who Meg was, but Gideon chose to ignore the question.
Meg’s mention made Kingsley stiffen a little, but then he remembered his decision to be Gideon’s friend; he answered his mother’s question with a slightly forced smile and a brief, “She’s the Seeker for the Arrows.” He then addressed his father, “Dad, that’s a great idea. Let’s do it!” Going to the movies in a large group would mean, of course, no touching Gideon, but, since he couldn’t touch him any more anyway, that would take care of the temptation, too.
The dinner dishes were cleared by a wave of Mrs. Wilcott’s wand and a beautiful Charlotte was brought to the table. Amid the compliments of the guests, she proudly announced that it was Kingsley’s favorite dessert. He agreed, thanking her for having made it, while, at the same time, reminding himself silently that it just happened to be Southwood’s favorite, too.
Finishing the dinner with quiet conversation, Gideon realized he thoroughly enjoyed Kingsley's family. Maura was a sharp woman with a fierce devotion to her family. It was so unlike his family that he couldn't compare the two.
Fabian didn't agree immediately to the movie, which Gideon knew was due to Moody’s presence. Which also meant he'd never convince his brother to go unless they decided when and where while still at the Shacklebolts. Fabian might not like it, but he wouldn't disagree with McIntosh.
Leaning over he said, "Better get your father to lock in a time now, or Fabian will never go. I like the idea all of us going, it will be fun."
Gideon brought the movie idea back around, "It can't be during the week; Fabian and I will be away on business until Saturday morning. My game on Sunday is in Montrose; that's too far away to plan anything else that day."
“You’ll be off the Monday following the game, yeah? Maybe we can go then, Dad?”
“That sounds good. Will you join us, Father?”
“I probably will. It sounds interesting,” Southwood replied, looking around the table. “So it’ll be six of us? You’re in, Fabian, correct?”
His tone of voice indicated the only admissible answer would be a “yes,” and Fabian nodded.
“You, Alastor?”
“I’ll let you know, Southwood.” Moody’s voice demonstrated that he would find any possible excuse not to go.
Kingsley and Gideon exchanged a victorious grin; their plan had been successful.
"Good. You won't regret it, Fabian. Kingsley, will you take me to Gringott's first? I still owe you for the last movie and that way I can get a practical lesson about Muggle money. I'd rather not leave it to the goblins when there's someone else with an idea how to handle it." Gideon decided he wasn't going to owe Kingsley any more money.
As they stood after dessert, he turned to thank Maura for a wonderful dinner. "Fabian and I really enjoyed ourselves," Gideon said, smiling as he took her hand for a moment. “You have such a pleasant, joyful family, it's wonderful."
Wondering if he said too much when she looked at him oddly, Gideon shrugged his shoulders, easily breaking the mood with a grin. "I can't wait to see what Fabian does in the Muggle world," he said.
Turning to Kingsley, he reminded him that his swimsuit was in the guest room, and that he needed to leave the robe. "Can you show me where it is one more time?"
He waved Fabian away, "I'll meet you at your flat."
They waited while Fabian and Moody said their goodbyes and, as soon as they Apparated, Kingsley led the way, going upstairs in silence. He didn’t know what to say. Inasmuch as he had resolved never to touch Gideon again, he really wanted to do it. Gideon’s presence next to him was making him a little uncomfortable and he was regretting that rash decision. Maybe he should retract it, wait until his birthday, shag Gideon and then they could be just friends. It was really stupid to call it quits now. All he needed was to have sex with Gideon once and then it’d be easy to go on with his life.
They arrived at the door to the guest room and Kingsley opened the door, gesturing for Gideon to go inside.
Taking off the robe, he handed it to Kingsley, "Thanks," he said, not quite meeting his eyes. He walked toward the bureau and picked up his swimming trunks, hesitating a second while he folded them into his hands, repeatedly. He wondered if he should say something to Kingsley. It had started out as such a good day, but par norm for them, quickly dissolved into something of a mess.
Gideon realized it was only fair; he was messing around with an underage wizard and so he should be thankful for the intervention Kingsley's grandfather supplied. Nevertheless, he felt bad for the misunderstanding. He wondered if Kingsley still doubted his word, then realized that of course he did, or he wouldn't have made an issue about inviting the girl over the next day.
In some ways, it was better this way, to just go their own ways and leave it at that. Making up his mind, he turned suddenly, walking back to Kingsley. Keeping his hands twisted tightly in his trunks, he smiled, finally making eye contact.
Leaning closer, he kissed Kingsley on the side of his mouth, lingering there to whisper, "I'm truly sorry for the mess today. I'm sure you don't believe me, but I wish things turned out differently. I…"
He paused for a moment, thinking, then stood up and backed away, smiling at Kingsley, "Have a good week."
Kingsley closed his eyes as Gideon kissed him, his resolve of waiting until August fifteenth eroding quickly. But he was really tired of trying; this reminded him of his lovesick friends at school, trying and trying to have the person they wanted. He had never been able to understand what made people behave like that and he had sworn he would never be in the same position. This is why he had never been in a relationship and didn’t plan to be at all.
“Thanks,” he answered simply. As he was turning to walk out of the door, he remembered what Gideon had asked him to do. “When do you want to go to Gringotts? Can you go one day this week? I was planning to go to Diagon Alley on Friday. Grandpa’s giving me a new broom for my birthday, and he told me to choose one. We can meet then, if you want, after your practice.”
Gideon was surprised by the invitation. He knew they would be gone most of the week, but it wouldn't hurt to try. "I don't know when we'll be back for sure. Practice ends at noon; will you Floo me a bit after that? I'll let you know for sure then."
Kingsley nodded and the two of them walked downstairs. In the library, they met Southwood, ready with the chess set open, waiting for Kingsley, and Maura and McIntosh, who were saying their goodbyes.
Kingsley hugged his father, kissed his mother and shook Gideon’s hand briefly, saying, “Thanks for the company today. Hope you had a good time.” Then he turned and sat down in the seat his grandfather had reserved for him, as the adults Apparated away.
He concentrated on the game, but lost pathetically after Southwood commented casually that the white knights had red hair, just like the Prewett brothers.