daveypuff (daveypuff) wrote in nexttonormalrpg, @ 2014-03-01 18:53:00 |
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Entry tags: | antoinette smith, davey gudgeon |
Who: Antoinette and Davey
When: Backdated - Friday 21 February
Where: Hufflepuff Common Room
What: Snuggling
Rating/Warnings: They're just friends.
Status: {Closed, Complete}
Antoinette was bored. Very very bored, really. After all, it was a Friday night and she had nothing to do for classes at this point. Sure, there was work due Monday, but that could wait for now- no sense in doing it when it was not needed for another few days at least. She was curled up on an overstuffed chair in the Hufflepuff Common Room, her own cat and her brother’s as well crawling on her lap comfortably. Much warmer that way, she thought, especially when there was no one offering at the moment to keep her warm. Not that she could not lure someone to join her and entertain her- she knew she could- but at the moment she did not feel like moving and disturbing the cats. Or her own comfort.
Davey wandered into the Common room looking vaguely confused, or perhaps concerned, until his eyes lighted on Antoinette. “Hullo,” he greeted his friend, a grin coming over his features. it was hard not to grin around Antoinette - she was just fun, plus being his friend meant he liked being around her. He came over over to where she was sitting. “You’ve got Jeanie and Esme… have you seen Biscuit?” Davey had seen his cat at lunch, but not since classes had ended for the day. Biscuit was most likely off hunting bugs, but he might have come trolling Antoinette for attention too.
A brilliant smile crossed Antoinette’s face when Davey walked over, though she did not rise to greet him with her customary hug- too many cats in her lap for that, really. “No, Biscuit decided that he would rather not curl up with all the girls today. Jeanie and Esme were quite adamant really that there just was not enough room, though I have promised him a treat later…” A tiny laugh and she flicked a bit of her hair back, her eyes moving to his face. “I think he went toward the dorm rooms, though, last I saw, and I imagine he will be back soon.” She motioned for him to sit on one of the nearby chairs before moving to pet the cats in her lap for a moment, somewhat amused by them still.
Davey nodded quietly at her report. “He doesn’t go that far.” He wasn’t worried, but he had hoped that Biscuit would’ve been cuddled in with Antoinette so he didn’t have to wonder. “He’ll be back for bedtime, unless Jeanette is willing to share your bed with him.” It happened sometimes. “Got any plans for the night, or just gonna cuddle with them?” He moved to perch, not in one of the other chairs, but on the arm of Antoinette’s chair, liking to be close to his friends.
“I suppose we will see what happens tonight. I very rarely go to bed by myself, as you know…” This said with a small smile, obviously there were two meanings to what she said, and both were very true. “As I understand it, I can be quite warm to snuggle against.” She chalked it up to being part Veela, the whole fire thing and all that, though that was not a valid discussion point in the common room, even though it was information Davey obviously knew. When he seated himself on the arm of her chair she reached out and lightly ran her hand down his back, rubbing it softly. She too favored being close to her friends in general, and touch tended to please her a great deal.
It was no doubt part of why he’d chosen to settle within reach - he liked touching and being touched too. “Think I heard that.” Davey agreed, accepting all meanings of her words easily. He reached over to pet one of the cats in her lap. “They don’t leave much space do they? Kinda surprised they both fit.” Antoinette wasn’t exactly huge, and cats could take up an inordinate amount of space.
“They have a lot of practice back home. It is funny, they will not do this for Bas, not at all.” The cats would curl up with him, yes, but there was no sharing involved when it came to how they acted with him. One cat and one cat only at a time would settle with him.” Antoinette laughed softly and traced her fingers down the back of her brother’s cat lightly. “Did you want to join them or something? I am sure I could try to solve some way to make that happen…”
Davey wasn’t opposed, but knew the two creatures already in her lap had claws and teeth. “Prolly better not to, they ain’t so forgiving as all that, and I like them liking me.” He knew that each could make his life difficult if they got it into their kitty minds to do so. “‘sides, you’re already touching me.” He was close enough for that, and that was what mattered. “Kinda nice to have a quiet weekend after the Ball chaos last weekend.” He’d had a couple good kisses, but the potion had caused a bit of chaos.
“And of course it would not be a quiet weekend if you had to worry about two cats trying to stalk you in your sleep…” A quirk of a smile and Antoinette moved to pet her own cat for a few moments, scratching under her chin softly before turning the majority of her attention back to Davey. “Everyone looked a lot like how some people get around me. Kind of glad you don’t get that way, you know? It’s nice to be normal to someone other than Bas…” Though sometimes she did not feel that way, sometimes she wanted him to notice her. Others? She was content with the way things were. It was strange how her moods could change when it came to him.
“These two is too smart to trust.” Davey said, pointing a finger at each in turn. “And Biscuit don’t stand up to them.” As evidenced by the fact that his tomcat hadn’t taken over Antoinette’s lap. As she talked about the Ball, he looked at her face again - she was stunning, and it wasn’t that Davey didn’t notice that. He felt that sort of magical pull she had (particularly when he was daydreaming, he’d sometimes realize he was watching her. But he didn’t get gooey-eyed over her the way their classmates sometimes did. “Well, you’re that kinda special. Dunno if I’m glad I didn’t get the punch or not. Mighta been nice ta have gone back to a room with someone, but dunno that I’d want to get silly eyed in love, even for a night.” After all, Antoinette had just said she liked that she could be normal around him.
“Biscuit knows that they’re naughty girls, these two, and so he doesn’t want to cause trouble. He knows too that he gets my attention whenever they’re not around, and little treats on top of that when there are some around.” Antoinette tended to spoil the cats around her pretty regularly in whatever way made sense in the moment, and so it was just something they all had gotten used to. “Love potions bring obsessive feelings. Not nearly as fun as really liking someone, and certainly not as fun as the chase.” Not that she had to do much chasing, it was more entertaining to make others chase after her for the most part.
“Maybe it wouldn’ta worked on me then. I’m too distractible to be obsessive.” Even now, comfortable sitting with Antoinette, he couldn’t help looking around the room just because he couldn’t not. “Though I like folks though,” even if it didn’t last all that long. Well no, that wasn’t true. Davey wasn’t so much for not liking folks, but there was liking and liking. “Not patient enough to chase. I like it better when stuff just starts up. You’re good with the chase, but you like being chased more, I think.”
“Maybe?” Antoinette shrugged a bit, looking thoughtful. She doubted that the potion worked like that, from what she understood there was not really ways to avoid it if one ingested something of the sort. “I like playing around a little sometimes, at least. I am glad though that no one got potioned around me, I can’t imagine that would be very fun.” Fighting off someone who had been dosed and was exposed to her charm as well? She could not imagine that would be enjoyable. “I never really have to chase. People just sort of….like me, I guess?”
Davey grinned at her. “Cause you’re sweet, and folks can see it.” He’d thought it at eleven years old (before he was old enough to really like girls). “And I like playin’ around too, but just well, the kissing part more than the teasing part.” Davey leaned back on the arm, and leaned in a little so his back was against the back of the chair, even while his legs dangled off the arm. “Think I’d kinda been hoping to snog Kermie at this Ball again, it was fun back at the holidays and all.” Davey admitted. “Feel like I’m running out of folks to kiss, ‘specially since everyone is starting to partner up now that we’re getting older.”
“Sweet, innocent, all of that. Absolutely.” A tiny hint of mischief flickered in her eyes as she said that, absently trailing her fingers back over his back and shoulders. Touching him was a normal state of affairs, and she was pretty sure he would be concerned and upset if she stopped for some reason. A slight nod as he commented on Kermit and she shrugged. “Could always go flirt with Bas. He’s fun that way. Well, not for me, because ick, but you know what I mean… Um. There’s Aiden, if you’re looking to be subtle. I do wonder really about him and how not enjoyable he seemed to find his time with me…” A thoughtful look crossed her face and she shrugged. “There’s always Wil too, she’s pretty sweet, if you want a girl instead…” She forced back for the moment the thought of offering herself, that would just be strange, she guessed.
“Bas is your brother. That’d be weird, wouldn’t it? Snogging your brother?” Davey seemed to consider her other offerings with a little more care. Not that he didn’t think Bas was damn attractive, but he thought Antoinette was too, it didn’t mean she was fair game as a casual snog partner. “Aiden is open? I dunno if I got a reputation as being subtle.” He had after all kissed Kermit in the middle of the dance floor at the last Ball. “Why ain’t more girls like you and Kenzie? I like kissing boys okay, but isn’t not like I’m gay.” He didn’t bother classifying himself except that he liked kissing others and touching people, and the gender of his partner wasn’t really much of a concern to him.
“I suppose it would be, yes. I don’t know how likely he would be to snog you. Not that you’re not utterly adorable, but he might see you being my best friend as something to avoid?” Antoinette shrugged and continued to lightly rub the small of Davey’s back, comforted by the contact between them. “Aiden, Merlin only knows what is going on there. All I know is that most boys are more entertained by some of my activities than he was.” She grinned wickedly and shrugged. “Can’t have too many girls like me, silly boy. The world would go mad with it. After all, I am quite hard to resist when I want something, as I understand it…”
“No? Don’t see why not. I like you though, so, well I don’t see the problem, and I don’t think most folks want to resist you.” He didn’t generally, but then he was her friend too, and that might mean his opinion was different from everyone else’s. He also knew better than to ask about which of her activities had failed to wow the other boy. “Though suspect its best we’re all original and stuff. Be boring otherwise, but still too many are uptight about stuff like this.”
“No, most don’t seem to want to resist my whims. I suppose it’s because I’m so cute and cuddly. And a cat magnet, too.” Antoinette motioned to the two cats that still rested in her lap, now quite obviously asleep, and a smile quirked her lips. She knew she could get what she wanted pretty much any time she chose to do so, and so she did not really worry herself about needing or wanting for much. “People need to realize that pleasure and the need for it is natural and enjoyable. Touching feels good, you know? So why bother not?”
Davey was in perfect agreement with that sentiment, and liked even the casual touching that Antoinette did with him. He simply made a little happy noise of agreement, since she was currently touching him. “You’re stuck for a while.” Since the cats looked perfectly content. “As cute and charming as you are, don’t think cats are all that impressed.”
“Ah, but they don’t have to be. They’re warm and comfortable and they are keeping me warm as well. Since no one has offered to take over that task this evening, having them here is immensely helpful.” Her fingers absently traced up and down his spine as she talked, focusing on the spots on his (and every, from what she had noted) body that held tension. Even the calmest person, after all, needed some sort of release and relaxation sometimes, and she knew she was quite gifted with making people feel good physically.
“Are you cold?” Davey asked, not entirely sure if she was truly complaining, or just crediting the cats with something other than being soft and cute. He was as always unconsciously relaxing to her touch - he always relaxed when other people touched him (well okay, he might get tense, but that was in a very specific way, and not around Antoinette, she relaxed him).
“Not really, no. I have an odd temperature though, you know that.” Slightly warmer than normal humans, though again, she just shrugged that off as a veela thing. She traced back down his back and again focused on rubbing his lower back softly, ensuring that he was as comfortable as she was at the moment.
“So the lament was more along the lines of mine - that there was no one but me around to hang out with at the moment.” Not that Davey lamented hanging around Antoinette, but he had been lamenting the lack of snogging partners earlier. “Although the cats probably wouldn’t want to share you with some other bloke either since they’d prolly lose their lap if that happened, when I just sit next to you.”
“It’s terrible, truly. The pair of us need to go hunt up some more snogging partners and charm them into our respective beds, I think.” This said with a tiny giggle and she brushed her hair back from her face and playfully traced along the edge of his shirt, brushing her fingers against his skin teasingly. She was comfortable petting both him and the cats, and she doubted that she could be persuaded to relocate anytime soon.
“We could start going for fourthies… But that seems a little young for the most part.” Sure some of the Fourth Years were mature, but well, Antoinette was cuter anyway. Especially when she was touching him like that. And really, Davey wasn’t exactly about to turn someone away just for age if it came down to that. He didn’t really believe in setting hard rules like that. They just weren’t as attractive to them. He moved his hand from the sleeping cat to her leg. Since she was teasing him, it was fair.
“Fifth years could work? Maybe?” Antoinette shrugged. Fourth years seemed a little bit young, and really, she was personally not lacking (at least not entirely) in options. She still had occasional trysts with the Slytherin Wilkes, and of course there was the recent encounter with Galen and Trish, but she would not argue with Davey being playful right back to her. She never had an issue with it, not really, though it had never been something they had pursued beyond just messing about and skirting borders.
“Already snogged a couple of them.” Davey admitted. Fifth years seemed perfectly reasonable to him, being only a year younger, and often times, not even that. “Ain’t that much younger.” He was after all on the younger side of student in their year, and was a month younger than Antoinette. “Almost surprised no one has something going on tonight.” There was a card game in the corner he might join later, although he was hoping someone would start something better.
Antoinette nodded a bit and leaned her head back on the top of her chair, accepting his statement. “Just not my little brother. Now that would be weird.” A laugh accompanied that statement since she had previously joked about him flirting with her older brother. “I imagine if we really wanted to find something to do, it would not be that hard to manage, you know… Even with nothing appearing right now to be entertaining…”
Davey’s first thoughts weren’t appropriate, not with Antoinette. He replied to the bit about her younger brother instead. “I’d rather snog Seb than your little brother. He’s…” Well he was her little brother. “one of the younger ones.” It was probably the way that Seb thought about Davey. Davey wasn’t about to corrupt Antoinette’s brother, although, well, he was probably almost as experienced as his older siblings, having that same appeal that they did. “But if you’re comfortable.” Well he was comfortable too, actually.
“I can be comfortable just about anywhere, you know that well enough.” Antoinette looked up at him with a smirk and moved her hand to trace a finger lightly over his arm, a thoughtful look crossing her face for just a second. “No, I can’t imagine it would be normal for you to try and snog the little one, he is just too...sweet? I guess?” She shrugged and shifted to stretch herself a bit. Carefully, so she would not disrupt the cats on her lap, but she felt she needed to adjust a tiny bit.
Davey definitely wasn’t the sort to go for ‘sweet’. Not that he went for dark and dangerous either. He’d snogged Desi a few times, but Desi wasn’t very dark, despite being a Slytherin. Not like most of the others in that house. “No, I don’t like the really romantic dream stuff either.” He hadn’t really dated anyone in his time at Hogwarts, unless you counted that week when he was eleven and the other girl told everyone he was her boyfriend.
“No, the romantic dream stuff doesn’t suit you, not even a little.” Antoinette traced her fingers over his arm again, closing her eyes for a moment. No, it did not really suit her either, she was more practical and realistic than that. She did want a family one day, obviously, but she was more willing than most to have some sort of alternate family if it came to that.
“I got all my sisters for that,” Davey grinned, thinking of them for a moment. “I suspect Gladys is gonna be getting married before I finish here. Don’t like the bloke she’s seeing though.” The guy seemed to take her for granted sometimes, though it was possible he was just being a protective brother who thought no one was good enough for his sister.
“That will be nice for her, though, I think? Though sometimes people don’t choose the partner that will make them happiest and suit them best. It can be sad sometimes.” Antoinette shrugged slightly, her hand returning to his back gently as she pondered how to continue. “It is your sister though. I doubt she would find a boy that you would approve of, honestly. Brother’s option. I am sure Bas feels the same way about me…”
Davey grinned. “Yea but you can charm anyone, so maybe you’ll fall for someone he does approve of.” His sister was… well not so charming or cute as Antoinette. He loved her but could admit that much. “And he likes me well enough I think.” Of course Davey was just Antoinette’s friend, and didn’t even kiss her.
“Assuming I fall for anyone at all. Might not, you know.” Antoinette shrugged faintly and allowed a tiny laugh to escape her. “I’ve not slept with you though, Davey. Whole different thing there, really. Just because I can charm people doesn’t mean anything, not really. It’s not permanent, remember.” She laughed and reached to pat his cheek teasingly, amused by the conversation now.
“I’m permanent.” Davey was confident in that. “But yea, we ain’t sleeping together. But you know, I look at my younger siblings friends too.” He wasn’t as close with his siblings as Bas and Antoinette were though, having more years in between them. “I like your brothers though.” He wondered briefly where Sebastien was tonight, that his Esme was cuddling with Antoinette.
“They’re both wonderful. Could not ask for better brothers than the two I have.” She was well aware that they did not sleep together, and she still wondered if that was for the best or no. She was constantly rather conflicted on the matter, so she tended to not think of it most of the time. “Looking out for your siblings is what’s right, anyways. And I know you’re permanent. You’ve been stuck with me since we were firsties, so I don’t expect that to change.”
Davey grinned at her toothily. “Don’t expect? You can do better than that.” He teased. “I can still dip your pigtails in the ink bottle you know.” Not that he’d done more than threaten that since they were firsties, but it still seemed a valid threat, even now, even though she’d be more likely to be able to dodge his attempt.
“You wouldn’t dare. You heard what happens when you upset girls like me…” He would have, of course, heard about the disagreement that she’d had with the boy who had harmed her brother, as had most to some degree (though the rumors were odd and vague mostly) and many people knew to not underestimate her due to that. “I adore you, though, so I guess from you I’d have to accept it…”
“I know you’re tough.” Actually, given what he knew about what had happened with the boy who hurt Sebastien… well, she was more than tough. But Davey had never even considered that she might use her skills against him, and he would expect that she was more likely to protect him, rather than do something to him. As she said they were friends. And he wasn’t the knight sort like Thomas who could protect his sister and friends. Davey was more likely to need protection like her brother. “But I’m too cute to hex..” Davey managed to cuddle closer to her from his perch on the arm of the chair.
“You absolutely are, cher. I could never do something like that to you.” Antoinette adjusted a tiny bit to lean her head against him with a smile. Hexing Davey would be like hexing Sebastien, and she could never do that. Their defenses were just not as strong. Plus, she cared for them both too much to be willing to do either one any harm. “You’re kind of like a kitten, I think. Too cuddly and cute to be blamed for doing something wrong, even if you do mess with my hair…”
“They’re usually better at climbing trees though.” Well, cats were at least, kittens were about as good at focusing as Davey was - easily distractible by bugs and shadows. “It’s pretty.” Davey began playing with her hair as though to demonstrate both of their words. “And soft.” He added, since it was true. He thought Antoinette was pretty gorgeous, actually. “I like being petted too.” He grinned at her with a hint of wickedness in his smile.
Antoinette laughed softly and mussed Davey’s hair, shaking her head. “I know you do. That’s why I do it so very often. Plus, it feels nice to me too.” Because touching Davey, who was distractible, yes, but generally quite cheerful, gave her a tiny bit of energy. Well, maybe not energy so much as when she could feel his happiness it made her happy, just like it did with her brother. Physical closeness tended to help in that, and so she continued. “And as for climbing trees? People don’t have much need for that, honestly, so I can’t imagine it’s a bad thing at this point for you to not do so…” Plus, it would be unsafe for him and she would likely throw something of a fit if he tried.
Like an oversized kitten, Davey was slowly working his way into the chair with her, making space for himself without disturbing either girl or cats. “Better view from the towers anyway.” And then, living up to his distractible reputation, he was onto a new topic. “Full Moon this weekend. Do you think we’ll hear the ghost?”
A tiny shrug from Antoinette. Obviously she knew what he was talking about, though she tended to devote minimal attention to the idea. Ghosts were commonplace, after all, and hearing just one more didn’t do much to affect her. “I guess it is possible. There’s another snowball fight this weekend too, I hear. You want to join up with me? Could be entertaining, I think…” She flashed a grin, used to his distractible nature and the tendency for him to change subjects quickly, something she too had adopted (though mostly just in his company- her focus was much better in other things.)
“It was fun last time.” Davey agreed, stretching. “‘course I kinda got caught up in it on accident ‘cause I was with Trish when it happened.” Davey wasn’t always as good about planning for things. “When its all organized… dunno...” He didn’t like people to rely on him, and tended to avoid organized activities since he could never be sure whether he’d be there or not. “Maybe if I’m around. Unless you gotta sign up?”
“I don’t think you do. Pretty sure Bas is going, so I probably will end up out there. Come if you can, I suppose?” Antoinette smiled softly, knowing that sometimes he was otherwise occupied or distracted and accepting that. It was part of him, after all, and she was pretty well used to it. “I am pretty sure that it will be an interesting event, if nothing else…”
Davey grinned. “An everyone who missed the first one’ll wanna be there this time.” Davey was glad he’d been part of the first one. “Been snowy this year.” Snowy made the winter more fun, sometimes. Although wetter. “You goin’ to protect Bas? Dun need to be worried ‘bout me if I go spacey.”
“I worry about you either way, darling boy, you know that.” She adjusted slightly, (earning a glare from one of the cats), and kissed his cheek playfully. “You are my best friend, after all. And Bas can protect himself in something like this, I know that much. The pair of us have done snowball fights regularly since we were quite tiny…”
“We mostly just hit each other with brooms.” Davey said of his siblings. He occasionally envied her relationship with hers, but nothing lasted long with him. “Have you seen the new racing Comet?” Davey asked. He’d seen the new model at Hogsmeade the previous weekend. “Not sure about the handle shape. Supposed to be better but seems funny.”
“I haven’t really looked. You know me and brooms don’t make good allies. I am sure though that my brother will be longing for one before long, with how the last game went and all.” A soft laugh escaped Antoinette’s lips and she started to toy lightly with Davey’s hair. “You should come and stay with us for part of the summer hols. No hitting with brooms. Maman would never allow it, though she does tend to laugh when the boys get a little bit feisty with each other, you know how it is…”
“Might be able to. Gav’s old enough now that I’m not gonna have to look after him all summer.” Now that Gladys was out of school, Davey was the Oldest Child, and so he was expected to take care of his siblings when they were all home from school, but Gavin was the youngest, and he was nearly school-aged now. “An’ you and Bas know what to do if I get all.” Davey waved his hand at his head. “Think your Maman’ll cook again?” It had been good the last time he’d eaten over there.
“She always does, silly. And too much, most of the time. We’re always taking some sort of thing to one of the neighbors because there was too much.” A laugh and she shook her head, still playing her fingers over his hair gently. “And yes, we know how to look out for you. Rather important, that. I would not trust you going somewhere that people didn’t…” Even him going to his own home worried her sometimes, because she knew his house tended to be busier than hers and he didn’t always have someone looking out for him there.
“I like the French stuff she makes.” It was different from what his family made - or what they got at Hogwarts. And when Davey was around, well at least then there was a lot less extra food to share the with the neighbors. He ate more than his thin frame looked like it would hold. “What’s it called again?” Davey was playing with Antoinette’s hair again absently. “The dish with the pastry stuff? I think Bas should learn how to make it. So he can make it for us.” Davey declared.
“With the beef wrapped in pastry? Or the cheesy one?” Antoinette smiled a bit and shook her head playfully at him. “I can make either, I’ve watched maman enough to know what goes into them, either way, and I think the same with Bas.” They tended to play a lot in the kitchen, or they had when they were younger, and it made seeing and remembering what was cooked easy enough for the family. “There’s not nearly enough here food-wise that reminds me of home. It’s rather distressing sometimes.”
“Both.” Davey declared. “I like the idea of Bas making them, so you and I can just eat them.” He nodded as though his statement was perfect logic. “I want bananas.” He declared, as though talking about savory French pastry food made him think about tropic fruits. “I don’t want to go down the the kitchen though. I wonder if I still have some sugar quills in my room?”
“Shame there are not any elves around. They could bring up snacks for us.” Antoinette brushed her fingers over one of the cats lightly and shook her head. “Or we could train one of these sleepyheads to go get us something. That could work too.” She did not think that it would be wise for her to try and stand at the moment, with the two cats in place, so getting him bananas would be a difficult idea.
“I know Biscuit would just eat them if we tried to train him that way. He likes bananas.” Davey was not inclined to let Antoinette get up either, like the cats, he was comfortable leaning into her. “Cats aren’t very trainable though. Not like owls.” Davey yawned. It had been a long week. He shifted in even closer.
Antoinette noted that he seemed to be getting a bit dozey and her hands went back to stroking his hair, cuddling as close as she could with the cats still in her lap. “I think it’s naptime for the adorable boy just like it is for the kitties?” She adjusted slightly so he could slide in closer and lean against her, placing a tiny kiss on his forehead. “You need a blanket, or am I warm enough?”
“I like you better.” A blanket would require moving. “And I’m not tired, just yawning.” He did slide in closer though, since she was offering and he liked being close to her. He brushed a dry kiss across her cheek since he was close enough and tucked one of his arms around her. He pet the cats with the other.
She smiled at the kiss and playfully shook her head at him. “You can’t charm me like you do all the others in the school, you know. I know your secrets, darling boy.” This said with a laugh. Obviously she knew his, just like he knew hers, and so there was not really any huge secrets between them. Her hand moved to massage his shoulders lightly and she curled herself closer against him, enjoying the warmth of their bodies together.
“You think I’m charming.” He grinned toothily at her. “You just got more charm of your own, so it cancels out like.” Davey was perfectly confident in himself in that regard, and in his place in Antoinette’s life. “But warm and comfy makes me yawn and stuff like a cat. You were the one who said I was like a kitten.” He pointed out like he’d won some point, although he had no idea what his point was at all.
“You know you’re charming. It just doesn’t affect me the same way. Though you are adorable, like a kitten. Comfy, warm, all of that.” Antoinette smiled softly and went back to stroking his hair, knowing he enjoyed being touched in that manner and not really minding it at all herself. His hair was soft, after all, and she liked touching it most of the time. Being close to him was different to her than with others, and she had come to enjoy that difference a great deal.
Davey couldn’t say her charm didn’t affect him, but it wasn’t like his snogging partners either. So he just grinned at her as she continued to touch his hair, and then nuzzled in closer. “Hope me and the cats are helping you feel warm. Want you to be comfy and cozy and happy too.”
“Of course you are. Very cuddled up and warm right now.” Antoinette laughed as he snuggled up with her, amused by the actions, which were much like the cats in her lap at the moment. She had no issue with being pressed against him, and honestly she did not think of it as much more than being snuggled against one of her siblings. It was just something normal for them all.
Davey didn’t have the same kind of physical relationship with his siblings, but craved physical contact in general. He was not conscious of how much he needed it, but it was part of how he interacted with the his friends and Antoinette especially. “Good.” He didn’t need to kiss her to be close to her, but the touching was a normal thing for them.
Antoinette closed her eyes for a moment and smiled, curling up to rest her head on his chest quietly. It was comfortable being against him. She could feel her body relaxing into him and she allowed a tiny yawn as well. The relaxation he was feeling was sort of leaching into her and she just allowed herself to embrace it. It was better than being tense or uncomfortable, after all.
That was another nice aspect of their friendship, they could sometimes just cuddle together and they didn’t have to always talk. They could just enjoy each other and their closeness. Davey however, despite his yawn, wasn’t ready to go to sleep just yet, and after a few minutes, his attention was drawn away from Antoinette's head on his chest (he did like when she was cuddled against him). “Whacha thinking about?”
Antoinette opened her eyes and grinned at Davey’s question, shrugging a tiny bit. What was she thinking about? Really not much, her mind was just sort of roaming from one thing to another, but there were a few focused ideas she could get to. “I think we should just have a cuddle pile. You, me, and Bas all together. Much warmer and cuddlier than just two of us, don’t you think?”
“Dunno where he is, do you?” Davey asked. More people meant more touching and that was a nice thing. Plus, well he liked Bas too. “Will Esme and Jeanette be willing to share? It took me a while to get this close without disturbing them.” He pointed out, petting one of the cats to prove his point. It was important not to disturb the sleeping furrballs, at least to him.
Antoinette looked thoughtful and shrugged. “Probably looking for his book still, knowing him. If we move to a bed though or something, these two would follow and there’d be room for Biscuit too.” A tiny laugh as she considered the idea of the three of them and their three cats all cuddled up together. It would be comfy, she knew that much, and she had no issues with sharing space with anyone.
“We can’t do that in yours ‘cause Bas and I can’t go into your dorm. My bed’s not made, unless the houselves did it while I was out and stuff. And Bas wouldn’t know he was supposed to come… But dunno if he’d want to come to his bed and find us there.” He liked the idea of a bed cuddle with his friends and cats though, it was the practical issues that sometimes stymied him.
Antoinette laughed at the thought that the boys could not get into her dorm, as she could probably solve some way to manage it rather easily if she so chose. However, he was right that logically her room would not be the best place for something like this. She considered for a few more moments and shrugged. “We could leave him a note in our journals if we really wanted to, letting him know that his bed has been overthrown and occupied and we’re waiting on his arrival?” She was pretty sure her brother would not be opposed, he rarely seemed bothered when she wandered to visit him unless he had not cleaned up that day.
Davey brightened at her reassurance. And with Antoinette in bed too, well then Bas wouldn’t be as likely to complain and it was her idea after all. “What if he wants to bring someone home though?” It was a Friday night. “Does he have someone right now?” Davey wondered aloud.
“No, I don’t believe he’s bedding with anyone regularly any more than I am…” Of course he would have notified her if that was the situation, since they were so close, so if there was someone that was regularly in bed with her brother, she would know it. “If he was to bring someone up though, I imagine it would be someone that was interested in the same sort of fun I enjoy, so if nothing else they would be amused by us being there…”
It was possible Bas’s hypothetical friend would have issues, but Antoinette was more likely right. Anyone who went up to bed with either Antoinette or Sebastien would know what they were getting into, and would be more likely to be amused to find Antoinette and Davey in his bed waiting for him. Although they’d also probably misinterpret what was planned and Davey’s relationship with the siblings, but that wasn’t such a big deal. The bigger deal however was that to get to Sebastien’s bed, they’d have to move. “Gotta disturb the cats to go up there though.” Davey included himself among the cats, possibly.
“There’s no set need to go now, we can always wait for later.” Once the cats were relocated and Davey was ready to move. For the moment though she was perfectly fine all snuggled up with her friend and comfortable. The bed would be more an evening thing, she thought, when she was willing to fall asleep if that happened, since the relaxation the pile would bring would likely eventually induce sleep in all of the participants. The possible misinterpretation amused her a little- it was not like she would do anything with her brother, though she had no doubt that the assumption had come up in the past, with how close they were. Probably the same with Davey, but for the most part he too was off limits in her mind.
Davey grinned at her and shifted in his seat a little nuzzling further into the seat. “Not like you’ll get any more space in a bed.” Not that she’d want any more space, likely. Davey considered their options. Staying here, squished in the chair. Head to Bas’s bed, surprise him when he came upstairs and maybe have all three cats too. But maybe something interesting would happen here while they were waiting? “And I’ve been having a pretty good week.”
A smile curved Antoinette’s lips at the comment about having a good week. She was pleased to hear things like that from him, she always worried when they were not together because it was not easy for her to drop the maternal instinct he pulled out of her. “We can wait a while. If I try to move right this second, you’d likely have to carry me. With the cats on my legs and all, I might have to stretch them some before I walk anywhere…” A laugh and she lightly returned to massaging Davey’s head, greatly enjoying the closeness of the chair.
“Prolly just as well we wait then. I’d be afraid I’d go out and drop you and that’d be bad.” Davey tended not to really worry about himself when he had his moments, but worried about the others around him and how they would react and what affects his absences might have on them. He pet her hair a little though to try to comfort her from the effect of his admission.
Antoinette smiled teasingly at him and shook her head. “No, I doubt you would drop me. I trust you well enough to know that, even if something happened.” Because she knew that he tended to have tiny warnings before anything happened, and as long as he attended to them, things were fine. “We’ll go up later, when Bas comes back to the dorms. That way we’re not waiting too long for him to get to us, yeah?”
Antoinette was right about Davey; he typically could tell when his worst issues were going to happen, and often had some warning about his smaller absences. It did mean something to him that she trusted him despite his problems. His family sometimes treated him like he was useless when he go into bad periods. Right now though, they were talking about her brother, not his. Davey grinned at her. “Prolly can’t get him to carry us either unless we’re really pathetic.”
“Speak for yourself. I can get my own way with just about anyone, and you know that.” This said with a small giggle and she mussed his hair playfully before shifting again to rest her head on his chest, nuzzling him slightly. She enjoyed relaxing against him, and when they decided to go upstairs she would enjoy resting between two of her favorite boys, since they both were willing to keep her warm and cozy.
“Even your brother?” Davey asked, knowing that, because of their closeness it was probably true. It was hard not to want to indulge Antoinette her whims. Even Davey liked to make sure she was happy, although that was in part because they were friends, and friends were supposed to look after each other, and were supposed to want to look out for each other.
“Especially him. He likes when I am happy. Means he has a more peaceful time of things.” Antoinette knew that she did not have to use her charms on her brother, or her friend for that matter, and she had honestly never done so to Davey. It just seemed like it would be wrong to do so, leave him open to manipulation, and honestly she did not like the thought of that, she cared for him too much to do anything of that sort.
He was charmed by her without her having to charm him. But being her friend meant that he knew and loved her for who she was. “That’s true.” Davey agreed. “No one in their right mind oughta go against you.” With looks, charm and skill, she was a skilled witch.
“No, probably not. I think I showed that pretty vividly in fourth year…” Because Antoinette’s brother, for all that he was clever and strong, was not willing or able to put forth a defense of himself. That was where she came in, and she was proud of that fact. It meant she was able to look out for him and really it meant too that no one would act as a threat to those she was close to, from what the rumors showed, because they did not wish to be exposed to her anger.
“I’m glad I’ve never gotten you angry at me.” Davey admitted, rubbing at her arm absently. “I think you showed everyone at the school not to take you for granted then.” He said, recalling the way she’d handled Sebastien’s bullies, effectively and powerfully.
“I don’t think you could, darling boy. You’re my best friend, I don’t get angry with you.” It was true. She did not think there was anything he could do that would anger her. Worry? Sure, that happened a lot, but real anger, she did not think he could manage it. He was just too sweet for that, and she nuzzled softly against his chest again, feeling very warm and settled. Yes, if they were to get upstairs, Bas would be carrying her at this point. She just did not want to get up and move.
“I wouldn’t want to; I like you too much to want to upset you.” Davey grinned, although she probably couldn’t see it settled against his chest, though knowing her, she could feel it. “I don’t like you to worry either.” He knew he was hopeless sometimes but some of that was really beyond his control. It was just as well he was generally happy-go-lucky and not a control freak, really, when parts of his being were outside of anyone’s control.
Antoinette laughed and shook her head teasingly against his chest. "I worry just because I adore you, you know that." It was true. Even if he didn't have some medical issues, she cared for him and that meant she would worry. It was in her nature. The feel of his happiness though made her feel warm inside, and she was grateful that for the most part he was generally happy, even when things were not perfect.
“I don’t worry about you so much.” Davey pointed out. “And I adore you.” Of course, Antoinette did not have all of his issues, and had proven herself capable. But sometimes it was worth saying aloud anyway.
“I know you do, Davey. But there’s not as much to worry on with me as there is with you or Bas. I’m pretty self-sustaining. Pet me a few times a day and I run pretty well on my own…” Antoinette laughed softly and leaned to kiss his cheek before wrapping her arms around him, earning a glare from the cats on her lap at the sudden movements.
“Not self-sustaining… just less…” Davey wasn’t sure how to describe it, needy seemed too insulting to Bas, even if it might accurate to describe himself, “more secure.” He finally decided upon as he folded her into his arms more in return. It wasn’t the right word, but it was the best he could find to describe her strength.
Antoinette shrugged. Having been brought up around strong women, it was just the way she had learned to be. It was not like she put much thought into it. Things were the way they were, and she figured there was no problem with leaving it at that. “I’m just used to being in charge, I guess?” This said with a laugh and she brushed back her hair again before snuggling closer to him happily, closing her eyes again.
Davey grinned, watching her eyes drift closed again, and wrapped his arm further around her. He didn’t mind Antoinette being in charge. And he was happy she had decided to snuggle more. It was a good way to spend an evening. And when Bas appeared, well, then they could go invade his bed then.