Theo & OPEN
It had been months since the attack but Theo was still reeling from it, unemployed (his job still awaiting his return) and only a little less cloistered in than he'd been before. It had been good to have Draco move in with them, not just because it was someone else Theo could trust but also because having him there made Theo feel that Blaise could take a break from Theo now and again. He hadn't voiced that, but he did fret that he was somehow draining Blaise's energy and taking up too much of his time and Draco being there to both divert Blaise's attention and maybe make Blase feel a little better about leaving Theo to his own devices was, Theo felt, a gift. That and Theo genuinely liked Draco and had missed having him around. All they needed to do was get Greg into the house and they'd almost be whole again.
Theo had gone out to see his therapist, to spend time outside with the thestrals and had forced himself out to get groceries and the like, although he'd yet to go outside in the dark and had mostly been Apparating to and fro. He was introverted by nature and big social events had never really been anything he'd enjoyed even before he'd started living the life of a hermit, but he'd been raised to deal with things like formal balls and dances and over and above everything, Callie had asked him to be there. He couldn't refuse her, especially not after he'd unknowingly been breaking her heart, especially when he knew how fragile she was at the moment. He wanted to show his support and he wanted to see her smile, so he'd agreed to attend.
He didn't look entirely miserable, but there was certainly something sombre about him and after he picked up a drink he took himself off outside the house; the air outside was crisp despite the day having been still and warm and he could see the shape of some of the thestral herd moving to bed down for the night.
He stood, sipping his drink which warmed him up slowly and watching his favourite death-horses move through the dark, his eyes adjusted to the dim light until he forgot he was supposed to be at a party and just lost himself in the outside.