Tweak

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Tweak says, "Takin' care of business..."

Zacharias Smith (puffheir) wrote in wished,
@ 2010-09-28 11:37:00

Entry tags:

!2003: 09, !incomplete, gregory goyle, theodore nott, zacharias smith

Who: Zacharias Smith, Gregory Goyle, Theodore Nott.
When: September 28th. Suppertime.
Where: Goyle's caretaker cottage.
What: Dinner.
Rating: PG13 for rude words and Theo crazies?
Status: Incomplete/Closed.

Zacharias made the walk up towards the school from Hogsmeade, which he had Flooed to a short while earlier. The air was crisp, with that feeling of fall, heavy on the air, and it was a fairly nice walk up, what with the leaves on the trees changing colours to shades of red and orange of gold.

He walked along at a brisk pace, holding a white box that held the dessert he had promised to bring. Soon enough he reached the grounds of the school, that sprawled out in a seemingly endless manner. Zacharias walked not towards the castle, but down the sloping hill towards the caretaker's cottage, where Goyle and Theodore were living.

Zacharias walked with long strides that ate up the ground rather quickly, and soon enough he was there. He shifted the box to the crook of one arm and lifted the other hand, balling it so he could knock quickly, smartly, on the door, and then stepped back to wait.

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booksmart_devil
2010-09-28 11:25 pm UTC (link)

Theo looked blankly back at Greg as the other man looked at him, as though he hadn't understood what Greg meant, but he returned the smile with a smaller one of his own and leaned his head against Greg's shoulder, looking at Zach with a tilted view and not putting any pressure on the bump on his head.

"Cards..." he said softly, repeating the sound before blinking out of it a little. "Cards?" he looked over his shoulder as though to check that there was no one there and then looked back. "We'll have to be quiet." he said anxiously.

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a_reticent_git
2010-09-28 11:35 pm UTC (link)

Greg gave a chuckle and shook his head in some amazement, "Longer?! Yeah I guess that makes sense. Still sounds good," and he gave Theo a comforting hug, "We don't have to worry about the noise," and he bent his head down and whispered, "Remeber, in my head?! Right?!" And he gave another smile, "How does soup sound?," and he turned, ready to give him a kiss on the forehead.

"We are lucky you only have practice right now, Zacharias," Greg added, "Shoot. Soon you'll be off playing games, mobbed by fans," and Greg gave Zach a big grin.

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puffheir
2010-09-28 11:55 pm UTC (link)

"Oy, well you remember Wood and how he'd run the Gryffindors," Zacharias said with a little roll of his eyes. As if, when he was Captain of Hufflepuff (after the unfortunate loss of Cedric), he hadn't worked them just as hard. "Well, now that he's Captian of Puddlemere..." He trailed off. They were worked just as heart.

He wanted to pet Theodore's hair but left that to Greg. "We're safe. This is a good place." He walked in so he could take a seat at the table.

"Yeah but that's the best part. The games, that is." The fans, he didn't mind. Who didn't like being admired?

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booksmart_devil
2010-09-29 01:02 am UTC (link)

Whimpering a little when Greg cuddled him, Theo chewed at his lip until it bled in worry, as much as Greg tried to reassure him. The memory of Greg asking him to play cards that day so long ago back at the Nott Estate came back to him like the quick swoop of a bird there and gone again and he shook his head a little, worried.

He made a face at the thought of soup too, his worry exacerbating his lack of appetite and his need to grab hold of something he could control, but Greg's kiss eased the edge off that a bit. 'A good place', Theo mouthed after Zach had, licking at his bleeding lip.

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a_reticent_git
2010-09-29 01:33 am UTC (link)

"I'd like to get to one of those games sometime," Greg said, maybe a tad wistfully, "Maybe..," and he glanced at a fretting Theo and put his fingers up, to run them across the would he'd just made. Greg leaned in and with no hesitation kissed Theo's mouth, and said, "Please do not worry. We'll be fine," he added and indeed, smoothing Theo's head with a pet before stroking his chin.

"Zacharias is our guest Theo. Should we offer him something to drink? Or maybe he wants to eat? Yoi can do it," he offered in an encouraging manner, trying to pull Theo from the past to now.

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puffheir
2010-09-29 01:42 am UTC (link)

"I could get you tickets," Zacharias offered. He glanced at Theodore, wondering if Theodore could manage something like that. All the people and the noise... it would be a lot. But perhaps there was someone who could stay with Theodore for a little bit - if there was anyone he trusted, aside from Greg.

"Yes, a good place," he said again when he saw Theodore mouth the words as if he was testing them out. He smiled a little bit. "A drink would be great. Whatever you have's fine."

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booksmart_devil
2010-09-29 02:24 am UTC (link)

Theo took Greg's touch and tilted his head up for Greg's kiss like it was an orchestrated thing, moving together in sync. He mewed a little at the pet and then nuzzled his head against Greg's shoulder.

"A drink? You want a drink?" he turned and moved off into the little kitchen, moving a little like a sleepwalker, looking for a cup. "A drink, a drink, a drink..." he said to himself over and over as though he'd forget. He came back with nothing, wandering back out looking confused. "Oh... Zacharias..." he said, like he'd just seen him.

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a_reticent_git
2010-10-01 12:39 pm UTC (link)

Greg could not help how his face lit up at the notion, "You'd do that for us? That would be...brilliant," he answered, almost gushing at the notion, even as a part of him hesitated, "It could be iffy but...but we'd figure it out, right Theo?" he said, turning his attention to his boy who moved into the kitchen and then just sort of stood there, looking lost and mumbling about 'a drink.'

Greg shook his head even as he smiled, "At least you tried," he said as he moved to Theo and wrapped his arms about him briefly to give him a kiss on the cheek, "I wasn't sure you even knew where the kitchen was Theo," he said as he released him and continued on his way.

"You want something with a kick or more like tea? I don't have much," Greg said, trying to decide if he should offer Zacharias one of the few butterbeers he had stored away in the chiller. He reached in for the last three, just in case Theo showed any interest, "Zacharias, how are other things? Is your family good?" Greg asked, trying to make more conversation, both to be hospitable and to continue conversation that wouldn't upset Theo and that the other boy could follow.

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puffheir
2010-10-03 08:07 pm UTC (link)

"I would," Zacharias assured him with a little grin. "I'm sure a way could be managed. One of the boxes, perhaps." With no one else there, no one to freak Theodore out. Just him and Greg. That could be okay, right?

He only smiled when Theodore returned from the kitchen with nothing in his hands. "Theodore," he said, not minding the absentness, or anything else. His eyes moved to Greg, and he nodded. "That would be great," he said, nodding towards the butterbeers that Greg was pulling out - always a welcome trat.

"Oh they're fine. My parents are well as always." And he had no siblings, or close cousins or anything like that to worry himself about. "How are yours?"

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booksmart_devil
2010-10-03 08:34 pm UTC (link)

Theo looked up at Greg as his boyfriend walked past him, his confusion clear until the one armed hug and the kiss, at which point he softened to a happy smile, assuming that he'd done something right and made Greg happy despite the fact that he couldn't remember what that something was.

"The kitchen is downstairs." he pointed out, standing in place like he'd forgotten that he was allowed to move without being told to first.

He returned Zach's smile as though he were trying to match it exactly, sinking back against the wall like a shadow seemingly already exhausted by this much social behaviour. They were talking about parents, parents, and Theo slowly, silently, put his hands over his ears and curled up towards his knees - for once he wasn't thinking about his father.

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a_reticent_git
2010-10-03 08:58 pm UTC (link)

Greg nodded, "A box? Wow. That could totally work maybe," he said glancing at Theo who for a moment seemed okay. Theo was smiling and sort of settling against the wall, "My mum? Well she's as well as can be she be. I get to pop round a bit," he said, glancing again at Theo who's appearance was changing, making Greg concerned.

"Oh, hey there!" He said, setting his bottle down quickly and reaching down for Theo. Greg lifted him up easily, and he carried a curled up Theo to the couch, sitting so that the clearly stressed boy was in his lap. Greg gently began to rock Theo in his lap, rubbing his back as he looked at Theo, his head turned and tipped down, "Come on now. Nothing to get you upset. Did you want your butterbeer?" He asked, finally looking over at Zach, "I guess something set him back but he'll be okay, really."

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puffheir
2010-10-03 09:01 pm UTC (link)

Zacharias's attention moved to Theodore as well when the other sunk to the floor and curled up in a ball. And even the densest person in the world would be able to see that something was wrong.

He wondered. Something about Theodore's family? Theodore did seem to go off whenever 'not' was mentioned, turning it into his own surname, and Zacharias hadn't missed that.

He hmmed and then smiled and nodded. "Yes, have some Butterbeer, Theodore," he said as he reached down his own and went over to sit down in the chair next to the couch. He smiled at Greg. "You don't need to explain. I understand." He understood how Theodore could be... at least a little.

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booksmart_devil
2010-10-03 09:28 pm UTC (link)

The damage to his mind that had sent him skidding and falling down the scree hill of insanity in the first place had apparently dislodged things that had been hidden so well before that they'd been hidden from himself, Theo's mind even as a child (in that scant space that he'd had to be one) harmed enough that protection had come easily to him.

He heard a woman screaming dimly, distant, even through the buffer that his hands were supposed to provide, and his heart rate increased to a patter before Greg was down and lifting him, petting and rocking and surrounding Theo with security and grounding him with love so that the noise slowly ebbed away.

He came back trembling, hearing Greg's question to him and jumping when something moved in the corner of his vision, seeing Zacharias take a seat with them and offering him the butterbeer as well. He nodded but leant his head against Greg's shoulder, taking a deep and ragged breath as he tried to forget the echoes of that screaming.

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a_reticent_git
2010-10-03 10:12 pm UTC (link)

Greg hated this, he utterly hated these lapses, when Theo would be sent off into some sort of mental terror. All he could do is offer his support, continuing his gentle pats and rubs as his brows knit together. He spoke, deciding that he needed to work some things out, even with Theo here, listening. It was so difficult to walk around the land mines that seemed to detonate and suck Theo back into some sort of madness.

He looked to Zacharias, clearly bothered but spoke in a tone that masked his concern, so that Theo who was not looking at his face, would not catch the just of the conversation.

"I've been thinking, reading really. Memories are pretty powerful things. If I could look at some, I might be able to help a bit. There's loads of pensives about, you know, for doing such things. And according to one book," and Greg's face screwed up in a look of confusion, "I think it was called, Great Healing Miracles, or something like that. It talked about pulling them right out. Set them on a shelf, so that they aren't gone, just not there to fuck with the mind. Whatcha think? You ever heard of such a thing, Zacharias?" he asked, not addressing Theo but slightly curious as to if Theo might answer.

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puffheir
2010-10-03 10:16 pm UTC (link)

Zacharias tilted his head to the side as he pondered this concept. He too knew of pensives and their possibilities, although he had never used one. Never had need to. But could they work with Theodore? Quite possibly.

"That's actually a good idea," he murmured thoughtfully. "Remove those memories that cause the most strife, and put them aside. Where they won't bother him anymore. There's no need for those memories to be there." When all they were doing was harm, no good. Why keep them?

"You should try that. There's bound to be a pensive in the school," he guessed. There were all sorts of things in that place.

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booksmart_devil
2010-10-04 07:15 am UTC (link)

Theo couldn't drag his head up off Greg's shoulder and he murmured, a little to himself, maybe to the others, "Why am I so tired? Why so tired?" but the moment of clarity, of knowing there was something up with him came and went; it was, though, a quiet sort of sign that he was getting better. He hadn't realised that he was sick before now, despite cruel messages in his journal from disinterested readers, but the fluttering insistence that something was wrong came and went with more frequency now, and it was a step forward as much as it distressed him to start being aware of it.

He struggled to properly follow the conversation, but he managed to keep up with the jist and what he got distressed him. "Don't move it around, please." he begged at Zach's mention of a device to do just that in the school. "Please, please leave the furniture where it is, please, I'm s-sorry." he stammered, the fear of having something taken from him (something more taken from him) a throwback even to the days before he'd killed his father. He squirmed in Greg's lap, sliding himself off and wriggling to the floor where he sat at Greg's feet, forehead pressed to Greg's knee because he was too tired to even lift it at that point, tugging at Greg's trouser cuff. "I'll do better, please, I'm sorry, I'll do better just please, please." he begged softly over and over until it was just pleading.

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a_reticent_git
2010-10-04 02:07 pm UTC (link)

Greg's hand came down onto Theo's head and he stroked the hair, following the curl of Theo's head and down his neck, fingers smoothing in an absent way as he thought about what to do. Greg spoke then shshing Theo as Theo seemed to panic,"You've done nothing wrong love, nothing. Don't fret," he saidN glancing at Zacharias with a small shrug, "He doesn't mush seem to fancy that idea I can tell. But still, maybe if Professor Snape could try. I don't much trust myself, fumbling about in there," he said, patting Theo's head again.

He gave a small sigh and leaned back, letting his gaze drift as the mental exhaustion rolled over him. Keeping Theo on a path to sanity was daunting.

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puffheir
2010-10-04 09:02 pm UTC (link)

"Theodore, no one's going to hurt you," Zacharias said when he saw the boy getting worked up again, turning frantic. He was like a sad little puppy and the urge was there to cuddle him.

"There's no harm in talking to Snape about it. Just talking," he said. He studied Greg's face then, the fatigue there. It was easy to focus on Theodore in all this, and his needs, but he wondered what toll this was all taking on the other man.

"Theodore. You need to let him help you."

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booksmart_devil
2010-10-04 11:08 pm UTC (link)

Theo flinched when Greg's hand came down on his head, expecting the next feeling to be pain but surprised when it wasn't - it was Greg, wasn't it, it was just Greg and Greg was petting him down from his panic in a way that no one else had ever been able to do.

He slumped against Greg's leg and rested his chin on Greg's shoulder, eyes closed like this hurt him. He picked up on the sigh though, picked up on it and stored it away to be looked at and wondered over later, even as thoughts of stones sinking into the lake tumbled through his head.

It made him twitch uncomfortably as Zach used his full name, but it was nothing compared to hearing 'Snape' (although the name had been used before) - something about what Zach said triggered something in him and Theo clutched tight to Greg's leg, face pressed hard into his lap. "He knows." he said, a strained sound like a sob in his voice. "He knows, he knows, he knows where the keys are, but he never lets me go, he never lets me go."

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a_reticent_git
2010-10-04 11:33 pm UTC (link)

"Got that right, about the keys and all," Greg said partially under his breath, and then he looked at Zacharias as he continued to pet Theo like a well-loved dog. He did not try to lift him up as Theo had this habit of finding his way to the floor. Instead he offered an explanation of a sort, "Sometimes I wonder how he can keep things stored in his mind in such a way as it all comes out, sort of reality tangled with fiction. I didn't think he even knew," Greg said as he made as oddly approving face at Theo, "Snape is in charge and I got in a bit of trouble for using one, a key that is. Wanted Theo to try out the Prefect's bathroom. It was well worth it, but I'm not gonna try it again, I'll tell you," and Greg moved his hand to Theo's neck and shoulders, rubbing them with affection.

"I'll speak with him, Zacharias. It can't hurt to speak with him about it. And Theo you needn't worry about Professor Snape. He's already said that all I have to do is ask him when you want to go and he said we could visit the Astronomy Tower. And the Library as well. Please don't worry, honey," he said again in an effort to reassure the other man.

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puffheir
2010-10-05 09:55 pm UTC (link)

"The Prefect's Bathroom." Zacharias's mouth twitched in amusement. "Brave of you." He wasn't sure if Staff would be allowed in there - he knew that students hadn't been allowed, save for the Prefects. Back in the day. Things could have been different now. With Snape at the reins.

Although he rather thought things would be less pleasant with Snape than with Dumbledore, who had been a bit like a teddy bear.

"Good. Something does need... to happen." Because theodore couldn't go ln like this, not indefinitely. Not forever, locked in his fantasy world and unable to move on.

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booksmart_devil
2010-10-05 10:47 pm UTC (link)

Theo quietened down again although he didn't really seem present anymore. He shivered and held onto Greg's leg like he was being tugged away in a flash flood and this was the only anchor he had. His mind was dancing around Death Eater meetings that he'd snuck peeks at in his father's house, dark robes, dark nights, dark activities and intentions, pain at his father's hands and, and, and...

His thoughts were a cacophony of nothing right, everything miserable and those things that had scarred him so deeply they stayed with him even in the midst of madness. He keened in fear quietly in the back of his throat until Greg's hands moved to his neck and shoulders and kneaded into them, breaking him out of that psychological prison and making him sigh and juddering torn sound, relaxing back against Greg's legs then. He tuned back into the conversation when Greg spoke to him and he moved to chew at his fingers again. "Keep him away from me." he said, and it might have been threatening if not for the fear under it. He caught Zach's words and shook his head. "Happen? No. Nothing needs to happen, no, nothing will happen if he stays away, if we keep away, if we keep silent and still, seen not heard, not heard."

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