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 Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 9:57 pm
 Marquis also slept badly. Perhaps it was the chilli he’d eaten at dinner, or the fall he’d taken during Quidditch practise. Or, maybe, the mystery ache that felt like mottled bruises was the problem, making him toss and turn all night in a vain attempt to get comfortable. He ended up on his stomach, nose buried into the soft linens of his pillows and just listening to his breath. It was a very, very boring night.
So it was with dark eyes and tussled hair that Marquis made his way down to the Great Hall the next morning, pale and yawning. He slumped down into his seat with a grumble, grabbing whatever was closets and filled with sugar. Hell, the blonde even went for the coffee today, he was so tired. Breakfast dragged on, and Marquis was sure he’d had a nap somewhere between the pancakes and the coffee, but as the students began filing out and towards their first classes for the day, the boy meandered over to the Slytherin table. He was still somewhat peeved at Mattie for... well, obvious reasons, and the younger boy hadn’t even looked at him during breakfast today. So he stood next to Mattie a moment, watching whatever the other boy was reading before deciding to speak up.
”Oi... whatever tha hell you were doin’ last night n’detention, don’t bloody do it ‘gain. M’needin’ tha beauty sleep’n all.”
And that was that. Marquis shuffled off to that potions class.
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Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 11:55 pm
 Mattie blinked up from his book at Marquis. What the hell had hit him? He looked like he’d been beat—Oh. Mattie’s eyes widened, and for a second he considered apologizing. It hadn’t really occurred to him that Marquis would be feeling the punches too. Well. Trees, technically. However, Mattie let Marquis walk off without anything to say after him. He’d see him in potions class if the blonde really felt like ratting at him for it. Whatever. It wasn’t like Mattie apologized. Ever.
Hmph. Everyone was leaving already to class. Mattie scowled, not done with his reading whatsoever, but slamming his book shut regardless. He had a feeling fighting off Snape for reading time wouldn’t go so well. He shoved the book under his arm, butting his way out of the Slytherin table and towards the dungeons. It already stunk in the halls. Mattie’s scowl deepened.
And he’d have to deal with RavenBitch, and the crazy chick who knew. Not that his little transformations were a secret to Marquis anymore. The Slytherin wasn’t quite sure why it bothered him so much to keep that secret from Marquis, but it was one hell of a relief that the blonde didn’t panic. Granted, Mattie hadn’t made it any better with poofing back and—
Mattie threw the door open to the potions class and tried to ignore his thoughts. They were irrelevant. Marquis had probably already forgotten. He was stupid for thinking otherwise. Mattie looked around the class for where the said boy was sitting and plonked down next to him. Trying to look nonchalant about it, he brought out his Dark Arts book (it could’ve passed for a text book, in Mattie’s totally professional opinion) and opened it flat so it’s cover and title were hidden. He might be able to get away with a few chapters.
A sharp flick to the forehead brought Mattie’s attention off the book and to a looming Snape. “de’Medici, please get out your proper text book. Page thee-hundred and ninety-four.”
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Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 1:49 am
Marquis was far from feeling like ratting Mattie out for anything right now. He just ached, and he knew the other boy wasn’t going to take anything for the bruises and pain anyway. That, and his eyelids felt made of lead; heavy and gritty, they felt most comfortable lowered where they didn’t scrape against his eyeballs. They felt dry, his eyes, and almost sandy from a night of being pressed into the pillow. He didn’t take much of that class in, nor what Mattie was studying.
He’d regret that a few years later, after he’d been banned from Defence Against the Dark Arts classes. Everything seemed to happen in fourth year: Some Vanessa woman had come out of no-where and hijacked Hogwarts and the surrounding areas. What exactly happened had been lost on Marquis, and all he really knew now was that school really wasn’t so fun anymore. His classes had been cut, no more DatD classes, or Quidditch or even advanced charms. Hell, he wasn’t even allowed to take Apparition classes when they started later this year. His timetable consisted of rather useless subjects he had little interest in – other than potions, which he’d grown rather good at – and he wasn’t even considered a Gryffindor anymore. Oh no; the houses were now reserved for the ‘pure blood’ students, anyone who had over three generations of magical sperm in them. The school was no longer divided by house, but by bloodlines and Marquis was definitely suffering for it. He just avoided Agatha now, for his own safety more than anything.
Meeting up with Mattie during lunch break and spare periods was one of the few good points about school now, aside from the food. Even that had become somewhat... strained, recently. The other boy had become awfully fond of drinking lately, and while Marquis had nothing against it, the routine almost always left the two in a compromising position. Worse, Mattie never said anything about the incidents; he just crept out of bed before Marquis was really awake and shrugged on whatever clothes had come off, then left. It was leaving Marquis’ nerves on edge. He didn’t know what to do, to say, and he could have sworn Mattie knew.
So today, a day after one such incident, Marquis sat next to Mattie in silence. One of his sides ached – being in a position of power over their fellow students left some rather violent, and he had rather vivid bruises to show it – but he just shifted uncomfortably every so often. They didn’t even have class together anymore.
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Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 11:31 pm
Mattie quit the Quidditch team when Marquis did. It was no fun being a beater when you didn’t have a favourite target. He still kept his equipment, though and occasionally beat the s**t out of some section of the Forbidden Forest. He’d become so used to that place, it was unreal. He’d secured himself over thirty detentions from his third year alone, and was currently nearing fourty. It was a rare class when he didn’t get a detention for something.
Meaning Mattie was no new guy to Defence Against the ark Arts, at this stage. He could handle himself with a great deal of skill. However, not much of it was ‘defence’ against the dark arts, persay. It was more, ‘beat-the-s**t-out-of’ the dark arts. He’d gotten quite a few nasty blows on CrazyBitch (as he had o lovingly dubbed her), but had never managed to win. Yet. Really, it was the only reason he stayed in that class. The class itself was mundane, but it was the detentions that rocked.
He knew what was going on, too. He was a ******** de’Medici, how could he not know? Just from his last name he’ already been sworn to the rising New World Order. This Vanessa b***h sounded… well. Like a b***h. He didn’t know what to do about it, either. No one was in any particular danger. In Mattie’s eyes, it was all territory war; no spring cleaning.
At times, he thought it might be smart to tell Marquis of the imminent dislike towards his kind, but he figured without some sort of proof he’d be retorted at with “what a bunch of stupid inbreds”. Or something like that. Regardless, at Hogwarts, Marquis was safe. And really, the revolution would pass. They always did. It was silly to get Marquis all worked up to go fight away his life. Nah. Better to stick to other conversation topics.
Mattie pointed to a piece of Marquis’ lunch and held out some of his. “I’ll trade you.” Not that Mattie was any good at conversing. Psh.
Not that they ha been conversing much at any rate. Most of their after hours meet ups involved alcohol, which much to Mattie’s dilemma, kept putting them in increasingly more intimate positions. He didn’t know if it was happening for a reason or not. He knew he cared about Marquis, but hell if he’d cared about anyone else. So how did he know? And he always felt guilty in the mornings. Better to just leave and hope that maybe if he didn’t think about it, it wouldn’t seem complicated. He kinda hoped that Marquis wasn't thinking too hard about it, but at the same time he kinda did. It was weird. And awkward. Especially after how intense the previous night had been. Hmph.
“I’ve got Potions next. What’ve you got?” Maybe he could skip.
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 5:23 am
Oh Mattie, Marquis already knew all about the growing prejudice against his kind. Marquis was never quiet sure whether his friend realised that he was slowly but surely being deprived of any learning at all, but neither of them ever mentioned it. Perhaps he didn’t know, after all, the de’Medici was never well known for being observant. Whatever the case, Marquis glanced down at his half eaten lunch and just offered it in Mattie’s direction, hardly noticing that he was giving away a rather smashing looking cupcake.
”Nah, just take it. M’not hungry.” And he wasn’t. He hadn’t been for a while; being dejected left you feeling like that. What did it really matter if he withered away, after all? It wasn’t as if he was doing anything interesting here anyway. He was so tired. Tired of the new teachers – most of which looked down their noses at him – and tired of those inbred pure-bloods picking on him in the halls, and tired of being so bloomin’ bored. Oh... and tired of this mess of a relationship. If you could even call it that.
”Oh... well, mm,” Marquis never really went into details about his ‘classes’ these days. Most of them weren’t even classes at all, more mundane chores usually done with magic. The hint they were giving wasn’t exactly subtle, and a good portion of the muggle-born wizards had left already, either to overseas magical schools or just back into the muggle world. It was starting to sound tempting, but Marquis wouldn’t leave Mattie. Who knew what the other boy might get up to without him? ”Nothin’ ye’d like, mate... “
He was actually stationed in another section of the dungeons next period. Scraping out cauldrons of the gunk the first-years had made. Ah, school.
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:02 pm
Mattie eyed Marquis. He’d been so comatose lately. And normally he’d be all over anything horridly unhealthy. It was weird. The blonde seemed on the edge of just collapsing. While most things tended to escape Mattie’s notice, he always had a special concern for Marquis. He knew why, but he knew it’d be stupid to share. Marq would be hurt even more, even if he did accept. Not even mentioning dealing with Agatha. Whatever. He had more important things to do.
Like getting Marquis to skip whatever the hell it was he was in. He hadn’t heard him talk about any sort of class in ages, and it was worrying. He needed to get out. Mattie stuffed the piece of rye bread he’d pointed to in his mouth and said threw chews, “C’mon. We’re ditching.”
The strategy of not giving an option always seemed to work. He hadn’t quite figured out what they’d be doing, but. Oh! “Bring your gun.”
Shrieking Shack time, baby.
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:27 pm
Mattie could have suggested they do anything right now, and Marquis probably would have followed. His stomach churned at the idea of skipping class – he’d been given detention for talking out of turn the other day, what would skipping entail? – but he’d follow. He’d never really said no to Mattie, after all. Ever. Besides, it would feel good to get out of this school for a while, to get away from the condescending eyes that followed him everywhere. Their presence was almost a physical burden these days, something that needed to be shrugged off and freed from. Yes, out was sounding better and better each time.
”Already got it, mate.” He replied without thinking. Nervy as he was, he didn’t go anywhere without it these days. He even took it to the showers with him – not into the actual shower, of course, but you know what I mean – in case someone tried to knock him off. It was coming, he knew it. ”S’get goin’ for someone catches us, mm?”
They were pretty good at getting down to the Whomping Willow without being seen. It had been a well worn path for them a year or so back, but their excursions were becoming fewer by the month. Marquis just didn’t feel he could risk it anymore. The shack was exactly as they’d left it, with shards of glass littering one end of the corridor and large pillows at the other which they’d pilfered from the sofas. Marquis wandered down to the other end of the corridor, snagging a few firewhiskey bottles from the previous night and lining them up for target practise. They’d worked out a charm to send the empty bottles down here when they were done with them, and now had an impressive pile of them in the shack’s tattered living room. He paused on his way back, whipping out the gun and firing an entire clip into one bottle before resetting and heading back to Mattie. It was for the nerves.
”M’goin’ first.” Normally he would have offered, but today? Today he needed this. He took an extra clip, his hand shaky with nerves. His aim was off.
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:42 pm
“Okay.” Mattie didn’t argue. It was strange of Marq not to offer, but that wasn’t why Mattie was here. To shoot stuff, at any rate. Not like he could hit it, anyways. His hand was always so shakey. He had a theory that he might be better at it drunk ince his hand stopped shaking then, but he doubted Marq would let him touch his gun drunk (lolironicinnuendo).
Marq’s hands were shaking. Mattie could tell even from the few metres away he was standing. Marquis almost never missed a shot. Mattie kept a steady gaze on him, worried that he might hurt himself, but kept throwing up new bottles with a swift ‘wingardium leviosa’ whenever Marq needed it. But at some point, the blonde was going to have to stop before the shaking got too bad. Mattie knew from experience.
Carefully, he tried to distract him. “How’re classes?”
That was another thing about the shrieking shack. It was absolutely quiet except for the gun shots. The gunshots being the only reason students till regarded it as haunted. But when it was this quiet, Mattie didn’t have to raise his voice to speak, nd speak at his more comfortable mumble. Old habits die hard.
Marquis was still shaking, though. Mattie focused on the gun. “You okay?”
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:49 pm
Marquis was starting to calm down a little before Mattie brought up class. The slow rhythm he’d been falling into broke immediately, with a shot flying free into one of the portraits hanging a good distance away. Marquis stopped after that, letting his arm fall and feeling the ache in his muscles from holding it up for so long. He was going crazy, that had to be it. Still shaky, he just shook his head a little and didn’t reply, shutting his eyes. He needed to sit down. Without replying to either question – the first he didn’t want to, the second sounded rhetorical – Marquis just turned back to Mattie with his eyes down, before plonking down on the cushions and holding out the weapon for the other boy to take.
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:55 pm
The taller Slytherins eyes narrowed when Marquis shook his head. Someone was going to be beat up for causing Marq that much stress. He walked over to where Marquis at and put him hand on the gun, surprised at how soft it was. He crouched down to Marquis’ height and cupped the gun with both hands. “What’s wrong? Who did it?”
He wasn’t going to be happy until Marquis was back to his former self. Mattie glanced down at the gun and his eyes widened. He wasn’t cupping the gun at all, but Marquis’s hand. He flushed a little, and started to stutter some excuse, but… He didn’t really feel like moving his hand. Or rather, he wouldn’t let himself. His muscles didn’t seem to respond. Well, s**t.
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:05 pm
His breath hitched when Mattie’s hands enclosed his own. They were warm, they always were, and seemed to completely envelop his own. Marquis wasn’t sure whether to feel comforted by this or overwhelmed, and he settled for hiccupping a little. Crying wasn’t his gig, but he could feel the bitter twang in his chest inviting the water to start flowing... and he ignored it. Not in front of Mattie, how bad would that look.
”I... “ The words weren’t working so well, and after another hiccup Marquis tried again. ”It... it’s nothin’, mate. S’nothin’.” For all his talk, though, Marquis really did look terrible. He knew it too, and with Mattie this close Marquis gave another, self-assuring suck of his peppermints before leaning forward and wrapping his arms around the younger boy, just holding on. No squeezing, no groping (and definitely no crying, none of that!), just a simple hug that was very, very needed.
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:10 pm
Mattie’s eyes widened even more at the hug. His already flushed face was probably beet red at this point. He awkwardly brought his hand up to wrap around Marquis’ shoulders. Then it just sort of felt natural. He rested his head in the crook of Marq’s neck and pecked the side of Marq's head.
Whoawait. Mattie froze, feeling his own pulse rush to his head. He hadn’t intended to do that, it just sorta… happened. Mattie jerked back, afraid of getting pushed off and started to stutter an apology. Marquis had more things to deal with than a ******** gay friend.
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:23 pm
Marquis’ eyes widened as he felt Mattie’s lips press against his temple. It took a moment or two for what had happened to actually process; after all, he’d been expecting an awkward hug, not a comfortable one and ... wow, Mattie had kissed him. Not properly, but when sober. It left a happy tingle in his stomach, and he would have hugged the other boy tighter had he not jerked away first. He blinked at him, curious, before realising the implications. Oh... wait, Mattie swung that way? It shouldn’t have been a surprise, really, but still... ooooh.
About to say something to put the other boy at ease – he wasn’t offended (and hadn’t minded), really – Marquis was cut off by the sound of a door slamming and voices in the shrieking shack other than theirs. What? No-one came here! On impulse, Marquis shoved his gun out of sight and stood up, not wanting to be caught sitting down were they under attack. He only slightly relaxed when a group of their teachers burst in, accompanied by a somewhat smug looking Jaye.
”You two!” One of them demanded, pointing back towards the school. ”Back to the castle, NOW. My ********/>
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:43 pm
Jaye sneered. He was totally right. Mattie’d been off with that mudblood brat from Gryffindor again. Just a few gunshots from a ways off was enough to confirm that. But what the Prefect didn’t expect to bust in on was Mattie kissing the other boy. On the head, mind, but still. Jaye blanched, and was suddenly very grateful to be the first one in the room.
“Mattie!” He hissed, sending one of his more venous glares towards his brother.
Mattie had been completely preoccupied, shocked even at Marq’s response until Jaye decided to bust in. Followed by a group of bitchy looking administrators. Jaye’s outburst had been enough for him to shove off of Marq before the rest of them had gotten in, though. Hopefully Marquis would still be safe. Mattie was still stunned, and barely heard the order given. He didn’t even give some snarky retort. He just followed dumbly.
It was only in the Headmasters office where they had to wait outside that the annoyance really set in. He could’ve still been at the shack with Marq if it wasn’t for these idiots. Mattie scowled at a secretary. “What the hell is going on?”
The secretary jumped. She stuttered for a bit before waving at hand at Mattie. “You don’t r-really need to be in here. Just him.” She pointed at Marquis. “In fact, you’d better go.”
Wasn’t the answer Mattie was looking for, but. Whatever. He’d get to talk to Marquis soon. He caught Jaye’s triumphant look as he rounded out into the halls. This was going to suck. He knew Jaye was following him. He wasn’t all that hard to detect. Mattie growled out a “What.”
“What the hell was that?” Jaye asked, backing Mattie uncomfortably towards a wall. He could have been talking about Marquis. Or he might’ve not seen him. Mattie just glared.
“What was what, f**?” His favorite nickname for his brother sort of seemed to lose it’s effect. Jaye snorted loudly.
“I’m the f**?” He hissed. Mattie’s blood froze. He knew. s**t.
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:58 pm
Marquis really wished they hadn’t sent Mattie away. As weak as it sounded, he really did like having the larger boy around in these situations. It made them feel safer, like he had someone to hide behind. But here, alone in the Headmaster’s office, he felt very small. Mattie had gotten away with nothing, but him?
Well, it was worse than he’d ever imagined. When the sentence was handed down, Marquis really did look like he was about to cry. Even the headmaster looked sympathetic, but the deputy – new this year and wicked as they came – just gave an evil grin and continued.
”You have fifteen minutes to pick up anything you might have left outside of you room and the House Elves missed, before you’re escorted back to the train, Leiter.”
”Yes, sir... “ Came Marquis’ weak response, before he was practically shoved out of the office. He just stood there for a few moments, stunned, before he began to run. The peppermint twang was still in his mouth, so there was really no excuse for what he was about to do next. How he found Mattie – and Jaye – he’d never know, but he did, and he practically launched himself at the younger boy’s chest, smashing their lips together. It wasn’t much different from their drunken kisses, rough and sloppy, but with his hand clenched in Mattie’s shirt Marquis was blissfully aware of what he was doing for a change. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long.
”Leiter!” Marquis pulled away, eyes wide as he glanced back at the deputy headmaster. ”I said to get your things, not go and accost the Veela! This way, now!”
A flinch, and then Marquis gave Mattie a shakey grin. ”See ya later, mate...”
And then he was gone.
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