[ There's a long pause before more words scroll across Bella's parchment. Things have begun to change between them, this much is true. Neither has accepted it consciously, but they spend nearly as much time as a pair as they have as a triad. Waking with Bella in his bedroom on the nights he drops in on Malfoy Manor has not become a habit but certainly is not unusual. ] Rodolphus is a most dutiful son. Still, it's a bit abrupt, I daresay. How are you handling it?
I knew it was bound to happen sooner rather than later.
( There is, after all, a tendency bordering on expectancy among their kind to marry young, frequently straight out of school. Bella is just about half a year away from hitting thirty herself – according to the occasional pushy relative, it is high time. But she isn’t changing her stances, nor can she see herself married to Rodolphus for the rest of her life.
For all intents and purposes, this is inevitable. )
I did live under the delusion that this mutual agreement would end on a less immediately official note – mind, it looks more akin to a genuine break-up this way, which serves me just fine – but it does put me in a position.
I suppose what I am asking is if I could stay with you for a few days while I sort out my estate?
( It is somewhat unusual for her to ask. Frankly, considering the amount of nights she has taken to spending at Malfoy Manor, she could very well do as she asked without asking at all. )
[ So much of their lives are about perception, Lucius thinks. A less immediate breakup would have allowed Bella to get that slightly blinding white marble manor home in order before word spread. But an immediate breakup makes it more likely that she appears stunned, and stunned can easily be spun as distressed.
In any case, she hardly needs him to tell her that. And she hardly needs to ask to stay with him. They've both been enjoying the ability their association has of mildly horrifying his alternate reality grandson. There's no better way to do that than over brunch with Bella wrapped in what could easily be Lucius' dressing gown. ]
Of course you're welcome, darling. Though I daresay Rita will have a bit of a field day. With any luck, I shall be pining after dear broken-hearted Miss Bellatrix Black and offering you a shoulder on which to cry while manfully suppressing my embarrassing emotions.
[ Which means, of course, he'll need to keep his distance when she does get her estate in order, or the overwrought tale of unrequited love will become one in which Lucius Malfoy stole Bellatrix from Rodolphus Lestrange, one of his very best friends. Neither of them would be a fan of that narrative. ]
Is there anything you need assistance with as you depart Lestrange Manor? I'm kicking Peter out of my presence around five o'clock today.
If Rita had a way of knowing how frequently I stay at your manor, Lucius, the press would have had their field day a long while ago. Come to think of it, they would rather have enjoyed the details of your stay at Lestrange Manor every bit as much.
( They have some practice, when it comes to keeping the details of their personal lives secret. Really, considering the way they grew up, it is as second nature to them as killing has become.
But he knows very well that she agrees wth what he says, and all of what he did not explicitly say, but heavily implied. It's better to thread carefully now, just to be on the safe side. Better to limit their office visits to business talk, and perhaps not behind locked and warded doors. )
Unless you intend to defile his bedroom and test his patience, I am afraid there isn't much to be done. But I appreciate the offer.
( She is annoyed, not with him, of course, but at the situation –– and a little bit at the fact that she is annoyed. Rodolphus did manage to rattle her, more than anything else. Her interest in him has certainly... waned. Shifted. Not towards anyone in particular, of course, no, why would anyone think that? Lucius and her are, after all, spending a perfectly acceptable amount of time together, sharing breakfast and a chair and, at this point, at least three of his dressing gowns. What is the line of thought again?
Right.
It's not a wounded heart, for sure. It's wounded pride. And it isn't the loss of face due to the ending of a relationship that never really was one as much as it is the fact that he... isn't much of a friend over the entire thing. And with Bella's expectations regarding people being generally on the low, low end, it takes some truly impressive limboing to strike her. )
Around five sounds lovely, though.
( That's a red flag, coming from her. A workday ended at a reasonable time? In her schedule? She really does want to see him. )
No doubt it would have entirely made her year. But since little could live up to our...antics at Lestrange Manor, she would feel compelled to retire, and we would all be terribly deprived in her absence.
[ As far as defiling Lestrange Manor and testing Rodolphus' patience go - well, he may have some skills in those areas, but he also intends to continue to live...so Lucius will just leave that comment unanswered.
He is not an unobservant man, though, and he has noted that as he's distanced himself from Lestrange Manor - at the behest of the Minister of Magic himself, of course - Bella has made more and more appearances at Malfoy Manor. Often overnight, often culminating in a private breakfast in the library (annoying Scorpius and his pet is one thing; doing so before coffee another). He's certainly observant enough to note that Bella has commandeered a few of his best dressing gowns, certainly. He's also smart enough not to make anything of it.
More to the point, Lucius is both observant enough and intelligent enough to know that any day Bellatrix quits work before 8pm practically constitutes a dire emergency. ]
You may consider me at your service, darling. Perhaps we ought to consider putting the elves to good use and taking ourselves off to a quiet dinner after the most precious items are transported.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2017-11-16 01:57 am (UTC)[ There's a long pause before more words scroll across Bella's parchment. Things have begun to change between them, this much is true. Neither has accepted it consciously, but they spend nearly as much time as a pair as they have as a triad. Waking with Bella in his bedroom on the nights he drops in on Malfoy Manor has not become a habit but certainly is not unusual. ]
Rodolphus is a most dutiful son. Still, it's a bit abrupt, I daresay. How are you handling it?
no subject
Date: 2017-11-16 10:23 am (UTC)( There is, after all, a tendency bordering on expectancy among their kind to marry young, frequently straight out of school. Bella is just about half a year away from hitting thirty herself – according to the occasional pushy relative, it is high time. But she isn’t changing her stances, nor can she see herself married to Rodolphus for the rest of her life.
For all intents and purposes, this is inevitable. )
I did live under the delusion that this mutual agreement would end on a less immediately official note – mind, it looks more akin to a genuine break-up this way, which serves me just fine – but it does put me in a position.
I suppose what I am asking is if I could stay with you for a few days while I sort out my estate?
( It is somewhat unusual for her to ask. Frankly, considering the amount of nights she has taken to spending at Malfoy Manor, she could very well do as she asked without asking at all. )
no subject
Date: 2017-11-17 01:36 am (UTC)In any case, she hardly needs him to tell her that. And she hardly needs to ask to stay with him. They've both been enjoying the ability their association has of mildly horrifying his alternate reality grandson. There's no better way to do that than over brunch with Bella wrapped in what could easily be Lucius' dressing gown. ]
Of course you're welcome, darling. Though I daresay Rita will have a bit of a field day. With any luck, I shall be pining after dear broken-hearted Miss Bellatrix Black and offering you a shoulder on which to cry while manfully suppressing my embarrassing emotions.
[ Which means, of course, he'll need to keep his distance when she does get her estate in order, or the overwrought tale of unrequited love will become one in which Lucius Malfoy stole Bellatrix from Rodolphus Lestrange, one of his very best friends. Neither of them would be a fan of that narrative. ]
Is there anything you need assistance with as you depart Lestrange Manor? I'm kicking Peter out of my presence around five o'clock today.
no subject
Date: 2017-11-24 11:29 pm (UTC)( They have some practice, when it comes to keeping the details of their personal lives secret. Really, considering the way they grew up, it is as second nature to them as killing has become.
But he knows very well that she agrees wth what he says, and all of what he did not explicitly say, but heavily implied. It's better to thread carefully now, just to be on the safe side. Better to limit their office visits to business talk, and perhaps not behind locked and warded doors. )
Unless you intend to defile his bedroom and test his patience, I am afraid there isn't much to be done. But I appreciate the offer.
( She is annoyed, not with him, of course, but at the situation –– and a little bit at the fact that she is annoyed. Rodolphus did manage to rattle her, more than anything else. Her interest in him has certainly... waned. Shifted. Not towards anyone in particular, of course, no, why would anyone think that? Lucius and her are, after all, spending a perfectly acceptable amount of time together, sharing breakfast and a chair and, at this point, at least three of his dressing gowns. What is the line of thought again?
Right.
It's not a wounded heart, for sure. It's wounded pride. And it isn't the loss of face due to the ending of a relationship that never really was one as much as it is the fact that he... isn't much of a friend over the entire thing. And with Bella's expectations regarding people being generally on the low, low end, it takes some truly impressive limboing to strike her. )
Around five sounds lovely, though.
( That's a red flag, coming from her. A workday ended at a reasonable time? In her schedule? She really does want to see him. )
no subject
Date: 2017-11-25 04:19 am (UTC)[ As far as defiling Lestrange Manor and testing Rodolphus' patience go - well, he may have some skills in those areas, but he also intends to continue to live...so Lucius will just leave that comment unanswered.
He is not an unobservant man, though, and he has noted that as he's distanced himself from Lestrange Manor - at the behest of the Minister of Magic himself, of course - Bella has made more and more appearances at Malfoy Manor. Often overnight, often culminating in a private breakfast in the library (annoying Scorpius and his pet is one thing; doing so before coffee another). He's certainly observant enough to note that Bella has commandeered a few of his best dressing gowns, certainly. He's also smart enough not to make anything of it.
More to the point, Lucius is both observant enough and intelligent enough to know that any day Bellatrix quits work before 8pm practically constitutes a dire emergency. ]
You may consider me at your service, darling. Perhaps we ought to consider putting the elves to good use and taking ourselves off to a quiet dinner after the most precious items are transported.
[ Dark artifacts, obviously. ]