5.30 pm, Stuart Road, Acton.
The fire in the hearth roared as it reached out of the fireplace, turning green for a moment before the tongues of flame fluttered, licked, solidified. Rustle mewed loudly and then leapt off the armchair and padded over to rub his cheek against Arcturus' jeans as his owner stepped out of the fire, brushing off soot from his black coat.
"Hey furball, how're you doing?" Arcturus chuckled as the kneazle wound himself around his legs, his tufted tail held up high. "I missed you too, now let me walk."
He siphoned the soot off the carpet and took in the lovely aroma of food wafting around the house. The one day when he didn't actually have to cook his own dinner! It annoyed him enough to explain to people that he didn't actually have his parents making meals for him at home, but he couldn't feel annoyed now.
"Arc? Is that you?" Lydia poked her head out of the kitchen, holding her wand in one hand and a spatula in the other. "Aha! Get your coat off and change while I get the last dish done."
"Need any help there?" her son asked, taking off his coat. "Sounds like you got a handful."
"No, you stay out of the kitchen. Surprises are surprises," his mother replied firmly, pointing the spatula at him. "Your father's coming home a bit later than usual, but he says he'll make it in time for dinner. So for now just get yourself cleaned up, birthday boy."
Arcturus chuckled awkwardly. Birthdays didn't really matter much to him, but his parents absolutely insisted that they shouldn't be "just another day". It was true he didn't feel any different age-wise, and he never really saw any point in celebrating the day he got older, but over time he'd come to accept the occasion and his family being hyped up for it. To put it in Lydia's words, "We're celebrating your birthday every year, deal with it."
"Just be careful with that spatula, mum," he called out after her as she disappeared into the kitchen. "It's dripping olive oil!"
She popped back out. "I know. Oh, and Rustle's given you his own present of his very own, and he's put it in your room. Please take it out."
He exchanged knowing looks with his mother, and then looked down at Rustle, who was sitting innocently on the carpet with his tail curled around him.
***
"Look, Rustle." Arcturus sighed. "I appreciate the gesture, but seriously. I don't expect you to give me presents on my birthday because one, you're a kneazle and you basically own me. I should be the one giving you presents. Two, you're a kneazle and the only presents you ever give me range from dead insects to dead animals, which doesn't sound that great. Three, I know you want to show your loyalty, but at least
don't put it on the carpet in my room with the blood still wet."
Rustle flicked an ear. "Mrow."
The young man sighed and levitated the dead shrew with his wand before going to get Mrs Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover from the bathroom downstairs. He didn't get all queasy at the sight of blood, but bodily fluids were not something he wanted to spend time with in his own bedroom.
As he went downstairs to throw the shrew out of the back door, he heard the fire roar once again. Rustle scampered down ahead of him and disappeared into the living room; as he reached the bottom step he heard the loud characteristic mew of the happy kneazle announcing the return of a family member.
"Hey, dad. No, don't hug me right now, I'm trying to keep this shrew up in the air." Arcturus gestured at the floating carcass. Mordecai put his hands up in surrender and backed off to let his son deposit the poor thing outside.
As he shut the door, Mordecai reappeared, this time divested of his waistcoat and tie, and with unbuttoned sleeve cuffs. "How have you been?" he asked, smiling widely. "We've been arriving home at exactly different times the entire week, I see."
"It's been graveyard shift for me the whole time." Arcturus shrugged. "But I managed to get the day off early."
"Ever told your coworkers why?" Mordecai grinned at his son's face. "I'm surprised you've never told anyone about your birthday."
"I don't need the fuss or the party or whatever it is that people do on birthdays in general." Arcturus waved his hands vaguely. "And having a party in here? With you guys around?"
"Hey, we'll clear out if we have to. Didn't we do that when you were having your date
[1]?" Mordecai hadn't stopped grinning.
"Don't go down there, dad," Arcturus warned. "Just don't."
Mordecai gave his son a brief hug. "I won't. Hey, Rustle." He leaned down and gave the kneazle a scratch between the ears; Rustle purred and closed his eyes as he enjoyed the attention.
Arcturus sat down on the couch, enjoying the warmth of the fire as he stretched his legs out. It felt good to be back home after so much work. He had been bone tired for the week; sleep had been welcoming every time he returned home. Having to drink copious amounts of Awakening Potions just to keep his sleep schedule adjusted, he was now hoping that he could spend the next week or so not drugging himself to stay awake - it would put him in exact opposite of a certain patient of his
[2]. He half-closed his eyes, keeping a blurry focus on the fire as he half-dozed.
"Arc?"
"Mm? Arcturus opened his eyes properly just as his father sat down on the couch next to him. "Yes?"
"You know that old pocket watch I gave you? Do you still use it?" Mordecai rolled his eyes at his son's apologetic expression. "I take that as a no."
"Dad, I work in a hospital. I spend most of my time handling potions and bodily fluids. Touching the watch is not an option, and besides I have a clock in my office." Rustle leapt up on the couch on the other side and purred as he headbutted Arcturus' leg affectionately. The younger man absently scratched the kneazle between the oversized ears.
"Well, I know for a fact that you don't quite like how you have to wind it up every now and again - don't give me that look, I
know you. So I think this watch might be of more use to you than the one you have currently, which even I think is a little more decorative than functional and just doesn't really suit you much."
Arcturus took the wrist watch with much care. It was silver rather than gold - Mordecai knew his son's taste in precious metals - and the hands were a touch elegant while still actually telling the time.
"Thank you." He looked up from the watch. "And yes, it's certainly more practical. Dragonhide for the straps? Really? How much did
that cost you?"
"It's for those potions you always complain about." Mordecai looked at him pointedly. "And don't ask. At this point, it was all I could think of for someone who's already sorted out his spending habits and is a reasonable, responsible person in what he chooses to get."
"Hahaha." He tried it on. It did stand out against his pale skin, but that was his problem, not the watch's. "But no, really, thank you, dad. I wasn't expecting presents."
"For your third decade of life, perhaps the occasion calls for a little more than just the usual family dinner." Mordecai leaned back on the couch and watched his son examine the watch. "I know we don't buy presents much in this house, barring your mother because she forcefully reminds me every year when it comes to our anniversary and her birthday--"
"Dad, if anything the lack of presents means I have way more gratitude than I would've if you'd bought me something every year." Arcturus set the watch aside carefully, pushing Rustle away from sniffing and possibly pawing it. "And I'm happy for that."
"That's good to hear." Mordecai smiled.
Rustle then proceeded to walk over Arcturus' lap and headbutt Mordecai for petting. Both father and son shared a resigned glance as the kneazle purred heavily, strutting about with his tufted tail held high.
Just then Lydia called out. "Oi, you two! I know you're in the living room, get over into the kitchen!"
"Trust your mother to be so uncouth." Mordecai shook his head in mock disapproval while Arcturus looked away with a grin on his face. "Get off me, Rustle."
"I'll take him." The younger Hollingbury gently lifted the kneazle into his arms; Rustle immediately flipped over onto his back, wriggled into the makeshift cradle and tried to playfully paw his owner's face. "No, don't. I'll lock you in the upstairs bathroom if you misbehave. You get the fireplace all to yourself tonight, Rustle." He let the kneazle down gently onto the carpet in front of the fire.
The sight that met their eyes was a table set for three and laden with food. In their house, there was no cake - Lydia didn't take towards baking despite her cooking skills - but she made up for it by using recipes from her side of the family. Because this was the Hollingburys, that meant the table was laid out with both British and Greek dishes, complete with three long, yellow lighted candles. The combination of warmth, the aroma of spices and sauces, and the fragrance of meat were enough to make anyone's mouth water.
"You really went all out on this, huh," Arcturus mused as he looked at the offerings. "It's like you cooked for Christmas."
"What with you cooking for yourself all the time, I guess having to cook for my son one last time before he moves out of the house was completely unavoidable." Lydia smirked at her son. "Admit it, it's nice when someone cooks for you. Sit down, the two of you, before Rustle decides to take one of your chairs."
"Yes it is, but you know I like to cook anyway." Arcturus took his seat. "Oh goodness, is that lamb yiuvetsi I see over there? You are amazing."
"Why, thank you." Lydia gave a bow, and then gave her husband a shove for letting out a barely-restrained snigger. Arcturus watched them with an eyebrow raised and an amused grin. Rustle, attracted by the smell of the food, had already padded into the kitchen and was patiently sitting on his haunches next to his owner, hoping for a few tidbits. This did not go unnoticed, but Arcturus ignored him.
"I hear you've been working yourself to the bone this week," Lydia casually remarked as the clink of dinnerware started up, occasionally punctuated by an optimistic mew. "Making up for the one day you come home early?"
"And every extra off-day I've asked this month."
"Which wasn't many to begin with." Arcturus did not put it past his father to not notice. While the healer got up earlier than his parents every morning, coming home was always noted by the kneazle sitting by his chair. Said kneazle made it a point of letting the whole house know about every entrance he made.
Arcturus shrugged. "You know there's been a lot of work lately. The Muggle sneezing
[3], the New Year Gala
[4]...if there aren't many patients there'll be a lot of paperwork to deal with. Or potions to test. It never ends."
"Yes, I'm well aware of that." Lydia looked at her husband, who had the decency to look embarrassed.
"So if I have to work a little extra, why not now?" Arcturus hadn't noticed his parents; he was focused mostly on his food.
Mordecai took a sip out of his glass of elderberry. "I'm sure you've probably earned enough to get yourself a fairly good place by this point."
"What's this? The person who was so against my moving out has finally said something positive?" Arcturus smirked. "No, really, what happened between then
[5] and now?"
"I had a talk with him," said Lydia, while Mordecai gave a little resigned nod. "You tell him the rest, Mord."
"Like your mother said, we had a talk, and I spent most of the time mulling over it." Arcturus drank from his glass as he listened. "I still don't really feel all that happy about it, but I can't always have my way and I trust you to make the right decisions. You're more sensible than certain people I would like to see the back of in the Ministry." Mordecai shrugged.
"And old enough to at least one day bring a woman back here so that we can meet her," his wife added brightly.
Arcturus couldn't help but think of the one person who had been flirting outright with him that week
[6]. The reason why she hadn't stopped was because he hadn't told her to. He didn't really know why, only that somehow her flirting was both intriguing and mystifying enough to keep him wondering exactly what she saw in him. Also - although he would rather chew his arm off than admit it - every time she flirted with him it felt like a drop of rosy warmth was spreading through his chest, and he really did like the sensation.
"Well, if you're patient enough I will." He helped himself to more yiuvetsi. "Just give it time."
"I think enough time has passed." Lydia pointedly looked at her son. Mordecai rolled his eyes.
"That's quite enough now, Lydia," he said. "If he says he needs more time, he most likely does."
"
You weren't the most subtle person when you made your advances on me." Lydia looked accusingly at her husband, who was smiling at her words. "You started flirting right after we just met."
"I have enough grace to admit that I boldly and optimistically flirted with you, but he's not me." Mordecai flashed her a charming smile; for a moment he looked younger. "You have to agree that Arc here isn't exactly the most forward person. And thirty's still young. Give it time."
"Watching you two discuss my love life in relation to yours is both amusing and a bit freaky," admitted Arcturus. "Could we not have a comparison? It feels like a family discussion
[7]."
"All right, all right." Lydia resumed eating, much to her son's relief. "Just you remember to let us meet her, yes?"
"What if it's a him?" Arcturus said, half-joking.
"Doesn't give us any less of a reason to celebrate," said Lydia defensively. Mordecai nearly inhaled juice as he attempted to not laugh at her response. Arcturus deliberately ignored him.
"No, really," Lydia continued, after her husband had excused himself to dry off. "If you bring a man back, we'll be equally happy for you. As long as you're happy with the relationship, Arc." She smiled. "That's all."
"That's good to hear. I was just wondering since you kept insisting on the female pronoun." Arcturus took a sip from his glass.
"Sometimes you need to remind us that you've told us what your orientation is, Arc." Lydia looked amused. "You've remained single for so long I think we're starting to wonder if you're either still unsure or you lied."
"No, I didn't lie, I just don't have the time right now." Arcturus caught his mother's expression. "I really don't. But even I think it's about time I started talking to people.
Talking, not flirting. I don't know how to flirt."
"Oh, it's easy." Mordecai rejoined the table with a smile still on his face. "Just don't be so blunt about your feelings. Play it like a--" At this point he stopped, because his wife was giving him a look.
For a brief moment Arcturus had a mental image of Elixa. Oh, Circe.
"Do you have anyone in mind right now?" Lydia asked. "You look like you do."
"No!" Arcturus coughed. "No. I don't. Really. Now stop asking."
"Okay." His mother gave him an odd look. "Has there been anything else going on lately? Not work."
"I'm sorry, it's either work or bust," Arcturus confessed apologetically. "Even my socialising is still somewhat work. And like I just said, I've spent the week on graveyard. Even if I wanted to go out to relax, I wouldn't have had the time."
"You went out last Sunday evening, what was that about?" Mordecai asked, eyebrows raised. "Usually we just find you sitting in the living room reading or dozing off."
"Just a meeting with someone
[8]. Work
[9]." Arcturus hadn't stopped looking apologetic. "Regular meetings. I thought, well, since I don't do graveyard for Mondays it was a way to get some fresh air and stop sitting at home."
Lydia looked at her husband as if to say "You see?!" Mordecai simply shrugged, although the grin on his face was unmistakeable.
Dinner continued at a peaceful pace and they didn't talk about his love life again, but Arcturus didn't stop mulling over the options he had right now. Sooner or later he would have to admit that he had feelings for certain people...the only problem was that it was more than one.
***
While Mordecai had grown up with the birthday song quite regularly sung in his life, Lydia had firmly made it a point that she didn't really want it sung in her house. For one, none of the Hollingburys were good with songs. Arcturus liked dance and Mordecai enjoyed classical music (and Alethea had played the violin for a while), but that was where it stopped. The closest anyone ever got to was humming Greek folk songs.
For another, she thought it was too cheesy. After a while of thought, taking place when he turned 14, Arcturus had agreed with her. Alethea had followed her mother closely in that sense, too. Mordecai, in the minority, had to concede defeat.
So after dinner, they just settled in the living room. Rustle was making his rounds, asking for attention from everybody - which was Arcturus and Mordecai, seeing as Lydia had gone to get her present for her son.
"What has she got for me this time, dad?" Arcturus asked as he stroked Rustle's back all the way to the base of his tail. The kneazle was purring so hard he was vibrating against his owner's leg.
"I don't know. She hides all her presents from me but demands I show mine to hers regardless of who's receiving it." Mordecai shook his head. "I know you don't want to think about it, but let me just give you this advice right now - when you're married, the person who is always right is your wife. Just saying."
"From the way she pokes you around the house, I would think so."
"She's always been like that." Mordecai's tone was one of amusement, however. "It's an unspoken rule. But if I really
insist, then she listens to me."
"Another unspoken rule?"
"Mm."
Rustle lay down on the carpet and began rolling over repeatedly, rubbing against the fibres with every bit of enjoyment only a feline could have. Arcturus absentmindedly used his wand to set aside the kneazle hairs being shed.
"Marriage is a continuous process of give and take, really." Mordecai watched Rustle playfully bat at the air as he lay on his back. "At the end of the day, as long as the balance is there, everyone stays happy. It's a bit tricky to handle, but if you really want to stay with whoever you choose and they're equally happy with being with you, it's worth making the sacrifice."
"That sounds a bit simplified."
"It
is. I'm leaving you to find out the details, I can only give you the big picture. It's different for everyone, after all." Mordecai leaned back in the old armchair (Hollingburys never have a matching set of armchairs). "The whole bit of falling in love and getting married and all is always the same, but it's how you go about it that matters. I don't expect you to have the same experiences as me, so all I can give you is Marriage Lite and hope for the best."
Arcturus smiled. "That's true."
"From your face earlier, you seem to have someone on your mind." Mordecai raised an eyebrow. "No, I'm not going to ask who it is or what she, or he as it were, is like. I just hope that if you're thinking of pursuing the person you would have all the luck you need."
"Thank you." For a moment he had felt cornered; he had possibly
looked cornered. But at least he could trust his parents to back off when he told them to.
Lydia appeared. "Sorry it took so long! I was just having to, uh, make sure it looked presentable." She was holding her hands behind her back. Arcturus raised his eyebrows as he leaned forward.
"It's not wrapped?"
"No, I...it's not the kind of thing you wrap."
Given his mother's hobby, Arcturus had no problem guessing what it was - vaguely, anyway. "What is it
specifically?" he asked shrewdly.
His mother brought her hands around. Cupped in between her fingers was a small terracotta pot holding what looked like a small shrub already growing. Despite the cold, it had all its dark green leaves and a few new leaf buds sprouting.
"I thought I'd give you this as a sort of...present for your new place as well," she said, watching him take the pot. "It won't grow very big as long as you use small pots, and I promise you it won't break the pot in search of water unless you deliberately want to plant it."
"What plant is it?" Arcturus was intrigued. "Do I know what it is? Or is this a new experiment you've been cultivating in the back garden?"
"It's the Fairy Lights
[10] bush out in the front garden." Lydia beamed.
Arcturus gaped at her. "Seriously? So it's successful?"
"Yes! And it will give you some lovely ambience if you need it." She sighed. "I only wish I still had my Malayan Blue Lantern so that I could make more, but unfortunately all I can do is cut saplings from the shrub and wait for a while."
"You could get another," suggested Mordecai.
"I
could, but it's expensive and I have to wait several weeks for them to ship even just a cutting in. If
you hadn't been practising your duelling in the garden and hexed both the Bobbing Bush
and the Lantern I would have still had a Lantern and a bush that doesn't give me blue-green rod-shaped fruit
[11]!" She waved a finger at him in exaggeration. "So shush! Or better yet, go buy me another one."
"At least the fruit is still edible," Mordecai protested, but it was already clear he was losing and he knew it too well.
"Yes, but it turns your tongue green for the next few days and makes you feel like you just ate a bird's nest. Thank Circe I have an untouched one in the front garden, and I am not letting you go near that one."
"You two bicker like an old married couple," said Arcturus, with great amusement. Mordecai coughed, grinning; Lydia gave him one last glare, but she was amused as well.
"But yes, I hope it gives your new place some feeling of home when it flowers and fruits." She smiled. "If you need help repotting, I'll be glad to be of service."
Arcturus smiled back as he got to his feet and gave his mother a hug, careful to not let the plant get in the way. "Thanks mum, I'll be sure to make a place for it."
"Oh, don't mention it." She hugged him back. "Anything for the son who's never really complained about anything we give him."
"You know that's not true."
"Most of the time," she added, with a wink.
Mordecai looked at his watch. "Oop, it's late. I think it's about time we all turn in, especially if you're planning to go out early tomorrow, Arc." He glanced at the kneazle. "And pick Rustle up too, will you, before he sheds even more hair on the carpet."
"Oh, sorry." Arcturus waved his wand over where Rustle had been scratching and rolling around; the hair drifted up in a clump and drifted off lazily towards the kitchen. "I'll clear up, you guys go to bed."
"Don't wash the dishes, okay?" his mother called from the stairs. "It's your birthday, you're not supposed to do any housework! I can do that tomorrow!"
Arcturus chuckled as he went to escort the kneazle hair into the dustbin. Then he proceeded to pick the now-sleepy kneazle up and, cradling the feline in his arms, turned off all the lights and disappeared upstairs.
[Jan 23] 30 and Onwards [Oneshot]