bothlionandfox

[bothlionandfox]

–– "Yeah, and I'm the bloody Minister of Magic. Come now, Merlin – be a lamb. Tell old Fabian who's won you over this time."

            “I’m not in love!”

[bothlionandfox]

      Fabian did not shy away from Evan as he drew closer. He didn't feel nearly as uncomfortable to have a naked man practically spooning him as he felt that he should. But Evan's presence at his side was... almost nice. He was warm, and his natural male odor was actually rather pleasant beneath the cigar smoke and the unmistakable smell of sex.

      Merlin, that smell. How the hell had he missed that earlier?

–– "Let's take a rain check on the kissing," Fabian said, a bit hesitantly. He didn't want to hurt Evan's feelings, as the man had been nothing but kind to him, but the fact remained that Fabian was not gay.

      Merlin's pants, what had he got himself into?

      Smiling feebly, he said, –– "But breakfast sounds... Sounds nice. I could do with something to eat."

      Breakfast with Evan, a chance to talk to him, to get to know him a bit better without the intoxicating presence of alcohol, might provide a few desperately needed answers, and would help Fabian understand how he was supposed to proceed from this situation.

Evan passed a cigar over to Fabian, smiling as he did so. The previous night was starting to come back to him, the bar, their conversation, the drinking, and what came after. He seemed to remember Fabian kissing him, and then after that it all got a bit blurry.

He moved over under the covers to lie closer to Fabian, his left arm brushing Fabian’s right. “Am I right in thinking you feel some pain in your rear?”, he asked as he took a puff of his cigar. He wouldn’t have thought Fabian was the type to bottom, but if he was remembering things right…

He wondered what this meant… the previous night Fabian had claimed not be gay, but this was contradictory, and boy was he attractive; Evan looked over Fabian’s thick muscles and hairy chest and wondered how Fabian would react if he tried to kiss him, they had already shagged, but he might’ve gotten shy having sobered up.

He turned on his side so that he faced Fabian in the bed, propping his head up on his arm, “Do you wanna stick around? I can make breakfast if you like, I do a great fry up”, he took a drag of his cigar, “And we could listen to the radio, maybe kiss a bit. That is, if you’re not regretting last night too much”.

He smiled as he wondered if Fabian would be embarrassed for Evan to see him naked, despite having been bumming him the previous night. He wondered if he’d find out.

[bothlionandfox]

      Fabian was about to ask what the hell they were doing in Evan's bedroom when the man's statement had him choking on the question. They'd what?

      No, absolutely not. Not possible. Fabian might get a bit too pissed sometimes, but he did not go home with strange men and he absolutely did not shag them. Under any circumstances. He was Fabian Prewett, not homophobic by any means, but absolutely not gay.

      However, all evidence seemed to go against this supposition. He had woken up naked, with someone's naked body draped over his, with almost no memory of the previous night. This wasn't an alien experience to him, but generally his naked bedmate was female.

      And in every instance that Fabian could remember, it had meant that they'd shagged.

      There was something else. Fabian flushed scarlet when he realised what it was – a rather intimate part of him was feeling rather sore that morning.

      This could mean only one thing: he, Fabian Reinhard Prewett, former Gryffindor beater, had been the bottom.

–– "Oh, holy shit," he said, and for a moment he wasn't sure quite what he was going to do – run screaming from the room, have a panic attack, or some other strange reaction.

      He did none of these things, however. After a moment's silence, he suddenly burst out in a fit of hysterical laughter.

–– "Yeah, why not," he said, shaking his head, still a bit breathless from his frenzied laughter. –– "Why the fuck not. Give me one."

Evan suddenly realized that he was lying half slumped over Fabian Prewett, utterly naked, lying on his belly with his leg over Fabian’s body, with nothing but a duvet keeping their dignity.

"Yeah this is my flat", Evan noted, "Definitely my bedroom, and I’d imagine out clothes are on the floor mate. I reckon we shagged last night".

With that he rolled off of Fabian, and grabbed a pack of cigars from his nightstand, lighting one with a non-verbal smell and putting it between his lips. “Want one?”

[bothlionandfox]

–– "Ugh, I'm with you there, mate. I can't even remember what happened last–"

–– "Wait a second. Where the hell are we? Please tell me this is your flat, and – "

      Fabian takes a moment to fully register his situation.

–– "Evan. Where the hell are our clothes?"

I think I had too much to drink last night… My head.

[bothlionandfox]

Fabian shuddered at Evan’s touch. Not because it was unpleasant; in fact, quite the opposite. The feel of Evan’s finger stroking against his arm was burning, bright with electricity, and to Fabian’s intense embarrassment, he noticed that his trousers were suddenly feeling all too tight.

What. The. Fuck.

Fabian was straight; he had always been straight, had never had more than the most fleeting of interest in another man. Why, then, was a fairly innocuous touch from his new friend having such a profound effect on him?

He threw back his drink, hoping that would help, and while, after a moment or two, the room started swaying pleasantly, it did absolutely nothing to rid him of his discomfort.

“I’ll be right back,” he said, wiping his mouth on his sleeve and getting to his feet. “Need to – the loo, I’ll be right-”

He cut himself off before he could say anything incriminating, and stumbled off in the general direction of the toilets.

Some five minutes later, he stumbled back from the restroom, somehow making his way back to his seat. He felt a bit better, having washed his face in the basin, but he was still feeling rather edgy.

“I need another drink,” he said grimly, locking eyes with the bartender. “Make it a big one.”

You There || Evan & Fabian

[bothlionandfox]

It was most unfortunate that Fabian had just begun to take a sip of his new drink when Evan began discussing his relationship with Ted in... rather more explicit language than Fabian would have expected from a man who, just minutes before, had seemed ashamed and almost terrified to admit that he preferred blokes. Had Evan started his description just a few moments later, Fabian might have taken it all in his stride. As it was, he choked on his firewhiskey, spluttering rather unattractively and accidentally managing to spray the woman next to him with the stuff.

He apologised with as much grace as he could manage when he was still coughing.

"Steady on, mate," Fabian said, still a bit hoarse. "That's my best friend you're talking about there – I'm not going to be able to look Teddy in the eye next time he comes round for tea if I'm picturing... You know."

Evan, with his fingers up Teddy's arse? Teddy, naked? All in all, these things shouldn't bother Fabian; he'd walked in on Teddy before when he was with a partner, and of course he knew what Teddy was packing. Be friends with someone for long enough and you were bound to see him naked. But there was something about this, about hearing these things about Teddy from someone who had enjoyed him like that... Well.

It was odd, to say the least. 

Still, Fabian was just the right level of drunk for his curiosity to win out. Because he genuinely wanted to know, wanted to hear it straight from the source, he suddenly blurted out, "Do blokes actually enjoy that? It just... It just seems painful – I honestly can't see the appeal. Maybe you could fill me in?"

After a moment, he blushed, realising the implications of his choice of words.

You There || Evan & Fabian

[bothlionandfox]

"So you're the Slytherin Quidditch player Ted shacked up with," Fabian said, half accusatory, half amused. "I tried for ages to get it out of him who it was, and he wouldn't tell."

He laughed, remembering long weeks spent trying to get Ted to confess to his secret flame's identity. "Well, congratulations, because if Teddy's word is anything to go off of, you pretty thoroughly rocked his world." Fabian grinned. "I've seldom heard the old pervert so blown away by someone's performance – you must be a real freak, mate."

Fabian raised his eyebrows, then took a long swig of his drink.

You There || Evan & Fabian

[bothlionandfox]

Fabian was a bit startled by Evan's response - he honestly hadn't believed Evan swung that way, by the carefree way he responded to Fabian's flirting. Oh Merlin; he'd been leading the poor bloke on for ages now. 

"Congratulations?" Fabian said, a bit uncertainly. He wasn't exactly sure what reaction Evan wanted from him; it was obvious it took a lot for him to admit it, but Fabian wasn't exactly sure what he was expected to do. "And I'm not - but I bet you've figured that one out already. Sorry about that one."

Fabian laid a hand on Evan's shoulder and met his gaze. "Look, Rosier. Before he got married, my best mate was a huge fan of cock. You have no idea the number of times I've had to listen to Teddy ramble on about whoever happened to be enjoying his arse at the time. There's nothing  you're going to say that'll offend my sensibility or anything stupid like that - and I'm certainly not going to hold it against you that you're a bit ginger."

He crossed his arms, hoping that was the end of the matter. "Now go on; finish your drink. You look like you really need it."

You There || Evan & Fabian

[bothlionandfox]

Fabian noticed Evan's darkening mood immediately, and it troubled him. He couldn't understand what could have suddenly brought him down.

Throwing an arm over the man's shoulder, he said, "Chin up, mate. I've never seen a man look so gloomy about another round of drinks." A thought occurred to Fabian. "Look, Rosier - if you don't want to pay for my drinks, you don't have to pay for my drinks." He nodded to the bartender. "Put those both on my tab, yeah? My treat."

He could afford to be generous this time. While he wasn't exactly swimming in galleons, after his recent promotion he certainly had more cash around than he was used to, and could afford the splurge if it meant making his new friend happier. 

You There || Evan & Fabian

[bothlionandfox]

"Your loss, mate," Fabian said, shaking his head. "Dad's a handsome devil, he is - take a closer look next time you're at work - you might just find yourself falling head over heels for the old Badger."

At this point, Fabian's intuition should have kicked in, letting him know that Evan's flirting was more than just a joke. But at the moment, his intuition was too busy screaming 'FREE DRINKS!' for any other thought to get through.

"That's what I like to hear!" Fabian said, throwing his drink back and slamming the empty glass onto the bar with a bit too much enthusiasm. "Two more firewhiskeys, if you would!"

You There || Evan & Fabian

[bothlionandfox]

"Transportation My dad's in Transportation!" Fabian grinned, happy to have found a bit of common ground. "Not high up, mind, but he works hard. You'll know him - Reginald Prewett? Tall bloke, reddish hair, far better looking than any man his age has any right to be?"

He took a swig of his drink, and raised an eyebrow. "We Prewetts are known for being dangerously handsome."

The more he talked with Rosier, the more he was beginning to like the chap. His playful nature made him enjoyable conversation; so many of his friends and coworkers were too stuffy to flirt back. Rosier obviously knew that Fabian was joking around, and was responding in kind, which gave him a sort of courage.

"Mr Rosier," he said, mock-aghast. "It's about three drinks too early for you to be making those sorts of comments. Have a bit of common decency, man."

You There || Evan & Fabian

[bothlionandfox]

"Well, that's good, at least. Honestly, the smell of me's put me right off my appetite. Let's see if I can't tempt it back with something to drink."

He signaled for the bartender to attend to him. "Firewhiskey for me, please," he said, then nodded at Evan. "And another glass of whatever my friend here is having."

He hoped that more drinks might calm Rosier down some - the poor man was as jittery as a first year on the day of his sorting - perhaps he was nervous to be around a Gryffindor, especially after all the hell that he and his team had given the Slytherin players. Yes, that would be it. It was now up to Fabian to serve as ambassador for his people, to prove that, though they might have been little shits as teenagers, they had all grown up to be fine examples of wizarding society.

"So, Ministry, eh?" Fabian said, leaning against the bar and smiling breezily, doing his best to put the man at his ease. "Sounds impressive - what, are you working for the Minister now, or else managing the country's secrets for the good of us all?"

He meant the suggestions to come out slightly teasing, but he genuinely was curious as to what had become of the other man since leaving school. Career prospects were so different when you were a good pureblood from a respected member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Poor embarrassments like Fabian were left to fend for themselves.

You There || Evan & Fabian

[bothlionandfox]

"'Course I still play; what kind of a prat do you take me for?" Fabian asked, eyebrows raised. Do you still play? Bah. Ridiculous. That was quite possibly the most ridiculous question he'd ever been asked in all his life. "Yeah, I'm in Games and Sports now - the boys there get me out of the house a couple times a week for a good skirmish."

He looked down at his jersey, suddenly feeling a bit awkward to be discussing his interest in magical sport while in full football kit. "Joined a football league as well - a couple of the boys in the office put one together, with a few from other departments. It's nothing on Quidditch, of course, but it's a fun enough way to work up a sweat."

He wrinkled his nose, realising that he probably stank. "Sorry about that, by the way. I should have gone home to shower before coming out for drinks."

You There || Evan & Fabian

[bothlionandfox]

–– "Evan..." Fabian said musingly, trying to place the other man.  –– "Ev- oh! Rosier!"

      He grinned in satisfaction at having remembered the name.  –– "Rosier, mate. I don't think I've seen you since Hogwarts, how've you been?"

      It was something of an exaggeration to call Evan his 'mate'; hostile Quidditch rivals was closer to the mark. But in the nearly nine years since he'd left Hogwarts, those old animosities had all but faded away. Now, he was merely happy to be meeting one of his old Quidditch opponents, to be reminded of simpler, happier times.

You There || Evan & Fabian

[bothlionandfox]

You There || Evan & Fabian

–– "Look mate, if you've a problem with seeing a pureblood wizard kitted out in Muggle football gear, just come out and say it. Don't just stare at me like that - it's creepy."

[bothlionandfox]

–– “Well, that's no way to go about things! Merlin, if I acted as miserable as I feel all the time, I'd be absolutely no fun to be around, and then where would I be? Other people only like to be around me because I'm such a bright ray of sunshine; otherwise I'm just this obnoxious prat who won't shut up about Quidditch. No, the only way I make it through is by faking it - it doesn't make me happy, but it makes it better."

–– “And Miss Jones, if I've learned anything in my nearly twenty-seven years, it's that one can always laugh at the great Fabian Prewett. What can I say? I'm absolutely hilarious. That, or I'm just very easy to poke fun at. Take your pick - I prefer the former, obviously."

–– “Friends nothing - it's your values you're fighting for. At the end of the day you can't do this for anyone but yourself - sure, I've got some great Muggleborn mates like Teddy Tonks and the like, and sure, I want people like him to be able to live in peace without having to worry about nutters hexing them in the street just because of who their parents are, but I'm not doing this for him. I'm not even doing this for my nephews, as much as I love the little monsters. They might be the reason I joined up, but they're not the reason I stay. The reason I stay, the reason I fight, is because I know that what I'm doing is right, and I'm willing to fight for that. And you need that, if you're going to make it in the Order - you need to know that you're fighting for what's right."

–– “That's a hard question, Hestia. A really fucking hard question. Of course my first instinct is to say yes, I'd want my friends back. But the more I think about it, the more I think those particular friends wouldn't thank me for it. They all died for something, died to further our cause, and to erase that contribution... Well. I don't think they'd particularly appreciate it. But that's not exactly what I meant - what I meant was more - I wasn't ready to become an uncle. And I sure as hell don't want my nephews to grow up in this sort of danger. But the war is a part of who they are, who they'll become, and I think my nephews are brilliant just as they are."

—— “I was being dim, right. I just don’t know how you manage it, that’s all. Acting clinically depressed and moderately bipolar is becoming my signature trademark. But I heard somewhere that you have to fake it to make you it. You think that works under these circumstances? You know, pretend to be happy  until everything is less shit. I can’t laugh at you now, you might have just quoted some philosophical bullshit and I haven’t noticed!”

—— “Of course I did. That’s why we’re still talking, obviously. You must of heard, I’m just a tad hostile.”

            “I can see it, that’s what scares me. I know how easy it would be to just turn my back on it all, ignore morals and sort of, just carry on. Besides, friends aren’t really my thing.”

—— “You wouldn’t bring them back, the people you’ve lost? Wouldn’t wish for this to all end? For it to all just go away? You’re certainly a lot tougher than I am.”

[bothlionandfox]

–– "Well, I'd say that that's a bit of an overreaction. I mean, Merlin, I know I'm annoying, but I'm not that bad."

+ 6 on the pitch

 ❝ The only thing about you that would p l e a s e      me is if I were to curse your tongue to WRAP around      your neck until your insufferable speech was cut-off.

         —What do you say, dearie ? ❞