(no subject)

[clumsy_auror]

It's three in the morning, and Bernard and Nymphadora are awake.

...No, not because of that.

"--Where's the rest of the sparkly tinsel paper?" 'Dora asks distractedly, shuffling through the mess of wrapping accoutrements around her on the floor of their bedroom.

Comments

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Bernard rolls his eyes and wraps one of the boxes in the candy cane paper. "Anthony and I went out on a walk today."

[clumsy_auror]

"Oh yeah? Did he actually walk, or did you walk and he selfishly made you carry him?"

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Monkeyfaced freeloader rode on my chest the whole time," Bernard snickers, then sobers with an effort.

"We, ah. Strayed into the woods."

[clumsy_auror]

At that Nymphadora frowns, very slightly. "Yeah?"

Demon bunnies notwithstanding... there are some fairly unpleasant things in the Milliways woods.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Didn't mean to." His fingers fold the end of the wrapping paper over, and he tapes it. "I wasn't watching where I was going. It fades into the Dreaming, in spots." A breath, and before she can even ask, "Dream took the opportunity to talk to me. Not the nice one."

[clumsy_auror]

Her hands freeze. She's pale, even in the dim flickering lamplight.

"What...?"

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He looks up, and reaches over, covering her hand with one of his.

"It's okay. Nothing really happened. I think that there must be Morpheus in there somewhere, because Anthony dropped off to sleep and stayed asleep the whole time." A small, confused smile. "It was weird. He wanted to ask about love. Moiraine left Morpheus."

[clumsy_auror]

"Oh. Blimey." Brow still furrowed, 'Dora turns back to the package before her, tapping it with her wand so that the ribbon ties itself into a bow. "So... what did you tell him?"

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He takes his hand back, shrugging. "Said it's kind of a mystery and that's how it should be. That you know you've got something good when it fits right off the bat. That part of what fuels a good relationship is working on the parts that don't quite fit." He shakes his head and takes another box.

"I don't think I helped that much until he asked about how to deal with pain."

[clumsy_auror]

Nymphadora looks at him sidelong, just waiting.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"He was in so much pain. I was never not scared of him, but I guess it's possible to fear something or someone and still sympathize."

[clumsy_auror]

"Sure it is," she murmurs. "Especially when it comes to love. Hardly anyone really deserves to have their heart broken."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Anyway." He clears his throat, and reaches for the paper. "It wasn't good, but it wasn't bad either. He was more manageable. Able to listen."

[clumsy_auror]

A faint smile. "I'm glad. Though it's still chilling, all the same."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"You're not kidding. I thought I was fucked."

[clumsy_auror]

Impulsively she leans forward, mindful not to kneel upon carefully-wrapped parcels, and presses a kiss to his forehead.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

His face lights up with a smile, and he drops the partially-wrapped gift in his hand to hold hers.

[clumsy_auror]

Another kiss to his forehead, another to the tip of his nose, and still another full on the lips.

"This is a good night."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Is it?" he replies, laughing. "It's almost 4am, and we've made a huge mess that we have to clean up before the kids wake up in two and a half hours, and we haven't slept."

But he's smiling, still, and sneaks another kiss.

[clumsy_auror]

"It is," 'Dora says firmly, and sits back on her heels to put the finishing touches on the present before her. "Anyway we're almost finished with the wrapping, so it'll just be the cleaning up. And I kept the kids awake a bit longer last night, so we might get a lie-in till seven."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Hmph." He finishes one dress box and picks up the third and final. "I want a lie-in till ten. Maybe with kissing involved."

[clumsy_auror]

Placatingly, "There'll be kissing regardless of the hour, mate, I can assure you of that."

Nymphadora grins down at the package and then, satisfied with the state of the bow perched atop it, sets it aside.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Oooooh.

"Really?" He sounds like an excited child, and kind of bounces like one as he wraps the last package. "Gosh. What did I do to deserve that?"

[clumsy_auror]

"Just happy, is all."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Okay." Setting a bow on top Sunny's last package, he stands and gathers a pile, taking it to their closet.