did the wrong thing, to the right girl - Kyra - June 1977

[Fabian Prewett]

25 June 1977

There was something about the muggle dance scene that was more exciting than hanging out a wizarding pub. And it wasn't just the girls. Because yes, the muggle girls were fascinating and they thought he and Gideon were cool and mysterious when they pulled on on the motorcycles - thank god Kyra had taught him how to drive a few years back - but it was the atmosphere. Everyone was winding down from whatever had happened that day to them. They were carefree, joking around. It was the fact there wasn't a constant reminder of the war looming on their front door. And while the thought sometimes still crossed his mind, it was easier to forget when the entire rest of the crowd didn't care.

Shoving through the crowded dance floor, Gideon only a few steps behind, he flashed a smile at some pretty girls before exchanging a glance with Gideon. His brother wasn't quite as into hanging out with the muggle girls as he was, but at least the twin humored him. Fabian was much more of a player, never really sticking to one girl for an extended period of time. He had his favorites of course, and he did have the one girl who had crushed his heart. Finally getting to the bar, he leaned against it and glanced over when a familiar face caught his eye. 

One ever so stunning Kyra. He hadn't seen in a bit, both of them busy with their own lives. And it was still a couple of weeks before Edgar and Phoebe would be having a joint birthday party for her and the kids. But he had to hide his laughter at the situation, as the guy who was between them was trying his best to pick Kyra up. The bloke was failing, didn't have a single good line, and Fabian could only take a few seconds of it before he had to speak up. "Hey love, reckon you want to come share my bed tonight? It's been awfully cold without you."

[Kyra Thatcher]

"If I said you were an angel, would you treat me like the devil tonight?"

"So, what, tell God on you and get you kicked out of heaven? Has that one ever worked for you? No, no, tell me, I'm curious."

"If your parents hadn't met, I'd be a very unhappy man right now." 

"Sorry baby, you're still gonna be an unhappy man."

"I want you almost as much as I want world peace."

"Really? Then stay, I say let's dig deep into your priorities and work them out towards something more productive."

"If I had eleven roses and you, I'd have a dozen."

While her dress had been designed to get her free drinks, and not every bloke who'd approached her tonight had been a tool so she actually was one free drink and one decent conversation into her evening, the selection tonight was sorely disappointing. Many of the guys were fit, yeah, but Kyra was starting to feel that she'd heard them all before. The latest young man vying for her company had caught her mid-drink, and she surveyed him over the top of her glass for a moment after he'd given her that obviously practiced rose line. What's wrong with just introducing yourself? Maybe it hadn't been the best idea to go out tonight - as much as she'd thought she was in the mood to bring someone back, her automatic response had been enjoying shutting them down and scaring them off to go find easier prey. But before she could do that to this one, a voice she'd recognize anywhere butted in. Kyra hid her grin just as Fabs was surely hiding laughter at finding her like this, and with a sympathetic smile in place, eyes bright with drink and mirth, she gave his shoulder a squeeze across the bloke who wasn't quite yet getting the hint to leave.

"Oh you poor thing, don't tell me the girls aren't responding to your lines anymore - never thought I'd see you hit a dry spell, is everything all right?" The opportunity to embarrass Fabian didn't come up often enough, and Kyra couldn't resist the chance to tease him. And...she couldn't just flat-out accept his offer. Where was the fun in that? During university years it'd been simple to see him, the two of them, Gideon, Phoebe, and Edgar spending easy time together since they were all in the city. But then their best friends had gone and gotten married and started having kids, and seeing each other became rarer, so their fling had felt rather flung for a while. But if he was talking to her like this...you here to turn my night around? One pointed look up at the rose bloke later, and he nodded sorely and retreated. Finally free to laugh, Kyra let herself, and moved to wrap her arms around Fabian's neck in a hug. Spying Gideon as she did so, she grinned and did the same to him before finding her drink again. "Thank God you're here, tonight's been a drag 'til now. Let's get you properly liquored up, shall we?"

[Fabian Prewett]

While he was just as guilty of flinging out pick-up lines - he never actually expected them to work. Sure, sometimes he was just funny enough with them to get the girl to laugh, get her talking. But he didn't actually expect that the line itself was going to do any good. It was why it was so amusing to him to listen to these blokes try and pick Kyra up with them. The girl was smart (occasionally too smart for her own good), and a guy who thought cheesy pick-up lines would get them anything simply wasn't her type. Frankly, as far as he was concerned, he was her type. Their relationship was never sloppy or difficult and didn't involve emotions. It was exactly what they wanted it to be.

Of course, with that came the teasing and sass that was Kyra. He chuckled, shaking his head. He could hear Gideon trying to contain his laughter, and he had to resist the urge to punch his brother. Because while yes, it had been a bit of time, it wasn't by choice. He didn't have a steady girlfriend, and he had a job that didn't really have allow him to have a consistent schedule or day off. Girlfriends and war didn't go hand in hand, regardless of how many times his brother tried to convince him to pick one girl and stop playing around. "Right in the heart, ouch." He joked in reply, before turning to give Gideon a glare.

But with a quick look from Kyra, the bloke in between them was gone and Kyra was wrapping him in a hug before moving on to his brother. He felt a twinge of jealousy as she hugged Gideon - why exactly did it matter who she hugged - but placed a grin on his face as she turned back to him. "Sounds like a plan to me," Fabian said with a wiggle of his eyebrows, before wrapping an arm around Kyra's waist as Gideon rolled his eyes and focused on getting the bartenders attention. "You're looking as beautiful as I remember. I've been missing you, Kyra."

[Kyra Thatcher]

This was going to be fun. Fabian was sorely put-out by her jest, and she was living for it. If he wanted to play, she'd play - but he couldn't expect her to always play nice. Always been too easy to tease you boys, she thought giddily, "you boys" obviously referring to those prep school blokes. From Roddy to the twins and Ed, it was all too simple to get a rise out of them. Little Roddy had even tried to sneak a date up onto her...and she always relished the telling of how that had worked out. They sometimes thought they were too clever for their own good - it was her and Phoebe's job to knock them back to reality...play your cards right and I might be able to lift your spirits again before the night's done, don't give me that look. She laughed at his return, and made quick work of getting rid of the unnecessary bloke between them. Hugs exchanged, grins all around, Fabian's arm around her waist...yeah, this'll be fun. It felt like old times, minus a few preoccupied parents.

She grinned up at Fabs at his compliments, although a little warning bell rang in her head at his mention of missing her. Theirs wasn't a relationship they were supposed to miss, and she wasn't about to admit the same to him. Even though she felt it, that would just make it harder when she went a while without seeing him again, wouldn't it? "Thanks, babe - whatever training your work's got you doing is suiting you well, I've got to say." She gave him an appreciating tipsy once-over before calling out unnecessarily loudly, seeing as the other Prewett was only a few people away from them, "You too, Gid, I haven't forgotten about you! He's gonna be sick of us so quick," Kyra said, shifting into a laughing whisper that wasn't really a whisper as Gideon ignored her and flagged down the bartender. "Remind me, how drunk do I need to get the poor bloke so he'll dance?" While she loved Gideon, they'd never had the same sort of relationship she and Fabs did - what sort of person would she be to go after both in a pair of twins? - and she couldn't blame him for getting annoyed with the pair of them once they got started. That's what came with about a decade of shared laughs and innuendo, after all.

[Fabian Prewett]

Kyra was fun, that wasn't something anyone could deny. But it had been too long since they had last seen each other properly. Sure, there was the the birthday party that was coming up in July, and there was holidays. But those times weren't like this. They'd been a group, the four of them. Well, sometimes the five, when Gideon could be persuaded to join them. But Kyra and him had been a thing back then, although not official in any real terms. Not that there wasn't pressure from his family and their mutual friends for him to make it an official thing. He still couldn't get into a conversation with Phoebe without hearing about it.

But when the Bones' started having kids, there had been less nights out with them. And maybe some more nights out just the two of them, but they had been promoted to Agents right before Grayson was born anyway. And when they made the jump to Captains, well, there wasn't enough time in the day for dating. And so it had been too long since there had been any real fun between them.

And while the compliment she paid him was much appreciated, he felt a twinge of disappointment that she hadn't returned his sentiment. Perhaps he thought to highly of how things had been between them before. But seeing as the girl was certainly tipsy, he brushed it off with a smirk as Gideon shot an annoyed look over his shoulder. Fabian leaned down to whisper, "Oh, I think I know just the thing."

The bartender had finally come over, and Fabian leaned forward to interrupt his brother's order. "We'll have some tequila shots, thanks." Fabian cracked a grin, moving back to Kyra's side with a laugh. "Give anyone enough tequila and dance they shall. I think he's already sick of us, what a fun killer." Turning his back to his brother's glare, he leaned against the bar and surveyed the blonde. Yes, he had missed her. Her conspiracy theories made him laugh, and he loved to get her talking about magic. Especially around his brother-in-law, the poor bloke. She was a good reminder of what he was fighting for, an innocent person who just deserved to enjoy life. "So what exciting things have you been up to? Any good stories for me?"

[Kyra Thatcher]

Gideon's face was priceless, and Kyra was doing her best not to make a complete laughing arse of herself because of it. Thankfully Fabs was on the same page as she was about getting his twin to have some fun, and she let herself laugh loudly at hearing his voice boom out over his brother's. "He just needs tequila and a friend, don't you Giddy?" The blonde beamed through the glare and retort sent to her by the twin who liked her decidedly less than the other, brushing away his protests, namely those about not using that blasted name. "Don't worry, doll - I'll find you somewhere to stay tonight." Unless you want to share your flat with us, know how much you love that. For, if she was reading the heated looks coming from Fabian right...it may not be long until they were on their way out. He'd settled against the bar, dark eyes roving over her...While she humored looks like that from others, if she was being honest - she loved them from this one, and it'd been an age since she'd been on the receiving end of them from him. While they still hung out a decent amount, it was usually around their married friends, and their married friends' kid; she could hardly let herself be oogled in front of her godson!

Kyra laughed, moving towards him on golden heels, and deftly nabbed a piece of imaginary lint from his shoulder. The motion most assuredly wasn't to dissuade the busty brunette a few seats down who'd nearly missed her mouth, she'd been eyeing him in such distraction. "Nearly ran away with the Sex Pistols," she slightly exaggerated, grinning up at him. "Y'know the Jubilee, few weeks back? Was out with some mates from work, wandering about by the Thames, and we start to hear music, yeah? So we look downriver and there's an enormous boat just full of people, right? We wait about for it, and it passes - and turns out it's a protest in the middle of the bleedin' river! It sounded like the band was playing, but if I'd known it really was them - would've jumped in and swum after them, and that'd be the last you'd've seen of me." She patted his chest, a teasing smile lighting her face as she turned to Gideon.

"We followed 'em, naturally, and the bobbies - river bobbies - get them to a dock, force everybody off...saw in the papers the band snuck off first, explains why we couldn't see hide or hair of 'em by the time we got there...would've loved to meet them, feels like they're the only ones out there telling the truth, y'know?" In the years since uni, workings with her own band had dwindled, as most late-teen fancies did. She still tried writing, but nothing as powerful as what the Pistols said had ever come out of her hand. "Anyway - would've been a great mid-life crisis, had I had more of my wits about me that night. Besides that, mainly just been...spots like this, I suppose," Kyra admitted with a short laugh, not wanting to bring up how much she missed how accessible their mutual friends used to be. "Oh!" She brightened, rising up on her toes unsteadily excitedly. "I did find a beautiful book on palmistry the other day, remind me to try on you tonight when I've sobered a little, okay? You boys been up to anything fun?"

(ooc: history is weird and wonderful)

[Fabian Prewett]

His brother was quite sour when Gideon really should have been in a better mood. Kyra was a longtime friend of theirs, someone who had seen them through some of the most awkward stages in life, those first years when they got out of school and went on to the next stage, finding a footing in their Auror training. Those were important years, times that had shaped them. And if anyone could remind the two of them of how free life could be it was Kyra. That was the point of going out, to wipe the memories of the dead muggles out of their faces.

“See, she’s gonna find you a friend Giddy don’t be so sad!” Fabian exclaimed, giving his brother a wink. His gesture was met with an eye roll, and a look that clearly stated Fabian was going to pay for this later. That was fine because Kyra was making herself cozy closer to him, clearing something from his shoulder as she launched into a story. He read enough of the muggle news to know what she was talking about (a habit he was glad he picked up, or he’d never have had any idea what she was going on about). “Yeah, I’m really enjoying what they’ve got to say,” he agreed, making a mental note to read more into the muggle happenings. It was hard enough to keep up with the magical political system, in the earlier days Phoebe had been his point of reference for this sort of thing.

“Palmistry? That’s rad, I’m down!” Gideon was suddenly separating the two of them by giving them their shots, and Fabian raised his up. “May we all one day meet the Sex Pistols on the river.” He tossed it back, the familiar burn of the stuff waking up the part of his brain that he normally kept shut off, the part that let him relax. “Come on, let’s dance. I want to hear more stories.”

[Kyra Thatcher]

Not having to start from ground zero with a bloke truly was phenomenal. It was true that her more happenstance encounters were entertaining and fulfilling in their own ways, but Fabian was engaged in her story because it was her, not because she was some random bird he was trying to pick up. He was game to humor her on a palmistry reading without question. It was just different, in a pleasant way, from seeing if she could groove with a stranger. She could relax more, let herself ramble without worry of scaring the bloke off...stop thinking like that.

"Good - get ready to know what your future holds," she said, full of dramatics, before in the little space between them came a pair of shot glasses held by their disgruntled third. Give me a minute to get you a friend, Kyra thought at her old companion, taking up the tequila and giving Fabian a grin at his toast. She knocked it back with a grimace, hurrying to set the little thing down on the bar. While she'd always enjoyed the effects of drinking, the act itself could do with some improvement. 

"Stay here," she said to Fabs, grabbing Gideon's hand with a grin. "Come here, Giddy. You got your tequila, only one missing ingredient now." Stepping backwards and pulling the bloke along with her despite his protestations, it was only a few moments before she nearly knocked them into the woman who'd been eyeing Fabian earlier. "This is Gideon," she said by abrupt introduction, letting go as she took care of his night. "He's amazing. You'll love him, or your next drink's on me. Capiche?" Not waiting for a response, Kyra smirked at Fabian as she left the potential lovebirds be.

"I know I'm entertaining, but you owe me a story, Fabian Prewett. No more of them out of me until you deliver." With that, she started towards the semi-crowded dance floor, checking over her shoulder for him as the song changed. The blonde laughed - although the tune had just come out and was on its way to being a crowd pleasing hit, she found it cheesier than her usual jams. But, for now...it would do. She danced to it, pulling her unofficial date in close - not to politely conserve the limited space for others, nothing as altruistic as that. No, it simply felt good, soaking up these moments with him. She sometimes wondered if Phoebe was right about the pair of them, because when they were together...it was everything she needed.

But then something would happen - he'd have to cancel plans last minute because of work; they'd run into a another fling of his; they'd run into a fling of hers; they'd argue about something inconsequential; Edgar would bring up kids - to shake her back to reality. Not that Kyra didn't believe people could change, but the boy who'd waited years to return her letters when they were teenagers...hadn't made a move towards anything significant in the last five years.

You haven't either.

    Shut up.

[Fabian Prewett]

Whatever the girl turned up on the palm of his hand later was going to be entertaining, although he knew a few people who would discourage him from encouraging her. If he wanted to settle down, tell her about magic, he should just do that already. Yeah yeah Edgar, get out of my head. Fabian was here to have fun, not get wrapped up in his thoughts and turn a good night into a boring one. So he did as he was told, watching as Kyra took his brother over to a girl at the bar. His new friend seemed pleased, and hopefully his brother would have a good time. Because he was certainly going to.

The familiar catchy beat started up as she lead him onto the dance floor and he joined in her laugh, joining in with her dancing as she pulled him close. “Well,” he spoke over the music, leaning close to her so he wouldn’t have to yell. “I took a promotion, so I’m leading our missions now. Can’t say much else, of course, gotta keep our military secrets.” He gave her a wink, grinning at her as he waited for her approval. Being a captain was a big responsibility but he’d dedicated his life to the war. And then maybe we can have more than this. Chance meetings at clubs and lies, we could be something.

The newest hit faded into the next song, a personal favorite of his from earlier this year. Oh, he was not about to skip dancing with Kyra to this one. “I would climb any mountain,” he teasingly sang to the lyrics.

[Kyra Thatcher]

Kyra looped an arm around his middle to keep him close, and Fabian’s leaning in even more to tell her that he was leading secret military operations made her want to snog him in the middle of the full dance floor. Oh, that just is not fair. Are you trying to get me hot for you? Her eyes sought out his, and the bloke looked damn pleased with himself - as he well should. He knew the way to her heart bed was everything he was just throwing her way. Intrigue, mystery, secrets, all wrapped up in a fit body and a sharp mind...

Maybe you could ask him out, for real...the worst he can say is no.

    Exactly. And then there’s no more of this, ever, since you’d be dead of embarrassment. You’ve tried before. You’re not what he wants, not longterm.

They had tried. Years ago. To be more than this. It hadn’t worked for long, back when she was in university, when he’d been in his police academy training; and to be honest, she wasn’t that much different now than she’d been then. Was Fabian? Underneath his fancy - and dangerous - new job, was he the same commitment-phobe he’d been five years ago?

Stop thinking, just enjoy this.

The blonde swiftly, decisively, slid a hand behind his neck and pulled him to her, meeting him in a kiss she could blame on alcohol later on if questioned. It wasn’t like she had anything impressive to tell him to get him going, but she did know how he liked to be kissed...and she had to do something productive with her energy. "We’ll see how long you can keep those secrets from me," Kyra said coyly after a time, smirking up at him before patting his chest, her look softening, unbidden. "Proud of you, Fabs - look at you, making something of yourself."

The disco beat faded into one much more up her alley, and Kyra laughed as her partner Fabian started singing. "Sail across the stormy sea," she sang back. And while her ears were nearly ringing with the unharmonious belting coming from around them, accustomed as she was to people who actually did know how to sing, that didn’t stop her from joining in. On key, of course. And with a little extra playful shimmy during “And I guess that it's just the woman in you, that brings out the man in me…”

[Fabian Prewett]

She pulled him in close, and he was reminded of the many times they had found themselves together. It had never worked - but how could it when he’d been keeping an entire other world from her? Sure it made him mysterious, and that usually worked out well for him. But it was exhausting, keeping up with this muggle military lie. And he knew for a fact that Kyra would find the magic world far more exciting than being kept in the dark about the truth that was his life. How many times have you altered her memory now? It wasn’t a secret that had been easy to keep over so many years, and it was easier to be known as the guy scared of commitment. We can’t all be you, Edgar.

His best mate was married, two kids and a wife waiting at home for him. It was almost a relief that Edgar was under his brother instead of him, being a Captain was going to be harder when he was so personally responsible for the lives of those under him. They’d always looked out for each other of course, but Fabian wasn’t taking his new appointment within the Order lightly. He wasn’t going to have time to be involved with someone, especially a muggle. Phoebe made her own choice, could at least offer Kyra the same.

She was pulling him into a kiss, unknowingly causing an ache in his heart as his mind was overwhelmed by the moment. They both knew how to get what they wanted from each other, and yet it didn’t work. It was over sooner than he would have liked, and he chuckled at her words as she looked up at him. If she had any idea the kinds of secrets he was keeping from her... This was would end one day - hopefully soon - and she’d be the first door he knocked on. Because as much as he loved Kyra Thatcher, her safety was more important than his feelings. Her words were kind, and yet a reminder that the only thing he had to be proud of in his life was the fact he was a good soldier.

The change in the music was what he needed to drag himself out of his own head, the song that was theirs enough to put the spark back in his eyes, grinning as Kyra sang back to him. Everyone was singing, but this was their moment to just be, written for the two of them to dance to. Right now there was no magical war, just them. ”It feels like the first time, it feels like the very first time..”

[Kyra Thatcher]

In the moment after her words, Kyra would've sworn that something was clouding Fabian's usually shining eyes. Had she misspoken? He'd sounded proud of his promotion, hadn't he? It was a fleeting moment of a strange feeling in her gut, but likely nothing to worry about. And honestly? She'd likely not even remember it in the morning. Hers wasn't the strongest memory to begin with, and adding alcohol to the mix...Why, the number of nights she'd spent out with Phoebe and the blokes that she could fully recall, they would fit on one hand!

Nothing to worry about - just doesn't want to talk about work when he's out dancing.

Thankfully the moment passed as the next song, a favorite of theirs, came on. It was easy, as it always was, to sing along with him. To dance close, to let any inhibitions of her own fly out the door. A few more songs in, though, and Kyra's attention was strayed as she saw double. The young woman beamed, nudging Fabian's chin to the right so he could see his twin. "I should go into matchmaking," she laughed into his ear, buoyed up even more at the sight of her friend moving and grooving with the brunette. But as the song changed...

"I cannot handle the Bee Gees right now," Kyra declared with a laugh, slipping her hand into his as she led them off the floor. "What do you think? Get another drink? Or," she continued, a mischievous sort of sheen to her baby blues, "should we get out of here? I've got to give you a palmistry reading tonight."

[Fabian Prewett]

You’ve never loved anyone like you’ve loved her.

        But it’s dangerous. How many times has Phoebe been in danger?

But she got to make the choice. You took that chance away from her.

It was easy to get lost in his thoughts as they sang together, dancing through songs like no time had passed since the last time they were together. Edgar had been so sure that Phoebe was the one for him when they had been sixteen years old, and Fabian had teased him endlessly about it. How could one person ever be so sure about something? But dancing here with Kyra, he knew what Edgar had meant back then. There was just something about this girl that had his heart, that no one else could compare to. If Kyra had been part of his world, he don’t think he would have hesitated as much as he had over the years.

But she was pulling him from his thoughts with a nudge, and he looked over to see his brother dancing with the girl Kyra had introduced him to. He gave his brother a smirk and a nod, laughing with her as the song changed. He was inclined to agree with her though about the Bee Gee’s, the song playing not one of his favorites. He gave his brother a wave as he followed Kyra off the dance floor, dropping an arm around her shoulder as he looked down at her. Another drink sounded great, but leaving the bar and heading to his flat also had it’s perks…

“Fancy a ride on my motorcycle?” he grinned down at her, “We can go back to my place, and get down to this palm reading. You’ve got to tell me all about my life line.” They’d had to do it in school in Divination class, but mostly that had been the three of them goofing off and making things up to get through the class.

[Kyra Thatcher]

"You rode the motorcycle?" Kyra beamed and her arm twined around his lower back, free hand waving to a distracted Gideon as they headed towards the door. "I can’t see for sh*t in here, that’s for sure, only way I’ll be able to do an accurate reading is at yours. But you’ve just got to promise not to laugh, okay? I’m still learning, but there’s been studies about it, and there’s definitely truth to it if you do it right. Lots of people out there don’t do it proper who give those who do a bad name, but I digress - to the - " The blonde gripped his arm for help regaining balance that a bout of laughter robbed her of. "To the open roads of London!"

It wasn’t long before she was situated behind him on the bike, too sloshed to care that without his presence she’d be flashing half of England and falling off the contraption; as she held onto his waist, leaning her head to his shoulder, long hair dancing around them, eyes closed but flashes of streetlamps and neon decorating her lids and interrupting what calm there was, Kyra let her mind wander. It wasn’t as if they could really talk while he was driving, much too noisy and too at risk for miscommunication or driver error (he’d only had his license a few years, helpless thing). And what did her mind wander to?...

Maybe Phoebe and Ed are on to something. Have been on to something. Forever.

    You wouldn’t be this relaxed with a stranger. You’d take the ride for the thrill of it, but you wouldn’t trust him to get you from A to B.

Maybe…

It wasn’t as if Kyra felt her time was running out. She was only twenty-four for goodness’ sake. Just because her best friend was married with two kids and a dog and a house didn’t mean that she was falling behind. And - and what was with that concept, even? Did it matter that her life was going at a different pace than Phoebe’s? Absolutely not. But - but maybe Phoebe was right about the importance of finding someone to trust. Not that Fabian had always kept her trust in high regard, but she knew that he’d keep her safe, even from herself. If they could have an honest talk about why they’d broken up when she was in university, why they hadn’t gotten together since, why they were being so complacent with their lives, then maybe…

Why would you want to try again, Kyra? To get Phoebe off your back about dating around? To let yourself be in love again?

    You haven’t forgotten how much it hurts when it ends.

Mind anything but made up by the time Fabian parked and helped her off of the bike, Kyra took him by the hand and headed up the metal stairs to his door. By the time she was comfortable on their couch, his hand in hers as she observed the lines and tried to remember her books, softer music than that of the club on in the background, Kyra still didn't know. Talk to Liz, Phoebe, tomorrow, she decided, in part because what she was reading on the man's palm was...anything but inspiring for a long and happy life. The lifeline was chained, branches hanging down beyond it. The relationship line was just as broken. The head line was unusually lengthy and wavy. She could feel her face betraying her as she lightly traced the marks on his palm, but looked up to meet his eye anyway. "I'm sorry, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Do you want to know?" 

palmistry resource

[Fabian Prewett]

Grinning down at her, arm flung over her shoulder as they made their way out of the crowded pub, he couldn’t help but join in with her laughter. He’d gotten the motorcycle the first time they had tried to be anything official, hoping that it would impress her. It’d taken plenty of practice out at the Weasley’s before he’d felt comfortable enough to show it to the muggle girl he was in love with so hung up on. Back then he’d had his license for barely a year, talked into the whole driving thing by Phoebe and Kyra after school had ended. Even now he’d rather apparate than drive a car, but there was something freeing about the motorcycle that he couldn’t let go of. Maybe it was the memories of all the times him and Kyra had gone for a drive on it, maybe it was the look on Arthur’s face whenever he asked for help with keeping it running. “I solemnly swear I won’t laugh at you, only with you,” he teased as they stepped out into the night air, guiding her around people down the street to where he’d left his bike. He wasn’t one to ever deny any of the theories or out there ideas that Kyra had spoken of over the years, particularly when she was correct about things she knew nothing of. But Palmistry? It was unlikely she’d get anything accurate from it, but if it made her happy - he was willing to give it a go.

Helping her onto his bike, it was soon roaring to life underneath them, and then it was just them and the roads of London. He’d long ago added some magical modifications to to the bike - some for aesthetic purposes, but most for safety - and it was hard to not let his mind wander as he drove them back towards his flat. There had been plenty of trips back to his flat, many memories made there when they’d all been young. Before Ed and Phoebe had gotten married, late nights laughing over card games and spilled drinks. Before his best friend’s life had moved forward in all aspects. Maybe Fabian had taken a promotion that Edgar had passed over, and maybe his life was still moving forward in some manner. But was it one that mattered? His work was important, but his work was also six days of every week. Coming home to someone who loved him, who knew what he was truly doing.

The problem was he spent his time with other girls comparing them to Kyra, and it wasn’t fair. Not really, how could they compete with someone he hardly ever told them about? The drive to his flat wasn’t enough time for his thoughts, and as he parked and helped Kyra off the bike the urge to tell her the truth almost bubbled out of him. It had a habit of doing that in the quiet moments, when he got to thinking about the life they could have if he could let go of the war and focus on being happy. But tonight wasn’t that night, and he followed her as she lead them upstairs to his flat. “Make yourself comfortable,” he said with a grin as he dropped his keys in the dish by the door, heading into the kitchen to find something for them to drink.

It wasn’t long before he was next to her on the couch, quiet music coming from the muggle radio he and Gideon kept around. He was quiet as he watched her study his hand, fingers tapping against the bottle held in his other. Whatever she was seeing on his hands clearly wasn’t great, given the look on her face. But how correct could a muggle be in matters of magic? “It can’t be that bad,” he jested as she looked up at him, hoping the smile he was giving her would ease whatever worries she saw. “At the very least, it can’t be anything as bad as the time Gid tried to read my tea leaves.”