[open] serve me the sky tonight

[alphaophiuchi]

WHO Draco Malfoy and OPEN.
WHAT Fantasy week takes its toll.
WHERE Hell House, the hostel, the streets...wherever, really.
WHEN Wednesday through Sunday. Please specify if you want a certain day.
WARNINGS Deathly Hallows spoilers? I'll edit as necessary

Comments

Wednesday, downtown

[im_head_boy]

He had seen Fred again, eyes twinkling and a small smirk lifting his lips, as he'd stepped out of his office to go home. Immediately, he'd taken off after his younger brother, pace quick and determined, not letting him go this time. After about a block of this, he sped up as Fred did, though he wasn't getting any closer. Lips pressed together in frustration, he sped up as he turned a corner - and no sign of Fred anywhere.

He turned to the nearest person. "I beg your pardon - have you seen a young man, a little shorter than me ... " He trailed off as he realized he was speaking to Draco Malfoy, but hazarded on. " - red hair, wearing a purple suit?"

[alphaophiuchi]

His wand was in his hand before he could help it; only recognising the sound of Percy's voice saved the other man from a particularly nasty hex on the tip of Draco's tongue. Even then, the wand didn't go away - it merely stayed hidden in Draco's hand, thankfully never having come high enough up to suggest to Percy that he posed any immediate threat. Wouldn't that just be perfect.

Draco swallowed his hyperventilation before it began, eyeing Percy warily as the other man continued. Did people have the ability to sense Dark Marks? Was it well within a person's - a Ministry official's, even - talents to be able to figure out if another person had been near the Dark Lord at any time?

Casually moving his left arm behind him - if that gesture could be construed as casual in any regard - the blond tipped his head up slightly, hoping for his own sake that his voice wasn't as wavering as it sounded in his head, "You're the only ginger I've seen round in a while."

[im_head_boy]

Percy was too distracted to notice the movement of the younger man's arm, scanning over the crowd with a faint frown, eyes darting from face to face, never settling anywhere for long. He even craned slightly to see further, frowning, fingers curling and uncurling in his agitation.

"Are you certain? How long is 'a while?'"

[alphaophiuchi]

"Since the last time I saw you," Draco replied, letting his gaze flicker around them both, as if he might be ambushed at any moment by Death Eaters come to drag him back kicking and screaming. The same movement as Percy, but a different motive altogether.

At the very least, he had the older man's current distraction playing in his favour; perhaps he could merely escape into the crowd when Percy turned his head next.

[alphaophiuchi]

Zero was greeted with a surprised shriek coming from inside, as if Draco had completely forgotten that people could show up at his door. There was a clatter from inside - something being run into, and a subsequent number of items falling to the floor - and finally the blond appeared at his door, opening the door just slightly, to see whom it was.

At the sight of Zero, he almost looked pained for a split second; the expression passed, and Draco opened the door wide enough to invite the ginger inside, not a word uttered as grey eyes nervously scanned the hallway outside his door while he waited for Zero to pass.

[alphaophiuchi]

How did you tell someone you were shagging - boyfriend? Had they tossed that word out there? - that your arm burned constantly with almost unbearable pain that foretold even worse pain? None of his old friends had even been around once Draco had the Mark - not after the first few months, at least - and certainly hadn't heard about the many disadvantages it held.

He sighed, a sound almost like a whimper, as he closed the door behind Zero, shooting the other man a worried look, like getting him involved was a bad idea. It was, after all. That would mean the Dark Lord somehow finding out Zero was involved with him, and then reacting poorly - inevitably - and then the only thing that would follow would be death.

"I'm fi-" Draco stopped, unable to get the lie out, and merely pursed his lips instead, left arm and its bandage moving carefully behind him, away from Zero's harsh gaze.

Saturday, Streets.

[hereforthem]

Michael's change hadn't gone the way he wanted. Usually he kept himself locked up so he wouldn't do harm to anyone. He wasn't sure what went wrong but the wolf escaped.

Now his mind was pushed back by the animal. It was vicious and wanted the hunt. He did what he could to steer the animal away from humans. He didn't want a repeat of his last round of gunshot wounds.

Then the wolf found a scent it liked and followed it.

[alphaophiuchi]

Draco made a point of watching his back every time he went out. He needed the air; he couldn't keep hanging out in his flat waiting for everything to pass (in the best case scenario) or for him to be condemned to death (in the worst). It meant his wand was in his hand at every pass, but also that his attentions were strangely divided. He was constantly distracted by twangs of pain that prevented him from otherwise noticing the presence of a wolf behind him, stalking him for lack of a better phrase.

[hereforthem]

If one were to actually notice the wolf. He isn't your typical wolf nor is he your typical half man half wolf. He was a strange middle ground. A wolf that looked strangely human-like but walked on all fours. Bigger than your average wolf with thicker legs.

About this time, what remained of Michael's consciousness was trying to stop the beast from doing anything violent. He had enough dead bodies on his conscience without adding a body count from being a werewolf. While he couldn't exactly stop the beast, he could make it loud. The creature started to growl as it neared.

[alphaophiuchi]

As Draco heard the growl behind him, he whirled; his wand hand was raised in an attempt at being threatening as wide grey eyes scanned the street for the source, finally landing on the wolf. His voice caught in his throat, coming out in a strangled noise not unlike a whimper - the blond was familiar enough with werewolves to be able to recognise one on sight, and to know that he was far from safe right then. But save only trembling, he was paralysed where he stood, gawking at the wolf as it approached closer yet.

Thursday Afternoon, outside Sanctuary?

[how_i_tease]

It was slow around Sanctuary, on a weekday and this early in the afternoon. Only a few people trickled back and forth on this particular street, and a man stood some distance from the Sanctuary doors observing the lot of them. Apparently he had nothing better to do, relaxed against the wall behind him and savoring the tail end of a cigarette

Works for me!

[alphaophiuchi]

It was a place he'd seen before, certainly, but only in passing; Draco rarely made a point of noting what things were, where they were, why they were there - it was easier to note where he shouldn't go. But scenery wasn't why he was there. He was there for the space it provided, the fact that very few people seemed to approach someone who looked like he would stab them between the ribs at a moment's notice

[how_i_tease]

Sadly for Draco, there were worse things than vengeful Death Eaters in this world, however little inclination he might have to believe such a thing.

One of those things was now smiling benignly at the the wary youth, a gloved hand stiffly plucking the cigarette free of his lips. The black butterfly at the man's shoulder stiffened and went still as the wand fell into Draco's hand, and for a moment it seemed that the creature might in fact be looking precisely in that direction. Not necessarily the sort of thing that might soothe the nervous lad's paranoia

[alphaophiuchi]

It was difficult to believe that there was much worse than vengeful Death Eaters, in this world or his own; in the latter, however, he sincerely doubted the truth of the notion. The former couldn't be spoken for.

Grey eyes had found the butterfly odd from the first moment it arrived; they tried now not to widen when it seemed as though he'd been caught in the act, merely darting away from the creature and back to Tyki himself. Of course, doubtless that it was obvious just how on-edge Draco was. The fact that his glowers and body language were doing nothing to keep strangers at bay wasn't good in the slightest - whether it was just this one being an exception, or if Draco was to expect more calls from the unknown was up in the air.

"I- I really don't see how that's any of your business, rh-rhetorical question or otherwise," he snapped, hating himself for stuttering in a moment when he had to play alpha male. As if he could pull that off in any situation.

Sunday evening, perhaps? Draco's apartment

[torchwoodteaboy]

Ianto had noticed that something was wrong with Draco, which said a lot, because he wasn't normally down in the basement or around anywhere where Draco normally hung around. But he didn't fail to notice the bandage on his arm or the twitchiness of his normally calm and composed demeanor. And so Ianto decided that he had to do something about it, had to talk to the other man to find out what was wrong, and if there was anything that he could do to help, both as his boss, and his friend.

And so he found himself at the door to Draco's apartment, having had to look up where he'd lived on record. With a quick tug at his tie to calm his nerves, Ianto reached up and knocked on the door. "Draco?" he called out. "It's Ianto. Are you in?"

[ooc: sorry for the date change, just realized that ianto's already booked for saturday night, and since draco's got zero visiting on friday night, and i don't want to steal his thunder and send ianto thursday night, i'm hoping sunday night's okay? :'D /s-so complicated]

[alphaophiuchi]

He was indeed in. And despite the fact that he probably should have been more used to people knocking on his door, he had to clap one hand over his mouth in order to keep the yelp of nervous shock from reaching Ianto's ears. If nothing else, Draco was getting far better at that.

Well, that and actually hiding the sudden twinges of pain wracking his arm, as if his potions knife were being driven through it. Not that Draco would know what that felt like or anything.

Once his breathing was under control - it was only Ianto, not some seasoned serial killer; if a killer was with him, surely the other man would sound much more pained than he did - he managed to call back a quiet, wavering "It's open."

[ooc: fret not, m'dear - all is well. :D]

[torchwoodteaboy]

Ianto did make it a point to announce that it was him, so that there would be no question as to who it was at the door. The other inviting him to just walk in, though, well. He wasn't anticipating that. Nor was he anticipating just how meek Draco sounded in that moment. So he bit back whatever qualms he had about letting himself in on the first visit to the place and pulled open the door, looking around for Draco.

"I'm, ehm. I'm sorry if it's a bad time. I just. I wanted to check in on you."

[alphaophiuchi]

Draco had tried to convey as much self-confidence in his body language when he arranged himself onto the couch that sat just within view of the door; despite his attempts, his own appearance betrayed him: dark circles were prominent beneath his eyes, and he was paler than usual, if it were possible. Even though he'd done his best to ignore everything for the last few days and really get ahold of himself.

"I wasn't doing anything," he tried, inhaling a bit sharply to even his voice out. Even though his body was still for once, his eyes were still moving, darting to look past Ianto to make sure the other man was truly alone. "S- ...sorry I didn't get the door for you." Draco moved past his own brief stammer with only the barest of acknowledgements: an annoyed tic of the corner of his mouth.