| Details for It's So Nice When the Family Gets Together |
| Summary: | The Malfoy siblings celebrate Cassius's birthday with great affection and rancor. |
| Date: | December 1, 1937 |
| Location: | Berylwood |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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It's December 1st, Cassius' birthday actually, and the late morning household of Berylwood is filled with a strange bit of tension. Eddie and Cassius stand in the front room together, Eddie still in her night gown and robe, a cigarette in her hand. There was the scent of cooking food in the house about an hour ago, but it's gone and cleaned now. Eddie looks out of sorts, moisture rimming her eyes as she stares hard in Cassius' direction, her head shaking slowly. "I'm… sorry, Cassius. I didn't want this to… to happen like this. Not on your birthday… I am sorry." She whispers quietly to him, trying to regain control of herself.
Cassius looks shaken. Not quite like Eddie, but there is something inexplicably off-balance about him, and his usually controlled and confident features look lost and confused. "No…you didn't do this." He swallows, and a tremble washes over him. "We knew this could happen. I…don't regret it. It was needed. But…" He lifts his gaze up to her again, "I'm so sorry, Lin. I fear I went too deep."
Cyril walks up from the guest house, stepping through the front door and turning around to witness the crying Edwarlinda. He furrows his brows and says, "Just what the hell is going on here?" He peers between the two of them with a raised brow. Cyril Malfoy: Awkward moment interrupter.
The sound of her other younger brother's voice makes Eddie half jump, heart in her throat. She truly had not heard him come in. A weak smile crosses her lips and she brings her free hand up to brush at the moisture on the edge of her fingertips. Fine. Settled and fine, she gives him a quiet nod, "Good morning, Cyril. And… nothing. Cassius was trying to… help me talk through the issues of that strange vacation I went on… we argued. It happens."
The sudden appearance of his brother brings Cassius back to a semblance of his usual poise, if only out of habit. "Nice to see you as well, brother," he says dryly. "Did you need something? Ice? Fresh sheets? A car?"
Cyril looks between the two of them and rests his hands on his hips before his eyes settle on Cassius, "No…I was coming to wish you a happy birthday, brother." Once more his eyes dart between the two of them, "You know, just because I'm a man of action does not mean that there's not some semblance of a brain in this head of mine. Now, tell me what this vacation business is about before I become upset with the both of you."
A touch of nerves crosses Eddie's eyes, looking back to Cassius as if questioning what she could or should say. But then, she's an uncertain woman. Pregnant, emotional, tired, still in her night dresses, it's no surprise she needs to look to her brother for some steadiness here! Finally, Eddie takes another drag of her cigarette and smiles weakly, "…In truth, Cyril… I got myself into this… this mess… while I was on vacation. And apparently too drunk to remember most of it. Cassius was being sweet and… and trying to talk me through the days."
Cassius takes his cues from Edwarlinda, nodding as he approaches. "She thought I could help her sort through to the truth of the matter, and rightly so. It is rather my specialty, after all. As you might imagine, it's an emotional ordeal. I…said some things that I regret now. I'd rather not repeat them."
Cyril frowns at the two of them, "Ah, I get it. Because I'm not around as much, I'm not as valued and you can't tell me all of your little stories." He throws his hands up and says, "Fine. I regret even asking." With that, he turns to move towards the wet-bar to fetch himself a glass of brandy.
"It's not that, Cyril. Really… fuck. I… I went out on vacation, and made mistakes. But… It… It was just hard. I had been working on a case in the ministry that was apparently a dead end. I got drunk… Very, very drunk. I screwed a total stranger… it's not exactly a redeeming story. It's rather embarrassing." Eddie admits raggedly, sinking down into the couch so she can stare at the floor instead of either of them. This was not a discussion she wanted to repeat to appease her brother's ego, that much is clear.
Cassius tut-tuts. "Honestly, Cyril. Don't be dramatic. This isn't about you. Lin's in a difficult situation." His eyes shift to her, full of apology. "She needs understanding right now, not guilt. In any event, thank you for the birthday greeting. I hope nobody minds that I'm not having a party this year. Though, if Edwarlinda permits it, I should like to throw her one." Her own birthday is a mere two days after Cassius'.
Cyril furrows his brow as he pours a generous helping of brandy into the snifter. He rolls his eyes at Cassius' remark and says to Edwarlinda, "That's hardly anything to be embarrassed about, Edwarlinda. Sowing the wild oats and all." He nods to Cassius as he turns around and says, "That sounds like a lovely idea." He will, of course not mention the fact that he spent his birthday alone in the middle of a desert fighting off mummies. He moves over to have a seat next to Edwarlinda, giving her a soft kiss on the top of the head, "Chin up."
"Cyril… that… THAT is how I got pregnant. It wasn't Sloan, he's just been… been kind enough to… to claim the child. And I said yes. But… it was more than a wild time, is all… And I cannot even remember who did it." Eddie shakes her head slowly, shame clear and fierce upon her pale, splotchy features. She's not exactly a pretty crier, and she hasn't put any of her make up charms on yet today. She then takes a deep, shaky breath, looking back over to Cassius and blinking slightly, "No, no… I don't want a party. Not this year… it.. It'd be strange…"
Cassius moves to sit by her. "Are you sure? I think it might be just the thing you need. It needn't be extravagant. At least let me have you for dinner." He glances up at Cyril, then back to her. "All three of us. A quiet celebration."
Cyril looks at Edwarlinda and says, "Well, obviously. Again, nothing to be embarrassed about, though. It seems to me the entire situation has been resolved." He clears his throat and says, "Though, if you are implying that you were assaulted, well I shall not stand for that. Though, with our resources it shouldn't be hard to track whoever it was down." He rubs her back and leaves out the part where he'd leave the person to rot in a puddle of their own blood. He nods and looks to Cassius, saying, "That would be a splendid idea. I could regail you two with stories from the Near East."
"I… I don't really… I mean… if we're doing something for my birthday… I'd want a few friends there too.. not that I don't love my family but… this… It's all simply not necessary. But if you insist… Well, Keenan and Niamh, at least? Sloan as well…. my best friends? I would want them there…" Eddie asks quietly, trying not to look guilty about it, but it was her birthday, after all.
Cassius gives her a wary look when she begins, but at the mention of Sloan, his eyes drift closed. He rises, and makes for the wetbar himself now. "Do as you like, Lin. It's your birthday."
Cyril wraps his arm completely around his sister and gives her a tight squeeze saying, softly as Cassius walks away, "You could bring that Genevieve girl along, too." He grins broadly in an attempt to brighten her day. Because, who can not be cheered up by that face? I mean, really?
And, of course, Eddie cannot escape the couch now that Cyril has settled down and put his arm that firmly around her. Though the wrap of her little brother's muscular hold does actually help a little bit. She smiles, half relaxing, snuggling into his grasp even as there is an echo of sadness in her eyes. "I… I do not think Cassius will stomach Sloan there, so we should not do it… but if I do end up planning something, maybe for the holidays, I will invite Miss Cooper, I promise." She squeezes his knee, though her eyes trail after Cassius quietly..
Cassius will stomach some cognac, however. He remains at the wetbar, facing away from them, even after pouring the drink. He occupies himself swirling it in the glass, sniffing the potent liquid's aroma. Anything to bring some measure of calm.
Cyril chuckles and says, "Darling, if Cassius or Sloan get out of hand, I shall have the both of them round up and shot for ruining a perfectly good birthday party." He pulls his arm back and takes a sip of his brandy. He walks over to stand next to Cassius, resting a weighty hand on his shoulder and saying, "Do insist, little brother."
Then his meaty arm is gone and he's going over to their even younger brother's side. Eddie doesn't quite get up yet, not trusting knees or stomach for the moment. Her breath comes in slowly and back out, free hand rubbing across gray eyes one last time to clean away the tears and try to look a bit more stable. "Really, boys, this isn't necessary at all…
Cassius turns icy eyes toward Cyril hand, then turns and steps away from the bar. "Do remember whose house you are in, Cyril. I won't remind you again that this isn't some Bedouin tent." His voice is as cold as his eyes, not bothering to disguise it from his siblings. "In any event, you heard her. This isn't necessary at all. Lin will get what Lin wants."
Cyril smirks at Cassius and says, "Fair enough. If you'd like, I could have my things out by tomorrow. I wouldn't want to keep you from your sulking and brooding." He takes a long sip from the glass and sets it down on the wet-bar, his golden eyes remaining on Cassius the entire time.
This may be why she and Cassius were fighting, really, not all about her trip, but as he accuses her of getting what she wants, her jaw tightens and her eyes narrow up at him, "Yes, for my birthday, I would like to get what I fucking want. A nice dinner with my friends AND family. But that makes me spoiled and you miserable, so we're just going to drop the whole bloody issue.. Anyway, it's your birthday now. We should worry about what YOU want, Cassius. Tell me, how can we make this day for you?" She asks with a cold smile.
Cassius calmly takes another sip of cognac. "What I want? What I want is for you to stand by what you tell me you will do, rather than leap at the first opportunity to make an exception. I have stayed true to my word, Lin. It isn't too much to ask the same of you. Oh, and Cyril, tomorrow will be fine. Do feel free to commandeer the help if you need assistance." He gives the both of them a half bow. "Enjoy the drinks. I'll be anywhere but here." He turns, and casually strolls toward the back of the house.
Cyril nods to Cassius and picks his glass up, walking over to the couch. He gingerly tips the glass and spills the remainder of its contents all over the sofa, saying, "Do feel free to kindly fuck off, Cassius." He grumbles and tosses the glass over his shoulder, letting it shatter against a wall somewhere behind him. The strange thing is is that he doesn't seem all that upset about anything, as his stone-cold expression is unchanged. He looks over to Edwarlinda with raised brows to see how she will react.
"I… I'm sorry, Cassius, but…" He's leaving already. Eddie swears deeply, her hand dragging across her eyes again with a new wave of tears. She then abruptly stands up, only slightly swaying, not as steady on her feet as she'd prefer to be. But she gets up and sighs, "I… I'm going to get dressed and go, Cyril. Sorry.. this.. none of this was supposed to be like this."
Cyril clears his throat and says, "Yes, well. You and Sloan had best be preparing me a room, then. Something with a window would be preferable, of course, but I'm not entirely picky." He dips his head to her and kicks the House Elf out of his way as it's scurrying to pick up the shattered glass.
Silently, Eddie nods to him, "You… you know you always have a place with me, Cyril. As does Cassius… But… I'll make certain it's ready." With that, the woman moves for the stairs and disappears back up towards the room she's been keeping.