Written for fan-freak121's 100 Different Pairings Competition.

Prompt: Name

Word-count: 359

Pair: Benjy Fenwick/(Ralph) Mulciber


Christmas 1958

The strong wind pulled Ralph Mulciber's hair and cloak. Flakes of ice whirled, bit his nose and cheeks, got stuck in his beard. He stared up at the Dolohov manor, surrounded by dead fields and naked trees. Light beamed out of elongated, peaked windows.

Ralph sighed.

Walked up the path with short steps, had barely made it to the massive stair when the door flung open.

Four kids bounced up and down in the doorway. "Daddy! Daddy! Uncle Ralph is here! He is here now!"

A tall man showed up. "If your mother has to tell you one more time to go to bed…" Antonin's kids shrieked, skipped away up the stairs.

"Why are you late?" Antonin asked, gulped his drink.

"I had... some things to take care of first."

"You missed dinner."

"I'm sorry."

They stared at each other.

One with his hair slicked back.

One with a wild beard.

Antonin drank the last of his drink. "Let's go to the village pub."

"Why?"

Antonin looked down the hall. "You know how my wife's friends are… so terribly boring."

"Fine." Ralph buttoned his cloak. "Let's go."

They stepped out in the black winter. Stormy winds, jagged snowflakes.

Ralph glared at his friend. "I don't think you will find any young women there, they will be home, celebrating Christmas with their families…"

Antonin just laughed.

Several hours - and several beers - later, Ralph was slumped over the counter. Antonin was gone. Gone with the youngest women he could find.

It made Ralph's stomach twist.

"I would offer you a drink", a deep voice said, "but I can see that you've already got enough…"

Ralph glared at the man. Short, skinny. "This is only my second glass", he said.

"Sure." The man sipped his own drink. "What's your name?"

"What's yours?"

"Benjy."

"I'm Ralph."

The wind howled, quiet voices, clinks.

"Do you always spend Christmas here?" Benjy asked.

"No." Snorted. "My friend… wanted to grab a drink or two. But then he left."

"Your friend…"

Suddenly Ralph could feel Benjy's arm pressed against his own. He radiated heat. Ralph stared into Benjy's eyes.

"He is only my friend. Actually."