Something I forgot to mention in the last chapter: I put the dialogue that's supposed to be in Bulgarian in bold because I didn't want to translate XD Read on, kids!
A Broken Encounter
"Fred, you're being ridiculous," George said to his brother, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"No, George, I swear I heard him! Someone even said his name." Fred insisted, brushing off his brother's hand and slumping his shoulders.
"You just miss him, Freddie. We…We all do." George hated lying to his brother, but Balisk had wanted to keep the information under wraps. And he had to admit, if he told Fred, Fred would most likely go to their mother who wouldn't hesitate to drag Balisk out of Bulgaria by his hair.
"…Maybe you're right." Fred shook his head and buried his face in his hands. "I just wish he hadn't left. I can't believe he just…And without even saying goodbye…"
To you, George thought with a guilty conscience.
An owl tapped on the window and George let it in.
"Whose owl is that?" Fred asked, a sad tint still clinging to his voice.
"Um, a pen friend's. I met him at the World Cup."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
Fred could probably tell he was lying through his teeth—because, compared to any of his other crafted lies, that had just been pathetic— but probably thought he was writing a girl and would most likely leave it alone.
"Um, I'm gonna go read this." George said awkwardly.
"Go ahead."
"Thanks."
George left the room and opened the letter, hearing the owl take off from the window sill.
"Dear George,
I hope you're doing well. Things have gone fairly smoothly save for the World Cup scare. Everyone here is fine and I haven't heard any troubling news from Simone so I assume things are fine with your lot as well. I miss you all so much.
Sincerely~ Golden Snake"
Golden Snake was the code name Balisk used when he wrote in case someone intercepted the owl and read what he'd written. Somewhere deep, deep inside George wished that he would get traced by the right people and brought back home.
"So…Who's Simone?"
George whipped around the see Ginny leaning over his shoulder, having read a good part of the letter.
"None of your bloody business." George deadpanned, narrowing his eyes at her.
"I'm not going to tell Mum if you're writing one of that Bulgarian woman's sons, but I just want to know which one. She seemed to have a lot of children in her lot."
"Yeah, well, it's none of your business who I'm writing. Why don't you go help Mum with lunch or something?"
"Because I want to know who signed your letter. Their handwriting looks pretty."
"Shut up and go away, prat."
"Fine, but I might just tell Mum that you've been hiding a—"
George interrupted her, "For your information, she already knows about that. Now if you would."
George made an exaggerated motion for her to move on and she did, smirking in a way that told him this way far from over.
It always was.
*break*
"Anthony!" Criss bounced on Anthony's bed, landing on his knees next to the more stoic youth.
"What do you want? I'm reading, in case you haven't noticed." Anthony reminded him, brandishing his thick book before pushing his glasses up his narrow nose.
"But I want to talk," Criss whined.
":You always want to talk." Anthony countered, casually turning a page.
"Yeah, but this time I wanted to talk about Nicholai and Viktor."
"What about them?"
"Nicholai's so gorgeous!" Criss bounced up and down on his knees.
"Isn't that a bit egotistical considering he's your identical twin?" Anthony inquired, raising an eyebrow over his book, completely by-passing the fact that his friend was attracted that way to his twin brother.
"He just looks…different from me. I like taller people. You're pretty hot."
"Not going to happen. Sorry for your hard luck."
"Wasn't expecting it to. Since you've got the hots for Viktor." Criss giggled.
Anthony rolled his eyes, "This again? Am I so much of a slut that I can't have a platonic relationship with anyone?" Anthony looked thoughtful for a moment. "Oh wait, that's you."
"I'm not a slut," Criss said indignantly. "You know I'm a virgin, prick. I'm saving myself for someone special."
"Your brother?"
"Precisely."
"All right then." Anthony said, hoping that was the end of it.
He was never that lucky.
Criss continued to jabber on and on into his ear about random things while he tried to read his book.
Balisk giggled slightly on the other side of the door, listening to Criss talk Anthony's ear off while Anthony tried fruitlessly to get it through the blonde's head that he wasn't interested in the least with what he had to say.
"What are you laughing at?"
Balisk jumped and hit his head on the wall, landing on his ass. He glared up at Viktor, who had raised a thick eyebrow at the display.
"You're a dick."
"That's subjective."
Balisk rolled his eyes, "Oooh, look at the big smart guy, using such sophisticated words. We all you can barely speak English."
The door opened (hitting Balisk in the head again) and Anthony walked out with Criss hot on his heels.
"Hey, Cocksucker, listen to me dammit!"
"Where the hell is Nicholai?" Anthony asked Viktor, coolly ignoring Criss like the little blonde was a temperamental child. "He was supposed to keep Mutt entertained."
"Don't call me that!" Criss said, but was ignored again.
"Not sure," Viktor replied, walking down the hall. "He was here a minute ago."
"He probably sent Criss in there on purpose and ran off. I might kill him now."
"How sweet." Viktor laughed.
Balisk smirked at the men as they talked (in Criss's case, shouted) to each other. He suddenly felt like he was intruding and excused himself under the cover of "Just going for a walk."
He walked around the streets of Vardim, rubbing his hands together and regretting not wearing a thicker jacket. An elderly woman stopped him on the street and offered him one of the furs from her shoulders, but he declined the offer.
He tugged at his gloves that made his tiny hands seem thicker than they really were. He felt the familiar yearning to be back in England—at Hogwarts, having a feast in the Great Hall or, maybe, at the Burrow eating a meal made by Molly and being able to look at her smiling face.
Balisk sighed and dropped his body down on a cold, wooden bench. He tugged at the grey hat settled on his head and looked over the soft material. The hat had belonged to Anthony, who had received a new one for his birthday and no longer needed it. Simone had taken out the stitching that had spelled out Anthony's name (by hand, which Balisk still couldn't understand) and replaced it with Balisk's cover name.
He felt the urge to rip out the name "Vincent" as it glared at him from the soft layers of fabric. He didn't, because that would make Simone feel awful, but that didn't stop him from stomping on the hat a couple of times before stuffing it into his pocket.
He'd fix it later.
Balisk sighed again and continued down the street, adjusting the glasses on his face and puffing irritably.
"Vincent?" A female voice called out to him. Balisk turned to see a purple-haired girl he knew to be named Ruby—a girl that used to stalk Anthony and Viktor and once dated both of them…At the same time. Hence why Balisk just smiled dumbly and tried to ignore her and walk away.
"I know you heard me," Ruby jerked Balisk's arm back violently, her manicured nails digging into his skin.
"Ow! Sorry…" Balisk rubbed his arm. "I'm supposed to be home right now."
Ruby's eyes brightened significantly and she smiled sweetly at him.
"Really? Can you tell Anthony I said hi?"
"Umm…Yeah." Balisk lied, having no intention of ruining one of Anthony's rare good moods. "Yeah, I'll tell him."
Ruby kissed Balisk on the cheek (Ugh, Balisk thought, wishing he could wipe her germs off his cheek without being slapped across the face) and bounced off.
Balisk sighed. Ruby was fucking insane, but pretty much harmless aside from using her damn claws to ruin his skin. Ruby wasn't good with magic in the least (Balisk was surprised she was still permitted inside the school) and couldn't really hurt anyone. Just scare the hell out of them, really.
Yeah, Balisk thought, it was fine. Ruby wasn't smart enough to do any damage if she found out how much Viktor and Anthony absolutely despised her.
Balisk wondered if he was jynxing himself with his own thoughts.
*Owari*
I'm so sorry that this was so fucking late. I'm lame D: I had a really hectic month. I got the shit kicked out of me at school for wearing a LGBT bracelet to school. And apparently I have a boyfriend since I went to my best friend's house drunk and like, raped his mouth (I don't think he minded ;D). Yeah…So Auntie Riddle has been busy.
I also start T in a couple of weeks (If you don't understand, read the FAQ on my profile. I'll explain further if you need me to.)
VOTING IS STILL OPEN DAMMIT.
Fred/Balisk
George/Balisk
Harry/Balisk
VOTE.
I love you kids :3 Have a nice weekend.
