Fancasts: Antonin Dolohov - Michiel Huisman / Reuben Yaxley - Richard Armitage
Chapter 9: The Brother's Tale (Reuben's Story)
The Mission
Ruben Yaxley tore his eyes away from the crouched form of Avery Jr on the floor to look around the room, impassively, from behind his mask. He noted a few faces from amongst the wash of guests at the back that were not quite managing to hide their discomfort, and they would have to work on that. Amongst the inner circle, there were no troubled faces, though he doubted that that was the case behind the cold eyes.
Few of those assembled had sons, but he was sure they were all thinking about what would happen when they did. He wondered himself just how keen he would be to hand over a child of his own to share in his brand; he supposed he would just have to answer that question when the time came.
Reuben suppressed a smile as he thought of the reaction from the wizard next to him, Antonin would say it was a wonder he did not already have children considering how much time and effort he expended in the area, his friend wasn't wrong, but there was no risk, he was always incredibly careful.
Avery's resilience had surprised him somewhat, sure he screamed and yelled, but he held onto his bodily functions and managed to remain somewhat in control of his limbs and most importantly he didn't cry. He had expected a far worse display.
As far as he was aware this was the first marking that had ever been undertaken publicly, he wondered what point his Lord was trying to make. He couldn't have any issue with the Avery's. Avery Snr was revered almost above all others as part of the inner circle and while Avery Jr was hardly likely to make a sterling 'field' recruit he was easily one of the cleverest boys amongst those he was at school with, which would have more than made up for his deficiencies.
Reuben considered that maybe it was for the eyes in the back of the room, but why? It wasn't like his master was giving them a glimpse today so they could decide to walk away now if it seemed too much for them, it was already far too late for that.
His heart dropped slightly as he heard his named called for a mission that evening, he had been hoping to get away immediately following the marking, he was on a promise with a witch.
His small annoyance was worth it to see the disgusted look on Bella's face; he had trodden on her manicured toes more than once since he had the snake burnt into his arm. Sadly for the insane woman he had no interest in fucking her so she could not use her usual means of ensuring compliance.
He nodded dutifully to indicate his assent when his Lord finished with the required task and silently hoped he would be able to dispatch this particular assignment quickly.
He left a sulking Antonin on the pavement outside the Meadowes' home and apparated to his originally planned destination for this evening. He was over two hours late and reasonably sure there was still probably traces of blood over his person.
He knocked once on the bright green door, and Ciara open it, just to slither, she appeared in the gap wearing a prominent frown and not a great deal else.
"Where were you?" she pouted.
"I got held up" he replied flatly.
"You said that last week" she retorted.
"It was true then as well" he responded impatiently, it had been a long evening, and he had no desire to spend what was left of it arguing the toss on a witch's doorstep.
"It's not good enough Yax" she whined.
"Fine, okay I'll just go then" he replied calling her bluff as he turned to walk back down the garden path. That Ciara had been used to wizards falling over themselves to be with her had been all too apparent in her actions with him, though so far he had never capitulated to her demands.
He smirked when he heard the front door wrenched open and didn't hide it from his face when he turned back to her at her call.
"You done complaining?" he questioned roughly.
She nodded, and he was thankful for her silence and followed her inside.
He navigated the darkened hallway easily having been there before; Ciara had become a regular stop on his 'tour of London' as Thorfinn had christened his rotation of witches one night in the pub. Yaxley had been sleeping with her for a while now. She was a nineteen-year-old graduate of Beauxbatons Academy, tall willowy, with beautiful thick curly dark hair, she was perfect really, or she was when she managed to keep her mouth shut.
Despite his repeated explanations of what it was between them, i.e. just sex. She would whine and complain that she wanted more. Unfortunately, more wasn't really on the cards, it wasn't that he never wanted to get serious with a witch he was just forever not meeting the right one. He wanted to be challenged, intellectually as well as physically; he wanted someone to stand against his practice methods of intimidation, whoever she was he hadn't met her yet.
As they moved into Ciara's darkened bedroom, he waved his hand to brighten the lights and remove her robe. She repeatedly blinked at the change in light level as he drank in the pale blue underwear she had been hiding beneath the satin covering.
When his eyes fell to the matching garter belt and blue trimmed stockings he smiled at her "just when I think you don't understand me at all you do something that surprises me" she blushed prettily at his husky-voiced praise, and he laughed softly. All that he had done to her, all that he had said and she could still blush at promising words.
He stood several feet from her as he began to remove his clothes, slowly, his eyes never straying from hers. When she moved to unfasten the back of her bra he halted her, "no" he commanded firmly, his voice taking on a tone his fellow Death Eaters would recognise from missions.
She dropped her hands immediately, and he watched greedily as a chest heaved at the change in atmosphere in the room.
Good girl.
When he had stripped down his trousers, he stalked towards her, allowing his bare feet to push against the thick carpet. He saw her suppress a tremble at his movements, and he raised an eyebrow at her in silent query.
"Please hurry up Yax, you were already late as it was" she stumbled out.
"Always so eager, " he said with a deal of affection as he swiped his thumb against her cheek.
He moved his other hand from around his back and held up a piece of rope in front of the face. Once Ciara had fixed her eyes onto the slim cord he moved his other hand and very lightly tapped it with his wand charming to be the same shade of blue as her underwear, he always liked things to be just so.
He watched her eyes widen and listened to the sound of her increased heart rate for several beats before he laid a hand reassuringly on her upper arm "is this okay? He asked softly.
She paused for the briefest of moments before nodding her head several times. He gripped her chin gently pulling up her face, so her eyes met with his "I'm going to need to hear you say it."
"yes" she stammered out "yes it's okay."
Good girl.
Using a knotting method he had worked on earlier he fastened her wrists together, checking they weren't bound too tightly with her before levitating the bond and suspending her from the ceiling. Not so high that her feet lost purchase on the ground but just taut enough so that she was stretched out delightfully in front of him.
After dropping to the floor to adjust the stance of her legs he straightened and began placing deep, steady kisses against her soft heated flesh. He started under her ear and hovered over her collarbone until he was biting her hardened nipples through the delicate lace of her bra. He smiled against the skin of her ribcage as she writhed as much as she was able and he dipped his tongue into her belly button softly scoring his teeth against the hem of her knickers.
He continued his descent until he was positioned on his knees in front of her, her breath was rough, and he delighted in her parted lips and flushed cheeks. He softly ran his hands up and down her legs, especially slowly, while tracing her inner thighs, moving almost a snail's pace. Once he had nearly reached her apex he paused to hold his hand there momentarily before turning away to begin again, on the third time round her keening voice broke through the blood pounding in his ears.
"Please," she called "please please."
"What do you want Ciara?" he asked fighting to keep his desire from his voice.
"I want you to touch me" she panted.
"Where?" he asked lips ghosting against the inside of her thigh.
"You know where" she huffed a little impatiently and the beamed at her. Reuben delighted in seeing the reserved girl he had met initially so undone, but he wasn't finished, he couldn't resist teasing her further.
"With what?" he asked, with a very much feigned level of disinterest.
Her cheeks flamed redder than he'd ever seen them, but she answered, desperation winning out over embarrassment "with your tongue" she replied breathlessly, arms pulling on the rope apparently wanting to hide her face.
Good girl.
"Since you asked so nicely" he moved forward vanishing her pretty lace knickers into the pocket of his robes. "what's the rule?" he asked firmly, as his face stopped inches away from her centre. He blew a steady stream of air against her slit.
"Don't come until you say" she repeated correctly, and he gave into her request.
It didn't take much to undo her like this; she had already been wound up, three or four deep licks and several twirls around her sensitive clit and she was trembling against his mouth.
"Please, please, please" she begged steadily, and he decided to take pity on her. Normally he would have made her wait longer, but he had been late after all. He moved his grip from her knees to the back of her thighs, resting his hands just beneath her perfect arse and pulled her body hastily against his face as he thrust his tongue deep inside her.
"Now Ciara" he spoke against her folds and looked up the line of her frame as she broke apart around him, she screamed so loud he wondered if she had silencing charms up but then he remembered that it didn't matter, he didn't live here.
A couple of hours later, rightly stated, he walked through the doors of his home. The sun was almost up in the sky, but he knew his mother would still be up.
Headless of the state his earlier activities would have left him in he marched through the dark townhouse and gently knocked just once on her sitting room door before letting himself in.
She was awake, as he had suspected, sitting at a small table pouring over a photo album. That the sight was familiar did nothing to ease the pain that gripped his chest. As he moved to sit down next to her, he already knew the page that would be open, a picture displaying his younger brother Sebastian aged about four whipping around on the new broom that he had just been bought.
"He was so happy then," she said into the quiet room.
"He was always happy" he answered automatically, the conversation happening by route now, so often the same words were spoken.
She brushed her fingers affectionately over the moving parchment one final time before looking up to regard him "and are you happy Reuben?" he turned his head to the side for a moment, his mother never ceased to amaze him. Despite his brother's death over ten years ago breaking much of her resolve she still had these moments of amazing clarity that would pierce through the fog.
"I'm as happy as I can be... for now"
Thanks to Kreeblim Sabs who offers invaluable guidance and feedback while I piece this story together.