The Sinistriad
Atta-Nycol

Chapter 26

Rudy moved Aurora to the comfort of the couch, kicking off the remainder of his clothes as he did. Aurora's lips were desperately taking from his own, and her body coursed with the sensual pleasure Rudy had just brought upon her. She found she didn't bleed at all this time, nor did it hurt as much, though the sensations still startled her. It all happened so fast in her mind; one minute she was dreaming it, and the next…

Aurora could feel him rubbing her leg affectionately as he laid her on the couch and set himself up against her, kissing her back fiercely. She was starving, craving him more and more. The more she got, the greedier she became. She liked how he handled her—demanding, but gentle. She loved the tender touch of his hand and the aggression of his lips moving from her lips to her neck where she let him play with her. He sucked and nipped and had her trembling for minutes on end with his roughness. Aurora wondered how on earth she was ever going to conceal the likes of that hickey, but she was in no mood to stop him. One of her hands fisted his hair tightly and the other ran her nails over the curve of his perfect buttocks.

"Rudy…" She whispered into his ear, and felt him tense with her hot breath. "Rudy you're so hot…"

Rudy's head jerked up from where he had indeed left a large portion of her neck red and raw. Was Aurora actually talking dirty to him? Was she purposefully trying to turn him on again? He searched those sly blue eyes and got his answer swiftly in the form of a smirk and the movement of her hand. Was she actually TOYING with him?

"What—"

He was cut off by a jerk of her hand in his hair, and she forced his head back, leaning up and running her tongue from his jaw up to his ear where she ran her teeth along the folds of soft skin.

"I can be good to you…" She whispered seductively and Rudy felt his body tense against her. "I want to taste you, Rudy… I want to…" Aurora sucked gently on the lobe of his ear and Rudy closed his eyes. Where had this vixen suddenly come from? He had never seen such a bold side before…yes he had, at the lunch table when her hand has so nonchalantly found its place in his lap. This was the vixen he had been waiting for…but did she know what to do?

Rudy found himself wondering anxiously as Aurora slid down his body and forced him to lean back against the armrest of the couch. Her nails scratched at his abdomen and she locked eyes with him. Rudy's uncertainty was quickly replaced by the pleasure this simple gesture brought, but Aurora was not going to stop there. Aurora liked the feeling of being in control, of watching HIM squirm for a change.

She was playing with him, testing him, getting her first taste of him and it was driving Rudy nuts. He wished she'd just get on with it. He didn't care how crude it sounded, he was just obeying the impulses of his body. He tugged at her hair, but Aurora chuckled quietly.

"I'm not done with you," she teased. Rudy tried biting back his moan, but it was almost impossible. He was thoroughly at the mercy of her hot lips. Rudy hissed between his teeth and jerked under her, fisting her hair. Aurora, however, didn't make a sound. She wanted to listen. She wanted to pleasure him, to make him moan and squirm and be her victim like she was his. Rudy's voice filled her ears as she built him up, and she gloried in the gruff voice and his violent rapid breaths as he finished. He was a god, and Aurora, no matter how much in control, was his slave. She licked her lips sensually as she looked up at him.

It took him a moment to catch his breath, but when he did, he stared at her with big, satisfied eyes and ordered quite simply, "Come here."

Aurora crawled back over him and laid herself gently on top of him, giving him a soft kiss and brushing the hair from his sweaty and red face. He gazed at her intensely, feeling a whole different emotion after that erotic display, and his hands rested purposefully on her ass.

"Was that what you were dreaming about?" He asked with a hoarse voice and Aurora smiled smugly.

"Maybe…was that your dream?"

"One of them," Rudy nodded slightly, curling his fingers into her skin. "How did you—"

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Aurora cut him off with a light kiss. "You taste like a god."

Rudy eyed her full lips and was astounded at her. His Aurora, his quiet and usually shy little Aurora, was now calling him a god? Rudy feared his ego would explode at this rate, but he was still recovering from the amazement.

"And you, my vixen, are a goddess. A temptress and a minx…" He smiled slyly and she looked satisfied with his praises, her fingers tracing his face absently. "My devilishly talented little fox."

"I know how to take care of my man," Aurora grinned back at him. "…and I like to make him squirm."

Rudy chuckled and Aurora rested her head on his shoulder, burying her nose into his neck and closing her eyes. She loved every inch of her man. From the smell of him to the taste of him, he was perfection. She could not get over her obsession with him. Rudy was still breathing hard, his chest heaving as he tried to calm down. He stared up at the ceiling as Aurora rested against him, replaying the entire afternoon. The woman would never fail to turn him on and excite him. But what Rudy couldn't fathom even more, was how in love he was with her. She pleased him physically, gave him everything any man could desire as far as bodily pleasures went. But there was a spiritual intimacy that Rudy had never felt with someone before. Aurora rarely spoke of such things, but she didn't have to. He could see it when she looked at him. Every glance in his direction was laced with an undying love for him. It was why she was no longer a virgin, why she would go to all lengths to please him, why she could appreciate something as silly as the snow with him. It was why he could not imagine ever being with another woman. Another woman whom, after he told them that he was sterile, would take his head in her hands and say confidently, "Rudy, I love you." That's what Aurora had said. She loved him. Loved him flaws and all. He had few secrets from her and he felt alive…

"Rudy?"

Aurora's soft voice snapped him from his thoughts, and he looked down at her.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

He smiled and stroked her hair gently. "I love you too, my starshine. More than I can tell you sometimes."

Aurora craned her neck and smiled back up at him. "I don't want to study anymore. I just want to be with you."

"I think that can be arranged." He replied, pulling himself up on the couch a little more. Aurora sat up and stretched, and glanced around the room causally. Rudy couldn't help but let his eyes wander over her slender body. Circe she was beautiful.

"Does that wireless work at all?" Aurora asked, nodding to the small stereo.

Rudy nodded and grabbed his wand from the floor. With a slight flourish of his hand, quiet music came on and filled the attic with classical orchestra sounds. Aurora beamed.

"Perfect," She said, leaning back against Rudy. He wrapped his arms around her and they listened to it in contentment for a while before Rudy spoke again.

"What does it feel like, for you?"

Aurora laughed into his chest. "What?"

Rudy felt his cheeks redden just slightly, so he was grateful for the darkness filling the room. "Well you know, I've never really thought about it until we started getting intimate…and I just wonder how it feels for you."

Aurora chewed her lip thoughtfully. "Well…it's nothing you can really explain because it's so…sensual, and erotic, and intense all at once. It's like you're flying, and exploding, and on fire, and shivering, and screaming, and falling in love all at the same time. Not very poetic, I know…" She giggled quietly.

Rudy chuckled. "You forgot painful."

"Not so much today," Aurora said truthfully. "I'm learning to accommodate London."

They shared a laugh.

"…just in time for break, huh?"

Rudy's sad voice brought a frown to Aurora's face and she hugged him tighter. She had avoided that thought as much as she could, but it was inevitable that it would happen eventually. Aurora had a hard time fathoming life without Rudy. She regretted the idea of sleeping alone, without his being there to protect and hold her. She worried what would become of him once he was away long enough; as much as Aurora loved and trusted him, there was still a wary side to her. Rostandus and Avery were just two of the people outside of school that would be waiting for Rudy. And not Aurora's Rudy, but the pureblood, evil little rich boy Rudy. Would he change back? Would he be forced to parties and events and thrust into the middle of elegant, rich, pureblood women all waiting for their turn at him? Would he forget Aurora, realize he had been a fool for dating her, and go after what he rightly deserved? All this bothered Aurora so much so that she felt sick when she thought about it. How many people would voice their opinions in hopes of changing Rudy's mind about her? How many girls would it take to convince him he could do better that the daughter of a squib? How many butterbeers before he would snog another…

Aurora frowned deeper and listened halfheartedly to their music. This was her home now. Rudy was her home. What she would do without him, Aurora couldn't fathom. She had never felt such an obsession for someone before, such insane emotions when it came to one person. Every girl that looked at him was a potential threat and an immediate enemy of Aurora's. Every person who stood in the way of their relationship pissed Aurora off even if they were doing it out of worry. Aurora needed Rudy like she needed the blood in her veins. He had become such an intricate part of her everyday life…it scared her to think about not having him. But it scared her worse to ponder what a commitment she had gotten herself into.

"Your parents still in Jordan?" Rudy prodded for conversation and Aurora nodded absently.

"Yes."

"At least it'll be warm there."

Another absent nod. "Yes."

Rudy sensed her melancholy and tried to cheer her up. "It won't be so bad, being separated. It's just for a little while and then we can come back and pick up where we left off."

"Can we?"

Rudy blinked. "What do you mean?"

Aurora opened her mouth, and then closed it again. Did she really want to get into all of that with him? Was it worth it to disclose her worry, his mistrust of his family and friends, and even of him to ensure he would still be faithful to her?

"Nevermind." No, it wasn't worth it. Aurora sighed. "I'd much prefer to spend Christmas alone with you, is all."

"I would too starshine, but we still have families that need us…" Rudy had to fight the steel in his voice. Aurora needed someone gentle, not his iron bravado, not the ferocity of the protective instinct he felt for his mother. He needed to go home. He needed to always be at home. His time at Hogwarts was almost a waste… only now he would return, do his duty, only to neglect his duty to Aurora…

Aurora harrumphed. "My family will be spending the whole vacation traveling the desert for their seasonal racing. The pot is always exceptionally bigger around Christmas because there are more vacationers coming out to watch. I will be left to find something to do while they do business."

"Don't you help them at all?"

"I do, but once the horses are off, they're off. Nothing left to do but either travel by caravan to the next base along the route, or go back home and wait for results." Aurora shifted in his lap. "I may very well just head to Alexandria while the race is going on. See if I can't snag a job at the museum to earn a little money."

"Is it a muggle job?" Rudy asked with a hint of disdain in his voice. He quickly apologized for it but Aurora shrugged.

"There are a few wizarding families in Egypt. Billy Growswell has been a friend of my family for a while. He's the curator at the museum and the last time we were in Egypt he let me work there a few hours every day. It gave me more access to the library materials that weren't open to the public, so naturally I took him up on it."

"Maybe I should apparate over one day just so you can show me what's so fascinating about this library," Rudy teased, giving Aurora's butt a little pinch. "Unless you're too busy getting acquainted with those mummies."

Aurora squirmed and gave his chest a light punch. "Those mummies don't pinch at least!"

"They don't make love either," Rudy smirked and Aurora raised her eyebrows at him.

"They did at one point. Rudy, the history in that museum is astounding. You pick up a book and realize there is a whole world that you know nothing about, only it doesn't even exist anymore! What they teach us about wizarding history, it's just the tip of the iceberg. Wizards weren't located JUST in England you know. How do you think those pyramids were built? Muggles? Ha. Wizarding was all over the world at one point, and the discoveries and advancements that were made in the way of magic by these ancient people…it's fascinating. I've only ever seen books that cover such material, however, in Egypt. London's libraries won't expand on such things outside of England. We're taught to believe the golden age of wizardy was in our own backyards, but reading on other wizarding cultures…you realize it's not true at all!"

Rudy beamed down at her. She spoke with such driving passion and there was such excitement on her face! He had originally joked about being able to slip away, but she sold it so much that he actually started considering the idea.

"Anyway," She continued, tucking some hair behind her ear. "That's about the only good thing that can come from this vacation. Otherwise, I just want it to end so I can come back here to you."

"Aurora, what's your favorite food?" Rudy asked suddenly and Aurora laughed, sitting up to look at him.

"Lasagna, why?" She scrutinized him before adding. "Though if we're talking dessert, I love pumpkin pie…though chocolate chip cookies is a close second."

Rudy nodded. "I just realized how little I know about you, and it bothers me."

Aurora shook her head and hit him gently with a pillow. "You're silly. You know more about me than my parents do."

Rudy snatched the pillow from her. "No I don't! When's your birthday?"

"September twenty-fifth."

"Favorite color?"

"Blue." They both answered simultaneously. Rudy laughed. "Should've known."

"I like purple too. And silver."

"Colors of the sky and ocean, colors of your eyes," Rudy reflected. "Colors of winter." He paused a moment, brushing her hair back from her face slowly, memorizing the muted play of shadows across her face, all purples and blues, just like she'd said, the darker hints in her eyes out to match. "Favorite subject?" He asked quietly

Aurora rolled her eyes and hit him with the pillow.

"Okay, okay. Astronomy, got it," Rudy chuckled and hit her with the pillow in turn. "You distracted me. What about favorite place to be?"

"Here. With you."

His grin grew. "I meant where you've traveled to."

"I love Paris."

"You virgin."

Aurora took up another pillow and him harder. "Shut up! You're just as helpless a romantic as I."

Rudy laughed some more and shook his head. "So lasagna, pumpkin, pie, blue, Astronomy, and Paris…see! There's a whole world of stuff I didn't know about you."

"Well, what about you? I know just as little."

Rudy laughed. "You know I write poetry in my spare time, and you know why I love flying, and you know why I am a Beater for the quidditch team, you know my mother was a dancer and you know I'm in love with you… but, I suppose most of me is not satisfying. Everybody always wants more…"

Aurora swatted him. "What's your most favorite place you've ever been?"

Rudy paused, thinking about it. "I think I'd have to say Spain. The flying was good—mountains and beach and valley and field, anything you wanted was within arm's reach. The sun was out in full force, and the rain fell with a purpose and not halfheartedly."

"Why were you there?" Aurora laid her head on his chest and listened to the hum of his voice.

"Rabastan wanted to spend the summer with Pedro Guerras, and my parents and I stayed for a week when we picked him up. It would have been awful, except Señor Guerras caught me ogling his broomsticks. Got me out of another awful garden party… and, incidentally, away from another girl I didn't like."

Aurora grinned. "I'm glad you don't run from me."

"I run to you," Rudy said tenderly, and kissed the top of her head. Soft, quiet smile.

"Do you like Spanish food, too?"

"Yes, but it's not my favorite, actually. I much prefer Italian to most other dishes. Roast beef, and swiss cheese, and garlic bread!" Aurora heard his stomach rumble. "Alongside an ale, some potatoes… that's a meal that can't be beaten."

"Don't you ever kiss me after you eat that," Aurora said, pulling a face.

Rudy grinned. "I know more magic than you give me credit for. I know how to get rid of bad breath if I want to."

"Mmm. You should try it more often," Aurora chided playfully.

"What? I always put a humbug in my mouth before I come up here…" Rudy cupped his hand around his mouth and attempted to smell his own breath.

Aurora laughed, looking up at him. "I'm kidding, Rudy." Rudy nudged her playfully.

"What's your favorite color?"

"I don't have one," Rudy said automatically. "I like sharp color contrasts, and I won't wear—"

"Pink."

"I was going to say yellow, but I won't wear pink either."

"Even if I buy it for you?" Aurora stared at him critically.

"Kinky," Rudy replied. "I didn't know you were into punishing your man, as well as pleasing him…"

"Have to keep you in line somehow." Aurora slid her hand from his chest to his neck, pulled him down to kiss her.

Rudy sighed, pulling away, and wrapped his arms around her, his heart thudding painfully with thoughts of break. "I adore you," he crooned to her, resting his cheek on her hair, and his smile was momentarily sad.

Rudy leaned back. "Go on, ask me another question."

Aurora paused. "How was your exam?"

Rudy snickered. "Long. I spent half the time thinking about you. And you know Dumbledore—there's always a ton of essay questions."

"Think you did okay?"

"Of course. It's transfiguration. I don't have a choice."

Aurora looked at him strangely. "Why not?"

"I—" Rudy was getting way too comfortable around Aurora. Had he just slipped? Had he almost started talking about the unspeakable to her? "I was born good at Transfiguration."

Aurora's eyes bored into him, and she smiled softly. "That's not what you were going to say." She said it instinctively, and then looked away. "Sorry," she apologized quickly. "Bad habit."

"It's okay." A pause, and Rudy shifted. "My father would be really angry if I didn't do well in school. He wants me to be the best wizard I can be." Did she notice how hollow it sounded? If he was going to talk about his family, why was he still hiding things from her? He took a deep breath. "I have to look good. It's part of being a Lestrange. Besides, it helps hide the fact that I'm sterile."

Aurora could feel the tension in his body. "Why does it matter?" She looked fiercely into his face. "Why does he care so much? So you can't have kids—"

Rudy cut her off. "Exactly. Firstborn male of a pureblood line cannot have children. It's an embarrassment. It's a problem. Unless you're squibbed or blood traitor, like Sirius Black, it's an issue."

Aurora rolled her eyes. "Purebloods." She paused. "Do I make you a bloodtraitor?"

Rudy glanced down at Aurora, frowning. "If you did, I have a feeling we'd know about it. I'd be the one getting jumped in the locker rooms."

Aurora curled up on Rudy's lap, hugging her knees as she leaned against his chest. Rudy felt guilty for bringing up Avery, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Truth or Dare?"

Aurora smiled. "Dare."

"I dare you to go lingerie shopping while you're in Alexandria."

Aurora raised an eyebrow. "Long-term truth or dare, hm?"

Rudy shrugged. "Your turn… unless you don't think you can do it."

Aurora flushed and shoved him slightly, and Rudy grinned. "Virgin."

"Not anymore! Fine, I'll go. What's your favorite color, so I can buy you a pair of tight underpants?"

Rudy laughed. "For underwear, I'd have to go black." He was fingering the curls at the end of her hair again, almost lost in staring fondly at her.

"Truth or Dare?" She asked.

"Dare. Wouldn't want to be outdone by a girl." He winked.

Aurora thought for a moment. "I dare you go buy a copy of the Kama Sutra in Flourish and Blots." She flushed slightly. It was the most sexually charged thing she could think of, and Rudy's dare had to be outdone.

Rudy broke out in a wide grin, sliding around underneath Aurora so that he lay down on the couch. He reached under the couch, appeared to feel around for a moment, stretched… and then grinned. "Done and done," he said, laughing slightly as he pulled his arm out, his hand clutching a small blue book. He showed her the title, and then flipped it over so that she could see the large F-B bleached into the fabric cover of the book. He summoned a pillow, propped it under his neck, and pulled Aurora down on top of him.

She opened it and flipped through, stopping on one page. She flipped it over to show him the picture. "Would you ever do it upside down like that, standing on your head?"

"Only if you asked me really nicely." Rudy took the book back from her, staring at the illustration as it moved on the page. "Looks uncomfortable," he said. The drawing paid him no more heed than a portrait of the deaf headmaster on the third floor. He pulled the book back out of her reach. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare," Aurora said, scratching Rudy's side lightly with her fingernails. His talk was making her feel bold. She wanted to impress him.

"I dare you to read the whole thing over break."

Aurora grinned, reaching out for the book. Rudy pulled it back over his head. Aurora crawled over him, straining to reach the book. She secretly loved the ability to tease him with her body this way. It made her feel beautiful, that it came so easily to her, and always worked so well.

Aurora grinned, sliding her leg over Rudy. He flinched, let his eyes roll backwards and closed. "Gods," he said, shortly. "You're like a cat in heat…"

"Do you really want me to stop?"

"Never," Rudy said. "If you can get me started, sally forth…"

"Amateur," Aurora chided. "All good men can go multiple rounds in a night."

"Never say never…"

Aurora grinned, scooted herself backwards and dragged her nails lightly down Rudy's sides and lower still. He was tired, but she could wake him up. She was sure of it. He was always hungry for her. Hadn't he said it, that he was always turned on?

"Rudy," she called. "Come up and play with me. I dare you." She squeezed him, kissed him lightly. Rudy could feel the arousal pulsing in his veins… he wanted to be hard, just to get rid of it a little…she scratched him slightly, and he jerked, swelling ever so slightly.

Mischief broke across her face, and she looked across the room. There had to be something inventive, something new that would make him as eager to please her and she was him… what could it be…

She got up and walked over to the fireplace, her hair swinging down behind her. Rudy reached reach down with both hands, and sighed.

Aurora turned around just in time to see. "Do it again," she said, sitting down on the edge of the couch, her eyes wide. "Show me how it's done, if you don't think I can do a good job for you."

"What?"

"You heard me." She crossed her legs, laying one of the fire tools across one knee and leaning back. Rudy stared at her… let his eyes travel from her sculpted, beautiful legs all the way up, slowly, ankles and calves and knees, shining thighs, beautiful hips. Her breasts were just visible to him.

He tugged, squeezed hard and made his stroke slow, so that he ached for his own touch by the time he reached his head. Again. Again. A brief flush crept into his face as he realized what he was doing… somehow, it seemed exciting instead of shameful. He did not feel humiliated. He wondered if he would ever feel naked in front of her again.

His breath caught in his throat and he pumped harder… harder again—

"Stop," Aurora said, and smirked. Rudy froze, staring at her, panting.

She knelt down over him, sitting back on her heels and his knees, and forcibly tugged his hand away. She brought up the thing she had fetched from the fireplace… a small broom. She held it up and began to unscrew the handle.

"Do you know what this is?"

She was so beautiful, Rudy thought, with that confidence in her eyes.

"It's a broom," Rudy answered.

"And do you know what I'm going to do with it?"

Rudy shook his head, his breathing quicker with anticipation.

The broom handle came away. "I'm going to brush you with it, Rudy." She reached out to a box, grabbed her wand, and magicked away the soot and ash. It looked incredibly soft.

"Are you ready?" Aurora teased him with a single finger.

Rudy nodded vigorously.

Aurora shook her head. "I want to hear your delicious voice."

"Yes," Rudy choked, and Aurora buried him in the bristles, and began to brush him with it.

It was unlike anything Rudy had ever known. A thousand tiny hairs all stroking him at once. It tingled. It was such a tease, and so much more than that—it was maddening! Where did she get these tortured ideas… he wanted her now… but this brush was so tantalizing…

Rudy kicked out forcefully, slamming his heel into the arm of the couch. He put his hands around Aurora, jerked her forward, but she scooted further away. Rudy jumped as she held the broom over him. "My show," she whispered, and Rudy groaned as she let the barest tip of the broom brush him.

Rudy was mostly incoherent. Aurora stretched out on top of him, wishing his sweat would dry as quickly as hers did. Even with the fire in the background, it made her feel cold. He did deserve to be sweating, though. Sweating and sleeping. She'd pushed him four times, now, four times in two hours! Aurora smiled and scratched his chest.

"Rudy, I love you."

"I adore you, starshine…gods… you're Circe incarnate…" he gave a feeble laugh and smacked her sloppily on the butt. Aurora had been to the shower and back, and he was still reeling. He was awake, though. She'd told him to wait up. Aurora was impressed he actually had been able to keep himself from falling asleep.

She traced a finger over the ripples of muscle in his chest, scratched her fingernails over the scar lightly etched into his side.

"What happened here?"

"Hmmm?" Rudy lifted his head with great effort and looked. It was difficult to make his eyes focus. "Oh," he said, noticing his own scar. "You don't want to know about that." Rudy let his head fall back on the couch.

Aurora poked him. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't want to know. You have to tell me. Your truth is to tell me and your dare is 'I dare you to tell me.' "

Rudy opened one eye and stared at her. "You win, then. Circe you win… you are incredible… where did you get the idea to use the broom? Circe…"

Aurora frowned at him, suddenly unwilling to change the subject. "Bad memory?" She laid down next to him.

"Something like that," Rudy said, scooting to make room for her.

"Tell me anyway," she goaded. "Or I'll keep you awake all night to study with me."

"Is that what you call it?"

Aurora swatted him, and he gave another tired laugh.

"Tell me," she said, tugging on his ear.

Rudy opened both eyes and turned to look at her.

"It's a curse scar," he said, slowly. "My father is really paranoid about letting people onto our property, so if he ever can get me to do whatever it is he needs done… usually I do it." Rudy leaned back into the couch pillow and closed his eyes. "Anyway, last summer he gave me some chore to do just as I was going to go out flying for the first time in weeks, the sun was actually out. I told him no, I was going to go for a fly first… anyway, he aimed for my broomstick, but the defensive spells on it deflected the spell, and it hit me instead. Well, grazed, really. Could have been a lot worse."

"At least your broom was okay," Aurora said, her voice small. She brushed her fingers over the scar again.

"Nope," Rudy contradicted her. "He ended up getting the broomstick after all. Splintered it."

Aurora winced, and settled on Rudy's shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Sorry you asked or sorry I don't get along with my father too well?"

"Not the first one."

Rudy smiled. In the wake of their lovemaking, the memory didn't seem so bad. Maybe it wasn't. Wasn't one of the worst days he could remember with his father, anyway. And who cared about him, when Aurora was here?

"Why don't you get along so well?" Questions she hadn't ever dared to ask before. Was it wrong to pressure him when he was half asleep that way? After-glowing, wasn't it?

"You are full of questions tonight, aren't you…"

"You don't have to say, if you don't want—"

"He doesn't think I try hard enough to be a good son to him, and I don't like the way he talks to my mother."

"What—"

"Now we drop it, starshine." Rudy didn't want to think about his mother right now. He wanted to lay here with Aurora and think about her.

Aurora sheepishly tucked herself down next to Rudy, again, and fell silent. It was certainly more than he usually said about his father. Rudy's breathing was slow and deep next to her.

"I love you," she whispered.

Rudy turned and wrapped her in his limbs, shielding her from his world. "I love you too," he agreed simply. To Aurora's wakened, churning mind, it seemed he was asleep in moments.

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