Prompt:Fear
Also for Amber's Slash-tastic Drabble-athon with the prompt: whisper
And for Gamma because RodRab ;)
It had been so long.
Rabastan wondered if it'd been too long. Maybe his brother had forgotten him. Maybe he was a fool for expecting Rodolphus to come to him. Fourteen years and he was still the same fool, starved for attention. Why would Rodolphus come to him when he had his wife to look after?
Not that Bellatrix needed looking after, Rabastan thought resentfully. But Rodolphus would consider it his duty.
Rabastan paced the room the Malfoys' house elves had prepared for him and he marveled at the feeling of the thick carpet between his bare toes. He was grateful. Of course he was grateful. But in spite of having a safe place to stay, far away from the Dementors and the cold there was still something missing.
He hesitated a moment more before letting his curiosity and his selfishness get the best of him only to find upon opening the door that Rodolphus had come for him. There he stood, a hand raised as if to knock on the door, and he seemed frozen in place. Rabastan imagined he was shocked at his appearance. He was certainly shocked by his brother's features. Azkaban had left its mark.
There were lines about his eyes and his hair had grown long and tangled though it appeared that he had at least tried to make it presentable. But it was more than his physical person that unsettled Rabastan so much. There was a desperation in the way Rodolphus was looking at him that made his heart beat fast, and it scared him. But at the same time he had to admit that he'd always wanted Rod to look at him that way. He wasn't about to question it.
"Rod?" he said, noting how hoarse his voice was. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Come in."
Rodolphus shook himself out of his reverie and stepped closer. At first it seemed he would pass by Rabastan to go into the room, but he couldn't. That's not why he was there.
He pulled his brother to him, shoving the door closed with his free hand.
"Are you all right?"
"I thought maybe you might be with Bellatrix," Rabastan said, his voice failing to mask his bitter tone.
"Don't think of her now, Rab. I want to know if you're all right." Rodolphus' hands began to wander, feeling his hipbones, his shoulder blades, his jawline.
Rabastan could hardly breathe, but yes, this was definitely all right.
"You're so thin," Rodolphus observed.
"Does it repulse you?" Rabastan asked. He gripped his brother's collar to hold himself steady. He didn't think he could bear to hear him say so.
But Rodolphus only shook his head, leaning down to press his lips to his temple. "You could never repulse me," he whispered, before finally closing the distance and kissing his brother firmly on the mouth. "I've missed you."
Rabastan sighed, holding tighter to his collar and directing their steps toward bed. "I've missed you too, Rod." He began to fumble with the buttons on his brother's shirt, and he saw the shadow of a smile. "I've missed you too."
