Y/N
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WHY DO MEN?
Yes, I understand that question is not grammatically correct, but that still doesn't answer the question.
I shouldn't be mad at Louis for dodging the kiss, because that's not something that was necessary or needed—no matter how bad I wanted it. There were things on his mind that were clearly chained to his actions, holding him back from meeting me halfway.
Unless he didn't want to meet me halfway.
He made this whole point during the first day, testing me relentlessly, and telling me 'he doesn't date'. But why did he lead me on so easily? Why can he just exist, and have me following blindly after him like I can't focus on anything else? It wasn't fair.
So here I was, stumbling back to the cottage, exasperated from all the thoughts running through my mind.
Daniel and Emma were shuffling around the tea table, per the usual, and I tried to ignore my disappointment when I realized Louis wasn't there with them. We didn't walk back together.
"Hey," I said breathily, setting down the weapons bag, "is it three o'clock already?"
Daniel tossed a scone at me. "Three-twenty."
"Oh."
"Just in time for our second pot of tea," Emma added in, already beginning to pour me a glass, "we have many, many, many things to talk about!"
"Many!" Daniel echoed.
I gave them a suspicious look, glancing towards the cottage as I sat down in my usual chair. The lights to the house were off, the shutters closed, and the curtains drawn—almost as if it had been abandoned.
"Where's Louis?" I questioned, picking up my teacup.
Emma and Daniel shared a glance.
I prodded them with a simple narrow of the eyes, begging them to give me an answer. From the moment I fell down that rabbit hole, Louis was there to guide me through this strange world, and without him, I felt incoherently lost. Leave the sap, I'm not wistfully daydreaming, I'm honestly worried. There's a difference, and even if he can't bridge the distance between friendship and whatever's after that, It was my duty as a friend to be there for him.
I just needed to...find him first.
"He came by for tea," Daniel murmured, eyeing a treacle tart, "a few minutes before you did."
I leaned forward in interest. "Where did he go?"
"Said he'd take his tea in the cottage."
"Which he hasn't done in years, of course," Emma cut in, her rabbit ears drooping, "he always joins us outside at the table."
Dan sighed, "but he's locked himself in his study."
"And the last time he did that, was—"
Emma stopped herself.
She quickly stared into her mug, cursing at herself for almost giving her words away. The mood drastically changed, as if there was something they were both hiding, and it was something I wanted to find out.
"Was what?" I questioned, sliding to the edge of my seat, "what was the last time?"
Emma shook her head, and Daniel did the same.
"Not our business to tell," she sighed.
She was right, it wasn't any of my business.
But I wanted to know, less out of my own selfish curiosity, but because there was clearly something wrong. Something that no one wished to talk about, and if I was to know why I should keep my distance, I needed to ask.
But before I could question again, a loud SNAP! Split the silence, and a white ferret came falling onto the tablecloth with an unruly fashion. It wasn't long before Draco Malfoy transfigured back to his human form, hissing at a blob of jam that was stuck to his robes.
"Bloody tea parties," he scowled, turning towards the three of us, "but I'm here to let you all know something."
I furrowed my brow. "Know what?"
Draco furrowed his eyes back. "The Cards are coming."
And just as quickly as he had appeared, he snapped his fingers, disappearing into thin air.
But what seemed to be one of his unusual greetings, was clearly not. At the mention of the Cards (the Queen's guards, remember), Emma and Daniel started screaming, ducking under the table and throwing pots and dishes around in panic.
"Hide!" Emma squealed, tugging at my shirt, "they'll find you!"
I could only muster a yelp, as the two of them grabbed me by my ankles, yanking me out of my chair and underneath the table. My back hit the ground with an unpleasant thud, and I winced in pain.
But I snapped my mouth shut when I heard the sound of footsteps nearing our spot. Two sets of shoes were peeking out from under the tablecloth, one red, and one black. The sticks poking into the ground next to them were clearly spears.
I held my breath as they called out into the space.
"We're here for the girl," one of them said, their voice a thin and raspy sound, "give us the girl, and nobody gets hurt."
Emma and Daniel shook their heads at me, begging for me not to do anything rash.
It was clear why these cards were here. Word must have traveled out of my arrival, and now that they all thought I was the girl from the prophecy, they were here to deliver me to the Queen. She'll probably kill me out of fear that I'd steal her crown.
"Give us the girl!" The card spoke again, "we will not hesitate to use force if necessary."
My two friends looked scared out of their minds, especially when the Cards began to trash the contents on the table above us, glass shattering to the ground as it was thrown off.
The guards were showing no time of stopping till they found me, and if they got to Emma and Daniel first, I knew they'd be hurt for not giving up my location. I had to do something. And yes, it's stupid, but when it comes to protecting my friends, stupid is the only thing that will work.
Don't move, I mouthed to the two beside me, trust me.
And then I slid out from under the table, pressing myself onto my feet to meet my captors. One was an Ace, and one was a Four of Cloves. They were literally cards, paper thin and printed, but they had weapons that outnumbered me. Not to mention, they were almost a foot taller than me, and simply 'blowing them away' wouldn't do the trick.
"You called?" I frowned, turning my back towards the table behind me.
Once the brutes saw me, they immediately lifted their spears in defense.
"On order of the Queen, you are to be taken to the castle for questioning," the Ace said, jabbing the metal pole towards me.
I flinched, taking a step back. Questioning, hm? It didn't take a genius to know that was a cover-up for execution. I was a threat to them, and they wouldn't waste time keeping me around.
"Hate to break it to you," I frowned, "but she's not my Queen, so I don't follow her rules."
The Clove hissed, "disrespecting the Queen is an offense."
"Do I look like I care?"
As soon as those words left my mouth, I instantly regretted them. I was being irresponsible by doing this, but it just slipped out! Besides, the Ace was being increasingly suspicious of the table, and I couldn't let them find Emma and Daniel.
So I did another irresponsible thing.
"Fine," I said, holding out my hands, "I'll go."
It was a distraction, and I'd figure out my escape later. I just needed to make sure my friends were out of harm's way first. But as the cards moved to arrest me, the unexpected happened, jolting us all out of our souls in surprise.
A door slammed.
Turning our heads, we all recognized the familiar figure standing at the foot of the cottage door, anger dripping off of their face evidently. I held in a breath, quickly backing away from the cards.
Louis, who was still dressed in his earlier attire, paced across the grounds with a fire in his step, his narrowed glare never breaking from the Ace and the Clove. When he passed me, he brushed out his arm, pushing me gently off to the side.
And then he pulled out a dagger from his sheath, flipping it into his palm as he faced the perpetrators.
"Put one hand on her," he spat out, his voice low, "and you're dead."
He had the dagger at one of the card's throats, and I swear I heard them both gulp. They were afraid of him—this I could clearly see, with their now quivering posture—and I wondered why. His aggressive behavior was surprising, yes, but there were two of them, and one of him. Clearly, there was a lot I didn't know about the boy.
"We'll get you for this, Partridge," the Clove threatened, beginning to dash away with his counterpart, "we'll get you one day!"
And soon they disappeared into the forest, taking their egos and their spears with them.
I turned towards Louis, expecting a response, but he just looked at me with that same dull expression. Even as Emma and Daniel crawled out from under the table, he didn't say a word.
And then he began to walk back to the cottage as if nothing happened.
But something did happen, and I wasn't going to stand there helplessly like I needed to be saved, and like I couldn't take matters into my own hands. So I gathered up my courage, stomping after him before he could make it into the house.
"Louis!" I called out, grabbing his arm and pulling him back, "for heaven's sake, Louis, what is going on?"
He looked taken aback by my brazen behavior, but hardened his expression again. Pursing his lips into a thin line, he shrugged, turning away, but I stopped him once more. I wasn't going to stand for miscommunication, or lack of it thereof.
"Talk to me," I pleaded, searching his eyes for an answer, "if you can go out of your way to defend me, then why don't you trust me with whatever's bothering you?"
He finally spoke, glancing off to the side.
"It's not that I don't trust you," he muttered under his breath, "it's that I don't trust myself."
His answer was vague, almost unnecessary, and that just made me more infuriated. I didn't have a right to be, I know, but I was bothered by how easily he could lead me on, and then push me away again.
"And why don't you trust yourself?" I pushed.
Louis took one look at me, his lips curving into a frown.
"Because I lost someone," he snapped, "and I'd rather not have it happen again."
And without another word, he spun around, slamming the door behind him as he disappeared into the cottage.
I shouldn't have pressed, I know, but now I couldn't stop my curiosity.
What did he mean?