Mercutio, Food Sneaker (Octavian)

[Mercutio Lestrange]

Mercutio was clever and good at reading people but even he had no idea what was going on. All he knew was that Octavian had been summoned to speak with father which could only be a bad sign given how busy father was with the campaign. And then Octavian had been strangely absent from dinner. When asked why Father had only said Octavian had done a very dumb thing which could mean anything.

Well whatever his younger brother had done Mercutio thought skipping meals was too harsh a punishment. Octavian could be jealous but he wasn't really cruel. Well...He could come off that way but he wasn't anything like Kristoff. Had he taken a prank too far? Or was Father just in a bad temperament because of elections?

Mercutio had managed to hide an apple and some bread without detection. It wasn't all that much but Mercutio had been scared that any more and Father would have noticed. He hurried back to his shared room with Octavian.

"Here I brought you something," he said sweetly, holding out the food to his younger brother.

  

[Octavian Lestrange]

Octavian was not exactly ready to talk about what had happened with him and Daemon, and why he had even been in to talk with their father. There was no reason to get Merutio into trouble - even though Octavian did not like Mercutio that much and tended to hurt him more than anything. He could feel that he was hungry - and he wanted to ask one of the house-elves to bring him at least SOME food to him, even though his father had said he was not to get any dinner today or breakfast tomorrow.

As such he was just sitting in his bed while the family had dinner. He decided that he might as well work on some things from oe of his many language lessons, it was better than not doing anything. When Mercutio returned, he just looked at his brother - but he smiled when Mercutio offered him some 'stolen' food to him. "Thanks. Why did you risk father's wrath for me?" he asked and looked at Merc as he took the bread and began slowly eating. He was still beaten up, his father had healed him, and no one else had offered. Not that Octavian expected it right now.

  

[Mercutio Lestrange]

To be honest, Mercutio was a bit surprised at his brother's thanks. When Octavian was in a bad mood he tended to lash out at the first person who so much as approached him so long as that person wasn't Father. Even he wasn't that foolish. Well...at least most of the time. Sometimes he could be far too careless with the words he exchanged with Father.

"Well whatever you did it's too cruel not to give you food," Mercutio assured his brother. He was dying to ask what had happened but so far Octavian was behaving civilly. He didn't want to risk his anger. "I know I can't go that long without food." Not without being really miserable anyways. Still, Mercutio was really lucky he wasn't caught. Father was clearly in a bad mood. Likely he wouldn't be that forgiving even with him.

But what in the world happened? Octavian looked terrible. It wasn't that he had any bruises but...he almost looked empty inside as though he wasn't entirely all there. What could possibly cause his brother to look like half a shell?

It was then that Mercutio noted Daemon wasn't with Octavian. Odd. The dog typically followed him everywhere even into their shared room. Daemon wasn't allowed to sleep with them but before bed he'd still usually accompany Octavian here. And since Octavian was so upset Mercutio was sure his brother's sorrow would have drawn Daemon to him like bees to honey.

"Where's Daemon?" Mercutio asked innocently. "Do you want me to find him?" Surely the dog could cheer his brother up.

  

[Octavian Lestrange]

Octavian could feel the bruises more than anything, he just hoped that Wilde looked worse than him - it was not fair that Wilde started this and got away cheap. Octavian had been grounded, lost two meals and lost his most closest friend. "I am not getting breakfast tomorrow either. I was planning on getting the house-elves to bring me some." he admitted and kept looking blankly down in his book. He had not exactly managed to do anything about his homework.

Sitting there, staring blankly into the book, Octavian took another bite of the bread, but when Mercutio mentioned Daemon, he lost it entirely. He just grabbed the nearest book, and followed with an inkpot and threw it after Mercutio. "GET OUT!" He yelled, he did not wanted to be reminded that Daemon would never be there to help him, never be there to look up at him with those brown eyes, never whimper when Octavian needed to calm down.

  

[Mercutio Lestrange]

"What?! Father's not letting you have breakfast?!" Mercutiou asked, horrified. What in the world had Octavian done that Father thought deserved such terrible treatment? "That's insane!" Octavian was only eight! He shouldn't miss two meals like that. "I'll be sure to sneak you some breakfast," he promised. "More than just an apple and bread!" No proper dinner and breakfast...He wouldn't allow it!

Mercutio tried not to make it so obvious that he was staring at his brother. But...his gaze was so blank, his face so empty It was like all strong emotions had left him. Mercutio hadn't seen his brother like this not since Mother had died. The expression terrified him.

He just stood there stunned when Octavian threw a book at him. He was so confused he couldn't even manage to move by the time the ink pot hit him square in the face. Why? He didn't get it. He was only trying to cheer his brother up. And Daemon could comfort Octavian more than anyone so if Octavian was so upset...It couldn't be! No! It couldn't be true! It wasn't fair for Octavian to lose his pet, not after he'd lost his mother not after he was engaged not after he was going through such a tough time.

Tears sprung into his eyes. His brother was always teasing him for being too empathetic or something but Mercutio couldn't help it. And if Father wasn't here to see surely it was alright to cry. Just...It was so sad. Octavian was finally turning around with Nephele and he was happy with Daemon. The world was so cruel.

"What happened? How...How did he die?! He seemed so healthy!" Was that why Octavian was in trouble? Daemon had died and he lashed out at Father or maybe Nephele? Or maybe he broke something in his grief.

  

[Octavian Lestrange]

"I will get dinner tomorrow." he said and shrugged his shoulders. Octavian was sure that he could do without food for that long, but he was still happy that Mercutio have brought him some food. It was better than nothing, and even a little food was better than nothing.

Octavian did not really notice that he actually hit Mercutio with the ink - he did not care, he just wanted Daemon to be there. "Father - Wilde. Wilde kicked him and I got into a fight. And then father killed him." he said coldly and looked at his brother, his eyes clearly saying that he was hurt deeply and tried to hide it.

  

[Mercutio Lestrange]

Mercutio shook his head. "No way. I'm making sure you have breakfast," he assured him. He'd at the very least sneak up another apple and some bread. Stealth wasn't really his strength. He was physically weaker than Octavian and not in the best of health but he could manage basic things. And he didn't want his brother to starve!

He just stood there, stunned speechless when Mercutio explained what happened. Father?! No!! Their honorable Father their Father with a sense of nobility had killed an innocent animal to discipline his son?! That wasn't possible! Father could have a temper at times sure but he wasn't cruel! He wasn't! Suddenly everything Mercutio thought he knew about his father was called into question. It was a lie wasn't it?! It couldn't be true!

But as Mercutio stared at Octavian his heart sank. His brother was so broken. He wouldn't lie. Not about this. Yes, he'd lied or stretched the truth plenty of times in the past to try and get Mercutio into trouble, sometimes succeeding but this no...He would never lie about Daemon.

Tears continued to fall. How...How could Father do something like that?! He might expect such a thing from their Uncle Orestes but Father...Father...And Octavian...How could Octavian cope with the guilt?!

Mercutio double checked to make sure the door was closed before moving closer to his brother. "That's...That's so horrible," he choked. "I can't believe...I can't believe...Father..." He tried to hug his brother, not sure if he would let him. "That's so terrible!"

And it didn't even sound like the fight was really Octavian's fault. His brother had only been trying to defend his dog. Of course Mercutio loathed fights and was sure he would have found another way around it but Octavian was younger and his methods weren't Mercutio's. And the dog had certainly been innocent in all this! Daemon hadn't deserved such cruelty and neither had Octavian for being loyal.

  

[Octavian Lestrange]

Given that their father had a dog himself, Octavian was deeply surprised that he could even do that to a dog. And Daemon was not that old even. "He did it, right in front of me." he mumbled, and looked away, before closing the book and going to his bed, and sat down on it. He was not hungry right now, he just wanted Daemon.

"He also grounded me. For a month." he said - it was not that bad, had Daemon only been there with him, then they could have found something to do, but now - Now he just wanted to sit in his room and do absolutely nothing

  

[Mercutio Lestrange]

What?! Father was sounding sicker and more twisted by the moment! He did it in front of Octavian, made his son watch while his beloved pet was slaughtered for his mistake, a mistake that really wasn't even all that terrible?! How?! The picture didn't fit. Father could be strict and tough and sometimes cold but he was also loving and did have a code of honor and sense of nobility. How could he do that?!

The grounding for a month was plausible and not that terrible but Daemon...the dog...Mercutio just wanted to talk to Father to hear it was all a lie. But it wasn't! He knew it wasn't! Octavian was so upset!

Mercutio didn't know what to say. How could he possibly comfort his younger brother in these distressing circumstances?

"Where's the body?" Mercutio asked softly. "We need to at least give him a proper funeral. He deserves that." Mercutio wasn't strong but surely he could dig a hole in the ground, a hole large enough for a dog. And the two of them could say a few words and wish for the peace of his soul.

Mercutio bit his lip. "I'm sure Mother's taking good care of Daemon." He was with Mother, Mercutio was sure of it.

  

[Octavian Lestrange]

"I don't know - I just left as soon as possible." he said in a whisper - he could not do it to himself, he could not hold the body of his dog. He did not wanted to admit that Daemon was gone. "Merc, you are clever. What spell hurts a LOT, impossible to describe hurt really?" he asked, not able to remember exactly what spell his father had used on him, but he wanted to take revenge, one way or another, one day.

"I know she is. I just miss him." he said and dried away a falling tear. he did not wanted to cry, he did not wanted anyone to see him being weak, least of all Merc.

  

[Mercutio Lestrange]

Mercutio placed a tentative hand on his brother's shoulder, hoping he wouldn't push it away. This was really hard for Octavian and Mercutio wanted to be there to support him. And this was really hard for Mercutio too. Daemon hadn't been his but he'd been fond of the dog and especially fond of the way he'd made Octavian smile. But what hurt worst what hurt more than anything was to think that Father was capable of something so monstrous. "We'll find him," Mercutio promised. They would give Daemon a proper burial!

He was surprised to hear his brother pay him a compliment and more surprised at the switch in conversation but he answered all the same. "Do you mean Crucias, the torturing curse? It sometimes has a red light and sometimes there's no light at all?" he asked. He'd read about it in a book. It sounded really brutal. "What does that have to do with anything?"he questioned, confused.

Mercutio had sharp eyes and didn't miss the tear that fell. "It's okay, Octavian. I cried when Mother died. You should cry for your friend." Merctuio's eyes were still watering, the flow of tears not entirely stemmed.

  

[Octavian Lestrange]

"I do not care. I just want revenge. As soon as I am not grounded I am going after Wilde again. It is his fault. If he had not kicked Octavian, then I would not have been in a fight with him, and then Daemon would still be here." he said determined and closed his eyes, trying to focus on Wilde, and imagining how it would feel to make him hurt the same way.

"I was just curious." he said, knowing that he would have to take revenge in a few years, but his father was not getting away with this either.

  

[Mercutio Lestrange]

Mercutio regarded his brother nervously. “Be careful, Octavian. Wilde is certainly cruel for kicking a puppy; but, he had no way of knowing his actions would lead to Daemon’s death. Is it fair to punish him for that?” he asked softly. Mercutio didn’t want his brother to become obsessed with thoughts of revenge. Too many Lestranges were consumed by that dark urge. And although life wasn’t fair that didn’t mean individuals should forget their morals and wrongfully punish other people for things they did not do.

Mercutio gave Octavian a long hard stare. His brother wasn’t an avid reader like him and was far less inquisitive. If he asked there was a reason behind it and idle curiosity wasn’t the answer. Sapphire eyes widened, comprehension dawning. “No!” he breathed. It was more a plea than anything. He gripped his brother’s shoulders hard, staring directly into eyes. “He didn’t! He couldn’t! Please…Please…It’s a mistake, right? He wouldn’t! Father would never…”

  

[Octavian Lestrange]

Octavian did not care that Wilde was not directly to blame for Daemon's death, it was still his fault. And Octavian would have his revenge. "Whose fault is it then? Father might be the one who actually killed Daemon, but had it not been for Wilde, then he would not have done it." he said and kept looking down at the sheets.

When his brother finally seemed to connect the question with what might have happened, Octavian did not care. But the pain in his shoulder added to what pain he was already feeling, made his head snap up and look coldly into Mercutio's eyes. "Both me and Daemon." he just said, no emotions in his eyes or voice as he said this.

  

[Mercutio Lestrange]

Mercutio shook his head. "It's true that without Wilde Daemon would not be dead but it's still not fair to blame him for that. Who could have realized that would happen? Wilde might have been cruel and stupid but do you honestly think he wanted your dog dead? Was he that twisted? Lestranges take revenge on those to blame." His voice was colder than normal. He could tell he wouldn't be able to shake Octavian from this path. And he wasn't even sure it was the right thing to do. His precious friend was dead after all. "Father is to blame," he said softly. He didn't like it, not one bit. Father was supposed to be kind and caring even if he was strict. Father was noble. Father was honorable but this...This was cruel and sick and twisted and wrong.

Such cold, cold eyes. No...his little brother wasn't lying. He wouldn't lie about that. But how...How could Father...Killing Octavian's friend for no good reason was tough enough to swallow but now...He tortured too?! The man Mercutio loved and respected and looked up to had done something so unforgivable to his son and his son's best friend?! How?! How was that possible?! Octavian was his flesh and blood! Father was supposed to protect him!

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Mercutio choked out, dropping his hands from his brother's shoulders, tears continuing to spill uncertain as to weather they were for his brother's pain or for the grief of the death of father's nobility.

He took a deep breath. Now what? Now what was the best thing to do? What could he do?! "If Father won't protect you then I guess it's up to me," he said sincerely. He would NOT let anyone torture his little brother like that again! It was wrong!

  

[Octavian Lestrange]

"It is Wilde or father - and I cannot take revenge on father, not for several years." he said without a moment of questioning. There was no doubt in Octavian's mind, he would have his revenge. "And I am not waiting years to have my revenge." he insisted.

"I can protect myself. He cannot hurt me any more." he hissed at his brother. Right now it was time for him to be strong and proof that his father could not hurt him. He definitely did not needed his weak brother to protect him.