thattimeofthemonth | Open RP Post

"I saw...." Draco replied with a frown. He knew what it was, but couldn't tell Jake that. Although with the story he had to go with, it was a fitting speculation on Jake's behalf. "I'll try my best to not go looking for them...but if they try to hurt you or go after myself I can't guarantee what I'm going to do. I just know I won't be playing a helpless victim."

He shook his head as he tried not to dwell on the times when they had been friends and how he used to confide in them. He didn't confide a whole lot, but from time to time he would. He knew enough not to trust them completely. When they weren't in front of a crowd they hadn't been a bad group. Especially when they were younger...but as they got older and things got darker...

"I know. I know you don't want to be. Just... don't put yourself in a situation that you could become a victim, okay? It won't help anything." A corner of his mouth lifted, a small smile.

"But we got through it, right? Nothing happened. That... that was that, hopefully." He leaned back in the booth, closing his eyes. The adrenaline was starting to wear off and the shakes were finally starting to go away. "However, I'd rather not get involved in that again if possible. If it happens, I'll be at your back, but I'd prefer it not happening to begin with."

"I will do my best to not get you involved," Draco replied in a firm voice. He neglected to agree to anything about becoming a victim as he knew he couldn't promise that. His family and friends had always been a priority over himself. The fact that Jake said he would have his back was a new thing for him. The gesture meant a lot.

He was glad they had listened this time. He wasn't so sure if it would work again. He believed that Jake's presence had thrown them off completely that they weren't sure how to react. Next time they would know better.

There was silence for a time, then Jake looked around and gave a lop-sided version of his normal smile. "Well, we're here. Do you still want ice cream or too keyed up to eat?" Trying to make things a little more normal instead of uncertain and awkward. As if they hadn't been about to get into an awful fight.

"Let's save the ice cream for another time...I'm a little to wound up right now to properly enjoy it." Draco replied feeling a little guilty about it. The night had gone pretty well up until that point. "Perhaps, the bookstore?"

"I feel you," Jake agreed, testing his weight to make sure his legs wouldn't give out. Didn't want to look like a fool. Glad when his knees didn't buckle, he offered his hand to Draco to get them out of the booth. "It isn't far. Maybe we'll even find a book you like."

He reached for Jake's hand mainly to help the other out, seeing how shaky he had been. "I've see you've taken that on as a challenge," Draco replied with a smirk. He walked alongside Jake as he followed the other to the store.

Jake dared to give Draco's hand a quick squeeze with a 'thanks' and a smile, walking along side of him as they headed for the book store. The comment made him laugh, even if it wasn't as easy as less than an hour before. "It is a challenge. There's a type of book for everyone, in my opinion. History, fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, the classics... There's so many types that something has to fall into your fancy."

He felt the quick squeeze of his hand and he wasn't sure what to make of it. There was a brief confusion in his eyes before that disappeared. Often he had seen his parents do the same thing when they felt the other needed the support. It was always subtle, but enough for them to relax of give them the strength to do what they needed to do. Pansy had been the same way at one point, but not anymore.

"I wouldn't know where to begin," he admitted. His parents had a variety of books, but he never paid them any attention.

Jake caught that confusion, but he didn't see any disgust or anything to follow. Draco was utterly confusing! Sometimes he gave off signs of interest, other times not... Maybe he didn't know himself? Jake had known from pretty mych the time he hit puberty but it wasn't easy for everyone.

Sigh. Draco could easily break his heart and he knew it.

"Well..." He thought about it, puzzling on Draco's words. "Let's start simple. Fiction or non-fiction. What interests you more - reading about stuff that already exists or did exist, or stuff that isn't real?"

For Draco it was a combination of things. One of them being to admitting to himself that he was open to both genders. And the other being not used to having someone like Jake as a friend. Both were new experiences for him.

"I've never really looked at anything that wasn't real. So maybe something in that direction?" He said after a pause.

"See, now we've gotten rid of half the books in the world," Jake said jokingly. "Not so bad. Let's see... mysteries? Trying to solve murders or criminal plots. Historical fiction... those take place in a time in history and seem like they could be real but aren't. I... don't think you're a romance kind of guy. Love stories, there. Sci-fi which all takes place in the future. Pretty fun. Fantasy... Magic, swords, Knights, castles, that sort of thing. Anything keen?"

"Lets go with the magical route," Draco replied with an amused smile. He was curious to see what the Muggles came up with. This was also Jake's interest as well, at least part.

He really didn't care about mysteries and crime considering how much Harry and his group tried to dig out what he was doing or didn't do.

Jake gave a grin that was far more like his normal one. "You're just saying that because of me," he partially teased, partially serious. "Well it's a good way to get on my good side." He chuckled, hands behind his head and lacing his fingers there. "I think you'll like fantasy."

Which made him think back, a brow coming up. "By the way, the gorilla... he mentioned something Id never heard of before. Quidditch some upper class sport us poor folk aren't aware of?" His voice kept it light, just teasing instead of trying to insult Draco's place.

"Can't blame me for trying," he replied in a teasing tone. Only to become serious again at the question.

Stupid Goyle, ruining things. He did like the nickname though. "It's a sport, but beyond that I can't go into detail." As much as he wanted to discuss the sport he knew he couldn't.

Jake frowned, looking hard at Draco. That was the last thing he expected. He bit the edge of his lip, trying to find the right words. "What do you mean, you can't go into detail?"

This sounded deeply suspicious. Was it... some sort of criminal thing? Something illegal? It didn't settle well with him.

"It's not bad, but there's a lot I can't say. And it's not just with the sport. I hate not being able to explain it. Some of it falls to my past and the group you saw." Draco replied with a frown. "I can only ask for your patience and trust on this."

He gave a wary sigh. He felt bad not being to share his world with Jake. And he was someone who could keep the secret too.

Jake went quiet with that, walking while staring at the ground. He really wasn't sure what to say to that. He'd kept a lot of secrets from his friends about the things Draco told him so far, but this...

He stepped forward and turned, looking Draco in the eyes. "Is all of this serious, or are you messing with me? I... I trust you, but I need to know. If this is some big joke, some great lie, just laugh and let me out of it. I wouldn't have asked you out if I thought it was nothing, but its all just getting more and more confusing and more and more secrets."

Now he was beginning to understand why many wizards like the purebloods chose not to interact with Muggles. All these lies and secrets. He hated it so much. It was almost tempting to just end everything here and not deal with the pain. Yet, he felt Jake was worth befriending. He understood why Jake was upset and beginning to doubt this friendship. It hurt Draco alot and he didn't understand why. His eyes were filled with confusion as he tried to figure out what to do.

He went over to sit on an empty bench as he struggled over what to say. What was the right choice. He looked at Jake to try and understand him more. Still not saying anything but the struggle showed.

"...I know you're trying to change from whatever you were. I know you have issues with some wankers who are ready to hurt you. But... now you're telling me there's some sport like Fight Club you and those wankers know about but you can't tell me, and-" he reached up, a hand going through his hair.

"I just don't want to be made a fool of, Dragon. I want to be friends but I want to know its not just one giant lie."

"That's the last thing I want to do is make you look like a fool, Jake. You're the first person to ever openly accept me for who I am even after what you witnessed and what I've told. I can't help but wonder if I had met you long ago how things would have been then." Draco replied in a soft voice. He paused briefly as he tried to keep hold of his emotions knowing what he was going to say would be tough. There was sorrow in his eyes when he did finally start to speak. He was always forced to give up the good things in his life and he hated it.

"But there are things I can't explain and say no matter how much I want to tell you. And it's not because I'm trying to make you a fool, but it's because it protects people I care about. I can't even tell you about this sport because it reveals so much.

I don't want to let you go, but I feel the more you try to get to know me the more secrets I will have and can't tell you. And it won't be fair to you. Tonight just really showed me this, despite how much I had hoped it would work out."

Jake's expression softened, leaving him standing there and looking to Draco as he tried to read the other's expression. Trying to understand all of it. His voice had softened to match his expression, a hand partially reaching out towards Draco. "I do accept you for who you are, but... I'm left wondering if this really is who you are. I don't understand any of what's been going on, I'll admit that. This... I don't know. This life, this cult, this whatever you and your family are involved in... whatever's happened. I like you, even if I don't like the lies."

His hand came back up through his hair, gripping the strands tightly as he struggled with this whole thing. "No, it's not fair, but it's what I have to accept to accept you, then? Whatever this mess that's going on. I haven't told the others, you know. Nothing. Not a word. My sister kept my secret until I accidentally outed myself, and I'm not about to out yours, whichever way this goes."

"Because of the fact I can't explain, you only get a glimpse of who I am. I feel like all these secrets are suffocating me." Draco continued to explain in a careful, pained manner.

"You're the first person that I feel that I can be open to--what little I'm allowed to show.... Some how you managed to knock down all the barriers I had formed over the years in the few times we've met. That's not an easy thing to do. Those goons you saw never would have have seen any of this tonight. They think they know me, but they really don't."

"But why can't you tell me? Because I'm not well off? Not in your class? Is this some weird cult thing? Just... give me a reason that I shouldnt know. Something I can understand. If it's the mafia, a cult, whatever. I just need something I can work with and... I'll go from there. You're one of a kind, Draco. It's not exactly like I let everyone in this close. Friends are one thing but..."

To hell with it. Jake suddenly stepped in and unless Draco stopped him, he would take the other's chin and tilt it up, touching their lips together.

---The kiss caught Draco by surprise and it showed briefly in his expression--only he didn't stop Jake. He could feel his heart pounding as he closed his eyes and found himself kissing Jake in return. The feelings he was feeling now were nothing that he had felt when he was with Pansy. He wasn't sure what it was and put that on the back burner now to try and figure out later. This night was becoming more confusing for the minute for him.

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