Bad Romance

Chapter 113

Chapter 113: You Ache For Things You Don't Understand

Rabastan sat on the top step of the manor for some time with his head in his hands. He wasn't exactly thinking, more like just sitting and feeling dull and vaguely empty. Or perhaps it was just that he had to piss. With a sigh, he heaved himself to his feet and headed inside, hoping Bella and Rod wouldn't be awake and about to ask how his date had gone. For once he just wasn't in the mood to talk. He was closing the front door behind him when the crack of someone Apparating right outside reached his ears. Who the fuck could that be? Hopefully no one he'd have trouble dealing with while a bit drunk. Probably just Lyra returning from an evening out with her little friends, he realized, pushing the door open again.

Parvati stood there, hand raised to knock. Her frown turned into an angry glare when she saw Rabastan. "Just the wizard I was looking for," she spat. "What the fuck was that about back at the Glass Slipper?"

He sighed, blinking in confusion. "You are here," he said flatly. "Why?"

Parvati shook her head. "I am here because I deserve answers, obviously! First you're talking a second date, then you're leaving me to Apparate myself home! That was really rude, by the way. I stupidly thought you had a bit more class than that."

Rabastan frowned. "I asked if you were good to Apparate home. I was being gentlemanly enough to make sure you didn't need help. If I had taken you, I may not have remained gentlemanly."

He couldn't believe he was having to explain this shit. He did the thing he thought was right, and she was angry? What the actual fuck! For once he'd tried to be the good guy and that hadn't paid off worth shit.

Parvati shook her head incredulously. "You really thought that was being gentlemanly?"

"I... Yeah, considering what I could've done, yeah. I made sure you were safe, and trust me you were safer without me."

Parvati gave him a look that managed to mix exasperated and disgusted quite nicely. "I thought we were really connecting! I was wrong?"

"We were connecting," Rabastan said, frowning. "Then I scared you. I realized that we couldn't work even casually. And don't ask me why because that is also obvious."

"When did you scare me? Because I don't scare easily, and I don't recall you doing anything in the least scary," Parvati said. The look she gave him on that last line was sultry enough to have his prick twitching in his pants.

"Have you lost your mind? I scared you when I pulled your hair and...whatever."

Why the fuck were they having this conversation? He scuffed his boot on the doormat as he looked away. This right here was uncomfortable and the faster it was over the better, as far as he was concerned.

Parvati paused to blink incredulously before bursting into laughter. "You thought you scared me? That's how...you...th-think...I'd act when scared?" she managed through bursts of laughter.

By this point she was doubled over, pounding her slender thighs with her palms, her long dark hair spilling over her face as she laughed. Rabastan had to admit, it was hot. She looked really hot.

"Dude, I had a cramp in my leg! I suppose that's what I get for dancing in heels then winding said leg around your hips like that. And you got all bent out of shape over a cr...cra...cramp!"

She fell prey to another bout of hilarity then and all words stopped. It was Rabastan's turn to blink, but unlike Parvati, he did not burst into laughter. She'd had a cramp? She'd had a cramp, and he'd overreacted like your average crazy bastard, hadn't he? He was just about to consider feeling stupid and apologizing and perhaps even having a laugh as well when he realized that it didn't really matter. This time had been a rather amusing misunderstanding, he had to admit. Next time would not be, however. Next time, Parvati would wish to be leagues away from him and who he really was.

And next time would most definitely come sooner than later, because they were just too bloody different for any long term or deep socialization. He'd really just wanted to hit it and roll, but discovering that he really liked her made the concept more difficult to enjoy.

"You shouldn't have followed me home," he said flatly.

"I didn't, exactly. I went to Gellert's and asked for your address."

Rabastan opened his mouth to ask exactly what she'd told Grindelwald and shut it again. He didn't really give a fuck. His choice was still made, so that hardly mattered. If there were complications with Grindel, he'd just have to deal with them later. Instead he asked, "Wasn't he sleeping? I'm sure he loved getting that late night visit."

Parvati gave a dry smirk. "He was, and he did not."

Rabastan just stood staring at her for a moment, not knowing what to say that would get her out of there without being hurtful.

"While I am glad that I did not frighten you, I think it was still a good idea to stop when we did," he said at last. "You are...I like you a fuck of a lot, and I don't want to hurt you or cause you problems, so we're ending this now... Right here. It was fun, though. Thanks for going out with me."

Parvati blinked, then frowned darkly. "The last guy who gave me the 'I really like you and don't want to hurt you' speech ended up being gay with Gellert Grindelwald. Are you gay then?"

Rabastan choked. "Fuck no! I mean, I guess there's nothing wrong with that. It's just really wrong for me."

Parvati's lips twitched. "No, there isn't and that's good to hear."

She stepped closer, dark eyes intense and determined on his own. Soft light spilled out from the open front door, bathing her dark features in a way Rabastan found distracting. She was a bit raven-like herself, wasn't she? But no...not truly. She could never rule over death as true ravens did, and she could never thrive on being top bird as it were. No magical predator was she. She would never understand the thrill of putting a Muggle, or weaker wizard, in their place. She just didn't have it in her, and that was alright, but would never work in his fucking world!

"Why are you rejecting me," she asked. "If you like me, why not kindly allow me to make up my own mind on the matter of who I choose to date?"

"Because I know myself and you do not," Rabastan explained as patiently as he could. "You seem to have this impression that you can roll, but you have no fucking idea what you're getting into. You do not understand my world, yet you appear to want to play in it."

"I'll figure it out as I go along," she said.

Instead of going home as he'd intended, she fucking stepped closer! What the fuck?

"If I'm wrong, it's on me, Rabastan, not you." She was so close now.

"You can't handle..." he began, but she'd dragged his head down and was hungrily kissing him.

"Shut up," she murmured against his mouth, and that was it.

Her closeness was intoxicating, or at least it mixed well with the drinks he'd had, and there was no more fighting. He'd tried, damn it! For fucking once, he'd tried to be the good guy for a minute, and well...see how that had worked out? Nearly without thinking, he was scooping her up into his arms and kicking the front door shut. Carrying her upstairs, hungrily returning her kisses all the while, he went directly to his bedchamber. By the time they were inside with the door closed behind them, she already had his shirt most of the way off. Fuck! Her hands on his skin felt very good.

He devoured her mouth as he quite literally tore her dress off. It had to go, and it couldn't do so fast enough. She made short work of his pants as they fell to the bed together. There were no niceties. Their passion was demanding and there was no time for that. He was inside of her, thrusting as their mouths tangled, moans of frantic need wrung from both as they clashed together like repetitive ocean waves. It was hot... and so fucking necessary!

"More," she gasped, throwing her head back. "Oh, gods, Rabastan... Harder... Harder! Yes, like that."

His only response was a low guttural growl of satisfaction as he thrust within her. It was quite literally all he could manage. She was so delicious. This was unfortunately going to be addictive, and he didn't even care. She ached for things she didn't understand, and he'd tried. He really had tried to push her away. Her body suddenly clenched around him as she screamed out her pleasure, nails digging into his hips as he spilled his own release.