The friend is the man who knows all about you...

[rule_britannia]

WHO: Arthur Kirkland, Greg Lestrade
TONE: Let's go with friendly.
RATING: G
WHEN: Sunday 12th August
WHERE: London
WHAT: Arthur meets up with Greg to get away from his family for a while.
STATUS: Ongoing.

It was Sunday morning, and amidst the bustling London morning a teenager with scruffy blond hair and thick eyebrows hurried out of a hotel, a backpack slung over one shoulder. Never hurt to be prepared. He looked back, scowled, and rubbed his arm, before descending the steps towards the street and glancing down to check his watch.

"Half eight," he muttered to himself. "Bloody hellish time. Why did I agree to this?"

Another twinge in his arm reminded him, and he frowned again, moving down to the pavement and putting himself out of sight of the front of the hotel to wait for Greg. Everything had already been cleared with his mother, who was just glad he had some friends that he wanted to spend time with, and he'd managed to avoid his brothers' questionings with only a punch on the arm for his trouble.

He perched on a wall outside the hotel and watched the people passing by as he waited, kicking his heels against the dusty brick.

Comments

[di_intraining]

[There's a small quirk of his lips, twitching upwards to form a small smile.]

I'm just being honest here.

[Looking left and right to ensure there wasn't anyone in earshot, Greg lowers his voice and leans forward.]

Seriously, the manager's a bit of an overbearing cow. I know I'm lucky to get the job, but honestly? I can't wait for my last day of work here.

[rule_britannia]

[He leans forwards in turn to hear what the other says, lowering his cup to the table. There's a crooked grin, and he nods]

You want to join the police or something, don't you? I'm sure you mentioned that once.

[Probably more than once, but as well as being the King of Losing Things, Arthur is also the King of Forgetting Things]

[di_intraining]

[Greg nods and sit back, crossing his arms again.]

Yeah. I'm still thinking on it. Either the local force or the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Not too sure which on which one just yet.

[rule_britannia]

[Arthur sits back, and taps his fingertips idly against the table]

I don't know how Wizarding qualifications translate into Muggle ones. If they do at all.

[di_intraining]

Me neither; guess we're in the same boat then.

[He sighs.]

I've always wanted to be a cop, ever since I was little. I mean, I could still do something like that on the Wizard side of things, I guess, and I am seriously considering it. Just...you know, my Dad.

[rule_britannia]

He's still not completely on board with the whole magical thing, huh.

[Arthur frowns, and spears the last morsel of his meal with his fork, popping it into his mouth and making a quiet, thoughtful noise. He swallows, sets his knife and fork down together, pushes his plate away an inch, and sighs]

You'd think, after all this time..

[di_intraining]

Yeah. He's pretty set in his ways; it's hard to change his mind. He still thinks that I shouldn't be a wizard.

[rule_britannia]

It isn't as if you can decide to not be a wizard. What a load of rubbish.

[di_intraining]

That's what they tried to tell him, when they first came with my letter. He didn't buy it. Mum had a row with him over this though, and that's how I got into Hogwarts. She was worried I wouldn't be able to control my magic.

I don't really have the heart to tell Dad that the twins might be magic users next. He might just have a heart attack.

[rule_britannia]

Bloody Muggles.

[Pause.. Oops, there's a little of the Pureblood bias coming out, there]

... Er. No offence, Greg.

[di_intraining]

[Bad move Arthur. Greg's eyes narrow at that comment; he knows Arthur, knows that he doesn't think any less of him for being Muggle born. Still, it hurt a little to hear his friend say something like that.]

I'd like to say none taken, but I'm afraid that would be a bit of a lie now, wouldn't it.

[rule_britannia]

[Wince. He continues tapping his fingers, a little more quickly to display his anxiety]

Ah.. look, sorry, you know I don't mean it like that.

[He rubs two fingers against his temple. Half his family is half-blood or Muggle-born, and he's inwardly kicking himself]

It's just.. you have a gift. I will never understand why he can't be proud of that.

[di_intraining]

[His hand on the table tenses slightly, almost as if he was about to clench it, before he sighs and relaxes.]

I know you don't mate. Sorry.

Dad's an old-fashioned sort; he thinks I should've stuck to Muggle school and tried for the police academy. He sticks to what he's seen that works. It's not that he isn't proud but...he just doesn't trust magic because he's not used to it.

[rule_britannia]

[Arthur nods, but a small frown draws a line between his eyebrows]

I.. guess I can understand that. Sort of. But he's not going to understand it any better by having you ignoring the fact that you can do it.

[di_intraining]

Doesn't see a need to understand it, because he doesn't see a need for me to use it.

[rule_britannia]

[He taps the tips of his fingers against the side of his teacup and frowns]

I don't suppose there's anything to be done to change his mind.

[di_intraining]

He'll take his opinions with him to the grave.

Hopefully your dad isn't as pigheaded as mine can be.

[rule_britannia]

Not about magic, no..

But he doesn't pay that much attention to me. He hasn't since I was a child.

[di_intraining]

Neither has my dad, but he's got his reasons. He works hard to make sure there's enough for all of us.

[rule_britannia]

[There's a small nod, and a tiny, somewhat forced smile]

My father.. Well. He works hard too, but that's not why he has no time for me. I.. I've never told you this, but.. I haven't told anyone. Bruce doesn't even know.

[He sighs]

I was almost written off as a squib when I was younger.

[di_intraining]

...oh.

Is that a bad thing? I mean, squibs happen right?

[rule_britannia]

Sure, they happen.. but it's..

[He rubs one thumb against his temple]

It's never happened before. Not in my family. I already look different enough from all of them. He was accusing my mother of having a bloody affair because I obviously couldn't be his fucking son when I don't have the same hair colour as my brothers or parents and show absolutely no magical tendencies whatsoever. It was embarrassing for him to potentially have squib for a son.

[Arthur slumps back a little in his seat. His voice had dropped as if trying to resist the urge to shout]

Spent my whole sodding life trying to show him I can be just as good as them but I refuse to go sniffing about his heels for scraps of attention whenever he decides to grace us with his presence.

[He pauses, frowns again]

.. Sorry. I got a little ahead of myself there. You didn't need to know all of that.