The Killing Kind ~Lucius Malfoy~

Reconciliation?

Alexis walked along the street, wiping her hands on her dark jeans, hoping to remove most of the blood that stained her palms. She looked at her hands, still tainted red. She sighed before walking into her house. 

Her eyes grew wide in surprise upon seeing Demetri and Lucius sitting on the sofa together. They each had a drink in hand. 

"Alexis," Lucius said, setting his drink down and standing. Alexis quickly shoved her hands in her coat pockets. "I was waiting for you." 

"Why?" Alexis's eyes darted to Demetri, pleading for help. 

"Last night must have been difficult for you," Lucius said quietly, not wanting to be overheard. 

"Draco isn't here," Demetri said, as if reading his mind. 

Alexis thought back to meeting his wife. "It's fine, Lucius. You should go." 

Lucius's brow furrowed. "You don't want me here?" 

"It's not that, I'm just busy today." 

"With?" 

Alexis looked at Demetri, her mind blank of excuses. 

"We were going to do some house cleaning," Demetri announced. 

Alexis narrowed her eyes at him. "Wait," she said, suddenly realizing what he had said earlier, "where's Draco?" 

"He had a work thing," Demetri explained. 

"Without you?" 

"It's fine, Lex." His voice was low and certain. Alexis nodded, trusting his judgment.

"Can we speak alone?" Lucius asked. 

"I'm just going to run to the washroom." Alexis left the room before he could answer.

She scrubbed her hands in the bathroom sink. She saw the door open through the mirror and jumped. 

"Relax, it's just me." Demetri entered, shutting the door behind him. 

"Why did you let him in?" Alexis asked, annoyed.

Demetri looked at her hands, took in the splatters of red on the porcelain sink. "He wouldn't take no for an answer." He rummaged in a cupboard. "Why is there so much blood on you?" 

"He put up a fight." Alexis took a new bar of soap from Demetri. "It was messy." 

Alexis lifted her hands, observing them. They were still tinted red, but she would have to accept that. Sighing, she turned off the tap. 

They found Lucius in the living room, looking at the two suspiciously. Demetri excused himself and went to the kitchen. 

"You two seem closer than usual," Lucius said, his tone flat and menacing. 

"We're friends," Alexis replied. "How many times do I have to tell you that?" Alexis sat beside him on the sofa. "Besides, I'm not the one who's married." 

"I didn't think you would ever run into her," he muttered. 

"Yes, well, I did." Alexis fidgeted with a button on her shirt. 

"Are you all right?" he asked, looking at her fidgeting hands. 

Alexis let her hand dropped, but remained silent. 

"I can imagine it was hard for you to see her." Lucius gazed at Alexis, however Alexis's eyes were glued to the wall, averting his gaze. "It won't happen again." 

"You don't know that." Alexis's voice sounded unfamiliar to her, it was small and fragile. 

Lucius grabbed her hand and Alexis finally met his gaze. "I will do whatever I can do prevent it from happening again." 

Alexis chewed her bottom lip, wanting to forget meeting Narcissa. She swallowed and sucked in a breath. "She's pretty." 

Lucius's grey eyes examined her face. "So are you." Alexis stared at their intertwined hands. "Love, what can I do?" 

Alexis didn't speak for a long moment, thinking carefully. "I will never be her." 

"I don't want you to be her," Lucius replied quickly, as if rehearsed. He grabbed her face, pulling her in. He kissed her lips softly. "I want you. I want all of you and only you. Please let that be enough." 

He kissed her more passionately and she allowed herself to lean into him. She knew they could never be together, she knew this would end in his death, but in this moment, she didn't care. She didn't want to think about the future and what she was destined to do. She kissed him back with more urgency. When the front door flew open, they broke apart, breathless and surprised. 

Draco walked through the door, the cold wind rushing past him. He closed it slowly, his eyes fixated on his father, his jaw set. 

"Draco," Lucius said. "I came to see if you would be home for Christmas. Your mother-" 

"Don't," Draco said, his face unmoving. 

Demetri walked into the room, taking in the scene. 

"Draco," Lucius stood and took a step toward his son, "I haven't been here long. I came to see you." 

"I'm not a boy anymore, father," Draco said. "Don't lie to me." 

"Draco, what are you talking about?" Lucius laughed softly. 

"Do you think I'm blind?" Draco asked, his bag falling from his shoulder. "I know what I saw." 

"Draco-" 

"It doesn't matter." Draco's eyes finally peeled off of Lucius and landed on Alexis, his gaze accusing. 

"Draco, you should go home for Christmas," Alexis said suddenly, the guilt overriding her rational thinking. 

"Lex," Demetri warned. 

"Please go home for Christmas," Alexis said, ignoring Demetri. 

Draco's emotionless eyes looked toward the stairs and he began making his way up to his room. They heard the door slam as they watched the place where Draco disappeared. 

"God dammit," Lucius muttered. He turned to look at Alexis. "I should go. Will you try to talk to him?" 

"Isn't that your job?" Demetri interrupted, clearly annoyed. "You're his father." 

"I'm not the one living with him," Lucius retorted.

"Why does that matter?" Demetri was angry, his brows furrowed. "Have you ever been there for him?" 

"He said it himself. He's not a little boy anymore." 

"That doesn't mean he doesn't need you," Demetri shot back. "I lost my dad when I was 10 and I would kill for a hug from him right now. Honestly, I'm not even sure if Draco is better off with you alive." 

"Demetri," Alexis said, "enough." 

Demetri shook his head. "You're a shit father." 

Lucius's chin tilted up and he glared at Demetri. "You might want to watch your tongue." 

"Or what?" Demetri said, almost with a laugh. "What could you possibly threaten me with? My life? Take it, it's yours." 

"Stop," Alexis tried again, both men seemingly oblivious to her. 

"I know what is most precious to you," Lucius said and Demetri squinted at him as if taunting him. "I'm not an idiot. I see the way you look at her, the way you try to protect her." 

"Are you threatening to take Alexis's life?" Demetri asked furiously. 

"Of course not," Lucius said, a wicked smile appearing on his face. "I don't need to take what's already mine." 

"She doesn't belong to you!" Demetri shot back. 

"Will you two shut up!?" Alexis shouted, their attention finally on her. "Lucius, I think you should go." 

Lucius looked at her and nodded. He took a step toward her and kissed her intensely, before walking out the door. Alexis refused to look at Demetri.