The Killing Kind ~Lucius Malfoy~

Christmas

Alexis walked into her house, snowflakes dusting her hair. Tears streamed down her face. She didn't know what to do or how to process what she had learned. Disbelief clouded her mind, she felt unable to think clearly. 

Demetri stood up quickly from his place on the sofa.

"Lex, what's wrong?" 

She looked at him briefly, her eyes filling with fresh tears at the sight of his concern. She raced by him to the kitchen, poured herself a drink as he followed her inside. She downed it in one quick gulp and poured herself a second, then a third, then a fourth. 

At this point, Demetri held the bottle. She tried grabbing it from him but he held it slightly out of reach. 

"Please," she begged, her tears hot on her face. 

"Lex, talk to me." His voice sounded broken, ringing with worry. "What happened?" 

Alexis's shoulders shook with repressed sobs. Her body begged to let out the sorrow, her voice threatened to betray her. She couldn't stop the next sob that rose, breaking free from her throat like a caged bird. Her entire body shook with her cries.

Demetri set the bottle down and wrapped her in his large arms. Alexis let him carry her weight, tired of holding herself up. She cried into his chest, her screams muffled by his sweater. They stayed like that for minutes as Alexis voided herself of her grief. He held her tightly until her cries calmed and her body stopped shaking. She held onto his sweater, her face buried into his chest. 

"It was all a lie," she said, her voice hoarse. 

"What was, Lex?" Demetri's tone was soft and comforting. He rubbed small circles into her back as he swallowed his own sorrow at seeing her like this.

"My parents," she eventually choked out. "Their life was a lie. Everything I knew about them, a lie." 

Demetri rested his chin on the top of her head, holding her up with ease. "Lex, I still don't know what you mean." 

There was a long pause before Alexis spoke, and when she did, her voice was hushed, as if she was telling a secret. "They were Death Eaters." 

Demetri's hand paused on her back as he took in this information. He continued his movements as he heard her soft cries. As a million questions sprang to his mind, he pushed them all away to make room for the most important one. 

"Are you okay?" He regretted asking it, of course she wasn't okay. 

Her shaking shoulders answered for her as her cries grew in intensity. 

"I'm so sorry, Lex." 

Demetri woke up first. He lay awkwardly on the couch, his neck and shoulders stiff from sleeping in an uncomfortable position. He looked over at Alexis on the other side of the couch as her eyes fluttered open. They were red and puffy from the on-and-off crying during the night. She didn't want to go to bed and he didn't want to leave her alone. 

Alexis sat up and stretched. Demetri watched her cautiously, ready to comfort her if she needed it. 

"You don't have to watch me like that," she said without looking at him.

"I'm not doing anything." 

She shot him an unconvinced glare. "I'm not some emotional bomb that's going to go off at any minute. I think I got most of it out of my system." 

"It's all right if you didn't," Demetri said. "You're allowed to be upset." 

Alexis didn't reply. 

"Happy Christmas, Lex." 

Alexis turned to look at him. She had forgotten it was Christmas. "Happy Christmas." 

"I'll make us breakfast." 

Demetri was out the door before she could tell him she wasn't hungry. 

He came back after 40 minutes with a large tray filled with breakfast items. There were pancakes, baked beans, bacon, toast, tomatoes, and more. Alexis's stomach gurgled at the sight and she realized that she was very hungry. 

They ate until they couldn't stomach any more. Demetri left with the tray. 

Alexis reached for her bag, withdrawing a small present wrapped in brown paper. When Demetri came back, she tossed it into his lap. 

"What's this?" he asked, turning the present over in his hands. 

"Just a small present," she answered, sipping on a coffee. 

He grinned as he began unwrapping it. It was a book on Legilimency. 

Demetri ran his hand over the leather cover. "Thanks, Lex." 

Alexis shrugged. 

Demetri opened the front cover. "Hey, you wrote something in it." 

"It's no big deal," Alexis quickly brushed it off. "Just please don't read it out-" 

"'Demetri,'" Demetri began reading the inscription and Alexis rolled her eyes. "'I hope you find a use for this book. I saw in a shop and it made me think of you. I tried reading some of it, but I didn't understand a thing. I'm sure your intelligent self will be able to make sense of it. Thanks for always being there for me. Love, Alexis.'" Demetri looked up and smiled. "Lex, you big softy."

"Shut up," she said, trying to stop herself from smiling. 

"I have something for you too." Demetri reached into his pocket and withdrew a small box with a bow on it. 

Alexis took the box from him, removing the lid carefully. She removed the small piece of fabric that hid the gift from view and unveiled a locket. She reached for the chain, removing it from the box. The locket was large and oval, made from obsidian. A silver 'A' was carved on the front. She opened the locket. A small photo of Demetri looked up at her, smiling and waving as he moved in the picture. Alexis laughed at the broad smile on his face. On the other side of the locket, carved in elegant letters, read: 'My family'. 

Tears sprang to Alexis's eyes as she read and reread the words etched onto the locket. She ran her thumb over the soft material, biting her lip to contain her emotion. 

Demetri rubbed at the back of his neck. "Just so you always remember that you do have a family." 

Alexis closed the locket. "I-" she choked on her words, unable to speak through the emotion that she felt. 

"You don't have to say anything," Demetri said, his eyes glossy. "Just remember..." 

"I will," Alexis managed to croak out. 

She looked down at the locket. She wanted to tell him how much this meant to her but she let the silence speak for her.