it's raining stars -Chord-

[RASMUS BLACKEBERG]

Rasmus had never once been to a formal dance in his life, he had simply never had the opportunity to, nor any reason. These kind of things had only existed in the books Rasmus had read and movies he had seen as a child. Fairy tales that Maja had loved so much. Then again, once, magic had only existed in those tales as well.

He had spent nearly an hour in the dormitory, fiddling with his hair and smoothing down his jacket, eyeing his appearance in the mirror with a distinctly odd sort of feeling in the pit of his stomach. It had been very hard not to remember, whilst staring into the mirror reflection of himself, the last time he had worn this suit.

He would not have resorted to it, if it were not the most formal outfit (and only suit) he had owned. Rasmus supposed he could have asked his uncle if he could find him something, but the blonde was against asking his uncle for much. Even though Rasmus knew he would have most likely helped him, it had just never felt right asking him for things and he tried not to do it often.

So he had ended up owling his uncles home for the suit he had worn to Maja's funeral. Instead of wearing the black tie his uncle had sent along with it, however, Rasmus had paired the suit with a new tie, one with a striped pattern of a lustrous, warm gold and black (a nod to his house colors).

He had grown a little taller, so he had charmed his pants and jacket to a well tailored look that gave the suit a sense of being more intentional. Rasmus had even trimmed his hair so it now now framed his face in soft, groomed-looking golden waves.

He would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous even if he was now presentable and dressed for the occasion. As he waited for Chord in their allotted meeting space his cerulean gaze shifted anxiously between students, all shiny and dressed up . Leaning against the banister he sighed and looked down at his thumbs.

It wasn't that Chord was late, but now that it was exactly when they had said they would meet, the minutes seemed to drag on much longer.

[CHORD D'ANTOINE]

Chord had spent more time preparing for this dance than he cared to admit. It had all started the day he had asked Rasmus to accompany him. After leaving the Three Broomsticks, he'd went straight to get himself some new dress-robes. Though, he hadn't liked any of the designs they had, so he'd commissioned some custom made ones with expensive silk from China. And now here he stood, decked from head to toe in black. He didn't wear a suit or dress robes resembling such- but he wasn't wearing one of those frilly dresses the girls did, either.

The silk robes draped over his form, and sheer material clung to his shoulders and arms to compliment the shiny texture and give it more depth. He was the very image of a pureblood wizard- no hint of muggle fashion was evident in his robe choice. He wore no make-up, but why should he? He was a boy, and he didn't need it no matter how feminine he looked. And his hair- he wore it tied back loosely with a simple black ribbon. The white blonde curls framed his face and lay on his shoulder. His boots clicked against the marble floor as he made his way into the Entrance Hall.

When he saw Rasmus, the reality of the situation dawned on him. The boy wore a muggle suit- as many muggleborns did. It wasn't as if no one would be able to tell that Chord d'Antoine had chosen to attend with someone "of less stature." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Why was he doing this? Why was he willing to sacrifice his entire status in Slytherin House for this one dance? Rasmus had said it was a date, but what if he was just saying so because of his veela blood? What if he didn't mean any of it? What if he was secretly trying to bring Chord down...

No. These thoughts were his family's. Not his own. When he opened his eyes, he started to step forward once more, ignoring the polite hellos and "you like nice"s from other Slytherin house members. He stopped beside Rasmus and tapped his shoulder. There was nothing he could do now but wait for the other boy to recognize him, and then it would be time to enter the dance together for everyone to see. He hoped that he was making the right decision. He hoped that his heart was in the right place and wouldn't betray him in the last minute, because his head was screaming that this was wrong and only pain could come from it.

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TAG - Rasmus
WORDS - 536
SONG - None
MUSE - Great!
NOTES - <3
CREDIT made by flyy~

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[RASMUS BLACKEBERG]

Rasmus hadn't felt too out of place in his muggle attire, seeing as how a good many of the students were wearing the same, if not similar outfits. However when Chord appeared at the top of the stairs he suddenly felt distinctly foreign. The blonde looked up, taking in the sight of the other boy in full, stately, wizarding robes and sensed something inside falter. It was suddenly quite obvious, in clear almost painful detail that he and Chord weren't from the same world despite existing here in the median between the two.

For Rasmus it was like straddling two different hemispheres, he would never really belong in the muggle world, and judging by the political climate and the attitudes of the many of the pure-bloods he would never truly belong in the wizarding world either. Chord however....Chord had been born into this world and he was of this world, one look at him could tell you that. It was in everything about him, from the way he moved and spoke to his haughty attitude.

But Rasmus was stubborn, and even though this vision of Chord, exquisite as it was, was entirely daunting, he didn't care. Chord had agreed to go with him, they were friends. Rasmus was not naive enough to think that they would not be met with some disapproval, but he hoped that Chord valued his friendship as much as he did his.

Swallowing he took a step forward as the other reached the bottom of the steps, inclining his head towards his 'date'. However daunting this had felt the moment he saw Chord appear, it was now being steadily overshadowed by adolescent anxiety. This was a date, a date between him and Chord. Rasmus had been elated when it had first been set up, and now he was bright with nervous energy.

A warm smile curled across his features and he winked at Chord, "Well we're a bit of an odd couple." He said smoothly, a light tease in his voice, "You look very nice tonight Chord." He added seriously, the smile still in place. "People are going to be jealous of me." Rasmus clearly didn't give a damn what other people thought though, Chord wasn't leaving his sight tonight.

"Shall we?" He asked, holding out his arm toward the other boy.

[CHORD D'ANTOINE]

It wasn't as if he thought Rasmus didn't think about the fact that people would be looking at them- that they were an odd couple. No, muggleborn and pureblood couples weren't uncommon, but they weren't the standard, either. Then again, neither were Slytherins and Hufflepuffs. The houses rarely mixed well at all- Slytherins saw most Hufflepuffs as easy targets for their bullying. And Hufflepuffs considered Slytherins needlessly cruel and cut-throat.

But the more he thoughts about it, the more he realized he didn't care. He smiled at Rasmus's compliments and felt heat rise to his cheeks. Never before had he blushed at a compliment or cared about the fact another person found him beautiful. Yes, he always appreciated compliments, but never did he actually set out to try to please another person with his appearance as he had that night. He didn't realize that he was smiling at Rasmus, an expression of pure joy on his face.

"You clean up really well," he told the other. Who cared if he was wearing a muggle suit? He didn't think he'd seen Rasmus look more sophisticated, even if it was by muggle standards. He stepped forward and took Rasmus's arm so that they could walk into the Great Hall. He presented his invitation and let the statue of armor guarding the door know that Rasmus was his date.

This was a date, it was a real date. Each time the realization dawned on him, his gaze averted to the floor. He was very inexperienced in the world of dating. The thought made him feel a little light headed. He wasn't completely sure he was mentality prepared for this, and yet he knew that if he wasn't prepared now, he never would be. He could see that the dance was already quite lively, though not many people were on the dance floor.

"Do you know how to dance?" he asked Rasmus. What better way to defuse tension than to put himself and his date out there? If anyone was going to say anything, they could say it to his face. He would defend his choice of a date. He liked Rasmus... he actually, really liked him, and no one was going to ruin that for him.

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TAG - Rasmus
WORDS - 487
SONG - None
MUSE - Great!
NOTES - <3
CREDIT made by flyy~

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[RASMUS BLACKEBERG]

He ducked his head, deferring the compliment and smiling lightly. Rasmus couldn't put a finger on exactly when he'd started feeling more than just friendship for Chord, but it had evolved easily, naturally. It was a far cry from how he'd felt about the boy in his previous years. He and Chord had always seemed to be at opposite ends and no matter how calm and passive aggressive Rasmus had tried to be, his encounters with the boy had always itched unpleasantly at him.

Now however... Well, Rasmus still thought Chord could be infuriating and frustrating, but he really cared about him and he had seen through those shields the boy had built around himself, even if were for only brief glimpses at a time.

Rasmus had never actually imagined himself with another male, but he had always had a very open view towards relationships. It did not matter to him that Chord was male, nor had he been worried about how other people would react, frankly Rasmus didn't care. The far more pressing issue was the political climate and the differences in their blood status. Rasmus, like many other astute muggle-borns, were beginning to feel uneasy with the direction of peoples talk and the laws that seemed to slip surreptitiously through the ministry. Change was coming, and he was not sure if it would be for the better or for the worse.

Walking through the entrance to the Great Hall never failed to illicit a sense of wonderment from the Hufflepuff, but tonight especially the Great Hall glittered like a gem. He looked up into the enchanted ceiling to watch the stars shimmer overheard. "This is impressive..." Rasmus murmured appreciatively turning to look at Chord.

He was not oblivious to the looks they had received when walking in, he knew the majority of the school did not care about them in the slightest, but there were gazes received from some that were less than friendly. Rasmus ignored them, "I know how to dance." He said, grinning, "Why are you asking me?"

He took a step back and held out a hand, "Let me beat you to it then," The blonde dipped forward, in a lighthearted little bow, "Care to join me on the Dance floor Mr. d'Antoine?"

[CHORD D'ANTOINE]

Chord sincerely doubted that his family would care whether or not he was with a male. With his veela blood, it was almost as if it was expected. While the rest of the wizarding world might have seen homosexuality as unusual in of itself, the fact that he, a pureblood, liked a muggleborn meant that the focus would be on blood status first and sexuality second.

If his parents had their way, he knew they would have found him a nice pureblooded wife. And if not a wife, then at least a nice, pureblooded husband that he could settle down with- perhaps creating a child of pureblood line through magical means. But no. He was defying both of their preferences in favor of what? A fling? He didn't know what exactly he was supposed to call the relationship between Rasmus and himself.

Certainly, they weren't official. They were still just friends- friends who were attending the ball together. But, it was a date. And, he liked Rasmus, and in Chord's mind, they were at least exclusive during this time. He sneered at a few girls who were gossiping- whether it was about them or not, he didn't care. His frustration had to manifest in some way, and he knew that if he didn't give into the sneers and eyerolls, he would end up turning his frustration on Rasmus.

"Wh-what!?" he looked alarmed, but immediately blushed when he realized he'd overreacted to the exact question he'd been hoping to be asked. He averted his eyes and mumbled an inaudible apology. "I'd love to," he shot the girls another nasty look before taking Rasmus's hand and following him out onto the dance floor. Instead of focusing on all of the negative thoughts, he was going to focus on his time with his date. He was going to let whatever happen... happen. He just hoped that he was making the right decision, because his head was screaming that this was all a bad idea. And yet his heart had never felt happier.

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TAG - Rasmus
WORDS - 438
SONG - None
MUSE - Great!
NOTES - <3
CREDIT made by flyy~

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[RASMUS BLACKEBERG]

At the boys acceptance of his offer to dance, Rasmus smiled, sweeping them both out onto the dancefloor with the other couples and putting his arm on Chord's waist. He noticed they were receiving some attention, but when his gaze caught a group of frowning Slytherins he gave them a wink and drifted towards the opposite side of the room.

He wasn't a horrible dancer after-all, if Chord had been worried about that, in fact he even seemed to know what he was doing. A little confidence did wonders for making people seem much more knowledgeable and experienced than they really are.

His blue gaze flickered back to the other boy and he snorted softly, a grin tugging at his lips, "Be careful or your face might freeze that way." He murmured, eyes bright with amusement. Truly the expression Chord had been giving those girls was incredibly scathing. It looked as though he had something foul under his nose.

They moved along the floor to the music, rather gracefully save for the few times Rasmus missed a step or narrowly avoided crunching on the other blonde's toe. After a while things had become fluid, as though the background was fading around them into nothing but wisps and swirls of color. There was a certain elation building in his chest, enjoying the warmth of the other boy and the lavender scent he could catch every now coming from his direction. The stares and whispers that had seemed so obvious to him before were gone and Rasmus wondered whether it was because of the dancing, or if the students had decided they had better things to talk about.

"Do you go to these things often?" He asked, after they had glided in silence for a time, "You seem to know the protocol."

[CHORD D'ANTOINE]

He was pleasantly surprised that Rasmus knew how to dance. He followed into the other boy's lead easily, though he still seemed quite distracted by all of the eyes on them. More so, he was still letting those girls bother him, and it wasn't until Rasmus pointed it out that he realized he had been scowling in their direction.

If he wasn't going to let prejudice spoil his night, why should he let jealousy? He sighed, reluctant to admit Rasmus was right, but he tore his gaze away from them and focused on the boy in front of him.

Rasmus really did look dashing. There was something about the Hufflepuff he felt drawn to, and he couldn't place his finger on it. The boy frustrated him and got under his skin. He made him act and feel like he hadn't before. He had once been enemies with him not over a year ago, but ever since that day the professors had assigned them the Forbidden Forest detention, something had changed, and it seemed that fate was trying to bring them together.

Chord was a strong believer in destiny and fate. He should know, he had the sight- Professor Laksmi had told him she thought he possessed the ability. Of course, having the sight and making a prophecy were two very different things. It was one thing to read into a person's life, but to read into society as a whole was a completely different matter. Many of those who possessed the sight were not true seers. He wondered what would happen if he looked into his own life, however. It was advised to never read one's own fortune, and he never would... he never allowed anyone else to, either.

And the last thing he wanted to know was where his relationship with Rasmus was headed. What would come of this date? His grip on Rasmus's shoulder and hand tightened, and he looked into the other's eyes, searching for something. He wondered, after what a horrible person he'd been, if Rasmus truly did see something in him.

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TAG - Rasmus
WORDS - 441
SONG - Standing Ovation -- Blush
MUSE - Great!
NOTES - <3
CREDIT made by flyy~

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[RASMUS BLACKEBERG]

Chord seemed lost in his own thoughts, so much so that he hadn't answered Rasmus' question. For a while the blonde just let it be, an arm on Chord's shoulder and one on his waist, letting their feet carry them languidly across the stone floor which seemed to have been polished for the night and gleamed like the glassy surface of the black lake.

Rasmus had long since lost interest in the crowd around them, though he did notice attentions turning elsewhere as a Gryffindor and Slytherin walked in together. He reflected on the hypocrisy of the house system for a moment, knowing that it was wrong to be surprised that two people from different houses were friends much less attending a dance together. He wasn't sure why such a system that seemed to do nothing more than promote separation and judgement was in place when the professors always talked of unity and friendship.

His gaze flit back to the blonde, silvery light from the hall dusting across the top of his head and making him look almost as though he was glowing. Rasmus smiled a bit and watched those eyes that seemed so distant finally focus back on him as Rasmus spoke, bringing him back to earth. "Well judging by the way you dance I suppose you have had a little practice."

[CHORD D'ANTOINE]

Finally, Chord seemed to snap out of his daze. He realized that Rasmus had been talking, and he hadn't even registered a word he'd been saying. But yet, he somehow knew exactly what they were talking about. He found his steps starting to slow, and he once more began to speak. "Well, yes... I suppose I am accustomed to it," he gave Rasmus a hint of a smile. "But you aren't as bad as I thought you would be- you're actually quite good. Where did you learn how to dance?"

He finally realized he was coming to a stop on the dance floor, so he took the Hufflepuff's hand and began to tug him- indicating that he was ready to leave the dance floor for the time being. There were too many others dancing now, and he had made his scene. His family would hear of this soon enough, and then what?

Chord had seen his cousin exit the gardens just moments before hand with the head boy of the school, and he wasn't surprised. The albino girl had always given him the chills, and he didn't consider himself an easily scared person. There was just something unnerving about the way she seemed to care for no one- Chord may not have been a nice person. He may have been a mean person. But he had emotions.

Luckily, it would seem that the gardens were now unoccupied, and he was growing weary of so many eyes on them. "Come to the gardens with me?" if he was right, it would be beautiful this time of night.

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TAG - Rasmus
WORDS - 366
SONG - None
MUSE - Great!
NOTES - <3
CREDIT made by flyy~

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[RASMUS BLACKEBERG]

He smiled faintly at the question, pausing with the music before directing them along the edge of the dance-floor. "My sister taught me actually." He said softly, "She had to stay indoors quite a lot and she would constantly watch these old black and white movies...er those are like...moving pictures that talk and tell stories...well she was really observant and she picked up on this kind of stuff easily. So during the summer she would teach me, because she said it was much more fun with a partner. I didn't like it much, but I humored her, I always felt guilty about leaving her alone for so long." He trailed off, not realizing he had been referring to Maja in a past tense. It still didn't really feel like she was gone, not while he was here at Hogwarts. He was accustomed to being without her while at school, it wouldn't really have time to sink in until he returned back to London and his uncles empty townhouse.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts of his sister, wondering momentarily why he kept straying to her now when his focus should be on Chord and the dance. The Great Hall was absolutely beautiful and everyone looked so different in their formal clothes that it almost felt like a different place altogether.

He was grateful when Chord suggested a walk and he nodded, giving the blonde a bright smile, "Would you like me to get you a drink?" He asked, not minding the idea of a little something to sip on outside.

At the confirmation he stole over to a table where glasses were filling themselves with a sweet smelling drink that glistened like honey in the crystalline glass. Taking two, he returned to Chord and offered him one, taking his arm as they made their way outside where the air was much cooler.

"More people than I thought would be here." He mused, taking a sip, not disappointed in the flavor of the liquor, it was almost wine but not as dry and instead of making him thirstier it seemed to coat his throat with the most pleasant of sensations. Elderflower Elf-made wine of course, but Rasmus wouldn't have known that.

"I'm willing to bet that some people have snuck in without permission." He grinned conspiratorially, "I'm glad you asked me to tag along, makes it much easier for me, not having to sneak in and all that."

[CHORD D'ANTOINE]

The story about Rasmus's sister did make sense to him. Girls, even though of a less wealthy background, seemed to enjoy ballroom dancing much more than boys did. Even Chord had grown bored of it, but that was simply due to the fact he had never been interested in much of anything save for his divination work.

He accepted Rasmus's offer for a drink and patiently waited on his return before they ventured out into the gardens. They didn't speak much, and Chord sipped on his drink, enjoying the flavor of it. He had to admit, it was a strange thing attending the dance with the Hufflepuff boy. Disregarding his house's and family's feelings on the matter, there was the simple fact that Chord d'Antoine did not allow himself to become attached so deeply to another person. He hadn't realized he had done so until he had begun to dwell on the thought that Rasmus might not even show up for the dance. Had he come to value his opinion that much?

A smile threatened to break his cold facade- the corners of his lips twitched upwards, but it was brief. He controlled his emotions as he always did, even now. "I wanted you to be here... with me," the Slytherin boy trailed off, not really thinking about what he was saying as he spoke. He probably didn't even realize that he had just confessed that he had desired Rasmus's company not simply as an escort, but as a friend and possibly something more.

This dance was supposed to be a date, but Chord didn't know how dates were supposed to go. He knew the basics- and their joined arms were as good as holding hands to him. They had shared a dance in front of some of the student body. They had done everything except, well, kiss. Were kisses required on a date? Were they expected? Did Rasmus expect it? Chord felt his mouth become dry at the thought, and he quickly sipped his drink to relieve the unpleasant feel.

Curiously, he turned his head up to Rasmus, trying to read his thoughts. Of course, Chord was no legilimens or mind-reader, but he was hoping that there was a hint on the boy's face about what he was supposed to do next. This would be the perfect opportunity if such an event were to arise, but perhaps it was too soon. What if he tried to kiss the other boy and was rejected? Was he really ready to make a big commitment such as that? Chord had never had his first kiss, and he didn't want to lose it for an unmemorable moment... or worse, one that might be his most terrible memory for years to come.

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TAG - Rasmus
WORDS - 570
SONG - None
MUSE - Great!
NOTES - <3
CREDIT made by flyy~

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[RASMUS BLACKEBERG]

The night was cold. But it was the clear, crisp kind of cold that seemed to make the stars shine brighter and reflect off the thin layer of snow that had collected on the ground and atop the hedges and rosebushes. This kind of weather always seemed to have a kindling effect on Rasmus. He liked the cold, the way it seemed to permeate through everything and awaken the senses.

He took a deep breath and another sip of elderflower wine. For once his thoughts were not as muddled as the other boys. It was a good place to be, here at this dance he hadn't actually received an invitation to, accompanied by the first wizard he had ever met and subsequently the one person that at one time he never could have imagined being here with .

When Chord spoke it caught him slightly off guard and he looked down at the boy, softening slightly, but curious as to what he meant.

"You did?" He asked softly, looking down the bridge of Chord's nose until the other titled his face up towards him and Rasmus found himself watching those blue eyes, a shade that somehow seemed paler and more unyielding than his own. "Why is that...." He asked quietly, not realizing that his voice had dropped to an even murmur despite the fact that they were alone.

He was desperately curious as to what Chord was going to say, intent on the other boy, blue eyes unwavering. He knew what he wanted to hear him say, but Rasmus didn't think he'd quite gotten through all of the boys barriers yet. Chord was far too layered and too protective of himself, even after the time they spent together there were moments that Rasmus could feel him retreat back into himself. The precious few times he had been allowed to get close enough to see the vulnerable, ardently real Chord d'Antoine had been too short, mere wisps of a moment. A look in the eyes, a gesture, uncalculated speech.

He wondered how far he'd gotten, and he hung on Chord's words, waiting for his answer.

[CHORD D'ANTOINE]

It wasn't often that Chord was so forward. He preferred to keep his thoughts and feelings to himself. Not only was this consistent in his family's behavior, and yes, he had been raised to show no signs of weakness- and that included emotion. But more than anything, Chord d'Antoine was afraid of being hurt.

He didn't want to believe that Rasmus was capable of hurting him, but he knew the other boy was. It was too late now, even if he didn't let Rasmus know just how much of a hold he had over him. He trusted the boy. He had since the day he had taken him into the sky and not allowed him to fall. He was already too attached and too involved to cease caring about what Rasmus thought of him. He worried that if Rasmus found out the nature of the true him, he wouldn't like him anymore. The thought made his stomach do flips.

But Rasmus had asked him a question that, if he lied, it might do more damage than good. There was a reason Chord wasn't a Gryffindor. He wasn't very good at being brave in times like this. He wasn't fearless or headstrong (despite being stubborn). He was fighting against himself, trying not to tuck tail and run from it all.

"Because..." he faltered. It was clearly difficult for him to say, given the way that he was starting to shuffle in place, shifting his body around so that he wouldn't feel so awkward standing still. He looked up at the sky, his pale eyes glinting with unfallen tears. "Because I wanted everyone to know that I like you. I didn't want you going with anyone else. I didn't know what I'd do if you did."

If he didn't like him, he wouldn't have brought him to the dance, but saying it outloud was harder than he thought it was going to be. He wanted to die on the spot. He couldn't bear to look at Rasmus, and his eyes were darting around so that he could look at anywhere but. He assumed that Rasmus had already figured out his feelings. It wasn't as if he was always on his guard around the Hufflepuff boy. In fact, quite the opposite. He let glimpses of his true self shine through, something he never had done even with his own parents.

There was just something about Rasmus that drew him to the boy and made him feel safe and secure, and he didn't want to lose that, and now that he had admitted what was on his mind, he was afraid he would.

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TAG - Rasmus
WORDS - 558
SONG - None
MUSE - Great!
NOTES - <3
CREDIT made by flyy~

[/size][/blockquote]

[RASMUS BLACKEBERG]

He watched the barriers, the external hardness melt from the boys countenance and warmth spread from the very core of him down to his fingertips. This was him, the Chord Rasmus had been waiting to see all night. This wasn't the stately, indifferent person who had come down that staircase, practically glinting with all that cold beauty. This was someone else, someone warm and real who had fear and doubts and concerns, who laughed and listened and understood.

Rasmus stepped closer to the boy, placing a hand on his shoulder, daringly letting it trail upward to gently cup his cheek and tilt his face upward. "That's a pretty brave sentiment to use for someone like me." He said, but he was smiling knowingly. How long had he wished Chord would trust him like this? How long had he been wanting to hear him say these very words? Chord had been the one who had helped his put his life back together without even knowing it. Knowing he had someone counting on him and waiting to talk to him and share things with him had given him that sense of purpose he had lost when he had lost his sister.

His path was still shaky and unforeseen and Chord was still guarded and defensive, but they both were starting to unravel a bit, in the good sense. It seemed to Rasmus that what they had gotten what they had both needed to really direct their own lives, they had just needed to be shaken up a bit to realize it.

"And it's okay?" He asked, his voice softening in a way that brought out the often hidden lilt of a melodic accent brushing his words. Okay that he was a male, a muggleborn, incredibly poor in relation to the d'Antoine family?

It wasn't as though they were planning their futures together already, but Chord had to know the consequences of this for him, especially in these darkening times.

"Because none of it matters to me. You were my first friend, and in a way..." He smirked softly and gave the boy a pointed look that softened as soon as their blue eyes met, "My first enemy as well. I'm ready for whatever you decide to throw at me."