leo rook

He shrugged it off, knowing he already spoiled her. “Good cop, bad cop. He’s dad, so he’s bad cop.” Gabe nodded, understanding. “Yeah, I get that. It’s like you want to leave, but you can’t see yourself doing anything else, right? Kinda a never-ending loop.”

He slowly nodded, agreeing with Gabe as he spoke. “It’s weird how things turn out like that. The whole never-ending loop we swore we’d never end up in. Now look at us,” he chuckled. “At the end of the day, I love my job, but it’s brought a lot of bad into my life as well.” His thoughts drifted to Abigail and how he never would have lost her if he hadn’t chosen his profession. “Double-edged sword,” he paused. “What is it you do exactly?”

“Mhhm, I really did ffind the good one,” Marcie nodded at her brother’s words, smiling softly. “You think you have the same with Vic?” she asked, looking up at him. She was definitely sure that he’d found the right person when he’d found Abigail and she really wanted him to experience that feeling once again. “Back to double threat, since I quit, though,” she scrunched up her nose, not really wanting to think of her former job during her wedding.

“Not many out there, so I’m glad you got one,” Leo replied with a small smile. After a few moments of thinking he took in a deep breath and nodded. “I do. I feel really good about her. About us. The same gut feeling that I got with Abigail I have with her,” he admitted softly, his gaze resting on Vic when he saw her once more and the smile on his face grew. “Maybe it’s too soon to say anything, but I really think we’ll go the distance.” At Marcie’s next words, Leo’s brow rose. “You quit? Should I question further or wait until we’re back home? Not exactly a wedding conversation topic.”

“Mm,” he hummed in agreement, swirling his drink around in his glass. “I think I’ve made her even more needy for attention, so he might come after me for that soon,” he teased, setting his glass down. “Or a job change,” Gabe offered with a smirk. “I can imagine, though. You guys have dealt with a lot.”

“As if she wasn’t bad enough. You’re trying to kill both of us it seems,” Leo laughed and took his drink from the bartender once it was delivered and he thanked him. His attention then went back to Gabe, “if only it were that easy to leave. I’m a little attached to the gig, even with all the stress.” Not to mention it was the only way he could ever find his wife’s murderers. “Keeps getting worse, but we’ll figure it out. We always seem to anyway.”

»

♕ —- “I will because I’m right.” Victoire lifted her chin defiantly but she smiled nonetheless. “I know you will,” she said as she playfully rolled her eyes at him. She knew how he felt and she honestly didn’t mind. She smiled against his lips and reached up to gently grasp his chin as she gave him a gentle kiss. “I missed you too.”

Leo smiled against her lips as he rested a hand on her waist before he returned her kiss. “Why don’t we get a booth?” He suggested, his hand already seeking out hers to gently grab as he pulled back and stood to his feet. “I want to hear all about the creatures you’re working with. You said you got pictures of them, right?” He asked, his attention fully on her as he picked up her drink. 

Alastor chuckled, “You’re not wrong about that, mate,” he said. “But you can always blame them for it later. I mean, how are they supposed to learn if you’re not yelling at them when they screw shit up?” he mused. “So what held you up anyways?”

“It’s too much of a headache. I rather just drive myself mad then deal with it--” he waved his hand dismissively before he ordered himself a drink. “I thought I found a lead on Abigail’s murderer: turned out to be another dead end,” he shrugged. “I don’t know how something hasn’t popped up that actually could point us somewhere in the right direction.”

“How’s agreeing that I’m always right giving me a big head, Leo?” Marcie rolled her eyes playfully before she let out a laugh. She wrapped her arms around him, smiling at his question. “Still seems surreal to me. And I actually can’t believe how I used to say that marriage is a piece of paper and we don’t need it. And now look at me now,” she smiled as she looked up at him.

“I -- I don’t know, but I’m sure it worked somehow,” he smiled as he rested his hands on her waist and swayed with her. “I told you: once you find the right person it all falls into place. You found your person and he made it all real,” he smiled. “Now you’re a mother and wife. Not to mention a total badass in court. Triple threat.”

Jasper took a sip of his drink before rolling his eyes at Leo. “What? Can’t a guy want to meet up with his brother-in-law for a couple of drinks anymore?” he asked, shaking his head fondly. “I’ve not seen you since the wedding, was just about to check on you,” he teased. 

“Mm. I suppose he can, but you always seem to have some reasoning behind it: like dragging us off somewhere to get us in trouble,” he teased. “I can’t even remember the amount of times poor Abigail had to come and take care of our dumbasses.” Leo chuckled softly, “how’s my niece? I was going to ask to take her for the weekend soon. I miss the munchkin.”

Alastor leaned back on the bars stool, eyebrow raised. “You know you could just pawn all your paperwork off on an intern, right?” he mused, a smile gracing his lips. “That’s what I do, anyways.”

“The interns barely even know where the restrooms are: you want to trust that they can actually finish a report correctly?” He asked with a raised brow as he took a seat beside Alastor. “With my luck I’d get one who’s even worse than the rest.”

He laughed. “No. I’m not an alcoholic. Nowhere near it. That Firewhiskey stuff is absolute shit. I had to reorder.” Gabe leaned back in his seat as the other man slipped his jacket on the back of his chair. He smirked over at him, “We’re in the honeymoon phase. No judgement. I’m using my powers for evil while they still work. Besides I’ve been working from home a lot. I think he likes getting it done so no work comes home with Ava.” He reached for his drink. “Rough day?”

“It’s an acquired taste. I prefer the muggles version of whiskey: it goes down much smoother,” Leo smiled before he shook his head. “It makes sense to give her his full attention once he’s home, so it’s benefitting both of you: keep it up,” he chuckled and ordered himself a drink. “It’s been a rough year. I need a vacation.”

»

♕ —- “No, I think that’s why you quit,” Victoire said with a chuckle as she eased into his kiss. “I had to give them a card,” she said teasingly, “you weren’t here yet.” She gently grasped his chin and nuzzled her nose against his. “It was long, happy to get a chance to relax.”

He scoffed and playfully rolled his eyes at her. “Think what you’d like, Weasley,” he smirked and shook his head. “I’ll have them change it.” Leo was a firm believer in him footing the bill in most situations, and when it came to Vic he was even more firm on it, even if he wouldn’t win. “You deserve it,” he murmured as he dropped a hand to her waist and leaned in to brush his lips over hers. “I missed you.”

“Mhhm,” Jasper hummed as he turned his attention to his brother-in-law. Knowing all too well the struggle he was going through, especially with everything going on right now, working at the Ministry was not a piece of cake. “It’s fine, you’re not even that late,” he gave him a smile before grabbing the bartender’s attention and ordering their usual drinks.

Leo was thankful that Jasper understood the stress he was under at work and didn’t seem too bothered by his tardiness. He took a seat beside his brother-in-law before he unzipped his leather jacket. “So what’s going on with you that you just had to meet tonight?” He asked with a lifted brow as he turned to face the other man. “Or did you just miss seeing my face that much?”

»

♕ —- “Thought it was because of the fact that you took a bludger to the head in your last year at Hogwarts and ended up being concussed for like a week afterwards.” Victoire looked up at him from where she sat before she shifted to face him. “I got the drink already covered,” she replied, “however, I’d take a kiss instead.”

“No, no. That’s why you wanted me to quit Quidditch, but not why I ultimately quit,’ he replied, leaning down to kiss her cheek as he slipped an arm around her waist. “You know you don’t pay. I’ll cover them,” he murmured before turning his head to gently bump his nose against hers. “How was your day, my love?”

“You mean my third. I’m already on my second.” He smirked at the other man. Gabe laughed and reached for his drink, shaking his head. “See, this is a benefit of dating the person you work with. I bitch and complain long enough so he’ll end up doing it for me because he knows if he doesn’t, it’ll go home with him.”

“Merlin. I’m not even that late. Are you a closet alcoholic?” Leo teased as he slipped out of his leather jacket and hung it up on the chair before he took his seat beside Gabe. “That’s a little devious of you, but I like how you think. Using your powers for evil right now. Smart man.”

»

♕ —- As he wrapped his arms around her waist, Victoire leaned back against him and a small smile tugged against her lips. It had been awhile since she felt safe in someone’s arms and she hadn’t realized how much she missed it until her and Leo had gotten together. It was a safe feeling that she only got from Leo that she wasn’t going to let go any time soon. “Mm, now that I can definitely agree with,” she said with a grin. “You do clean up well.”

A small smile crossed Leo’s lips as he turned his head and pressed a gentle kiss to the side of her head. “I had a lot of help,” he teased softly before he looked back to the mirror and rested his chin on her shoulder. “I was thinking that after the wedding stuff is all over, we can extend our stay a couple of days and just enjoy our time here.” He paused, “or, honestly, go anywhere else you want. I think we’ve earned a vacation of our own: what do you think?”

“You’re my big brother, you get a pass, I suppose,” she smirked before taking another sip of the water. “See, if everyone had listened to me, this world would have been a way better place,” Marcie chuckled before putting her glass down. “Come on, let’s dance!” she said as she grabbed Leo’s hand, pulling him towards the dance floor. 

“Now look what I did: gave you a big head for no reason. I’m never going to live this down now,” he replied dramatically as a laugh left his lips. He placed his glass down on a passing tray before he took her hand and let his little sister lead him onto the dance floor. Once they were there he turned to face her and chuckled softly as he started to dance. “How does it feel to be a married woman now?”