#castle000

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Strong language throughout, and I hope the first person narrative isn’t too grating. [I am so sorry for arrogant arsehole Dimitri. It hurt to write it. He’s one of my favourites]

Enjoy! -------------------

Ever since I was a little girl, some of my brother’s friends unnerved me. It wasn’t something I could put my finger on or explain—I mean, if he asked me I don’t think I’d ever be able to give him a straight answer. 

But that was just the thing with Harry. He never asked.

 It wasn’t that he didn’t notice, I think he just assumed I was behaving how any girl would when coming downstairs in the summer holidays to a room of ten older boys. A reaction of sheer awkwardness that seemed to wash its way up and down my body about twenty times within the first six seconds of standing in the room. But that was the summer before I finished college. When I could easily shut myself in my room to get away from it all.

 Harry had always been the kind of elder brother that would be one way when it was just the two of us, and another way entirely when he was with his friends. Our parents divorced when we were very small. Mother didn’t want anything to do with us and Father was always away with work, despite the fact that we allegedly lived with him. So we had spent most of our lives living in each-others pockets.

 It had been that way for some years now. Harry, Uncle Jeremy and myself. Which was one thing when we were young and chasing each other around the grounds as children and another when we were both university students that rarely sought each other’s company.

 But it just happened to be a chance encounter that set my life spinning in a whirl. It was my first year at Oxford, and for one of the first times in my life I felt that everything was going right for once. I was on one of the finest classics courses in the country, I had all my own space and ; of course I could spy on my elder brother. Blackmail material was extraordinarily hard to come by these days.   Within the first week of freshers I had already found a small group of friends and we had decided which pub would be deemed as our ‘local’.  It just so happened, much to my irritation, that it was also the favourite spot of my brother and his friends.

 I was trying to be inconspicuous. I really was. But I could still hear their little quips behind my back. 

“Fuck. Villiers is that your little sister?” Despite all of his crude comments and badly timed jokes; Toby Maitland had always been one of the nicer ones. It’s not that they were all horrible people.  I’m sure if I sat down and actually spoke to them all, I’d realise that they were all relatively nice, maybe even genuinely kind. But that’s the problem. There’s such a thing as being too nice. A point where ‘niceness’ in itself becomes artificial. A sort of distraction while they focused on something else. Call it a gut instinct if you want, but that was just the sort of atmosphere they gave off. An atmosphere that I had to constantly remind my friends of whenever I caught them gazing over at the boys.

 “Oh my god it is his little sister.”  “Oh don’t. Little tart was meant to go to Cambridge but she had to end up here and ruin all the fun.” 

Ah yes. My lovely, charming big brother. A glance in my peripheral vision showed me Harry, sitting between James and Dimitri, shaking his head at me as he held his glass to his lips. James tutted, smacking his friend on his arm. “That’s your sister mate. Why are you being so harsh?” “Because she’s an invalid.” Knobhead.

 There was a line, and as always my elder brother had flung himself over it. With a small sigh, I turned on my heel and shot him a blank look. 

“When you’re quite finished talking out of your arse, Harold.” “Oh don’t full name me you little—“ James just rolled his eyes, shoving his friend in the side to make him shut up. He smiled at me, moving Ed along by his collar to make some space. “Y/N, come and sit.” I sighed, taking another sip of my wine. “Sorry, I’m with my mates tonight. I think we’re heading to a club in a second so I don’t think there’s much point in me hanging around.” James didn’t look the slightest bit phased, he simply shrugged. “Bring them along. More the merrier and all that.” He said nonchalantly, leaning back in his seat again. Seemingly at the mention of girls, both Ed and Toby were suddenly paying strict attention to me. Apparently there is no limit to how cringe you can get.

 A glance to the other end of the pub showed me that my so called ‘mates’ had moved themselves as far away from me and my brothers’ group of friends as humanly possible, nearly standing outside of the pub itself.  “Actually,” I began, feeling the usual apprehension wash over me once again. “I think it’s just me.”

Guy stood with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, offering me his seat next to Harry instead. Despite our differences, I’d rather sit next to my brother than anyone else. “So,” Guy began, pushing George out of the way so he could sit opposite me at the table. “How are you finding University?” I paused, not entirely sure if any of them were genuinely interested or not. I knew for a fact that Harry wasn’t. He never was.

“Um,” Finding my voice, I shifted in my seat. “It’s good actually, yeah. I’m really enjoying my course. I’ve actually got quite a lot of work done.” “Oh great.” The nod from Guy was all too hollow, and in a matter of seconds he had returned to chatting idly to George. I leant back in the booth, focusing on nursing my glass of wine to my lips every now and then. I looked around the bar, attempting to ignore the glances from other girls. I must have looked a right tart, sitting with a group of boys. Harry was at my side, muttering insults to Ed and Toby as they attempted to come up with convincing pick-up lines. Most likely for my friends.

 It was when I turned my head to look out of the window that I was met with Dimitri. That gut feeling was back again. Holding my drink to my lips again, I managed a somewhat crooked smile. 

“Hi.” “…Hi.” He repeated after a second. “It’s been a while.” “It has hasn’t it.” I could already feel that the conversation was drying up before it had even begun. Suddenly drinking a large mouthful of wine seemed like a brilliant idea. The last time I had properly seen Dimitri he had been over from Eton with my brother for the weekend. Back then I was a short and slightly chubby 14 year old with braces. “…You’ve certainly changed.” Admittedly I had to bite back an indignant laugh at that. There was no doubting it, my brother Harry was pretty. Handsome didn’t cut it, he was pretty. However, I for one, inherited none of that gene. At least I don’t believe I did. I look decidedly plain when I stand next to him. It’s amazing what a crush it can have on your self-confidence when you have to navigate through your awkward teenage years with a brother who will always always be prettier and more flawless than you. Arrogant arsehole.

 I had long ago gotten used to the whole ‘you’ve changed’ spiel. It usually came when you were known to have braces for the extent of your life and suddenly didn’t have them anymore. I understand the shock. But it didn’t make having it said to me any less irritating. “I guess I have. It’s been a while.” I nodded twice, swirling my wine in my glass, keeping my eyes focused on that and that alone.

 It had already occurred to me that he wasn’t looking at my face. Suddenly, letting my friends convince me in to a tight red dress before we came out wasn’t a good idea anymore. I didn’t feel comfortable. Not one bit. But here I was, stuck between my oblivious idiot of a brother, with his annoyingly perfect teeth and a boy who I hadn’t seen since I was 14 who was currently staring at my chest without a care in the world.  

 “Y/N I must say, you’re looking rather different tonight.” Guy was half smirking in to his drink when he spoke to me. I shifted in my seat, a little closer to Harry without thinking. 

“Someone learnt how to put on a dress.” Ed tittered, slinging an arm around Toby as he raised his brows at me. Guy just chortled. “Knows how to work one too.” Before their laughter had even started, Harry had spoken up. “Don’t be disgusting prats, alright?” It was nothing much. It certainly wasn’t a Shakespearean act of heroicness but this is Harry I’m talking about. It was as close as I was probably going to get. Dimitri rolled his eyes indignantly. “Oh and you haven’t said worse things? You’re horrible to girls. You’re always coming out with dirty shit.” “Not to my fucking sister though.” All the humour was out of his face when he spoke. Dimitri just held up his hands. “I’m just saying mate. The double standards are there. You can’t talk shit to women and then get arsey when someone does the same to her.” Part of me wanted to lean across and pour his drink on to his head. But I realised that it wouldn’t be the best plan of action seeing as I was still very much stuck where I was.

 Harry had flipped Dimitri off. I could hear him muttering obscenities in to his drink as he sipped at it. There was a pause, and then he looked to me.  I could almost see a flash of concern in his eyes. 

“You okay, Nemo?” He whispered, loud enough for me to just hear him. It was as if I had just been slapped in the face with nostalgia. I was sure that if I closed my eyes I’d be a little girl who had scraped her knee in the garden. Nemo. A pet-name I hadn’t heard in a long time. Because I was small, stubborn and always getting lost and needing to be found again.

 He likes to think he’s funny.

 With a smile I hadn’t shared with him for a long time, I managed a little nod. It was my third glass of wine that night, I could already feel it all going to my head. “I’m fine, H.”

I could feel how close Dimitri was to me. His leg was resting against mine in the booth, but I didn’t let it get to me. Knowing my brother’s friends, they’d probably get more of a kick out of it if I reacted. Harry’s eyes flicked to Guy and Ed once again, before he looked back at me. “If you want to go you can.”  Apparently I looked more visibly uncomfortable than I was letting on.  He slid along the booth, standing with his pint in his hand.

 It was like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I don’t think I’ve ever moved faster in my life. I mumbled a simple and brief goodbye to my brother, and a little wave to a drunken Toby before I exited the pub as quickly as I could. 

 So much for friends. I had hoped they would wait for me outside. But all I was met with was the dark cobbled streets of Oxford. I could hear students chatting and shouting around the corner, near the main entrance to the pub. But where I was standing at the side was desolate.

 When I was just about to consider phoning one of my friends and asking where they were, I heard the door open again. I would have turned to look, but by then I had already been pushed in to a wall. It didn’t take me too long to figure out who it was. Even if the darkness of the street. Dimitri.

 The stench of alcohol and cigarette smoke on his breath was almost unbearable, especially when he had his face this close to mine. Try as might to wriggle my way out, he had his hands tightly on my wrists. 

“What the fuck are you doing---“ “Isn’t it obvious what I’m doing?” Before I could even reply I had been forced in to an unwanted kiss. The stench of alcohol was stronger now, and his hands were moving down slowly. I twisted my head away, trying to kick at his legs. Nothing was working. “Get the fuck away from me!” It must have been how loudly I shouted. It must have been the sudden realisation that people would hear. Something made him panic. Something made him shove me back suddenly, regardless of the fact it made my head smack in to the corner of the wall.

 A harsh white pain flashed in my mind. The adrenalin rush and the alcohol were making my mind reel. I could still taste the smoke on my tongue, feel the hands in places that I didn’t’ want them to be. I slid down the wall, already feeling the tears running down my cheek uncontrollably.

I could hear shouting, lots of shouting. The sounds of a scuffle, and the unmistakeable noise of my brother swearing.

 A hand was on my shoulder, and a deep voice in my ear. “Sweetheart. Can you hear me?”  Despite the pain it caused me, I managed to crack open my eyes. Only to see a very concerned Hugo looking down at me, his hand on the back of my head. It took a few moments for my vision to adjust to the darkness but when they did I saw all too much.

 Dimitri Mitropoulos was leaning against the opposite wall, Guy at his side. He was holding on to his nose and blood was seeping through his fingers. I couldn’t exactly hear what was being shouted but I knew it was very colourful. So colourful, in fact, that a crowd of students were rapidly gathering around the scene.

 There, standing in the centre of the street, was my big brother. With his fist clenched at his side and blood staining his knuckles. His chest was heaving and his eyes were dark. He had never looked more like our Father in his life. There was another scuffle which consisted of Guy tugging his best friend away down the street, and Ed and Toby attempting to hold Harry back from storming after him with all their might.

 “You’ve just hit your head a little bit.” Hugo’s voice brought my attention back to my current predicament.  “Am I bleeding?” “No. Just swelling up a little that’s all. Can you see?” “Mhmm.” I managed, bringing a hand to my face.

 “Fuck. Fuck. Y/N.” Harry had skidded to his knees. In a flash he was cupping my face, tilting my head up so he could look in to my eyes. It was strange, seeing someone as calm and collected as Harry look as if he was about to break down at any moment. He was shaking his head over and over again. “Are you alright? D-Do you want me to call an ambulance—“

“Villiers. Calm down.” Hugo began, ever the voice of reason. “She just bumped her head. We’ll call the nurse, get her to give her a once over. She doesn’t need an ambulance.” Hugo mumbled, his hand still on the back of my head as George and Ed knelt down around me, all of them asking if I was alright hurriedly.

 Ed looked owlishly from Hugo to Harry. “S-Should we help her up?”

Harry shook his head, taking Hugo’s place after a second. “No. No I’ve got her.” He slid his arm under my legs, his other tucking across my shoulder blades. “Come on Nemo. Up you come.” He mumbled, lifting me up in to his arms. And once again, I was back to being the little girl with the grazed knee.

 I heard Hugo bark something about the campus nurse to Ed and Toby, but I didn’t pay much attention. 

“When did you get strong?” I mumbled, in a somewhat dazed state. He laughed, though it sounded more like he was gasping through shaking breaths. “I was always strong.” He shot back, still holding me in his arms as he walked. “Just like you were always pathetic.” “Sod off.”  I attempted to pull a face at him, but stopped when I felt the pain in my head again. Harry blinked, the concern back on his face in seconds. 

Hi, sure! 

Thank you for requesting! 

Yes, I do! I’m very busy so it might take a while until I get to them, but I do take requests! <3 Lein

I just posted the third part last night! That’s probably also the last part there’ll be (I’m already amazed I managed to write over 10.000 words in the same story with actually just smut ;) ). <3 Lein