#nevergaveacare

“You're wrong. No, you are, andyou've always been wrong about me. I'm not some frail, fragile thingthat will break under the smallest amount of pressure, and I'm notreliant on you, either. No. That's what you want to believe, and it'swhat you want me to believe, because as long as that is true you havepower over me. I am not who you think I am. I'm not!”

Pezgives out an angry yowl in reprimand when Richard's raised voicestirs him from his slumber. Richard's serious demeanour breaksinstantly, and he lets out a soft, amused exhale. Over the sound ofhis yelling, he misses the noise of the door opening.

“I'msorry, kitty,” Richard coos, his voice low and soft and warm,comforting Pez into settling down again. He strokes a light fingeralong the top of his head. Pez emits a rumbling purr, tucking hispaws beneath him and looking at Richard in an accusatory manner withthose sharp green eyes. “Okay, okay. No more shouting. I'll do adifferent scene, alright?”

Pezblinks, and Richard takes that as approval. He shuffles through hisscript to a later scene, setting it in his lap just in case he needsto check it, but it's the week before rehearsals start, and he'scommitted most of the script to memory by now. He takes a longbreath, and even as he does so his expression and body language ischanging, shifting into something softer.

“I'vemissed you,” he says.

Severinsets his bag by the door as gently as he can. Missed you,too, he thinks.

“Howlong has it been? I would understand days, weeks- But no. It's onlybeen a matter of hours, and yet here I am, aching with how much Imiss you. It's like you're the summer, and when you leave winterseeps into me.”

Severinslowly makes his way towards the couch, captivated as always byRichard's performance. The emotion that flows through his voice soeffortlessly. The little movements and actions that look so natural,but that he knows are not Richard's own mannerisms. He is sobeautiful. In his fleecy Hogwarts pyjamas and his woolly cat socks (agift from Molly). Severin can tell by the ruffled way his hair issitting that he is not long out of the shower. He is so soft andwarm, and so entirely precious that Severin feels his own chesttwinge at the sight of him alone.

“That'swhy you must hurry back, sweetheart. My chest is an icy cave and myheart is frozen, but one touch from you and it will thaw. You mustreturn before this winter strips away the leaves of my soul and I amleft bare. I am already barren in your absence, love. Come home andbring the kiss of the sun with you.”

“Ithink I can manage that,” Severin says, resting his hands on theback of the couch and leaning over Richard.

“Rin!”Richard jumps, nearly sending his wine glass flying, but it is onlyonce in a blue (drunken) moon that Richard Brook would ever wastewine like that, and he catches and stills it at the last moment. “Youscared me.”

“Sorry.”Severin flashes him a cheeky smile, and Richard can't be mad at him.Moving his wine safely to the table, he leans back and stretches hisarms up. Severin is captured in them and tugged down into a long,indulgent kiss. Pez fluffs up his fur and gives a disapproving littlehiss.

“Pleasedto see you too, buddy,” Severin tells the cat, once he and Richardhave moved apart. He circles around the couch, and Pez bounces ontothe back and prowls to sit on Richard's shoulder. He nuzzlesRichard's temple, scenting him, his claim in before Severin. Whenhe's done, he leaps down and goes off to sulk in the bedroom. “Stillhates me, then.”

“AwRin, he doesn't hate you.”

“Yeaaahyeah. You sounded good.”

“Howlong were you listening?” Richard looks at him sullenly, andSeverin laughs.

“Doesit matter? You're an actor. People are meant to watch you.”

“WhenI'm ready. Not when I'm only practising.”

“Well,I thought you sounded great.” Severin pushes a stray strand of hairaway from Richard's forehead, stealing another chaste kiss. “Do youwant me to go over some with you?”

“Wouldyou? Just make sure I'm getting them right.” Richard smiles,scooping up the script and flicking back to the beginning of thescene, before handing it to Severin. “Just from here.”

“Okay.”

“Andthen at the end of this scene, there's a kiss.”

“Oh?”Severin raises an eyebrow.

“Yeah.So I'm going to need lots of practice with that.”