oo6.

[feorge]

[ accidental video ]

[An absolute silence hangs between the twins as they stare at a picture frame hanging on the wall. Some might recognize the photo within it, others still might recognize the Hall it's posted in. And even if they don't, Fred and George can hardly spare a moment to care, because that silence has a rather tight grasp on them, forcing them to recognize them both for what it is.

Ronald Weasley has left the City.

Fred looks over to George, a look of discontent (and perhaps even anger) clear on his face, before looking back over to the frame.]

So that's it, then? Gone without so much as a sound, just a photograph in some dreadful hallway?

You tell me. You've the one who's been here longer.

[George runs a hand over his face. Without even thinking about it, his hand reaches out and grips firmly onto Fred's shoulder.]

He'd barely even got here.

[Fred visibly tenses at the hand on his shoulder, much as it should be a comfort, and he looks up to the ceiling for a moment before shaking his head.]

Unbelievable tosspot.

[His voice does not sound strained there, thank you very much, and there is nothing even close to a deep, shaky exhale to follow before he shrugs George's hand from his shoulder and turns to leave.]

We ought to go muck up his room. Test out those new fireworks.

[George crosses his arms and fixes Fred with a hard stare.]

Don't be a prat, Fred. That's the last thing everyone needs right now.

The last thing everyone needs right now--!

[In the process of shouting, and Fred only stops to notice the device is recording them. A low string of swear words can be heard as he walks up to it and his hand covers the feed for the briefest of moments before everything starts spinning and the feed ends with a crash!]

Comments

voice; 1/2

[7thborn.livejournal.com]

[She recognises the Hall before she can make out the portrait in the video, and she feels a bit ill when she does. This is what she's worried about since they all started turning up, isn't it? He'd barely even got here. That's the truth of it. And it's November, too, and don't they always leave around them? She should have known.]

voice;

[7thborn.livejournal.com]

[Quietly.]

Oi, Fred. George. Tossing around your devices doesn't do any good, you know.

Action

[onlyholey]

Should have guessed the bloody thing would be recording.

[binarysky.livejournal.com]

Sorry you lost someone.

[He knows what that's like.]

[tangledintower.livejournal.com]

[Oh, boy...]

...I'm sorry, Fred, George...

voice;

[feorge]

[There's no being quiet here. Fred's spitting pure venom, seething acid. He's upset, but that much goes without saying. This is something entirely different.]

Seems to be helping me loads. 'specially since it won't stay broken, I can throw it more than once.

voice;

[7thborn.livejournal.com]

[And something in her own voice sharpens in response to his.]

Don't take that tone with me, Fred Weasley. You're not the only one to've lost a brother here.

Action

[feorge]

Should have left the damned thing at home.

[But he'll go and pick it up anyway. Of course it's already back to working order. He glares, considering throwing it again, just for good measure.]

[feorge]

Didn't lose a thing. He's gone and lost himself.

[Because clearly the solution is blaming Ron.]

[binarysky.livejournal.com]

Oh.

He was a friend of yours?

[feorge]

Nah, don't be. Thing'll fix itself soon enough.

[You meant the device, right? Right?]

[tangledintower.livejournal.com]

[Nooo...but you feel bad yelling at Rapunzel. Look at her face.]

I hope they do...I really do.

voice;

[feorge]

[Ooh, the makings of a row. That'll distract him well enough.]

I'll take whatever tone I bloody well please, Ginevra. I haven't lost a thing.

voice;

[7thborn.livejournal.com]

[Because this is the best way to cope, isn't it? And she was having such a good week, too.]

Oh, that's right. That's the best way to deal with this, pretend nothing happened at all. It's not like I know how this feels or anything, right?

[feorge]

Right pain in the arse, is more like.

[A beat.]

He's my little brother.

[binarysky.livejournal.com]

Oh!

I'm sorry. I don't have a real brother, but...I know losing family is hard.

He could come back, though. Some people do. I did.

voice;

[outlive]

[No. No, of all people to go, anyone he might've guessed it would be, he wouldn't've thought Ron.]

Fred, George -

[And in the great lack of words to put on his own feelings about this, he falls into peacekeeping, taking a placating tone.]

[feorge]

[FFFF no. It will not work on me. I am upset ragefacemonster. But still. No shouting.]

Might make for an interesting experiment, though. Test how much they can break before they stop entirely.

[...Okay, now even Fred's not sure whether he's talking about the device or his family. Brilliant.]

voice;

[feorge]

[Coping? Who said anything about coping? He'll have none of that, thank you.]

I haven't lost a thing, Gin, because I haven't got anything to lose.

[It wasn't his time. They aren't meant to be here, it's not his to be lost.]

voice;

[7thborn.livejournal.com]

[There's a long, tight pause, and then she presses on firmly but with less of an edge.]

Don't say that. Family's family and he's—we're—yours, so stop being a prat.

[feorge]

As did I. Ron, too. But there was a lovely two year period in between.

voice;

[feorge]

Good to know you haven't forgotten our names, Harry. I might've worried.

[Y E P. That's all you get from him right now. He's not having any of this.]

[binarysky.livejournal.com]

That's a long time to wait.

[Of course it is. Way to say the obvious. He's no good at comfort, and now he can't even blame it on not having a heart.]

voice;

[outlive]

[Okay, you know what 8|]

Taking it out on everyone else isn't going to change anything.

voice;

[feorge]

Wouldn't be so much of a prat if you weren't my family.

[That much goes without saying. Which may be why he just...quiets. Tries to breathe even and swallows hard. This sucks.]