One Small Ember

Daniel stands on the sidewalk, lip dripping blood, he had walked right back into his old hell. The remembered him and weren't willing to let go. He felt alone. The ember that lingered in his heart, was growing faint. He shouldve listened. He was still aragorns boyfriend, yet it seemed like aragorn didnt love daniel, he was interested in karma. Daniel made a promise to himself, he would do whatever it took to keep the man he loved happy. Even if it meant letting go all together. Tears flow from his eyes. To have aragorn in his arms was all he wanted. It was probably a wish that had slim chances of comming true. How much did he have to lose, before the universe repayed him. He had no family anymore. hee came out to his father, who then sent him away. His only brother now shunned him. He kicks at a rock on the ground.

Casey was walking along Diagon Alley when she felt a familiar set of emotions. She followed them to Daniel and smiled at him sadly. "You know, we've got to stop meeting like this. Is that blood on your lip?" She handed him a tissue to dap away the blood. "You look like you need a hug. C'mere." She reached out her arms and pulled him in. "Boy trouble?"

Daniel smiles at his friend. "i have troube with many boys. Aragorn being one yes, but my father and brother are two more, and childhood bullies would make a handful more." he sighs and glances around. "whered you come from anyway?"

Casey struggled to hold in anger- at Daniel's tormentors, but also at ehrself for being unable to help. She distracted herself with his lasy question. Shrugging, she held up a bag and answered, "I was just doning some shopping. Lyssa's owl needed food and I needed some quills. What are you doing here?"

He sighs quietly. "i have nowhere to go.... father turned me away." he sits down on the large trunk containing his outfits and hair care products. He twirls his wand in his hand, a sad expression on his face.

Casey winced and sat on the ground next to him. "That's rough. Staying at the Leaky Cauldron?" she guessed. "You could come stay with me if you wanted. I think my parents would allow it. You'd be sleeping on the couch though, we don't have an extra bed."

Daniel laughs sadly. "no no i dont want to be a burden, the culdron is fine for me for now." he runs his hand through his loose hair, it had been forever since he had done anything to it besides comb it, he didn't have the heart to do his usual stuff.

Casey shook her head. "You wouldn't be a burden. My parents would be delighted to have you. Proof that I finally have friends," she added in a mutter. "They still don't believe me, you know. They think I'm just making it up so they'll stop worrying. Anyway, they're gone most of the day so you wouldn't bother them. It's just a question of whether or not you'll survive me and my sister." She grinned at him.

He sighs looking at the ground. "i dont know, i'm away from him enough as it is cas. if the time lengthened, i dont know what i'd do.... i need to talk to my boy--" he was about to say 'boyfriend' but how could he be positive thats what aragorn still was? "aragorn....about things..."

Casey put an arm arond him. "Alright. I won;t force you to come, if you feel more comfortable here. I guess it's not really a question of where you'd be happier, is it?" She flashed him a sad, crooked smile. "As for Aragorn, he'll come around. Life always gets better, even when it seems at it's darkest. All you have to do is survive until thing improve. Promise me you'll try Daniel to live. I don't want you to waste away or something."

He smiles, looking how large his designer clothing had grown due to his weight loss. He hadnt eaten much. "i promise ill try casey" a single tear runs down his face. "try.... a word that could mean so much to someone. i wish he would try to notice whats going on...."

Casey nodded. "That's all I can ask of you. And Aragorn will notice you. YOu just have to give it time Daniel. Now come on. I don't like how thin you are and if I have to force feed you, so be it, but you're going to eat soemthing if it's the last thing I do." She stood up and offered him a hand up. "We can go to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch."

Karma was whistling - some song about Seven Nations and their Armies that Tyty had gotten implanted in her head - a grin on her face and a cute little hat on her head. She walked right by Daniel before pausing and back tracking, looking down at him and all his belongings.

"Oh there you are, Dani!" She said excitedly. "And you're all packed and ready to go too!" She beamed at the boy, looking around at all his bags. "Don't worry about your luggage, I'll have someone come for it immediately. We're only a hop-skip-and a car ride away from my place." She grinned at him for a moment, her eyes sparkling, before realization dawned on her.

"You didn't think... no! You didn't think that I'd let you out here in all your lonesome did you? Nonsense! You're coming to live with me and Gorny at my place." She waved her hand dismissively at the Leaky Cauldron. "You don't have to stay here, I've got a room all nice a prepared and stuff..." She faltered for a moment. "That is, unless you do want to stay here, or with..." She waved a hand in the Gryffindor's direction. "I just assumed you'd want to stay at the main house with me and Gorn. I don't mean to intrude." She grinned again, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Come on, come on! Don't dilly dally! Cook'll have lunch on the table at any moment, and if we don't hurry she'll have to heat it back up! I do love myself some of Cook's leftovers, but it just isn't the same you know?"

Daniels eyes fill with happiness that had been absent for weeks "really karma? youre not tricking me are you?" a grin stretches across his face, his hands trembling. "it's so kind of you karma, i would love to move in with you and aragorn! i miss him so much!" he hugs karma in a way of thanks "i dont know how i could ever repay you"

Casey looked at Karma suspiciously, and when Daniel was distracted, she muttered to the girl, "I don't trust you. It makes him happy, and I've decided to give you the benefit of the doubt for the moment. I know I'm weaker than you, but if you make this worse for him, I'll find a way to get you back." She smiled bleakly. "Call it Gryffindor idiocy if you will, but I'll protect my friends to the last."

Casey raised her voice back to a normal volume and made it cheerful. "That's great Daniel!" She gave him a quick hug. "You have fun with Gorn and Karma. I'll see you at school." She walked off to continue her shopping, sending anxious glances over her shoulder.