Closed Box of Memories

[Monty Pendleton]

Arvo hadn't asked much of Monty, but he had made him promise to take care of Kata. It was an unnecessary pledge - Monty would have taken care of her regardless - but it seemed to bring the arithmancer some comfort to know that his wife would have a friend after he passed. In truth, it brought Monty comfort, too; he was as grateful for Kata's friendship as she was for his. With whom else could he reminisce so fondly? With whom else could he recall the old man's antics, laugh at his jokes, and shed tears for his loss? On the stormy sea of grief, it was easier to navigate with two. Besides, Monty loved Kata dearly. She was one of the strongest, funniest, and most gracious women he had had the pleasure to know; and he liked to think that if they had met under any other circumstances, they would still have become friends.

Well, Monty had made one other promise. Something to do with a three-decade long prank war, and taking up the mantle for Arvo. Someone had to keep her on her toes, he'd said. Monty had laughed, and agreed, with the caveat that he gave her a year's break. "Just long enough to think she's won," he said. This, too, seemed to give Arvo some peace. Even in death, he'd continue to be the same utter nuisance everybody had loved.

It was four o'clock in the afternoon. Monty had been at Kata’s house since noon, helping her organise Arvo's belongings. There were boxes and boxes of things to sort; Arvo had lived a long and full life, and collected much evidence along the way. It seemed a slight invasion of privacy, but Monty had been careful to help with the more practical possessions - books, clothes, collectibles - while Kata handled the more personal. It was emotionally painful work, digging through old memories, and he was glad to keep her company. “Oh - it’s your wedding photo album,” he said, dusting off the cover. He climbed to his feet. “Here. One for you, I think.”

 

[Kata Tuuri]

100 days. She could do 100 days.

When Arvo had died, he'd asked her to keep going for 100 days, because if she could do 100 days, she could do another 100 days, and then she could do another 100 days, and then she would have done a year, and if she could do a year, she could do another year, and so on, until she was no longer counting the days, weeks, months and years.

That was just the way he was, a menace.

Kata had married him knowing he was a menace, and yet, even knowing, preparing to be lost without him, she was still... lost without him. It felt like such a strange sensation, unsure how her day would go now, despite knowing exactly how her day would go. She loved that man dearly, one of the great loves of her life despite being his third wife. The point was, she had been his last, they'd had a very long life together, she and Arvo and she would have never wanted to change even a single moment of it. She couldn't. Though, had she the ability, she might have rewritten their meeting just a little bit. She'd told him she liked a nice shandy... and had to forever drink a shandy on their anniversary.

Kata bloody hated shandy - but she'd been trying to be a lady.

She looked up at Monty, the godsend that boy was, and smiled as he handed her the photo album. He handled it almost irreverently, a testament to how much he loved her husband. There had been a fleeting moment, early on, when she'd genuinely wondered could something have happened between the pair, but it had been so fleeting it had never even really settled as a thought, because she could never have believed someone like Monty could ever have been silly enough to let themselves fall in love with the absolute menace that was her husband. He was a smarter man than she in that regard.

"Thank you, Monty, I think this one is... I think this one is for later," she said, holding it tightly to her chest before she placed it lightly on top of one of the boxes she had labeled as keepsakes. She turned back to the box she was working on, the one Kellen had put together of his Grandfather's office. She couldn't bring herself to go in there, too many memories. The letter that Monty had written to her in apology of the night of drunken rampaging, or what have you sat face up, staring at her, and so help her, she laughed. "Oh, oh Arvo you bastard." She said, shaking her head as she reached into the box to pick it up.

@Monty Pendleton ​

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty was about to resume sorting the box on the floor when he heard Kata laugh, and curiosity brought him back to her side. “What’s that?” he asked. It had his own cursive handwriting on the front, but that didn’t tell him much; he’d often written to Kata while he’d been employed at Hogwarts, thanking her for the various baked gifts she liked to send, and updating her on the latest castle gossip. But there was something different about this letter. He’d used his serious parchment - the one reserved for bad news, and apologies.

“Oh, no,” he said. “That’s not the letter, is it? Oh, Kata - don’t open that. Don’t remind me. I’m still mortified.” There were great holes in his memory that New Year’s night, and Monty wasn’t sure he wanted to fill them. All he knew was that he’d had far too much to drink with Arvo and done something terribly embarrassing. It must have been awful, because Kata had thrown the pair of them both out of the house at two o’clock in the morning. They’d staggered to a hotel and woken up the following morning with a potted yucca plant, half a bottle of rum, and splitting headaches. This in itself was concerning. Monty knew he lost all inhibition when he drank spirits. The fact neither Kata nor Arvo had ever been willing to tell him what he’d done only encouraged his imagination. “Are you ever going to tell me what I did? I’d quite like to know, if only so I can apologise properly.” He’d apologised profusely in his letter, of course, but it was difficult to sound sincere when he had no idea what he was apologising for.

 

[Kata Tuuri]

Kata took a moment to live in the memory of her late husband, the boundless energy he always seemed to have no matter the occassion, even towards the end. The funeral had been so beautiful, the family, cousins, more cousins, his sons and daughters, some other people Kata had long since lost contact with, yet they had somehow learned of the funeral. His life had touched so many and yet it still felt as though his presence both suffocated and drained her. He was everywhere here, and yet no where all at once. It started her to wondering where that goes, life, when it is over. It wasn't a comforting thought at all, but it was what she needed to help ground herself in this moment all the same.

She smiled down at the letter, grinning lightly at Monty. "No, I rather enjoy the idea that you've not a clue and this way, no matter what, I always win, it doesn't matter what you do in the end Monty, because I will always win this prank war, don't think I don't know what he asked of you, I know everything." she reminded him, hoping he would take it as part of the game they had all shared in so many ways. There was a lot she did not know, like some of the darker aspects of her husbands life, or how Monty and Arvo had become friends so quickly, but he'd always had a habit of sort of adopting strays. She often felt that herself if she was honest. She'd been in such a different place all those years ago, he'd come to her when she needed it, and now here she was all these years later because she'd fallen in love with the silly man.

Merlin, she missed him more than anything could ever express.

"Do you know he framed this and hung it in our bedroom, the menace."

@Monty Pendleton ​

 

[Monty Pendleton]

“Prank war? What’s this prank war?” said Monty, failing to suppress a grin. “I’m afraid I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. And if I did, it certainly doesn’t sound like the sort of thing I’d agree to, being as I am a gentleman.” Although perhaps ‘gentleman’ was open for debate, depending on what he’d done that regrettable New Year’s Eve. Monty supposed he would never find out, and to own the truth, he was relieved. Whatever it was, Kata had clearly forgiven him; and if it was any of the things he thought it might be, the shame of knowing would haunt him forever.

He wondered occasionally what else Arvo had told his wife. Relationships remained to Monty something of a mystery, but he presumed that marriage was built, above all else, on communication. And since gossip about mutual friends was a form of communication, it was a reasonably sure bet that Kata knew more about Monty's life than he had ever told her personally. Or perhaps he was arrogant to assume they'd talked about him so much; his life was rather monotonous, after all, and his secrets were unexciting. In any case, he wasn't concerned. He trusted Kata as much as he had trusted Arvo; they were as kind and non-judgemental as each other.

"Oh dear," Monty said, imagining his grovelling letter hanging above their bed. "That must have killed the mood, surely?" He laughed, deciding it wise to end that thread of thought there. "He certainly was a menace. Even used to give Vex a run for his money. But he was such a good man. He was very kind to me, you know, back at the castle. I had terrible anxiety in those days. I'm sure he got sick of my knocking on his door, asking for reassurance, advice, help with this that and the other - but he always invited me in with a big smile on his face, as if he couldn't have been more pleased to see me. I wouldn't have made it through the first year without him. And so, if you think about it, I owe much of who I am today, to him. It's extraordinary, isn't it? The impact one person can have on so many."

 

[Kata Tuuri]

Kata eyed Monty with a dubious and doubtful look. She didn't believe a word out of his mouth - but she loved him anyway. He'd been a very big part of her beloved husband's life for a very long time after all, and it was hard to imagine what the last years of their marriage would have been like if not for the man currently sharing her space. Despite many things, he was very non-obtrusive and she cared about things like that now. Her grandchildren couldn't seem to get it through their heads that she was a grown woman who was fully capable of looking after herself - and though she knew that Monty was somewhat of a fussy man, he was allowing her the space she needed to grieve in the way she wished to do so. She would always thank him for that - when he was around, her children and grandchildren left her alone - and sometimes that was exactly what she needed.

She agreed that he wa s gentleman... or at least that he believed that to be true, though her memories certainly suggested otherwise, it would be something she would giddily take to her grave. Poor Monty would need to pry the truth out of her cold dead hands. She wisely decided not to comment on his question about moods, for she knew he didn't really want to know what she had to say on the subject and simply shrugged instead.

"One thing that was always true of Arvo, he needed to be needed. He was a man who lived his life for others, he was much like his mother that way. Did you know much about his mother?" She asked, turning to lean gently against the counter. "She was the kind of woman who put so much of herself into others, and of course there was so much about goblin lineage that meant Arvo was at a disadvantage. Not even just his height but the fact that people didn't often like to work with goblins." She cut herself off from hissing about such people, wanting instead to remember the good things. "Arvo was never so happy as when he was supporting others, trust me, Monty, he not one single time disliked spending a moment with you. You needed him, and he needed you, and sometimes that's enough for a friendship." She said, smiling lightly at him.

Arvo had always been such a kind soul, and though Kata had always known he was older than her by several decades, and there was always the chance he would go first, somehow, it had never actually occurred to her that he would. He did always like to surprise her. "I have something for you, actually," she said quietly, wondering if Monty would be mad she had not given it to him earlier. She had meant to, several weeks ago, but she'd found herself utterly incapable of parting with it. Then she'd had a dream last night and Arvo had scolded her for being so flipping sentimental. He was right, this letter deserved to be in the hands of the man it was penned for. "It's a letter, from Arvo."

@Monty Pendleton ​

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Arvo had told Monty very little about his family, or indeed his life before the pair had met. He was a private man - played his cards close to his chest - and Monty had respected that. Not everybody enjoyed being vulnerable, and if he had read correctly between the lines, Arvo had lived through a great many vulnerable years already. Kata was right. He had needed to feel needed. That was what he'd wanted from their friendship - an opportunity to love, to mentor, to be the strong one. To laugh, revel, and celebrate with somebody without any obligation to open up. Monty, on the other hand, wore his emotions on his sleeve, desperate for the tough love and advice Arvo provided so well. They had been exactly what the other person needed, exactly at the moment they'd needed it.

Something had changed towards the end. They had loved each other just as dearly, spent just as much time together, but they did not need each other any more. Just two old fools. That's what they were. Two old fools who found joy in each other's company, right until the end.

But there was one last thing Monty had needed from him. He had needed to know - to be absolutely certain - that Arvo accepted him as he was. That was all he had asked. But Arvo, true to nature, had gone one further than that.

He had held his hand.

And somehow, Monty had started to heal. Perhaps he'd already been healing. He had made great leaps and strides by himself, But this one simple gesture had changed him. He still wasn't sure how he felt - that would take some exploration, no doubt - but he was no longer afraid to find out. He was no longer afraid to feel.

He looked up. A letter? But he had visited Kata several times. Why hadn't she given it to him sooner? Then it clicked. As soon as she surrendered that letter, it was over. She had fulfilled the final request. Monty reached out and touched the envelope, but didn't take it from her. "Shall we read it together?" he asked. "I'd like to read it together."

 

[Zennon Baros]

Zennon decided now wasn't the time to disturb a grieving family and went on his merry way.

 

[Kata Tuuri]

Kata had not expected for Monty to offer to read the letter with her. In fact she had rather expected that he would be angry she had withheld it from him. She would have been, were she in his positions - and yet somehow, despite that thought, she also knew that this response was just so much more him. Her husband had always chosen his friends well, he would have never allowed a man he thought could have an ounce of anger in his body for something like this, into his life. Kata knew Arvo to be many things, but he had never, that she had seen, been a fool. Not a real one.

She swallowed, having to take a moment to let the words sink in. She appreciated the ask more than she could ever appreciate anything in her life. Monty was extending to her a piece of Arvo he had been offered. And she knew that he knew she could not bring herself to do the same. That was simply the man he was. Kind to a fault, ready to defend someone he doesn’t know without any thought for himself, and so oepn to love that he didn’t even see it himself.

Kata realised in this moment what Arvo had seen in Monty.

Arvo had seen himself. And that thought made her face light up. “Yes. I think I should like that, I should like that very much.” She handed him the letter to open and then shuffled closer so that she could read it with him. These were the final words he had written to anyone, and she’d wondered so desperately what it had been about Monty that had made him so special. She could see it now, after all of these years. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen it before. Arvo had been correcting his mistakes, slowly, letting the things he had done in his youth advise Monty, given him a quiet strength she hadn’t understood. The realisation made her smile, as she looked at his profile, watching him react to the words on the page.

It was a beautiful day after all.​

Spoiler: arvo's letter

My dear Monty,

I know this is not the kind of thing you wanted - I am sorry I could not be there for you more than I have been my friend. Though this is the end of an era, please don't let this define you. I know it will hurt, you have suffered a great many losses in your life and I never wanted to be one of them.

I know you will recover from this, you are a stronger man than I - everything you went through and you came out the other side. You've been nothing short of a pillar of divine strength even when you felt you were at your absolute lowest. It's never easy trying to figure out who you are, but that is one of the things that I deeply admired about you. You had the kind of courage that most people could only dream of and I'm only truly sorry that I could not find the strength of character to use these words in your presence.

To me, Monty, you are the best friend and companion anyone could ever ask for. For the love you give those in your life and even the love you give those who are not - you will never be short of people who would want to be close to you.

Do not forget the drinks we have shared over the years, the laughs and the tears. You did nothing but be a friend to me for many of the best years of my life. I will continue to love you from the beyond.

If you ever miss me too much, you know where I would be.

I love you Montgomery.

Your dearest friend,
Arvo Tuuri.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty smiled. He was not angry. He couldn't be. Kata had not withheld the letter from him out of selfishness, but fear she could not afford the emotional cost - and if there was one feeling Monty knew all too well, it was fear. Her offering it to him now was selfless, and brave; the least he could do was share it with her. Besides, it would truly make him far happier to read the letter with Kata than by himself. There was a risk, of course, that Arvo had written something very personal, but as Monty carefully slid a finger under the seal, he realised he did not care.

He held the letter between them and began to read.

Oh, Arvo. Even toward the end, he had been more worried for his loved ones than for himself. Monty had tried to act strong, to pretend the loss wouldn't crush him, but the old man knew his heart and how tenderly it beat. What he did not know was that Monty considered the pain a privilege. It was only because he had had the fortune to love Arvo that his passing affected him so deeply. The ache, no matter how terrible, no matter how long he had to bear it, was a reminder of the many happy moments life had afforded them, of a friendship that had changed them both permanently.

I love you Montgomery.

And somehow, although he had already grieved, it hit him for the first time. His best friend was gone.

He let the letter rest on the table, and cried.

 

[Kata Tuuri]

And Kata let him, because he needed it. They both did in a way, and it only made her feel more and more like the conclusion she had come to was correct. Monty was so like Arvo she almost couldn't believe she hadn't seen it before and if nothing else the letter just confirmed it, that Arvo knew it, he had seen it in Monty. She took one more moment to read over the letter and feel the words. She could see the ink splotches where his hands had been shaking. She could see him in her memory, writing the letter. She'd sat with him whilst he'd written it, she realised and she shook her head.

Arvo really was a menace.

She left it alone for a moment, before she gently pressed her hand to Monty's shoulder. "You are so like him, you know," she said, patting him on the arm. She felt like he needed to know this, it had suddenly become the most important thing for her to tell him. "I never saw it before, but I do now, you really are just like him.” It felt justifying in some ways to finally understand what she had been missing and whilst she had never begrudged her husband a friend, but she had wondered what it was that had kept Arvo so invested.

She hoped he would take some comfort from this, because it was comforting for her to know that there would still be a piece of him out in the world. Even if it was no longer in her husband.​