Closed Not A Word

[Tullia Whitlock]

Tullia could admit her friendship with Duke was a little less one sided than she would at all moments claim it to be. There was just not a world in which she didn't say that it annoyed her, beause he was annoying. But he was also the only person she spent time with, that she liked to spend time with. The beauxbatons girl had been bored for most of the day, the book she'd been reading of little interest when the weather outside was as nice as it was. She had to just find him, and of course spotted him outside of the school, and on the grounds. She walked towards him. "Whatcha doing Duke?" she asked conversationally not drawing attention to the fact she had sought him out, nor that this wasn't the first time she had done so.

 

[Duke Dallaire]

Duke was getting through to Tullia- She'd become his favorite person to annoy. He was lost in thought today, though, having just gotten news from his mother. They were pregnant, with a little girl, and he wasn't sure what to think of it. He'd found out that morning, and he'd been debating on how to feel about it ever since. He'd been an only child for so long. He was settled under a tree at that moment, hands folded behind his head as he watched the clouds through the leaves and his legs crossed in front of him. The perfect picture of lounging. He hummed softly when Tullia appeared. "You have a lot of younger siblings, yeah?" He asked. He didn't wait for an answer. "What's it like being an older sibling?"

 

[Tullia Whitlock]

Tullia was a little confused at the first question and then shrugged. "It's nice, but it can be a lot." she said, but she had a lot of younger and older siblings, Tullia had always been in the middle. As far as she knew Duke was an only child. She took a spot next to him, not the picture of lounging, but answered him. "Having siblings is nice, but given school and everything i don't see them as much and my parents..they weren't great, so we didn't have a typical..upbringing. Why?"

 

[Duke Dallaire]

Duke sighed, making a mental note to dig into that later. "Mums pregnant," He responded lightly. "I'm not sure what to think of it. The kids gunna be so small," He dragged a hand over his face. "I don't know how to be an older brother. And I'm not exactly home all the time. How am I supposed to learn if I'm gone?" he looked to her, genuinely worried. "I don't want to be a bad brother, Tullia."

 

[Tullia Whitlock]

Tullia was a little surprised at his mum being pregnant, but she wasn't that surprised for long. People had kids all of the time. She knew that. Her parents did. She gave a little laugh at his questions, but stopped when it seemed that he was feeling pretty genuinely worried. "You won't be a bad brother, Duke, I promise you, you won't be." She said simply. "for the next year or so, the baby will be too young and small, so it's mostly about helping be there for them, teaching them stuff, talking to them. They'll find your hand interesting. It gets fun when they hit two and three, when they can walk and talk a little and play games. Games which you'll be great at playing with them,"

 

[Duke Dallaire]

Duke watched Tullia, eyes intent, hanging off her every word. After a moment he let out a soft sigh and sat up properly, giving her his usual impish grin. "How many little siblings did you have again?" He teased her gently, bowing his head slightly. "I lay myself at your elder sibling mastery."