Atticus laughed. He knew owls well, and if Sakura was anything like Merlin, she would hold a grudge against him for the rest of his life. His own owl would take her side because he was brat, and scops owls had to stick together.
He reached forward and took her hand in his hand to give it a firm shake, sealing their bet; he wondered if she won what she would ask of him, but he didn’t have any intentions of losing. “I look forward to our game then.” He hummed quietly as one of her pieces took a pawn. Well that wasn't a fine start.
He paused at her question; it wasn’t prying, more curious than anything. She had been the first to ask it aloud and he couldn’t help but wonder how many others were thinking the same. Atticus cleared his throat. “My brother and I had a slight disagreement, and he told me that he wouldn't come to celebrate with me.” Atticus kept his gaze on Miss Mountbatton, although he wanted to look around his Basil. He’d last seen him with their cousin Tillie, playing checkers; even if he was reluctant to be here, he’d been smiling, happy to be amongst his family. “So, I decided if I didn’t celebrate and put his name as a host beside mine, he would be more likely to come.” He nervously tapped his fingers against the edge of the chess board and frowned. It was a family matter and he didn’t tend to speak with those he wasn’t related to, but he trusted her not to spread gossip. (Not that it wasn’t already known that sometimes he and Basil bickered over a lot of things.)
He continued, then, as he held her gaze. “We do not always see eye to eye but I would do almost anything for him, even if that means pretending today is not my birthday.” A slight smile quipped at the edges of his lips, replacing the frown he’d had moments ago. “Basil is here, so I think my not-birthday is turning out to be successful.” He had every intention of apologizing to Basil too.
He reached forward and took her hand in his hand to give it a firm shake, sealing their bet; he wondered if she won what she would ask of him, but he didn’t have any intentions of losing. “I look forward to our game then.” He hummed quietly as one of her pieces took a pawn. Well that wasn't a fine start.
He paused at her question; it wasn’t prying, more curious than anything. She had been the first to ask it aloud and he couldn’t help but wonder how many others were thinking the same. Atticus cleared his throat. “My brother and I had a slight disagreement, and he told me that he wouldn't come to celebrate with me.” Atticus kept his gaze on Miss Mountbatton, although he wanted to look around his Basil. He’d last seen him with their cousin Tillie, playing checkers; even if he was reluctant to be here, he’d been smiling, happy to be amongst his family. “So, I decided if I didn’t celebrate and put his name as a host beside mine, he would be more likely to come.” He nervously tapped his fingers against the edge of the chess board and frowned. It was a family matter and he didn’t tend to speak with those he wasn’t related to, but he trusted her not to spread gossip. (Not that it wasn’t already known that sometimes he and Basil bickered over a lot of things.)
He continued, then, as he held her gaze. “We do not always see eye to eye but I would do almost anything for him, even if that means pretending today is not my birthday.” A slight smile quipped at the edges of his lips, replacing the frown he’d had moments ago. “Basil is here, so I think my not-birthday is turning out to be successful.” He had every intention of apologizing to Basil too.
@"Natsuko Mountbatton"
![[Image: cBAJGlb.png]](https://i.imgur.com/cBAJGlb.png)