Dear Anon who's left reviews on our French... THANKS. :D
That said, are there any readers out there who are French and would be willing to double-check our chappies with Victoire? More are coming and Abra and I are rather painfully American with only a little bit of French under our belts. XD A very small amount. XD Oui, oui.
It means sneak peeks into our work if you're interested~
Actually you guys, whoops, forgot to tell Syl, Wingardium Leviosa! is being translated into French! The lovely author Eclyps81 has kindly- amazingly reviewed and messaged and has asked to translate the story into French! Maybe she'll/he'll do the sequel?~ I let you all know- Via Syl XD The minute the story is up! So anon. reviewer, enjoy that. XD
Thanks for telling your co-author we were getting translated XD
You're welcome, a ghra. :heart: You'lllll figure out what that means later~
"You're such a freak, Finnigan!" Fin ran faster, his heart twisting in his chest, tears blurring his vision. What? Why were they saying these things? His feet took him faster down the long and narrowing corridor. Lined with black; black walls, black floor, black ceiling- Black, black, blank.
"I don't know why the damn Prophet let's you work here-" The voices barrelled into his head, held him fast by the strings of his heart that beat like the pound of a warm drum. Boom, Boom, Boom. His feet ran faster, his breaths became painful, his lungs begged for air, demanded, as his voice tried to scream out pleas of confusion.
"No one wants you here! Get the fuck out before you contaminant us, you stupid twit!" Shaggy brown hair, grey eyes- J-James? But he never did anything to James! Why was he saying these things? Fin ran faster down the hallway that was lit by a sole light, bright at the end of the tunnel. Where was he? The Ministry? The Prophet? Why couldn't he see anything? Where were the voices coming from?
The tunnel got darker, his feet continued to pound. A flash of light, like the shade of a Floo, and blonde hair was revealed. Victoire? Why was she-? "Look at him... He's so... Weird."
Fin's heart froze. No, no, no! With each pounding step, another flash of blinding green flames, another person revealed, another spat word straight into Fin's heart. No, no, no! I d-didn't do anything wrong-!
"Such a freak-!" Scorpius. Hugo.
"You're fired!" His first boss-
"You're fired, get the fuck out." His second, his third-
"No one wants you here!" Teddy. Alexander.
"You've lost your privileges!" His fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh!
"It's your fault!" His eighth boss. No, no, run faster, Fin! The light was beginning to close in on him, the light at the end of the tunnel moving further away as the flashes beside him, the glimpses of people he loved, hated, missed- They wouldn't stop!
"I blame you!" Da? Pop? - Seamus, Dean.
"I blame you, you failure! How dare you disgrace us-!" The Prophet's board. W-What? Fin's head was swimming in confusion. His feet had stopped, his knees jerked- They wouldn't move!
The light was closing in now.
Faster and faster, darker and darker. Fin screamed. The voices grew louder, swarmed his head, filled his ears, tore at his heart and at his skin.
"Go die!"
"Go!"
"Go, freak!"
"Get out of here- Go! Go! GET OUT OF HERE!"
"Really, though, what could a lowly reporter like you have to offer Alby anyway? Just an exclusive article that'll never get published? Like the rest of your shite? You're just a lowly photo-boy, the scum the Prophet spits out from what I hear." Bailey appeared, a simple blink of light, and she stood in front of him, as poised and cold as usual. A sneer curled at her lips, her hand lifted, and she jerked her arm. Pain seared across his cheeks, blood dripped against his neck. Wha...?
"You should be offering to wipe Albus's shoes for all the good he's done for you! And don't think I don't know that you've been living with Victoire Weasley! You just can't stay away from that family, can you?" Another slash of talons. Talons- What? Confusion, fear, his heart pounded, his discoloured eyes grew wide. What- What- No! What is this? Bailey? Why was she here?
"Can you? You just can't stay AWAY!" Another slash and Fin was falling, like a weight, free, yet so barred down by burdens.
"Finny..."
"Finny..."
Albus? A flash of clear, intelligent blue eyes. What was this?
"Fin... ny..." Albus's image, the wavering gaze Fin held as he felt like he was floating, still and lifeless. Maybe Albus was here to pull him out of... wherever... he was. "No one loves you." And he was falling again. No!
"Ah!" Jerking up violently, back groaning in protest, Fin shot up from the floor, eyes wide, heart stuttering, pounding in his chest. Lifting a hand, albeit shakily, he ran it through his hair, glancing around. He... Oh. He was back. Yeah.
Fin had apparated back, dropped his... his shite on the floor and collapsed onto his bed in tears. Somewhere in that tryst he must of passed out, fallen onto the floor and woken up from a blasted nightmare.
A shaky breath escaped his lips as Fin curled up against the end of his bed, knees pushing up against his chest, lifting his hands to rub the heels of his palms against his puffy eyes. He was such a failure.
There was an owl at his window, tapping irritably, as though it had been there for quite a while.
Lurching up with a groan, Fin waved a hand at the ruddy bird. "M'coming..." Jerking open his window open, wincing at the ear-shocking creak that emanated from the hinges, Fin sighed miserably as the owl hopped inside.
It hooted brusquely, threw out its leg to offer the scroll that had been tied there. It was a deep red, but not an envelope so he was safe from a Howler. But there wouldn't be anything good in there, either. So, fingers trembling, Fin took the scroll and let the bird fly off as he unrolled it.
Wanting to smash his head into the ground, but knowing it would help nothing but worsen the pounding in his head, Fin flopped uselessly against his shoddy mattress. Another pay deduction, meaning he'd have to skip out on another two lunches a week from his usual four. Lengthy, unnecessary lunch breaks? Fin didn't even leave the office to eat lunch. ...If you could consider the water-logged closet he was given an office. And, his probation of all things; his use of the company Floo, owls and headlining stories... Extended. For another four and a half weeks atop the two months he still had left.
The paper fluttered to the floor, a dull speck of colour in his miserable life. Way to go, Fin! You lost the man of your dreams, are still a piece of shite, and your job is worse than you could ever imagine. So much for a "dream opportunity." Closing his eyes, clenching them shut almost painfully, Fin breathed deeply, wished, hoped- He had to get away- Leave- Never look back. (Which he knew was a lie.) And he was home with a crack.
-8-8-
"I hate these progress report things," Harry muttered.
Ron only laughed and gave him a firm slap on the shoulder. "It's your own fault, accepting that promotion."
He sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah..." Thankfully, for his sanity, it was only him, Ron, and Seamus for this last, irritating meeting of the day. The two of them had been paired when Dean had left the Ministry to pursue a career in radio of all things, and they made a decent enough match. Their arrest record was stellar. "But if I have to go through another file, I'll kill something."
"I know how you feel, 'arry." Seamus's head hit the desk with a dull thud. "I hate those damn lucky bastards who don't have to do any of 'em."
"Those lucky bastards must not work at the Ministry," Harry grumbled.
"Yeah," Seamus grumbled, lifting his head up with a quiet groan and rubbing at his eyes. "Our husbands."
"My wife," Ron put in, shrugging. "Anyway, Harry, we know the drill. Finnigan and I are doing a bang-up job and now we can go home."
Harry grinned. "Yes to the first part. But no to going home just yet. Shacklebolt wants me to drill everyone on-"
He broke off when a silvery animal burst into his office. Its mouth opened and Dean's voice poured out. "Seamus! Something's wrong with Fin! Came home an absolute mess. I floo'd Victoire to see why and she's just as upset, something about the Potter-Malfoy boy he's fond of and... Godric, this is a mess. You should see where he's been living. Come home now." And then it faded.
"Po..." Harry sighed. "Albus. Go ahead, Seamus! I'll drill you lot tomorrow. Looks like you get your wish, Ron."
"Grand."
Seamus shot up from the desk, barely catching the words Harry and Ron threw around as he tried to gather his Auror cloak, paperwork, and the mug of coffee, with a no-spill charm courtesy of Harry, and run off. "Shite, shite, shite!" Him and his husband, their son included, rarely talked between them during the day, and they were all content with that. But for Dean to send a Patronus to Seamus, and an urgent one at that, and mention their son being in hysterics- "Shite, I-I gotta' go, mates-!"
Harry just lifted both brows, rising from his chair. "Use my floo, Seamus. It's right here after all."
With a jerking nod, and a few choice words of jumbled Irish, Seamus lifted a hand, cursing as his coffee mug all but hung upside-down by the handle and grabbed at some Floo powder. "Thanks, 'arry!" And with a chuck of his hand and a worriedly, fatherly expression Seamus called out his address and disappeared, crumpled papers, non-spilt coffee and all.
"That was an adventure," Ron mused. "Going to tell me what's goin' on with his boy and Al?"
"An adventure," Harry mused, pulling on his robes. "I need to go see if Al's alright. See you tonight, mate."
"Yeah," he agreed and Harry was through the floo right after Seamus.
-8-8-
"Shite!" Seamus tumbled out of the fire with ragged breath and a disastrously disheveled appearance. "Dean? Dean?"
He appeared almost immediately, going to his husband. "Doesn't have a wand, camera about to fall apart, and that hovel he called a flat... Godric, Seamus, I have to keep telling myself that I'm not mad at him so I don't snap."
Seamus vanished everything in his arms immediately. He'd find them later. Glancing up at the taller male, his brows furrowed. "What? A hovel? What'd ya mean a hovel?" The Irishman turned, deftly walking past his husband to try and locate their son. A hovel? It... He couldn't be that bad off. No, never, not our son.
"He's upstairs, sleeping. I may have slipped him a potion, just a bit of one so he could sleep an hour. Merlin, Seamus, you should see his eyes... I've gotten as much as I could out of Victoire, and..." Dean jerked his shoulder, a childish show of the temper that suddenly flared. "Our boy's been hurting and he hasn't come to us! He hasn't gone to anyone! I knew he was too damn much like you, Seamus Finnigan..." Temper fled, worry replaced it. "He wouldn't give Victoire specific details, but it's been bad. What are we going to do?"
Seamus drew Dean close, arms tucked around his lover's waist. A deep breath later, and some calming thoughts, Seamus mumbled quietly. "I don't know, love. I don't know."
"We'll figure it out, a ghra." My love. It was one of the only Irish phrases he knew. Fin had a better tongue for them and his da definitely did. Dean knew all about Seamus Finnigan's tongue. Their lips met, warmed, and Dean sighed pleasantly when his tongue met his lover's. "We'll figure it out," he said again, tone quieter but more assured.
Seamus leaned into the touch. "So he's asleep, yeah?" His fingers drifted deftly over Dean's back, enjoying the content warmth his husband gave off more than he would ever let anyone but his husband himself know.
"Mmhm. For an hour or so. Dreamless sleep," Dean murmured, resting his cheek atop his husband's hair. "He seemed to need it."
Seamus tilted his head up, asking silently for a kiss his husband was all too willing to give. His worries were quickly eased, no matter how frazzled he was mere moments ago. "Go raibh maith agat, a ghra." Thank you, my love. Seamus spoke quietly, fluently, lips pressed softly against Dean's, his heart stuttering in his chest.
Sighing, Dean drew the shorter man closer. It never ceased to amaze that this bloke, his best friend since their school days, was his. The taste of him still drugged, the feel of him still enticed, the energy and passion compacted in his shorter stature was its own kind of explosion, and Dean still got caught up in it.
Seamus pulled way with a quiet, goofy smile, licking at his lips. So much better than beer. Not like he'd ever admit it.
With a small grin, Dean traced a fingertip over his lips. "You got here faster than I thought you would."
Arm linked tightly around Dean's waist, Seamus led them over to the couch, the dark black upholstery cushioned against them as he flopped onto the couch, tugging the taller male into his lap. "Of course. After tha' message? How could I not."
"I was..." Dean shrugged, stretching out his legs, fidgeting worriedly. "He scared me. Haven't seen him that distraught since he was a toddler. They did something to his eyes, Seamus, and he... he wouldn't tell me about it."
"His... Bloody Merlin, what'd they do to 'is eyes, Dean?" Seamus's brow furrowed. His boy, his poor, poor boy. Why the fuckin' hell didn't they do something sooner?
"Green." He brushed his thumb beneath one of Seamus's eyes. "Brown." Brushed his thumb beneath the other. "His wand's been snapped too, but I couldn't work out who. And then I saw this." He dug into his pocket for the little sheet of parchment that had been delivered to Fin. "Extended probation on their floo network and all kinds of other things." Anger flared in Dean again so, to combat it, he snuggled a little closer to Seamus and breathed him in. "He never told us..."
"Bloody Merlin..." Their son. Right under their noses. "We... Why didn't he come to us, De? Why... Why...?" Seamus couldn't understand it. They had never given Fin any reason as not to come and ask for help, and bloody Merlin knew they had enough galleons for him and themselves.
"Because he's stupidly stubborn and Irish like his da." Dean poked him in the ribs before sliding down to nestle his head in the curve of his husband's neck. "And we should've seen it... He used to bounce home almost every night telling us about his latest story... I can't even remember the last time he did..."
Seamus wanted to cry. For the first time in his ruddy fucking life, the Irishman wanted to cry, in the arms of his husband. "Oh Eoghan, mo mhac..." My son.
"Seamus," Dean whispered, feeling the change in him, "don't do that, now. You aren't a crier." He found his husband's hands, lifted them to his lips. Warm, lingering kisses were pressed to each palm in turn. "We know now that there's trouble and we'll help him through."
"But... De, why...?" Seamus couldn't understand, couldn't wrap his head around it. Why- Why his son? Why wouldn't his son talk to them? The questions barrelled down on his sleep-deprived mind.
"We'll ask him when he wakes," Dean assured him, shifting his husband onto his back. "When you wake. Go to sleep, a ghra."
"Can't..." Seamus rested warmly against the cushions, eyes already slipping closed. "Love you too much, too worried... Too busy..." His words slowly slurred themselves as his body drifted off.
"Worry later," his husband murmured, pressed a gentle kiss to Seamus's temple that would've embarrassed him had the Irishman been more awake.
Eyes slipping closed, Seamus drifted off, arms tightly around Dean's waist, fingers linked through his husband's belt loops. "Love... you..."
"Love you too," Dean whispered and stayed snuggled close until he slipped naturally into sleep.
-8-8-
Harry was spit out at the Manor, which meant Albus had closed off his floo at the shop. Considering the time, that was... unusual and it only speared Harry with worry. He Apparated to the front door of Page Turner, blinked a few times at the Closed sign that hung in the door. Albus, perpetually responsible Albus, never closed early. But it seemed that he had this time and he'd even locked the doors. Harry had to try a few different unlocking charms before one worked and his brows lifted. Auror-grade locking spell? Who was Albus trying to keep out?
Harry walked in, looked about, and had no choice but to gape. He was trying to keep out... everyone, it seemed. Because who in their right mind would come into an explosion of a place like this? Piles upon piles of books, some stacked haphazardly on shelves, some tossed into wild piles on the floor. The posters on the walls were the old ones and, in the middle of it all, surrounded by still more piles of books, was Albus.
He was muttering to the little puppy curled in his lap, squinting at book titles since he was without his glasses, and throwing them into piles. If they missed, they seemed to understand where to go, so Harry watched quietly as one landed on the floor, picked itself up, and bounded to what was probably the correct pile.
Harry almost would've laughed at the organized chaos of it all, but for the tears glittering in Al's eyes. Teddy was the crier. James the prankster, Scorpius the tease, and Al the quiet, do what must be done, one. Al was not the 'turn his shop to shambles and cry over books' one. He cleared his throat, heart aching when Al's head snapped up, damp eyes wide. And then they filled with disappointment and lowered again. Well, none of his sons had ever been disappointed by his presence before...
Harry waded around piles, squatting in front of his youngest son. "Expecting someone else?"
"I was hoping... I guess only you could get through." Distress mixed with the disappointment replaced it, and Harry wondered if it had always been distress to begin with.
"Hoping for Fin?" Harry said quietly, heart fluttering. Godric, was Scorpius the only son he had who knew what to do when faced with love? Albus jerked a shoulder, lips forming a pout, and chucked another book. "What happened?" his father wondered.
"I messed up. I let her hurt him and say all these things that weren't true. And then she just burned it all up, and I don't think Fin had another copy. He should, but I don't know if he'd use more paper for it... He's almost out, pop. I was going to get him a new notebook to thank him and then everything was all messed up..."
Blame. Albus was always good at shifting it to himself; his brothers had figured out pretty quickly that if they wanted to get out of something, that claiming it had been Albus's doing, everything would be fine. As good as Al was at taking blame, he could get himself out of punishments quicker than a snake. He and Draco had always expected him to end up in Hufflepuff, like Teddy, or Ravenclaw with Scorpius. The Slytherin sorting had taken them both by surprise, had probably even startled Al.
Harry sighed. "What did Bailey burn?"
Al paused, fingers stroking over the puppy sleeping in his lap. "I never said Bailey..." He looked up, peering at his papa through his long bangs. "You don't like her very much, do you? Does anybody?"
How to smooth this one over? It was a fact that absolutely no one in their family liked the woman, but Harry understood that she'd helped Albus find his dream. She'd helped with start-up costs and a few other things, continued to help him financially because, really, as smart as their boy was, he was shite at paperwork.
"She's..."
"So no," Albus interrupted. "No one likes her..."
"What are you doing?" Harry wondered, eager to get the conversation off Bailey O'Doherty.
"Taking my shop back. She says this and she says that, but how does she know? She stays out back. She won't even watch the store for an hour while I'm out with Fin. She closed in the middle of the day. She messed up how I had all my furniture and she brought in books I don't want to sell and she confused everything. I like my posters. It's my shop. It's mine, pop. And... and if she doesn't like it... W-well, she works for me. I can fire her."
"She upset Fin that badly?"
"She burned up his article! It was... it was so good, pop. It was so good. I wanted to see it in the Prophet and hang it on the wall in here, right behind my desk. I didn't want anyone else to see it until I had a copy from the paper and could show everyone how amazing it was. Merlin, pop, he's so smart. He's so good with words... He seems to stutter a lot and sometimes his accent's really thick, so things jumble together if you don't pay attention. But when he writes..."
Al looked up, eyes wide and deep blue, all traces of grey swallowed. "She burned it up, papa. It's gone. And she said so many things... He ran off and when I went to Victoire's to apologize, he was packing to run away or something. And... And then he said he loved me."
He looked down while Harry said nothing, internalizing everything. Oh, Al... "He loves me and when he kissed me in Magical Menagerie while we were getting stuff for Lala, my magic flared. It's never done that when I've kissed someone." He lifted a hand, touched his fingertips to his lips. "It was so light, pop, not even a real kiss. But I wanted..."
Al felt horrible about that, too. That witch had called them boyfriends and Al had fallen into it, let it be a big old joke. And Fin had let it go... He'd kissed his cheek, kept that arm around his waist... He'd let Albus lean on him and then... Salazar! No wonder he'd been weird after.
"I'm so stupid, pop... I hurt him. He loves me and I hurt him." He threw the book, looking up at Harry. "What am I supposed to do now?"
His boy was so troubled... It made Harry's heart ache. He reached out, brushing a hand through his youngest's hair and sighed quietly. His boy was a man, and that made his heart ache more. "What do you feel for Fin?"
"I... I don't know, pop. He's so... genuine. Do you understand? I keep saying nice, and he is, but there's so much more there. I was starting to see so much more in him. He came in here more, smiled so much... You know he's got this dimple..." Al fluttered his fingers over his own cheek where Fin's single dimple showed with every lop-sided grin. He smiled and Harry sighed quietly at the expression. His son was in love and had no idea. Absolutely no idea. Merlin, Albus...
"He's sweet, pop, but he keeps so much to himself. He's got troubles, but he won't talk about them. I was hoping I could change that, get him to talk to me. But..."
"But then Bailey."
"She ruined it. I don't... We were having such a good time. He thinks I'm amazing." He stroked the pup's head, gaze lifting to Harry's, and there was wonder in his eyes. "He thinks I'm amazing. Even compared to all of you."
Harry stared blankly for a moment. "Albus, of course you're amazing. Why would you ever think otherwise?" And how had he and Draco missed this?
"Oh, pop, I know I'm not. Teddy's grand at his job - you say so all the time. Just like with James because his record is superb despite his lapses. Scorpius is a star, the best Seeker out there. I have my shop. And... Well, that's it."
"That's it?" Harry was absolutely stunned. He looked around at all the books, the posters, the seating the boy had agonized over. Albus had put his heart and soul into this shop and... and that's it? "Albus, this place is... You love this place."
"I know I do." Albus looked around himself, seeing how it would be after the piles were organized and properly on the shelves. "It's my favorite place to be, but it's not very glamorous compared to the rest of you. I mean, Salazar, pop. You're Head Auror, dad's pulled himself from disrespected former Death Eater to highly respected Potions Master. And then my brothers all do such exciting things. I sell books." Albus shrugged, tone matter-of-fact. "It's not a bad thing, but I'm used to being the most dull. James and Teddy catch criminals, I read about them." He laughed quietly, scratching Subla behind her ears.
Harry scooted closer to his son, resting his hands on his shoulders. "Albus Severus Potter-Malfoy, you look at me." He tilted his gaze up, curious. "You are amazing. You've made a bookshop out of nothing. You've introduced Muggle literature to Diagon Alley successfully. You come in here six days a week and you work hard to keep Page Turner a success. You have regular customers who like and respect you because you talk to them, you know them. I can't tell you how many Aurors I dealt with today who asked me if you had anything new. You should be proud of what you've done."
Harry released him, leaning back and studying the surprise reflected in Albus's expression. "What do I care that you don't catch criminals or snitches? That isn't your dream, Al. Those are your brothers. Those don't make you happy. This place does. This place that you just told me you loved makes you happy. I am so proud of you, Albus, for doing that."
His mouth opened, closed. At a total loss, Albus could only shake his head. "Godric, Al, I thought you knew that. Your dad and I are both so proud of you. You've done a wonderful job here. You're a wonderful, amazing shopkeeper."
Al stared at his papa for a long time, digesting the words. They were proud of him for his little shop? Really? Fresh tears welled in his eyes as he abruptly realized that he wanted to tell Fin. He wanted to tell Finny everything pop had just said to him. "I love you, pop."
"I love you too, Albus. You amazing son of mine."
He sniffled, wiping at his eyes. "So... What do I do now? I want to find Finny."
Harry's heart swelled, his lips curved. Proud? Yes, he was proud of this young man. "Finish fixing your shop. Let Fin come to you. You've got his pup, don't you?"
Al looked down at Lala, smiling slightly. "Yeah. Isn't she precious?"
"Yes." So are you, Al, Harry thought. You just don't know it like the rest of us do. "Finish fixing up," he repeated and leaned forward to brush a kiss over his son's brow. "I'll see you at home for dinner."
"I'll be there," he promised and started working with renewed vigor. His parents were proud of him, his pop thought he was amazing, and everything would be okay with Fin. Al let himself believe that, his smile warming.
His papa apparated away and, before Al thought to re-lock the doors, in sailed Bailey...
-8-8-
"Mm, hey Ted?" Alex mumbled quietly, eyes drifting open and shut as sleep danced across his conscious.
"Hm?" They were lounged in the tub, bubbles surrounding them, Alex pillowed comfortably against his chest. Teddy ran his fingers gently along the younger man's side, content.
Alex turned his head to press soft kisses warmly against Teddy's water warmed neck. "I... I'm going to sound like a tot'l prat... But, I... You..." A blush tumbled over his cheeks. "You never said anythin' when I said I love you. You never 'aid anything back. Why?"
"Alex..." He wasn't... ready for the words. They were there, just on the tip of his tongue, but he didn't know how to force them out. "You blew me away," Teddy murmured. "I wasn't expecting that from you."
The painter played with some of the bubbles dancing against the top of the water. "It's been..." How long had it been since he had said those words? Days? Hours? "It's been a while since I said them, and you..." He swallowed shakily, his mood suddenly taking a sour turn. "Haven't said anything."
"Don't, Alex. Don't be upset." Teddy ran his hands soothingly over the painter's back, sighing quietly. "It's not... It's not that I don't, alright?"
Alex turned, the water sloshing around him, the bubbles, colorful and scented, moved towards the edge of the tub. Alex straddled Teddy's waist, hands firmly against his lover's chest. "But what, Ted? Why shouldn't I be upset?"
Teddy stared at him a moment, just awed. He trailed his fingers over his skin, followed a droplet of water. Why, he wondered, did this gorgeous creature love him? "Alexander... This is new for me. You matter so much. I feel for you, I do. I..." I love you, I love you, I love you. His tongue tangled on the words, and he sighed. "Just be patient with me."
Hurt flashed across Alex's face like the click of camera. There one moment, gone the next. He sighed, a small, grim expression bubbling in his chest. "O... Okay." He knew Teddy had issues with emotions, he knew. But... Did... Doubt began to form in his mind like a bubbling-over cauldron. Did Teddy really love him? Or... Did he just 'feel for him.' Alex leaned his head down, resting it against Teddy's chest. "D'accord..."
"Alex," Teddy murmured, holding him close because he'd seen the hurt and it had made him ashamed. They should be easy. The rolled off his tongue for his family; why not with Alexander?
"Mm?" The painter's eyes drifted close, his arms looping cautiously around Teddy's waist.
He wanted to say so many things. They tumbled through his head, tangling and knotting his tongue, until he could only tilt Alex's head back and lay his lips gently, soothingly, over his. He couldn't tell him, but maybe he could show him.
Alex leaned into the touch minutely, a small whimper, a blissful sigh escaping his lips, his worries ebbing away like the stress on his shoulders. "Okay... Okay, I'll wait..." he murmured quietly against his lover's lips.
"You're the only one for me, Alexander," he murmured, hands moving from his shoulders, down his back, and up again in slow, steady caresses.
Shuddering, Alex swallowed past the annoyance of a twist in his throat. "Making it sound like marriage does not excuse you, Ted Lupin." He tried to joke, he really did, but it was so hard when Ted murmured things like that, things that kept Alex up late into the hours of the morning.
The thought of marriage terrified him for no other reason than he didn't think he'd be any good at it. He tucked his chin atop Alex's head, sighed quietly, and held on. It terrified him, too, how badly he wanted it, how badly he wanted to tie this lovely painter to him and never let go. Was it fair, he wondered, to Alexander? Teddy knew that he'd been Alex's first, his only. And, well, he was only nineteen, so was it fair to do the selfish thing and remain his only? What if Alex grew tired of him down the line, used to him, and bored by him? Teddy didn't think he could handle that, he was scared of the risk, was scared of being selfish.
He closed his eyes, resuming his gentle strokes. "Bed," he murmured. "I know you're tired."
Alex shook his head in response. "S'fine, comfortable." He pressed gentle kisses against Teddy's neck, curling up against his lover's chest.
He smiled. "As you like."
Alex nuzzled Teddy's neck, snuggling down against his lover's chest and sighing contently. He'd let his worries slip, for now, more content with the present than the future. "Love you Teddy, so much..."
Teddy imagined that if he'd reached inside his chest and squeezed his heart, it would've seized in the same fashion, stuttered the same way. "Alexander," he whispered, tone awed, reverent. "How did I get you?"
The painter chuckled quietly, hissing pleasantly as the water reheated against his skin, causing a shocked tingle against his back. "Mm, if I remember, love, you ran into me quite literally."
"That I did. Then I came back to see if you were okay." Teddy smiled, fingers stroking gently. "And maybe to ask you to dinner."
"And then another, then another, and about thirty more after that." Alex's laughter was infectious, the small, musical chuckles tumbling past his lips before he could help himself. "And about forty other dates in-between."
"And plenty more to go," Teddy mused, eyes clouding slightly as he considered broken dates, last-minute calls because work was in the way. He banished the thoughts, letting his smile break through. "I adore your laugh," he murmured, caressed his cheek.
Alex pulled away to sit back against his lover's legs. "You adore a lot about this shoddy ol' painter, oui?" He turned his head, pressing a soft, open-mouthed kiss against Teddy's wrist. "Cheer up, s'il vous plaît? For me?"
Teddy laughed softly. "It's not hard to be cheerful when I've got something so gorgeous snuggled close."
He snorted in amusement. "Tu- You are such a girl; do you know that?" Alexander cut himself off from small muttered words of French at the last second. Not tonight.
Now he laughed for real, grin spreading. "I don't think I'm the girl here, sketch."
Alex flicked some water against Teddy's face. "You just said snuggle; that, mon cher, is very girlish."
"It's a word, you little prat." Teddy caught his hand, nibbled on his wrist.
Alex chuckled, wiggling his wrist to try and get away as small tingles danced up his arm. "T-Teddy-!"
Teddy held fast, tongue replacing his teeth in teasing little laps. His fingers danced lightly over his skin, skimming along his ribs. "Hm?"
Alexander wriggled like a worm, his whole body shaking with quakes of laughter, his stomach clenching, his arms shooting around his body as if to protect himself from the onslaught of deft fingers. "T-Te-Teddy!"
Merlin, he was adorable. Teddy smiled, years of dealing with ticklish younger siblings coming into play as he stole his fingers over his lover, finding all those places that affected him most. He knew this body so well, Teddy mused, better than he'd known any of the others he'd come into contact with. Lovers flitted in and out of his life with ease, but not Alex. He'd been hard won and was well-known. He knew he could turn his breathless laughter into breathless moans with just a few easy moves.
But he was enjoying this, the sound of his laughter, the sight of his head thrown back. The hollow of his throat was delightfully lickable, the dark column begging to be nipped at. Grinning, he kept himself in check and just continued to torture him with tickles.
Minutes passed, Alex's body heaving for breath as water sloshed along the sides of the tub, begging pleas, whispers, laughter all tumbled from his lips as Alex tried to wrestle away from Teddy's arms. "P-Please! Teddy! I-I can't-!"
Laughing, Teddy wound his arms around the smaller man and gave in to the urge to nip and nuzzle at his neck. "Can't what?"
Alexander gave a pleasing moan, arching against Teddy's torso, hoping to tempt his lover into stop tickling him. Maybe if he thought it hard enough... Maybe some Occlumency...
The sounds of his moans were as pleasing to him as the sound of his laughter. With a pleased hum, Teddy's hands settled on his waist, his mouth trailing along the curve of his shoulder in heated, open-mouthed kisses.
Alex did not expect the reaction he received and a pleased moan escaped his lips, his head falling to the side with a wayward motion. "T-Teddy..."
"Beautiful," Teddy cooed, lips gliding warmly over Alexander's face. "So beautiful, Alex."
"Teddy..." Alex's whispers were soft, his body warming to the touch, a blush dusting over his cheeks. His heart was quickly picking up speed, his throat was drying up, and Alexander had no clue where any of this was going.
"Your heart's racing," Teddy whispered, lips finally finding Alexander's. They brushed gently, almost teasingly. He wanted to be selfish. He wanted it to race only for him, always only for him. He wanted to believe that Alex really would love him forever. He wanted so badly to believe, to say what was in his own heart. He wanted strongly enough that his fingers trembled as he lifted them to Alex's face, his lips settling firmly.
He kissed him slowly, deepened it carefully, coaxingly. "Alexander," he murmured. "Let me take you to bed." Let me show you what I can't say.
A mere nod was Alexander's answer, his breath catching in his chest. Teddy was... Teddy loved him, he had to. "Y-Yes," he pressed his body lithely against his lover's. "Okay."
He rose slowly, gathering the Frenchman in his arms to carry him to the bedroom. His legs were unsteady, which was a novel sensation. Then again, he'd never gone to bed intending to give so much of himself.
He lowered Alex to the sheets, transfiguring them to satin. His heart galloped as the lights of the room were replaced with conjured candles, the flames only a warm glow. Watching the way the candlelight played over his dark skin, the way it danced in his tawny eyes, Teddy's breath caught in his lungs and his heart trembled. He wished, for a moment, that he was the painter, that he could capture this on a canvas and keep it forever.
Teddy reached out and gave his heart the only way he knew how.
Alex knew, as Teddy leaned down, sealing their lips and caressing Alexander's body like he was born to do it, that this time, this one, passionate session of sex would be different- It would be love making, and it would confirm to Alex what he had been wondering for days, weeks- That Teddy loved him. And as Teddy took him to the throes of passion, Alexander knew their relationship would not be the same. "T-Teddy!"
We're developing the damn characters so much via questions XD
That we are XD So keep 'em coming, folks!
Cliff-hanger for poor Al! Muahahahaha! :D
And it's so cute! Fin and Al's relationship is developing just as quickly as Harry and Draco's! With angst as well! :D That's our little Alby!- Oh. Ew. Shoot me. I meant Albus.
So what did you lot think of Seamus and Dean? Their relationship will be explored a LOT more coming up!
Yay XD
AND WOOHOO FOR ALEX AND TEDDY. If only Teddy would stop being such a git D:
Oh! Also. Is anyone interested in knowing who plays who? XD
Does anyone need to know? XD Secrets Syl.
I just love the fact that we each get a chance to develop our characters separately, and then bring them into a larger setting. It's a marvelously beautiful thing.
Reviews?
-Abraxas and Syl.