for meet cutes day 11 - you prob don't remember me but you saved me from bullies once in middle school and you've just gotten hotter
for 366 words - unforgettable
720 words by gdocs
Albus can't make himself talk to Scorpius Malfoy. When he considers doing it, part of him just freezes up and causes him to chicken out. He's known who he was since they were in elementary school, and he's always wanted to move past the "just classmates" phase into the "friends" phase.
Or more. More would be nice.
Except they're in their last year of high school, and Albus hasn't been able to talk to the guy that —
Well, the guy that probably saved his life.
When they were in eighth grade, someone started a rumor that Albus was gay. Albus was too shy to deny it.
Besides, why would he have denied something that's true?
The bullying got so bad, that Albus had flat out not wanted to live anymore — until someone was bullying him in class one day, and Scorpius Malfoy — the son of Draco Malfoy, a rich and powerful influence in their community, who had funded their school itself — well, Scorpius whipped around and said "I'm gay, too." Simple as that.
The bullying had stopped really quick after that.
Over the years, Albus had found some really good friends. He had become less shy, and he had even joined the school's football team and was generally well-liked.
With Scorpius, though, Albus still hasn't been able to open himself up to him. He's just watched Scorpius grow up over the past four years and not being able to say a single word to him.
It changes, one day, though. They're in the same Biology class, and the teacher randomly gives everyone partners.
Scorpius is Albus' partner.
When the teacher announces their pairs, Scorpius locks eyes with Albus and moves to sit next to him.
"I'm Scorpius," Scorpius says, giving Albus a big smile. Albus' stomach flurries with butterflies.
"I know," he says, before he can stop himself. It makes Scorpius laugh, though, so Albus supposes that it's a plus. Still, his cheeks burn up. "I'm Albus, I mean."
"I know," Scorpius says. They make eye contact and Albus wonders if Scorpius remembers standing up for him. To him, it was unforgettable, but Albus figures that Scorpius probably doesn't remember who he was sticking up for. Their eye contact only lasts for a few seconds, though, before Scorpius looks quickly down at their paper.
"So, for this experiment…"
…
Two weeks later, far after they've already finished their Biology project, Scorpius comes up to Albus during lunch. Albus is sitting in the midst of his friends and eating his sandwich and Scorpius says, "Can we talk about Bio?"
"Sure," Albus says, taking another bite of his sandwich.
Scorpius' eyes flit up to Albus' friends, and he amends, "Outside?"
The butterflies suddenly flood his stomach. Nevertheless, he gets up and follows Scorpius into the hallway.
"I don't need to talk to you about Bio," Scorpius says, as soon as they're alone. "It's about something else."
Albus feels like he's dreaming. Why else would Scorpius be talking to him in private? He doesn't say anything in fear of messing up the dream.
"I don't know if you remember this," Scorpius begins, wringing his hands together, "but in middle school you were outed and I defended you by coming out?"
Albus can hardly make himself nod. He's about to be woken up by his alarm in a minute.
"Well, I've honestly liked you since then," Scorpius admits. "I've just been too scared to talk to you and admit that." The sentence hangs in the air for a moment and Albus can't do anything but blink.
"No," he says, shattering the dream.
"No?" Scorpius says, sounding really nervous.
"You're not allowed to say all of that," he says, letting out a laugh that's way higher than his normal one. "I'm supposed to be saying all of that."
"What?" Scorpius asks, now sounding more confused than anything.
"I'm supposed to be the one who thinks you're hot," Albus starts, still pretty sure that he's in a dream, "and I'm supposed to be the one who's scared to talk to you, and you're not supposed to be achievable for me to date, and you're not supposed to like me —"
Scorpius shuts him off by pressing a kiss to Albus' lips. He doesn't think he's in a dream anymore.
This feels real.
