Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Written for Assignment 5; Elemental Magic, Task 1 - Someone getting caught in the rain.

Challenges listed at the bottom.

Pairing - OliverPercy

Word Count - 1185

Beta'd by Sam

I'm Here With You (Even When I'm Not)

He straightened his tie and stared into the mirror, adjusting his formal navy robes until they fell properly around him. He wasn't ready for this; but then, he never would be.

His little brother…

It shouldn't have been Fred. Percy didn't know who it should have been, but it shouldn't have been Fred. Maybe it should have been Percy himself; he'd done more to deserve death than Fred ever had.

He could hear sounds of movement around the Burrow, but he couldn't bring himself to leave his old room. He knew he should go and comfort his family, should see if anyone needed help with anything, or even if someone just wanted a hug but he couldn't.

He had no right to offer comfort or seek it for himself here.

The clock was ticking closer and closer to the moment they would gather to lay Fred to rest, and Percy begged it silently to slow down. He needed the clock to just stop for a moment, because he wasn't ready and he didn't know how to be ready.

"Percy?"

He hadn't even noticed the door opening, but his mum stood in the doorway. Her eyes were already red and swollen, and her skin was blotchy and pale. She had a black lace veil half covering her face, but it did nothing to hide her grief.

"It's almost time to leave, dear. Come downstairs."

Percy nodded, swallowing hard. "I'll be there in a minute, Mum."

She tried to smile at him, and he appreciated her effort. He wished he could take her pain away, but of course, he couldn't. He couldn't take any of their pain away. Fred… he was gone, and nothing Percy did or said could change that now.

…

The river flowed at a gentle pace, unhurried as it made its way downstream. Percy walked along the bank, his tie untied and loose around his neck, his robes muddy around the hem. Never had he cared less about his appearance.

He remembered better times on this river, running down the bank with Oliver, picnics with his siblings, even fishing a time or two with his dad.

A crash of thunder in the distance made him jump, and he looked up in time for a raindrop to splash onto his cheek. He thought about turning around and heading home but he really didn't want to face anyone.

Besides, if he got sick from being caught in the rain like an idiot, it would only be his own fault, right? Nothing he didn't deserve.

He carried on his way, the torrent of rain soaking his robes in minutes.

"It's raining."

Percy looked up and blinked.

"Oliver?"

"You're soaking wet, Perce. You could have at least conjured an umbrella, you prat."

Percy frowned at Oliver, ignoring the chastisement for the more important question. "What… what are you doing here?"

"Remember when we were younger?" Oliver asked, his eyes on the river. "We used to come here all the time in the summer. I thought you might be here."

Percy sighed. "I… yeah. I guess… I guess I wanted to be reminded of something… happy. Normal. Something that isn't so soul destroying."

"Let's walk for a bit," Oliver murmured. "But conjure an umbrella, would you. I don't want you to get sick."

Percy nodded and cast the spell for an umbrella. He raised it up over both of their heads and they fell into step together.

It had been a long time since they'd been together, never mind alone together. Just another failure to add to Percy's already impressive list, he supposed.

They'd been in love, once upon a time, before Percy threw everything important away for the Ministry.

"I really, really want to poke you in the eye right now," Oliver commented lightly. "You're having the world's worst pity party and I'm already bored of it."

Percy turned his head to glare at Oliver. He'd always been supportive, if a little abrupt, and that comment wasn't like him at all. That he'd be dismissive of Percy's grief… Percy wasn't sure what to do with that.

Oliver wasn't fazed by the glaring in the slightest. "I'm sorry about Fred, Perce, I truly am. But… this feeling sorry for yourself business… It's not you, Perce. It never has been."

"We haven't seen each other in over a year," Percy reminded Oliver. "You don't know who I am these days."

"You're still Percy. Still the asshat I've always loved."

"Always?"

"I didn't just turn my feelings off because you left, Percy," Oliver snapped, before he softened and shook his head. "Sorry. I just… I wish you could see that, yes, you messed up, but it's not… you'll get a second chance, and a third or fourth or fifth if you need them because you have people that love you. One mistake doesn't have to define your life."

Percy swallowed against the sudden lump in his throat.

"I'm scared," he admitted quietly. "I'm scared that I'm going to keep repeating the same mistakes and losing the people I love. I… I don't know how to… move on from this, Ollie."

Oliver sighed. "Yes, the past can hurt but… the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it. So you messed up. But you didn't kill Fred, Perce. He died in a war, in a battle that could have ended the life of anyone present. Wrong place, wrong time, and… that happens in war. That… it wasn't your fault."

"He was laughing at a joke I made," Percy growled. "He wasn't paying attention because I distracted him! How is that not my fault?"

"You didn't kill him, Percy," Oliver sighed. He's always defended Percy from his self destructive thoughts. Percy remembered him doing that for as long as they'd known each other. Apparently he was still in the habit. "Your only real mistake was putting your ambition before things that should always be more important. You can fix that. You can pick up the pieces of that. It might take time, but you can do it. And hey, I'm always here when you need me."

Percy nodded. "I'm so tired."

"Maybe let yourself accept comfort, okay? Your family accepted you back with open arms. Let them support you, and offer them the same back. They want you there, Perce. Stop hiding."

"What you said earlier…" Percy paused and met Oliver's eyes. "I love you too. I… I'm sorry I let my ambition get in the way of us."

Oliver smiled. "Okay," he murmured.

"That's it?"

"I've always accepted everything about you, Percy," Oliver replied quietly, a small smile on his face. "The bad and the good."

"I know."

"Percy?"

Percy turned to see George standing close by, a clear umbrella held over his head to protect against the still falling rain.

"What are you doing?" George asked, his brow furrowed.

Percy mimicked the expression. "Talking to Oli—" he turned to see where Oliver was, only to find himself standing alone on the bank. "Where did Oliver go? Did you see where he went?"

George blinked and then an understanding expression appeared on his face. "Perce… come on Perce, let's go home."

"I… where did he go, George?"

"Come on, I'm going to show you where he went, Perce. Just… come with me."

…

Fred Weasley was buried in the memorial garden made for the victims of the Battle of Hogwarts. Beside him, Oliver Wood was laid to rest, a firebolt engraved on his stone.

Written for;

Assorted Appreciation - 3. Write about acceptance

Disney - D1. "Yes, the past can hurt, but the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it."

Book Club - Patrick - Running / Oliver Wood / Dismissive

Love In Motion - PercyOliver

Em's Emporium - 4. Picking up the pieces

Angel's Arcade - 7. Fi - Supportive / Lace / "I'm always here when you need me."

Bex's Basement - 13. Fic set on or near water

Alphabetti - O - Oliver Wood

Around the World - 9. Dressing formally for an occasion

Mythology - 10. A river

Pop Figure - Chase Stein - "I really, really want to poke you in the eye. / Bored / Scared / Defending someone

Women's History - 9. Losing a friend or family member

365. 49. Soul

1000. 937. Navy