A/N: Written for RayenOfDeadStarsAndPlanets, who requested "these two...as children in a modern AU with flowers". It's a bit disturbing, and only slashy if you squint...

So please, do squint.

Prompt: 35. Wind

Pairing: CedricBarty Jr

Barty has a sword.

It's long and shiny and plastic, and Cedric only has his imagination and the old stick that he found by the river, but Barty says that's just as good if they pretend. They are sitting by the river, shivering against the wind, weapons held tight in their grasps, and Cedric keeps looking up at Barty's face, waiting.

"Barty?"

"What, Ced?"

"Why can't we slay dragons?"

"There are none."

"What can we slay?"

So they spend the next few hours whacking flowers in flowerbeds until the petals split or the head comes clean off, and pretending they are the Saviours of the River. The petals float in the wind, and Barty is laughing, and Cedric just keeps smiling, because he can't help but notice how very alive Barty is when he's swinging his sword like that, when he's saving the world with his head flung back and his smile shining in the sunlight.

But then there is a yelp, or a mewl, a little scared noise that makes Cedric throw his hands up, throw his stick to the side, yell, "Barty, no, Barty, stop!" and drop to the ground next to that beaten flower patch, searching the torn flowers for the source of the sounds, and he finds it, tucked beneath the broken petals.

There's a kitten, all fluffy and helpless, and it tries to limp away but Cedric scoops it up in his arms and says, "Barty! We could've really hurt him!"

Barty cocks his head to the side, confusion in his eyes.

"But...I thought you wanted to slay dragons?"

"He's not a dragon! He's a baby kitten!"

"We're pretending though," Barty says, and the way he looks at Cedric makes Cedric shiver a little.

"I don't want to pretend anymore," Cedric mumbles. He feels tears well in his eyes, and blinks them away quickly, embarrassed.

Barty stalks closer, puts his arm around Cedric's shoulders. "Shhh, Ced, it's okay. He's a dragon. A big, bad dragon." He puts his lips right next to Cedric's ears as he whispers. His breath is warm and makes Cedric shiver all over again. "We're the Saviours, aren't we?"

"Yes," Cedric says, closing his eyes. The kitten purrs in his hands, pressing its face into his jumper.

"And the Saviours have to slay the dragon, Ced. It's the only way..."

"I don't want to pretend anymore," Cedric whispers, but Barty puts the kitten back on the ground and grins.

"Ready?" he asks.

Cedric wants to say no, he really does.

But Barty has a sword, and Cedric only has a stick.