Entangled Hearts [PG-13]
Title: Entangled Hearts
Name: dorothy_in_oz
Prompt: #0153 ~ picture
Prompt given by: Anonymous
Word Count: 1000
Betas: Toto
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Flangst. Character death, explicit mention of suicide (not Albus or Scorpius) Written for the_ass_fest's Quickies.
Summary: This way, he can paint a heart on the wall, a heart that is only his.
Scorpius enters the showers with his heart clenched, searching for Albus. He has watched as his best friend's world narrowed in front of him without being able to help him, and it is killing Scorpius that Albus fled without a fight - without even saying a single word, completely mute. He knows Albus is very vocal, so the fact that he hasn't spoken worries Scorpius more than any other thing.
He tip-toes around the open stalls, pricking up his ears in order to catch even the lightest of whispers, any sound that can give Albus away. Scorpius doesn't want his friend to be alone right now, not after what has happened, not when he knows that Albus can be bent and broken over it, bawling his eyes out somewhere dark and blue, as dark and blue as he feels. Scorpius knows Albus better than anyone thinks, because he has spent his entire life watching him - even from a distance, when they were both kids and Scorpius' father brought The Prophet to the Manor, with all those pictures about Harry Potter and his family.
Scorpius has been watching Albus growing up, from the little toddler that filled all the covers - pretty much like his siblings - to the teenager whose heart has been broken. Even if they didn't know each other before Hogwarts, Scorpius feels like he has known Albus for an eternity. And probably it is true.
He thinks he has heard a soft moan coming from one of the last stalls, so he decides to walk over there and investigate, trying his best not to make any noise. As he approaches his destination, he can clearly hear muffled sounds coming from a definitely human throat. Scorpius guesses Albus is covering his mouth with his fist, attempting not to draw attention. Scorpius nods curtly at himself, gathering enough courage to actually step before Albus, ready for the slaughter his friend will commit when he finds out Scorpius knows about his little secret.
When Scorpius turns the corner, he sees exactly what he has anticipated.
Albus is sat against the tiled wall, his head hidden in his knees, his whole body trembling. Scorpius resists the need to stretch a hand and caress the stray strands of dark hair he has taught to comb properly, or at least to tame. Instead, he kneels beside Albus and speaks softly, almost in a whisper, just loud enough to be heard.
"Albus, I'm here."
No reply, only sobs and shivers.
"Albus, please, look at me."
Silence.
"I know it hurts, I know it hurts so much you think it will rip your soul in two. And I can only imagine how much you are suffering, having it all aired by the papers."
"I can't... not with you here..."
Scorpius barely hears the words, but the movement that goes with them is more than enough to make him understand. Albus cannot talk face to face - he has never been able to, not since they're best friends, and they are studying their sixth year - when he is affected emotionally. Scorpius respects that, so he gets up and walks to the stall that shares the tiled wall with the one Albus is sitting against. He drops to the floor, back to back with his friend. He thinks this way he has even more privacy for his facial expressions, those that like to appear whenever he is near Albus, making his feelings for the son of the hero obvious to any passer-by. This way, he can paint a heart on the wall and Albus will never find out.
This way, back to back, he can admit to the world that he is in love with Albus Potter, and he will never find out.
But Scorpius thinks it is not fair to feel right now, because Albus is feeling too much - he is feeling for both of them - and all in all, Scorpius is in the showers with Albus because The Prophet announced that Ginny Potter, née Weasley, has been found in her bathroom, wrists open and a pool of red blood around her. When Scorpius' mother left his father to find comfort in another arms, abandoning Scorpius in the process, Albus was there to soothe his ache. Now it's Scorpius' time to return the favour.
"I don't know what to do, Scorp," Albus stammers. "I didn't even know she was suffering so much, that she couldn't stand it anymore..."
"I guess our parents try to keep us from sharing their worries, because they think we have the right to be happy," he replies wisely, though he knows Albus will not appreciate the wisdom in his words. "She probably thought it was better if you and your siblings didn't know she was hurting, Al."
"It doesn't help to make it disappear, though," Albus said through his tears. "How can I go to Lily, knowing it wasn't me who told her, not even James, not even my Dad? Why does the rest of the world have the right to be aware of my mother's death, my mother's, before any of us?"
Scorpius itches to turn and hug his friend, but he knows better than to interfere in his friend's grief. He pinches his jeans at his knees in an attempt to restrain the imperious need of touching Albus.
"As harsh as it sounds, the world is not a place for us to enjoy all the time, Al. This is what you have to live through," he sighs. "Fortunately for you, you are not alone. You will never be."
"Promise?"
Scorpius hears the rustle of fingers scraping over the floor, and peers over the wall to find Albus' hand stretched, fingers shaking, palm offered to him selflessly. He does not doubt it, not anymore.
He takes those fingers in his, arm twisted at a strange angle, and holds tight, still back to back.
When he looks up, he can see another painted heart crossing the wall, entangling itself with the one he has imagined.
Name: dorothy_in_oz
Prompt: #0153 ~ picture
Prompt given by: Anonymous
Word Count: 1000
Betas: Toto
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Flangst. Character death, explicit mention of suicide (not Albus or Scorpius) Written for the_ass_fest's Quickies.
Summary: This way, he can paint a heart on the wall, a heart that is only his.
Scorpius enters the showers with his heart clenched, searching for Albus. He has watched as his best friend's world narrowed in front of him without being able to help him, and it is killing Scorpius that Albus fled without a fight - without even saying a single word, completely mute. He knows Albus is very vocal, so the fact that he hasn't spoken worries Scorpius more than any other thing.
He tip-toes around the open stalls, pricking up his ears in order to catch even the lightest of whispers, any sound that can give Albus away. Scorpius doesn't want his friend to be alone right now, not after what has happened, not when he knows that Albus can be bent and broken over it, bawling his eyes out somewhere dark and blue, as dark and blue as he feels. Scorpius knows Albus better than anyone thinks, because he has spent his entire life watching him - even from a distance, when they were both kids and Scorpius' father brought The Prophet to the Manor, with all those pictures about Harry Potter and his family.
Scorpius has been watching Albus growing up, from the little toddler that filled all the covers - pretty much like his siblings - to the teenager whose heart has been broken. Even if they didn't know each other before Hogwarts, Scorpius feels like he has known Albus for an eternity. And probably it is true.
He thinks he has heard a soft moan coming from one of the last stalls, so he decides to walk over there and investigate, trying his best not to make any noise. As he approaches his destination, he can clearly hear muffled sounds coming from a definitely human throat. Scorpius guesses Albus is covering his mouth with his fist, attempting not to draw attention. Scorpius nods curtly at himself, gathering enough courage to actually step before Albus, ready for the slaughter his friend will commit when he finds out Scorpius knows about his little secret.
When Scorpius turns the corner, he sees exactly what he has anticipated.
Albus is sat against the tiled wall, his head hidden in his knees, his whole body trembling. Scorpius resists the need to stretch a hand and caress the stray strands of dark hair he has taught to comb properly, or at least to tame. Instead, he kneels beside Albus and speaks softly, almost in a whisper, just loud enough to be heard.
"Albus, I'm here."
No reply, only sobs and shivers.
"Albus, please, look at me."
Silence.
"I know it hurts, I know it hurts so much you think it will rip your soul in two. And I can only imagine how much you are suffering, having it all aired by the papers."
"I can't... not with you here..."
Scorpius barely hears the words, but the movement that goes with them is more than enough to make him understand. Albus cannot talk face to face - he has never been able to, not since they're best friends, and they are studying their sixth year - when he is affected emotionally. Scorpius respects that, so he gets up and walks to the stall that shares the tiled wall with the one Albus is sitting against. He drops to the floor, back to back with his friend. He thinks this way he has even more privacy for his facial expressions, those that like to appear whenever he is near Albus, making his feelings for the son of the hero obvious to any passer-by. This way, he can paint a heart on the wall and Albus will never find out.
This way, back to back, he can admit to the world that he is in love with Albus Potter, and he will never find out.
But Scorpius thinks it is not fair to feel right now, because Albus is feeling too much - he is feeling for both of them - and all in all, Scorpius is in the showers with Albus because The Prophet announced that Ginny Potter, née Weasley, has been found in her bathroom, wrists open and a pool of red blood around her. When Scorpius' mother left his father to find comfort in another arms, abandoning Scorpius in the process, Albus was there to soothe his ache. Now it's Scorpius' time to return the favour.
"I don't know what to do, Scorp," Albus stammers. "I didn't even know she was suffering so much, that she couldn't stand it anymore..."
"I guess our parents try to keep us from sharing their worries, because they think we have the right to be happy," he replies wisely, though he knows Albus will not appreciate the wisdom in his words. "She probably thought it was better if you and your siblings didn't know she was hurting, Al."
"It doesn't help to make it disappear, though," Albus said through his tears. "How can I go to Lily, knowing it wasn't me who told her, not even James, not even my Dad? Why does the rest of the world have the right to be aware of my mother's death, my mother's, before any of us?"
Scorpius itches to turn and hug his friend, but he knows better than to interfere in his friend's grief. He pinches his jeans at his knees in an attempt to restrain the imperious need of touching Albus.
"As harsh as it sounds, the world is not a place for us to enjoy all the time, Al. This is what you have to live through," he sighs. "Fortunately for you, you are not alone. You will never be."
"Promise?"
Scorpius hears the rustle of fingers scraping over the floor, and peers over the wall to find Albus' hand stretched, fingers shaking, palm offered to him selflessly. He does not doubt it, not anymore.
He takes those fingers in his, arm twisted at a strange angle, and holds tight, still back to back.
When he looks up, he can see another painted heart crossing the wall, entangling itself with the one he has imagined.