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"You showed me colours, you know I can't see with anyone else. Don't call me "kid," don't call me "baby". Look at this idiotic fool that you made me. You taught me a secret language I can't speak with anyone else."
Albus clutched the yellow piece of parchment in his fingers. His heavy bag hung from his left shoulder, cutting through his shoulder blade like a knife. It ached, yet he refused to pull it on properly due to his closeness to the dorm. He couldn't stop a smile from spreading over his face. His shoes clicked quickly on the tiles. Ink stained his fingers, which he ran through his hair. In his other hand, he gripped a large bouquet of orange flowers; tulips, roses, orchids, blossoms, and any other flower that shade that had been present at the time he'd chosen the buds.
The halls around him were lined with pink, white and red ribbons. The shades hung from the skirting boards in long waves; the shades of the glittering ocean in the sunset. Bunches of balloons and large origami hearts and flowers were positioned in bunches along the wall. The sixth-year girls had put a great deal of effort into decorating for Valentine's day. Really, Albus found it to be quite sweet. He'd rather enjoyed pretending to hate the day and the lead-up to it.
However, his boyfriend's frequent -- if not constant -- excitement, had finally worn him down to a state of enthusiasm, so much so that he'd been unsatirically planning out ideas in his mind for the past few days. In the end, his lack of organisation had been his downfall. Thankfully, for the second year in a row, the teachers had allowed a Hogsmeade trip for the evening, considering that the holiday fell on a weekday. Albus had managed to slip down to Hogsmeade to collect the flowers that he'd ordered on the last trip to the village.
The smile continued to tug at Albus' lips. The gold foil gave his fingers a sticky, yellowed shine that looked like the eyeshadow Lily wore during quidditch games. He watched the steady snow fall outside, gaining an extra skip in his step at the thought of the plans he had yet to come. The slight chill from the cold weather began to nip at his shoulders and spine, serving as a signal that he'd stepped into the hall beneath the lake.
When he reached the portrait hole, he practically spat out the password in his desperation to get inside. He crossed the common room in long leaps. His face turned slightly pink as a few students glanced at him, nudging one another and whispering behind their hands. He knew that he was likely quite a sight; an overexcited teenager that appeared too starry-eyed that usually resided in the body of a moody, petulant, high-strung teenager.
His confidence began to dwindle. His footsteps slowed as he wandered up the staircase, his lip tugged between his teeth. He approached the dormitory slowly. In a burst of confidence, he pushed the door open. He made to quickly drop the flowers on his bed, behind the hangings, out of view of--
"My love!" Scorpius called from his position on his bed, where he'd been doing his homework.
Scorpius swung his long legs off the crumpled bedding and smiled. He glittered in the warm yellow light that poked through the small gap of air out the windows. The light splayed over his shoulders in white rays, in which specks of dust glittered like tiny fairies fluttering around with crystal wings. He looked like the sun; the rays splayed around his head like a halo. The smile on his face shone brighter than the afternoon yellow glow, though, and Albus found him much more beautiful. His hair dripped like ribbons of gold, and he brushed the fluffy strands out of his eyes. Albus practically dropped to his knees at the boy's feet, suddenly feeling unworthy of being in his presence.
Their love was good and pure; clean. Two souls drawn together by invisible golden strings around their fingers.
"Happy Valentine's Day, dear." Albus couldn't stop a grin from splitting over his face. The boy bounced over. He flashed his teeth, the piece of paper clutched in his fingers. He crouched on the floor at Scorpius' feet as he made his way over; intoxicated by the boy's pheromones the second he stepped into Scorpius' space.
"You never asked me to be your Valentine," Scorpius whispered. He crossed his arms over his waist and leant over. His lips were inches from Albus', and he smiled smugly.
Albus rubbed his lips together, soon catching his teeth on the inside of his cheek. "Er, do you -- I just assumed because we're, uh... together."
"Never assume, young one. Maybe, somebody else asked me and I turned them down because I was waiting for my pretty boyfriend to ask me." Scorpius propped his head upon his hand, smiling.
"Nobody else asked you!"
"Gee, thanks."
"People would be too afraid of what I'd do to them if they dared try to take you away from me," Albus grinned.
"Because you are so scary," Scorpius whispered. He leant over so far that his nose bumped against Albus' before he pulled back to his previous position.
"I know, right?"
The blond boy reached under Albus' chin, rubbing his jaw with his long, pale thumb. "You want to be my Valentine?"
Albus scrunched his nose, giggling slightly. He held up the piece of paper, covered in the dark, glittery writing of Albus' handwriting. "Yes, please. I even wrote you a poem."
"A poem?"
Scorpius took the page from Albus' fingers. The brunet boy crossed his legs, resting his hands on Scorpius' closest leg; almost in an estranged hug. He rested his chin on his hands and smiled up at his blond boyfriend, feeling much like an attention-seeking puppy. "I worked really hard on it."
Scorpius' eyes ran down the page. Immediately, he pressed his lips together in a smile; scrunching his nose as he suppressed flustered giggles. "Did you even proofread this?"
"Nope!"
Scorpius began to read, struggling to speak through his laughter. "'I have a best friend, and he's cool,
I only became friends with him because nobody else liked me at school,
It helps that he's pretty good looking, too, which is a plus,
(Considering he's actually my boyfriend), and he's a lot to discuss.
He's got hair the colour of bubbles after a dirty young child has bathed ,
And when we're with my sister he puts her hair into long braids.
His hands as warm, like hot sandwich toasters,
He makes me feel as nervous I did that time I went on a roller coaster .
His eyes are the shade of chewing gum that has been stomped into the concrete,
And he's always smiling like a great white shark barring teeth,
He's clumsy, he walks around like he just stepped off a boat,
And sometimes he laughs and sounds like a goat .
He has the personality of a vibrating dryer,
Once he was so distracted in potions class that his sleeve caught fire ,
Sometimes he has too much maturity ,
And acts like a petulant cat until he gets his afternoon cup of tea.
He's like a chiropractor because he's got my back in his hand,
His voice is the symphony of a third-grade band.
I'm failing all my classes because I think about him all the time.
I'm sure everyone else wants to cry when they remember he's mine...' It's perfect, thank you."
"Took me ages."
"I can tell."
Scorpius leant over. He pressed his lips to Albus', kissing him softly. The brunet boy could have melted into a pile of thick goo at Scorpius' feet. Then again, he'd dirty Scorpius' shiny shoes, and couldn't risk being the reason that his boyfriend looked anything other than entirely shmick. The sandwich toaster hands cupped his cheeks; sweaty palms gripping with care. The heat shot down Albus' spine like electricity, warming him to the centre of his heart. The blood in his veins began to burn like the boiling water in Scorpius' afternoon cup of tea.
Scorpius pulled away from him, and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm going to frame this, and memorise it."
"I have another gift--"
"Love."
Albus made to whinge. "I made it especially for you. Well, um..."
"I don't need any gifts."
"Shut up and let me spoil you," Albus pleaded, falling onto his knees. He clutched his hands before his chest, resting his chin on his hands. He looked up at Scorpius with large, puppy eyes. He grinned when the boy's face broke into a smile.
"Fine, dork. Can we get changed first, though? We have dinner plans."
"We do? Where?"
"That would ruin the surprise. Get changed, honey."
Albus bounced up from his position. He kicked his trunk open, rifling through his clothes with a carelessness that matched how little Albus cared for his belongings. He had other focuses; such as the pretty blond boy on the bed opposite him. He grinned to himself, watching as Scorpius' eyes ran over the page in his hand once more. His heart gave a satisfying throb at the sight of a small smile that spread over Scorpius' face.
He took a bit of care picking out his clothes, wary that his appearance mattered to Scorpius. Not necessarily because his boyfriend found him unattractive, or worried about how he would look to others, but merely because Scorpius regularly mentioned how much he liked to look at him. (Albus also felt really special when Scorpius tugged on his elbow and complimented his clothing, and called him handsome, so that may or may not have had something to do with it).
Albus changed behind his hangings. He tugged them half open to pull on the shoes that James had bought him for Christmas. He ran the laces through his fingers as he tied them tightly.
"I have some gifts for you, by the way."
Scorpius' voice echoed from above Albus' head. He glanced up, prepared to ask his boyfriend to repeat his phrase due to his distraction at the time that Scorpius spoke. His tongue immediately tangled in his throat, and he swallowed his words. He could have choked on his tonsils, as if they were thick wads of gum stuck to his esophagus. He pressed his lips together and sat up straight, biting his cheek.
Scorpius stood across from him, dressed in the first dignified muggle outfit that Albus had ever seen him wear. He could have cried at the sight of Scorpius' orange converse, which matched his own; Albus supposed they'd look even more attached-at-the-hip than normal. He sported a pair of worn, black jeans and tugged on the sleeves of a bright orange jumper. Considering that Scorpius only sported pinstripe pyjamas, collared button-up shirts, and large zip-up jumpers in the common room when he finally changed out of his robes for the day. The sight of his figure caused his head to spin.
A fire burned in his chest; their connected twin flames — flickering, warming Albus from the inside out and drawing them closer together.
"I, uh... sorry?"
Scorpius tipped his head to the side. "Gifts!"
"Take yours, first," Albus said. He ducked his hand behind the emerald hangings and lifted the bouquet. He made sure not to bang the buds on anything as he brought the flowers into the space between them. His mouth cracked open with a grin, like an egg, and he made sure to watch Scorpius' face.
"It's cute, they match," Albus said.
"Oh... my god."
"Happy Valentine's Day," Albus whispered.
Scorpius opened and closed his mouth like a suffocating goldfish. He reached out tentatively, and spun the large bouquet in his fingers. The shades reflected in his silvery eyes. He ran his fingers over the buds. The orange nectar spread onto his fingers like glitter, and Scorpius quickly pulled his hand away to prevent damaging them. The shade contrasted against his pale skin, highlighting the tiny dusting of brown freckles over his nose. He appeared royal in orange; dignified, tall and luminescent. He looked loud; like his personality, and like the love that Albus had for him.
"They're my favourite colour!" Scorpius said, nearly stuttering. "There are roses!"
Albus jumped to his toes and kissed his boyfriend on the cheek. The soles of his feet burnt slightly as he lifted onto his toes to reach, his hands clutching at Scorpius' waist.
"God, I hate you. I was going to spoil you rotten, today, and you've made that impossible," Scorpius said. He gave the buds a small sniff. "I'm just going to put these in a vase, then we can go."
"Of course, take your time!"
Their hands swung in the gap between their hips like a pendulum. Albus had long since stopped wondering who'd made the first move to begin the rhythmic movement, but it provided him with the peace that only Scorpius could give him. A whisper of conversation fizzed between them. Albus toyed with Scorpius' sleeve with his free hand, causing their hands to come to a stop. The blond squeezed his fingers.
"Aren't the lights just beautiful?" Scorpius asked.
Albus ran his fingers along the limestone tiles, admiring the sconces. Rather than the dim yellow glow of regular days, the flickering candles illuminated the walls of the ancient castle with romantic, vibrant shades of red. The colour consumed any trace of a rainbow in the hallways where they shone, plaguing everything in the air the shade of wine. It spread over Scorpius' fingers as he played in the bright shades, making shadows on the floor with shapes formed by his fingers. The highlights of his face were soaked up by the cherry colouring. The light caused the curves of his face to adopt the dark; and drew attention to his sharp jaw.
Albus pulled him close, quickly. His fingers tangled in his boyfriend's soft hair as his lips met Scorpius', passionately. His hands gripped the back of his boyfriend's arms, where he thumbed at the thick fabric of Scorpius' muggle jumper. Much to his surprise, the blond met him with little resistance. He clutched Albus close to his chest; causing their hearts to pound as one. The brunet envisioned their souls intertwining as their kisses continued. The blanket shade covering the kaleidoscope of colours that they sported. Suddenly, they were one; tangled limbs and feelings against the wall of the hallway. The blond knew how to kiss, too. He had a way of clogging Albus' senses, making the boy's mind short-circuit with the smell of fresh cologne and the warmth of hands sneaking under his shirt. Even more surprising; he managed to overwhelm Albus within moments — after a few, well-placed kisses and touches that melted the brunet boy like clay.
The red burned, yet never as brightly as the love for Scorpius that Albus held under lock and key in his chest; protected behind a series of codes and locks that would take millions of years to crack. Heaven forbid the heart in his chest shattered, and exploded open his emotional fortress — he'd never quite recover from that. Hot, flowing red blood would forever stain his fingertips, remnants of the world he'd built with Scorpius if it were to tear away.
"I can't even... comment on your blush..." Scorpius whispered whilst his chest heaved. "Because I can't see it."
"And you can't tease me for it."
"Your blush is my favourite thing in the world. It's almost as cute as the sun burns you get on your cheeks in summer."
Albus stuttered out a stupid response, but he caused Scorpius to laugh tug him closer, and love began to pass through the skin where they touched; it diffused into Albus' veins like dye in water, or perfume in warm air. The boy by his side overtook him. Scorpius brought out Albus' best traits, purely because he knew they existed. Together, they were one; their best selves, and true reflections of every characteristic loved about the other.
As their footsteps echoed through the halls, Scorpius' voice droned off into silence. Albus clung onto him, like always; dreading the moment that their hands would inevitably fall apart. Though, he knew such a situation would likely occur after breakfast the next day, when they had to head their separate ways to classes. The thought prematurely agitated him and he buried his nose in the shoulder to his side for a moment.
"Valentine's Day is not disappointing this year," Scorpius said suddenly.
"Because you didn't have a valentine as cute as me last year?"
"No, loser, look at the sunset."
Sure enough, Albus finally woke from his Scorpius induced trance and breathed in the sight around him. They'd made their way into the Entrance Hall. Whilst the room held many of the same, as well as many new, decorations, the most enticing part about the pink-themed place proved to be the colouring leaking in from outside. For once, the shade of the light had not been manufactured. A pink tint took over the world like a Polaroid tint; nature's half crafted rose-tinted glasses. The romantic shades splattered over the shiny floor like strawberry milk.
"How beautiful," Albus whispered. His finger ran down the inside of Scorpius' palm; adopting a mind of its own. The blond boy squeezed the fleeting touch against his skin, grinning.
"I love you, do I tell you that enough?" Scorpius whispered.
"You tell me like a million times every day."
"Well, I worry that you forget."
"After the charms incident, I'll never forget."
Scorpius immediately reached a hand to hide his face. Albus smiled to himself. He recalled the memory as it if had occurred hours earlier; despite the months that had elapsed since. He often adopted a smile when recalling the way that Scorpius' face had morphed into an expression of stress as he'd slipped from the classroom; blurting the phrase loud enough to distract the entire noisy class from their practice. Of course, the two of them had been teased relentlessly, not that Albus really cared. That served as the first moment in his life that he'd felt truly special, and he'd refused to let anyone take it away.
The light spread over their limbs as they stepped onto the ground outside. Albus soaked in the sight of the snowy plains. As the sun set over the hill in the distance, millions of snowflakes glittered like individual droplets of water, or a shifting, swirling ocean. It became impossible to tell where the pastel split — where the ground and sky separated. Albus could have done a cartwheel, and when he'd landed back on his feet he wouldn't have known up from down. However, though, loud yellow puffballs of cloud hovered around the tallest towers of Hogwarts in a thick fog. The yellow, cotton-candy structures appeared fluffier as they wrapped around the old buildings.
Scorpius' face shone with a soft blush under the light of the purple-pink ombré sky. Those tiny freckles over his face looked like raspberry drupelets in the warmer light, and Scorpius' vibrancy returned. The sunlight shone on his hair, causing the fluffy strands to frizz like the clouds around the turrets behind their backs. His soft pink lips pressed together to block the chill.
After a second, Scorpius slowed to a stop. Like a tango dancer, he spun Albus into his chest and gripped onto him. The blond's constant heartbeat throbbed against Albus' back. As always, the brunet boy relaxed entirely in Scorpius' hold. The blond would protect him, of course. The hands across his shoulders squeezed him tight and hugged him close.
Scorpius loved softly, yet with the force of a semi-truck. Whilst Albus steamrolled forward with his red-hot, burning passion, Scorpius proved the opposite. He cared for Albus with a softer, tender form of love that, to him, came naturally. He wrapped Albus in thick, sunset waves of adoration, a love so gentle and beautiful. As Albus thought about it, the wind blew the pastel breeze onto their faces. The sun splayed its well-crafted shades over the sedimentary figures, wrapping them in their blanket of peace and softness.
To say that Albus had been spoiled within the next hour would be an understatement. His ears radiated steam due to agitation as Scorpius handed him gift after gift; primarily because he believed he deserved none of it. He wouldn't have minded if Scorpius hadn't splurged his entire allowance (if it even had a limit). The blond boy had ushered Albus into the most expensive restaurant in the little city. He'd stamped his snowy shoes on the floor dismissively as the waitress had taken them to their tables. Albus' attire had likely never been more inappropriate. They sat amongst other couples, who chattered in fancy evening-ware and giggled over glasses of bubbly champagne and expensive fish.
Scorpius hadn't released his fingers until their food arrived at the table. Even then; their feet had pressed clumsily together beneath the tablecloth. They looked so out of place; in a fancy, decorated room with other witches and wizards who were dressed like royalty. They looked like children. Scorpius reminded Albus that it was okay, because they were. As a few women shot them strange glances for their constant need to touch one another, they turned their noses up and never looked back. Albus thanked Scorpius profusely after the waitress had taken their plates.
He'd leant over the neatly-set table and kissed Scorpius softly, his fingers carding through the boy's soft, blond fringe. An agitated cough, and forced clear of the throat caused the two of them to slip apart. The shrouding disgust in their love for one another caused Albus moments of disdain, but Scorpius quickly began to reel of jokes that brought the smile back to his lover's face. Very quickly, the outside world began to fade away. After some moments, Albus convinced himself that it was just he and Scorpius in the room. Their conversation began to flow freely, and Scorpius clutched onto him tightly, his eyes trained intently on Albus' glittery emerald eyes.
As they'd left, Scorpius had fished into his pockets. The sky had been an inky darkness above them. He'd pulled out a tiny parcel; about the size of a plum. Albus watched him with intent. His fingers hung from Scorpius' like coat hangers as the boy had whispered beneath his breath with a wand in his hand. The package began to morph and grow in shape, outgrowing Scorpius' palm quite quickly.
"This is yours," Scorpius said.
"Absolutely not, you took me out for dinner."
"B-but—"
"I don't need anything else, love."
Scorpius pulled Albus down onto a nearby park bench. His face became ridden with sadness as he toyed at a small ribbon around the square shape. "Please? I want to spoil you."
"You already have, Scorpius. I don't get much, but your attention is the only thing I need to live."
"Just take the gift," Scorpius said. He smiled slightly as he thrust the parcel into his boyfriend's grip.
The streets around them were barren at this time. Though they hadn't passed curfew, many students had already made their way up to the castle and out of the cold. Those who hadn't weaved between the houses and streets with their hands in the back pocket's of their partner's jeans, giggling in steamy clouds. Snow sat in piles around the bases of the tiny, uniform houses. Shoe prints had been squashed into the brown snow along the paths; evidence of the busy day that had once been.
Albus tore off the wrapping. Immediately, his eyes turned into hearts. His hand pulled roughly at the plush beneath the brown, kraft paper. The smile on his face hadn't been so bright all day. Albus clutched the sparkly teddy to his chest whilst his fingers ran over the fabric wings. The large dragon fit into his arms like a key; radiating the familiar scent of vanilla bean and cinnamon.
"It smells like you," Albus whispered.
"I had it made especially."
"I love it," Albus said, solemnly. He leant over, pressing his lips to Scorpius'. The blond boy shuffled forward to peck him in return; their hands failing to touch one another due to the quick action.
Scorpius began to mumble against his lips as they pulled apart. "I, uh... I thought you'd appreciate it because, well—you get upset when I have to leave for patrol when you want to go to sleep and cuddle. So, I thought it might help to have something to remind you of me... until I get back."
"That's the cutest thing I've ever heard."
"It's not weird?"
"Of course not!" Albus beamed. He dropped his teddy into his lap, leaning over to hold Scorpius' face whilst he kissed him. His lips moved softly against his boyfriend's, and they enjoyed their gentle, yet passionate, embrace. At one point, it became difficult to continue because of the smiles that spread over their mouths, and the tiny giggles that sounded from the both of them. On multiple occasions, they both received a mouthful of teeth, which only caused them to laugh and grin brighter.
As their lips fell apart, their foreheads pressed together. Heavy breaths steamed in the space between them as they both attempted to regain the air they'd lost whilst kissing. Albus ran his eyes over the soft flush of Scorpius' cheeks beneath his eyes.
Albus' hand slipped around to his back pocket. He enclosed his fingers around his mahogany wand, carefully pulling it from the constraints of his jeans without attempting to disturb Scorpius too much. He aimed his wand at the clouds above their heads, giving a soft foreign whisper. Scorpius shot him a strange look.
"Sorry, I didn't hear," he mumbled. He turned his head so that his ear shifted closer to Albus' mouth. Rather than repeating the incantation of the spell he'd already cast, he ran his lips over Scorpius' neck and released a small giggle as he pulled back.
"What did you say?" Scorpius whispered as Albus pulled away.
"Look up."
Though, Scorpius really didn't have to. Already, thick, puffy snowflakes were falling around them; lavender in colour. They looked like tiny petals from wisteria flowers; a soft, charming purple that spun around the two of them as if doing lonesome dances together. Scorpius' whole face illuminated like an electric lightbulb as he reached up his fingers to cup the coloured ice in his hands. They landed in his hair like tiny ladybugs; taking residence on the fluffy strands. As they fell, they caught the light and sent refracting purple shades across the shrouding snow. The beams ran over their face; a weird, misshapen disco ball. The shades in Scorpius' fingers reflected in his wide, surprised silver eyes, and Albus leant forward to stare into them, forever. His irises matched the shades of the snowflakes in his fingers, causing him to appear ethereal and untouchable.
"Did you do this?" Scorpius asked. He pulled his hands apart over Albus' head, giggling as the water droplets that he'd collected spun around Albus' face in a flurry.
"I did."
Scorpius leant forward and kissed him so intensely that, for a moment, stars burst behind his eyelids. His heart popped like a firework, and he melted into Scorpius' hold. The warm hands on his neck were overwhelming, and intoxicating, and kept Albus close — almost as if he were wearing an invisible leash.
"It was beautiful. Can you do other colours?"
Albus' words tangled as the beautiful boy opposite ran a hand through the dark hair on his head. He shook his head, smiling, whilst his cheeks turned red. "No, not yet. I wanted to learn how to shape it into hearts too... it's harder than it looks."
"I can imagine!"
Albus smiled to himself, coy. He glanced back over as Scorpius swung his legs onto the floor and stepped up. He gathered another handful of modified snowflakes and blew it off into the distance; where it whirled and spun in the wind. Albus climbed up after him, clutching his dragon close to his chest. Scorpius' hand reached around to his hip, and his fingers toyed with the hem of Albus' jumper. After a moment, his cold fingers slipped beneath the thick fabric, and a chilled, wet palm landed on Albus' hipbone. Shivers shot to the ends of his fingers, and his face turned a sickening shade of red, as he backed into Scorpius' side.
"Ready to go?"
"Ready as I'll ever be."
"I have a treat for you in the dorm, anyway," Scorpius whispered into Albus' ear.
The brunet's heart began to race. He clutched Scorpius' arm, rubbing his lips together to prevent from squealing. The thin souls of their shoes clicked against the pavement as they began to wander back; out of the glow of the street lamps. Their feet began to step forward at the same time; a gentle rhythm that they fell into with ease. Unsurprising, of course, as their bodies responded to the other like music; as if enchanting spells were constantly cast over them to keep their hearts open and their hands close.
As the dark, navy light of the moon spread over their limbs in the dark, they began to make their way up the treacherous slope to the castle doors. Soft words and compliments floating between them, like tiny fireflies. The blue shades masked the secrecy of their actions; they were hidden and secure in their lonesome journey. Though, of course, Albus would never have it another way. The dark, inky light of the moon cast bluish shadows over the snow-covered ground where they trod. Even the moonlight's nightmarish glow on the plains reflected a pale baby blue before them. The ground served as their own, incorrectly coloured yellow brick road. The snow sparkled as if covered in a thick layer of glitter; as if the stars had fallen from the sky and dusted the world around them. Scorpius shone in the midnight lighting, his pale skin reflecting a shade of blue that caused him to glow brighter than the moon itself.
Scorpius' hand never left Albus' hip as they continued to walk. Albus couldn't care less. He'd happily march around with Scorpius' name brandished over his forehead like a huge flag; or a large disclaimer that he did, in fact, have the very best boyfriend in the whole world and that they should, in fact, be very jealous that they were not in his position.
When their aching legs made it back to the portrait hole, Scorpius bent over to allow Albus to clamber on his back. The brunet boy struggled, unsure of how to hold the sparkling plush in his fingertips and hold on. Scorpius tugged it from his hands and held it. He looped his legs beneath Albus' knees as he shifted through the gap in the wall; overly careful not to hit his boyfriend on anything.
A few students remained in the common room at this time. A couple kissed on the couch by the fire, their hands moving freely in a manner that caused Albus' stomach to churn. It seemed that the other occupants of the common room were just as uncomfortable as he was, as they passed grim looks back and forth to one another.
Scorpius didn't stop. He continued up the staircase; a man on a mission. He dropped Albus to his toes when he opened the dormitory door, chasing his cheek with kisses as they stepped inside. Albus tossed the bear from Scorpius onto his bed and gave a small murmur about changing before he gathered his clothes from his trunk. He pulled on the garments behind his hangings. Bangs and other homely noises radiated from behind the velvet curtains whilst Albus slipped into his warm pyjamas.
"Here's your next surprise," Scorpius said softly as Albus pulled back his hangings. He stood before the brunet's bed, clutching two, large dessert sticks in his hand. They were wrapped in clear packaging. The surface of the sweet ran with blue, purple and pink shades. Scorpius dropped onto Albus' covers in his too-large jumper and his hideous plaid pants, smiling too brightly for his boyfriend to care about how he looked.
"What is it?" Albus cooed, reaching out to take one from his boyfriend's outstretched hand.
"Meringue and pretzel," Scorpius said softly. He unwrapped Albus' before opening his own. His pale hand tugged at the creases in his pants as he watched Albus take the first bite, his eyes illuminated in hopefulness.
The sweet shades hit Albus' tongue. The fluffy outside began to dissolve in his mouth as he bit the stick of pretzel with a hard crunch. Crumbs fell from his lips into his lap, and Scorpius waved a hand as he offered to wipe it away later on.
"That's really good," the brunet boy said softly. "Heavenly."
Scorpius shrugged; coy, and rolled his eyes. He sat on the green bedding, his hands encased around his own sweet. Albus rocked forward to kiss Scorpius on the top of the head. He preferred the sight of the boy atop his emerald bed covers more than anything in the world.
Albus analysed Scorpius with his own, grassy gaze. The blond sprawled across Albus' four-poster like he owned it. Despite appearing quite small and timid in the emerald jumper that swallowed his thin limbs, and short in the long pants that he had yet to roll up at the hem, he radiated thick, unwavering confidence. His white-blond hair paled against the green hangings and created a reversed silhouette—white on dark, a smile against the dirty outside world. It helped that the emerald green shades of their house suited Scorpius better than anyone else on the planet. The shades were created for him; to reflect in his eyes and cause him to radiate house pride. Scorpius shone a bright, creative green; as fresh as new buds in winter, and the leaves from the tall, old willow trees. Their teeth cracked into the sweet sticks over and over. The soft hum of conversation broke between them; whispers, as they sat upon Albus' bed, talking about anything and everything — just like they always did.
"You didn't even do your homework," Albus said. He licked a stripe of sugar from his top lip and wiped his arm on his sleeve, spinning the stick in his hands to chew a slice of meringue from the other side.
"That's okay."
Albus shot Scorpius an estranged look. He reached forward with his sticky hands and laid the backs of his fingers on the warm, pale forehead beneath. "You feeling alright?"
Scorpius battered his hand away, smiling. "Yeah, okay. Whatever. Spending time with you is always more important to me."
"Half the time you do homework instead of talking to me!" Albus stated.
"And that takes a hell of a lot of willpower, especially when you kiss me. It's all about balance."
"Do you even have time to breathe?" Albus asked. He shoved the end of his pretzel into his mouth and chomped on it. Scorpius shot him a disgusted look, which caused Albus to snort in laughter.
"I was going to say something nice, but then you reminded me that dating you is a bad decision."
Albus scoffed, speaking through a mouthful of food. "Dating me is the best decision, you mean."
Scorpius smiled to himself; a coy, shy grin that split over his face as he turned his dessert in his hands. "Most of the time."
"What were you going to say, earlier?"
"Don't worry — I'm glad I didn't say it."
"Now you have to tell me."
"No, I don't.
Albus leant forward. He cupped Scorpius' warm cheek in his hand; wiping the stickiness from his hands over the boy's previously soft, clean face. When his boyfriend failed to cringe at the muck now residing on his skin, Albus dropped his fingers and offered a bright, charming grin. "But, you tell me everything."
"Exactly, you know enough already--"
"No, tell me!"
Scorpius ducked his head. He picked at his nail with one hand; removing a thin layer of melted sugar that had crusted to the pink surface. He released a small sigh before glancing up at Albus with shiny, silver eyes. "You can't... just, I'm going to say something really personal."
"That's okay, take your time."
Scorpius' hands opened like a venus fly trap. He took the last bite of his dessert and smiled as Albus immediately slipped his fingers into the open space. The blond boy mused. "Somehow, you're sweeter than what we just ate. Tell me how."
"It's easy when I'm just... head over heels for you."
Scorpius turned slightly red, even after all this time. Despite Albus pushing soft one-liners, such as that, upon him all the time, Scorpius still hadn't grown accustomed to it, it seemed. Then again, Albus hadn't either. He still found his knees turning weak when Scorpius shot him a charming smile.
"What I was going to say, is... that, no. I don't feel like I get to breathe, ever. Except -- and, screw me, I know, it's so cliche -- but I really do feel like the only time I get to breathe is when I'm with you. You... you don't expect anything of me, ever. You're the only person that I feel like I can be myself around because sometimes it feels like everyone else expects too much, or wants me to be one way. You know? When I'm doing my duties, I have to act really mature, and in class, I have to concentrate so hard. But you just... let me be, and it makes me want to be so much better for you. It makes me want to give you everything that I have because you don't make me give you anything at all. It's like, with you I don't have to try at all, and because I don't have to try, I want to. I feel like the flimsy mould of a person whenever I'm somewhere that you're not. Sorry -- I'm rambling now."
Scorpius pulled his hands out from beneath Albus', which immediately alarmed the brunet because Scorpius hardly ever rejected his touch. The thick sediment shrouded around Albus' heart; a thin layer of glittery concrete. The brunet boy let the glitter through the walls of his heart, absorbing Scorpius' overly sweet words.
In a second, the boy across from him released a small hiccup; a muffled sob. Albus' arms fell open and he tugged Scorpius into his grip. Silvery tear tracks leaked from Scorpius' sterling eyes. Albus wiped away the hot rivers without a second thought, wary that he'd only made the sticky sensation on Scorpius' face even worse than it had originally been. The glittering of Scorpius' eyes caused Albus' to sting, and he whispered softly into Scorpius' ear in an attempt to calm him down. Invisible silver bands wrapped around them; a protective shield, or a fusion of their DNA. Scorpius' proud, metal exterior began to break and chip away. The tin man's new heart began to break; a mechanical organ stuttering under the glitch of water in its gears.
"I don't even know why I'm crying!" Scorpius explained with his face in his hands. After a second, Scorpius pushed his face into Albus' neck; safer against the warm skin than he was in his own, shaky hands. "I'm not sad, but I'm not happy either, I don't know why I'm crying."
"Scorpius, it's okay," Albus whispered, his hand tangled in Scorpius' hair. The silvery strands slipped through his fingers. "You're just overwhelmed."
"That's a good word." Scorpius' lips moved over his collar for a moment before he pulled back and flopped backwards on Albus' covers. "Do you know everything about me?"
Albus leant over him. His hand pressed into the mattress and he smiled, an inch from Scorpius' lips. "Pretty much. Come on, nerd. You're tired, and could do with rest."
"I've been resting with you all afternoon," Scorpius said, smiling in a cheeky manner.
"Proper rest. Body rest. Come."
The darkness surrounded their figures. Around them, their dormmates tossed and turned in their rickety four-posters, sprawled with their sheets on the floor and drool dripping from their mouths. The hangings tangled with their fluffy duvets, thrased from beneath the mattress in desperate attempts for the boys to find comfortable positions in their beds. They breathed evenly; chests rising and falling, some snores radiating into the air like the ticking of a metal detector.
The inky shade coated the limbs of Albus, too, as he curled closer to Scorpius' pulsing chest. He'd curled as close as possible the instant that he'd coaxed Scorpius beneath his sheets some hours previous. It hadn't been hard, of course, considering that Scorpius lived his life permanently half persuaded to agree to any of Albus' requests. Besides, papers remained organised on Scorpius' crumpled emerald bedsheets. Albus hadn't been allowed to touch them, and his boyfriend hadn't been in half a mind to move them, so he hadn't. It had worked well.
However, he struggled to fall asleep. Whether the sugar in his veins kept him awake, or the thoughts in his mind, he couldn't be entirely sure. He'd been trying, of course, using psychology, and reverse psychology, and counting, and pure silence, to fall asleep. For whatever reason, his mind failed to fall still and quiet to provide him with peace. Granted, he had been enjoying the serenity of laying against Scorpius' side; his head on the boy's tough chest, and a warm hand rubbing against his rib, for a long while. Even the brightly coloured dinosaur in his fingers struggled to calm him enough to sleep.
But Albus didn't feel stressed, by anything at all. How could he? He laid quietly in the dark with the love of his life, allowing his breaths to fall even and purposeful. The monotone shade before his eyes prevented him from seeing, yet he didn't feel he needed to. The shade before his eyes proved darker than Albus' hair when it had been dampened by the gentle flow of water from the shower. The smell of dark vanilla beans floated up his nostrils, as if he'd stuffed them beneath his pillow. The mere, intoxicating whiff of them caused Albus' mind to spin. He'd developed a habit of regularly curling closer to Scorpius in the darkness. His fingers brushed the hangings as he threw an arm over Scorpius' hips; not that they were discernable in the dark.
Albus trusted Scorpius with every inch of his soul — with his heart, his unstable personality, and his person — in a way he'd never been able to trust a person before. If the world lost all electricity, it would still have Scorpius, and he shone brighter than any flimsy electric light, anyway. He was a thick, burning white -- pure and permanent. He glittered like a diamond; proud, tougher than nails, and far too expensive for Albus to feel like he deserved his share. The blond was present, and he was honest. He didn't hesitate to pour his heart out like a river, or tell people the truth. He spoke his mind, whenever he believed it even slightly necessary.
They were two halves of one mirror, odd to even, perfect to everything but. Certainly twin flames, but maybe even twin rings; sparkly, and strange apart, because they fit together like a lock and key. Their strange and pointy edges matched one another's; two pieces from the same jigsaw piece -- the rare pieces that find a way to cling together, even in the unopened box.
There was always dark to Albus, always a nagging in the back of his mind that brought sadness and envy to his character, which never proved to be a good thing. he knew that he dampened the bright things in the world. He was a shifting, dark ocean; polluted a deep mucky shade due to the clouds overhead.
But Albus didn't mind sharing the ominous dark with Scorpius, because, in the daytime, together, they were the antithesis. In the light of the sun, the two of them shone; bright gold, an eyesore. Together, glittered silver with the soft touch of hands in the hallway, and cheeky smiles passed back and forth as they brushed shoulders while wandering past. When Albus looked at Scorpius, he could only see the good things in the world -- as if the world had only happy things to offer. Scorpius was his safety, and his lifeline.
The blond boy held Albus in the palm of his hands; wrapped around his finger like a rusty ring that had long since passed it's prime. However, Scorpius didn't see the faults, the wearers never do. Over time, the shine of the gold chips away and reveals the cracked, dirty blemishes in the smooth surface. The breakdown is fragile, and so slow that the wearer hardly notices. Scorpius certainly hadn't; he'd loved Albus when he'd been happy, and sprightly, but he'd loved Albus even more when the brunet pointed out his imperfections and cried about his chips and breaks. Over some time; the ring had fit his finger better. Scorpius had grown up with Albus, and now they fit each other.
And god, Albus loved him, more than anything else in the entire world.