Chapter Text
The dormitory was dim, with only the soft glow of the full moon behind the curtains windows as the Slytherins slept -or tried at least
“Did you know sunflowers..follow the sun?” Evan mumbled. Then, he sleepily giggled “but what if the sun ran away?”
“What you on about mate?” Barty groggily whispered back
“Mm…tulips..can’t trust ‘em. Dangerous lot I tell you- you know you call a group of flowers can be called a bed…like natures bed!” Evan continued, trying to stifle another dreamy giggle.
Barty rolled his body to face Evan and sighed “go back to sleep man.”
But Evan only continued “Daisy’s? Ooh you can rely on them! They won’t betray us..won’t betray us.” shaking his head, his tone rapidly changing at the last three words.
Barty picked up a pillow from his right side and threw it Evan’s head “I’ll betray you in a second if you don’t shut up Rosier.”
“Rosier? Roses? Mm I like roses, they’re so pretty and red, But sometimes they’re like..me” he sleepily murmured “everyone loves ‘em but they’re prickly. I dunno it’s complicated.”
“Shut up. Both of you.” A third voice interrupted from the left side of the dorm.
“Hello Regulus, care to tune in for Evan’s lovely flower tales?” Barty sighed, rubbing his temples.
“I-no. Barty why is he talking about flowers?”
“Dunno.”
“Is he even awake?”
“Bro-he’s talking.”
“Dude maybe it’s because hes sleep-talking”
Barty snorted to himself “yeah that actually is quite the rosier style.”
“I can…talk ‘bout flowers if you
want-“ Evan added
“No.” Regulus and Barty warned in unison.
“Night wankers.” Evan muttered, slowly to a final sleep.
A few quiet chuckles. Then finally, just the sound of steady breathing.
For now….
As hours slipped unnoticed, the night growing thicker- Barty could not sleep constantly wondering about Evan’s words “they’re like..me everyone loves ‘em but they’re prickly. I dunno it’s complicated.”
After some pondering, Barty burst with concern and jumped right into Evan’s bed, landing with a soft thud.
“Evan.” he whispered urgently, shaking him awake. “you wanna tell me about your- uhh theory of comparison with roses?”
Evan began to mumble something unintelligible, still lost in his own dream world “they’re just prickly….” He trailed off, his face twitched into a frown.
Barty leaned in closer “yeah but why does that make them similar to you- don’t tell me it’s just ‘cos of your surname.”
Evan shrugged, nudging himself closer into Barty until they were touching skin to skin. “I don’t know… I like roses but they have thorns and….thorns are just complicated. Like me.”
Barty took a deep breath in before his worry faded into something softer. Without thinking, his hand reached out and he began to slowly stroke Evan’s blond hair. The movement was slow, almost reverent as his fingers glided through Evan’s golden strands, his touch staying soothing and tender. Evan quickly relaxed in Barty’s embrace and Barty couldn’t help but smile, his fingers moving with the same slow rhythm. “Want me to leave?” He softly whispered into Evan’s ear.
“Mm no, stay.”
“Will you sleep talk to me about flowers again?”
“Yeah why no-“ Evan tried to reply despite fully drifting into sleep.
Unexpectedly, heat blasted into Barty’s face, his heart warming. There was something intimate and touching surrounding the boys, making the world outside feel far away. He wanted to stay like this. Close to Evan, protecting him from the tulips which talked and prickly roses.