Coiled (Book 1 of 2)

Proiciamus

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

January, 1978.

Well past midnight, and the three of us find ourselves in an empty sixth floor classroom. From his perch at a small wooden table pressed up against the far wall, Reggie glances from the book laying open on his lap to me as he smiles encouragingly, "Go on then, he'll teach you."

Evan and I stand together in the centre of the room staring at one another in quiet consideration as he holds his hand out to me.

My eyes fixed on Evan's, I call back to Reggie hesitantly, "... Thing is, I've really never done this before ..."

"All the more reason to let him teach you. Evan's the best."

I quirk an eyebrow at this, to which Evan smiles triumphantly, "See? Told you."

"Did you really have to go and say that? Now his ego's going to swell to the size of the room!"

Laughing at this, Reggie turns to the next page, his eyes flitting between us and the book, "Did you know ... there's both a Manet and a Monet? How confusing is that?"

"Contemporaries, too, yes."

Tonight, Reggie brought the muggle Art History book I'd gifted him. It's the first muggle book he's ever read in his life - ever held for that matter - and he's completely taken with it.

"... Impressionism," he whispers softly, thoughtfully. I watch as he now turns his gaze back downward, repeating the word several times under his breath in an effort to commit the new term to memory.

From his place before me, Evan clears his throat meaningfully, "Ahem."

My attention turning back to him, I shrug, "Look, I appreciate the gesture. Really, I do. But I'm hardly looking for an opportunity to embarrass myself -"

"- Of course not. But if that's your only reservation, you've absolutely nothing to worry about - I'd never allow for such a thing. No partner of mine will ever embarrass themselves."

Well that's quite thoughtful.

Honestly touching that he'd go and -

"... After all," he continues, fighting back a smirk, "My partner embarrassing themselves would be a massive embarrassment to me, to my reputation, yes?"

Annnnnd, there it is.

I swear, this man - this man!

"Gosh, thanks Evan."

"You're welcome. Anytime."

Sighing, he shifts on his feet, eyes glancing back up to me with an unexpected shyness as he murmurs under his breath, "Seriously though, teasing aside? It's meant to be a fun thing. Something we can share. And I'd hope you know there's no judgement here. Just the three of us, alone, together."

My new favourite thing

The thing I can't get enough of:

Just the three of us

Alone

Together.

Smiling cautiously, I accept his hand, "... When did you learn to dance, anyway? And why have we never discussed this?"

"I was raised with dance lessons, obviously."

"Why 'obviously?'"

"That's standard."

"Not for me it certainly wasn't."

Holding my hand in his, he pauses and considers this, as though the idea of someone growing up without such a thing really is shocking to him.