arescere ✿ xavier thorpe

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29 - smore covered smiles

"i'm going to england tomorrow." theo told the boy, pulling the green lighter from his pocket. they had set their campfire up a bit away from the rest of the nevermore kids and guardians.

"you finally got in contact with your friends from home?" peter questioned and he nodded, the boy lying their wood pieces on the dry grass rather softly. theo nodded and smiled, peter knew how much this meant to the man. it had only taken three years but he had finally been able to track down his old friend group. his friend pansy was living in a small apartment in london, living out her coffee shop dreams. she owned a coffee shop and made her own doughnuts to sell. blaise had his own clothes brand, slither sun. making high fashion. he preferred making dresses, dresses of gold and jewels. some had even been worn in paris fashion week. and draco, lived alone. he still lived back in his manor which he had decorated after their freedom. he became an artist. where he places all the rage set upon his shoulders into art.

"what happened to your arm?" peter asked as theo rolled up the sleeves of hsi shirt. setting himself up ready to light the fire as peter repositioned the chunks of wood into a more easily light-able position. theo turned to look at the boy in horror, he had seen it. before looking down to his arm, a small sigh of relief came next.instead of the dark ink that once plagued his skin, his inner left forearm was covered in healed burnt skin. theo could see the faintest outline of the previous mark on his skin. yet he wondered if it were merely a trick of his mind. the marl reminding him of when he was eighteen. sat in the barren house of nott, burning the skin of his arm. regretting the choices he had been forced to take. the boys who had no choice. peter noticed the man's lack of answer, so he decided to pull the ingredients out of his bag.

"you ever tried a smore?"

"a smore?" theo questioned, a look of disgust appeared on his face. he had no idea what a smore intaled of, but it didn't sound very nice.

"you never tried a smore!" peter cried, practically ripping the bag of marshmallows out his bag. peter failed to realise that wasn't from the bestest of families, his family wasn't the type to actually spend time together. nevermind light a fire and cook over it. theo could only watch and smile as peter begin explained a smore as if it were some kind of rocket science explanation.

"so it's just a marshmallow and chocolate in crackers." theo inquired, and peter only looked more irritated. nodding lightly, knowing theo would regret dissing the smore. and so they sat. sticks over the fire, a marshmallow on the end. turning them slightly.

"this is extraordinary." theo cried, smothering the rest of the smore into his mouth. not bothered that the sickly sweet marshmallow covered his lips. which would definitely make him uncomfortable later.

"you've really never had smores?" peter asked,hoping the elder man was just playing a joke on him. theo shook his head. all those dull years in the common room could have been fixed with these sweets. he knew his friends would hate them at first, too sickly for them. but they'd changed their minds. grow soft towards the treat.

"i'm sorry about your dad, pete." theo spoke, finding the boy zoned out watching one of the dads hugging their son. something the older man cold unfortunately relate to. mr nott wasn't the greatest father of all time.

"he never comes anyway." the boy replied, ignoring the sting of tears as he pulled his gaze to the flames before them. grabbing another marshmallow so he could make another smore. theo already on his fourth or fifth now.

"what was your dad like?" peter asked the man, theo wanted to say he didn't remember much of his own father. but he knew it was bullshit. he could never forget his father. how he made him feel. like nothing.

"he gave me that, guess we both have shit fathers." theo stated, pointing to mark upon his skin. peter looked horrified. his father had burnt the boys arm, he didn't understand the deeper meaning. his father hadn't burned the boy, but branded him. sold his son to the dark lord. ms thornhill making her way to the two.

"mr nott, peter. could i interest you in a hot cup of tea?" ms thornhill questioned, holding a travel flask in her hand. theo accepted the cup. the hot black liquid spilling into his cup. before smiling at theo and rushing away.

one new message from xthorpe

"how are you two?" theo questioned leaning back in his chair.

"fucking hate him." peter replied, throwing himself back into his own chair. looking up into the sky, dark clouds lifting over the sky as dusk drew near.

"oh."

"he wishes i were a girl." peter whispered softly. and theo felt the boy's heartbreak.

"oh."

"i'm sorr-"

"don't pity me." peter begged, wiping the tear that stung at his right eye. he could feel xavier's eyes on him. peter didn't know if he wanted the boy to apologise or not. he didn't know if he could forgive him.