bittersweet //scorbus//

everything will be okay

Albus ran into the darkness, away from the comfort of the warm house, looking for his friend.

He regretted every second of what he did. He couldn't ever un-do it, and that was the worst part. He wished he never turned around, never took Scorpius's face into his hands, never kissed him, never pulled Scorpius towards him, never circled his finger around his chest, and just kept brushing his hair. It could've been that simple. But he just had to screw it up.

Albus wiped the tears flowing steadily down his cheeks. He hiccuped and looked around for Scorpius. He couldn't have gotten far. Scorpius wasn't as active as he was five years ago.

Finally, Albus heard a sniff coming from the broom-shed. He turned and ran towards it.

"Scorpius?" Albus said softly, his fingers gripping the handle.

The sniffing stopped and was replaced with silence.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

There was a pause before Scorpius pushed the oak door open. He was a mess - His gray eyes puffy and red, his cheeks bright red and wet, his blond hair no longer neatly combed back. Albus looked about the same - Red eyes, wet cheeks, messy hair, and a shaky breath.

The two studied each other for a few seconds before Scorpius said, "Albus, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have run away like that, it was so wrong of me and--"

"No, no, don't apologise!" said Albus, taking Scorpius's hands into his, "I shouldn't have done that. It was awful and selfish and... And I understand if you want to go home and never speak to me again."

Albus finished that last part rather quietly. Scorpius smiled gently and shook his head. 

"I'm staying right here, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon, Albus Severus Potter." Scorpius said confidently.

Albus smiled as a few more tears rolled down his cheeks. Scorpius sniffed and tears welled up in his eyes.

"Hey, don't cry. Everything'll be fine, I promise you." Albus reassured him.

Albus lifted a hand up to Scorpius's cheek and brushed away his tears.

"Al? Scorp?" they heard Ginny call.

"Is everything okay, boys?" Harry called out.

Ginny saw the broom-shed door open and went to investigate. She found her son and his bet friend hugging each other tighter than any time before. They were both red in the face and their cheeks were sparkling. 

"Everything worked out, has it?" Harry asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Albus answered with a sniff, "It has, Dad." 

"Well then, let's get out of this freezing weather and inside. Wipe away those tears before James pokes any fun at you." Ginny said with a wink.

Scorpius and Albus broke apart slightly to look at each other before sinking into the hug again, like they'd never be anywhere safer than with each other, in that broom-shed, with tears in their eyes, on a cold winter's night.

And that was the truth.