Lean on Me ||perciver

2. Terrible Two's

"-and make sure to take care of yourself, Oliver, I don't want another notice from St Mungo's telling me you've broken something again, for God's sakes-"

"Alright, mum, got it-"

"And don't forget to tell Percy I said hello, now,"

"I won't mum, I've really got to go-"

"Alright, love, be good and don't forget to thoroughly read the recipe I sent you, it's a tricky one," Mrs Wood tutted, cramming as much into the conversation as she could before it came to a close.

"Okay, love you, mum,"

"Love you, too," she cooed, giving a small kiss through the phone before the line went dead.

Oliver sighed and dropped the receiver down with a click. His mother never really changed. She was as bossy and headstrong as ever, which is probably where Oliver got some of his personality traits from, if he thought about it.

"Your mum?" Percy asked from his position on the couch, his nose tucked into a very ancient looking book.

"Yep, she says hi, by the way," Oliver informed, squinting curiously at the book cover to try and make out the title. "What do you have there?"

"Just a book that will help with the situation at work." Percy turned the page. "Floo Networks are not as popular as they used to be, since the rise in popularity of brooms, so we have to find a solution, since they're rather problematic in terms of accidents and muggle detection...not to mention harder to keep track of legally. I supposed that finding an alternative form of transportation woul remedy the issue, since fireplaces aren't really something that many people have anymore. "

"I mean, we don't have a fireplace," Oliver said, "and we get by just fine."

Percy rolled his eyes. "just because we get by fine doesn't mean that there's nothing to be improved. Honestly, Oliver."

"Alright," he shrugged. It wasn't like a fully understood Percy's work anyway. Not that he thought it wasn't important, he of all people knew how hard his roommate worked.

He grabbed his keys off of the counter and shoved his wallet into his coat.

"I left some food in the fridge for you, so make sure you grab some of it for lunch if I'm not back by then, alright?" He called as he shoved his shoes on.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"I'm heading over to the twins' shop, won't be long," Oliver assured. He had been invited over last night, per the owners' requests ("Honestly, Wood, you can't stay cooped up with our annoying brother forever!"), and would have looked forward to it if not for Percy being home today. 

Oh well.

Oliver called a short farewell and left the apartment, making his way to a good discrete apparition location. (yes, most adult wizards don't apparate as much, but he was in a mood for it, rather than the usual portkey. )

As he walked down the dim apartment hallway and pressed the elevator button, he couldn't help but mourn the earlier days when Percy was less busy all of the time (if that was even possible) and they could talk more. The whole reason why they were flatmates was because they were mates in the first place! They would talk about anything and everything, which wasn't surprising, considering how passionate they were about their own careers.

Oliver shook out of his internal pity party at the ding of the elevator and stepped in, absently pressing the button to the ground floor.

If he didn't stop thinking about this now, he would be bummed for the rest of the day, like a... neglected boyfriend or something. Which he wasn't. And he shouldn't even think of himself as one in a joking manner either. Honestly.