More Than Friends | Albus x Scorpius

Part Fifteen: Confidence

Albus woke up to somebody collapsing on top of him. He groaned, "What the hell?" and opened his heavy eyelids with great difficulty.

"You slept so long, " the painfully familiar voice of Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy rang in his ears happily.

Albus finally opened his eyes and saw Scorpius' pale face in front of him, wearing a big smile and what looked like...eyeliner? Why was he wearing eyeliner?

"What time is it?" Albus groaned groggily, resting his arm over his eyes, feeling his sweatshirt pull up a little bit, sending shivers up his spine.

"Almost noon, " Scorpius answered with a giggle.

Albus sat up on his elbows and asked with a smirk, "Why're you giggling?"

Scorpius shrugged and only giggled helplessly again. Albus tilted his head to the side slightly and held Scorpius' chin and asked, "Why're you wearing eyeliner?"

"It makes my eyes look brighter."

Albus pursed his lips and said, "You eyes really aren't that bright, are they?"

Scorpius shoved him into the many pillows on the guest bed and laughed, "Shut up!"

Albus laughed and smirked again and said, "When'd you wake up?"

"Around nine, " Scorpius said, "but don't worry, Father wakes up late like you too."

Albus smiled and ran a hand through his naturally messy black hair. How are you so happy? What can you possibly know why I'm always tired?

"How did you sleep? Well?"

Albus put a finger on his chin in mock thought, dramatically pursed his lips, and said, "Well..."  Albus threw his arms around Scorpius' torso, tugging him into the bed. Scorpius giggled into the space between Albus' shoulder and neck. "I would've slept better with you here."

Scorpius hugged Albus closer to him and said, sending sweet vibrations throughout his boyfriend's body, "Maybe tonight...we can..."

Albus grew quiet. He tightened his hold on Scorpius, buried his face into Scorpius' strawberry-smelling blonde hair. Silent.

"Albus?"

Albus ran his hands up and down Scorpius' back as if trying to comfort him but found it as a coping mechanism for himself. Scorpius pulled back just enough to look up into Albus' clouded and dark face.

"Albus?" he asked again. "Wh-what? What's wrong?"

Albus asked quietly, "Are you sure he'll...?"

Scorpius inhaled deeply and said after he exhaled, "Albus, I know he'll understand. Ever since fourth year, he's been more...open, I guess. He even asked me, when he and I got into his car when we left the station, how I felt."

"What'd'ya mean?"

"He, it's a little hard to explain, but..." Scorpius thought for a moment, trying to think of the right thing to say. "He asked me how I felt and not how I thought I felt, I guess. Like, um...he didn't say, 'What do you think you're feeling?' and asked instead, " How are you feeling?' Then we...talked for a while. He didn't really understand at first but I explained the best I could."

"Scorp, I just ---" Albus cut himself off, putting his head in his hands. "I don't know."

Scorpius massaged his shoulders and said, "Albus, can you answer a question for me?"

"Yeah, " Albus mumbled into his hands. Scorpius held onto Albus' wrists softly, not pulling the hands away from Albus' face.

"Do you trust me?"

Albus looked up into his boyfriend's beautiful eyes. "Yes. I do, "

Scorpius hugged Albus again and whispered, "We don't have to tell him if you don't ---"

"Let's, " Albus interrupted. "It's fine, "

"Are you sure?" Scorpius asked, trying to hold back his excitement.

Albus barely had time to nod before Scorpius launched himself onto Albus, holding tightly. "S-Scorp, I. Need. Air...”

Scorpius detached himself and said, "Sorry, "

Albus laughed and kissed Scorpius' cheek and said, "It's fine. Do you...wanna wait outside for me?"

Scorpius nodded and left, giving Albus one last loving look before closing the door behind him.

Albus took off his sweatshirt, replacing it with a black sweater with pencil thin white stripes on it and replaced his sweatpants with tight, distressed black jeans. He yawned, pulling his toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste from his bag. Scorpius showed him to one of the bathrooms in the corridor which had a blue toothbrush by the sink.

After brushing his teeth, the two walked downstairs to the parlor, where Draco was sitting in an elegant armchair and reading the Daily Prophet. Albus almost turned the corner before Scorpius pulled him back by the back of his collar.

"What?"

"How should we...approach this?" Scorpius asked, wishing he knew the best way to handle this.