More Than Friends | Albus x Scorpius

Part Twenty-Four: Emotionless

Albus took part in decorating the Christmas tree, pulling ornaments from boxes and placing them at random on the tree as the smell of bacon filled the house. Scorpius put his hands in his pockets and shuffled around the tree awkwardly. Lily held an ornament out to him.

"Uh..." Scorpius trailed off. "Do you need help?"

Lily rolled her eyes and said, "Do you wanna help with the tree?"

Scorpius put his hands up defensively and shook his head, stuttering, "N-No...it's f-fuh...it's okay."

Albus took the ornament from Lily and gave it to Scorpius, who instantly tried to hand it back to him. Albus put his hands behind his back and smiled evilly.

"Albus!"

"Scorpius!" Albus mimicked, over exaggerating his voice.

Scorpius angrily shoved Albus, who snickered. Scorpius giggled, "I don't sound like that, Albus!"

Albus laughed and mimicked Scorpius again, "I don't sound like that, Albus!"

"Albus Severus Potter! Stop that, " Scorpius said, causing both Lily and James to laugh aloud. Scorpius took the chance and put the ornament on the tree.

Albus also took the chance and said, "Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy! Stop ---"

Scorpius clamped a hand over his boyfriend's mouth, saying, "No, I don't like my middle name!"

Albus grabbed Scorpius' arm and mimicked, "I don't like my middle name!"

Scorpius said, "Albus, you're bloody annoying!"

Albus gasped dramatically, "You said 'bloody' and you're supposed to be the good one!"

"You're bloody out of your mind!"

Albus held onto Scorpius, held him in the air, and the two laughed. James and Lily laughed along, happy to see their brother so happy. James heard the door to the kitchen open and threw himself on his brother and Scorpius, knocking all three of them to the ground.

"James! Get off, " Albus yelled angrily, trying to stand up. Scorpius had fallen on top of him and James on top of Scorpius, making Albus both mad and on the bottom of the pile of people.

"I tripped, " James lied, raising his eyebrows slightly, letting Albus know that it wasn't an accident.

Albus wiggled out from beneath his brother and boyfriend and said, "Get off of him, James."

"He doesn't care, " James replied with a frown. He looked down at Scorpius, close to his face and added with a teasing smile, "Do you?"

Scorpius answered, "I do mind."

Ginny said, "James, you're a grown man. Get off of him."

James stood up and Albus helped Scorpius up while Lily laughed, "You just feel je ---"

James grabbed his sister's arm and said loudly, "Let's finish decorating the tree, yeah?"

Lily looked confused but nodded a moment later, realizing what James was doing. She smiled sweetly.

Scorpius straightened his pristine clothes and smoothed his hair back. Ginny questioned, "Are you always so well dressed, Scorpius?"

Albus nodded when Scorpius shook his head. "Every day, Mum."

"Not every day. Sometimes I wear jeans."

James and Albus laughed while Lily admired, "You're very flamboyant."

Scorpius stiffened slightly and mumbled, "Thank you."

Later that day, Albus asked his father and mother to meet him and Scorpius in the kitchen. He pulled Scorpius into a hall and spoke quietly to him.