SCORBUS // consider me yours.

07 | please.

The Room of Requirement's environment never seemed as sad as it did today. Albus was still curled up on the couch, with Scorpius trying to get the truth out of him, whatever it was.

"Albus," Scorpius started, once Albus had ignored his question before. "you know you can tell me anything, right? Cliché, I know." He smiled warily, hoping Albus would react. . . He didn't. "Listen, if you think whatever you're upset about is embarrassing, I assure you that I won't think it is. I promise. I just want to know what's wrong so I can help."

Albus' eyes hadn't moved from Scorpius' since he looked up minutes ago, but Albus didn't care. Albus rubbed his nose with his sweater sleeve again. He looked around the Room slowly, but noticed that nothing inside of it was interesting. Albus managed to give Scorpius a small smile once he looked back— since Scorpius was more interesting than a few destroyed couches and discarded coffee cups.

"There you are," Scorpius grinned, moving farther back to take in Albus' half-hearted smile. "the charmer I know."

Albus' smile faded, and, even though it wasn't much of a smile anyway, the change was noticeable.

"What—?" Scorpius' voice gave in.

"It's that." Albus replied bluntly. His voice sounded less broken, but that worried Scorpius even more. Albus stood up for effect, and the boys both could've sworn that the couch had coughed once Albus left it. "What you're doing. That's why Rose didn't want you to come. That's why I didn't. Because this—" He flailed his arms around himself. "— is. . . sort of because of you."

Scorpius paused, and a pang of guilt rang through his gut. He hadn't even known what he'd done and he already felt terrible.

"Al, I— Wait, what did I do?" Scorpius breathed, and suddenly he felt like he was going to be the next person to break down in the Room.

"The — oh, I don't know — nicknames. What are you calling me them for? You can't just—" Albus' hands moved wildly as he tried to think of what to say. "—lead me on like that and then expect me to just. . . ignore it."

Scorpius' mouth hung open slightly, and it was obvious that he had no idea what he had been doing.

Or had he?

"What? I would never try to lead you on—" He insisted, like the thought was bizarre. "I'm sorry, I-" Scorpius' eyes widened when Albus had finished, and they were still open to that much as he finished.

Scorpius didn't realize that he was leading Albus on. If he did, then he would've stopped. Scorpius gave Albus one last look, and noticed that Albus had now taken quite an interest in his shoes.

"How could I even lead you on if you don't like me in. . . that way?" Scorpius asked.

Albus didn't reply, nor did he move. Scorpius hung his head, and inhaled sharply at that. Scorpius didn't know what to do next, worried that anything he did, Albus would consider 'leading him on'.

But he couldn't just leave Albus there.

Albus exhaled suddenly, but it sounded more like he was releasing a shudder. Scorpius finally came to his senses, and felt more obligated to comfort Albus once he'd heard his exhale.

Quickly, Scorpius glanced at Albus— like he always would on any normal day. He waited. As soon as Albus lifted his arm to wipe his eyes again, Scorpius grabbed his wrist. Albus stared up at him, surprised, and tried to wriggle his hand free, but it was obvious that he wasn't trying his hardest. Scorpius wrapped his other hand around Albus' other wrist, and Scorpius could feel Albus begin to relax.

"What are you—" Albus' voice faltered, unsure if he wanted whatever was going to happen, to actually happen.

Scorpius didn't register Albus' question, and he didn't look up at him when he'd asked it. Scorpius had his eyes glued on his own hands, which were still gripping Albus' wrists. Slowly, he let go of one of them, and before Albus could pull his hand down, Scorpius laced their fingers together. Albus' hands were warm, and his fingertips lay on Scorpius' knuckles. Now Scorpius looked up— and straight into Albus' eyes. He let go of his other wrist, intertwining their fingers again, not breaking eye contact.

Albus didn't object, but he knew that Scorpius thought what he'd just done with Albus was just a friendly gesture.

But, did Albus know that that's what Scorpius thought, or did he just guess?

Scorpius squeezed Albus' hands quickly, almost like he was signalling for Albus to pay attention again.

"Is there anything else that's—" Scorpius rubbed his thumb against the side of Albus' hand. Albus flinched. "—upsetting you? Or anyone? Because I know a few sp-"

Albus laughed briefly, and it even surprised himself. "Calm down, Scorp. There's no one, nothing else."

Scorpius knew that should've made him feel better, the reassurance and the nickname, but it ultimately made him feel even more terrible.

"So, you mean to tell me that I'm the only reason you're so upset?" Scorpius gasped slightly, obviously disappointed in himself.

Before Albus could agree (or object, for all Scorpius knew), Scorpius let go of Albus' hands so that he could place them around his waist. His movements were quick and swift, almost like he'd done it so fast so that Albus couldn't object. Scorpius then hugged Albus tightly, soon lifting one of his hands to hold the back of Albus' head.

"I'm sorry." Scorpius breathed. It wasn't much, but it was all Scorpius could manage at the moment. He ran a hand through the back of Albus' head briefly, and he felt Albus settle better into the hug.

Albus smiled, and placed his chin on Scorpius' shoulder from in front. He was about to reply to Scorpius' apology before he changed what he was going to say to: "Fuck."

"What?" Scorpius asked, pulling away to look at Albus. He tried to read his expression; Albus' eyes were wide, like they'd been recently, and he looked stunned.

"We've probably missed breakfast. And some classes, I bet." Albus sighed. He wasn't ever the type of boy to care about grades or lessons, but he knew that his absence would land him in trouble.

Scorpius laughed dryly, thankful that Albus' problem wasn't too massive. Waving a somewhat dismissive hand in Albus' face, Scorpius mumbled, "So what? You're more important."