Sun Splashed Ink Wells (SnowBaz Soulmate AU)

Chapter 11

AN: I’m trans and I love Baz so my subconscious said “Here have a dream about trans Baz,” so I may or may not have started writing a trans Baz AU as well. . . 

                        Baz

    I sent Simon down to the kitchen to steal us food while I called Daphne back. I don’t want him to hear everything my dad said. Everytime he thinks about it he gives me this pitiful look. I don’t want his pity, I just want him. He’s all I’ve ever wanted, that’s why I told my father in the first place.
    My stepmother answers after two rings.
    “Oh thank goodness, Basil. Alright, I’m all ears. Your father and sisters are upstairs, I’m in the office.” She starts. I nod and bite my lip.
    “Okay,” I say.

______________

    “For what?” I say through gritted teeth. Father is still trying to get some sort of master plan out of me.
    “I think I’ve made myself clear enough, father.” My fingers tighten around the handle of my violin case. I need something to do with my hands right now. Crowley Snow and his fidgeting is starting to rub off on me. 
    “Right, you’d really just invite the Headmaster’s pet because you’ve turned into some kind of charity?” He leans back in his chair and gives me a knowing look, “And since when are you friends with him? Come on now, I won’t give anything away. Are you going to get something to humiliate him? Or maybe go even further and dig something up to get him expelled?”
    “You’re starting to sound like Fiona,” I tell him. By now I’ve let go of my violin case and started messing with the cuffs of my sleeves. Father’s eyes dart down to my arm and it hits me. I tug my left sleeve down as far on my arm as it can go. 
    “Was that ink, Basilton?” Father’s bored expression drops in an instant. His eyebrows raise to higher peaks than I think I’ve ever seen them. I stand up and pace around the back of the couch.
    “It was just a reminder for myself. It’s nothing.” I’m lying through my teeth but I’m used to it. Father follows me and reaches for my arm. I back away.
   
“Oh don’t be so modest, Basilton. It’s wonderful that you have a soulmate! Let me see.” Father takes my arm and I don’t try to fight it this time.
    How’s the haunted house been? I hope the wraiths didn’t get you. The line I’ve written is clear over top of a few faded lines of conversation going up my arm from earlier in the week. Father nods and squints to read the faded messages that are practically ingrained in my skin. I notice some of them completely fading off now, Simon must be washing them off. Finally father gives my arm a pat and lets it go.
    “So, do you know who the lucky girl is yet?” He asks. I shake my head.
    “Well go on and find out! She’s lucky to have you, I’m sure she’d be happy to meet you in person.” 
   
“No, you don’t get it,” I say, backing myself further against one of the bookshelves. Father’s arms drop to his sides.
“Don’t get what? You’ve got a soulmate, you should be celebrating! You’ve got to ask her for her name!”

“It’s not a her,” I blurt out. I just as quickly slap a hand over my mouth. He knows. He’s known for three years, but he’s never had to face it before. He looks at me in bewilderment for a moment. Then his eyes darken as it starts to sink in.
“You said you didn’t know who it was,” he argues.
“I said I didn’t know the lucky girl,” I say. Fuck it. If he can’t accept me for this then he’s not worth my time or effort. Even the universe has accepted that I’m gay, so why the hell can’t my own ather do it?
“Well, he’s not a girl. And he’s upstairs!” I shout. I’m fed up. He should have faced this by now. He shouldn’t need me to nudge him in the right direction after all this time. But he clearly won’t do it himself, so I’ll shove him if I have to.

Father narrows his eyes and steps back.
“I want you out by morning,” he says. My eyes widen and I almost stumble backwards, but the bookshelf stops me.
“What?”
“You heard me. You and that Snow boy, I want you both out of my house by morning. You’ll be welcome back when you come to your senses.”
“What?” I say again, like an idiot. Father doesn’t say anything. He simply stands straight and marches out for the library, leaving me staring after him.
_______________________

“Oh, Basil,” Daphne whispers into the phone.
“He’ll come around,” I assure her, “And if he doesn’t you can bring Mordy and the girls to visit me for spring break.” I really don’t think he’ll be quick to get over all this. My father is stubborn and stuck in his ways. But I do think he’ll come around eventually. It hurts, what he did. It hurts more than I want to let on. I want to carry it with me, not dump it all on mother or Simon. This, all of this, is mine to work through. 

As I’m thinking this I hear footsteps coming up the stairs.
“I’ve got to go, Simon is back with dinner,” I say. Then I curse myself for calling him that to my mother.
“Alright, dear. Call if you need anything, got it?”
“Got it,” I agree, “Happy Christmas.”
“Happy Christmas,” she sniffs. I hang up right as Snow manages to push the door open. His arms are full of leftovers from the kitchen. He’s got an entire tray of sour cherry scones. The addict. I get up and help him set everything down, mostly because I’m afraid he’ll drop it all.
“I guess I’m spending Christmas at Watford after all,” he jokes. I laugh at that and set a plate of sandwiches on my nightstand. As I do Snow suddenly jerks up and grins. He lunches for his backpack and starts digging through it.
“What the Hell are you doing, Snow?” His whole arm is engulfed in the bag now, like it’s some kind of portal.
“I just remembered something,” he grins, “I got you a present when we went into town the other day. It was supposed to be a thank you for letting me stay with you but-” Snow triumphantly pulls out a little gift wrapped box and holds it up for me to see.
“No I suppose it’s a ‘here’s to finding out we’re soulmates’ Christmas gift.” He lets the backpack drop and shoves the box into my hands. I sit down on the floor across from him.
“You didn’t have to,” I say.
“But I did,” Simon grins, “Now open it!” I nod and carefully start to undo the wrapping paper. I slide open the box and inside is a metal bracelet with a charm hanging off it. I pull it out and see that the charm is a crescent moon with the silhouette of a bat flying next to it.
“Is this another vampire joke?” I ask, but I’m smiling. Snow giggles like a child at his own joke.
“Maybe,” he says. 

“Well, thank you. I love it, even if it is in poor taste,” I laugh. Snow takes the bracelet and motions for me to give him my arm. I do and he puts the bracelet on my left wrist. He keeps his hands lingering there even after the bracelet is on. I scooch forward and lean into him, knocking his head against mine as gently as possible.
“I always hoped it’d be you, but I never let myself believe it.”

“What?” Snow says stupidly. I press my lips against a mole on his cheek that I’ve wanted to kiss for three years.
“Oh,” he says, then, “I had no idea.”
“About what?”
“About anything. I had no idea you liked me. I think I misread everything about how I felt about you, at least up until a month ago.” He explains. He moves his hands from my wrist to my hand and squeezes it. He pushes me with his forehead so I push back.

“You’re an idiot, Snow.” 
“You’re an idiot, Simon,” he corrects. Then he grabs my cheeks and kisses me. I let him, because Snow kissing me is the best thing on the planet. I never thought it would happen before yesterday. But this is real. And despite everything that’s happened, it’s the best I’ve ever felt. I reach up and grab Simon’s shoulders, trying to pull him closer than he already is. He pulls back after a moment just enough to look at me.
“Happy Christmas, Baz,” he whispers.
“Happy Christmas, Simon.”