Chapter 8 - Opening Up

                                    

                                          
Albus woke up to an empty bed and in his drowsy, hung over state he just assumed that Scorpius had left him. Until he rolled over to see that the bathroom door was shut and realized he could hear the sound of the shower running.
                          
He groaned and squinted at the sun that was slightly peaking through the curtains. He pulled the duvet over his face and tried to will himself back to sleep.
                          
He could barely get comfortable before he felt his stomach groan and lurch and he bolted upright and straight to the bathroom, not even bothering to knock for Scorpius' sake.
                          
He leaned over the toilet and hurled.
                          
Scorpius, who had just about stepped out of the shower, stayed put. He really hated vomit, so he decided to avoid it. He could comfort Albus afterwards.
                          
After Albus' stomach had stopped rejecting everything inside it, he mumbled a "sorry" to Scorpius and left the bathroom.
                          
As Scorpius finished and stepped out into the room, he found Albus sat on the bed, slouched over, staring off into space.
                          
"Are you okay?" Scorpius asked, fixing him a glass of water with his wand.
                          
Albus accepted it and let out a sigh before he spoke, "Did we have sex last night?" He asked bluntly.
                          
Scorpius st down on the bed next to him and brushed some hair from out of Al's eyes. "No, we did not. We only made out for a bit, then you threw up and passed out. Even if you hadn't passed out, you were way too drunk to be having sex in the first place," Scorpius explained.
                          
"Yeah, I just have a blurry memory of kissing you and then I woke up with my clothes off so I just assumed..." Albus explained after downing the whole cup of water.
                          
"Sorry, I took off your stuffy wedding robes, I figured you'd sleep better since I know you prefer to just sleep in your underwear." With a wave of his wand, Scorpius refilled the glass.
                          
Albus' cheeks flushed slightly as he thought about the several nights the two spent in his quarters when he told Scorpius that not expecting him to remember or care. "Thanks," Albus paused as he took a sip of water, "So... what does this mean for us?" He asked, feeling like if he didn't say it, Scorpius wouldn't. He was too kind and not pushy enough to say anything until Albus explicitly said something about his feelings.
                          
Scorpius sighed and gave him a look that Albus couldn't read. Albus thought his sigh almost sounded... annoyed? A puzzled look crossed the dark haired boys face. "I just wanna know how you feel is all..." Albus admitted, "It's okay if you don't want to be with me, I'm sorry if I forced myself on you last night. I get clingy and desperate when I'm drunk."
                          
"I gathered. But isn't it obvious how I feel?" Scorpius asked, sounding a little bit hurt.
                          
Albus was confused and didn't think replying, 'No,' was a very good idea. Scorpius picked it up though and continued.
                          
"Albus, I've asked you out on several dates. I've made excuses to spend the night with you. I bring you tea almost every morning - hell I memorized how you like both your tea and your coffee. I wasn't the one denying that we were in a relationship when people asked. I stayed up till two AM babysitting you just to make sure you were safe and comfortable. I cleaned up your vomit, and I can't even stand vomit. I remember that you told me you'd like to travel to Munich, and that you think your family is boring and average. You have a knack for Muggle games, especially card games and you always have," Scorpius took a long breath that he didn't realize he was holding in. He held eye contact with Albus who seemed to be putting the pieces together as he spoke.
                          
Scorpius softened his voice and continued, "I remember that night in our dorms when I accidentally walked in on you bawling your eyes out in sixth year. I was going to leave but then you just started ranting to me and screaming about how unfair life was for you and no one understood. You told me how lonely you felt, even though you had lots of friends because you felt that most of them just were friends with you cause you were a Potter. I told you that that wasn't true and that lots of people loved you and cared about you even if you don't know it. You cried into my shoulder and I had no idea what to do with myself, so I just sat there quietly and rubbed your back awkwardly until you stopped crying and went to sleep," Scorpius paused as he thought about what to say next. He fiddled with his fingers, not sure if he should look at Albus for his reaction or not.
                          
"I remember that too," Albus spoke softly, "I try to block that out of my mind though. I think that was the time that I accidentally knocked Jax off his broom when I was going after the Snitch in a match, and so the guys cornered me and hexed me and kicked me, saying that I 'play too dirty' and 'you're supposed to knock the other team off their brooms, not your own', but 'I'm a Potter so I get whatever I want'," Albus explained, using a mocking voice when repeating what Alec spat at him.
                          
"That's what happened?" Albus nodded. "That's awful, Al, you never told me that."
                          
"I never told anyone. Besides, we weren't friends back then so why would I?" Albus corrected.
                          
Scorpius shrugged sadly, "I dunno I guess. But back to my point - I really care about you Albus. I want you to be a part of my life right now and hopefully for a long time down the road. Obviously you haven't noticed my feelings for you though," he sighed. 
                          
"I'm sorry I never realized... I think I was oblivious because I was scared," Albus admitted. 
                          
"Why are you scared?" Scorpius wondered.
                          
"Because during our Hogwarts years you stayed silent. You were never there to back me up when Alec would throw a hex or spit a derogatory word in my face. I just figured you hated me too, just because you never said anything. And then when you came out five years ago I was beyond shocked and mostly confused," he elaborated. Scorpius had a frown on his face and there was so much he wanted to say but didn't know where to begin.
                          
"I was the confused one, and I was scared. I saw how they treated you and I saw how my dad talked about gay people and I was trying to convince myself that I wasn't gay for years and years. I never accepted it until I was out of Hogwarts, and then didn't build up the courage to come out until I was twenty one," Scorpius admitted. "My dad still isn't on board with it. He tries to ignore it and acts like I'm still going to marry a woman."
                          
"My mum's the same," Albus said softly.
                          
There was a long pause of understanding between the two and Scorpius was the first to break it.
                          
"So what does this mean for us? Do you even like me like I care for you?" he asked.
                          
"Of course I do, I care about you so much. I hope this means we can be together as boyfriends and as partners," he replied hopefully. 
                          
"I like the sound of that," Scorpius nodded in agreement.
                          
Albus' face turned into a massive smile and he leaned in for a kiss but Scorpius help up his hands.
                          
"Woah, woah there, let's get your teeth brushed before you go kissing me. I don't want to be tasting vomit."
                          
Albus laughed and stood up to head to the bathroom, "Alright, that's fair."