SCORBUS // consider me yours.

15 | for a change

Albus felt different now that Scorpius was holding him. Not a bad-different, but a good one. Albus felt as though he'd finally got what he wanted.

But Albus hadn't gotten everything he wanted, because Scorpius still knew nothing about Albus' crush on him.

"I like your laugh," Albus found himself saying.

Scorpius leaned down, almost to hear Albus better. "What?"

"I like your laugh." Albus sounded more definitive. He knew that he probably should've kept his mouth shut, but it felt good to compliment Scorpius for a change.

Scorpius lifted his head back up, away from Albus' view— but Albus could tell that Scorpius was blushing.

It felt good to see Scorpius flustered for a change.

"Hey," Scorpius seemed to have recovered his confidence. He shifted so that Albus wasn't between his legs anymore. Now, Scorpius traced his finger down Albus' face, starting at his temple and ending at his chin. "I like hearing yours better."

Albus' face suddenly took on a firm expression, but fear twinkled in his eyes. He faced Scorpius, trying his best to not break eye contact and blush like an idiot.

"Al? Are you o—" Scorpius asked.

Albus cut him off by rambling. "I don't just like your laugh. I like your smile, your—your personality. And you're such a good friend. . . god, you're such a good friend—"

Scorpius' face had turned so red that he looked far more than sunburnt. His eyes stayed fixed on Albus' eyes, but Albus saw them move down to his lips for a millisecond. "Albus, you're a good friend, too—"

"Scorpius," Albus said softly.

"These compliments are a little unexpected, but—"

"Scorpius." Albus tried to sound serious.

Scorpius turned to him. "Yeah, sorry. What were you saying?"

Albus didn't like that Scorpius had interrupted him. It had given his confidence time to fade.

Still, he drew a breath and continued, "I. . . like you, okay? You're just. . . different. You don't care about my awkward aura, my terrible grades, my fear of everything— you don't mind it. Instead, you embrace it, though it isn't even your problem. You've helped me get through a lot, not just this scary movie."

Scorpius seemed calm, rather than revolted, which is was Albus thought he would seem like— disgusted. Scorpius stayed quiet though, seemingly awestruck. Albus didn't know how to take his silence. He shifted uncomfortably on the couch, only now realizing how close they'd been sitting.

"I think what I've just done is a lot scarier than watching a silly movie." Albus chided, mainly to cut through the awkward silence.

Scorpius' mouth hung open very slightly before he finally gathered his dignity to speak.

"Yeah," He breathed. Albus was glad to hear him speak.

Suddenly, the blush that had been visible across Scorpius' nose now appeared all around his face, even reaching the tips of his ears. He seemed to have gotten an idea, and was in the middle of determining if it was a good one or not.

Scorpius hesitated, smiled hopefully, and locked eyes with Albus. "You know what's even scarier than what you've done and a scary movie, though?"

Albus was surprised that Scorpius had taken Albus' news so calmly. It was almost like he was ignoring it. . .

Feeling a little less hopeful, Albus still managed to ask, "What is?"