HAYWIRE // INSTAGRAM - NEXT GEN

// fourty five //

al was saddened that the weekend in brighton had come to an end so quickly. he would've loved to have stayed longer, but he was the only one who could drive other than jamie. and jamie was staying there with teddy for obvious reasons that the apparent and new couple didn't think were that obvious. being the only one able to drive, he had to take them all home. he would've tried to convince them to stay but one: he didn't want to interrupt jamie and teddy's week alone, and two: lysander probably wouldn't even let him; he was desperate to get back to his mystery partner. al was pretty sure they were still in the honeymoon phase.

now, he wasn't going to lie, al envied the new couple and he didn't even know who the other half was. and this jealousy was eating up at him, and jamie and teddy only added to it. don't get him wrong, he was happy for both jamie and teddy, and lysander and whoever he was dating, alongside hugo and lorcan. it's just all the couples were together and happy. and al wondered what he had ever done to not have even a chance at their level of happiness.

once he had dropped lily off at her flat, as he did with lysander, he drove himself, hugo and lorcan back to their flat. dread flooded him as he realised he would have to move back in since teddy and jamie stayed in brighton. it wouldn't have usually been a problem, but he hadn't really civilly talked to scorpius ever since that instagram post jamie shared. he wasn't sure what it would be like and all this fighting and ignoring was making his heart ache. he just wanted things to go back to normal, back to how they were before he found out rosie and scorp were dating (it seemed he had a slim chance of that happening).

he parked up outside their flat and turned the car off. hugo and lorc were immediately getting out the car and al pressed a button so the boot unlocked in order for them to get their cases. hugo poked his head back into the car.

"coming in, al?" he asked, trying to encourage his cousin to firstly get out the car and to secondly actually enter the building of flats and thirdly to possibly actually go in their flat.

"yeah, just give me a moment." al replied, breathing in deeply. he knew himself that he was ready for this, that he wasn't ready to see scorpius.

"we'll wait with you if you want." lorcan reassured him.

"thanks, guys."

al sat in the car for a while, hands rested against the wheel to stop them from shaking. the fact that he hadn't even properly talked to scorpius since the revelation of his feelings (over text doesn't count) made the whole situation more terrifying and awkward. scorpius knows of al's feelings, and al didn't know his complete reaction to them. the fear that scorpius wasn't okay was strong and it scared al that it could be his fault. no, he can't control his feelings; he can't help it if his heart jumps every time scorpius accidentally brushes up against him, or if they're sitting and leaning on each other on the sofa and they fall asleep in each other's arms. albus couldn't help if he got butterflies in his stomach when scorp smiled him: the corners of his eyes crinkling and his joy clearly plastered all over his face.

now that scorpius was dating rose, he'd have to stop. he couldn't carry on being in love with scorpius when he was dating someone else (especially when that someone else was his cousin). the friendship between the boys was more important than some feelings.

al leant further forward and rested his arms on the steering well. the sound of the horn made him jump, as well as hugo and lorcan he figured from their screaming and swearing.

"i think i'm ready to go in now." he announced, unbuckling his seatbelt, and he got out of the car.

hugo and lorcan let al lead the way inside and up the stairs to their flat. the journey was a bit lengthy, but excusable due to al's nerves slowing him down.