CHAPTER FOURTEEN
SCISSORS, A BOYS BEST FRIEND.
AUGUSTINE FELL ASLEEP NEXT TO TOM. The bed was small and cramped but they slept comfortably. With Tom close enough that they could almost touch, Augustine barely slept.
His heart beat thrummed loudly, he would've expected Tom to have heard it in the silence. But no, Tom had fell asleep almost instantly, though, and Augustine would never say this aloud, he missed sleeping besides Bunny.
Sleeping besides Tom felt as if he was sleeping next to a beating heart at times.
Bunny at least had been a second blanket to him, suffocating and warm as he laid on top of him.
Now he just felt light as he slept, well barely slept. He couldn't do it.
He sat up, having gave up, and stared aimlessly at the wall in front of him.
He thought of home. His real home, the tall walls of the Lawrence Estate, and wondered what they were doing. With a sinking feeling, he wondered if they were happier.
"Where did you go?" Tom asked, having woken. He sat up, propping himself up onto his elbows. This was the thing with Tom, he was always so interested in catching Augustine out as he daydreamed, he was always fascinated with the expeditions of Augustine's own mind.
Augustine turned to him, looking down, "home," but he had the feeling Tom already knew the answer.
"How was it?"
"Happy." The feeling heavy in Augustine's gut, they were probably happier without him at their house, plaguing them.
Tom's lazy smile faltered, "go back to sleep," it was quiet, barely audible, "we have much to do."
So, Augustine lay back down besides him, but this time, they were closer, just enough to feel Tom's chest against his back.
....
In the morning, Augustine rose first. He turned his head to Tom's sleeping figure, and noticed the calmness as he breathed in and out, he watched for a moment before he blinked rapidly.
He couldn't be reminded of Bunny again.
He got up and dragged himself to the bathroom and stared at his reflection in the mirror.
He looked dead. Worn out eyes, greying skin stretched across bones. Not to mention his hair; his hair had grown considerably, straight hair curling round his ears and down to his neck. He grimaced at the sight of his hair.
So he did what he needed to do. Swinging open the cabinet door quickly, he took the first blade he could see — scissors, before slamming the door shut.
Taking the scissors he started to cut haphazardly at his hair. He didn't care what it looked like anymore, he didn't care even when the tears fell down his face.
Snip snip snip. Dark hair fell from his head.
"Augustine?"
He spun around to face Tom. Tired eyes on wide frantic ones.
"What?" He asked rudely and thickly as the tears continued to roll down his face. Scissors still in his hands, albeit not firmly. More shakily.
"Look at the mess you've made," Tom motioned to him calmly. His hands outstretched as he neared Augustine.
Augustine held tight onto the scissors, shaking angrily until Tom was so close to him he could touch him.
Tom took the scissors roughly, and then returned his gaze to Augustine's hair. Augustine hadn't bothered to know what his new hairstyle looked like. He didn't particularly want to.
Tom, scissors placed firmly back into the cabinet, shut the door before his hands landed onto Augustine's shaking shoulders. It was pathetic of him to cry like this over his hair.
Well, it wasn't just over his hair, but he liked to pretend it was rather than thinking of Bunny.
Tom, having his hands onto his shoulders, pulled him close. Surprisingly, he was warm, causing Augustine to melt right into him as Tom's fingers went to his new hair.
"What a mess," he said softly as he pulled at different parts of Augustine's hair to look at with extreme calmness.
Augustine just shrugged in response. The tears had stopped, leaving him to feel dull and tired.
It had been exhausting, crying. He would never do it again, he thought a little embarrassed.
"Does it look bad?" He finally gave in as he glanced upwards to Tom.
Tom bit his lip in thought as he studied his hair. "It could be worse,"
A smile broke out onto Augustine's face, and suddenly he was laughing.
"What's so funny?" Tom asked pulling his eyebrows together in confusion.
He was laughing, laughing so much the tears had started once more, "Godric knows," wiping his tears with the back of his hand, "I think I'm going mental."
"You're not mental."
"Yes I am." Augustine replied, smile faltering and he pulled away from Tom, his hands wiping his eyes once more.
"no you're not." Tom replied firmly taking hold of his shoulders once more.
"Now get dressed, we've got to leave for Yorkshire now."
....
The moment was over and Tom left Augustine to gather his things. He met him outside, the cold biting his face as he found Tom on the opposite side of the road, looking up at the hotel.
"What?" Augustine asked.
"It's an ugly place, isn't it?" Tom said finally, inspecting the old hotel with squinting eyes.
"Yes, let's never come back here again,"
"Deal," smiled Tom, his hands cupped in front of him calmly.
He studied him, his hair had curled considerably more — probably due to the lack of product.
"Now, let's find my family."
an/ tiny chapter !!! sorry !!! the next chapter will be longer due to the introduction of new characters AND toms first horcrux <3