Chapter 10
Dorcas had never been so excited to do something secretly.
Yes, she was in Sweden. Was being the primary word in the sentence.
See, Dorcas is no idiot. She knows Barty, Regulus and Evan are absolute imbeciles. She also knows that Regulus and Barty should’ve been on a cruise far away from Evan, but Barty’s SnapChat location betrayed that he was in France. So Dorcas took matters in her own hands, and she messaged Barty to ask what was happening.
11.39 PM
What the fuck are you doing in France Barty? Let Evan have a little life for himself and don’t ruin everything for him please
You already stalk around him at school, and ruin all of his chances at romance before he realises that they were chances
Let him have a chance at a summer romance for once
11.42 PM
It’s not like that Dor
We’re here because Ev’s fucking around with James
11.43 PM
James? As in James Potter? Regulus’ Ex?
11.44 PM
Yuppers
And i dont ruin all of his chances at romance, thank you very much
If you wanna blame someone for that, blame Evan himself
11.45 PM
Be fr Osito
Ev did nothing wrong
And you are responsible for everyone mysteriously losing interest in him
11.46 PM
→ Ev did nothing wrong
Well its not my fault he doesnt know how to hold onto all the people he pulls
And im not responsible! Im only responsible for that one boy losing all of his hair including his eyebrows because he accidentally burned them off after taking my advice, but that was because he was being a little bitch.
→ Be fr Osito
Stop calling me that!
11.47 PM
Nah
I wasn’t allowed to call you Teddy anymore, so then I’ll call you Teddy in Spanish
You’d rather have French? I can call you Nounours
11.49 PM
No thats even worse
Please dont do that
11.51 PM
Okay, but holdup
I was never told you burned some guy’s hair off??
11.52 PM
Happened around a year ago though
11.52 PM
You have serious issues Osito
I’m gonna go, ttyl
11.53 PM
Byeee
Also, what does ttyl mean again?
11.54 PM
Talk to you later, stupid
Dorcas sighed and closed off her phone. ‘Hey Marlene, I have a question,’ she said, looking at the beautiful blonde who was sitting on the bed beside her. She didn’t look up from her game that she was playing on her phone, but asked ‘yeah? What’s wrong?’ after which he frowned in frustration at her game.
‘James is on vacation in France right? Have you ever been to his parent’s house?’ she asked, already forming a plan in her head. ‘Yea, been there loads of times. It’s huge, tons of rooms,’ she muttered, after which she seemed to win her game because she smiled and yelled ‘Yes! Beat that!’ before shutting off her phone and facing Dorcas.
‘Why?’ She asked, seeing Dorcas’ scheming eyes and getting suspicious. Dorcas looked at her and smiled. She leaned forward to kiss Marlene softly and she stood up. ‘I think we’re going to need a place to sleep when we arrive in France,’ she said, throwing her suitcase on the bed. ‘What? Dor, why do you suddenly want to go to France? I thought you wanted us to stay with your family?’ Marlene asked, moving on the bed to sit beside the suitcase, staring at Dorcas confused.
‘We stayed with them for a week didn’t we? I’d like to have some friends to return to after the summer, and from the looks of it, not all of them will survive a summer in France. Better start packing your bags, because we need to make a stop in Britain for summer clothes first,’ Dorcas said, earning a deep sigh from Marlene.
‘I’ll call James. You’re lucky I love you, Dor,’ Marlene muttered. Dorcas smiled and kissed her forehead. ‘Tell James to please not tell Ev I’m coming. He’ll go crazy once he sees us as a surprise, and I love surprising him,’ Dorcas said. Marlene nodded and dialled James.
France was not so far away from Sweden anyways.
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Barty’s heart started beating a little faster.
Because Evan just walked into his house like nothing was wrong, and he didn’t just let Barty and Regulus believe he was dead. Barty had slept for a whole of 22 minutes and he had been moments away from calling the police.
He jumped up from his place on the couch besides the, still sleeping, Regulus. He walked up to Evan, and hugged him so tightly he could hear Evan gasp from shock. ‘Barty-’ ‘No, no. Just shut up. Let me hug you for a second before you get mad, okay?’ Barty whispered into Evan’s shoulder.
And thank god for blessing Evan with a big heart, because Evan let Barty hug him until Barty wanted to let go. ‘Bee, this- I’m sorry. I turned my phone off on the beach and didn’t see your messages,’ Evan said. Barty let go of him and stared at him like he saw a ghost. ‘What? What’s wrong?’ Evan asked, confused. ‘You… You called me Bee,’ he muttered softly, looking at the floor. He felt like the breath was punched out of him. He forgot how to breathe for a second at that moment. ‘I- sorry,’ Evan muttered, opening his arms for a hug again. Barty hugged him and breathed in the fresh scent of Evan’s perfume and the faint smell of…
The faint smell of eucalyptus.
‘You slept with him?!’ Barty exclaimed, letting Evan go and glaring at him. Evan gave him a shocked look, but crossed his arms then, a defiant look on his face. ‘Yeah, so what? He’s my boyfriend, not you. If you’re going to be mad, be mad at someone else,’ Evan said, huffing and turning to push Regulus off the couch. ‘Wake up, Regulus.’
‘What the fuck Barty? I was finally sleeping and now you just-Evan?’ Regulus stopped himself the moment he locked eyes with Evan’s burning ones. ‘Hi. I booked a hotel room for the two of you. Best if you go now, before I call the police for trespassing,’ he said, looking over to Barty. He was suppressing a grin, trying to feign ignorance at Barty’s shocked look.
‘Why? Because I said the truth? Because I said that I’d go fuck Regulus in the heat of the moment?’ Barty yelled out in frustration and confusion. ‘You said what?’ Regulus hissed, standing up and walking over towards Barty, looking ready to slam him into the wall.
To kiss him or to hit him, Barty wasn’t sure. He also wasn’t sure if Regulus was sure.
‘That is so not important right now,’ Evan said, flashing angry gold eyes at Regulus. Barty had a quick thought that Evan looked kind of beautiful like that. No, more than beautiful. Like some kind of god with godly beauty and a flawless face. Perfectly messy blonde curls falling over a perfectly carved face. Pink cheeks to give him life, angry golden eyes blazing like a thousand fires all at once.
‘Stop fucking staring and get your ass moving Barty. He wants us gone,’ Regulus sneered. His icy eyes made a stark contrast to Evan’s fiery ones. Where Evan would burn him up, Regulus would freeze him to death. Where Evan was all sweetness and open booked emotions, Regulus was rudeness and closed off feelings.
‘Barty! I swear to god, what is wrong with you?’ Regulus hissed, shaking him but still earning no reaction. ‘Obviously this is not working, Regulus. Just grab your stuff, I’ll talk to him,’ Evan’s voice rang through the room. Barty heard Regulus heave a deep sigh before storming into the guest bedroom he had claimed as his own.
Barty was still staring at Evan. He couldn’t really help it. It felt like Evan gave him life even when he was so tired. ‘Barty, what’s wrong? What are you doing?’ Evan asked him in a careful, hushed tone. Barty didn’t answer. He didn’t really know what to say anyways, so why waste his words? ‘Barty, answer me,’ Evan said, more urgent now. He softly reached out to grab Barty’s shoulder. It felt like Barty got electrocuted when Evan touched him so carefully. Barty wanted to feel it again and again.
Evan let go of him.
‘What are you doing, Barty?’ Evan asked again, now sounding more irritated than worried. Barty snapped out of his trance. ‘What are we doing, Ev?’ he retorted, stepping closer and closer until Evan reached the couch with the back of his legs. ‘We are not doing anything. I’m kicking you out. Go do something with someone else, I don’t care,’ Evan said, trying to act indifferent but failing.
Evan never really could be indifferent about anything. He always felt something. Regulus wasn’t like that. Regulus was more indifferent than feeling about most stuff, though Barty guessed that was just a mask he put on for the outside world.
‘But maybe I want to do something with you,’ Barty said, sounding suddenly sad. Evan scoffed. ‘Well, you’re too late. You had your chance and you blew it. Now get out of my house please,’ Evan said. Barty frowned. ‘I didn’t blow anything! Regulus blew it for me. I didn’t even know you felt that way!’ Barty said, which made Evan’s feigned indifference suddenly break entirely.
‘How did you not?! Honestly, how could you not know that I liked you! It’s been that way for three years now, Barty!’ Evan hissed angrily. And oh, Barty didn’t know. Three years. Wow, that was quite a long time to like one person.
How many had Barty brought back to the dorm in three years? Quite a lot he was sure.
Oh. Oh.
‘That’s why you were always so mad at me when my hookups stayed for longer than just a quick fuck. You were scared that I’d catch feels,’ Barty said, looking at the TV behind Evan just to look at something else than Evan’s devastatingly beautiful features. No but seriously, how did he not notice how handsome Evan was before this summer?
‘I wasn’t scared you’d catch feelings! I knew you wouldn’t catch feels, because you don’t. You have only ever caught feels for one person and we both know you’ve never quite gotten over that one person. Trying to distract yourself from that with other people is not a good coping mechanism,’ Evan sneered, all angry eyes and clenched fists. ‘Yeah, I know, who cares? I just-’ ‘I care Barty! I have always cared, you know that!’ Evan interrupted him, earning a deep sigh from Barty. ‘I know that. Sorry,’ he admitted. Evan gave him another flashing glare. He hated how calm Barty was because he was so angry himself.
Barty was always angry, and now just didn’t feel like a time to be angry. ‘Evan, why? Why were you always so mad, if you weren’t scared, or jealous? Were you jealous?’ Barty asked him. Evan stared at Barty and Barty swore he could see his angry golden eyes dissolve into murky mustard ones.
‘I wasn’t jealous. Okay, maybe a little bit, but that wasn’t why I was so angry. I was angry, because each time you brought someone back, it just reminded me how hard you’d fallen for Regulus, and how you never got over him. Because- because I was always compared to Regulus by so many people. Apart from our features that are quite the opposite, everyone seemed to think we were the same. But you didn’t. You loved Regulus who didn’t want you, and I loved you, but you didn’t want me,’ Evan said, defeat the only word Barty could use to describe Evan’s face right now. He looked more like a fallen angel this way than a god.
And Barty understood then. He understood what Evan meant as clear as day.
‘Don’t be so fucking sad Evan. You have a boyfriend now, so man up and get over Barty,’ Regulus hissed from behind Evan. Barty’s eyes locked onto his icy blue ones. ‘How much of that did you hear?’ Evan asked, alarmed. He was still facing Barty.
‘Everything. You really thought I didn’t want to hear the reason you’re kicking us out? You’re a real baby sometimes you do realise that right? Because you can’t handle your emotions and get over a teenage crush you once had, you’re kicking your only friends out and leaving us in some random hotel. Grow the fuck up Rosier,’ Regulus sneered, throwing a bag at Barty. ‘Well excuse me for being reasonably mad. Maybe if someone apologised, I would’ve dropped it way before it started simmering and became this big of an issue,’ Evan said, pointedly looking at Regulus.
He stared right back, one raised eyebrow. ‘Over my dead body,’ he reacted, breaking eye contact and walking out of the door. ‘Oh and you wasted your daddy’s money, because I booked me and Barty another hotel. I wasn’t planning on staying in the shrubs of France while I’m here,’ Regulus said dismissively, starting to tie his shoelaces. ‘Fine by me,’ Evan said, but Barty saw the hurt in his eyes.
Barty looked at him in confusion, but Evan sighed deeply and shook his head once. ‘Reg, we didn’t even know what hotel he booked us in?’ Barty asked, also starting on his shoelaces, because Regulus was almost leaving and he would leave Barty here to fend for himself. ‘I don’t care, I’m sure I booked a better hotel than the one-’ ‘I booked you the sea suite in the best coastal hotel I could find. I didn’t want to ruin your entire life because you’re still my friends and I still care about you. But it’s nice to know you think that highly of me,’ Evan interrupted him, turning his back to the door and walking into the open kitchen.
It fell silent. Barty tried to break the silence, but Regulus flashed him a glare that Barty was sure must’ve left a wound somewhere, so he stayed silent. They were silent when they stood up, and they shared no look with Evan when they left the house.
Barty could feel his heartbeat slowly dropping. He wondered if he could just make it stop, if only to not feel the current pain he was in.
When Evan knew for sure they had left and weren’t waiting outside or anything, he let himself slide down to the floor against the kitchen cabinets, hitting his head but not really caring about the stinging pain it gave him. His mental pain would be worse anyways.
Tears started to flow like a waterfall. He thought about how different his life could’ve been if he just chose the other Black brother to bond with. He must’ve had more supportive friends that way, not friends that called him a baby for feeling things. He thought of how sweet James still was to him, even though he knew now that Evan had lied to him about who he was. He thought of how many things would’ve gone different for Evan if he didn’t have Barty and Regulus there for him, for better or for worse. And he thought that maybe he was better off not being friends with them anymore.
Maybe this was just the final thing Evan needed to realise how bad they really were for each other. But then again, he couldn’t bear to lose them. They were his family and he loved them like he wouldn’t ever love someone else.
Maybe he was just being dramatic, and all of this was just him trying to cause problems where they weren’t needed. It was just one kiss after all.
And Evan said himself that if Regulus just said sorry for it, it would’ve been resolved so easily. But now he made it a big problem and made Regulus even more angry. Now they both had said things they couldn’t take back anymore.
Now everything in Evan’s life was unravelling, to the point where Evan didn’t even know if he liked his life all that much anymore.
Maybe it would’ve been better if he just left Britain altogether. Just start a new life somewhere where no one knew him and no one would find him.
Maybe that would be nice.
Maybe.
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Remus despised the airport with every inch of his body.
His first flight of course was overbooked, and he was the unlucky one to be double booked. He decided to give up his seat and take the next flight, but nobody told him the next flight would be in a day.
He was too tall to sit comfortably in the boarding area, let alone the plane itself. He was too broke to reserve another window seat, so of course he got stuck with a middle seat. When he tried to get his morning coffee, he was told that he had to put down six bucks for a double shot espresso cappuccino, so he didn’t drink it.
Then, as if his luck couldn’t have gotten better, the wire of his earphones broke right before he had to board the plane, so he didn’t have time to buy new ones. His earphones were old, however it must’ve just been fate laughing at him, because his trusty wired earphones had never failed him, until now.
And now, while he was sitting in the boarding area, waiting with all the other regular people, a young mother took place beside him. ‘Hi. Could you hold him please? Thank you,’ she said, handing her baby to Remus who didn’t even say yes. He looked at the child in surprise while the mother sighed deeply and looked for something in her bag. ‘I’m sorry, did you just hand your child to a random man at the airport? Are you mad?’ Remus asked in disbelief. ‘I’m just so tired,’ the mother managed to get out, before the baby started screaming so loudly, Remus was sure he couldn’t even turn his music up harder than the screaming.
But he wouldn’t be listening to music anyways, because his earphones broke.
He sighed deeply and stared at the window.
‘Oh no, I think he’s a little sick,’ the mother said, softly stroking her child’s forehead. Remus glared at her. ‘What?! Hold your own baby for god's sake! I don’t want to get sick!’ Remus said, sticking out the baby, who looked at him while crying and started coughing. Remus gave it a warning look. ‘Don’t you dare,’ he muttered in a low tone, but either the baby hated him or couldn’t understand him, because the next moment Remus was covered in baby puke.
Just my luck, he thought bitterly as he stood up and walked towards the bathroom, giving the mother her baby back with a scathing glare. It was at that moment that Remus’ luck seemed to continue to ruin his good spirit, because they just announced that they, once again, overbooked the plane, and the next plane wouldn’t go until tomorrow because of how short staffed the stupid airport was. But seriously, who overbooks multiple planes?
Remus sighed deeply, rolled his eyes and went on trying to clean the baby puke from his shirt and pants to no avail. He had already given up on hope of getting on the plane. He was halfway certain that he would never get to France at this rate. He had to buy new clothes somewhere on the airport, but he barely had a few euros to spare for coffee, let alone a whole new outfit from the overpriced airport shops. And apart from that, the airport didn’t offer him a place to stay for the night, nor were they close to any sign of civilization, so Remus had to sleep on harsh, metal chairs that would be murder to his back injury.
He messaged the groupchat.
8.58 PM ~ You
Won’t be there tomorrow night. Flight was overbooked and I got the short end of the stick.
8.59 PM ~ Pads
Again? Jeez Remus, your luck really ruins everything sometimes
9.00 PM ~ You
Please don’t say it out loud. It’s been worse enough already.
9.00 PM ~ Wormy
Damn
Did they offer you a hotel room or smth?
9.01 PM ~ Pads
→ Please don’t say it out loud. It’s been worse enough already
What happened?
→ Did they offer you a hotel room or smth?
They should
9.01 PM ~ You
→ Did they offer you a hotel room or smth?
Nope. Just a cold metal bench.
And as for what happened, it’s a very long story.
9.02 PM ~ Wormy
I got nothing to do anyways, so shoot
9.02 PM ~ Pads
Same
James left me for his loverboy again
9.03 PM ~ Wormy
Oh boo boo, poor Siri
9.03 PM ~ Pads
It’s really not funny
I think he doesnt love me anymore
9.04 PM ~ Wormy
doesn’t*
9.04 PM ~ Pads
Piss off.
9.05 PM ~ You
First off, I got the middle seat. Then I didn’t get any coffee because six buck for a cappuccino is insane. Then my earphones broke.
Oh and then I got puked on by a baby.
And now I have to sleep in puke clothes on a metal bench.
9.06 PM ~ Wormy
→ First off, I got the middle seat. Then I didn’t get any coffee because six buck for a cappuccino is insane. Then my earphones broke.
Damn Moony, that’s terrible
9.07 PM ~ You
So yes, my luck has been formidable today.
9.08 PM ~ Wormy
→ Oh and then I got puked on by a baby.
Oh-
I would say sorry but it doesn’t really help
You can’t buy new clothes at the airport?
9.09 PM ~ You
No, I can’t.
Remus got a private message from Sirius. He frowned and opened it.
9.09 PM
Okay Remus, I know you hate it when I do this, but you really need it. Buy yourself some fresh clothes and a hotel room for the night. I also bought you a first class seat for tomorrow so your legs won’t be sore or your back won’t start hurting from being on the plane.
9.11 PM
Sirius, stop throwing your money in my face, please. It’s really sweet you bought me a first class ticket, but I don’t really need it. And I can’t buy fresh clothes because all of the stores in here are high end fashion boutiques.
And the only hotel available asks like 400 for a single room, which is sold out. Only rooms available are suites for 800 bucks.
9.12 PM
Just look at your bank account Remus
Remus sighed deeply and rolled his eyes.
9.13 PM
Sirius, take your money back. I don’t even want to know how much you sent me.
9.14 PM
Take it and take care of yourself, or I will send you more
9.14 PM
Please don’t.
9.15 PM
I will
Buy yourself a pricey night on my account, I don’t care
Take care of yourself for once
It’s my fault you’re on the airport anyway
9.19 PM
Alright.
Thank you Sirius. Even though you didn’t have to, it’s really sweet.
Remus’ cheeks were red when he shut his phone and made his way to look for one of the stores in hopes of one still being open. He was lucky, because one store was closing, but still open for a few minutes.
‘Hi. I’m so sorry, but could I please go in and really quickly grab a pair of clean jeans and a shirt? I really don’t need to fit anything, but I just need to get out of my dirty clothes,’ he said, looking at the woman in hope. If his luck was any worse than it was she would’ve said no. But it seemed his luck was handing him this one thing. ‘Oh of course, sir. Do you need any help? And you have to fit your clothes, you don’t want to buy stuff that doesn’t fit,’ the girl said, smiling at him kindly and guiding him towards a pile of jeans.
Twenty minutes later, Remus had made his decision with help of the sweet girl and he walked up to the counter to pay for his clothes. He opened his bank account to look at the amount Sirius gave him and he almost dropped his phone. It wouldn’t matter if he dropped it, anyway, because he could buy a new one with this amount. Multiple even, and still have enough for the clothes and a hotel room. And a coffee.
Holy shit.
Remus had never been so rich before in his life.
And Sirius just gave it away like it was nothing.
‘Uh, is everything alright?’ The cashier asked Remus. He looked up from his phone and coughed. ‘Oh, yeah, yeah. I just got paid, and it was more than I expected to get,’ he muttered, grabbing his card and holding it against the machine. It made a satisfying beep and Remus let out a sigh of relief. ‘You can use the fitting rooms to change. I’ll give you a bag for your dirty clothes,’ the cashier said. Remus gave her a grateful smile.
His mother always said that money doesn’t buy happiness, but at this moment, Remus disagreed.