“Honey, come over, the party's gone slower.” Evan whispered to Barty over the phone. He felt like he’d been ready for Barty to come home for so long. Evan hadn’t seen him in ages and he wanted to see him again. Wanted to see his smile, wanted to hear his laugh, and wanted to feel his touch. Bartys silence from the other end made Evans heartbreak. Did Barty not want to see him? Was it him? But then he thought about what happened in ‘02. “No one will tempt you, we know you got sober” He said at a last hope to convince Barty.
“Alright, I’m on my way.” Barty murmured back.
“Okay” Evan smiled as he hung up.
Evan looked around at all his friends, all of them sitting and calming chatting to each other. The party overall was quite enjoyable. However the whole time Evan was just wishing Barty was there. Everyone else was here except his Barty. James and Lily with their kid Harry, they were playing some sort of hand game together. Sirius and Remus with their newly adopted child were laughing as they painted Sirius’s nails. Pandora with their daughter Luna asleep on their chest was watching Lily play with Harry. Marlene, Dorcas, Mary, and Peter were all talking about their futures and imagining possibilities together. Evans' heart swelled, with love, fondness, and gratitude. All these people made his life so much better, and here they all were together after everything. Most people say you don’t stay in close contact with most of your high school friends. Not this friend group. They wouldn’t know how to continue if they weren’t all here. Well, mostly all.
At that moment the doorbell rang and Evan rushed to the door. Opening it he saw a soaked Barty standing there with a small bouquet of slightly broken flowers. Barty looked down at the flowers and spoke sadly “They were nice-” Evan interrupted him and said
“They’re beautiful”
“I’m sorry”
“No it’s impressive, they actually held together very well.” He gestured to outside, referencing the rain. Barty stared at him, and Evan stared back. A drop of water fell from Barty’s hair and onto his lips, his gorgeous lips. Looking back up at his eyes Evan saw how conflicted Barty was. He saw how he was second guessing about turning up. Barty opened his mouth about to say something and about to take a step back but Evan pulled him in. Inside and into his arms. He hugged Barty like they were the last two people alive on a dying earth. Barty hugged him back and buried his face in Evans neck. Evan then whispered in his ear “There's orange juice in the kitchen, bought for the children. It's yours if you want it.” They pulled apart, still holding each other but so they could see their faces.
“Thank you.” Barty choked, tears forming in his eyes.
“I’m just glad you could visit.”
Evan smiled and took Bartys hand. Gosh he has such beautiful hands, he played with one of the many silver rings winding around Bartys fingers. He saw Evan looking and took the ring off and gave it to him. Evan gave Barty a puzzled look.
“So I have a reason to see you again.” There was a pause then Evan spoke softly
“Why’d you go?” Evan asked.
“Mhm, mmm.” Barty hummed while he closed his eyes. He was trying to find the words that could help Evan understand. Helping Evan was what Barty was meant to do, he already failed once, he couldn’t let that happen again. “My heart has changed and my soul has changed. My face has changed, and I haven't drank in six months, on the dot.” He couldn’t look at Evan so he stared down at his feet. But Evan cupped his hands around his face and lifted it. Barty stared into his eyes, he didn’t know what he wanted Evan to do. Shout at him, maybe, be upset with him, possibly, be scared of what he might do, possibly. Barty wanted Evan to fear him so Evan could protect himself and not get hurt by Barty. Somehow, like he always does, Evan read this thought from Bartys mind.
“I’m not scared.” He whispered while a sad smile crossed his pretty face “You didn’t put those bones in the ground.”
He was back. Back there in the car. Hurtling down the road at indescribable speeds. The trees were flying in waves past the windows. They past the graveyard which was soon to have new permanent resident, although no one knew it yet. The whistling of the wind covered the scream. It was all slightly fuzzy and blurry but he could see and knew clearly what was important. It was the moment where time stopped. It was the moment where Barty regretted his decision. It was the moment he lost Regulus. Regulus, his best friend, who Barty had killed. It was never meant to happen. And even though it did happen Barty should have died, he wished he had. But he didn’t, so now he was stuck here, alive, with this burden that it was his fault that his best friend was dead. It tore him apart trying to recover. The course of his death was drinking, and the solution was the same. Barty hated himself for it but it was the only way he could numb his thoughts and feelings. However everything he drank to drown out these thoughts he always felt scared. Scared that it might happen again. Fear ate away at him for months on end while he drowned out his other thoughts. He got help eventually, but it took a lot of time. The moment where time stopped, cost him the most time in the world.
He was on the floor, crying. Evan was there, just holding him. Oh how he loved Evan. He would never ask for it but Barty would give him the whole universe and more if it meant he could love Evan. Barty took a deep breath and managed to cough out
“I’m sorry, my love. I-”
“No. You have nothing to be sorry for. What happened made you a stranger to me and it filled you with anger. You never have to apologise for feeling emotions because that’s what humans do, and it’s what makes us so amazing.” Evan planted a soft kiss on his forehead. “All that I wish for is that you don’t stay a stranger anymore, come home.” Barty finally looked up at Evan and saw tears forming.
“I’m not going anywhere. This time, I’m staying.”
“Evan?” a voice spoke from down the hallway. It was Dorcas. “Oh. Hello Barty.” She said with a caring smile. Barty wipes away his tears and Evan helps him stand up.
“Hiya Dorcas, longtime no see.” Barty replied. There was a pause, not an awkward one, just one that filled the moment with love and caring concern. “How’ve you been?”
“Good, great. Everyones here, they would love to see you.” Dorcas’s words made waves of appreciation crash over him. Everyone? Would love to see… him? Evan took his hand and led him into the living room. As he entered silence fell, and everyone stared at him. Maybe this was a bad idea. Then Pandora stood up and rushed towards him and hugged him. He fell apart in her arms and she held him together. But it wasn’t just her. Everyone else was hugging him now. They all held on, waiting, and they kept him together. Eventually they all broke apart and Evan approached him with a mug of
“Orange Juice.” Evan smiled, a smile that could compete with the sun's warmth and shine.
“Orange juice.”