Fight For Me

People were assholes, no doubt about it. It was in their nature to be angry and harsh about things, about people they disliked. It was human. But, that being said, that didn’t mean it was okay to take that idea and run with it, to use their dislike as ammunition or reasoning to make someone else’s life hell.

This was a concept Pandora Rosier knew well, one she had to continuously remind herself of. She hadn’t done anything wrong to piss Mulciber off, he simply disliked her. Disliked her personality, her style, her voice. That wasn’t Pandora’s fault, though. People were allowed to have their own opinions, even if they hurt sometimes.

She had to remind herself of this over and over again as, slowly, her items began disappearing.

It started last year. It was small things. Her pen caps, her paper clips, the zipper tab on her binder, her hair elastics, her hair clips. But, over time, Mulciber grew in confidence and so did the things he stole. Important class notes, her homework, her shoe laces, her jewelry. It didn’t help that Mulciber had somehow gotten her locker combination and was able to take things long before she even realized they were gone. With each thing she lost, the worm in her heart seemed to grow hungrier, leaving a gaping hole of sadness in its path.

It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault.

Pandora slipped between gaps of people, trying to make it to her locker. She had split up from Evan just to quickly grab the water bottle she had accidentally left behind the day before, planning to meet back up with him, Barty, Reg and Dorcas before callbacks began(all four of them got a callback, which made Pandora want to scream with delight. All of Sirius and his friends got one as well, so she was also feeling better about the Black brothers working through the mountain of trauma, love and misunderstanding between them).

Thankfully, she managed to make it there without getting body slammed. She spun the lock to put in the combination(if you asked her the numbers, she wouldn’t be able to tell you. It was all muscle memory by now). She swung it open when it clicked and set her bag on the floor. Pandora pulled her favourite cardigan from it - a white knitted one that she had attached her own crocheted, rainbow butterflies to - knowing that it could get quite cold in the theatre. She stood, peering at the shelves. She frowned. Her bottle was gone.

If this had happened, say, five months before, Pandora might’ve pulled out her entire locker to search for it. She might’ve turned her room upside down, checked all her classrooms, the cafeteria, the lost and found. She might’ve accused Evan or Barty of swiping it. But, now, Pandora knew better.

“Oh.” She said, shoulders slumping.

Suddenly, the cardigan was ripped from her grasp. Pandora whirled around, following the motion with a surprised, accusatory, “Hey!”

Mulciber snickered, grinning over his shoulder. “Thanks, Rosier!”

Pandora stood there, gaping. Not once has Mulciber stolen something in front of her, much less out of her hands. The despair set in next. That was her favourite sweater, one she'd only just finished about a month ago. She hadn't even been given the proper time to love and appreciate the work she'd put into making it her own before it was, rather literally, torn away from her.

Pandora took a breath, blinking furiously to banish the tears threatening to gather. She zipped her bag up and threw it over her shoulder. It was fine. It could be replaced. She could make a new one. Maybe even do moths or ladybugs instead. It was fine. Don't cry. Evan'll see and you know he worries. You know how violent he can get. Keep him out of trouble. You can handle this yourself. You don't need people always dealing with your problems. And besides, as Mom always says, the things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end.

Pandora walked to the theatre, smiling brightly when she saw her friends gathered outside the door, presumably waiting for her(though, Dorcas kept peering inside, probably trying to catch sight of Marlene).

Barty practically tackled her in a hug and she giggled, hugging back gratefully. For someone who got so few as a child, Barty was amazing at giving hugs. Even with his tendencies to be rough, he never squeezed too hard. That did not mean his arms simply hung loosely around a person, like he was uncomfortable and would much rather be doing anything but hugging someone. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, like a slight breeze would whip her from his arms but not too much she felt suffocated. Pandora was a firm believer that anyone who never got to experience a Barty hug was living a pathetically sad, unfulfilling life.

"Move over," Regulus demanded. "There are people waiting, you know."

Barty spun them around so he could stick his tongue out at Regulus while still keeping a firm grip on Pandora. "Too bad. I got here first."

Regulus pulled his phone out of his pocket. "You have thirty more seconds, then my turn."

"Hmm. No."

"Bartemius Crouch Junior, I swear to all that is good if you don't-"

"Now, now, boys," Pandora said teasingly as she leaned back, smirking at Reg over her shoulder. "There's enough of me to go around. Let me go, Barty. Evan looks lonely."

And just like that, Barty was retracting himself, even giving her an encouraging shove towards Regulus, and throwing himself at Evan.

"Panda, I am not lonely," Evan huffed. "I am perfectly capable of functioning without my boyfriend for a few minutes."

Barty stepped backwards and instantly, without even a second thought, Evan frowned. "Where are you going?"

Barty grinned. "I thought you said you could last a couple minutes without me, my rose. Missing me already?"

Evan scoffed, crossing his arms. "You wish."

Pandora met Dorcas' gaze, who had taken a break from her Marlene-searching to tune into the conversation. Dorcas mouthed, 'he does' and Pandora nodded eagerly in agreement.

Barty's grin took on a mischievous glint. "If you can last all callbacks without touching me with so much as a finger, then I'll believe you."

Evan raised an eyebrow. "That's it? What else do I get?"

Barty hummed theatrically, tapping a finger on his chin. He then leaned in, keeping himself a good inch away from Evan, and whispered something into his ear. Something that made Evan's ears tinge pink and a smirk to grace his face.

"Oh?" He said. "And if I lose?"

Pandora gagged as Evan shivered at Barty's next whisper.

"Deal."

"Well then," Barty said, beaming. "Shall we?"

He didn't wait for an answer before slipping inside the theatre. Evan followed quickly behind, then Regulus after he broke away from Pandora. She and Dorcas then went after him.

Pandora shivered as she stepped inside, temperature drop instantly noticeable. Goosebumps sprouted along her arms and she tried to rub them away.

"Did you not bring a sweater, Dora?" Dorcas asked, frowning.

Pandora smiled, despite the pang of sadness in her heart as the worm took another bite. "No. Must've forgot it."

Evan glanced back, eyebrow raised. "But you grabbed it off the table before we left. The white knitted one with butterflies."

Pandora shrugged. "I don't have it."

"Are you sure it isn't just buried at the bottom of your bag?"

"I'm sure, Ev. I checked at my locker."

"Huh. Weird. I'd offer you mine but Barty already stole it."

"You can have it if you want, Dora." Barty said.

But Pandora was already shaking her head. "Nah, it's okay. I'll manage. Might as well get used to it, yeah? If I get a part."

Regulus' lip twitched. "I have no doubt that you will, Dora."

"Neither do I. I just don't want to speak it into the universe and be punished for my cockiness." She replied.

"...right." Barty said after a silence had fallen for far too long.

Pandora rolled her eyes but in doing so, caught sight of a familiar blond figure. She smiled on instinct. Pandora had met Xenophilius in the time they spent waiting for their singing audition a few days earlier. And, well, Pandora wasn't one to lie to herself. Xeno was certainly attractive, but his personality was a diamond in the rough. He hadn't so much as outright said that he was interested, much like she, but the two of them had dropped each other a faire amount of hints in the minutes they spoke that she was entirely confident that sometime - sometime soon, perhaps even after callbacks - that someone would make a move. They'd shift from the talking stage into an actual couple, something Pandora was severely lacking practice in but was more than happy to work it out.

"Alright," Barty announced. "I'm going to go find Older Black and see if they have any alcohol I can steal."

Regulus glared at him. "Why are you interacting with my brother?"

"Because you're both traumatized, emotionally constipated, misunderstood and stubborn, but neither of you are in the wrong. You're both good people who deserve good things, like friends. And we do, too. If we wish to make friends with your brother and his friends, that's our choice. And if you two happen to make up in the process, well, bonus points." Pandora said bluntly and with a shrug.

"I just want vodka." Barty said.

"It's-" Dorcas looked down at her phone. "Eight thirty in the morning."

"Time is a social construct," Barty said with a shrug. "And my dad found my stash and I've been cut off. I'm but a man, Cas, what do you expect?"

"Manners?" Dorcas suggested.

Regulus snorted. "This is Barty we're talking about. You're lucky if he even says 'hello' before blessing you with whatever the fuck is going on inside his head."

Barty grinned and gave a small salute. "So long, friends. I shall see you soon, hopefully after I've taken a shot."

With that, he turned and began to strut over to where Sirius and her friends were gathered.

Evan sighed. "I'll go make sure he doesn't end up somehow starting a fire or a fistfight."

Dorcas snorted. "I'll help, you may need it. At this point, I don't know which of those two scenarios is more likely."

The two of them trailed after Barty, leaving Pandora and Regulus by themselves.

They stood there for a while, watching Barty, Dorcas and Evan disappear into the crowd, mingling and blending in easily. Dorcas ended up next to Marlene while Evan and Barty ended up engaged in a rapid conversation with Peter.

“Stupid fucking Potter.” Regulus muttered under his breath.

Pandora glanced over, raising an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with James?”

“He stole my fucking brother, that’s what.” Regulus grit his teeth, glaring at James - who was locked in a rant with Sirius, each of them easily matching the other’s energy - so fiercely Pandora was surprised he didn’t kneel over, dead.

Pandora frowned. “He didn’t steal Sirius from you, Reg.”

“Yes he fucking did,” Regulus hissed. “Sirius was my sibling before we moved here but afterwards all she could fucking talk about was James fucking Potter. Who did she go to when she left? The Potters. James is the brother she wanted, I’m the brother she’s stuck with.”

“So tell Sirius that. You two need to talk and stop dancing around the topic or it’s going to drive you both mad, especially if you both get in the musical.” Pandora said as gently as possible.

Regulus crossed his arms, face scrunched up in a displeased expression. “Another time. For now, I’m going to curse both of their existences until callbacks begin.”

And he did. In four different languages. Pandora got so fed up with it she left to go find Xenophilius.

The older boy smiled when he saw her approaching, so lovely and a little lopsided. His hair was half-pulled back, exposing the crystal dangling from his ear. The designs around his eye looked like waves but were done in green instead of blue.

“Pandora,” he said. “Lovely to see you.”

Pandora smiled. “And you as well. How are you feeling?”

“About this?” Xeno raised his hand to wave at the theatre around them. Pandora nodded and he shrugged. “A little nervous but pretty good. I’ll get it or I won’t, not a big deal. I’m only after ensemble, really.”

She hummed. “Me too.”

“What are you doing after this?” He asked, tilting his head.

“Asking you out, hopefully.”

Xeno broke out into a large grin. “Not if I beat you to it.”

Pandora chuckled, and then shivered at a blast of cold air from a nearby vent. Xeno frowned, then shrugged off his cardigan and gave it to her.

“I can’t take this-“ Pandora began but Xenophilius shook his head.

“You can. Besides, it’s not like I need it,” he pulled at the long sleeved shirt he wore for emphasis. “Take it, Pandora.”

A slow smile graced her face, cheeks pinking slightly. Pandora slipped her arms into the cardigan and wrapped it tightly around herself. “Thank you, Phil.”

Xeno beamed. “Anytime. Perhaps even after this? Can I take you somewhere?”

“I’d love it if you did.”

Callbacks passed quickly and Pandora was feeling confident in her performance. Her, much like Xenophilius, was only after an ensemble position. She smiled the whole way through, despite the morning’s event, waiting in anticipation for whatever Xenophilius had planned.

Xeno came up to her after callbacks had concluded. “Ready to go?”

Evan frowned. “Go where?”

Pandora shot him a look. “I have a date.”

Instantly, his expression darkened. Barty crossed his arms and Regulus looked Xenophilius, who didn’t look even the slightest bit bothered, up and down.

Dorcas rolled her eyes, shoving Barty into Evan, who then sidestepped into Regulus. “Enough, let him be.”

Xeno smiled at her with a nod. “Dorcas.”

Dorcas returned the gesture. “Xeno.”

Evan’s gaze snapped to hers. “You know him?”

Dorcas hummed. “He’s in my art class.”

Evan opened his mouth, most likely about to drill Dorcas with questions but Pandora spoke before he could say anything.

“Goodbye!” She said loudly. “I’m leaving, tell mum I won’t be home until later.”

Evan grumbled a goodbye as Pandora turned, slipped her arm around Xenophilius’ elbow and let him lead her out of the school.

First, he brought her to a craft store, which, well, Pandora will admit she wasn't expecting. They picked out canvases and paints before quickly moving on.

Their second stop was at a small cafe called The Beetle and the Bard. It was a quaint little place, tucked between a Subway and a cannabis store(ah, Canada). It doubled as a used bookstore and Pandora could instantly see why Xeno liked this place. Vines and flowers dangled from every possible surface, the windows were covered in decals that resembled stain glass, candles and various crystals were clustered in the centre of tables. Bookshelves lined the walls, some covers easily more worn than others. Just glancing briefly at titles, Pandora saw books in all different genres; fantasy, sci-fi, romance, history, biographies, poetry, children’s books. A counter and display case showed tones of different sweet treats and a blackboard nailed high on the wall told drink options. The glass was covered in tons of small little doodles in black dry erase marker, creating a border around the entire thing. The chalkboard was much the same, except the colours varied from pale greens to bright oranges.

The place was mostly empty, aside from someone sitting by the window with their laptop and the two employees behind the counter, both of whom turned to look at Xeno and Pandora as they stepped inside.

The employee with hair such a faded green it was borderline blue and a pin of the non binary flag on their apron cried out with happiness when they saw them. “Xeno!”

“Benjy,” Xeno greeted. “Emma.”

The other employee - a raven haired woman - waved her hand as her name was called.

“Who’s this?” Benjy asked, tilting their head as they looked Pandora up and down.

Pandora extended her hand for a shake. “Pandora Rosier. She/her.”

“Benjy Fenwick. They/them,” Benjy smiled and shook her hand. “Now, what can I get you?”

They didn’t stay long. Xenophilius picked a few of his favourite sweets and got Pandora to pick some of her own. They got drinks(strawberry lemonades that Xeno had insisted were to die for and he was very much correct) and we quickly headed off to their next destination.

“A park?” Pandora asked, looking around at the field of grass with a playground in the distance.

Xeno hummed. “Another favourite place of mine. Low chatter, bright sunlight. Perfect spot to work.”

“And what do you do?” Pandora asked.

“Art commissions, mostly. I do have a few prints of my better works, though.”

“Phil, that’s amazing!”

Xenophilius laughed, scratching the back of his neck as his cheeks turned pink. “Thanks.”

“So, painting in the park?”

“You mentioned you enjoyed creating and, while I know you mostly make jewelry, I figured this could help us meet in the middle?”

Pandora smiled. “It sounds lovely, Phil. Thank you.”

“I haven’t done anything yet, really.”

“You’ve shown me your safe spaces. That’s more than you know.”

By the time the sun had started to go down, Pandora had a new painting of what Xeno called a ‘thestral’ and he had one of a cluster of random flowers. It wasn’t the best but the way Xenophilius beamed down at it more than made up for it. By the time they had got back to Xeno’s car, they had a second date planned. By the time Pandora had been dropped off at her house, because neither of them were one to deny their very obvious feelings, they had a relationship established. By the time Pandora crawled into bed that night, the loss of her favourite sweater was nothing but a mere memory.