My world's so bright

Han let his hands still at Luka’s request for him to wait, and he ended up lower them to his sides, the letter released to Luka’s touch. He waited to hear whatever it was that Luka had to say. Whatever it was obviously had to be serious just from the content, but Han could feel his own nerves fraying on Luka’s behalf as he watched his friend close his eyes and struggle. When Luka’s eyes then met his, Han tried to give him a hint of reassurance, even in his longing for clarity.

Whatever he’d expected Luka to say–and he’d shoved away any possibilities like this quickly–that wasn’t it. 

“You-” Han started, but his words failed him. His mouth hung open a moment before snapping shut as he tried to figure out what to say. Luka had said it twice. Luka loved him. Luka didn’t just think it; he was sure of it. His only uncertainty had seemed to be how to say it. Now he had. 

Han snapped from his own daze as he saw the fear flash through Luka’s expression as he looked away. Moving without thinking, he moved back in, crowding in to cup his hands on either side of Luka’s face. Not even sure what he wanted to say, Han tried to speak, but with Luka’s eyes on him, the words failed again. Instead he surged forward to press his lips again Luka’s.

This was far from their first kiss, but Han tried to convey his own turmoil with it. He had been struggling for months to quantify his feelings for Luka. First, he’d realized that calling Luka a friend like anyone else he occasionally slept with wasn’t fair, especially when occasionally had become a less-than-perfect descriptor for how often Luka was at his townhouse and how much Han wanted him there. The transition from “not just a friend” to putting a label on it had been harder. Han still had mixed feelings on the feeling of love. He still struggled with whether to call his turmoil love. But he couldn’t come up with any other word, and even Henry seemed to understand that while Han couldn’t say it, he was feeling it.

But that wasn’t enough for Luka. Luka deserved to hear it. As Han broke the kiss, he immediately dropped his head to press against Luka’s shoulder. Perhaps he was a coward for it, but Han needed that solid presence and the shield of an invisible face.

“I think I love you too, Luka,” he managed, then flushed. “No, think isn’t the right word. I only think I understand love and what it actually means, but I- I know I love you. I’ve known it for a while know. I just… couldn’t figure out how to put it in words.”

Luka’s heart was beating so quickly he wasn’t sure if he was really able to pay attention to what Han was doing. He was so nervous that this was going to be the thing that finally did it. Luka expected pain in his life, it was something that he always accepted, but the idea that he might shatter hadn’t occurred to him. 

He wanted to turn and run. He didn’t want to know the reaction to this, a part of him knowing that it had to be bad. Still, he froze slightly feeling Han’s hands on the sides of his face. Opening his eyes up to look at him bewildered. For an awful moment thinking that he might find pity there, and knowing that would be worse. 

He wasn’t expecting a kiss, frozen for a moment before he could process was happening. He didn’t know what it meant but almost immediately the fear went away as he lightly pulled Han to him. It wasn’t words, but it comforted him to know that Han wasn’t about to break his heart. You didn’t kiss someone you were going to hurt, not like this. 

As Han broke the kiss Luka blinked slightly not really knowing what to expect but feeling Han hide in his shoulder. Without thinking he wrapped his arms around the other and for a moment a strange feeling flooded him. Maybe it was the juxtaposition of Han seemingly needing comfort from him and the fear ebbing but Luka kissed the top of Han’s head fondly - as if to reassure the other it was okay. 

He didn’t think he’d hear anything on Han’s end and he could feel a sort of nervousness there too as he tried to put words together. If he knew it wouldn’t make Han more nervous he might have pulled away to look at him, but instead he put his hand up to Han’s hair and said softly. “Okay. That’s okay. You don’t have to worry about your words Han.”  He squeezed Han a little, a smile playing on his face although he also felt almost like he could cry with relief. 

Zara nodded as Luka lept upward. It seemed as though he knew what he was doing, and Zara wasn’t going to question that. Unless he showed he couldn’t take care of himself, she wasn’t going to interfere. Instead, she focused on the targets in front of her. One of the men narrowed in on her, while the others angled themselves toward Luka. They underestimated her, but they wouldn’t for long.

Zara took several steps toward her opponent. Lifting her wand, she began slashing it in front of her, as if it were the handle of a whip. Several streaks of purple fire erupted from the space in front of her and bounded towards their target. As the tips of the flames reached him, they engulfed his body. From the way his body twisted as it fell the ground, it was clear he was trying to send a curse back at her, but had lost too much control of his body to do so.

More than taking out one of their opponents, the curse caught the attention of two of the other men. The two men turned to face her, and a small fire was lit inside of Zara’s chest. Here we go.

Zara sprinted towards the two men, deflecting the curses they fired at her. The one managed to hit her right leg, but the adrenaline kept her going despite the pain. As she reached them, Zara fired off another curse, slamming the two men into the ground. But then she heard a noise behind her that extinguished the fire inside of her as quickly as it had been lit.

Turning her head to see the source of the thud, Zara saw Luka paralyzing the man that had gone after him. Paralyzing? Zara’s hopes of fun were immediately dashed. She had planned to lunge onto the men she had just stunned and disintegrate them, leaving no trace they were ever there. If she were alone she would’ve ripped out their necks with her teeth and let their blood victoriously spill out of her mouth and down her chin; disintegration was already was her version of settling. However, if Luka had only paralyzed his opponent, Zara had the feeling he would turn on her and report her if she murdered the other men.

Begrudgingly, Zara paralyzed the two men before they had the chance to fight back. She walked over to her first potential victim, put out the fire, and paralyzed him too.

“So what do you want to do with them now?” Zara would have killed them all and hid the evidence, but she had a feelling that wasn’t what Luka was about to suggest.

Luka looked at the other - Zara he remembered as she started to paralyze the other two people. He thought for a moment as he snapped the other’s wand in his hand. After all, he was always taught that an opponent wasn’t down until they couldn’t defend themselves. He dumped it into the bin as Zara finished with the other two. 

He would have stepped in, gladly but she had seemed to know what she was doing and if he was honest he probably would have gotten into her way. Instead he calmly walked over and picked up the other two’s wands snapping them in his hand and twirling his wand. 

“Ah, I don’t know. I’m not to sure they won’t come around trying to find us,” Luka thought mostly out loud. They hadn’t really seen them do anything wrong and now they had attacked them. He pondered ideas in his head for a few moments trying them on for size. 

“Oh - Hello,” Luka said catching someone seeing his fascination with the treat. “Would you like some? It’s Cotton Candy - or I think someone else said it was Candy Floss I’m not sure there’s a difference between them. It’s supposed to taste like strawberries I think but I can’t really tell.” 

  “A note,” Han repeated, his hand still carefully against Luka’s cheek. In some ways, it felt like the only thing holding Luka there in that moment with him. Han suspected he might otherwise have disappeared altogether to rip himself away from whatever it was keeping him so anxious in this moment. Han tried to take in everything that Luka was saying, but there was so much and hard to focus on with the way he was practically buzzing out of his own skin.

Han felt himself grow still at the idea that this letter would tell him about Luka’s feelings. It grew hot against his fingertips, although as if it was trying to burst into flames before he could have a chance to read it. Something in this letter was important in ways Luka had never said. 

And now here was permission to read it. Han paused to consider his options. Luka had told him he could, but that wasn’t the vibe he got from Luka himself. Then again if he handed it back right now without reading it, Han risked losing the opportunity to learn something that Luka so desperately wanted Han to know that he’d made it part of his dying wishes. And whatever it was apparently seemed too big or too much or too something for Luka to say for himself.

“Do you want me to?” he finally asked, releasing Luka and taking a step back to give him proper space to think without Han right there touching and looking. Han turned his attention back to the envelop, flipping it over and over in his hands. Eventually he stilled and looked up at Luka, his hands firm as he found a loose edge on the envelop and peeled it up.

“I will read it if I fully have your permission,” he said, “but I also want to give you the opportunity to say it instead. If this is a lot, I’ll take it in. I’d just also love to hear it from you instead.” He wanted desperately to hear Luka say whatever big important thing he couldn’t die without sharing that he seemed so determined to have no let Han find out. 

For a moment, Han dared to wonder if Luka felt so strongly about him that he had a confession to make, but that was silly. Empty hope. If Luka had strong feelings about him–maybe even loved him, if Han dared even imagine it–surely he would have said something by now. Han was here and available, and he’d put Luka in his bed as often as he could. He liked spending time with Luka, and even though he still struggled trying to put it into words, he loved Luka. He couldn’t imagine feeling that way about anyone else, and it had taken Luka’s presence for him to even see that it existed at all.

Han slid his finger along, opening the envelop more firmly but still not reaching in. “It’s your choice,” he said, voice soft.

Even as stressed as Luka was, there was a comfort in Han’s hand on his face and for a moment he just wanted to lean into the other’s hand. Maybe pull Han in uncharacteristically and tuck Han under his chin. It was an urge that was pulled back a little as Han spoke and pulled away. 

He felt frozen for a moment at the question because if Luka was honest he wasn’t sure what he wanted. He didn’t know. It wasn’t fair to keep this hanging over Han’s head, but for the first time in a very long time there was something Luka didn’t want to lose. 

It wasn’t even necessarily the rejection he could see coming, but the look of pity that might follow it. The idea of that feeling made Luka feel small, so small and breakable. Still he heard his voice as it was far away as his hand went to the letter. 

“Wait - Han wait.” Luka said a trembling hand suddenly holding the top of the letter closed careful not to touch Han. For a moment he was quiet as he closed his eyes for a moment trying to find a calmness before opening them to search for Han’s eyes. 

He got lost there for a moment, like he was apt to. Han constantly talked about his eyes, how blue they were but Luka was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to really get through to Han how much more enchanting his were. They always looked like they had a hint of a smile in them, a coy look or - well just something interesting. Now they looked more searching then anything and Luka wondered for a moment what he saw. 

Still he didn’t look away knowing that it might be painful, but Han might not believe him if he was just looking around desperately trying to rewind time. 

“I’m in love with you Han Lee.” 

Luka wasn’t sure he could say much more. He wasn’t a poet. The note now shaking from his hand had taken him hours of careful writing and rewriting. He wasn’t even sure what he could say in Russian to express it correctly. 

“I wasn’t sure, when I’d ever get to say it so I wrote it down. I wanted to make sure you knew if I never got to say it. I love you, Han.” 

Nic blinked in surprise. It was rare that people surprised him anymore, but he genuinely had a hard time believing that Luka didn’t love dancing, after hearing all that he went through for it. “Why did you do it, then? Why do you still do it?” The panic Nic felt rising in his gut at Luka’s continued overtures of friendship ebbed slightly as he latched onto the curiosity, onto the prospect of continuing to pick apart who Luka was. 

When Luka professed to care about Nic’s feelings, though, Nic just laughed. For an uncomfortably long time. 

“Nice joke,” he grinned, though there was an edge of malice too it. Something just a little too sharp in the tilt of his lips. Luka wanted to help. How nice of him. Nic needed so much help he felt smothered with it. At the same time, he didn’t need any help at all. There was no help for him. The vicious smile fell away, though, to reveal a deep fatigue. 

“You don’t know me well enough to ‘think’ anything about me,” he snarled. “You cannot help. Stop pretending to care. It makes me tired.” He took another hit of the cigarette, letting the magic smoke burn painfully in his lungs for too long before he exhaled. “Everything is wrong. So many things. You cannot help. I do not understand why you want to help.”

Luka paused again mulling the questions over. It was different over here in a lot of ways, and he doubted Nic would understand but he said, “ I was useful as a dancer. I was a very good one, and they gave me a lot of training for it. It’s different here in the West I’m sure, but where I’m from when you are given a chance to be useful you do it. Even if you don’t find that much love for it. Although, I do like dancing sometimes a lot. Especially when it makes people smile and laugh, the ballet I did wasn’t really like that. I still do it because I’m still useful at it.” 

Luka raised an eyebrow at the wolfs grin the other thought was very scary, but seemed more like a puppy growling in fear to him. That and the laugh didn’t really change much in Luka’s face perhaps a slight frown not very common on his usual face as of late. 

He wasn’t upset or even disappointed but instead serious as he looked at Nic.  “I don’t really think most people know anyone well enough to assume anything, although that’s not really the case. I don’t think you can hurt me not because of you, but because of me. I don’t think your more dangerous than anyone else I’ve ever talked to. Does that make more sense to you now?” After all there wasn’t much fear in Luka’s heart anymore.

“I’m not saying you wouldn’t try, I’m saying that you aren’t going to succeed and I’m not going to pull my hand away.” Luka said simply looking up. “I’m also not pretending to care although there’s not much I can do to prove that I suppose.” 

At the question Luka leaned back on his hands, looking particularly both vulnerable and seemingly open to attack as he thought. “Why not? If we all get a choice in life why not help?” 

Staring was nothing new. Kirsi had stood out as long as she could remember, if not for her magic then for her unusual appearance. People usually looked away as soon as she caught them, especially in the muggle world where there was no magical explanation for why she was different.

This one she recognised though, and so she found herself staring back. She didn’t think she knew him from England. It couldn’t be that recent, or she’d have a name or.. something. Maybe from school, though she doubted it.

“I am,” she nodded, coming up with a smile even though she felt a lot more guarded. “I’m sorry though, I don’t remember your name.”

Luka blinked for a second, a bit of shame covering his thoughts as he remembered why she probably didn’t remember what he looked like. After all, he’d looked a lot more broken then he was now. His life might not have been perfect at the moment, but he was less glued together. He was happier, and he wasn’t running away from anything anymore. He’d been lost, but in a lot of ways now he was more set on if not a future at least a path. 

That and he wasn’t on crutches anymore. “Ah you probably don’t recognize me. Luka. Luka Petrov. I’m a bit taller then the last time you saw me I think.” He said a bit chagrin. “I just wanted to say hello if it was you.” 

“Uh I don’t know? I haven’t really counted. I guess it would depend on the week how many times I go over there? I also spend time with Yuki with sleepovers so - I couldn’t really say. ” 

“She’s the worst,” she emphasized, waving the hand holding her drink in emphasis.  Some of the whiskey sloshed over and onto the bar.  “the literal worst.  Like if you took the devil.  And if the devil had a baby with Mary Poppins – Zara would be their offspring.  Their annoyingly attractive demon spawn with soft hair and these stupid lips that I just want to kiss.  But also she’s the devil – it’s a real problem.”

She sighed, dropping her heavy cup to the bar with a thunk.  “Let’s order some food.  They might have a leaf of lettuce in there for you to eat too.”

@luka-petrov​

Luka tilted his head slightly as Yuki talked. She liked to talk shit about people she didn’t like, but she’d never done it like this. It wasn’t slightly fond or joking but it wasn’t cut throat like she hated Zara either. 

“She seemed fine the other day, but if you don’t like her it’s okay too. If you don’t like her we don’t have to talk to her again, ” Luka said charitably trying to navigate Yuki’s thought process. After all, he would choose his best friend in a heartbeat but he really didn’t understand what was going on. “Did she hurt you?” He said softly wondering if that was too much. 

At the mention of food he chuckled slightly and said, “ Yuki, we already ordered I’m pretty sure.” 

Han’s gaze softened. “I can’t tell. I don’t know what that sounds like in Russian. I just know you sound like you, and that’s a lovely sound to me.” Luka didn’t seem ashamed of his accent necessarily, but Han wanted to make it clear that if he was, he had no reason to be. Han knew what it was like to stand out and be noticeably poor, even if he had fought past that as soon as possible to appear like those of better positioning. He’s spent a life time of hiding that start, but with Luka, it didn’t seem so worrisome.

The letter, though, seemed to concern Luka, and for a moment, Han wondered what exactly he was holding that could shock someone so even keel. “Dementors?” he echoed. Han didn’t understand how that could lead to to a letter until Luka admitted what it was. Then Han could only stare down at the envelop in his hands for a few seconds.

“Oh,” he eventually said before looking back up at Luka’s face. He was closing off, preparing for pain. Why would he expect pain? What did he think Han was about to do.

Han stepped forward, reaching up with his free hand to cut Luka’s face. “Hey,” he said softly. “It’s okay. Whatever this says, it’s okay. Can I ask why it was in the jacket?” Han didn’t put it away yet, but as concerned as Luka seemed to be, he suspected that he would. The way Luka was acting made Han think he shouldn’t read it. Whatever the contents were, Luka didn’t seem to want him to know.

“I- Can I ask you something?” Han waited a moment, not wanting to scare Luka further. “Why me? I just mean… Why would you right your will to me? I’m not- Yuki would probably make more sense. I’m honored, though.” He took a breath, knowing he needed to be honest here. Luka deserved nothing less. “I can’t believe you think so highly of me as to include me. It means a lot, Luka. You mean a lot.”

Luka gave Han a soft smile at his word but wasn’t quite sure how to explain what he meant. From what he could tell Russia was different then france in a lot of often contradictory ways. It was true that classes were theoretically abolished, but it wasn’t really the case. At least if people were being truthful there was always people at the lowest denomination, and that would be luka. He had grown up knowing that well even his name was a sign of it. No one claimed him. Still it made his heart flutter slightly to hear that Han liked his voice. He may have accepted the fact that he was an orphan a long time ago, but it was always nice to know that others saw him. 

Still the sweetness had turned to an anxiety that he wasn’t sure how to deal with. He hadn’t meant for this to happen, not like this. He wasn’t ready, but if he was honest he never was going to be ready. The universe didn’t wait for him before he wasn’t shocked it didn’t wait now. 

Still part of him wanted to run and he almost did before he felt Han’s hand on his face his eyes flickering down to see Han. He never quite understood why he was so drawn to Han, and if he was honest it wasn’t something that he wanted to explore. Not because he hadn’t fallen for Han, because he had. However, Han was that type of beautiful that when closely examined would drive someone mad. Like a tapestry with to many intricate details you could spend an entire lifetime trying to explain them. 

Only Han had feelings too, and Luka loved that but it also meant that this was going to hurt. Han didn’t believe in love, and it wasn’t something Luka was prepared to question or challenge. 

“I - don’t wear this jacket anymore usually but Nic - caught mine on fire so I just started wearing this one again. I guess I didn’t move it,” Luka said a slight frown in his voice. “It’s not - my will. I left you the coat and that - was supposed to be if something happened to me. A note I guess.” A Love note. His mind corrected but he didn’t want to say that. 

“There’s one for Yuki too,” He shrugged slightly not sure if he could keep looking at Han while a panic grew. He wasn’t processing what Han was saying really. Meaning a lot to someone was different to what he had wrote. It was something he was pretty sure the note was going to ruin. “I - just knew if something happened to me that I wanted you all to know how I felt so you didn’t have to guess.” 

Which was the truth enough. Luka had spent most of his life guessing at how people thought of him. Why his parents had left him on the stoop - if they were even alive. Why the Troupe leader had taken him and ‘adopted’ him but never gave Luka his patronymic. Why Yuri had done any of the things he did. He didn’t want his loved ones to have the same thoughts. 

However he didn’t necessarily think Han was going to read it when he was alive either. 

Zara only knew a handful of ministry workers. It was unlikely, but it’d be funny if the one he knew was referring to was one of the ones she knew. It’d be even funnier if it was the ministry worker that she’d slept with.

As Zara listened to the man speak, all she could think was, oh god. The man didn’t know her, so she didn’t fault him for it, but he was talking about taking action and saving the day as if it were their responsibility. He was talking like a hero.

Zara wanted to help where she could; it wasn’t completely out of character that she’d joined the Order. But Zara stayed in her lane. If the Order needed an artifact retrieved, curse broken, or someone assassinated, though the last one had yet to be asked of her, she was their girl. She worked hard, but she worked alone. And now the man in front of her was even just considering the idea of them trying to defend and save everyone?

“Hold please.”

Zara froze, but it felt strange. She wasn’t used to curt instruction.

Though he had looked first, Zara’s gaze followed his. No explanation was needed when he laid out her options. As he reminded her that apparition might be locally out of the question, a switch flipped in her brain. To most, it might have been flight or fight time, but in situations like this, Zara only saw red.

She brought her wand to the read. “I’m Zara. Let’s do this.”

Luka’s nodded slightly at her name and said, “Nice to meet you I’m going up,” He said before looking at the dumpster and seeing that the lid was closed. He figured that was enough of a warning, and because the others were still shocked he figured being quick was better than explaining what he was going to do. 

Without much thought he ended up on the top of the dumpster throwing out a binding spell, and ducking before the other could hit him. He didn’t know quite if it hit, but at the moment it wasn’t really necessary to know as he did see they were going forward into the alley way. Without another thought he jumped landing on one of them with a thunk and quickly snatched the wand from the other. 

Dandy Dancers

“Fair enough,” Han said as they begin to move. There was just something about dancing with Luka that had its own pull and appeal compared to dancing with most people. He wasn’t sure he’d really repeat that to anyone else because they’d probably try to make it mean something more than it did. It just meant the two of them connected well. It had always been true, and while that pull had led them to some of the initial changes in their friendship, Han knew better than to look at it as anything other than the magnetism they’d always had. He didn’t want to overthink it. He just wanted to enjoy it. 

He smiled as he listened to Luka talk, a soothing voice just above his ear. “Just me noticing you then? Seems a shame, but it’s nice to know we don’t need to perform.” Han was pretty sure at least one of his other clients was here tonight, but Han had no interest in performing or advertising as the case may be. He was dancing with Luka, and it was true that their dance shouldn’t affect anyone but themselves. 

“Knowing Dotty, she’ll probably say she doesn’t mind a bit of a break. She likes you, you know, and she’s positive I need to keep you around, if only so she can chat with you if you’re there when she stops for our walks. She thinks you’re charming for some strange reason.” She thought so because Luka was, but Han wasn’t sure Luka actually realized that.

Luka was caught in the moment in some ways, but it had gotten simpler to dance with Han like this. The first time had been dizzying, and if he was being fair part of that was the drinks but it was also overwhelming. Now it was less so, more like a type of warmth that filled him like a nice tea then anything. Han was still beautiful, almost blindingly so, but he wasn’t so concerned about it now. He felt relaxed moving them on the dance floor. 

However he couldn’t help but chuckle a little and say “I’m just fine if only you notice me, Han. Dancing like this shouldn’t necessarily be for the entire world.” He gave Han a small smile before looking where they were dancing to make sure he didn’t run into someone else. 

“Friends”

Nic blew out a breath at Luka’s words, horrified almost in spite of himself. “Merde. That is torture. You must love it very much, to do that,” he said, poking, curious as he looked at Luka. He hadn’t asked a question outright but he thought it was implicit in his tone. If Luka was capable of going through all of that for dancing, he must have a compelling reason to do it. He spoke in the past tense, but Nic knew he still danced. Perhaps not on a completely professional level anymore? But he still did it, so he must love it. What a  novelty it would be, to hurt for something Nic loved instead of something he loathed. 

“That is not a normal perspective,” Nic said quietly, when Luka continued to brush off the jacket incident. In his experience, “try” didn’t ever account for much, only results. “It is generous.” Nic didn’t know what to do with generous, except anticipate the moment it was withdrawn. 

“But why do you want to know,” Nic snapped, prickly again and side-stepping father away from Luka. “You cannot do anything about it. Why would you want to do anything about it?”

Anxiety and unease that had been temporarily soothed away by Luka’s calm manner came rushing back with a vengeance. Nic couldn’t do this. He couldn’t allow himself this moment, or he’d be weak to it in the future, and if he let himself be weak he would just hurt. If Luka was going to be kind, was going to try to care, then he had no place here. 

“Go away before I set you on fire on purpose,” he muttered, looking away. He leaned forward and wrapped a hand around the roof railing, rings clicking against the metal in agitation. 

Luka paused and wondered if he did love dancing. He liked being useful in his troupe that was true. It was something he was good at, and there was a bit of pride there he was sure. However, he didn’t love ballet. It wasn’t something he chose it was an opportunity to get out of a horrible situation. He loved dancing, but when it was with other people. 

In all actuality he liked being around other people if he was being honest. Dancing was just how he survived. “No I don’t think I do. At least not dancing itself.” He said with a shrug. 

“I don’t see it as abnormal, or generous. It’s simply how I see it if I’m honest,” Luka said softly. “After all, I care more about your feelings then a jacket.” 

Luka could see the moment of spikes coming back around Nic, and for a moment it just made him blink. He wasn’t shocked at all, however at the question he just said, “I may not be able that is true, but sometimes it’s at least nice to say when something is wrong. I’m not trying to push, Nic. Also because if something is wrong and is hurting you I would like to help.” 

At the statement Luka shrugged slightly deciding the roof was as good as any place to stretch and sat down on the ground. 

“I don’t think you are going to hurt me, Nic.” 

“But I love the way you sound,” Han said, his smile completely genuine. Han had come here already speaking English fairly fluently and with the kind of accent that others found charming. Russian hadn’t necessarily given Luka the same advantages, but Han enjoyed listening to him speak, that clipped cadence to all his words.

His smile momentarily slid away as Luka took his jacket off to hand over, but Han ducked his head and nodded. “Yeah, well, I suppose I’ll wear it if it makes you feel better.” Luka was too nice for his own good most of the time. Han was a bit cold, though. His excuse hadn’t been a lie, so he readily put it on.

“You deserve special things,” he said as he slipped his hands into the pockets as he’d watched Luka do. Han hadn’t expected to find anything, and he stilled momentarily as he processed the stiff parchment or paper against his hand. Curious, Han pulled it out, figuring Luka might want it.

He just happened to glance at the envelop as he was about to hand it over. His name was written there in Luka’s neat, tidy handwriting. “Is this for me?” Han looked back up, knowing whatever the answer was, it would be written in Luka’s face as clearly as his own name on the parchment in his hand.

Luka chuckled a little and said, “ My accent is a little better I think. I’ve got - a very strong one in Russian too. No matter how hard I tried, it stuck pretty well. I sound - ah what would you call it nicely? I sound poor?” He said wincing slightly at the word choice, but it was something that Yuri would point out occasionally. 

Luka chuckled slightly and said, “It would make me feel better yes.” He looked at Han for a second before turning back to the street to see exactly where they were. He supposed it was getting late and he should walk Han home and go to his apartment himself. 

He didn’t realize for a second that Han had paused in anyway or that he’d put his hands in his jacket pockets. After all, Luka might have expected it. If he hadn’t been used to the paper tucked in there he might have realized that he couldn’t have given Han the jacket or tucked it into his pocket. 

Instead he heard the question and curiously looked over at Han, not thinking he had anything for him that night. When he saw the letter Luka couldn’t help but freeze for a moment realizing what had happened. 

“Oh.” Luka said shock over his face. “I - didn’t take that out of my pocket did I? I’m sorry. Yes - I mean it is for you but It wasn’t for you now. I thought - My other jacket was ruined so I’ve been wearing this one. Yes it’s for you but it was incase something - well after the dementors it was just incase.” His face was turning red realizing he was screwing things up, and knowing what was in that letter the sudden lazy night turned into a sharp focus. 

There wasn’t a way Han loved him back. There was no reason to think that Han would take this well. This was going to be painful Luka could feel it, and for the first time in his life he didn’t know if he could handle it. 

However for a moment he couldn’t help but look at the other, and realize that she wasn’t a memory from England. It felt blurry as he tried to place what that might mean, until the other moved slightly and it clicked. For a moment he froze knowing that he had been off the last time she’d seen him but realize it would be more awkward to say nothing . 

“Ah - Hello I’m sorry I didn’t mean to stare you just look awfully familiar. Would you be Kirsi?” He said. 

“I’m fine.” Adelaide sighed, inspecting her knees. A little scraped, she noted, but she would manage. She hadn’t seen who it was who had knocked her over, not that it really mattered. She’d started to leave only moments before the rocks had started. It was probably someone who was scared, running away. She could live with that.

“Bloody hell.” Adelaide scowled. “You’d think that the trial itself would be interesting enough for everyone, but no, we’ve got to start throwing rocks around. Honestly, it’s ridiculous.” She complained, before adding. “Sorry, I didn’t ask, are you alright?”

“That’s good,” Luka said still looking to make sure that it was true. After all, he had his own habit of not being completely honest when he was injured. Looking around he tried to get a semblance of where exactly he was as the other talked. It seemed to be mostly to herself in anycase, as he looked at the buildings and how easily it would be to get to the roof. 

“Trial - ah that was today wasn’t it. I - don’t know what the result was with this.” He sighed slightly and tried to figure out if a fire started how he was going to get people out, and moreover how he would call for backup. 

“Oh - Yes. I mean no one slammed into me. I just - this feels a lot like halloween again. If you need help to get out I can help, but I - think it might be a good idea to try to contact the ministry. Especially if this is tied to the trail.”