#*mfic

Remus looked at him surprised, moving to make space for him at the same time.

"Moony, do you think that there are alternate universes?" Sirius asked. "We can travel through time, do you think we can travel through realities?"

Remus' eyebrows raised up. "Have you got any strange idea for a prank?"

"Oh, Merlin, no. If I'd ever find a way, it would be me who travels here and there" Sirius answered, turning on his side to look at him in the eyes. "I'd be curious to explore them, wouldn't you?"

"It might be interesting," Remus conceded, relaxing a bit. The more Sirius talked, the more he found himself missing things as they were before.

The animagus smiled and reached with a hand, to follow one of Remus' scars on his face. "I have a theory, you know? About what alternate universes are supposed to be."

"Tell me"

"I think there are fixed points here and there. Like, Prongs will fall in love with Evans anyway, Peter will be failing astronomy, you --" Sirius stopped, gazing right into his eyes, making Remus lose his breath. "You will still know how to -- to get out of detentions, seducing the teachers with your I'm a baby unicorn face."

"A baby unicorn?"

"-- and I. I think I will fall in love with you no matter what. No matter what is supposed to happen in that strange world we'll visit."

The light in his gray eyes was wonderful: Remus had to wait before he could reply - the words were stuck somewhere in his throat. "How much firewhisky did you have?" he asked.

"Enough to remind myself I'm a Gryffindor" Sirius replied. "Too little to be as drunk as you think."

Remus snorted, turning away to hide his embarrassed expression. "You're not being a Gryffindor, you're just being unreasonably cheesy" he said.

Then, Sirius got up on his elbow - hand cupping Remus' jaw to make him look at his face. "Why are you always right?" he asked, smirking a bit. "This is what being a Gryffindor is"

He's in love with me? Remus looks at him, surprised: being in love is very different from loving someone. The I love you is whispered between the four of them since second year - whispered means that they often say it under their breath.

(Well -- not James. James is very loud in proclaiming his love for the three of them.)

"I suppose you're going to tell me" he replies, after taking a sip of his butterbeer: his attempt to sound confident failing as he stutters a bit.

Sirius gazes at him with amusement - it makes Remus remember how the animagus usually tries to help him with it. His eyes find Sirius lips for a moment, before he decides to take a big gulp from his drink. They will have time to snog in private, later.

"You're such a little shit -- sometimes James and I think that you've got the potential to be worse than the two of us," says Sirius. "However, that broom up your arse makes it impossible for you to actually release the beast."

"Still not funny, no matter how many times I hear it."

Sirius puts his elbow on Remus' shoulder - his fingers tracing the side of his neck, letting the werewolf's stomach drop a little. "I was saying -- you're a little shit, but the best little shit I've never known."

“Really, you know how to charm a guy.” Remus snorts - slowly melting inside with every stroke of Sirius’ fingers.

“-- I know how to charm you and that’s all I need” Sirius answers as the song in the background is about to end. “Do you know why?”

Remus looks right into his eyes. “Because you’re in love with me?” 

Sirius smiles - one of those smiles that makes the Gryffindor think he actually is the brightest star. “Because I can't fool you with my good looks - not anymore, at least."

Remus disagrees - there are some things Sirius can get from him just by looking at him with those gray eyes of his and that stupid expression that reminds the boy of his animagus form. However, obviously, he doesn't say it out loud. "Yes, unfortunately I know how you really are - behind that facade."

"But you love me anyway, don't you?"

The way he looks at him makes Remus want to forfeit the rest of the party and take Sirius up to the dorm, to prove him right. As he is about to stand, James steps in and bows towards Sirius, offering him a hand - making their friend laugh. "Shall we dance, ma'am?"

"Oh, Prongs, I thought you'd never ask" answers Sirius, making a big show of swooning just for the request alone.

While they walk away, Remus hears Sirius whisper "Evans didn't accept to dance with you, did she?" at which James replies with a "Why can't I want to dance with my Paddy-poo?" that makes Sirius slap him on the shoulder and the werewolf laugh.

Watching them dance in that exaggerated and stupid way of theirs (spinning, spinning, a casquet), Remus finds himself rubbing his chest - right where his heart has begun to hurt a bit.

Fuck, he thinks, surprising himself, I'm in love him.

Then, one thought makes him more afraid than it should. Remus takes a big gulp of butterbeer and sprawls on the couch, closing his eyes.

I don’t know if it is what you had in mind when you asked me this, but I hope you’ll like it <3

----

Don't say we aren't right for each other. The way I see it, we aren't right for anyone else. 

TW: Underage drinking

Remus can’t sleep.

It’s been three days since Sirius snogged him, while they were hiding from Filch in one of the secret passages. It's been three days since he last slept, and seventy-two hours for him to avoid his friend as much as he can. 

To say that it's been difficult is an understatement: Sirius is everywhere. Starting from the bed right next to his own, to the seat beside him in the Great Hall - his life seems to be entwined with Sirius' and for the first time since he met him, Remus doesn't like it. 

Remus sighs, tossing and turning on his bed until he is caught in his own bed sheets. 

It's not like he is disgusted by the kiss: Remus would be a liar if he said that he didn't like it - hell, he loved it. Remus pushes his face into the pillow to suppress a frustrated groan. Sirius' lips were soft even if a bit chapped, and the way his tongue has licked Remus' palate still makes his toes curl. He has to bite the pillowcase to stop himself from remembering too much. 

Because Remus has loved kissing Sirius, making out with him until their mouths began to hurt - until it was too much, too intense, too… fuck. 

Remus sits at the center of the bed, legs and arms crossed, furious with his own mind. He can't let himself dwell on it: Remus has chosen to avoid Sirius for as long as it will take to forget about it. He will forget about it, Sirius will forget about it and things will be just like they have ever been. 

Yes. 

It's not a very Gryffindor thing to do, but it is better than facing the issue and telling Sirius that… that…

«Moony, are you sleeping?» Remus turns his head, looking at Sirius' face peeking in between the curtains. «Oh, you're awake!» he says, climbing into the bed without asking for permission. 

The werewolf looks at him in pure disbelief. «What are you doing here?»

«I brought firewhisky» the boy replies, showing the bottle he has hidden behind his back. «I don’t want to share it with James and Peter: they don’t know how to appreciate it.»

«...and I do» Remus says - the question mark at the end of the sentence is barely audible, but it’s enough to make him sound unsure.

«Yes, you do, Moons» Sirius answers, opening the bottle and taking a large gulp. «Fuck, it’s good» he sighs, the gives it to Remus, who looks at it and then back at the other wizard. The look Sirius gives him is one Remus can't resist: he thinks of something to say, something to talk about - he can't find anything, no matter how hard he tries. So, Remus takes a big sip and then gives it back. 

They spend the next minute passing the bottle back and forth, sitting with their backs pressed against Remus' headboard, shoulders touching briefly every time Sirius drinks. Remus can't really take it: the alcohol makes his head lighter with every gulp and some of the things he has wanted to say for the last three days come up to his throat, tickling his tongue. He has a list of reasons why they should forget the snogging affair that threatens to come out of his mouth - the word werewolf is listed at least twice, friends is the first and last, while marauders is on the list just once. There are other things: pros and cons, virtues and vices, his prefect status, the illegal animagus thing. Then, the we're both straight discourse, that is just one big lie but - he is too drunk to discuss their sexual orientation, so that's off from the list. 

«You know, Moony» Sirius says, when Remus is about to open his mouth. «I didn't come here to drink with you» he confesses, turning his face so that his grey eyes are staring right into Remus' green ones. 

«Didn't you?» he asks, hiding the I knew it that is dancing in his mind. 

Sirius hums and puts the half empty bottle on the bed, beside him. «I've come to pull a prongs on you.»

«To pull a prongs» Remus repeats, just to be sure - is he actually so drunk that he is hallucinating? 

«Yeah, like - you know, like the things Prongs does with Evans» Sirius explains, moving his hands around. «Listen,» he says, noticing Remus' confusion. «I know why you've been avoiding me, so - »

«I haven't - »

«Yes, you have and I should have known it» the boy utters, shaking his head. «You're Moony: that's what you do. Like when we told you we knew about your furry little problem and you avoided us for four days, before James and I were able to knock some reason into your head» he reminds him and Remus finds himself smiling at the memory. 

«I didn't.»

«Yes, you did. As I said, that's a very Moony thing to do» Sirius shrugs. «Anyway, since you're using a moony, I'll pull a prongs.»

«Pads, you're not making sense.»

«Moony» Sirius says, touching his shoulder with one of his hands. «Remus Lupin» his face is way too close. «I know you're listing in your head every kind of stupid reason we shouldn't keep on snogging until we're a pair of mushy things, so I'm gonna stop you right there» his hand is on Remus' cheekbone now - can he feel his heartbeat like this? «You are Remus and I am Sirius: you're a werewolf and I'm a dog animagus - hush, I know it's not the same thing, but it's romantic, Moony. I'm trying to be sappy, here» he stops, frowning. «We're best friends, and you are the most amazing person I've ever known - and that includes Dumbledore, Remus. Dumbledore.»

«Dumbledore is fucking amazing» Remus utters, not knowing what to say. 

«Yes, but you're more amazing than him. Sometimes, I think you may be too much for me to deserve, but it can't stop me from being in love with you.»

«Bloody Merlin, you are pulling a fucking prongs on me» he says, realising what the made up verb actually means. 

Sirius fakes annoyance at being interrupted and brings his hand on Remus' mouth. «So, Remus Lupin, stop being so Moony for a bit. Stop overthinking things, stop avoiding things that you want for yourself by pointing out every negative thing» he suggests, then pauses, eyes staring at Remus' mouth while he lets his thumb stroke the bottom lip. «Just for a second, when it's about me, stop thinking about consequences - stop and… » Sirius swallows and looks at him in the eyes. «Do what you want.»

Remus can't actually remember who closed the distance between their faces: he remembers kissing Sirius' thumb while they looked at each other, and then… 

Now, Sirius' lips are against his, and Remus' hands are stroking his friend's hair, pulling it a little when Sirius' tongue licks his palate, making him forget all about the list. 

Hi! I don’t know what happened with this story: I had something in  mind, but the characters chose to do something else. I hope you will like it!

 39: I can't promise you the world. I can't promise you wealth, comfort, or even happiness. But I can promise you one thing...no matter what happens, you will always be loved.

--

Sirius' nose was pressed against his skin, nuzzling into his neck as they sat on the floor of the astronomy tower, looking at the starry sky out there. 

Remus sighed a bit, cocking his head to the side to let him have even more space to caress and kiss; his eyes were staring at the moon, that was in its last quarter. It had been a few days since the last full moon - something that he was trying not to think about.

“Do you think we can see me from here?” asked Sirius, his arms coming around his chest in a weird sort of embrace - lips still brushing against his ear lobe. The werewolf shrugged, turning his head enough to kiss one of Sirius’ temples. 

“Well — I could, if my eyes were on the back of my head.”

The animagus slapped him lightly on the chest, making him laugh. “I meant star me.”

“Oh, star you. The one waiting in the sky?”

Sirius chuckled right in his ear - it was slightly rough and it made Remus shiver a bit. “Yeah, he’d like to come and meet us.”

“To tell us to boogie?” he asked, moving in his arms so that his shoulder was now pressed against Sirius’ chest. His lips stretched into a genuine smile as the animagus followed the line of his cheekbone with a finger. 

"He thinks he'd blow our minds — Moony, c'mon. Know your Bowie!" 

Remus kissed the pad of his finger as it stopped on his bottom lip. “Remind me: why did I think it would have been a great idea to introduce you to Muggle music?"

"Because you knew I couldn't live without the Black Sabbath or the AC/DC or the Queen or —" 

"— I reckon that it's more Lily's fault. She and Mary had to go and make The Beatles' songs as the background music of the Common Room." 

While speaking, Remus could actually see the snogging session quickly morphing into another one of their The Beatles vs The Rolling Stones debate (that had its origins from the first time Sirius had listened to Child of the moon) and he was ready to shut the animagus up with a kiss, when a noise coming from the stairs startled them. 

They both reacted quickly: Sirius took the invisibility cloak he had stolen from James and covered them, while Remus took the Map from the floor beside him and checked who it was. 

"It's Prongs" he whispered, pressing closer to Sirius' body. "— and Lily." 

"I wonder what Mr Headboy and Miss Headgirl are going to do at this hour of the night in the astronomy tower" mused Sirius, his eyes twinkling. 

"Well—" 

"James!" Lily chuckled, coming into their sight, cheeks almost as red as her hair. James followed her, taking her hands in his. 

"— take my whole life too, for I can't help falling in love with you" the boy sang, trying to imitate Elvis' voice. 

Remus felt Sirius tremble against him and brought his left hand to cover the animagus' mouth to stop the laugh that was about to come out of it. His eyes found the grey ones, shining in mirth. 

"Hush" he murmured under his breath - Sirius just kissed the palm of his hand. 

"I dislike you" said Lily, the sentence quickly followed by a noise that made him realise they were kissing. 

"You can't fool me anymore, Evans. I know you like me —" another kissing sound. "I can tell you actually love me."

"Dear Merlin, your head is only going to get bigger, isn't it?" she replied and Remus could tell that Sirius was trying hard not to snort. 

"Not as big as your love for me" James said and the werewolf rolled his eyes with an amused smile. 

Sirius bumped his nose with his and smiled. “They are snogging” he whispered in his ear, being the only one who could see them. “Should we get out of here while they are busy?”

Remus nodded and tried to get up without being noticed, when James talked again. 

"You know, I brought you here because I wanted to ask you something": that sentence made the two of them stop in their places. 

"Is he going to —" Sirius mouthed in disbelief, eyes wide. 

"It's probably a bit mad, but I can't think of anything else."

Remus could hear a certain amount of nervousness in James' voice and turned his head to look at the couple through the cloak: Lily was standing with her back against the wall and James was right next to her, shoulder pressing into the bricks. They were looking at each other with twin smiles that spoke more than they should have, making him wonder if he looked like that whenever he stared at Sirius. 

"In two months' time we will graduate and I know for sure that Peter is going to stay at his mother's," James began. "Sirius wants to ask Remus to live with him in that flat in London his uncle has left him" Remus turned back to Sirius, gazing at him surprised. "He asked me to live with them too - he is so sure Moony will agree" grey eyes found his green ones and the animagus looked almost embarrassed, his lips pressed tight. "I've yet to answer him because — Merlin, Lily, I'd love to live with you. To get to know every little thing about you" James went on, but Remus wasn't listening anymore. 

He wants to keep living together, he wants to actually stay with me: this kind of thoughts gravitated in his mind, making him a bit dazed.

“I’m going to hex him into oblivion,” Sirius said, lips against the werewolf’s cheek. “I didn’t want you to find it out before I got to ask you” as he spoke, his arms came around Remus’ body, hugging him  - James and Lily’s voices were just a background noise in that moment, as if the werewolf’s mind couldn’t register more than one thing at a time.

“I know you think it's crazy that I want to dive in this war that has been going on without a single thought," Sirius whispered, tightening his hug - as if he was trying to explain. "I also know that you will be by my side, as we fight," he took a deep breath. "I can't promise you that I won't do anything stupid or that I will try to back away from fights — that's not who I am and that's not who you are either. I can promise that I will love you and that won’t change."

The rustling of the cloak was perhaps a bit too noisy as Remus reached for Sirius' hair, pulling at it until their lips met properly, kissing him as if trying to bury away his worries. He was too afraid to think about what would happen after they left school - just like he feared what happened whenever the moon was full. It was something totally out of his control, something from which he couldn't keep Sirius, James, Peter, Lily or even his parents safe from. 

Living with Sirius, however, could help him deal with it - it was strange, having someone as unpredictable as him as his own rock. "I —" he sighed between kisses, as Sirius' lips locked onto his upper one and sucked a bit on it. There were so many things Remus wanted to say, some of which were already well-engraved in his heart, so much similar to the animagus’ last words.

He couldn’t.

“Let’s go back to the dorm” Lily’s voice said, sounding as breathless as he felt,  making him aware of her presence.

There was some whispering – which Remus heard with his mouth glued to Sirius’, trying to be as still as possible – then, James let out a sigh and began to walk away.

The two of them stared into each other’s eyes waiting for a bit, before rushing to check out the Map: James’ and Lily’s dots were now downstairs, walking towards the Gryffindor tower.

“Zero points deducted for being out of the dorm past the curfew – as someone who was a Prefect I shouldn’t be so proud of us.”

Sirius took the cloak off them and watched him with flushed cheeks (and his lips, his amazing lips…). “I’m proud of you for being proud of us — I remember when you were too afraid to try breaking the rules.”

“I was eleven and, after a month or two, you and Prongs made me teach you how to be careful enough not to get caught.”

“Our Moony, prankster extraordinaire.”

Remus snorted, playing with the other student’s tie as he tried hard not to smile idiotically. “Why, Messer Padfoot, you should know that I’m no prankster: just a mere mastermind.”

Seconds passed as he waited for the other’s reply – when nothing came Remus looked up to him. Instead of laughing, Sirius was watching him with that fond smile of his. “Will you come living with me?” he asked, making the werewolf’s heart sink low into his chest – the beats could be felt into his stomach if one were to touch it.

He licked his lips, trying  hard to tell the things he couldn’t say but failing. “I want to” he replied,  moving his face away as Sirius tried to kiss him. “Wait — will you let me pay the rent?”

“There’s no rent to pay:  it’s my fl — no,” the animagus exclaimed, understanding the real meaning of his question. “No, you won’t pay me the rent. We can share the groceries expenses if you want, but I won’t —”

“I think I can live with that,” Remus said, smiling a bit.

Sirius kissed him, more chastely than before, pressing his forehead against his. “Do you want to resume stargazing?”

Remus smiled briefly and turned back, falling in the same position he was before. “I don't know if I can find you,” said he. “You're too bright to let me find you.”

“Am I?”

“Annoyingly so, but don't worry — I love you no matter what.”

(Orion stared at you in a way that still makes shivers go down your back, eyes as cold as the ice.)

He was comfort and happiness, crazy jokes and lame pranks.

(”Could you please eat in silence?” his voice was low, the threat in the statement was clear enough to make your hands curl up under the table.)

“Should I really show you two what an old man can do?“ he joked as James and you run away laughing - brooms in hands.

("I expect my heir not to behave so indecently” the sneer in his tone made you feel ashamed, even if you tried to fight it.)

Spending time with Fleamont meant helping him with potions, then playing exploding snaps in front of the fireplace - laughing when Euphemia scolded him for acting like a child.

(Spending time with Orion was - have you ever spent that much time with him just for the sake of being together?)

Fleamont Potter was everything you needed in a father.

-----

You are everything I never knew I always wanted 

The parchments scattered all over the bed moved a little as Albus stretched quietly, trying hard not to make a sound. From his room, he could hear Aberforth's voice as he sang to himself, climbing down the stairs to get some breakfast - the noise of his quick steps made Albus sigh in relief. Now, he was the only Dumbledore on the top floor of the house. 

Licking his lips, Albus turned carefully to lay down on his side, head on one of his arms as he watched the man beside him. 

Gellert and himself had spent the night studying, dreaming and theorising their desired world - stopping every now and then to jest a bit, to tease each other mercifully, to celebrate an exciting discovery or a beautiful idea. Sometimes, Gellert would just smirk and press his finger on one of Albus' cheeks, before carding it through his beard, pulling gently a particular hair on the chin. Other times, Albus would find himself lost in the depths of Gellert's eyes, flushing under that enticing mad twinkle they got. 

Mad - the naked man stretched out on his stomach in front of him was a little mad at times, but most of all Gellert was brilliant. Madness and intelligence always went together, Albus considered himself one of the living examples of that rule. 

A smile found its way on his mouth when Gellert's nose twitched - one of the blonde locks falling on his forehead as a result. How lucky was Albus to have met someone like Gellert Grindelwald? 

«You are staring again, Albus» Gellert's voice said, muffled by the pillow. Albus reached with a hand to tuck behind his ear the long hair that was hiding the man's eye. 

«I can't help it» his reply was whispered, the voice scratching his throat. 

Gellert opened his eyes and looked at him with one of those gazes that made Albus melt right on the spot - letting his hand fall from the man's hair, he ducked his head, looking away for a moment. He heard some of the parchments fall from the bed, as the blonde man shifted so that his body was on his side too. Finding himself looking at Gellert's naked torso, Albus looked up again, searching for the man's face. 

Gellert smirked, as arrogant as ever even if a little sleepy, and brought one of his hands to caress Albus' neck - fingers pressing into the flesh, finding his pulse, scratching lightly along one of the veins. He moved closer as Albus felt his own heartbeat speed up and Gellert's hand going towards his nape, cupping it. 

«You don't know how lucky I am to have you by my side, Albus Dumbledore» his voice was rough, dark with an excitement that Albus knew very well. «I'm looking forward to the world we'll build, to the things we will do together» and now that his mouth was just a breath away from his own, Albus wasn't able to keep track of the things he was saying. «You and I,» Gellert's lips pressed against his, warm and soft, for a chaste kiss that left him inexplicably breathless. «Masters of Death,» he licked Albus' bottom lip, before trapping it in his mouth, sucking on it slowly. «The most powerful wizards in history, freeing - » 

Albus kissed him, interrupting his speech: not that it wasn't important, but he had listened to it enough times to know how it ended. Just when he was losing himself in the kiss, Gellert pulled at his hair, stopping it to resume looking at him. As their eyes met for the longest time, Albus felt the tension building around them, sizzling and making his hair stand up. 

A noise from outside broke the spell and Gellert released his hair, preparing to climb down the bed. 

«Gell,» Albus called out, sitting up and suppressing the frustration as the other wizard accio-ed wordlessly and wandlessly his clothes. 

«I have to go before aunt Bathilda wakes up» he said while getting dressed. «You know how she gets when she can't find me in my room.»

Worried, that's how she got - Albus sighed, falling on his back. 

«Reorganise our notes and meet me at our place, next to the church» Gellert said, then met Albus' resigned look. «Will you cheer up if I'll bring you that Transfiguration's book from Durmstrang?» he asked and the other man couldn't help but to smile a bit. 

«Go away, before I decide to bind you to my bed» Albus said, dismissing him with a movement of his hand. 

«That's one of the quotes with which you'll be remembered in the history books.» 

Not for him, at least. 

Not for someone like him. 

For Remus, happiness was fragile, a house of cards, an unexpected gift that life took back whenever it wanted. 

Happiness was being eleven and finally going to school; it was making friends after being alone for so long. Falling in love. Laughing until your stomach hurts. 

Happiness was cruel. 

Happiness was a black and white memory - something that didn't seem to suit him anymore. 

Are you happy, Remus? 

A muggle colleague at the umpteenth job would ask, making him shrug with a tight smile. 

Hi, anon! I'm happy you liked The Greater Good - it was my very first try at Grindeldore, so I was a bit unsure about it. 

About your requests, I hope you like them too! I tried keeping a constant characterization and Albus' pov seems to be the one for me. Anyway, this is what I wrote for you with those quotes:

--

A little jealousy in a relationship is healthy. It's nice to know that someone is afraid to lose you.

«Albus» Gellert sat beside him on the grass. «What is this?»

Albus turned to him and saw him watching the parchment that rested on his lap. He took it in his hands and showed it to Gellert. «An old friend wrote to me, today» he replied. He had just received one of his weekly letters from Elphias, in which his friend took great care to recount him every little thing he found out in his travels.

Gellert stole the parchment and began to read it - he frowned, making the skin between the eyebrows crease. Albus wished he could have caressed him there or kissed him, just to make it go away. «Elphias Doge» Gellert read out loud, shaking him from his thoughts.

«Yes, Elphias. He is currently in Greece.»

«He wishes you were there with him.»

Albus sighed, looking up to the sky. «Well, I was supposed to go with him» he answered, a wistful smile on his lips. «We planned to travel through the wizarding world to learn things one can’t study at Hogwarts.»

Talking about Elphias felt a bit nostalgic: memories from his Hogwarts’ years began to flood his mind, giving his gaze a melancholic twinkle. When he looked at Gellert again, he found him still holding the letter.

«Do you wish you were there with him?»

«I spent the best part of my seventh year looking forward to the Grand Tour» Albus confessed, taking the parchment back and rolling it closed. «Doing it with Elphias would have been a good thing: we hold each other very dear, having spent every day together since we were eleven.»

«I’m sure it would have been something to look forward to,» Gellert said, voice tight as he watched a bird fly above them. «Spending your free time philandering with Elphias.»

At his sharp tone, Albus reached his head with a hand, letting his fingers entangle themselves in those blonde locks. «That's something of which I've never thought.»

«As if» Gellert uttered, searching for his eyes as he seemed to soften under Albus caresses. «I know how wicked is your mind, Albus Dumbledore» and there it was: that mad light that made him burn inside with an intensity that Albus had never felt. «I know all your little perversities.»

«Do you?» Albus asked, licking his own lips. 

«I do» the other one replied. «Because they are just like mine.»

Albus found out that breathing was a really hard thing to do when Gellert was staring at him with that security mixed with a long list of dark promises that fed the fire inside of him. «I know that I wouldn't prefer spending my time with Elphias, if that would mean not to be in your company.»

Gellert, then, smiled - a little smile that stretched his lips and made his eyes crinkle at the corners. Merlin, it was so easy to forget that Albus was the older one. «I will take you to Greece, then we will go to Egypt and wherever you want» Gellert whispered. «I will make sure you will get your Grand Tour» he promised, taking his hand. «Until then, I will teach you everything I learnt before coming to England.»

Albus was sure it was now impossible to make a distinction between the colour of his face and the one of his hair. «Will there be any free time to spend?» 

The blonde man laughed, reclining his head back, letting him drink on the sight of his neck’s arch. «Just like I said,» he replied, voice full of mirth. «I know every little thing about you.»

--

I don't love you because I need you; I need you because I love you.

«What happened, Albus? You're destroying your quill.»

Albus looked up, taking in Gellert's concerned face - or, well, that's how he chose to read the emotion going through it. It seemed almost impossible reading Gellert, but Albus had always been one apt to do impossible things. 

«Aberforth» he said, as if the name itself was self-explanatory. Well, it was in a way. 

«What did he want?»

«He thinks I resent taking care of Ariana» Albus replied, putting his quill next to the parchment and taking his face in both of his hands. «He said that I don't love her as much as I love myself» as much as I love you was left unsaid. 

And maybe part of it was true: Albus would have been travelling the world with Elphias if he didn't have to take care of his sister, so perhaps a part of him hated the situation - but he could never stop loving his little sister. Albus could have never disliked her for something that wasn't even her fault. He just wanted everything to go fine, he just wanted to fix things so that she didn't have to hide anymore. 

Gellert's hand found its way to his hair, carding his fingers through it, pulling a little when Albus didn't look at him immediately. 

«Your brother is just a fool» he said, resting his forehead against Albus' right temple so that he could whisper in his ear. «We're doing this for Ariana too» he reminded him, making Albus close his eyes. «We will bring her with us, and no Muggle or wizard will try anything on her» now, Gellert's hand was on his nape, tickling and playing with the little hair there, while the other one came to rest to his left cheek, scratching gently at his sideburn. «You and I will protect her - and that stupid fool too» 

Albus sighed at those words, trembling a little when Gellert caressed his ear with his lips. His left hand went up to entwine its fingers with Gellert's as he opened his eyes and turned his head. Gazing his friend (lover) in the eyes, Albus kissed the palm of his hand, letting it slide down his cheek. «We will make the world a better place for everyone» he said, repeating what he was always saying to himself. 

Gellert smirked as his eyes followed every movement of Albus' mouth, making the other one imitate him. «We will take what is ours so that people like Ariana won't have to hide anymore.»

As he moved forward to kiss him with a beating heart, Albus chose to ignore for the umpteenth time any malicious meaning in those words.