#bertrey

He was in a light enough slumber that the click of the front door woke him but it was too warm and comfy in bed and he could feel himself dozing off again almost immediately, only to awake again when his bedroom door opened and his mattress dipped on one side. His eyes flickered open and he squinted through the darkness at Bertram, a questioning hum in the back of his throat. “Did you forget where your bedroom is?” Still, he shifted to the side and shuffled the pillows around to make room. “Hi.”

She stumbled back and turned away crashing almost immediately into someone else but as she looked up to apologise, relief flooded through her. It probably shouldn’t, given how everything had ended and she was spending the majority of the evening with the very people they had broken up over and his issue with her friendship with them, but Bertram had always been safe from this aspect. “I lost my friends,” she blurted out, skipping the greeting in her desperation. He had been there when she had started to become this person who couldn’t go anywhere alone so at least he would understand that, even if mentioning her friends wasn’t the best idea.

“I got you something else,” he said, as one song faded to a finish. “Accio present.” It was only a box of chocolates and a Muggle pack of Loveheart sweets but Dirk’s face was warm and flushed as he sat up and moved closer. It felt even more corny now that he was holding the wrapped gift out to Bertram. “I know I’ve already said happy birthday but… Happy Valentine’s Day, too.”

He had gone on a little mission to seek out a decent recipe and then another one to buy the spices he would need and soon he was stood over a wok, treating it like his cauldron with the way he seasoned and flavoured. Maybe it was a coincidence that brought Bertram into the kitchen just as Dirk started to dish up or perhaps the smell of Thai curry permeating through their flat had become too tantalising but Dirk didn’t ask. He held out one of the bowls like a peace offering and his eyes flickered over to the table he had set for two. “Hi. Can we—” the words stuck in his throat so he gave up trying to ask and moved to sit down. “I missed you. And… I know that’s my own fault so I’m sorry. For freaking out.” His buried his teeth into his bottom lip and started to mix the curry and rice together without eating. He was sorry, too, for the radio silence since but he wasn’t sure how to address that. Rushing his morning routine to get out of the flat before Bertram emerged from his room and pushing the evenings later and later with overtime, knowing perfectly well his roommate would be out by the time he got home.

They had been to plenty of these sorts of things together before but never together. Halloween had been the closest, except that Dirk hadn't known Bertram's feelings at the time and ever since confessions and revelations and decisions to give it a go had occurred, they had been keeping things to themselves. Not in the sense of keeping it a secret, and that certainly wasn't to say they hadn't been on any dates but Dirk was a naturally private person so walking through such a busy place hand in hand with another man made him feel a little self-conscious. It very much felt like a public outing together, eyes of reporters around them and practically everybody either of them knew in attendance. It made Dirk glad that they had opted for a quiet weekend just the two of them for their birthdays and Valentine's weekend, when it had all been so new and fresh. He was certain he wouldn't have been ready for this any earlier. Now, however, he gave Bertram's hand a squeeze and looked at him with a smile that said he had no doubts or reservations any longer. He wanted to be here with Bertram, nobody else. "Where do you want to go next?" he asked, though quickly followed up with his own suggestion. "I'm not sure about the whole dancing with a tree thing, but we could go and see if they're playing any decent music there."