#forttem

He looks up shy and unsure but apologetic. Words where never his strong suit always saying too much or too little and reaping punishment for it. Now he doesn’t know how to start half the time. Especially when he really wants to. So gently he takes her thin hand in his larger ugly ones and hold it tight– like a hug. A thumb strokes the back of her hand – a caress. “I don’t know what to say…”

To say he needed this hug would be an understatement. He’s in pain, pain in ways that he’s not even sure he knows how to describe. They were going to be happy, there were plans for the future, for their home, for their family. But now all those plans faded to nothing, just like Leta did. He tried, he tried so hard to reach her, but he couldn’t. He wasn’t strong enough. 

For all his title, his position, his reputation. He still wasn’t strong enough.

What is the point of him, if he cannot even protect the ones he loves?

He’s failed Leta. He’s failed them all.

Tears fall, and a strangled cry muffled against Albus’ shoulder. He clings to the other as tight as he could, fearing he too would fade away into nothing if he let go.

a  glance  down  at  his  side  reveals  that  oh   –   yes,   he  is,   a  little  too  heavily  to  mean  anything  good,   but  he  can’t  find  it  in  himself  to  care  at  the  moment.    “   it’s  nothing,   ”    is  the  response  as  he  presses  his  palm  to  the  wound  briefly,   sucking  in  a  sharp  breath  through  his  teeth.    “   we  have  to  keep  moving,   dumbledore,   i’ll  worry  about  it  LATER.   ”

He turns from where he’d been doing the last of his routine at the dresser. “Really? It’s not exactly out of the norm I’d’ve thought…” his tunic was sheer black silk but that wasn’t anything new especially as it was paired with the black high waisted breeches he normally wore with it. The midnight blue velvet houppelande with it’s crystalline constellations is a new commission but not out of the ordinary for his wardrobe. The he catches a glimpse of himself in a mirror and sees what on earth has Remus balking this time. Through the gaps where his tunic was visible the sheer fabric made the mottled bruises stand out stark and obvious on his pale skin, especially in the good lighting of their room.