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1. FORGET

Life goes on, days blur together. I thought it was yesterday, turns out a decade has gone by. I can't trust my mind to remember you,  but I know my soul will. Our souls are intertwined, you see. Even now, writing on paper, I know you hear me. So let me tell you once more how deeply I love you. I'll be missing you forever, even when my body fails me. People tell me I should move on, but you'll always be my soft spot. My little brother, my beloved.

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currently looking for solangelo prompts 🫡

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Hi I just wanna say I love your writing it's so neat

thank you i really appreciate this! <3

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DISNEY DESCENDANTS AU

There was a reason Nico chose to take part in the top-secret mission to save Will Solace from the Queen of Evil, and it wasn’t the one that might be expected. Nico was the son of Hades, one of the major villains of all times, and when Nico had been taken from the Villain’s Island to study in Happily Ever After, Hades had given him an order: take the Wand. And Nico wouldn’t disappoint his father.

His key to the Wand was getting people to trust him. First he had to make Will Solace — heir to the King — fall in love with him, and that was done with an easy spell. Of course it angered Will’s longtime girlfriend, Lacy, she couldn’t stand seeing Will head over heels with a boy he’d just met, to the point that she became actually evil and kidnapped Will.

“We need to send out a search party,” the King, Zeus, said.

Nico was the first to stand. “I’d like to be a part of the search party,” he said. “I know more spells than any of my peers. I could easily track Will.”

Zeus nodded. He was so oblivious, thinking everybody would bend backwards to serve him. He deserved it.

If Nico was honest, the only person who might not deserve his betrayal was Will. Will had fought to get the villain’s kids to Happily Ever After. And Nico was using him for his own personal gain.

Nico shook his head. He didn’t have time to think about that. He was on the outskirts of Once Upon a Time, one of the villages of Happily Ever After. More specifically, he was with Jason Grace, Annabeth Chase, Piper McLean and his fellow V-kids Drew Tanaka, Reyna Arellano and Leo Valdez. There was a weird tension in the air, probably brought by the fact that there was one too many person in the group who fancied Jason Grace, and also by the fact that they hated each other.

Drew quickened her steps and caught up with Nico, in the front of the group. He clutched his spell-book tightly.

“What are we walking into?”

Nico looked at the villa standing before them. It had been long since abandoned, and not a sound came from within.

“Something bad,” he replied simply.

When they got inside, the door slammed shut behind them. Jason tried opening it, but with no results. Drew took a mirror out of her satchel.

“At least I’ll die cute,” she said, fixing a smudge of lipstick.

“Not the time,” Nico said, voice tight as the armours placed around the room seemed to become alive.

The empty armours took a step forward. Nico took a quick look around, and it confirmed his suspicious. They were outnumbered. He unleashed his sword, his companions imitating him. They got in a circle.

Reyna cracked her knuckles. “Bring it on,” she said.

Nico almost shivered. Reyna was one of his dearest friends, but sometimes her love for battle scared him. She resembled her mother a lot.

“You walked us into a trap,” Annabeth hissed, directing her words at Nico.

Nico swallowed, as the first armour attacked him. He easily dodged the attack.

“Nico didn’t walk us into anything,” Percy said. “We all came willingly.”

The battle began. The sound of swords clashing filled the otherwise silent room. Somebody grunted, and when Nico checked, he discovered that Jason had been hit.

“They are too heavy to react,” Reyna said. “Be fast!”

Nico did as she said. She was the most experienced fighter out of them.

“I’ll cover you!” Leo told Nico, going to stand before him. “You search in your spell-book for — I don’t know, anything.”

Nico nodded, but he kept his sword in hand as he searched through the spell-book. There were lots of spells about love, then some to change his appearance. Nico looked through the spell-book for a good few minutes, until he saw Annabeth barely dodging an attack as she fought against two armours at the same time.

Nico put his spell-book away. He needed to improvise. He took a deep breath, then raised both hands. He concentrated, and soon sparkles flew from his fingertips.

“Suit of armour strong and true,” he said, voice loud enough that he could be heard over the sounds of the battle. “Make this metal bust a move!”

Shadows fell from the ceiling and covered the armours, then filled them as a knight would have. After that, the armours copied Nico’s every move.

“That was a good trick,” Jason would later tell Nico, as they left the room.

Nico gave him a small smile. “I hope it was enough.”

And it seemed that it was. The Queen of Evil had prepared a few more obstacles, but the main one were the armours, which had left them mostly unscathed. Annabeth and Percy remained behind, as Annabeth was too hurt to continue, and Percy didn’t think leaving her to fend for herself in an enchanted room was too dangerous.

Nico took a deep breath as he opened the last room, and so they found Will. He was alone, the Queen of Evil long gone through the window. There was just one final problem: Will had been turned to stone. Nico’s heart plummeted to the ground. It was as good as it was going to get, he needed to act.

So Nico stepped closer to Will, put his hand in the crook of Will’s elbow, and said, “I’m sorry.” Then he shadow-traveled himself and Will away.

He barely heard Piper saying, “He betrayed us!” But even when he did, with all the regret bubbling in his chest, he couldn’t go back. He had to get the wand, for Hazel.

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Ancient Rome AU

Nico had just turned fifteen when his father married him off to Minos, a man from the northern regions of the empire, who owned cold but rich lands and a third of the roman army. Nico wasn’t particularly surprised, seeing as he was his father’s third-born child. It was his destiny, after all. Bianca’s death hadn’t changed much, it simply made Nico the second-born, behind Hazel. Their mothers had given them birth with only a month of difference, which had dictated the course of their lives.

It also wasn’t a surprise to Nico when he was called to Rome six months after his husband’s death. He reached the city in the middle of summer, sweating even as he stayed in the carriage with his servant.

“Do you know who it’ll be this time?” Drew asked him.

She had been Minos’ wedding gift to Nico. One of the many, surely Nico’s most treasured one. Even after he’d set her free, she’d chosen to remain with him as an employee. He considered her a member of his family.

“No,” Nico said. The walls of the city were getting closer, a sense of anxiety closed his throat.

“I hope it’ll be a good man,” she replied quietly.

Each night Nico prayed to the gods the very same thing.

When they reached his father’s villa just outside the city, one of the servants opened the door. Drew went first, then offered her hand up to Nico. His heart very nearly stopped.

His father looked older than he was, as if the six years they hadn’t seen each other had been many more. The hair on his temples was completely grey, almost white, a stark contrast to the black top. As usual, his face showed no emotion, perfectly stoic, as he stood with his hands behind his back. He looked Nico up and down, assessing him. Nico stood a bit straighter, berating himself as he did so.

Hazel had apparently just gotten out of practice. Her forehead shone with sweat, she was dressed for battle. She enveloped Nico in a hug. Six years. The last time they held each other was when Nico was leaving. They’d both grown since then, but in his sister’s arms, Nico still felt fifteen.

When they broke apart, the dark skinned woman who’d been at his father’s side stepped up.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you Niccolò,” she said. Her voice was warm, and sensing who she was, Nico felt sorry for her. “I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Persephone, your father’s wife.”

Nico doubted she’d heard anything about him at all. Even before his marriage, he’d been at odds with his father, he doubted Hades spoke a great deal about him. “I prefer Nico.”

She smiled. She took one of Nico’s arms, Hazel on the other, and they escorted him inside. They told him about Melikoe, who apparently was his new sister. She was just three months old.

The next day, Nico met his future husband. Before that he was bathed and pampered in all ways, servants at his back and call with every comfort. When he looked at himself in the mirror, hair neatly done and every remnant of the journey scrubbed off his skin, Nico barely recognised himself.

Persephone gave him a heavy necklace, much too similar to those Nico’s own mother used to wear for his liking. They reached his new husband’s house with a carriage. Nico remembered the place, he thought he might have been there to visit before. His father used to take him and Hazel along, even when he only needed Bianca. It was hard to think of that side of his father now.

“Behave,” Hades said lowly as he helped Nico down the carriage.

“You are the picture of your mother,” somebody said.

When Nico looked up, he was met with Naomi Solace’s kind eyes. She reached him and took his hands in hers. Was his father marrying him off to a woman? Had he gone completely mad?

“I’m so happy to have you back in the city, dear,” she said. “I hated the thought of you married off to that old creature in the north.”

“Let me see the boy, Naomi. I’ll evaluate him.”

Naomi gave Nico one last smile, before stepping to the side. A few steps back, slowly limping forth, was an old man. He had white hair and even more wrinkles than Minos had. Nico sent a look to his father, but Hades was looking smugly at the boy behind the old man, whose blond curls shone like melted gold under the sun rays.

The man quickly arrived in front of Nico. Well, not quickly for any other person present, but quickly if considered that he looked like the wind might sweep him away. Hazel herself looked worried. Just the prior night, she’d told Nico that their father had kept Nico’s new husband’s identity secret.

Greasy, old fingers touched Nico’s chin, holding him still as washed-out brown eyes searched his face. Nico’s lips curled, but he didn’t move. He didn’t let himself look away. He forced every muscle of his body to stay relaxed, his lungs to not move too quickly.

“You didn’t lie about his beauty, Hades,” the old man said.

Naomi’s smile brightened. Hades slightly bowed his head, accepting the praise. Nico’s patience ran out.

“He hasn’t seen me in six years,” he said. As all eyes snapped to him, Nico put on his most saccharine smile. “Since he married me off to an old guy. So forgive me sir, but I’m really not in the mood to repeat the experience.” Nico took a step back, turning to his father, whose eyes were bulging out of their sockets. “Whatever your pact is, I’m now old enough to oppose.”

Silence fell on them. Even the birds stopped singing. Maybe the gods themselves were looking down on them.

The old man turned to the blond man behind him, who was watching the scene unfold with something akin to amusement - or awe - in his eyes.

“Well, the boy was clear,” the old man said.

Hades snapped out of his trance, and fell to his knee, head bowed. “Please, forgive him, my lord. Venus gave him beauty, just as Mars gave him spirit. Even too much of it, at times. He means well.”

“I don’t mean well,” Nico blurted out, crossing his arms on his chest. When he shook his head, the gold rings braided in his hair twinkled. “I mean to not get married to somebody who was here to see Rome being built.”

Much to Nico’s surprise, the old man laughed loudly.

Hades didn’t. He put his hands on his face, still bowing on the floor. “For the love of the gods, Nico, you’re speaking to our emperor!”

The old man laughed harder, until it sent him into a coughing fit. When he saw Nico’s open mouth, he laughed even louder. Naomi put her hands on her mouth, worried glances sent back and forth between the emperor and the blond man.

“Hades, old friend, stand. No need for that. Now that you know who I am, are you any more inclined to marry me?” Asked the emperor, once he regained his composure.

“Not really, no.”

The emperor’s lips twitched in a smile. “That’s good, because you’re not here to marry me. You’re marrying my heir.”

Again, Nico’s mouth popped open. The blond man behind the emperor stepped up, a smile lightening his freckled features.

“You are exactly as you were when we were kids,” he simply said.

Nico tilted his head to the side, finally connecting the dots. “Will.”

“I told you I’d marry you one day.” He’d kept a hand behind himself the whole time, and finally he showed it. He was holding a flower. “This is for you. I hope it’s still your favourite.”

When Nico took the poppy, his hands shook. He couldn’t quite believe what was happening. He didn’t remember much about Will Solace, but he was a kind, young boy, who saw the best in everybody. And now he was the emperor’s heir, and that in itself was quite unbelievable. Nico didn’t think he deserved somebody like Will Solace, but life wasn’t about what one deserved. So he went on with the wedding, and a week later he married William Solace.

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just posted the last chapter to my Seer AU which features Nico as runaway prince with seer abilities and Will as his betrothed <3

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The Selection AU- 11th time’s the charm

Everybody knows Maria di Angelo. Everybody loves Maria di Angelo. And Nico, the only heir to all her messes, is sure he will forever live in her shadow.

When people look at Nico, they see Maria di Angelo’s son. And truly, there’s not much else to see. He sings beautiful songs, but hers were better-written. He does ballet, but her on-stage persona is impossible to replicate. He leads a lonely life, and people don’t know hers wasn’t much different.

Nico isn’t surprised when he’s called for Prince Will’s Selection. He half-expected it. So he goes to the Golden Palace where the Solaces live, and enters with his head held high. People don’t know who he is yet, all the feedback he’s received comes from the Academy of Arts, where he’s spent the last ten years of his life. He’s twenty now, and he will graduate in June. When he’s honest to himself, he admits to feeling scared of the future.

He isn’t the only student of the Academy who’s taking part in the Selection. There’s also Drew Tanaka, who used to be Nico’s best friend, in a time that feels very far away. They — Nico and Drew — aren’t the only students who had submitted to the process of the Selection, but they’re the only ones who have been chosen. It’s the Small Council who chooses the participant of the Selection, taking people from all across North America, which is partly ex-Canada and ex-US.

Nico sighs as he’s lead to his room. He feels weighted down, like someone’s placed an enormous rock over his shoulders. He should have known better than to let the Academy Headmistress, Alecto, submit him. His whole past will be brought up, he will be scrutinised in the worst of ways in front of the whole country.

Before he left the Academy — where he won’t return until Prince Will sends him home, or until the Selection finishes — Alecto gave him a letter from his father. Sitting on his bed, he turns it in his hands, without opening it. He hasn’t talked to Hades in almost a year, since his father went and moved to the Republic of Athens, on the other side of the world.

At the end, he doesn’t find the courage to open the letter. He places it in the nightstand and decides to undo his luggage. He’s doing great, until there’s a knock to the door. When it opens, a guy about as tall as Nico and with curly, brown hair stares back at him. He has brown skin, and a loopsided smile.

“Hi,” the boy says. “I’m Leo Valdez. It seems we’re suite-mates. I checked the other rooms, we’re the first to arrive.”

Nico gives the other a small smile. “I’m Nico.”

Leo raises an eyebrow, entering the room and closing the door behind himself. “Just Nico? I thought you’d have a surname. Are you a lord or something? You look kind of regal.”

Nico laughs. “I’m not. Di Angelo, by the way. That’s my surname.”

It’s the first time Nico has to introduce himself. Everybody knew who he was at the Academy, the same way as he knew everybody else.

Now, Leo raises both eyebrows. He has an expressive face. “As in Nico di Angelo the son of Maria di Angelo?” He lets out a low whistle. “That’s impressive.”

Nico shrugs, putting away one of his shirts. He had to buy clothes before coming, at the Academy he only ever wore his uniform and his dance-clothes.

“We’ll be meeting more impressive people,” he says.

Leo concedes. “True. What do you think he’ll be like? The prince, I mean. He always seems kind on the tv.”

Maria also seemed kind on the tv, and maybe she was, but Nico would always remember her screaming when Hades had to return to Persephone, his actual wife. Nico looks away. He can’t bear Leo’s hopeful eyes.

“I hope he will be,” Nico says.

On Sunday, all the contestants have arrived. Boys and girls alike, as per the prince’s preference. They are placed in the Tower of Dawn, in the east wing of the palace. At the ground-floor, there are the breakfast room, the music room and the relax hall, where they can simply spend their time doing whatever they prefer. There’s also a piano, which Nico approaches. He doesn’t have the time to brush his fingers on the keys, before Drew sweeps behind him.

“Di Angelo, spare me!” She says. “Not one of your depressed ballads again.”

A few people — who seem to have befriended Drew — snicker. A few others stare shocked after the revelation of his surname.

It’s not that Nico is ashamed of being a di Angelo. He just doesn’t go around telling everybody he is. But tonight, when they are presented at North America’s News with Piper McLean, the whole nation will know.

“You’re right, your sex-anthems are much better,” he replies.

Drew rolls her eyes. Truth is, Nico doesn’t mind Drew’s songs. He likes a few of them. Granted, none have been officially released, but the Academy is a small school, and everybody knows everybody’s work. Alecto even wants them to collaborate on something before they graduate.

“Don’t be a bigot,” Drew says, bringing Nico back to reality.

“So, you two know each other,” a girl named Annabeth will later tell Nico, once they’re having supper.

Nico almost scoffs. Know is too little a word to describe their relationship. Nico feels Drew like he feels his limbs, she’s been apart of him for the last ten years of his life. And Nico managed to throw it all away with a harsh decision.

“We go to the same school,” he replies instead.

Leo whistles, something he seems keen on doing, though it goes against palace etiquette. He probably doesn’t know, as Nico reasons.

“I bet her teenage years were a handful,” Leo says.

Nico grimaces. “So were mine. But it was fun.”

Partly fun, as he reminds himself. His teenage years are the ones in which he’s lost the most. He lost his Bianca. But they were also the years in which he ran up and down the halls of the Academy with Drew on one side and Rachel on the other, gossiping and sharing their deepest secrets and fears. Rachel is still friends with Drew, they’re still close. Nico wonders what they say about him.

A clap of hands, clearly to attract everybody’s attention. It works. Nico turns to the head of the table, to see a man on a wheelchair staring back at him, if only for a split second. Nico has a feeling he knows the man, thought he can’t place him.

“Good evening everybody,” the man says. “I am Chiron, and I will be your supervisor during your stay. Should you need anything, you come to me. I’m sure you’ve heard the rules already, but I will repeat the most important ones. If you abstain, you will be sent home. Number one: no getting physical with other contestants. By that I mean both fighting and having sexual intercourses.”

Nico blushes at Chiron’s words, looking away. He catches Drew’s eyes, who mouth at him, ‘Prude’. He clenches his fists, and brings his eyes back to Chiron.

“Number two: no relationship is allowed with the staff. By that I mean you cannot have physical or emotional attachments to any of the palace staff, guards included. Number three: what the prince wants, the prince gets. If what he wants is to send you home, you will be sent home. If he wishes to keep you here, you will be kept here. If he wishes to have time alone with you, he will have it.”

Nico’s ears start ringing. He’s sure Chiron lists other rules and explains how they will have to behave at the interview, but he’s not listening anymore. He can only think of rule number three: what the prince wants, the prince gets. Nico has never been put in a place where he couldn’t deny himself, but now he feels he’s faced with the harsh reality of life. Sometimes, there is simply no way out.

Dinner resumes, and dessert is brought to the table. Nico exists the room, leaving his new acquittances very confused. He needs air. He can’t breathe, and this damn shirt he’s wearing is too tight on the neck.

Finally, he reaches the glass doors to the gardens, but before he can even phantom what’s happening, his path is blocked by guards.

“You can’t go out at this time of the night, sir,” one says. He’s an Asian man, and for a moment Nico thinks of his father’s bodyguard, Frank.

“I need air—” Nico tries to explain. His voice is raspy, his eyes glassy. He doesn’t know how much longer he can resist.

“What you need is none of our problem,” the other guard, a woman, says. “We need to protect you. And that is what we’re doing.”

Nico opens his mouth again, but only a pained sound comes out.

“Let him through,” a voice comes from behind. “I order it.”

In his daze, Nico turns and vaguely recognises the figure he sees as Prince Will. He doesn’t care much, however.

The doors are pulled open and Nico steps outside. His lungs fill with air, more than he thought they could contain.

“I hope you’re doing better,” Prince Will says, evidently having followed Nico outside.

Nico startles. “I am. Your Highness. Thank you.”

His words come out robotic, but he means them. Without the prince, he would have probably ended up in the infirmary.

“You are the first contestant I meet,” the prince says, stepping closer.

Nico takes a step back, but all too soon his back meets a column’s marble. He’s trapped, and what the prince wants, the prince gets.

“Am I?” Nico says, more to himself than to anybody.

“Yes, I was wondering whether the quarters were of your—”

That is when Prince Will commits a mistake. He gets too close, too friendly, and Nico isn’t used to it. Alecto always told him: people will want to be you, or they will want to bed you. And Nico doesn’t want that at the moment, and there’s no other way out really. So he does the only logical thing: he knees Prince Will right between his legs.

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“Why are you mad?”

“I’m not mad, I just think you can choose better people to kiss.”

So I’m currently writing this but for Rivusa 🤭

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i might have ten work in progress, but that won’t stop me from writing a winx club solangelo au, just because i can

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Is there gonna be a chapter 9 of the solangelo Red white royal blue Au?

hi! actually, i think i’ll rewrite the whole fic because i’m not liking it much at the moment :)

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Wear It Like A Crown - Part 2: Prince

As he did every day, Nico spent his morning in the temple. He didn’t meet any Priest or Priestess there, and he was sorry for it. He wished to have one more moment with them, who were closer to being his family than anyone else in the world. Even than Hazel, who was meant to be.

Still, he wasn’t left alone long. He’d been there for less than an hour, when Annabeth Chase sat next to him. She was dressed in the blue of guards, despite being a lady. Nico was discovering that the Seven weren’t much for tradition. He could appreciate that about them, while still hating the lot of them.

“I’m praying,” Nico said, almost hissing. “I wish to be left alone.”

Annabeth joined her hands. “I’m afraid I’ll disturb you for a little while. It’s about Lord William.”

Nico’s head shot to her. What was happening? Was Will hurt? Who did it?

“Nothing tragic, Your Highness,” she continued. “I just wished to talk about him.”

Nico’s shoulders slumped in relief. And he berated himself for it. He was becoming weak.

“What for?” Nico asked.

Annabeth shrugged. “I’ve just seen that his mood depends a lot on yours.”

Nico raised both eyebrows. “Really, now?”

“Let me explain. I’ve seen that he’s happy when you are, and that is not very often. At the same time, he’s unhappy when you are. He’s been worried for you, as of lately. He wants you to be well.”

Nico crossed his arms on the chest. “And what about it?”

Annabeth shook her head. “You are as stubborn as Hazel. I want you to be aware of you affect him, because he’ll never show it to you. I want you two to work things out.”

Nico’s eyebrows, if possible, rose even farther. “Why would you want that?”

“Because I care about Will. Also, I don’t think you are as bad a person as you want us to believe. I think you two are good people, who deserve good things.”

Annabeth’s hand found its way to Nico’s shoulder, and squeezed. An uncomfortable feeling sat in Nico’s stomach. His eyes burnt. These days he was overly emotional.

“You might just find your happiness with him,” Annabeth continued. “He’s a wonderful man. I don’t need your gift, to know you should give him a chance.”

Click here to read the first chapter: https://archiveofourown.org/works/51967036/chapters/131412283

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i’ve been trying to write a “daisy jones and the six” inspired story for like three days now. i think it’s time to give up

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It’s the first time Albus hears Scorpius’ voice in almost three years, and he risks skidding the car against a wall. It’s not just the surprise of hearing his ex-best friend’s voice in so long, but the fact that he hears it on a radio.

I walked through the door with you

The air was cold

But something about it felt like home somehow

And I, left my scarf there at your sister’s house

And you've still got it in your drawer even now

“Well, he was always talented,” Albus will later tell his parents, when they ask him whether he knew or not that Scorpius was trying to make it big as a singer.

“I told you he got a contract with that agency,” Lily says.

She’s a journalist, so she’s always one step above everybody else. Even now, she’s already written an article about how Scorpius is making it big on her blog.

Albus just hums in response. What is he supposed to say? He’s certain he’ll never see Scorpius again. At least he is until Scorpius shows up at his doorstep, two years later.

The thing about Scorpius and Albus, is that they used to be inseparable. Their parents - despite the work rivalry between Harry and Draco, as they worked in different firms - had had to accept it, even embrace it. When Albus threw a tantrum, the promise to bribe him was “If you do this, we’ll organise you a playdate with Scorpius”, and the same went for Scorpius. Although, of course, he was much more dignified in his tantrum, as he was a Malfoy, or so his father always said.

Scorpius was there to listen to Albus through his parents’ time of crisis in their marriage, until they started going to therapy together to work things out. And in exchange, Albus was there listening to Scorpius as he talked about how he wished he’d known his mother, even just a little bit, before she’d passed.

So Albus knew everything about Scorpius and Scorpius knew everything about Albus. Things between them were simple, or so they seemed.

Now, years later, Albus can confidently say there’s nothing between them. And that’s because Scorpius made sure of it. So, really, after breaking his heart, Scorpius can fuck off.

That is before Scorpius shows up unannounced at his doorstep.

“Hello, Miss Potter,” Scorpius tells Ginny, who’s answered the door. “Is Albus home?”

And by God, isn’t this scenery a familiar one? How many times have Albus and Scorpius showed up at each other’s house and asked each other’s parents if the other was home? And how many times were they told “No, but come on in!” because that was just the relationship they had with each other, how close they were? God, Albus could cry. Actually, he really might. His eyes are burning.

So Albus sniffs, and places himself behind his mother.

“Are you looking for me?” He asks, to which he already knows the answer.

Scorpius, if possible, is even more beautiful in person than on the magazines covers. He has these lush icy-white hair, the Malfoy’s high cheekbones and his mother’s earnest eyes. But Albus always thought his real beauty was within. Was he wrong in that aspect, too?

Scorpius blushes. He’s wearing mittens and a hat, that pushes his hair into a fringe. “Yes,” he croaks out. “I mean, yes. If you have a minute to talk?”

Albus nods, and steps over his mother. He ignores Scorpius and Ginny telling each other goodbye, Ginny asking Scorpius to come over for dinner, one of these days. Albus doesn’t want Scorpius over for dinner. He wants to pack Scorpius into a box and hide him from the world, but he also never wants to see the other ever again.

Albus sits on the swing on the porch, Scorpius making himself small next to him.

“So, what brings you back?” Albus asks.

Scorpius takes off his hat, then puts it on again. “I’m shooting a documentary,” he replies, going straight to the point. “I was wondering whether you might want to participate. You’d get paid, of course.”

Albus snorts. Of course. “I don’t need your money, Scorp.”

Scorpius looks down at his shoes. “Sorry.”

Albus might not have as many money as Scorpius does, but he’s well off. He has chosen a degree in Literature, he’s teaching at the town’s high school, but he receives something from his father’s firm each month as a silent associate, the same as Lily.

“I just wanted to give you an incentive,” Scorpius says. “Because I’d really like for you to take part.”

Albus shakes his head. “Why? We haven’t talked in years. I’m sure you have someone else to ask.”

Scorpius shakes his head in returns, but it’s true. They haven’t seen each other in years, spoken in almost as long. They’d tried to keep in contact at first, but then Scorpius had started answering less and less, until six months passed before he replied to Albus’ How are you? And Albus knew he’d lost him.

“But they’re not you,” Scorpius finally says. “They don’t know me the way you do. You’ve been with me since before I became famous, you can actually tell people what I’m like. Please.”

Albus shakes his head again. “I’m not good in front of a camera. It makes me nervous.”

“I’ll be there with you. Just promise me you’ll think about it.”

Albus sighs. But the thing is, he can never say no to Scorpius. So he already knows, even as he nods to say Yes, I’ll think about it, he already knows he’ll say yes.

A song is playing as Albus enters Scorpius’ childhood home, where they’ll shoot his scenes.

Time, mystical time

Cuttin' me open, then healin' me fine

Were there clues I didn't see?

And isn't it just so pretty to think

All along there was some

Invisible string

Tying you to me?

Ohh

Albus knows it well. He always thought it would fit well into his and Scorpius’ relationship, if they’d ever had one. Wouldn’t it just be so pretty to think there is an invisible string tying Scorpius to Albus, however far Scorpius travels? Something warm blooms in Albus, and he does his best to make it lie down, otherwise he’ll go crazy.

“Albus, dearest!”

Albus turns, only to see Narcissa Malfoy walking towards him with open arms. He opens his arms in response, and she hugs him, kissing both his cheeks. He hasn’t seen her in a while, the last time was when she’d decided to venture into the supermarket.

“How are you?” She asks him, then continues before he can reply. “God, how you’ve grown. You’re a handsome, young man now. Nothing like the scrawny kid who ran around with his hand in Scorpius’.”

“Alright, grandma, you’ve greeted him,” Scorpius says.

Albus hasn’t heard him arrive, but he manages not to jump out of his skin. As grandma and grandson bicker, Albus takes the chance to look around. There are members of a crew coming and going from the living room, while Draco Malfoy himself is waving goodbye to his mother and son, leaving through the front door with an expensive-looking leather bag and the car keys. He nods in Albus’ direction.

“Do you want something to drink?” Scorpius asks Albus, bringing him back to reality.

Narcissa is going to the kitchen, leaving them alone. Alone in a house filled with cameras, as Albus is reminded when a picture of them is snapped.

Albus blinks, spots of light from the flash still in his vision. “No, no, thank you. I’m okay.”

Scorpius nods. “Are you nervous?”

“No, no. I mean, a little bit.”

Scorpius’ face breaks out in a smile, and something in Albus’ chest swells. “You have nothing to worry about. It’s all easy questions.”

Albus nods, but he doesn’t believe Scorpius. Which question about Scorpius has ever had an easy answer? And then, when he’s placed on an uncomfortable stool under the bright lights, it’s an even worse setting.

He swallows around a dry throat.

“So, who are you?” Is the first question.

Easy. Or so he thinks. “I’m Albus Potter. I’m, er, I’ve been mates with Scorpius since childhood.”

Since childhood, God that’s a really long time, isn’t it? Is everybody going to read Albus’ secret off his face the moment they see him? Scorpius has millions of fans, and most of them will be watching.

Well, too late to back out.

“What is your favourite memory of Scorpius?”

Albus smiles. It comes easily to mind. “Once in middle school. Our parents didn’t like us being friends, because they work in the same field and are work enemies, which makes them sound really childish, and that’s probably the truth. Anyway, I was speaking five-thousand words per-minute as I usually do, I was saying something about how apples are overrated and pears are better, and Scorp just stood and left for a moment. When he came back, he had two pears. And I really found it charming, though he still won’t tell me where he found those pears.”

Albus chuckles, and he can see Scorpius doing the same behind the camera. Seeing Scorpius there relaxes him a bit, he must admit.

“How would you say Scorpius was as a person when he was younger?”

Albus thinks about all the things he’s read on the magazines, how he cannot quite believe any of those, even without Lily wrinkling her nose at the fake news.

“I would say he’s always been the same. You can read what he’s thinking on his face, despite him trying to cover up everything. He’s earnest, he’s always been.”

Scorpius is blushing, Albus can see it well beyond the lights and the cameras. If he tries to, will Albus still be able to read him?

“What does music mean to him?”

Albus thinks about it for a moment. “Everything. Making music matters more than anything else to him.”

He can’t quite keep the accusation out of his tone. Music is the reason he left me, Albus wants to scream. Without music, we would still be together. But he can’t say that, he’s not so pathetic.

“Good. We’re done.”

Albus stands to leave, and he doesn’t stop until he’s reached the front door. It took less time than he anticipated, but he still needs to get home. He has papers to grade, thank God, or he would be stuck thinking about Scorpius. Scorpius Scorpius Scorpius his brain seems to scream.

“Albus!”

And there the object of his thoughts appears, running after him like they are in a movie. Scorpius even wrote a song, called just that. If This Was a Movie. What does it say again? Something along the lines of If this was a movie you’d be here by now. God, how pathetic is it that Albus knows each lyric of Scorpius by heart?

Albus turns, trying to put on a smile. “Yes? I think I’ll get going now. I have a lot of things to do, you know. Grading papers and… and other things. You know how it is.”

Scorpius nods slowly. It’s written all over his face how he doesn’t believe Albus one bit, he lets him off the hook. “Of course. No, I get it. You’re very busy.”

Albus nods. “Right.”

He already has his hand wrapped around the doorknob.

“I’ll just go then.”

And he does that.

Harry leans on the doorframe to Albus’ room. Albus takes one look at his father, then away. He can’t look anybody in the eyes at the moment. He feels too humiliated, and he doesn’t even know why.

“I saved you some pizza,” Harry says. “I don’t know how long it’ll last, I left it in the kitchen unsupervised, and James is, well, James. He’ll eat anything he can get his hands on.”

Albus hums. “Thanks, Dad, but I’m not hungry.”

Harry tuts. He comes into the door, and closes the door behind himself. Albus catches a glimpse of his mother, heading from the bathroom to their bedroom, all the while sending a worried glance towards him. Again, he looks away.

“You haven’t taken Scorpius’ return very well,” Harry says, dragging the chair at the desk to the front of Albus’ bed, where he’s currently laying.

“It’s not that,” Albus says, in a tone that clearly expresses how much it is. “I mean… it’s just been hard. All these memories, and I thought I was over it.”

Harry hums. “You know, I think you should talk to Scorpius about it. It might help, if you go over the reason he left together.”

Albus shakes his head. He feels too much like a child for a man of twenty-five years old. “I don’t want to.”

Harry sighs. “Sometimes the things we don’t want are the ones that will help us most. Think about it.”

So it’s gonna be forever

Or it’s gonna go down in flames

You can tell me when it’s over

If the high was worth the pain

Albus shakes his head. Of course, of course, even at the supermarket they’re listening to Scorpius Malfoy. Who wouldn’t? He’s the personification of a perfect singer. Not just for his voice, but his life as well, devoted to his fans in a way not many celebrities manage. If he ever had a boyfriend, where would he fit in the picture?

Albus shakes his head again. It’s not time to think about it.

His kart stops, and it takes Albus a moment to realise it’s because it has crashed against someone else’s. When he looks up, it’s Scorpius’ eyes staring back at him. Scorpius stunned face, next to Narcissa’s smiling one.

“Albus, dearest!” She says, going in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “What a surprise to bump into you here, of all places!”

Albus chuckles. “I’m more surprised to see you here. I thought you said you’d never return.”

“Desperate times,” she replies cryptically. “And with my darling Scorpius here, I want to make sure only the best is picked for him.”

Scorpius’ whole face goes red. “Grandma!”

Narcissa just laughs her grandchild’s desperation off. “And you, darling Albus? What brings you here?”

Albus points to the carrots in his cart. “My brother needs those for his morning shake, otherwise he bit- otherwise I cannot stand him.”

Narcissa shoots him a disapproving glance, while Scorpius chuckles.

“You should tell more about that,” Narcissa suddenly says, her face lit up by a smile. “And about your life. At dinner, tonight. Seven pm, don’t be late.”

She squeezes Albus’ shoulder, then she moves on, before he can find an excuse to not show up. Scorpius looks after her, resembling a lost child.

“Sorry about her,” he says. “You don’t have to show up.”

Albus shrugs his shoulder. He thinks about saying he won’t, really finding an excuse, but as much as it pains him to say, it’s something he’s been missing. He misses dinners at the Malfoy’s, Draco’s quiet presence and Narcissa’s chiding. She’s always felt like a grandmother to him, much like Molly is.

“Scorpius!” Narcissa calls, and Scorpius goes running.

Albus is left alone at the store.

Midnight

You come and pick me up, no headlights

Long drive

Could end in burning flames or paradise

Fade into view, oh

It's been a while since I have even heard from you (heard from you)

Scorpius’ song plays on as Albus drives over to the Malfoy Manor. Scorpius is always played on the radio, but lately it seems he’s everywhere all at once, and Albus doesn’t know what to think of it. It pains him, that much he can admit.

He knocks on the door, then gives Narcissa the flowers he’s brought and the wine to Draco.

“I always forget you’re old enough to drink,” Draco mutters to himself.

Albus gives a small smile, looking around at the entrance. Scorpius isn’t here yet.

“He’s just upstairs,” Narcissa says. “If he doesn’t come down, I’ll go tell him to hurry up.” She winks, which isn’t at all like her, and at the same time it is, then goes to find a vase.

Albus, without anything better to do, goes to the living room. He knows where it is by heart, he could find his way through the Malfoy Manor blindsided. He takes a look at the photos on the walls, and is surprised to find himself in some of them.

“Grandma put them on just today,” Scorpius says.

Albus hasn’t heard him coming in. He hums. When he turns, he finds his breath taken. Scorpius is wearing a black jumper over a light green shirt, and trousers with bits of silver in them.

“You look good,” Albus says, before thinking better of it. He coughs. “I mean, well. You look well, like you’re doing well.”

Scorpius gives a small smile. “Thanks. I am.”

They stay in silence for a moment, before Scorpius gets closer at points out one of the pictures, depicting Albus and Scorpius as they play outside in the snow.

“We took that one at your house, I’m not sure how my grandma got her hands on it,” Scorpius says. “Do you remember that day?”

I remember your lips being red because of the cold, your cheeks rosy. And I remember you took my hand to point out where I should put the carrot on the snowman, and I had goosebumps for days.

“Kind of,” is what Albus says. “Do you?”

“Of course. I remember every day we’ve ever spent together.”

Scorpius is incapable of lying. Whatever he feels is always on his face, and even if that wasn’t true, he has no qualms over speaking his mind. It makes Albus shrink on himself, feeling as little as an ant.

“That’s a lot of days to remember, then,” Albus says.

Scorpius laughs, putting his hands in his pockets. He has nice teeth, despite the front one being a little crooked, and Albus should really stop staring at his mouth.

“They are,” Scorpius says. “But-”

“Dinner is ready!” Narcissa announces, coming in the living room.

Albus turns with a smile. Every nerve has eased. He has nothing to fear, he feels just as home in the Malfoy Manor as he does in his own house.

Scorpius takes Albus’ wrist. “We should talk. Later.”

And with that, Scorpius leaves to the dining room. Without a choice, Albus follows helplessly.

Dinner goes by slowly. Draco talks a bit about his job, without saying anything too specific, because he knows Harry will ask every detail later on to Albus. Narcissa talks about the ladies she takes her tea with, and how she’s seen a piece of jewellery that is just too pretty, and wouldn’t it be fun if my grandson gifted it to me? But she also tells Scorpius to save, because one never knows what will happen in the future. Then, she asks a fateful question to Albus.

“Albus, dearest,” she says, in a voice that’s dripping honey. “Are you still dating that girl? What was her name… Laurel?”

“Laura,” Scorpius corrects her, but he’s grown stiff in his movements.

Draco sends Scorpius a worried glance, then an hateful one to Albus.

Albus shrinks on himself. “No, we… uh, we broke up. Just a little after Scorpius left, actually.”

“You didn’t tell me,” Scorpius says, regaining some power over himself, some composure.

Albus shrugs. “You didn’t ask.”

Scorpius snorts. “Right. Because I needed to ask you.”

Albus tightens his hold on the fork, until his knuckles turn white. “Can we talk about this later?”

Scorpius huffs, but he doesn’t bother going on with the subject. He turns back to his food, and Albus tries to do the same, despite the eyes of the two older Malfoys on him.

“What about work, dear?” Narcissa asks, going for a safer subject.

Albus takes a breath of relief.

The rest of the dinner goes smoothly, and Albus almost forgets about his small argument with Scorpius, at least until it’s midnight, and Albus is about to go home.

“Can we talk now?” Scorpius asks, when they are alone in the entrance. He has already retrieved his coat, so Albus knows he won’t take no for an answer.

“Of course,” Albus replies, leading the way to his car.

They sit alone for a moment. Albus turns on the engine, and starts driving around. He doesn’t have a place to go, he just doesn’t want to do whatever they are about to do in front of Scorpius’ house.

“Have you had any girl after Laura?” Scorpius asks, stubbornly watching the road.

Albus exhales through his teeth. “Does it matter?”

“I don’t know. Did they matter?”

Albus thinks about it for a moment. “One of them did. She meant a lot to me.”

And I can go anywhere I want

Anywhere I want, just not home

“What did you write My Tears Ricochet about?” Albus asks.

Scorpius sighs. “I’ve felt for a long time that there were too many memories here. So I could go anywhere I want, just not home. I’ve been everywhere in the world in the last few years, but I missed being here. I missed you, Albus Severus.”

Albus Severus. Never just Albus, never just Al. Once, Albus asked him why. “Because I see all of you, not just a side,” Scorpius had replied.

“So why did you stop replying to my messages?” Albus asks, then pulls over to an empty parking lot. He leaves the car turned on, otherwise they’d freeze to death in there.

“Because it hurt too much,” Scorpius replies. “It hurt knowing I’d left you here with Laura.”

Albus swallows. “I never understood why you hate her so much.”

“Don’t be a liar. You know.”

“Then why did you leave?”

Scorpius’ voice breaks as he replies. “Because I couldn’t stay and watch you with her knowing I loved you, Albus Severus. Still do, never stopped.”

“Then why didn’t you come back, in all this time?”

“Because I love you, and you see me as your best friend.”

Albus’ heart breaks a little. He puts his hand over Scorpius.

“I don’t know when, so don’t ask me, because I won’t have an answer. And I don’t know how to string pretty words together to sound romantic and passionate. I just know that, somewhere along the way, I’ve fallen for you, Scorp. And if you’d asked my opinion once over the last five years, I would have gladly told you.”

To that bloodshed, crimson clover

Uh-huh, the worst was over

My hand was the one you reached for

All throughout the Great War

Always remember

Uh-huh, we're burned for better

I vowed I would always be yours

'Cause we survived the Great War

[pls-let-me-out]

They meet in the fifteen hundreds off in a foreign land, and Nico is forced to marry another man. They run away and leave it all behind.

It happens in a rather simple manner. Nico is the son of Duke di Angelo, and Will is nobody’s son, just a healer that happens to work in the di Angelo Estate. Nico sees him once, when his father introduces them, and promptly falls in love. It’s a feeling that comes from his whole body, all at once, he sees Mr Solace and thinks to himself This is it for me. But of course it can’t be.

Because he’s Nicolò Mauro di Angelo, and he should know better than to think his father would settle for a healer. But Nico can’t help finding more and more reasons to go to the doctor’s quarters, most of the time feigning illnesses.

“Please, your grace, we can’t do this,” Mr Solace finally says, breaking down.

Nico looks at him sharply. “Why not? Do you not want it? Do you not want me?”

Mr Solace puts his hands in his hair, pacing up and down the room. “Of course, dear God, so much it’s driving me mad! But I work for your father, and - and you are everything to him.”

Nico stops Mr Solace’s pacing by grabbing his wrist. The point of contact burns.

“Am I not everything to you?” He asks.

“Your grace…”

“Sometimes there’s no proof, you just know.” Nico shakes his head. “That’s what a great writer once said. And it’s true. I don’t need any proof, I just know you burn for me the same way I burn for you.”

“But we can’t! Can’t you see it?”

Nico shakes his head, but this time in defiance. “If you wish so.”

“I don’t. I wish with all of myself that I could have you. I wish I could marry you, that we could be happy together as God has made us to be. Because I know there’s the Almighty’s work behind all of this, every touch is sacred, every look, every time we speak to one another. Yet it’s impossible. Your father would never give his permission.”

“Then let’s not ask,” Nico replies.

Mr Solace chuckles lowly. The sound sends shivers up Nico’s back. “You must be crazy, my love.”

The use of the pet name makes Nico melt. “So I am. What about it?”

Mr Solace shakes his head. “You are perfect as you are, all craziness included. You have to be crazy to settle for someone like me when you could have anybody.”

Nico shakes his head. “I’m not crazy. I’m just in love.”

It’s three weeks later that Hades announces it to Nico.

“You’ll marry the Vulcan boy,” he says. “In two weeks.”

Nico cries himself to sleep for two nights in a row, refusing to eat during the day, but his father doesn’t change his mind. Because Nico is a di Angelo, and di Angelos do as they are told. But something in Nico says to stop, so he does, and he thinks about it. He visits the infirmary again that day.

Mr Solace’s eyes are red. He looks like he hasn’t been sleeping properly, just like Nico. As soon as the door closes, Nico is in his arms.

“I’m so sorry,” Mr Solace whispers in Nico’s hair. “My love, I’m so sorry our time has been cut so short.”

Nico shakes his head. “No. Absolutely no. I won’t do it, I’m ready to sacrifice everything to be with you.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Show me the real world, Mr Solace,” Nico replies. “Show me what it means to live outside this palace walls. You would have turned my head even if we’d met a hundred years ago, even if I was a King’s son and you my knight. Even if I was nobody at all.”

Mr Solace swallows, his Adam apple bops up and down. “Then what do you suggest?”

“That we runaway together.”

“Running away? Are you - yes, you are, I know that already.”

“I’m ready to do everything to have you. Will you do the same for me?”

Mr Solace takes Nico’s face in his hands, forcing their eyes to meet. “Of course I am. I will love you when our hair is turning grey, we’ll have a box filled with memories. And our children will know what true love looks like.”

“So you will runaway with me?”

“My love, you don’t even have to ask.”

It takes Duke Hades di Angelo approximately six weeks to find them, two to forgive Nico for scaring him so much, and ten days to accept his only son and heir is in love with a man coming from nothing.

“We are timeless, father,” Nico tells him. “You can try keeping us apart, but you won’t succeed.”

Hades shakes his head, but there’s the beginning of a smile on his face. “I can’t believe this happened right under my nose.”

“I will always love your son,” Will promises, taking Nico’s hand in his, and squeezing tightly. “Even when time breaks down our minds and bodies, we will still be together, that I can promise you. I never intend to part from him, and I find each day spent without him to be wasted. I love your son, truly.”

Hades sighs. “I see I cannot do anything to part the two of you. I can only accept your love.”

And so he does, and Will and Nico go back to what feels like a normal life. Will works in the infirmary, and Nico does whatever it is the heir of a Duke such as him does. But at night, when they are left alone together, they can finally love each other, with no fear of being discovered.