When do I write sad!fic? During the holidays apparently.
Title: Crooked Smiles
Author: asnowyowl
Pairing: AW/FP, AW/MP (implied)
Summary: Arthur’s choices aren’t always perfect (or his own).
Warnings: Character death, Sad!fic (yeah, yeah, I know it’s the holidays)
Word Count: 1830
Rating: NC17
Notes: Dedicated to marguerite_26 who, on her wish list, asked for people to write a pairing they’d never written before. I’ve certainly never written these two. Unbeta’d because I’ve lately been inundating poor bk7brokemybrain with fic to beta. Written in present tense.
Crooked Smiles
He snaps his hips and then groans as, below him, Fabian lets out a quiet sigh and coats their stomachs with his release. One thrust more, two, and the spasms of the arse he's buried in throw Arthur over the edge. His lungs heave and his muscles quiver as he tries to hold himself on shaky arms.
"You can let go, Arthur. You won't hurt me."
Arthur pulls in a long breath and opens his eyes.
Fabian is smiling up at him, that crooked smile that was the first thing Arthur ever noticed about the year-older boy, blooms on his face. At seventeen, Fabian Prewett already has light crinkles around his eyes, product of all his smiles. His ginger hair is a bit lighter than Arthur's, but still, they could almost be mistaken for brothers. Almost… unless anyone caught them at this.
Fabian's got a brother, however, and it certainly isn't Arthur. Gideon, Fabian's twin, is as different from Fabian in temperament as they're the same in looks. No matter how much Arthur's body and mind respond to Fabian, Gideon will never bring out those same feelings.
He slowly lets himself sink down, relieves the pressure from his trembling arms, and covers Fabian's body with his own, laying his head on a furry chest. His hair is ruffled and a chuckle sounds against his ear.
"Well, what do you think? Was it as good as you imagined?"
Arthur grins, though he knows Fabian can't see it. He nods.
Fabian laughs. "I told you. But remember, just because you like it so well, doesn't mean I'm going to bottom all the time."
No worries there. Arthur can barely believe Fabian let him top this once, it's not like he thought he'd get the chance to do it again. Besides, he likes having Fabian's cock up his arse.
After several minutes, in which Arthur starts to drift to sleep, Fabian wriggles. "It's almost curfew. We need to get back to the dorm. Come on, Arthur. Wake up and get dressed."
He does. They do.
When they return to the Gryffindor common room, Gideon narrows his eyes and peers at them over a Transfiguration text. Molly rushes over and grabs Arthur's hand, pulling him toward the table she's got her books scattered on. "Why were you gone so long? Where's the library book you were supposed to bring back?" She scowls.
Arthur grins at Molly. She's the best friend he's ever had, but he doesn't think she'd approve of what he's been doing with her brother. “I couldn’t find it. Someone else must have already checked it out."
xoxoxox
It's almost the summer holidays. Fabian's last year at Hogwarts is coming to a close and Arthur is already mourning the loss of the man he loves. They sneak away as often as they can, but it's never enough.
Tonight they are able to slip into an empty classroom and slide their naked bodies against each other. Frotting might not be as satisfying as a good fuck, but they need to hurry. Molly's waiting for Arthur to revise with her and Gideon… well, who knows what demands Gideon's putting on Fabian.
It's quick and hot and over much too soon. As he pulls on his socks, Fabian says, "Gideon's getting suspicious. We need to be more careful."
Arthur wonders how much more careful they can be and why they'd want to when they only have a couple of weeks left, anyway.
xoxoxox
The day before the Express will clip them off to their scattered homes, Fabian pulls Arthur behind a tapestry. He presses their lips together, and then whispers without pulling back, so it feels like Arthur is hearing the words through his mouth instead of his ears. "Do you love me?"
Arthur wants to step back, but he doesn’t. He wants to see the look on Fabian's face, see if there's mischief in his eyes, or if he's serious. Of course Arthur loves him. He's loved him for more than a year, will love him for the rest of his life, has told him so as often as he dared. He nods.
"Good. Then I have an idea."
The rock that's been sitting in Arthur's stomach lightens. He's been so worried about what will happen when they're pulled apart. It won't just be a summer this time. It'll be Fabian going to work at the Ministry and Arthur returning to a lonely castle in the fall. And the Ministry isn’t a safe place to be with a veiled darkness descending on the magical world, targeting the government. "What?" he breathes.
"Will you do what I tell you if it means we can be together over the summer?"
Arthur finally pulls back. He needs to see his lover's face. The crooked smile is replaced by thinned lips. "I… I will." And then with more conviction, "Of course I will. Anything."
"Good!" Fabian visibly relaxes. He ruffles Arthur’s hair. "I knew you would. All you have to do is make Molly your girlfriend. Our parents will all be thrilled. No one will stop you from visiting every day if you want, and Gideon will stop being such a suspicious swot."
The hope that's been blooming in Arthur's chest wilts. "Molly's my best friend. I can't use her like that. Anyway, why don't we just tell everyone we're together? No more sneaking around."
Fabian shakes his head. "The Ministry won't hire poofters. You know that. Give me a couple of years to build my reputation, and then we can come out."
Arthur does something he’s never done before, he steps completely away from Fabian. "And what about Molly?"
"Molly's a tough old girl. She'll be fine. She'll understand." The skin around Fabian's eyes crinkles in the familiar pattern as the smile regains his face. "Do this for me, Arthur. Do it for us."
Arthur shakes his head, but he knows it's a lie.
xoxoxox
Molly takes to being a girlfriend like a duck takes to water, but she’s different when she’s in if for romance and not friendship. She wants to hold hands all the time, and snuggle under the apple tree, and know what Arthur’s doing each minute of every day.
Arthur can feel Fabian’s eyes on him that whole long, hot summer, but when he turns to look back, Fabian’s smile is pasted on. His eyes don’t crinkle.
The scant times they are able to get away are desperate and rushed and leave Arthur feeling more wanting than if they hadn’t happened at all.
But into the heated skin at Arthur’s neck, Fabian whispers, “At least we get to see each other. I know it’s not perfect, but at least it’s something.
Arthur grunts out his release and nods, not agreeing, but not wanting to ruin the moment, either. “I have to break up with Molly. I can’t keep doing this. She wants to do things.
He’s never seen Fabian’s face so hard, so angry. Fabian wags a finger in Arthurs face, while below, his cock sways along - still hard, but deflating with every passing moment, with every sour breath. “You don’t touch my sister.”
Not I don’t want Molly touching you, not tell her you want to wait or you’re right, it has to end now. No. It’s don’t touch her! like Arthur isn’t good enough to really be Molly’s boyfriend, like all of Fabian’s feelings are for his sister, with none to spare for his lover.
As they sneak out of the shed, Fabian having still not found his release, Gideon is watching, waiting with narrowed eyes.
Fabian stiffens and walks away, turning his back on them both, but he catches Arthur that evening just before Arthur readies to Floo home. Fabian winks at Molly and says, “Give me a minute with your boy, yeah?”
She giggles and blushes and leaves, never once questioning why. She’s more like Fabian in that way than Gideon: optimistic, trusting.
Fabian blushes, too. He scuffs his foot on the floor looking more like a child than the man who will start his first real job the next day. “Sorry ‘bout earlier.”
Arthur nods, not yet willing to let his lover off the hook.
“It was a horrible idea, wasn’t it?” Fabian smiles, his old lopsided smile, complete with wrinkles and twinkling eyes.
“Horrible. What do we do now?”
“I can’t stand the thought of Molly and you…. Hold on for another day or two until I can tell Gideon about us. Then we can be together.” Fabian nods like it’s all set, like it’s nothing more major than telling your mum you got a T in Potions.
Arthur’s throat tightens. He’s joyful and angry and sad all at once. This is what he’s been waiting for, but couldn’t Fabian have come to this conclusion before Molly got involved? He swallows hard, loosening his tongue. “What about Molly?”
“She’ll understand. She’s a tough old bird.”
But Arthur isn’t sure.
Fabian kisses him and says, “I promise,” and Arthur wants to believe him.
xoxoxox
After a sleepless night, Arthur Floo’s to the Prewett house. Fabian won’t be there, he and Gideon will already have left for the Ministry, but that’s okay, that’ll make this whole thing easier.
Fabian has made him wait for months to really be together, so now he’ll have to wait for Arthur. A few weeks, at least, to let Molly heal from the break-up before Arthur’s suddenly in her life again, only this time on the arm of her brother.
Molly meets him at the door, tears tracking down her cheeks, and Arthur silently curses Fabian for telling her so soon. How could he? But it’s not what he thinks. An Auror is in the kitchen with Mr. and Mrs. Prewett, and he’s rambling on about how they’ve never lost trainees before and how it’s all just another clue that darkness is rising in their world. “Gideon and Fabian fought like true heroes,” he says, “but they were outnumbered, didn’t stand a chance.”
And he’s sorry. The Auror keeps saying he’s sorry, but it makes so little sense that Arthur’s brain just chooses to shut down.
When he’s next aware of his surroundings, he’s sobbing into Molly’s bosom, wailing his grief.
She never asks why he was so tattered by the news.
xoxoxox
It’s been years and Arthur’s happy, at least as happy as he can imagine being, what with Fabian buried so long ago.
Sometimes, late at night, with Molly snoring gently beside him, he lets himself remember. Now it’s not so much heartbreak as it is a dull ache, a hunger that can never be satisfied.
And sometimes, even when he doesn’t want to remember, his second born, Charlie, will look at him and flash a crooked smile. The skin around his eyes will crinkle, leaving traces behind even when the smile is long gone, and Arthur has no choice. He has to remember. There’s no way he could ever forget.
end
End Notes: I’m sure I screwed with canon timelines as Fabian and Gideon were most certainly older when they died, and I’m sure Arthur and Molly were already married by then, but, well, I liked how this worked out for the story, so what’s done is done.
Author: asnowyowl
Pairing: AW/FP, AW/MP (implied)
Summary: Arthur’s choices aren’t always perfect (or his own).
Warnings: Character death, Sad!fic (yeah, yeah, I know it’s the holidays)
Word Count: 1830
Rating: NC17
Notes: Dedicated to marguerite_26 who, on her wish list, asked for people to write a pairing they’d never written before. I’ve certainly never written these two. Unbeta’d because I’ve lately been inundating poor bk7brokemybrain with fic to beta. Written in present tense.
Crooked Smiles
He snaps his hips and then groans as, below him, Fabian lets out a quiet sigh and coats their stomachs with his release. One thrust more, two, and the spasms of the arse he's buried in throw Arthur over the edge. His lungs heave and his muscles quiver as he tries to hold himself on shaky arms.
"You can let go, Arthur. You won't hurt me."
Arthur pulls in a long breath and opens his eyes.
Fabian is smiling up at him, that crooked smile that was the first thing Arthur ever noticed about the year-older boy, blooms on his face. At seventeen, Fabian Prewett already has light crinkles around his eyes, product of all his smiles. His ginger hair is a bit lighter than Arthur's, but still, they could almost be mistaken for brothers. Almost… unless anyone caught them at this.
Fabian's got a brother, however, and it certainly isn't Arthur. Gideon, Fabian's twin, is as different from Fabian in temperament as they're the same in looks. No matter how much Arthur's body and mind respond to Fabian, Gideon will never bring out those same feelings.
He slowly lets himself sink down, relieves the pressure from his trembling arms, and covers Fabian's body with his own, laying his head on a furry chest. His hair is ruffled and a chuckle sounds against his ear.
"Well, what do you think? Was it as good as you imagined?"
Arthur grins, though he knows Fabian can't see it. He nods.
Fabian laughs. "I told you. But remember, just because you like it so well, doesn't mean I'm going to bottom all the time."
No worries there. Arthur can barely believe Fabian let him top this once, it's not like he thought he'd get the chance to do it again. Besides, he likes having Fabian's cock up his arse.
After several minutes, in which Arthur starts to drift to sleep, Fabian wriggles. "It's almost curfew. We need to get back to the dorm. Come on, Arthur. Wake up and get dressed."
He does. They do.
When they return to the Gryffindor common room, Gideon narrows his eyes and peers at them over a Transfiguration text. Molly rushes over and grabs Arthur's hand, pulling him toward the table she's got her books scattered on. "Why were you gone so long? Where's the library book you were supposed to bring back?" She scowls.
Arthur grins at Molly. She's the best friend he's ever had, but he doesn't think she'd approve of what he's been doing with her brother. “I couldn’t find it. Someone else must have already checked it out."
xoxoxox
It's almost the summer holidays. Fabian's last year at Hogwarts is coming to a close and Arthur is already mourning the loss of the man he loves. They sneak away as often as they can, but it's never enough.
Tonight they are able to slip into an empty classroom and slide their naked bodies against each other. Frotting might not be as satisfying as a good fuck, but they need to hurry. Molly's waiting for Arthur to revise with her and Gideon… well, who knows what demands Gideon's putting on Fabian.
It's quick and hot and over much too soon. As he pulls on his socks, Fabian says, "Gideon's getting suspicious. We need to be more careful."
Arthur wonders how much more careful they can be and why they'd want to when they only have a couple of weeks left, anyway.
xoxoxox
The day before the Express will clip them off to their scattered homes, Fabian pulls Arthur behind a tapestry. He presses their lips together, and then whispers without pulling back, so it feels like Arthur is hearing the words through his mouth instead of his ears. "Do you love me?"
Arthur wants to step back, but he doesn’t. He wants to see the look on Fabian's face, see if there's mischief in his eyes, or if he's serious. Of course Arthur loves him. He's loved him for more than a year, will love him for the rest of his life, has told him so as often as he dared. He nods.
"Good. Then I have an idea."
The rock that's been sitting in Arthur's stomach lightens. He's been so worried about what will happen when they're pulled apart. It won't just be a summer this time. It'll be Fabian going to work at the Ministry and Arthur returning to a lonely castle in the fall. And the Ministry isn’t a safe place to be with a veiled darkness descending on the magical world, targeting the government. "What?" he breathes.
"Will you do what I tell you if it means we can be together over the summer?"
Arthur finally pulls back. He needs to see his lover's face. The crooked smile is replaced by thinned lips. "I… I will." And then with more conviction, "Of course I will. Anything."
"Good!" Fabian visibly relaxes. He ruffles Arthur’s hair. "I knew you would. All you have to do is make Molly your girlfriend. Our parents will all be thrilled. No one will stop you from visiting every day if you want, and Gideon will stop being such a suspicious swot."
The hope that's been blooming in Arthur's chest wilts. "Molly's my best friend. I can't use her like that. Anyway, why don't we just tell everyone we're together? No more sneaking around."
Fabian shakes his head. "The Ministry won't hire poofters. You know that. Give me a couple of years to build my reputation, and then we can come out."
Arthur does something he’s never done before, he steps completely away from Fabian. "And what about Molly?"
"Molly's a tough old girl. She'll be fine. She'll understand." The skin around Fabian's eyes crinkles in the familiar pattern as the smile regains his face. "Do this for me, Arthur. Do it for us."
Arthur shakes his head, but he knows it's a lie.
xoxoxox
Molly takes to being a girlfriend like a duck takes to water, but she’s different when she’s in if for romance and not friendship. She wants to hold hands all the time, and snuggle under the apple tree, and know what Arthur’s doing each minute of every day.
Arthur can feel Fabian’s eyes on him that whole long, hot summer, but when he turns to look back, Fabian’s smile is pasted on. His eyes don’t crinkle.
The scant times they are able to get away are desperate and rushed and leave Arthur feeling more wanting than if they hadn’t happened at all.
But into the heated skin at Arthur’s neck, Fabian whispers, “At least we get to see each other. I know it’s not perfect, but at least it’s something.
Arthur grunts out his release and nods, not agreeing, but not wanting to ruin the moment, either. “I have to break up with Molly. I can’t keep doing this. She wants to do things.
He’s never seen Fabian’s face so hard, so angry. Fabian wags a finger in Arthurs face, while below, his cock sways along - still hard, but deflating with every passing moment, with every sour breath. “You don’t touch my sister.”
Not I don’t want Molly touching you, not tell her you want to wait or you’re right, it has to end now. No. It’s don’t touch her! like Arthur isn’t good enough to really be Molly’s boyfriend, like all of Fabian’s feelings are for his sister, with none to spare for his lover.
As they sneak out of the shed, Fabian having still not found his release, Gideon is watching, waiting with narrowed eyes.
Fabian stiffens and walks away, turning his back on them both, but he catches Arthur that evening just before Arthur readies to Floo home. Fabian winks at Molly and says, “Give me a minute with your boy, yeah?”
She giggles and blushes and leaves, never once questioning why. She’s more like Fabian in that way than Gideon: optimistic, trusting.
Fabian blushes, too. He scuffs his foot on the floor looking more like a child than the man who will start his first real job the next day. “Sorry ‘bout earlier.”
Arthur nods, not yet willing to let his lover off the hook.
“It was a horrible idea, wasn’t it?” Fabian smiles, his old lopsided smile, complete with wrinkles and twinkling eyes.
“Horrible. What do we do now?”
“I can’t stand the thought of Molly and you…. Hold on for another day or two until I can tell Gideon about us. Then we can be together.” Fabian nods like it’s all set, like it’s nothing more major than telling your mum you got a T in Potions.
Arthur’s throat tightens. He’s joyful and angry and sad all at once. This is what he’s been waiting for, but couldn’t Fabian have come to this conclusion before Molly got involved? He swallows hard, loosening his tongue. “What about Molly?”
“She’ll understand. She’s a tough old bird.”
But Arthur isn’t sure.
Fabian kisses him and says, “I promise,” and Arthur wants to believe him.
xoxoxox
After a sleepless night, Arthur Floo’s to the Prewett house. Fabian won’t be there, he and Gideon will already have left for the Ministry, but that’s okay, that’ll make this whole thing easier.
Fabian has made him wait for months to really be together, so now he’ll have to wait for Arthur. A few weeks, at least, to let Molly heal from the break-up before Arthur’s suddenly in her life again, only this time on the arm of her brother.
Molly meets him at the door, tears tracking down her cheeks, and Arthur silently curses Fabian for telling her so soon. How could he? But it’s not what he thinks. An Auror is in the kitchen with Mr. and Mrs. Prewett, and he’s rambling on about how they’ve never lost trainees before and how it’s all just another clue that darkness is rising in their world. “Gideon and Fabian fought like true heroes,” he says, “but they were outnumbered, didn’t stand a chance.”
And he’s sorry. The Auror keeps saying he’s sorry, but it makes so little sense that Arthur’s brain just chooses to shut down.
When he’s next aware of his surroundings, he’s sobbing into Molly’s bosom, wailing his grief.
She never asks why he was so tattered by the news.
xoxoxox
It’s been years and Arthur’s happy, at least as happy as he can imagine being, what with Fabian buried so long ago.
Sometimes, late at night, with Molly snoring gently beside him, he lets himself remember. Now it’s not so much heartbreak as it is a dull ache, a hunger that can never be satisfied.
And sometimes, even when he doesn’t want to remember, his second born, Charlie, will look at him and flash a crooked smile. The skin around his eyes will crinkle, leaving traces behind even when the smile is long gone, and Arthur has no choice. He has to remember. There’s no way he could ever forget.
end
End Notes: I’m sure I screwed with canon timelines as Fabian and Gideon were most certainly older when they died, and I’m sure Arthur and Molly were already married by then, but, well, I liked how this worked out for the story, so what’s done is done.