Fic: Welcome to Wonderland 02/02, Hp/Fig skating, J.Weir/H.Potter, JWeir/E.Lysacek, R
Title: Welcome to Wonderland (02/02)
Author: Beren
Fandom: Harry Potter/Figure Skating RPS
Pairing: Johnny Weir/Harry Potter, Johnny Weir/Evan Lysacek (mentions Ginny/Harry)
Rating: R
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. This is a work of fiction, the real people in it are used without their permission and I definitely don't own them or have any copyright to any part of any of them. I do not believe any of this happened, is likely to happen or should happen it is simply a story created around known facts about those involved.
Warnings: sex
Summary: At the 2011-2012 season US Nationals there is a whole lot of extra security because some insane Brit has decided they will make the perfect stage for a crime. Without even trying Johnny ends up right in the middle of everything, which results in him making a new friend in Harry Potter and finding out a whole lot about the world and, surprisingly, Evan Lysacek he didn't know.
Author's Notes: Written for lattebiscotti in the charity vgift meme thingy. I have no excuse why it took so long, I do hope you enjoy it. Thanks to Soph for the beta.
Word count: 12,960
Links: Part 1 | Part 2
My Fanfic Listings (LJ) | My Fanfic Listings (DreamW)
Harry had seen the effect of the Cruciatus curse too many times and he tried to hope as Johnny was swept off by the healers. The fact that Johnny had reacted to him after he had dealt with Parkinson was a good sign, but Johnny had given no indications of consciousness since. He'd left his subordinate to deal with the subdued criminal and decided to handle the issue with Lysacek and Johnny himself.
The fact that both men had been under the influence of an Unforgivable curse made the whole situation that more complicated. With Imperio and Cruciatius changing memories was a very bad idea, which meant that there was no easy way out of the issue. The news that Johnny was hurt had leaked almost immediately and Harry was well aware that meant he would be dealing with at least one member of Johnny's family sooner rather than later.
They had talked a lot the night they had spent in Johnny's hotel room and Harry knew more than he had ever expected to about his friend's family. He was very unsurprised when, after what seemed like an age of waiting around and checking in with his people, Patti Weir was shown into the same room where he was waiting.
"Mrs Weir," he said immediately, standing up and stepping towards here, "you must be exhausted, please come and sit down."
"I don't want to sit down," was the very direct response, "I want to see my son."
"He's still with the healers," Harry replied, taking the vague hostility in his stride; "they are stabilising his condition."
Prolonged exposure of more than a few seconds to the Cruciatus curse caused terrible nerve damage, Harry knew the healers would be working for a while yet. Patti Weir frowned at him, but did eventually take the seat he was offering.
"Mrs Weir," he said as he sat down beside her, "I'm very sorry this happened. I take full responsibility."
There was no way Parkinson should have made it inside their security cordon, and Harry felt incredibly guilty. When he found out how it had happened, heads were going to roll.
"Did you do your job?" Patti asked simply, looking him straight in the eye.
"Yes," he replied, without even thinking about hedging his response.
"Then you have nothing to be sorry for," was the surprising response. "They told me you have the man who hurt Johnny in custody."
"We do," Harry said with a nod.
"Then just make sure he gets what's coming to him."
Patti Weir, it seemed, was a remarkable woman.
"We will, Ma'am," Harry replied without so much as considering a different answer.
"Call me Patti," was her response and it seemed she was as averse to formality as her son was.
"Then please call me Harry, Patti."
It was a better start than he had expected. Of course now came the difficult bit; he had to break what had actually happened to Johnny's mum. Due to the severity of the crime and its particular circumstances, legally Johnny and his immediate family were allowed to know the truth and if Johnny woke up he was going to need all the support he could get.
"Patti," he said, trying to begin gently, "did you see anything unusual as you were shown in here?"
That earned him a very speculative look.
"This hospital is not like any I've ever been in before," Patti replied after a few moments, "at least not this part of it."
Harry nodded, hoping to encourage her. St Elizabeth's was both a Muggle and a Wizarding hospital, with the front half being for Muggle patients and the back for wizards and witches. The Americans seemed to like their magical and Muggle worlds not quite so far apart as in Britain.
"Is this to do with what happened to Johnny?"
"Yes," he replied simply, "this is a very specialised hospital whose staff are the only ones in the area who can treat Johnny."
Patti looked aghast.
"What did that monster do to my boy?"
"Patti," he said very gently, "what I'm going to tell you is going to seem very hard to believe, but please, just hear me out and then I'll show you something to prove it, okay?"
From the looks of things Patti was a pretty unshakable woman, because she nodded once.
"That monster isn't an ordinary man," Harry explained carefully, "he is a wizard."
Patti opened her mouth almost instantly to protest.
"So am I," Harry hurried on, "and everyone in this part of the hospital. We live alongside you in secret. The wizard who hurt Johnny used a curse on him that is so bad we call it an Unforgivable. Usually normal people aren't told about magic, but because of the severity of the crime I'm allowed to reveal the truth to you. When Johnny wakes up, he's going to need you."
By appealing to Patti's motherly instincts he hoped she wouldn't yell at him or anything. Very slowly, so as not to startle her, he pulled his wand from the holster he had up his sleeve.
"I'm just going to show you a little magic," he said and pointed the wand at the sheet of paper on the desk.
With a flick of his wrist he silently cast Wingardium Leviosa and the paper lifted into the air, floating there gently.
"Oh my," Patti said and just stared for a while.
With another flick he cancelled the spell.
"Now," he said in a sympathetic tone, you must have questions.
Never in his life did he expect what came next; it appeared Patti Weir was a woman who liked to know exactly what she was getting in to. Her questioning was like the third degree.
====
"How is he?"
Johnny floated back towards consciousness and heard voices. He had vague memories of drifting in and out before, but nothing that made any sense.
"He's responding well to the treatment," and unfamiliar person said; "the nerve damage will be fully repaired in a couple more days."
"And the rest?"
That sounded like Harry.
"We won't know until he wakes up," the unfamiliar person explained in a sympathetic tone, "if he wakes up. With Cruciatus it's so difficult to tell how much mental damage there is. If his mind has folded in on itself for protection he may not come back at all. He has been unconscious for three days; that's not a good sign."
That didn't sound good, but then Johnny realised that he was in fact awake and so he had nothing to worry about. His thoughts seemed to be moving really slowly and at a level just under moron.
"He was held under for nearly fifteen minutes," Harry said quietly; "it could just be the strain on his body."
"It could be," the other person said, but in a tone that suggested it was unlikely.
It was that which made Johnny decide he'd had enough and he needed to let them know he was conscious. That meant opening his eyes, so he tried. It felt something akin to trying to pull a quad after skating for three days straight with very little rest. He managed to flick his eyelids open for a moment, but they seemed to be made of lead or something. It was very frustrating and he made an annoyed little noise in the back of his throat as he tried again.
"Johnny?"
This time he managed to open his eyes for a little longer and got a flash of Harry looking down at him or at least his brain pattern matched the fuzzy image as Harry. He did his very best to say something and all that came out was a mumble, but it was better than nothing.
"Mr Weir," the unfamiliar person said, "please look at me if you can."
He made another noise of annoyance and did his best. This time he managed it for a second or so, but nothing was really in focus, or at least staying in focus.
"That's good," the woman talking to him said. "I'm Healer Gladstone, I've been looking after you. It's very good to see you waking up. I know you must be disorientated, so I want you to try and relax and let me help you."
That was easier said than done when your body seemed to not like you very much, but he did his best. He relaxed as well as he could as someone placed their hand beneath his head and carefully lifted it. When something was put to his lips and liquid was gently tipped into his mouth he did his utmost not to just spit it out or cough it all everywhere. He half succeeded.
Almost immediately, however, he began to feel a little more with it and he actually managed to open his eyes properly. He blinked up at the woman helping him as she gently put his head back on the pillow.
"Is that a little better?" she asked with a smile.
"Yes," he actually managed to say and he tried to add 'thank you', but it was more of a jumble than what he had meant.
Healer Gladstone seemed to get it though, because her smile widened.
"You're welcome," she said and pulled out a stick.
Johnny tried to flinch through the bed.
"Johnny," Harry's voice and a hand on his shoulder dragged his attention away, "it's okay, you're safe now. Healer Gladstone just needs to cast some diagnostic spells to make sure you're reacting well to the potion. It won't hurt."
It all made sense in a fantasy novel kind of way, but Johnny decided maybe he had gone a little mad.
"I'm sorry, Mr Weir," the woman said sincerely, "I had forgotten you have only seen a wand when it was used to hurt you. I promise this won't be uncomfortable at all and it will be over in a second. Is it alright if I proceed?"
The spike of fear had been so strong that Johnny could feel his heart racing even after the words of reassurance. The memory of the pain was still so close.
"Okay," he said eventually, the adrenaline in his system at least making his mouth more responsive.
The healer pointed her wand at him and said something he did not understand and he tensed; he couldn't help himself. However, a soft yellow light floated out of the end of her wand and slowly enveloped him and he could barely feel it. There was a slight tingling in his skin, but it was actually kind of relaxing and he slowly found his muscles releasing.
"Thank you, Mr Weir," Healer Gladstone said with a smile as she flicked her wand and the light disappeared, "you seem to be responding very well."
"Johnny," he said automatically, "Mr Weir is my dad."
"Johnny," the woman acknowledged with a nod. "I just have to go and record these results and then I will be back. I shall leave you in Mr Potter's capable hands until then."
He watched her leave and then he looked at Harry; he needed some answers.
"What's going on?" he asked as loudly as he could manage.
"I'm a wizard," Harry said simply, "and so is Parkinson. It's why I was sent to catch him; I'm what we call an Auror, I track dark wizards."
Johnny had seen things, felt things, but he couldn't really make himself believe it.
"Magic is real," he said eventually, more to make himself think it than to ask the question.
"Very," Harry replied and sounded apologetic, "and you have been the victim of the worst kind. Parkinson is safely locked up now; he can't hurt anyone else."
His memory was unfortunately unfuzzy and Johnny shivered as Harry's words brought back what had happened. In desperation he tried to focus his mind on something else.
"With Adam," he said, as his thoughts grabbed at anything, "there was magic with Adam."
Harry nodded.
"Your memory was altered after the incident to forget about the magic," Harry told him and he began to feel righteous indignation; "everything else you remember though, happened."
"My memory?" he all but hissed.
"I'm sorry, Johnny," Harry said and did sound as if he really was, "it's the law. Muggles aren't allowed to know about magic. It's safer for you and us."
It sounded so sincere, but Johnny didn't like it at all. People doing things to other people's thoughts was just plain wrong. It also occurred to him that he still remembered about magic and, from what Harry had said, that was illegal.
"Are you going to make me forget all this now?" he asked, suddenly afraid.
The idea of anyone messing with his mind was a little horrifying.
"No," Harry assured him and patted his hand gently; "you've been through far too much for that. The situation is way beyond the situations those laws were designed for and no one will be messing with anyone's memory. The cover story given to the press is that you were kidnapped and tortured using electro nerve stimulation, but your family and those involved know the truth."
"Evan?" Johnny suddenly remembered who else had been there.
His brain really wasn't working very fast, even with the help of whatever the healer had poured down his throat.
"Is fine," was the immediate response. "He told us everything that happened. He was being controlled by Parkinson, but he was perfectly alright as soon as the spell was ended."
That was a relief at least; he and Evan were not exactly friends, but he wouldn't wish bad things on anyone.
"Controlled?"
"There is a spell," Harry explained and there was a haunted look in his eyes, "it's one of the three that our society calls Unforgivables. It allows a wizard to control the actions and thoughts of another. Parkinson used it on Evan to trap you. One of the other Unforgivables was the spell Parkinson used on you; it's only function is to cause pain."
Johnny shivered again.
"I heard something about nerve damage," he said trying to push away the memories.
"The spell overloads the nervous system," Harry told him, "and with prolonged exposure it causes nerve damage, but don't worry, that part is easily fixed. The healers will have you back to normal in no time."
He remembered the healer saying something about that as he woke up, but it was comforting to hear it reiterated.
"What can't they fix?" He voiced the part that was worrying him.
"The mind," was the simple answer. "We were worried you weren't going to wake up at all. Victims often don't, but you're clearly made of sterner stuff than most."
Harry sounded almost proud of him for that, Johnny just tried not to think about it.
"Probably just lucky," he said quietly.
"Johnny," Harry said and carefully took his hand, "I've been there. Not for as long as you, but I've felt it. Surviving has nothing to do with luck, it's all about will. If ... when you're ready to talk about it, I understand, okay?"
He looked closely at Harry's face then and he saw a reflection of pain deep in Harry's stunningly green eyes. Nodding slowly he agreed, but he wasn't even ready to think about it yet.
"You mentioned my family," he said, doing his best to keep himself distracted.
"Your mum has barely left your side since you've been here," Harry said with a small smile; "she is a very formidable woman. She took the whole magic thing very calmly."
That made Johnny smile as well; Patti was not someone who was easily thrown by anything.
"Evan took her to find some breakfast while Healer Gladstone did your morning examination," Harry continued to explain.
Johnny's brain did a quick stall.
"Evan?" he asked, because he only knew one Evan and his mom did not like that Evan at all.
The way Harry smiled suggested Harry might have an inkling about why he was shocked.
"He asked to see you as soon as the healers gave him a clean bill of health," Harry said, still smiling, "and he and your mum spoke for some time. I think they appointed themselves your Muggle guardians among all of us wizards."
Evan and Patti allied together; Johnny wasn't sure if that was comforting or terrifying.
"Will they ..." He had been about to ask if Evan and his mom would be back soon, but he was interrupted by an enormous yawn. It took him completely by surprise and he couldn't even tone it down.
"Looks like you need to sleep," Harry suggested with a soft smile.
"But Patti," Johnny tried to object.
"Will be here when you wake up again," Harry said as Johnny began to realise his eyelids were drooping again. "Don't fight it, Johnny; your body knows best."
"Been asleep for three days," he pointed out, but his voice was soft and felt woolly around the edges.
"Go to sleep," Harry said, squeezing his hand gently, and Johnny didn't have to strength to argue.
====
Johnny had been staring at Evan reading a magazine for almost a minute before he even realised that his eyes were open. It took his brain that long to figure out he wasn't sleeping anymore. Evan looked somewhat dishevelled; his hair was unstyled, he had stubble and his clothes looked more thrown on than chosen. It was a strangely attractive look on Evan, which was the thought Johnny's mind decided to kick start while having and he finally blinked.
That was the kind of thought he hadn't had since he and Evan had really started the rivalry and it was unsettling to wake up thinking it. If his head hadn't chosen that moment to inform him it was aching he might have been more worried.
"Ow," he said as the thumping made itself known.
"Johnny," Evan said, sounding half pleased and half genuinely concerned, "you're awake. Do you need me to get a nurse ... um ... I mean healer?"
He made a non-committal noise; he wasn't actually sure.
"I'll call someone," Evan decided at which point Johnny made up his mind.
"No," he said as he came to the conclusion that was a bad idea, "I'll be okay."
His head was aching, but it wasn't too bad and he didn't like medication. The potion Healer Gladstone had fed him tasted bad and even though it didn't seem to have had any of the side effects of normal medicine, he still didn't want any more.
"Thanks," he added as an afterthought.
His thoughts seemed to be working faster than they had been before and he blinked and looked around the room.
"Where's Patti?" he asked, surprised that Evan was there and his mom wasn't.
"Talking to Healer Gladstone about how long you need to stay here and what after care you'll need now that you're awake," Evan said, clearly parroting off information he had been given.
It said quite a lot to Johnny's psyche that he didn't find that anywhere as annoying as he used to do. Clearly Evan had changed brackets in his head, but then when it came to people looking after his mom when he couldn't, it tended to mean a lot to Johnny.
"I hope the answer is not long and not much," he said and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Everyone seemed quite excited that you were awake," Evan told him, looking what Johnny thought was probably hopeful; he was out of practice reading Evan.
Once they had been friends, but that seemed like such a long time ago.
"Shame it's not just a matter of waving one of those wands," he replied and then did his very best not to shudder.
He was more than aware that the memory of a stick pointed at him was going to haunt his thoughts for a while.
"I heard something about a couple of days," Evan said and sounded as if he was trying to cheer Johnny up.
While appreciating the sentiment, Johnny didn't find it that easy to let go of the recollection that was bothering him. It was also clear that Evan had shadows of his own to deal with as an awkward silence fell.
"Well you'll need to get back on the ice as soon as possible to be ready for Worlds," Evan said in that earnest tone he had in what appeared to be a desperate attempt to change the subject.
Johnny was pretty sure he should be certified for finding it kind of cute. Just because Evan was being friendly did not mean it was time for any of the feeling he might have once had for his rival to surface. He was so busy thinking about that, that it took him a second to realise what Evan had actually said.
"I made it?" he asked as the idea finally resolved in his head.
The fact that he had been incapacitated before he had heard the final result only then dawned on him. It was incredibly important, but seemed so distant after what had happened.
"Oh, of course, you don't know," Evan said, eyes going wide with realisation, "oh, no, I should have let your mom tell you."
Evan appeared pathetically worried; Johnny almost wanted to laugh. It was a nice distraction.
"Well you didn't," he said and would have rolled his eyes if he hadn't thought it would exacerbate his headache, "so spill; what were the final placings."
Evan's expression was kind of panicked.
"Evan," he said in a warning tone.
"You came first, I came second, Jeremy came third because he fell," Evan finally confessed.
For a few seconds Johnny forgot about everything else and gave a whoop of joy. It never occurred to him not to sit up and throw his arms around a very startled Evan and give the other skater a hug.
"Oh crap," he said as his jubilance became a nauseating room spinning and he came over all lightheaded and weak.
"Johnny, you're an idiot," Evan said, proving that he wasn't as much of a wimp as he seemed to have been trying to pretend.
"Winning idiot," Johnny countered as Evan helped him lie back on his pillows.
When he could look up again, Evan was actually smiling at that. Sometimes he forgot that Evan had a sense of humour, but he smiled back, enjoying the camaraderie. Everything was so weird, but he felt kind of closer to Evan, because they had shared part of it.
"I promise not to fall out of bed if you'll tell me what I've missed," he said with what he hoped was a winning batting of his eyelashes.
Evan actually rolled his eyes.
"If your mom kills me it's your fault," Evan told him, but then started to explain what had happened while he was asleep.
He was quite surprised by how comfortable the whole situation felt.
====
Rest and relaxation, that was the order of the day, and Johnny made himself stay in bed even though every instinct told him he should be on the ice. Healer Gladstone assured him he would be fully recovered soon, but they couldn't rush the treatments. Until they were finished he had strict instructions to do as little as possible and eat what was put in front of him. Patti was enjoying the last part far too much; she always worried about what he ate.
A new email popped up as he scanned his laptop and he clicked on it. It was from Tanith, but the message only read, 'you should see this' with a URL. It was a Youtube link so he clicked it and waited. What came up was Evan and it was some form of newscast.
"Evan, what do you think of the USFSA's proposal?" a reporter off screen asked.
"It's disgusting," Evan said in no uncertain terms.
Johnny hadn't heard of any proposal and he began to worry.
"Rerunning the men's competition would be plain wrong," Evan continued vehemently. "The only reason they suggested it is because Adam is ready to compete and Johnny isn't."
Ice ran up Johnny's spine as he listened. The USFSA couldn't do that to him, could they? If they reran the competition they would take away his title, declare it void, and he'd have to do it all again.
"There was disruption at the nationals," Evan was not stopping talking; very unusual for him, "but we all competed. Adam is a great guy, but he was down for competition. We all know what that feels like. He didn't ask to be kidnapped and hit over the head, but none of us ask for a broken toe or a sprained ankle either. Johnny won, fair and square; he was so damn good they couldn't mark him down, and he should lead us to the Worlds. If he chooses not to, then that's up to him, but the USFSA can't take that away from him."
Evan appeared positively furious.
"If they try," Evan said firmly and looked right into the camera, "I for one won't be there."
Johnny sat there with his mouth open. He didn't know what to think. Evan was not only defending him, his biggest rival was putting his career on the line.
"That was two hours ago," the reporter said as the report showed clips from the men's free skate, "when Evan Lysacek led the protest again the USFSA's proposal to re-run the men's figure skating national competition. So far fifteen of those who competed this year have added their names to the list who say they will not compete again. Included is last year's winner, Jeremy Abbott as well as the skater at the centre of the controversy, Adam Rippon."
He couldn't believe it, he really couldn't. The powers that be were conspiring against him, but above that, his fellow skaters were going up against them. For a moment he felt a bit light headed; he wasn't very good at dealing with shocks to his system at the moment.
Of course that was the moment Evan decided to walk in and Johnny's equilibrium went flip and he burst into tears. The expression of panic on Evan's face might have made him laugh if he hadn't been on an emotional rollercoaster. From the way Evan looked around the room desperately, Johnny was pretty sure that Evan was hoping Patti would pop out from under the bed or something to help. Johnny just buried his face in his hands and carried on crying; he couldn't help it.
"Johnny," Evan's voice was a little scared, but very gentle as he spoke and a long, warm arm was draped carefully around Johnny's shoulders.
It was all the permission Johnny needed and he reached out blindly, wrapping his arms around Evan and burying his face in Evan's shirt. Definitely not what he had intended, but apparently what he really needed, because he kind of dissolved into a blubbering mess as all the emotions that had been bubbling around inside him all broke free.
Also, it seemed, Evan was not as bad in a crying crisis as Johnny might have suspected, because after the initial awkwardness, Evan seemed to get with the program and gently embraced him back. He was pretty sure there were meaningless platitudes being spoken, but all that he really cared about was the large hand making slow circles on his back in a very calming manner.
It took what felt like an inordinately long time to get himself back under control and when he finally drew back, Evan handed him a couple of Kleenex.
"Sorry," he apologised, feeling more than a little stupid.
"Don't worry about it," Evan replied and looked perfectly sincere. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Johnny took a deep breath and dabbed his eyes and nose. He was uncomfortably aware of the big wet patch that was now on the front of Evan's shirt.
"Tanith sent me a link to your latest news spot," he said, feeling a little bereft now that he was no longer in Evan's arms.
"Oh," Evan said, catching on fast, "oh, you don't have to worry about that. They already ruled. The ISU got involved and the results stand."
The urge to cry was suddenly back, but Johnny also realised that it wasn't really that which had set him off.
"Thank you," he said, feeling the gratitude welling up in him, "thank you for standing up for me."
Evan sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at him with a very serious expression.
"What they were trying to do was completely wrong," Evan said with a resolution Johnny had only ever seen in him on the ice. "You won fair and square; you were brilliant; they had no right to even suggest it."
"I embarrass them," he said quietly, knowing it was true.
"It's about time they grew up then," Evan said and totally seemed to mean it.
Johnny sniffed again as he felt overwhelmed for a second time and a tears rolled free no matter how he tried to stop it. Usually he had defences, long held beliefs and reasons he could hide behind, but he had been stripped bare. He was vulnerable and open and he just couldn't stop his reactions bubbling to the surface.
"Sorry," he apologised again, feeling incredibly awkward for melting down on the man who had already moved from rival to friend in his head.
He shut his eyes and tried to get a hold of himself. What shocked him into not completely folding again was the sudden feeling of soft lips on his own. He gasped and opened his eyes and stared as Evan pulled back, cheeks slowly heating up.
"Sorry," it was Evan's turn to apologise, "it seemed ... I ... I didn't want you to cry again."
Evan looked like he was about to bolt.
"Why?" Johnny's thoughts were spinning.
Evan stood.
"I'm sorry."
"Evan, tell me why you kissed me," Johnny insisted, throwing out his hand to grab Evan's arm.
Evan just stood there looking like he wanted to break away and run.
"Evan," Johnny said in a warning tone; he was in no mood for games.
"I ... kind of ... wanted to." It was dragged out of Evan word by word.
Johnny couldn't remotely pretend he wasn't stunned by that response. Evan wasn't a spontaneous person, not usually and Johnny wouldn't have known how to deal with sudden kissing at the best of times.
"How long," was what he asked eventually; "how long have you wanted to?"
It felt as if they were at a very delicate moment and Johnny didn't quite know what to do.
"When did I start being nasty to you?" Evan replied awkwardly.
Johnny's mouth fell open in shock.
"Oh my god," he said as realisation dawned, "you were pulling my pigtails."
"You pulled back," Evan replied with all the emotional maturity that his previous behaviour suggested.
"Because I thought you were just being a dick," Johnny replied, but couldn't help lifting his hand to touch his lips.
Evan had never been a people person and Johnny couldn't help wondering how much else about Evan he had read wrong. Evan still looked terrified and it dawned on Johnny quite how much courage kissing him must have actually taken.
"Did you want to kiss me again?" he asked as gently as he knew how.
If Evan said no he was pretty sure his heart would shatter and he'd be so much mess on the floor, but he owed it to them both to take the same risk Evan had. Very slowly Evan sat down again and then very carefully leaned in. This time the kiss came from both sides. Evan's stubble was scratchy, but his lips were soft and Johnny let himself sink into the kiss. They were still kissing when the door opened.
"Oops, sorry, I'll come back later."
That was Patti's voice and Evan kind of jumped back, blushing furiously when he heard it. Johnny found himself smiling.
"Mama, you don't have to go," he said, before his mother could close the door again. "Please come in."
Patti did step in then and quietly closed the door behind her.
"You boys looked busy," she said and Johnny couldn't help noticing his mother's eyes were very firmly on Evan.
Evan was still blushing the most adorable colour.
"Um," Evan didn't seem to know what to say to that.
"Plenty of time for that," Johnny said and then realised that he had just opened himself up to a possible world of hurt with those few words.
The slightly shocked look on Evan's face made Johnny feel even more vulnerable.
"Um," Evan said again, "would ... um ... would you like to go on a date?"
Johnny's inner girl jumped up and down and squealed and clapped her hands, on the outside he just sat there, once again stunned. Then he smiled and it felt as if his face was going to split.
"I'd love to," he said and he could barely remember why he had been crying.
"Awww," his mom said with a little sigh, "that it so adorable; I wish I had my camera."
Now Johnny remembered he had an embarrassment reflex and blushed right along with Evan.
"Mama!" he said in a scandalised tone.
His mother just smiled.
"Evan, dear," Patti said, still smiling, "do we really need to have the conversation that involves words like 'broken heart' and 'pain' and 'missing limbs'?"
Evan paled.
"No, Ma'am," was the immediate response and Johnny wasn't sure if he should be mortified or proud.
====
"So," Harry said, sitting down in the chair next to Johnny's bed, "did Evan finally make a move or did you figure it out first?"
Johnny looked at the other man in shock. Harry had been in the room for about five minutes, but so far all they had done was talk about Johnny finally being allowed out of the hospital.
"How did you..?"
"I may have been dense once, but I've trained myself to be more observant," Harry told him with a grin. "I'm not sure if Evan could have been broadcasting louder with a neon sign. Every time I walked in the room he prickled."
Johnny couldn't help wondering if Evan had been obvious for longer than that and he had just been missing it, or if this was a new thing.
"He kissed me, if you must know," he said eventually, deciding that there was no point in dwelling on the past, "and then I made him confess. I think the skating world has a hell of a lot to answer for; the poor lamb has the emotional maturity of a teenager."
Harry smiled at that.
"And I take it you've assigned yourself the task of changing that?" was the amused question.
Harry didn't seem to be the least bit upset that their fledging affair was well and truly off.
"I never thought of it before it happened," Johnny admitted quietly, feeling as if he could talk to Harry, "but I think I might have had a thing for Evan for a while. I was shocked when he kissed me, but the moment I realised he was serious I was all 'mine', 'keep'."
That revelation was met with a quiet laugh.
"I don't blame you," Harry said with another genuine smile; "he's definitely worth fighting for. Really big hands I noticed."
That made Johnny laugh.
"I'm not sure if I should be offended that you are taking rejection so calmly," he said, even though he was quite pleased that Harry didn't seem to mind.
"I'm happily married," Harry said and grinned, "and I make it a rule never to let a little fun sex get in the way of a real relationship."
That made Johnny smile fondly; Harry's marriage was definitely unconventional, but it was abundantly obvious that Harry really did love his wife. Then it dawned on him what Harry was hinting about him and Evan.
"I'm not sure it's a real relationship," he said, looking down at his fingers and playing with his nails, "we haven't even been on a date yet."
"Yeah, and I'm a Muggle," Harry said in a very dismissive tone.
When Johnny looked up, Harry was rolling his eyes at him.
"It could go disastrously wrong," he protested, "I don't want to get my hopes up."
Harry rolled his eyes some more.
"Johnny, I've known you for a couple of days and even I know it's too late for that."
That was one of Johnny's big problems, when he let his heart into things there was no turning back.
"Just keep remembering the 'keep' and 'mine' instincts and you'll be fine," Harry told him and patted his hand gently. "Honestly, I think if you say jump, Evan will ask how high."
There were so many reasons it might not work: they were competitors for a start; then there was the whole Evan being completely in the closet problem; followed of course by the fact they had basically been at war for several years. Johnny couldn't help thinking about all of that, but he had to admit Harry had a point.
"Hell," he said, deciding it wasn't worth thinking of maybes when life was so short, "if the worst comes to the worst we can go be OCD together. I'll clean everything and he can arrange it all in threes."
"See," Harry said and laughed, "you're perfect for each other."
There was a light knock at the door and Johnny looked up to see a very awkward looking Evan standing there. He felt a smile cover his face almost instantly and that really told him all he needed to know.
"Evan," he said and he honestly felt his mood brighten, "come in."
When he held out his hand Evan walked over and took it, but he could tell that Evan was doing his best not to frown at Harry. It was adorable really; he had had no idea that Evan was remotely the jealous type.
"Harry came to help me plan my escape from the evil clutches of Healer Glastone," he said in his best dramatic tone.
"Ha," Harry said, with a shake of his head, "if you think I'm going up against a healer you have another think coming. Healers are scarier than any dark wizard I have ever met. But I can give you a police escort to your hotel once she does let you go if it'll help."
That made Johnny pause for a moment.
"But the bad guy's all locked up," he pointed out, suddenly worried that there was something no one had bothered to tell him.
"Yes, but you haven't seen the army of fans that are camped outside this very hospital," Harry replied with a grin.
Johnny wasn't quite sure what to make of that. He was used to a handful of fans turning up most places he went, but Harry didn't seem to be talking about that. Wondering if it was bizarre British humour, he looked to Evan for an explanation.
"There have to be a couple of hundred," Evan said with a shrug, "they must have come from all over. There was almost a riot when they heard about the USFSA thing yesterday."
It was more than a little bit of a shock and Johnny didn't know quite how to react.
"Get used to it," Harry said with a laugh and stood up, "you're a hero now. I'll leave you two love birds alone, call me when Healer Gladstone relents."
When Johnny finally kicked his brain back into gear, he looked at Evan to find that his prospective boyfriend had a very puzzled expression on his face.
"Why..?" Evan began to ask, but Johnny decided he wasn't in the mood for talking any more.
Dragging Evan down to his level, he demanded a kiss and was rewarded by an enthusiastic response and a delightful little moan from Evan. Clearly they should have been doing this for years, but Johnny refused to regret the past and just began looking forward to the future.
The End
Author: Beren
Fandom: Harry Potter/Figure Skating RPS
Pairing: Johnny Weir/Harry Potter, Johnny Weir/Evan Lysacek (mentions Ginny/Harry)
Rating: R
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. This is a work of fiction, the real people in it are used without their permission and I definitely don't own them or have any copyright to any part of any of them. I do not believe any of this happened, is likely to happen or should happen it is simply a story created around known facts about those involved.
Warnings: sex
Summary: At the 2011-2012 season US Nationals there is a whole lot of extra security because some insane Brit has decided they will make the perfect stage for a crime. Without even trying Johnny ends up right in the middle of everything, which results in him making a new friend in Harry Potter and finding out a whole lot about the world and, surprisingly, Evan Lysacek he didn't know.
Author's Notes: Written for lattebiscotti in the charity vgift meme thingy. I have no excuse why it took so long, I do hope you enjoy it. Thanks to Soph for the beta.
Word count: 12,960
Links: Part 1 | Part 2
My Fanfic Listings (LJ) | My Fanfic Listings (DreamW)
Harry had seen the effect of the Cruciatus curse too many times and he tried to hope as Johnny was swept off by the healers. The fact that Johnny had reacted to him after he had dealt with Parkinson was a good sign, but Johnny had given no indications of consciousness since. He'd left his subordinate to deal with the subdued criminal and decided to handle the issue with Lysacek and Johnny himself.
The fact that both men had been under the influence of an Unforgivable curse made the whole situation that more complicated. With Imperio and Cruciatius changing memories was a very bad idea, which meant that there was no easy way out of the issue. The news that Johnny was hurt had leaked almost immediately and Harry was well aware that meant he would be dealing with at least one member of Johnny's family sooner rather than later.
They had talked a lot the night they had spent in Johnny's hotel room and Harry knew more than he had ever expected to about his friend's family. He was very unsurprised when, after what seemed like an age of waiting around and checking in with his people, Patti Weir was shown into the same room where he was waiting.
"Mrs Weir," he said immediately, standing up and stepping towards here, "you must be exhausted, please come and sit down."
"I don't want to sit down," was the very direct response, "I want to see my son."
"He's still with the healers," Harry replied, taking the vague hostility in his stride; "they are stabilising his condition."
Prolonged exposure of more than a few seconds to the Cruciatus curse caused terrible nerve damage, Harry knew the healers would be working for a while yet. Patti Weir frowned at him, but did eventually take the seat he was offering.
"Mrs Weir," he said as he sat down beside her, "I'm very sorry this happened. I take full responsibility."
There was no way Parkinson should have made it inside their security cordon, and Harry felt incredibly guilty. When he found out how it had happened, heads were going to roll.
"Did you do your job?" Patti asked simply, looking him straight in the eye.
"Yes," he replied, without even thinking about hedging his response.
"Then you have nothing to be sorry for," was the surprising response. "They told me you have the man who hurt Johnny in custody."
"We do," Harry said with a nod.
"Then just make sure he gets what's coming to him."
Patti Weir, it seemed, was a remarkable woman.
"We will, Ma'am," Harry replied without so much as considering a different answer.
"Call me Patti," was her response and it seemed she was as averse to formality as her son was.
"Then please call me Harry, Patti."
It was a better start than he had expected. Of course now came the difficult bit; he had to break what had actually happened to Johnny's mum. Due to the severity of the crime and its particular circumstances, legally Johnny and his immediate family were allowed to know the truth and if Johnny woke up he was going to need all the support he could get.
"Patti," he said, trying to begin gently, "did you see anything unusual as you were shown in here?"
That earned him a very speculative look.
"This hospital is not like any I've ever been in before," Patti replied after a few moments, "at least not this part of it."
Harry nodded, hoping to encourage her. St Elizabeth's was both a Muggle and a Wizarding hospital, with the front half being for Muggle patients and the back for wizards and witches. The Americans seemed to like their magical and Muggle worlds not quite so far apart as in Britain.
"Is this to do with what happened to Johnny?"
"Yes," he replied simply, "this is a very specialised hospital whose staff are the only ones in the area who can treat Johnny."
Patti looked aghast.
"What did that monster do to my boy?"
"Patti," he said very gently, "what I'm going to tell you is going to seem very hard to believe, but please, just hear me out and then I'll show you something to prove it, okay?"
From the looks of things Patti was a pretty unshakable woman, because she nodded once.
"That monster isn't an ordinary man," Harry explained carefully, "he is a wizard."
Patti opened her mouth almost instantly to protest.
"So am I," Harry hurried on, "and everyone in this part of the hospital. We live alongside you in secret. The wizard who hurt Johnny used a curse on him that is so bad we call it an Unforgivable. Usually normal people aren't told about magic, but because of the severity of the crime I'm allowed to reveal the truth to you. When Johnny wakes up, he's going to need you."
By appealing to Patti's motherly instincts he hoped she wouldn't yell at him or anything. Very slowly, so as not to startle her, he pulled his wand from the holster he had up his sleeve.
"I'm just going to show you a little magic," he said and pointed the wand at the sheet of paper on the desk.
With a flick of his wrist he silently cast Wingardium Leviosa and the paper lifted into the air, floating there gently.
"Oh my," Patti said and just stared for a while.
With another flick he cancelled the spell.
"Now," he said in a sympathetic tone, you must have questions.
Never in his life did he expect what came next; it appeared Patti Weir was a woman who liked to know exactly what she was getting in to. Her questioning was like the third degree.
====
"How is he?"
Johnny floated back towards consciousness and heard voices. He had vague memories of drifting in and out before, but nothing that made any sense.
"He's responding well to the treatment," and unfamiliar person said; "the nerve damage will be fully repaired in a couple more days."
"And the rest?"
That sounded like Harry.
"We won't know until he wakes up," the unfamiliar person explained in a sympathetic tone, "if he wakes up. With Cruciatus it's so difficult to tell how much mental damage there is. If his mind has folded in on itself for protection he may not come back at all. He has been unconscious for three days; that's not a good sign."
That didn't sound good, but then Johnny realised that he was in fact awake and so he had nothing to worry about. His thoughts seemed to be moving really slowly and at a level just under moron.
"He was held under for nearly fifteen minutes," Harry said quietly; "it could just be the strain on his body."
"It could be," the other person said, but in a tone that suggested it was unlikely.
It was that which made Johnny decide he'd had enough and he needed to let them know he was conscious. That meant opening his eyes, so he tried. It felt something akin to trying to pull a quad after skating for three days straight with very little rest. He managed to flick his eyelids open for a moment, but they seemed to be made of lead or something. It was very frustrating and he made an annoyed little noise in the back of his throat as he tried again.
"Johnny?"
This time he managed to open his eyes for a little longer and got a flash of Harry looking down at him or at least his brain pattern matched the fuzzy image as Harry. He did his very best to say something and all that came out was a mumble, but it was better than nothing.
"Mr Weir," the unfamiliar person said, "please look at me if you can."
He made another noise of annoyance and did his best. This time he managed it for a second or so, but nothing was really in focus, or at least staying in focus.
"That's good," the woman talking to him said. "I'm Healer Gladstone, I've been looking after you. It's very good to see you waking up. I know you must be disorientated, so I want you to try and relax and let me help you."
That was easier said than done when your body seemed to not like you very much, but he did his best. He relaxed as well as he could as someone placed their hand beneath his head and carefully lifted it. When something was put to his lips and liquid was gently tipped into his mouth he did his utmost not to just spit it out or cough it all everywhere. He half succeeded.
Almost immediately, however, he began to feel a little more with it and he actually managed to open his eyes properly. He blinked up at the woman helping him as she gently put his head back on the pillow.
"Is that a little better?" she asked with a smile.
"Yes," he actually managed to say and he tried to add 'thank you', but it was more of a jumble than what he had meant.
Healer Gladstone seemed to get it though, because her smile widened.
"You're welcome," she said and pulled out a stick.
Johnny tried to flinch through the bed.
"Johnny," Harry's voice and a hand on his shoulder dragged his attention away, "it's okay, you're safe now. Healer Gladstone just needs to cast some diagnostic spells to make sure you're reacting well to the potion. It won't hurt."
It all made sense in a fantasy novel kind of way, but Johnny decided maybe he had gone a little mad.
"I'm sorry, Mr Weir," the woman said sincerely, "I had forgotten you have only seen a wand when it was used to hurt you. I promise this won't be uncomfortable at all and it will be over in a second. Is it alright if I proceed?"
The spike of fear had been so strong that Johnny could feel his heart racing even after the words of reassurance. The memory of the pain was still so close.
"Okay," he said eventually, the adrenaline in his system at least making his mouth more responsive.
The healer pointed her wand at him and said something he did not understand and he tensed; he couldn't help himself. However, a soft yellow light floated out of the end of her wand and slowly enveloped him and he could barely feel it. There was a slight tingling in his skin, but it was actually kind of relaxing and he slowly found his muscles releasing.
"Thank you, Mr Weir," Healer Gladstone said with a smile as she flicked her wand and the light disappeared, "you seem to be responding very well."
"Johnny," he said automatically, "Mr Weir is my dad."
"Johnny," the woman acknowledged with a nod. "I just have to go and record these results and then I will be back. I shall leave you in Mr Potter's capable hands until then."
He watched her leave and then he looked at Harry; he needed some answers.
"What's going on?" he asked as loudly as he could manage.
"I'm a wizard," Harry said simply, "and so is Parkinson. It's why I was sent to catch him; I'm what we call an Auror, I track dark wizards."
Johnny had seen things, felt things, but he couldn't really make himself believe it.
"Magic is real," he said eventually, more to make himself think it than to ask the question.
"Very," Harry replied and sounded apologetic, "and you have been the victim of the worst kind. Parkinson is safely locked up now; he can't hurt anyone else."
His memory was unfortunately unfuzzy and Johnny shivered as Harry's words brought back what had happened. In desperation he tried to focus his mind on something else.
"With Adam," he said, as his thoughts grabbed at anything, "there was magic with Adam."
Harry nodded.
"Your memory was altered after the incident to forget about the magic," Harry told him and he began to feel righteous indignation; "everything else you remember though, happened."
"My memory?" he all but hissed.
"I'm sorry, Johnny," Harry said and did sound as if he really was, "it's the law. Muggles aren't allowed to know about magic. It's safer for you and us."
It sounded so sincere, but Johnny didn't like it at all. People doing things to other people's thoughts was just plain wrong. It also occurred to him that he still remembered about magic and, from what Harry had said, that was illegal.
"Are you going to make me forget all this now?" he asked, suddenly afraid.
The idea of anyone messing with his mind was a little horrifying.
"No," Harry assured him and patted his hand gently; "you've been through far too much for that. The situation is way beyond the situations those laws were designed for and no one will be messing with anyone's memory. The cover story given to the press is that you were kidnapped and tortured using electro nerve stimulation, but your family and those involved know the truth."
"Evan?" Johnny suddenly remembered who else had been there.
His brain really wasn't working very fast, even with the help of whatever the healer had poured down his throat.
"Is fine," was the immediate response. "He told us everything that happened. He was being controlled by Parkinson, but he was perfectly alright as soon as the spell was ended."
That was a relief at least; he and Evan were not exactly friends, but he wouldn't wish bad things on anyone.
"Controlled?"
"There is a spell," Harry explained and there was a haunted look in his eyes, "it's one of the three that our society calls Unforgivables. It allows a wizard to control the actions and thoughts of another. Parkinson used it on Evan to trap you. One of the other Unforgivables was the spell Parkinson used on you; it's only function is to cause pain."
Johnny shivered again.
"I heard something about nerve damage," he said trying to push away the memories.
"The spell overloads the nervous system," Harry told him, "and with prolonged exposure it causes nerve damage, but don't worry, that part is easily fixed. The healers will have you back to normal in no time."
He remembered the healer saying something about that as he woke up, but it was comforting to hear it reiterated.
"What can't they fix?" He voiced the part that was worrying him.
"The mind," was the simple answer. "We were worried you weren't going to wake up at all. Victims often don't, but you're clearly made of sterner stuff than most."
Harry sounded almost proud of him for that, Johnny just tried not to think about it.
"Probably just lucky," he said quietly.
"Johnny," Harry said and carefully took his hand, "I've been there. Not for as long as you, but I've felt it. Surviving has nothing to do with luck, it's all about will. If ... when you're ready to talk about it, I understand, okay?"
He looked closely at Harry's face then and he saw a reflection of pain deep in Harry's stunningly green eyes. Nodding slowly he agreed, but he wasn't even ready to think about it yet.
"You mentioned my family," he said, doing his best to keep himself distracted.
"Your mum has barely left your side since you've been here," Harry said with a small smile; "she is a very formidable woman. She took the whole magic thing very calmly."
That made Johnny smile as well; Patti was not someone who was easily thrown by anything.
"Evan took her to find some breakfast while Healer Gladstone did your morning examination," Harry continued to explain.
Johnny's brain did a quick stall.
"Evan?" he asked, because he only knew one Evan and his mom did not like that Evan at all.
The way Harry smiled suggested Harry might have an inkling about why he was shocked.
"He asked to see you as soon as the healers gave him a clean bill of health," Harry said, still smiling, "and he and your mum spoke for some time. I think they appointed themselves your Muggle guardians among all of us wizards."
Evan and Patti allied together; Johnny wasn't sure if that was comforting or terrifying.
"Will they ..." He had been about to ask if Evan and his mom would be back soon, but he was interrupted by an enormous yawn. It took him completely by surprise and he couldn't even tone it down.
"Looks like you need to sleep," Harry suggested with a soft smile.
"But Patti," Johnny tried to object.
"Will be here when you wake up again," Harry said as Johnny began to realise his eyelids were drooping again. "Don't fight it, Johnny; your body knows best."
"Been asleep for three days," he pointed out, but his voice was soft and felt woolly around the edges.
"Go to sleep," Harry said, squeezing his hand gently, and Johnny didn't have to strength to argue.
====
Johnny had been staring at Evan reading a magazine for almost a minute before he even realised that his eyes were open. It took his brain that long to figure out he wasn't sleeping anymore. Evan looked somewhat dishevelled; his hair was unstyled, he had stubble and his clothes looked more thrown on than chosen. It was a strangely attractive look on Evan, which was the thought Johnny's mind decided to kick start while having and he finally blinked.
That was the kind of thought he hadn't had since he and Evan had really started the rivalry and it was unsettling to wake up thinking it. If his head hadn't chosen that moment to inform him it was aching he might have been more worried.
"Ow," he said as the thumping made itself known.
"Johnny," Evan said, sounding half pleased and half genuinely concerned, "you're awake. Do you need me to get a nurse ... um ... I mean healer?"
He made a non-committal noise; he wasn't actually sure.
"I'll call someone," Evan decided at which point Johnny made up his mind.
"No," he said as he came to the conclusion that was a bad idea, "I'll be okay."
His head was aching, but it wasn't too bad and he didn't like medication. The potion Healer Gladstone had fed him tasted bad and even though it didn't seem to have had any of the side effects of normal medicine, he still didn't want any more.
"Thanks," he added as an afterthought.
His thoughts seemed to be working faster than they had been before and he blinked and looked around the room.
"Where's Patti?" he asked, surprised that Evan was there and his mom wasn't.
"Talking to Healer Gladstone about how long you need to stay here and what after care you'll need now that you're awake," Evan said, clearly parroting off information he had been given.
It said quite a lot to Johnny's psyche that he didn't find that anywhere as annoying as he used to do. Clearly Evan had changed brackets in his head, but then when it came to people looking after his mom when he couldn't, it tended to mean a lot to Johnny.
"I hope the answer is not long and not much," he said and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Everyone seemed quite excited that you were awake," Evan told him, looking what Johnny thought was probably hopeful; he was out of practice reading Evan.
Once they had been friends, but that seemed like such a long time ago.
"Shame it's not just a matter of waving one of those wands," he replied and then did his very best not to shudder.
He was more than aware that the memory of a stick pointed at him was going to haunt his thoughts for a while.
"I heard something about a couple of days," Evan said and sounded as if he was trying to cheer Johnny up.
While appreciating the sentiment, Johnny didn't find it that easy to let go of the recollection that was bothering him. It was also clear that Evan had shadows of his own to deal with as an awkward silence fell.
"Well you'll need to get back on the ice as soon as possible to be ready for Worlds," Evan said in that earnest tone he had in what appeared to be a desperate attempt to change the subject.
Johnny was pretty sure he should be certified for finding it kind of cute. Just because Evan was being friendly did not mean it was time for any of the feeling he might have once had for his rival to surface. He was so busy thinking about that, that it took him a second to realise what Evan had actually said.
"I made it?" he asked as the idea finally resolved in his head.
The fact that he had been incapacitated before he had heard the final result only then dawned on him. It was incredibly important, but seemed so distant after what had happened.
"Oh, of course, you don't know," Evan said, eyes going wide with realisation, "oh, no, I should have let your mom tell you."
Evan appeared pathetically worried; Johnny almost wanted to laugh. It was a nice distraction.
"Well you didn't," he said and would have rolled his eyes if he hadn't thought it would exacerbate his headache, "so spill; what were the final placings."
Evan's expression was kind of panicked.
"Evan," he said in a warning tone.
"You came first, I came second, Jeremy came third because he fell," Evan finally confessed.
For a few seconds Johnny forgot about everything else and gave a whoop of joy. It never occurred to him not to sit up and throw his arms around a very startled Evan and give the other skater a hug.
"Oh crap," he said as his jubilance became a nauseating room spinning and he came over all lightheaded and weak.
"Johnny, you're an idiot," Evan said, proving that he wasn't as much of a wimp as he seemed to have been trying to pretend.
"Winning idiot," Johnny countered as Evan helped him lie back on his pillows.
When he could look up again, Evan was actually smiling at that. Sometimes he forgot that Evan had a sense of humour, but he smiled back, enjoying the camaraderie. Everything was so weird, but he felt kind of closer to Evan, because they had shared part of it.
"I promise not to fall out of bed if you'll tell me what I've missed," he said with what he hoped was a winning batting of his eyelashes.
Evan actually rolled his eyes.
"If your mom kills me it's your fault," Evan told him, but then started to explain what had happened while he was asleep.
He was quite surprised by how comfortable the whole situation felt.
====
Rest and relaxation, that was the order of the day, and Johnny made himself stay in bed even though every instinct told him he should be on the ice. Healer Gladstone assured him he would be fully recovered soon, but they couldn't rush the treatments. Until they were finished he had strict instructions to do as little as possible and eat what was put in front of him. Patti was enjoying the last part far too much; she always worried about what he ate.
A new email popped up as he scanned his laptop and he clicked on it. It was from Tanith, but the message only read, 'you should see this' with a URL. It was a Youtube link so he clicked it and waited. What came up was Evan and it was some form of newscast.
"Evan, what do you think of the USFSA's proposal?" a reporter off screen asked.
"It's disgusting," Evan said in no uncertain terms.
Johnny hadn't heard of any proposal and he began to worry.
"Rerunning the men's competition would be plain wrong," Evan continued vehemently. "The only reason they suggested it is because Adam is ready to compete and Johnny isn't."
Ice ran up Johnny's spine as he listened. The USFSA couldn't do that to him, could they? If they reran the competition they would take away his title, declare it void, and he'd have to do it all again.
"There was disruption at the nationals," Evan was not stopping talking; very unusual for him, "but we all competed. Adam is a great guy, but he was down for competition. We all know what that feels like. He didn't ask to be kidnapped and hit over the head, but none of us ask for a broken toe or a sprained ankle either. Johnny won, fair and square; he was so damn good they couldn't mark him down, and he should lead us to the Worlds. If he chooses not to, then that's up to him, but the USFSA can't take that away from him."
Evan appeared positively furious.
"If they try," Evan said firmly and looked right into the camera, "I for one won't be there."
Johnny sat there with his mouth open. He didn't know what to think. Evan was not only defending him, his biggest rival was putting his career on the line.
"That was two hours ago," the reporter said as the report showed clips from the men's free skate, "when Evan Lysacek led the protest again the USFSA's proposal to re-run the men's figure skating national competition. So far fifteen of those who competed this year have added their names to the list who say they will not compete again. Included is last year's winner, Jeremy Abbott as well as the skater at the centre of the controversy, Adam Rippon."
He couldn't believe it, he really couldn't. The powers that be were conspiring against him, but above that, his fellow skaters were going up against them. For a moment he felt a bit light headed; he wasn't very good at dealing with shocks to his system at the moment.
Of course that was the moment Evan decided to walk in and Johnny's equilibrium went flip and he burst into tears. The expression of panic on Evan's face might have made him laugh if he hadn't been on an emotional rollercoaster. From the way Evan looked around the room desperately, Johnny was pretty sure that Evan was hoping Patti would pop out from under the bed or something to help. Johnny just buried his face in his hands and carried on crying; he couldn't help it.
"Johnny," Evan's voice was a little scared, but very gentle as he spoke and a long, warm arm was draped carefully around Johnny's shoulders.
It was all the permission Johnny needed and he reached out blindly, wrapping his arms around Evan and burying his face in Evan's shirt. Definitely not what he had intended, but apparently what he really needed, because he kind of dissolved into a blubbering mess as all the emotions that had been bubbling around inside him all broke free.
Also, it seemed, Evan was not as bad in a crying crisis as Johnny might have suspected, because after the initial awkwardness, Evan seemed to get with the program and gently embraced him back. He was pretty sure there were meaningless platitudes being spoken, but all that he really cared about was the large hand making slow circles on his back in a very calming manner.
It took what felt like an inordinately long time to get himself back under control and when he finally drew back, Evan handed him a couple of Kleenex.
"Sorry," he apologised, feeling more than a little stupid.
"Don't worry about it," Evan replied and looked perfectly sincere. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Johnny took a deep breath and dabbed his eyes and nose. He was uncomfortably aware of the big wet patch that was now on the front of Evan's shirt.
"Tanith sent me a link to your latest news spot," he said, feeling a little bereft now that he was no longer in Evan's arms.
"Oh," Evan said, catching on fast, "oh, you don't have to worry about that. They already ruled. The ISU got involved and the results stand."
The urge to cry was suddenly back, but Johnny also realised that it wasn't really that which had set him off.
"Thank you," he said, feeling the gratitude welling up in him, "thank you for standing up for me."
Evan sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at him with a very serious expression.
"What they were trying to do was completely wrong," Evan said with a resolution Johnny had only ever seen in him on the ice. "You won fair and square; you were brilliant; they had no right to even suggest it."
"I embarrass them," he said quietly, knowing it was true.
"It's about time they grew up then," Evan said and totally seemed to mean it.
Johnny sniffed again as he felt overwhelmed for a second time and a tears rolled free no matter how he tried to stop it. Usually he had defences, long held beliefs and reasons he could hide behind, but he had been stripped bare. He was vulnerable and open and he just couldn't stop his reactions bubbling to the surface.
"Sorry," he apologised again, feeling incredibly awkward for melting down on the man who had already moved from rival to friend in his head.
He shut his eyes and tried to get a hold of himself. What shocked him into not completely folding again was the sudden feeling of soft lips on his own. He gasped and opened his eyes and stared as Evan pulled back, cheeks slowly heating up.
"Sorry," it was Evan's turn to apologise, "it seemed ... I ... I didn't want you to cry again."
Evan looked like he was about to bolt.
"Why?" Johnny's thoughts were spinning.
Evan stood.
"I'm sorry."
"Evan, tell me why you kissed me," Johnny insisted, throwing out his hand to grab Evan's arm.
Evan just stood there looking like he wanted to break away and run.
"Evan," Johnny said in a warning tone; he was in no mood for games.
"I ... kind of ... wanted to." It was dragged out of Evan word by word.
Johnny couldn't remotely pretend he wasn't stunned by that response. Evan wasn't a spontaneous person, not usually and Johnny wouldn't have known how to deal with sudden kissing at the best of times.
"How long," was what he asked eventually; "how long have you wanted to?"
It felt as if they were at a very delicate moment and Johnny didn't quite know what to do.
"When did I start being nasty to you?" Evan replied awkwardly.
Johnny's mouth fell open in shock.
"Oh my god," he said as realisation dawned, "you were pulling my pigtails."
"You pulled back," Evan replied with all the emotional maturity that his previous behaviour suggested.
"Because I thought you were just being a dick," Johnny replied, but couldn't help lifting his hand to touch his lips.
Evan had never been a people person and Johnny couldn't help wondering how much else about Evan he had read wrong. Evan still looked terrified and it dawned on Johnny quite how much courage kissing him must have actually taken.
"Did you want to kiss me again?" he asked as gently as he knew how.
If Evan said no he was pretty sure his heart would shatter and he'd be so much mess on the floor, but he owed it to them both to take the same risk Evan had. Very slowly Evan sat down again and then very carefully leaned in. This time the kiss came from both sides. Evan's stubble was scratchy, but his lips were soft and Johnny let himself sink into the kiss. They were still kissing when the door opened.
"Oops, sorry, I'll come back later."
That was Patti's voice and Evan kind of jumped back, blushing furiously when he heard it. Johnny found himself smiling.
"Mama, you don't have to go," he said, before his mother could close the door again. "Please come in."
Patti did step in then and quietly closed the door behind her.
"You boys looked busy," she said and Johnny couldn't help noticing his mother's eyes were very firmly on Evan.
Evan was still blushing the most adorable colour.
"Um," Evan didn't seem to know what to say to that.
"Plenty of time for that," Johnny said and then realised that he had just opened himself up to a possible world of hurt with those few words.
The slightly shocked look on Evan's face made Johnny feel even more vulnerable.
"Um," Evan said again, "would ... um ... would you like to go on a date?"
Johnny's inner girl jumped up and down and squealed and clapped her hands, on the outside he just sat there, once again stunned. Then he smiled and it felt as if his face was going to split.
"I'd love to," he said and he could barely remember why he had been crying.
"Awww," his mom said with a little sigh, "that it so adorable; I wish I had my camera."
Now Johnny remembered he had an embarrassment reflex and blushed right along with Evan.
"Mama!" he said in a scandalised tone.
His mother just smiled.
"Evan, dear," Patti said, still smiling, "do we really need to have the conversation that involves words like 'broken heart' and 'pain' and 'missing limbs'?"
Evan paled.
"No, Ma'am," was the immediate response and Johnny wasn't sure if he should be mortified or proud.
====
"So," Harry said, sitting down in the chair next to Johnny's bed, "did Evan finally make a move or did you figure it out first?"
Johnny looked at the other man in shock. Harry had been in the room for about five minutes, but so far all they had done was talk about Johnny finally being allowed out of the hospital.
"How did you..?"
"I may have been dense once, but I've trained myself to be more observant," Harry told him with a grin. "I'm not sure if Evan could have been broadcasting louder with a neon sign. Every time I walked in the room he prickled."
Johnny couldn't help wondering if Evan had been obvious for longer than that and he had just been missing it, or if this was a new thing.
"He kissed me, if you must know," he said eventually, deciding that there was no point in dwelling on the past, "and then I made him confess. I think the skating world has a hell of a lot to answer for; the poor lamb has the emotional maturity of a teenager."
Harry smiled at that.
"And I take it you've assigned yourself the task of changing that?" was the amused question.
Harry didn't seem to be the least bit upset that their fledging affair was well and truly off.
"I never thought of it before it happened," Johnny admitted quietly, feeling as if he could talk to Harry, "but I think I might have had a thing for Evan for a while. I was shocked when he kissed me, but the moment I realised he was serious I was all 'mine', 'keep'."
That revelation was met with a quiet laugh.
"I don't blame you," Harry said with another genuine smile; "he's definitely worth fighting for. Really big hands I noticed."
That made Johnny laugh.
"I'm not sure if I should be offended that you are taking rejection so calmly," he said, even though he was quite pleased that Harry didn't seem to mind.
"I'm happily married," Harry said and grinned, "and I make it a rule never to let a little fun sex get in the way of a real relationship."
That made Johnny smile fondly; Harry's marriage was definitely unconventional, but it was abundantly obvious that Harry really did love his wife. Then it dawned on him what Harry was hinting about him and Evan.
"I'm not sure it's a real relationship," he said, looking down at his fingers and playing with his nails, "we haven't even been on a date yet."
"Yeah, and I'm a Muggle," Harry said in a very dismissive tone.
When Johnny looked up, Harry was rolling his eyes at him.
"It could go disastrously wrong," he protested, "I don't want to get my hopes up."
Harry rolled his eyes some more.
"Johnny, I've known you for a couple of days and even I know it's too late for that."
That was one of Johnny's big problems, when he let his heart into things there was no turning back.
"Just keep remembering the 'keep' and 'mine' instincts and you'll be fine," Harry told him and patted his hand gently. "Honestly, I think if you say jump, Evan will ask how high."
There were so many reasons it might not work: they were competitors for a start; then there was the whole Evan being completely in the closet problem; followed of course by the fact they had basically been at war for several years. Johnny couldn't help thinking about all of that, but he had to admit Harry had a point.
"Hell," he said, deciding it wasn't worth thinking of maybes when life was so short, "if the worst comes to the worst we can go be OCD together. I'll clean everything and he can arrange it all in threes."
"See," Harry said and laughed, "you're perfect for each other."
There was a light knock at the door and Johnny looked up to see a very awkward looking Evan standing there. He felt a smile cover his face almost instantly and that really told him all he needed to know.
"Evan," he said and he honestly felt his mood brighten, "come in."
When he held out his hand Evan walked over and took it, but he could tell that Evan was doing his best not to frown at Harry. It was adorable really; he had had no idea that Evan was remotely the jealous type.
"Harry came to help me plan my escape from the evil clutches of Healer Glastone," he said in his best dramatic tone.
"Ha," Harry said, with a shake of his head, "if you think I'm going up against a healer you have another think coming. Healers are scarier than any dark wizard I have ever met. But I can give you a police escort to your hotel once she does let you go if it'll help."
That made Johnny pause for a moment.
"But the bad guy's all locked up," he pointed out, suddenly worried that there was something no one had bothered to tell him.
"Yes, but you haven't seen the army of fans that are camped outside this very hospital," Harry replied with a grin.
Johnny wasn't quite sure what to make of that. He was used to a handful of fans turning up most places he went, but Harry didn't seem to be talking about that. Wondering if it was bizarre British humour, he looked to Evan for an explanation.
"There have to be a couple of hundred," Evan said with a shrug, "they must have come from all over. There was almost a riot when they heard about the USFSA thing yesterday."
It was more than a little bit of a shock and Johnny didn't know quite how to react.
"Get used to it," Harry said with a laugh and stood up, "you're a hero now. I'll leave you two love birds alone, call me when Healer Gladstone relents."
When Johnny finally kicked his brain back into gear, he looked at Evan to find that his prospective boyfriend had a very puzzled expression on his face.
"Why..?" Evan began to ask, but Johnny decided he wasn't in the mood for talking any more.
Dragging Evan down to his level, he demanded a kiss and was rewarded by an enthusiastic response and a delightful little moan from Evan. Clearly they should have been doing this for years, but Johnny refused to regret the past and just began looking forward to the future.
The End