More Than Friends | Albus x Scorpius

Part Twenty-Seven: Christmas Day Aggravation

Albus felt somebody shaking him as he woke up. He opened his eyes and saw his brother's hazel eyes looking back at him. Albus furrowed his eyebrows and gave James a quizzical look, not lifting his head.

"Dad wants you to come downstairs for Christmas lunch."

Albus rolled over and shut his eyes again. He asked, "Do I really have to?"

"Yeah, Mum and Dad want you to come down."

Albus rubbed his eyes and groaned. James quickly added, "You can hang around me if you don't want to deal with Mum, Dad, or our uncles and aunts."

"Do you think Dad told them already?"

"No, " James answered immediately. "Dad won't want the family to know."

Albus sat up and said, "I'll come down for a while. What time is it?"

"They want you to come down at eleven. You've got an hour."

"What time is the family actually arriving?"

James smirked at his brother's attitude. "Noon, "

Albus replied, "I'm not coming down earlier than noon, then."

James smiled brightly and wondered aloud, "Want me to tell them?"

Albus shook his head and smiled mischievously. "No, "

James left and Albus' smile faded. He didn't want to be with his entire family, especially after not having a bite to eat in days. As if on cue, there was a knock on his door before his brother entered with a slice of buttered toast and a cup of tea.

"Mum wants you to eat this."

"What type of tea is that?"

"Herbal, " James answered. "Mum said that it'll help with your complexion."

"My complexion?" Albus repeated, jumping out of his bed and walking to his mirror and leaned in to look at his face; seeing deep, dark bags under his eyes, which looked dull. His hair was messier than usual. His skin was pale, making what little freckles he had stand out. "I look terrible."

"Drink this then, " James responded, thrusting the cup of tea into his younger brother's hands. Albus drank the tea and handed the empty cup to James with a revolted look on his face.

"This is terrible too, "

James laughed and handed him the piece of toast and gestured for him to eat it. Albus took a bite and chewed it with an over-exaggerated smile with a thumbs up. James shook his head with a smile and told Albus, "Make sure you eat it."

As soon as James left his room, Albus set the piece of toast down on his desk and swallowed the bite that was in his mouth. He wasn't hungry.

Albus stepped into his bathroom and turned the knob for the shower, letting the hot water steam a bit before stepping under it, letting the water hit his face and run down his back.

After about fifteen minutes, Albus stepped out and wrapped a towel around his waist. He looked a little better and dressed in darker clothes, knowing that it would make Harry mad, but he wanted him to be angry.

He dressed in a black turtle neck sweater, a leather jacket, dark blue skinny jeans, and the winter boots that Scorpius had given him. Albus went into his bathroom again and rummaged around in the cabinets under his sink, retrieving the Muggle blow dryer and plugging it into the outlet on the wall.

Albus flipped the switch and pointed it at his hair, feeling the warm air hit the side of his face. He turned the knob on the Wizards Wireless antique radio that he had gotten for Christmas the year before from Hermione and Ron. Instantly, a Celestina Warbeck song blasted through the magical speakers, making Albus jump. He quickly turned the volume knob and the song quieted just enough to be heard.