Barrow's Boy - A Downton Abbey Fanfiction

Gathered

     The three friends just kept staring at him, not saying a word. Teddy wasn't sure he could take much more of their silence, not knowing what was going through their minds.

     "I expect you'll want me to leave then." He said, slowly backing up. "I'll leave you all alone from now on." Teddy had turned and was already walking away when he finally heard it;

     "Teddy, no! Wait!" He turned to see Abi climbing down from her tree. Everett was looking between her and Teddy, clearly troubled with whatever his thoughts were. He finally looked to Percy and whispered something to him. Percy whispered back, but Teddy turned his attention to Abi again. 

     "I'm not sure I care," she said, reaching out to take Teddy's hand. "You're still the same Teddy I knew when we met. We've been friends for almost six years, and that shouldn't change because of this." Teddy wasn't able to stop the smile that spread across his face.

     "You mean that?"

     "I think so. I can't speak for them though." She turned towards Everett and Percy. They stopped their whispering and looked down at them. 

     "I agree," Percy said without hesitation. "You never judged me, and I'm not going to judge you." He began climbing down from his tree, talking as he did so. "Besides, it wasn't your choice. Just the life you got stuck with." Percy planted his feet on the ground and turned to look at Teddy, smiling at him. Teddy gratefully smiled back. 

     "Ev?" Abi looked expectantly up at Abigail, causing Teddy and Percy to do so as well. Everett stared for a moment, a look on his face that Teddy couldn't quite read. 

     "Well, I mean, we kind of need our doctor," he finally said, and Teddy finally allowed himself to relax. They were all accepting it, and he couldn't be happier to have the friends he had. 

     Everett climbed down from the tree to join the rest of his friends. Teddy couldn't help the smile on his face or the tears that came into his eyes. Abi seemed to notice this, because she wrapped her arms around Teddy and held him in one of the best hugs he'd ever had. It got even better when Percy and Everett joined it, leading to a group hug, full of friendship and acceptance, for all of them. 

     The four friends spent the rest of the day together, none of them even mentioning what they'd discovered. There was no one there to judge in the woods that day, and they spent the majority of their time there. In fact, they didn't come out until it was nearly time for them all to head home. It was in the village that they were reminded of everything that Lewis had shared about Teddy. 

    The looks some of the people were giving him were far dirtier than he considered himself to be. Just because his father wasn't in the picture didn't mean that he deserved to be looked at with hatred. Besides, he did have a father, whether he was blood related or not, and these people needn't judge him for practically being adopted. Percy must have noticed how uncomfortable all of these reactions made him, for the boy moved closer to him.

     "Welcome to my world," he whispered as they walked past. "You'll get used to it over time." Teddy gave his friend a nod, and continued walking with the group, happy to be surrounded by three of the people he trusted most. 

     Katherine sat with her sister in front of their home, the elder of the two, Harriet, braiding her sister's hair. Harriet's fingers worked softly and quickly in Katherine's blonde hair, pulling back the strands in an elaborate plait. Katherine looked up and, upon noticing the group of four walking towards her on the road, smiled and waved at them. Harriet's eyes drifted to Teddy and Percy, who were walking side by side. She whispered something to Katherine as she tied a ribbon to the end of her hair, but Katherine just brushed it off, motioning for them all to come over to where she was sitting. The group obliged, walking towards Katherine and Harriet.