TFLN

[plungeintofire]

You know what you must do.

Comments

[chambermusicandtenpins]

Mm, perhaps, but you have a tendency to erase even my own restraint at times.

[greatestgood]

Then clearly you don't need it in those moments. [He certainly doesn't mind Albus losing his restraint.]

[chambermusicandtenpins]

I think you may be biased, especially given the reasons I tend to lose my restraint.

[greatestgood]

You are marvelous then - and you know that your secrets are safe with me. [Even when they fight in the war, no one is told of that summer.]

[chambermusicandtenpins]

I know they are. And I am very grateful for it, Gellert. More than I have words for.

[greatestgood]

There are things we hold close and other things we don't mind the public seeing. For me, you have always been the former.

[chambermusicandtenpins]

[He smiles sadly at that.]

That means a great deal to me. And you should know that I hold you close always, in turn.

[greatestgood]

You have proven that by giving me another chance. [A chance he won't take for granted - even if he is doomed to stumble now and then.]

[chambermusicandtenpins]

I suppose so. Still, even if -- even if something happened between us, I would always hold you close. No matter what it was.

[greatestgood]

It won't. [He is stern on that point.] You know who I am...what I am. I'm not trying to trick you.

[chambermusicandtenpins]

I don't think you are. But even if you had not wanted anything to change, if you'd never met with me here, it would still be true.

[greatestgood]

With you being such a good person, I fear that your heart will remain broken. If you were more like me, you would be able to ignore the pain. [Mostly.]

[chambermusicandtenpins]

Perhaps so. If that is something I must live with, then I will.

[greatestgood]

I can't spare you anything.

[chambermusicandtenpins]

You spare me some by being here now. The rest I can live with. [After all, he's already done so for 20 years.]

[greatestgood]

We should be together. I should be living with you. [Waking up together...]

[chambermusicandtenpins]

[That makes his heart break a little, his expression sad and wistful.]

Are you speaking of here, or at home?

[greatestgood]

...both. I've thought about it and...

That is what I want. [He snorts.] I never thought of myself as a normal, peaceful citizen, but the idea appeals to me when I think of you.

[chambermusicandtenpins]

[There's a look on Albus' face of deep, longing hopefulness -- and yet also so deeply cautious, as if he might say the wrong words and the whole thing will evaporate into thin air.]

I would like that. [He exhales shakily.] I would like things to be that way very much.

[greatestgood]

Going to sleep next to you, waking next to you... I can't explain what the thought does to me, but I want it.

[He has been trying to get a vision about the future, but none have come so far.]

[chambermusicandtenpins]

I want it as well.

[A pause, and then:]

I don't think I realized how much I missed having you until I saw you here.

[greatestgood]

You were protecting yourself. Our memories can protect us by becoming less crisp, less clear.

[But they have awoken them again.]

[chambermusicandtenpins]

[He smiles sadly.]

I have a Pensieve now, Gellert. I've relived all of my worst moments over and over again. If my memories have tried to save me, they were never going to succeed against my own stubborn need to remember.

[greatestgood]

So stop using it! [He knows that is impossible for people such as them.] How often have you tortured yourself?

[chambermusicandtenpins]

[He smiles sadly again.] You know I won't, Gellert. I've looked at it more times than I'm able to count.