Closed Didn't Mean to Date Your Boyfriend pv: W. Starkey

wearing | hex: #3a5948

“Don’t call me babe,” he said without missing a beat after that pet name left Tone’s lips. “I know I’m rooming with Rainwood now, but I am still uninterested in being his replacement.” Wyatt loved low blows, and in conversation with Hanako Tone, mentioning Percival Rainwood was about as low as it got. If Hanako was going to bring Wyatt out of his silent treatment, he should immediately be hit with reasons as to why his distance was a blessing. Serves him right.

According to that note from Valentines, Hanako was letting Wyatt’s cold shoulder get to him. Wyatt was starting to think he should’ve been more cautious. He should have known something was up when Cassandra Ironwoods asked him to some classroom out of nowhere. That had deranged-Hanako-Tone plot written all over it. That note was too obviously the beginning of something awful.

Wyatt felt like should have thrown it out when he first saw it.

Looking around, Wyatt was a bit flattered, to tell the truth. Hanako had gone out of his way to ensure they would have a moment tonight, whether he liked it or not. Tone even got Cassandra Ironwoods to lure Wyatt and guard the door… was it that obvious that Wyatt was scared of the prefect or did they simply owe Tone a favor, Burnett style? And was “scared” the right word? Cautious would be more accurate. Since Hanako kidnapped Opeila, they really did not like Wyatt.

It had been a while since they’d spoken, but Hanako remembered Wyatt’s tendencies quite well. Just as he began plotting every possible escape route, Tone started yapping on about how Ironwoods would not let him leave without a fight. At this news, Wyatt couldn’t stifle a groan. He’d had such good luck avoiding Hanako for so long. Just why did it all have to end now?

It was entirely on Hanako—their cut communication—and any pretense on that minion’s part that he didn’t understand the reasoning behind Wyatt’s silent treatment toward him was preposterous, to say the least. Alec can make friends with whoever he liked, and so could Hanako, but to go on a date? No, even a normal friendship would have been too much. Alec did not need to be corrupted by Hanako Tone. Wyatt could put up with him, he knew how to deal with it, but Alec Mason did not need a conniving little gremlin infiltrating his brain. How dare he? What did he want?

“It’s been a while, Starkey. I think we have some stuff to catch up on, don’t you think so?”

Wyatt scoffed, “I do not think it has been long enough.” His tone was flat. Wyatt narrowed his eyes, posture impeccable and expression carefully blank. Hanako would not be handed any high ground in this conversation. “I cannot imagine one of us having anything to say to the other besides, perhaps, me saying to you that I demand to be let out of this room. But I know that wouldn’t work.”

Wyatt eyed Hanako and his odd smile. It was the type of smile that was typically worn by a small child who’d just gotten away with doing something naughty, so it didn’t look out of place on Hanako. He was still short, though Wyatt imagined (or hoped) that he would always have that advantage over his fellow Slytherin. Tone toyed with something in a steady hand, and upon further inspection, Wyatt found it was a wand. Wyatt was proud that Hanako didn’t trust him enough to put it away, or at the very least believed that he was enough of a threat to keep his wand at the ready.

“Would you really do anything if I were to walk away? You could curse me, but surely Ironwoods’s responsibility as a prefect far outweighs the importance of whatever favor they seem to owe you? I know they are not guarding that door because the two of you are friends,” Wyatt prodded. If anything, this line of questioning would distract Hanako from other topics of conversation. Topics of conversation that Wyatt feared would include Alec J. Mason.

Interacting: @Hanako Tone
Mentioning: Alec Mason, Cassandra Ironwoods, Percival Rainwood, Jack Burnett

𝟸𝟼 . 𝟶𝟸 . 𝟸𝟹

“Don’t call me babe,” he snapped.

“ Oh? So you can hear me? Great! That was a fact I wasn’t so sure of lately “ he may have kept a grin on his face, but there was no doubt bitterness in that tone. It would only start getting worse when Wyatt mentioned Rainwood, to which Hanako’s expression immediately darkened. It was not a good look on the boy. He was someone who smiles a lot, though in-genuine most times. The comment had earned a few long seconds of silence before Hanako broke it. “ He could never be replaced. And frankly, you don’t meet the standards for it anyway” Hanako wouldn’t explain more, and left it up to Starkey’s interpretation.

The way Hanako looked at Wyatt was different from Rainwood. That was already obvious from the beginning, and it certainly was the reason why Hanako’s relationship with the pureblood went to absolute shit that they are in now. If they were even remotely the same, Hanako wouldn’t have went out his way just for a chance to make amends- or at least get some explanations. Despite that, it all hurts the same way. Being left alone. Ignored. The only difference being Hanako was brave enough to patch things up with Starkey. Silence could be taken advantage of. It’s not like Starkey had given him a letter stating they no longer want to see Hanako. Though that probably wouldn’t stop this small… interaction from happening.

“I do not think it has been long enough.” His tone was flat. Wyatt narrowed his eyes, posture impeccable and expression carefully blank. A reaction that made Hanako feel a sting in his ches. He couldn’t have..that much of a lack of reaction can he? Not even a groan? The sight of it only made Hanako frown. Was he the only one affected by their silence? That cared? “I cannot imagine one of us having anything to say to the other besides, perhaps, me saying to you that I demand to be let out of this room. But I know that wouldn’t work.”

“ Correct “ he confirmed, devoid of it’s usual jest.

Starkey then proceed to show some form of reaction. A thing that made Hanako’s frown lightened slightly, though it stayed the same when he was basically staring back at a mirror. He didn’t know whether to feel flattered and Starkey knew him enough that he knew that smile, or uneasy.

“Would you really do anything if I were to walk away? You could curse me, but surely Ironwoods’s responsibility as a prefect far outweighs the importance of whatever favor they seem to owe you? I know they are not guarding that door because the two of you are friends,”

“ …” Hanako looked down, mindlessly twirling the hand between his fingers, knowing they would never drop. The movement helped him think on what to say. “ That…is a good plan. One that would’ve worked if we had more time.” he said as he lifts his head back up. Of course, what Starkey said made sense. But he had better things to talk about than Ironwood’s loyalty for him. Those were consequences of his actions and while he was not prepared for the outcome, he was not unaware of it. Which is why his eye on the goal was almost unbelievable sharper today. It was a tactic Hanako knew too well. Distracting people from what was really important here? He really didn’t know whether to be flattered, or uneasy.

“ Sorry, can’t offer tea this time as we have a time limit, but I’m open to sitting on the floor if it makes you comfortable. “ Truthfully, Starkey wasn’t the only person upset at this scenario. This was the situation where Starkey had no choice but to participate in. The least he could do was offer tea, but he figured it wouldn’t do much to hide the fact that he was basically forced to be here. “ What’s this about? I know you’re the type to give people silent treatments but this is really too much~” he chuckled, though it was noticeably weaker than his usual ones. A tinge of hurt laced all over the laugh before Hanako could stop it. The laughing died down almost immediately.

Hanako had less control over his facial expressions in comparison to Starkey, so the gaze he gave made it pretty obvious what he was feeling. Upset. Hurt. Frustrated. Maybe even a bit lost at what to do. Still, he kept his voice steady and serious. “ Start talking or I’ll start guessing”. Really, he was giving Starkey a chance. How dodgy would he be about it? Was he going to answer the elephant in the room? Was he even going to be truthful? Maybe there was more going on than Hanako realised. It was already obvious at this point that Hanako wanted to know.

Knowing Starkey, he would do whatever it takes to not answer the question. But if it was satisfying enough, Hanako would be alright with it. He just needed..something. Even if they were lies. Just be convincing enough. Please.

@Cassandra Ironwoods & @Wyatt Starkey and mentioning @Percival Rainwood

wearing | hex: #3a5948

“Sorry, can’t offer tea this time as we have a time limit, but I’m open to sitting on the floor if it makes you comfortable,” Hanako apologized.

At this, Wyatt raised an eyebrow. A time limit? Wyatt didn’t know how close he’d gotten to the true nature of Hanako’s deal with Ironwoods before, but now he was sure the favor wasn’t so deep. Cassandra was willing to play guard for a few, but they weren’t leaving how long “a few” meant in Hanako’s hands. They were much smarter than Wyatt often gave them credit for. Can you blame him though? If you comfortably keep company with the likes of Katherine Labrouder…

“What’s this about? I know you’re the type to give people silent treatments but this is really too much~” Hanako let out a small chuckle. It was weaker than usual, which piqued Wyatt’s interest. Did that weakness come from exhaustion? And, if so, what kind?

Hanako wasn’t wrong. It was sort of becoming his thing, giving people random silent treatments. Wyatt found it was much easier than going out of his way to make someone’s life terrible, though it had a similar effect. For some, the silent treatment could be even more annoying than straight-up fighting. Hanako seemed to be one of those people if Wyatt was to use his amusing reaction as proof. The toddler wasn’t in control of his expression, as usual. Wyatt could see his hurt.

That confused him more than it gave him satisfaction. Why on Earth would Hanako be hurt by Wyatt’s radio silence? It’s not like they were friends. Allies, why not. Frenemies, sure. And maybe Wyatt did trust Hanako a little bit, enough to keep his door unlocked for as long as he did even though he knew Hanako would just barge right in. Shit, weren’t they friends? Wyatt was never so great at friends, or even categorizing a relationship. They weren’t friends, were they? But Tone was so upset.

“Start talking or I’ll start guessing.”

“Is that a threat or a promise,” Wyatt asked rhetorically, his eyebrows ever-so-slightly raised. “I don’t think it would be wise for me to respond, just in case we’re thinking two different things. As a good host, I think you should clue me in on what you think is the problem. I thought our distance was going just fine. I’ll have you know I haven’t been involved in one kidnapping scheme since we last spoke.”

Wyatt knew what this was about for him. Alec. Why did Hanako think he could just go to Alec and… ugh, become his friend? It seemed as though Hanako thought something more romantic than friendship was going on between the two of them, which was insanely false, but that didn’t mean Tone was the one to date Alec! And what did Alec see in Hanako anyway? The parselmouth must’ve been putting on an entire persona if Alec was willing and capable of spending even a minute in his presence.

“And, please. You know I’m the ‘type’ to give people silent treatments? Let’s not start about what I am the type to do because we both know you’re the type to do lots of things. Kidnap an innocent peer for one. How about tricking someone into revealing their highly stigmatized secret ability that you learned of by accident? Oh, what about ruining your only true friend’s relationship simply because you weren’t getting the energy you think you deserve?” Wyatt spat, keeping his volume level but letting his tone get as venomous as it needed to. “You don’t see why someone would stop talking to you?”

None of that was remotely close to the reason Wyatt ignored Hanako for months, but it was a lot safer than bringing up Alec, who didn’t need to be anywhere near this conversation. For Alec’s sake, it was best Wyatt kept him as far away from a topic of conversation here as possible. He didn’t need to be anywhere on Hanako’s radar. There was no way he could’ve known, but Wyatt hoped Alec wasn’t on Tone’s mailing list on Valentine’s day… maybe he’d have to ask.

All Wyatt had to do was get his time with Hanako to run out. It didn’t matter what he said, he just had two objectives: 1) to keep Alec out of the conversation and 2) get out of this conversation alive.

Interacting: @Hanako Tone
Mentioning: Alec Mason, Cassandra Ironwoods, Percival Rainwood

𝟸𝟼 . 𝟶𝟸 . 𝟸𝟹

English & Parselmouth

“Is that a threat or a promise,” Wyatt asked rhetorically, his eyebrows ever-so-slightly raised. “I don’t think it would be wise for me to respond, just in case we’re thinking two different things. As a good host, I think you should clue me in on what you think is the problem. I thought our distance was going just fine. I’ll have you know I haven’t been involved in one kidnapping scheme since we last spoke.”

“ Oh yea! I thought the distance was fine too. Thats why I conspired with the prefect that punched my jaw just so I can talk to you.” He crossed his arms with an unimpressed gaze. “ But if you insist, I’ll keep the recap short. We’re here to talk about why you’ve been avoiding me like the plague for months. I allowed it for a while because that’s always how it’s been between us. I piss you off, you give me the cold shoulder, I make it up to you somehow - even if it’s just by giving you space, and we go back to how we normally are. I thought we were -” the next word got caught in his throat.

Friends. A word they have both been allergic to since they were 1st years. Even Hanako had struggled with the concept at times, although he had the unfortunate turn of event where he wasn’t so allergic to it now. Those specific turn of events had led him to all this: his confrontation with Starkey. Because if Hanako never even seen their relationship worth salvaging, then what was the point of even being here? He was just unlucky enough to accept his comfort with the other boy. Whether is was some sort of silent understanding between sad bois, or a Parselmouth bond, Starkey was…someone worth all this. The fact if Starkey feels the same only seems to be a diminishing hope the more he talks.

“ It doesnt matter. I’m done waiting around. I want to talk about whats been making it difficult for you go back to where we were. Or are you really going to act dumb?”

He did not in fact, acted dumb. In fact, Hanako would have prefered he did compared to the string of words that spilled out of his mouth next. Just the first statement had a shift uncomfortably, knowing exactly where this was going. It was not somewhere he wanted it to go.

“ Kidnap an innocent peer for one. “

“ Stop it “ he uttered quietly first, like a small mummer. It was nothing against the venomous tone that Starkey held on to. Only encouraging his tone to appear more meek by each accusation.

“ How about tricking someone into revealing their highly stigmatized secret ability that you learned of by accident? “

“ I said stop it“

“ Oh, what about ruining your only true friend’s relationship simply because you weren’t getting the energy you think you deserve?”

“ Wyatt…”

“You don’t see why someone would stop talking to you?”

“ ENOUGH !” Whoever said screaming would make you feel better was a big liar. He felt anything but, and it showed. His hands had a slight trembling to it, as if his own scream still echoed in his mind. For someone who did the screaming, it was him that looked like he was screeched at. His anxious eyes were anywhere but Starkey. For a second there it was like he even forgot Wyatt was there. It took a long few seconds to soothe his ragged breathing pattern.

He was not someone that yelled a lot. Loud presence, sure. But to scream, and so desperately at that - was one of the rarest sights you could ever see him in. It was raw, enough for him to start feeling the burn it left on his throat. His next words sounded strained as it wavered “ I get it.. I do..” Of course he would. He had said Wyatt’s exact words to himself countless times. More detailed and harsher, even. For years. At some point in life, he would’ve taken Starkey’s comment as a compliment. Now all it did was fill him with dread. The confirmation that the deepest root of all this was him. Not smart enough. Not great enough. Not skilled enough. Never enough for anyone. That's why it was easy for anyone to leave him. His grandmother left. His parents left. Percival left. They all did. They eventually always do.

Leave.. Just like what Starkey was trying to do.

“ This is just so. Freaking. Easy for you isn’t it? “ his confidence seemed to have come back, accompanied by a narrowed gaze shifted back to Starkey and a hollow laugh. What was he feeling now? Upset? Guilty? Betrayed? It was difficult to see when anger had blanketed his senses. Without being able to see what he felt, it was easier to say whatever you wanted. But at what cost?

“ I have reasons why I’m like this. I have reasons why I’m trying to change. I have reasons why I’m doing the most for you “ As if mimicking Wyatt’s earlier rebuttal, each word held more poison than the last. “ You think I want to be here getting answers from you? You think I wouldn’t take a chance if there was a way for me not to feel so..” amidst the obvious anger, this was the only time when he started to waver. As if a massive debate was happening in Hanako’s head. Awful. Scared. Hurt. The confirmation of it only made his anger burn with more heat. So much so that suddenly, his hands were no longer curled in a ball nor shaking. His eyes simmered down on its earlier wraith, replaced with an unusual cold stare. An empty sneer managed to make it to his face.

“ How does it feel? “ he asked calmly in contrast to his earlier tone.” To never have someone important enough from you just ripped away from your life? Just leave without notice? Never having to wonder what you did wrong or what you could’ve done better. If it was really all your fault they’re gone “. At this point, Hanako didn’t even know what he was saying. Truthfully, he could hear a part of him yelling at him to stop digging into his own grave. Alas, the tempting urge to blame anyone but himself was too addictive. Like an old habit resurfacing, he only thought of relishing in it rather than question why it’s still here.

Whatever Wyatt had said, it worked. As of now, Hanako was too busy masking his hurt over Wyatt’s words with unbridled anger to remember why they were here in the first place.

“ Awesome, I bet.” he scoffed. “ That's why you’re content with being an ass 24/7. You never lost anything.” he accused cooly, never taking his eyes of Starkey. Envy dripped off his words, stronger than any other tone he had used today.

@Wyatt Starkey

wearing | hex: #3a5948

It was very unlike Hanako Tone to scream. He was usually frustratingly chipper. In a totally fake way, obviously, but chipper nonetheless. This was, to say the least, scary? Wyatt wasn’t afraid of Hanako, but something about yelling always put him on edge. It was a gut feeling, like his stomach wanted to crawl out to find safety because it was too loud. In fact, Wyatt flinched. Hell, when Hanako yelled, he almost jumped. There was no warning for the sudden increase in volume from his conversation partner and roommate’s ex-roommate. Wyatt didn’t like loud noises, and this was an especially bad one.

But why had Hanako yelled? Wyatt couldn’t have known his housemate’s specific reasoning, but Wyatt’s last sentence really got to him. Usually, when Wyatt thought back on which phrases triggered his conversation partner it was a bad thing (for them); a sign that he’d zeroed in on their weaknesses and was ready to push further, but this wasn’t at all what Wyatt was going for.

Hanako started talking to him about loss, and the accusations caused Wyatt to think about his relationship with the shorter boy. Wyatt knew nothing about Tone’s family or upbringing. Wyatt had no idea whether or not Hanako had siblings, or whether his parents were still around. Most things about Hanako Tone were a mystery, and Wyatt never thought of him as such an elusive figure, so this realization was a bit shocking. But if Tone assumed Wyatt wasn’t well-acquainted with loss, it seemed that neither of them knew the other very well. Wyatt steadied himself with a deep breath.

“I used to think loss was my best friend. My mother’s parents abandoned her for marrying and having a child with a muggle. When I later learned of it I felt I’d dodged a bullet. Who needs blood-purist grandparents like that, anyway,” Wyatt started. “It took fourteen years for my father to find out that my mother was a witch, but when he did, it was another thing he got to dislike. One day, when he’d had enough of the both of us he left. You know, ‘cause we were freaks. That loss was a good one.”

Wyatt took another deep breath. Even though he was only telling a fourth of the whole story, he hadn’t even shared this much about his family with Alec, really. When Wyatt lived with the Gryffindor for an entire summer after his mother’s death, he had just barely opened up. Now, something moved him to let Hanako know. Something urged him to share this part of him that he tried for years to cover up under layers of sarcastic comments and insults and what have you. Wyatt felt something start to come up, but it wasn’t his emotions. It was a physical thing, a condition he fully felt. And he wasn’t about to vomit either. Wyatt’s eyes began to sting as he remembered the next part of the story.

“Maybe I trusted loss too much, because…” he trailed off, thinking. “In my first year here, I’m finally away. I’m being bullied, sure, but it’s at least a fresh group of bullies. I’m learning magic. I get some letters from my mother, none of them seeming out of the ordinary. But maybe I wasn’t observant enough. Maybe I missed a few odd phrases or excused one too many tear stains for rain damage because I come home…” Wyatt went quiet, looked down at the ground, and let out a soft curse like he’d been punched in the gut. He’d been punched in the gut before, and this feeling was scarily similar. “Lung cancer, she’d always smoked. Also family history. Whatever the reasons.”

Wyatt had misjudged this whole conversation. He thought it was about Alec. He thought he needed to protect Alec, keep him away from the conversation. As it so happens, however, this was only about Wyatt and Hanako. Hearing how Tone really took their separation made Wyatt feel a ping of remorse, and he was surprised at how long it stuck with him. Wyatt and Hanako were too similar not to take advantage of such… strange luck, the fact that they existed at the same time in the same place. Maybe that was the reason why Wyatt felt he should open up. The way Hanako spoke, it was obvious that he had been betrayed by loss, too. Bonding over a common enemy was still bonding, right?

“It’s not not easy, it’s a practiced thing. But people keep trying to see beyond what I've practiced and it confuses things and I wish everything was… easy again. I don’t know. It’s a bit like… If you’re going to leave anyway, I'm going to try not to have that relationship to begin with.

“I’m sorry to disappoint. I wouldn’t know how awesome it is… Huh. So many words just to say I’m such an asshole that no one can stand me,” Wyatt sighed, his exhale unsteadily shaking. He spoke with a monotone inflection, as he didn't trust himself with anything else. “I think this is what I wanted. Is this what you were going for? I feel like we took very different approaches toward the same goal. It’s like I never hold on and you never let go. Now I’m ranting.”

Feeling overwhelmed and relieved to have spoken about things all at once, Wyatt pulled a chair from a random desk and allowed himself to collapse into it, awaiting Hanako’s response. He made an attempt to keep his expression unassuming, but there was an undeniable gloss to his eyes. He’d always been comfortable around Hanako. He wondered what it was that made him so anxious to call him a friend, but it was probably the same reason he was anxious to bestow that title upon anyone else.

Wyatt felt like the awkward first-year he was years ago when he first met Hanako in the cold, damp Chamber of Secrets. This meeting seemed familiar for a reason.

Interacting: @Hanako Tone
Mentioning: Alec Mason

𝟸𝟼 . 𝟶𝟸 . 𝟸𝟹

English & Parseltongue

An idiot, that’s what he was. The way he tensed right after spilling all that indicated clear regret. Suddenly he was a kid again. Throwing tantrums whenever anyone said something he didn’t want. Showing a clear weak spot he had for whatever Wyatt said. It was like he never learned things like this could be used against you. Wyatt was not such a kind soul that would give him a pitiful glance and ask if he was okay. No no, he’d use the opportunity. He knew this because if Hanako was in his position, he would do the exact same thing. Especially to someone who trapped him in here against his will. His mind raced with ideas on how to take back his words or spin it into a different story.

Saying it was a joke would only backfire. Oh my god. Should he beg?! Hanako hasn’t said enough, but the thought of this going out sends him into a worried frenzy. It was disgusting. Who wanted to be seen pitifully? What if people painted him as the typical jokester with a sad past? Everything he worked for to get this carefree careless reputation would crumble.

There was..one thing he could give to Starkey that would maybe make him inclined not to share this to anyone. Who had made it clear in the beginning that he didn’t want anything to do with this ‘confrontation’. It would mean a huge loss for Hanako, and he may never see Starkey again. Between never having Wyatt talk to him again, and having this pathetic version of him on blast for everyone to see- he never would have ever guessed this would be a difficult decision. But it was.

Instead of a response, Hanako inspected Starkey’s expression warily. Expectant. Waiting for a certain expression. The one Starkey would wear when he knew he won. All he needed to do was hang this over Hanako’s head and victory was his.

But that’s not what happened.

“I used to think loss was my best friend “ huh? Where was he going with this? Hanako kept a suspicious glance, growing softer by each statement shared. His initial frustration replaced completely with utter confusion. And it showed. He was unsure if Starkey could tell, or he was too engrossed with what he was saying. To be honest, he wouldn’t be the only one. There was silence apart from Starkey’s words. Even breathing was found difficult, due to the simple fact that the last thing Hanako wanted to do was interrupt him.

He.. did not ..know any of that. Which is odd, because when it came to Starkey, he had always kept an extra ear out for gossip. None of this was it. Death eaters. Bullied. Sure. But douche dad? Blood purists' grandparents? Dead mom? As if Wyatt had made sure it never reached anyone's ears. Just like how Hanako was reluctant to share any of his. Wyatt talked about his mother and hanako felt a sting in his heart, guilt spread across his face, remembering his careless remarks earlier. Why was he sharing all this? What was even the point? This was far more than anything Hana had accidentally slipped out earlier.

Even after Starkey had spilled all that out, and dragged himself to sit on one of the available seats, Hanako stood still for a full minute. More than anything, he needed time to process all of it. They spoke no words to one another but it was like the silence was louder than Hanako’s earlier scream. Could he be lying just to throw Hanako off? None of it made sense. Starkey wasn’t the type to use.. This tactic to get what he wanted. And nothing about the way he talked seemed like he was making it up on the spot. Was it all the act or was this the side of Wyatt he never knew?

“ Alohomora “ he uttered to the door, wands pointed towards the lock.

He stepped out and closed the door behind him.

Wyatt would be alone with his thoughts for a good minute before Hanako returned. If Wyatt didn't chose to somehow rush towards the exit as he wanted to do earlier, the two would meet again in the same room. Hanako said nothing about his sudden disappearance. But if Starkey where to look outside, Ironwoods was gone. Same with the wand Hanako had previously been glued to since Starkey was trapped in this room. Now no where to be seen. Hanako pushed himself inside the room and closed the door, but with no loud clicks - it was clear he didn’t lock it. Starkey could choose to leave. Yet, Hanako didn’t tell him to. Instead, he merely took a seat near the other boy. If he didn’t choose to leave, he'd have this conversation with him: “ You .. are an asshole. Definitely. “ he agreed with Wyatt's earlier statement. “ Just as much of an asshole as I am “

He let out a deep sigh, rubbing his temples for a while as if he couldn’t believe what he would be saying next. “ It took 12 years for mine. “ he started out, his tone low. Trying his best to sound as nonchalant as possible as he continued. His eyes wandered to Starkey. “ He was a muggle that had a reputation to maintain. Obsessed with looking the ‘best’ in front of people. And suddenly having a wife and your first born child have magic in their blood wasn’t really ideal. I think that’s when he..stopped seeing us as family. It was bad enough I wasn’t particularly smart. Or handsome. Or athletic. Far from the ideal son he wanted. And it helped him forget that he had a family he cared about, I guess. That led to him seeking other.. opportunities. Options. People. Whatever it is you want to call her” he tensed, biting down his bottom lip in unease at the memory. “ I caught them together. 2nd year summer. A year later, divorce. I think.. He thinks I told my mom about it, and broke my promise with him. He didn’t even talk to me about it, you know? Even when he knows I’m closer to him than my mom. I remember the way he looked at me when I came back for the summer. Like.. like he made his mind “ at this point, his voice began to waver, his eyes glued to the table. From the side, if Starkey paid close attention to his eyes, they looked a tad bit watery. It seemed that he was doing his best to hold it back, though. No tears fell, as of yet.

“ And my mom “ he strained a laugh. “ She acted more like a stranger all my life. And now, out of nowhere she tells me she’s sorry and taking care of me. After the years I endured. Pushing people away. Pretending to be this ..carefree guy that couldn’t care less. All because I just couldn’t handle if people left me the way she did. I.. I don’t know.. “ he sucked in a sharp breath, rubbing his upper arms in a soothing motion.

“ And finally, the coffin in the nail. He promised to be there for me. Even stayed at my house for a few weeks. Just as I was beginning to .. trust someone so.. openly. And let myself be stupidly vulnerable.. he just..left. With no word. Next I heard from him, he sent me a letter saying that he never wanted to see me again. After weeks of making it seem like he actually genuinely cared about me. That..” hurts. Yet, he was sure if he said that word, he would no longer have the strength to keep his tears in check. But he had a feeling Starkey understood what he wanted to say. It wasn’t much of a surprise to who ‘he’ is.

“ What was it that you said earlier? ‘If you’re going to leave anyway, I'm going to try not to have that relationship to begin with ?’..” he chuckled, strained. “ People just keep making it hard for us, huh? Did you feel that when we met? I felt like you understood that. That's why it was easy to like you ” he said without much of a thought, finally having the courage to glance back at Starkey. Hanako wondered what he was thinking if he saw Hana’s face right now. It wouldn’t be the first time he saw the boy this vulnerable. It seemed like fate had a way letting Starkey see the side of Hanako he so desperately tried to hide. Since the first time they met in the chamber, to the time Hanako barged in his room to have a sudden tea party to drown out his sorrows about Rainwood going on a date, and finally this moment.

What was it that made Hanako so at ease with Starkey? Even more so now that Starkey had shared all that. Hanako surprised himself when he exchanged equivalent information with the other boy. If he wanted to save his pride, he would’ve said this was just so they could blackmail one another. But truthfully? He didn’t even think about using this against Starkey. Perhaps not out of loyalty, but respect. And yea…honestly, he cared. Just enough to know Starkey wouldn’t have felt safe about him knowing that part of his history. Which was why he shared all that. If Starkey felt safer if he had something to use against Hanako, then so be it.

“ This is.. Not at all what I was going for. You know that, right? “ he sighed, crossing his arms and closing his eyes for a moment. “But there. Now that I’ve said all that.. I can be more braver in asking my next question” he glanced back at Wyatt. No faux smile. No fake chipper-ness. No walls. Just him. Confused, disbelief, disappointed, and something else swirled in his expression. A sense of content.

“ Just..why? Why this? Why all that? Just-” he uncrossed his arms, a weak smile appearing on his face. Small and barely noticeable, and yet it was the only smile that reached his eyes. “ Wyatt, why are we doing this? “ he whispered in a pleading tone. The question sounded simple, but it could have meant a million things.

Why weren’t they talking about what they came here for? Why did Wyatt share all that he did? Why did Hanako share all that he did? Why did they make the choices they did? Why were they in these situations? Why did this particular time allow them to share this moment? Why did they allow it to happen when they both damn well know that it was something they’d usually avoid at all costs. Hanako usually would have left it up to his interpretation. But between the flurry of emotions cursing through him, he was aware of one thing. That he wanted Wyatt to understand.

“ You never hold on, and I never let go “ he uttered slowly and steadily, his watery gaze never leaving Wyatt’s while he said it. A moment later, he turned away, His hand went up to the side of his right eye, wiping away what seemed like some sort of dust got in his eye. But they both knew what it really was.

@Wyatt Starkey

wearing | hex: #3a5948

Wyatt had seen a lot of Hanako’s masks: Playful, sinister, mischievous, furious… and he could’ve sworn he once saw real happiness in his eyes. But Wyatt was starting to realize that he hadn’t given his housemate nearly enough credit for his ability to mask his emotions, because this was a Hanako that he’d never seen before, and he was starting to think this might just be the real one. Not because he was being (what Wyatt thought to be) honest in sharing his turbulent relationship with his family, but because he was being honest, period. This Hanako was genuine, sympathetic. Not making jokes to cover up his questionable behavior, nor manipulating those he trusted to join him in his misery.

When Hanako had unlocked and left the classroom, Wyatt was surprised to feel alone. He spent a lot of time by himself, and if he didn’t make himself believe that he enjoyed his own company, he wasn’t often so recognizably lonely that he’d mark feeling alone. But he did. Especially after sharing such personal information—information he wouldn’t have dreamt of telling anyone before this night—he wasn’t shocked to be left alone, but it still felt painful. Hanako’s leaving confirmed his suspicions that sharing your feelings was a dangerous and worthless thing, and while Wyatt wasn’t so concerned at this time that Tone would go around sharing what he’d said, he knew he’d worry later.

But Hanako returned, and Wyatt noticed a distinct lack of Cassandra Ironwoods through the small opening of the door. It closed before he could be sure that they’d left. And Hanako came closer. Faintly, as if clocking this from another universe, Wyatt saw he didn’t have a wand. Hanako sat down in a seat nearby, and his first words were pretty much expected. But when the second sentence followed, Wyatt found it was a very Hanako Tone version of sympathy. Maybe it was because he felt a little emotionally drained after speaking, but Wyatt found it difficult to conceal his curiosity… confusion?

The similarities in their stories were quite shocking to Wyatt, though while Hanako’s dad had an image to keep up, Wyatt’s dad seemed to think his life was over before it had even started and that any effort was wasted effort. Hanako’s turbulence seemed to operate similarly to the way Wyatt observed him to, over the years. It was sinister, with secrets and lies being kept and shared, and tentative promises made. Wyatt supposed they were all just products of their environment, but questioned himself for not having thought about where Hanako learned to be such a Slytherin over the past few years. Wyatt looked up from an uninteresting spot in the desk in front of him to look at Hanako.

As Tone continued, speaking about his father’s infidelity, Wyatt noticed his eyes growing glossier. They shone like freshly polished glass, but glass was fragile, and he worried that they would break soon. A transparent dam. Usually, this image would accompany a feeling of pity, but it was hard for Wyatt to pity someone who seemed to be feeling very similar feelings to himself. The fourth year wondered, if he could see himself, if he’d look very much like Hanako now. The answer would be yes.

When Tone was finished, Wyatt blinked and opened his eyes to a new person. No other word but content could be used to describe Hanako’s expression, and Wyatt knew the feeling. To get something off your chest that you’ve been holding for so long… it was quite liberating. He waited for Tone to slap on a smile, to fluff up his expression in times of awkwardness as he often would, but it never came. Instead, he assured that this sort of conversation was not near where he wanted to go with this, and Wyatt was unsurprised. His meetings with Hanako tended to go off-script, but this was another level.

“Just..why? Why this? Why all that? Just-” Hanako stammered softly. “Wyatt, why are we doing this?”

If Wyatt had a wand to his head, the assailant ready and willing to cast the killing curse, he wouldn’t have a sufficient answer. He didn’t quite know what Hanako was looking for, but if he could still relate his own feelings to Tone’s, it was clarification. Some sort of reasoning as to why these two assholes could go months without a word and jump back into it with a life story.

“You never hold on, and I never let go,” Hanako repeated Wyatt’s previous statement in parseltongue. After a beat, Hanako raised a hand to wipe a tear, turning away from Wyatt as he did so. Wyatt decided not to mention it. There was a reason Tone turned away from him. He understood. Letting out a light, breathy laugh, he said, “When you say it like that, it sounds like bad poetry.”

Before he said anything—and before whatever he said was stupid—Wyatt knew he had to think. They were both in a vulnerable position right now. If he were being completely honest, he hadn’t a clue why he decided to tell Hanako his personal history. It wasn’t to shut Hanako down or make him feel embarrassed for suggesting Wyatt hadn’t experienced loss. Maybe it was the way Hanako’s suggestion forced Wyatt to face the fact that someone so involved in his day-to-day life over the past four years knew pretty much nothing of consequence about him. Maybe it was the way Wyatt had hoped to find someone who could understand, and Hanako accidentally revealed he might.

“Maybe we’re doing this because it’s really tiring being an asshole all the time,” Wyatt offered. He had a few other reasons in mind, but he worried about how Hanako would react. What do you say to something like ‘I feel like we’re both a little weird in similar ways and for some reason every time we get into trouble we have each other’s backs and we have a strange allyship that may just be called friendship if you squint hard enough.’ Alec had to assure Wyatt at least twice a month that he wasn’t going to head out over a side-eye. Wyatt didn’t quite get friendship enough to establish it.

“And I don’t think it would hurt either of us to have someone to rely on a little bit,” Wyatt started again, eyeing Hanako with a relatively unassuming expression to gauge his opinion. “In case we find ourselves in a tough situation, we know there’s at least one person around who knows who we are. And maybe we don’t have to lie to each other for backup. Though I do not expect either of us will be able to cut out lying completely,” Wyatt sighed. They were not very honest people.

Wyatt felt the overwhelming urge to apologize, and it was an urge surpassing want and far exceeding need. It felt like there was something magnetically drawing the words from within him, but something even heavier holding them down. He felt sick and in the best health he’d been in in years all at once. Something was so right about the whole ordeal, but something else was just as incredibly wrong. This was the alternate version of reality that was never meant to become his reality. It felt like there was a weird cosmic swap, where somewhere far away, another Wyatt was very confused as to why his best friend Hanako Tone just started acting strangely out of nowhere. Does that make sense?

Since they were trying on honesty today, Wyatt decided to keep the ball rolling.

“I feel like I should apologize? I could not give you specifics if I tried all night but… it’s not like I’ve made your life any easier. Should I go to one of your dueling matches or something?” Shit, are we friends now? That would be weird. Wyatt ranted before realizing just how insane he sounded. He decided to take a breath and continue speaking but like a normal person this time.

“I’m sorry. I’m not very good at being open. I am exhausted,” Wyatt admitted. At this point, he was getting very worried he was going to start saying stuff that he’d later cringe at with a rested mind. Well, he knew that fear was bound to be his future. Wyatt knew he was stupid when he lost control, whether from feelings or tiredness, and something told him that a mix of both wouldn’t be fantastic. Right now, though, he didn’t really care. He was confused, trying to piece together the Hanako that he’d known for the last few years and this new Hanako he’d just met. It was starting to come together.

Wyatt’s greatest fear was always being pitied. He wasn’t very well-versed in how to comfort someone, but he felt Hanako might have had a similar fear of being pitied. Wyatt said, softly, almost as if he didn’t know he was speaking at all, “Don't worry, I'm not going to pity you.” While he probably should’ve offered a smile, Wyatt was serious. Pity was a serious thing. Being treated like a wounded animal was not on Wyatt’s to-do list. His expression was fixed but not too harsh. A very Wyatt attempt at comfort.

Interacting: @Hanako Tone
Mentioning:

𝟸𝟼 . 𝟶𝟸 . 𝟸𝟹
English, Parseltongue

Thank god he wasn’t hugged. Here he was doing everything he promised himself not to do, and he’ll be damned if he was pushed even further by a simple horrifying hug. Not that he expected Wyatt to do it. There was always a sense of understanding between them that didn’t need to be spoken with words. Though it was only now that Hanako fully thought about it, it was easy to trust Wyatt to know what to do. Perhaps Hanako found comfort in knowing Wyatt's understanding of navigating this unfamiliar territory was the same as Hanako’s. The simplicity of sharing zero comprehension on how to proceed.

In Gen Z terms, sharing a single brain cell. But in this particular moment, Hanako felt that was enough.

Wyatt mentioned how it sounded like it was bad poetry and Hanako couldn’t help but release a strained laugh. Lifting a fist to weakly punch Wyatt’s shoulder. “ Now that you mentioned it…”. Leave it to Wyatt to point that single thing out. Amidst every fibre of his being screaming out in protest, encouraged to pack up and leave before he said anything stupid, oddly enough that little comment managed to ease him just a teensy bit. Perhaps because he knew Wyatt was feeling something similar.

“Maybe we’re doing this because it’s really tiring being an asshole all the time,”

“ People do underestimate how hard it is” he managed to say, a tired sigh escaping from his lips. He was tired of being an asshole. He thought being difficult was a way of escape. Part of him was just never enough for anybody. He was incredibly amazing at fooling himself into thinking it took no effort. In the end, he pretty much did the same thing. Putting on a show for other people to shield his own doubts about himself. “ You know. If anyone else suggested that, I would’ve rolled my eyes. Like…’ What do you mean hard? It so so easy…’” he offered a little strained jest. Perhaps in this timeline, Wyatt didn't need to put himself in Hana’s shoes to empathise with him. They were dealing with similar things. Just different ways, as Starkey put it. “Never liked happy-go-lucky people telling me how my attitude to be. They don’t know what it's like”. Hanako started to calm down a bit from his earlier waterworks, leaning against the chair and letting out an exhausted exhale.

But then Wyatt continued to give him one surprise after another. Hanako did his best attempt to appear unaffected. Which was…really hard. He was pretty sure he hardly could contain the instinctive frown on his face. But Wyatt could be rest assured that he didn’t look angry, at least. After a while of pondering, Hanako let out a strained short-lived laugh. “ You make it sound like. You’re suggesting we be friends. Yet… something..different about it. And somehow… I don’t hate it” he confessed, a tired yet somewhat intrigued smile on his face, meeting Wyatt’s gaze.

His smile disappeared as Wyatt started..apologising? “What the hell are you on about..” Hanako let out a surprised yet uncertain laugh. Unsure what to do with his apology. It didn’t really fit well with him. How many times had anyone apologised to him in his life? 5? He was too tired to do the math properly. It was a weird position to be in really, but could that explain the heat in his chest? Even if Wyatt didn’t give the specifics, it was like Hanako knew exactly what he was talking about. “ I'm the one that went out with Alec and pissed you off. Used a favour to abuse the power of a prefect and Ironwoods to trap you in a classroom with me against your will. And … I mean.. I could go on and on if we take a trip down memory lane. But we’ll be here all day”. He tried to jest but wasn’t able to deliver it without slipping in guilt in his tone. My god. He was an asshole. He was the real asshole and he was the one getting an apology? It crushed him that he was the one being given an apology.

His brain was just melting. Wyatt could see the internal debate in Hanako’s mind. Should he apologise instead? Arguing over who should apologise more? That sounds so ridiculously stupid. Yet so tempting! Before Hanako could decide what to do, Wyatt spoke up about being exhausted and not being good at being open. And with that, Hanako remembered how to breathe.

“I. I know..” Wyatt could see Hanako’s tense feature soften at the reminder. “Same”. Hanako took a moment first to take deep breaths. Managing a small smile when Wyatt said he wasn’t going to pity him. “ Neither am I”. He tapped his finger on the desk in front of them, mustering up the courage to say his next words. Hopefully, without crying.

“ I’m willing to try with you though..cause..you're much of an asshole as I am” he blurted out. Unsure if by a year from now, he would regret those words. But at the moment, in an empty classroom, with an unlikely ally. Someone he never thought would be able to make Hanako feel safe, seen and heard. He figured someone who’s been deprived of it first, knows best about it. Oddly enough instead of urging Hanako to walk away, it only made him want to try as well. Knowing they were both in this unfamiliar boat together, whether they wanted to or not. And if they can’t happen to stay away from each other, they might as well make something good out of it. A ..friendship. One that doesn’t leave a sour taste in Hanako’s mouth. He didn’t think it was possible after Rainwood left him. But he supposed…Wyatt exceeded plenty of expectations. It only made Hanako want to..see more of it.

“I’m sorry too..for. ..a lot” he blurted out, a nervous laugh leaving out of him as he felt his eyes prickle and sting again. But he kept going on, his eyes darting away from Wyatt. “ Y-yeah I’d like you to come to my games. I mean. I lose most of the time but still. I want to come to your games too. Ah jeez..this is so annoying”. He stopped midway just to cover his face with his hands. Hanako tried his best to look composed. At least, as much composed as a boy hiding his face with his hands would look. The tension in his shoulders and the trail of water dripping from his chin said enough.

“ I mean….” he sniffled, still refusing to show his face. Mortified and yet he couldn’t stop talking, even in between coughing and sniffles. “ It-its friggin weird. I hate c-crying so much..” he continued, resting his elbows on the table, still hiding his face. “ it always feels so..a-awful but I’m .. h-happy? What the fuck.. I don’t know..”

Crying was always soul-crushing. He was not a cryer often but when it did happen, Hanako had a standard procedure. Locking himself in his room alone. Hoarding chips to sustain himself. Closing windows. And not leaving for at least 3 days. And every time after that, he only felt worse. Eventually, he naturally learned crying wasn’t going to solve anything, so why do it in the first place? Yet he couldn’t explain this sort of cry. It was aching his chest, but it flowed out of him like a waterfall. Dams were man-made, with walls blocking out the water from spilling. But waterfalls were a product of nature. A natural flow state that no one would question why water poured down it.

That was the best description he could describe his cry at the moment. Despite crying and looking horrible after it, it wasn’t useless. It wasn’t a mistake on his part to express it. It was easy, natural, and safe. No doubt, the result of Wyatt Starkey’s presence. Hanako could have this moment later when he was alone. For now, all he could feel was an odd mixture of ache, hope and safety. Whilst he cried, he couldn't help but think of one line repetitively in his head.

‘ Thank you’.

And perhaps he never verbally expressed it. Not with his nose full of snot and puffy eyes. But somewhere deep in him, he wanted to hope that Wyatt would understand. Because that was their special talent in this odd friendship of theirs. Understanding from silence. He couldn't be happier about it. Snot and all.

@Wyatt Starkey

wearing | hex: #3a5948

As Wyatt spoke and—for the first time—felt listened to by Hanako Tone, he couldn’t help but notice that a small doubt colored his responses and expressions. Doubt regarding Wyatt’s motivation, perhaps, or maybe impersonal doubt coming from a projection of past experience. But this only made Tone– or Hanako, rather, seem all the more human. All the more relatable. Wyatt didn’t deeply know Hanako, he found, but he probably knew himself less. The skills of observation he’d picked up to keep himself safe only applied to others, and when he thought of himself, he was more of a loose concept than a real person. He wouldn’t understand if Hanako blindly trusted him after dealing with years of this loose concept, and the light caution reflected Wyatt’s own in this new earnest Hanako. After being so fixed in their malice for so many years, how could they flip easily?

But they’d made huge steps. Where years or weeks ago there would have been no discussion about their history or about feelings, now, they’d spoken for some time now; Where this type of conversation would have been shut down and dismissed with a laugh, now, they listened to one another without stepping on each others’ feelings; Where Wyatt would have stored the little Hanako might have shared for his argument bank, now, Wyatt carefully put this knowledge in a locked box in his mind, only to return to should he forget he is not alone, or to further understand Hanako’s actions.

With this understanding came a feeling so thoroughly unfamiliar. Wyatt knew adrenaline highs. He got one every time he started an argument, won an argument, gained the upper hand, found out valuable information about someone he could use. Each time he got the briefest taste of control, really, he felt a rush. It had gotten stale this year, maybe that’s why he’d felt he’d gone soft. This past year, it didn’t make him feel powerful to win or to instigate, it just made him feel lonely. Even now, he’d argue for the ability to impact a person’s feelings as a form of power, but he didn’t feel the rush of authority as much as he felt how thick the loneliness was after. Where his victim waddled off to a support system, to a professor, a counselor, a parent, a friend, Wyatt went back to his dorm and hid behind the curtains. Reading, maybe, but staring at one page for hours while jumping from one train of thought to another could hardly be called reading. What Wyatt felt in this moment was foreign.

A warmth. A warmth in a cold room. A warmth in his chest, a sense of security, and a level head, even through his exhaustion. He didn’t feel anxious or restless. He didn’t feel as though he had to turn around, and check over his shoulder for foes he didn’t catch in his first scan of the room. And when Hanako just took his apology. And when Hanako just listened to his story. Or heard him out on the topic of a sort of friendship. Hanako wore his dilemma on his face, clearly contemplating the meaning behind Wyatt’s every word. Hanako relieved his tension when Wyatt revealed his insecurities. He said “same”, he said he was “willing to try” friendship.

And the more Hanako spoke, the harder it was for Wyatt to look away from his eyes. And then he ducked down and hid his face, and Wyatt knew instantly that he was crying. In some way, Wyatt had made Hanako cry, but it wasn’t a victory. It was an indication, of sorts. A promise, that Hanako’s heart was in this, and that he was being as open as he could. The glass dam had shattered. The porcelain mask was reduced to dust. It was beautiful, Wyatt thought. The moment, that is. He looked beyond Hanako, at the old stone that had somehow kept Hogwarts together for thousands of years, at the single broken and boarded window telling stories he could listen to for hours, at the raised wood of the desk near the shattered glass that couldn’t escape the elements. A faint glow—moonlight—broke through the panes. And the two people sat facing each other, practicing sincerity.

Wyatt felt himself break in turn, dampening his sleeve in silence.

“I mean…. It-its friggin weird. I hate c-crying so much...” His elbows met the table with a dull thud. “It always feels so..a-awful but I’m .. h-happy? What the fuck.. I don’t know…”

How could he explain it so simply but so well? This weird, complicated feeling of allowing himself to break down after years of repression, and still being in control, in a way. If they didn’t want to share this moment, either of them could have left. They chose to stay, they chose to let the tears fall, and they’d chosen to talk. They’d chosen to be friends. Kind of. And now, crying, which would usually be a sign of weakness in their books, well, it was a promise. Here, crying meant “I see you.”

“Crying fucking sucks. Ruining my perfectly non-puffy eyes,” Wyatt agreed. His tone was calm, but it was just feeble enough to let Hanako know through his covered eyes that he was also in tears. “But I know what you mean. It doesn’t feel… bad, exactly.”

Wyatt tried to steady his breathing, willing himself to calm, but his nose was so clogged it didn’t matter. This was all so surreal. He’d just had a conversation with someone that ended in tears on both sides and didn’t deteriorate their relationship. Instead, of course, it strengthened it. Wyatt wasn’t exactly giddy, the feeling couldn’t be called that, but he was hopeful. He looked forward to the future in a way he wasn’t used to. He was excited to see an ally in Hanako—by choice, this time—excited to have someone who gets it to talk with. Or who needs talking? They’d always been fine nonverbal communicators with one another, something Wyatt never understood because he thought Hanako to be a vague ally thanks to their shared talent and a light nuisance overall. Now, it made so much sense why. It certainly wasn’t their parseltongue ability. They shared much more.

Through their mirrored seating positions Wyatt could feel Hanako’s confusion, guilt, loneliness, but also his contentment. Though he couldn’t be entirely sure if that was his own emotional state. He took a better look at Hanako, desperate to clear the fog and practice his abilities of observation, perhaps for the first time without malintent or for survival. He had been so clouded lately, drowning in his own self-pity, angry at himself for wasting his life pushing every possible person away and disappointed in himself for being so pathetic as to care. Here, it mattered. Please, Wyatt thought.

Wyatt looked at Hanako. His usually neat and shiny black hair was dull even in the glow of the moonlight, and messy from the day and tension of his hands, seeking anything to hold onto to cover his face from Wyatt. Not long ago, Hanako hid behind Ironwoods, sending them out to pick up Wyatt and bring him to this classroom. He’d always been very smart. He’d picked up on Wyatt’s intentionally avoiding him, sent an invitation from someone other than himself knowing his own intentions wouldn’t be trusted, and got Ironwoods to guide the door, one of a small group of people who intimidated Wyatt. But Hanako had cared about him from the start. Hanako had, at first, brought out his court jester routine, clearly to mask his level of investment in their relationship, though it was so unlike Hanako to miss how much of an indicator trapping him in a room was. But he knew Wyatt just as well. He knew how to dodge his accusations and retaliate just as brutally. Hanako had cared. And if he didn’t care about the full Wyatt Starkey before, not having known there was more than the asshole, of course, he cared about the Wyatt he had access to. He knew his tactics, he knew his go-to moves. And he didn’t give up hope, not until Wyatt cruelly pushed the buttons he knew would let him out or lead to a real fight. But that still wasn’t the end because when Wyatt spoke he had the sense to listen.

Then to share, in turn.

That’s what this was about, wasn’t it? That’s what started this? Maybe it wasn’t hope at all, maybe it was just the principle. Wyatt was someone that Hanako didn’t want to leave. He’d sent him that Valentine’s note and the invitation to this very room, trying to get him to answer, to come back, to make an effort. When Wyatt shared, when he made the effort, that’s when they started to heal. The gaping wounds of their relationship were sewn up, with… effort. And maybe, at first, Wyatt wasn’t really Wyatt. By Hanako’s story, it seemed like he dealt with lots of quick exits from his life. All Wyatt knew about until tonight had been Rainwood. There were so many more.

Wyatt hoped that by the end of this, he was more than another faceless figure walking away from Hanako’s life; He hoped he was Wyatt Starkey, an idiot lucky to remain a part of it.

After a long period of silence, “We’re going to have to wait until we don’t look like we were sobbing to go back to the Snape dorm, aren’t we?”

Truth be told, Wyatt planned to follow whenever Hanako felt he wanted to leave. Follow Hanako. Huh.

Interacting: @Hanako Tone
Mentioning: