The stranger looked at him like they knew each other. Like they had known each other for years.Title: Confidence, or the Lack of It
Author: Beelsebutt
Beta Readers: sieerra & Kunfetti
Main Characters: Dennis/Teddy & Colin/Harry
Genre: Fluff and Humor, AU, Post-War, Everyone's Adult
Word Count: 1700
Challenges:
FF100 (61. Talvi)Rating: S (sallittu kaikille)I got a lovely comment on my old, old Teddy/Dennis fic
on ffnet (S) from
Batmanfan12 <3 and afterwards they gave me three prompts! I got
so inspired with the prompts since I've been wanting to write more Teddy/Dennis since that first fic,
April Fools' Day's Fools (S). At first, I was going to write this in the same verse with AFDF, but ofc that wasn't possible bc of the prompts. Just chalk it up to my age, but I've been wanting to get into Teddy/Dennis and their struggle over age difference for years now. Dennis is just fifteen years older than Teddy, it's nothing, really, compared to Harry/Remus, one of my OTPs, who have at least 20 years between them
In any case, now I had a perfect opportunity to write more with these prompts:
1. Colin or Dennis meet Teddy for the first time (can be romance or when he's a little kid)
2. Colin helps Dennis get ready for his first date
3. Colin and Harry share a sweet first kiss
So! I got inspired with three songs I got from shuffling my mix playlist (I tried to participate in
Shuffle VI Challenge, but I most definitely did not write these during the respective songs, so won't link this as a Challenge Fic), the songs were:
1. Lauri - She's A Bomb
2. Antti Tuisku - Peto on irti
3. Hanoi Rocks - Million Miles Away
The middle one is in Finnish, but actually all three of them are performed by Finnish artists, which is kinda funny, because I don't have that many Finnish songs on my playlist xD oh, well.
The fic is AU, Voldemort was vanquished in the Battle of the Ministry at the end of The Order of Phoenix. Harry went to school next fall, fell in love and so on.
Thanks to both sieerra & Kunfetti for their help with the words <3
Disclaimer! I do not own the Potters, nor do I condone J.K. Rowling's personal opinions about stuff – but I do like the book series. I'm not making any money with this, so don't sue!
Confidence, or the Lack of It
#1First time Dennis saw Teddy, he had a lollipop in his mouth. He was tapping rapidly on his phone, maybe texting with someone, and the plastic stick moved from one side of his closed mouth to another. He had earphones on, and he kept bobbing his leg with the beat only he could hear. Dennis let himself look, because, well, why wouldn't he? There was nothing bad at checking out a hot young man, even if he would never pursue him really. The man looked scarcely a twenty-year-old, and Dennis was in his late thirties. Yeah, no dice for him.
Still, he could look. Not too much, just check him out. Nothing more, he wasn't some old perv.
Dennis gnawed his bottom lip, taking in the red basketball shoes with loosely tied strings. The guy was wearing the skinniest of the skinny jeans Dennis had seen during his life. They were so tight, they could have almost been painted on his legs. He was thin, but still, despite him being crouched almost double, Dennis could anticipate the muscles on his back, on his shoulders. He could almost see them from under the loose hoodie the man had on him. He wasn't really wearing it, just the hood part covering his head, keeping the top of his face in the shade. The rest of the hoodie was thrown on his back, the sleeves lolling on both sides, useless.
Suddenly, he lifted his head and looked straight at Dennis.
Dennis froze. He stopped breathing, as his throat constricted with fear. Of unknown. Because the stranger looked at him like they knew each other. Like they had known each other for years. Like in some other universe, they were soul mates, and the bond had carried over into this world, even though they saw each other for the first time right now. Right here.
The man swept his hood off his head, letting the sun sparkle in his bright blue hair. He smiled at Dennis.
Next breath that Dennis took, was sweeter than ever.
* * *
#2"Oh, come on, Dennis!" Colin sighed, tugging his brother closer, again, and fixing his hair, again. "You're hopeless."
"I know, I know. I'm sorry!" Dennis huffed, clearly trying to calm his nerves. "It's just, I don't wanna look like I'm ninety."
"You're not ninety. You're thirty-seven. That's fifty-three years less than ninety."
"Fuck off with your maths," Dennis smirked, hitting his brother on the arm. "You know what I mean."
"Sure I do," Colin agreed easily, a playful glint in his eyes. "I would be worried too, if I had a boy toy who was nearly half my age."
It was clearly the wrong thing to say, and Dennis didn't take the bait like Colin had hoped. Didn't argue back. Didn't try to prove how he was at his prime. Instead, Dennis' face fell, and he grabbed his hair, again, destroying everything Colin had done to it, again.
"Quit it!" Colin groaned, catching Dennis' wrists in his hands. Dennis tried to detach his arms from Colin's grip, but his attempt was feeble, and he gave up quickly. Colin pushed him to the chair and made him sit down. He kneeled in front of him, staring him in the eye, until he looked back, "I'm sorry."
Dennis shook his head and closed his eyes. He looked stricken and nothing like the real Dennis. There was no bounce in his gestures, no spark in his eyes. Well, they were closed, but Colin had seen how lost Dennis had looked.
Colin took a deep breath, formulating his words in his head before saying them aloud. Not something he did on daily basis, but it was for his brother, so he tried his best.
"Listen to me," he said. Dennis didn't open his eyes. Colin didn't care. "I know he's younger than you. You know he's younger than you. But do you know who also knows he's younger than you?"
"Harry?" Dennis whispered, his voice low and shaky. A poor attempt of humor. Colin almost laughed for pity's sake.
"No. Teddy," Colin said firmly.
That finally got Dennis' full attention. He opened his eyes and furrowed his brows, trying to understand what Colin was trying to say.
"Yeah. Teddy knows he's younger than you. He knows you're older than him. Does he care?"
Dennis shook his head. Not much, but it was something. Colin smiled a bit, suppressing his need to roll his eyes.
"So. What are you going to do now?"
"I'm..." Dennis began, but didn't seem to know how to finish the sentence.
"I'll tell you what you're going to do," Colin said, and took a deep breath. "You're going to shut up, keep your hands away from your hair, and let me do my job!" he snapped, before pushing Dennis against the back of the chair.
Dennis chuckled, looking more relaxed. Finally, thought Colin, and raised his wand, again, to add more hairspray on Dennis' mohawk.
* * *
#3It was snowing. Dennis had been on his first date with Teddy for two hours now. Colin sighed, and instead of staring out the window any longer, he put the kettle on. Best to have supper and go to bed. Apparently something had come up with Harry, so he was going to sleep alone tonight.
After a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits, Colin changed into pajamas and went to brush his teeth. He stared at the mirror, not really seeing anything. His mind was in the past.
In Hogwarts, his sixth year. In the middle of winter.
In Gryffindor common room.
The clock had already struck midnight, the flames flickered lazy in the fireplace. Colin knew they should stoke the fire soon if they didn't want to be interrupted by a house elf. But he had just snuggled against Harry, who had wrapped his arm around Colin, keeping him close and secure, almost like he'd expected Colin to bolt any second now. Which was never going to happen, because Colin wouldn't have moved from the spot if the walls themselves had crumbled around them.
"Colin?" Harry asked. He sounded nervous.
"Mmh?" Colin hummed, feeling too boneless to actually form words.
"I was thinking..." Harry started, clearing his throat.
That peaked Colin's interest. He had learned Harry's tells during the long months he's spent pining after him. Not knowing at the time that Harry, too, had been pining after Colin. That was something he had found out only after they got together. Which had been exactly ten days ago. But the tell, Harry's coughing, that rumbling voice that shook his chest and vibrated all the way to the core of Colin. It was a sign of a nervous Harry.
"Yeah?" Colin rose up, suddenly very interested in what Harry had to say. Harry squeezed Colin a bit closer, even though their chests were already tightly against each other.
"Well, umm," Harry stuttered. He licked his lips and his eyes darted all over the place. Anywhere except on Colin.
"Harry? What is it?" Colin asked, perplexed, trying to figure out what was happening.
"Oh," Harry seemed to realize his behavior wasn't quite normal. "Oh!
Nothing bad, I promise! I was just wondering..." Harry stopped again, a blush rising on his cheeks. He hesitated, then moved a bit, angling himself better. And then just went for it.
The kiss was chaste, almost just a peck on the lips. Harry straightened up and licked his lips. He looked like he could faint from the shock, almost if he didn't believe he had just done it.
"Was... was that okay?"
"Oh!" Colin exclaimed, his own cheeks warming up. He, too, licked his lips, dropping his gaze on Harry's mouth, and felt a shiver down his spine. If Colin was honest, he had thought about kissing Harry a lot
. And he sure wanted more. "Yeah. Yeah. More than okay. Can we do it again?"
"Okay," Harry whispered. He placed his hand on Colin's neck, then slid it on his shoulder, looking very nervous.
Colin thrust his fingers in Harry's mop of hair, and drew his face closer. Their noses collided, and Harry chuckled once, before Colin found a better angle, and now it was his turn to go for it.
Harry's lips were soft and warm, sliding between Colin's own, and he felt Harry's breath against his cheek. Harry's fingers had gripped his shoulder, and his other hand moved on his thigh. Colin's breath hitched, and there must have been some sound fleeing from his throat, because Harry went rigid.
Colin was having none of that. He slotted his fingers with Harry's, keeping his hand near his hip, never letting their lips part.
The thundering of his heart, the needy jolt to get closer, impossibly close. Harry's tongue on his lips. Between his lips.Colin startled. His gaze zeroed to his own reflection. His cheeks were burning, and there was a dribble of tooth paste trickling down his chin. He swept it away, spitting his mouth empty. After rinsing, he heard the Floo turn on, the tell tale swooshing echoing from the living room, and soon after that, familiar steps getting closer and closer. Colin dried his face and stepped out the bathroom right into Harry's arms.
"Hey," Harry smiled softly, burying his face in Colin's warm neck. "Sorry it took so long."
"It's alright," Colin mumbled, running his palms on Harry's sides. "Missed you."
"Me too," Harry said. He pulled back a bit, so he could plant a kiss on Colin's cheek, then on the nose, another one on the cheek. On the corner of his mouth. "You smell like toothpaste."
"Go, wash up," Colin urged, smiling easily. He pressed a chaste kiss on Harry's lips. "I'll turn down the bed."
"Mmkay," Harry chuckled, stealing another kiss before retreating to the bathroom.
Colin pulled the duvet down, and arranged the pillows, listening to familiar sounds. Faucet running, clothes rustling. Harry always hummed that same tune while getting ready to bed. Colin never asked where it was from. It didn't matter. Only it did matter, now, because it meant that Harry was home from a mission, safe and sound, and would soon lie down next to Colin. Smelling like home.
Like love.
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