Aaron

[mooningremus]

Remus' good spirits had come to a grinding halt after his encounter with Willy. It was the indifference that was the worst part of it. It wasn't just that Willy hadn't loved him. It seemed he thought nothing of him at all. Even if he'd cared about him as a friend, he wouldn't have let him think this whole time that he'd d been the one to ruin it...

His finger felt naked without the ring. And he couldn't face going back to the flat. Not tonight. He almost went to a hostel. But there was one person he could call.

Or rather, he texted: Is there any way I might stay with you tonight?

Comments

[quitollis]

"I can imagine," Aaron sympathized. "I suppose our first encounter was fortunate in that sense," he added.

[mooningremus]

"Exactly," Remus said. "It's like I can already relax around you, already knowing that it won't frighten or upset you."

[quitollis]

Aaron nodded. "That's good; I'm glad. I've met a werewolf in the past, but he was... a lot more feral than you. He let that side of him take over; I'm deeply impressed at how you manage it. Well, from my perspective, at least, it doesn't seem to consume your life."

[mooningremus]

"Most werewolves I've met are... awful," said Remus quietly. "They sided with Volemort in the war, for the most part." Not to mention Greyback, who was a Death Eater on top of it. And also... well, best not to think about it.

"I wish the wizard community thought more like you. It doesn't seem to matter how well I'm managing it. There's a lot of prejudice."

[quitollis]

"I try not to judge," Aaron said. "I've always valued that side of faith over many other aspects. Not everyone does. So, I'm very familiar with the nastiness of prejudice."

[mooningremus]

Remus hesitated a moment, not sure if this was sensitive or personal to ask, but... well, they were getting close, weren't they? "Have you had problems in the church because of your sexuality?"

[quitollis]

"I was a bit late, finding out," Aaron admitted. "There was always something, but I didn't realize until I was well into my twenties. I got into trouble with the Church first because I fell in love with a woman. I was studying to become a priest and had a future thought out for me as Cardinal. They tried to keep my affair hidden - aparently it was all fine as long as it wasn't in public. So... They didn't like me marrying her. But that's what always has rubbed me wrong; the hypocrisy of it. Showing one face, denouncing some behaviour, and doing whatever the he'll they pleased in the shadows."

[mooningremus]

"You were married?" said Remus, visibly surprised.

[quitollis]

"I still am, technically," Aaron said, a little sheepish. "She's deeply religious so divorce isn't really on the table."

[mooningremus]

Remus' expression went from surprise to alarm. He stopped chopping. "Is that... a problem?" He wasn't entirely sure what to ask here. But 'I'm married' did seem like quite a bomb to drop regardless of the context.

[quitollis]

"There's no love between us anymore. We married very young; I was nineteen. I began working as excorsist when I was twenty-one and I spent less and less time home until I stopped coming home."

A pause. Might as well confess it all in one go. "We have two boys. Well, they're adults by now. They barely know me."

[mooningremus]

"You have children?" Remus blurted, unable to hold it back. He wasn't upset, just... genuinely shocked.

[quitollis]

Aaron nodded. "Paolo and Matteo," he said. "They're in their early twenties. They know of me, but we're not really on speaking terms." Rightfully so, he knew.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shock you," he added, apologetically.

[mooningremus]

"Oh, um, no it's fine," Remus said hastily. "I was just surprised, is all." He couldn't even wrap his head around having a family. It seemed so out of reach for him. He even liked women, too, in theory anyway. "And you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

[quitollis]

"It's fine, I don't mind," Aaron said. "They're not a secret. It just doesn't come up in conversation a lot. Especially since they're not really a part of my life - or I of theirs."

[mooningremus]

Remus nodded. "Well if you're comfortable with the situation it certainly doesn't bother me."

He moved closer to Aaron so that he could sweep the halved brussels into the bowl with the squash and oil, then popped them onto a pan and slid them into the oven. "And ah... now we wait."

[quitollis]

Aaron watched him put the sprouts in the oven and leaned against the counter. "Smells delicious already."

[mooningremus]

Remus set a timer for twenty minutes. "Did... you taste the bread?" he asked, as he considered what they might do with twenty minutes.

[quitollis]

"No, not yet," Aaron said and took the basket sliced of bread and honey butter so Remus could take a slice.

[mooningremus]

Remus took a piece, and spread butter onto it. Then while he watched Aaron take a bite, hoping he enjoyed it, said, "What should we do for twenty minutes?"

[quitollis]

Aaron looked at him a little surprised, as if he had just read his mind and had caught the ideas that had crossed Aaron's mind when asking that very question in his mind. "Oh, er... We were talking. Unless I ruined that with my past."

[mooningremus]

"Not at all," said Remus. Then, pleasantly, "How is the bread? It has a bit of rosemary in it."

[quitollis]

"Mana for the gids," Aaron said, pleasantly. "Or well, fairies, I suppose," he added, knowing this was what that species ate.

[mooningremus]

"I suppose I got into the habit," Remus said, a bit uncomfortably, and then added brightly, "What do you like? What's your favorite food?"

[quitollis]

"I love a good pasta," Aaron said. "I'm partial to Italian food in general. First time I ate well was in Rome."