Smells Like Summer ((Oscar)) [PG-13]

[Theo Darke]

((This thread will likely contain contents of a
sexual and/or homosexual nature and is therefore rated PG-13.
Please read at your own discretion.))

"A boyfriend?"

Theo looked across at Lori, who squeezed his hand tight and gave a supportive smile he couldn't refuse. Returning her smile gratefully, Theo turned back to his parents and nodded without a flicker of hesitation.

"Yeah. His name's Oscar."


"Isn't he that guy you always hang out with at School?" Brittany asked curiously, swiping a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Brown hair, brown eyes, right?"

"You've just described two of his best friends," Callum cut in before Theo could reply. "Oscar and Scott."

"Right!" Brittany nodded knowingly, her eyes connected to her twin's in a way Theo recognised as 'I know something you don't'. "Oscar's the one with longer hair. The other Quidditch Vice Captain, right? He's cute!"

"Britt!" Callum rolled his eyes at his sister's typical feminine observations. "Scott's a good Quidditch player too."

"So you're dating Oscar, huh?" Theo suppressed a loud sigh as he watched his eleven-year-old sister grin like a Cheshire cat. "He's too pretty to be gay!"

"And you act too old to be only eleven years old!" Theo retorted, mimicking his younger sister's eye roll and standing up from her bed with an air of finality that signalled the end of the intimate conversation. "The younger generations just get older and older..."

"No thanks to their gay older brothers," Britt was able to mutter devilishly, before a pillow smacked into her face.

"Just don't scar my masculinity for life when Oscar's around," Callum laughed as his twin fought off the pillow's assault.

"I'll do my best, but I can't guarantee anything!" Theo grinned in amusement, and shut Britt's bedroom door behind him, leaving the twins to their own Twin Time. Oscar was due to arrive in fifteen minutes, probably twenty, since he wasn't an anally punctual person, like Theo himself. A smile stretched onto his face. He looked forward to seeing his boyfriend so much. There had been letters, but two weeks without any physical contact was driving Theo up the wall. It was probably the first thing that had ever gotten under his skin, but he actually kind of liked it.

Theo went into his room to make sure for the last time that it was perfect. When the familiar sounds of the Floo being activated reached his ears, he ran from his room on the third floor down to the first, forgetting he could apparate now (and had been able to for two months already) to arrive into the living room just as the fireplace burst into green flames. Theo shielded his eyes automatically from the harsh glare, but when the fire finally died away, only a large, loving grin was left on his face at the sight before him.

"Hey." Theo didn't hesitate walking right up to Oscar and throwing his arms around him, burying his face into his boyfriend's familiarly-scented shirt. "I missed you." Before Oscar could reply, Theo looked up and captured his lips in a tender kiss. "How are you?" he breathed softly with a chuckle.

"I heard the Floo--" Theo looked up to see his mum at the door and smiled. "Oh! Our guest is here!" A smile similar to Theo's appeared on Mrs Darke's face and she began to enter the living room slowly, as though she didn't want to scare her son's boyfriend off.

"Mum, this is Oscar," Theo introduced, unable to stop grinning at the sheer delight on his mum's face, for she had been dying to meet him ever since he'd come home for the summer and confessed his secret relationship. "Oscar, this is my mum. She's been waiting to meet you for ages." Discreetly he whispered additionally into Oscar's ear with a sparkle in his eye, "I told you I told them."

"It's so great to finally meet you, Oscar. Theo's told me so much about you!" Theo's mum stepped forward with a wide grin. "Please call me Yvonne. Would you like a drink? A bite to eat? I'm sure Theo can show you around, please make yourself at home."

It took Theo another five minutes to shoo his excited mother away, before turning to gaze into Oscar's eyes apologetically. "Sorry about my mum," he chuckled. "She was so excited. Wait till you meet Dad and the twins." Theo wound his arm back around Oscar's chest and grinned up. "So... have you missed me?" He planted a soft kiss on Oscar's jaw. "Did you ever tell your parents? Wait... you know what? Let's go talk in my room... before one of the twins crashes in." Theo grabbed Oscar's hand and pulled him upstairs into his bedroom, before shutting the door. Pushing his boyfriend onto the bed and sitting down next to him, Theo tugged playfully at Oscar's hand. "So. Tell me everything."

[Oscar Flynn G7]

“Uh. So, ma…” Oscar spoke hesitantly. His eyes were looking anywhere but his at mother’s face and his fingers were tapping restlessly against his knees; he couldn’t remember the last time he was so nervous. But why? His heart quizzed his mind, but Oscar had no answer. He just knew he was scared wandless about telling his mother.

“Spit it out kid, I have to pick Andi up.” Thankfully Heather Flynn hadn’t noticed her son’s unusual countenance, and he was glad for it. She spoke in a light tone and Oscar knew she was not that impatient to leave - if he had something to say, she would stick around and listen to it. Of that Oscar could be certain. But he just didn’t know if he wanted her to listen. In fact, all of it would be so much easier if Heather was running late and had to pick up Thandiwe quickly.

“Right well, basically, ma…” Again he faltered. He coughed once and continued. Oscar often slipped back into his faintly Irish accent when he was at home or speaking with his parents, and it came through now while he dithered. He had adjusted in London amongst social crowds and subconsciously blanketed his accent. Although it had never been a full Irish initially, hints of his nationality often slipped in when he was relaxed or unfocused. And right now, he certainly wasn’t concentrating on keeping his accent a little milder. “So, I have something I really need to say. I’ve been sitting on it for a while now, and, er, well, it’s probably something you should know… I mean maybe you already do know, I don’t know how mothers’ minds work… but um. It’s pretty big. To me. I haven’t mentioned it before, but I really think it’s time now…”

By now Heather was standing with her head cocked curiously towards Oscar, her eyes snatching his. She was intrigued. Oscar was rarely so hesitant; in fact she couldn’t remember ever seeing him like this. Grinning, Heather wondered whether or not Oscar was in love. She knew he had had flings before at Hogwarts, but if it was a girl that had Oscar in such a state, then Heather knew it must be much, much more than a schoolboy’s crush. Biting her lip in secret happiness at the thought of her little boy possibly being in love, she waited for the confession. “Come on Oscar… I haven’t got all day. What is it?”

Oscar imagined coming out with it. ‘I’m gay… maybe.' The right words wouldn’t jump into his head as he had expected them to. This was easier for Theo, Oscar challenged; Theo’s family knew he was gay, they just didn’t know he had a boyfriend. That’s all he had to tell them. But Oscar was straight to his parents, and knew he had never given them reason to believe or even suspect otherwise. So why would they now? They would toss off the relationship as a phase, dismiss the love as petty rebellion… No. No they wouldn’t. They would be fully supportive, fully on-board, and completely happy for Oscar and Theo after they got over the initial shock of it all. And Oscar couldn’t deal with that. He didn’t know why, but he just didn’t want them to be happy for him; he wanted conflict, shouting, anger. He wanted something to put against them. His mind was lost, thus failed to find something concrete to grasp hold of; but anger was certainly solid enough. For once Oscar wished he had stricter parents – perhaps even religious ones, who would slam a bible down before him and shriek of what a sinner he was being by loving another male, physically and mentally. At the thought of such harshness Oscar smiled, much to his own dismay. What is wrong with you, Flynn? He scowled inwardly. Don’t you want them to be happy for you? The answer was no-where to be found.

“Err. Just that, well, I really appreciate you buying me the new broom.” Grasping straws, Oscar continued, pulling a heartfelt tone from his voice. “And well… I love you.” And now a little smile to top it all off, as Heather eyed him curiously again and everything teetered on the edge; would she believe those were his original words?

“Oh, Oscar.” For a moment her expression was soft and loving. But then it twisted into a little scowl. “You kept me waiting for that nonsense?” She leant forwards and smacked him – gently – across the back of the head, grinning as she swept out the room.

Left in the kitchen, Oscar dropped his head into his hands and groaned at his own weakness.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

His head was spinning, his vision warped and deranged while his body was thrown from side to side uncomfortably. He seized his left elbow in his right hand and vice-versa, tugging them towards him as he felt his knees collapse beneath him and his breakfast travel upwards – and then it was over. Everything stopped and the only bodily responses Oscar still felt were a slight ringing in his ears, and a momentary wooziness. But then everything was forgotten; because his love was in his arms.

“Oh damn, wrong house.” Oscar muttered in a dry tone, his eyes dancing across Theo’s features as the two embraced. Despite his joke, he couldn’t keep the joy out of his tone nor his expression. “I’ve miss you too… so mu-” Oscar’s words were cut short as his boyfriend leaned into him like a puzzle piece and caught his lips with his own; after that, Oscar didn’t feel much like talking. Unfortunately his move to repeat the kiss was also broken by a friendly tone. Glancing upwards and stepping away from Theo rather hastily, Oscar grinned at Mrs Darke and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. He felt as if he had been caught doing something awful but had no idea what it was.
“Hullo, Mrs Darke. It’s great to finally meet you, too - Yvonne.” He was nervous; his accent shot through his words in a manner that, to Oscar, seemed unattractively clear. It was blatant even to the Gryffindor that Theo’s mother was extremely welcoming, and he felt instantly at home in the house because of it. He threw a side-long grin at Theo when his mother offered refreshments, but turned them down politely, admitting he had a full fry-up that morning.

Moments later, when Theo’s mother had disappeared, Oscar had a chance to look properly at his boyfriend, a chance to fully acknowledge what he had so dearly missed over the last fortnight. He dismissed Theo’s apology with a chuckle and tipped his head for the next kiss, more than happy to respond. “Missed you?” His eyes twinkled. “More than anything.” Oscar nodded to Theo’s suggestion of moving to his room with a small smile. “Sounds perfect… ” But the smile hid his worries, and he didn’t look Theo in the eye as they walked to the Ravenclaw’s room. Once there, Theo’s excited tone made him feel even more guilty about not telling his mother that morning. Tell me everything… Oscar winced inwardly at the words. How could he tell him? Just as he had been at loss as to how best explain the situation to his mother that morning, he was now in the same situation, not hours later. But this was even harder. This time he'd have to hide the shameful truth from Theo. Lying to your parents was a teenager's right; but lying to your love was just plain lousy. Oscar knew Theo would be disappointed. He wouldn't have that; he refused to be the reason for his boyfriend's disappointment.

With a grin that was not entirely false, as Oscar was so overjoyed to see Theo again, he spoke hastily to brush over the details that had never happened. “It was… surprisingly mild, actually. Ma is happy for us which is great, my da’s going to need a little time, which is expected. That's about it." He glanced away for just a second. When he looked back into those perfect blue eyes, his teeth were chewing his bottom lip. "But enough of that…” Ducking quickly forwards, Oscar kissed Theo hard, one hand gentle against his jaw bone and the other softly fingering one of those blonde locks he had missed so much. As he shifted position across the bed the large bag he had brought with him fell from the mattress and crashed to the floor. Reluctantly Oscar broke the kiss to explain. “It’s… my new broom.” With a grin, he watched Theo’s reaction. “Any guesses?” Kissing Theo and Quidditch talk - Oscar had two perfect diversions in place already.

[Theo Darke]

Theo grinned at the embarrassment evident in Oscar's movements and voice as he conversed with his mum. After Yvonne had left the room, Theo's twinkling eyes caught Oscar's again. "Irish accents are kind of sexy," he teased, taking Oscar's hand. "You're cute when you're embarrassed. Just relax. Mum likes you. The twins already know you. And Dad will be fine... Brilliant, even, once you work your manly charms on him." Theo gave a cheeky wink before pulling Oscar upstairs. He leaned against his boyfriend's more muscular frame as he listened to the familiar, soothing tenor tone of his voice in his ears, relaxing his fingers between Oscar's larger, stronger hands.

"That's great!" Theo grinned delightedly at the good news. "I was really worried about your dad. Dads always take it harder than mums." He nodded knowingly, before tightening his grip on Oscar's hand. "...So when do you think we can tell everyone else?" he asked gently with little pressure. They had spoken about it on a few occasions - coming out. It was a bigger deal for Oscar than it was for Theo for obvious reasons. Theo was already well-known to be gay; obtaining a boyfriend was by no means wild gossip, though he was certain it would be for the first few days. At least it would put the buzzing rumours about himself and Lori at rest. However, Oscar was still straight as a broomstick according to the rest of the world except himself, Scott and Lori. It was not only Oscar coming out about his secret affair with Theo, but the fact that he was... gay? Bisexual? Not straight? This wasn't just a regular secret affair; this held issues of sexuality too. Being different was not easy, and Theo knew that first-hand.

Thankfully, Scott had taken the knowledge of Theo and Oscar's relationship well. On the other hand, Lori had not. It was to be expected, though, seeing as she was Theo's best friend and he had lied to her. He knew he had hurt her bad and he felt terrible. Looking back, he didn't understand why he had chosen to lie; after all, he wasn't protecting Oscar. He had simply been selfish and chosen the secret path because he had wanted, subconsciously, to get back at Lori and Scott for their happiness, which he had been left out of. Theo hadn't even realised how much he'd felt excluded with his best friends until Oscar; until he'd found that comfort and security and love. Now, his position was reversed with Lori's; she was alone and he was happily taken. It turned out that Lori loved Theo too, which had made their friendship slightly awkward, to say the least. However, they were currently repairing it and Theo knew their bond would be stronger after they had worked their issues through properly and honestly. It had taken Lori some time too to get used to the idea of a not-so-single Theo, a Theo whose time she shared with a boy named Oscar Flynn, but at least, after apologies had been made several times, she had forgiven him for his secrecy. Theo was grateful he had a beautiful boyfriend and a beautiful best friend.

But now that his friends knew, Theo wanted the world to know. He was sick of hiding his relationship with Oscar; sick of pretending and lying and escaping. Sure, the initial fun of Hide and Seek was entertaining, but now Theo was settled into the relationship and he wanted what 'normal' couples had: freedom to love each other openly. However, he was still sensitive to the fact that Oscar was going to find it difficult, so Theo was gradually introducing the idea to him. It seemed, now, with him having told his parents, they were on their way towards being a regular couple.

Before Theo could speak more on the subject, though, Oscar had already distracted him with his delectable lips. Theo caved willingly under the body of his boyfriend, happy to be smothered between Oscar and the duvet, but a loud crash brought them both sitting up again. Oscar introduced the huge bag on the floor as his new broomstick and Theo reached forward to pick it up. After all, kissing could wait till later; they had all day. "Hm... A Dragoneye? They're flying off the shelves, I hear." Theo waited for Oscar's reply. Since their first encounter, Theo's interest in brooms had risen. His friendship with Scott had sparked his Quidditch interest, but being with Oscar brought Quidditch to a whole new level. "I knew it," Theo said, opening the bag and admiring the broomstick as he tipped it carefully onto his bed. "It's beautiful. Such a shame my birthday just passed." Theo inclined his lopsided smile at Oscar. "Hey, want to try it out? There's a flying park not too far away... Have you ever been to one? They're great for practice, Dad takes the twins every week. It's been too long since Gryffindor beat us... I haven't had a chance show you what I'm made of yet and get revenge for Ravenclaw." Theo's eyes shone with mild competition. Gryffindor had beaten Ravenclaw at the end of the year, but next year, Theo and Oscar would be captaining their respective teams, since Celia and Cassandra were graduating, and they both looked forward to the challenge.