Prompt #535 – Sandy – Quarrel – slashluv18 – Harry Potter

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Title: Quarrel
Fandom: Harry Potter
Prompts: #535 – Sandy
Warnings: None
Pairings: James S P, Albus S P
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 812
Summary: James and Albus quarrel again.

Nine-year-old Albus Severus Potter was laying on the floor. Papers were scattered around him as well as his many markers. It was raining outside, so the family was unfortunately stuck indoors for the very long, and very boring, day.
He could hear Lily whining to their mom about wanting to go dancing in the rain, but he long ago learned to tune out his little sister when she was in one of her moods.
He wasn't sure where James was, and he didn't care. He was too busy with his picture—the fourth one he had drawn today. It was of a cactus in a sandy atmosphere that had kids holdings hands on each side of it.
He put down the purple marker, got up on his knees, and reached for the yellow marker. Suddenly, James came running into the room, and he ran right over his current drawing, crinkling and tearing it.
Albus jumped up, his hands clenching into small fists at his side. "James! Look at what you did!"
James looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What's the big deal? It's just a stupid picture!"
Albus huffed. "It was my stupid picture so I care. I'm telling on you."
He ran out of the room with James on his heels. He found his mom and Lily. He grabbed her arm. "Mom, James ruined my picture."
Ginny Weasley looked tired as she fussed over Lily. "Albus, not now."
"But Mom—"
"Albus!" Ginny interrupted. "You're old enough. You can work through your problems with your brother by yourself." She took Lily's hand and walked away from the boys.
Albus whirled around and glared at a smirking James. "You could get away with murder."
He dusted some imaginary lint off of himself. "It pays to be the oldest and the favorite."
"You are not the favorite. Mom and Dad don't have any favorites."
James laughed. "You honestly believe that? Lily's special because she's the only girl and the baby. I'm the oldest. And what are you? Just the middle child who only likes reading and drawing. Who doesn't like games or Quidditch or anything fun. Who's so easy to forget."
Despite himself, Albus felt himself getting ready to cry. He didn't want James to see how much the words hurt, so he turned and ran away.
He ran into his room and slammed the door behind him.
"No slamming doors!" Ginny yelled from somewhere else in the house.
"That she cares about," Albus muttered mutinously.
Tears leaked out of his eyes. He knew he was different from his brother and sister. He wasn't outgoing like James, and he couldn't charm strangers like Lily. He enjoyed being by himself, and sometimes, it felt like he didn't fit in with his family because of it.
And for James to point the truth out, to make him feel like he didn't belong...
Albus laid down on his bed, facing the wall as more tears fell.
Weren't big brothers supposed to protect? How could James make Albus feel so low?
The bedroom door opened, but Albus didn't look towards it. The bed shifted under some added weight. "I'm sorry."
The soft murmur didn't surprise Albus, but he wasn't ready to forgive just yet.
"You're not a nothing. You're someone special, Al. I shouldn't have said you're easy to forget because that's so far from the truth."
Albus finally turned on his other side and stared at James. "Then why did you say it?"
"You were annoying me about a stupid picture, and I guess I thought it would be funny. When I saw how hurt you were, though..." he swallowed, and Albus was surprised to see James's cheeks were wet with his own tears. "Well, it wasn't funny."
Albus sat up. "I know I'm different from you and Lily. You and Lily will both probably be in Gryffindor, and I can't imagine myself going into the house of the brave."
"You being different isn't a bad thing," James argued. "In fact, it's what makes you special so you can never be forgotten."
Albus stared at his bedspread. "Are you really the favorite?"
James placed a hand on Albus's shoulder. "Of course not. You were right when you said Mom and Dad have no favorites. They love all of us equally. And the truth of the matter is, if they did have a favorite, it would probably be you."
Albus looked up in surprise. "Really? Why?"
James grinned. "You're easier to deal with because you barely get into any trouble."
Albus smiled. "But I'm not as fun as you."
"Yeah you are. Just in a different way." There was silence for a moment. "So, are we good?"
Albus smiled and nodded. "We're good."
James pulled Albus into a one-armed hug, and Albus breathed in the familiar scent of James, happy that they were once again okay.