Unwanted things

Erik smiled back at Lou, leaning back into the pillows and watching him from the bed. He rolled onto his side and pulled his knees in closer to his chest. “You’re too nice to me, Lou,” he said, trying to push all the family garbage he knew he was going to have to deal with soon out of the forefront of his mind.
 
It didn't take Lou long to pack for Erik, summoning a few extras and adding in a bit of extra cash just in case. He zipped up the suitcase and moved back to Erik. He smiled, settling down behind his lover and pulling him in close. "When do you think he wants to leave?" He asked gently. He ran his hand gently along Eriks ribs.
 
Erik folded easily into Lou. He sighed as he snuggled up against him. “Probably soon,” he grumbled, now that he was in bed, not wanting to leave it. “Better to get this done and over with.” Christian didn’t seem like he planned to stay the night. Erik wasn’t looking forward to a night of no sleep.
 
Lou sighed, pulling Erik in closer. "Take your phone. I'm always a step, a call away. I won't be far." He leaned in, pressing gentle kisses down the man's neck. "I'll miss you," he murmured softly, running his fingers over the man's ribs.
 
Erik smiled at Lou. He didn’t mention that his phone probably wouldn’t work. His grandfather lived in pretty much the middle of nowhere in the Arctic. Not to mention that there was so much magic in the family manor it would probably make the technology go haywire anyway. “I’ll miss you too.” Now that Erik was curled up against Lou, he really didn't want to leave.
 
Lou kept close to Erik, running the same soft circuit of kisses on his skin. He was just being affectionate, he would miss Erik while he was away. He cuddled closer, pulling the blankets up over them to trap the warmth. He already knew he wouldn't sleep well without Erik by his side.
 
Erik lay there with Lou for longer than he probably should have. He didn’t want to go. If Estrella were still alive, she would be the one dealing with all this drama, not Erik and Christian. Their family definitely felt more fractured since their mom and sister had passed. Erik had only begun to scratch the surface of his complicated past with Lou. He knew he owed the wizard so much more. Turning and kissing Lou on the cheek, he got up, slipping into his jeans and a thick sweater. Even though the season was changing to summer, not winter, up in Alta, he knew it was going to be quite chilly. He walked with Lou downstairs. After finishing his tea and standing by his brother at the door, he looked back at Lou. “It should be a few days, at most,” he promised Lou, desperately hoping it wouldn’t be that long at all.
 
Lou grumbled as Erik got out of bed, sighing and walking downstairs with the man. He pouted as Erik said he'd be gone a few days, catching his hand and pulling him close for a tender kiss. "Be careful. I love you, butterfly," he whispered, tucking Eriks hair behind his ear and glancing to Christian. "You be careful too, but you aren't getting a kiss." He teased the other man with a coy smile.
 
Christian waited as Erik got his things together. He finished off the tea Erik had prepared for him and then helped himself to a second cup. Although the waiting stressed him out some, sitting still with a hot drink did calm his nerves. He was not looking forward to the journey ahead of him nor what waited for them at the end of that journey. When he could hear the two making their way down the stairs, he set his dirty mug in the kitchen sink and joined them in the foyer. He smirked at Lou. "Shame, I was looking forward to it."
 
Erik kissed Lou back softly. He didn't want to pull away. There were many things he would rather do than leave. It took a moment to step back from Lou. Slipping into his thick jacket and taking his suitcase in hand, he smiled at Lou nervously. "We'll be in Alta," he said. He knew Lou wouldn't remember an exact address, and he didn't want him to show up for his own sake, but maybe it would give his lover some comfort to have a sense of direction. He stood on his tiptoes and gave Lou a peck on the cheek.
 
Lou chuckled, blowing Christian a kiss before wrapping an arm loosely around Eriks waist. He turned his head, pulling Erik in and stealing a proper kiss. "I'm serious, both of you be careful," he repeated, kissing Erik again before stepping back and giving a weak smile as the men left.


The next few days dragged by. Lou didn't sleep much, and he was worn out. He just missed Erik. Lou had gotten too used to having the other man in bed with him, and he'd forgotten how to sleep alone. He yawned, walking back down to the living room after showering and falling onto the couch. He stretched out, and soon enough he was halfway to dozed off.
 
Erik left Alta a day earlier than he’d planned. He couldn’t stand the oppressive halls of his grandfather’s family home. When he left with Christian, he actually breathed a sigh of relief. But still, he returned to New Zealand with much more than he’d anticipated.

It had been cruel of his sister, really, to drag her son all the way to the Arctic to have Erik bring him all the way back. Yet it was one of the hundreds of ways she’d chosen to be cruel to her son. Erik's stomach roiled every time he let Ingrid get into his head. He gave Hans as much space as he could as they traveled home. It might not feel like home to Hans, but it was the best Erik could give him.

And then there was Lou. He hadn't had time to talk about this with his boyfriend. It wasn't exactly something he wanted to write in a letter. What was he going to say? Would he have second thoughts? Erik walked up the steps to the house, Hans not far behind him. He unlocked the door and stepped inside. The house was quiet.

His voice low, Erik said, "You can set that down in the hallway here, and hang up your coat. Shoes go there. Are you hungry?"
 
The last few days had been a confusing mess for Hans. Within the span of a week, he'd found out his dad was dead, he was moving away from his family, and Hilde wasn't coming with him. He was carrying everything he owned in one bag and on his back. His great grandfather, the old man, had been all right, except he wasn't especially kindly and at the end of the day, he was still a stranger. His two uncles had shown up and then soon enough they were off again. Hans hasn't spoken much during the journey. What was he supposed to say? He didn't even know what to make of all the thoughts in his head.

When his uncle spoke, he nodded. "Yes," he said softly. Doing as he was told, he hung up his coat, untying his shoes and placing them neatly on the mat. Then, he pushed his suitcase next to his uncle's. He followed the man into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Hans put his hands in his lap. He'd learned from an early age what would happen if he misbehaved. Obedience was drilled into him even though he was no longer under his mother's roof. He accepted a tall glass of milk and wrapped his hand around it, drinking it silently.
 
Lou woke up as he heard shuffling in the hall, and slowly he stirred. He stood, rubbing his eyes and shuffling down the hall himself. He paused just out of sight as he saw the young boy walk into the kitchen. Blinking, he moved to stand in the door. He looked between Erik and the boy for a moment. He came back to himself, and motioned for Erik to follow him back to the living room.

Once they had moved away again, Lou reached out and pulled Erik into his arms. “First of all, I missed you,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the mans temple. He held the man close for several moments before pulling back to look at Erik with a quirked brow. “Secondly,” He brushed his thumb lightly down Eriks cheek. “I thought you were gay,” He glanced back to the kitchen before returning his gaze to Erik. “Where did that tiny little Erik come from?” Lou questioned.
 
Erik looked over his shoulder at Hans. “Do you like tomato soup?” he asked, thinking he would fix a jar of Lou’s homemade soup with some cheese sandwiches. It took a moment for him to realize Lou was standing in the doorway. He turned, smiling weakly. “Here, have an apple-” he said, handing a deep red one to Hans. “I’ll make you something in a few minutes.”

Erik followed Lou into the living room, wrapping his arms around the other man. "Missed you, too," he said, burying his face in Lou's chest. Anxiety bubbled up into his throat. "I certainly am," he said, "always have been." He hesitated when Lou asked about Hans. "He's family."
 
Lou listened carefully to Erik, running his hands gently up and down Eriks arms in a slow, hopefully soothing circuit. "Now, now, butterfly," Lou murmured, leaning down to press his forehead against Eriks. "What happened?" He asked gently. "Go on, I'm not upset. I just need to know a few things. His name, how long he's staying, things like that." He gave Erik a tender kiss, bringing up a hand to brush his thumb gently over the mans jaw.
 
Erik sighed. He hated the position his family had put him in. He was frustrated at all of them. His father for withholding this part of his past, his mother for not wanting him, his sister for not wanting her own son when it came down to it. Erik sat down on the couch, reaching for Lou’s hand and inviting him to sit down with him. “His name is Hans,” Erik said softly. “He’s my- nephew.” It was weird saying that, since he’d only learned of the kids’ existence a year or so ago. “Ingrid decided a son’s not worth raising,” Erik said with bitterness in his mouth. It was the same story over and over again. That would probably answer Lou’s question about how long Hans was staying. Well, staying with Erik. He wasn’t going to assume Lou would take on responsibility for a child.
 
Lou settled down next to Erik. He listened quietly to the other man, his frown deepening the more Erik spoke. He shook his head, running his hand through his hair. "Alright, alright. Take Hans out, dinner and a movie." Lou nodded, leaning in and pressing a kiss to Eriks' forehead.

Once the two were gone, Lou went to work. The spare room was already mostly set up- there was a bed and an empty closet. He put in a desk, filling the drawers with sketchbooks, notebooks, pencils, coloring pencils, markers. He also bought new bedding, a rich navy blue, and bought new pillows. He also spent some time putting a galaxy mural on the ceiling, with lightly glowing stars that acted as a gentle night light in the dark.

He had just put a bookshelf in, and a chest for toys, when he heard the front door open. He smiled, and walked out to the top of the stairs. "Up here, boys," he called, waiting for the two of them before leading them back to Hans' new room. Lou held open the door. "Tomorrow, we'll go to town and buy you clothes, and some books," He told Hans, looking down to the boy with a shy smile.
 
Hans nodded when his uncle asked him if he liked tomato soup. He did, but even if he hadn’t, he would have said yes. Where he grew up, he learned early on to accept what was given to him and not complain. Being picky was a luxury other kids could afford. As soon as he drained his glass of milk, Erik had left him. It didn’t bother Hans that much- he was used to being alone. He bit into the apple and waited.

Just as quickly as Erik had disappeared, he returned and said they would be going out. Hans was disappointed. He would rather have stayed there and just gone straight to bed. The boy was sick of traveling. But, true to his character, he did what he was told. He followed his uncle and put on his jacket and shoes again.
 
While Erik really didn’t want to leave, he trusted Lou. He took the kid out for dinner and a movie. There were few words exchanged between the two. Not that Erik wouldn’t talk to Hans, he just wasn’t sure what to say. The meal was decent and the No-Maj film, an action fantasy, wasn’t half-bad. By the end, several hours had passed. The kid even pointed out a few of the many magical errors the movie had made. “You can’t blame No-Majs for their ignorance,” Erik said as he opened the door and let Hans inside the house again.

He looked up to the staircase as Lou called down to them. Smiling at the other wizard, he did as he was told, beckoning Hans upstairs. His eyes widened when he saw the room Lou had prepared for the kid. As the house had been, it was generous, yet overwhelming. Erik scratched the back of his neck. “Sorry, Hans, should have introduced you before we left. This is Lou. My partner.”
 
“What’s a No-Maj?” Hans wondered aloud as he followed Erik back into the house. He forgot to take off his shoes and coat this time. So had his uncle, apparently. He walked up the stairs, not sure what to expect. Hans stood there, a good distance from the two men. The room looked nice. Blue was his favorite color, not that Lou would know that. He craned his neck and looked up at the stars. Hans blinked as he imagined himself falling asleep there. “Thank you, Lou.” He shuffled his feet. Hans hated asking for things. He bit his lip as he struggled with his question. Hans stepped into the room, shoes still on, and plopped onto the bed. “Can I- take a nap?” he finally asked, hesitantly, “I’m tired.”
 
Lou gave the boys a moment to take it in, smiling softly as Hans stepped into the room. He nodded at the boys request. "This is your room, Hans." Lou slipped his arm around Erik. "We're going to go and give you some space to adjust. You can come down whenever you want." Lou stepped back, halfway pulling Erik along with him.
 
Erik closed the door gently and followed along with Lou. He couldn't blame the kid for wanting some space. Hans had every reason to be overwhelmed- Erik certainly was. When he and Lou made it down to the stairs, he moved towards the kitchen. "Do you want some tea, Lou?" he asked, with a tired smile.
 
Lou followed Erik into the kitchen. He shook his head, moving closer and pulling Erik against him. "Just come here," Lou murmured, rubbing one hand gently over Eriks back and wrapping his other arm loosely around his shoulders.
 
Erik sighed, folding easily into Lou's arms. He could go for a pot of hot tea himself (and perhaps something stronger,) but that could always wait until later. Erik settled his head on Lou's chest. This was all madness. He was lucky, really, with the weight of the world dropped on his shoulders, that he had Lou here to support him. "Thanks, lovebird."
 
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