What Are the Chances? (Dare/Wishons)

[Rhys Moreau]

"Is there any chance he'll grow out of it?" he asked. Right now, there was little he could think of to ask except for a last-ditch attempt. People had been coming out admitting that things like the camps he had sent Rhys to were more harmful than anything else, supporting the claims Rhys had told but that had been ignored or pushed aside. He'd always thought it was a phase or something Rhys was doing to make him angry. With that proving more false by the week and with the information he'd gotten today, it seemed more like wishful thinking to hope it would be different with Peter and his special gift.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare shook his head slowly. "No, there isn't," he said. "After he turns eleven though, he'll be old enough to attend a magical school, like the one I teach at. He can learn to control things and there won't be accidents anymore. They're not allowed to use magic outside school from the age of eleven to seventeen, and then they're considered adults."

[Rhys Moreau]

It was a lot to take in, and he didn't miss the fact that apparently being able to change colors meant becoming an adult a year earlier. He decided to change topics, though the one he chose wasn't much easier to stomach. "Rhys. Is he happy? He showed me pictures of him with...with his friend." He ran his finger along the edge of his empty tea cup and watched its path instead of looking up at Dare.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare was silent for a long moment. The simple answer was yes, but Dare didn't think the man deserved the simple answer. "Mostly," he said instead. "He's still learning to forgive himself for things he's done, but Matthew has helped him a lot. Rhys volunteers at shelters for teens. He's getting a degree in social work. He's doing a lot of good while he tries to get things figured out." The hard times Rhys had gone through, the cutting, the sleeping around and the drugs, were none of this man's business.

"I won't lie, if you want to get to know who he is now it'll be work, but he's good with kids and he'll do everything he can to help Peter out." Even recruit his friends to be alternately intimidating and encouraging, as needed.

[Rhys Moreau]

Rhys' father nodded thoughtfully, bringing his pipe back to his lips to take a long pull. That Rhys had decided to spend his time helping people didn't really surprise him. Rhys had mostly been a good kid, even with all of the issues, at least until he hit fifteen or sixteen. "The children at church always loved him," he said. "They asked about him when he left. I don't know what to think about all of this, but I will give it thought."

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

"That's more than a lot of people are willing to do," Dare said. And, because it seemed appropriate, "God bless you, Mr. Wishon." He heard footsteps on the stairs, slower and more regular than the patter that Peter's had been, and turned.

[Rhys Moreau]

Rhys appeared, carrying a small selection of items Peter hadn't let him leave the room without. "Ah, he requests you turn this purple," he said, amused as he sat a toy down in front of Dare. "He mentioned me taking the rest of these with me, but he'll probably be missing them in an hour, so can you make sure these get back in his room?" he continued, glancing up at his father.

The man actually smiled when he nodded. "I'll make sure, put them in the cabinet over there," he said, gesturing toward a cabinet hanging from the wall.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare picked up the toy, then picked up the piece that had fallen off of it. He only gave Mr. Wishon a brief glance before bringing out his wand and snapping the pieces back together. It was purple in an instant, and then Dare stood and followed Rhys to the cabinet to tuck the little boy's treasure away. With their backs turned, he gave Rhys an encouraging look. Things had worked out while they'd been alone. They hadn't had to kidnap Peter after all.

[Rhys Moreau]

Rhys wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry in relief at what had happened. He settled on a smile for Dare, then turned to the notepad that was always stuck to the fridge. "Here's my number," he said, ripping off the page to hand to his father. "I'll call you in a few days to see if you've decided something, or you can call me, either way. I guess it's time for us to head off. Tell mum I'm sorry if it was all too much for her."

His father nodded and slid the paper away into his pocket, then walked them out the door. He laid a hand on Rhys' shoulder and made a move almost as if to hug him, but stopped and put his free hand into his pocket with the slip of paper instead. "I'm glad you came," he said, eyes hovering on Rhys before flickering to Dare. "You've given me a lot to think about."

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare gave a brief nod in return, then led Rhys away.

---

"So how was it with your brother?" he asked when they were alone. Judging by the number of presents the kid had tried to give him, he'd guess it went pretty well, but he did wonder what had happened. The only experience he had with kids that age was his own childhood.

[Rhys Moreau]

"It went well," Rhys said, opting to walk down the street instead of attempting to call for a taxi. "I think he's a good kid. One thing my parents do well is teach kids manners. He liked you a lot." He was glad Dare had asked about the boy instead of bringing up his parents, but he still felt the need to apologize for his mother. "I'm sorry my mum went off like that, though."

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

"Nothing I haven't heard before," Dare said, "and no worse than I expected. I think your dad's going to make it. He asked about you and Matthew, if you're happy. No sh~. He called Matthew your friend, but my dad used to do that with Michael too. It took him a while to move up to partner, but like, baby steps."

[Rhys Moreau]

Rhys closed his eyes briefly, but nodded. "Coming from that man, that's a leap," he said. His father had yelled at him just for holding another guy's hand, this was a huge improvement. "You did amazing." It was better to shift the topic away from him. "Matthew would have been a very bad choice, I'm glad you came with me. And Peter likes you, too, which is a good thing."

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

"I get along with kids," Dare said with a half shrug. "I'm a big kid myself. Birds of a feather, you know?" He'd tried to get the kid to like him, tried to get the parents to like him. Then he'd set their teapot on fire. It had worked out somehow.

"I'll come back, no problem. I told your dad I'd help however I could. Next time I'll bring him a book or something, I don't know. There's probably a ton of stuff for Muggle parents." He wondered if they should have just let official people do all this stuff, then decided it was better this way. Rhys was getting more than a little closure in all this.

[Rhys Moreau]

Rhys nodded, thinking back to the materials that had been available to him as the significant other. Surely there would be even more available to parents. "I have no idea how to introduce Matthew, I mean..." he paused then, uncertain how to continue. "My dad was more accepting than I've seen him in over a decade. I remember what my parents were like before they knew, and I don't want Matthew attacking them." He knew Matthew wouldn't draw his wand or fists, but he knew better than to assume his fiance wouldn't spout dangerous and biting words.