Failure to Launch (Andy/Moreaus)

[Andy Moreau]

Andy hadn't cried much until he'd gotten on the Knight Bus, but the thing was so damned terrifying that it was too much for him. He'd burst into tears all over again, muffled what he could against his bag, and headed directly for the ice cream shop. His book bag had what few things he could stuff into it from his trunk, and he figured the rest would be gone forever. Who'd want to keep a freaking social reject who couldn't even make it a month in school?

Now he stood outside the ice cream shop, torn between humiliation at failing so hard and so quickly, and the need to see Tam, to reassure himself that his brother had been okay while he'd been off making a fool of himself. He didn't want to go in, but eventually someone in the flow of traffic held the door open for him, and he couldn't bring himself to make the guy feel bad for being polite. Where was Rhys? And where was Tam?

[Rhys Moreau]

Rhys sat at a high-backed booth doing his homework, while Tam sat across from him doing his homework. While Rhys' involved thick books and a laptop for a paper, Tam's was basic coloring and letters. Though the shop was busy, most of the patrons knew Rhys and Matthew well enough to leave the pair be, especially when they were both focused on work and a small afterschool ice cream snack. Rhys barely even registered the gentle tinkling of the bell over the door.

[Andy Moreau]

Tam was easily distracted from homework, and looked up every time the bells announced a newcomer. He'd seen all kinds of witches and wizards, and would prod Rhys for information and answers for as long as possible before being convinced to work again. This time, however, he didn't bother asking. His eyes widened, and he abandoned everything to scoot out of the booth and run off. Aaaandyyyy!!!

Andy crouched down to catch his brother in a huge hug and closed his eyes, trying not to cry yet again.

OhmygodAndyImissedyouuuu!

"I missed you too, have you been okay? Are they good to you?"

I get so much ice cream. They gave me crayons and I'm supposed to draw letters, and it's harrrrd...

[Rhys Moreau]

"It's hard, but you have to do it," Rhys said, leaning back from his own work to watch the reunion. He may have been 25, but he still enjoyed taking a break whenever possible. He folded his hands in his lap. It didn't take a glance toward the counter to know that Matthew was busy with the influx of customers, so he barely even looked toward the front of the shop. "I didn't expect to see you so soon, Andy, did something happen?"

[Andy Moreau]

Ohmygod, did they kick you out of school Andy? Did you have a accident? You can sleep in my bed if you want, I even have a teddy bear now and you can hug it if you want.

Andy just shook his head, and it took him another moment to let go of his brother. He didn't want to talk to Rhys, just wanted to be with his brother again. Unfortunately, Tam liked Rhys and proceeded to drag his brother by the hand over to the table.

"I'm just like... not cut out for Hogwarts," Andy said, the last words coming out in a mumble. He kept hold of Tam's hand, wondering what it would take to get kicked out. They'd expected him to be in school.

[Rhys Moreau]

"Why do you think so?" Rhys asked. "I didn't really think I was cut out for university, either, and it was really hard at first, but it was a good thing." With summer classes, he was close to earning a degree, which would improve the entire family's life. "You could grab some ice cream," he suggested, "it's good for the soul. I'm sure Matthew would serve you first if you went 'round the counter." He typically didn't take advantage of the family treatment, but it looked like Andy needed it.

[Andy Moreau]

Andy looked back over his shoulder, considering, then went ahead and nodded. "Okay," he said. "Stay here, okay Tam?"

Okay, Tam said, and picked up a crayon to doodle on the edge of the page.

Andy wasn't sure he felt right about going around the counter and skipping the line, and he was just as hesitant about doing that as he had been about entering the shop in the first place. Finally he edged around it, waiting for someone to snap at him that he shouldn't be there. He stole glances back at Tam as he did so.

[Matthew Moreau]

Matthew flicked a glance over at Andy, smiling all the time. "Give me just a minute, love," he said, then turned to finish up part of an order and hand it over to someone else. "Hello, didn't expect to see you back so soon. Is there something you'd like?" He knew Rhys was in the front room, and he doubted Andy would have been sent back to him without a reason.

[Andy Moreau]

Andy blushed at being called love, and looked away from Matthew. The floor was super clean for such a busy shop...

"Could I have a waffle cone?" he asked. "With that chocolate cherry stuff?" That was easy to talk about. Andy was glad that Matthew had asked him something easy instead of demanding to know why he wasn't at school. He suddenly felt stupid for having left because of a guy.

[Matthew Moreau]

"Of course you can," Matthew said. "It might take a minute longer than normal, though." Prepping a scoop was easy to do even with the crowd, and a cone could be made in seconds once a maker was ready. "How are you liking Hogwarts?" Again, he expected Rhys would, or maybe had already, deal with serious things when Andy had been sent toward the ice cream. "Personally, I don't like all the portraits, my old school didn't have so many."

[Andy Moreau]

Andy inspected the toes of his shoes, which he noticed were no longer perfectly clean. They had bits of grass and dark dirt clinging to them, and the mess reminded him of his failure. He started crying again.

"Can I... go upstairs?" he asked, trying to keep down everything he could. Just tears he could survive someone seeing, but he'd try not to break down. Boys don't cry.

[Matthew Moreau]

"Of course," Matthew said, nodding. He came up to Andy, though, and crouched. It meant he was shorter than the teen, but it seemed to help some with Tam, so he hoped it would help at least a little with Andy. "You can talk to either of us, you know, though I could send Rhys up if you'd rather speak with him." The tips they'd gotten were sparse, but he'd used whatever he could, and he'd certainly noticed that Andy had a closer connection with Rhys.

[Andy Moreau]

"I... I don't know," Andy said. He caught his sleeve in his hand and tried to wipe up his face, but only succeeded in smearing his eyeliner and probably staining his shirt. He looked down at the floor again. "I... don't want to talk here," he said, glancing into the shop. There were people watching. He glanced back at Matthew. For some reason, Matthew felt like the one to talk to about this stuff. Andy didn't know why. He turned and ran upstairs.

[Matthew Moreau]

After the display, Matthew glanced toward the dining area, where Rhys was more or less consumed with work. The line didn't seem to be lessening, but another employee entered the prep area from a brief break, allowing Matthew to leave the shop-after getting Andy's ice cream, of course-and trot up the stairs. With both Mag and Rhys downstairs, the flat was oddly empty. "There you are," he said, offering Andy the cold treat. "You can talk to me about anything, you know."

[Andy Moreau]

Andy took the ice cream without looking up, but at least he'd stopped crying again. Maybe it was easier to talk to Matthew because he didn't know him as well, or because Matthew looked like the kind of guy who was in charge of things. "I kind of... screwed up with someone at school," he told his waffle cone. "I thought maybe I'd like... fit in better with wizards, but I don't." And here came stupid tears again. He willed them back and took a nibble from his ice cream.