Oz Spellman
May 20, 2022 9:40 PM
Keeping my promises [tag Henry] by Oz Spellman
Oz dropped into a seat in the library, next to his twin. After four years, he was still not convinced that the staff saw him as capable, but he was convinced that Professor Carter-Xavier would stand up for him if any of them said he was only getting by from copying Henry. He’d spent enough hours in her office, scribbling away at assignments and proving himself. It was more fun working with his brother though, and he was glad to have that back.There were a lot of things he was glad about and grateful for in how things were going with Henry. It felt like they were in a much better place than they had been in years. And Oz didn’t want to screw that up. Again. They’d made each other promises about how to make sure that didn’t happen, and here he was, potentially doing it again… The deal hadn’t been ‘no more stupid things,’ which was handy, because he was pathologically incapable of avoiding those. It had been no more secrets… And now two of them were rattling around inside of him. One, reminding him of all the reasons he kept things to himself—to protect Henry. One because he wasn’t really ready to admit it, and he was protecting himself.
It told, in the way he couldn’t quite get settled into their potions essay. Even for the given value of unsettled and distracted that was usually Oz when trying to do homework. It would have to be potions, and the stupid subject of medication, and doses, which was enough to make Oz want to squirm out of his skin with guilt right now.
“We said no more secrets…” he said, reminding Henry of the promise they’d made over the summer. One that had been his idea, made for his surprising tendency to keep his mouth shut more than people realised. He’d thought he’d be able to stick to it. He had meant that he would tell Henry every bad thing that was happening. He hadn’t banked on having so many bad things he was doing. “What if it was the kind of stupid crap where just knowing would be enough to get you in trouble?” he asked.
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Oz Spellman
Keeping my promises [tag Henry]
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Henry Spellman
May 20, 2022 9:48 PM
I am wildly devoid of secrets. by Henry Spellman
The more in depth lessons about specific career fields in the magic world basically just served to remind Henry that he had no idea what he wanted to do with his life. Medical stuff at least was vaguely applicable to forensics and he thought it might be cool to do magical forensics if that was a thing. Since truth serum was a thing, he didn't really get why it wasn't used more, but maybe it was the magical equivalent of the fifth amendment. Crime, then, was on his mind when Oz opened his mouth.His brother had been fidgety - even more than usual for an active guy stuck in the library with homework - and now he was talking about secrets. And Henry was thinking about crime.
"Technically, the laws about aiding and abetting criminals only apply if I were to actively help in some way. Stand guard, give you tips for staying concealed, participate in some way, stuff like that. Maybe also if you told me you were gonna do something and I didn't stop you but I don't think I'm formally responsible for that. So I don't think just knowing could get me in trouble." He rambled off his understanding of the law without looking up but then the thought crossed his mind that Oz wasn't actually asking about that sort of stuff, he was admitting to having a secret that was trouble. Henry looked up at his brother and raised an eyebrow. "Are you getting hurt?" he asked in a stern, quiet voice that betrayed how much he worried about his brother. Or perhaps his voice didn't but definitely the way his eyes immediately took to scanning Oz for signs of injury did. He couldn't help it.
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Henry Spellman
I am wildly devoid of secrets.
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