A/N This is late but it's a pretty lengthy chapter lol. Art above is by @aimasup (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/aimasup) on Tumblr! Please go follow them and give them support! TW for this chapter: I-couldn't-help-myself-so-there's-more-angst. Enjoy!!!

7.)

Love has been famously known to make people perform in vastly unexpected ways.

It is a trance that for many years has controlled the minds of man, woman and person alike. Tugging at their strings like they are simply marionettes at its mercy. Lives have been lost and relationships broken. Ships have sunk and skies have fallen. Systems and societies torn down brick by brick.

All in the name of love.

It has been described as an illness, harmful and corrupt. And perhaps that is true to an extent, everything I have thus described to you as being a result of love has been negative. But that does not mean that is all it's capable of producing.

Even the most logical thinkers have been swayed by love. And even the most chaotically aloof have had their hearts broken...

~~~~~~

The night felt almost overwhelmingly like a High School cliché. You know the kind: humid air, fairy lights, crickets chirping and a breeze just strong enough for someone to offer their jacket to a shivering love interest.

Remus Castillo smirked at the romantic environment, feeling light on his feet as he ran through the streets.

Sneaking out had been easy enough, especially when he was no longer sharing a room with his uptight brother. Remus had insisted on keeping the half of the room with the window, then it was just a matter of jumping to a nearby tree and having somewhere to go.

He approached a rich neighborhood and turned right towards one of those dead ends, with just enough space for a car to U-turn out of the clump of mansions.

It was familiar; Felicity Stevens' house. Or, perhaps more importantly, her brother Daniel Stevens' house. The Christmas party had been a full night of trying to gather information on the, dare I say it, "hottie with a body" as Remus described him. And now, with their parents away on a business trip, of course a house party was in order.

Music blasted from the speakers with the bass turned all the way up. Balloons lay deflated on the porch where partygoers stood engaging in underage drinking and smoking. And, for some unknown reason, there was a shopping cart on the roof.

Remus felt right at home.

Stuffing the black hoodie he used to sneak out into his backpack, Remus jogged up to the porch and through the door. Almost immediately, he was offered a red solo cup filled to the brim with some foul-smelling liquid that Remus promptly chugged in its entirety, warranting some cheers from people nearby.

His outfit would've made the Castillo parents run for their rosary. A garbage green crop top and tight, black, distressed jeans with rainbow platforms and one dangling earring on his right ear in the shape of a pentagram.

From across the room a group erupted into cheers as a girl made a point in beer pong and threw back a shot with incredible grace. Watching was a familiar form with a large flask in hand.

"I never really saw you as the house party type," Remus commented over the loud music, slinging an arm around Remy's shoulders. The man didn't even flinch, taking a sip from whatever was inside the flask.

"You're not exactly wrong. My demisexual ass can't get behind the idea of pointless sex. And there sure are some kinky weirdos hangin' out here tonight." Remy cringed as a girl winked at him, "But I've got nothing else to do and they always have free chips, so what the hell."

Remus snorted and swiped the flask away, taking a long swig before ripping it away from his mouth in surprise. He clutched his heart and looked at Remy in horror, "Is that just plain Espresso?!?!"

"And a tad of Vodka." Remy grinned and took back the flask, "Only kind of drinking I really like. Beer is as tasteful as that girl's sequin dress." He squinted through the crowd at it, "Like, did she wear it just to give me a migraine or...?"

He was quickly silenced when Remus unnecessarily slapped a hand over his mouth, having recovered and noticed something in the crowd, "Shh! Look!"

Remy pulled his hand away distastefully and followed Remus' gaze. A tall man with dark hair and bright blue eyes was congratulating the beer pong winner, smile complete with a set of dimples. And Remus was staring, infatuated and blushing deeply. He took a breath and smiled mischievously, "I'm going in."

As he walked away Remy said something along the lines of, "Good luck, I guess." and took another drink from his flask.

~~~~~~~

"Gay or Nay?"

Daniel Stevens nearly choked on his drink. Remus had snuck up next to him at the snack table, leaning on it with one hand. He stared up at him expectantly.

"E-Excuse me?"

Remus stepped a bit closer, "Gay," he placed a hand on Daniel's chest and then quickly pulled it away, "Or Nay?" He smiled at Daniel's blush, "I have my suspicions, but it's good to know for when I shamelessly seduce you."

Daniel stared, regaining his composure. He smirked and placed his cup down, leaning against the table and not bothering to step away from Remus' close proximity. "Oh, is that what you plan to do?"

"Well now it is,"

Daniel laughed, "A bit too familiar with the 'I'm straight' form of rejection?"

"Not exactly. My gaydar is usually on point and I see it hasn't failed me this time, either." Remus leaned in closer, "So what do you say we get out of here and do something fun?"

"What if," Daniel set a hand on Remus' waist and took his hand in another, "I dance with you instead. To start."

Remus felt breathless. One thing was watching a guy from afar, but that same guy you've been crushing on for months asking you to dance? Roman would tell him it was straight (or gay, in this case) out of a Disney movie.

Remus smiled and allowed Daniel to pull him into the crowd of dancing people, some of which were not even of High school age. The song was one of his favorites:"Reputation" by Joan Jett.

Not exactly a romantic type song, but Daniel proved to be a fantastic dancer. Remus himself was quite good, having had dance parties with Roman when they were younger. They were odd events full of screaming lyrics, surprisingly good harmonies and a whole lot of jumping and stamping. But it had taught Remus enough about rhythm and beat to stand out from a crowd.

Remus spotted Remy a few more times before he disappeared completely, possibly leaving the party out of boredom. Remus was busy laughing and flirting with Daniel, dazed with the quick romance that had formed between them.

At one point, Daniel tugged on his hand and pointed to the stairs leading to the second floor. Remus swallowed but nodded and followed.

They entered a dark room, a bedroom by the looks of it, with a large balcony overlooking the river behind the house. Daniel led Remus to the balcony and they stood side by side, enjoying the view.

The stars were shrouded in layers of light pollution but the moon seemed to smile down at them, round and bright. A tree was glowing quite unnaturally, as if filled with fairies.

"Fireflies." Daniel said and Remus looked over at him in surprise. "They're always around here in early September. Pretty, aren't they?"

"Yeah..." Daniel met his gaze and blushed when he realized Remus had agreed while looking in his direction. The Castillo brother grinned and Daniel let out a laugh.

"You sure know how to flirt, huh? Do you have experience with dating guys or are you just naturally talented?"

Remus rolled his eyes, "I'd like to say it's a gift but I'm afraid I have to give credit to the academy of 'watching too many romantic movies with my brother'." He thought for a moment then looked down at the river to hide his expression, "As for the experience...well...I haven't even kissed someone before if I'm being honest."

Daniel watched him, shocked, "Really? You seemed so confident!"

Remus smiled and nodded, uncharacteristically shy. But there was something about this guy that made him weak at the knees. His head felt fuzzy and he was actually thinking before he spoke. Remus wanted Daniel to like him. And if he acted like he usually did...

Well, his mother had always said a personality like his would only scare people away. After years of experience, Remus was starting to see her point.

Daniel was too amazing to lose. Too perfect.

As if to prove his point, the boy next to him on the balcony reached out and slipped an arm around his waist, reaching out and tilting Remus' face up. They stared into each other's eyes and the party noises seemed to fade away. Slowly and gently, they leaned forward and their lips met.

The kiss was sweet, Remus' arm around Daniel's neck as it deepened just the slightest bit. It was fireworks and soft candlelight all at once. The taste was of alcohol and cupcake frosting. Remus felt numb but at the same time his senses exploded.

When they pulled away, they were both breathless, staring at each other in surprise. After a minute, Remus smiled widely and Daniel beamed back at him. The moment of bliss seemed to wrap around them, drowning out the world and engulfing them in feelings that mixed perfectly into a delightful concoction. Unlike regular ones that seemed to conflict at every twist and turn, these emotions fit perfectly.

"That was..." Daniel began, his voice low and barely above a whisper.

"Better than a pillowcase full of live badgers..." Remus muttered unconsciously, still in a dreamy state.

"What?"

"Uh-Magic. It was magic."

Daniel smiled, his eyes sparkling with the reflection of hundreds of fireflies. He pulled Remus close once more, "Wanna do it again?"

Remus' eyes became heavy lidded as they leaned in to kiss once more, answering by closing the gap between them. And as he did so he realized one thing.

He was crazy in love.

~~~~~~~

As you and I know, we should emphasize the word "crazy" in this statement for closer inspection. Falling for someone was one thing, but falling as quickly and deeply as the Castillo brothers tended to was something else entirely.

The next two weeks that followed the house party were what Remus viewed as the best days of his life.

He and Daniel spent every spare moment together, though they hardly spoke much when they did. Remus tried his best to be someone Daniel would like, despising the confused look he gave him when something strange slipped out.

Roman seemed to notice the change in Remus' behavior, shooting him raised eyebrows and scrutinizing expressions whenever they were in the same room. He knew his twin better than anyone and he quickly came to the quite obvious conclusion. Remus was head over heels for some guy.

But he wasn't really sure until that night at the dinner table.

Yes, it's true that love makes you do stupid things. Ridiculous actions that make you question your own existence.

Except, love also makes you brave.

And Remus had been hiding for too long.

Unfortunately, unlike our lovesick Castillo, we know what happens next...

~~~~~~~

The door slammed behind Remus, muffling the sound of his mother's hysteric crying. He wasted no time leaping off the porch and running fast in no particular direction. His eyes were flooded with tears, streaming down his face as he choked back sobs.

Remus was trying to think through the deafening static. Where would he go now? He couldn't go back. He could never go back.

But Roman...He was leaving Roman. His brother, the one person he truly cared about and understood. And also the person who had betrayed him, knowing full well what he was going through. The thoughts were painful but Remus couldn't seem to shove them away.

Then he remembered. Roman wasn't the only one Remus cared for.

He set his jaw and redirected his path towards a familiar neighborhood at the edge of a river. It took him almost no effort to sneak through the wall of hedges and run around the house until he was staring up at Daniel's balcony.

Some scenes from 80s movies flashed in his head and Remus picked up a few pebbles from the ground, tossing them gently against the clear plastic door of the balcony.

After a few, the door finally opened and Daniel walked out looking around until he spotted the boy on the river bank, shivering and crying as if someone had ripped out his heart. But even so, his face seemed to light up when he saw Daniel, "Remus?"

"D-Daniel!"

"What are you doing here?" Daniel quickly walked to the edge of the balcony, leaning over it and glancing around nervously. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Remus felt as if a weight had been lifted from his chest. Just seeing Daniel made the static clear a tiny bit. He swallowed with some difficulty and hugged himself until his torso hurt, "I came out to my parents and...it didn't go well." His eyes filled with fresh tears and his voice sounded weak and broken, "At all. They-They kicked me out..."

"Oh...Remus. I'm sorry."

Remus looked up at Daniel and moved closer to the balcony which towered six feet above him. "I'm not going back. I'm moving somewhere else, getting a job. Maybe a goldfish, I dunno."

Daniel seemed lost, confused as to what he was supposed to say but sympathetic all the same. "Remus...I just....why?" He stared into the other's eyes, "Why are you telling me this?"

And in that moment, Remus knew exactly why. The answer came to him through the static and a future he hadn't even realized he was building in his head seemed to play before him.

He was in love with Daniel. He wanted to spend the rest of his life by his side.

"...Come with me." Remus said, sounding sure of himself.

Daniel's eyes widened, "W-What?!"

"We can run away together! Find someplace to stay far way from here." Daniel began to shake his head slowly, expression still one of shock. Remus became desperate clasping his hands together and begging, "Please, Daniel. We can have a life free of people who don't approve of us. A free life! J-Just you and me and-and a-a magic carpet." By now, Remus was sobbing.

Daniel looked distressed, "Remus I-I can't! I met you barely two weeks ago, we hardly know each other!"

"Two weeks was enough for me to realize I'm in love with you!" Remus yelled, "There, I said it! Daniel I'm in love with you."

There was a moment of silence where the only sounds were those of the chirping crickets and rustling leaves. Daniel bit his lip, shocked and slightly horrified. And Remus, well...the love he felt was making him believe that everything would be alright.

But just then, Daniel shook his head, firmer this time. "I'm sorry." He said, his voice cracking slightly, "Remus, I'm really sorry but I don't feel the same way. What happened with your parents sucks but, this isn't some fairy tale. I'm not gonna run away with you because there literally is no happily ever after."

Remus felt his heart sink, his hope attempting to keep it upright and failing. "W-We can make our own happy ending."

Daniel frowned, "No we can't. I don't love you, Remus. I'm sorry but...you're on your own."

Before Remus could reply or drop down to his knees and plead like his heart was telling him to , Daniel walked back into his room and slid the balcony door shut.

~~~~~~~~

Afterwards, Remus didn't remember leaving.

He was dazed and weighed down heavily by grief. He'd lost everything in a night and all because he'd taken a reckless chance. Why did he think anyone cared about him when he was how he was?

Remus buried his head in his hands and sobbed, pulling up his hood as he wallowed in his misery.

It was 7pm on a Saturday night so Remus found himself weaving through groups of people dressed for clubs and bars in the downtown area he was in. Some of them shot him glances and quickly hurried away. Remus didn't care. Nothing felt like it mattered anymore.

That is, until he heard the police car.

"Hey, kid!" A cop rolled down his window and Remus ducked his head. "Hey, I'm talking to you!"

Remus stopped and slowly turned towards the car, pulling his hands out of his pockets so they were visible. "Yes, officer?"

"What're you doing in this part of town? Who're you with?" The cop said, his tone not changing. A few people noticed the commotion and kept their distance.

Resisting the urge to shift uncomfortably, Remus sniffed and replied, "I'm just taking a walk, sir. A-And I'm alone."

The policeman squinted at him for a minute and then got out of the car. "Do you have ID?"

Remus nodded and pulled out his learner's permit, handing it to the officer who snatched it away and turned to his car. He leaned in to look at the permit in the dim light. One of his hands rested on the gun in his holster.

Seeing this, Remus' vision seemed to tunnel. He'd heard stories about situations like these and none of them ended well. His skin was still toasted from the summer sun, making it a clear hazelnut brown. And the officer had obviously noticed.

His heart beat sped up and he looked around for someone to help him. That's when he remembered there was no one there. He was alone.

Without thinking, Remus sprinted down the street before the officer could fully turn around. He ignored the shouts behind him and glanced back to see the policeman following after him.

Panicking, Remus ducked inside the nearest bar with an open door, shoving past people in brightly colored clothing and buckets of eyeliner. Some of them yelled at him but he just kept going, nearly hyperventilating from the overwhelming amount of emotions.

He felt terrified by the officer. His heart was still aching from Daniel. And all the betrayal and disappointment that was caused by Roman still pulsed through his blood, stinging like acid.

Remus felt like collapsing but he just kept running and shoving until he found a door. Reaching for the knob, he ripped it open and dashed inside, slamming it closed behind him.

He leaned against the door and tried to even out his breathing, noticing that he was trembling for the first time that night. His nerves were shot and all Remus wanted to do was go home. But that wasn't a place anymore.

The tears came flooding again as he gasped out sobs, still at a loss for breath. If home was where the heart was, what happened when your heart was shattered? Where could he go?

"Oh my goodness, sweetheart are you alright?!"

Remus' breath hitched and he pressed himself against the door in panic. But the woman standing before him looked anything but threatening. She had fluffy, raven black hair tied up in a relaxed ponytail and wore a pretty maroon dress that went beautifully with her dark brown skin. Her eyes were a gentle shade of gray and at that moment were intense with concern.

Remus didn't reply, knowing full well that if he spoke he would break down and cry his eyes out. The woman seemed to notice his distressed state and held up her arms a bit to show she would not hurt him.

"You're gonna be okay, sweetie, just breathe." Without looking away, she raised her voice just the slightest bit and moved her head a bit to talk over her shoulder, "Philly, can you get me a glass of water from the bar?"

Remus looked at the rest of the room and noticed he was in one of those pre-show rooms with mirrors lining the walls and individual tables stacked with all kinds of makeup. There were at least three racks of glittery, colorful costumes as well and a few mannequin busts on a counter sporting luscious and elaborate wigs. Framed magazine covers and sparkly Christmas lights decorated the room, a magenta-velvet curtain covering a doorway to what Remus guessed was the stage enterance.

But most shocking of all to our panicking Castillo was the five drag queens that were watching him from their seats in front of the mirrors. They had all paused in their tasks and seemed to be staying silent for his sake. Their expressions were laced with varying levels of surprise and pity.

One drag queen, whom the woman had called Philly, nodded and left through the velvet doorway. He returned a few moments later with a glass of water and handed it to Remus, a worried look on his face.

The boy accepted it with shaky hands and took a hesitant sip. The water was cold and cleared his head. By now, his breathing had evened out and the last of the buzzing panic was fading away.

"T-thank you." Remus spoke hoarsely.

The woman noticed he was calmer and straightened from the stance she had been in before. "Of course. Are you feeling better?"

"Um, a-a bit, yeah." Remus began to feel the attention prickling at his skin and blushed a bit in embarrassment. "Thanks." He repeated and the blush deepened.

The woman was kind enough to ignore it and smiled softly, "What's your name, kiddo? I'm Mayu." She gestured to the drag queen who had brought the water, "And this is Philly, my husband."

Philly smiled at him too, his arm comfortably around Mayu. "Hey hun."

With a nervous glance, Remus gathered enough nerve to speak, "...My name is Remus."

"Like the twins, Remus and Regulus?" Philly asked. His voice was rich and smooth, but kind as well.

Remus flinched at the mention of twins but nodded. "I'm sorry for barging in like this, I-I needed a place to hide."

One of the other drag queens with full lips coated it purple lipstick spoke up, confused, "From who? You're just a kid."

Before he could answer, there was the sound if screaming and movement from behind the door. A muffled voice was shouting, "Law enforcement, move it! Let me through!"

At that, the sounds of people running for multiple exits was heard. Remus felt his heart skip a beat and quickly turned to Mayu and Philly. "I didn't do anything wrong." His panic was threatening to rise again, "Please hide me I just-I was walking with my hood up and he stopped me and-and he had a hand on his gun s-so I ran but please please please-"

He was cut off by a loud knocking on the door, "Police! Open up!"

Quickly, Mayu grabbed the sleeve of his hoodie and pulled him over to a closet full of costumes and props. She shoved him inside with an apologetic look and closed the door. It had a window-shutter design so he could see through, though not perfectly well.

Once he was hidden in the mass of fabric, everyone looked in any other direction. Mayu and Philly whispered a few things to each other before Philly reached out and opened the door.

The same officer that had chased Remus stood there, red from running and anger. He seemed unnerved by the drag queens but straightened up, displaying all his false authority. "I would like to speak to the owner of this establishment."

"That would be us." Philly said sharply, glaring through his thick eyeliner and long lashes. Mayu was by his side, her face stern as she watched the officer.

After a beat, the policeman cleared his throat. He seemed surprised that the couple existed, and on top of that, owned a buisness. "I have reason to believe a dangerous delinquent has entered your bar. I thought I might inform you and have a look around."

This time, Mayu spoke. "I believe there's been a misunderstanding. We check everyone at the entrance so no one that made it in could be dangerous."

"Yes, well-"

"Your concern is appreciated but I think we've got it, officer."

This Mayu was way different than the one that had comforted Remus. She was polite but cold, there was none of the softness from before. Her eyes were narrowed and she seemed to exert power, despite being shorter than everyone in the room.

The policeman pursed his lips and looked around. All the drag queens were glaring at him. He was obviously unwanted.

Sensing this, the policeman swallowed. With a nasty look, he tipped his hat at Philly and said "Ma'am." His tone mocking. A flare of fury flashed in Mayu's eyes but Philly took her hand.

After another glance around the room, the officer turned and left, leaving the room in a tense silence.

A few minutes passed before a drag queen in a dazzling silver wig got up and opened the closet door.

Remus gladly exited the claustrophobic space and hugged himself. The commotion had left all of them stunned and anxious.

Mayu saw that he was safe and then turned to her husband, "Honey? Are you okay?"

Philly sighed. But when he looked up, he was grinning with triumph. Placing a quick kiss on his wife's lips, he replied, "I'm good. We won in the end, anyway." He arched and eyebrow and turned to the others proudly, "The coward just couldn't handle all the fabulous death glares."

The drag queen in the silver wig laughed, "Damn right, Philly. We woulda killed him too for sayin that and chasing this poor kid." Remus received a concerned glance, "You okay now, baby?"

"Yeah." After a beat he smirked a tiny bit. Without thinking he said, "Sorry for bringing in a cop that was such a moldy asshole."

There was a series of shocked snorts and then laughter, "'Moldy asshole'," One drag queen repeated, cackling. "Now that's gold."

For the first time in his life, Remus watched as his gross comments weren't met with repulsion. Instead, he had made people laugh.

He was shocked but pleased, the corners of his mouth turning up a bit. Mayu grinned at him and walked over to take his hand and lead him to a chair.

The laughter faded and some of the drag queens went back to applying makeup. Remus felt a lot more comfortable in that dressing room than he ever had anywhere else.

"So." Mayu began from a stool next to Philly's makeup station. He'd taken a seat and was now gluing on eyelashes, watching them both in the mirror's reflection. "Where did you come from, Remus? You weren't in good shape when you ran through that door."

Remus felt his grin fall slightly and shifted nervously. He didn't know how to reply.

Did he share everything he'd been through with a total stranger? Or did he make something up and run away as quick as his legs could take him?

He glanced up and saw Mayu and Philly waiting patiently.

They were kind people. And Remus desperately needed that kindness. He felt that if he kept everything to himself, it would eventually crush his ribs and kill him.

And so he told them. All of it.

His kiss with Daniel. The two weeks of bliss. Coming out. His brother, Roman, who was just like him in only one way. The running. The begging. Even the fact that he had no idea what he was doing and that none of it had been planned.

When he finished, the room was quiet once more. He felt lighter, somehow, but also empty and numb. Anxiously, Remus looked at the other's reactions.

Surprisingly, Mayu was looking at Philly and not him. Her gaze was intense and determined. Philly had noticed and they seemed to be having a silent conversation.

The drag queen with the full purple lips finally broke the minutes of silence. "Oh, god, just adopt him already!"

Remus jumped in his chair. "W-What?!"

Philly sighed and shot the drag queen a glare, "Jesus, Nia, you have no chill." He looked at Remus, apologetically, "Sorry about them, hun. They don't know how to hold their tongue."

Nia scoffed. "Oh yeah? How about instead I hold your-"

Mayu cut them off by clearing her throat, shooting them a warning glare. "Anyway. I'm sorry all of that happened to you, Remus." She looked at him sadly, her gray eyes filled with sympathy, "It sounds like you really tried to keep them close to you. It's their fault it didn't work out." Her voice was a bit sterner at that, "As for your brother..."

Remus tensed and gripped his ripped jeans, "I don't want to talk about Roman." He said sharply.

Mayu stopped.

There was another long silence before she finally spoke again, placing a small, gentle hand on his arm comfortingly. "You can stay with us if you want." She said kindly.

Looking up, Remus stared at her, shocked. "R-Really?"

Mayu looked at Philly and he nodded, smiling grimly. "I know what it's like to get kicked out for not fitting in," he said heavily, as if it hurt to admit it even years after, "We all do."

Remus looked at Mayu and she smirked, "I'm a biromantic asexual."

"Oh. Sorry for...assuming."

She waved it off, "It's alright. The point is, we get how your feeling."

"And," Philly continued, reaching out and taking Mayu's hand, "If you feel comfortable with it, we'd like to give you support. Even if that means off-paper adopting you."

For a minute, all Remus could do was stare. He had never been offered something so kind before. And it was something he so desperately needed...

He looked around to see the other drag queens giving him encouraging smiles. Nia winked at him.

Remus turned back to the couple and felt himself start to cry a bit. He took a deep breath and nodded.

Mayu rushed forward and hugged him tightly as he sobbed into her dress. She gently stroked his matted hair and Philly came to stand beside her, rubbing Remus' back.

Suddenly, Remus didn't feel quite so alone. He was in a room full of people who empathized with what he had gone through. He was finally understood and it felt like all the emptiness inside him was flooded with warmth.

He pulled away slightly and looked at Mayu with puffy eyes. She cupped his cheek and her kind gray eyes seemed to solidify her words, "You're gonna be okay. You're at home with us now."

Remus nodded and settled back into the hug. His sobbing was reduced until they were only soft hiccups.

Home is where you go when love lifts it's spell. Somewhere with cushioning familiarity to keep you from falling apart.

Home is love with softer edges.

Remus sniffed and smiled through his tears.

He would be okay.

A/N The cute ending is a beg for forgiveness  TvT
Sorry about not posting last weekend. Hope you guys liked this super long chapter!!!!

DON'T DIE!

~Prongs💙