It seemed no matter Dennis did, he could not make Colin disappear. With his eyes squeezed shut, his brother's voice still broke through. He was on the verge of covering his ears when Colin began relaying a story that Dennis held so very dear. His first year. The library. Oh, their ridiculous paper time turners! Dennis felt his eyes welling up with tears at the thought of it and how many other stories he could have had with Colin if he just would've stayed. If he just would have just lived. With his breath catching in his throat, he shook his head vigorously. "Shut up." he whispered, through the venom had drained from his voice as he stood there. It was almost second nature now, to figure the tattoo on his left arm whenever he was upset, to draw comfort from it even though the person who always comforted him the most was standing right in front of him.
It was with wild eyes that he finally looked at Colin, a hint of tears in the corners as he stared at him in disbelief and thought on Lee's words. His whole body ached, heart thudding painfully in his chest as he looked over Colin's face. It was amazing ... how much he looked like his brother. How whole and solid he appeared to be. Colin's hand on his shoulder was what really startled him, causing him to jump and go a bit wide eyed because that was real. That felt real. Hesitantly Dennis brought a hand up to press his palm flat against his brother's chest. Beneath he could feel the unmistakable beat of Colin's heart. It brought to mind the last time he had done so, in the Great Hall, when Colin was...
A choked sound escaped Dennis' throat at that, the tears spilling over as he shook his head once more. "You died" he croaked, shoulders shaking a bit as he got it out. "You left and you died, Colin." he said, bring a hand up to paw at the tears spilling from his eyes as he continued to stand there, trying to process this. "You were there and then you weren't and it- you- you just- Colin" Dennis' voice progressively was overcome with soft sobs before he closed the distance between them in a hug that was a bit too tight. God. It had been seven years since he had last done this. Since he had last hugged his brother. Dennis had no control over the tears that came then, face pressed to Colin's shoulder even though he was ever so slightly taller than his brother now.