Chapter Text
Theo landed in Yhalis’ courtyard. Fatigue weighed him down as he made his way up the stairs to the hospital ward. Harry was still at work, though he should be done soon. His mate’s exhaustion outweighed Theo’s. At least after the fight, Theo had been able to rest for a few hours. Harry had barely slept in three days.
He’d have to kidnap him from work at this point.
Theo nodded at Ragnar who was jogging down the stairs looking distracted. The Viking nodded back, muttering about needing to reinforce some barrier or another. The man had gone a bit off the deep-end when it came to reinforcing Yhalis ever since they had freed Dahlia from her talisman.
The Green remained in her prison, apparently content to stay, even after Gryn had opened the door and left it wide open. Gryn had made some inroads with Dahlia—learning her name and that she was from an Irish horde. He and Luna spent most evenings with Dahlia, talking to her and welcoming the dragon to come for horde flights with them. The woman refused to leave her cage. Theo added to his growing list of things to deal with as second.
He could not fault Draco for being MIA since Hermione’s abduction—had Harry been taken and drugged, Theo is sure he would have taken Harry and never let him out of his sight again. Hermione could have died. The thought alone made Theo pause as he neared the landing. He could not imagine a world without Hermione anymore. She was so integrated into his life.
He shuddered and reminded himself she was fine. Alive and recovering. Theo continued up to the landing and entered the hospital ward.
The first evening after the attack, Theo had checked on all the wounded, spent time at their bedsides with their mates, and ensured everyone was doing well. He was good at lightening moods, a skill that was not useless, but not usually so helpful. He told jokes, he brought food, he recounted battle prowess and he complimented his horde for being so fierce.
Everyone was entirely healed after that first night. Everyone except for Hermione.
Draco would not let anyone into the curtains of her sick bed, save for the healer, who checked her vitals twice a day. Theo caught a glimpse of her twice—she looked fine, normal even. But Draco’s mental conversation had informed him that she was still confused, that their connection was still weak.
Theo, risking life and limb, pulled the curtains back, finding that they were not warded. He poked his head inside. Draco was asleep, lying on Hermione’s chest. Her head rested on his horns—which could not be comfortable, but she looked completely at ease. Their hands were twined together and they breathed in perfect tandem.
Theo’s heart clenched. He breathed easier. They were fine. They would be fine. Everything was fine.
Draco had said earlier that she seemed better, clearer. But still not 100%. Theo would be on Alpha duty for a while yet.
He put the curtains back in place and quietly left the ward. Theo slowly trudged to the dining room and flooed home. He didn’t have the energy to apparate and he wanted to save what little energy he had to fuck Potter so hard his mate passed out for a full day. It seemed to be the only way to get the idiot to relax.
“Almost home?” Theo asked the man in question as he rinsed off in the shower.
“I’m still needed here.”
“Potter, if you do not get your ass into our bed in the next twenty minutes, I’m coming to your place of work and fucking you in the board room so loudly that you won’t be able to make eye contact with anyone you work with ever again.”
He felt Harry’s amusement and his desire through their bond.
“I didn’t realize that would be such a turn on for you. Okay, I’ll be there shortly.”
“No. Theo. Jesus. Give me a second, someone’s talking to me.” Theo waited impatiently. “I’m on my way home. Relax.”
Theo got a thrill every time Harry called their flat ‘home.’ The war hero had all but moved in since their mating and neither had broached the topic. Maybe it was time to be more direct.
Harry was in their bed within fifteen minutes, having had a quick shower himself. Theo cocooned him in his arms, running his nose over Harry’s neck.
“How’s the horde?” his Auror asked. “Hermione?”
“We’re all still worried,” Theo told him. “And Hermione is still recovering. We don’t know what they did to her. She’s still out sorts. But getting better. I actually saw her today. She looks alright.”
“Yeah?” Harry asked, the concern evident in his voice.
“She’ll be okay, Harry.”
Harry sighed heavily. “Why can’t I just live a normal life? Everyone I know gets hurt or is in danger all the time.”
Theo kissed his neck. “It’s not your fault.”
“It’s kind of hard to believe when you look at the evidence,” Harry grumbled.
Harry always blaming himself for everything drove Theo up the wall.
“It’s not your fault,” Theo repeated. “It’s a bit self-centred of you to think that everything revolves around you, Harry.” Harry scoffed. “You’re not always the main character, you know.”
“But I—”
Theo rolled him and kissed him hard in between saying, “It’s. Not. Your. Fault.”
“I just—”
Theo covered his mouth again. When he pulled away, he was summoning the cuffs Harry had received for is birthday from the twins. He watched as they clicked themselves together. Bless those Weasleys. Theo attached the cuffs to the prominent ring screwed into their head board. “When I’m done with you, you’re going to say it out loud,” Theo promised darkly, his horns appearing on his head. Harry’s pupils pooled.
One of Theo’s favourite past times was torturing Harry. Theo enjoyed it almost as much as he enjoyed being tied up and being sweetly tortured himself. He loved being a switch—so many options.
Theo got to work, trailing his hands, his lips, his teeth over Harry’s truly phenomenal physique. Harry’s body was as responsive as ever, straining against the cuffs, curses falling from his lips. Theo took his time, since his goal was to exhaust his mate. Theo’s lips brought Harry to the brink twice before his mate finally gasped out, “It’s not my—fault—not my fault.” Then, Theo let him come undone.
But he wasn’t done with him yet. He put Harry through the ringer, touching, teasing, filling him to the brim all while Harry moaned in that timbre that drove Theo feral. With Harry’s legs on his shoulders, Theo and Harry came undone together.
Theo could have probably done another two or three rounds, but the bags under Harry’s eyes had him uncuffing him softly. Theo cleaned them up while Harry let his eyes drift closed.
“Whose fault is it, Potter?” Theo murmured as he massaged Harry’s muscled arms.
Harry’s lips lifted slightly, adjusting himself in Theo’s arms. “Not mine,” he replied, voice gravelly.
“Too right you are, Potter,” Theo replied. He kissed him on the scar and stroked his hair soothingly while Harry drifted off to sleep.
Theo was constantly in awe that Harry had chosen him. That his childhood crush was now the love of his life. That he got to touch his impressive body, that he got to keep his secrets, that he got to share his life.
“There’s someone at Yhalis,” Ragnar informed Theo.
Theo had been moments from falling into sweet unconsciousness. Instead, Theo’s brain shot awake. “What?”
“Someone is here.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know, Nott,” the Viking grumbled. “That’s why I’m telling you.”
“Well are they aggressive?”
“Not so far.”
Theo sighed heavily. “Fuck,” he muttered. “Fine. I’m coming.”
Theo stumbled from the bed, searching for clothing to throw on. Harry stirred.
“No, you sleep, Potter. I’ll be back. Horde business.”
Harry pushed onto his elbow. “What’s happening?”
“Sleep,” Theo commanded. Harry frowned in response. “I’ll be back soon. I promise. Just, please—” Theo returned to the bed and kissed him softly. “Sleep for me. And I’ll reward you in the morning.”
“It’s harder to sleep when you’re not here.”
Theo’s heart clenched. He knew Harry liked him—loved him. But any time he talked about how much he needed him, Theo went a bit wild. He growled in annoyance. He really ought to retire as second. It was a lot of work for none of the glory.
“I’m sorry, babe. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Harry kissed him once more, then slumped back into the bed. Clearly too exhausted to push. At the very least, Theo had succeeded in tiring him out so that he would actually sleep.
Theo swept from the room in a rush, hoping whatever he was heading into was not going to delay him from coming back home to his mate’s warm arms.