A grandfather clock chimed three times. Deep, slow and loud, breaking the silence that pervaded the dark house. Albus rubbed his aching eyes, wishing to finish his letter quickly. There was no reason for him to be awake, he knew this. Elphias' last letter had arrived almost a week ago, and Albus thought it rude to postpone replying for any longer than he already had. It wouldn't take much longer, he reasoned. He would soon be in bed and out like a light. Picking up his quill again, he sighed and continued scratching away on his parchment. The only sound other than the scratching of quill on paper was the slow, deep breathing of Gellert Grindelwald in the bed behind him. Oh what Albus would give to crawl under those bed sheets and curl up with Gellert. He didn't like to admit it, but reading Elphias' words telling great tales about what he had seen on his trip so far, made him envious. He knew that he had to stay, but that didn't mean he wasn't upset. He had Gellert now, and he had promised Albus his eternal love, something which he had never had before! Gellert brought with him promises, of their future. Romantically and a future of wizard kind. Aberforth didn't approve of Gellert of course, but then again Aberforth never approved of anything Albus did.
The silence was getting to Albus, making his eyes heavier. Maybe his friend's letter could wait until the morning. Placing his head in his hands, he shut his eyes and drifted, not hearing the sound of someone standing up. Almost asleep, Albus jumped as a hand gently ran through his shoulder length hair.
"Gellert, you scared me!" Albus whispered, "what are you doing up?"
"Wondering why you aren't in bed, too."
Albus sighed and leaned back in his chair, letting his head rest on Gellert's stomach as his lover continued to run through his hair. "I received a letter from Elphias around a week ago, but I haven't responded yet." Cutting short of what he was saying, Albus tensed up a little as the hand that was previously caressing his hair lovingly sudden grabbed a tight hold. The subject of Elphias had always made Gellert angry, though Albus didn't know why. The two hadn't met yet, and there would be no reason for Gellert to hate Elphias. Turning in his seat to look at his lover, he tried not to wince as he felt hairs being pulled from his skull within the vice like grip.
"What's wrong, love?"
Grindelwald's face was stoney. His blue eyes cold and narrowed; eyebrows pulled tight together and a scowl etched into his handsome features. Despite the dangerous feeling he could sense in the air, Albus could not help but notice how beautiful Gellert was. His blond hair reflected in the sliver of moonlight that was peeking in through the curtains, giving it a silver shine. The light made him look paler, and the blue of his eyes looked almost translucent. Albus loved Gellert with all of his heart, even in moments like this.
"What's wrong," Gellert replied slowly, anger building up into his voice, "is that HE is talking to you as though you're his. You're not his, you're mine!" The hand quickly removed itself from the hair and had shot down to scoop up Elphias' letter from the desk. Albus was frozen in fear. He had never seen Gellert this upset before. What did he mean, Elphias was talking as if he owned Albus? "My dearest Albus," a sickening smile was beginning to spread across Gellert's face, and Albus could do nothing but watch in fear. "I am missing you extremely. While my trip is lovely, it would be much better if you was with me, too." A laugh broke the silence of the house. It was a cold, angry laugh. "Who on Earth does he think he is? Tell me, Albus, what is it between you two? What are you hiding from me, the person you love dearest?" It was as if a hand had slapped Albus across the face. Had Gellert lost his mind?
"Gellert, what are you talking about? I'm not hiding anything from you!"
Grindelwald grabbed hold of Albus' night shirt and pulled him up on his feet. Cold blue eyes met scared ones. It really had never occured to Albus just how jealous Gellert could be. He had no reason to be jealous!
"I know that he has feelings for you, Albus." The words came out softer this time, and while his scowl hadn't left, Gellert's eyes seemed sadder, less angry. However, that didn't stop Grindelwald getting up in Albus' face. "Aberforth told me when I asked about your friend, said that Doge has been mad for you for years. I hate to break it to him, but you are mine. I love you. I've never had feelings for anyone before, you know? So I'm not going to let the best thing in my life get stolen from me by a weasel like him." Confused, scared and anxious of what Gellert might do if his anger reached boiling point again, Albus reached up slowly and placed his hands on either side of the handsome face. "I've never loved anyone else either, you know that. I know that Elphias has had feelings for me, but I told him years ago that I would never feel the same. He knew I was gay the day we met, and I think he got his hopes up when we became close friends. I love YOU, Gellert. I always will. We're made for each other."
Gellert pulled Albus in for a hug, holding him gently. He knew Gellert was reading what Albus had written so far in response to Doge, and he didn't want to think about what he would do if he took the wrong way. "Now," Gellert started as he pulled away, still holding Albus by the waist. The anger hadn't quite left his eyes, the danger still lingered. Making a mental note to never allow Aberforth to know any of his friend's affairs again, Albus couldn't help but worry that Grindelwald had something planned for the day Elphias finally came home. "I want you to know that if he, or anyone else for that matter, tries to take you from me again, they will wish they had never been born. Now come to bed! It's late."
Extinguishing the candle as he allowed himself to be pulled into his bed by Gellert, he laid his head on his lover's chest as the bed sheets and warm, safe arms were wrapped around him. A kiss was planted on top of his head as he closed his eyes.
Albus loved Gellert Grindelwald, and knew he would for the rest of his life. No matter what would happen.
