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Tom swung off his horse with ease. Newly won ease. The moment his boots touched the dirt he felt it thrumming in him. He found the castle to be just as he had remembered it, dismounting in the flower-bordered quadrangle. The scent of blossom, of high clear air, of sweet oils, and the delicate earth, all combined, here where shallow steps lead up to the first of the entrances, and the first of the arcs of branches that led to the gardens.
Now Tom felt the bright, heady set of new desires that had had him breaking from his royal entourage in the last miles spurring his horse to gallop ahead alone as he wished…as he so giddily wished.
He tossed his reins to a servant, was told, 'By the east fountain,' and pushed his way past the branches of myrtle hanging low over the paths to the marble flags, to a balconied garden where a figure stood, looking out.
Tom looked too…at one thing only: the breeze playing with a strand of raven black hair. He felt his own rising happiness, the speeding of his pulse. Some part of him, absurdly, wondered how he would be received: the fluttering, enjoyable anxiety of a new lover. It was nice to just look, to see him when he thought he wasn't being observed, even as the familiar voice spoke,
"Tell me as soon as the King approaches, I want to be informed right away."
Tom felt a burgeoning delight when he spoke,
"Not a servant… Unless I was not informed of my demotion."
Harry turned.
He was standing before the view. The breeze that was playing with his hair was also playing with his loose white shirt. Finally, a smile curved Harry's lips,
"I was watching the road."
Tom spoke softly,
"Hello."
Behind Harry the glimpse of the road, where the arrival of Tom's large retinue would have been seen, but not his own approach, a single rider, a speck on a quicker route. Harry's cheeks were slightly flushed, though it was not clear whether it was from summer heat or his admission.
Harry lowered his gaze shyly and spoke,
"Hello."
Tom couldn't help the spill of feeling at how close they had come to not having this at all,
"You've been gone for months."
He ducked his head and nodded. He hadn't wanted to part with Harry but it had been necessary to reclaim his kingdom but now that was done and everything was back to normal,
"I am yours forever, Harry."
Harry traced his finger over the stone balcony but didn't say anything. He knew he wanted him to woe him. It was Harry's right to be upset. He stepped closer to Harry and ran his finger over the soft fabric of Harry's shirt,
"Oh, how I have missed you."
Harry stood still but he noticed the subtle increase in his breathing rate. They weren't alone, of course. A castle had an army of servants to take care of it. On top of everything, Bellatrix and Greyback…his most trusted and proficient generals played the part of nettlesome guardians to Harry to perfection. It was one of the reason he had broken away from his retinue and reached here early. He knew Greyback and Bellatrix would get straight to coddling Harry as soon as they would reach and he would have missed the chance to have him all to himself. Despite the army of servants, here on the edge of the gardens, it was as if the birdsong and the hum of cicadas were their only adjunct.
He unbuttoned Harry's shirt and spoke softly, into Harry's ear,
"I am going to take my sweet time with you."
He pulled off the shirt as Harry spoke barely above a whisper,
"I was just thinking about what it would be like here, with you.'
Tom kissed the top of Harry's bare shoulder, then his jaw and inquired softly,
"Like this?"
Harry's eyelids fluttered shut and he muttered dazedly,
'No, I…thinking about you and being with you are different, you're always so powerful, more…"
Tom felt a wellspring of pure pleasure and laughed against Harry's neck.
"Go on."
Harry shook his head and spoke,
"Stop my mouth. I don't know what I'm saying."
Tom lifted his head and kissed Harry tenderly, found him flushed, warm like summer. He could feel Harry's hands sliding up over his body, an unconscious mapping that was new…well not new…it just felt new every time Harry touched him like that.
Tom held Harry's waist, liking how little stood between him and skin: just Harry's light cotton trousers that moved with the movement of his hands.It was hard to think beyond the curve of Harry's shoulder, the long line of his thigh. Tom finally asked him, his voice warm and pleased,
"Have I ever told you how gorgeous you are?"
Harry chuckled softly and spoke
"Take off your armour."
He said it with the beautiful view at his back. He stepped back, leaning slightly on the marble behind him that balconied the view, a barrier where the cliffs looked out. Overhead branches of myrtle shaded them from the sun, shifting light and casting shadows over Harry's body.
A diffused excitement at the idea of having the view as their witness stirred in Tom.
He felt a possessive desire to see and be seen but it was transgressive and outside the bounds of his own nature, even as the gardens felt private enough that it might be possible.
He unbuckled his armour and dropped it before speaking. His voice was low,
"The rest can wait."
Harry put a hand against the under cloth pressed warm against Tom's chest by his armour. Kissing felt much more intimate when the armour was discarded on the path and it was body against body. Harry's mouth opened to him, and he tongued inside in the way he liked. Harry encouraged it, fingers curling around his neck.
Dressed like that, it was like having him naked; there was so much skin, and nothing to remove except for the pants. Tom pressed Harry back against the marble and ran his hands down Harry's bare torso.
It could have happened then, pushing down Harry's pants, turning him and thrusting into his body. Instead, Tom thought, with indulgent slowness, about taking his time, about the delectable pink nipples. The restraint was part of it, the competing desires of wanting everything all at once, and wanting to savour each increment.
When he pulled back his skin felt flushed, his whole body much more hotly engaged than he realised. He managed to pull back further, to see Harry's face, his lips parted, his cheeks heated, his hair slightly disordered by Tom's fingers. As if Harry was only now noticing this, he spoke,
"You're here early."
He laughed softly,
"Yes."
Harry rested his head on his shoulder and wrapped his arms around him,
"I was planning to greet you on the steps."
He skimmed his fingers over the contours of Harry's smooth back and spoke,
"Come out and kiss me in front of everyone later."
Harry burst out laughing and spoke,
"I don't think Bella and Fenrir would approve of that. How far behind did you leave them?"
Tom said it, his smile widening,
"I have no idea. All I know is that they are far away and cannot stop me from having my wicked way with you."
Harry giggled excitedly and he started kissing him senseless.