Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters end up in. Everything else belongs to someone else and that's the way of it.

Step Eight

By the time they left the shower the two men were squeaky clean and Alexei was in a very good mood due to the hand job he'd been given before they'd finished washing up. It was because of that that he made no protest when he was herded into his own bedroom, dressed for bed, and then tucked into said bed since Hugo thought he needed to rest. And since he didn't want to go to sleep as it wasn't even dinner time yet, Alexei demanded that Hugo get under the covers with him. He was far from done with the man after all and they might as well work up an appetite before it was time to eat.

Amused and more than happy to cooperate, Hugo got under the covers and lying on his side drew Alexei up against him, cuddling him close.

Rolling his eyes Alexei allowed himself to be cuddled like a teddy bear, though only because he wasn't quite up to jumping the other man just yet. And okay, because he actually did love when he was wrapped up in Hugo's arms like this. Not that he'd ever admit that, not ever, but it was one of his many dirty secrets where this man was concerned. It wasn't even that he liked to be held, exactly, it was just that there was something special about the way Hugo did it.

Like all the warmth and happiness the Gryffindor seemed to carry within him was transferred over to whoever he chose to heap his affection on, Alexei thought to himself as he closed his eyes, soaking up those feelings with the smallest of smiles.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'll be fine. Better after I get my hands on that damn healer."

"Alexei…it was an honest mistake. If you hadn't make him so scared of you he probably would have performed the spell admirably and helped you instead of…putting you in the hospital for a very short period of time."

Snorting, Alexei reminded Hugo that he didn't even know the healer in question. The man was utterly incompetent and that was that.

Trying a different tact Hugo pointed out that Alexei wasn't going to miss a match as a result of this, and that getting to skip a few practices should make him happy because it meant that he wouldn't have to listen to his coaches telling him what to do or work on. Alexei hated when people did that, especially if they were under the delusion that they were somehow the boss of him.

"They know I don't listen to them."

Chuckling, Hugo shook his head, his beard brushing against the top of Alexei's head. "You really don't get along with anyone, do you?"

"Your point?" And since he was not remotely interested in discussing the stupidity of their fellow men, he could only rant so much before he began to repeat himself too much, Alexei asked instead how Hugo's coworkers had reacted to the news that they were dating.

"Seth figures I should use sex to keep you from killing me."

"Seth…that Muggleborn friend of your cousin James?" When Hugo nodded his head Alexei snorted in derision again. "That idiot. Someone hasn't killed him yet?"

"He's a Ravenclaw, they don't exactly accept idiots into that house." Hugo pointed out dryly. "And for your information you've benefitted from me knowing him. You should be glad he's still alive."

He was well aware of the fact that James's stupid friend was also gay, the man had had the biggest crush on the eldest Potter when they'd been at Hogwarts together. The Ravenclaw had followed Potter around like a puppy until the two's last year, when Lysander Scamander had caught the idiot's eye and held it. As far as he knew Scamander and the twit were still together, but still…

Shifting his head out from under Hugo's, Alexei moved up so that his head was resting beside the Gryffindor's on the pillow. "How exactly have I benefited?"

A winning little grin preceded Hugo's answer. "Why by providing me with some very interesting books to read of course."

Eyes narrowing that much more at the look on Hugo's face, he knew that look well, Alexei's own lips curved into a scowl. "He's been giving you dirty books? And you've been reading them? What the-he has no business corrupting you. That's my job."

Stroking a finger along Alexei's jawline Hugo grinned, not the least bit worried. "Oh I've corrupted myself plenty while reading. I'll show you some of my books the next time you come over to my place. There's actually one in particular I was hoping you might be interested in."

"Oh?"

"Mhmmm. I've never tried it, but it made me think of you the minute I read it." Bracing his weight on the arm he'd placed beside Alexei's back, Hugo leaned in, placed his lips against the Slytherin's ear, and whispered a detailed description of a sexual position that would make his leg muscles cry like babies afterwards…but would be so worth it in the end.

As soon as Hugo had finished his explanation Alexei was moving, pushing the other man onto his back and rolling on top of him, a predator to the core as he licked his lips at his prey.

Less than half an hour later Hugo's legs were cramping something awful but he wasn't complaining and Alexei…well he made it clear that if he forgot what they'd just done he was not only going to maim his team healer, he'd draw and quarter the son of a bitch.

)

When it was time for supper the two opted to order out since neither could cook and Alexei didn't want to risk going out and then having a memory lapse. As it turned out they were both a fan of Chinese food and so Hugo ordered them up a bunch of food from his favorite place, thinking that the leftovers could tide them over tomorrow until Alexei's house elf came by or he went home and picked something up for them from his own freezer. Once the order was sent they opted to hang out in Alexei's front parlor until the food came, sitting side by side on his couch, not talking about anything as they simply enjoyed being together.

They'd never had moments like this when they were students, they'd never been able to be together outside the Room of Requirement where time was limited and teenage hormones were in control the majority of the time. When they did talk it was either about Alexei's bad behavior, something Hugo had done that the Slytherin thought was particularly stupid, or discussing when they'd be meeting up next and what they intended to do with and to the other when they did meet up. Just one of the many reasons Hugo had constantly felt like a mistress and not a lover when they'd been together.

"Alexei…other than the sex…is there anything else you do like about me?"

The Slytherin's gaze was suspicious as he asked why he was being asked that.

"Just curious. I'll keep up my end of the deal regardless of what you say, I was just wondering. Weasley curiosity and all that."

Since the Gryffindor was indeed a man of his word Alexei shrugged and threw out the first thing that came to mind that he was fine admitting to. "I like how you make people look and feel incredibly stupid when you go on one of your brainiac rants about something."

Oh. He really should have seen that one coming.

"And I like it when you actually get really mad and show your very small, badass side. It's funny as hell because it's like seeing a bunch of manticores cower before a puppy dog." He loved the fact that he was the only one who could really fight with the Gryffindor, that he was stronger and tougher than everyone else. They had no idea what they were missing while they groveled and apologized to Hugo, how sexy and hot the Gryffindor looked while he was giving them hell for whatever they'd done. Which reminded him of another thing he loved to watch Hugo doing, Alexei mused with a grin.

"I like watching you read a book you've never read before too. You make the weirdest faces depending on whether you like what you're reading or not." And then Alexei started to make faces at Hugo, explaining which face Hugo made when he learned something new, disagreed with the author, was disappointed by the plot device, worried about a character or characters-

Throwing himself on a very surprised Alexei Hugo pinned him down on the cushion and proceeded to passionately snog the Slytherin's brains out with every ounce of skill he possessed. He knew he made faces when he was reading, everyone teased him about it, but Alexei must have been paying attention to him, observing him when he hadn't been aware of it, to have picked up on his faces and figure out what they meant.

And that, Hugo thought as he put his tongue into Alexei's mouth, made him really happy.

Not about to question his good fortune Alexei was quite happy to make out with Hugo on the couch, the two getting more than a little hot and bothered on top of sweaty by the time the doorbell went off, signaling that their food had arrived.

Making a low sound of disappointment, though it was probably for the best since he was hungry for more than Alexei, Hugo lifted his head and smiled widely at Alexei before getting up and off him, announcing that he'd go get the food and be right back.

"No, I'll get it." Getting to his own feet Alexei had no intention of letting the other man pay for the meal.

"Fine, but I'm coming to the door with you and you better be nice and tip properly or I'm going to deliberately embarrass you at the earliest opportunity."

"Are you calling me cheap?"

The two men squabbling all the way to the door, Alexei opened it and did his best not to make a face when Hugo wrapped his arms around his waist and set his chin on top of his own head, highlighting the difference in their sizes. Thankfully it was just a house elf at the door, a large bag of food in each hand as it nervously announced itself and its purpose for being there.

"Hi, Sage, thanks for getting here so quickly."

"Sage is pleased as always to see and bring food to Hugo Weasley." The house elf assured the always sweet and adorable Gryffindor. Unlike a lot of people the man made a point of talking to him whenever he delivered to him and he always tipped. Most people only tipped the human deliverers, not the elves. Hugo Weasley was one of his most favorite customers.

Ignoring the two as they chatted away, it didn't surprise Alexei in the least that Hugo knew the house elf well enough to ask the creature about its family, he concentrated on counting out the correct amount of coins as well as a tip since he didn't doubt Hugo would notice if he didn't.

Seeing that Alexei was done counting Hugo moved to the side and took the food while Alexei paid Sage, saying good bye to the house elf when the transaction was completed.

Nodding his own good bye Alexei turned to head back inside when he heard the sound of human footsteps coming towards them, moving to the side in time to see his sister barrelling down on them. And unfortunately there wasn't enough time to slam the door in her face.

"Oh, food, excellent. I'm hungry."

Elbowing her way into the flat Sorcha was sitting on the couch by the time they joined her, Alexei glaring at her openly while Hugo worked up a smile and a greeting, not surprised at all when she chose to ignore it in favor of telling off her brother for glaring at her, especially when she'd come all this way to see how he was. She'd heard about his little accident earlier and was not at all pleased to have learned that Alexei had named Hugo Weasley of all people as his emergency person. What had he been thinking?

"That I want to live a long life, which wouldn't happen if you were my emergency person."

"Oh please, if I wanted to kill you I would have poisoned you long ago."

"You did poison me! Repeatedly!"

"Those were accidents."

"The hell they were."

Leaving them to their fighting, it was how they showed they loved each other in their demented, Dolohov way, Hugo went to the kitchen and retrieved another place setting for Sorcha, bringing it back and divvying up the food as he ignored the fact that Alexei's sister apparently thought that the fact that they were together was proof that Alexei needed to get his head examined more thoroughly at St. Mungos.

"If you find my LOVER so distasteful you know where the door is. Feel free to bash your head into it a few times on your way out." Taking the plate Hugo handed to him Alexei deliberately took the other man's hand in his and brought it to his lips, thanking the other man for the food in a voice that guaranteed a blush at the very least.

Ears going as red as his father's hair Hugo squirmed, just managing to get out that Alexei was welcome. Logically he knew that Alexei had kissed his hand to punish Sorcha, but still…it was sexy as hell.

"Ugh, don't do that." Snatching up one of the plates Sorcha ate a piece of sweet and sour pork before pointing her fork in Hugo's direction. "You're a complete and total idiot if you think my brother's really interested in you. He's just using you to sending our parents into an early grave."

Taking a bite of his own food Hugo opted to ignore the jab, especially since he couldn't refute the fact that Alexei was indeed using him. So instead he asked her how her day was going.

Like most of her Slytherin peers Sorcha couldn't stand Hugo Weasley and the fact that not only was he pretty unflappable no matter what you said to him, but he also tended to make everyone around him want to smile and cuddle him like a teddy bear. Plus he was always nice even if you spent years trying and failing to be mean to him and it really, really made her angry that unlike her brother she could never seem to bypass the avalanche of guilt and self loathing she felt when she was nasty to this particular Weasley.

But she couldn't ignore or be nice to him either, not with Alexei there to see her so completely fold under the Gryffindor's cuteness powers either.

"How was my day? Well it would have been a hell of a lot better if I didn't have to hear people commenting about the fact that you're dating my brother. I mean seriously, I don't know which of you is stupider. I'd think you deserved each other if not for the fact that I'd rather be trampled by rampaging hippogriffs that have you join our family. Your sister is bad enough as it is. I mean really, it's a wonder the world doesn't just end with all the Weasleys on it these days."

If she'd just kept taking digs at him and left his sister out of it Hugo would have just let her talk herself hoarse, but she'd brought Rosie into it on top of ruining his dinner with Alexei and that called for a little payback.

"You can insult me all you want, Sorcha, it's not going to get you the reaction you want. I'm in too good of a mood for you to spoil it."

"Oh really, you like taking care of my idiot brother that much?"

"That too, but actually I was referring to the fact that we had the most mind blowing, erotic sex of our relationship before you came. I sincerely don't know how we could top it."

While she choked on the piece of shrimp she'd just put in her mouth Hugo smiled at her angelically, his expression slowly turning to one of concern when she didn't stop choking and started to look more than a little red in the face.

"Uhm…Alexei…is she actually choking?"

Looking over at his sister Alexei studied her expression for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders. "She'll be fine."

Even though he knew Sorcha would rather choke to death on seafood than be helped by him Hugo got to his feet and started over towards her, the look she aimed in his direction making it clear that she'd jinx him into the next decade if he tried to put his hands on her even though she really did need help ASAP.

"For the love of Merlin." Drawing back his hand Alexei whacked his sister hard in the back, the piece of undigested shrimp coming up and out into her cupped hands while she gasped for air. "And you call us stupid. At least we know how to digest our food, Idiot."

Using her napkin to clean the mess off her hands Sorcha had to concentrate on getting air into her lungs for a solid minute before she pulled her wand out of her pocket and aimed it at her brother, intending to turn him into a shrimp that she could shove down Weasley's throat.

She never got a chance though because Hugo was too fast for her, using expelliarmus to send her wand flying out of her hand and across the room.

After a moment of stunned silence both Dolohovs turned and stared at him in shock, Hugo informing them that there would be no more fighting during dinner, which was getting cold.

The wand stayed in his hand until they'd both started eating again.