Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters find themselves in. Everything else belongs to someone else and that's the way it's gotta be. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Step Ten

Eventually the two got out of bed to use the loo and shower, getting only partially dressed afterwards before heading for the kitchen for some breakfast. Lack of cooking skills made that a quick and simple task, Hugo and Alexei sharing the Slytherin's delivered copy of the Daily Prophet while they ate. Naturally Alexei had wanted the Sports section first, and was far from pleased to see that not only was his accident mentioned, but it the article speculated that he wouldn't be up to playing in his next match. They had him sound like some pathetic weakling, the Slytherin raged, thinking that maybe he should hunt down the writer of the article to show the moron just how bloody fit he still was.

"Actually, he might have done you a favor."

"What do you mean?"

"Well your opponents might get cocky, thinking that you won't be playing. They might ease up on their training regime, or when the other seeker sees that it's you he might assume he doesn't have to try very hard because you're too weak to be a threat to him."

Considering this Alexei had to admit that was true…though he could beat the knickers off the pansies they'd be playing even if they knew he was in top form.

As he'd dated the Cannon's keeper Hugo felt he should defend his former lover, Quentin was a very nice guy after all and didn't deserve to be called a pansy…but the Cannons were having a really crappy season lately and beating them wasn't exactly difficult. So it was probably better not to comment then get embroiled in a discussion he couldn't win since Alexei would know every mistake the other team had made this season. The man was thorough in his research of the opposition.

"You are coming to the match, right?"

"Of course. Aunt Ginny arranged for me to get a seat with her." He'd be taking pictures for her, and she'd likely badger him quite a bit about his relationship with Alexei when she had the chance, but that was a small price to pay as far as he was concerned for a free seat.

Doing his best to hide his pleasure at the confirmation Alexei simply said that that was good. If the Gryffindor had planned to be somewhere else his reaction would not have been pretty. When the menace had been dating that idiot keeper for the Cannons Hugo had come to all the man's matches and he'd hated that. Hated seeing his Hugo cheering for someone else, acting like he cared more for that damn Gryffindor than he did him. The satisfaction he'd gotten from whooping the bastard's arse every time had helped a little, but only a little.

On that note... "No cheering for the other team."

Hugo couldn't help the smile that crossed his lips as he pointed out that he was well aware of the boyfriend rules when it came to sports events.

"One, I'm not a boy, two…what are boyfriend rules?"

Always happy to help and explain Hugo abandoned his breakfast for the moment so that he could count off the points on his fingers. How you always had to kiss said boyfriend good luck before the game, cheer for only him and his team, disagree with any call made by the ref against said team even if it was the right call to make, and cheer over every successful play no matter how insignificant it was overall. Then there was the providing of celebratory sex if they won and the much longer in length consolatory sex if they lost to make said boyfriend feel better.

"Wait a second-are you telling me that every time I deliberately crushed your ham handed loser of a boyfriend on the pitch to show you what a complete waste of air he is, he got lots of sex out of it?!"

"Uhm…" Pause. "Wait…deliberately?" Brows furrowing in concentration Hugo tipped his head to the side a little as he stared at the murderous face Alexei was currently wearing. "Alexei, are you saying Quentin wasn't just being paranoid about you wanting him dead?"

Realizing what he'd accidentally admitted to, dammit, Alexei just scowled that much fiercer. "If I wanted him dead he would be dead, now wouldn't he?"

"Not necessarily. There are a lot of people you want dead that you let live simply because the backlash of killing them wouldn't be worth it in the long run. I've lost track of the number of times you've issued death threats within my hearing distance." And since he was utterly brilliant and capable of thinking of many things all at once Hugo's mind put together several years' worth of incidents, rumors, shared looks, and what he'd thought were baseless demonstrations of paranoia on the part of his past lovers.

"Alexei." Getting out of his chair with unusual speed and grace Hugo was around the table in what seemed like a heartbeat, his hands framing the Slytherin's face as he leaned down to give the other man the gentlest, most loving of kisses, that seemed to go on and on as time stopped for them and this moment.

For the first time in his memory, not that his brain was remotely working at the moment, Alexei let Hugo have his way completely, not even kissing the other man back as he simply relaxed and surrendered himself to Hugo's care, not fighting the Gryffindor's hold or attention in the slightest. He didn't want to. He didn't want to do anything but stay right where he was. This was everything good, everything that made life and them worth living and fighting for. What he was feeling, he couldn't imagine anything ever matching it, much less surpassing it.

So he didn't make a sound of complaint until Hugo broke off the kiss, Alexei's eyes fluttering open in confusion as he stared up at the man, brain too fuzzed to even think of yanking his lover back down so that he'd keep doing what he'd been doing.

The most beautiful of smiles on Hugo's face the Gryffindor did lower his head again, though only to place the briefest of butterfly kisses on Alexei's cheek before walking back over to retake his seat, that smile never leaving his face as he turned his attention back to his very cool at this point breakfast.

By the time Alexei's brain was working enough to demand an explanation of what the hell that had been about his window of opportunity had passed, guaranteeing that he would look like an idiot if he questioned what would have looked like an ordinary bit of snogging from the outside now. So he went back to scowling and reading the paper, unaware of the looks Hugo was making behind the pieces of the newspaper he'd been given to read.

Which was just fine with him, Hugo thought as he pretended to read about some new law amendments the Ministry was considering. Alexei had his own plans, he knew that, but he was going to start refining his own plans in regards to what he and the Slytherin were going to be up to for the rest of their 'dating' period.

His darling Slytherin wasn't going to know what hit him.

)

A couple hours later Alexei left his bathroom, the sound of his front door being knocked on immediately turning his small smile into his much more familiar scowl. He was tempted to ignore whoever it was, he had better things to do after all, but he did have some time given that Hugo was currently passed out on the bed and wouldn't be up to doing much of anything for the next little bit. The Gryffindor's own fault too, for smiling at him too much during breakfast and clean up. Technically speaking his solution of shagging the man's brains out had put a smile on Hugo's face too afterwards, but that had been the sort of smile he knew how to handle. The other kind had done some very messed up things to his head and gut.

The repeat knocking decided it for him, Alexei heading back into his bedroom to grab a pair of trousers, shoving his wand into his pocket for good measure before leaving the room to see if his door knocker was still there.

Alexei had almost arrived at his destination when it occurred to him that the visitor might be someone he should don a shirt to deal with, but he didn't plan on leaving his bed afterwards except when he had to for the rest of the day and he didn't really care who saw him topless anyway. It might get said person to leave faster after all, especially if it was a member of his or Hugo's family.

With that in mind Alexei undid the spellwork keeping his front door impenetrable, and without bothering to check to see who it was first opened the door, assuming that whoever was on the other side could be dealt with easily enough. And when he saw who it was the idea of this man posing a threat to him was downright laughable. Even on his best day, which this obviously wasn't from the man's haggard, pale appearance, Winters would never stand a chance against him.

"I couldn't take it anymore!" The healer blurted out, talking fast because he was too scared and sleep deprived to censor himself or hesitate. "I stayed up waiting for you to come but you didn't and then I started thinking of all the things you might plan to do to me which was probably why you waited, to make me suffer more, but I've got a family and they don't need to see you come in and take me so I came to you so just get it the fuck over with, okay? Though they'll know it was you, you know. Everyone will and you'll be arrested and put it Azkaban! The Chosen One will take you down, just like he did Voldemort!"

"I take it you aren't aware I'm sleeping with the Chosen One's nephew?"

The look on the healer's face was absolutely priceless, almost worth letting him live for.

"And as it happens I'm not going to harm you. Said nephew pled your case so well I'm going to let you live. Though you're not allowed to perform any sort of magic on me ever again, even if I'm dying in front of you. I'll sic my sister on you if you try."

"You'll sic your sister on me?"

"Hugo doesn't like me being violent to morons so much weaker than I am. And Sorcha never needs an excuse to be a bitch, but she's always happy to be one and I'd make it worth her while."

Winters stared at him, unable to comprehend this. Not the part where he wasn't going to end up a tortured and mutilated corpse that didn't even resemble a human being, he'd at least considered that a possibility, but the idea that Alexei Dolohov, of all people, would not only be dating Hugo Weasley but would care enough to put aside his own wants for someone as famously sweet and kind as that particular Gryffindor…

"My messed up spell did more damage than they said."

Following Winters's thought process easily enough, the healer was an idiot after all, Alexei smirked knowingly. "No, he's just that good in bed. Scram." And on that note he slammed the door in the other man's face.

Pleased with how that had gone, he was sort of glad he had a valid reason not to kill the prat now that he knew how entertaining shocking the healer could be, Alexei smiled as he re-locked his door and then headed back towards the bedroom to see if Hugo was up yet.

If not, well he was sure Hugo wouldn't mind the wake up call he had in mind.

As it turned out Hugo was indeed awake, stretched out on his side with the blankets pooled around his waist and his head propped up on one hand. "Who was at the door?"

"Winters."

"Oh." Since he hadn't heard any screaming and or begging for mercy Hugo figured it was safe to assume that Alexei had upheld his part of their deal and left the healer alone. Or at least had restricted himself to mental, short term torture. "He actually came here to see you?"

"Yeah, the friggin pansy couldn't stand another minute of waiting for me to kill him in front of his wife and children."

"You would never do that." Outraged on Alexei's behalf Hugo frowned in his adorable way. "You're right, he must be a halfwit. I should write a letter to your manager about him, insulting you that way."

Lips twitching, he couldn't help it, Alexei pointed out that he had had very dark intentions towards Winters before Hugo had offered his delicious body as an alternative.

Squirming a little in delight over being called delicious, the look in Alexei's eyes when he'd said it icing on Hugo's metaphorical cake, the Gryffindor smiled as he crocked one finger in the Slytherin's direction as he explained that he'd meant that Winters should have realized that if Alexei had intended to come and get him he most definitely wouldn't have done it in front of potential witnesses. And if Winters had thought that Alexei would hurt his family too than that was doubly insulting because while he wouldn't argue that Alexei was violent, he definitely would never hurt innocents. He'd verbally tear to shreds anyone who suggested otherwise.

Joining Hugo on the bed Alexei scooted in close, mirroring the Gryffindor's posture so that they were eye to eye. "I suppose I should thank you for the vote of confidence?"

"Well I do see you better than you see yourself sometimes."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Reaching out Alexei carded his fingers through Hugo's curls as he asked what the Gryffindor thought he was thinking right now.

"That I'm thinking too much and there's better things we could be doing right now?"

Damn, he really did know him too well.

And though he should hate to do to it, Alexei had to agree that yeah, that was exactly what he'd been thinking.

They still had that book to work through after all…

)

The day before his team's match against the Chudley Cannons saw Alexei working out with more focus and energy than usual. He didn't really care for repetitive exercises, especially when he usually had to contend with other people and their annoying chatter and noise, but today the gym was relatively empty since the majority of his teammates had already called it for the day. There were only two other men in the room now, and they both knew better than to annoy him even when he was in a good mood.

Though they did keep shooting him some interesting looks, Alexei acknowledged with a small smile, no doubt imagining the marks they'd caught glimpses of earlier in the change rooms. Hugo had thought enthusiastically marking his territory would help convince his teammates and the people they would tell that he and Hugo were actually sleeping together. Personally he thought that Hugo was just trying to excuse the fact that he'd used his back as a scratching post in the throes, but he'd allowed the man his excuse since he'd squirmed so prettily during his explanation.

Sensing a new presence in the room Alexei look in the direction of the door, not even really that surprised to see his mother coming towards him. She'd sent an owl two days before demanding that he come to his childhood residence to discuss his behavior and recent social choices, and he hadn't bothered to send a reply. He'd said his piece at the family dinner and there was nothing she could say or do that would change his mind concerning his involvement with Hugo.

Not to mention the fact that he knew that she wouldn't try to reason with the Gryffindor because she was scared of his cuteness powers and didn't want to be put in a position of having to admit to herself that a Weasley could bring her to heel so to speak.

"Alexei."

"Mother."

While the two Dolohovs lowered the room temperature to freezing with the iciness of their stairs the two other Quidditch players in the room quickly abandoned what they'd been doing and beat a hasty retreat, not even the chance to overhear something juicy enough of an incentive to hang around.

Watching them go out of the corner of his eye Alexei waited until they were out of sight before inquiring as to what he could do for her since it must be important for her to track him down this way. Especially since he had a game tomorrow and didn't have time to waste catching up on family matters so soon after the last dinner.

The look she gave him could have made paint peel off walls. "You didn't respond to the letter I sent you. I did not raise you to disrespect me or our family."

"You also didn't raise me to tolerate being disrespected." Alexei shot back as he continued to use the leg press, pushing up the weights with rhythmic ease. "And since we hate wasting time let's get straight to the point, shall we? You don't want me seeing Hugo Weasley and think that if you lecture me long enough I'll give in and change my mind. You're wrong."

"And what do you think will happen when the Wizarding World finds out you were just using the Chosen One's nephew? That you manipulated him and them in a petty, childish show of temper to punish your family for trying to reason with you. That Weasley boy doesn't have the spine or stomach to punish you, but there are plenty who do. People who are always looking for an excuse to do harm to our family."

"As we did harm to their families?" Alexei returned with a smirk.

"Don't be smart with me, Alexei."

"Don't think you can tell me what to do, think, or feel, Mother. What happens between Hugo Weasley and I is none of your business."

"And if I make it my business?"

For the first time Alexei stopped what he was doing, holding the weight aloof while his eyes flared with the heat he'd kept in check up until that point.

"Bad things tend to happen to people who make enemies of Dolohovs by blood…you'd be wise to remember that."