FIC: "Iunctum" 2/2 (Orlando Bloom, Karl Urban, Harry Sinclair, Josh Hartnett, Liv Tyler)
Title: "Iunctum" 2/2
Authors: Brenda & Jo (azewewish & idiosyncratic)
Featuring: Harry Sinclair, Josh Hartnett, Karl Urban, Liv Tyler, Orlando Bloom
Rating: NC-17
Click here for full disclaimers and notes.
"But, you..." Orlando made an abortive gesture at Harry. "You're wearing jeans and a Bite Me t-shirt!"
Harry glanced down. "So I am. But I've been reliably informed that Karl happens to like this shirt, and since you were the one that picked it out for me..."
"Josh, help me out here."
"He's your vampire, dude, you're on your own."
"I would have had him in his armor and covered in blood if I'd had my way about it," Karl said, more amused than anything else at Orlando's horrified reaction. "But since Viggo wasn't around the night I gave Harry the Gift, I waited. What he's wearing is fine."
"Fine, whatever, it's your ceremony," Orlando grumbled. "I just want it noted for the record that you made Josh and me wear suits when we had our ceremonies with you."
"And you both looked amazing in said suits," Karl grinned, then stood, Harry coming up with him. "Liv, do you object to performing the ceremony tonight?"
"Not at all," she replied, eyes twinkling. "Besides, it gives me bragging rights over Viggo, which I always appreciate."
"Alright then, the matter's settled." Harry looked at Orlando and Josh. "Would you both do us the honor of bearing witness?"
"Wild horses could not drag me out of this room, are you kidding," Josh laughed, and stood. "Let's do this."
Orlando pulled out his iPhone, held it up, and Karl heard the sound of the camera going off. "Because no one's going to believe you're doing this in that shirt," he smiled, shoving his phone back in his pocket as he stood. "And I'd be honored."
"You know he's going to make you pay for that later," Josh laughed.
"I know," Orlando replied, flashing Harry a sweet smile. "And don't ask or try to order me, because I'm not deleting it."
"I wouldn't dream of it," Harry said, adopting a long suffering tone that had Karl almost choking with laughter.
Orlando sniffed, then clasped his hands behind his back and faced Liv. "It's rather rude of you to keep the Elder waiting after she agreed to do this for you."
"Rude of...of course," Harry said, and Karl could feel the amusement and exasperation mingling in their bond. "Liv, my apologies."
"It's quite alright."
Yes, Karl thought, as he laced his fingers with Harry's and squeezed. This is how it should be, how it always should have been. A ceremony officiated by his oldest and dearest friend, with laughter and love thick in the air, and their pets standing with them. It didn't matter what they were wearing, or that they'd already had the bond for centuries without knowing it. What mattered was that this was something they were choosing to do. Finally, and officially, Harry would belong to him and vice versa.
//I love you, Harry.//
Harry's eyes softened as he lifted Karl's hand to brush a kiss to his knuckles. //For eternity, and that will never change.//
Liv stood before them, regal and beautiful. "Do you accept these witnesses on your behalf?" she asked, gesturing to Orlando and Josh.
"We do," Harry replied, answering for the both of them.
Liv nodded and continued, speaking the words she knew by heart from too many past ceremonies to count. "Harry Robert Sinclair, is it your intention to bind yourself to Karl Urban, to protect him with your life, to welcome him into your heart and home, and to cherish the gift of his love?"
Harry's response was immediate, and Karl felt it deep within their bond. "Yes, it is."
Liv smiled, then turned to Karl. "Karl Urban, is it your intention to bind yourself to Harry Sinclair, to protect him with your life, to welcome him into your heart and home, and to cherish the gift of his love?"
"Forever, if he'll have me."
"After 800 years, I don't think that was ever in doubt," Orlando murmured, just loud enough to be heard. Josh's shoulders shook with silent laughter.
"What our pet said," Harry said, smiling, and the radiance of it was practically blinding.
"Then officially, may you continue to have a long and blessed union together," Liv said. "And may I be the first to offer my congratulations."
"You may," Karl said, as she kissed his cheek. He didn't let go of Harry's hand as Liv turned to brush a kiss across Harry's cheek. He didn't even let go when Liv turned back to him and he pulled her into a tight, one-armed embrace. "Thank you."
"No need for thanks," she said, laying a palm on the nape of his neck. "It was my pleasure."
When she stepped back, Karl looked around for Josh and Orlando. He found them a few feet away, heads together over Orlando's phone. The sight, combined with their gleeful expressions, made him immediately suspicious. "What are the two of you up to?"
"Nothing," Josh said, beaming at him. "Congratulations."
"I don't believe you," Karl said, but he accepted the tight hug and kiss while Orlando moved to Harry's side.
"I was texting Dom," Orlando said, as he slid an arm around Harry's waist. "Congratulations. Should we take off now and leave the two of you alone?"
"We're in Liv's suite," Karl pointed out.
"Right, I knew that." Orlando offered an apologetic smile to Liv. "So...should Josh and I make ourselves scarce for a few days or what?"
"No need," Harry said. "We'll be making ourselves scarce instead."
"Whisking the vampire husband off on a hot honeymoon, I approve." Josh backed it with a thumbs up. "Someplace tropical?"
"Not quite. But I think Karl will be well pleased."
"I'm sure wherever we go, it'll be fine," Karl said, not even bothering to ask where Harry was planning on taking them. It didn't matter, he had everything he needed right next to him. "But I expect you two to behave while we're gone."
"We always behave!"
"You're wearing the fuck me outfit to end all fuck me outfits," Harry said. "One would hope a little misbehaving would be in your agenda tonight."
"Oh, so now just wanting to look good while going out to have a bit of fun with your mates means I'm looking for trouble?" Orlando asked, as he frowned at Harry.
"Told you so," Josh muttered.
Karl looked from one to the other, amused. "Orlando does only wear that particular outfit for one reason."
"Oi, I am right here," Orlando said. "And I'm not going out looking to pull someone."
"Then why do you have --"
"Shut. Up," Orlando growled, giving Josh a dark look, which Josh returned with a wide grin. Karl made a mental note to ask later what that was all about.
"Well, whether you misbehave tonight or not," Harry chuckled, curling a hand around the back of Orlando's neck to tug him close, "be careful and don't do anything I wouldn't."
"What wouldn't he do?" Josh asked Karl.
"There's not a lot."
"Good deal." Josh rubbed his hands together. "And, on that note, the brat and I are off to totally misbehave with Dom and hopefully have lots of orgies while you two are being all honeymoon-y and monogamous."
"I approve of this plan," Karl chuckled, and gave Josh a thorough kiss.
Josh was still smiling when they parted, and he turned to Liv. "It was an absolute pleasure to see you again," he told her, and bent over her hand with a courtly bow. "And if you wanted to join us tonight, you're more than welcome."
"Dude, are you seriously asking the Elder to come out clubbing with us?" Orlando hissed, his eyes saucer-wide.
"I enjoy clubbing," Liv said, with another wide smile. "But alas, I'm afraid I have a long night ahead of me reviewing papers for my meetings tomorrow with Viggo. Perhaps later this week?"
"Uh...okay." Orlando turned a dazed-looking gaze to Harry, who pressed a kiss to his temple.
"She's the Elder, little one, not an elder."
"Well said. Thank you, Harry," Liv grinned, then turned back to Orlando and Josh. "However, if you wanted, you could take Dayo and Kerem out with you tonight, since you seemed to be getting on so well."
Josh and Orlando looked at each other. "Um..."
"Relax," she laughed, "I won't mind if you all have some fun with each other, provided you both promise to take good care of them."
"I'm surprised you didn't want to watch that," Karl remarked.
"All in due time."
"We'll take care of them," Orlando said, sounding a little strangled. "If, y'know, they want to come out with us."
Liv looked over at the young men in question. "We would be pleased to go," Kerem said in a low, musical voice that made Karl's eyebrows go up. "If you truly wouldn't mind."
"Not at all," Orlando replied.
"Then it's settled," Liv said, clapping her hands. "They've never been to America, so I'm counting on the two of you to show them the very best time."
"We can do that," Josh said. He nudged Orlando. "We'll take 'em to Mel's after."
"Along with whatever bird you pull tonight?" Orlando asked, with an amused snort as they started to gather up their small group.
"And whichever ones you pull," Josh shot back, holding out his hand to Harry and nodding when Harry dropped the car keys into his palm.
"For the last time, I'm not planning -"
"Orlando," Harry said, and, just like that, Orlando quieted. "It's alright, you know. Go out, have fun, have orgies, do whatever feels good."
"What Harry said," Karl added, giving his permission as well.
"See, even Karl and Harry think we need to have orgies," Josh grinned.
"I am absolutely not having this discussion right now," Orlando stated, then turned to Liv. "It was an honor to see you again. We'll take good care of Dayo and Kerem, we promise."
"Excellent." Liv gave both Dayo and Kerem a kiss. "Have a good night tonight."
"C'mon, let's boogie," Josh said, and looped an arm around Kerem's neck. Kerem, Karl noted, just slid his own arm around Josh's waist.
Orlando gave Harry another kiss, then Karl, and smiled. "Have fun, you two," he said, then walked out with Dayo, trailing after Josh and Kerem.
Karl turned back to Liv. "Do you need us to call for extra protection for you tonight?"
"I'll be fine, but thank you." Then she stepped close to give Karl a heartfelt hug. //Go on, my love. Enjoy yourself. You've earned this.//
//Thank you.// Karl hugged her tight, inhaling her scent before letting her go so she could hug Harry. Then, with one last smile for her, he was heading out of the room with Harry at his side.
"Looks like she really doesn't need the extra protection," Harry commented as they stepped into the outer room and Karl saw several armed men moving around.
He chuckled. "I should have known she wouldn't travel with just four," he said, nodding at a few of the men, taking note of two in particular that he knew had been trained by Harry for their respective countries' special forces. "So where are you whisking me away to? And I hope you realize that the photo Orlando took is probably already on Twitter, as well as being texted to Dom with the explanation behind it."
"I don't mind," Harry shrugged, as they stepped inside the elevator. "I figure everyone will probably react the same way, anyway."
"And what way is that?"
Harry smiled, slow and wicked, and so familiar it hurt Karl's heart. "It's about damn time."
Karl laughed. "You're probably right. I'm sure the rest of the world was simply waiting for you to make an honest man out of me." He took Harry's hand again. "You never answered my question about where we're going."
"Right now, we're taking Liv's limo back to the airport," Harry said, as the elevator doors slid open to the lobby. "Beyond that, it's a surprise."
"I didn't pack anything."
Harry lifted an eyebrow. "Who says you'd need clothing?"
"Planning on keeping me in the bedroom the whole time?" Not that Karl was complaining.
"It's a thought."
"A thought, hmm?" Karl looked at Harry as they slid into the back seat of the limo, and it left the hotel. "This seems awfully well put together for just a thought."
Harry didn't even have the grace to look even mildly embarrassed. "Why should I leave the planning until the last minute? You'd already agreed, so it was just a matter of making sure it wouldn't affect the pet bonds."
"Something we could have figured out for ourselves, apparently," Karl said, with a wry grin. "All this time, puppy, it was staring us right in the face."
"In our defense, we knew we were bonded already," Harry said, eyeing the decanters on the mini-bar with a practiced eye. "We just didn't know what it was."
"You really think there's something to Liv's theory that the bond changed to an iunctum because you successfully resisted the pet bond?"
Harry looked up from pouring a rich amber liquid (probably cognac - Otard, if Karl knew Liv at all) into two tumblers. "It's possible. We still don't entirely know why a bond happens or any of the scientific reasons behind it. But if you follow the idea of true soulmates and how rare they are, then it would make sense that it would manifest itself in a different way if one avenue was closed."
"Sounds very mystical," Karl commented, taking his glass with a murmur of thanks. "You really think bonds are preordained?"
"I think there's definitely a larger force at work, whatever that force is," Harry admitted, settling comfortably beside Karl. "We've both been around far too long to think we're completely in control of our own destinies at all times."
"So you're saying that free will is a myth?"
Karl watched Harry closely and saw the exact second that Harry realized the question was a trap. He smiled as Harry lifted his glass in silent salute.
"Touché, old man," he said, with a small smile. "When it comes to the bonds...perhaps. We're taught from the very beginning that permission is required for any bond and that any mortal can say no, but we've both watched mortals try to fight the pet bond. Every story ends the same."
"Not all stories," Karl pointed out.
"True," Harry admitted, swirling the liquid in his glass and watching it. "I should have said every story ends in one of two ways -- with the mortal bonded or deep in catatonia or madness."
"The vampire usually isn't any better," Karl said, taking another sip of his drink. "So if we go back to the theory of true soulmates and how they will always find each other, then perhaps the concept of the bonds is an unconscious one, much like the instinct to survive, no matter how the odds are stacked against you."
"Which would definitely explain why I wasn't able to take that final blow against you that night."
The fight that had changed everything between them. "Giving you that challenge was the single smartest thing I have ever done, followed only by getting you to ask for the Gift."
"I hated you with every fiber of my being, but I couldn't leave the room, not even after you gave me leave to go," Harry said, with a small, nostalgic smile. "I should have known then that a larger force was at work."
Karl brought Harry's free hand up to his lips for a soft kiss to battle-scarred knuckles. "I don't know that I would have actually been able to let you walk out the door. Even giving you permission to walk away took every ounce of courage I had. But if I hadn't...we both know if I'd forced you to stay, we wouldn't be here now."
"We wouldn't be here now if I'd become your pet, either," Harry pointed out, smiling as he curled his fingers tight over Karl's.
He didn't want to think about that, knowing that, while very long-lived due to the bond, pets were not immortal. He would lose Josh one day, just as Sean would lose Dom...and it was a day he was in no rush to get to. Then he smiled, lips curving against Harry's hand. "But you truly would have made an awful pet, puppy. I would have never had a moment's peace."
"Well, you've always said you didn't want a boring life."
"There's not boring, and then there's sheer insanity. A little bit of boring isn't so bad."
"Well, we should get some now," Harry said, and finished his drink, setting the tumbler back on the bar. "I think we're definitely due for some stability."
"Agreed." Now that things were, more or less, back on even ground with Orlando, the last six months or so had been positively pleasant. "Although I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop with Josh."
"Perhaps the easiness of your relationship with him is the universe's way of rewarding you for surviving the drama of Orlando and our early years. God knows neither of us was easy on you."
"Understatement of the century," Karl chuckled. "Even Sean had problems believing that our first few years were fraught with so much tension and fighting."
"I think it strengthened the bond."
"You might be right," Karl said, musingly. There was no denying that the bond he shared with Harry had become as necessary to his survival as blood. Karl couldn't help wondering if the bonds he shared with Orlando and Josh would ever come close. "So tell me, now that we're, as Orlando says, vampire married, what's next on the agenda for world domination?"
Harry snorted out a laugh. "Is that what we're calling it?"
"It's what Marcus calls it."
"Marcus thinks we want to take over the world?"
"No, Marcus thinks I want to take over the world," Karl said. "He thinks you're going to be my method of doing that. An enforcer if you will. Of course, he only says this when reminded that I'm going to eventually be head of the Council at some point several centuries down the road."
"Is he still angling for you to abdicate so he can take over instead?"
"Probably, but I think he knows by now it will never happen," Karl said, and drained the last of his own drink. "The Council needs him, but he'd make a poor leader, and I think he's finally realized he doesn't want the job."
Harry tugged Karl close and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Do you still want it?"
Karl gave the question due consideration. In truth, it wasn't something he thought on all that often. Viggo was nowhere near the end of his reign. "I know you'd rather I didn't -"
"What's right for me and what's right for you are two different things," Harry told him, nuzzling the skin just above his ear. "I may have been born to lead armies, but you were born to lead nations. Asking you to deny that part of yourself would be tantamount to asking you to change who you are."
Karl cupped a roughened jaw in his hand. "Who are you and what have you done with Harry Sinclair?"
Harry merely smiled and pressed a kiss to Karl's palm. "I'm not saying I'm thrilled with the idea of being your second, but, in this as in everything else, I will always have your back."
"That sounds more like you," Karl conceded, touched by both the words and the sentiment behind it. "And to answer your question, yes. I still want the chair whenever Viggo decides he's ready to ride off into the moonrise and take up golf or whatever it is he's planning on doing when he steps down."
"The idea of Viggo on a golf course is, frankly, horrifying."
Karl couldn't say he disagreed. "He could always go back to his vineyards."
"He'd be happy doing that."
"For a decade or so, maybe." As much as Viggo loved getting away from everything, there was no way he could stay away from politics forever. "Who knows, though. Perhaps he'll find a companion or a mate."
The absurdity of that hit him just as Harry blinked, then burst out laughing.
"Okay, okay," Karl said, weakly, when he thought he had the laughter under control. "Perhaps that is asking a little much."
Harry was wiping his eyes and sounding like he was going to choke on a fresh round of laughter. "A little?"
"Maybe, but we both know he hasn't always been like this."
"No, he hasn't," Harry agreed, as the limo rolled to a stop. "But you and I both know why he is the way he's been the past few centuries."
It was the closest Harry had come to mentioning Joaquin in...Karl couldn't even remember how long, frankly. He tried to hide his shock as he climbed out of the limo behind Harry, and they made their way to the tarmac and their waiting plane. "It doesn't mean I have to like it. He needs someone."
"He had Craig."
"A momentary diversion, and we both know it."
"Just as we both know how badly his last true relationship ended," Harry countered, and climbed up the stairs. By the time Karl stepped onto the plane, Harry was already sprawled out on one of the plush seats.
"I'm not saying he and Salma need to rekindle their affair, but they both need to move on." Karl moved straight to the bar, and the champagne that was waiting, nestled in ice. "Maybe that's where we need to start focusing Marcus' attention - on finding his father a suitable companion. He certainly has exquisite enough taste."
"The only problem with that," Harry said, taking his flute of champagne, then snagging Karl's wrist, "is preventing Marcus from keeping said woman for himself. And you know Viggo's views on that."
"Maybe we could set up an application process," Karl joked as he allowed Harry to pull him down to the seat.
"And do you propose to do the same for Salma?"
"Ah, no," Karl said, shivering a little as Harry's fingers trailed up his spine. "I don't know of anyone brave enough to take on her temper. Nor do I wish to piss her off by suggesting she can't find a suitable companion on her own."
"Good point," Harry said. He leaned up to nuzzle at Karl's jaw. "Not that I think it will happen, but it will take a truly spectacular man to land that one."
"He would have to be exceptional indeed," Karl said, then tipped his head back to allow Harry's lips the freedom to explore. He'd never get tired of this, of the way Harry's touch made him burn. "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to seduce me."
He felt, rather than saw, Harry's smile. "I must be doing a poor job of it if you can't tell."
Their lips met for a slow, easy kiss, and Karl allowed himself to sink into it, to let Harry set the pace. "I take it this is all part of your plan," he said, when they finally parted.
Harry clinked his champagne glass to Karl's. "What's the point of being on a honeymoon if we can't enjoy the benefits?"
"And one of the benefits is having sex on a plane?" Karl asked, eyes drifting closed as Harry's free hand slipped beneath his shirt to slide along bare skin. He could feel his skin pebble under Harry's fingertips, the light caress making his back arch. A small sound escaped him as Harry's lips covered his. The kiss was unhurried and lazy and perfect. //Are we done talking?//
//Only if you don't consider begging to be talking. Because I have definite plans that involve just how sweet you sound begging for me.//
Karl's only response was another moan as Harry's hand drifted further south.
***
"You know," Karl complained, pointing at the black blindfold currently covering his eyes, "there are easier ways to let me know you'd like a bit of kinky sex on our honeymoon."
Harry's laughter drifted in the air between them. "Stop complaining, you agreed to this."
"I didn't have much of a choice, did I?" As soon as the plane had begun its descent, Harry had insisted on the blindfold ("You'll recognize the airport otherwise") and had bustled him into the back seat of a car right after they'd landed. He felt a little ridiculous, but had tried to relax as much as possible, and let Harry have his moment. He'd find out where they were soon enough.
"Are -"
"If you ask are we there yet," Harry said, voice thick with amusement, "I'll mock you for it for the next decade."
"I wasn't going to ask that."
"Of course you weren't." The car slowed, then stopped. "Now just sit still."
Sit still. Far easier to say than to do, but Karl just tapped his fingers on his thigh and waited. He heard the creak as his door was opened, and then Harry's hand was there, helping him out of the car. He could smell salt and brine, and heard the distant, low roar of water rushing over sand. The ocean, then. And not somewhere tropical, if the nip in the breeze was anything to go by.
"Alright, here we are," Harry softly said, tugging at the knot in the blindfold until it fell free.
Karl's breath caught in his throat as he looked around.
Portmarnock.
He'd know this place anywhere - the beach and the meadow right behind it were etched into his very bones. Just being here brought back vivid memories of a bloody, brutal battle, and his own helpless roar as Harry'd fallen from an enemy arrow, far enough away that even his own superior speed and strength hadn't been enough to prevent the inevitable. He remembered Harry crumbling to the ground, and how ferociously he'd fought to get to Harry's side, heart already in his throat, thinking he was too late, and Harry had already been lost to him.
He turned, throat clogged, and found Harry watching him with a look he'd never seen.
"I know you haven't been back here since that battle," Harry said, the wind whipping his hair across his forehead. Karl fingers itched to push it in some semblance of order, but he couldn't move. He felt rooted to his spot. "I imagine it might surprise you to know I've come back here several times. I even bought Malahide Castle a couple of centuries back."
"Why?" It was the only thing he could think to ask. He'd have thought that Harry would have never wanted to step foot here again. No matter that Harry'd been a vampire for centuries, and had eventually learned to come to terms with it, Karl had always known that Harry would have never agreed to getting the Gift if he hadn't been dying and Karl hadn't practically forced him into it. Harry'd never even truly asked for it. Not that Karl would have changed anything, because losing Harry had never been an option, not then, not ever. But still, Karl knew the truth.
A small smile graced Harry's lips. "Because I wanted to remember this place, and that night."
"But you never wanted this life. I forced your hand."
"No, you let me go." Harry took a step closer, and Karl thought he could drown in the look in Harry's eyes. "You gave me a choice, and showed unbelievable courage in the bargain."
Each breath felt like it was being forced out of Karl's lungs. "I was selfish and willing to do anything to keep you with me. There was nothing courageous in it."
"I disagree." Gentle fingers traced the line of his jaw. "I may have been dying, but I remember everything about that night. I didn't say yes to the Gift because you finally told me you loved me. I did it because you were willing to respect my wishes if I'd chosen to die."
Karl closed his eyes as his entire body shook. Just the thought of a life without Harry by his side...it was too much to bear. "I would have died too, you know."
"I do." He felt soft lips brush across each eyelid. "Open your eyes, Karl."
He did as asked, reaching for one of Harry's hands as he did, needing the contact to ground him in the here and now. Their bond was swirling with too many emotions to name, but under and around it all was an overwhelming sense of completeness and so much love he felt humbled in the face of it.
"I brought you here to celebrate our iunctum because this was the place where our lives together truly began," Harry said softly, but Karl felt every word as deeply as if they'd been shouted. "836 years ago, you promised me heaven on earth if I chose you over death, and you have more than delivered on that promise. There has never been a night that has passed where I haven't been grateful to my core that I chose you."
"Even when we've been fighting?" Karl asked, striving for just the right teasing tone, even though his throat felt squeezed tight.
A small smile flashed across Harry's face. "I think especially when we were fighting," he said, as he lifted Karl's hands to press a few light kisses along his knuckles. "You've made me a better person, old man."
If it was possible to die of too much happiness, Karl was certain he would have already expired. "I don't think I can take all the credit for that."
"Perhaps not," Harry said, leaning in to press his forehead against Karl's. "But you're the one who gave me the courage to go against everything I'd ever believed and the strength to face the centuries by your side."
"And there hasn't been a night that's passed for me where I haven't been utterly grateful to you that you said yes." He closed his eyes again, this time with a light heart, and brushed his lips across Harry's. "From the moment I met you, I knew loving you would be worth any price."
"Dwi'n dy garu di yn wastad," Harry replied, and they shared another soft kiss.
Karl smiled when they parted. "That might just be long enough." Then he looked around them. It really was a beautiful spot. The centuries had been kind to the area. "You said you bought the castle?"
"I did. I have very fond memories of it, and our first night together after you brought me back to camp."
"That first night was rather memorable," Karl said, smiling as Harry started to laugh. He leaned back as strong arms wrapped around his waist and Harry nuzzled his neck.
"I seem to recall you felt a little more emphatically about it at the time."
"Perhaps you need to remind me."
Harry's laugh turned low and wicked, sending a shiver up Karl's spine. "If it's new memories you're after, I'll be happy to oblige."
"You're such a giver," Karl remarked with a grin, following Harry's lead back to the car. "I like that about you."
"That may be the first time anyone's ever accused me of being generous where you're concerned."
"You seem to share me well enough with Josh and Orlando."
Harry started the engine and set off down the wide stretch of road that led to the castle. "It's not like I have much of a choice, even if I objected. Which I don't. Besides, you share me with Monica."
"As much as you'll both let me."
"Neither of us have ever been good about saying no to the other."
"Something else for which I am eternally grateful," Karl commented. Right now, he felt like the most fortunate man on the planet. "Thank you for bringing me back here."
Harry turned into the drive of Malahide and coasted to a stop before shutting off the car. "It was time," he said simply, then cocked his head in the direction of the castle. "Ready to make some new memories?"
"Harry," Karl said, allowing himself a moment of seriousness, "I've been waiting for this moment my entire life."
"Well, then, let's not keep you waiting any longer."
It wasn't hard to remember how everything had looked centuries ago with the grounds torn up and holes in the battlements from the catapults and trebuchets, the smell of blood and sweat and fear mingling with smoke and brine from the ocean.
He stood there remembering it all until Harry lightly touched his wrist. "Come on," Harry gently said, with his own look around the grounds before smiling at Karl. "Let's go inside."
The solid oak door made no noise as Harry opened it and they stepped inside a surprisingly spacious hallway. The stained glass windows above the door reflected the dying rays of the sunset in prisms of color, and Karl took some time to wander from room to room on the ground floor, marveling at all the changes that had been made. Harry'd retained the history of the place while making it bright and modern, fully bringing the past into the present and melding the two in a seamless way. Rather appropriate, really.
"Where did you find the time to do this?"
"A few trips here and there over the last few centuries, but it really only came together in the last 50 years or so. I built most of the furniture myself, which took extra time, but I wanted it to be done right." Harry stopped beside Karl inside the simply furnished parlor, which, if Karl's memory served, used to be the Oak Room. "I also reconstructed and redesigned the gardens out back. I think you'll be well pleased by the looks of them."
"I'm already impressed."
"That's the idea," Harry said, and led him up a beautifully restored winding staircase to the landing of one of the towers.
Harry pushed open a door, then moved back to allow Karl to step through. Karl froze on the threshold. The large room beyond was completely different from what he remembered. Dark and heavy furnishings and décor had been discarded, replaced with more elegant furniture of pale oak. The floor was a darker shade, warm honey that had been polished until the boards shone. Curtains of cream damask draped the windows, and splashes of crimson, burnt orange, and buttery yellow leaped out to catch his eye.
"Harry," he said, slowly, stepping inside and taking it all in, "this is gorgeous."
"Good," Harry said, simply, stepping around Karl to move to the bed. The bed which, Karl noted, would have dominated a smaller room with the sheer massiveness of its size. Then Harry picked up a leather-bound folder from atop one of the bedside tables and placed it in Karl's hands.
"What's this?" Karl asked, as he opened the folder. Once again, his breath simply stopped. Stunned, he looked up to see Harry watching him.
"I know we're vampires and don't have traditional weddings or wedding gifts in the same way mortals do, but some part of me will always be mortal with those values. So this is my wedding gift to you."
Karl stared down at the deed to the castle and the 300 acres surrounding it, all in his name now, and then back at Harry. Mercifully, this time, he was able to find his voice. "But...all of the work you've done and the time you've put in..."
"All of it with you in mind. You gave me the greatest gift imaginable here on these grounds and within these walls. Restoring the castle and giving it to you was the least I could do for thanks."
"You didn't have to do anything," Karl said, although he was touched beyond measure at the sheer magnitude of what Harry had done for him. He set the folder carefully back on the side table, and crossed the room back to Harry. "I was the one who got the better end of the bargain that night."
"Why don't we call it a draw?" Harry smiled, and pulled Karl flush against him. "Besides, the place is yours now. You may as well get used to it."
"Well, I can tell you one thing," Karl said, nuzzling Harry's jaw. "I'm not going to dismantle it and move it halfway around the world."
Harry's laugh was rich and warm as he cupped the back of Karl's neck. "One castle in L.A. is enough, I think."
"Good thing," Karl said, then shifted his weight to push Harry back until his knees hit the bed and they both went down in a tangle. "I hope this mattress is comfortable."
"Guess we'll find out," Harry replied, his fingers already at work on the buttons of Karl's shirt.
"Plan on keeping me here the entire time?" Karl teased, shrugging out of his shirt and reaching to tug Harry's off of him.
"The thought had crossed my mind, yes."
Karl arched into Harry's touch even as he ran his hands along Harry's chest. "I hope you're not expecting me to object."
"I hope you're not planning on talking me to death in lieu of the hot honeymoon sex we should be having right now."
He couldn't resist. Harry was simply far too hot when he was riding the edge between passion and annoyance. "Was there something else you wanted to talk about?"
"Karl..." It was soft growl as Harry's body coiled, then he rolled to pin Karl beneath him in one smooth motion. Much better.
"Now this," Karl said, hooking his legs over the back of Harry's thighs, "is more like it."
Harry bent his head to Karl's throat before his teeth nipped along Karl's collarbone. "Is it?"
"If we're, ah, recreating our last time here, then yes." The last word was a hiss as Harry's lips hit a particularly sensitive spot.
"I see." Harry lifted his head, eyes flashing with mirth. "Your idea of hot honeymoon sex is lying back and letting me do all the work?"
"Not all the work, no," Karl argued, worming his hands between them to start working on unzipping Harry's jeans. Shirtless was all well and good, but what he really wanted was naked.
Harry obligingly lifted his hips so Karl could push his jeans down and off. "Just the bulk of it, then?"
"What can I say, I'm lazy," Karl grinned, as Harry slid to the floor between his legs to unzip and pull on his slacks.
Harry ran his hands along Karl's thighs, nails scraping over sensitive skin. "Let's see what we can do to change that." He didn't give Karl a chance to reply (not that Karl had been planning on it) before bending his head to nuzzle at the crease of Karl's thigh and groin.
His head fell back to the quilt as Harry teased and tormented him with light touches and lighter kisses, each one as ephemeral as air, and just as necessary for his survival. Harry was necessary to his survival. What they had together was something beyond love, beyond time, and from the moment they'd met, everything had been leading up to this moment. To the two of them finally and completely giving themselves to each other, holding nothing back. They could have been the only two people in the history of the world, in all of creation. Everything fell away until all that was left was their bond, pulsing softly around them as they laid claim to each other anew.
//Please...//
//I've got you...I've always got you.//
Karl scraped his nails down the wide expanse of Harry's back, licked at the sweat rolling along a muscled shoulder, met Harry's kiss with his own, impatient and insatiable, always ravenous for more. If he had another 900 years, it still wouldn't be enough time to get his fill of Harry and the way Harry made him feel. They rolled on the bed again, mouths fused, marking each other with desperate, bruising fingers. Karl was drowning, overwhelmed and choking on need, blood rushing through his veins with every dizzying touch.
Then slick, slippery fingers closed over his cock, and all of the air left his lungs in one gasping moan. He forced his eyes open, saw Harry under him, dark hair wild around his face, looking up at him with so much naked hunger that Karl found himself trembling, overcome.
"Yours," Harry said, and Karl let the weight of it - the truth of it - settle into his bones, into his soul before he pressed forward, in, sheathed himself inside Harry in one smooth thrust.
"Forever yours," he breathed in reply, and bent his head to capture Harry's lips again as he started to move, surrendered everything he was, everything he would ever be, to the man under him, moving with him in perfect synchronicity. Time slowed to a prism of moments - Harry's legs wrapped tight around his hips, pulling him deeper, the rhythmic slap of flesh on flesh mingling with each harsh, panting breath, the taste of Harry's skin, clove and sweat, under his tongue. Karl gave himself over, put himself in Harry's hands, even as he sank deeper into welcoming heat. He was so close he could almost taste it, the bond between them coalescing and pulsating with each push.
Home, he thought, as sparks refracted behind his eyelids, reflecting all of the colors of the rainbow as he felt Harry stiffen, then still under him. Another thrust, and he followed, white noise blocking out all other sound.
***
When he finally became aware of his surroundings again, he noticed he was slumped over Harry in a dead weight, limbs heavy, leaden. He hoped Harry was fine where he was, because he wasn't sure he could attempt to move even if the bed was on fire.
"Y'kay?" he mumbled, hoping Harry understood what he was trying to say. Coherence was pretty far down on the list right about now.
"Mmmm," Harry hummed, shifting slightly under him, and soft lips nuzzled his jaw. Karl took that as a yes.
After a few minutes getting his breath back, he started to shift to the side and stopped when Harry's arms tightened around him. Then Harry cracked open one eye and grinned. "Going somewhere?"
"Wouldn't dream of it," Karl replied with his own grin. He settled for propping up on one elbow. "Tell me again why we didn't do this before?"
"I'm having a hard time remembering." He let go long enough for them to shift around until they were lying on their sides facing each other. "Probably because we truly are idiots, as everyone's so fond of telling us."
"I'm blaming you for being stupidly stubborn," Karl said, brushing a few stray matted strands of hair from Harry's face. "But, honestly, I wouldn't change a thing."
"Why?"
"It's hard to put into words." But, since it was important, he tried to articulate something he was only just beginning to understand himself. "It doesn't matter how long it took for us to get here. All that matters is we did. That you chose this. Me."
"It was never about choosing you, you know." Harry kissed Karl's palm, then laid their hands across the star-shaped scar above his heart. "I chose you centuries ago, and I'd do it all over again. It was...I think maybe it was my one small way of asserting my independence."
Karl's lips curved. The bond hummed around them. "And now you're finally ready to admit you're mine?"
"As much as you're mine, yes." Their lips met again for another soft kiss. "I should have known better than to think I could fight it, though."
"Well, you did make a sacred vow that bound yourself to me right after I gave you the Gift," Karl reminded him.
"I suppose I did," Harry mused, in a wondering tone. "Christ, I haven't even thought about that in forever. I don't even really remember what I told you."
"Really?"
Harry shook his head. "I remember the pain. And the dying...sort of, somewhat. But the waking up is hazy," he admitted, with a shrug. "I remember you were there."
"I've always been there," Karl said, a soft smile curving his lips. His fingers traced Harry's jaw. "You told me that everything you would ever have or be was mine."
"I did?" Harry laughed softly. Then his smile faded. Karl opened his mouth to ask what was wrong when Harry abruptly focused on him, gaze piercing. "From this night forth," he said, quietly, "everything I will ever have or will be is yours."
"Yes, that's it," Karl said, with a nod, pleased. "You do remember."
"Fuck me," Harry said, then let out a short burst of laughter. "Do you have any idea what I did that night?"
"Bound yourself to me eternally?" Karl guessed, cheekily. "I did the same thing, you know. Bound myself to you, I mean."
"Yes, exactly." Harry abruptly sat up, then looked down at Karl. "I promised you everything I ever was or would ever have. Anything and everything that was mine, from that night forth, was now yours as well."
"Again, I was there, I remember, I..." With an almost audible pop inside his head, Karl finally put the pieces together of what Harry was trying to tell him. "Oh my God, puppy, no wonder."
"You get it now, right?" Harry's eyes were fever bright. "It makes...fuck, it all makes sense. Everything makes sense."
Anything and everything...including any bonds Harry would have had with anyone else. Karl sat up as well, and brought his hands up to cup Harry's face. "I won't apologize."
Harry was shaking his head before Karl was even finished. "I don't want you to. I made the vow of my own volition and my own free will. And I wouldn't take it back even if I could." He placed his hands over Karl's, the touch warm, solid, real. "Everything I was and am and will be is yours. Including Orlando. And Monica. It's just nice to finally know why Orlando was able to respond to you all those years ago and bind himself to you the way he did."
"I'll admit, it is a bit of a relief," Karl replied, brushing a light kiss across Harry's lips. "I'd offer the same vow, but I don't think Josh would take very kindly to it if I did."
Harry's startled laugh was gratifying. "If it's all the same, I'd rather not have him as a pet, even part-time. The vow you gave me that night was enough."
"Forever yours, Harry. Everything, anything," Karl recited, renewing the vow with a soft smile.
Harry returned the smile. "All I need is you."
"And you have me," Karl said, catching Harry's hand and bringing it to his chest. "Forever."
"That's good enough for me." Harry lifted his head to brush a soft kiss across Karl's lips. But his smile when his head fell back against the pillow was positively devious. "How long do you think we should wait before we tell him?"
Tell Orlando that Harry had basically given him to Karl centuries before he was even born? No, thank you. "I think I'll leave that one up to you," he said, just barely controlling his laughter. "After all, you're so much better at dealing with him in his moods."
"Could be he'll be as relieved as we are to know the truth."
"Could be," Karl nodded, and settled back on his side. "Could also be that he'll resent the both of us for putting him in this situation."
"He loves you. And he's said himself, more than once, that he'd never give up his bond with you. He'll be fine."
"Eventually, yes, but once he finds out that he could have been all yours..."
"It wouldn't have mattered, even if he was," Harry told him. "Because I was never going to be all his in return, no matter what I vowed to you that night. I was yours long before you gave me the Gift, and he's accepted that. Things are the way they're meant to be."
"They are," Karl agreed. "Let's just pray the status quo continues."
Harry arched an imperious eyebrow. "You doubt it will?"
"Let's just say that the last twelve years have taught me to never assume anything where any of us are concerned."
"You do have a point," Harry said, then rolled to pin Karl to the mattress. His slow smile revealed a flash of fangs that had Karl's blood throbbing in his veins.
"I take it," Karl said, running one hand up Harry's spine, relishing the feel of hard muscle beneath his fingertips, "that we're done talking?"
"My turn," was all Harry said before lowering his head.
Well, Karl thought in the seconds before Harry - and his very clever tongue - managed to rob him of speech, Harry had promised to keep him in bed. And really, wasn't that the entire point of a honeymoon?
***
Authors: Brenda & Jo (azewewish & idiosyncratic)
Featuring: Harry Sinclair, Josh Hartnett, Karl Urban, Liv Tyler, Orlando Bloom
Rating: NC-17
Click here for full disclaimers and notes.
"But, you..." Orlando made an abortive gesture at Harry. "You're wearing jeans and a Bite Me t-shirt!"
Harry glanced down. "So I am. But I've been reliably informed that Karl happens to like this shirt, and since you were the one that picked it out for me..."
"Josh, help me out here."
"He's your vampire, dude, you're on your own."
"I would have had him in his armor and covered in blood if I'd had my way about it," Karl said, more amused than anything else at Orlando's horrified reaction. "But since Viggo wasn't around the night I gave Harry the Gift, I waited. What he's wearing is fine."
"Fine, whatever, it's your ceremony," Orlando grumbled. "I just want it noted for the record that you made Josh and me wear suits when we had our ceremonies with you."
"And you both looked amazing in said suits," Karl grinned, then stood, Harry coming up with him. "Liv, do you object to performing the ceremony tonight?"
"Not at all," she replied, eyes twinkling. "Besides, it gives me bragging rights over Viggo, which I always appreciate."
"Alright then, the matter's settled." Harry looked at Orlando and Josh. "Would you both do us the honor of bearing witness?"
"Wild horses could not drag me out of this room, are you kidding," Josh laughed, and stood. "Let's do this."
Orlando pulled out his iPhone, held it up, and Karl heard the sound of the camera going off. "Because no one's going to believe you're doing this in that shirt," he smiled, shoving his phone back in his pocket as he stood. "And I'd be honored."
"You know he's going to make you pay for that later," Josh laughed.
"I know," Orlando replied, flashing Harry a sweet smile. "And don't ask or try to order me, because I'm not deleting it."
"I wouldn't dream of it," Harry said, adopting a long suffering tone that had Karl almost choking with laughter.
Orlando sniffed, then clasped his hands behind his back and faced Liv. "It's rather rude of you to keep the Elder waiting after she agreed to do this for you."
"Rude of...of course," Harry said, and Karl could feel the amusement and exasperation mingling in their bond. "Liv, my apologies."
"It's quite alright."
Yes, Karl thought, as he laced his fingers with Harry's and squeezed. This is how it should be, how it always should have been. A ceremony officiated by his oldest and dearest friend, with laughter and love thick in the air, and their pets standing with them. It didn't matter what they were wearing, or that they'd already had the bond for centuries without knowing it. What mattered was that this was something they were choosing to do. Finally, and officially, Harry would belong to him and vice versa.
//I love you, Harry.//
Harry's eyes softened as he lifted Karl's hand to brush a kiss to his knuckles. //For eternity, and that will never change.//
Liv stood before them, regal and beautiful. "Do you accept these witnesses on your behalf?" she asked, gesturing to Orlando and Josh.
"We do," Harry replied, answering for the both of them.
Liv nodded and continued, speaking the words she knew by heart from too many past ceremonies to count. "Harry Robert Sinclair, is it your intention to bind yourself to Karl Urban, to protect him with your life, to welcome him into your heart and home, and to cherish the gift of his love?"
Harry's response was immediate, and Karl felt it deep within their bond. "Yes, it is."
Liv smiled, then turned to Karl. "Karl Urban, is it your intention to bind yourself to Harry Sinclair, to protect him with your life, to welcome him into your heart and home, and to cherish the gift of his love?"
"Forever, if he'll have me."
"After 800 years, I don't think that was ever in doubt," Orlando murmured, just loud enough to be heard. Josh's shoulders shook with silent laughter.
"What our pet said," Harry said, smiling, and the radiance of it was practically blinding.
"Then officially, may you continue to have a long and blessed union together," Liv said. "And may I be the first to offer my congratulations."
"You may," Karl said, as she kissed his cheek. He didn't let go of Harry's hand as Liv turned to brush a kiss across Harry's cheek. He didn't even let go when Liv turned back to him and he pulled her into a tight, one-armed embrace. "Thank you."
"No need for thanks," she said, laying a palm on the nape of his neck. "It was my pleasure."
When she stepped back, Karl looked around for Josh and Orlando. He found them a few feet away, heads together over Orlando's phone. The sight, combined with their gleeful expressions, made him immediately suspicious. "What are the two of you up to?"
"Nothing," Josh said, beaming at him. "Congratulations."
"I don't believe you," Karl said, but he accepted the tight hug and kiss while Orlando moved to Harry's side.
"I was texting Dom," Orlando said, as he slid an arm around Harry's waist. "Congratulations. Should we take off now and leave the two of you alone?"
"We're in Liv's suite," Karl pointed out.
"Right, I knew that." Orlando offered an apologetic smile to Liv. "So...should Josh and I make ourselves scarce for a few days or what?"
"No need," Harry said. "We'll be making ourselves scarce instead."
"Whisking the vampire husband off on a hot honeymoon, I approve." Josh backed it with a thumbs up. "Someplace tropical?"
"Not quite. But I think Karl will be well pleased."
"I'm sure wherever we go, it'll be fine," Karl said, not even bothering to ask where Harry was planning on taking them. It didn't matter, he had everything he needed right next to him. "But I expect you two to behave while we're gone."
"We always behave!"
"You're wearing the fuck me outfit to end all fuck me outfits," Harry said. "One would hope a little misbehaving would be in your agenda tonight."
"Oh, so now just wanting to look good while going out to have a bit of fun with your mates means I'm looking for trouble?" Orlando asked, as he frowned at Harry.
"Told you so," Josh muttered.
Karl looked from one to the other, amused. "Orlando does only wear that particular outfit for one reason."
"Oi, I am right here," Orlando said. "And I'm not going out looking to pull someone."
"Then why do you have --"
"Shut. Up," Orlando growled, giving Josh a dark look, which Josh returned with a wide grin. Karl made a mental note to ask later what that was all about.
"Well, whether you misbehave tonight or not," Harry chuckled, curling a hand around the back of Orlando's neck to tug him close, "be careful and don't do anything I wouldn't."
"What wouldn't he do?" Josh asked Karl.
"There's not a lot."
"Good deal." Josh rubbed his hands together. "And, on that note, the brat and I are off to totally misbehave with Dom and hopefully have lots of orgies while you two are being all honeymoon-y and monogamous."
"I approve of this plan," Karl chuckled, and gave Josh a thorough kiss.
Josh was still smiling when they parted, and he turned to Liv. "It was an absolute pleasure to see you again," he told her, and bent over her hand with a courtly bow. "And if you wanted to join us tonight, you're more than welcome."
"Dude, are you seriously asking the Elder to come out clubbing with us?" Orlando hissed, his eyes saucer-wide.
"I enjoy clubbing," Liv said, with another wide smile. "But alas, I'm afraid I have a long night ahead of me reviewing papers for my meetings tomorrow with Viggo. Perhaps later this week?"
"Uh...okay." Orlando turned a dazed-looking gaze to Harry, who pressed a kiss to his temple.
"She's the Elder, little one, not an elder."
"Well said. Thank you, Harry," Liv grinned, then turned back to Orlando and Josh. "However, if you wanted, you could take Dayo and Kerem out with you tonight, since you seemed to be getting on so well."
Josh and Orlando looked at each other. "Um..."
"Relax," she laughed, "I won't mind if you all have some fun with each other, provided you both promise to take good care of them."
"I'm surprised you didn't want to watch that," Karl remarked.
"All in due time."
"We'll take care of them," Orlando said, sounding a little strangled. "If, y'know, they want to come out with us."
Liv looked over at the young men in question. "We would be pleased to go," Kerem said in a low, musical voice that made Karl's eyebrows go up. "If you truly wouldn't mind."
"Not at all," Orlando replied.
"Then it's settled," Liv said, clapping her hands. "They've never been to America, so I'm counting on the two of you to show them the very best time."
"We can do that," Josh said. He nudged Orlando. "We'll take 'em to Mel's after."
"Along with whatever bird you pull tonight?" Orlando asked, with an amused snort as they started to gather up their small group.
"And whichever ones you pull," Josh shot back, holding out his hand to Harry and nodding when Harry dropped the car keys into his palm.
"For the last time, I'm not planning -"
"Orlando," Harry said, and, just like that, Orlando quieted. "It's alright, you know. Go out, have fun, have orgies, do whatever feels good."
"What Harry said," Karl added, giving his permission as well.
"See, even Karl and Harry think we need to have orgies," Josh grinned.
"I am absolutely not having this discussion right now," Orlando stated, then turned to Liv. "It was an honor to see you again. We'll take good care of Dayo and Kerem, we promise."
"Excellent." Liv gave both Dayo and Kerem a kiss. "Have a good night tonight."
"C'mon, let's boogie," Josh said, and looped an arm around Kerem's neck. Kerem, Karl noted, just slid his own arm around Josh's waist.
Orlando gave Harry another kiss, then Karl, and smiled. "Have fun, you two," he said, then walked out with Dayo, trailing after Josh and Kerem.
Karl turned back to Liv. "Do you need us to call for extra protection for you tonight?"
"I'll be fine, but thank you." Then she stepped close to give Karl a heartfelt hug. //Go on, my love. Enjoy yourself. You've earned this.//
//Thank you.// Karl hugged her tight, inhaling her scent before letting her go so she could hug Harry. Then, with one last smile for her, he was heading out of the room with Harry at his side.
"Looks like she really doesn't need the extra protection," Harry commented as they stepped into the outer room and Karl saw several armed men moving around.
He chuckled. "I should have known she wouldn't travel with just four," he said, nodding at a few of the men, taking note of two in particular that he knew had been trained by Harry for their respective countries' special forces. "So where are you whisking me away to? And I hope you realize that the photo Orlando took is probably already on Twitter, as well as being texted to Dom with the explanation behind it."
"I don't mind," Harry shrugged, as they stepped inside the elevator. "I figure everyone will probably react the same way, anyway."
"And what way is that?"
Harry smiled, slow and wicked, and so familiar it hurt Karl's heart. "It's about damn time."
Karl laughed. "You're probably right. I'm sure the rest of the world was simply waiting for you to make an honest man out of me." He took Harry's hand again. "You never answered my question about where we're going."
"Right now, we're taking Liv's limo back to the airport," Harry said, as the elevator doors slid open to the lobby. "Beyond that, it's a surprise."
"I didn't pack anything."
Harry lifted an eyebrow. "Who says you'd need clothing?"
"Planning on keeping me in the bedroom the whole time?" Not that Karl was complaining.
"It's a thought."
"A thought, hmm?" Karl looked at Harry as they slid into the back seat of the limo, and it left the hotel. "This seems awfully well put together for just a thought."
Harry didn't even have the grace to look even mildly embarrassed. "Why should I leave the planning until the last minute? You'd already agreed, so it was just a matter of making sure it wouldn't affect the pet bonds."
"Something we could have figured out for ourselves, apparently," Karl said, with a wry grin. "All this time, puppy, it was staring us right in the face."
"In our defense, we knew we were bonded already," Harry said, eyeing the decanters on the mini-bar with a practiced eye. "We just didn't know what it was."
"You really think there's something to Liv's theory that the bond changed to an iunctum because you successfully resisted the pet bond?"
Harry looked up from pouring a rich amber liquid (probably cognac - Otard, if Karl knew Liv at all) into two tumblers. "It's possible. We still don't entirely know why a bond happens or any of the scientific reasons behind it. But if you follow the idea of true soulmates and how rare they are, then it would make sense that it would manifest itself in a different way if one avenue was closed."
"Sounds very mystical," Karl commented, taking his glass with a murmur of thanks. "You really think bonds are preordained?"
"I think there's definitely a larger force at work, whatever that force is," Harry admitted, settling comfortably beside Karl. "We've both been around far too long to think we're completely in control of our own destinies at all times."
"So you're saying that free will is a myth?"
Karl watched Harry closely and saw the exact second that Harry realized the question was a trap. He smiled as Harry lifted his glass in silent salute.
"Touché, old man," he said, with a small smile. "When it comes to the bonds...perhaps. We're taught from the very beginning that permission is required for any bond and that any mortal can say no, but we've both watched mortals try to fight the pet bond. Every story ends the same."
"Not all stories," Karl pointed out.
"True," Harry admitted, swirling the liquid in his glass and watching it. "I should have said every story ends in one of two ways -- with the mortal bonded or deep in catatonia or madness."
"The vampire usually isn't any better," Karl said, taking another sip of his drink. "So if we go back to the theory of true soulmates and how they will always find each other, then perhaps the concept of the bonds is an unconscious one, much like the instinct to survive, no matter how the odds are stacked against you."
"Which would definitely explain why I wasn't able to take that final blow against you that night."
The fight that had changed everything between them. "Giving you that challenge was the single smartest thing I have ever done, followed only by getting you to ask for the Gift."
"I hated you with every fiber of my being, but I couldn't leave the room, not even after you gave me leave to go," Harry said, with a small, nostalgic smile. "I should have known then that a larger force was at work."
Karl brought Harry's free hand up to his lips for a soft kiss to battle-scarred knuckles. "I don't know that I would have actually been able to let you walk out the door. Even giving you permission to walk away took every ounce of courage I had. But if I hadn't...we both know if I'd forced you to stay, we wouldn't be here now."
"We wouldn't be here now if I'd become your pet, either," Harry pointed out, smiling as he curled his fingers tight over Karl's.
He didn't want to think about that, knowing that, while very long-lived due to the bond, pets were not immortal. He would lose Josh one day, just as Sean would lose Dom...and it was a day he was in no rush to get to. Then he smiled, lips curving against Harry's hand. "But you truly would have made an awful pet, puppy. I would have never had a moment's peace."
"Well, you've always said you didn't want a boring life."
"There's not boring, and then there's sheer insanity. A little bit of boring isn't so bad."
"Well, we should get some now," Harry said, and finished his drink, setting the tumbler back on the bar. "I think we're definitely due for some stability."
"Agreed." Now that things were, more or less, back on even ground with Orlando, the last six months or so had been positively pleasant. "Although I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop with Josh."
"Perhaps the easiness of your relationship with him is the universe's way of rewarding you for surviving the drama of Orlando and our early years. God knows neither of us was easy on you."
"Understatement of the century," Karl chuckled. "Even Sean had problems believing that our first few years were fraught with so much tension and fighting."
"I think it strengthened the bond."
"You might be right," Karl said, musingly. There was no denying that the bond he shared with Harry had become as necessary to his survival as blood. Karl couldn't help wondering if the bonds he shared with Orlando and Josh would ever come close. "So tell me, now that we're, as Orlando says, vampire married, what's next on the agenda for world domination?"
Harry snorted out a laugh. "Is that what we're calling it?"
"It's what Marcus calls it."
"Marcus thinks we want to take over the world?"
"No, Marcus thinks I want to take over the world," Karl said. "He thinks you're going to be my method of doing that. An enforcer if you will. Of course, he only says this when reminded that I'm going to eventually be head of the Council at some point several centuries down the road."
"Is he still angling for you to abdicate so he can take over instead?"
"Probably, but I think he knows by now it will never happen," Karl said, and drained the last of his own drink. "The Council needs him, but he'd make a poor leader, and I think he's finally realized he doesn't want the job."
Harry tugged Karl close and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Do you still want it?"
Karl gave the question due consideration. In truth, it wasn't something he thought on all that often. Viggo was nowhere near the end of his reign. "I know you'd rather I didn't -"
"What's right for me and what's right for you are two different things," Harry told him, nuzzling the skin just above his ear. "I may have been born to lead armies, but you were born to lead nations. Asking you to deny that part of yourself would be tantamount to asking you to change who you are."
Karl cupped a roughened jaw in his hand. "Who are you and what have you done with Harry Sinclair?"
Harry merely smiled and pressed a kiss to Karl's palm. "I'm not saying I'm thrilled with the idea of being your second, but, in this as in everything else, I will always have your back."
"That sounds more like you," Karl conceded, touched by both the words and the sentiment behind it. "And to answer your question, yes. I still want the chair whenever Viggo decides he's ready to ride off into the moonrise and take up golf or whatever it is he's planning on doing when he steps down."
"The idea of Viggo on a golf course is, frankly, horrifying."
Karl couldn't say he disagreed. "He could always go back to his vineyards."
"He'd be happy doing that."
"For a decade or so, maybe." As much as Viggo loved getting away from everything, there was no way he could stay away from politics forever. "Who knows, though. Perhaps he'll find a companion or a mate."
The absurdity of that hit him just as Harry blinked, then burst out laughing.
"Okay, okay," Karl said, weakly, when he thought he had the laughter under control. "Perhaps that is asking a little much."
Harry was wiping his eyes and sounding like he was going to choke on a fresh round of laughter. "A little?"
"Maybe, but we both know he hasn't always been like this."
"No, he hasn't," Harry agreed, as the limo rolled to a stop. "But you and I both know why he is the way he's been the past few centuries."
It was the closest Harry had come to mentioning Joaquin in...Karl couldn't even remember how long, frankly. He tried to hide his shock as he climbed out of the limo behind Harry, and they made their way to the tarmac and their waiting plane. "It doesn't mean I have to like it. He needs someone."
"He had Craig."
"A momentary diversion, and we both know it."
"Just as we both know how badly his last true relationship ended," Harry countered, and climbed up the stairs. By the time Karl stepped onto the plane, Harry was already sprawled out on one of the plush seats.
"I'm not saying he and Salma need to rekindle their affair, but they both need to move on." Karl moved straight to the bar, and the champagne that was waiting, nestled in ice. "Maybe that's where we need to start focusing Marcus' attention - on finding his father a suitable companion. He certainly has exquisite enough taste."
"The only problem with that," Harry said, taking his flute of champagne, then snagging Karl's wrist, "is preventing Marcus from keeping said woman for himself. And you know Viggo's views on that."
"Maybe we could set up an application process," Karl joked as he allowed Harry to pull him down to the seat.
"And do you propose to do the same for Salma?"
"Ah, no," Karl said, shivering a little as Harry's fingers trailed up his spine. "I don't know of anyone brave enough to take on her temper. Nor do I wish to piss her off by suggesting she can't find a suitable companion on her own."
"Good point," Harry said. He leaned up to nuzzle at Karl's jaw. "Not that I think it will happen, but it will take a truly spectacular man to land that one."
"He would have to be exceptional indeed," Karl said, then tipped his head back to allow Harry's lips the freedom to explore. He'd never get tired of this, of the way Harry's touch made him burn. "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to seduce me."
He felt, rather than saw, Harry's smile. "I must be doing a poor job of it if you can't tell."
Their lips met for a slow, easy kiss, and Karl allowed himself to sink into it, to let Harry set the pace. "I take it this is all part of your plan," he said, when they finally parted.
Harry clinked his champagne glass to Karl's. "What's the point of being on a honeymoon if we can't enjoy the benefits?"
"And one of the benefits is having sex on a plane?" Karl asked, eyes drifting closed as Harry's free hand slipped beneath his shirt to slide along bare skin. He could feel his skin pebble under Harry's fingertips, the light caress making his back arch. A small sound escaped him as Harry's lips covered his. The kiss was unhurried and lazy and perfect. //Are we done talking?//
//Only if you don't consider begging to be talking. Because I have definite plans that involve just how sweet you sound begging for me.//
Karl's only response was another moan as Harry's hand drifted further south.
***
"You know," Karl complained, pointing at the black blindfold currently covering his eyes, "there are easier ways to let me know you'd like a bit of kinky sex on our honeymoon."
Harry's laughter drifted in the air between them. "Stop complaining, you agreed to this."
"I didn't have much of a choice, did I?" As soon as the plane had begun its descent, Harry had insisted on the blindfold ("You'll recognize the airport otherwise") and had bustled him into the back seat of a car right after they'd landed. He felt a little ridiculous, but had tried to relax as much as possible, and let Harry have his moment. He'd find out where they were soon enough.
"Are -"
"If you ask are we there yet," Harry said, voice thick with amusement, "I'll mock you for it for the next decade."
"I wasn't going to ask that."
"Of course you weren't." The car slowed, then stopped. "Now just sit still."
Sit still. Far easier to say than to do, but Karl just tapped his fingers on his thigh and waited. He heard the creak as his door was opened, and then Harry's hand was there, helping him out of the car. He could smell salt and brine, and heard the distant, low roar of water rushing over sand. The ocean, then. And not somewhere tropical, if the nip in the breeze was anything to go by.
"Alright, here we are," Harry softly said, tugging at the knot in the blindfold until it fell free.
Karl's breath caught in his throat as he looked around.
Portmarnock.
He'd know this place anywhere - the beach and the meadow right behind it were etched into his very bones. Just being here brought back vivid memories of a bloody, brutal battle, and his own helpless roar as Harry'd fallen from an enemy arrow, far enough away that even his own superior speed and strength hadn't been enough to prevent the inevitable. He remembered Harry crumbling to the ground, and how ferociously he'd fought to get to Harry's side, heart already in his throat, thinking he was too late, and Harry had already been lost to him.
He turned, throat clogged, and found Harry watching him with a look he'd never seen.
"I know you haven't been back here since that battle," Harry said, the wind whipping his hair across his forehead. Karl fingers itched to push it in some semblance of order, but he couldn't move. He felt rooted to his spot. "I imagine it might surprise you to know I've come back here several times. I even bought Malahide Castle a couple of centuries back."
"Why?" It was the only thing he could think to ask. He'd have thought that Harry would have never wanted to step foot here again. No matter that Harry'd been a vampire for centuries, and had eventually learned to come to terms with it, Karl had always known that Harry would have never agreed to getting the Gift if he hadn't been dying and Karl hadn't practically forced him into it. Harry'd never even truly asked for it. Not that Karl would have changed anything, because losing Harry had never been an option, not then, not ever. But still, Karl knew the truth.
A small smile graced Harry's lips. "Because I wanted to remember this place, and that night."
"But you never wanted this life. I forced your hand."
"No, you let me go." Harry took a step closer, and Karl thought he could drown in the look in Harry's eyes. "You gave me a choice, and showed unbelievable courage in the bargain."
Each breath felt like it was being forced out of Karl's lungs. "I was selfish and willing to do anything to keep you with me. There was nothing courageous in it."
"I disagree." Gentle fingers traced the line of his jaw. "I may have been dying, but I remember everything about that night. I didn't say yes to the Gift because you finally told me you loved me. I did it because you were willing to respect my wishes if I'd chosen to die."
Karl closed his eyes as his entire body shook. Just the thought of a life without Harry by his side...it was too much to bear. "I would have died too, you know."
"I do." He felt soft lips brush across each eyelid. "Open your eyes, Karl."
He did as asked, reaching for one of Harry's hands as he did, needing the contact to ground him in the here and now. Their bond was swirling with too many emotions to name, but under and around it all was an overwhelming sense of completeness and so much love he felt humbled in the face of it.
"I brought you here to celebrate our iunctum because this was the place where our lives together truly began," Harry said softly, but Karl felt every word as deeply as if they'd been shouted. "836 years ago, you promised me heaven on earth if I chose you over death, and you have more than delivered on that promise. There has never been a night that has passed where I haven't been grateful to my core that I chose you."
"Even when we've been fighting?" Karl asked, striving for just the right teasing tone, even though his throat felt squeezed tight.
A small smile flashed across Harry's face. "I think especially when we were fighting," he said, as he lifted Karl's hands to press a few light kisses along his knuckles. "You've made me a better person, old man."
If it was possible to die of too much happiness, Karl was certain he would have already expired. "I don't think I can take all the credit for that."
"Perhaps not," Harry said, leaning in to press his forehead against Karl's. "But you're the one who gave me the courage to go against everything I'd ever believed and the strength to face the centuries by your side."
"And there hasn't been a night that's passed for me where I haven't been utterly grateful to you that you said yes." He closed his eyes again, this time with a light heart, and brushed his lips across Harry's. "From the moment I met you, I knew loving you would be worth any price."
"Dwi'n dy garu di yn wastad," Harry replied, and they shared another soft kiss.
Karl smiled when they parted. "That might just be long enough." Then he looked around them. It really was a beautiful spot. The centuries had been kind to the area. "You said you bought the castle?"
"I did. I have very fond memories of it, and our first night together after you brought me back to camp."
"That first night was rather memorable," Karl said, smiling as Harry started to laugh. He leaned back as strong arms wrapped around his waist and Harry nuzzled his neck.
"I seem to recall you felt a little more emphatically about it at the time."
"Perhaps you need to remind me."
Harry's laugh turned low and wicked, sending a shiver up Karl's spine. "If it's new memories you're after, I'll be happy to oblige."
"You're such a giver," Karl remarked with a grin, following Harry's lead back to the car. "I like that about you."
"That may be the first time anyone's ever accused me of being generous where you're concerned."
"You seem to share me well enough with Josh and Orlando."
Harry started the engine and set off down the wide stretch of road that led to the castle. "It's not like I have much of a choice, even if I objected. Which I don't. Besides, you share me with Monica."
"As much as you'll both let me."
"Neither of us have ever been good about saying no to the other."
"Something else for which I am eternally grateful," Karl commented. Right now, he felt like the most fortunate man on the planet. "Thank you for bringing me back here."
Harry turned into the drive of Malahide and coasted to a stop before shutting off the car. "It was time," he said simply, then cocked his head in the direction of the castle. "Ready to make some new memories?"
"Harry," Karl said, allowing himself a moment of seriousness, "I've been waiting for this moment my entire life."
"Well, then, let's not keep you waiting any longer."
It wasn't hard to remember how everything had looked centuries ago with the grounds torn up and holes in the battlements from the catapults and trebuchets, the smell of blood and sweat and fear mingling with smoke and brine from the ocean.
He stood there remembering it all until Harry lightly touched his wrist. "Come on," Harry gently said, with his own look around the grounds before smiling at Karl. "Let's go inside."
The solid oak door made no noise as Harry opened it and they stepped inside a surprisingly spacious hallway. The stained glass windows above the door reflected the dying rays of the sunset in prisms of color, and Karl took some time to wander from room to room on the ground floor, marveling at all the changes that had been made. Harry'd retained the history of the place while making it bright and modern, fully bringing the past into the present and melding the two in a seamless way. Rather appropriate, really.
"Where did you find the time to do this?"
"A few trips here and there over the last few centuries, but it really only came together in the last 50 years or so. I built most of the furniture myself, which took extra time, but I wanted it to be done right." Harry stopped beside Karl inside the simply furnished parlor, which, if Karl's memory served, used to be the Oak Room. "I also reconstructed and redesigned the gardens out back. I think you'll be well pleased by the looks of them."
"I'm already impressed."
"That's the idea," Harry said, and led him up a beautifully restored winding staircase to the landing of one of the towers.
Harry pushed open a door, then moved back to allow Karl to step through. Karl froze on the threshold. The large room beyond was completely different from what he remembered. Dark and heavy furnishings and décor had been discarded, replaced with more elegant furniture of pale oak. The floor was a darker shade, warm honey that had been polished until the boards shone. Curtains of cream damask draped the windows, and splashes of crimson, burnt orange, and buttery yellow leaped out to catch his eye.
"Harry," he said, slowly, stepping inside and taking it all in, "this is gorgeous."
"Good," Harry said, simply, stepping around Karl to move to the bed. The bed which, Karl noted, would have dominated a smaller room with the sheer massiveness of its size. Then Harry picked up a leather-bound folder from atop one of the bedside tables and placed it in Karl's hands.
"What's this?" Karl asked, as he opened the folder. Once again, his breath simply stopped. Stunned, he looked up to see Harry watching him.
"I know we're vampires and don't have traditional weddings or wedding gifts in the same way mortals do, but some part of me will always be mortal with those values. So this is my wedding gift to you."
Karl stared down at the deed to the castle and the 300 acres surrounding it, all in his name now, and then back at Harry. Mercifully, this time, he was able to find his voice. "But...all of the work you've done and the time you've put in..."
"All of it with you in mind. You gave me the greatest gift imaginable here on these grounds and within these walls. Restoring the castle and giving it to you was the least I could do for thanks."
"You didn't have to do anything," Karl said, although he was touched beyond measure at the sheer magnitude of what Harry had done for him. He set the folder carefully back on the side table, and crossed the room back to Harry. "I was the one who got the better end of the bargain that night."
"Why don't we call it a draw?" Harry smiled, and pulled Karl flush against him. "Besides, the place is yours now. You may as well get used to it."
"Well, I can tell you one thing," Karl said, nuzzling Harry's jaw. "I'm not going to dismantle it and move it halfway around the world."
Harry's laugh was rich and warm as he cupped the back of Karl's neck. "One castle in L.A. is enough, I think."
"Good thing," Karl said, then shifted his weight to push Harry back until his knees hit the bed and they both went down in a tangle. "I hope this mattress is comfortable."
"Guess we'll find out," Harry replied, his fingers already at work on the buttons of Karl's shirt.
"Plan on keeping me here the entire time?" Karl teased, shrugging out of his shirt and reaching to tug Harry's off of him.
"The thought had crossed my mind, yes."
Karl arched into Harry's touch even as he ran his hands along Harry's chest. "I hope you're not expecting me to object."
"I hope you're not planning on talking me to death in lieu of the hot honeymoon sex we should be having right now."
He couldn't resist. Harry was simply far too hot when he was riding the edge between passion and annoyance. "Was there something else you wanted to talk about?"
"Karl..." It was soft growl as Harry's body coiled, then he rolled to pin Karl beneath him in one smooth motion. Much better.
"Now this," Karl said, hooking his legs over the back of Harry's thighs, "is more like it."
Harry bent his head to Karl's throat before his teeth nipped along Karl's collarbone. "Is it?"
"If we're, ah, recreating our last time here, then yes." The last word was a hiss as Harry's lips hit a particularly sensitive spot.
"I see." Harry lifted his head, eyes flashing with mirth. "Your idea of hot honeymoon sex is lying back and letting me do all the work?"
"Not all the work, no," Karl argued, worming his hands between them to start working on unzipping Harry's jeans. Shirtless was all well and good, but what he really wanted was naked.
Harry obligingly lifted his hips so Karl could push his jeans down and off. "Just the bulk of it, then?"
"What can I say, I'm lazy," Karl grinned, as Harry slid to the floor between his legs to unzip and pull on his slacks.
Harry ran his hands along Karl's thighs, nails scraping over sensitive skin. "Let's see what we can do to change that." He didn't give Karl a chance to reply (not that Karl had been planning on it) before bending his head to nuzzle at the crease of Karl's thigh and groin.
His head fell back to the quilt as Harry teased and tormented him with light touches and lighter kisses, each one as ephemeral as air, and just as necessary for his survival. Harry was necessary to his survival. What they had together was something beyond love, beyond time, and from the moment they'd met, everything had been leading up to this moment. To the two of them finally and completely giving themselves to each other, holding nothing back. They could have been the only two people in the history of the world, in all of creation. Everything fell away until all that was left was their bond, pulsing softly around them as they laid claim to each other anew.
//Please...//
//I've got you...I've always got you.//
Karl scraped his nails down the wide expanse of Harry's back, licked at the sweat rolling along a muscled shoulder, met Harry's kiss with his own, impatient and insatiable, always ravenous for more. If he had another 900 years, it still wouldn't be enough time to get his fill of Harry and the way Harry made him feel. They rolled on the bed again, mouths fused, marking each other with desperate, bruising fingers. Karl was drowning, overwhelmed and choking on need, blood rushing through his veins with every dizzying touch.
Then slick, slippery fingers closed over his cock, and all of the air left his lungs in one gasping moan. He forced his eyes open, saw Harry under him, dark hair wild around his face, looking up at him with so much naked hunger that Karl found himself trembling, overcome.
"Yours," Harry said, and Karl let the weight of it - the truth of it - settle into his bones, into his soul before he pressed forward, in, sheathed himself inside Harry in one smooth thrust.
"Forever yours," he breathed in reply, and bent his head to capture Harry's lips again as he started to move, surrendered everything he was, everything he would ever be, to the man under him, moving with him in perfect synchronicity. Time slowed to a prism of moments - Harry's legs wrapped tight around his hips, pulling him deeper, the rhythmic slap of flesh on flesh mingling with each harsh, panting breath, the taste of Harry's skin, clove and sweat, under his tongue. Karl gave himself over, put himself in Harry's hands, even as he sank deeper into welcoming heat. He was so close he could almost taste it, the bond between them coalescing and pulsating with each push.
Home, he thought, as sparks refracted behind his eyelids, reflecting all of the colors of the rainbow as he felt Harry stiffen, then still under him. Another thrust, and he followed, white noise blocking out all other sound.
***
When he finally became aware of his surroundings again, he noticed he was slumped over Harry in a dead weight, limbs heavy, leaden. He hoped Harry was fine where he was, because he wasn't sure he could attempt to move even if the bed was on fire.
"Y'kay?" he mumbled, hoping Harry understood what he was trying to say. Coherence was pretty far down on the list right about now.
"Mmmm," Harry hummed, shifting slightly under him, and soft lips nuzzled his jaw. Karl took that as a yes.
After a few minutes getting his breath back, he started to shift to the side and stopped when Harry's arms tightened around him. Then Harry cracked open one eye and grinned. "Going somewhere?"
"Wouldn't dream of it," Karl replied with his own grin. He settled for propping up on one elbow. "Tell me again why we didn't do this before?"
"I'm having a hard time remembering." He let go long enough for them to shift around until they were lying on their sides facing each other. "Probably because we truly are idiots, as everyone's so fond of telling us."
"I'm blaming you for being stupidly stubborn," Karl said, brushing a few stray matted strands of hair from Harry's face. "But, honestly, I wouldn't change a thing."
"Why?"
"It's hard to put into words." But, since it was important, he tried to articulate something he was only just beginning to understand himself. "It doesn't matter how long it took for us to get here. All that matters is we did. That you chose this. Me."
"It was never about choosing you, you know." Harry kissed Karl's palm, then laid their hands across the star-shaped scar above his heart. "I chose you centuries ago, and I'd do it all over again. It was...I think maybe it was my one small way of asserting my independence."
Karl's lips curved. The bond hummed around them. "And now you're finally ready to admit you're mine?"
"As much as you're mine, yes." Their lips met again for another soft kiss. "I should have known better than to think I could fight it, though."
"Well, you did make a sacred vow that bound yourself to me right after I gave you the Gift," Karl reminded him.
"I suppose I did," Harry mused, in a wondering tone. "Christ, I haven't even thought about that in forever. I don't even really remember what I told you."
"Really?"
Harry shook his head. "I remember the pain. And the dying...sort of, somewhat. But the waking up is hazy," he admitted, with a shrug. "I remember you were there."
"I've always been there," Karl said, a soft smile curving his lips. His fingers traced Harry's jaw. "You told me that everything you would ever have or be was mine."
"I did?" Harry laughed softly. Then his smile faded. Karl opened his mouth to ask what was wrong when Harry abruptly focused on him, gaze piercing. "From this night forth," he said, quietly, "everything I will ever have or will be is yours."
"Yes, that's it," Karl said, with a nod, pleased. "You do remember."
"Fuck me," Harry said, then let out a short burst of laughter. "Do you have any idea what I did that night?"
"Bound yourself to me eternally?" Karl guessed, cheekily. "I did the same thing, you know. Bound myself to you, I mean."
"Yes, exactly." Harry abruptly sat up, then looked down at Karl. "I promised you everything I ever was or would ever have. Anything and everything that was mine, from that night forth, was now yours as well."
"Again, I was there, I remember, I..." With an almost audible pop inside his head, Karl finally put the pieces together of what Harry was trying to tell him. "Oh my God, puppy, no wonder."
"You get it now, right?" Harry's eyes were fever bright. "It makes...fuck, it all makes sense. Everything makes sense."
Anything and everything...including any bonds Harry would have had with anyone else. Karl sat up as well, and brought his hands up to cup Harry's face. "I won't apologize."
Harry was shaking his head before Karl was even finished. "I don't want you to. I made the vow of my own volition and my own free will. And I wouldn't take it back even if I could." He placed his hands over Karl's, the touch warm, solid, real. "Everything I was and am and will be is yours. Including Orlando. And Monica. It's just nice to finally know why Orlando was able to respond to you all those years ago and bind himself to you the way he did."
"I'll admit, it is a bit of a relief," Karl replied, brushing a light kiss across Harry's lips. "I'd offer the same vow, but I don't think Josh would take very kindly to it if I did."
Harry's startled laugh was gratifying. "If it's all the same, I'd rather not have him as a pet, even part-time. The vow you gave me that night was enough."
"Forever yours, Harry. Everything, anything," Karl recited, renewing the vow with a soft smile.
Harry returned the smile. "All I need is you."
"And you have me," Karl said, catching Harry's hand and bringing it to his chest. "Forever."
"That's good enough for me." Harry lifted his head to brush a soft kiss across Karl's lips. But his smile when his head fell back against the pillow was positively devious. "How long do you think we should wait before we tell him?"
Tell Orlando that Harry had basically given him to Karl centuries before he was even born? No, thank you. "I think I'll leave that one up to you," he said, just barely controlling his laughter. "After all, you're so much better at dealing with him in his moods."
"Could be he'll be as relieved as we are to know the truth."
"Could be," Karl nodded, and settled back on his side. "Could also be that he'll resent the both of us for putting him in this situation."
"He loves you. And he's said himself, more than once, that he'd never give up his bond with you. He'll be fine."
"Eventually, yes, but once he finds out that he could have been all yours..."
"It wouldn't have mattered, even if he was," Harry told him. "Because I was never going to be all his in return, no matter what I vowed to you that night. I was yours long before you gave me the Gift, and he's accepted that. Things are the way they're meant to be."
"They are," Karl agreed. "Let's just pray the status quo continues."
Harry arched an imperious eyebrow. "You doubt it will?"
"Let's just say that the last twelve years have taught me to never assume anything where any of us are concerned."
"You do have a point," Harry said, then rolled to pin Karl to the mattress. His slow smile revealed a flash of fangs that had Karl's blood throbbing in his veins.
"I take it," Karl said, running one hand up Harry's spine, relishing the feel of hard muscle beneath his fingertips, "that we're done talking?"
"My turn," was all Harry said before lowering his head.
Well, Karl thought in the seconds before Harry - and his very clever tongue - managed to rob him of speech, Harry had promised to keep him in bed. And really, wasn't that the entire point of a honeymoon?
***