A Change of Feeling

Family Matters, part II

Elegant fingers began to work on the row of buttons of the tailored shirt. Harry held his breath, his eyes closely following the movements of the fingers. When the shirt was completely unbuttoned, the right part of the shirt was pulled aside. At first, Harry didn't realize Rabastan's original reason for opening his shirt, he was far too distracted by the lean but athletically shaped muscles that adorned his stomach. He let his eyes wander to a perk nipple, which stood defiantly upright against the cold air. His gaze slid across the firm pecs, to the muscular stomach, which, in Harry's opinion, wouldn't look out of place as the Witch Weekly's centerpiece. His foray had ended at Rabastan's waistband, from which emerged dark hairs that ran up to his navel.

"My eyes are up here," said Rabastan almost indignantly and gave Harry a wink.

Harry immediately looked away and felt his cheeks coloring. Involuntarily, he first let his eyes slide over the rigid shapes of Rabastan's body, before resting his gaze on Rabastan's face.

"I want to show you this beautiful sign, maybe it reminds you of something." Rabastan pointed to a symbol engraved on his right chest. The lines weren't black, like Harry's tattoo, but rather seemed burnt into it.

"It felt as if that cheeky snake of yours was having a party on my chest. It burned like an out-of-control Fiendfyre."

Harry's fingers itched uncontrollably to touch Rabastan's mark He had to suppress a growl when Corvus was one step ahead of him. He watched with undisguised jealousy as the older man's finger traced the symbol. Harry ran a hand over his face in frustration, it was completely unreasonable for him to react like that, after all, Corvus was Rabastan's father! He restrained his possessive feeling and focused on the mark of Rabastan.

"How long have you had this, my boy?" Corvus asked thoughtfully.

"It started with a kind of burn that just wouldn't heal. That was just after Harry accepted my courting gift. The burn was there the next morning."

Harry looked up from this information. "How did you know that I had accepted? After all, you weren't there when I put the bracelet on my wrist. "

Obsidian eyes found green ones, in these dark eyes, Harry found an overpowering possessiveness, which should frighten Harry. He did not feel this, he felt a warm affection that welcomed Rabastan.

"My father had smeared my blood on the Ouroboros. In this way, my everything, magic, and being, was present on the bracelet. The moment you accepted I felt that. It was delicious."

Rabastan paused and looked intently at Harry. A sly smile appeared on his face, which, along with his sensual look, did not bode well. Harry swallowed an imaginary lump and looked awkwardly at Corvus.

The older man took the hint and intervened. "A burn is not the same as a sign, when did it become more than a blister?"

Rabastan grinned but showed too many white teeth, to look innocent. His response showed that he had heard his father, but he did not take his eyes off Harry. "The symbol appeared a few days ago, I guess just after Yule."

He looked apologetically at his father. "My understanding of the days sometimes eludes me. But from the guards' conversations, I guess it was around Yuletide."

Rabastan took a step towards Harry. "Don't you want to touch it? You just seemed to want it... really bad. And I, personally, would love to help you with anything you want." Rabastan whispered in Harry's ear.

Harry felt his earlobe warm with Rabastan's breath. The man smelled of peppermint and something spicy and sultry; his cologne, Harry thought absently. His breath caught at the presence of the dark-haired man. As if possessed, Harry raised his hand towards the symbol. Very gently, as if Harry didn't dare touch Rabastan's flesh, Harry slid his fingers from the bottom of his chest to the burnt symbol. Rabastan released a shuddering breath and flexed his muscles under Harry's fingers. As soon as Harry touched the mark everything changed, Rabastan began to shake and moan uncontrollably. Soon his legs lost their weight and he fell to his knees in front of Harry.