The Serpent Lord's Consort

XIII: The Power of a Bond II

Two weeks. Two weeks had gone by and Harry was still missing...Tom was a complete wreck as he waited for Maya and her Auror friends to find something. Tom was mixed in feelings; he wanted to tear out of this place and to go and to hunt for his mate too, but in his unstable mental clarity; it was ill-advised. He was a visitor to the country, and if he did something terrible to anyone there despite what happened to him and Harry...he was going to be in trouble with their laws and hurt Harry more for it.

It made him feel vulnerable and helpless.

Harry was his whole world now; his sole reason for existing. Harry was his soulmate and bonded partner for the rest of their lives; long and supposedly eternal lives. Harry was the fierce flames and fire that coiled to warm him and to melt his ice to the world and others besides him. Tom was the protective frigid and bitter ice that forced Harry's fire back and to recoil when he knew danger was near; to protect them.

But...he curled his fingers as he eyed the room; he hadn't sensed the intruders. He hadn't even sensed a bit of magic...

Tom sat in their bedroom bathed and dressed already for the day, trying to remain somewhat himself for Harry; however, his eyes were despondent and devoid of life as he eyed the vanity and Harry's sparkling jewelry just lied there and glittered as the sun reflected off of his bottles of perfume. As he saw the neatly placed brushes and hair-care products, the lotion and other skin products.

The make-up he had Tom get for him lying there and reminding Tom of all the things that he loved about Harry. No matter the fact that Harry was male; he adored Harry no matter what he wore and dressed in, no matter that he wanted to decorate himself in jewelry, perfume, or make-up; Harry was his mate and he loved every part of him and his personality.

His eyes saddened as they turned to the bed; and he gently rubbed his hand to the pillow where Harry had lied on the first night, and his fingers trembled in ache...his scent; that intoxicating scent of Harry's lingered there still. Tears shined to the edges of his scarlet eyes; flashes of how happy he was to have Harry beside him.

Of all the moments they had shared together; both good and bad in the past and the present, and reminding Tom that Harry had chosen him. That he would fight to return to him...or, he hoped that Harry would.

Tom's eyes closed sharply to the pain in his chest; Harry would not abandon him, he wouldn't...

Dusk carefully wandered in and nuzzled his leg; blue eyes looking at him and whining softly to Tom. The elder man sighed and smiled a bit as he stood and went down with the fox to the laundry room; where they put a food and water bowl for him. Tom filled the food bowl and refreshed the water dish.

Then noticed the new meals sent over by Sophia as he re-entered the kitchen; he smiled a bit for that, seeing as Maya noticed soon after Harry was gone that Tom had barely eaten and was starting to show signs of the beginning to thinning. She had poked and prodded until he admitted that Harry was the one who normally fed them. That he had no aptitude with cooking or being in the kitchen.

Harry had wanted to teach him some; but the war ending was more important at the time. So, he had not been able to start that. Not really. Maya had been concerned to this and knew eating out too much was unhealthy. That both Harry and Tom did like to take care of their bodies and eating properly was a big part of that. So, she had gathered the rest of the neighbors and very cautiously spoke to them of what had happened; they'd all been furious for it on Tom and Harry's behalf.

Sophia was especially irate; she didn't care one whit that Tom was the former British Dark Lord or that he had done horrible things. Dark magic was still magic; and with how Britain had been, she had agreed that Tom's use of it was probably necessary. Andre had been stunned; he had never before seen his wife so angry like this.