Le Frère de Sang

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GENERAL DISCLAIMER - I do not own any of the characters used.

NOTES ON THE CHAPTER - This is another chapter with a huge change in it. Originally when I plotted out this story, very vague plots mind you, I didn’t even consider this pairing coming up. It never even crossed my mind. You may see further back I hinted at more intimate relations with another of the characters. Still, this chapter happened all by itself and gave the rest of the story new targets, which you will see soon enough. I’m sure after reading this chapter you can guess what is going to happen, still I hope you enjoy it. I enjoyed writing it that’s for sure. OH! There are a few French words and sentences, don’t worry about them. They are all pretty much self explanatory and if you don’t think so you can either ignore them or look them up. (My French is totally reliant on online English to French translators.)

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There were noises coming from within Asher’s rooms. I paused outside the door. The noises were interrupted by a scream, punctuated by a growl and overlapped with words. I pulled down my mental shields trying to find out the cause of the noises without entering the room. Immediately lust hit me like fire. It rippled across my skin, burned at my body.

“Ah!” I jumped back and threw up as many shields as I could, pushing out the foreign lust and pleasure. The lust came from three different people and since it was Asher’s rooms and Anita’s horrible aura that pasted over all the walls and the doors I already knew two of the people in the room.

I pushed down any betrayal within me. Asher didn’t betray me at all. I knew what I was getting myself into so I couldn’t be angry at him for that. He had the right to love Anita too, and Jean-Claude as well who was probably the third person in the room. I couldn’t fault him for loving.

I could, however, fault him for standing me up. We’d arranged to go out this evening. We had a lane booked at the bowling alley and Asher was going to take me to diner. He was doing it because I had been ill. I’d booked everything though. I’d told him the times and the day and he just…just shagged Anita instead. That I could feel betrayed about.

I turned and walked away. I went into the kitchen and got myself a drink of water. The tap splashed water all across my black shirt. I sighed and waved my hand making my magic dry me out. I was a little too exuberant with the spell though and it dried out my cup as well.

“Crap!” I swore and filled my glass up again. I moved over to a stool and heaved myself onto it to drink my drink. I saw Micah move past the door to the kitchen. Then he came back into view, having obviously walked backwards and he smiled at me.

“Hey Harry.”

“Hi.” Micah moved into the room and waved at my outfit.

“You look nice. Going somewhere?” I was wearing some tidy black trousers and a long sleeve black shirt. I had rolled up the arms slightly though to help keep me cool. There wasn’t a top button on the shirt, it was designed to stay open at the top to help display the neckline. I liked this shirt. While I was wearing a lot of black it was too casual a look to wear to a funeral. Besides which, with my tan and my dark hair I could pull off an all black outfit and look bloody good. At least that’s what Blaise always said.

“So do you.” I mentioned, completely ignoring his second question. Micah was wearing a dark grey but lightly pinstriped trousers and a matching jacket which he’d left undone. His shirt was white and it clung to his chest teasing people that he had a well muscled chest under the shirt. He had black shoes too. He looked smart, as usual. He looked like a fitness instructer dressed up, but since more fitness instructors are uncomfortable in anything besides joggers the look formal look was extremely dulled down but not to the point that the smartness was lost.

“Yeah. I’m meant to be going out tonight with Anita. Have you seen her?” I bit my lip.

“No I haven’t seen her. But I know she’s in Asher’s room if that’s any help?” Micah smiled at me.

“Thanks.” Micah turned to leave the room and my guilt won over.

“I wouldn’t go in there if I were you Micah.” Micah paused and turned around to look at me with curiosity evident on his face.

“Oh? Why not?”

“Um they’re all kind of…busy.” Micah made an ‘oh’ with his mouth, understanding having dawned on him. He made his way over and sat on the stool opposite me.

“So that’s why you’re out here huh?”

“Yeah. I went looking for Asher. We were supposed to be going bowling and then to a meal. I went to his room but I heard noise and I couldn’t tell for sure what the noises meant so I opened up my empathy. I got a huge surge of lust and pleasure from three people before I threw up my shields again. Since it was Asher’s rooms, Asher was one of the people having sex. He never allows anybody to enter his rooms unless he is in there too. Anita’s aura was smudged onto the walls. I just couldn’t tell who the third person is. Our slot at the bowling alley is just coming up and since we aren’t there we’re going to loose it.”

“Great. So, we’re both now dateless. I doubt they’ll be finished in there for a while. If Anita’s feeding the ardeur then it will take a good while to satisfy it. It was meant to be my turn to feed the ardeur but never mind, I guess she couldn’t hold it.” I made a disgusted face at the thought of the ardeur and ‘feeding’ it. Micah laughed at me and glanced at his watch. “What time did you say you booked the bowling alley for?”

“Half eight for forty-five minutes. Why?”

“Well it’s twenty past eight now and I know for sure that you can teleport instantly to a place.” I smiled but didn’t correct him. If he understood apparation as teleportation then who was I to argue with that? “Can you teleport with passengers? Because if you can we could still make the bowling.”

“Really?” He’d go bowling with me?

“Sure. Hell, I’ll even take you out to dinner afterwards. Can you get us there?”

“Yeah. Um…I need to be close to you though.” Micah grinned and stepped right up to me. I scanned his face, up and down his body before returning his smile. I put a hand on his arm. I put my drink down and closed my eyes. I called my magic to me and wrapped it around myself and Micah then concentrated on the place we were going to. With a loud crack we disappeared.

“Fucking hell!” Micah swore and staggered slightly. I caught him and held him steady. He gripped my arms and tried to get his bearings. I grinned at him while he took deep breaths to try to calm himself down. Apperation isn’t a nice way to travel.

“At least we proved the theory true.” Micah opened one eye and looked at me.

“What theory?”

“That cats always land on their feet.” Micah growled at me as I snickered. He cuffed me over the head.

“That’s not funny. I am never doing teleporting again. To get back I’m calling a cab.”

“Taxi.” Micah scowled playfully at me.

“Cab.”

“Taxi.”

“We aren’t in England anymore little wizard. This is America and they are called cabs.” I stuck my tongue out at him in retaliation, he chuckled at me. A quick glance at his watch made Micah jerk into action. “Come on or we will miss your slot.”

“We’re at the back of the bowling alley. All we have to do is get to the front and get our shoes.”

“Oh hell, I forgot about those shoes. They stink.” I waved a hand at him and wiggled my fingers.

“Well it’s a good job you’ve got a magician with you then isn’t it? A quick ‘abra kadabra’ and we have sweet smelling clean shoes. I can even change their colour so they don’t clash with your lovely suit.”

“Oh har har. Come on.”

We burst into the bowling alley and told the clerk the reservation name. Since it was under my name I had to show ID which, luckily was in my pocket which I’d made weightless and bottomless. Got to love magic. We changed our shoes but before Micah put on his shoes he held them up to my nose.

“They aren’t sweet smelling yet. Come on, work your magic!” I swatted him on the arm and cast my spells. We pulled on our shoes and went to our lane. Micah and me screwed up the machine in setting up who was playing and eventually admitted defeat and called over an assistant who sorted out the mess we’d made and set up the game for us.

“Bugger! I’m crap at this game!” I scowled as my ball went in the gutter. Micah snickered at me and took his go.

“You spin it, that’s the problem. That’s why it always goes into the gutter.”

“Easy for you to say Mr Perfect.” Micah laughed and threw his ball.

“Strike!” Micah cheered with his hands in the air. I sulked and it only made him laugh at me. I was being a sore looser, so what? This is the first time I’ve been bowling and the most pins I’ve managed to knock down is three! Altogether, bearing in mind we’d been playing for twenty minutes, I’d knocked down twenty pins.

“I don’t like this game.” I sulked and Micah laughed picking out the ball that I used.

“Come on, I’ll help you this time.” I sighed and pushed myself to my feet. I moved reluctantly over to him and he handed my the ball. I slid my fingers into the holes and got ready. Micah moved behind me.

One hand went onto my hip, fingers sliding under the loop my belt went through. His other hand went over my hand on the ball. His face was right by my shoulder and I could feel his chest press against my back.

“Now, this is what we are going to do.” I couldn’t suppress the shiver through my body as he spoke right next to my ear, his breath making my loose hair tickle my neck and cheek. He told me what we were going to do and he walked with me, threw with me. The ball rolled towards the pins and hit dead centre. It wasn’t quite a strike but I got the centre pin and all but three pins were knocked down.

“See? Not that hard, was it?” I bit my lip and grinned at him. He moved away from me. He picked my ball up again and handed it to me. “Now, shall we try to get the others?”

I nodded and he slid behind me again. He guided me through everything once more and we managed to get one of the pins down.

“Never mind, can’t be perfect all the time can we?” I shook my head and let him take his go. He got another strike.

“I thought you said we couldn’t be perfect all the time?” Micah laughed and shrugged. He handed my ball to me again.

“Well, when you’ve got it you’ve got it and that’s all there is to it. Here, lets see what you’ve got.” I took the ball and did just as he had shown me to do. I imagined Micah behind me again and released the ball. It sailed down the polished wood and hit the centre pin. I knocked down all but one.

“Getting better.”

“What do you mean I’m getting better? Compared to earlier that was borderline perfect!” I picked up my ball again and threw it. It missed the last pin. “Damn.”

“My turn!” I found his ball and handed it over. His hands slid over mine as he took the ball. He pushed his fingers into the holes and moved towards the start mark. He threw his ball and it sped down the lane hitting all the pins down again.

“Strike again!”

“Alright, alright Mr Perfect Show Off.” I rolled my eyes with a grin. I picked up my ball and he patted my shoulder.

“Come on, you can do this.” I threw the ball down the lane and all but two pins remained standing. Scowling I waved my hand and they toppled.

“You cheat! You little cheat!” I turned around to defend myself but fingers ran along my sides. I burst into laughter and squirmed out of the way but Micah wrapped one arm around me while his other arm tickled and poked my side.

“Ahahah! S-s-s-top it that tickles! Ah!”

“That’s what you get for cheating!” I dissolved into laughter and eventually Micah was the only thing holding me up. His arms were wrapped around my chest, his chest pressed into my back and my head was back on his shoulder as I tried to get my breath back.

“Heheh.” I snickered.

“Don’t cheat again or I tickle you again.” I grinned at him and he released me. I stepped out of his arms and got his ball for him. His face was flushed and I could see my reflection in his eyes, my eyes were blazing and my cheeks were red.

“Here you are. Show me how it’s done.”

“Thank you.” Micah chirped and took the ball from me. He lined up the angle and released the ball. It raced over the polished wood and hit the centre pin. All but one fell down. From there things got worse for Micah.

“Thank you for tonight.” I grinned at Micah as we walked home through the park.

“Yeah it was a good night. I won at bowling. You got better at bowling, managed to get one or two strikes all on your own. I can’t believe that first game. You were terrible and I swear your appalling talent rubbed off on my. Thank God I managed to shake it off.” I couldn’t help it. I snickered. He had become pretty awful. He managed to get only a few pins on every shot. Occasionally his ball would curve into the gutter.

“It’s not that funny.” Micah rolled his eyes at me and I burst into more laughter. Then his stared at me and it was like a veil had been lifted from him and he was staring at me properly for the first time.

“What?” I asked hiding a snicker behind my hand. His eyes widened with recognition.

“You!”

“Me?” I grinned. He narrowed his eyes at me.

“Yes you! That’s cheating!”

“What?! I didn’t do anything!”

“Don’t give me that you cheater!” Micah dove at me and I broke into a run across the park.

“Ah!” I dove out of the way and put the bench between us laughing but keeping my eyes on him. He was poised ready to pounce. He moved a step and I countered.

“I told you not to cheat.”

“Technically it wasn’t cheating.” I countered and Micah snarled.

“Fine it was sabotage then!” I gasped in fake shock.

“Sabotage? Me? I’d never do something as low handed as that!”

“Oh yes you would!” Micah leapt over the bench and I only just moved out of the way in time. I ran as fast as I could across the park only he was faster. He threw his weight into my back and we both fell to the floor. I got mud all over my hands and my knees then he pushed me again and I fell onto my back. He straddled my waist with his legs hooked over mine and his shoes pressing the insides of my thighs so I couldn’t move my legs. He pinned my hands to the grass with his and loomed over me. I panted and grinned up at him.

“Do you know what happens to cheaters who sabotage?” He put emphasis on the last word and I tried to strain out of his grip, pushing my hips up to try to dislodge him. I gave up with a laugh and shook my head.

“No.” His grin became evil.

“They get tickled!” He released my hands and tickled my sides in earnest. I screamed and laughed trying to bat his hands off me. “I’m not letting you out of your punishment!”

“Ahah! Stop! MICAH! STOP! Hahahaha!” I screamed several times and roared out my laughter. I tried to push him off me but he grabbed my hands and held them above my head with one of his hands. I threw my head from side to side trying to help myself roll over. He tickled me with one hand racing it across my stomach and sides.

“I’ll teach you to sabotage my game again.”

“Ahaha I can’t…can’t b-b-b hahaha breathe! I can’t breathe! Micah!” I dissolved into giggled again and tried to gasp in breath. He stopped tickling me but didn’t get off me completely.

“What do you say?” He grinned at me and I panted in breath.

“S-s-s-sorry hehe.” I giggled again and tried to calm myself down.

“That’s better.” He got off me and moved to stand up. I grinned and rose to my feet too before charging him. He fell to the floor this time and I tickled him. “Ah you bast hahaha!”

“Revenge!”

“Oh no you don’t!” He rolled me over and pinned me down to tickle me again. I sat up quickly and tickled his sides. He squirmed and dove off me. I leapt after him. We chased each other swapping who was being tickled and who was doing the tickling.

Laughing so hard and so loudly sapped our strength and when he crashed into me we both fell to the floor gasping and laughing.

“I’ve never…had so…much…fun!” Micah gasped and pulled himself to his knees. I pushed myself up to a sitting position.

“We have got to do that again.” Micah got a glint in his eye and I quickly held up my hands in surrender laughing. “Not now! Not now!”

“Heh. We’re all dirty.” I gave him a grin.

“I can fix that.” I reached out a hand and pressed it to the cloth of his shirt. I pushed my magic through his clothes and wiped them clean of dirt. I did the same to my clothes. We stood up.

“You’ve got leaves and mud in your hair.” He tugged a few strands in front of my face laughing and I reached up to take them from him. He didn’t let go and my fingers wrapped around his. I frowned questioningly at him. He was staring at something on my face.

“Micah?” His eyes were pinned on my lips. He leaned forwards. Emotions rushed through me. Excitement being the most influential. It tingled through my body, lighting every nerve in me aflame with eager anticipation.

Micah leaned forwards some more and our breaths mingled. His nose touched mine. His eyes flickered up to meet mine. I raised my lips slightly, bringing them a little closer to his. Would he kiss me? Was he going to? He leaned forwards the rest of the way, keeping his eyes locked on mine. Then his lips touched mine and I shut my eyes. Micah groaned and pressed a little harder against me. My magic broke free from my core and rushed through my body. It rushed through my blood and swept out of my body and around me. Then it crashed through Micah and he gasped against my lips before his hands moved to clutch me.

His hand that was holding my hair grasped behind my neck and held me hard. His other hand slid around my lower back and pulled me against him. He pressed his chest to mine. He was leaning over me and I arched my back not trying to move away but straining backwards all the same. His taste filled my mouth as he slipped his tongue passed my lips, he used my gasp to his advantage. I moaned and put my hands on his shoulders before sliding one down the arm that was wrapped around my waist. I tried to battle his tongue with mine, managing to slip inside his mouth before I was battled back. I whined when I was pushed out and I heard and felt Micah laugh. His laugh vibrated through his body and hummed through mine.

“Mmm.” I moaned as he pulled back for a breath. He panted but kept his forehead against mine. His eyes were closed and he licked his lips. I pushed my lips into his again and he reciprocated for a moment before pulling back again. I gasped in breath and he eventually opened his eyes. He stared into mine and I was unable to break eye contact.

“Harry…” He whispered. His breath wafted over my skin giving it a little heat. “I’m not gay…I love women…”

I closed my eyes, dismay filling me. I turned my face away from him but he used the hand on my neck to turn my face back to him. I blinked. What was he going to say now? He already said all he had to.

“You aren’t a women.” That much was glaringly obvious but I didn’t say that. I looked from eye to eye trying to find out what he was thinking, trying to see and understand where this was going. “You aren’t a woman but I’m attracted to you.”

“Really?” My voice didn’t sound hopeful, thank Merlin because that would have been embarrassing. It sounded wary but curious.

“Yes. I don’t understand this.” He moved his hand over my cheek and brushed his fingers across my lips. I couldn’t stop myself, I licked my lips at the same time. He smiled and moved his fingers away. He pressed his lips back to mine briefly but I closed my eyes anyway and blinked them open when he pulled away. “I need to think about this.”

“Okay.” I nodded. He nodded to and kissed me very lightly before pulling away and running a hand through his hair. He breathed for a few moments before offering me a smile.

“We should get you back. We have to talk to our wayward dates.” I nodded and walked with him.

“Um Micah?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want me to clean us off? We smell like each other. They’re going to notice.” I didn’t want to say it. By saying that it made everything we’d just shared be thrown into a cupboard. Out of sight and out of mind. It was like erasing what we had done.

“It’s a good idea.” I nodded and hesitantly reached out to him again. He grasped my hand and held it tightly for a second. He shook my hand like he was ready to say something more to me then sighed and released me. I asked my magic to clean him of smell and it came flooding out of his body cleaning him as it did so.

“Ah!” I looked at Micah frowning. “Was that your magic leaving me?”

“Yeah.”

“I felt it fill me up when we kissed. It’s incredible. I feel rather empty now.” I smiled and shrugged a little. That statement gave me more hope than he could know. He’d mentioned it, he wasn’t just pushing it all away. I cleaned myself and we went back to walking to the Circus.

When we reached there we bumped into Jean-Claude, Asher and Anita who were heading towards the parking lot. I suppressed a shudder. They were all covered in Anita’s aura, like death and decay. I felt sick but forced myself to ignore it.

“Micah! Where’ve you been? I though we had dinner reservations for tonight! We’ve missed them now! You put a deposit on the table didn’t you?” Micah looked at me and I gave him a small smile, moving well out of the way as Anita approached.

“It’s alright Anita. You were rather busy when I came to pick you up and since Asher was busy too Harry accompanied me out. We had fun.” I smiled at him again and lowered my gaze to the floor.

“You and Harry…wait, you were there when we were…” Anita sounded guilty and I saw that Asher looked rather guilt ridden. I offered him a shrug before looking at Anita who was looking from one person to the next.

“It’s okay Anita. I understand, so does Micah.”

“Harry I am so sorry.” I looked up at Asher and grinned.

“It’s fine, no need to apologise. I’m not mad. I understand completely. Besides, tonight was fun.” I flashed Micah a grin and then looked back at Asher. He was still looking apologetic. I swallowed and stepped forwards wrapping my arms around his waist. He froze slightly before wrapping his arms around me too. I could feel the safety and pleasure at being wrapped in Asher’s arms contrasting with the vile feel of Anita’s aura smudged all over him. I pressed my cheek into his chest briefly and then pulled back.

“Next time would you send a message so I know you’re busy? I thought you’d stood me up at first.” I lied about that, I knew what he was doing. He’d forgotten about me but I wasn’t going to accuse him of that, I liked him too much.

“That’s assuming there will be a next time.” I glanced over at Anita who had spoken. She was wrapped around Micah hugging him tightly. I met Micah’s eyes and he blinked before looking away and kissing the top of Anita’s head. I sighed and pulled back from Asher.

“Oh there will always be a next time.” I yawned and covered my mouth. “I’m shattered. All that running around has worn me out.”

“Running around? I thought you went to dinner and bowling. How does that make you run around.” Micah grinned at me and pushed Anita back so he could look at her properly.

“Well you see, wizards cheat at bowling. And it they aren’t cheating then they are sabotaging other people’s games.”

“Hey! I only did that on one game! The other game I didn’t cheat at all…okay so I cheated a little bit then as well…” Micah blinked at me.

“You cheated on the last game? How?” I shifted slightly grinning at him.

“Well you know that time you dropped the ball backwards? Yeah um…that was me.” Micah stared at me in shock before diving at me.

“You little cheat!” I laughed and darted behind Asher. Micah stopped diving forwards and just pointed a threatening finger at me. “You just wait! I’ll get you when you least expect it!”

“No way! You got me back already! I have the bruises to prove it!” I protested and Micah smirked.

“Well if you’ve got bruises to prove it then I suppose my job here is done!” I laughed at him and he turned back to Anita. I moved back around Asher so I was no longer hiding behind his back. Jean-Claude’s eyes were glittering at me and Asher had a small smile on his face.

“You had fun then Mon petit magician?”

“Of course. One of the best nights of my life. But I should probably head home now. I’m shattered.” Jean-Claude nodded and I looked to Asher. I thought about how to phrase the next question. I could slip a barb into it. No, I decided. Because if Asher hadn’t of stood me up then I would never have been with Micah. “Can I see you tomorrow?”

“Of course. Perhaps I could feed tomorrow when you come?” I nodded. Hopefully by tomorrow Anita’s stains would have faded, especially since Asher would have died with the sunrise. Even if the stains hadn’t of gone I could put up with some of it, or try to overcome the stains with my magic.

“Sure. I’m going to apparate home. Night.” I stepped backwards putting some distance between Asher and myself. He looked slightly put out. I looked at him curiously.

“Est-ce que je peux vous embrasser bonne nuit?” He asked and I understood then. I nodded and stepped forwards. He pushed his arms around me and pressed his lips against mine. I sighed into the kiss and my magic swarmed to the surface. I let some of it trickle into him and felt his arms tighten in response. I pulled away. “Bonne nuit, Mon petit magicien.”

“Bonne nuit Asher. Bonne nuit Jean-Claude.” I said with a smile. I saw Anita and Micah kissing. “Um Anita? Micah? Would you like me to drop you off home?”

Micah jerked against Anita and pulled away from her rather violently. He looked utterly appalled.

“God no! Never again am I letting you teleport me anywhere! That was the worst thing I’ve ever felt in my life!” I burst into laughter and shrugged.

“I don’t see what you’re complaining about! Really I don’t! It took me ages to learn how to land on my feet, you got it straight away.” Micah groaned.

“Those cat jokes aren’t funny!” I laughed again and pulled my magic to me. I vanished with a small pop.

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NOTES: So, as I said I hadn't meant for it to turn out like this but I for one am glad it has. We are about half way through the story now. I hope you have enjoyed it so far!