Chapter Text
After Cold Days, before Skin Game
Murphy's POV
It was a really cold night, things were quiet, by some miracle. I was alone at home, as usual. I didn’t get invited to the family dinners anymore, and I was fine with that; it kept them safe. I had to keep my people safe, no matter what. I was trying to relax with a cup of cocoa, when there was a knock on the door.
“Harry?” I asked, surprised, when I opened the door.
He held his hand up, a cut on one finger, letting me see the blood on it.
“Yep.”
I allowed him to come in.
“I thought you were not going to leave the island.”
He looked down in the middle of taking his coat off.
“Do you want me to leave?”
“No.” I might have said that too quickly. I cleared my throat. “Do you want some cocoa?”
Soulful brown eyes stared at me as if I’ve offered him the sun and the moon.
“I’d love some.”
I nodded, and quickly went to the kitchen. My hands shook a little as I poured the hot drink. Harry was not supposed to be here, he’d said he needed time to learn about the island, to figure things out. I knew part of it was about trying to avoid some things. I could relate. I had some things I needed to figure out myself, and my fair share of things I avoided lately. But it was Christmas, and he came, and maybe I shouldn’t look at a gift horse in the mouth.
I found him sitting on the floor, right in front of the fire, staring at the small tree I’d decorated.
“It looks nice.” He said, as he grabbed the hot cup.
“Thanks.” The tree wasn’t much, it was small and a little thin, and I hadn’t bothered decorating it much, a few golden globes and red ribbons here and there. “I still don’t have much time for these things.”
“I imagine.” He said, his brows furrowing. “I’m sorry. I know it’s my fault.”
“Yes.” I wouldn’t lie to him or myself about it. “But also, it’s not like the bad guys need the motivation, they are what they are.”
“How are you– How’s… everyone?”
“We’re holding up the fort.” Like I had promised him I would, in my mind, while he was gone. “We’re okay, most of the time.”
He finished his cocoa and set the cup aside, before he leaned down and rested his head on my lap. My hand moved to his hair, naturally.
“When are you coming back?”
“I don’t know.” He whispered.
“Did you go to see Maggie?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I can’t, not yet.”
"You should."
"I know."
At least he was aware.
“So, you’re just visiting me, then?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I miss you.” He said as he rubbed his cheek against me.
“I miss you, too, all the time.” I let my hand follow the line of his neck, down to his strong shoulder, and up again. He sighed at my touch, as if it was the most pleasurable thing he’d felt in a while, and maybe it was. He’d been alone in that island for months, after all.
“May I stay tonight?” He asked, almost shyly.
“Yes.”
“Would you let me sleep with you?” He said, his voice shaking just a little.
“I…”
“Just sleep; I know where we stand.” He clarified, and if I were honest, I wasn’t sure I was relieved about it or not.
I reached for a cushion from the sofa, and the blanket over it, too. Harry moved enough to allow me to replace my legs with the cushion, under his head. I threw the blanket over us, and I lied down too, behind him, pressed to the broad expanse of his back. I couldn’t help myself and wrapped an arm around him, hugging him.
For a while, we just breathed together.
And then he took my hand to his lips, placed a soft kiss on it, before he laid it over his heart. Then very slowly, maybe giving me time to oppose it if I wanted to, he reached behind, touched my hip and down my thigh, until he hooked his hand behind my knee and moved it, wrapping my leg around him, too.
“I love your legs.” He said, his hand slowly running up and down my calf.
I said nothing. The moment wasn’t anything like what my imagination could conjure up when it came to him on nights just as lonely and just as cold as this one, but somehow, it was even more intimate. Warmth filled me, completely.
“I love you.” I told him, snuggling up to him.
I could hear the smile in his voice as he replied.
“I love you, too.”
The End.