Sleeping Together

When Tom was left alone in the dorm with Hier Black, he went to the washroom to complete his nightly solutions and change into his nightclothes.

Fifteen minutes later, he entered the dorm and when he saw that the other boy was fast asleep, he dimmed the hanging light orbs in the room and settled into his own bed.

However, he couldn't feel at ease thinking about everything that had happened tonight and in the end, with a muttered curse got off his bed and went to check Black once again.

He studied the other boy - Black looked so small and innocent all nestled up in blankets. If it wasn't for the slight tremors that went through his body every few minutes, the sight would have looked adorable and Tom would have scoffed at it.

However, in the present circumstances, it only worked to raise bile in his throat.

Giving it some thought, Tom wanted to slip into Black's bed - better to see any changes in his condition that way.

He had read in one of the books in the library that The Cruciatus Curse affected the nerve endings of an individual and the nerves were ever-present just under the skin of a living being, so maybe physical contact might help with the pain?

Thinking up to here, he slowly removed the comforter and climbed into the four-poster bed and extinguished the lights and drew close the curtains around the bed.

Once Tom found a suitable position to lie down, he turned Hier Black towards himself and just looked at the boy who was lying in a potion induced dreamless sleep.

This was the first time he was given the chance to observe Hadrian Black in such close proximity and his eyes drank in the other boy's features hungrily - as if trying to imprint them into his very soul.

He traced his dorm-mate's features with feather-light touches and then he brushed back Black's fringe that perpetually fell over his forehead and touched the lightning bolt mark on his forehead.

He absentmindedly noticed that Black had silken smooth hair and blemish-free skin.

A few minutes later, when he realised what he was doing, Tom snatched his hand away as if burned.

Shaken by his thoughts, he turned his back on Black and fell asleep.

--------Line Break--------

A few hours later, Tom got up feeling confused and disoriented.

It took him a couple of minutes to realise that he had been awoken by Black who was squirming around in bed uncomfortably.

Tom recalled that the professor had said that feeling uncomfortable and pain would be the after-effects of the Cruciatus.

Turning towards Black, he raised his hand and placed it on the other boy's forehead.

Hier Black was running a fever.

By now, the earlier potions effects had started wearing off, so he picked up the left-over potions from the side-table and turned to give them to Black.

When he tried to wake Hier Black, a pitiful groan escaped the other boy and he flung back his neck trying to ease whatever pain he was feeling in his semi-conscious state.

Although Black only struggled feebly in his arms, the boy would start whimpering whenever Tom pressed the glass vials to his lips and would avert his head, not even the tightening of his arms around Black coaxed him into drinking the potions.

Additionally, no matter how or what Tom tried, the other boy wouldn't even get up into a half-sitting position steadily and would turn lax in his arms as soon as his neck was off the pillow.

Sighing in exasperation, Tom stretched his arms to encompass Black's head and help him take a few sips of the two potions.

Gradually the lips Hier Black had pressed firmly together slackened and he allowed himself to be fed the potion, grimacing as it went down.

Though, Black spluttered at the taste of the potions and Tom had to gently rub his throat to make it easier for Black to swallow them in his semi-lethargic state.

Black started furrowing his brow at the after taste and Tom had to resist his urge to dab at the sweat on his forehead and pat him like a two-year-old child.

Then he heard Black mumble, "Why do potions always taste like dirty socks?"

Tom was taken aback.

He looked at his dorm-mate closely, but Black's eyes were still closed and he was still frowning.

It was then that Tom realised that Black seemed to be talking in his sleep and he couldn't help but guffaw at the fact that the prim and proper pureblood who never seemed to lose his composure in public was sleep-talking.

Finished with feeding Black his potions, Tom was in the process of laying his slightly raised head back to rest against the pillows, when the other boy buried his head in Tom's neck and gave a pain-filled groan.

It was only then that he noticed that Hier Black had managed to wriggle around until they were facing each other.

The other boy seemed to be exhausted from his struggles and Tom risked freeing his arm from behind Black's head but to no avail.

In contrast, this prompted Black to furrow deeper into the covers and plaster himself to Tom's body like a limpet.

In the next moment, Black had placed his arm around Tom's middle and one of his legs was lying atop Tom's own legs and the other boy rubbed his face all across Tom's chest and then with a whispered, "warm" went to sleep and started snoring.

Meanwhile, Tom Riddle froze in utter and complete shock at Black's mind-boggling actions.

Could someone tell him what was happening?

Why was Hier Black acting like a lazy cat - rubbing himself all over him and acting in such an uninhibited manner?

Tom shook his head violently and hoped to Merlin and Morganna that it was just the addled brains of a person filled with potions that were at work and that generally, Black didn't constrict people who slept with him in this manner - where even moving an inch was a problem.

When he tried to extract himself from the human cage around him, Black swatted at his face as if swatting a bothersome fly and then kept on snoring.

At the unexpected slap, Tom couldn't help but want to wake the other boy with a tight slap to his face.

What was all this?

He was giving up his sleep and taking care of Black and he was repaid back with a slap and a tightening of arms and legs around him that left him short of breath.

Tom decided that he would definitely question Black about his actions the following morning and...and...and...Tom Riddle went to sleep while his mind was filled with thoughts of Hadrian Black.

--------Line Break--------

Meanwhile, the reaper who had been tasked by Death to keep a watch on the mortal plane and Master of Death, in particular, laughed himself silly when he saw the Master of Death sleeping snuggly with a boy his age.

The reaper had seen such actions when he had been sent to the Land of The Living to reap souls of spouses who were in love with each other and he had also seen such actions when magical animals wanted to find or court their mates - they would rub themselves all over their intended to try and mark them with their scent to show the others in their herd that the particular animal was theirs.

A few hours later, everyone in The Land of The Dead knew that The Master of Death was in the beginning stages of a courtship.

However, the general consensus was that no ordinary mortal would be allowed to befuddle their master and all of them would secretly try to test the hordes of people who would be interested in their master - for his looks, his magic, his power or his inherent goodness and sense of justice.

After all, their master was so good - he never asserted his position over them or scolded them like Death, he must have many suitors vying for his hand in marriage.

All the reapers decided that they would try to go to Lady Life and Lady Destiny and ask about the prospective consorts and anyone who wasn't sincere, would be culled by their scythes.

They all watched furtively as their master and the other magical slept so peacefully - their hairs tangled in each other's hairs and their breathing in sync.

If the purported 'so-good' Master of Death had known the gossip making the rounds in The Land of The Dead and had the faintest idea that these repears would meddle in his life and push him into 'romantic' situations so as to help him find a worthy consort, he would have run as far away as possible from this madhouse.