An Isle's Advocate

Chapter 12

Later, the two of them lay on their blankets, Hayden resting on Harry's chest who is absently running his fingers up and down his pale arm, both having tossed their jackets to the side.

"How exac'ly are we handlin' this whole mess then?" Harry asks quietly.

Hayden sighs. "Well," he says, "at noon tomorrow we head down to Pirate's Bay."

"Mm-hm."

"Mal and the others will be there with the wand-"

"Which I'm guessin' is a fake, righ'?" Harry asks knowingly.

"Obviously," Hayden tells him. "She and Uma will inevitably take the time to insult each other before they do anything else."

"There's prob'ly gonna be some singin'," Harry says, smirking because he knows Hayden just rolled his eyes even if he can't see it.

"Unfortunately," he agrees. "We will also be there so I can talk to Uma about releasing Ben."

"Which only migh' work," Harry points out.

"Let's hope it does," Hayden tells him as he sits up. Harry follows, grabbing his hand as he does, seemingly reluctant to let go of him now that he's back. Hayden just squeezes lightly, locking their fingers together.

"Wha' do we do if it doesn' work?" he asks curiously.

Hayden looks up at the night sky for a second in thought before shrugging his shoulders. "Sit back and let 'em fight it out?" he suggests. "See who wins and go from there?"

Harry hums thoughtfully. "Simple," he says with a grin, "an' no' a lotta work fer us. I like it."

"Why am I not surprised?" Hayden drawls.

Harry leans in and presses a soft kiss to his lips. "Mm. 'Cause yeh know me so well," he says as he pulls away.

"Guess I do," Hayden murmurs with a small smile before gracefully standing up, grabbing his jacket and dropping Harry's hand as he does. "Come on," he tells him.

Harry rolls to his own feet, sliding his coat on and running a hand through his messy hair. "Where we goin'?" he asks, frowning as Hayden quickly folds up the blankets, shoving them back in the crate and starting towards the ladder down.

"My place," Hayden says with a shrug as he starts to climb down. Harry's eyebrows shoot up as follows him. "Nothing actually happens until tomorrow so we're good for the night," he continues.

"An' yer invitin' me back to yer place fer it?" Harry says as he jumps down the last two rungs, boots landing with a heavy thud on the cracked pavement. He presses one hand to his chest as he turns to face Hayden with a mock serious look. "My, my. How presumpt'ous of yeh," he tells him.

Hayden gives him a look, lips twitching as he tries not to smile. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Hook," he says, turning and starting down the alley. "We're sleeping and that's it."

Harry grins and hurries to catch up with him. He throws one arm around his shoulders, sighing in content when Hayden immediately wraps his own around his waist. "Wha' else am I s'pposed to think when yeh say somethin' like tha'?" he teases.

Hayden rolls his eyes. "Not like it'll be the first time you've stayed the night, Harry."

"Ah, bu' I don' have to stay on the couch this time, do I?" he teases again.

"You will if you keep that up," Hayden says simply. Naturally, that's enough for Harry to be quiet.

They keep walking and it's as they come to Hayden's front gate, passing one last skull and roses tag as they leave the last alleyway, that he finally asks about them.