Hello there! This one-shot popped in my head after watching the Expendables again. Enjoy!


To let it go.


They were back from the pirates' mission. Everything went well. A job well done, meaning with a lot of blood and explosions – on the other side.

Gunnar had calmed down; for now.
And now he was getting a much deserved rest, or in this case the last piece of his back tattoo while listening to Tool's more or less deep ramblings.

Well, of course, Christmas was also here, and depressed at that, because of some chick most likely.

Ouch, a knife out of target? She must have counted more than they thought…

Barney Ross's musings were cut short by a firm knocking on the garage's door. The three men looked at each other with a significant look. Who would knock at Tool's? You entered or didn't come near.

Tools got up and went to the door, a knife in hand, hidden behind his back.

The sight that greeted him on the other side was somewhat surprising.

Standing like a fighter next to a gleaming Harley Davidson was a young man, black hair, pale skin, with an aristocratic face, a lithe but muscled body. He was dressed completely in black with combat boots, although his leather jacket was in some strange scaly hide. He also wore a turtleneck under that, despite the temperature. However, his most unique features were definitely his eyes. Green and almond shaped, they were shining like jewels, like emeralds. But their distinctive traits were obscured by their expression. They were hollow, pained and lost. The mirror of the soul indeed.
This young man looked like he had seen and made war, but he was still a child in so many ways.

His perusal of this puzzle was interrupted by a scratchy voice but with a very academic and classy way of speech, with an obvious English accent.

"I would like to talk to Lee Christmas, please."

"And why would you think this man is here?"

"Because he told me I could always get his whereabouts from here." The raven sighed, before obviously gathering himself and adding a little dryly but mischievously, "Oh, and could you please put your weapon back or at least in full view, please?"

Before Tool could wonder how this strange boy knew he had a knife hidden somewhere, footsteps came from the inside. Speak of the devil and he should arrive. Hearing his name had obviously attracted Lee outside. Barney was just about to berate him for his lack of caution when he was beaten to the punch by their guest.

"Constant Vigilance, Lee!"

Lee was stumped.

"Harry? Harry Potter?"

"Good evening, Lee" Harry replied tiredly but with obvious relief at finally seeing him.

After a few seconds to get out of his shock, Lee realized the situation and exclaimed,

"It's okay guys, you can let him in! No one could imitate Harry that well."

"How do you know?" Barney asked still on the defensive.

Lee rolled his eyes, but answered anyway,

"I just know, okay? Harry is like you, no one could… exude the same feel."


Once inside, Lee made sure that they could find a place to talk alone.

"So… What are doing here exactly?"

Harry sighed deeply.

"I had to get away. To leave the place, the people, the… memories." He finished with a pained expression.
"It became too hard to fight against what I've become."

"What happened to make you leave?" asked Lee.

"I almost killed my girlfriend when she woke me up. Again. For the third time in one week."

"Did she throw you out?" He asked immediately.

"No, Harry answered softly, Ginny understands, she was changed because of someone else too, she knows we can't go back to the people we were before. No, we agreed to separate."

Both stayed silent for quite a while. Harry was obviously lost in thoughts. Lee didn't want to interrupt him; the kid was obviously here to find an ease he'd lost years ago, he was not about to force him to talk.

Especially since Barney and Tool were observing them, and he didn't know how harry would react when pushed. He had no idea what he was able to do now that his training was finished. He was already apprehensive of his… magic before, but now, it was better to be careful and to wait for him.

It was apparently the right decision, because suddenly Harry stood up and began pacing, before ranting.

"I tried to rest. Truly! I tried to stop fighting; to stop observing my surroundings, to stop thinking about all the ways to subdue or kill the people in the room if they reveal themselves to be threats.

I tried so hard.

But I didn't manage! I can't undo it!

They've made me a weapon and now they are disappointed in me because I can't turn it off. So they threw me away. They discarded me after my use." Harry finished in a choked up whisper.

Lee hurried to him to stop him from slumping on the floor and took him in his arms, where Harry finally let loose his repressed emotions.

That was it. No way in hell he'd let the kid go back there before he dealt with his issues. He'd become attached to this man in a child body when he had been hired to train him in muggle techniques to fight.

He was one of them now, even if far more powerful.

He'd take care of him.


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