AN: Sorry for the long delay in posting, I've been a little busy at work and my writing muse has slacked on the job... but, I got another chapter written, so yay! ;-) Hopefully more to come soon!

Harry was surprised at how naturally things fell into place. How comfortable Harry felt with Riddick and Sirius (Harry couldn't help but name the dog after his godfather, the pup seemed to have the same playful, lovable, mischievous personality); how such a barren planet could feel so much like home.

Several weeks went by as Harry and Riddick acted out a weird courtship that was teeming with sexual tension and intent. Harry didn't know why, but Riddick was deadset on waiting to consummate their relationship and Harry, well Harry, he went with Riddick's gut on it.

It was a weird relationship, made up of instinctual responses and primal communication. Harry knew Riddick was a little more than human, could feel it in the aura around the man, in the animalistic behaviors that always seemed to be just under Riddick's skin. Harry felt an answering call in his magic and in his blood, a feeling that whatever happened, whatever road they traveled together... it was one that they were always destined to take, together.

Harry never imagined that when he was banished he would find someone like Riddick... a man that set fire to his body, who's strange eyes seemed to consume him, who felt like a missing piece of himself all wrapped up in a protective, possessive, dominant, gorgeous man. He'd never really been one to listen to orders, to toe the line and the status quo... he still wasn't, come to think of it... but with Riddick it felt natural to let the man take the lead when it suited Harry, which surprisingly, was fairly often.

Which brings us back to that sexual tension that Riddick was determined to let keep building between them.

It was early morning and as usual, Harry woke nearly on top of Riddick. They hadn't talked about it after the second morning Harry had found himself waking in the same position, but Riddick seemed to feel that the ground and bedding was too hard for Harry and always maneuvered Harry onto his chest shortly after they laid down for the night. Harry's upper body was splayed out on Riddick's chest, his head resting in the curve of the man's neck (breathing in that glorious scent of spice, sweat, something dark and dangerous). Riddick's arms were wrapped around Harry, holding him close, his face nuzzled into Harry's hair and their legs tangled together on the threadbare animal skins they used as a bed.

As was also usual, Sirius was snuggled up to their legs, splayed out like an animal without a care in the world. The would-be dog's feet twitched and flexed here and there, no doubt caught in a dream, chasing his prey with mischievous glee.

"Morning," Riddick murmured, his voice deep and gravelly, a perfect combination of sleep and the natural tone that always seemed to make Harry shiver in delight.

Harry hummed in contentment and pressed his body just a little bit closer to Riddick, if that was at all possible, nuzzling into the soft skin around Riddick's throat and mouthing it lazily, capturing the tangy taste on the man's skin with his tongue. Riddick growled playfully, sending another shiver down Harry's spine, and turned them over so that the much bigger man could loom over Harry in a predatory way.

Riddick grinned down at Harry, chuckling softly when Harry let a whine of need slip from his lips, then he leaned down and caught Harry's lips in a fiery kiss that promised so much pleasure when they finally got around to actually going past the heavy petting stage. Harry felt Riddick slip between his thighs, resting perfectly in the vee his legs made, their erections rubbing teasingly together as Riddick rolled his hips down against Harry's.

Gasping, Harry wrapped his arms around Riddick's neck and pulled the man back down for another all consuming kiss, already knowing that Riddick was going to want to get up in just a second to start their day.

Not even a minute later, both of them panting heavily and incredibly hard, Riddick gave Harry one more kiss; it was soft and warm, full of not only the promise of pleasure, but filled with the emotions that the man struggled to convey to Harry.

Finally, Riddick rolled out of the bed of furs and to his feet, absently ruffling Sirius' head when the dog woke up and barked playfully at him.

The morning went much like usual, they ate their breakfast, explored the safe areas around them and hunted for food. Riddick was determined to make sure that they survived, even in the harsh environment they lived in.

Of course, Riddick wasn't satisfied with the scraps they had... living on the eels with a few hardy plants that survived the climate and the water that Harry was able to create. Riddick told him that Harry needed more, Riddick needed to provide more (there goes those primal, instinctual urges that seemed to lay just under the skin), and so he'd begun looking for new ways to keep them alive.

It was because of this that Riddick found out that just over the mountain range they were in, past the deep puddles where the creatures with the deadly venom and vicious tails lived, there was so much more.

Green grass, clear air, animals a plenty... they just had to get past the reptile-like predators and they were on to greener pastures.

Turns out that those creatures, Harry had no idea what to call them... they were ugly reptile-like beasts on two legs with a fat ass and a wicked tail that housed a large pincher and an odd ability to try and lull/confuse their would-be victims. Anyways, turns out that whatever scales that the creatures had on their skins, well it was resistant to magic. Wasn't that just bloody perfect. And, along with the creatures being resistant to magic, it seemed that the planet he'd been banished to was also made of different materials, heavier gravity and it made it impossible for him to apparate. Well, not impossible, but the one and only time he did it the day after he arrived on the planet, he'd felt like his insides were being crushed the entire time he'd been apparating. Afterwards, it took him several days to recover from the bruises (both inside and out). Harry could only imagine the injuries he'd get from apparating with Riddick and Sirius in tow.

Because of this, Riddick took it upon himself to build up a tolerance for the paralyzing venom the creatures used to disable their prey, so that he could take on the creatures, kill the ones blocking their path and get them over the mountain ridge that separated them from a better way of life. He insisted that Harry stay back, let Riddick protect in this, glaring at Harry as the younger man rolled his eyes in amusement... but let the older man have his way, for now.

It took several weeks of Riddick forcefully injecting the venom into his body and then having Harry slowly heal him, allowing his body to grow a tolerance for it. Harry didn't like it and at first had flat-out told Riddick he wasn't going to do it, but the stupid prat just went and did it the first time without telling Harry. It was his magic that alerted him that something was wrong, Harry could feel a deep sense of unease crawl up his spine, Sirius whining pitifully next to him... and Harry had just known. He'd abandoned the bit of "gardening" he'd been doing to help the plants they lived off of to grow healthy and had run back towards the temple ruins that they had been living in.

He'd found Riddick passed out on their bed, a small pincher from one of the baby creatures was clasped loosely in Riddick hand, a small trail of blood bleeding from the puncture mark in the man's leg. Harry had cursed Riddick out and glared at his lover for two days, so angry with him for nearly killing himself. Riddick had been equal parts determined to keep doing it despite Harry's feelings on the matter and placating, trying to convince Harry that he couldn't just allow them to continue to just survive in this barren place... that he needed to do more to ensure that he took care of Harry the way he should be.

It was times like that, when Riddick's actions were clearly steeped in whatever animalistic instinct that was locked in his DNA, that Harry couldn't help but answer back in kind. His magic directing him, guiding him, pointing the way; allowing Harry to not only understand where Riddick was coming from, but provide the right responses in return. It was clear that Riddick wasn't human, some alien or magical creature that was far more feral and animalistic than your average human... and even though Harry lacked that same lineage, his magic made up for it and allowed Harry to create whatever bond that sprang up between those of Riddick's kind.

So, reluctantly, Harry stood by and let Riddick slowly build a tolerance to the venom, but he was there every step of the way. Carefully keeping watch and doing his best to help Riddick's body do its work and to keep him safe when the bloody idiot had to go and get more venom to inject into his body.

It was on the tenth try that Riddick's body started actively working against the venom right from the start, allowing Riddick to stay awake and in control of his body, despite the high dosage of venom he'd had running through his veins. He didn't pass out once and within just an hour any lingering effects from the venom was gone.

"Think it's time," Riddick said once the venom was completely gone.

"Guess so," Harry sighed and then raised his head up from where he had it resting on Riddick's chest to glare at the man. "But, you better be careful, if you die I'll be very put out."

Riddick grinned and kissed Harry softly. "Deal."

The next morning they packed up the meager possessions they had acquired while living on the barren planet. Sirius, catching on to the fact that something was happening, was excitedly running around the room picking up items to "help" and running away with them when Riddick or Harry tried to pack them... generally causing more trouble than actually helping.

Finally, when they had everything stowed away in the bottomless bag Harry had magic'd into existence, they made their way towards the pits and the creatures that lived in the murky water.

Harry stood a ways away from the pits at Riddick's insistence, but close enough to actually do something if Riddick needed his help.

Riddick walked towards the pools of water, a large bone in his hand to use as a weapon, and generally made a big nuisance of himself by making as much noise as he could.

A tail emerged from the water, hissing and snapping its pincher as Riddick moved closer to it.

"Come on, show me some teeth." Riddick smirked.

He stomped his feet in the shallow waters again, slapped his thigh in invitation and after a while the creature that stood in the way of them leaving slowly rose from the water.

Harry sucked in his breath at the ugly creature as it waddled weirdly on two feet, its large ass sticking out with a long pincher tail and its equally large head. It stood over four feet tall and was just as long. It finally took Riddick's invitation to try and bite him, sinking it's venomous fangs into Riddick's thigh, oblivious to the fact that it just sealed its fate.

Riddick grinned through the pain and allowed the blade hidden within the bone to unfold, and in three solid hits the creature's head was severed from its body. Riddick stuck the bone blade in the ground and looked at his thigh.

Harry sighed in relief as the creature's body slid back into the water, walking towards where Riddick was pulling the creatures fangs, still attached to its head, from his thigh. He threw the head into the water and turned to Harry, a smile on his face. Sirius stood not to far away, barking excitedly at the baby creatures in a nearby pool. Harry turned and called him over, not wanting the pup to get bit.

It was as Harry turned back to Riddick that he saw another tail emerged from the pool of water... this one much larger than the other.

Riddick, seeing Harry's face, turned back around and just barely jumped out of the way of the tail as it thrust forward, its pincher snapping ferociously as he tried to get Riddick. The rest of the creature appeared from the water, twice as large as the one Riddick had killed and with a few jabs of the tail, sent Riddick sailing through the air to careen into a nearby rock. That was when Harry decided enough was enough.

Harry pulled the sword he'd transfigured a while back from his bag and ran towards where Riddick was fighting the creature after he'd gotten back up. Harry started hacking away at the creature's body, wounding it in vital areas that while not killing it, certainly slowed it down. Harry dodged the tail and chopped one of its legs off, grinning as the creature shrieked in pain.

Riddick, taking the shot that Harry had opened for him, grabbed the bone blade and ran forwards, sliding onto his knees across the water and under the large behemoth. His sharp blade sliced through the delicate underbelly of the creature, allowing its intestines to spill out on the ground below, only for the creature to start attacking the intestines and eating it.

Harry grimaced and grabbed Sirius while the creature was distracted and ran pass it, Sirius barking madly at the creature the whole way.

Riddick grabbed Harry once he'd reached safety and ran his hands over Harry's body, looking for injuries with a concerned face.

"I'm fine, the thing didn't even come at all the close to me." Harry huffed, but allowed Riddick to continue checking.

Once Riddick assured himself that Harry was fine he pulled him closer and nuzzled into his neck, making that low huffing noise that told Harry that he was scenting him. Finally, Riddick pulled back and growled.

"Told you to stay back."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Did you really expect me to just stand by and watch you get killed? I know it hasn't escaped your notice, I'm actually quite capable of not only protecting myself, but helping in a fight as well."

Riddick huffed and mumbled about his stubborn mate and then grabbed Harry's hand, climbing up and through the passage ways to slowly make their way through the seemingly endless mountain range.

It took a few days, but they finally made it to the other side and when they did Harry couldn't help but grin. The mountains gave way to a valley floor filled with fields of grass, trees with fruit and nuts, animals grazing of many varieties. It had clear air and sunny skies, and Harry kind of loved it.

"You're right, this was a good idea."

"Told ya'," Riddick smirked and pulled Harry in for a deep kiss.