A/N:

As surprising as this seems, I'm not actually dead. Yes, it's been months. Would you believe me if I said that most of this was written last August? I added details and such since then, but kept most of it the same. I just didn't want to post anything until I was ready. I was so into the Lord of the fandom last year, but now...I'm a little lost with it. The magic is gone now, so to speak. I'm not sure if this story will continue, in all honesty. If there are enough readers, then maybe I'll continue. Anyway, I wanted to get this chapter out there before I make a final decision. Thank you for all those who have stuck with "Come and Find Me." It means more to me than I can say.

Disclaimer:

I don't own Lord of the Flies; that's all William Golding's work. Also, "Arms", is by Christina Perri, who's a fabulous artist.

Chapter 4: Arms

JACK'S POV

I was oddly aware of the bright rays of sunshine streaming through the window. It seemed strange; normally when I awoke, the sky was still cloaked in darkness. My eyes fluttered open and I blinked, adjusting to the light. Staring up at the ceiling, I tried to recall what exactly occurred the previous night. After a few moments, memories flooded my mind.

Right, I thought. I went to 'Castle Rock' with my mates, and Roger visited with me afterwards. But what time is it? Surely I should be up and moving by now.

I rose carefully, throwing back the thick duvet. Squinting to see the clock on the bed side table, I gasped. It was already 8:45!

"Shit," I muttered, leaping out of bed to race to the loo. My heart raced at the idea of being late. I had fifteen minutes before Flies could kill me and roast my body alive.

With that awful image in mind, I hastily finished up in the loo and dashed to the wardrobe to throw on a random suit. I reached blindly for a tie, almost strangling myself as I tried to put the bloody thing on. Sliding on a pair of black socks and shoes, I sprinted to the mirror to do a last minute check.

I stared at my reflection and sighed. If Ralph could have seen me, he most definitely would have had a heart attack. As much as I cared about appearing presentable, he was twice as bad. His impeccable fashion sense was both an endearing quality and a nuisance.

Cringing, I turned away to head to the kitchen. A full breakfast was out of the question, but a juicy red apple taunted me from its spot in the fruit basket on the counter. Snatching the apple, my briefcase, and car keys, I flew out of the front door. As soon as I was inside of my Bentley, I slammed the vehicle in reverse and sped off towards the office.

By the time I arrived at Flies Law Firm, I had one minute to clock in before all hell would break loose. Faster than one could say, "Run!", I dashed through the front doors and unceremoniously dropped my briefcase on the ground. Bending over, I braced my hands on my knees, gulping in all the oxygen I could take. A sharp pain shot through my side and my eyes were slightly out of focus, but I could see a shadowy figure in my peripheral vision.

"Jack, are you all right?" Robert asked, walking over with his usual cup of coffee in hand.

"W-woke up late. I just g-got here," I wheezed out. Standing up slowly, I reached for my briefcase.

"Had a little too much to drink last night, hmm?" He smirked, patting me on the back.

"No," I said flatly. "The alcohol didn't affect me, and when I came home, I only drank tea. I'm not sure why I woke up as late as I did, but it was hell getting over here. That's why look like shit." I gestured to myself, pointing out the obvious flaws.

"Well, you're right about that. You do look awful," he chuckled, taking a swig of his coffee.

"Thanks." I rolled my eyes. "What about you? Aren't you supposed to be dead? I figured Cynthia would have slaughtered you after what we pulled yesterday."

He hid a smile behind his mug. "As it turns out, I wasn't in a lot of trouble. Sure, she was pissed, but she channeled her anger in the bedroom. The make-up sex was unbelievable." He snickered, lowering the cup to reveal his full blown smile.

"Too much information," I groaned, pushing past him to get to my office.

"Hey, you asked." He shrugged, following silently behind me to return to his.

I snorted in response, preparing to unlock my door when a chilling voice intercepted me. My shoulders immediately tensed, while my eyes traveled to Rob, who stood frozen in his spot with a petrified look marring his features.

"Merridew, Mulligan, why the hell are you two always together? If I didn't know any better, I would say that you have a thing for each other," Flies growled.

Robert blanched, face turning as pale as a ghost. His hands shook, but he managed to steady them by pulling on his jacket sleeves. He coughed, obviously mortified that Flies would bring up such a thing.

I, on the other hand, had to keep my composure in check. It would have been incredibly rude of me to burst out laughing in that instant. The very idea of Robert and I was amusing. Flies didn't know us very well if he thought Robert's rigidity could match my spontaneous, slightly disorderly ways of life. Plus, Robert was as straight as a board.

"There's nothing going on, Sir. Our offices are close, so we tend to walk to ours together," I explained calmly.

"Right," he sneered. He took one pudgy finger and moved his glasses farther up on his nose. "You both know better than to fraternize on the job. I don't care what you do in your free time, but when you're here, you work. Now move on to your cases before I make you both walk your sorry arses out of my building."

"Right, Sir. Sorry!" Robert squeaked, dodging out of the way to scurry to his office.

I nodded, trying to get around the large man, but he held his hand out to stop me. Gulping, I silently hoped I wasn't going to get murdered right on the spot. The image of my crumpled body on the ground, limbs all askew, caused my pulse to quicken.

He glared, jabbing a finger into my chest. "Why do you look so bloody repulsive, Merridew? Your tie doesn't match your suit, your hair is a mess, and your eyes are blood-shot. I will not have you walk into this law firm looking like that. I train my barristers and solicitors to appear professional at all times. I hired you and I can fire you just as easily. Now, tell me, did you rush to get here this morning?" He removed his finger, but a smirk filled with pure hatred and wickedness stretched on his mouth.

If I didn't appreciate my job as much as I did, I would have punched him in that exact moment. There wasn't anyone in the world I loathed more than my boss. The man knew how to make my blood boil, while at the same time, managed to scare the living daylights out of me.

I hesitated a fraction of a second, which was a complete mistake. Unfortunately, nothing went unnoticed by Flies.

"I see. You did hurry to arrive to work on time." His voice dripped with venom, while his eyes flashed with lividness. "You listen here, Merridew. I don't give a fuck about what you do when you're off the clock, but you will show up to my law firm on time and appearing presentable. I don't ever want to see you like this again, do you understand?"

Swallowing around the lump that had suddenly formed in my throat, I nodded. "Understood, Mr. Flies. I promise that I will be here tomorrow looking like I usually do. Things were just a little harried this morning."

He held up his hand. "No excuses. I don't want to hear them. Just go work on that damn case, and for God's sake, get a haircut! There have never been unkempt barristers or solicitors who have worked for me. You will not be the first!"

"Yes, Sir," I said quietly, biting my tongue from stating the obvious: people never saw my hair in the court room. I had to wear a white wig! But I figured allowing that piece of information to slip was detrimental to my job and my health.

With one last glance, I maneuvered around him to reach my office door. I jammed the key in the lock and quickly shoved myself inside, slamming the heavy barrier. The peace and quiet instantly calmed my nerves from Flies' assault.

Laying the briefcase on the table, I realized that I had to do something about this tie before I dove back into the case. There was nothing I could do about the suit, but there was undoubtedly a spare tie lurking somewhere in the room. As I scanned the rows of law books perched on the shelves, my eyes came across a piece of dark red cloth. My fingertips grazed it before yanking it out of its spot. Sighing with relief, I pulled off my current tie and replaced it.

Gazing at the one Flies had criticized, I grimaced. It was rather outlandish—the neon aquamarine and yellow plaid completely clashed with the gray suit I wore. In my defense, it was all Ralph's fault; he forced me to purchase the tie during one of our shopping trips. I didn't understand why he thought it would look good on me. While Ralph was the fashion expert, some of his choices were questionable.

But the current tie residing around my neck held an interesting story. I blushed at the memory, allowing my mind to wander for a brief moment.

Ralph was on leave and had decided to visit me one night at work. Normally, I would have left by five, but a particular case had me staying at the office past clock-out time. Flies and the other attorneys had already departed, leaving me alone at the law firm. I took a quick trip to the loo, and when I returned, I found Ralph sitting in my swivel chair, feet up on the oak desk. He grinned lazily at me, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Hullo, Jack," he purred.

"Hi, there. What are you doing here?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "I called you and said I'd be home later."

"I couldn't wait any longer. I missed you."

He walked over to me, placing both of his hands on the sides of my face. He pulled me closer to him, and his soft breaths caused my cheeks to flush. I could feel my body starting to react to his touch.

"I missed you, too," I croaked out, barely able to contain myself.

He closed the distance between us, firmly pressing his lips to mine in searing kiss. Clothes were tugged off and casually flung around the entire room.

"Ralph," I mumbled against his lips. "We're in my office."

"Don't care," he responded quietly. "I want you right here, right now."

And the rest became history. I was shocked at both of us for doing such an unbecoming act right in my office, but when it came to Ralph, I didn't mind losing control.

Feeling the melancholy start to seep in, I willed myself to stop thinking about him. Turning away from the shelf, I plopped into my chair. My eyes couldn't help but glance at the calendar sitting on the desk.

Valentine's Day was truly an atrocious holiday. It was only made for lovers who could be near each other—there was no intention for it to be enjoyable for long-distance couples. Tonight looked like a lonely one in front of the fire for me. I'd probably order Chinese and eat in on the sofa while I moped.

I shook my head. I had a bad habit of zoning out, reflecting on every single thing that flitted in and out of my brain. Now was really not the time to sit and feel sorry for myself.

I stretched to grab my briefcase and remembered I still had an apple in it. I took it out, preparing to take a hefty bite when a knock sounded on my door. Could I not be left alone for more than a few minutes?

Groaning, I shouted, "Come in!"

The knob turned and Rob's head poked inside. "Hey. I hope you don't mind the interruption, but I brought you something. I overheard Flies screaming about your appearance and thought this might help the hair situation."

He stepped into the room and tossed me a can. Arching a brow, I rotated it in my hands and discovered it was dry shampoo.

"Thanks, Rob. I think I definitely need some," I laughed, pointing to the chaos on my head. "And my hair thanks you, too."

"Any time. I had it lying around, so I figured I'd lend it you. Sorry you had to go through Flies' lecture. It sounded pretty rough from my office." He cringed, tugging on his sleeves again.

"Yeah, it wasn't a pleasant experience. I tell you, if I didn't actually enjoy the pressures of being an attorney and the money I get from the job, I would be out of here. Flies is a nightmare," I whispered the last part because the door was still open.

"Agreed. We're completely barmy for working for that man. If you can even call him that," he scoffed.

"Right." I smiled at him and finally took a bite of the apple. The fresh taste overwhelmed my mouth, making my smile widen.

"I didn't have time for a real breakfast this morning," I explained, gesturing to the fruit.

"I'm sorry, mate. Do you want some coffee? That should help a bit. I'll go get it for you since I'm on my way for a second one."

"Sure, that'd be great. Thank you, Rob."

"No problem." He flashed me a grin before disappearing through the door.

Finishing the apple, I tossed the core into the rubbish tin. I sprayed some of the dry shampoo in my hair, smoothing it out with my fingers. When Robert came back, he held two steaming mugs in his hands.

"Here you go," he said, handing one to me.

"Thanks again, for both the coffee and the dry shampoo." I sipped the scalding beverage and gave him back the can.

"You're welcome. Anyway, I'm going back to my office before Flies catches us again. I can't believe he thinks we have a thing between us. I mean, come on. Doesn't he know you and Ralph have been together forever?"

Snorting, I shook my head. "Please. The man doesn't know anything about me, other than the fact that I am a damn good barrister. And quite frankly, I'd like to keep it that way."

"True. There's nothing worse than a nosy boss." He wrinkled his nose. "And on that note, I'm out of here. See you at lunch, Jack."

I waved at him before he slipped through the door, closing it softly behind him. I breathed a sigh, dreading the reality of work. It was true—I did love that my job was very challenging, but I also hated it. Cases tended to be physically, as well as emotionally draining.

This current one was especially time consuming. At least I knew the facts pretty well; it was time to start gathering evidence to form my argument. I had to get Eliza Thorndale to stay in prison for life, which meant working my arse off. Even though Bill was representing her, I knew she would have back-up if things didn't turn out her way. She was dangerous women; I had dealt with people just like her, and it was all about how the game was played.

Sliding the papers out, I started on the never ending process.

The rest of the day seemed to be all right. Only a few minor things happened, like spilling coffee on my suit (as if I didn't already look horrible), eating a less than satisfying lunch (Rob, Bill, and I decided to check out the new restaurant that opened near the law firm—I ordered the 'special' which turned out to be a huge mistake), and almost every barrister or solicitor saying, 'Happy Valentine's Day' (I scowled each time a person announced that;there was no need to remind me that I didn't have plans).

Okay, scratch that. My day wasn't going well at all. And I was stuck in the middle of the case. I knew what I wanted to say and what I needed to do, but I couldn't get my mind to agree with me. Every time I thought I had a breakthrough, there'd be some loophole to stop me. A splitting headache overtook my head. Unfortunately, I didn't have any headache relief medication, or I would have taken several pills.

At least I only had a half an hour left of work. I tried to scan the rest of the document I was currently on, but a sharp thump on my door interrupted me.

"Come in," I answered, leaning back in the chair, arms folded across my chest.

Flies came barreling in with a thick folder in his hands. He looked slightly out of breath and sweat dripped from his forehead. I had to restrain myself from making a rude comment because honestly, the man really did need to work out more.

"Sir, is something the matter?" I asked briskly, hoping to hurry this up so I could finish reading and go home.

"No, nothing is wrong, Merridew," he sneered. "I'm ran here from the East Wing to tell you that you have another case." He slapped the folder down on the desk.

"Sorry?" I said, getting up and stepping closer to him.

"You head me. I've giving you a second case." Smirking, he raised a busy brow. "Problem?"

"But, Mr. Flies, why? You already have me on this one." I gestured towards the huge stack of papers on the table. "With all due respect, Sir, I don't think it's a very wise idea to hand me more work when I've barely made a dent in the current case."

"Did I ask your opinion?"

I was about to retort, but he beat me to it. He glowered, his mouth twisting into a putrid expression.

"No, I recall I didn't, Merridew. It's not like I'm asking you to give up your first born child. This should seem like nothing; you've done more than thirty cases at once before. You know how the legal system works. When one case is in waiting, you start on another one. I realize you have a big one in your hands right now, but I assume you are able to deal with this next one. I hired you for a reason—you are not a slack-off. The other barristers and solicitors couldn't juggle two demanding cases. Do us both a favor and just take the damn case."

If I wasn't so exhausted and puzzled, I would have smiled. That was the first time Flies had even come close to complimenting me.

"Sir, I don't know about this," I sighed.

"What the hell did they teach you in law school? There is none of this, 'I don't know' shit. You never say that in the legal profession, do you understand?" He made a grunting noise in the back of his throat, which reminded me of very angry boar.

"Yes, Sir. I'm just saying that this is a lot to balance at the moment. What's the next case about anyway? And how much of my time do I need to devote to it?"

"That's for you to decide. It's another criminal case, and you will be defending the accused. That is all the information I can disclose. You must read the case file for the rest of the information," he said in a clipped tone.

"I don't have a choice, do I?"

"Not if you want to uphold your position in this law firm. You may be a disorganized prat who doesn't know how to dress, but I do trust your work. I am of the opinion that you will continue to add to your reputation about not losing cases in the courtroom. Do not make me regret my decision to hire you."

With that, he turned on his heel and stormed out of my office, closing the door roughly on his way out.

Once he was gone, I covered my face with my hands and let out a long groan. Now my head was pounding more than ever. This was exactly what I didn't need after a day like this.

I sighed in relief when my eyes shifted to the clock, noticing the time. Knowing that I wouldn't get any more work done in the ten minutes I had left, I packed up the rest of papers, including the new file I had to look at. With another groan, I lifted my briefcase from the floor, feeling that it was much heavier now.

Just as I was locking up, Robert came out of his office, swinging his briefcase. He scrutinized my state, already telling that something had gone horribly wrong.

"Don't want to talk about it right now," I muttered, turning to leave. "Have fun with Cynthia tonight."

"Okay, I can respect that. We can discuss it at a later date, if you would like. And thanks. See you tomorrow."

"Goodbye."

I gave him a curt nod before jogging to my car. I needed to get out of here as fast as I could. I didn't think I could stand being there another minute—I'd probably end up having a hysterical breakdown in the middle of the lobby. Hearing Flies' cries about my mental state was something I did NOT want to handle at the moment.

Speaking of my mental state, it was probably a bad idea to drive home. It dawned on me why everyone always discouraged driving while upset. As humiliating as it was, I came very close to smashing into few cars and pedestrians on my way back to the flat. Of course, that wasn't out of the ordinary for me, but today seemed much worse.

What was rather strange was seeing the lights on when I pulled into the driveway. I swore I had switched everything off when I left for work. Curious, I raced out of the vehicle and to the front door. It swung open the minute my hand touched the knob.

"What the hell?" I murmured, cocking my head the side.

Had someone broken in? None of my other friends knew where I kept the spare key hidden, and Roger would have broken a window to get inside if he really needed to speak with me. My stomach twisted in knots at the idea of a thief in my home. My fingers gripped tightly around the briefcase in my hands. If all else failed, I could do some damage with it.

I stepped inside and immediately breathed in the strong aromas of jasmine and sandalwood. Well, this thief surely couldn't be that dangerous if they were willing to bombard my living space with calming scents. Still, confusion clouded my brain, causing the headache to worsen.

"Hullo?" I called, hoping someone—anyone—would answer.

No response.

Great, I thought. Whoever is here is going to jump out and murder me.

I suddenly wished I had joined Interpol instead. At least then I would know what to do. Barristers were masters in the courtroom, but they were definitely not known for being able to physically defend themselves from criminals.

My eyes caught sight of small red and white patches littering the floor. Upon closer inspection, the patches morphed into delicate rose petals. And judging by the silky feel of them, they had been freshly picked today. The petals created a pattern, which seemed to lead in the direction of the bedroom. Trudging along, I followed the trail until it led to its destination—the front of my door. After reminding myself to calm the hell down, I took a shaky breath and reached for the knob, budging it open.

Ralph Harrison stood at the foot of the bed, holding a bouquet of red and white roses in his hands. Flickering candles surrounded him—the source of the amazing fragrances.

Of course, I didn't care about the candles. They were completely irrelevant when my eyes landed on him—he had on navy blue jumper, a white shirt underneath with the collar showing, and beige trousers. His soft blond hair fell slightly into his cerulean eyes. But it was his beaming smile that caused the air to leave my lungs.

"Ralph," I whispered hoarsely, throwing my briefcase on the ground.

His eyes softened, and without speaking, he carefully placed the flowers on the bed before spreading his arms out. I leapt into them like a little child hugging his parents on Christmas morning after he'd gotten the gift of his dreams.

Ralph's arms encircled my body, enclosing me in warmth and comfort. My hands clutched desperately onto his jumper to prevent him from leaving. Leaning against the side of his neck, my nose trailed the length of it, taking in his intoxicating scent. My lips reached to brush over every inch of skin I could find—his neck, his cheeks, his forehead, around his ears. Everywhere but his tantalizing lips, which I planned to save for last.

"Ralph," I repeated, forcing myself to stop kissing him for the time being. "What are you doing here?"

"Surprise!" he said, grinning.

"So you're my Valentine's Day present?"

He nodded. "I came close to telling you the truth in the last letter, but I figured you deserved the surprise."

An incredulous chuckle left my mouth. "How did you manage this? You're supposed to be on a ship!"

He laughed, removing one of his arms. He touched my face, caressing it softly. His thumb rubbed small circles, causing a blush to bloom across my cheeks. His grin turned teasing when he saw how much of an effect he was having on me.

"Let's just say I had to pull a lot of strings. And I have one week less when I'm officially on leave. But I wanted to be here because we haven't spent Valentine's Day together in God knows how long. I know it's as little unexpected—"

My lips crashed against his before he could finish. Our lips were a flurry of movement as we kissed like it was our last day on Earth. Breathing didn't seem to concern us in the least. We both knew we could be starved off oxygen forever as long as we were this close to each other.

Our lips melded, moving slowly and patiently together. He tasted like honey, like he always did. He kept nibbling on my bottom lip—not hard enough to break skin, but enough to elicit embarrassing moans from my mouth.

His lips left mine, but moved to trail along my jaw and across my throat. His lips continued to move downward, and he bit on the skin near my collarbone, making me gasp. His tongue soothed the stinging sensation, and undoubtedly, a mark would appear by tomorrow. His hands were everywhere, wandering from my back, down to cup my arse, and then back up. His skilled fingers began unbuttoning my suit jacket.

"God, Ralph," I moaned, arching into his touch. "Don't stop, please."

"Wasn't planning on stopping, love. You have no idea how many nights I've dreamed about this," he mumbled against my skin.

"Ah, that's where you're wrong. Don't forget I think about you every night, too," I said huskily, pulling his face back to mine for another kiss.

"Well, we're here now. And this bed looks awfully lonely without our company." He drew away and motioned towards the comfortable oasis.

"Let's put it to use then." Smirking, I pushed him backwards until he fell, landing gently on the mattress.

He yanked his jumper over his head and started to slowly undo the buttons of his shirt, all the while eyeing me with a lustful look that screamed, 'Fuck me.'

"If memory serves me right, you wished to top. I assume you still want to?" he murmured seductively.

Nodding eagerly, I crawled in next to him. I stopped his hands from completing the rest of buttons and laced our fingers together.

"On one condition," I stated in all seriousness.

He quirked a delicate brow. "And that would be?"

"I'm not going to fuck you quickly to get it over with. Your body is mine tonight, and we're going to make every moment last, even it takes six hours. Do we have a deal?"

He smiled up at me, eyes lighting up. "You are such a sap, Jack Merridew, but we have a deal."

"Good."

And I sealed the deal with a kiss.

A few hours later, Ralph and I were still in bed. His fingertips traced light patterns on my back, and I sighed in contentment, finally feeling at ease after such a dreadful day. If could have stayed there forever and given up everything else, I would have done it in heartbeat.

Snuggling into the side of his neck, I mumbled, "I feel like I'm home when I'm in your arms."

"You are quite cheesy, I must say," he responded, laughing softly.

"It's Valentine's Day. I'm allowed to act this way for one day of the year," I rationalized, lifting my head to look at my lover. "I really missed you, and being here with you…I can't imagine anything better."

"I know," he breathed, all traces of teasing gone. "Living on ship has its perks, but nothing can compare to this."

My heart practically melted at his words. Unfortunately, the moment was ruined by the simultaneous rumbles of our stomachs. Turning to one another, we shared look before bursting out laughing.

"Sounds like someone's hungry," we said at the same time.

After settling down, Ralph whispered, "I'm sorry I didn't prepare you an extravagant meal."

"You have nothing to apologize for. I wasn't expecting much tonight anyway. Your visit was much better than anything I could have asked for."

His lips curved into a small smile, fully displaying his dimples. "What were your original plans?"

"Eating Chinese takeaway in front of the fire. That sounds pretty pathetic, doesn't it?"

"Not really; I would have done the same thing if I had been in your position. Would you still like takeaway tonight? Most restaurants will be full of couples celebrating the holiday, and I'm not in the mood to fight my way through a crowd. I'd rather have a quiet evening with you."

"Sounds perfect. We have to get out bed in order for food to happen, though."

"On the count of three?"

"One," I started.

"Two."

"Three!"

We didn't make it out as fast as we were hoping. It took nearly two hours to roll out of bed, into the shower (that endeavor prolonged our intention for dinner by forty-five minutes; it wasn't my fault Ralph looked positively mouthwatering under the spray of water), and out into the living room.

The late hour forced us to call at least five places to find one that was open. After several minutes of bored dials tones that signaled closed restaurants, one establishment finally answered and agreed to deliver. When our meals came, Ralph answered the door to collect them, while I prepared tea for us.

Draped across the sofa with a Chinese takeaway box in his hands, Ralph was the picture of ease. A slow smile spread over his mouth, brightening his eyes. I had to remind myself that I was carrying two boiling hot beverages; otherwise, I'd race over and wipe that silly smile off of his lips. With that idea in mind, I set the cups on the coffee table.

Leaning in, I braced my forearms on either side of his head, effectively trapping him so I could brush our lips together. Even though we'd snogged for hours, it would never be enough. Four months without him made me a desperate man.

"Later," he muttered, carefully pushing me away. "We have time. Food is my number one priority right now." With that notion, he dove into his takeaway box, slurping happily on lo mein and citrus infused chicken.

"I have to agree," I laughed, reaching over to take my own takeaway box filled with rice and beef with broccoli. I took a bite and the rumbling in my stomach ceased.

"Will you put a film into the player?" Ralph said around a mouthful of food.

"Which one? We have millions."

Along with our tea collection, Ralph and I had too many films. We each liked our own separate genres; Ralph preferred comedic and romantic ones, while I was a fan of horror and Indie films. However, we did agree on one set of films…

"Harry Potter." He turned to grin cheekily at me.

I snorted, set aside my meal, and rose from my spot to walk to the cabinet. "Ralph, there are eight of them. Any particular one?"

"Prisoner of Azkaban or Half-Blood Prince. Either one will work."

Chuckling, I pulled out Half-Blood Prince and inserted into the disk player. I returned to the sofa to find Ralph enjoying his tea as he sprawled over the length of the entire seat.

Glancing at his takeaway box on the table, I noticed that he had drained it. I shook my head; that boy could eat like no other. It must have been his atrocious navy diet that made him this ravenous every time he came home.

I nudged him with my foot. "Move over. Some of us would like to eat our dinner, too."

Before I knew what was happening, I was lying flat on the sofa, staring into Ralph's azure eyes as he hovered over me. Damn him and his quick reflexes.

"You said you wanted a spot here," he whispered, smirking.

I frowned. "And you said later."

"I did. Doesn't mean I can't tease you now." Raising an eyebrow in a challenge, he bent down to nibble on my right earlobe.

"S-stop," I gasped, feeling violent shivers run along my body as his hot mouth explored. "Damn you, Ralph."

"Mmmhm." His lips ghosted over my collarbone, and he licked a long stripe down my neck.

Desperate times called for desperate measures. "Draco Malfoy is on the screen," I wheezed out, pushing against his solid chest.

"What? Where?" He leapt off of me, turning his eyes towards the telly.

"Works every time," I laughed, grabbing my container of Chinese.

Sure enough, Draco Malfoy was on the Hogwarts Express, talking with Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini. Ralph leaned forward, balancing his elbows on his knees. It was amazing how quick his attention could drift from assaulting me to avidly watching the film.

I shook my head in disbelief, scoffing in between bites of food. Draco had just made some rude comments about Hogwarts to Parkinson and Zabini, and I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes.

"I don't understand why you fancy him. He's such a prat," I commented.

"He may be a prat, but he's bloody gorgeous," he breathed out, transfixed. "And he reminds me of you when you were young."

"What? You must me joking." I had never acted anything like Draco Malfoy.

His cobalt eyes met mine. "Okay, maybe you weren't as bratty and spoiled, but you were definitely that cunning. Not to mention, manipulative as ever. With that smile of yours and your persuasive voice, you could charm anyone to do anything for you. You had cohorts, too. Swap your red hair for his bleach blond, and you would have been a living version of him." He smiled broadly, wiggling his eyebrows. "There's nothing wrong with it."

"Please. I wasn't that bad as a kid."

He snorted. "Not that bad? If I recall, you used to put snakes into my bed when I slept over at your house. Of course, that was before we started dating. Those were awful surprises, Jack. Oh, and don't even get me started on the pranks we used to play on each other. I remember you getting at least five detentions a week for your evil plans." His eyes twinkled with nostalgia.

I smiled ruefully. "So what if I was shit at getting your attention? You have to give me some credit. The snakes were harmless, and the pranks were genius. I've grown up some since then." I set my meal aside, deciding that I was full.

He shrugged. "Maybe a little."

I tackled him then, wrapping him in a secure embrace. Growling playfully, I pressed a kiss to his neck. He mewled softly in response, which made my body stir. I had no idea how we were going to keep our hands off of each other during the duration of his stay.

Clearing my throat, I said, "If I'm Draco, then you're definitely Harry."

He turned to glance at me, a questionable look on his face.

"What makes you say that?"

"You've got Gryffindor written all over you: brave, impulsive, a bit arrogant, and a do-gooder."

"I agree with three out of the four."

"Ralph," I laughed. "You have to admit that you're talented and know it, too. When we were kids, you used to always show off your skills, whether it was in the classroom, on the football field, or in music concerts. If I may put it lightly, you were a bit of an arse."

He flushed, immediately going on the defense. "You weren't any better! You challenged people constantly, claiming that you could do things better than they could. You practically tore our group of mates a part several times!"

I grimaced. "Point taken," I said flatly. "I was a git, I get it. At least you tried to put us back together. No wonder leadership has practically been your middle name for so long."

"And don't you forget it." He puffed out his chest, making me chuckle in the process.

"All I know is that if you're Harry, and I'm Draco, then we belong together without a question. I mean, look at them. They're perfect. If only J.K. Rowling had placed them in a relationship that was fuelled by love, rather than hate."

"Agreed. Now, shush. Let me watch the film." He carefully disentangled himself, missing the pout on my face at the distance. His gaze traveled to the telly once more, abruptly ending our conversation for the time being.

In the next moment, he changed his mind and shifted closer, leaning his lithe body against mine. Rolling my eyes, I gently draped my arms around him. Despite being in the navy and supposedly adapting the 'tough' and 'heroic' persona, Ralph always had been and always would be a snuggler. He sighed happily as I ran my fingers through his soft blond locks. He shivered slightly and reached for one of my hands. Holding it in one of his own, he twisted his head to press a kiss to my palm.

"Are you okay?" he whispered.

"Never better." I smiled, bending down to briefly touch my lips to his. "This is the best Valentine's Day ever."

A delicious blush rose to his cheeks. "Good. It's been my favorite, too. How was your day before you came home?"

I shook my head. "You are such a contradiction. You tell me that you don't want to talk during the film, and here we are, talking."

He shrugged. "Well, I figure that we can watch the film anytime. I want to hear from you. It's been four months, Jack."

I smirked. "Fair enough." I sighed and leaned more against the back of the sofa. "Today has been awful. Started out bad and just got progressively worse. You were the only thing that it made it good."

He frowned, gripping onto my hand tighter. "Tell me what happened. The bad parts."

"I don't want to re-hash. You're here now, so that's what matters. Everything before you came was irrelevant. Plus, work needs to stay at work. If you really want to hear about it, we can touch on it tomorrow, okay?"

Nodding, he said, "All right. I won't bring up my work, either. Tomorrow then."

"Yes. So, since you're so determined to talk, what's on your mind?"

His eyes danced with michief. "Well, I heard from the cab driver that there's going to be masquerade in town. I believe it's on Saturday night, and since today is Thursday, we have some time to plan. Do you wish to go?"

I thought for a moment. The idea did sound appealing, but…

"Ralph, you can't dance," I pointed out, suppressing laughter.

He looked affronted. "I can dance! Since when haven't I been able to?"

"Ralph, don't you remember prom during our junior and senior years? You moved around the floor like a mangled animal! I love you, but you really do have two left feet." I tried very hard in that moment to keep a straight face.

Crossing his arms, he glowered at me. "Well, you're not getting any more tonight. I'll sleep peacefully on our bed, while you reside on the sofa, Mister Merridew."

"What?"

"That's right. You don't get to get away with saying that I looked like a 'mangled animal.' I may be a bit uncoordinated, but I swear I was never that bad."

Scoffing, I quirked an eyebrow. "You don't want me?"

"Not if you're going to insult my dancing ability."

I pouted and leaned in closer to his ear. Using the persuasive and gentle voice that was strictly reserved for the bedroom, I asked, "Are you sure?"

"Positive." But the sudden intake of breath gave him away.

"Well, okay," I sighed pitifully, moving away from him.

I hid a smirk when he shouted, "No!" He reached for me, grabbing tightly onto my body. "Don't you dare leave me, Jack Merridew," he practically snarled.

"But you said…"

"And you listened? God, surely you should know better by now." He rolled his eyes.

I laughed. He was right; we bickered constantly over silly things but it didn't matter because the love was always there.

"Will you go with me or not?" he demanded, lightly smacking me on the arm.

"I suppose I will," I chuckled. "You just better not step on my feet."

"Now that you mention it, I definitely will step on your feet." He grinned, and if he wasn't so damn adorable, I would have been irritated.

"If you do that, I'll find a way to get back at you, Ralph Harrison. Mark my words," I deadpanned.

"Looking forward to it, dear," he drawled. "Moving on, should we invite our other friends? I'd really like to see the twins and Simon. And I guess I'll put up with Roger."

At the mention of his name, I stiffened. Last night flashed through my mind before I could stop myself. Swallowing, I repressed the thought. Luckily, Ralph didn't seem to notice my discomfort.

"Do you still have a grudge against that boy?" I wondered, hoping that I sounded like I was joking.

"No, not really. I still think he hates me, though. It wasn't my fault that my trumpet playing was comparable to his violin playing."

A small smile spread across my mouth as I recalled our high school days. During that time, music had been something that our group of mates shared in common. Both Ralph and I were band members (he played the trumpet, and I the saxophone), but I also sang in the chorus. The twins decided that they liked the chorus, and Simon and Roger chose orchestra (Simon was on cello, and obviously Roger's talent lay with the violin). When the school's musical festival rolled around every year, each of us displayed our talents. Everyone competed for best solos, and while I was decent, I was nothing compared to Ralph and Roger. Roger normally won because his skills were out of this world, but there was one year that his dream was shot. Ralph had won and lorded it over him ever since.

"It was one year, Ralph," I reminded him. "He beat you otherwise."

"Still, that was the best year. The look on his face." He snickered. "I should have recorded it."

"Now, now. Be nice."

"Pssh. As if."

"What have they been teaching you on that ship?" I chided, clucking my tongue.

"You probably don't want to know."

"Agreed. Going back to your earlier question, if you'd like to see them, then sure. We can talk to them tomorrow about it."

"Sounds good," He yawned. "I'm getting sleepy."

"Then go to bed, silly." I turned my head to kiss his forehead.

"Don't wanna," he mumbled, sinking lower on the sofa so that his head rested in my lap.

"You're already doing it, apparently." I laughed, reaching for the remote to click off the telly. I glanced at Ralph, whose eyes had closed. "Goodnight, love," I whispered.

"Night. Love you." His voice was quiet, but filled with warmth.

"Love you, too."

And with those few words, I closed my own eyes and let the calmness of sleep take over. For once in four months, I finally felt the iron bars fully unlock from around my heart.

Please let me know what you thought of this. Hopefully, it wasn't too rusty.