Please can you say it again…
Percy
Magic danced over his skin. Percy groaned as he sat up. Whose magic was that? It felt so familiar. The only magic he could feel before was Runcorn’s. There was a ward around them.
Lucy was still asleep on her blanket next to him. He wasn’t allowed a bed. It was his punishment. There wasn’t an inch on his body that wasn’t bruised. Thankfully Runcorn has done more than beat him half to death.
A crash filled the air coming from outside of the room. There were many voices. Percy swallowed. His throat felt like sandpaper. He didn’t know what was going on.
Lucy started to fuss. Percy quickly picked her up and bounced her.
“Shh….”
“PERCY!* That was Bill’s voice.
“B...Back here!”
“PERCY!” That was Anthony. Oh, he was here.
“Tony!” Percy yelled the best he could.
Bill broke through the door. Of course, he could. He was the best ward breaker he knew.
“Oh, Percy.” Bill stopped in his tracks. Anthony was right behind him. When he saw Percy. Anthony fell onto the ground.
“Precious, oh Merlin.” The blond softly cupped his cheeks. “I’m here. You’re okay. I’m so glad that you are okay.” He pressed a soft kiss on his forehead. Tears fell down Percy’s cheeks. “Shortcake okay?”
Percy nodded. “She has been missing her Dad. Daddy told her that you would come.” Beautiful brown eyes bore into his.
“Sorry to interrupt. Percy, we need to get you out of here. I know whose house this is.” Bill pulled a strip of leather out of his pocket and held it out to them.
“We can’t go to the cabin. He knows where I live. He knows where the bookshop is.” Percy felt himself lose control. How was he going to be safe?
“We are going to stay at the big house with Barnaby and Hagrid. There is plenty of space. We are all safer in numbers.” Anthony rubbed his back. Percy took a deep breath.
“O..Okay.” His shaky hands grasped the leather.
When they arrived back at the big house. It was a little overwhelming for Percy. Severus was the one who calmed everyone down.
“Percy, I know you don’t want to talk about it. We need to know everything.” His father sat beside him. Anthony was on the other side. Lucy was still in his arms. He didn’t want to talk about this. He already felt embarrassed, hurt, and tired.
“When I moved departments. I went to work for Runcorn. There was an attraction there from the first meeting. I don’t know why I allowed it to get as bad as it did. I wanted to please him. So….” Percy licked his lips and looked down at his hands. His whole family sat and listened to his every word.
“I did things that he wanted me to do. He became controlling, possessive… abusive…” He knew if he looked up he would see the look of shame on everyone's face. “So when I found out I was pregnant with Lucy. I decided I was leaving. I wasn’t going to let him hurt her.” Percy felt himself being picked. Soon he was on Anthony’s lap.
The blond’s hands cupped his cheeks.
Percy looked into his boyfriend’s eyes. There wasn’t pity there. No, it was anger but most of all love.
“He will never touch either of you again.”
“Damn right, he will never touch you again.” Charlie’s voice rumbled. “If that man comes. He will meet our dragons.”
“Not before I test some of my darkest potions on him.” Severus’s deep voice was deadly. Percy didn’t know who was scarier.
“We can talk about all the ways we are going to make that man suffer. Right now it is time for Percy to get cleaned up and lie down. Anthony, I’ll take Lucy and get her all set up. You take care of Percy.” Barnaby didn’t leave room to argue.
“I’m going to make some calls. If you need me I’ll be right there.” His father pressed a kiss on his forehead.
Anthony
Water filled up the tub. Anthony gently pulled the clothes off of Percy. He wanted to kiss each bruise and he will soon. There was a part of him that felt like this was his fault.
“I’m sorry I left. I couldn’t let him hurt you or my family. I didn’t let him hurt Lucy.” The redhead laughed a humorless laugh. “She didn’t like him at all. She would cry each time. She knows who her other Dad is. It isn’t him.” Percy looked him straight in the eyes. Anthony felt his heart pound in his chest. So what Percy said at Runcorn wasn’t just a slip of the tongue.
“She does?” He questioned. Anthony wanted to hear Percy say it.
“Of course Tony,” Percy put his hand on his. “You have been there with her since she was born. You have been there for both of us. Before you came I was thinking about escaping. I needed to get as far away from here as possible.” Anthony pulled away from Percy. He wanted to run away. To leave him? Percy grabbed onto him.
“I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t be able to. I couldn’t do it because… I lo…. I love you, Tony. I know that I couldn’t say it before but I do. I love you.” Anthony watched as a tear fell down Percy’s cheek. Percy loves him. He cupped the redhead’s cheeks and gently pressed their foreheads together. “Please can you say it again… Just so I know I’m not dreaming. I need to make sure that I have you back.” Emotion shown through his words.
“I l…love you, Anthony Goldstein.” Anthony closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“Can I kiss you? I know you have been through hell.” He was cut off. Percy slammed their lips together. The kiss was so full of love that Anthony felt his knees buckle.
“You never have to ask if you can kiss me, Anthony,” Percy said as he pressed another kiss on his lips.
Anthony reluctantly pulled away. “We need to get you cleaned up. Then you can rest.”
Percy
Percy woke to the sound of Lucy crying. He fell asleep after his bath. It was the best bath he had ever had. All because of Anthony. The man washed him from head to toe. So gently. If he wasn’t already in love he would have been. Anthony was asleep beside him. He looked so peaceful. He didn’t want to wake him. Thankfully the potion that Severus gave him worked quickly. He felt much better than he did before.
When he walked to the nursery that had beds for the grandchildren. Percy opened the door and saw his brother-in-law Lee sitting with Lucy.
The younger man noticed him and smiled at him.
“Hi, I heard her and rushed before anyone else could get her. I just miss holding a baby.” Percy nodded, he knew that George and him had been trying to have another baby. Lee isn’t able to carry children anymore. Percy didn’t know if he ever wanted another baby. His pregnancy wasn’t horrible. Maybe one more. He’d love to have a little boy that looked like Anthony.
“You can hold her anytime. I’m glad that she has such a loving family. We might have had a lot of siblings but besides Dad. We didn’t have anyone. I’m glad that you and George moved here. It’s nice to have a relationship with my brothers.”
Lee continued to rock Lucy. She looks to be asleep again. His sweet girl needed cuddles. He understood he couldn’t wait to get back into bed and cuddle up with Anthony.
“I’m glad we moved as well. Fred seems to be into traveling more with Luna. Which makes George sad. It has helped to be around Charlie and you. Plus your dad is here with Barnaby and Hagrid. It is…”
“Overwhelming? It was for me at least. They love hard.”
Lee chuckled as he snuggled closer to Lucy.
“Barnaby is fierce. You can see and feel all the love he has for everyone. I’m glad that Lola will have all of her cousins around her. If we could have another baby. She will be ready.” A yawn took Percy by surprise. Which shouldn't surprise him. The past couple of days have been overwhelming.
”Since you have this taken care of. Please come get me if she needs anything. I’m going to lie back down.” Percy knew she would be safe. They were safe.
“Thank you, Percy.” Lee’s voice wobbled with emotion. “I’m glad that you both are home safe.”
Runcorn
”Yes, I deserved custody of my child. Percy isn’t stable enough to take care of her. You should have seen how he looked the last time I saw him. He didn’t even tell me that he was pregnant when he left the country. Then I found out that he had our daughter!” Runcorn knew that he would get Percy back. He made a mistake. Runcorn let his anger make his decisions. This time he will be smart about it.
The older witch gasped and petted her small cat. He hated this woman, the pink toad. Though he knew she was the way to get Percy back.
”We will get your daughter back, Runcorn I promise.”