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at first, it had been a side effect. there’d been bruises, burns and blisters, irritated inflamed marks on his skin where the electrical current had forced its way into his body.
harry touched them in front of the mirror, more carefully than the greenish festering wounds of his sickness that he couldn’t stop scratching, and in the sharp pain of the newly burned tissue he could vaguely recall the vibrant feeling of electro inside of him.
harry was almost fond of these burns, if only for the somewhat pleasant and thrilling reminder, but it was not until the night he died that he understood.
it was a scar unlike any he’d ever seen before, its fine branches spreading from his neck over his shoulder and to his chest, delicate almost, a stark contrast to the violent surge of power that had ripped through him.
enamoured, his fingers traced the thin lines, still red against the white skin, telling the story of his death and rebirth.
it wasn’t like the inflammations that sprouted arbitrarily all over his body, blemishing and disfiguring him, out of his control. it was a pattern, created by electro’s power and intent, yet formed by the structure of harry’s own flesh and skin, veins and nerves.
"leave your hand like this", he said, holding electro’s fingers in place, so close that they were almost brushing the bit of revealed skin between his shirt and the jeans. with the electricity prickling over his stomach, it was hard to speak as he barely dared to breathe, but despite the wavering of his voice, his expression was determined.
electro’s eyes were on him. “i’ll burn you”, he stated. there was no reluctance in his tone, harry noted, it was just a fair warning.
"i know", he concurred with a sly smile, shivering at the touch and the prospect of more. he moved his hips to increase the contact and urged him with a breathless whisper, "please do."
now he had the permission, electro was very intent on making sure that his administrations would leave permanent damage, and harry was quick to lose his shirt and boots to grant him access to all the spots that were in desperate need of electro’s touch.
sitting on the couch stripped down to his briefs, he guided electro’s hand over his body, hovering over his skin, the prickling static teasing and a bit distracting, but harry wouldn’t let that deter him from their task.
electro was quick to find out how to increase the voltage just so that it would not only irritate and burn, but scar. using his other hand to control the course of the current, electro punctuated the point of entrance with his fingers wherever harry begged him to, his hips, the small of his back, the curve of his thigh, the inside of his ankle.
harry sucked in his breath, careful to not bite his lip, as he grew familiar to the initial singeing pain that would be replaced by a dull throbbing as soon as electro broke the contact and blissful numbness.
as harry inclined his head to grant him access to his throat and his nastiest wound, electro pressed his fingers right on the deformed skin, yet instead of using his other hand, he bent down to kiss the nape of his neck to close the circuit. the errant electricity running down his spine caused harry to gasp and arch his back, the ends of his nerves tingling as if there were sparks lighting up his limbs and fingers. electro was claiming all his senses, overriding any other sensation, and harry readily surrendered his body to him.
when he woke up next morning, he was hurting all over, his back was sore, his throat stinging and his ankle throbbing, but he couldn’t wait to get up and see.
he was still pale as death, puffy-eyed and exhausted, covered in bruises, but what harry saw was someone entirely different - he was changed, renewed. there were glaring red marks covering the vulnerable places the sickness had taken hold of, proof that his body that was no longer succumbing to what would eventually corrode him.
harry pressed his fingers on the fine lightning pattern running over his chest, digging his nails into the irritated skin to feel the clear distinct sting.
scar by scar, electro was reclaiming this body for him.