Chapter Text
“I am going to murder him,” Harry said calmly.
“Please don't,” came a tired and strained voice in his head, “Trust me, I understand, but I don't want you to be arrested for fratricide.”
“It would be worth it,” the submissive muttered back under his breath which only produced a sigh from his alpha.
Kalzik family gatherings were always an affair. When it was a full family gathering, it was because of just how many were in attendance, with all of the many, many members of the family and all of their own circles coming together and giving Harry a massive migraine from his empathy.
And when it was a smaller gathering, like right now, in which the only ones in attendance were the head family and their children, Harry had to deal with his own personal demons in the form of his most annoying enemy.
Draco freaking Malfoy.
His brother.
It was bad enough when he learned that his schoolyard bully was his brother through weird magical dragel genetics. But did the other submissive have to bond into the same family he did? Couldn't Harry have one part of his new life in Nevarah without Draco showing his annoying poncy face around?
Quinn reached out under the table and grabbed Harry's hand, entwining their fingers and giving a slight squeeze of comfort and support. Harry knew Quinn was almost as exasperated by Harry's brother as he was and Draco being bonded to his most antagonistic brother didn't help.
Harry knew Alejandro loved Quinn. Quinn had made that fact quite clear. Alejandro just had a difficult personality. The man was prickly at the best of times and his natural grouchiness gave his submissive all of the confidence he needed to be the dissatisfied with everything snob he always was at heart.
It was only Draco's beta, another former Slytherin, Theodore Nott, who tried to corral the prat when he got especially snobbish. Alejandro didn't bother, at least as far as Harry could tell. If Harry didn't get the sense that the other man had a spine of steel he would think the alpha let Draco walk all over himself. But Alejandro was a mystery to Harry, even with his empathy. His alpha's older brother would sometimes stare at Harry intensely when they attended these family gatherings with a heavy gaze and emotions fully blocked from Harry's reach.
At first Harry thought he might think Harry wasn't good enough for his brother, probably from whatever tales Draco spun to him, but the other alpha was always courteous to Harry outside of his gruff demeanor.
So Harry had no idea what was going on in his brother-in-law-twice-over's head.
Harry accidentally gripped Quinn's hand a bit too tight as he heard his brother's voice get louder from further down the long table. Draco's dramatics were on full display once again.
A foot nudged Harry's and Harry looked up to see his beta giving him a commiserating smile. Harry actually met his beta through Theo and Draco has never let Harry hear the end of it. Ariki was practically Theo's brother, as the son of Theo's mentor who had pretty much adopted him by making him her heir. As Draco had been bonded to Theo since before they had ever came to Nevarah, he claimed Harry was copying him and trying to steal his political family connections as the Deveraine circle was actually pretty powerful.
Harry would like to point out that he was bonded to Quinn before Draco ever met Alejandro so if anyone was copying it was Draco. Quinn had been Harry's healer for his immigration medical examination and they had recognized the soulbond they shared that first day. And the Kalziks themselves certainly weren't a family to scoff at.
Sometimes Harry wonders if Ariki knew what he was getting himself into when he agreed to bond with Harry and Quinn. Sometimes he feels bad for dragging his lovely beta into his family squabbles but he couldn't let him go if he tried. Ariki was just perfect and he wasn't going to let any drama from his 'brother' ruin his circle.
“It's almost over, Harry. Just a little longer and we can go home,” Ariki whispered almost silently under his breath, using his air element to send the sound straight to Harry's ears.
Harry took a large fortifying breath and leaned against Quinn, trying to block out his brother's voice entirely. Just a little longer.
From where their bodies touched, Harry could feel his magic interacting with his bonded's. Quinn's steady earth with just a hint of water plus the mystical quality that came from his nameless ability of soulcasting. Ariki's deep earth and strong winds. Harry's own magic that sang with his empathy and playful, whipping gusts of air and just a hint of earth entangled with theirs and gave him the comfort and serenity he so sorely needed while in his brother's presence.
Harry and Draco shared a Third, who was an air dragel and gave them both a strong air element. Thankfully for the both of them, who both had an alpha and beta with earth elements, they each had two main elements instead of just one. His empathy for Harry and shadow for Draco. Draco's shadow element felt at home enough with his earth bonded's magic that his air element wasn't agitated and Harry himself actually had an earth affinity that didn't quite qualify for a full element. As such, the two could be in the earth heavy territory of the Kalzik compound without feeling the urge to flee.
No, it wasn't the deep seated earth element settled around them that made Harry want to flee the Kalzik compound. That was all his brother.
The meal was brought to an end finally, if not quite soon enough for Harry's nerves. There had been a few more outbursts coming from his brother's direction, but Harry had been able to keep his sanity by focusing on his conversation with Farnati and the steadying presence of Quinn and Ariki at his sides. The other submissive had been eagerly gushing about some party or ceremony that was coming up to celebrate the coming Hunt that Harry couldn't care less about but was happy to listen to to block out Draco's voice.
Unfortunately before their circle could leave, they had to say their goodbyes. Harry obligingly let sibling after sibling of his alpha give him a hug goodbye and wish him well. Then it was time to say goodbye to the hosts and Harry's luck ran south.
Because of course, Draco had to be still there and talking to the head triad of the Kalzik clan when Harry was trying to make his leave as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Quinn's sire was the first to see them approach, his calm blue green eyes locking onto his son's and then Harry's. He gently nudged his alpha and submissive who were busy listening to whatever Draco was babbling about now. Something about the quality of the fruits in the dessert.
Surajini immediately looked up at the nudge and smiled warmly at Harry. For all that a dinner in the forced company of his brother raised his hackles, Harry could never blame Surajini. The woman had accepted him into her family the instant they met and always tried to make him feel welcome.
“Harry! Your brother was just telling me about a company of food suppliers employed by the Air Courts. Do you know anything about them?”
Harry's answering smile was more of a poorly hidden pained grimace.
“No ma'am. I'm afraid I don't interact much with the Air Courts despite having family within them,” he replied, gripping Quinn's hand hard enough the alpha winced.
Surajini pouted a bit. “Hmm, well that's disappointing. I was hoping to hear a second opinion before deciding to try them out. We always try to keep ingredients that are both high quality and healthy for our patients that require time spent in our home for healing.”
“Potter wouldn't know quality if it him in the face like a bludger,” came the annoyed, wry tone of Draco. The blond was sending him a glare and sneer combo that was so reminiscent of their Third that Harry wondered how he ever went so long without realizing the two were related.
Surajini was definitely a saint, as she just ignored Draco's words completely and continued talking to Harry.
“Well, no matter. It was great to see you again, Harry. You don't bring him around enough, Quinn,” the last words were said with a playful glare directed at her son.
She stepped up and gave a Harry a long and secure hug that Harry leaned into gratefully. Her alpha stayed silent but gave Harry a warm smile.
Patrick took the moment to shake Ariki's hand and give his son a quick hug. As Surajini released him, Harry saw the burning glare on his brother's face as he leaned against Alejandro.
Harry was ready to leave.
Quinn, his lovely alpha, could tell his emotions even without the gift of empathy and was quick to sweep him away and into Ariki's arms, making his excuses to his parents as he shooed them on home ahead of himself. Ariki took the unspoken order and within minutes he and Harry were back in their home.
Harry felt the tension that had accumulated in his body throughout the long dinner start to dissipate as his beta leads him to bed for a long cuddle. When his alpha finally returns home half an hour later and joins their cuddle pile the last of the tension leaves completely and Harry just breathes in the scents of his bonded, no need for words or actions. Just the presence of his alpha and beta.
Despite the drama of his brother, life in Nevarah was good. And Harry wouldn't trade it for anything.