Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters get in.
Work and Pleasure
If Teddy had been gay this would be the point where he would have offered to stay behind to wash his back, but he wasn't and Louis knew better than to push the man any further out of his comfort zone for the time being. Though how the older man could be so unused to being flirted with was beyond him. What was wrong with the women and gay men of Teddy's generation, seriously! But their loss was his gain in this instance, and Louis had no intention of losing.
So instead of upping the flirting Louis tugged either end of Teddy's tie playfully. "But enough about our mutual hotness, you said you were headed for the tub right?"
Like a puppet on a string Teddy nodded his head, not a single, legibly thought existing in his still destroyed head.
Picking up on the fact that the other man was still stunned, and wasn't that interesting, Louis walked around Teddy and then gave his fellow Gryffindor a push towards the man's room, herding him in that direction. "You get into that tub and soaking and I'll get you some whiskey to help you relax. You're not in there by the time I get back and I'll help you." He added, just to test the waters.
Braining reviving just enough to process the fact that if he didn't get naked and in the tub shortly Louis would be stripping him, Teddy started moving, Louis's amused chuckling echoing in his ears as he quickly made his way to his room. And since he definitely did not want to deal with the questions that would arise if the blonde were to see him naked or decide to get him naked Teddy wasted no time in discarding his clothes and getting into the tub, making ample used of the bubble bath he'd gotten from Lily as a present long ago since he wanted plenty of froth on the water's surface to hide the reaction his body had whenever Louis got up close and in his personal space. He even got out his wand to hurry up the filling process along.
The Gryffindor sent a pray of thanks that the bubbly froth covered him well enough by the time the other man returned with two glasses of whiskey, Teddy turning off the water since he was bound to get distracted now and overflowing the tub would not be a good thing.
Why there was two glasses was answered when Louis handed over the one glass and then took a seat on the lip of the tub like it was the most normal thing in the world. "So what went wrong today? I might not get the technical stuff but you've always been good at explaining things to me."
Taking a sip from his glass Teddy was surprised at the offer, not at all used to coming home to someone he could discuss a bad day with. Though Louis did ask about his day every evening meal they shared, there usually wasn't much worth mentioning. "Basically someone who works for me has been stealing from the accounts he's in charge of. In order to see him punished and make sure he doesn't do this to someone else I'm going to have to turn him over to the guarda. My clients aren't going to like the publicity, and will likely view the arrest as a sign that their money isn't as safe in my hands as they previously thought. I'm going to take a hit when it comes to my reputation and my finances."
"There's no way to keep what happened quiet?"
"I could just fire him, cover up what he did, but then he wouldn't pay for it, and he'd just move on to his next victims. He had what looked like excellent references, I'm sure he'd see to it that they held up for his next interview unless he's stopped now."
And Teddy would always do the right thing, even when it was the hard thing.
"You're doing the right thing, and if they can't appreciate that then screw them. You'll get better clients, ones with working brains." Louis informed him, saluting him with his own glass for emphasis. "Personally, I'd rather deal with a company with a conscience, then one who shoves their mistakes under the rug and lies to my face about why my money is being handled by someone different."
"Thanks, Hummingbird." And genuinely feeling a little better Teddy shifted forward to tap his glass against Louis's. He knew plenty of people were going to be telling him he'd made the wrong choice shortly, so hearing what he wanted to hear from someone whose opinion mattered to him took some of the sting out of it.
"Anytime."
"So where are you going tonight?" Teddy asked, thinking that he needed to be reminded of how things stood between them since their present situation was just a little too homey and relaxed for his peace of mind. The man was probably going out on a date with some party hardy bloke, Teddy thought bitterly as he turned his now brooding gaze towards the contents of his glass. He hadn't been kidding when he'd said that it was probably beyond Louis to go a month without seeing someone, so it was only to be expected.
The question reminding him that he really was going to be late if he didn't get his perfect ass in gear Louis quickly drained the rest of his glass before answering. "I'm meeting some people I work with to celebrate our paid week off. I should be back before one."
Okay, that wasn't bad at all. Louis would have said something if he were interested in someone he worked with. Maybe he really didn't have to deal with the thought of Louis with someone else on top of the already shitty day.
Fate was finally cutting him a tiny break.
Mood brightened once more Teddy meet Louis's gaze again and wished him a fun evening.
"You too, no stressing." And because he wanted another taste Louis leaned forward and braced a hand on the tiled wall as he faked intending to press a kiss to Teddy's cheek, deliberately moving his hand like he's slipped so that his lips grazed the side of the other man's lips. "Opps. Sorry bout that. Anyways, good night, Teddy bear. Enjoy your bath. See you in a bit if you're still up."
"Night."
Watching the blonde sashay out of the room Teddy waited until he heard the door close behind Louis before groaning low in his throat, deliberately sinking under the bubbles with his glass held out above the water since he was going to need the rest of its contents momentarily.
)
The next day Louis headed for the coat closet to retrieve an umbrella, surprised to find a piece of paper lying under the rack holding up his and Teddy's coats. Crouching down the blonde picked up the piece of paper, turning it over to see what was on it. It was computer paper, he noted, and though he didn't remotely understand what the spreadsheet of numbers was about Louis put two and two together and figured that it must have been with the rest of the papers that had gone flying when Teddy had dropped a file folder that morning, just before the man had headed for work. They must have missed this one.
Studying the piece of paper Louis wondered if it was important as he straightened up to his full height, still trying to make head or tails of the numbers since it was always best to have some working knowledge of what one's boyfriend did for a living.
Logically Teddy would have sent him a message to look for it if he needed it immediately, but what if the man didn't even know it was missing yet?
And besides, it gave him a legitimate reason to drop in on Teddy while he was working.
Pleased at the new change in his day's plans Louis turned and head back up the stairs, his present attire not at all suited for going to visit his future lover's place of business for the first time. He wanted to make a good impression on the people that worked with Teddy after all, since he did intend to be dating their boss before the month was through.
Maybe he'd bring some cookies too, Louis mused to himself as he looked over the contents of his closet, thinking to bribe his way into their good books that much faster. Then Teddy would have to listen to them tell him how great he was constantly, which could only work in his favor.
He loved a good chase, oh yes he did.
)
Working hard to keep a pleasant smile on his face as he saw the men out Teddy was well aware of the fact that though he had talked them into remaining his clients, they had every intention of holding this incident over his head for the foreseeable future. Yay him. He could already see the wheels turning in Ian's head too, the other man just waiting for the right opportunity to make it known that his influence had had a lot to do with their continued business and that he expected to be compensated for his help. It was going to make him feel a little better when that time came, so he could shoot the man down hard, Teddy thought darkly as he kept his face schooled in pleasant lines so as not to betray for a moment just how irked he was to be in his ex's debt. How he was going to fix that he hadn't figured out yet, but he definitely wasn't going to give the man what he obviously expected to get.
They were walking down the hallway leading to his waiting room when a familiar voice caught Teddy's ears, his body jerking in response to it. What was Louis doing here?
Stepping into the room it was obvious that they'd come in in the middle of Louis telling a story to the group of three women who were currently hovering around the blonde as they listened with rapt attention.
"-I ran as fast as I could off the roof, throwing myself into the air expecting to fly just like a bird would. Well of course I didn't and Teddy comes running out of nowhere, just barely managing to reach me in time to save me, though the odd angle he caught me at sent us tumbling down a sand hill. Naturally he wraps me up in his arms and uses his body to protect me as we roll down the hill, and when we reach the bottom he's on his back, gasping for air and trying to get his heart rate under control because I've just scared the hell out of him. Being only four at the time I had no idea how much I'd scared him, I thought what we'd just done was fun as hell and so I'm bouncing up and down on his stomach, demanding that we do it again with Teddy staring as me wordlessly, struggling to breath properly since he had to run all the way up from the shoreline to catch me in the first place. And so, being the impatient sort, what did I do but run up the hill with the intention of climbing the trellis on the side of the building again so that I could throw myself off it so he'd have to catch and roll with me again. Luckily he caught up with me when I was halfway up the trellis and bribed me with extra dessert to never do that to him again."
Louis's grin widened. "Of course I considered that deal to be with Teddy only, and promptly tried to fly again the next day when he wasn't babysitting me. Broke two bones in my arm and scared ten years off my maman's life to hear her tell it."
"Poor baby, you only being four." One of the women cooed, patting Louis's shoulder in sympathy.
"Don't feel sorry for him, he ate up the sympathy showered on him for weeks after that."
"Teddy!" Face brightening Louis seamlessly extracted himself from his female admirers and bounded over to Teddy's side. "Hi, didn't see you there."
"Obviously." And trying hard not to think about how hot the blonde was looking in tailored trousers and a white dress shirt Teddy reached out to lightly tug on the man's short ponytail, immediately dropping his hand away when he remembered that they had an audience. "I'll be with you in a minute, I just have to see these gentlemen out."
"Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend?" Ian asked sharply, abruptly reminding Teddy of the man's presence.
Shit.
"Gentlemen, this is Louis Weasley, a close friend of my family's. Louis, these are some clients of mine. Matthew Roberts, Ian Hamilton, and Harold McNab." Praying the other two men were eager to get going Teddy made the introduction with his weak smile just barely held in place. He could see that his ex was sizing Louis up, and that was not a good thing because Louis was bound to notice and would therefore answer in kind because that was just the Delacour/Weasley way.
Holding out his hand Louis shook each man's hand in turn and then slipped an arm around Teddy's waist as his gaze settled on the man who obviously had a thing for Teddy and was looking him over as possible competition. And while normally he wasn't terrible territorial, even an idiot would know better than to stray on him, Louis couldn't help but show his claws just a little since he could see he was being dismissed as a possible threat.
So he let his eyes track back to the other man when the introductions were over, his eyes making it clear that he considered Teddy to be his property and any intruders would be cursed on sight. Then he looked up at HIS man with adoration. "Sorry to interrupt you in the middle of work, Teddy. I'll let you all finish up here, I don't want to get in the way."
"Weasley, hmm? Any relationship to Lucy Weasley?" Roberts asked Louis, the oldest of the group and one who definitely didn't want to see his vice president get in a cat fight with the blonde over Ted Lupin. He'd had enough headaches after that break up to last him a long while.
Smiling wider at the mention of his cousin Louis nodded. "Yes, she's my cousin."
"She's very good at her job." Ian spoke before his boss could say anything. "What do you do, if you don't mind me asking? I assume you're a student since you aren't at work."
"Actually Louis is training to become a chef." Teddy interjected, deliberately putting his arm around Louis's waist in a show of protection. 'Go after him and I'll have you bleeding out before you have time to know what's hit you' his eyes promised Ian before he turned his gaze to the other two men, revealing nothing now. "Normally he'd be at work now but the restaurant he works at is undergoing some renovations."
"So what brings you by, Mr. Weasley?" Roberts asked, again trying to steer the conversation in a safe direction.
"Well you see, normally I wouldn't be bothering Teddy at work, but I found a piece of paper in the hall closet earlier that I'm pretty sure goes with the other papers Teddy accidentally dropped near there this morning on his way out. I thought I'd drop it by in case it was important. Samantha has it." He added, referring to the man's secretary, who was also a friend of his cousin Roxy.
"Ah, thank you. I noticed one was missing earlier and was going to drop by the house on my lunch break to get it." A lunch break he'd already missed due to all the fires he'd had to put out with his clients, Teddy thought ruefully. Which reminded him of the fact that he had another reason for wanting to see the three businessmen out so that he could move on to the problem the women still waiting for him presented. Removing his arm from Louis's waist Teddy quietly murmured to the blonde that he'd be right with him in French before turning his attention back to the other men, holding out a hand to Roberts. "Sorry for making you feel you had to come all this way, Matthew. I hope you once again feel confident that your money is in good hands."
"I believe I do." Shaking the hand Roberts watched the man repeat the action with his two subordinates and then subtly ushered them out of the room so that the younger man could deal with his other visitors.
Ian turned his head to briefly meet Teddy's gaze, silently promising that they'd be talking very soon.
Deliberately ignoring the meaning behind the look Teddy turned his attention to his latest arrivals.
But as it turned out Teddy didn't have to worry about the two women his assistant had been taking care of when Louis had come in. Apparently Louis had used his considerable charm to wrap both middle aged women around his little fingers and had convinced him that not only was his Teddy's company the best in England, but that he was a prince of a man who they should adore as much as he did.
Wisely Teddy opted not to ask them just what stories Louis had been telling them, figuring that he probably didn't want to know. At this point he was just grateful that after assuring him of their continued business the women gabbed a little more with Louis and then took their leave so that Louis could visit with him.
"Who did a good job?" Louis all but purred as he returned to his early spot at the older man's side, obviously very pleased with himself.
Chuckling Teddy shook his head in appreciative humor. "You're the man, no question."
That I am, Louis thought as he basked in Teddy's smile. That I am.