The game between Bulgaria and France had been a quick one. France had lost two of its best players to cases of Dragon Pox three days before the game, there was a silly in-air collision about five minutes into the game that left another of their best players injured, and Bulgaria swept through the mess to quickly get a win.
Interviews went smoothly one after the other, but Lee grew more anxious with each that passed. He'd brought the tea kit for Viktor, and each time he dragged his equipment to another room, it sat there staring him in the face. Was he ridiculous for buying the thing? He didn't buy anyone else gifts. He'd never bought something like it for an interviewee. Hell, he'd barely bought something like that for anyone in his life.
By the time he was standing in front of Viktor's door there was sweat dripping down his back. He never had sweat drip down his back like that! And since when had Krum turned to Viktor in his mind? He was going to die. Or at the very least, he was going to faint.
Another radio host left the room, leaving the door open. He could just spy a grumpy looking Viktor, standing from his chair and giving a long arced side stretch. The fabric of the jersey clung to his muscles and Lee's mouth became an airless spitless void.
He stood and stared.
Viktor had a very defined back, and that one part of his arm— the deltoids? Lee wasn't sure what it was called, but he knew it didn't look like that on just anyone. The Bulgarian did some twists until his back popped. As he twisted the other way his eyes met Lee's.
"Lee Jordan!" he exclaimed. He had a smile on his face. A genuine smile that crinkled his eyes and made the arid desert that was Lee's mouth forget how to work.
He could smile though. He didn't think he could stop, actually. Viktor was smiling at him and he couldn't talk!
"Is your throat still a problem?" Viktor asked. Merlin, he was being thoughtful.
"No," Lee was able to creak out.
Viktor looked at him curiously, waiting for Lee to continue. He couldn't though. That would take a functioning mouth and brain.
"You usually talk more than this," Viktor observed. Lee let out a weird high pitched laugh that made him contemplate turning around and leaving the room. "Are you sure you are not ill?"
Lee shook his head before grabbing a glass of water left for reporters and gulping it down.
"Not ill. Just a bit parched."
"Well, I am glad to be seeing you here. I wasn't sure if you were going to come today."
"I did."
"Yes, I see that," said Viktor, a smile playing on his face. "I'm glad you did. I like our talks."
"I do too."
His gut swooped.
"So! Shall we—?" Lee asked, gesturing to the equipment.
Viktor nodded and they had their interview. At first Lee was the one to be stilted, but after a minute he was able to find his footing. Years of interviewing kicked in and he was able to rally with some great soundbites, though how many of them were relevant to Quidditch or not he couldn't say. He'd leave that to his editor to work out. They tended to prefer the more personal interviews anyway.
"Well, I guess that just about does it," Lee said, packing his equipment away. As he loaded it into the case he spied the gift he'd bought. "So, what's your policy on gifts?"
"I am not understanding your question," Viktor replied, a puzzled look on his face.
"Do you accept gifts from the press core?"
"Why, did someone leave something somewhere?" Viktor said, looking behind Lee before whispering. "If they tried to leave something suspicious, like a lot of women, we can take another exit."
"No-no nothing like that," Lee said, wondering what exactly was Viktor's life. "No, I er— I saw something and you don't have to take it, if you don't want to, but I got it into my head to do it… So… here."
He grabbed the travelling tea case and thrust it forward.
"Did you… Did you buy me this?" Viktor asked, looking at it with an unreadable expression.
"Yeah," Lee articulately answered.
Viktor took it and carefully inspected it, opening it and clicking a button that did the magical expansion of the case. Each of the drawers were carefully labelled with the contents, and Viktor read every single one, not saying a thing. He opened every drawer, and his long fingers brushed along every line of the case.
"If you don't— if I overstepped some line by… I can take it back, if you don't like it," Lee mumbled.
"No," said Viktor, before closing the case and fixing Lee with a very serious look. "No, I am liking this very very much."
"Really?" Lee asked. "Because I know it's a bit… much."
"It is beautiful," said Viktor firmly. "It is… It is vonderful."
His accent coming out made Lee smile; not one of those smiles he wore, but a genuine, made his cheeks hurt a bit, smile. "I'm glad you like it."
"Vould you—" Viktor began before clearing his throat. " Would you like to be coming to dinner with me again?"
"Yeah, I'd like that."
"Good," said Viktor before a smirk twitched his cheek up revealing a little dimple Lee hasn't noticed before. "Firstly, of course, I might be having to talk to my security about how you are stalking me in my favorite tea shop."
"Hey, for it to count as stalking I would need to know you frequented the spot. It was pure happenstance I was there."
"Said like a true stalker."
The two burst into laughter.
As they made their way out he noticed how very reverently Viktor held the tea kit, a small tender smile on his face as he set it in place. Lee wondered what else he could do to elicit such a gentle smile from Viktor again.
A/N: Ok! If I continue this there is a final chapter to go? I THINK? :) Let me know if I should keep it going! And also what you thought :)