Update 04/16/21: Line breaks added, nothing else changed.

CHAPTER 4: All in a Day's Work

Severus found himself, with little sleep, on Coldharbour Lane in Brixton staring at a storefront. Saint Michael's. The metal signage offering religious articles, cleanses for any problem and more. There are shelves of tall votive candles of every color and boxes of incense adorning the clear glass window. He takes a breath and steps inside, the bell over the door announcing his presence.

"I'll be right with you." He recognizes Isaiah's voice from somewhere in the back. He steps up to the till and looks about in interest. The establishment is a religious goods store. Sachets of folk medicine concoctions, herbs and statues of saints and gods. Shelves full of different oils, more incense, perfumes, prayer cards, cassettes and CDs of music, books, jewelry. There was a placard noting times where the medium was in-house for those seeking spiritual guidance.

"Welcome to Saint Mich...oh, hello Severus." Isaiah greets in an extremely chipper mood.

"Good Afternoon," Severus greeted. "How are you alert, I barely slept three hours and I'm sure you didn't either."

"Magical brew of course," he replies merrily and sweeps his hand towards a pot of coffee in a corner on a small table. "I don't usually resort to magical beans, but needs must."

Severus found himself laughing but was brought up short by his next comment.

"You have a beautiful laugh, I love it." Isaiah looks at him, bright open face, smiling beatifically. He closes the distance between them and kisses his cheek once again close to his mouth.

"Thank you." Severus was not used to compliments and didn't know how else to respond.

"You're most welcome. So, what do you think?" Isaiah asks motioning to the shop as he takes a step back.

"It's...different," was all he managed.

"That it is. Not many of these in England but I guess there is a niche market for everything."

Severus nods as he looks around some more. "Do you work here everyday?"

"Not if I can help it. Someone bailed, I stepped in. I don't mind, it's quiet on Sundays and we close early."

"Right," Severus said looking at the laminated sign noting business hours, "another hour to go."

"And then we can hang out."

"Hang out?" he asked but his tone made it seem as if the word was foreign.

"Yes, you know, spend time together. We can even hang out here while you wait for me to close up and then I can drag you into the City."

"And where are we going?"

"The Museum of London?"

"Wow, you can read. I'm impressed!" Isaiah commented sarcastically. The pair were standing outside the building.

"Why are we here?"

"I love coming here. And if you tell me right now that you don't like museums, then that is it, we can never be friends. We'll part now as strangers." Big puppy eyes and pouty lips rounded off the statement.

"No, no. Museums are great. I was surprised."

"Surprised at what? That I can go from cellar orgy to intellectual so quickly?"

Severus coughed. "Well…it wasn't exactly an orgy. But that is the gist of my surprise."

"I am a multifaceted person. A real renaissance man."

"I am starting to see that."

"Come on, let's go gawk at half naked statues."

"And we're back at cellar orgy."

"How do you not know how to swim?" Severus asked, turning away from the nose-less face of a first century Roman soldier.

"I was thrown into the ocean one time when I was little. It did not help me learn. Never tried after that. I stick to dry land."

"We live on an island."

"I'm quite aware of that, thank you very much."

"You have to learn to swim. It's a right of passage, like riding a bike."

"Well…."

"You can't ride a bike?!"

Isaiah shrugged and walked away.

"I don't see the point."

"I'll have to find some for you. I'm not sure where but there has to be an American shop somewhere in the city." Isaiah's squinting eyes taking in the details of the Great London Fire model.

"Chewing gum is pointless."

"It's fun. Bubble Tape is the best. I'll get you some regardless."

"If you must," Severus conceded and was rewarded with a quick squeeze of his hand. He fought back a blush.

"Where to now?" Isaiah asked. The museum was closing and they were being shooed out the door.

"You didn't plan the whole afternoon?"

"In that case, if you can stand the weather, we shall take a stroll. St Paul's is just down this street and it has a nice park adjacent."

"Alright, a cold winter walk it is."

"It's barely winter, no snow."

"Winter doesn't equal snow. It's about the freezing temperatures."

"Don't worry, I'll keep you warm."

Severus had no answer to that. They walked down Aldergast Street in silence.

"Should we get a bite?" Isaiah pointed at a pub named Fuller's. They had walked the whole of the park and he was now hungry. "My treat." Severus was going to insist he pay but Isaiah must have known because he received a stern look and a raised eyebrow.

"If you insist." The smile he received in response was worth it.

They quickly made their way to a back corner of the pub, menus in hand. After several minutes of perusing the options Isaiah spoke up.

"I'm getting fish and chips, what would you like?"

"The same, thank you."

Isaiah took the menu from his hand and went to the bar to order. He returned shortly with a pint and a fizzy drink. He passed the pint to Severus.

"Here, I figured you might need it."

"Thank you. Why aren't you drinking?"

"I need the caffeine and sugar more."

"Well, this has at least taught me something."

"What?"

"That you are at least sixteen."

"You figure?"

"This doesn't seem like the type of establishment that hands out alcoholic beverages to minors."

Isaiah flashed him a smile and took a long sip of his own drink. "Why are you so focused on knowing my age?"

"I don't socialize with minors."

"Not even as friends?" he replied joking.

"No."

"You sound like you hate kids."

"That is not the issue."

"So…"

"The issue is doing whatever this is," he waved his hand between them, "with a child. It's not appropriate. Not only is it illegal, it's wrong. And nauseating."

"Good thing I'm at least sixteen."

"You really won't tell me how old you are?"

"Nope."

Severus sighed and took a large gulp of his beer. "I want to get to know you."

"You are getting to know me."

"Not you as a person. I've learned bits and pieces of what you like. I can tell you are intelligent, fun and a flirt but that is it."

"You also know I'm a fantastic kisser," Isaiah teased. "We've seen each other a whopping two times, three with today. You're asking a lot for a stranger. Besides, you're trying to get to the end of the book before finishing the first chapter. Don't read ahead and ruin the plot."

"What do you suggest then?"

"Twenty questions? I'll start. What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a," he hesitated, "chemistry teacher at a private boarding school in Scotland."

Isaiah raised his eyebrow. He had caught the hesitation so he knew it was a lie. "Sounds fancy." He didn't push.

"The dunderheads are intolerable."

"Then why continued?"

"I owed the headmaster a favor and working there is my way of paying off that debt."

"See, that is why people are horrible. No such thing as a selfless deed. There is always a price."

"And what about you? What do you do when you aren't covering shifts at St Michael's?"

"Besides attending animal sacrifices and sexual offerings to gods at the weekend?"

"Obviously."

"I'm studying Theology and Sociology at Uni. Plus, I work for an accountant to pay the bills."

"I can see you studying the divine with the little I know about you. Are you getting a bachelors?"

"Yes, this is my last year."

"Well done. And the parties, do you go to them as part of your coursework?"

"I do learn a lot by going to different communities and seeing their rites. I'll drag you along to more if you're willing."

"I'm always interested in learning more, and spending more time with you is a bonus. What do you do for the accountant?"

"I'm a jack of all trades. Organizing, cleaning, escorting nutters off the premises, you know, a bit of everything."

"Do you like the work?"

"It has its perks. Lots of rich people like to throw their money around. I don't mind it."

"Is it just you and your mother then? I believe your mother mentioned you having a sister now that I think about it."

"Oh no, the house is full of people."

"Does that bother you? Having so many people about?"

Isaiah shrugged. He leaned back to allow the server to place their food on the table and thanked him. "I'm used to it."

"Do you have plans to move out?"

"Of course. I don't want to be old and grey still living with them. I'll move out eventually. Dig in, cold chips are not good."

Severus popped a chip into his mouth and Isaiah copied him.

"Do you own anything that isn't black?" Isaiah asked after wiping his mouth with the cloth napkin.

"Yes, I have articles in dark green and grey."

Isaiah laughed and looked around the pub quickly before reaching out to touch Severus' hand. "I look forward to seeing you in a variety of other colors."

Severus also looked around the pub inconspicuously and accepted his hand. "Confident that we'll see each other again?"

"Of course. I not only expect emails but also several meetings during the Christmas break. I doubt you'll be able to make frequent trips down here while your fancy school is in session."

"Emails?"

"Yes," Isaiah took a pen out of his back pocket with one hand, the other still holding Severus, and wrote on a coaster and gave it to him. "This is my email. Please tell me you know how to use email?"

"I am quite up to date with modern technology."

The tube station was up ahead but Isaiah paused and turned to Severus.

"It's too bad you're due back north tonight. I would have loved to spend more time with you."

"As would I."

Suddenly, Isaiah grabbed his arm and dragged him a few feet under the canopy of a closed café away from the main street. He pushed him against the glass front, looked him in the eye, then with barely a second of hesitation, kissed him. He pressed up against him, one hand on his hip, the other at the nape of his neck. Isaiah wasn't just kissing him, he was devouring him. Before it became difficult to breathe he pecked Severus' lips and trailed kisses across his jaw to his ear, licking and biting the lobe.

"I really wish we had more time, but this will have to hold me until the next time." He moved his hand from Severus' hip towards his crotch and squeezed. "Say no and I'll stop," he said as he kissed his neck and rubbed his cock through the fabric. Severus gave a strangled moan and thrust into his hand. Isaiah took that as permission and in a blink of an eye had his cock out. He spat into his hand then he bit hard on Severus' neck and started stroking him.

"Faster," Severus demanded while moving his own hands to Isaiah's trouser button but he was stopped. Isaiah swatted his hand away, kissed him again and sped up his strokes. For the next couple of minutes they kissed until Severus gave out a deep groan. Isaiah pulled back and rotated away from him. Severus' cum sprayed the pavement. After catching his breath and tucking himself back in, Severus glared at him. "We could have been caught, that was reckless."

Isaiah laughed then licked his semen covered hand while not breaking eye contact. "It's all part of the thrill. But I'll try not to wank you in public again, no promises though, you cum so beautifully."

"You're a menace." Severus was fighting another blush.

"Don't you forget that."

"I'm not likely to forget anything about you."

"That is part of my charm, I'm unforgettable." He leaned in and kissed him again. "I should stop and let you go. Don't forget to email me."

Severus reached out, caressed his cheek and kissed him one last time.