House: Horned Serpent
Ancient Studies
Task #1 - Shabti: Shabti are enchanted figurines made out of clay or wax. They have a variety of purposes, but their main purpose is to serve. They are often found in coffins and are enchanted to carry out tasks for the person they are buried with in the afterlife. Write about servitude.
[romantic pairing] Theodore Nott/Blaise Zabini
[wordcount] 2695
[song] "fever dream" by mxmtoon
WC: 2695
⁂
Theo woke up slowly, the sunlight streaming through the soft linen curtains sinking into his very bones, warm and golden. A leg was thrown across his hip, an arm pressed against his chest and Theo contemplated letting the soft siren's song of sleep consume him once more. Lazy mornings were still a rarity to him—the surrealness of a holiday still felt new and fragile to him, as if he would wake up at any moment and it would dissolve into a hazy dream—but even as he lay there, he felt his brain slowly tick awake.
Back home—and it was home to him, a far better home than any residence of his childhood claimed to be because it was a home he had chosen—mornings came with meetings to organise and business proposals to look over, a constant buzz of activity where Theo thrived. Carefully, Theo shifted, managing to move a precious few inches before Blaise's grip tightened and pulled him back.
"You think too loud," Blaise mumbled, body a line of heat against Theo's back, nudging his nose against the curls at the base of Theo's skull as he sighed.
"One of us has to," Theo sighed, raising Blaise's hand to his lips to kiss his knuckles. Blaise's family signet ring was always cold despite the heat of his skin and the promised heat of the day, a shiver rattling down Theo's spine as the corner of his mouth brushed against it.
"It's a holiday," Blaise tried again, words slow and languid even as he moved to allow Theo to stand, stealing his pillow the moment Theo's head left it. Every inch Theo sacrificed, Blaise took, rolling onto his chest and sprawling out in the lingering warmth Theo left behind.
"I'll get breakfast started," Theo told Blaise, allowing himself a moment to stare at the curve of Blaise's back, to watch the shift of toned muscles as the other settled back down to half an hour of sleep with a mumble in response to Theo's words. It still didn't seem real in some moments, a dream he had held close to his heart during the darkest days of his childhood and the war that enveloped the world around him. But here they both were, still standing and together.
Theo moved down the staircase as quietly as he could—a habit he had yet to break since its reinforcement throughout his childhood and his time at Hogwarts—bare feet sticking slightly to the smooth wood floor. The transition into freezing tile was always a surprise, and Theo wondered, as he filled the kettle and then turned on the hob, how often the kitchen had been used when Blaise was a child.
It was one of several homes his family owned, homes that were now under Theo's name as well, but none of them felt lived in, picture perfect at all times. Blaise delighted in ruining that perfect image his mother worked so hard to cultivate — they had a strange relationship, both loving the other fiercely and yet, working to go against their wishes at every turn. Even now, Blaise's shoes were roughly kicked off next to the front door, his jacket was thrown across the back of the sofa while he had hung Theo's coat up for him.
Theo moved through the motions of making the first cup of tea of the day even as his thoughts strayed to Blaise, curled up in the bedsheet looking like a marble statue, and basking in the sunshine like a housecat. It was a ritualistic comfort for him, one that remained the same regardless of where Blaise decided to travel to—Theo, a constant at his side. The sweet scent of strawberry filled the air and Theo paused before stretching across the countertop to check the biscuit tin, shaking it gently as the contents rattled against each other. Digestive for him, and bourbon for Blaise, neatly set on a small plate on the tray, and Theo made his way back up the stairs.
The clatter of a letter against the Owl Post chute gave him pause, foot resting on the first step, head quirked to the side as he listened. Blaise and his mother were currently on speaking terms so there was no need for her to send letters—scented so heavily with flowery perfume that it made Theo's head spin and Blaise would remark that it was so packed with lies it was a surprise that the letter didn't bleed black. He set the tray down on the stair and moved back to the small basket, eyeing the pale brown envelope with a clinical eye. It would be safe—Blaise's wards were heavily fortified—but it was unexpected. Theo picked it up and placed it on the tray, thoughts turning to planning the day with this new unexpected change to a previously unstructured time.
⁂
"A business meeting," Blaise told him, a furrow in his brow that Theo longed to kiss away. He compromised by twisting just enough to kiss the curve of Blaise's shoulder, lips lingering over the edge of the starburst scar. Blaise's free hand tightened on Theo's hip, thumb shifting just enough to slip beneath the soft grey jumper he wore to run along the raised edge of one of Theo's own scars—a jagged faint line that coiled over the bone like a snake.
Blaise sighed, a sound that seemed to emanate from his very bones, and read over the letter again, mouth moving soundlessly as he did so. He held it at a careful angle so that Theo could read it as well so he indulged the small flicker of curiosity twisting at the base of his skull.
Some phrases seemed to leap out at him: the honour of your company, a favourable agreement, delighted to hear you are visiting this beautiful country; but Theo's attention locked onto a single sentence near the end of the meaningless pleasantries, a request for a meeting this afternoon.
"Thoughts?" Blaise asked, a note in his voice that suggested to Theo that he already made up his mind to play along with the request. He placed the letter down to take a long draught of his tea, previously balanced on his kneecap despite the frown Theo directed at him.
"A train ride sounds like a lovely way to pass the time," Theo replied slowly, mind turned to the clothes he had carefully hung in the wardrobe on their first evening here as Blaise had pressed against his back, mouth warm against his neck as he tried to half heartedly distract Theo from his self appointed task. "And you always look lovely in a suit."
"I do, don't I?" Blaise laughed, squeezing Theo's hip again, accepting the glare Theo sent him as his mug shifted alarmingly with the motion with a quick kiss to Theo's temple. "And you will be by my side throughout. The only reason I can stand those long meetings."
"You love those meetings," Theo countered, allowing himself to curl back into Blaise's embrace for a few moments longer. It would be on him to get them moving after all, Blaise content to sleep the day away so long as Theo wished to and allowed the other to hold him close.
"You love those meetings. And I love you."
Theo sighed and Blaise took advantage of his momentary relaxation to wind his fingers into the curls at the base of Theo's skull—untamed and escaping from any manner of confines Theo tried—tugging his head gently to rest on Blaise's shoulder.
"The man is an idiot and he is even more of an idiot if he thinks interrupting our holiday will make us agree to partner with him."
Theo sighed in agreement, letting Blaise's words wash over him like a gentle rain, warmth flickering like a newly kindled fire in his chest at Blaise's casual inclusion of him. Their relationship had been laid before either of them existed, the foundation built in their blood with one leader and one follower since records first mentioned them. It was a comfort to Theo, a sure thing in a tumultuous world, and a role Blaise was born to play. Indescribable, and yet it worked.
"There is a lovely little cafe, right on the beach near his office," Blaise continued, carding his fingers through Theo's hair, a gentle tugging motion that threatened to lull him back into sleep. "We can go there after ruining his life."
⁂
"I will never get used to Muggle trains," Theo murmured to Blaise, using the gentle swaying of the train to disguise his lean into the other man's side. Blaise grinned his agreement, but made no move to pull Theo closer.
Theo knew he wanted to. He could read the other man's desire in the twitch of Blaise's fingers against the handle of the briefcase resting at his side in the aisle; in the slight hitch of his breath that was almost hidden beneath the rumble of the train as it flew through the countryside. It was a tightrope Theo walked, but he walked it well.
"It is different to what we are used to," Blaise replied finally, turning his head just enough to watch a young child across the aisle. The girl was squealing her delight at the speed of the passing fields, eyes wide and one hand curled into a loose fist which she used to wave at her parents whenever something caught her attention. Theo watched Blaise intently, studied the clear line of his jaw, the twisting jewel dangling from Blaise's ear and the rainbow refraction of light on his dark skin.
"I never got to act like that," Blaise said, turning back to Theo. His face was turned to him, but his gaze was elsewhere, eyes unfocused and seeming to stare through Theo. He blinked, shaking his head as if the memories were water he could easily break free of. "My mother and father loved me, but tradition is a tricky thing to break free of."
"I like our traditions," Theo said, voice light and was answered with a wide grin, Blaise's face lighting up as the unseen tension finally slipped free, a burden Blaise occasionally shouldered whenever the prying eyes of the world grew too much.
"I know, but it's nice to hear you say it."
They fell into silence as the train screeched to a halt, the station momentarily disappearing behind a wall of thick white smoke, the people waiting distorting into twisted shadows. The people around them shifted into movement, a silent language of tucking knees out of the way of travellers and soft smiles of thanks, and Theo watched them pass.
Theo grew up in a Wizarding household, in a Wizarding section of London or a manor house tucked into the rolling hills of Southern England, where the only silent language was one of threats and coercion. He was fluent in that language, and Blaise was teaching him the softer side.
The train slowly lurched into motion, new faces filling the gaps left by the departure of those who had grown familiar over the course of their journey. Theo turned to watch the scenery dissolve into a blur as trees and fields morphed into streaks of colour, reminding him of an oil painting.
"Nearly there," Blaise murmured, tipping his head from side to side to try and work out the crook in his neck. Theo was reminded of their final year of Hogwarts following the end of the War—the memories of his school years too tightly intertwined with any sort of train journey to separate them—where they had the entire compartment by themselves, set apart by the colour on the hems of their robes. Blaise could lie across one seat, feet propped up on the windowsill, eyes half lidded as he dozed, his hand held tight in Theo's in the expanse between the two seats.
Between one blink and the next, the world around them descended into shadow as the train moved into a tunnel, and Theo felt Blaise's hands slip into his, fingers interlocking, concealed in the tiny gap between their bodies.
⁂
"Mr Zabini! How lovely to meet you at last."
Blaise's smile could cut glass, barely concealed rage honed to a point as the man focused entirely on him, barely even glancing at Theo. Theo was used to that—the brief flicker of pressure as people's eyes passed over him before sliding away in the wake of Blaise's brilliance—and knew how to use it to his advantage. He shifted the folder in his arms, and waited as the man continued to dig his own grave with every slimy compliment. Blaise's expression hardened further until he cut the other man off with a simple wave of his hand.
"Let's start the meeting. I have no desire to waste the rest of my day on pleasantries." Blaise's voice was cold, a far cry from the warmth Theo was used to hearing, and he hid his grin behind a flawless mask of professional boredom. Blaise cut an imposing figure—suit carefully tailored for him with a price tag Blaise had hidden from Theo upon first receiving it to coax him into his own suit, but where Theo felt out of place in that finery, Blaise revelled in it.
Theo studied Blaise's movements carefully as they moved further into the building, taking his cues from the shift of Blaise's shoulders beneath the soft gray fabric, the careful adjustment of his cufflinks—diamond to match his earring, carefully chosen by Theo, and a successful one by the way the man's eyes lingered on Blaise's casual show of wealth.
"We think you will be very impressed by what we do here." The man's voice was smooth and slick, desperation permeating every syllable as he motioned them into a meeting room—large windows covering one wall to let in the afternoon sunlight, the scent of salt in the air as the sea glimmered a brilliant azure blue a few streets away.
Theo pulled out Blaise's chair and took his usual spot just behind his left elbow, ready and waiting to be of use. The businessman, finally, looked at him, but his gaze slipped to the folder in Theo's arms, a strange gleam entering his eyes once more. Blaise's hand curled into a fist beneath the table, the movement silent but it sent a shiver down Theo's spine and heat pooling in the pit of his stomach.
"Remind me, if you will," Blaise leant back in his chair, tone flat and unaffected, "exactly what it is your company does."
Theo let the words wash over him, unimportant in their tediousness and watched Blaise. His eyes were sharp, but he was staring slightly over the man's shoulder, not towards the ocean but at Theo's dim reflection in the glass.
It was time for this meeting to end.
Theo took half a step forward, catching sight of the affection shining bright in Blaise's eyes as he leant down with a hand cupped in front of Blaise's ear. He kissed Blaise quickly and discreetly, looking all the world like a dutiful servant stepping in to do his job.
"Could you repeat that please, Theo?" Blaise asked, a thread of barely concealed laughter running through his words, and Theo kissed him again, hidden and secret.
"Thank you."
Theo stepped back, and Blaise straightened, letting his disgust for the other man sitting across from them show on his face, as he stumbled to a halt.
"We will not partner with your company, not now and not ever. You interrupt our holiday, you insult me with your perfumed flatteries and, worse of all, you insult my partner, the love of my life, because you view him as beneath you. Do not contact us again and you will not enjoy the consequences of ignoring me a second time."
Blaise grinned, reaching behind to pull Theo's hand to his lips, the man's eyes following the movement and alighting on Blaise's signet ring, fully remembering for the first time who Blaise's mother was.
"Still fancy that cafe?" Blaise asked, the pair turning to leave as he tucked the files Theo held beneath his arm as he looped the other around Theo's waist.
"I'd like that."