Closed Silver Tongue in the Shadows

[Blake van Houten]

Free time was rare for Blake these days with his training schedule as intense as it was. He wouldn't trade his career for anything, but it was still nice getting some time to himself. Usually he would have spent the day with Lars but he was in the Netherlands visiting his parents, and Blake didn't have time to go over and visit the van Houtens. So he had decided to spend his day off from Quidditch... picking up supplies for Quidditch. The end of his broom was getting a little frayed, so he'd dropped in to QQS to get a few replacement twigs and some fresh polish. Task completed, he was taking a moment to enjoy the fresh air and busy atmosphere before heading home - it was nice to take a moment for himself, no pressure or commitments to worry about.

 

[Tyler Lee]

Tyler truly was starting to hate his job. Every day was the same, and every day was boring. He looked forward to getting out of the building during lunchtime to pick up a sandwich. But even that had to be ruined, as Fabian had decided that Tyler's lunch outing was something he could invite himself to. So every time Tyler went out, he had a talkative blond shadow following him around. He tried his best to ignore him, but didn't always suceed. Tyler had ordered himself a sandwich and tried to leave the shop before Fabian could catch up. It would be nice to eat in peace for one day. But Fabian wasn't far behind. Tyler was just about to snap at him, when he noticed a familiar face from the corner of his eye. Blake. Tyler's heart froze for a moment, then started beating very quickly. Tyler rushed to a nearby tree and hid behind the trunk, pressing his back against it. He didn't want Blake to see him. Slowly, he peeked from around the tree, relieved to see Blake walking on. Tyler exhaled a sigh of relief.

 

[Fabian Cresswell]

Banking was hardly an exciting profession, but the one advantage was that it came with plenty of stuffy people to wind up. Fabian had quickly found his favourite in Tyler, and delighted in any chance he could get to bother his officemate. Lunch was always a fun challenge - Tyler couldn't escape him in the office, but chasing after him in his free time was far sweeter. Besides, Tyler had good taste in lunch. He had made sure to get his sandwich quickly so Tyler couldn't escape, opening his mouth to prod at the younger man. The words died in his mouth though as Tyler seemed to freeze, and Fabian rushed to follow his eyeline to a rather handsome man he recognised from somewhere. And then Tyler was gone, and that was far more interesting than however he knew this stranger. He was quick to chase after Tyler, eyes sparkling in curiosity. "Ex boyfriend?" He asked in teasing.

 

[Tyler Lee]

Tyler stayed behind the tree for a few more moments, making sure Blake was really gone. Tyler sagged in relief, checking to make sure his sandwich was unharmed. He groaned when Fabian popped up. He had forgotten him for a moment. He gave him an annoyed look, brushing down his coat. Of course, he had seen this embarrassing moment. Tyler rolled his eyes. Fabian seemed determined to forget Tyler was straight. "As I've told you, I'm straight. I don't have an ex-boyfriend." He said, glancing the direction Blake went again with a sigh. "He's no one." He muttered.

 

[Fabian Cresswell]

Fabian snorted lightly, choosing to ignore Tyler's profession of heterosexuality. "Doesn't look like no-one." He smirked. "The only people I'd hide like that from are exes and their dads." He said with a grin and a quick wiggle of the eyebrows. "Go on then, if he's not an ex what's got you so scared?"

 

[Tyler Lee]

Tyler smoothed down his coat again, pointedly not looking at Fabian as he started walking again. The other man was so irritating, and he actually reminded Tyler a lot of Blake. The Blake of before, at least. Tyler didn't look back, but he knew Fabian was following. "I'm not scared." He said shortly.

 

[Fabian Cresswell]

Fabian fell into step behind Tyler easily, giving him a light prod in the arm. "Nah, you just hid because you were so excited to see him." He teased. "He's cute, you've got good taste at least. Let me guess - he's still bitter you broke his heart?"

 

[Tyler Lee]

Tyler swatted at Fabian's hand as he prodded him. He scowled, glaring at him. "I just didn't want to deal with the awkwardness. We were best friends. Then stuff happened." He said, increasing his speed a bit. "And if you're just going to ignore what I said about our relationship, I'm not going to talk to you about it anymore." He added. The idea of him and Blake as exes was a ludicrous one. Though the one time Blake kissed him flashed through his mind every time Fabian brought it up. It was frustrating.

 

[Fabian Cresswell]

Fabian's eyebrows did their best to high five his hairline. "Stuff happened, hmm?" His grin was starting to make his cheeks ache, but he didn't particularly care when things were this juicy. "You can't say that then shut down entirely." He paused as it finally hit him where he knew the face from. "Wait, that was Blake van Houten, from the Macaws. You used to go out with Blake van Houten?!"

 

[Tyler Lee]

Tyler groaned, closing his eyes for a moment. Fabian had this strange superpower to make everything he said sound like it was insinuating things he hadn't even thought of. He sighed as Fabian recognized him. "Blake Irons." He said, hating the way Blake's name sounded with that last name. "At least, when I knew him. He got married." He said with a shrug. "And we didn't go out." He added, getting annoyed.

 

[Fabian Cresswell]

Just when this couldn't get jucier. "Irons. I see." He smiled. "Still bitter about the marriage, then? Did you get too drunk and curse out the groom, then? Realised something when it was too late? Oooh, did you snog him right before the wedding?" Fabian felt alight with possibilities, thrilled at having finally found a weak spot in his dour officemate's armour.

 

[Tyler Lee]

Tyler wished Fabian would drop it. Or if he didn't, he'd at least listen to what Tyler was actually saying. "I didn't go to the wedding." He snapped at him as he arrived at the bench he usually liked to eat at. "We hadn't talked for years at that point. Stop trying to make it into something different."

 

[Fabian Cresswell]

Fabian smirked, mind still turning away. "So it happened years before, but you're still upset that he's married now. Must have been big..." He mused, rocking on his feet as they reached the bench he and Tyler usually shared. "Ohh, did he steal your ex?" He grinned, possibilities opening up. "He stole your ex, and now they're married."

 

[Tyler Lee]

Tyler clicked his tongue as he sat down. "I never said I was upset he is married." He said with a sigh. He turned to look at Fabian sideways. "Don't you get tired of being so wrong? No, he did not steal my ex. He's married to a man, and I just told you I don't have any ex-boyfriends." He said, frustration lacing each words. "He's a loser, anyway." He added.

 

[Fabian Cresswell]

Fabian snorted. "You're not upset he's married, you just get upset when people call him Blake van Houten." He said pointedly, raising his eyebrows as he sat next to Tyler. "Calling one of the biggest Quidditch players in the world a loser is a pretty big claim..." He thought about it. "You said you used to be best friends, so... he turned on you when he met his husband?" He asked, trying to find a new tack. "Decided he didn't need you as a friend anymore, but you made a good punching bag."

 

[Tyler Lee]

Tyler scowled at Fabian, shaking his head. “I didn’t get upset.” He insisted. “I just forgot for a bit, I’m not used to hearing that stupid last name.” He didn’t get why Blake hadn’t just kept his own last name. It was much better. “I wasn’t calling him a loser. I meant his husband.” Tyler said, the word foreign on his tongue. Who had a husband at twenty three? He truly didn’t get it. “Wrong again.” Tyler said. “If he had used me as a punching bag he wouldn’t be famous now, because he would be dead.”

 

[Fabian Cresswell]

Fabian smirked. "So he went off with someone you didn't think was good enough for him, and you're still bitter?" He guessed, thoroughly enjoying every bit of this game. He had no doubt he'd make it to the core of whatever Tyler was hiding, but the journey was just as much fun as the destination. He laughed lightly at the comment. "Oooh, tough guy." He teased. "Threats like that seem a bit beneath you..."

 

[Tyler Lee]

Tyler paused at Fabian's assessment. He was getting closer, but did Tyler want to admit that to him? He considered for a moment. "Someone we both thought wasn't good enough." He finally admitted. "Blake used to be awful to him, like worse than I even was. Then suddenly turns around and falls for him. It's weird." He said, frustrated and bitter feelings from his Hogwarts time rising up as he thought about it. He took an angry bite of his sandwich, barely tasting it. "Fabian, you don't know me." He added as Fabian said threats seemed a bit beneath him.

 

[Fabian Cresswell]

Maybe Fabian was getting soft, but he couldn't help a small smile as Tyler finally gave some context. "Aww, like a little kid pulling his crush's pigtails. You have to admit that's rather sweet." He said with a small smile. "So you hated this guy for real, and he just went along with it to cover up a crush?" He stretched his legs out, looking away from Tyler for a moment to enjoy taking in the day around them. "I read people pretty well." He added with an amused smile, looking back at Tyler. "You're not a violent guy, and that's not just an old friend with a husband you don't like all that much."

 

[Tyler Lee]

Tyler sighed and shook his head. He didn't have to admit anything like that. "No, it was more than teasing. I was sure Blake hated him." He said, thinking back. "He wasn't the sort of person to go along with anything." He added, thinking the idea would be kind of ridiculous to anyone who had known them both in their Hogwarts time. The idea that Tyler was the one calling the shots. He was, but not obviously. And it wasn't like he had purposely set Blake on Lars. Or had he? He didn't quite remember. Tyler snorted. "So far, you've gotten everything wrong. You don't read people all that well." He informed the older man. "I was duelling champion for most of my years at Hogwarts. I could do some serious damage."

 

[Fabian Cresswell]

Fabian nodded thoughtfully as he listened, intrigued to finally get some insight into his reticent officemate's life. "Interesting. Was he closeted? I know some guys take that stuff out on people." He said with a small sigh, thinking of the troubles he'd had with repressed closeted guys in the past. Some people just took themselves too seriously. "Might have been overcompensating." He laughed softly at Tyler's roast, raising an eyebrow. "Being good at duelling isn't the same as being violent - I don't think you're going to kill someone just for being a bit of a d*ck. I mean, I'm walking around." He added with a cheeky wink.

 

[Tyler Lee]

Tyler didn´t really want to admit Fabian had gotten anything right, but he couldn’t really deny it. He nodded. “Yeah, his family was bad about it.” He admitted. “I think it’s why he picked on the kid, since he was out and stuff.” Tyler shrugged. “Wasn’t why I picked on him, I just thought he was weird.” He added, somehow finding it important for Fabian to know that. Tyler rolled his eyes. “You’re on thin ice.” He said coolly.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley was going for a nice walk in town and overheard some people having a very intense conversation she had nothing to do with

 

[Fabian Cresswell]

Fabian couldn't help the small smirk as Tyler finally had to admit he was right, though his eyebrows raised slightly at the last part. "You know, I've been called weird before." He said coolly before moving away from that. "So he was struggling with his sexuality, and you ended the friendship because he finally felt comfortable enough to be real about how he felt for someone you didn't like?" He said pointedly. "For this guy that in your words he was picking on out of jealousy." He ignored the last comment entirely, his usual teasing tone almost entirely gone. He was under Tyler's skin for the first time ever, and wasn't going to mess this up.

 

[Tyler Lee]

Tyler hadn’t expected the tone to shift so suddenly, and he looked at Fabian incredulously. “The guy never wore socks that matched and spent all his time gazing at flowers or the lake. ” He told him, frowning. “I would have picked on him no matter who he liked, alright? Calm down.” Tyler’s frown deepened at Fabian’s next words. How was he picking Blake’s side when he didn’t even know Blake? “It was actually a lot more complicated than that.” He said icily. “But I see you’re happy making up your own events to fit your story.” Tyler snapped, turning away from Fabian and taking a big bite of his sandwich. If he had to ignore the other man for the rest of the lunch break, he would.