save your breath

@seekingbenjy​

The anger in him dies like a flower after the frost as she pushes past him. 

“Nars-” 

Narcissa doesn’t glance back, just continues on her way to her desk. Her perfume is clean, floral, expensive, and it lingers, sinking into Benjy like the regret filling up his stomach. He approaches her office door, leaning against the frame, watching her in silence for a moment.

“Okay, look I was out of line. I’m sorry.” The apology weighs heavily, blanketing more than just his piss baby attitude.

She doesn’t respond and he doesn’t expect her to. Benjy sighs.

“Why didn’t you-” He stops himself. He knows why Narcissa wouldn’t tell him, she’s the most private person he knows. 

Benjy studies her, watching Narcissa look anywhere but at him. He sees it now, the signs he was too wrapped up in himself to see. Bags under her eyes poking through her makeup, the extra cups of coffee on her desk. He glances at her left hand and wants to bash his own head in. She wasn’t wearing her wedding ring, nor the massive engagement ring…how the hell had he missed that? She senses him, she must, because Narcissa pointedly moves a stack of papers in front of her. 

“When did it happen?” He asks, sliding tenatively into the chair across from her. Benjy pushes the chair back, providing distance, talking to fill the silence. “I came here to check on you, not work and I’m doing a pretty shit job at that…” Benjy sighs. “Do you want me to go?”

Benjy presses her for the information that Narcissa doesn’t feel too keen on sharing. It’s nothing personal; she’s a private person going through an emotionally turbulent time. She’s exhausted with the secret keeping, sure, but that doesn’t mean she’s ready to start blurring the lines of personal and professional. Narcissa has always prided herself on keeping who she is at her core out of her business. Sure, her values and her beliefs are a part of what makes her firm so successful, as is she, but none of her clients are exactly people she would consider to be friends -- not because she doesn’t like them or because she wouldn’t want to be, simply because she has intentionally excluded them from knowing her. 

So when Benjy presses and looks for her rings, she nudges some papers over and turns her chair toward her computer, working on pulling up his file. If he’s going to stay, they’re going to work. Maybe, just maybe, she will feel emotionally exhausted enough by the end to cave into the drink Benjy will inevitably offer. She could use it and, at the end of the day, she does like his company. 

“We’ve been separated for a year, but only recently decided to inform our families.” This is as much as she wants to get into this right now. The complications of why they got married in the first place and why they’re only physically separating now are lengthy, and discussion of them absolutely crosses Narcissa's invisible boundaries. 

It’s Benjy’s offer to leave that finally manages to snag Narcissa’s attention. She sighs softly and rolls her shoulders before leaning back slightly in her chair. “If you’re here to work you can stay, but I’m not exactly in the mood to talk about my marriage with my client right now.” She’s blunt, but her tone has lost the vicious edge from earlier.

@malfoy-luciusabraxas​

Lucius rolls his eyes, far too accustomed to Narcissa commenting on his manners, or lack thereof, to pay it any mind. He savors his muffin, slowly beginning to feel the effects of his hangover wearing off - nothing a bit of sugar couldn’t cure.

He’s surprised by Narcissa’s response to his proposal. While he didn’t expect her to down right shut him down, it was curious that she hadn’t made up an excuse on the spot not to spend time with him - as was normally their custom. Lucius mocks her, also taking out his phone and pretending to check a nonexistent planner. He clears his throat and speaks with the most pretentious voice he can muster. “Well, let’s see here. We’d have to leave next Thursday evening to check in, as the match is Friday afternoon. Party begins at 10. We’d leave for home the following day, time depending on how drunk I get. Does that work for you, dear?” 

Lucius smirks and puts his phone away, brushing bread crumbs from his lap. He was excited about the idea of her joining him, but he couldn’t be too obvious. Besides, there was still a chance she’d come to her senses beforehand and cancel on him. “And no, you can’t bring your girlfriends, I’m only getting a plus one for this. It’s a hot ticket.” This time he wasn’t being boastful, he’d been fighting off his hangers-on for weeks over this event. It was a big deal that he’d decided that Narcissa would be the one to join him.

Narcissa decides quickly that it’s in her best interest to not respond to Lucius’s teasing. This is hardly a new thing between them, and if she reacted poorly to every tease sent her way she’d never hear the end of it. Instead, she fixes him with an expectant look and waits until he finally gives her some actual details to work with. Once he lets the details slip, she looks back down at her phone and reevaluates her schedule. Her important appointments are early Thursday, done by noon. When Narcissa decided to entertain Lucius, she half-suspected that something in her calendar would make it obvious she wouldn’t be able to follow through. It seems this time, he’s in luck. 

She marks the days as ‘busy’ then locks and sets her phone aside on the table. Call it nostalgia, but she’s feeling more indulgent for his teasing today than she has in quite some time. “Hm. I suppose I can make that work, if the drinks and company are going to be as good as you insist they are.” Narcissa isn’t the sort to enjoy getting blackout, but perhaps it couldn’t hurt to let herself go a little bit. It’s been a long time since she’s allowed herself time to relax. 

“I’m assuming it’s not black tie?” She’ll wear something refined, of course, but not everything needs to be business or black-tie formal. Narcissa can think of several outfits better suited for a club or a lively venue that she hasn’t gotten to wear in quite some time.

@seekingbenjy​

He rolls his eyes.

“Oh come off it. You’re being ridiculous.”

Benjy chances a glance at her and can’t repress his smirk when he sees more irritation creep onto her face.

“I thought it wasn’t all about me.” He says, lifting his chin and eyebrows, trying and failing to not think for the 19284th time what it’d be like to kiss her. He never would-he’d never be able to live with himself if he broke up a family. Benjy’s heart keeps him steady, but that doesn’t mean his buldger addled brain doesn’t conjure up unhelpful thoughts of what she’d feel like pressed up against him.

“You know what, Mrs. Malfoy?” 

“Forget it.” 

Benjy steps out of her way.

Narcissa considers herself a fairly patient person. She has to be, given her line of work. Her work with Benjy never would have come this far if she couldn’t withstand so much -- that’s how it is for most of her clients. Often, the most difficult ones are some of the most successful and it takes a certain type of person to help them reach even higher peaks. 

And yet, when Benjy uses her ex-husband’s name despite the fact that she *never* took it -- not really, the very thin thread of patience she’d been holding onto for the past year snaps. 

“Not a missus anymore, Benjy, and I’ve never been a Malfoy.” There’s a bite to her tone that is cold but venomous, a sort of angry that she so rarely lets out. 

“If you’re going to be snide, at least get your facts straight.” She grabs her tea and heads toward her office, pushing past him when he doesn’t immediately step aside. “If you’re not interested in getting work done you can take your leave. I’m sure my mother would appreciate it if I picked Draco up early.”

@malfoy-luciusabraxas​

‘You’ll have to let me make it up to you. I’m sure that hour of lost time really set you back in life.” Like a healed bruise brought back to life, Narcissa’s gentle nudge of his shin brought back welcoming but painful memories of times when she’d kicked him much harder in the same spot. It was a shame he’d forgotten how easy she was was to talk to. After all, the two weren’t so different if looked at from afar. They both came from wealthy pureblood families, appreciated the finer things in life, and had an air of confidence that tended to stand out amongst others. Narcissa tended to showcase her ego more subtly. Lucius’ arrogance made this almost impossible, but he respected her modesty.

“Hey, can I get one of those blueberry muffins?” Lucius shouts over to the barista and folds his legs. He goes over his schedule, or lack thereof, in his head. He wasn’t the type to plan. Something would come up and *snap* he’d apparate to a different town or city without even packing a bag. “I’m headed to Scotland next week. Fyfe Sutherland has a match, he invited me to come. There’s supposed to be quite the party afterward. Interested?” Lucius was quite happy to name drop famous celebrities he’d developed relationships with over the years - this time it was the popular seeker from the ‘Montrose Magpies‘ quidditch team.

When the question left his lips he intended it to be a joke, but when he thought about it, Lucius wouldn’t mind having her as a travel companion. Showing up to events with models was getting rather dull. At least Narcissa could carry on a decent conversation, and her beauty was second to none in his eyes. 

“It could be fun.” Lucius accepts his muffin and takes a bite, trying his best to mask his curiosity.

Lucius shouts out to the barista and Narcissa bites back a scoff at the behavior. He is always so confident that he can do no wrong. If he were anyone else it would exhaust her, but their deep roots keep her more fond than exasperated -- although she has put him in his place before when it gets out of hand. It’s something she wouldn’t hesitate to do again, should the need arise. “You could walk to the counter,” Narcissa suggests, tone veering a little closer to cold.

When she asked after his schedule Narcissa truthfully hadn’t been expecting much. They are experts at avoiding each other and it only made sense for the trend to continue. Instead of that, he offers her an opportunity to join him. Thankfully, the barista’s appearance buys her a bit of time to articulate an answer, and she extends that even further by reaching for her mug and taking another long sip of the latte. It’s going cold now, so she really should rush to finish it before it’s undrinkable. Rather than set it down when she finishes, she holds it in her hands.

“It’s a bit last minute. You are aware I own my own company and am beholden to my clients and responsibilities?” She asks, mostly because she’s never made anything easy on him and she doesn’t intend to start now.

He has given her enough notice to make changes to her schedule though. She could go with him for the match, then the party. Narcissa finds avoiding intoxication easy, so she could always pop back home when she had enough of the party and was ready for a bit of rest.

A sigh leaves her, and she’s reaching for her phone before she can change her mind. She needs to check her schedule. “What day and time?” She probes, glancing up from the screen while her calendar loads. Narcissa gives Lucius a hard time, but it would be nice to take the opportunity to spend some time with him and take a breather from the everyday stressors of her life. While she’ll never be a party person, she can appreciate the value of something fun and casual.

seekingbenjy​:

“Narcissa.” Benjy says, his voice serious. He touches the side of her arm to get her to look at him. Her face is neutral, but Benjy knows better. 

“Don’t do that. Turn it off for a second, yeah? It’s me, the amount of toilets-literal and metaphorical-you pulled my head out of, you seriously think you still have to…”

Benjy trails off, he resists the urge to take her hand. He stands between Narcissa and the door, trying to prevent her from breezing past him and glossing over the problem, like always. She’d been his publicist for almost four years and the longest professional relationship he’d ever had-Benjy knew he wasn’t an easy client, and he knows just how much he owes to the blonde in front of him. He plays with his fingers, cracking his knuckles one by one and messing with the silver ring on his thumb as he speaks.

“If you’re in some kind of trouble, Nars, please. Let me help. Or if I did something, I mean, for fuck’s sake, let me fix it before you go all Business on me, yeah? Talk to me.” Benjy bites down on his bottom lip-he’s not usually…confrontational isn’t exactly the word, but Narcissa isn’t someone who does well with being told what to do, and Benjy tries to respect that boundary. 

“Or I mean, do whatever you want, but you don’t have to act like I’m some Joe Wankoff from the street.”

Tries being the key word.

-

Unsurprisingly, Benjy reacts to her obvious distress instantly. He fusses and perhaps at another time Narcissa would appreciate it. She does now -- but it’s a complicated thing. She doesn’t want to get into this with her client, but she knows she’s one more significant push from spilling her heart out. 

It’s been a long year. 

Narcissa feels a flash of irritation despite Benjy’s best intentions. She raises a brow, purses her lips just slightly. “What makes you assume this is about you at all, or that I’m in trouble?” There’s a bit more bite than she intends when she says, “Not everything is about you, Benjy.” 

She gives that a moment then a long, tired sigh. “It’s all personal, nothing you need to concern yourself with. If you stopped just randomly showing up at my office it wouldn’t be a discussion point at all.” She’s not trying to be dismissive of his concern; she does appreciate it. Narcissa works hard to keep her professional and private lives very far apart. 

“Thank you for your concern, but give me a few minutes and I’ll be just fine. You wanted to talk about the Witch’s Weekly spot?” Narcissa sounds tired despite the enthusiasm she tries to muster up into her voice.

Cherry Blossom, Baby || Benjy and Cissa

Benjy breezes into her office, not even bothering to see if she was in a meeting. Narcissa hated when he did that, and Benjy got to enjoy the show that was her threatening to break his contract. Or his knees. Either way, it was usually a great start to his day.

“How’d you swing this one, eh?”

He presents the Witch Weekly magazine that features a moving paparazzi shot of him grinning. Benjy grins in the exact same way. 

“Quidditch’s sexiest catch?”

“Do you think I’m sexy, Nars?”

Benjy finally sees her face and freezes.

“Are you okay?”

@cissab​

-

It’s been a long day, a long year. Non-contested or not, divorce didn’t get any easier. Draco had questions, always so many questions, when the two of them finally moved out. When she told her parents and her elder sister, questions just seemed to double until everyone was yelling. 

This entire thing was a mess, and the phone call from her aunt had left Narcissa wondering if this was the right call at all. 

Time slipped from her after Walburga had given Narcissa a front-row seat to her mythical temper tantrums. Narcissa stepped away from her computer, leaving her heels tucked under her desk. She rented a single office space with a small conference room, office and break area. There was no one here to impress but herself. Well -- until Benjy breezes in. 

Narcissa glances over at him, knowing she must look grim. “I’m -- you’re early for your appointment,” she corrects. Narcissa pushes off from the kitchen counter she’d been leaning against and grabbed her tea. “Come on, I can run you through it in my office.”

Narcissa moved as if she had extra limbs; ice water here, espresso there, latte raised to her lips. She was clearly an expert at multitasking. He goes to sip some water but ends up gulping down the entire glass; the liquid giving life to what felt like his dehydrated corpse. 

“What, no comments on my appearance?” Remnants of ice water drip from the bits of fuzz on his chin down to the bleach stained purple hoodie he had worn the night before. Lucius grins and spreads out his arms, displaying himself so that she can get a better look. “I call this, the artful mess.” He picks up his coffee again, this time gently blowing on the brim before cautiously sipping. 

“You say that like you see me when the sun’s down.” He couldn’t remember the last time they spoke, yet alone hung out together. Narcissa wasn’t the type to socialize with the company he kept, nor was he with hers, but the two seemed to have a mutual respect for one another. 

“We should change that by the way.” He winks and chuckles, clearly amused with himself. “Remember that time we both got detention at school? I told Professor Binns that for someone who’d been dead for so long, he had no interesting stories to tell. He was so pissed, he punished you too just for laughing.” Lucius’ memory was dreadful, but for some reason he was quite fond of that one. He wasn’t sure if it was because he was proud of the joke, or if it was because he actually made her laugh.

-

It’s not surprising to see that Lucius downs the water like a man dying of thirst. Truthfully, it’s what she expected when she offered it to him. He tends to take, and she’s been friendly with him long enough to see that play out time and time again. “I could comment on your appearance, but I get the sense that you already know everything I’d have to say and I hate to waste the air.” She looks over his appearance, expression giving away exactly how unimpressed she is with it. She’s feeling more tolerant today than normal though, so she doesn’t push it further than that. 

“Yes, well. You’ll have to find it in your heart to forgive me, but I don’t very much care for the party life you insist on living.” She takes another slow sip of her latte to hide the small upward tug of her lips when he winks at her. Ridiculous, as always, yet she still finds herself feeling nostalgically fond of Lucius. 

She hums to acknowledge his memory, sets down her latte and leans back in her chair. If he’s going to stay, she may as well relax and enjoy the conversation. “I do. I shouldn’t have gotten detention for that. I’m not sure I can ever forgive you for the injustice.” She nudges his shin under the table with her boot. It feels delightfully familiar. 

“What’s your schedule like these days?” She can, at the very least, inquire and attempt to make plans. She does miss their easy friendship that came during their school years. Perhaps there’s hope for them yet. 

Fluorescent Adolescence | Lucissa

An extremely hungover Lucius Malfoy adjusts the shades hanging over his sharp nose as he struts into the local cafe. Vague memories of the previous evening’s antics play in his mind like a poorly shot film as he orders his drink of choice - coffee..black. He needed it to hit him as if he were snorting coffee grounds this morning. While the young man was typically the last one standing after a long night, he was almost always the first one up. 

After paying for his coffee, Lucius surveys the cafe and massages his temple, searching for dark a corner to isolate himself in. A familiar shade of blonde hair catches his glance just as he’d chosen a decent seat.

“Well, fancy seeing you here.” He smirks and takes a seat across from Narcissa without waiting for an invitation. His ‘greeting’ was, of course, total bullshit. Lucius couldn’t recall a time where he didn’t see Cissa in this place on a Sunday morning, furiously typing or reading between modest sips of espresso. Now, very rarely did he ever bother to approach her. Not that he felt uncomfortable doing so, Lucius simply wanted to leave a lasting impression when Narcissa was concerned - usually small talk just wouldn’t suffice. Today he may still be drunk. 

“Wow, you look stunning today, did you do something with your hair?” He winks before burning his lips on the first sip of coffee. “Shit!” Lucius sticks out his tongue and wipes his mouth with a napkin. Maybe he should’ve hid in that corner he had his eyes on. 

- @cissab​

-

On mornings like this, where she feels distracted and disconnected, Narcissa likes to force herself out of the apartment and into the wilds of London. A change of scenery always seems to be the trick to sharpening her mind. She’s not sure what has her mind drifting this morning; she got a few decent hours of sleep last night. Work has been going well, she’s been in touch with her sisters. The stress of her life, for once, feels almost blissfully under control. And yet, despite the change of scenery, she’s been staring at her laptop with a frown on her face for nearly ten minutes now. Her latte started going cold so she ordered an espresso. Nearly halfway through that, and her brain still feels dull. 

It’s maddening. Narcissa hates the sensation of being trapped in a fog. 

The sudden voice nearly makes Narcissa jump. Her eyes flick up to other blond, and she tracks his movements like a hawk as he settles across from her. This is certainly an unexpected turn for her morning. 

Narcissa tilts her head at the compliment, raises a brow and prepares to respond when he burns himself. Her frown shifts into a smirk as she huffs a soft laugh. “Careful now. I’ve heard they serve that at nearly boiling temperatures.” She shifts, straightening her posture a bit and nudging her icewater toward him. “Here, take a few sips of this. Maybe it’ll soothe the burn.” 

She watches him for a moment then reaches for her own coffee. She finishes the espresso and sets it on the little tray it came with before reaching for her lukewarm latte again. “You’re a sight for sore eyes. I’m surprised to see you when the sun’s up.” 

Emmeline: All's good. Just training up for the next match with the Kestrals. Although Coach wants us to stay longer after practice to make sure we can catch in record time. Makes having a social life impossible.

—

“Thanks” Alice murmured with a smile. It had made her happy when Gym Shark had approached her. She loved fitness, and had worked hard to get her insta page out there. It was hard work, especially when she was already working hard as an Auror. But all her hard work was paying off, and it was making her happy. “It really is. The shout outs from Zoe and Eli are helping, but I’m happy my hard work is finally paying off.” She knew it meant that the hard work would only increase, but she was sure she was happy. Alice just grinned at her. “Oh don’t worry. Being related to a great publicist is something I won’t be forgetting about” Not that she would ever use Narcissa, but it was something useful to remember.

Alice just smiled. She had missed hanging out with Narcissa. “Honestly? I’m tired” She mused with a little laugh. “Work is tough. I’m still confined to the office.” Which didn’t look like it would be ending any time soon. “I’m learning new skills, but it is sometimes a little frustrating…. and I have to remind myself to not spend hours on the computers.” She murmured, shaking her head. “I come home with headaches most days…..” The long term impacts of her accident had not been something she’d been expecting, and she was still having to adjust how she worked. It made things tougher at work, but she would do anything to remain in the office and at least feel like she was doing some sort of good job.

She smiled though. “How about you?”

-

Narcissa nods as if she remembers who Zoe and Eli are. They haven’t caught up in such a long time that Narcissa isn’t sure she’s remembering those people correctly. She doesn’t say as much though. “Good, I’m always around to help family.” Despite her distance, Narcissa means it. If something urgent were to come up, she’d make time. 

“Headaches sound like a pain,” Narcissa frowns lightly as she listens. “I hope that you’re still finding ways to take care of yourself.” Narcissa knows how difficult it can be to find a healthy work-life balance. She can’t help but feel a bit of concern at how Alice is describing her life -- all work, no play. Although, she has a romantic partner and a thriving fitness Instagram, so perhaps Narcissa doesn’t know as much as she initially suspects. 

When the question is directed back on her she sighs softly and offers a shrug. “Much of the same, really. I’ve picked up a few new clients recently, one who’s particularly difficult, but I’m enjoying his company.” Narcissa takes a long sip of her drink while she thinks of what she’d like to say next. “I enjoy the work immensely, so it makes the demanding hours far more enjoyable.” 

“You don’t need to rush it Cissy,” Andromeda struggled to give good advice on this subject. She and Ted had fallen into things. She wished it could be that easy for everyone else, but the any again things weren’t so easy right now. So maybe it was better to wait. “Well live all you want, at least can have wine with dinner.” 

Andromeda nodded but when she wondered silently. He spent more time with his patients then his daughter at this point. 

Andy expected Narcissa to say yes, still it was nice hear her say it. Maybe it was childish but she just wanted someone to hold her hand. “I know what he’d like to do. Same as he did with Dora I assume.” 

-

Narcissa laughs brightly and raises her glass (filled with water) to mime a ‘cheers’ motion. “I’ll drink to that, Andy dearest,” she teases, having a sip of the water before setting it back down on the able. 

There’s something in her sister’s tone that doesn’t let Narcissa just brush over the conversation. She frowns, setting her fork down and leaning forward to take Andromeda’s hand. Narcissa squeezes lightly. “Andy, is something wrong? Is it Dora’s EXAM? She’ll be fine-- she’s a clever little girl, she knows how to listen.” Narcissa had been worried about her niece these past few weeks. Almost worried enough to call in favors at the Ministry, but she would hold off on that for now. 

“Well, Scraggs is out lead guitarist and he’s every bit as self-absorbed as you might think. He writes most of our songs and he’s good, but he knows that he’s good which makes him nearly unpalatable. Daeshim’s alright– probably the only one I really get on with, but most drummers are pretty cool when it comes to grunge, and then there’s Marnie on the keyboards. I think she’s with Scraggs but has too much pride to say anything about it. It works for now because we all like the music, but I don’t really see any long term trajectory for people that seem to just tolerate each other’s presence.” 

He wishes that what Cissa is saying is true– but he does own a mirror. He knows that his outward appearance is not one that warrants looks or any sort of appreciation. It is easier to merely exist, getting through day by day making sure that his hair is clean and his teeth are brushed. He lets her comment go, focusing on the words she says next, trying not to spit his juice all over the ground. “Lucius Malfoy wants you to take over the Snakez? Oh Cissa, that’s an absolute nightmare and a half– you’re far better off without.” 

He takes a large bite of his burrito as she asks about Benjy and he once again feels as though his food is about to murder him. He chokes, taking a moment to hold his finger up, allowing him space to swallow and breathe. “He’s a mess– he’s friends with Lily and over all of the time. A party boy and a half, likes drinking more than having brain cells.” He tips his drink towards her. “Good luck.” 

-

Narcissa nods and gives a contemplative hum as she swallows down another bite of the delicious breakfast. “I could see where that would get complicated. I hope it’s enjoyable while it lasts then. I still think that you should play for me sometime.” She gives Severus a sly smile. 

“Right?” She laughs and shakes her head. “I’m fond of him, but not fond enough to risk the entire trajectory of my career. Plus -- I’d never be able to land another client if I gave up on Lucid. Rumors spread fast in this field and everyone who’s worth their two cents would know I dropped my clients as soon as a bigger opportunity seemed to come along. No, I don’t think so.” Narcissa shakes her head. “It was nice to see him though. It’s irritating but I find that I miss his stupid face when he goes too long without messaging me.” Her feelings for Lucius are endlessly complicated, somehow more complicated than what she feels for Severus. 

Narcissa raises a brow as Severus seems to be battling with the burrito. She nods as he holds his finger up, simply watching as he struggles then seems to defeat the burrito attempting to suffocate him. “Ah, I gathered as much from our meeting. I appreciate the words of advice though.” 

—

“Mmm….” was all Alice said. She couldn’t remember Narcissa ever being seriously interested in anyone, or being interested in anyone. To be honest though, Frank was the first guy Alice had been really serious about, so it wasn't’ too shocking. Alice knew she was risking a lot trying a relationship with Frank. They wree good friends and had a lot to lose, but she was pretty confident that it was going to work out well for the pair.

“You’re welcome.” Alice was understanding of the situation, but it didn’t mean she was actually happy with the situation. She honestly thought that Narcissa was pretty rude by not answering her texts. Sure, the understood being busy, but it didn’t take two minutes to reply letting someone know that. But she wouldn’t say anything. They were having a pleasant luncheon, and she wasn’t about to ruin that, especially since they rarely actually spoke to each other these days.

“Oh…. not much really….” She murmured with a shrug. She wasn’t sure how genuine Narcissa was being, but she was seeing glimpses of their old friendship, and she liked it. “I’ve got a sponsorship deal with Gym shark. They’re gonna send me some gym wear in return for me wearing it in my instagram videos. It’s pretty cool actually.”

- 

“Congratulations!” Narcissa smiled before taking a sip of her drink. “Sponsorships are hard to snag these days. Your page must be getting pretty popular.” Narcissa follows it, of course, but she doesn’t keep religious tabs on people who aren’t her clients. “If you ever find yourself in need of a publicist I do hope you’ll call.” She winks to let Alice know she’s joking, although she would be happy to help out family. 

“How are you doing though?” Narcissa asks, ignoring her phone as it pings on the table. 

“My first priority is flying.” He says instantly, any hint of joke dropped from his voice. Narcissa is almost scaring him, and Benjy likes that in a woman. And in someone who, in theory, is going to save his ass. 

“I’m nothing without it, and I’m not that big of a twat that I don’t know that.”

He’d given up too much-lost too much-to lose his position on the team now. He doesn’t see why he couldn’t play as hard as he worked-honestly he thinks he’s owed it. He’d busted his ass since he was eleven years old to get to where he was now, and now he was getting punished for finally letting himself to have some fun. Benjy sighs dramatically, realizing as he speaks that as annoying as it’s going to be, he’s going to have to at least get sneakier about how he has his fun.

“What do I got to do? I’m not going back in the closet-that’s non-negotiable.” 

Being out was one of the few things he knew he’d done right. He had a stack of letters and an inbox of DMs from kids going through the same thing-shitty dads, particularly-and if he reneged on his bisexuality, all it would do was give people the fodder they needed to dismiss what he feels for men as a ‘phase.’ 

“And if that’s something you’re suggesting, me and the very extensive cut you’ll presumably be getting are walking out that door and never coming back.”

He’d be his own damn publicist if he had to. Though he should probably figure out what exactly it is that they do if that were the case.

-

Narcissa appreciates that he seems to grasp the severity in her tone. She doesn’t like to waste her time, and they can joke and jest all Benjy wants once she’s actually on his payroll and they’ve drawn up a contract. Until then, she’d appreciate his cooperation while they figure out if they’re any sort of match. 

“Good, glad to hear that you do at least have your head screwed on straight. We can work together if your first priority is keeping your position. So long as you remember that, the rest will be easier.” She actually looks a bit surprised as Benjy clarifies that he’s not going back in the closet. Narcissa shakes her head. “Believe me, I wouldn’t dream of asking you to. I think it can be spun in your favor; I have a few ideas.” 

Narcissa shakes her head once more for good measure. “No -- don’t worry, you’ll ever have that suggestion come out of my lips. I believe people should be allowed to be who they are.” 

She takes a sip of her tea to break up her talking and hopefully give the tension a moment to settle. 

Narcissa’s mug makes a soft noise as it’s set back on the table. 

Lucius shrugs his shoulders, expecting this response from Narcissa. Subconsciously this meeting was just an excuse to spend time with her. He could care less about the public response to his antics. The Snakez would make a profit regardless. There was money in chaos and stupidity, and he’d been taking advantage of it for years. 

“Contracting work sounds fair. But you’d have to spend more time with me and the crew”

Lucius winks and chews on his piece of toast. “I just think we’d work well together. You wouldn’t have showed up if you didn’t believe the same.” Lucius reaches over the table and places his hand on the side of Narcissa’s face. “Did I mention how lovely you’re looking today?” He chuckles.

As much as he enjoyed getting under her skin, he meant it. A part of him wished she could see through his sarcasm, which was a shield his tended to use to protect his true emotions.

-

Narcissa is about to start picking at her food when he reaches over, touching her face and once again making her question everything she knows about him. Without thinking, she leans slightly into his touch and curses the constant need she feels for his attention. They’ve been friends for so long she’s shocked that it hasn’t blurred into something more. She just has to wonder if it could ever work, with how differently they see the world. 

She frowns lightly. “I came because of our history, Lucius. You should have realized this by now. It’s irritating, how much I care about you,” she states dryly, pulling his hand away after a moment to just hold it. 

“I’d hang out with you anyways, if you just asked.” Narcissa states it casually, watching his expression carefully. Briefly, she runs her thumb over the back of his hand before letting go. She leans forward and takes a bite of her food. “Honestly,” she starts after she’s swallowed. “I’m surprised you’re not constantly in my phone.” 

“Sounds about right.” Andromeda rolled her eyes at the memory at least she had gotten out before that started for herself. The Andromeda made that the name Malfoy could only be described as disgusted. She took another bite as she listened to Narcissa speak. “Has she seen him years, he doesn’t exactly look the part any more.” Andromeda had been with the auror long enough to have idea that Lucius Malfoy was less than savory. “You can do better, someone nice. Someone who’s good to you.” 

“You did.” Andromeda loved how her sister loved Dora, it made her happier then just about anything else in the world. She shook her head in response. “Not yet, he comes home and it’s like I forget I was mad. I don’t want to be upset with him the few hours I see him.” She said with a sigh taking another bite of food. 

“If Ted is delivering this one I might want you their. Sirius, or Alice can take her.” Andromeda had actually been thinking about this quite a bit. “If Ted wants to be a Doctor instead of husband for this delivery I want someone there for me.” 

--

Narcissa smiles gently as her sister reminds her that she can find someone who’s a better match. “I know that, just so happens he’s the only person who seems even remotely interested.” Narcissa sighs and briefly rubs her forehead before pushing her hair out of her face. “My love life is a disaster. I don’t think the person I have even a small bit of interest in returns the feelings. I think I’ll die an old, single hag who lives vicariously through sister.” She smiles ruefully before taking a bite of her pasta. 

“I suppose that makes sense, but you have to talk to him about it at some point. I know it’ll start to eat you up eventually,” Narcissa points out gently. 

Her eyes widen slightly as her sister reveals that she wants Narcissa in the delivery room with her. “Andy -- Of course I will. Whatever you need. I’d be honored.” She reaches over and gently squeezes her sister’s hand. “I’m guessing Ted hasn’t decided on what he’d like to do?”