manic dollhouse

"Tonight, I'm in the hands of fate I hand myself over on a plate now / Come, pull my strings, watch me move I'd do anything, please (I'm yours to keep)." —Behind The Wheel - Depeche Mode

The red glow of your bedroom lights illuminates Mattheo's sharp features as he grins at you beneath the crimson hues.

(You'd insisted they're romantic. His mouth had been too busy to disagree.)

The relationship between you is still new; the giddiness of falling for someone lingers over your every interaction. His kisses sprout butterflies in your stomach. His smile knocks the breath straight from your lungs.

It's that very same smile that has your heart thudding with a nervous beat as his hand snakes around your neck and glides under your hair like it belongs. His thumb, left free, rubs circles into the side of your throat. His grip is firm; it makes you feel safe and secure in a way you never before knew anyone could.

Mattheo pulls you into a kiss, your lips brushing together—once, twice, more; so chaste it makes your heart melt. When he finally pulls back, his dark eyes are sparkling with playful joy, ruby-red from the luminance.

It's the most gorgeous sight you've ever seen.

"You know," he murmurs, swiping his thumb up and down your neck, "I keep thinking how pretty you would look covered in hickeys." His grin turns predatory as he leans in at an angle and turns your neck in the direction of his hand, leaving your throat exposed to him. He begins to press firm kisses on the skin, each one slow and deliberate.

"Don't you dare," you breathe out in warning, even as goosebumps rise on your skin from the sensation. Damn him, and his soft lips, and his sultry grin, and absolutely everything else about him.

He sucks on the tough skin, his lips light enough to create a vacuum but not quite rough enough to leave marks. "I won't, pretty girl, don't worry," he hums in reassurance, though he's already found a new spot to worship with his attention. He licks a stripe up your neck, his tongue hot and wet. "But maybe one day..." His teeth graze on your skin, nip teasingly to wind you up as he continues, "One day, when we're all alone and no one's around to see..."

Your breath hitches in your throat, and your mind grows hazy from lust at even these simple gestures. He sucks a little bit harder, enough to leave a red mark that would fade by the next morning. You gasp quietly as he continues, "One day, like maybe on our honeymoon..." He punctuates the statement with another nip, but you barely notice it.

Honeymoon? He was already thinking about a honeymoon? You freeze, swallowing the lump in your throat as you listen to his seductive drawl.

"One day," he repeats, "I'll cover every inch of your body with my marks, until you're red and purple everywhere I can reach. Then, finally, everyone who ever looks at you will know that you're mine."

It's a hauntingly possessive statement for a relatively new relationship, but you can't hide the heated shiver it sends down your back. And you definitely can't hide your quiet moan when he goes ahead and sucks a love bite into your neck anyway.

At least he had the decency to do it where you can hide it with your hair, you manage to think before you kiss him senseless.

nav | masterlist

summary: beater!Mattheo helps you pick a dress for a night out in hogsmeade with the quidditch team. The only problem is he's not much help, especially not when your dress is that short.

wc: 1.2k

“Absolutely not.” 

Mattheo surveyed your hopeful eyes with exasperation, shaking his head as he lounged at the edge of your bed. His arms were folded across his chest, his biceps on full display in the short-sleeved top he wore. You weren’t exactly subtle as you eyed the muscles sparingly, a scowl forming on your lips as a grin broke out on his, catching on to where your attention had drifted. 

Blaise Zabini loved his mother.

She had treated him like a prince since the moment he was born, showering him with affection and carefully curated designer since the moment he was placed in her arms.

But with the crown comes the responsibility of the kingdom.

He had been the man of the house since he was three and carried that with him to his death. He had the final say, he made the important decisions. Not because you or his mother couldn't, but because he must. That was the nature, his purpose, far before he realized it ought not to be. That was what it meant to be a man.

There were his mother's husbands of course who always tried for his crown, one after another. Each one was less remarkable, less useful to Blaise than the last.

They all came to Blaise when they felt they were owed permeance, asking for his mother's hand with brooms, or toys, or lavish vacations not understanding that Blaise had never spoke the language of liquid assets.

Blaise was not the nosey type, he didn't go prying. Nor was he the emotional type, so he wouldn't act like he understood why his mother kept trying and failing to recreate a love long buried six feet under. Six failed imitations. Yet they all end up in the ground anyway. All men do.

Notes: Made in honor of Blaise's Banquet happening during the month of May. Go check out the tag if you want more Blaise content and stay up to date on all the cool shit that a bunch of different writers will be dropping. Also make sure to thank @i-await for putting this event together, it truly is a labor of love. This post will be only a little NSFW, I swear. Still... MDNI. Enjoy

Blaise Zabini as an aphrodisiac

Like Blaise Zabini, blue lotus is a luxury meant to experience slowly, not rush through. Used by Ancient Egyptians in rituals to invoke love and pleasure, blue lotus is intentional. Set some time aside, draw yourself a warm bath and sprinkle in a handful of dried petals. Be patient. Wait. And when the petals re-hydrate, loosen. Allow yourself to sink in the water. Similar to our favorite slytherin, blue lotus needs time to work. You won’t feel it at first as your muscles unwind and your mind fogs, but like a familiar lover, someone you trust, you will give in to the sensual warmth of the blue lotus when the calming effects kick in. Blue lotus will make the edges of your boundaries fuzzy. Like the last glass of wine you probably shouldn’t have had or conversation that coyly borders on the edge of flirtation, you’ll be left unsure who’s really in control here.

Blaise Zabini as a bachelor

Blaise appreciates the privacy first and foremost. He’s introspective on his best days, brooding on his worst and particular about how he keeps his space. But even in his carefully curated apartment, free of any soft edges or Merlin forbid, pastels, he can’t help but feel a bit out of place. Intrinsically, he is aware of an absence he can’t quite put his finger on. He does not lack for anything and he lives by his own rules. Yet, something hollow haunts his pent house.

Blaise Zabini as a cocktail

A Gold Rush is straightforward, timeless, and above all, attractive, just like Mr. Zabini. Composed of top shelf bourbon, honey, and fresh lemon juice a Gold Rush has an uncomplicated flavor profile that has been appealing to those with refined enough pallets to enjoy something as strong and deep as a good bourbon. The added honey results in the drink having a beautiful golden hue that balances aesthetic appeal with the elegance of a simple cocktail meant to highlight quality liquor.

Blaise Zabini as a drug

Opium, also known as tears of the poppy is a well known plant extract. While slow to start, opium’s effects have been described as euphoric, if not slightly sedative. Slow. Sensual. Consuming. Who does that remind you of? Just like opium, Blaise Zabini will take his time with you, softening you with seemingly unending pleasure until you are completely, indisputably his. Just be careful, it’s highly addictive. So is opium.

Blaise Zabini as an ex

Blaise is not the type of ex to come in and out of your life, once it’s done, it’s done. So be certain of your feelings when you call it off. He won’t be made a fool by making the same mistake twice. You will see him again every now and then getting drinks after work at that swanky bar on the upper east side, or maybe at the next charity gala. He will look right through with you with a cruel, chilling indifference to your presence you didn’t know he possessed. It will be like you don’t even exist and it will rip open the wound of your break up all over again.

Blaise Zabini as a folk tale

Panchatantra, a folk tale from India, is about a clever rabbit that tricks a lion who means to eat him by leading him to a well. There, the lion drowns due to his own impulsiveness when he mistakes his own reflection for another lion and attacks. Similarly, Blaise often exploits people’s rashness against them. He is a man of few words, and needs even less to let a less intelligent advisory dig his own grave. For some reason, this keeps happening to Gryffindors dim enough to try and cross him. I wonder why?

Blaise Zabini as a ghost

As someone that does some of his best work in solitude, Blaise thought himself well suited to an eternity by himself. But when you move into the decaying italian villa binding his immortal soul to the physical realm, the weight of isolation becomes heavier. Trinkets from a bygone era begin to appear in the oddest of places; under you pillow, on your vanity, in your underwear drawer. You begin to think something might be messing with you when you begin to feel a presence watching you. Uh-oh. You thought you were alone. Even more concerning is when you begin to catch glimpses of a tall shadowed form darting around corners. Weird. Shouldn’t you be more scared? Instead, you find yourself… drawn.

Blaise Zabini as a habit

You don’t realize your hook ups with Blaise are a thing and not just random moments of oppurtunity until you feel the weight of their absence. He has his hooks in you without even meaning to. Blaise doesn’t do complicated or clingy or anything denoting the possibility of mess. Yet when your eyes meet across the hall you can feel the warmth of his mouth against yours. You can feel the pressure of his touch. Firm, guiding, reverent. Something inside twists tight when you force yourself to look away and it keeps you distracted through classes. By the time evening rolls around you find yourself quite cranky for no good reason other than the ache in your heart only a certain dark-eyed Slytherin can ease. You take a walk to try and cool off but, as if on muscle memory, you end up in front of his dormitory door.

Blaise Zabini as an investigator

Blaise is the type of man who will be good at anything he does. He is a perfectionist in a quiet sort of way, and rest assured he would leave no stone unturned when it comes to collecting clues to solve the latest case file the Chief assigned him. He is detail oriented, an essential disposition for this sort of work as he explores every possible lead from every possible angle. He works late into the night on his latest case, methodical, organized, dedicated. The truth of the matter is though that not every case can be solved. And the ones that go cold weigh heavy on Blaise’s mind long after he leaves the department for the night.

Blaise Zabini as jewelry

If Blaise was a piece of jewelry he’d be a pendant necklace. Golden. Real. Heirloom. Something classic and polished, leaning towards simplicity rather than any over complicated knot. But most importantly he’d be something discrete, easily hidden, and close to your heart. His affection has never been something he’s comfortable making a spectacle of, so he’d be something intimate. Something you never take off. Something just for you.

Blaise Zabini as a king

He would be misunderstood by his court, but beloved by his people. Blaise would take his role seriously and devout his life to his duty. He would not allow any sort of significant power to fall upon his nobility, even his advisors. Instead, bears the heaviest of the burdens himself in an effort to avoid corporation. Clever and practical, Blaise’s rule is one marked by carefully crafted peace treaties and trade agreements.

Blaise Zabini as a lover

As an intensely private person, Blaise was never comfortable with much PDA. It would have made you insecure, had it not been for the way he opened up in private. Behind closed doors, diligence became devotion. He subjected you to ritual worship, always starting with something small like running his fingers through your hair or kissing your delicate ankles before it irrevocably culminated into him pressing his affection onto every square inch of you skin. Only then, would he give you what you really wanted. But even then, it would be at his pace. He’d hold you down, whispering assurances about how much he loved you and how beautiful you are as he showed you with deep, aching strokes just how true his words are. Blaise never says things he doesn’t mean. And he certainly never forgets to go so slow and enjoy every second of his time with you.

Blaise Zabini as a masterpeice

Taking nearly five years to complete, Michaelangelo’s painting of Sistine’s Chapel’s ceiling is one of the most distinctive pieces to come out of the Renaissance. Like Blaise, the painting is iconic and irreplaceable. Marked by mastery and attention to detail, one could spend all day doing nothing but staring at the work and still no be able to take in every intricate detail. Blaise as well is a layered individual and even after years together, it feels as if you uncover new things about him every day.

Blaise Zabini as a neighbor

You could set a clock to the opening and closing of Blaise’s front door. He has routine, structure, and an eerily accurate internal clock. It’s almost embarrassing to catch him in the hall of your shared apartment building; him in his impeccably tailored italian suit and briefcase; you stumbling in the heels only half way on your feet as you shout for him to hold the elevator. Thank god he does, hopefully you’ll have time to throw on some much needed mascara and blush on the train ride to work. Still, his calm, reliable presence is nice to have in the building. He didn’t even gawk at you when you asked him to keep one of your spare keys at his place, seeing as you were always losing yours.

Blaise Zabini as an oak

His skin is tough. Rugged. Hard. Necessary. His insides are softer, smoother, the meat tender for those with the patience to peel away the bark with curious, cracking fingernails bit by bit.

Blaise Zabini as a parent

Unfortunately high standards for himself would translate into high standards for his children as well. Blaise is the type of parent who’s voice lingers in his children’s heads when they do something wrong. His concern for their well being often translates into being internalized as hypercritical. He loves his children, would die for them without question, but it’s frustrating when they don’t apply themselves or live up to their full potential. After all, he only wants whats best for them.

Blaise Zabini as a quatrain

“Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.” -Invictus by William Ernest Henley

Blaise Zabini as a recipe

On your third or fifth date, which ever one ends up with him offering to make you dinner, Blaise will make you fillet mignon with a balsamic glaze and roasted asparagus. A simple, elegant dish that depends more on the quality of the ingredients than technical skill. Blaise would take an annoying amount of time picking out the cuts at a specialty butcher, use balsamic imported from southern Italy, and the asparagus? Of course it’s in season, picked up from a farmer’s market earlier that morning.

Blaise Zabini as a soul mate

He knew you were the one from the first moment he saw you, even if he didn’t want to admit it. You met overseas on a private beach off the Amalfi coast. You had snuck on with a group of your friends and when the life guard meant to remove you, Blaise lied easily and said you guys were his guests. He didn’t know you from a hole in the wall and perhaps he wouldn’t have done it had you not the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen or the most soothing voice he’d ever heard. You both spoke Italian so well neither realized you were both actually from the United Kingdom until about the third bottle of Arneis. Only then did you two drunkenly discover not only were you both from the United Kingdom, you both grew up in London, at least when you weren’t jet setting on school holiday. Your relationship with your mother was nearly as complicated as Blaise’s. You even both preferred the same brand of espresso, and even if you had different opinions on foreign policy, your views differed just enough to keep the conversation stimulating. It felt too good to be true. It felt like fate.

Blaise Zabini as a teacher

Blaise was perhaps one of the most disliked Professors at Hogwarts by students and other teachers alike. He taught arithmancy, a notoriously challenging subject for those without the inclination for careful calculation. He took his job seriously, pushing his students to do their best and not being shy about his expectations. However, he also took helping his students seriously. Whoever asked for his assistance, he would do everything in his power to help. Tutoring, extra lessons, whatever it took.

Blaise Zabini as an uncle

With no children of his own, Blaise spoiled his niece and nephew absolutely rotten, much to chagrin of his sibling. Expensive, over the top presents for every holiday? Absolutely. Why not? It wasn’t like he could take his money with him when he died. Luxury vacations every school holiday? Also yes. Memories are important, it’s called being family oriented. And when Mummy or Daddy say no, well, it can almost be promised that Uncle Blaise will say yes. Just make sure it’s not too dangerous or cheesy. And if it is in fact rather risky, well just know Uncle Blaise is tagging along both as a chaperon… and a partner in crime.

Blaise Zabini as a violinist

Blaise has a complicated relationship with the violin. He was pushed far too hard to be perfect as a child, and that resulted in, well, a perfectionist. Missed time spent with friends, endless arguments with his mother about what the order of his priorities. Sometimes he hates it, the chronic dissatisfaction with his own competence, the doubt, the time consumed to endless practices, but his hate is matched only by his passion and his desire to be the best of the best. He will never settle for silver. He will be the greatest or he will be nothing at all. There’s not such thing as second place, only the first to lose.

Blaise Zabini as a wine

Aglianico del Vulture is a rich red wine from the Basilicata region of Southern Italy. It is a well known, classic staple through out the region but requires care to process. With the ability to be aged over twenty, sometimes thirty years, it is a wine of constantly growing complexity. Because it comes off so tarte initially, impatient somoliers often overlook it for something brighter. However, if you are willing to take your time and let it breath, you will find sweeter, nuttier notes of cherry and dark chocolate beneath. Similarly, Blaise Zabini requires time, knowledge, and follow through to truly appreciate. Beneath that cold exterior is something unexpectedly saccharine.

Blaise Zabini as a xenophile

As someone who suffers from chronic boredom, no one quite appreciates novelty like Blaise. He enjoys traveling immensely, the lesser known the location the better. He takes a certain pride in being the first to see the value in something, but be warned, he is selfish as well. If he sees something in you that interests him, he will covet you like a dragon guarding his gold. Should Blaise take interest in you after he discovers the unique aspects of you precocious personality, he will become hard to shake. Just be careful, Blaise doesn’t share. He might want to keep you.

Blaise Zabini as a youtuber

Blaise isn’t afraid of being in the lime light, but he doesn’t seek it out either. He also doesn’t find much entertainment in mundanity. Don’t expect any morning routines or day-in-the-life style content from his channel. Instead prepare to settle into long travel vlog type videos with the focus on the night life of the area he’s visiting. Perhaps with a sprinkle of drone footage or urban exploring. Blaise tried to keep the talking to a minimum in the videos often laying low, rhythmic, slow jazz type beats over his videos. While he’s not going to film the inside of an Hermes, there’s a certain level of quiet luxury to the life style he captures.

Blaise Zabini as a zodiac sign

Blaise is an October Libra, a highly controversial sign for some. He enjoys beauty, novelty, and general aestheticism. It’s all tied into a much more inherent sense of perfectionism, you see. He strives to come off polished, self assured, and disinterested. However when you get to know Blaise, you will find he is not near as vain as he appears. He enjoys culture, music, people even, though perhaps from a distance on that last one. Calling him an attentive lover is an understatement. Thought hard to get him to commit to you earnestly, once he does, he’s locked in. He will worship the ground you walk on from then on, and he’ll make sure to let you know it through his word, actions, and of course gift-giving, his ultimate love language.

open your draft

stare at the screen