Silas Zabini

"I found some fabulous fabrics that would work for that suit you've commissioned and I wanted to get your take on the options," Piper explained as she guided him along. "There's way too many to choose from but also you'll be the one wearing this so– I just want to make sure we go for something that you'll love."

"Is this how you usually treat clients or am I a special circumstance?" Silas asked as he found himself weaving in between people. "If anyone who knows us sees this, I'm sure they'll begin to talk." The man joked lightly, seemingly relenting to his fate.

"Where's the fun in me just giving you the answer? I never took you for the type of person to choose the easy way out," Ambrose chuckled lightly as his brother questioned his motives.

"So you wish me to try and guess rather than be upfront because you want to spend that bit more time with me. I'm touched." Came the droll response when Ambrose told him to guess once more. "Well, if it's the latter, you wouldn't be doing yourself many favours right now."

"What can I say? I miss what we had," he offered up playfully with a hand placed dramatically over his heart. "However, that's an incredibly valid argument to make. I suppose I can't fault you on that. You've created an impressive life for yourself– perhaps that is the key then. High expectations and not settling for less."

"And what did we have Gabriel?" Silas played up a little, leaning forward a little with that teasing expression on his features. "I've never been very good at settling." Silas admitted, because he knew that he always tended to set himself more goals when he hit his last lot. Thankfully, it'd worked out well for him though.

closed starter - dakota & silas ( @silcszcbini )

"You are a little mischief... to put it mildly. Still, you can't hold a candle to my idiotic brother so I have some immunity built up to it. I feel like you are wanting me to be proud of you for this." Silas said, looking up from what he was reading to give her his focus once more. "Is that what this was about?"

"At least you're honest about what you want," Laurel shrugged back when he'd explained his reasoning. "So many people hide behind ulterior motives or try to find ways to still paint themselves a certain image. You know what you want and you don't waste time with other details that don't serve you. To a degree... I admire that."

"I've never been one to make things sound prettier than they are. I don't go out of my way to be rude but I'm not going to put myself in a situation I will not enjoy if it can be avoided too. Life is short enough as it is." He explained with a little shrug of his shoulders. "To a degree?" Silas had a little smile on his face at that. He was curious to hear her opinion.

"No need for apologies, my love," she assured him with warmth after having savored the soft kiss. Alessandra then raised the glass he'd handed to her, clinking it gently against his before sipping. "We've got plenty of time to celebrate and enjoy the night together," she added to Silas with a shrug. "And if the place gets too crowded for us, we can always slip away."

"You know, I rather enjoy that coming from your lips." Silas murmured with a smile, though it was not as though he hadn't heard it before but it always warmed him, especially given his past. "When you say slip away like that, it does make me think you have ulterior motives." He joked lightly as they enjoyed their drink. "But I do want to spend a little more time dancing with you. As is our tradition at this point. It was how they had ended up finding their beginning anyway.

"I'm sure if you invited me out more often I'd be more inclined," he shrugged back with a playful smirk. "Big things? Well maybe we should be lowering our expectations here," Gabe snorted.

"You're beginning to sound like a spurred lover now." Silas responded with a little laugh, though he nodded his head. "But I will take that into consideration in the future. Duly noted." He grinned brightly. "And lower my expectations? I would not be where I am if I did that."

"Maybe just with me," he joked in response to that. "But no, not at all. Although you definitely seem selective and purposeful with your time. I can both respect and relate to that."

"Hardly. There are a couple but that is far more obvious." He wasn't the type to hide his distain after all. "That's certainly more of an accurate description of what I do. I don't have the time to waste on people I consider irrelevant."

"I don't remember claiming to want to be called that," Ambrose shrugged back simply, unable to help a cheeky grin. "You can't? My dear brother, Silas, you can't possible think I wouldn't want to be spending my time with you, could you?"

"If you want to spend time with me, usually it's to try and annoy me or because you have an ulterior motive. Care to share which one it is now or must I spend our entire time together guessing?" Silas did not think so badly of his brother of course, but they tended to communicate in this manner quite often.

"Mainly a case of the latter. I don't drink on job after all," he explained with a light shrug. "Of course, mate. You know I don't mind sharing with you," Gabe gave him a clap on the back. "And you're right, drinking alone is a little sad."

"Is there any way for me to convince you to do it more often then? With company again I am inferring of course." He added with a little chuckle. "I'm expecting big things of this drink now though."

"Just using my perks to score some decent booze," he shrugged. "Plus I don't let myself indulge as much as I used to so I thought I'd keep it to something special," Gabe added. "You jealous? Because I'm not against sharing."

"By choice or is it that you don't get the opportunity to?" Silas asked after a moment as Gabriel settled with him. "And I expect you to share and not drink that on your own. I think you'd be far too lonely if you decided to do it singularly."

🍾 - our muses share a glass/bottle of champagne

"Attempting to get back to you seems more apt." Silas responded as he held out a drink to her. "You'd be surprised at how many times I got stopped given how little distance there is between where I left you and the bar. Apologies for keeping you waiting." Silas murmured, leaning down to press a kiss to Alessandra's lips.

"Experience can sometimes be just as important as qualifications. But you can do anything you set your mind to. It's deciding that is the difficult part." Silas said but he knew he'd been lucky in the sense he'd always had something to aim for, a good idea of his aims in life and priorities. It'd helped him get to his current position.