can you please look at me, love?
theseus scamander x reader
prompt — "can you please look at me, love?"
see, theseus is more than happy to help his little brother. he prided himself in being capable of prioritizing his family, most especially newt, over his profession as head auror of the british ministry of magic no matter what. when newt had been delivered at his doorstep by one of his majestic creatures, his brotherly instincts kicked in almost immediately. he brought him inside, tended to his wounds and pickett's, then immediately called you over. not for the reason that he was struggling with his current patients, but because there's a newborn qilin who would bid for his attention at every chance it gets since he sang to her. the qilin is quite the love bug, he concludes, and therefore he needs it off his back every few minutes if he were to properly treat his brother.
now, you as the lead investigator of the auror office, he didn't expect much in your ability to tame wild creatures. he did know that you are capable of handling situations you're unfamiliar with, and this being one of those, you were the first one he chose to call over with his patronus. well that, and the fact that you are his one and only lover. if there is anyone else he'd trust in the space where his brother is recovering and one of the rarest creatures are present, it would be you a million times over.
here's the problem. theseus didn't know that you're awfully brilliant with magical creatures, and you seem to be extremely knowledgable when it came to rare ones such as the qilin herself. it kind of reminds him of newt—he's more than glad the both of you have something in common that you can bond over. about fifteen minutes ago, he sat himself on the recliner across the windowsill where you were situated with the deer-like creature, resting after checking on newt's condition and whether or not he's regained consciousness. see, it was early in the morning and he wanted nothing more than to spend it with you. it had been awhile since you've properly spent the morning together due to your incredibly hectic schedules as aurors. since the escape of gellert grindelwald, you have been solving cases left and right, all leading to the doing of his followers. he too had his fair share of troubles from the mad man, having to juggle between his role as the head auror by authorizing teams and validating cases while also appeasing to the wishes of the minister without necessarily hurting his ego.
it was a disaster really, and he badly needs sleep after all this. it didn't help that neither of you have been catching the other during your free time. plain awful, especially for a man as in love as he is. theseus might as well quit his job if it weren't for your condition that you both continue working to prepare for marriage. it's not like he has enough to feed several generations after the both of you, after all.
"my dear," he tries to call for you, yet you seem too absorbed in your role as mother for the qilin to even hear him. you continued to cradle the qilin in your arms, humming a tune he found familiar to keep it tame and entertained. "don't you think you've done a great deal entertaining her already? she must be comfortable enough to be left alone for a little while."
you responded again. he would have been happy had it not for the same answer. "just a second, love. i think she's about to fall asleep."
"hngh," he could only scoff, unconvinced. it was his fifth attempt already since he joined you in the living room and you kept responding with the same, 'the qilin's about to fall asleep, in a minute.' as if it weren't one of the top ten lies he's ever heard in his whole life. even so, he stretched his patience. he knew you only meant well, and he did request for your assistance for this exact reason. theseus can't be mad at you for simply doing your job, even when it already exceeds your expertise.
no matter what it is he says, he's convinced that you won't even process it enough to respond properly. he decided to test the theory as he had nothing else to do. "did you know i blew up a bungalow yesterday? it was massive."
"i'm proud of you, sweetheart. that's great."
and he was right. theseus could only laugh incredulously, shaking his head in mild disbelief. you really were too absorbed in your role. that, or you have been lacking the same amount of sleep as he had. maybe even more, given the state of your unruled hair and the dark circles forming around your eyes. he then leaned over to continue with his newfound amusement, elbows resting on the sphere of his knees—fingers fitting together like jigsaw. "i went to the jeweler the other day, and i had him look for your birthstone. opal, was it not?"
"that's lovely, dear."
he made it a game as to how many pet names you truly have reserved for him as you respond thoughtlessly in his indirect proposal. theseus licks his lips slowly. "quite the rare gem it is, you know? i had to pay him extra for even being able to dig one up."
"keep it up, lovely."
"i remember you wanted a marquise cut, so i had it done that way."
"that sounds scrumptious, darling."
"the rest of the band are also covered with tinier opal stones. it was my personal touch. i hope that's alright with you."
"just a little longer, my dear."
"i have it with me right now, but i don't think this is the best time to propose. don't you think so?"
"oh, it's awful, babe."
"i suppose it is. not when you're so absorbed taking care of the qilin like it's our child."
"certainly not, honey."
he didn't know if he should be impressed by your ability to call him eight different endearments in a two-minute conversation, or be annoyed by the fact that not even his confession to the measures by which he prepared for his proposal was far more insignificant than tending to the day-old creature. you must be really into the motherly role if it had you roped in that badly. theseus nearly gave up, running a thorough hand through his disheveled hair. his patience has long ran out when you began responding mindlessly, and quite randomly too. he was taken aback by that scrumptious comment of yours.
theseus decided to finally take hold of the situation and crossed the living room in three short strides. he kneels before your tending figure, hand firmly placing itself on the bone of your calf to snap you out of your trance. "can you please look at me, love?"
it was only then that you were able to pry your eyes away from the sleeping qilin, pulling a closed smile that had him melting almost immediately. his frustration washed away with a single glance from you, and he loves every bit of the control you have over his mood. it was unintentional, but theseus scamander is utterly smitten by you that he can't even complain about it. you are the most beautiful woman in his eyes, and there's no one else he wanted to spend the rest of his life with than you.
"yes, theseus?" and the way you say his name, raw and loving. oh, a man could only drown happy.
"i think the qilin's had enough of your attention for today." he says it with tender care, throwing a ghost of a smile that conveyed his deep adoration for you.
"but—"
"and i am immensely deprived of it." that had you pause, wide eyes held by his pleading stare. then, you started laughing quietly to avoid waking the sleeping calf. "this isn't funny. a man's about to die without your affection and you're laughing? how cruel of you, ms. black."
it was then that you decided to gently tuck the qilin down the cushion theseus had prepared awhile ago. theseus couldn't hide his excitement when you did, as his hands immediately grabbed both of yours the moment they're free. he pulls you over the loveseat of his living room, tucking himself in your arms like a child asking to be coddled. "theseus!"
"shh, you'll wake it up and i'll end up alone again." he whispered quietly, almost weeping—then he buries his face against your neck as his arms wrapped around your waist. smiling, you spooned him into your body and began caressing his hair.
"i didn't know the head of aurors could be jealous over a qilin"
"i get jealous of anyone and anything that keeps you from hugging me." he merely murmured. your hold on him meant he's entered a safe space enough to lose consciousness, as always, and it was evident that he's beginning to drift off to dreamland with the way his voice dropped a tone. your treading fingers were of no help keeping himself awake.
"ever the hugger you are, theseus scamander." you pressed a loving kiss on his hairline, humming in content. after a long time of being apart, finally, theseus is back in your arms. he savors the last few seconds of his consciousness before falling asleep, muttering a sweet 'i love you' to you before completely drifting off.
what he didn't know was that you heard every bit of his indirect confession and played along his antics, and the smile on your face would have given away your answer to his upcoming proposal if he had seen it. for now, the both of you can rest against each other even for a short moment.
