drabble.
SUBJECT: blaise zabini and zacharias smith, saintmungos @ gj.
AUTHOR: me!


Blaise didn't often take long lunches. He took the required time, because Merlin knew he'd need a break after a full morning. Everything about that day had just felt a bit odd. Sort of off. Not in a bad or good way. Just off. He was even having difficulty reading the newspaper. That didn't mean he showed it. But he did look up every now and again, as if he was waiting for someone.

It was near the end of his lunch break that Zacharias entered the cafeteria, since his lunch break had just began. The blue shirt was very fitting on him, Blaise mused. He figured the last thing Zacharias would do was attempt to join him. He'd probably go to the furthest table. This was why Blaise cut off that opportunity by sitting close to the counter where you paid for your food. He'd not had the opportunity to speak with him before. Different floors, different patients, busy schedules. In fact, Blaise knew he probably should have let this go. Perhaps he wanted to see how Zacharias was reacting, if he was uncomfortable as well. That would have been mildly comforting.

Before Zacharias could even think of where to sit, Blaise cleared his throat. "Have time to talk about a consult, Smith?" he said loudly

Zacharias froze, maybe even gave Blaise a sort of 'why are you talking to me when everyone else can hear you' glare. "It's lunch. Can't it wait?"

Blaise's eyes closed a little in an annoyed gesture. "Since you're lost the ability to listen and eat at the same time, sure."

Zacharias looked around as if half-heartedly searching for some reason to get away, but he sighed and sat down across from Blaise. "You really want to talk about this here?" he hissed.

Blaise cocked his eyebrow and snorted a little to himself. "No." He took something out of his pocket and cupped it over the table before sliding it over toward Zacharias. When he drew his hand back, the cuff link remained on the table. Zacharias' eyes opened wide and he looked at his wrists and swore quietly under his breath. "I was trying to be discreet," Blaise told him before standing up and gathering his tray. "See, I didn't even take all of your precious five minutes."

Zacharias seemed to still be in shock, but he managed a quick. "How was that discreet?" as Blaise walked past.

Immediately Blaise wanted to make a comeback, to win that battle of words. It was in his nature, after all. He never let something like that go. But it would look awkward for him to just turn around and say something. So he let it go, and he almost smiled as he put his tray away and went back to work.