Made Of Stone

"I figured that much." He replied snarky, a sharp feeling of guilt overwhelmed after the words left his mouth. Didn't he decide to be more polite only few hours earlier? "I'm sorry, that sounded way less offensive in my mind."

Slytherin? It was completely uselessl information, yet he knew that even before asking a question, he asked it only for the sake of conversation not actually caring for the answer. The only thing that mattered was that he graduated from that place, and tried hard to forget it ever since. "It's… nice house."

Next question caught Adrian Blanchard unprepared. It was logical and simple question, not too personal yet he found himself trying to make an excuse, decent lie to camouflage the truth that's not his to be told. "It's not for me, my mother wanted an milkshake and since I wanted some fresh air I volunteered to buy it." It's half-truth, he wasn't willing to offer more.

"That's something you don't see enough of any more," Shylock observed. "A boy doing something nice for his mother. How thoughtful of you."

He wasn't sure whether the sarcasm was because he would never do anything nice for his own parents, or because he didn't really believe that story.

"I suppose it means someone gets to drink the milkshake, anyway. Much better than buying it just for the smell, or puking it up afterwards. You know stomach acid does horrid things to your teeth?" he said.

Shylock looked at Adrian pointedly. Or tried to. It was difficult when they were walking along together like this.

"Fortescue's," he pointed out the shop ahead, though that was hardly needed from the crowd of children gathered outside. "Last chance for confessions, pet."

Is he doing something nice for his mother? Adrian guessed that might be one way to look at that, however that didn't felt like unselfish act to him. He found it more like an excuse for going out when he couldn't spend any more time in there. Does that make him a bad son? Probably.

Blanchard already felt a pinch of guilt because of his reason for coming here, a fact that someone said something aloud only made it worse so he shrugged instead of saying anything.

"Actually that wasn't something I knew." In truth Adrian wasn't interested in milkshakes and acid yet he find himself thinking about man's words much more then expected.

When Shylock announced they came to the end of their trip, showing Fortescue's building to Adrian he realized all of this lasted way less than he wanted.

He turned towards Shylock with slight smile on his face before pulling the door open and moving to the side. "Why don't you let me buy you a coffee so you can tell me more about that stomach acid thing?" He winked.

Oh hey.

Shylock knew he could be charming, but it by no means came naturally. He usually had to work at it. And right now, he wasn't even trying. In fact, if you'd asked him, he'd have said he was being pretty obnoxious.

That was why he let out a puff of laughter and smiled indulgently at Adrian as he preceded him into the shop.

"Sure."

He supposed stomach bile would be just the right thing to talk about over coffee with someone like Adrian. It would probably put both of them off their food. Drink. Whatever.

"But don't you have to get that milkshake back to your mother?"

Adrian followed Shylock in the shop biting his lip all the time, he thought it would be harder to talk to Shylock in spending more time with him, he was ready for rejection and ready to give up, surprisingly, the man agreed so he could procrastinate his returning home some more.

That didn't even made him feeling wrong because of using the other man as excuse, in his defence – he asked a simple question and he could refuse a drink, right?

He stopped in front of the fridge shortly eyeing sweets in it, they were probably full of fat so he couldn't buy one, even if they weren't they were sweet and with that in his mind he crossed them from his list turning to face Shylock. "So, what are you having?"

Blanchard bit his lip again, thinking about his question, telling the truth about his mother wasn't an option since she didn't want for anyone to know so it wasn't his secret to share. That way he couldn't say she was sleeping and no one actually knew when would she wake up the next time but it would take more than couple of hours. Even if things were different and he could tell him that, he wasn't sure he would, it seemed too personal.

"Not yet, she likes to drink it half an hour before the dinner."

Shylock stood behind Adrian as he perused sweets in a cool glass case. It was what he thought.

"Not tempting?" he asked, but the other man had turned quickly enough that Shylock had to take a step back.

He paused a moment, then looked up at the chalkboard that dominated the wall behind the counter. The drawings on it were almost as rich as the food they depicted.

Shylock raised a finger to tap his lips, as though carefully considering the options, but he already knew what he wanted.

"I might try a Banana Surprise," he said with a smirk. "I don't suppose you know what's surprising about a banana?"

(Sorry if there are any typos, I'm on my phone)

"Sorry if I startled you", Adrian replied seeing Shylock taking a step back, he took a step back himself, thinking it's better to give some air to the other man since he seemed to need it.

A cappuccino, Adrian decided he was having one without checking if they have it. He needed caffeine but this sparkly place looked more like a place that was selling creamy flavoured coffee than dark one he preferred, and unlike other things, he was pretty old fashioned when coffee was in question.

"It looks nice, but you know it's sweet." Adrian made a face, "Even if I liked sweets, coach would kill me if he found out I ate some since he informed the whole team we're on diet on our last practice.", Adrian turned to the glass than glanced back to Shylock, "What about you? Do you see something you like?" he tilted his head to the right waiting for other man's reply.

Adrian bit his lip to suppress a grin. "Maybe," he watched him with playful sparkling in his eyes, "yet you could tell me, or better - show me."

It was... painfully obvious that Adrian had never chatted up a bloke before, but if there was one thing Shylock appreciated, it was effort. He stepped forward into the space the other man had so recently put between them.

"Hm."

It wasn't even a word, just a noise that could have been thoughtful or could have been amused. Shylock reached over and twisted Adrian's hair through his fingers.

"I think we can safely say I see something I like," he replied.

Shylock leaned yet closer to Adrian, dropping his voice as he spoke.

"I could show you, Mister Quidditch Star," he said. "If you think you can keep up."