Hold Your Tongue

Elodie swept a hand over her face in misery. “There’s just so much to do, Sven,” she chagrined. “Papers to comb through, papers to file, files to put away. I don’t know how I’m going to handle it all.”

Severin looked to her, drawing his brows up in concern. “Then let me help you. Stop taking on the burden yourself; you’d finish everything faster with another pair of hands.”

“And leave the storefront unmanned?” Elodie stabbed a finger down to the floor and frowned at her cousin. “No, you’re going to remain here and welcome any customers that come in. I’ll take care of the paperwork myself.”

“Gods, El­—”

“I will not hear anymore argument out of you, Sven! My words are final!”

As if to punctuate her meaning, the backroom door slammed shut behind her, rattling the entirety of the store. Severin let out a heavy sigh and leaned atop the counter, boredom quickly seeping in.

Elodie’s Convenient On-Call Specialist Services, mouthful of a name aside, was located in a very convenient spot: smackdab in the middle of a street that saw business all hours of the day. Severin and his cousin were privy to all of the minor setbacks of magic use that required the fine touch of a specialist to lessen or reverse. Unfortunately, they were also less than a block away from the local magic college which took on requests to use as a learning opportunity.

When one weighed a short waitlist for a free-of-charge chance to right a wrong against the costs of freelance specialist, it was no wonder what potential clientele preferred. Thus, Elodie’s Convenient On-Call Specialist Services barely saw anything past a trickle. How they managed to break even every month and make a living at the same time was a mystery wrapped in an enigma.

Just as Severin was beginning to lament standing eight hours behind a counter and prodding at a till that would never open, the entrance bell jingled. He pushed himself up like an expectant dog finally given attention, but the appearance of a certain someone had him bristling like a cat.

Occasionally, Ezra made an appearance in the shop to pass the lunchtime hour before or after a lecture. Since he passed the shop to get to the deli on the corner, Severin saw him more times than he would’ve liked, especially now that their relationship had taken a turn for the “better.” However, all it did was give Ezra more buttons for him to prod when in Severin’s company.

“Well! If it isn’t my favorite unpaying customer,” Severin said, baiting Ezra from the get-go. If he threw out a line now, he could gauge if the other man was in the mood to trade snark for snark or not.

A brilliant half-smile lit up Ezra’s face, immediately signaling he was in a playful mood, but the only thing Severin could concentrate on was how it made his stomach flip. Yes, Ezra was undeniably handsome—Severin had come to this conclusion as early as their academy days—but that smile was the same he gave before he dragged the blond to bed. To see it outside the context of a closed door was both jarring and thrilling.

“Ah, but this time, I actually come bearing payment,” Ezra replied, approaching the counter and sliding a medium-sized coffee across it. “Just to shave a little off what I owe.”

Severin blinked. “For me? I appreciate the sentiment, but have you had lunch yet, Ezra? Normally you’d have a sandwich or some such in hand to eat once you got back to the college.”

Severin hadn’t meant to pry, and though he was touched beyond reason that Ezra thought of him, he didn’t want to take away the likely only form of nourishment the man had all day. Much to Severin’s chagrin, he cared—a little too much, mind you—about Ezra, even if their relationship remained in the realm of platonic (with additional benefits, but still). Included in his earnest agenda to always have Ezra remain in good health was to have him actually eat, since he was infamous for forgoing meals. Severin worried for him any chance he got.

A frown tugged the corner of Ezra’s mouth down. “Yes, mother dearest, I did eat. Right before I came here,” he said, folding arms across his chest as he leaned back against the counter. Beneath his breath, he added, “There you go again…”

His words didn’t go unheard by Severin. “Excuse me?” he prompted, bristling again. Suddenly, the coffee burning his palms felt cold to the touch. They were rising toward an argument again.

“Smothering me with care as if I don’t know how to take care of myself,” Ezra said. “I’m unsure of the objectives on the mental checklist you prepare every time we meet, but I want no part in it.”

Severin furrowed his brow. “How dare—”

A bitter chuckle left Ezra. “Though I’m not surprised, either.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Ezra shrugged a shoulder. “You simply meet all of my expectations, Severin, because I keep them low. Invariably low.”

The sudden rise of anger within him had his cheeks flushing in anger, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. With a swift hand, Severin caught Ezra under the chin after slamming the cup of coffee down. He jerked him over the counter a little too forcefully, insides balking at what he’d just done. Severin almost relented and apologized, but that notable glint to Ezra’s eye wavered another part of him, turning his mind back to frustration. The bastard was enjoying this, much to his chagrin.

Pulling him in just before their lips brushed, Severin growled with a tone laced with venom, “Hold your tongue before I bite it off.”

The corner of Ezra’s mouth quirked up now in amusement. “Now, now, Severin,” he returned. “Don’t tease me. Though…” He shot Severin a look that almost drained all energy out of him. “I’d love to see you try.”

Severin’s head raced a mile a minute to untoward thoughts, but in the next instance they dissipated into the air come the clatter of the backroom door. Both men’s attention snapped to the petite blonde that emerged, standing there gaping like a fish.

With a swiftness rivaling that of his hand, Severin jerked back and fell against the cabinets behind him, failing to come up with an excuse through his stutters. Meanwhile, Ezra appeared unperturbed, though disappointment was clearing written on his face.

Elodie rung her hands in the air. “Gods, really, you two? Really? Right here at my storefront?” She ran a thumb across her temple. “What if someone saw? Get a room if you’re going to flirt so senselessly!”

Severin’s tongue felt heavy in his mouth as he exchanged looks between Ezra and Elodie. The tension between them was palpable as she frowned at him; she knew Ezra was the cause of the mishap, since Severin was weak to the man’s advances. Ezra knew this in kind, but he delighted in it rather than feeling ashamed.

“Unfortunately, the closest was clearly preoccupied, so we had to make do,” Ezra retorted, clearly entertained by his reply. “Though I extend my greatest apologies if your paltry clientele found themselves bothered by our mild inappropriateness.”

Elodie’s hands tightened into white fists at her sides. “You can be a real dick sometimes, you know that?”

Ezra flashed her that charming smile Severin knew he only saved only for those he greatly disliked. “I wouldn’t have you think less,” he replied. Then, he immediately cut all attention from Elodie as if she never even existed as his eyes came to rest on Severin again. “I’ll be taking my leave. Let’s continue where we left off next time, all right, Severin?”

The blond swallowed thickly and gave a stiff nod. “Y-yes, of course, Ezra,” he said. “S-see you… later?”

“Mhm. Goodbye.”

With that, Ezra turned on his heel and exited the way he came; his leaving marked by the jingle of the storefront bell. A bated silence nestled itself between the two cousins as they tried to find something to say, but failed each turn. Eventually, Elodie broke the mold, if only to wrest control of the situation back in her favor.

“Looks aside, I honestly don’t know what you see in him, Sven,” Elodie said, glancing at Severin.

Severin rubbed the back of his neck. “H-he’s not the bad,” he said. “He can be quite kind and caring. He’s just guarded around those he doesn’t know well.”

“Baseless excuses,” she returned with a huff. “Just say the sex is good and let’s leave it at that.”

“W-well, it… is,” Severin was unashamed to say, “but it’s not the only reason! Honest!”

“Yea. Uh-huh.” Elodie’s tone was undeniably mocking. “As if I’d believe anything else.”