http://halfblooded-git.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] halfblooded-git.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] tampered2008-02-12 07:17 pm

Log: Complete

When; February 12th, 2008
Rating; G
Characters; Christopher Styles [livejournal.com profile] under_secretary, NIcholas Brocklehurst [livejournal.com profile] razrsharp, and Severus Snape [livejournal.com profile] halfblooded_git
Summary; Styles and Brocklehurst, recently engaged, are planning their wedding. There are, however, a few bumps along the way towards planning out the rest of their lives together, and they need a marriage councillor before taking the final plunge into matrimony. Marriage to a politician does have its drawbacks. Snape, a professor experienced in the art of rallying people together in united hatred against himself, is chosen to mediate.
Log;

Three men were sitting behind the closed door to one particular lawyer's well-furnished office. One of these men was the former professor Severus Snape, sitting back in one of the chairs and looking to the two other men. In front of him was a table, upon which sat a bowl of candy hearts, collected from today's curse. He was ignoring them. Confectionary goods were not in his better interests, and knowing they were cursed meant they were especially off limits. But having them here, inside, served as a reminder of how bizarre a world they were in.

That thought didn't distract him from the business at hand. He was being paid to mediate, not sit around and muse upon the day's events. In his hand he held a clipboard and a pen, awkward Muggle writing instruments but it was unlikely Styles was in possession of a scroll and quill. Very well; Snape could be "modern" if he were forced into it.

He sat in cold, cool silence, waiting for one of the men to begin.

[identity profile] under-secretary.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 12:49 am (UTC)(link)
Styles was nursing a migraine - he could feel it rising along with the sound of tinnitus, which seemed suspiciously like Lynne's voice to him. He stared at the bowl of hearts and took one, inspecting it. MURDER was written in bold letters. Those things tasted like chalk anyway.

He turned to Nicholas. "Well? Do you have anything to say or are we going to sit here?"

[identity profile] razrsharp.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 12:55 am (UTC)(link)
Nicholas stared between the two brunettes and the bowl of candy hearts. Yes, they tasted like chalk, yes, they were cursed, but the bowl and its fill of sugar seemed like the less of two... three evils. Nicholas popped MUSICAL into his mouth and almost rocked back from the secret he gained. Disturbing. Perhaps it wasn't the lesser after all. The Englishman decided to leave the bowl alone.

"Why do I need to have something to say," he asked Christopher in a cool tone, more than aware that neither of them wanted to conduct this. Too bad paperwork made it necessary, bloody bureaucracy. Immediately he cut a quick glance to Snape; that remark alone was grounds for some kind of demerit. "I think we're prepared for this," he nodded, posture straight and confident... to compensate.

[identity profile] under-secretary.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 01:05 am (UTC)(link)
Styles raised one eyebrow, then looked back at Nicholas. "Because I honestly don't have anything to say. So I suggest Brocklehurst begin the proceedings."

In college, Styles had a professor like Snape. Angry, bitter, obviously under or never-sexed. He had tried to make the brunette's life miserable - and then Styles had gotten him fired for improper conduct over a grade.

He wondered, briefly, if he could get Snape fired.

[identity profile] razrsharp.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 01:13 am (UTC)(link)
"I know we're prepared," he clarified to the Professor then looked to Styles. Oh that remark couldn't have touched him particularly well... Nicholas cleared his throat, not once leaning back to relax in his chair. It was like mediating for Mark again.

"It's not an unpleasant task," Brocklehurst added, blue gaze darting between them again. "I know we've made the right preparations and we're at the same point in our lives to follow through," the Englishman spoke clearly, almost too diplomatic.

[identity profile] under-secretary.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 01:27 am (UTC)(link)
There were two forms of irritated Styles - highly placating and completely belligerent. There were very few times that the two ever combined; now was one of those times. He wondered briefly if he was fast enough to punch Snape in the mouth. Probably - those days of boxing did serve him well.

"Completely," he said with a smile, popping a candy into his mouth. It tasted like crap, as predicted, and the secret was bland and boring. Who cared about someone losing wings?

[identity profile] razrsharp.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 01:44 am (UTC)(link)
"You can't possibly quote me as I've never stated fully," he countered Snape with just a slight narrow of his eyes.

The Professor was a sharp one, and English so his own 'dialect' couldn't run circles around the man. Brocklehurst didn't know which was worse, the look Snape was giving him or the look Styles was giving Snape. He wished the bowl of hearts was a bowl of Advil. He could feel a headache coming on, but Nicholas wasn't one to reveal his state of mind with body language. He tried to maintain a cool and subtle demeanor, much like his former position as a spook.

"Absolutely," he nodded, "we've both made sacrifices and we've both rebuilt without complaint." That last one was a bit more than a fib.

[identity profile] under-secretary.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
Styles took another candy. "Well, Professor, I think you might have to actually have experienced a relationship in its full complexity to be able to make that statement." He popped it in his mouth.

He looked over at Brocklehurst and said, "Sweetheart, as I'm sure Professor Snape is aware, you complete me. I wouldn't marry you otherwise."

Although there wasn't a trace of insipidness, insincerity, sarcasm or venom in Styles' voice or body language, what he was actually stating was a plea for Brocklehurst to take up the time on some stupid topic or another to make the hour pass.

[identity profile] razrsharp.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 02:14 am (UTC)(link)
"Christopher is extremely intelligent," Nicholas replied in the American's defense... not that Styles needed much defense in the first place. Christ he pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering if there'd be a moment spared from the darker two trading blows.

"And you complete me," Brocklehurst added, running with Styles' line. He reached over to pet his hand, cool, confident, relaxed! Not really. Normally the former MI6 agent could pass this sort of test with flying colors, but he wasn't playing the role of Counsellor or spook this time. This was about their marriage. It was an entirely different... 'game'.

"We can file taxes together," said Nicholas, attempting to play his role as future husband. He immediately regret it as it brought money into the arena, and that was always a hot button subject between married men.

[identity profile] under-secretary.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 02:29 am (UTC)(link)
Styles smirked slightly at the sight of his face.

"Yes," he said simply, looking at the watch on the desk. How much more of this torture would he have to endure?

[identity profile] razrsharp.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
"It isn't adoration and it isn't infatuation... It's our commitment to each other," Nicholas said as he squeezed Christopher's hand, and raised their joined fingers expecting the other man to chime in with agreement eheh. "We've had our fair share of hardship," said the token blond, and again he realized that was feeding Snape possibly too much information, so he followed up with a completely inane piece of trivia. "I'm not particularly fond of the way he drives but I fully stand by his right to operate his motor vehicle as he sees fit."

He nodded... like it mattered.
Edited 2008-02-13 02:37 (UTC)

[identity profile] under-secretary.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
Styles nodded. There wasn't even a single mention of Brocklehurst's father, his dog, or Styles' brother. It was a success, in Christopher's opinion. "And we are." He turned to look at Nicholas. "Right?"

He watched the older man's face for any passing sign of doubt, ready to squeeze his hand at the first sign.

[identity profile] razrsharp.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
"......."

What? Just like that? He couldn't believe his ears, rather he couldn't believe the silence coming from both sides. Snape clearly had some doubts, Styles clearly had doubts to hide. Nicholas didn't need counseling to know that, they'd never needed counseling before till now and this was just for protocol. Did that mean they would always keep their secrets, their untouchable subjects... Brocklehurst's brow furrowed.

"Of course no such thing exists, but it's our intention to always come forth with such issues, to talk before they can fester," right? He looked at Styles with that expression. Right?

[identity profile] under-secretary.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 03:00 am (UTC)(link)
Inwardly, Styles rolled his eyes and shook his head. Outwardly he smiled. "Nicholas. Of course I'm going to tell you things." Don't fuck me over, now.

"We've talked through issues before, and we can again."
Edited 2008-02-13 03:12 (UTC)

[identity profile] razrsharp.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 03:12 am (UTC)(link)
He studied Christopher's face, the same face matured but hardly aged from the night Nicholas once thought him an intern. It was the same face that smiled whenever he returned from trips, the same subtle smirk that stole his resolve, and the same curl of ambition that destroyed him. All of these thoughts, Brocklehurst tried to hide behind his professional exterior. It was ingrained in their nature to hide things, and if that were the case... surely they could carry on the same way in matrimony. Their 'secrets' weren't so important these days.

"And I won't even need to ask," his tone stated, but Styles could read him better. It was a question.

[identity profile] under-secretary.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
Styles saw the worry in Nicholas' eyes; the slight worry that no one else would catch. He would tell Nicholas that was why he loved him; his ability to worry without showing it, the soft touches and body language that they knew how to decode.

He shifted his eyes, answering with a mild yes, and took the papers from the professor. "Thank you," he said, smug that they were half over with the event with relatively little work. He checked the paperwork and set it on his desk to file later.

[identity profile] razrsharp.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 03:38 am (UTC)(link)
Christopher noticed and understood him in all their subtlety. Nicholas stood up without another moment of hesitation.

"Perhaps the sugar might help you settle. Would you like to take some with you," Brocklehurst offered the bowl to Snape. It was meant as a civil and polite gesture to the Professor, for enduring their bureaucratic session. He didn't mean to spite Snape, unlike Styles here. "And it was a pleasure meeting you, Professor," he nodded, offering the magician his hand for a firm and friendly shake.

[identity profile] under-secretary.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 03:56 am (UTC)(link)
Styles shook his hand briskly.

"I'll keep that in mind."

He didn't mention the second session. That would be saved for another day. Possibly one where he didn't feel like murdering anyone.

[identity profile] razrsharp.livejournal.com 2008-02-13 04:06 am (UTC)(link)
At a time when the rest of their staff couldn't eavesdrop.

He shook hands with Snape and nodded in kind. "Thank you, Professor. We'll keep in touch," Brocklehurst said, no different from speaking with Mr. Hanley.

Murder would definitely not benefit their cause.