Silver spends a great deal of his time researching the mythical and magical and magical of the world. Unlike his parents, he lacks the constitution to eliminate vampires, lay ghouls to rest, discourage fairies, and so on. Fairies, especially were of interest to him. Growing up on his parents’ tales of adventures, fairies had become his fixation. That’s the topic that’s going to make Henry Silver a name known among his fellow folklorists. He’s determined to find them, to prove that they are real.
So when he isn’t in some library, public or otherwise, or hunched over his desk squinting and straining his eyes in the dying light, Silver’s exploring. However, chasing fairies doesn’t bring in an income, so he takes on paid investigations, as well. Exploring a spooky wood for dryads or pixies, searching for lost damsels who’ve been spirited away by wil-o-wisps in the night, things such as that. The families are usually well-off and could afford the rates his family named command.
So there he sits across the table, taking down the details of what you need dealt with in his little leather note-bound notebook.
Whatever it is Silver’s found has him running through the crowded London streets. He knows if he loses sight of the creature, it’ll be lost to him. Needless to say, those grey eyes are sharp with focus on his quarry. The creature is small – the size of a human child –, hardly noticeable due to the magic is uses to conceal itself as it flits through the crowd. It’s a devil of a thing that latches on to an unsuspecting person and feeds on their vitality – normally it’s a slow process, but one such as this that is exerting so much energy? If it attaches to someone in this crowd it could drain them in mere seconds.
Between two people walking arm-in-arm, Silver sees it crouching as if to pounce. For an instant, his eyes dart away to the person it’s targeting. “Look out!” There’s no time to simply call out. So, Silver launches himself forward with all the small strength he can muster, literally throwing himself into the stranger. Of course, Silver’s barely more than a waif and he might not even be able to take them to the ground.
Being the somewhat pampered creature that he is Silver isn’t about to pass up a gathering with free food. Plus, a chance to mingle and learn more from his fellow folklorists and monster hunters? How could he miss that! Silver certainly has his connections, plus the prestige his parents’ name holds so there are precious few from Europe to whom he needs to make introductions. With so many magnificent people from all across the world at this soiree, how could he possibly know everyone?
For the earlier part of the salon, he can be found intermittently sampling the food and drink, chatting up anyone in earshot, and furiously scribbling notes in the little leather-bound notebook he keeps in his jacket pocket.
He’s especially fond of the drinks. The alcoholic ones.
The romance/smutty option (assumed CR is fine for this one)
Silver woke under the weight of another’s arm. At his back, the warm, sturdy frame of a man lay pressed against him. It’s a warmth he savored. Even if all they did was sleep. It was enough for Silver to wake so pleasantly.
He tucks himself deeper under the blankets, nestling closer until he can feel the man’s warmth seeping through his nightshirt. Eventually, he shifts in those arms, ducking his head beneath the man’s chin. He breathes in the scent of him.
Given Silver’s penchant for sleeping in, he suspects his partner might already be awake. He nuzzles his throat and lays soft kisses against his jaw.
“Are you awake?” he murmurs quietly, in case the man beside him is actually still sleeping.
He'd been awake for a good amount of time. Enough time to actually have gotten up and washed up and done some chores. Everything in order he'd returned to this room to find those soft mud curls poking up over the covers. Resist though he could have he'd opted not to and had undressed again to slip back under the covers to hold him until he woke instead.
So when he felt him move, he knew very well that this lazy body was most certainly awake. His lip twitched a little. A smile.
Loosening his hold, he let him turn and closed his eyes to enjoy those pretty little kisses along his jaw. They were something he'd grown so accustomed to that it seemed odd to have a morning without them. Breathing him in, Tobias nodded.
"Hmm." Of course Tobias was awake. Why wouldn't he be? The man's been getting up at the crack of dawn for centuries. That's probably a hard habit to break. Silver doesn't miss it, not one bit. He'll take his late nights over early mornings, thank you.
"Mmm, breakfast or bath?"
It was probably closer to lunch than breakfast, but that didn't matter to Silver.
Tobias considered that answer. Silver had long since missed breakfast. It was closer to noon at this point, the daylight half gone. In the end, he determined his answer had to come in one form.
He shifted to bury his face in those amazing curls and drew in the deepest breath possible. As he released the air in his lungs, he made a soft sound as if to ponder if the small man smelled or not.
In the end, he finally spoke what he had concluded. "Lunch."
"Lunch?" He repeated, feigning surprise. "Is it so late already?" As if he didn't habitually sleep in 'til nearly noon. He nestled a little closer, the gesture somehow petulant, a pointed refusal to get out of bed yet. He's surprised his mother hadn't burst in sooner to harry him from bed. Ah, but she was probably pouring all her knowledge into Maud. Well, good. She could use the distraction.
"I suppose we won't be missed if we dally a little longer."
"Your mother went out." He had a feeling that he was wondering about her. Silver often did when he realized his patterns hadn't been disrupted. Those two had a relationship that was unique really. Some might call it strained but he knew better after spending time with them.
They just tended to communicate their love through arguments and judgements.
Tobias fixed a curl that wanted to stick out oddly.
Tobias leveled him with such a look but gave in anyway. They really should get up. There were things to do in the day. But, he supposed at the end of all of it, that a little longer spent in bed with Silver wouldn't be so bad.
It would even be pleasant.
Tucking him close, he let his large hand run through those dark mud colored curls.
Ah, how he loved when Tobias let him have his way. A triumphant little smile curled his lips as he wiggled closer, then settled. It was nice to have this back. Though, Silver had to wonder if he has really changed at all. Maybe? Things were different because he was a completely normal human again. As normal as a man raised by monster hunters can be, that is.
But so was Tobias, now.
"How long has it been since we've had a lazy morning?" Afternoon, whatever. If Silver had his way, every morning would be a lazy one.
"Past noon now," he corrected gently. As massive and fierce as he looked, he was actually a gentle soul at heat. Particularly when it came to this slender figure that he held in his arms. "And three weeks."
Though he didn't always seem like it, he paid attention to the little things at all times. He knew how much Henry loved these moments because his entire demeanor would shift to quiet happiness like this. Tobias treasured times like this so much that he knew when the last one was without having to try. Not that he would ever complain or change the way his life was, of course. It made these moments all the more special.
Even if he was sure Henry longed for them to happen more often. The young were always far more impatient.
They'd have these moments every day if Henry could decide it. It's a good thing someone was around to pay attention to the details. Henry certainly didn't unless he was honed in on something with his tunnel vision.
"Three whole weeks?" Cue him nestling closer as if hearing that reminded him it's been too long. He heaved a quiet sigh. "What plans have we today?"
"We are to clean the house and fetch food for supper." Which was what he'd been told. But he'd also been told that the women would be gone for the next couple of days. Perhaps he should mention that part too. No, it wasn't important and could serve as a pleasant surprise for later.
For now he just gazed at at the pretty thing that he held in his arms, admiring how well he fit there. He was...so good here like this. Like he was meant to be right here.
"Clean?" He yelped incredulously. Henry Silver? Cleaning? He's never done such a thing in his whole short life! "Aren't there servants for that?" Had his mother been doing the cleaning in her condition? How dreadful!
"She felt that I did better work." And that Silver could learn some discipline from it. However, he didn't mention that part. She wasn't wrong but also he rather enjoyed how hopeless Silver could be sometimes. There was something rather endearing about it to Tobias.
But he had quite the soft spot for the young man and always had.
The part where he did everything better than servants though? Very, very true.
“I’m not cleaning,” he declared in a huff. Henry wiggled enough to cross his arms over his chest in a fit of petulance. “You can clean since you’re so good at it.” Surely his mother didn’t intend for him to do it! That was just ludicrous! Between the four of them (yes, even Maud), they all knew Henry would just make the mess worse.
“I have some correspondence to catch up on,” he added as if he just remembered and didn’t just make it up.
"You caught up on it yesterday," he noted softly, well aware of what Silver was doing. He'd seen him do it many times before, after all. Ever the stubborn and selfish one. At times it could be hurtful but right now? Right now it was actually rather endearing even if he was trying very hard to not smile about it.
You’d think Henry would have learned his lesson about lying after losing Tobias once. Nope, not Henry Silver! He pouted at being called out, then pouted more as Tobias tried so very valiantly not to smile at Henry’s expense. He deserved that at the very least. Tobias should be able to have a few laughs and smiles at Henry’s expense.
He probably should say more or even say he wasn't smiling. It would be true if he just said so. But instead he just lowered his gaze and tried harder to not smile at all. As easy as it would be he didn't want to just do that. No, he wasn't going to just suddenly start smiling at his expense.
“’Mm’ indeed,” he huffed. “Well, in that case, I suppose you better get up to go do your errands. I need a bath, after which I might decide to join you.” He will. They both know it. He’s simply being a brat at this point. Henry definitely wasn’t going to help with the cleaning, that much was clear. The most he could be expected to do was follow Tobias from room to room, prattling away while he did the work. Or maybe find a cozy chair in which to sit in each room to observe.
Tobias lifted a brow but pulled Silver in for a quick kiss before he got up. Going over to his clothes, he got properly dressed again then went to go sit in the other room to wait. Oh Silver would complain and complain but if he waited long enough then he knew he'd happily go with him into town to buy what they needed. It would be nice to listen to him the entire walk to and from as well. There was just something about the way Silver spoke which always pulled him in.
The young man could talk about how water boiled and he knew he'd want to listen to him, after all.
Heaving a sigh as Tobias moved away, Henry finally extracted himself from the blankets and shuffled off to the bathroom. He was completely serious about the bath. Though he didn't take long. He didn't spend time soaking and simply basking in the heat. No, he was quick to wash up and make himself presentable since they'd apparently be leaving the house whether Henry wanted to or not.
When he finally appeared before Tobias again, he was primped and preened and ready to look like the perfect gentleman on the street. Except that Henry had his suit jacket draped over his arm. Holding it out to Tobias, he offered a coy little smile. "can you help me into this?"
Rising to his feet, he moved over to take the jacket, opening it up. Then he held it open for Silver so he could slip his arms into it, sliding it up his arms to rest it properly on his shoulders. Adjusting it a little and brushing out any wrinkles, he nodded his satisfaction then stepped back again to go get the door for his lover to hold it open for him.
Such a gentleman for someone who lived like a hermit in the woods for the last handful of centuries. No wonder Fabian was also charmed by him. Well, Tobias should be a gentleman if he's going to be in the company of Mrs. Adela Silver (or her son, though Henry's far less demanding about that). It was so nice to be able to treat Tobias intimately once more instead of like his mother's servant.
"Tell me again, my dear, what plans have you for the day?"
He was aware that Silver already knew but that was fine. He didn't mind telling him again. Tobias actually somewhat enjoyed this part of their relationship together. A back and forth that worked well for them. Especially now that his lover was better about doing things to help out. A little anyway.
His face screws up ever so slightly. "Are you quite certain my mother doesn't employ a maid?" He knows very well she doesn't. Why should she when she has eager helpers like Tobias and Maud? Henry heaves a much put upon sigh, but he knows in the end, he'll help... for at least a moment or two.
"Did she leave any instructions on supper or is it up to us to decide?"
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The adventure option
So when he isn’t in some library, public or otherwise, or hunched over his desk squinting and straining his eyes in the dying light, Silver’s exploring. However, chasing fairies doesn’t bring in an income, so he takes on paid investigations, as well. Exploring a spooky wood for dryads or pixies, searching for lost damsels who’ve been spirited away by wil-o-wisps in the night, things such as that. The families are usually well-off and could afford the rates his family named command.
So there he sits across the table, taking down the details of what you need dealt with in his little leather note-bound notebook.
“Can you tell me a little about the local lore?”
The action option
Between two people walking arm-in-arm, Silver sees it crouching as if to pounce. For an instant, his eyes dart away to the person it’s targeting. “Look out!” There’s no time to simply call out. So, Silver launches himself forward with all the small strength he can muster, literally throwing himself into the stranger. Of course, Silver’s barely more than a waif and he might not even be able to take them to the ground.
The party option
For the earlier part of the salon, he can be found intermittently sampling the food and drink, chatting up anyone in earshot, and furiously scribbling notes in the little leather-bound notebook he keeps in his jacket pocket.
He’s especially fond of the drinks. The alcoholic ones.
The romance/smutty option (assumed CR is fine for this one)
He tucks himself deeper under the blankets, nestling closer until he can feel the man’s warmth seeping through his nightshirt. Eventually, he shifts in those arms, ducking his head beneath the man’s chin. He breathes in the scent of him.
Given Silver’s penchant for sleeping in, he suspects his partner might already be awake. He nuzzles his throat and lays soft kisses against his jaw.
“Are you awake?” he murmurs quietly, in case the man beside him is actually still sleeping.
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So when he felt him move, he knew very well that this lazy body was most certainly awake. His lip twitched a little. A smile.
Loosening his hold, he let him turn and closed his eyes to enjoy those pretty little kisses along his jaw. They were something he'd grown so accustomed to that it seemed odd to have a morning without them. Breathing him in, Tobias nodded.
"Yes."
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"Mmm, breakfast or bath?"
It was probably closer to lunch than breakfast, but that didn't matter to Silver.
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He shifted to bury his face in those amazing curls and drew in the deepest breath possible. As he released the air in his lungs, he made a soft sound as if to ponder if the small man smelled or not.
In the end, he finally spoke what he had concluded. "Lunch."
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"I suppose we won't be missed if we dally a little longer."
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They just tended to communicate their love through arguments and judgements.
Tobias fixed a curl that wanted to stick out oddly.
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"In that case, we can definitely stay here a little longer."
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It would even be pleasant.
Tucking him close, he let his large hand run through those dark mud colored curls.
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But so was Tobias, now.
"How long has it been since we've had a lazy morning?" Afternoon, whatever. If Silver had his way, every morning would be a lazy one.
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Though he didn't always seem like it, he paid attention to the little things at all times. He knew how much Henry loved these moments because his entire demeanor would shift to quiet happiness like this. Tobias treasured times like this so much that he knew when the last one was without having to try. Not that he would ever complain or change the way his life was, of course. It made these moments all the more special.
Even if he was sure Henry longed for them to happen more often. The young were always far more impatient.
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"Three whole weeks?" Cue him nestling closer as if hearing that reminded him it's been too long. He heaved a quiet sigh. "What plans have we today?"
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For now he just gazed at at the pretty thing that he held in his arms, admiring how well he fit there. He was...so good here like this. Like he was meant to be right here.
"We will want to go before market closes."
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But he had quite the soft spot for the young man and always had.
The part where he did everything better than servants though? Very, very true.
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“I have some correspondence to catch up on,” he added as if he just remembered and didn’t just make it up.
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Very, very hard.
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“What are you smiling for?”
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He probably should say more or even say he wasn't smiling. It would be true if he just said so. But instead he just lowered his gaze and tried harder to not smile at all. As easy as it would be he didn't want to just do that. No, he wasn't going to just suddenly start smiling at his expense.
Even if it was very hard and deserved.
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The young man could talk about how water boiled and he knew he'd want to listen to him, after all.
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When he finally appeared before Tobias again, he was primped and preened and ready to look like the perfect gentleman on the street. Except that Henry had his suit jacket draped over his arm. Holding it out to Tobias, he offered a coy little smile. "can you help me into this?"
no subject
Rising to his feet, he moved over to take the jacket, opening it up. Then he held it open for Silver so he could slip his arms into it, sliding it up his arms to rest it properly on his shoulders. Adjusting it a little and brushing out any wrinkles, he nodded his satisfaction then stepped back again to go get the door for his lover to hold it open for him.
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No wonder Fabian was also charmed by him.Well, Tobias should be a gentleman if he's going to be in the company of Mrs. Adela Silver (or her son, though Henry's far less demanding about that). It was so nice to be able to treat Tobias intimately once more instead of like his mother's servant."Tell me again, my dear, what plans have you for the day?"
That he's being 'dragged along' for.
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He was aware that Silver already knew but that was fine. He didn't mind telling him again. Tobias actually somewhat enjoyed this part of their relationship together. A back and forth that worked well for them. Especially now that his lover was better about doing things to help out. A little anyway.
"We can clean after we return."
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"Did she leave any instructions on supper or is it up to us to decide?"
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