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Harry surveyed the damage with an unimpressed look. ‘This is the 3rd time you’ve manged to “accidently” burn down the kitchen, what do you have against kitchens?’ Harry had arrived on the scene some thirty minutes ago, to a full-on kitchen fire. Luckily, he and his team were able to contain before it spread to any other areas of the house. After deeming it safe, Harry had re-entered the ruined kitchen, to see what had caused the issue this time.
Tom stands sheepishly in the ruins of his kitchen, ‘It’s not that I have something against them per-say, it’s more of a case that I over think cooking.’
Tom has a beautiful three story thatched cottage. Full of old beams, a lovely traditional fireplace in the sitting room, with sweeping front and back gardens. It’s a charming home and Harry would hate to see it destroyed. Sadly, it did seem likely with it’s current owner.
Harry looks at Tom over the rim of his glasses and tries very hard not to roll his eyes heavenward. ‘Right, so, do you remember what you did?’ Harry folds his arms and waits. The first time he had been called out, Tom had left the house – with bacon still cooking. The second time, the chip pan had caught fire. At this point, Harry was beginning to question Tom’s intelligence.
‘Erm, I was making pancakes -,’
‘- Oh Merlin -,’
‘And, the oil caught fire, so…I tried hitting the flame with a tea towel and well…,’ Tom shrugs and Harry finds himself trying to refrain from banging his head against a wall.
‘Please promise me you’ll never do that again.’
‘Sure,’ Tom nods, he steps closer to Harry, breathing in the younger man’s scent. ‘Though, if it means seeing you again…’
‘Uh huh, listen, why don’t you go outside, get some fresh air and I’ll -,’ Harry waves a hand around the kitchen ‘Finish sorting this mess out.’
Fresh air sounds good right now and Tom agrees. He slips out of his home and sits down on the lawn, watching as Harry’s team enters and leaves. It’s dumb really, but the first time this happened was an accident. He had been deep in research and needed eat, when he had stumbled upon an important find while waiting for the bacon to cook, excited, he left, forgetting all about the damned bacon. So fine, he was an airhead on that occasion. Then Harry turned up. Dressed in midnight blue robes, Harry made a dashing figure. It was love at first sight, at least for Tom. After the raven-haired man had left, Tom had spent days thinking of ways to be able to see him again. The problem came down to this. Harry was part of the Fire Brigade, and unless Tom was near a fire, the chances of being able to see him again was slim to none.
So, in a moment of madness, he had started a fire and now another. It was pathetic really. What kind of person set their own homes on fire just to see someone they had a crush on?
‘Here,’ Harry was smiling down at him, a cup of coffee in his hand ‘Thought you might need one.’
‘Thanks,’ Tom gratefully reached up and accepts the cup, allowing his fingers to brush lightly over Harry’s. His fingers linger, a moment too long for it to be casual. Harry doesn’t seem to mind. ‘Sorry about…,’ He paused ‘This.’
‘I’ve seen worse,’ Harry shrugged, his green eyes look amused. ‘Believe me when I say at least you are consistent.’
Tom couldn’t help but let a laugh at that. ’Gee, thanks.’ Harry sat down next to him, their knees almost touching.
‘So, shall we go over the reason why you never use a towel?’ Harry asks playfully. Tom pouts and knocks his knees into Harry’s.
‘Ok, fine.’
Another hour later, and after a stern telling off, Tom once again watches Harry leave. Maybe a new plan is needed.
~*~
‘I seriously want to know what you have against kitchens,’ Harry runs a hand through his hair completely at a loss of what to do. He had only been here six months previously. He had really thought Tom had learnt. He had used his strictest, most annoyed voice. Truthfully, if the look on Tom’s face was anything to go by, Tom had found that tone of voice more arousing than anything else and Harry doubted how much of speech Tom had heard.
Tom grins at Harry, ‘I was thinking of remodelling.’
‘That – seems like a bad idea.’ Harry tries to keep any alarm out of his voice. The idea of Tom remodelling sounds like the worst idea ever. Merlin only knows what kind of fires Tom could create if he tried that.
‘Mm, you might be right. Is that a new uniform?’ Tom looks at Harry and they both know that Tom knows it is.
Harry pulls a face ‘Yup, why have a nice colour when a dusty brown colour works?’
‘The blue looked better on you.’ The brown colour doesn’t suit Harry, it makes him look ever so slightly washed out.
Harry lips quirk into a small smile. ‘You think?’
‘Yes, the blue brought out your eyes. And showed of your great ass.’
‘Oh, so were you thinking of my ass when you burnt the kitchen down again? Don’t you know any water conjuring charms?’
‘Yes, to both,’ Tom answers without thinking and Harry quickly stifles a laugh. ‘If you think about it,’ Tom carries on ‘This is all your fault.’
‘How is it my fault?’
‘If you weren’t so damn attractive -,’ Tom catches the look on Harry’s face and slams his mouth shut.
‘Oh, so instead of asking me out like a normal person, you decide playing with fire is a better way to get my attention?’
‘Is it working?’ He reaches out and pulls the younger man closer to him, their faces inches apart. He can feel Harry’s warm breath on his skin. Harry pulls back slightly shaking his head
‘I think,’ he pauses ‘You should probably ask me out on a proper date before you end up burning the house to ground.’
Tom leans forward and ghosts his lips over Harry’s. ‘Only the kitchen, dear. I did put up protective charms around the house before the fires.’ Before Harry can reply, he catches the other man’s lips in a fierce kiss.
‘So, you do have a brain,’ Harry murmurs against Tom’s lips. ‘I was starting to wonder.’ Harry places his hands on Tom’s chest and pulls back slightly.
‘How does dinner sound?’ Tom picks up one of Harry’s hands and presses his lips to the palm. Red eyes locked onto green. His heart beating fast in his chest as he awaits Harry reply.
‘Dinner sounds lovely.’ Harry tugs himself free of Tom a lopsided smile on his face. ‘Just let me fix this mess of a kitchen first.’
Tom returns Harry smile. ‘Don’t take too long, or I might try and burn down the bedroom next.’
Harry chucks a lump of wood playfully at him and Tom leaves the kitchen chuckling. Maybe burning down the kitchen wasn’t such a bad plan after all.