Work Text:
Tom Riddle was your classic arsehole, hard-arse boss who really did not give a shit about his employees. Some say his tough personality came from the fact that he was a virgin and because he hadn’t gotten laid yet. While some say he’s like that because he was born as an arsehole, the classic rich trust fund kid, the only son of a self-made father.
A bunch of bollocks, that’s what Tom thought.
Self-made father? Yeah, right, all this money his family had, come from dirty hands. Both his family, maternal and paternal, and people ask why he found his parents to be rather awful people. Although, as much as he disliked them, Tom couldn’t say he had the moral high ground. He wasn’t ignorant, just arrogant, that he will admit himself. He knew how much of an arsehole he was and although he wanted to be nicer, even if a little bit. He couldn’t help himself. His employees were just useless and irritating people. Even his secretary- and previously his father’s before he retired-, Abraxas Malfoy, was useless. He was already very eager to see how much the old man’s son would fare compared to him. It was harsh, however, sugar coating his words wouldn’t help anything.
It was a lost cause.
However, even Tom had one giant, glaring weakness that he refused to show: his deep-seated desire to find his soulmate. His soulmate who he hasn’t found for over 20 years. Most people would just give up and just marry someone else. Considering people finding their soulmates was nowadays rare, but Tom was not most people. It was a generally childish and foolish notion to believe that he’d find him, but even if Tom denied from admitting it. He’d wait, he refuses to marry anyone who wasn’t his soulmate.
And this day, on a cold spring night, was one of the usual days where he had to personally fix the fuck ups the interns did. Jesus, he just couldn’t wait to fire one of them the next day.
The full moon held prominence in the dark sky, the only noticeable thing from the 50th floor. The highest floor and Tom’s personal space, all for himself. AKA the lion’s den, where only the daring and those who were summoned would dare enter.
He smiled himself at the thought, dropping the papers on his desk and leaned against the, thankfully comfortable, black leather chair. His muscles finally relaxing from the tenseness he hadn’t noticed build up. Finally done for the day… and turning to look at the glass window behind him, he sighed deeply, absolutely exhausted.
It was raining.
Tom suddenly regretted not bringing his car with him. His condominium was near the main Riddle building in England, so he typically tended to just walk if the weather was good. Because unlike the rumours that he was lazy, he wasn’t. He wished to work out sometimes too but usually, he just didn’t have enough time between sleeping, eating, showering and doing work, and walking actually helps.
The weather report didn’t say it was raining, that wasn’t his fault- well in a way it was since he didn’t check the percentage of the rain happening. But Tom didn’t like admitting that he was wrong did he? Well thanks to him being paranoid, he did actually bring an umbrella. How convenient.
There was barely any employees left when he decided to just go home instead of mulling there in his office. Really… the only person he actually saw was the security guard in the entrance, who asked if he was going. Tom didn’t bother talking, not really in the mood for it, but just nodded slowly. Not even making sure the man understood and just opened his umbrella to start walking.
Honestly…
The streets weren’t dark, of course they weren’t. It was a big, modernized city. The lights in numerous buildings were enough to light up any roads and streets that existed there, the lamp posts seemed already unnecessary. There were no dark alleyways to be found for lurkers or evildoers to hide in. Homeless people barely littered the streets, they still existed but not as much as other cities. There was a low percentage of crime rate, but in exchange for that, it was ridiculously expensive to live around the area. Only the well-off people could buy a house. Even small, mini houses were overpriced for what they are. To tell people the truth, even the conceited Tom Riddle didn’t understand why it was like that.
So of course, finding a man soaking in the rain cause him to stop in his step. There was still quite a few people loitering around, many others that would could his interest but it was that one man, drenched in rain, that captured his utmost attention. It was a weird feeling, however, he didn’t think much of it. Since he did look quite out of place.
But without even realizing, he had approached him, covering him with the umbrella against the harsh rain.
WTF
Was what Tom immediately thought of.
He was about to run away to avoid the awkward situation but he stopped, frozen still, when the mystery man suddenly looked up, confused.
The man’s gorgeous bright green eyes- too bad it was being hidden behind the round-rimmed glasses- looked up at him, staring into his grey ones.
They looked at each other, mesmerized and unmoving in the middle of the sidewalk. Both uncaring if they disturbed anyone, too busy staring at each other in admiration, dismissing the fact that it’s their first time seeing each other.
Tom was the first one to break out of the trance, blinking rapidly. Finally noticing the various glances on them, Annoyed, amused, some of them held some curiosity. He felt the urge to keep close to the one standing close to him, why? He didn’t know, and he was sure the other man didn’t know also.
“So, umm…” Tom manages to say, barely stopping himself from stuttering. Shame- he never does that. It would be very out of character of him… then he noticed the red rim around the man’s gorgeous eyes. Tom’s urge to coddle him suddenly flared stronger. “Are you okay? You look…”
sad, was what he wanted to say but Tom lost his voice.
What was he supposed to say? He knew the man had been crying but he has never been the type to comfort someone. Not to mention, this was the only time he has felt any sort of urge, let alone a strong one, to do something to help someone…
“Pathetic? I know,” he replies, indifference in his voice. Despite it, Tom could already tell it was the exact opposite of what he was feeling. Melancholy oozed out of him.
“That… that wasn’t the word I was looking for. I find sad to be a more appropriate word. And by the way you were letting yourself soak in the rain, knowing the risk of getting an illness, further strengthens my intuition.” He rambles on with his rather… haughty voice. Instead of being annoyed however, the other man seemed amused. Well, with as amusement as he could muster. The sadness both the man’s face and aura held was still very strong.
“You’re weird,” he blurted out.
Tom furrowed his eyebrows, “excuse me?”
The other man suddenly looked ashamed and waved his wands around. “Oh sorry! I-I didn’t mean for it to come out that way… it’s just…” Tom waves him off, smiling slightly, telling him it was ok wordlessly. “Most people would just ignore me and continue on with their day- well night I guess.” He adds, glancing at the sky.
“I’m aware… I don’t even really know I approached you. Maybe I felt bad?” Tom says, asking himself the same question. He rarely felt bad for people, so why should this one be different?
“You didn’t need to but I appreciate that you even bothered to come and approach a strange man drenched from the rain…” The green-eyed man smiles up at him, although it looked sad, it still looked rather sweet. “I’m fine, really, thanks for asking.”
“Okay… can I at least accompany you home? You looked really soaked.” Tom couldn’t find it himself to leave the man alone. His heart ached for him. “On second thought, I might need to rephrase that. It sounds rather creepy.”
He let out a small giggle, sniffing afterwards. “I’m alright, thanks, I don’t want to bother you.”
“Are you sure? I was just heading home, I don’t think I would be able to sleep if I leave you alone.” He says and gesturing to his umbrell- conveniently perfect for two-, oblivious to the red blush appearing on his face. All because of a cute giggle.
The green-eyed man contemplated for a moment and Tom couldn’t blame him. They were strangers. Even if he did it as an act of kindness, the other man wouldn’t know that. He had no actual evidence that Tom wasn’t planning something else- well, maybe perhaps his expensive suit can give off the impression that he was a very… rich businessman and not any sort of thug.
“Alright, sure…. It isn’t that long anyway. You don’t look or sound like a kidnapper, I guess it isn’t a bad idea. If you were, you’re really horrible.” He says, Tom didn’t know if he should have taken it as an insult or what. But he didn’t take it seriously either way as he let the other man take him around.
There was an odd, pregnant silence that spread over the two of them. Both feeling awkward and unsure if small talk could help or make it more awkward. This is the first time Tom felt this timid. Well, there was always a first time in everything.
They got to a residential area when he finally said something to break the silence after coincidentally observing the green-eyed man’s trembling lips.
“I know it’s none of my business, but are you sure you have nothing you want to get out of your chest? To lessen your burden perhaps… it’s not like I can use it against you, we don’t know each other.” He says, coming to regret it immediately when the other man suddenly turned even more silent.
“It’s my boy- well, ex-boyfriend now.” He suddenly says as Tom nodded along. A relationship problem then.
“He’s not my soulmate, so I should have expected it to happen. But it still hurts you know considering we pretty much spent our entire high school together- yeah we met there, so original.” The still unknown man says as he grins. Even under such heavy emotion, the man could still somehow be sarcastic. “We thought we’d never find our soulmate, so we started dating. Um- we loved each other, well I think so anyway. I’m not sure about him, but I knew it wouldn’t last. I knew Draco would find his soulmate eventually. We were on a date this afternoon, ending the night with dinner but he locked eyes with one of the waiters. He excused himself and left me alone. I knew what was happening but I rejected the idea, only really coming to the conclusion that it’s all over when I personally saw the bastard approaching him, smiling so lovingly. I ran out of there and now I’m thinking about it, it’s kind of a dick move on my part.” He says, stopping there on that part as he wiped a stray tear from his eye. Tom knew better to not judge when he hasn’t even heard of this ‘Draco’ side of the story. But at that moment.
Tom Riddle absolutely detested him.
“I already hate him and I haven’t even met the wanker.” He blurts out, earning him an amused giggle.
They stop walking as the man turned to him.
“Thanks for listening, stranger. That helped a lot.” He says, smiling sweetly at Tom, who couldn’t help but return the smile as well.
“Glad to be of help, your ex doesn’t deserve you for doing that. And my name, I’m ashamed I haven’t told you the whole way, it’s Tom- Tom Marvolo Riddle.” He introduces himself, watching as the stranger’s green eyes widen in surprise.
Ah, please don’t be one of those people, he thought. It would be a shame, he did actually like him.
Instead of a fangirl-like scream, he speaks calmly, turning red. “I-I’m Harry James P-Potter, nice to meet you, Tom…”
Holy shit.
Holy shit.
His grey eyes widened in bewilderment, at a loss for words as he covered his mouth. While his soulmate just turned red, looking down and fidget nervously. Don’t mistake him, he was ecstatic but HOLY SHIT. When Tom imagines how he’d meet his soulmate, it wasn’t like this.
It finally made sense. The urge, the reason he approached him without a reason, the reason why Harry wasn’t scared of him. It was the pull from their souls.
Oh god, oh sweet mother of god.
Forgetting all the work he had to suffer an hour before this, he considered this day to be the best one that has happened throughout his whole life.
“I-I don’t know what to say-” Tom stutters out, wow. He seemingly didn’t even hear the stutter that would usually annoy the shit out of him.
“Me neither…so, uh… wanna come in?” With no hesitation, he nods. Harry opens the door for them with a silent click. “Hope you don’t mind how messy the house is. Judging from how Draco eloped with that soulmate of his. I don’t think he’ll come back until a few days.”
“You have a shared house?” For a minor reason, that kind of annoyed him.
“Yeah… kinda makes it awkward now. Draco paid for the house. So I should be the one getting out.” He looked solemn, remembering something. “Ah, I don’t wanna be homeless yet. I think I can deal with third wheeling them though-” Tom grabs his wrist, staring onto Harry’s surprised green-eyes.
“You’re moving in with me, no excuses.”