He had known whole heartedly that it would come to a surprise towards anyone of his early retirement. The choice hadn't come out of the blue, really. Thoughts swirled his mind about the sport becoming a lasting profession into his mid-thirties or so. However, when the thought dawned as an idea, it slowly grew into an investment that Blaise couldn't deny himself any longer. If he had been so sure of himself before, he would have made some sort of hint towards Daphne. However, since his thoughts weren't for certain, thoughts remained locked within his mind until the final descion came forth. Honestly, Blaise surprised himself. It wasn't like him to choose a side that his mum supported, despite the two being alike in many different ways. Of course, he wouldn't allow himself to believe in such things, pretending a likeness never existed between the two. He did have to give credit where it was due though. She was the reason behind the fact that he would be supported for the rest of his life and through a couple of generations.
Approaching Daphne in a calm demenor, Blaise had done so easily, not giving a hint of what he had been feeling at the pit of his stomach. The anxiousness grew quickly, but subsided for a little while as he had been staring at her from a distance. A part of him wanted to blurt out the reason behind their unexpected shopping, but he kept the thought to himself for a little while longer. "Good. That was what I had hoped, even though you know me, love. I do enjoy being fashionably late once in a good while," he replied with a broad smirk spreading across his expression just as easly as it had appeared on the woman before him. As the conversation had turned towards the subject of the help that he kept around the home. For as long as he could remember, the Zabini mansion contained house elves. A few of them had still been doing their duties since he had been a child, never the thought of freeing them from their bound to the family name. True, some could have been a liability, however, the creatures had been what his mum had preferred. That was the only reason that he had kept the help for that long. "Can't have that flithy mudblood around here, true. I shall think about it. How does that sound?" he asked, usually coming up with the same answer as the topic rounded every once in a while. And of course, he had always thought about the pros and cons about getting rid of the house elves.
As Daphne's arms had rounded his shoulders, he had returned the hold, sliding his own around her waist and pulled her close. Blaise always wished that there were more moments such as the one that they were having. Oh, how he wished that he had revealed how he truly felt about his best friend years ago. However, the fear of hurt had always loomed in the back of his mind. If he had done such a thing, he would never forgive himself. Since she had followed her mum's wishes a few years ago to wed Nikolas, Blaise had been kicking himself mentally because of that event for quiet a while. As he held her close and feeling a kiss upon his cheek, he had returned it as well, holding her within the hug for a few more seconds. A part of him didn't want the closeness to end, even though it had to eventually. After all, he had asked her to come shopping with him for an important reason. It had to be done today or at least look through Knockturn and Diagon Alley for possible areas of set ups.
"Well, it's very important," he replied with a grin, still remaining vague about the entire ordeal. If it had been the other way around, Blaise would have been attempting to get the secret out earlier. A few kisses and gifts might have gotten such a thing to spout from Daphne's lips, but one couldn't be all too sure. Sometimes, things had be pressed on harder. To his recollection, he had always succeeded in getting her to spill the beans. A part of him wonder exactly how much time that they had together that day. He knew that she had to return eventually to married life, no matter how much the thought killed him or tried to convince her to remain with him. If he tried, she would agree one day, right? Maybe. All he could do was hope.