Chapter Text
“Now tell me why are you avoiding me?”
The words leave my mouth but I don’t quite know where they travel to. His posture is stiff as usual and the slight tremors in the hands show through the silk sleeve tied with the beautiful sapphire cufflinks. His lips press together in a small moment where I can see he composes himself and then the mask he so elaborately crafts washes over his face and that infuriating gentle smile paints his pale features before he speaks.
“Well lord Vandyke, I was told you had some financial matters to discuss, how may I be of help?”
His face is still and void of all recognisable emotion and for some unknown reason it makes my blood both boil and freeze. Nothing about this is right, I don’t wish to cause him any discomfort, but getting close seems to be so unbearable to him, yet staying far is unbearable to me.
“Lord Bendyke?” - his voice is always so soft when he speaks its like honey.
“Yes Count, I am here to discuss the aftermath on your financials from the garden soiree.”
“I do not wish to be scolded, so if that is all I would prefer to retire, this conversation truly doesn’t suit my current disposition so if you will excuse me.” The way he turns on his heel and hurries to the door reminds me as if a stag chased by a famished wolf.
“Forgive me count.” - I hold every muscle in my body still after my first step, I truly don’t wish to … to scare him any further. “I only wanted to inform you of the plan. We are in fact quite alright.” He pauses, half turns. His golden lashes flutter above those turquoise eyes and I can almost hear my heartbeat outside my flesh. “Look I have a couple of the contracts I drafted for some new subsidiaries and new ventures. I believe they will be quite successful.” I am ruffling my papers, god I always know where my documents are so why now is it that they are in such disarray.
“Here, have a look.” I feel a dumbness in my hand as it extends towards him. I didn’t realise I was already so close. I guess I’ve never paid it much mind, the distance between us. It has always seemed quite natural to get close, but is that appropriate? I remember the way his skin was almost scorching on my fingertips as I reached around him that night, the way his mouth opened as I leaned in for that taste. God I wanted it so bad, the milky sweetness of it, I wanted to get lost in it. But even then his body was shivering. Maybe if I afford the moment true honesty I was entirely out of bounds. Was I too forward? Perhaps I truly am a brute.
His hand extends to the pages and slender gloved fingers ruffle pages as he reads them in his usual unmatched speed. His eyes flicker as they trace along the lines and a small furrow gathers at his brows. Two steps. I would say in physical terms our distance right now would be two steps. Is that alright? “Aeroc” his name escapes my lips before I have even realised and the turquoise lifts to face me. My heart clenches as a flash of one of my night-terrors blinks in front of my eyes and I don’t wish to see it! The bruises and those sunken features, No, I don’t wish to see it! “Apologies, so what do you think?”
“Would this be enough?” His eyes slide back to the pages as a finger rests upon his lip in ponder.
“I believe it is in the right direction, I will need your approval to proceed and a signature on multiple pages.”
“Very well, exceptional work as usual Bendyke.” He moves to the desk and inks his pen before jutting his signature on every page I put down for him, guiding him on where to sign. “I am very much in your” his words trail off as he gathers the signed pages before turning to hand them to me. “Capable hands” the words fly through a sigh, as if defeat rests upon his shoulders. His eyes never raise to mine, they remain on them, on my hands. His shoulders droop for a moment and I can feel numbness strike my fingers as that same fear paints upon his ivory features again.
“Count Taewind I…”
“Very well. Proceed as you have planned. If the need arises for you to consult me again, please extend a notice letter to my butler. Now I may be excused.” And he promptly leaves without sparing me a second glance. I can feel my heartbeat match up to his hurried footsteps as they get further and further away.
My body crumbles down onto the couch. This is not what I intended for today.