What's Said in Silence

Sera- IV

The alarm on my phone went off way too early. Or maybe it felt that way after the shittiest nights sleep I've had in quite some time. I convinced myself that my sleep troubles were caused by an itchy blanket and new surroundings. Not by a masked figure with a voice that reminded me of bourbon- smooth, dark, and rich with an underlying bite.  

I dressed myself in a pair of jeans and a lavender shirt and made my way to the kitchen. I paused in the hallway and listened out for any signs that Vessel might already be awake. At six in the morning I really hope not. When I hear nothing,  and I mean nothing, I decide to assume he's still asleep and not disturb him. How can a man be so quiet that he doesn't even snore?

Making breakfast wasn't in the list of responsibilities, although making dinner was, but I decided to make breakfast anyways. If he doesn't eat it then I will. I make myself a cup of tea and sip on it while I search through the fridge and cabinets. He wasn't kidding when he said groceries were a priority, there was hardly anything there. There was, however, some bread and a bag of flour. 

I popped the bread in the toaster and started mixing the flour with water and pepper in a pan to mix up some gravy. It's not the same biscuits and gravy as back home, but it'll have to do. I was so focused on making sure the gravy didn't burn that I hadn't noticed Vessel was standing in the corridor until I turned around. My heart tried to climb out of my throat once I realized he was there. It's not even seven and he's already in full mask, cape, and paint. Does he sleep in it?

"Any tea left?" He asked, his voice impossibly deeper and raspy from sleep. I nodded and turned to make him a cup. He took a seat in one of the bar stools on the other side of the island. I set the cup of tea and the small canister of sugar in front of him then turned and fixed us both a plate of gravy with the toast off to the side. He seemed to stare at the plate for a few minutes before finally asking, "What is this?" He sounded genuinely confused so I didn't take offense. 

I tore a corner of my toast off and dipped it into the gravy before popping it into my mouth. He seemed to be waiting for an explanation that we both know he'll never get, so instead I reached across and picked up his toast and did the same thing but held it up to his face instead. It was my way of telling him to just try it. He seemed to understand that and opened his mouth, letting me set the toast on his tongue before pulling back and waiting for his reaction. 

I'm no Gordon Ramsey, but I get by fine. Vessel chewed and swallowed. I couldn't tell what he thought about it- It's hard to gauge someone's thoughts when you can't see their eyes. I've always believed that eyes were windows to a person's soul, their true intentions could always be found if you paid close enough attention. 

"It's strange," he says, "But it's good." That was the last thing he said through the entire meal.

*******************

I finished putting away the last of the groceries. I had spent more time at the shops than I had intended so I only have a few hours before I need to start dinner. While I had gotten a good amount done yesterday, there was still a heap left to do. I'd like to have the house completely clean by tonight so then all that will need to be done is maintenance cleaning. 

I grab the last bag off of the counter and head to the guest bathroom. Vessel had told me to get things that I needed. I didn't like the idea of spending his money on myself but I did get some bathroom supplies. I hadn't been able to bring shampoo or conditioner, not that I had thought about it in my rush, and I'd been relying on the free soaps that my hotel had offered for the first few days. They didn't have the brand I normally used but I did find a close second with a scent I liked, cucumber. It wasn't the sweet scent of vanilla that I normally liked, but it had a clean and fresh smell and that appealed to me more than smelling like a bakery at the moment. 

I set up all my supplies in a small plastic tote. I figured when I wasn't using them I would put them in my room so they were out of the way. I had a feeling that my new boss would rather guests see my work rather than my proof of residence here- or maybe that was my own way of keeping this from feeling like an actual home. 

Best not to get attached to something that could disappear in a matter of seconds. 

I shake the unwanted thought out of my head and get started on finishing what I started yesterday. There was a lot of sweeping and dusting to be done; it's made my nose itch since I got here. I grab a wash cloth from the linen closet and dampen it in the sink, ringing out the excess, then wiping down all the surfaces from top to bottom. 

There was a rather large bookcase filled with different kinds of trinkets and I could see the inch thick layer of dust on the very top of it from across the room. I grabbed one of the bar stools and placed it in front of the bookcase. I carefully stood on the seat while holding onto the sides of the bookcase for balance. I made slow, careful strokes across the top making sure not to let the dust fly up everywhere and completely negate what I was trying to accomplish. 

"I thought I told you to get new shoes." His voice made my body jerk and I nearly lost my balance. Someone needs to put a bell around that man's neck. I steadied myself before turning my head to look over my shoulder at him. 

He stood with his arms crossed over his chest and even though I couldn't see behind the mask, I could feel the menacing glare behind it. A chill ran down my spine that I both reveled in and wanted to shake away. It took everything in me to control my flight or fight impulse that rose up in me. I didn't want to run anymore, it was so damned exhausting.  

But why did I get the feeling that I'd enjoy this chase?