A Spider's Rose (Claude x Reader)

Love & Jealousy

The pendulum clock struck 12:00 pm. The noise hollowly bellowed throughout the vacant corridors of the manor. It had been a week since the whole incident with Hannah and my torn hand, and ever since that traumatic day Claude never left my side.

~~~~~~

*knock-knock*

"May I come in my lady?"

There I laid on my cream sheets of my bed, and listened to the sweet, static melody of the record player, but swifly reacted to the solemn tone of a hospitable butler.

"You may." I softly answered to the gentleman as he leisurely entered.

"You know, you don't have keep taking care of me. I feel fine now. I don't want to be another chore for you." I playfully giggle towards Claude.

"Quit your nonsense ______, are anything but a chore." the golden eyed male peered up at me with a slight grin.

I stiffly crossed my arms and gave him a frustrated look by pouting my lips, knitting my brows and narrowing my eyes.

"Give me all the faces you want, I'm not leaving you alone. I actually think they're cute." Claude commented as he swept back his ivory locks in an endearing motion.

A sudden blaze of blood stammered my cheeks, tinting them red. I abruptly lowered my head so my (h/c) hair could conceal my flushed visage.

'Goodness why does he have to be such a sweetheart?'

"Please give me your hand, _________." He asked sofly

I sluggishly reach out my arm to Claude. He got a hold of it and gently pattered down the scarring skin. The pain still lingered around my palm; it slightly stung everytime Claude would come into direct contact with my injury.

"Does it still hurt?" the benevolent gentleman asked as he noticed my flimsy movements.

I simply nodded no. I didn't want to him to get too high-strung about the pain I was feeling. He then proceeded to have a much gentler touch as he continued with the stroking.

"Hey Claude?" I sheepishly called.

He looked up at me with his liquid gold irises. "Yes,_____?"

His mellow tone made me melt inside. I had adored everything about him. His solemn face always gave chills to those around him, but as I look at him now, people never realize what they're missing out on. Claude was a benign and altruistic person. Alois always treats him like a fool and somehow finds a way of creating extra task for the man, but of course Claude must behave agreeably towards his master or else who knows what kind of punishment the boy would have in mind for a naughty butler.

Ever since I came into the picture, Claude had always been by my side. There were no moments where I would stand alone, that is until Sir Alois would command him to journey up into town for one of his business trips. I would be left alone in the mansion with the rest of the servants to tidy the place up in the meanwhile. However, Hanna always made it a challenge to get my chores completed. She was habitually there eyeballing me with vicious glares, and rude words. She detested my relationship with Claude even though we were merely friends. She nearly murdered me for it. I guess you could say she is freakishly insane.

Reversing into my current situation; with Claude being my male nurse and all, I had to admit I admired the way he had been taking excessive care of me over the past week even though it would definitely cost him some trouble with the young highness of this manor. It felt rather peculiar to me that Claude, being the most serious out of all the servants in this household would disarm all his senses every time I was involved, and rely his focuses on me.