Covet {Yuumika/Mikayuu}

Volatile

René breaths in. Holds it one, two, three seconds. Lets it out. He walks out into the hallway and acts. He bows. He leads. He comments when needed. The perfect servant.

Quietly and discreetly, he watches Mikaela act out his part. Close to his lover but decent to public eye. He remembers when Mikaela was bad at this. And for a second, he can't help but smile.

René stood rigid. He would get in trouble, this he knew for sure. Mikaela was holding onto his sleeve. And in public eye he could neither console him or deny him. Mikaela was the one with fears, yet René would be the one punished nonetheless. That's the way things worked, René knew this and could not bring himself to feel anger, only pity. And perhaps, that was worse.

Mikaela let go with a harsh tug to his other hand, done by his father. René struggled to stay in place as he was yanked forward. For that, he would be punished too. Composing himself, he looks forward and awaits to be called to duty.

As he waits, he watches Mikaela, as he does whenever he can. He's the one who takes care of him after all. It's his duty now, now that the lady mother has passed.

Mikaela stands still, but his chest heaves with the breaths he's taking in too fast and too big. His hand must be deadweight in his fathers hand. Mikaela avoids his touch whenever he can because he knows. He heard and he saw. Just a peek. But a peek it was and it was enough.

When Rene's skin is still black and blue and tiny but bloody Mikaela cries at the sight. René holds him through his guilt, whispers sweet promises and lulls him to sleep. His body aches but it is alright. Mikaela hurts but it will pass. And that's all that matters.

René feels the intrusion at the front gates in the pit of his stomach before he hears it. He looks up and continues down the hall. Away from his duties and to his master. It wouldn't be the first time. He smiles and mournfully thinks, perhaps, it would be the last. He's prepared for this day for years. He smiles bitterly. He's not ready.

He was in the room when it happened. When the order went out to be fulfilled, he was in the room with Mikaela, behind a folding screen. They had snuck into the room to surprise the lady mother. Mikaela had begged and begged to see her before she left to Paris to visit her family. And René, sweet with his care could not deny him.

It happened fast. They broke in. There was a struggle. A scream. A shatter of a twin ceramic. A shuffle to his right. René pulled Mikaela away, covering both his eyes and mouth.

One mouth was shocked still. The other hissing out blood and curses to hell. At last, there was a dull thud.

Through the hinges, René saw it all. He knew Mikaela saw something when he felt him bite into his finger. To keep quiet or to be free to scream, René did not know.

Finally, receding footsteps. They stayed in that tea room, behind the folding screen until they came for the body. Until the bloody carpet was immaculate. Until everything was back in order except for a twin tea cup.

When they finally made it out of the room, Mikaela was with fever. Rare for a vampire but not impossible. The house was in disarray because of it. Nonetheless, René did not lie when he speculated about why Mikaela had fallen ill.

"Perhaps it was the shock of the Lady Mothers death."

Everyone took that to heart.

They knew he knew. He knew who's clawed still reeked of blood. He knew the dull look as they sliced open skin. René knew and for that they'd perish. There was a sick twisted feeling of happiness in the pit of Rene's stomach.