I awaken in a similar position I fell asleep in, only Soran is on his back with me resting atop him. Even after last night, I can't beat back a blush. One of Soran's arms remains around my waist, the other is on my shoulder blade. His fingers twitch in his sleep, nose wiggles cutely then he calms.
Shit, am I being a creep by laying here watching him sleep? I don't want to wake him though. I don't know what time it is. My eyes are crusted over with sleep. The construction crew must already be here though, there's chatter outside accompanied by the sound of hammers nearby. Light slips through the curtains.
I'll wait a bit longer.
Resting my head on Soran's chest, I hear the slow rhythm of his heart. Tales always said vampires didn't have one, a heartbeat, but I certainly hear the soft thumping. However, I do think it's a tad slower than my own. His skin is colder too, paler, but there's warmth. His skin breaks out in goosebumps when my fingertips graze over his arm. He shivers when I press a kiss to his neck, all the normal reactions of a perfectly normal person.
Closing my eyes, I wait patiently for Soran to awaken, but then I get restless. He has yet to show any signs of getting up. I've heard others in the hall. If anyone has knocked then it was before I woke up. I really have to go to the bathroom and my stomach is ready to devour my innards if I don't get some damn food.
I try to squirm out of Soran's grasp. Thankfully his grip is loose because he must be completely out. He barely stirs when I sit up, really only pulling the blankets closer since, even unconscious, he can tell that it's colder. I pull the blankets up to his shoulders and he finally moves, but only to roll onto his side towards me. I comb my fingers through his hair, placing another kiss to his temple. He smiles in his sleep.
My stomach growling reminds me why I left Soran's embrace in the first place. Wonder if there's breakfast left? I'm starving! Thinking about it, I had that soup yesterday and that was it. My stomach practically kicks me with the next growl.
I use the bathroom first then head to leave. At the door, I hesitate when realization hits me. What do I say to my friends, my co-workers? Damn, didn't really think about that. If they are at least suspecting of my relationship with Soran then they will definitely know it today seeing as I did kind of...sleep in his bed with him. Should I lie and say I slept on the couch? Does it even matter?
Ok, ok, we'll have to figure that out later. For now, food.
The main hall is relatively fine, some missing pictures and scuffed up rugs, but doors to guest bedrooms are open revealing missing windows, tattered curtains, signs of the struggle. Everyone must be busy attempting to clean what they can or helping to discover what needs removed and replaced. I can't believe I slept in when we have so much to do!
On the way to the kitchens, I spot Elamir walking with a basket of ruined curtains and know immediately that things are different. I smile at her. She smiles back, but it's almost hesitant, like she isn't certain if she can. She gives a sort of half bow and says, "Good morning."
"Morning."
"How...are you feeling?" she nervously asks. She looks about the hall as if searching for an escape. Understandable, I want to escape too.
"Better after a good night's sleep-" ah, maybe I shouldn't have mentioned sleeping because Elamir's eyes darted behind me to Soran's bedroom. She nods so I'm quick to ask, "Uh, is there any breakfast left?"
"No, but there's lunch." She suddenly bites her lip when asking, "Uh, I'm sorry, I can go get you some?"
"No, no, no," I quickly reply, realizing that Elamir really is confused. I guess I can't blame her. Right now, she doesn't see me as Wallie, her friend and co-worker, but Wallie, the guy that is involved with her very rich and very powerful and very immortal vampire boss.
"I'm sorry I missed so much work. Once I eat lunch and get changed, I'll pick up whatever duties are left," I say, hoping that informs her that nothing has actually changed.
"You don't have to. You had quite the ordeal, I bet. Higra will probably agree to give you a day off."
"I rather work, thanks though!" I rush downstairs before Elamir can argue.
Downstairs the front doors are wide open. Movers are mixed in with our staff, helping take out any ruined furniture. I imagine Soran will have to look over what he wants replaced or changed seeing as a lot has been damaged. Wonder if he will though, or leave it to Higra, either way, there's plenty of extra people that results in my presence going mostly unseen. Janein spots me and, like Elamir, she gives a nervous bow. She's busy though so that's all I get.
Nothing really changes after eating either. I get changed and find Higra to request work seeing as everyone else I asked were insistent that they could handle it and I should rest. Higra is the only one that gives me orders, although even she's hesitant about that.
"What did the doctor say after your check up?" she asks. I'm tempted to lie, but her narrow eyes state she is willing to wake Soran and ask him.
"I'm not meant to do any intense physical labor for a few days and contact him if I'm feeling unusually tired."
Higra hums. She observes the yard before giving orders to help move furniture. I can't carry any of it, but I help guide the movers and make sure no one takes a nasty fall down the stairs. The work is better than nothing and I keep it up for the next four hours until break time where I find myself sitting in the front lawn.
Soran still hasn't woken up. I look up to his window from here, wondering if he has even noticed I'm gone. Suppose between the two of us though, he needs far more rest than me. I'll go check on him in a moment, right now, a familiar face is being allowed a break too. When I catch Hael's gaze, I wave him over, frowning a bit at his hesitancy as well.
Slowly, Hael takes a seat at my side, long hair pulled up into a tight ponytail. He's quiet, not looking at me until he finally says, "I'm glad you're ok."
"Me too."
This is awkward. I'm not sure how I expected Hael, or anyone for that matter, to react.
"I'm assuming you weren't hurt then?" he asks.
"Nope, I'm fine and more than ready to get back to work."
"Ah...having difficulty with that?" He asks. I'm not surprised he caught on seeing as he, too, is acting awkwardly like everyone else.
I let out a heavy sigh. "Has anyone...said anything to you?"
"Everyone has had something to say."
"Do I want to know?"
"Probably not, although it's not so much rude but rather telling that things won't be the same."
"Can I fix that?" I ask, gnawing at my bottom lip. Hael shrugs.
"Doubtful," he answers. "Everyone is of the belief that you are seeing Lord Makai."
I am about to bite through my lip, I swear. To prove Hael's point, Enith catches my gaze across the yard. He visibly stiffens, full on bows then rushes inside with a few others completely avoiding looking at me. I'm sure Hael is being nice by leaving stuff out. I can only imagine what others think of me, a human being with a vampire. They've made their thoughts of Soran very well known so I wonder how their perception of me has changed now.
"Are you?" Hael suddenly asks after my long silence.
"What?"
"Seeing him."
Hael doesn't need to ask. Like Soran said, everyone suspects because all the clues point to that being the case. All are aware that Soran and I were close before, that I was closer than anyone else so this is an outcome they can believe. I could lie through my teeth, but what's the point?
"Yes," I answer, fearful of Hael's response, which is silence. A warm breeze blows in, more signs of spring staying here for good. Unfortunately, the grass that was slowly growing has mostly been burned. The trees around the estate are mostly dead from the fires. The landscapers have returned to see what can or can't be salvaged.
Hael and I watch them, me nervously waiting for a response, as if I'm hoping for his blessing or some shit. When that never happens, I ask, "Well?"
"What do you want me to say?"
"It bothers you, doesn't it?"
"Do you want me to seriously answer that?"
"I guess it depends on how harsh your answer is?"
At least that gets a smirk and a quiet chuckle. He shakes his head, ruffles his long hair and sighs. "He's a vampire, Wallie."
"He's a good man."
"You've seen him kill people."
"You'd be singing a different tune if you knew even half of what happened to him, what has really happened to him."
"Perhaps," Hael whispers. His tone of disbelief is obvious but I make no comment. "Take being a vampire away then, he's still our boss. Neither of us even have a home. The estate is our home. Do you know the kind of predicament you're in?"
"It's not as if I haven't thought about it," I mumble like a child that got scolded for doing something they knew was bad.
"Say things go south, say this doesn't work, you're stuck here with him. He pays you. Houses you, and us too. Say one of us angers you and that angers Lord Makai, we could get fired. Now everyone is going to tiptoe around you. Even me-" Hael pats his own chest. "For what I'm saying, if that angers you or Lord Makai, I could lose my home and my job."
It's not as if I haven't considered this myself, the fact that Soran is my employer, but I never thought about it so thoroughly. To think Hael, to think everyone, is worried about that. That's unfair to them, having to now consider everything they say to me. I'm not that petty, at least I'd like to think that I am. I don't want my relationship with Soran to affect work, but I don't want to give him up either.
"I'm sorry," I say to which Hael shakes his head.
"I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I should have said that better, and I'm not apologizing for the previous reason either," he says quickly around a sigh that shows he's as troubled with this conversation as I am. "You're my friend, Wallie, so if you're happy that's great, but...but I definitely think it's a bad idea in more ways than one."
With that, Hael pats my shoulder, gives an apologetic smile then gets up to return to work.
I fall back with a heavy sigh, hands over my face. This situation is far more complicated than expected.
~~~~~
"Wallace, His Grace is calling for you," says Higra, successfully making all the staff in the kitchen visibly stiff. I kind of hate her for it.
Slowly, I rise. Hael is the only one sitting with me. Everyone else has put distance and even the chatter has been more quiet than usual for dinner. I'm grateful to get out of there, brushing past Higra with my head down and cheeks red with embarrassment and a bit of guilt.
While I'm glad Soran is finally up after sleeping almost the entire day away, I was kind of hoping he'd sleep a little longer. At least let me compose myself. I don't really want to mention anything about work yet.
My pace quickens until I'm stepping into Soran's room, smiling upon seeing him. He must have just woken up because his eyes are still squinted with sleep. He has yet to get dressed, remaining in bed with the blankets around his waist. The most that's been done is his hair, but he clearly just brushed it with his fingers.
"Good morning," I say when walking over to him, smiling at his outstretched hand that I take a hold of immediately. "Or rather, good evening."
Soran hums, guiding me to sit on the side of the bed. I interlock our fingers, leaning in to kiss his cheek while he rubs his tired eyes.
"Higra informed me that you returned to work. You should have rested today," he says.
"I rather work, helps keep my mind off things."
"How are you feeling? No light headedness?" Soran checks my temperature with his hand against my forehead. I have a feeling my cheeks are going to remain warm more times than not if he keeps up this kind of affection. That isn't a complaint either.
"I only guided the movers so no physical labor just as the doctor ordered," I tell him.
"I'm surprised. You always struggle listening to my orders."
"Are you complaining?"
"No." Soran rests against the headboard, eyes half mast. "If you had, I suppose we wouldn't be like this."
"Do you want me to get you anything? Tea? A snack?" I ask, noticing how he still appears tired. I imagine he'll go right back to bed soon.
Before Soran can respond though, there's a knock at the door. Layne steps in with tea, smiling at the both of us. I hate how I almost pull my hand away from Soran's. I wonder if I would have if our fingers weren't interlocked.
Layne sits the tea on the bedside table opposite to me. There's only one cup and he's quick to apologize, "I will retrieve another glass."
"No, I'm fine," I tell him with a wide smile that he returns. "Uh, I'll pour the tea and if His Grace wants anything else, I'll get it."
Layne actually looks surprised to hear me say His Grace. Soran does too. But Layne leaves and, once he's gone, I face Soran to see his curious stare.
"I'm not calling you Soran around them," I tell him before he even has to ask, which has him chuckling. Then I'm up to pour him some tea because, damn it, this is still my job! And yeah, it's weird, but I'm going to do what I've always done and hope for the best.
"The estate is a mess," I say while Soran enjoys his warm beverage. Must be waking him because he's sitting up straight and his eyes are fully open. "I didn't really get to look at it yesterday, but it kind of pisses me off."
Soran raises a brow.
"I live here too y'know. I may not own it, but this is home," I explain and, for some reason, that makes Soran smile.
"What?" I ask, curious about why he's grinning.
He shakes his head. "Nothing."
"Says the smirking man."
"I smirk often."
"Because you're often a jackass."
Soran chuckles. "I suppose I cannot deny that."
"You definitely can't."
But Soran's smile falls when he passes his cup to me. I place it on the end stand, flinching when he asks, "Did anyone say anything today?"
"About?"
Soran's quiet stare is enough to inform me, but I play dumb.
"Wallie," he whispers. "Did anyone say anything?"
"Would you do anything if they did?"
Soran frowns. Yet again, his gaze says enough and I'm reminded of Hael's worries.
"I don't want everyone tiptoeing around me," I tell him, glad that he gives a slow nod. I wanted to talk about this another time, but it seems it can't be avoided. "Right now, no one is certain how to treat me. I get bows and extra assistance or avoidance so, out there--" I point to the door. "We need to act like an employer and employee so everyone understands to treat me the same. And in here--" I take his hand again. "Behind closed doors or away from the estate, we can be us...are you ok with that?"
"Public displays of affection have never been my forte anyways," he replies, facing me with a sad smile. Out of everyone, Soran knows what it's like being treated like an outsider. Now, I'm stepping into his shoes, although my experience pales in comparison.
"As you wish, Wallie, but do not let them walk all over you. They will if you let them," he warns and I wonder if that is a warning for them too.
This is definitely a far more complicated situation than expected.
♱♱♱
Hey guys, sorry this is late. I was pretty busy yesterday and didn't manage to get this up and ready in time.
IMPORTANT NOTICE, I won't be updating this Wednesday. Why? I already informed my patrons of this, but I actually had a pretty big change of heart with this story and decided to take it in a different direction. Unfortunately, that means it's a bit messy in the outline and plot right now as quite a few changes have been made. That means initial ideas have been scrapped. I have no plans to edit or do much with this story (like publishing or even Tapas premium wise) so I admit I don't plan to go through and fix everything, but I do want to try my best to tie everything up by the end, which won't be for a while, no worries. I'll explain the original ending and ideas in the Q&A, but long story short, I want to take next week to work on it more since I've been feeling a bit down about the giant quality drop this story has taken. I don't want to feel too stressed with a double update so, yeah.
Next update won't be until 5/16 so, technically, six days. This was a typical length chapter anyways so you kind of got the usual two updates lol So what do you think of Wallie's predicament at work? Will things work out?