Maid For Hire! | Kamisato Ayato. [✓]

10 | a fire

❛ ╯˚✧ . ˚ ⚘₊

"Me?"

He lowered his voice, "No--not you specifically, how did this conversation shift so quickly? I thought you said you'd protect yourself."

"I-I thought you were just being protective of Ayato when you said that!" I drew in a quick breath.

His eyes glistened coldly as he grabbed my shoulder and checked my face, "Did he kiss you before?"

"No," I sighed disappointedly even though I wasn't trying to be disappointed.

"Good, you're okay then. Stay away from him while he's intoxicated next time, any meaningful embrace defeats my purpose."

"What's your purpose?"

"..."

He didn't respond, but I understood what he meant.

His purpose was to help Ayato get over me.

But it could also be that they were secretly lovers!

I looked from Thoma to Ayato and felt tears burn in my eyes wholesomely. Their relationship was so special!

What if by pretending I was Ayato's girlfriend, I was only getting in the way?

Then again, this is how it is in all the novels. Thoma will believe I'm actually in love with Ayato when really I'm just playing along and he will stand up against me in order to be with the man he loves!

"Ah! I've got it!" I exclaimed.

"What?"

"You're in love with Lord Ayato, you've always been, but then when you met me and welcomed me, you began to think that Lord Ayato likes me more! So when you saw that Ayato tried to kiss me, you jumped in just in time to save the man you love from your love rival!" 

Thoma stared at me. I turned my head.

Why isn't he saying anything...? A thread of sweat began to trail down my cheek as my face froze.

He burst into laughter.

"Y/n! You have quite a big imagination."

"So I'm right?"

"No! Of course not!" He couldn't stop laughing.

"Then...why did you seem so frantic to stop the kiss?"

He sighed finally and pat my head, "You're so cute and smart, I'm sure you can figure it out yourself with your fantasies too."

"Huh...what does that mean?" I groaned and eyed him suspiciously.

"It means you should go to sleep now, I know it's still late but at least if you sleep through the day you won't pass out while working at night."

"What? Now you're sending me to sleep? What about you? It's not fair if you're allowed to stay up and I have to go to bed," I complained.

His eyes paled and he sighed, "Then come with me."

❛ ╯˚✧ . ˚ ⚘₊

Tea warmed my hands through the small cup. Thoma had used the leftover Liyuen spices to recreate the last of the mixture. 

Nothing had ever felt more like home before this.

I sat on my legs against the cushions.

"Thoma! Do you like to read?" I asked suddenly and his face turned red as he lowered his teacup and coughed into his elbow.