Master, my Master | boyxboy | (Book One: The Master Collection)

Fire and Silk - XXI

Glass, it was everywhere when Eli entered Jasper's bathroom. He stepped on a thick shard, snapping the reflective surface in two. When he caught sight of where the mirror would've hung, its oval frame lay tilted in the sink. Then he spotted something that made him uneasy: blood. On a range of shards splayed on the floor and in the sink, crimson blood stained their edges, the substance glinting like red rubies.

He hadn't noticed any cuts on Jasper when he'd seen him on the stairs. Then again, he hadn't been paying much attention to his Master's appearance, only his demeanor, which had distorted in some manner. But the Jasper Lancechester that Eli had run into must've been the one to leave behind this mess, that's for sure.

After gathering all the glass from the tile floor, Eli swept the pile into a dust pan and dumped it in the rubbish bin.

"Join me when you've finished."

Eli turned off the light to the bathroom and stepped completely out of the room and into the hall. He straightened out his butler's uniform, wanting to appear a bit more put together when he did join the Young Master. He was struggling with an indocile demon he couldn't evade. Its grip on him was unyielding, and he was sure he wouldn't be escaping it anytime soon.

The Family was still in the dining room when Eli entered, Jasper, Darcy and Edmund now new guests in their separate chairs.

When Eli's eyes fell onto the Young Master, the attitude in his blue eyes hadn't changed. They looked almost...prepared. For what, Eli couldn't tell.

As for procedure, Eli took his spot behind the young Master's chair, and awaited any orders given to him. He was still a bit weak from the conversation he'd been forced to overhear just a little while ago, but tried to simply focus on anything other than that. He watched the back of Jasper's head, his neatly tied back hair, and small framed shoulders.

"Jasper, my boy," Master Ronald addressed, a smile on his scruffy face. The man always appeared to be in a much better mood ever since the wedding. "Do you have anything scheduled for the day? I understand your Lady Darcy had in mind a trip the two of you were to take in search for a home." He laughed to himself, "Although, I will say this, you are always free to remain here once you start a family."

The Young Master dabbed his mouth with a cloth and glanced over at Lady Darcy, who was busying herself with a buttered crumpet, then let his gaze wander over the company at the table. He huffed, bothered, "As if I would stay in this household any longer than necessary."

Jacob and Maxwell shared a look before Maxwell cleared his throat, and said, "Is that a no, then? To staying, I mean."

"What do you think?" Jasper declared, his tone calm but clearly annoyed. "Just because you and your buggering family can't seem to find a means to leave this house, doesn't mean I'll spend the rest of my life here."

Master Ronald cleared his throat, his brow furrowed in confusion. It'd been a while since he seen his son lash out at anyone.

Darcy smiled nervously, patting Jasper's hand. The last time she'd seen him this morning, he'd been on the brink of collapsing in angst. Clearly, his fearful conduct had been replaced with something else. "Actually," Darcy said, her voice hinting good spirits, "Jasper and I have been planning to find a place for ourselves for a while now. It would simply be nice to be a family in private, understand?"

Before Maxwell could add on the matter, Edmund broke in, a leer on his venomous lips. "Ah, yes, privacy is a virtue for newlyweds, is it not?"

"Yes, yes," Master Ronald proclaimed, "I remember when Scarlett and I–." He cut himself off when Jasper shot him a loathsome look, a glare that dared him to continue with his speech. The man didn't bother.