Warm and comfort this were the first thought Luke had when he came to. Unfortunately, he can't enjoy the feeling as the sunlight was hitting his eyes making them flutter open. Opening his eyes he was met with his old room back at the Duke's mansion when he was a child. Disbelief can be seen written in his face.
He looked around, the window and curtain letting the light through, the night stand containing his glasses in his right, the dark mahogany closet, mirror and vanity in his left near the bathroom door, and his study table, bookshelves and cabinets, all in dark oak right in front of him and behind it the balcony where he liked to just sit and rest from all the stares and whispers behind his back.
Abruptly sitting up, taking the glasses in the bedside table first, he immediately jump down from the bed and ran to the nearest mirror, his 13 years old self greeted him with tired eyes, and long messy hair drifting down his back. Raising his hand, he stroked his cheeks, patted his chest and stared at his feet, toes wriggling.
Luke supposed that he should be dying and coming back to life, that he should be grateful, but though the sudden sign of liveliness was seen, he was tired.
It would have been better if he was sent back to the time he was in the orphanage, Luke thought with regret. Repeating the life where only misery and pain awaited him, he should have stayed then at the very least no ne can disturb him, no one can hurt him and he could feel at peace.
A knock disrupted his thoughts, flinching from the sudden noise he gazed at the door. Slowly backing till he reached his bed again, he asked, "who is it?"
"It's Morris, young master, m ay I come in?"
Luke nibbled at his lips not knowing why the head butler would want to meet him.
"You may," Luke said hesitation coloring his voice.
The door opened and the butler came in, Luke glanced at him underneath his bangs. The head butler, Morris, looked to be in his mid-forties, peppered hair slick back away from the face, dressed in fitting black waistcoat with the Duke's insignia, white button up shirt, grey vest and black slacks and dress shoes, lastly a black bow to complete the set.
"Did you need something?" Voice devoid of the hesitation from before, Luke inquired, gazing at Morris face but nowhere near his eyes.
"As young master's probation had ended today, the Duke wanted you to eat breakfast with them", Morris answered, staring back at him. Thin eyebrows slightly going down expressing either dislike or confusion, Luke thought.
"I will go down once I am ready", He nodded and said, standing up from where he was seated, and walked to the bathroom. After washing his face and brushing his teeth, he opened the door to find Morris still standing in his room. He continued on but the trembling from his hands and the slight falter in his breathing gave away his shock.
"Anything else?", Luke asked rummaging trough his closet in order to hide his trembling.
The butler tilted hi head and Luke can still feel his gaze on his back, prickling and stinging, "Young master should wear the dark blue long sleeved coat, it matched well with his eyes." After saying this, the butler nodded his head and left, leaving the silence in his room ringing unpleasantly in his ears.
Taking the mention garment out of the closet and putting it on, he paired it up with a black pants and white button up shirt underneath. Taking the black penny loafer out of the shelves next to his door, Luke proceeded to walk in front of the mirror, gripping the brush taken from the cabinet.
Staring at the mirror for a minute, Luke closed his eyes and breathed out wanting to compose himself. The monotony of brushing calmed his nerves, barely, but still calmed. Tying his hair with a black ribbon, he swept the bangs not caught behind his ears.
Giving a last look to see if he forgot something else, Luke opened the door and step out of his room.
The halls of the mansion never did change in the future, with creamy white walls, dark marbled flooring overlaid by grey patterned carpet. Passing trough closed doors of rooms that hadn't been habited in a long time and silent hallways nobody used much either.
The towering windows with bright floor to ceiling curtains giving way for the sunlight making the corridor bright and welcoming. The scattered vases full of blooming roses and portraits costing tens and thousands of guineas.
Going trough the halls, servants and maids passing him and him passing them, some cleaning the windows, others dragging baskets of clothes with them. Not one ever stopped and bowed nor even greet him. No one did, and they wouldn't. Never did in the pass and never did in the future.
Sometimes he wondered if life in the orphanage was better. Others would be envious of having money, servants, and the duke's power backing him but being treated as a walking dirty secret and less than human.
He wanted to ask them which would they choose?
This act of negligence from the servants hurt him in the past, Luke thought, he didn't even knew why they did it. Being an orphan brought in from the streets, people thought he was a bastard and so he thought he was a bastard from when he started to live here.
Son of a whore, they whispered.
Dirty, they thought.
But still smiles from their mouth greeted him.
Hypocrites, Luke snorted in his mind.
Stopping at the door leading to the dining room where his 'family' is currently in, hands clenching and back straightening.
"Open it," Luke said to the servant near him. The servant nodded his head and pushed the door in giving him sight of his 'father', 'mother', and 'brother'.
Oh how he missed his beloved family. not.