The servant's name was Raphael.
Except for his stunning appearance, he was nothing good. He did whatever Theodore told him without complaining, he obeyed every single tedious command and executed it perfectly, making Theodore angrier and angrier. He felt as if his attacks landed on a soft cotton, one that didn't make any impact whatsoever.
He wanted to see a change of expression on Raphael's face. He wanted to crack that stoic look and made various emotions flashed in those silvery eyes. However, two weeks passed and Theodore still hadn't succeeded.
Raphael had blended in comfortably in Valmor Residence, befriending every servant and making himself home. Even Ben inserted some good words for him when Theodore bullied him last time! He...He was too much of a charmer for his own good! He shouldn't parade around with that gorgeous look of his otherwise everyone would definitely be enraptured!
A series of soft knocks resounded in his room followed by the deep, pleasant voice he heard every morning. "Young Master, it's Raphael. I'm coming in." Theodore closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep when in fact, he was already wide awake a few moments ago.
He heard the sound of the door opening, then tranquil, deafening silence. Theodore waited with deliberate calmness. One thing he realized about Raphael was that his footsteps didn't make any sound. He had caught Theodore by surprise a few times when he had just arrived. Now, Theodore had gotten used to it. He could even imagine it. Raphael would first check the fireplace to see if the wood was enough, fill the bathtub with warm water, then make his way to the window to draw the curtain, letting the glaring sun fall right onto Theodore's eyes.
He groaned and rolled over, his eyes still closed comfortably. He felt Raphael's presence looming over then his cool, low voice sounded right beside Theodore's ears. "Young Master, it's morning already."
Theodore shuddered and begrudgingly opened his eyes. He clamped his legs together in the effort to calm the raging lower part of his. Exactly what the hell was wrong with him? How could he react just like this with Raphael's voice?! It had been like this for the past week and Theodore still had no idea how to solve it. He was too embarrassed to ask Ben in fear that the head servant would eventually let Raphael know and he wasn't close enough with other servants either.
"Young Master, I am pulling your quilt off if you still aren't up in three...two…"
"I'm up! I'm up, okay?!" Theodore sat up and hissed with a fierce expression, trying to look as scary as possible if not for his messy bed hair that resembled a bird nest. "You're so impatient!"
"It's sunny today." Lu Yizhou said with an even tone. "Young Master should go out to get some sun otherwise he won't get taller."
Theodore's eyes flew open angrily. "Who won't get taller?! Don't get cocky just because you're much taller than I am!" Seeing the servant still standing there looking at him, Theodore snarled. "What are you waiting for? Undress me!"
"Alright." His lips curled upward into a faint smile.
Theodore slammed his fists on the pillow, enraged. Why did he feel as if he was playing right into Raphael's palm?! He vented his anger on the poor pillows for a while then stood up with a reluctant expression on his face.
"I'm going to undress you, okay?" He confirmed again with that deep, sexy voice of his.
The tips of Theodore's ears reddened and he turned his head away with a harrumph. His eyelashes fluttered as Lu Yizhou reached out to unclasp the buttons of his sleepwear, revealing an expanse of milky skin below the neck. And imprinted amidst the paleness was a vivid birthmark with the shape of the star below his collarbone. Lu Yizhou paused and traced the birthmark with his fingertips, so gently and carefully that Theodore flinched and stumbled backward.
"You…" Theodore's face flushed angrily. "Stop that! How many times do I have to tell you not to do that?! Why are you so interested in my birthmark anyway?!"
"Ah…" He blinked. "My apologies. I didn't do it on purpose."
That was even worse! Theodore screamed inside. He clutched his sleepwear and dashed past Raphael to the bathroom, the pearls hanging on the curtain chiming noisily due to his rough movement.
"Young Master?"
"Don't!" Theodore exclaimed before the servant could catch up. "I don't need you to assist me today! Go out and wait until I am done!"
There was silence before he heard Raphael answer. "Alright. If you need something, just call me, Young Master. I will be right beyond the door."
Theodore waited until the door was shut before he took off his clothes messily and jumped into the tub, submerging his body into the water, bubbles coming out of his mouth.
Stupid! Idiot Theodore! Why do you always act so excessively in front of Raphael? It was all Raphael's fault! Blame that man for always caressing his birthmark with those gentle hands of his, making Theodore's body feel weird all over!
He came up to the surface abruptly, causing water to splash out and wet the floor. Reaching down, he grabbed his hardened manhood that showed no sign of calming down. Everytime he thought of Raphael's slender fingers, the way that velvety voice rang inside his mind and those silvery eyes that resonated with his soul, he was overwhelmed with an indescribable urge to get closer than he already was. Theodore shut his eyes as he immersed himself in the carnal pleasure, his brows furrowing in the effort to suppress the gasps erupting from his lips. Shudders overtook his whole body. Gradually, his movement intensified and he released into the water, his breaths rapid with blush suffused into his cheeks, making his features look even more exquisite.
On the other hand, Lu Yizhou was leaning against the wall outside, a sigh escaped his lips. [Are you sure he's not Ren Zexi?]
[666: He isn't, Host! 666 is sure of it. Just because he has the same birthmark doesn't mean that he is the same person. To begin with, Ren Zexi is just a character that's created by the simulator. He isn't a real person. Maybe that's why there's some similarities between them. Afterall, they are all created by Admin God.]
Lu Yizhou hummed. He understood what 666 meant but everytime he looked into Theodore's eyes, he couldn't help but be reminded of Ren Zexi.
He had no idea why either. They were clearly two different people with different appearance and personality so...why did Lu Yizhou's instinct keep telling him that he's right?
***
Lu Yizhou pushed in a cart filled with exquisite dishes that were especially cooked just for Theodore. It should have smelled heavenly but for him, they were no different from the rancid smell of something rotten. He endured the discomfort and stayed by Theodore's side as the teenager slowly ate his breakfast.
Seeing him eat with gusto, Lu Yizhou's eyes inadvertently fell on his white, unblemished nape that was still damp with vapor. If he stared intently, he could perceive the maps of his veins as well as the blood that coursed through his veins.
Warm, delicious blood.
Grooowl~
Theodore paused and he slowly turned his head toward the source of the sound: Raphael's stomach. Stunned, he snapped his head up in inquiry and found the servant holding his forehead, exasperated. "My apologies, Young Master."
Clang! Theodore slammed his spoon down, his face brooding. "That's your stomach?"
This was the first time Theodore saw a change in Raphael's expression. It was the kind of helplessness and frustration with nowhere to vent and somehow, it made Theodore want to tease him even more. "You're hungry? You haven't eaten?" He crossed his arms and leaned back, lips curling into a smirk. "Beg me, then. If you do, I might be softhearted and share my food with you."
Alas, Raphael was just as stubborn as he shook his head. "No, no. It is Young Master's food. How can this servant eat it?"
Theodore's face darkened in displeasure. Why couldn't he just surrender and admit that he indeed needed Theodore's help? Or would Raphael prefer to starve to death than accept his offer? They had been together from day to night for two weeks, was it only him who thought that they had gotten a bit closer?!
Anger had always been the emotion which was the most difficult for Theodore to control. Slamming his fist on the table, he roared. "If I tell you to sit, then sit! If I tell you to eat, then eat! Why are you playing so hard to get?!"
Raphael blinked, seemingly taken aback by his exploding temper. Theodore stared back at him with no intention to back down. His glare was saying that he would chop off Raphael's head and put it as an ornament on the wall if the servant dared to refuse after he had gone through such length to lower his pride.
"...Alright." He said helplessly.
In the end, Theodore won. He always got what he wanted. He pulled Raphael down to sit beside him and shoved his spoon into the servant's hand. "Eat. What are you waiting for? I don't want to be responsible if you die due to starvation later on."
Theodore monitored the servant closely as the latter swept half of the food on the table. Seeing spoonful upon spoonful entering his mouth, Theodore was filled with an unprecedented sense of achievement. Lu Yizhou put down the spoon after a while and grimaced, saying that he was already full.
He ate so little, Theodore grumbled. It's no wonder he's so thin and pale.
"Excuse me, Young Master. There's something else I have to do." Lu Yizhou stated politely.
"Go!" Theodore waved his hand impatiently, barely satisfied with the short time they spent together.
After he was left alone, he stared at the spoon which Raphael used to eat and hesitated slightly before continuing to eat with the same spoon, his heart racing slightly.
Giving Raphael food when he was hungry; Theodore...had done a good job on that, right?
.
.
.
Mini theater
Lu Yizhou bent over and vomited all of the junk he had eaten, his head pounding in pain and stomach clenched in extreme famine. Blue veins popped up on his neck, looking especially prominent against his pale skin. A pair of fangs jutted out of his teeth as he heaved, feeling so dizzy as though he was dying.
Inside his mind, 666 was nagging ceaselessly.
[666: I have already told you not to eat human's food! Look at your condition now, Host! You're even worse than when you don't eat anything!]
He cleaned his mouth and chewed on ten Blood Restoration Pills. It had started to taste like sand in his mouth. Only two weeks and he had almost given in to the temptation of blood. That was dangerous.
[666: Host, are you listening to 666?! This is for your own good, ah!]
[Shut up…]
He knew. Of course he knew that eating human food would only make his condition worse. In fact, he wasn't sure for how much longer he would be able to go on relying only on Blood Restoration Pills.
However, whenever he stared into those light brown almond shaped eyes, Lu Yizhou found himself wanting to comply with whatever Theodore said.
That's certainly...very unlike himself.