Elias continued to feed him spoonfuls, as Raphael quietly ate. For a while, the soft clinking of cutlery and quiet chewing were the only sounds in the hospital room. The meal was more than halfway finished when Raphael's gaze fell on the doctor's left hand, resting in his lap while the right one held the spoon. A plaster was wrapped around his palm.
"...What's that?" Something Elias couldn't quite place flickered across the older man's expression. Raphael gently took his hand, turning it so the palm faced him. His fingers ghosted over the bandage, feeling the injury. His gaze seemed almost... protective.
"You didn't answer me, angel. When did you get this?" he asked, his voice suddenly serious. The earlier playfulness had vanished, and his tone made it clear he wanted answers.
'Of course, he had to notice that,' Elias thought to himself, embarrassment flashing across his face. He didn't want to admit he'd gotten the injury yesterday while doing something as simple as frying rice. In his defense, he'd been startled by the oven beeping and panicked, which resulted in hot oil spilling onto his palm. Somehow. Elias pulled his hand from Raphael's hold and looked away. "...Don't worry about it."
He didn't know what was going through Raphael's mind or how the other interpreted his embarrassed and hesitant expression. He half-expected a mocking or joking statement, maybe even a flirtatious response, but none came.
Raphael looked like he wanted to ask more, an unusual expression of hesitation flickering across his face. His hand, which had been holding Elias', remained suspended in the air for a moment before he slowly lowered it. He glanced at Elias again, an emotion even he couldn't quite name flashing in his eyes. Raphael had no problem invading Elias' personal space usually, but somehow, holding that hand again felt like crossing some invisible boundary he wasn't ready to breach. He schooled his features back into a neutral expression.
"...Alright. Be careful next time. You know you have a low pain tolerance."
The lunch continued, but a tense silence hung in the air between them.
---
A figure sat in an armchair in an opulent study, gazing out the window overlooking the estate's gardens. Dressed in a black silk night robe, he tapped his fingers on the oakwood desk. A box of Swiss chocolates sat at one end, along with remnants of wrapping paper, flowers, and scissors.
The man had a handsome face, with ashen blonde hair and fair skin. Soft lines around his eyes hinted at his age, adding a touch of authority to his appearance.
There was a knock on the large double doors of the study. "Come in," he called out.
His butler entered, bowing. "Master. The package was delivered last night, and it was received by... him."
Daniel nodded. Both he and the butler knew exactly who they were referring to.
When the butler didn't leave, Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Anything else?"
The butler hesitated, unsure how his master would react to the news. Still, he had to say it. "Well... There are some new... additions to his life. Their intentions are... unclear."
That piqued Daniel's interest. Though his face remained impassive, a dangerous gleam flickered in his eyes. He twirled one of the hyacinths left from the bouquet nonchalantly, but his gaze was far from casual. "...New additions, you say? Do elaborate."
The butler nodded and placed two files on Daniel's desk. "First, Raphael Morgan. Suffered a cardiac arrest and is being treated by him. Also... they've had entanglements in the past. Him being Mr. Morgan's doctor seems purely coincidental."
Daniel nodded, a contemplative expression crossing his face. His hand around the hyacinth tightened. "Morgan... the lawyer?"
The butler nodded and continued. "The second one... Louis Williams."
He didn't need to elaborate on that name. The expression on Daniel's face darkened, his gaze hardening protectively. He wasn't happy, if the now crushed hyacinth on the desk was anything to go by.