~The Queen's Butler...Arrogant~ (Charles Grey x Reader)

Chapter 18: The she-butler, a detective

Author's Note: Ayo so I just started school again, I'm officially in grade 11, and I actually hadn't started writing this chapter until like yesterday so lmao. But yeah, most of the chapter is just me finishing the book of murder arc so I can proceed with my other plans for this story. 

Oh and of course me and da boyfriend are going well, just had our three month anniversary nearly a week ago (I love you Mason <3 ) which has also distracted me from writing this story. 

Please do enjoy though :)

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(Y/n)'s POV

It took absolutely everything in me to get myself feeling alright enough to be able to join everyone for dinner, though I didn't bother to put my coat back on, I was feeling far too warm in it and if I remained in it any longer I was sure to pass out. 

With all of the strength I could gather, I managed to hobble all the way down to the dining room, only to find that I was the last one to arrive. Grey looked up at me when he saw me in his peripheral vision and gave me a scolding look for the absence of my coat, especially considering we were in company though I ignored him as I took my place beside him and we were given our meals only shortly after. 

I only ate very little of my meal, though Grey showed no concerns as he dug into his own meal and several other plates afterward. I was sitting right beside Lord Phantomhive as well, and because of that he was able to express his own concerns. 

"(Y/n), you've barely touched your plate," my head whipped up at the sound of Lord Phantomhive's voice, having been slightly startled, only to see that he made a 'mistake', "I'm sorry, Lady (Y/n)."
He leaned in a little closer toward me. 
"I know you're feeling a little under the weather but it'd make me feel a little better if you ate more of your food."
"I-I'm sorry My Lord, but I think I've stomach just as much as I can take right now," I whispered, my voice evidently much more raspy than it was before as the young Earl looked between myself and my plate of food with a concerned eye. 
"If you're not going to eat your food then can I at least offer you a warm cup of hot chocolate? I do believe that will at least be enough in terms of sustenance," he offered, and at that point I knew I'd feel guilty if I turned down the boy's offer. 

It was strange how much closer I seemed to have gotten to the boy over the time we had spent dancing this situation out, and the closer I got to him the more I began to feel the guilt of Queen Victoria having killed his family, and the fact that both she and Lord Trancy were plotting to end his life. I knew that if I went against her orders, I was sure to be executed. But at the same time, in front of me all I could see was the sweet little boy I had known to be gentle with my hands when he wanted to play and to have the biggest most adorable smile in the whole wide world. 

The fact that I was allowing my emotions to interfere with my job meant that I had failed as one of her majesty's butlers, but at that point I didn't even know that that was what was happening. All I was concerned about was the ever-growing guilt of having been indirectly responsible for his family's deaths, and taking that beautiful smile away from him at too young an age. 

"Thank you my Lord, I-I'd very much like that," I coughed gently, the boy nodding as he called the maid over and ordered that she bring me a cup of hot chocolate. 

She left and came back with my hot chocolate, which I drank in small sips. 

Everyone finished and Grey momentarily gushed over how delicious the steaks he had consumed were before Lau untucked the handkerchief in his shirt and placed it onto the table.