Kinder Things | vampire chrollo

11

chapter eleven: perspective

I didn't mean to. I truly didn't mean to but I saw the chance to run away and I took it. At least I did in my dreams. It's the same dream every night and I'm starting to think it's because I've been sleeping later than usual every single night.

It starts off with me running through the woods. I can feel his eyes on me and no matter how fast I'm running he always ends up catching up to me.

I fall back, falling to the ground. I expect it to hurt but it's soft as I sink into the snow. He's on top of me and for a moment I see a wolf, flashing his teeth as it's ready to rip through my throat. But then I see him. The kind, gentle man from before. He's leaning down and my eyes flutter close. Instead of darkness all I see is red.

But it's not red, it's the sun waking me up. It's past noon.

"Why are you sleeping in so much?" He's towering over me. Right now, he would've been in his study. Rewriting those stupid letters and rereading them for the hundredth time again because god forbid a man ever feels useless especially when a kingdom has no need for a king anymore.

"You miss breakfast and you miss lunch now." His voice is soft and for a moment I almost believe it's still morning. He isn't wearing his usual knightly uniform, instead he's wearing a simple shirt and long black pants.

"Because I'm planning on killing someone."

"And how's that going for you?"

I shrug. "It's pretty difficult. Especially if they're immortal."

He hummed in response, not truly patient with my retorts today. I wonder what had happened this morning to make him so impatient today. I hadn't even noticed how messy his hair was and how exhausted he looked. "Then should I keep waiting for you to come eat breakfast with me or should I keep myself busy until you come eat dinner instead?"

"You wait for me?" My question snaps him out of his thoughts and he's backing away from my bed.

"Dinner is ready downstairs."

"Will you be eating with me?"

"I've already eaten. You almost missed dinner that's why I came to see what you were doing." Maids rush into my room, ready to dress me but I rush into my bathroom, quick to brush my teeth and wash my face. It only took a few minutes and then they were back to doing their job to dress me. Chrollo turns around as they change me. "Why are you sleeping in?"

"Well it feels like the whole castle is asleep when I'm awake during the day. I figured if I changed my sleeping schedule I might be able to be around people."

"I can order everyone to stay up during the day if that's what you want."

A few maids glance at me as if begging me not to change their sleeping schedule and I burst out laughing. "That's not what I want. Sleeping in later won't kill me, and staying up longer than usual won't kill me either."

The ladies beside me relax as they pull me to my vanity, quickly pulling my hair out of my face. I look at my reflection expecting to see him standing behind me but I see no one. I glance over my shoulder to see him staring back at me, he looked bored.

God, what happened while I was asleep?

"I want to make a deal." I blurt out and then I tense when a maid is kneeling down in front of me, ready to put my slippers on. "Oh, I can do that." I reach out to grab her hand but she only freezes.

"It's her job to dress you." Chrollo's voice makes everyone freeze, including me. The lady looks at me, pleading, begging, asking me to stay quiet and let her do her job. I snatch my hand back to my side and embarrassingly watch her put my shoes on. My face grows warm. "What do you need?" He asked, trying to continue the conversation.