BLACK and WHITE

Chapter four: Breakfast Tension

  ~xxx~

As they headed down to breakfast, Leonardo's heart still raced from the intimate moment with Blue. He couldn't believe he had touched his butler's face like that, and the flush on his cheeks refused to fade.

The tension in the dining room was palpable. Leonardo's father, Lord Silver, and his elder brothers, Victor and Edward, barely acknowledged him, their cold shoulders a stark contrast to Blue's warmth and concern.

"So, Leonardo," Lord Silver said, his voice dripping with disdain, "I hear you've been having...episodes. Nightmares, fainting spells. How is your sickness? Have you been skipping medications again?"

Leonardo's face burned as Blue poured him a cup of tea, his eyes meeting his in a silent show of support. "I'm fine, Father. Just a bit...overwhelmed."

Victor, the second son, snorted. "Overwhelmed? You're not even capable of managing your own life, let alone the family business."

Edward, the first son, chimed in, "Yes, perhaps it's time we reconsidered your role in the company, Leo."

Leonardo felt a surge of anger and hurt, but Blue's presence beside him kept him grounded. He took a deep breath and spoke up, his voice steady, "I understand your concerns, but I assure you, I'm fully capable of handling my responsibilities."

The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Blue's hand on his shoulder was a gentle reminder of his support, and Leonardo knew he could face whatever came next.

As they sat at the breakfast table, Blue's hand on Leonardo's shoulder seemed like a gentle reminder of their bond. But Victor's eyes saw it as a provocation, a challenge to his own claims on Leonardo's attention.

Victor's gaze narrowed, his jaw clenched in a silent snarl. He felt a surge of rage and jealousy, his mind screaming to push Blue's hand away, to claim Leonardo as his own. But he couldn't explain why. He had no right to feel possessive, no claim on Leonardo's affections.

Victor's glare intensified, his eyes fixed on Blue's hand like a predator zeroing in on prey. He felt like a wild animal, trapped and furious, unable to comprehend the strange emotions coursing through his veins.

But why? Victor's confusion swirled like a maelstrom. He had no claim on Leonardo, no right to feel possessive or jealous. Yet, the sight of Blue's hand on Leonardo's shoulder made his blood boil.

Why did Blue's touch on Leonardo's shoulder spark such rage in him? And why did he feel like he was losing Leonardo to this...this...butler?.

Leonardo was off-limits to him. Victor knew that, had always known that. So why did he feel this strange, gnawing sensation in his chest?

As Blue's eyes met his, Victor's glare intensified, his jaw clenched in a silent snarl. Blue's expression remained neutral, but Victor detected a flicker of understanding in those piercing eyes.

Edward's eyes flicked from Leonardo's pale face to Victor's tense form, noticing the death glare aimed at Blue's hand on Leonardo's shoulder. He raised an eyebrow, his expression neutral, but his mind acknowledged the sentiment. He too felt a twinge of jealousy, a pang of possessiveness towards Leonardo.

But as the older brother, he'd learned to mask his emotions, to present a composed facade. He wouldn't let his feelings get the better of him, unlike Victor, who seemed on the verge of exploding.

Edward's gaze lingered on Victor, a silent understanding passing between them. They both wanted to claim Leonardo, to keep him, to be the one he turned to. But Blue's presence seemed to challenge that desire.

Edward's eyes narrowed, his mind working through the dynamics. He knew he had to keep his cool, to navigate this complex web of emotions. But deep down, he couldn't deny the urge to rip Blue's hand apart, to be the one Leonardo leaned on.

The tension at the breakfast table was palpable, the air thick with unspoken desires and conflicting emotions.

Leonardo, still lost in his thoughts, didn't notice the tension between the three men. But Blue's eyes flicked from Victor to Edward, his gaze piercing and aware. He knew the dynamics at play, the unspoken rivalries and desires.

With a gentle pressure, Blue's hand on Leonardo's shoulder guided him out of the breakfast room, away from the suffocating tension. "Let's take a walk, Young Master," he suggested, his voice soft and soothing.

Leonardo nodded, his eyes still haunted by the memories. As they walked, Blue's hand remained on his shoulder, a steady presence that seemed to anchor him to reality.

Victor and Edward watched them leave, their eyes locked in a silent understanding. This was far from over.