Retrace bxbxb

Disclosure

The silence that followed Rule's soft words was surprisingly comforting. Harper turned in the man's arms and huddled against him, absorbing his warmth. He was still considered a girl, so surely it wouldn't be frowned upon to accept the man's reassuring embrace for a short moment. 

A knock at the door a few moments later had them pulling away from each other slowly, though Rule refused to let him get too far. His left arm remained wrapped around him, hand grasping his waist to keep him close. Looking over his shoulder, Rule glanced in the direction of the door in the sitting room as he addressed whoever was on the other side of it. "What is it? I'm currently busy." 

Harper's heart gave a jerk at the man's words and his face heated a small amount, much to his confusion. He felt eyes on him as they awaited an answer, making him duck his head, bangs brushing faintly against Rule's shirt. 

"Pardon me, my lord, but your first guests are arriving momentarily." The unfamiliar voice on the other side of the door answered. 

A soft brush of air rustled the tips of Harper's hair as Rule sighed out a breath, his thumb moving against Harper's side, likely without much thought to the action. It made Harper fidget, but Rule seemed to ignore his response as he replied. 

"Very well, thank you for informing me. I'll be down in a few minutes." 

The voice answered with a quick "Yes, my lord," before likely leaving, as they said nothing more. 

"I suppose we're due downstairs." Rule said with a bored tone. Harper was about to question his lack of enthusiasm when he realized what he'd just said. 

"We?" He asked, brow furrowing with worry. He didn't want to be around the guests anymore than he had to. Surely a lowly maid, even one that answered directly to the lord of the estate, didn't need to be in attendance to greet guests. 

When Rule smirked down at him, Harper felt his stomach twist into a knot. "Of course. You are my valet now, not my maid, silly lad. Boys cannot be maids." 

Harper was about to argue, for the hundredth time, that he wasn't a boy, when he realized the gleam in the man's eyes. Is he poking fun at me again or hinting at the event tomorrow? Harper couldn't tell, and it was making him conflicted on the answer he should choose. 

"It's alright, lass. I was just poking fun, come. We've got guests to greet, and besides, you do not look anything short of a lord, yourself. You will act as my friend during this event." Rule stated before turning and walking out of Harper's bedroom. 

Stunned, Harper didn't move until he was called, then hurried to the sitting room door in a daze. I cannot act as his friend! I know nothing or the aristocracy besides the behaviors that I've seen! I have no real history myself! And do I pretend to be a male or a female? If he is going to pretend that I am a man, then will be in a dress for the evening? 

"Hari." 

Unable to focus, Harper walked right into Rule's chest. Before he could jump back and apologize, Rule's hands were on his shoulders, steadying him. "It's alright, lass. Breathe. No one will bother you much, I assure you. Just make up some tale about your past if you do not care to share your true one, which I wouldn't suggest. They will not pay you any mind if it sounds logical. Besides, considering the amount of alcohol these louts tend to inhale, they won't hear much of anything you say, either." 

Harper frowned, wondering why Rule was having the get together anyways, if he only planned to get his guests drunk enough to forget it by morning. 

"Come now, enough standing about." Rule said as he took Harper's hand and began tugging him down the hall.