Red Like Rubies

Wasted

On the next day Joseph vanished early. Sebastian was a bit worried because it surely wasn't like him to just leave and don't say anything, but it turned out that he just went to town to buy some flowers and chocolate for Myra's birthday.

"Sorry, I'm late", he gasped as he arrived in the kitchen while the others had breakfast. His excusing face was half covered by the bouquet of various flowers until he handed it to Myra. "Happy Birthday."

"Oh god, you're so sweet." Myra got up to hug him. "You shouldn't have."

"It's the least I can do." Joseph smiled a little.

"Well, my bouquet is bigger." Sebastian crossed his arms, secretly relieved that his partner was well.

"I didn't know we were compensating." Joseph looked at him.

"I have to compensate when you give gifts to my wife." He grinned. "At least I know that you're no danger."

"Don't worry. I was just being nice." Joseph sat down at the table.

"And gay."

Joseph just rolled his eyes and started buttering a slice of toast.

"What's gay?", Lily asked.

"Uhm..." Sebastian scratched his head. "Well that just means that a boy likes boys."

"But all boys like each other. They're always playing together!"

"No, not in that way. In the like-like way. You know, some princes don't need a princess. They just marry another prince."

"So you're going to marry Jo-Jo?"

Joseph choked on his bread and shook his head vehemently.

"Honey, I'm already married to you mother." Sebastian chuckled. "And thank you, Joseph. I'm not that bad, right?" He looked at Myra.

"Huh..." She made a face like she would think about it.

"Thank you very much..."

"Sorry." Joseph smiled apologizingly at him. "You're not my type."

"How is this amazing example of human life not your type?!"

"I prefer intelligent people."

That had Myra laughing so hard that she almost spilled her coffee over the table.

Sebastian pouted and crossed his arms. "I know who'll get all the burned steaks tonight..."

"So you're foreshadowing that you will screw up such an easy task?" Joseph smirked.

"I... damn it." Sebastian angrily took a sip of coffee. It was nearly impossible to win an argument against Joseph. He just always found the right response.

Joseph turned out to be of significant help. He prepared salad and meat for the party and peeled the potatoes voluntary. Myra didn't even have to do anything anymore.

When the first guests arrived, he still worked in the kitchen, giving them time to say hello to everyone without worrying about food.

Since the party took place in the garden, Joseph brought out all the food, placing various salads on the table, pouring everyone a drink, putting little baskets with bread slices between the guests and dropping the meat next to the grill so that Sebastian had nothing more to do than to put it on the grate.

"You've got a hot little servant there.", Aileen – Myra's best friend – said with a grin, obviously checking out Joseph's butt as he served another salad plate.