{Andori's POV} After some time searching, I found my servant in the courtyard. The entire area had a strange feel to it, but I figured it could have just been how early it was. The entire house was eerily silent which extended to the small open area as well. The only reason I even found Y/N was due to the speaking. As I drew nearer I could swear I heard another talking. A man. They spoke together, but he soon went quiet when I entered the adjoining hallways. When I presented myself, the only thing to be seen was Y/N, sitting alone next to a fountain.
It was quite beautiful, in a way. The scenery of the garden like space, with the dark focal point of the undead sitting before me was almost like a painting. Damn it all, Y/N was almost like a painting themselves. Something in the moment was different, I saw something in their eyes that I hadn't in previous day's I'd known them. Strangly their name escapes my lips before I could stop it. I almost flushed in embarrassment.
"Andori... What're you doing up? It's like... Five in the morning or something." They servant questioned me. Shifting positions, they turned their full body towards me. "Looking for you, and you're here because?" I replied. And it was true. It was just embarrassing to tell them that the room felt wrong without them when I woke earlier. Y/N redirected their gaze down to the waters of the fountain. "Just having some time to myself." They answered slowly, and then, they smiled and me. A true genuine smile. The most I'd seen is a sarcastic or pitying smile, but this was an actual grin.
Perhaps grin is a little far.
•----☾°☽----•
{3rd person POV} After their quiet meeting in the courtyard, Y/N escorted Andori back to his quarters. Servants slipped past the odd duo as they walked back in silence. Andori's face still held a restlessness as he walked hastily. Y/N sincerely wished to ask if something was wrong but with all these people it was impossible. Instead, they subtly reached over and sqeuzed his hand. His body stiffened up as he glanced towards Y/N, quickly he ripped his hand away from the undead's. 'I mean, understand, but that much force was little extra' Y/N thought, sending their master a side eye.
It wasn't long until the pair reached the now familiar blue doors of the bedroom. As Y/N observed other servants do, they stepped forward to open the door, elegantly stepping aside to let Andori through. He seemed surprised by the small action and when he was passing the threshold muttered "Picked up a lesson or two, hm?" His tone was teasing and his eyes sly. Before this, Y/N had been doing the bare minum of the tasks they should have been taking care of, so it was understandable that the young ravenette would be surprised. Slipping into the room after him, Y/N curtly shut the door. "Yeah well, I've got a little more time outside my usual practice to watch how the other workers act," the [H/C]ed undead stated, releasing the feign stiffness in their muscles, "It would make sense for an undead to behave similarly, right?" They added, unsure. Andori chuckled at the quick changes in their tone. "I would think so." He said casually, letting himself fall backwards onto his disheveled bed. Following after him, Y/N similarly slumped into a small comfortable chair they had long ago dragged over to the side of his bed. "So, any specific reason you dragged me back here? Other than body guard stuff, that is." Y/N asked as they cast their gaze to the Marquis who was now shuffling back into his sheets. He seemed to slow in his burrowing to think on something, before freezing completely. "That's right! I'd entirely forgotten." He exclaimed. Skidding off the bed he gleefully went over to the writing desk to the left of his bed. Speaking with his back turned, he said, "You know, your quite useful, reminding me of things you don't even know about! This isn't even the first time!" He snatched a small wooden box from what must've been the only clear spot on the table before rushing back over to the bed. "Here, here! Take a look at this." Andori requested, as he shoved the box into Y/N's lap. "You're pretty excited, aren't you?...." Y/N said skeptically, unclipling the golden it's golden latch.
Inside was a matte visard mask. Black velvet drapped over some sort of wood, the only feature being two angled holes to reveal the eyes. "A mask?" They asked. "A visard. They're commonly worn by the undeads of nobles, practically tradition to my family." Andori explained a gleeful smile still shadowing his lips. "There's no straps?..." Y/N said slowly. They ran their fingers along the side of the mask to make sure they weren't missing anything. An almost nervous laugh came from the ravenette as he reached forward to take the mask from the box. "Oh yes... Well, it's actually held up by... This," he said, he flipped the mask to show its backside revealing a flat wooden tab, "it's held in the mouth. Keeps the whole mask up." Andori passed the black mask back to their servant. "I see." The [H/C]ed servant said uncertainly. "Try it." Andori instructed quietly. Y/N found the tone he used odd, but went on with it anyways.
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A/N Funfact, the mask is an actual mask from history! The visard was a venaitan mask used by women in the 18th century. I realise that having the gender neutral main character wearing a mask specifically reserved for women may not be the best, but I truly just thought it was interesting. I don't mean it to force the reader towards a more feminine feel. And I apologise if the way the chapter ended feels off, I just thought it was getting a bit long....
