Chapter 18: Lingering Worries

For the next few days, an air of tension permeated the house, and everyone walked on eggshells in Marie's presence. Marie's discontentment with Blaise's presence was very obvious, evident in the icy glances she cast his way. Maisy, in her well-meaning but misguided efforts, attempted to compensate for the strained atmosphere by being overly cheerful, to the point of being obnoxious. Troy chose to adopt a stance of denial, pretending as though nothing out of the ordinary was happening.

Meanwhile, Lucien's father kept a watchful eye on him. He subtly monitored Lucien's interactions with Blaise. Lucien felt watched. His father was clearly concerned that there might be more to Lucien's kindness towards Blaise than brotherly love.

But… wasn't there more to it, though? His interest in Blaise wasn't entirely pure, though he tried hard to fool even himself into thinking it was. Of course he didn't intend to act on it, but still, he knew what he felt in his heart. Lucien would have to work harder to hide his feelings.

As the days wore on, the initial awkwardness began to settle into a routine. Blaise's nocturnal nature ensured minimal contact with the family, especially Marie. He spent his days tucked away in his room, asleep, only venturing out when Marie and Father had gone to bed. He took his meals separately as well; he didn't eat much, especially for his breakfast (which took place at 5 o'clock in the evening) when he usually just had a piece of bread or a pastry. In this way, he could avoid mealtime with the family. He kept away from Marie as much a possible. Their exchanges were reduced to mere nods and brief, obligatory exchanges of pleasantries.

And so, the days passed like this. The atmosphere remained somewhat taut, with unspoken tensions simmering beneath the surface, creating a thin veil of unease that draped over the whole house's interactions.

Lucien found himself starting to stay awake later, and rise later as well. He was hardly waking up before 11 o'clock anymore. He couldn't deny that he was motivated by the desire to spend more time with Blaise.

In the early evening, Lucien would take up his violin and practice in the study while Blaise had his first meal and coffee for the day. Blaise, captivated by the music, would sit in rapt attention, his eyes fixed on Lucien's movements. The music seemed to transport him to another realm.

In fact, Lucien ended up spending quite a lot of time with Blaise in the study. They'd meet there at night again, while the rest of the family were going to bed, to simply talk. Their conversations spanned a wide range of topics, spanning from the latest news headlines to the depths of literature, art, and music. Lucien loved watching Blaise speak, particularly when he became absorbed in some interesting topic. He was especially cute when something in the newspapers irked him.

They were having one such conversation, when Blaise suddenly leaned forward, his eyes fixed on Lucien. His voice filled with genuine curiosity as he changed the topic. "Hey, Lucien, have you ever thought about what you want to do in the future?

"Actually, I have. I've always wanted to be a concert violinist. Music has this way of speaking to me, you know? It's what I've always wanted to do. But... My father has been pushing me to consider taking over the family business. He thinks it's the more practical choice." Lucien shrugged. "Well, we'll just have to see. A spot in an orchestra isn't guaranteed."

Blaise's eyebrows furrowed. "You make beautiful music, though. It would be a loss if you gave up your dreams. You should just go for it. Ignore what your father says. It's not his life."

Lucien considered these words. Blaise had a sort of freedom, since he didn't care about his mother's opinion on things. Lucien wasn't in the same position. His father's approval meant everything, and he'd worked so hard to get it back. "But what about you?" Lucien asked. "Have you ever thought about what you want to do?"

"In the future? Like, a job?"

Lucien nodded.

Blaise's eyes flickered. He shrugged lightly, and said, "Honestly, Lucien, I'm not sure anymore. I mean, being what I am... what can I even do? I'm trapped."

"You could work a night shift."

Blaise frowned. "Doing what though?"

Lucien shrugged. "Surely there is something out there that suits you." Although Lucien himself couldn't say what that was. Blaise seemed more like a prince to him, so the thought of him working for a salary seemed almost comical.

Before they could delve further into the subject, Troy entered the room, his presence interrupting the conversation. His eyes darted between Lucien and Blaise, an undercurrent of suspicion in his expression. "Hey, guys. What are you doing?"

"Just talking," Lucien said. Blaise glared at his older brother.

Troy was suspicious of them, wasn't he? Lucien was disappointed. He began to feel that creeping feeling of anxiety squeeze at his insides.

"What are you doing here, Troy?" Blaise asked, voice icy.

Troy raised an eyebrow at Blaise. "Just wanted to say goodnight. Sleep well." He nodded, then made a quick exit.

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Seems like they're growing more skeptical of our closeness, don't you think? Apparently everyone in the house is supposed to shun me."

He let out a little snort of a laugh, and shook his head, returning his focus to the newspaper and his coffee. He flipped through the pages, engrossed in a serial mystery story that had captured his interest. Apparently he did not want to discuss his future job prospects any further, and Lucien didn't blame him.

Lucien quietly observed the vampire. Wasn't Blaise worried about Troy's suspicions? Unlike Blaise, who seemed unbothered by the need to hide his sexuality, Lucien felt a growing unease. What if Troy or his father sensed something amiss? What if they picked up on how he felt about Blaise? The thought sent a flicker of nervousness through his veins. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his fingers fidgeting with the edge of the old sofa. Would they question him? Would they uncover his feelings for Blaise? He had not acted on them, in fact he'd resisted Blaise's advances more than once. But would that count for anything in their eyes?

Lucien's worries were well founded, it turned out. Later that day, Father sought out Lucien, his eyes filled with concern as he pulled his son aside into a quieter corner of the house. Lucien already knew that whatever Father wanted to discuss wasn't going to be good.

Father's voice was soft, yet laced with worry as he addressed the issue that had been bothering him.

"Lucien, I must speak to you about something that has been on my mind. I've noticed how much time you've been spending with Blaise in the evenings," Father began.

Lucien looked down, away from his Father's gaze. This wasn't fair; he was allowed to spend time with him!

"I want you to understand my concerns, my son," Father continued, choosing his words carefully. "Blaise is a certain way, you understand? And on top of that... well, anyone can see that he's beautiful. Takes after his mother in that regard." Father looked a little uncomfortable as he said it.

Lucien felt the need to defend himself, to make his intentions clear to his father.

"Father, it's not like that," Lucien interjected, face growing hot. "We're just talking, nothing more. There's more to him than any of you are giving him credit for. I don't want him to feel completely isolated. Everyone else in this house ignores him."

Father nodded, but there was still a lot of worry in his eyes. "I understand your empathy, Lucien, but you must exercise caution," he advised. "Blaise is not like us. He carries a darkness within him, a corruption that could lead you astray. You especially. I fear he may eventually try tempt you."

Lucien didn't know what to say to his father. "There is more to Blaise than just that aspect of him. He likes music, like me... he reads poetry... knows a lot about history... I think everyone is being unfair to him."

Father's eyes softened, and he placed a hand on Lucien's shoulder, his grip gentle yet firm.

"I only wish to protect you, my son," Father said. "Guard your heart, and don't let his darkness consume you."

Lucien still couldn't meet his father's gaze. He nodded, as if he agreed. Maybe there was truth to what his father was saying, but it just seemed like everyone was judging Blaise too harshly without really trying to help him. Lucien was still determined to stand by Blaise, to be the person who helped him, even if his father didn't like it.

Father patted him on the shoulder and said, "Just... consider what I'm saying, okay?"

"I will."

Father rose, and Lucien followed after him, seeing him to the door. With one last nod he left, and Lucien stood aimlessly, staring at the door frame.

His father knew.