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‘It’s the Master’s orders. Sir Detective is a special guest, after all.’
Inference, the aforementioned detective, only nodded as he followed the butler, Rogers, to the assigned room. They ascended to the third floor, slowly but surely making their way through the long corridors of the Mélodis Estate. With each and every step, Inference reflected upon the clues and the events that transpired during the disappearance of The Muse.
The sound of clicking keys brought his thoughts back from its trip down the memory lane. Inference looked up to see Rogers holding a door of a certain room and opened it for him. Inference took his time to glance at his new surroundings.
It looked exactly like what one would expect from a special room in an old family estate. There was a king-sized bed with linen sheets on top with a vanity table by the other side of the room. A round table was also placed at the center, with two chairs across each other with the fireplace right across it. And right at the center of it all was the humongous window that spanned almost half of the room itself.
‘Should you need anything, please do not hesitate to call us,’ said Rogers, calmly, ‘Now, if you excuse me.’
The butler bowed and left. Once Rogers’ footsteps were out of his hearing range, Inference wasted no time closing the door and brought his belongings next to the bed. His movements stopped once he spotted an object on top of said bed.
There was a black envelope lined with intricate gold frames laid on top. An all-too-familiar insignia was embedded on the silver wax seal.
Inference picked the envelope up and scoffed. Rogers’ words came to mind as he opened the envelope and scanned through the card inside it.
“Special? What a load of old bollocks.”
It was already late at night when Inference knocked on the mahogany door that belonged to D.M.’s private quarters. He knocked once, then twice for good measure.
‘Come in,’ a faint voice was heard from the other side. It was D.M.’s.
And Inference did as he was told. He opened the door to find Earl D.M., the current master of the Mélodis Estate, playing a violin by the windowsill. The window was slightly open, allowing the night breeze to fill the room. A gentle, yet melancholic melody echoed across the room as D.M. continued to perform his tunes.
Inference was silent as he watched D.M. perform. He knew of this tune.
‘Ständchen’. Otherwise known as Serenade. This particular one was composed by Franz Schubert. He had been known to compose multiple Serenades, yet this one stuck out in particular. This was the one that was published after his death, by one Tobias Haslinger. The seventh out of twelve pieces from his last collection of Lied: ‘Leise flehen meine Lieder’ — ‘Gently, My Songs Entreat’.
Once the performance reached its finale, D.M. threw the violin and its bow. The intensity sent them flying towards the door. With quick reflexes, Inference managed to catch both just in the nick of time. He frowned as he felt the weight of the wooden instrument in his hands.
Earl D.M. turned towards him and smiled.
‘I knew that I can always count on you, Great Detective.’
Inference’s frown deepened at this, yet he said nothing. He simply brought the violin and its bow and placed it on top of the enormous round table across the king-size bed. Despite the dim candlelight, Inference could still identify a tea set meant for two. The two teacups were inlaid with gold linings that shone under the moonlight. They were placed next to a matching teapot, together with two sets of plates and silverware, right beside a tiered plate of biscuits, tea cakes and crumpets. Despite having a proper gas lighting, the room was only lit with candles — one on the vanity table, one on the table next to the cabinet, and another by the bedside.
It was obvious that D.M. knew that he would be coming to his room.
‘Surely you’re not calling me just to catch your violin, aren’t you?’ Inference asked, raising one eyebrow at the other man.
D.M. chuckled.
‘Of course,’ was the Earl’s reply. There was a pause, then he walked towards the table and sat on the armchair closest to the window. ‘Why don’t we sit down and have a cup of tea?’
D.M. then motioned towards the chair across of his own. He was met with a frown from the other man.
‘Oh, please,’ D.M. laughed as he poured black tea into the two teacups. His slender fingers were moving in graceful and calculated motion as he did so. ‘You know I mean no harm.’
Inference snorted, yet said nothing further as he propped himself onto the chair.
‘Would you like some biscuits, Detective?’ He asked, smiling, ‘I’ve had them prepared especially for you.’
Inference glared at the other man. He was met with a melodious laugh from the Earl. Knowing that the Earl insisted, Inference let out a sigh and reached out for a piece of biscuit to go along with his tea. His eyes shone upon one bite and he immediately continued munching on it. Upon this, D.M.’s smile softened as he took a sip from his own cup.
It wasn’t long until a white snake with red eyes crept up on the table and made its way towards the Earl. He then offered his free hand towards the snake. It approached the hand and slowly wound itself on D.M.’s arms.
‘Would you like to pet it?’ D.M. asked, offering the arm towards Inference.
There was no reply.
‘Don’t worry, it won’t bite.’
Inference frown deepened as he started tapping one foot in annoyance. Earl D.M. only laughed as he set the tea cup aside and turned to gently pet the snake with one hand.
‘Oh, dear, please do not fret,’ D.M. cooed at the albino snake, though the snake only continued to wound itself on his arm. ‘It seems that Sir Great Detective over here is not in the mood to pamper you, after all.’
Inference said nothing as he grabbed a few tea cakes and placed them onto his plate. He only munched as he watched Earl D.M. let the snake slither over his shoulders. The snake was now nestled under D.M.’s chin. The Earl then nuzzled the snake in affection as it perched itself there, enjoying its owner’s body heat.
‘Is that jealousy I see in your eyes, Detective?’ D.M. snickered. ‘Do not worry, you will always be my favorite.’
Inference turned his gaze away from D.M.’s blue eyes. His expression was nigh unreadable as a part of his face was covered by the shadows. As expected, D.M. simply chuckled as he brought the snake onto his hands and walked towards the table near the cabinet.
‘Off you go, pet,’ D.M. released the snake onto said table. ‘I should tend to the Great Detective now.’
As if understanding its master’s orders, the snake gently unwound itself from D.M.’s arm and landed on top of the table. D.M. watched as the snake crept on top of a gramophone placed on the table near the cabinet. And with that, he quickly returned to his seat and enjoyed his tea.
It was silent, save for the clinking of silverware and the sound of tea being poured from a kettle. D.M. simply enjoyed his cup of tea, while Inference continued to munch on the teacakes and crumpets. It was not long until D.M. set his own tea cup and plates aside and allowed Inference to finally break the silence.
‘The unexpected event,’ so Inference mumbled. ‘Tell me what you know about it.’
Inference’s blue eyes were glaring daggers at him. D.M. let out a coy smile, his blue eyes glowed underneath his black-rimmed pince-nez glasses.
‘Oh?’ D.M. raised his eyebrows, 'As expected of the Great Detective, you have already seen through me.’
Inference squinted in response. D.M. said nothing and simply returned the glare with a smile. His blue eyes peered into Inference’s blue ones as they twinkled in an enigmatic sense of joy. His gaze was locked onto the detective as he lifted his cup of tea close to his thin lips.
The sight was enough to metaphorically pop the blood vessels on Inference’s head.
This went on for quite a while. Inference tapped his foot in annoyance as he glared daggers at the other man. Yet Earl D.M. himself did not seem to budge. Instead, he brought his cup close to the lips and drank from it. As expected, this only deepened the creases on the detective’s eyebrows as his tapping rhythm grew more and more erratic.
And after what felt like a long, long while, the tapping finally stopped.
Inference stood up, then walked in slow, steady steps towards the Earl. His glare intensified as he was finally standing next to D.M., who had just finished his own cup of black tea. It was then that he grabbed D.M. by the collar and forced him to stand up. The grip on D.M.’s collar tightened as he brought D.M.’s face down to his eye level. They were now face to face, only a few centimetres separating them.
‘Don’t mess with me, Earl,’ Inference snarled as he gritted his teeth. ‘What are you planning?’
Earl D.M. smirked and said nothing. He simply brought his forehead against Inference’s. And then, silence. A silence that only lasted for mere seconds as D.M. tilted his head and whispered.
‘Well, if you are so curious, why don’t you find out for yourself?’
In that very instant, he cupped Inference’s cheeks in swift, calculated motion and kept the detective’s face in place. Soon enough, he leaned down for a kiss. Inference widened his eyes, yet he quickly adjusted himself. He pushed back with equal fervor as he returned it to D.M.’s lips. The force was enough to send D.M. back on his armchair.
They parted as D.M. propped himself on the armchair with Inference straddling him on top. Both of their breaths heaved as time passed, yet it did not deter Inference from glaring daggers at the other man once more.
‘Mmm, just as I like it,’ D.M. licked his lips and pushed Inference onto the table.
Their positions were now reversed, with one of D.M.'s legs in between Inference’s two legs. Inference’s head was mere centimetres apart from the burning candle. Its white wax slowly but surely dripped down onto the base of the candle holder. Some of it spilled out, the hot liquid was dangerously close to the tip of the detective’s hair.
D.M. only smirked as he nonchalantly tossed the items on the table aside. The silverware fell with a muffled clang onto the carpeted floor.
Inference tilted his head to see that one of the cups was close to falling on the edge of the table, its contents spilling underneath the table’s foot. It was now wet with black tea pooling on it. The candle, too, fell with its wick right on top of the puddle. Its light was completely extinguished with a wisp of black smoke that disappeared into thin air.
‘A shame that there’s nothing left,’ D.M. remarked, returning the cup and the candle to its original position. ‘I’ll get Rogers to clean them up soon.’
‘Clean up your own mess for once, will you?’ Was Inference’s retort, yet he did not move an inch.
‘Only if you help me out,’ so he replied, bringing his forehead against Inference’s once more.
And so, they went in for another kiss. And another. It wasn’t long until a simple kiss turned into a full course of passionate make out.
The two parted for a short while and stared at one another. Drowning in the excitement that pooled in their eyes as their hands brought them closer and closer. The kisses grew more and more intense as Inference clung his arms on D.M’s shoulders. D.M.’s hands, too, brought themselves close to Inference’s hips, gripping it tight as their owner leaned down to coax the detective for more lip contact.
It wasn’t long until D.M. threw Inference onto his king-sized bed. The Earl pinned him down onto the bed, locking Inference’s two hands with one hand. Another hand slipped to the detective’s waist, removing his utility belt. It came off within seconds. The detective’s blue eyes widened, yet he kept his eyes glued onto the man’s slender fingers as they skillfully unbuttoned his outer coat and vest.
Soon enough, only the white dress shirt was left. D.M. quickly unbuttoned only the bottom half as his hand slipped underneath it. Inference gasped at the sudden contact and arched closer towards the Earl. They soon reunited with a quick peck on the lips and parted. It was then that D.M. finally loosened his grip on Inference’s hands that Inference finally made his move.
Inference’s breath was heavy as he pulled D.M. by the collar and crashed their lips once more. His hands then slung themselves onto the Earl’s shoulders as his tongue prodded inside D.M.’s mouth. D.M. relaxed as he finally unbuttoned the entirety of Inference’s white dress shirt. His hands roamed on Inference’s abdomen as his tongue teased Inference’s own tongue as they engaged in another lip-lock.
There were no words exchanged, only soft grunts and suppressed moans as the watery noise of lips smacking filled the entire room for the night. There was a sudden breeze blowing through the opening of the window, bringing cold, winter air into the room. Yet it did nothing to soothe the heat between them.
The need of air became too much to bear and the two finally parted after a short while. A translucent string of saliva broke as the distance between their lips grew. Their chests rose and fell with every single breath they took. And their breaths were heavy as they panted in soft, almost inaudible gasps.
He then brought out his pocket watch and opened it. It was already past midnight. The candles on the vanity table and the cabinet table were long since extinguished. The moon was now covered by swirls of white clouds, which diminished its glow upon the room. Only the candle by the bedside remained.
‘It’s getting late,’ Inference huffed, ‘I’m going to bed.’
With that, he quickly set his hair and buttoned his dress shirt. Then, he moved on to his vest and finally the outer coat. Lastly, he slung the utility belt back to his waist and patted his clothes off of any wrinkles to the best he could. D.M. only stared and marveled at the speed at which this was done.
‘Of course,’ was his reply. His expression softened as the usual smile attached itself onto his face, ‘Please have a good rest.’
Inference gave a nonchalant nod and walked towards the door and opened it.
D.M. only watched as Inference closed the door and left. He stayed until Inference’s footsteps were no longer audible. Once he was certain that the detective had left, Earl D.M. reached out to the half-burnt candle on his bedside and brought it close to his face.
‘Good night, Great Detective. Tomorrow shall be another busy day.’
And huff. The light disappeared.