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Life had been, in a sense, a game to you, each person in your life playing their role on the board. Though you wouldn't call yourself the King upon the chess board, much like your cohort Ciel Phantomhive would, you knew you had your own role that you played. If you were to muse enough, surely you would find that you had merely been a pawn in his own game of chess. You found yourself unsure if your pawns, your pieces in this game, if they truly had meant anything to you. As you stood in the office of one, you found your lips pursed, your gaze fixated to London below.
You could hear him take a toke of his pipe while you mused over what to say to the Chinese man. It had only been the two of you in the room together, him sitting atop a rather lavish couch, as you stood by his window. Minutes had already passed as the two of you stood in silence, though the silence itself hadn't given either of you discomfort.
"Would it be worse to never wake from your dream, or never dream at all?" His voice had been calm, breaking through the silence like a knife.
You could surmise it had simply been a philosophical musing, and yet, your lips parted, answering it nearly immediately. You hadn't needed to think about something you had thought in the past, though your answer posed yet another question. "If a person is cursed to nightmares, would it not be better never to dream?" You asked. Y/e/c gaze had not ripped from London below, though you could vaguely hear the male shift in his couch, another toke pulled from his pipe.
"Which version would be reality, and which would be the dream?" He questioned, standing to his feet as he strode over towards you. "If they are plagued with constant nightmares, would the life they live truly be the dream?"
"A life as that would still be a pitiful existence," you replied, a hint of malice to your tone, though it quickly faded as you continued. "I suppose for some, a dream world would be far better than the harsh truth of life."
"Is your escape from reality far darker than your waking days?" He questioned, his body stopping behind you as he stood, his eyes closed. His free hand moved to rest upon your shoulder, as if he had simply been an old friend, and you were simply giving him a friendly visit. Despite the consoling nature of his hand, his voice had a clear amusement about it.
Your y/e/c eyes closed for a moment, a sharp exhale escaping pouted lips. Opening them once more, you still refused to shift your gaze to the man who's heat practically radiated, felt upon your back and side. "I'd hardly call it an escape," you replied, your lips formed in a straight line. "I suppose you're a man in favor of eternal dreams?"
"If I dreamt eternally, would I still stand beside you?" He questioned, his curiosity wry in nature as his lips curled upwards to a smirk.
Your gaze finally shifted to the man, a quirked brow atop your features as you took in his demeanor. Lau had always been quite the handsome man, tall and lithe, with raven locks. He always seemed to adorne something of rich colors, the fabric what you would surmise to be silk.
"You surely would do something far more pleasing for yourself," you replied absently as your gaze shifted back to the view of London. "I am surely keeping you from your leisure, Lau."
"If you were simply to stand here for the rest of time, relaying counterpoint to my musings, I would bare no qualms," he replied with an amused chuckle, though his lithe hand slipped from your shoulder.
For a moment, you loathed that you missed that simple, comforting touch. Within your realization, you had to muse further into your mind, knowing no matter what game you play, you still stood as a human being. No matter the fact that a child used your knowledge as a pawn in chess, or that you used others for your own goals, you still had a heart. More than a few times, properly shielded off, you would forget that fact.
"That, I doubt," you replied finally, though your heart tightened in your chest. Countless times you would find yourself in the presence of Lau, and you knew you had to keep your exposure brief. The longer you stood in the same room with the handsome male, the more exposed you would find yourself. Even with closed eyes, the man exposed you far more than anyone you had met. "You know as well as I that I'm here on the guard dog's behalf."
"I suppose," he replied, a sigh to his tone, before his spirits quickly lifted once more. "If we were to address your business here, it would shorten our meeting. I'm sure Ciel can wait for you to report back to him."
"You truly are a peculiar man, Lau," you replied, a soft laugh escaping your lips. "You wish to lengthen the time we spend together, when you could simply share the information you have so that I may be on my way."
"I've seen it, you know," he spoke, amusement dripping from his tone.
"Seen what exactly?" You questioned, a distinct strain to your tone as your attention shifted back to the handsome male. Your lips slipped back to a straight line as each agonizing moment strode onwards. Y/e/c eyes fixated upon his facial features, looking for a tell that he had been bluffing. To your dismay, there was none to be found.
His lips held upwards in a smirk, the confidence in the male's assumption never fading as he let his accusation slip past his lips. "Those languid glances at the Phantomhive Mansion, where your watch our young lord and lady Elizabeth together," he spoke as his eyes slitted open, revealing his gray orbs. "You long for those kinds of affections, do you not?"
Your eyes narrowed upon his gray gaze as you tried to keep your calm outer visage. Inside, your heart fluttered in your chest at the mere insinuation. The corners of your lips dropped the slightest bit as you finally broke his gaze, a sigh escaping your lips. You knew well that you held your own lying tell, and knew an astute male as Lau would catch it with ease.
"You are quite perceptive for someone who rarely opens your eyes," you replied finally, very little emotion to your tone. Though your face held onto its visage, you knew he would crack you if you were to let him keep on his little game. "Genuine affections such as those are rare, though I don't see why you would bring it up."
"Each time I attempt to delve deeper into this little game we play, you step behind the king," he spoke thoughtfully, his eyes closing once more as his lips fell the slightest bit. For a moment, doubt slipped into his mind, and he hesitated. "We both merely serve as pawns, and yet, you hide just out of arm's reach. What are you afraid of?"
"As someone with women aplenty upon your arm, I doubt you would understand, Lau," you replied with a sigh, your lips pursing after your words. Your words held an edge to them, the slightest hint of jealousy present. The feeling of melancholy wrapped around you as your fluttering heart dropped to your stomach. Once again, you attempted to bring the conversation to a quick halt. "Do you possess the information that he needs, or do you wish to keep dancing around it?"
"That's what I assumed," he mused out, a hint of amusement as he shifted closer to you from behind. A lithe arm slipped around your waist, and you had become painfully aware of the warmth radiating from the man. "For an astute woman as yourself, you seem to ward off the one thing you desire."
Swallowing hard, you shifted away from the man, leaving his arm to hang as your arms crossed over your chest. "If you're insinuating my desire is to join your harem, you're mistaken, Lau," you replied with a sharp tongue, biting your lip.
Lau's lips slipped to a frown as he watched you shrink away from his grasp. A sigh escaped his lips as he realized what he had known all along. No matter how the two of you would dance around the subject, it merely seemed like a game.
"I don't wish for you to be one of many, Y/N," he spoke finally, a hint of exasperation in his tone. Rarely had you ever seen the calm male grow exasperated, his tone always calm, collected. He opened his gray eyes once more as he spoke, his gaze fixated upon you.
This caught your attention, your brow quirked as your gaze shifted back to the man. Something glimmered in those gray eyes that sent your heart pounding once more, as if it were trying to match the gallops of the quickest steed. At first, you had said nothing, your quirked brow a tell for him to go onwards.
"I may be surrounded by many, but do long for a woman to love me in the way she would love a husband," he spoke, his voice calm once more. Though it had been calm, it held a hint of passion, almost longing. "And there's only one woman I want that to be."
This time, he stepped behind you entirely, both arms slipping around your waist. Lithe arms pulled you against his chest, in a way you could feel his heart beating hastily. Though he held you close to him, he left enough lax upon his grip so that you could get away with minimal effort if you wished.
With Lau's warmth surrounding you, his words sinking into your very soul, you found yourself melting the slightest bit. You were sure he could feel your quickened heartbeat through your entire body as you sunk into his arms. What you had assumed would be a quick gathering of information turned into...this...and you were unsure if you ever wanted to escape from his arms.