Work Text:
"Here you go, Mr. Milverton. Your usual afternoon cake." Ruskin told his employer, Charles Augustus Milverton as he put down the tray with the mentioned dessert onto the table next to the tea kettle. The cake was covered in whipped cream, on it, there were countless strawberries. It was a lot of work to put it together, but despite that, Ruskin still made one for Mr. Milverton every day.
Mr. Milverton inspected the cake and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
"It is perfect as always. Thank you, Ruskin." He said. The words made Ruskin blush and he got lost in the beautiful golden gaze for a long moment. He didn't want to look away, but he needed to slice up the cake, so he cut the eye contact and reached for the knife.
"It is nothing, sir. I am happy to make it for you." He stated and he began to slice the dessert up. Mr. Milverton silently watched him for a while, then he spoke.
"I know that it is not nothing. It takes a lot away from your free time every afternoon." He noted and gave Ruskin a curious glance. "I have no idea why you are even doing this for me. It is not part of your job description. You should leave these kinds of tasks for the servants." He suggested. Ruskin shook his head and hid his amused smile. Mr. Milverton, the King of Blackmail who preyed on his victims' feelings could be really awkward when it came to Ruskin's feelings, not noticing - or avoiding to notice - what was in front of his eyes. But Ruskin didn't mind it. He never expected that his love would be returned and he was content with simply loving Mr. Milverton.
"It doesn't take a lot away from my free time, sir." He said gently. "It IS my free time, my favorite hobby, the one thing I like doing the most. You are wrong when you call it work. It gives me joy when I can see your smile." He looked up for a second to steal another glance of Mr. Milverton, and he saw the sparks in the other man's golden gaze. Then, to not make his employer embarrassed even more, he lightheartedly added. "Besides, I know your taste better than the servants."
Mr. Milverton let out a chuckle. He reached out and his fingers touched Ruskin's hand.
"You truly do." He agreed cheerfully. "In that case if it's indeed not a burden for you, I would be glad if you continue to make my cakes. No one can do this better than you."
His hand softly caressed Ruskin's skin, making Ruskin turn red again. Mr. Milverton's fingers were warm and Ruskin could hear the appreciation from his voice. It was enough for him for his own joy.
"I promise that I will make your cake for the rest of our lives." He swore with devotion. Then the topic of their discussion changed, but Ruskin remembered this conversation every day while he baked the cake.
And the promise he made.
*****
Long, long decades later, Ruskin put the last strawberry on top of the whipped cream. His hands were shaky, but he still made the cake for his beloved Mr. Milverton. The other man asked him several times to not concern himself with this too much, he didn't want Ruskin to exhaust himself. They were both old and needed to take care of their health, but Ruskin didn't give in. He wanted to continue making Mr. Milverton happy and stay true to his promise.
"Here you go, Mr. Milverton. Your usual afternoon cake." He said when he put down the cake in front of the other man. Mr. Milverton's face was wrinkled, but he was still the most beautiful in Ruskin's eyes. And his smile was as bright as it used to be.
"Thank you, Ruskin." He replied, gently taking Ruskin's hand when it became free. "But you know that you don't need to do that."
"I want to do it, sir." Ruskin clarified and blushed from Mr. Milverton's touch like he always did. "It brings you joy, therefore it brings me joy as well. Besides..." he gave a loving kiss to Mr. Milverton's forehead. "I promised it."
"You kept it well." Mr. Milverton let out a little laugh and didn't evade. He just enjoyed it as Ruskin pressed his lips to his skin again while he still didn't let his secretary's hand go. He didn't ask anymore why, he knew, he accepted it - and Ruskin could feel that he also returned it in his own way.
There were things that didn't change - and some of them changed for the better. They made Ruskin happy. They had the chance to grow old together.
"I will make your cake for the rest of our lives." Ruskin whispered, renewing his old promise. And he hoped that until then, there were still long years ahead of them.