Work Text:
Ruskin, the secretary of Charles Augustus Milverton, kept wandering in the market with a basket in his hands. It was already filled with every other necessity he didn't let the other servants get and what he personally took care of for his employer - like strawberries, which was Mr. Milverton's favorite food. But one thing was still missing from his list and Ruskin was determined to hunt it down, not going home until he got it.
A bouquet of the most beautiful daffodils he could find.
They had daffodils in the garden of the Milverton Manor as well - it was Mr. Milverton's preferred flower in front of the study - but it was only blooming during spring which had already passed. Ruskin needed to get it from flower merchants after that, but he could never let Mr. Milverton to miss his beloved daffodils. The time he spent in the market because of them got longer and longer with every week, but Ruskin didn't give up. He wanted to make Mr. Milverton happy by getting him his favourite flowers.
The flowers which Ruskin was also fond of. He could relate to them the most, what daffodils symbolized by the flower language was inside Ruskin's soul and made up the biggest part of it.
Admiration and unrequited love.
Ever since he started to work for him, Ruskin was in love with his employer - desperately and hopelessly, knowing well that he had no chance for his feelings to ever get returned. Mr. Milverton was the King of Blackmail who only laughed on romantic feelings - Ruskin was sure that he would never ridicule him as otherwise it was clear that he cared for Ruskin in his own way - but Ruskin didn't want to be pitied by his employer. He would rather yearn for the rest of his life than to confess to him and make Mr. Milverton feel embarrassed. He admired him too much for that and the awe he had for the other man also made him sure that even if Mr. Milverton would ever choose a partner, that can never be him. He was merely a secretary from the lower class, he was not worthy of that honor. So Ruskin kept silent about his emotions. Only when he looked at the bouquet of daffodils in front of the door, he thought that maybe keeping it there was a confession on its own. Whether Mr. Milverton knew about what was Ruskin's heart or not, he was knowledgeable in the language of flowers. Ruskin wondered if he sometimes looked at the daffodils and thought of his secretary who did everything to bring them for him every week, changing the bouquet to new ones as soon as they withered.
Ruskin finally found the flower merchant he was looking for - and the last bouquet of daffodils which the man sold at his pitch. It was expensive, but the price never mattered for Ruskin. He would have even murdered to get Mr. Milverton his beloved flowers. Fortunately, with his mission being fulfilled, he didn't need to spend more time at the market. With the bouquet in his hand, he turned around and went home.
"You never forget to bring me a new bouquet, Ruskin." Mr. Milverton noted when Ruskin arrived back at the manor and placed the flowers into the vase before the study. "They are very nice - but you always get the best ones available for me." He added with his gaze softened.
"You deserve the best, sir." Ruskin answered gently. They just stared at the daffodils and they didn't talk.
They both kept it to themselves what they were thinking at the moment.