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"It is time for your medicine, Mr. Milverton."
Charles Augustus Milverton obediently opened his mouth and let his secretary, Ruskin, pour the bitter liquid in it. Milverton grimaced from the taste, but he didn't say anything. He was aware that Ruskin didn't want to torture him, only strengthen him up, making him fully recover. Milverton had enough of lying weakly. His greatest wish was to take revenge on the two men who got him in this state, his two enemies.
William James Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes.
Milverton failed his evil plan against them and the latter one shot him. The bullets diving into his body was the last thing he remembered before he passed out. When he woke up from the coma, he learned that several months had passed since then and it was Ruskin who saved him from the sea, restlessly nursing him ever since. He was the only subordinate who stayed on his side and Milverton knew that without his secretary, he would be dead. He was grateful for the other man for not leaving him behind, but he had no idea why he was still there. This question kept coming back to him more and more in the recent days when Milverton started to think about his future again. He didn't discuss it Ruskin with yet, but he knew that the time was near when it would be inevitable to learn his secretary's plans. Secretary, Milverton thought bitterly. He couldn't even give a salary to Ruskin anymore, he lost everything on the day of his defeat. It was wrong to think of Ruskin as a secretary when Milverton couldn't provide him anything. In fact, the tide has turned - now it was him who relied on Ruskin's care.
"Thank you for your patience, sir." Ruskin gently smiled at him and put down the spoon onto the tray. "I know that you hate this, but it will help you to fully recover, so it is necessary. Luckily, I think I will only need to get one more glass of this - and after that, I will not need to bother you with it anymore."
"Is it expensive?" Milverton asked. Ruskin shrugged his shoulders.
"It is, but it helps you and only this matters." He noted. "You don't need to worry about this, sir. I still have some spare money I can spend on our daily necessities."
"Where is the money from?" The question left Milverton's mouth before he thought it through, but he was truly curious. After all, it can't be his money despite the fact that he used to be rich. He didn't have anything anymore - but Ruskin seemed to have no problem with paying the doctors and the medicine for him.
"The salary I got from you through the years..." Ruskin stopped for a moment. "I used to put most of them into the bank. I thought that it might be good one day, I didn't spend much on my own things. You took care of my needs well." He gave a tender look at Milverton. "Now it is my turn to take care of you, sir. After you recover, I will find a job again, so we will definitely have enough money."
"We?" Milverton repeated. As he started the last sentence, he was sure for a second that Ruskin wanted to leave him behind, but by the end of it, it was clear that he didn't. He wanted to work so he can continue taking care… of him.
When the truth was that he doesn't really have any use of Milverton anymore - so why does he stick around his side?
"Yes, sir. We." Ruskin nodded and gently took Milverton's pale hand into his own. "Don't think for a moment that I would ever leave you." He swore and he sounded genuine. Milverton watched Ruskin for a while and he knew that it was wrong. He was skilled, the best secretary Milverton ever had and he still had a lot of possibilities ahead of him for rising high. He should not keep staying near if he doesn't have a good reason for it.
"Stop calling me sir." Milverton said and leaned back in the bed. "I am not your employer anymore. I can't pay you - and you don't need to be on my side out of pity or gratitude. I am grateful that you helped me get cured, but after that, you should leave."
He felt that Ruskin froze next to him on the bed. When Milverton opened his eyes again to see his expression, he saw that the other man was panicky and devastated. Ruskin held his hand stronger and his eyes were strangely shining when he spoke.
"Do you want to send me away, Mr. Milverton?"
His voice was quiet and desperate. Milverton shook his head. He didn't like lying to Ruskin, the only person he had his complete trust in. No, of course, he didn't want him to leave. He was the only one he still got left. And he needed to admit that he grew fond of his secretary through the years. He had no idea what he would even do without Ruskin.
"No, I don't want to send you away." He answered and he turned his head towards the window. "But... it would be better for you if you leave. Like I said, I can't give you money anymore..."
"I don't care!" Ruskin suddenly lashed out, making Milverton look back at him. Ruskin's face was full of devoted obsession when he cried out. "I just want to stay on your side! That was what I always wanted!"
"Why?" Milverton voiced out the question that kept echoing in his mind. "You can have more."
"Because I love you." Ruskin confessed out of a sudden and the words put a hard blush on his face. "I want to stay with you... because I love you."
Milverton's eyes widened. This was the last thing he expected to hear from his secretary - from anyone. He was well aware that he was the opposite of lovable, that was what he aimed for. Being the incarnation of pure evil and being loathed by the entire society. And he was - but it seemed that not by everyone.
A smile appeared at the corner of Milverton's mouth as he reached out and patted Ruskin's cheek. It was a valid reason for staying. And it was clear that this was what Ruskin wished for, so Milverton gave in forcing the opposite.
"Fine." He noted softly. "We will stay together forever."
Ruskin's gaze sparkled up for that. He didn't say anything, he just brought his hand to his lips and gave a kiss to it. Milverton felt some warmth spreading over his body. Being loved was a strange new experience for him.
But he didn't dislike it.