Mey-rin knew exactly the type of day it would be.
She made her way down the hallway as she had so many times before, and learning from all those mornings past, she knew precisely when her pace needed to change. Finally she had it figured out. She removed her glasses and began the trek.
Two steps past the boiler room only the area to the right of the tenth board was safe. Four metres beyond that and she had to hug the outer wall for six full paces. Then back to the left, even though it was tougher to traverse, because as she approached the doorway she could not risk being spotted. Then the most tricky part: The kitchen entrance itself. Balancing on one foot to consolidate her weight, she positioned her hands on the door frame just above her nose and below her waist. When she felt secure, she slowly leaned over, taking care to keep her breathing even and silent.
There before her, just far enough to make out clearly, was the object of her affection. Black hair glistening in the morning sun, chiseled forearms peeking from under rolled-up sleeves as he methodically scrubbed the breakfast dishes. She felt her heart rate rise as she watched him moving back and forth, again and again. In her mind those hands were on her and that flawless face looking down, and in that moment a single bead of sweat began to form on his forehead, the exertion taking its toll just as if he were inside -
"Mey-rin?" Sebastian said sharply without turning from the dish water.
Damnit, how does he always know?! she thought in dismay. She hadn't made a sound!
"Why are you here?" his cold tone rang through her as she suddenly felt like the biggest dummy alive, still perched on one foot, straining her body, mind and soul for this man who stood there oblivious to her desires, indifferent to her intentions. He had yet to turn around, paying more mind to a sink full of soapy porcelain than the living human who would rip her heart out of her chest and hand it to him if it would make him love her.
"I..." she stammered, "I've come to fetch water for the laundry, as I always do," she said, taking a few steps into the kitchen and picking up a washbasin while trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
"Oh," Sebastian said, finally turning to face her, his crimson gaze making her instantly forget all of her misgivings, "then I suppose you've forgotten it's your day off?"
Mey-rin stopped in her tracks. She had forgotten, and suddenly felt an even bigger fool than before. She was so distracted she did not even see the butler slide up beside her to take the washbasin, but she did notice when his exposed fingers brushed against hers. All of a sudden it occurred to Mey-rin that she had never before felt Sebastian's skin against her own, and she looked up at him with a wide-eyed mixture of astonishment and horror.
"Why don't you look after yourself for today, my dear?" he said, "I can take care of the laundry and your other duties." His eyes seemed to sparkle and his lips formed a slight smile, as if he was a bit amused at the situation, but not in an unkind way (for it seemed he was never intentionally unkind).
"Oh yes!" she exclaimed, releasing the basin and stepping back, "thank you, mister Sebastian!" and with that she flew through the doorway much too quickly to catch the butler's chuckle at her exit.
"Idiot, idiot, idiot!" Mey-rin repeated, walking down the hallway, now completely indifferent to the creaks of the floorboards. What is she to do with a day off, anyway? It's not as if she had anywhere to go.
She was so absorbed in her own thoughts she almost missed the voices radiating from the pantry.
"'I am sure I have the intellect to function in polite society, contrary to your implication', Webster states assuredly."
"Oh? Then why can't you tell the difference between a wild pigeon and a damn meal?!"
"'A wild pigeon would have been a good meal, while this one was just average,' Webster says, making a very valid point."
"That's it, I'm not arguing with a goddamn snake! And why do you have to add those stupid comments after everything it says?"
"'Your categorization of myself as an 'it' is both hurtful and grammatically problematic,' Webster reminds helpfully."
"Helpful, are you serious?!"
At this, Mey-rin heard Bard's distinctive stomp approaching the pantry door from within. Not wanting to be discovered eavesdropping, her impulse was to bolt, but there was no time to go anywhere. Just as she hugged the wall, the footsteps came to a stop.
"If you really want to be helpful, why don't you or your snakes or whoever the hell I'm talking to find me another high-quality bird for the young master's pigeon pie tonight!"
The doorknob began to turn and Mey-rin stiffened in place.
"Wait!"
For a few seconds there was complete silence. Then Bard started speaking again, but his anger seemed to disappear.
"What do you mean... wait?"
"..."
"Shouldn't it be, 'Webster says'? Or Emily or Bronte or any of the rest of them?"
"No. Please wait. I want to help, if I can."
Mey-rin's eyes widened when she realized what was happening. For months now the servants had debated whether or not that strange new footman could ever speak for himself. Now it seemed they had an answer. She struggled to get closer when she realized they were still talking, but quietly.
"...Okay, that might work. But I need to ask you something. Why did you choose to speak to me, and why now?"
Snake's voice was much more difficult to hear.
"...saw you...in the kitchen...needed a friend as well..."
"How did you know I would be interested?" Baldroy asked.
"I know in the military..." Snake's voice drifted off and Mey-rin moved dangerously close to the door, only now realizing Bard had left it slightly open. Hearing some movement inside, she inched even closer. When she finally spotted them she need to cover her mouth to keep silent.
Bard had his hand around Snake's waist as the other man was slowly kissing his neck.
What in the world is this? Mey-rin thought. Just a moment ago the chef wanted to strangle him.
Suddenly she almost lost her balance as the door seemed to open itself a few inches. She needed to clamp her hand to her mouth even tighter when she realized why. Webster, Bronte and Emily exited the room in single file, not paying any mind to the nervous maid huddled by the wall.
The sound of a jar crashing to the floor brought Mey-rin's attention back to the pantry. When she looked through the doorway again, the two men were in a passionate embrace.
Without warning, Bard pushed Snake up against the shelving, pinning his right arm above his head. The footman used his left hand to undo Bard's pants, and with a quick motion he had his whole ass exposed. The chef paused in surprise and Snake quickly licked his finger and stuck it inside. As he moved back and forth, Bard reached out to anchor himself and instead sent a jar of pickles crashing to the floor.
Snake kissed his chin deftly and as Bard moaned in pleasure, he freed his right hand and started to play with the chef's balls, all while slipping his finger in and out of his ass. Bard was close to coming already, and suddenly he grabbed Snake's hair roughly. The younger man looked back at him, surprised, half expecting the next action to be painful, but instead the chef started kissing him lightly. First on the side of his head, then on the cheek, and finally on his lips, but ever so gently.
Without a word, the cook sank to the floor and in one motion, slipped Snake's pants down to his knees. His member was hard and wet with precum, and Bard wasted no time taking it in his mouth. Snake cried out in delight, and reached for the wall to steady himself, but instead knocked another four jars to the ground.
Mey-rin watched all of this in disbelief, all the while faintly aware of the wet spot forming between her thighs.
Snake's penis was much larger than she would have imagined, but Bard took it all with no difficulty. At first Snake was gentle, but seeing what the chef could handle and how badly he wanted it, the footman was soon fucking his mouth with full force. His balls smacking off of Bard's chin, Snake held it in for as long as he could, and when he could take no more he exploded straight down the chef's throat.
As he pulled out he was still leaking drops of cum, which Bard wiped away with his fingers. Rising from the ground and spinning Snake around, he used his lubricated fingers to enter the footman's ass. First one, then two, all the while watching Snake's reaction. Finally he extracted his own rock-hard member, but instead of inserting it, he dragged it lightly between the other man's ass cheeks, savouring the moment.
Snake leaned heavily on the shelving, sending a few more containers crashing to the floor. He closed his eyes, halfway between agony and ecstasy, and begged of his gruff American partner, "well? What are you waiting for?"
Bard chuckled, "What is it that you want me to do?"
"Fuck me!" Snake groaned, and with that the chef entered him, a little bit deeper each time. The footman inhaled in pleasure and hung on tighter and tighter with each successive pounding. Bard reached to the front and cupped his partner's balls, finally getting a grip on his unit and milking it with his hand, all while taking the young man from behind. Snake cried out so loudly Mey-rin thought it would draw attention for sure, but if they would be discovered, then so would she, as she could not take her eyes off the men.
Bard continued to fuck harder and faster, all while working the footman's cock from the front. The entire shelving unit started to beat against the wall in rhythm with them, jars and canisters falling to the left and the right of the oblivious pair. The chef was going to come soon, and his right hand worked furiously at the younger man's shaft, right up until the point where Snake orgasmed once again, and Bard simultaneously released himself deep inside his partner.
Exhausted, they disengaged and spent a moment breathing and wiping away sweat. "You may want to get that, too" Bard said, pointing at the white splatter over last week's pickles.
Mey-rin froze. A noise from down the hall, is that Sebastian coming from the kitchen with a tray of tea and sweets? She didn't want to be caught anywhere near this scene.
Bard and Snake must have heard the noise too because in the pantry she heard excited whispers and the sound of the men quickly dressing. Even worse than Sebastian finding her would be the two of them learning of her penchant for voyeurism.
She would never have time to reach the far end of the hall, and all the other doors in this area were locked, so Mey-Rin did the only thing she could think of: She slid open the nearest window and jumped.