A Final Knowledge
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Despite Cain's flirtatious disposition, in his few romantic adventures so far, he's never been intimately involved with a lady... physically.
Riff believes he would know this, as Cain never leaves his sight for long. Even on the occassions when Cain has been away on a days-long visit, he has made sure he knows whatever is happening around his master, and more importantly, what the mischievous young man is doing.
Cain has never let anyone else see his bare back.
The fact gives Riff a pleasant feeling of exclusive pride, but he can't help but worry that his young master will never be able to develop a deep relationship with any lady he should come to love. From the trend up to date, it's hard enough simply keeping them on Cain's side, alive.
Riff glances at Cain's sleeping form on the couch beside him, and his contemplation takes a completely different turn.
How easy it will be for him to take Cain for himself, with the level of trust that his master gives him. Aside from Riff, only Miss Merry has a significant place in Cain's heart, and still, Cain keeps secrets from that beloved sister of his, albeit with the sole intention of protecting her.
Cain is by no means defenseless, but the very totality and finality of his trust in Riff tells the butler that Cain himself is not aware of this - of how dangerous Riff can be to him. Otherwise, he would be wary of Riff just as he as a child was wary of his father, and it would contradict the trust itself.
Of course, Riff has no way of knowing whether Cain has a bottle of poison privately prepared for him, too.
But as he stares at the sleeping child beside him, so young, so bare, he thinks again of how easy it will be to take Cain for himself, to protect and to keep and to sate his own love and desire.
It is only that Riff knows he will never do that. So does Cain.
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Author Notes:
My special thanks to Dragna Vey, yume and Gackt no Hime for reviewing my first Count Cain fic, if you're reading this. ^_^ And hugs for ChibiRisu-chan for your review and your hard work that enable me to read Count Cain at all. The translation was indeed well done and touching! ^__^