- 2 -

With the breakfast tray clasped firmly in her hands, Candy used her foot to gently knock on the door of the Master's bedroom.

She waited dutifully for a response. When she didn't hear one, she took it upon herself to enter the crimson room quietly.

He's still asleep, she smiled as she tiptoed over to his bedside table. Candy carefully placed the tray on the nightstand, and sat on the edge of her Master's bed, gazing at his sleeping form.

Silver hair splayed across the red, satin pillow, a perfectly sculpted upper body lay half-exposed under the lopsided sheets, and his perpetually pensive face looked relaxed in his fitful slumber. The combination was enough to make Candy blush a little. He was gorgeous.

Without thinking, she reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair out of his face letting her hand linger on his cheek. Slowly, a jade eye fluttered open followed by a saffron one. Immediately, Candy became aware of her hand and quickly removed it from its resting place. "Good morning, Master," hands now in her lap, Candy gave him her usual chipper greeting to cover the embarrassment.

'Master'? Oh, right, that was him. Eyes still filled with sleep, Lysander looked at his maid dreamily. Her perfect posture, and long, ash blonde hair elegantly braided to one side, she was so prim and proper around him. She had been working for him for over a year, but he secretly wished she would drop the formalities.

Continuing to study her, his eyes fell on her face. Candy was a heterochromiac like he was; they shared a green eye, but in place of his sunrise colored eye, she had one the color of sapphires and cool, ocean waters. But it was the soft curve of her smile that he loved to wake up to in the morning. It energized him, and made his crush on her grow slightly with each passing day. She was gorgeous and he couldn't deny it. He secretly wished she could more than just his maid, but he didn't want to pressure her into anything. He often wondered if she was attracted to him, too...was there any harm in testing the waters?

Retrieving the hand she had retracted, he kissed the side of it as gently as a lover would have. "Good morning, Candy," he responded as he released her hand and sat up in bed. "Is my breakfast ready?"

"Y-Yes, of course," her cheeks were warm from his uncharacteristic move, so she took the opportunity to get his plate as an excuse to turn her face.

"Thank you."

She nodded and awaited his first bite; she wanted to see if he was pleased with her work. To her chagrin, however, he stopped mid-bite.

"What is it, Master?" Candy inquired apprehensively. "Does the food displease you?"

He flashed her devilish smile, "No, I am sure it will please me. But do you know what would please me even more?"

"How can I be of service?"

"Feed it to me." He said simply.

"W-what?" Candy could feel heat increasing in her cheeks. Even if it was only the two of them, it still made her feel silly. Lysander's small smile grew infinitesimally at her responsive blush. He decided to test her. "Will you disobey me, Candy?"

"N-no, I...I won't." She took the utensil from his hand, forked up a bit of food, and poised it in front of his mouth. He chuckled and turned his head away from it.

"He-ey!" Candy let out a frustrated sigh. "First, you make me feed you, and then you refuse to eat it?" Lysander chuckled again. "Those eggs need a little garnish."

Candy dipped the bit of omelet into the little mound of ketchup resting on the side of the plate. "Alright, now, eat it." He still refused with that smile still playing on the corner of his beautiful lips.

"I won't," he refused the food again.

"Why not? You said the flavor did not displease you…"

"Can't I tease you a bit every now and then?"

Unwillingly, Candy's heart fluttered at his question and made her face turn an even deeper shade of red. She knew she would have to really embarrass herself to get him to stop. Gritting her teeth, "Come on, Master, say 'aaah'…"

"Aw, you are no fun, Candy," urging her to say it again with more feeling. Unable to repeat herself, Candy pushed the fork of food closer to his mouth, willing him to eat it.

Turning what was amused saffron and jade gaze into a smoldering one, instead of saying 'aaah' like he was at a doctor's appointment, he let out something closer to a heady moan just before taking the fork in his mouth and claiming the food. Candy's abashed face was now as crimson as her master's duvet.

Expression reverting back to the amused one, Lysander smiled as he chewed. "Delicious as always, Candy."

"You are not always this difficult…" she muttered as she poised another forkful in front of his mouth.

Because she could not bear to continue looking him with such a shameful expression, she turned her head as he took another bite; some of the ketchup on that bit missed his mouth.

"Oh, dear. You missed. Now you'll have to wipe this off."

Candy reached for the neatly folded napkin on the side of the breakfast tray and was about to clean his face when he grabbed her arm.

One last push, "I meant with a kiss," he said as he leaned in a dangerously close. Entranced, Candy parted her lips slightly in anticipation. He leaned in in an attempt to close the distance, but Candy came to her senses and stood abruptly.

"Please accept my sincerest apologies, Master, but I have many other duties that I must attend to." She placed the fork back onto the tray, "Please, enjoy your breakfast and ring the bell if there is anything more you desire." She bowed deeply, and turned on a heel to exit the room. She could hear an amused chuckle amidst the clanking of silverware as she closed the door silently behind her.

Once she was couple of inches away, she slumped against the wall, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. How unusually cruel of him...to play with my emotions like this.

Lysander's teasing was not only unexpected, but also out of character for the master Candy thought she knew. Maybe he is just becoming more comfortable with me, came a fleeting thought as she rose from the floor.

The more she dwelled on his past actions, the more her heart began to race. No, I can't develop feelings for him…they would only be unrequited, she repeated to herself

Well, there was not much more time for her to dwell on her master's morning antics because there was still so much more work to be done around the house.