He just wanted to growl at both of them at this point. Yes, he was crippled and it took a lot of effort just to not fall asleep at any given moment with his full belly, but as Marquise sat in the tub, waiting silently as the water began to fill up, he couldn't stop wishing that his wolf would lend him its voice for just a few darn seconds. 

Whether it was the heir-sire bond, or just the guy's sweet personality in general, he wasn't sure, but he knew that he would do anything to make the guy happy. However, evidently, his patience had limits. 

Taru and lord Kova have been arguing for nearly twenty minutes on who was going to wash him, and the few times he'd tried to get a word in, they'd completely ignored him. Although, that was probably because his voice was terribly weak and barely audible, but that wasn't the point!

I wonder if they'll noticed if I fall over and drown? 

"What are you two doing?" 

Oh... no. 

Marquise immediately looked away, not wanting to risk triggering any kind of response like the pull he had with Taru. He was more than happy nuzzling against the younger vampire once in a while, but he refused to even consider intentionally moving closer to the elder one, even if it were just an inch. 

Besides, Vrasje had said right off the bat that he didn't want him bothering him and that he was only helping to change him into a vampire so that his heir wouldn't be upset. 

I'm more than happy to leave you completely alone, so please move along... unless you plan to remove these two so that I can finally scrub all of this grime off of myself. 

Finally seeming to have heard someone, both vampires turned their attention toward the doorway, then Taru stuttered as Kova gave a respectful, silent nod. 

"M-master, I'm sorry if we disturbed you. We just had a disagreement and have been struggling to solve it," Taru said as Marquise heard him hurry toward Vrasje. 

"From what I could hear as I was walking down the hall, you're fighting over who will wash the mutt," Vrasje said, making Marquise scowl at the wall. 

He couldn't argue, though. He definitely was a weird combination of things now. 

Wouldn't I technically qualify as a zombie, too? I've got the rot going on and I look like I'm already dead. 

He wasn't exactly sure if zombies even existed, but he did fancy reading horror quite a bit, and in a world that had vampires and werewolves, surely there was at least a tiny bit of extra room for some other odds and ends, right? 

"Then it's decided. I'll do it. Both of you have other things to tend to, anyways," Vrasje said, making Marquise pause, then turn sheet-white. 

He stayed facing the wall even as he heard the two people he thought would drive him crazy exit the now-steamy room, leaving him alone with the one person who didn't want to have anything to do with him again. 

"Well? Are you really so incapable that you still can't clean yourself with your own hands?"  

How did you end up with such a sweet heir like Taru? You deserve a drunken old man with a vocabulary of only curse words and the scent of a dying skunk. 

Fighting back the urge to shake his head disapprovingly, Marquise, instead, slowly turned around in his seat, then reached a hand up out of the water that had stopped filling around his midsection. 

His hand shakily managed to wrap its fingers around one of the three bars of soap nearby, but it took nearly all of his focus to actually hold the item, then bring it closer to himself. 

He was honestly a bit surprised that it wasn't harder to keep his eyes averted from the other man, but he also had a feeling that it might get much more challenging if he didn't take it seriously, so he didn't dare look up. 

"I can do it," he eventually rasped, then coughed a few times, making the soap slip from his unsteady fingers and disappear beneath the water's surface. 

 A deep sigh that was likely accompanied by an eyeroll was heard to his left before the sound of clothing rustling began. 

Wait...

More clothing-related sounds met his ears, making him finally sneak a peek toward the other man. 

 Why are you naked?!

"What's that look for? Do you honestly think that I'm going to get into a bathing tub fully clothed?" Vrasje asked as he slowly began descending the steps into the warm bath. 

You could at least leave your undergarments on! 

Exasperated and, quite frankly, becoming more exhausted by the moment, Marquise returned his attention to the soap he had dropped, but the moment he began leaning forward to retrieve it, his vision began to darken and blur. 

"Alright, alright. Just behave and don't drown yourself," Vrasje grumbled as he promptly shoved Marquise back into his seat right before the tip of his nose could dip beneath the surface. 

Unable to do much about the man's stubborn determination, Marquise slowly leaned his head back and was actually surprised to find that a few towels had somehow found their way right where he needed them to be to not strain his neck. 

Vrasje was just as curt and quick as he had been the first time he'd helped clean him up with Taru, but he was at least thorough and careful around his more severely-rotted areas. He also scrubbed his hair down to the roots, getting all of the grime that had built up. 

It actually took the man quite some time to clean him correctly, but considering that Taru had really just wiped him with damp rags a few times, it probably shouldn't have been too surprising. 

"Jesus, alright. I'm going to turn you around now, can you lift your arms up over the edge?" Vrasje asked. 

Marquise gave a quiet hum in response, because honestly, he'd been dozing nearly the entire time. Once he was sure that Vrasje wasn't interested in torturing him, that is.  

"I'm going to take that as an okay to turn you, but also that you're probably not awake enough to complete the arm task," the elder vampire said as he gently grabbed Marquise's waist just beneath the water and quickly but carefully turned him around until he was kneeling on the seat. 

The man's assumption had been correct that he just didn't have any energy remaining to lift his arms more than a few inches out of the water. 

"Darn dog," Vrasje mumbled as he grasped both of Marquise's elbows and easily lifted both arms out of the water. 

The moment his arms were set on the edge of the floor Marquise grinned sleepily and wrapped them around the small stack of towels he'd already rested his cheek on, then sighed contently. 

"Enjoying yourself?" Vrasje asked, his tone nonplussed as he began working on cleaning Marquise's lower half. 

He didn't get very far before he gave out a frustrated huff and grumbled, "this clearly isn't going to work." 

Hmm? 

Marquise was just about to snuggle into the towels a bit more when he was suddenly lifted right out of the water and placed on top of that stack of towels!

He definitely woke up a bit with that abrupt action. 

"Behave," Vrasje repeated as he held him still until he stopped trying to curl up and warm himself. 

"You're a vampire. Get used to being cold, because you're never going to be warm again," he said sternly, but with just the slightest hint of sympathy to soften the blow. 

Marquise gave him a pathetic scowl that quickly morphed into a tired frown when the man actually laughed at him!

Well, it was just a quick chuckle, but still.

"I try to pretend to care the slightest fraction and you give me such a sour face," Vrasja said as he reached up and, before giving Marquise's sluggish brain enough time to verbally respond, began scrubbing the hell out of his lower half. 

It was awkward, at first, but the man really was completely focused on cleaning him up. It didn't matter where his hands touched. He didn't hesitate, skimp on attention, nor waste time on areas that were already fine with just a brush of soap. 

Marquise tried to stay still, but after about ten minutes he began to sway on the stack of towels in between shivers. Even giving his head a shake to try and wake up couldn't save him from falling forward off the small stack of towels.  

He was caught, thankfully, but the cold chest he landed against didn't exactly help the chills currently running up and down his spine.   

Grumbling, he tried to squirm his way free, but in all honesty he most likely just looked like a tired, wiggling worm. 

He stopped struggling rather quickly once he was lowered back into the warm water. He settled on the seat he'd used previously and was just beginning to relax again when he felt a cold hand press against his forehead.

Will you stop already? Your hand feels like ice!

But that hand didn't stop. Instead, it lowered to press against against his right cheek, then moved even farther south until it rested against the faint pulse in his throat. 

Vrasje leaned closer as he tilted Marquise's chin up slightly, clearly looking for something. When he didn't seem to find what he wanted, he scowled and looked toward the doorway. 

"Why is he still alive, Kova?" 

The creepy elder is back? 

Before Marquise could even care enough to turn his head and look, he jumped slightly when a flame suddenly roared to life in Vrasje's hand that had been lifted up close to his face. 

"He's still got color in his cheeks and his body is somewhat warm. The heartbeat I can understand, as some vampires end up needing it on a continuous basis instead of just during strenuous times, but..." 

His words trailed off as the fire dimmed, then went out completely. 

"How much blood was he fed today?"  

"Taru gave him a reasonable amount, but then he asked for human food," Kova said as he crossed his arms and leaned against the doorjamb calmly, the motion finally drawing Marquise's attention. 

Vrasje didn't look pleased, but he thankfully didn't take out his frustration on him, either. Instead, he simply sighed and removed his hand from beneath Marquise's jaw. 

"How much did he eat?" he asked after a few moments of silence. 

"Taru brought a serving of each cooked meal made by the servants today. I believe it was chicken and dumpling soup and beef stew," Kova replied. 

Vrasje's brow furrowed as he stared confusedly at Marquise. He probably should have looked away instead of turning his head back ot face him, but he just didn't even care anymore. 

Now that his body was finally clean and his stomach was still working hard on digesting his previous large meal, all he wanted to do was sleep. 

Seeing that they were going to get nowhere questioning him, Vrasje turned and unplugged the tub, then had Kova bring him a small bucket. He used that to rinse off Marquise once the dirty water had drained away, then used it for himself before setting it aside and taking the large towel Kova had retrieved. 

"He doesn't seem to like you very much," Vrasje said nonchalantly as he gently grasped Marquise's jaw with the towel and turned his head so that he was no longer glaring at the other elder vampire. 

Oops...

He hadn't even realized he'd been giving the guy a dirty look. 

Kova gave a quiet humph in response, making Vrasje chuckle as he began to dry Marquise's damp body. 

"My shy little heir has finally gotten used to you being around him more often now that you have studied dozens of medical texts in order to speak with him on a subject he loves, and now he's gone and gotten himself a guard dog that doesn't like you," he said with humor to his words as he finished drying Marquise's shaggy mop of hair. 

"Hmm, this definitely needs cut," he said as he tugged on a long strand of uneven hair, then flicked it aside and carefully helped Marquise to his unsteady feet. 

He didn't even bother trying to help him walk, which was a good idea, because it would have been comical and an absolute failure. Instead, he quickly secured a towel around his own waist, then allowed Marquise to lean against him as he fastened a soft towel around him, then lifted him up into his arms. 

"He's actually not that bad looking. It's a shame that his body has deteriorated so badly because of the silver," Vrasje said as he watched Kova walk back toward the door. 

Once out of the tub, he followed him, but as the other man turned to the left, Vrasje paused and turned to watch him. 

"You know, if Taru does eventually decide to accept being courted by you, you'll have to care for his heir, too. Whether it's a dog or not," he said, surprising Marquise a bit. 

He actually wanted to see what expression the other man wore on his face in response, but he was too tired to bother opening his eyes again. Instead, he waited in the silence that followed before he heard Kova simply turn and walk away. 

They must have spoken telepathically... or he's just that much of a snob.  

Right as the elder vampire's footsteps faded another familiar set hurried toward them from the other direction. 

"Master!" 

Taru...

Right before the man could stop beside them Vrasje began walking back toward where Taru had just come from. Having no other choice, Taru quickly turned and followed after him. 

"Thank you for cleaning him up for me, master. He looks much better and I'm sure that he feels better, too," he said as a soft, warm blanket was slipped over Marquise's shoulders as Vrasje slowed for only a moment. 

"I can take him now," Taru said a moment later. 

To both their surprise, however, Vrasje just shrugged him off as they began ascending the stairs. 

"I'm already carrying him. I'll just bring him back to your room. You've already changed all of the bedding, correct?" he asked right before Taru's footsteps paused abruptly, making Vrasje slow to a stop, then turn slightly to look over his shoulder. 

"This is the person that you have chosen to carry on your ideals and vampiric identity. Will you not even show him the courtesy of fresh linen after going through so much already?" he said, his voice actually sounding the slightest bit disapproving. 

Taru stuttered for a few moments as words failed him, then he hurried up the stairs to amend his mistake. 

Marquise expected Vrasje to remain silent as they finished ascending the steps, then headed down the hall, but he actually gave his back a light pat as he spoke quietly a few moments later. 

"Do forgive my foolish heir. He cares too much, and sometimes gets distracted from the simpler things that need tended," he said, making Marquise give a quiet hum in agreement. 

He didn't think that he could ever be upset with Taru. His instincts were already hardwired to accept the man exactly the way he was. It was strange for him, especially since he was an alpha previously, but he decided to simply take whatever changes came his way in stride. 

At least I don't feel any kind of pull towards Vrasje, thankfully. 

"Good, because I don't want to have to de—"

A long, awkward silence stretched out between them until Taru returned to retrieve him. This time, Vrasje didn't say a single word and simply handed him off, then turned and walked away. 

"Did... something happen while I was gone?" he asked, dumbfounded.

When Marquise didn't respond, because he really just wanted to pretend that he was already asleep, Taru sighed and turned back around. 

"Let's just get you back to bed before anything else strange happens." 

Please.