"Yes, sir." Calvin agreed softly. Not the rote affirmative he was so used to giving as a servant, this time. His yes was softer, more contemplative, and home to more than a little pain. It was ceregwyn, he remembered half-sobbing to Robor LaRouche the night he'd finally broken things off with Adelaide. It was supposed to be–– He dug the nails of one hand into the heel of his hand to stave off the memory. It was both a blessing and a curse, knowing that love like that existed. It was one of the great tragedies of the Faith, maybe all of Aurellian culture, really. The knowledge that such a love existed and that not everyone would experience it. But the love of the gods is unending and unconditional, Calvin reminded himself. And all of us receive it joyfully.
When the master slipped below the water, Calvin watched, keeping on the bubbles he could just see breaking on the surface. It wasn't until nearly two minutes had passed that he began to grow concerned, and just before the master's head bobbed up again, Calvin crept from his chair to kneel next to the tub, peering over its lip in concern. Never leave the master alone for too long.
But he buoyed himself up again, and Calvin couldn't help but sigh softly in relief, though he was suddenly very conscious of how near he was to the master's wet, oil-shined face. He straightened up a little to create more distance, though he didn't rise to his feet entirely. It felt wrong to tower over him that way. "Robor LaRouche would say that you gave him what for and should make no apologies," he offered. "If that's any help."
Slowly, softly, he reached out a hand, ungloved for now, given his earlier work with testing the temperature, and stroked the curve of his palm, lightly and just once, through Master Rosier's wet hair. "Thank you," he said, his voice low and so grateful, despite all the literal red he couldn't help but be jittered by. "For standing up for me. Sir. For... us. The staff." He let his hand rest briefly on the lip of the tub then, thinking better of it, half-rose and reclaimed his place in his chair. "You didn't have to do that for us, and you did. We are grateful. I am grateful."