For Family Or Love?

Being Understood

Lupin's POV:

"Answer the questions, prince." I told him, my voice calm.

"See, the thing is, why would I do that? We might be blood, and you might be the head of-"

I stopped him. "I am, and we are. I don't care what you want to do. This is what you will do. No questions asked."

I didn't have time for him. I still had to get ready for the ball. This guy was ready to play games, and I wasn't.

"Oh, yes, the winter ball. The one right after Christmas and right before the new years. Not to mention the afterwords New Year's party." He smirked. "I know all about that. So, brother, how is our mother doing?"

I kept going. For who knows how long honestly. I know I'm late though.

"Damnit!" I yelled in anger.

No matter how much I hurt him he won't say anything. Maybe I should take a different approach? Nah. That's not me.

Well, at least I know that I get my attitude from my mother's side.

This is torture. Literally. I have to go, and this guy isn't responding to any of my methods. Lupus would be able to, though.  He would have been done. Gotten everything he needed and more.

"Sir, maybe you should get someone else to do it. You are already late to the ball." Jackson said.

I looked at the short guy in front of me. Jackson Kelpt. A guy I met when I was 9. He was 13 by then. He knew my brother. Not well, but better than a regular outsider. Jackson doesn't like to be called Jack or any other nickname, just Jackson. I don't know why, but I also don't care enough to ask about it. We're not friends and I don't trust him with my life, but he's smart and good at helping with stuff like money.

Looking at him now, at the age of 17, almost 18, it's like I'm looking at an adult. Look wise at least. He's still very childish. But he's easy to hang around with. A fun guy when needed.

"Nah, I don't need to." I said.

And it's true. I'll go to her house to meet her. Maybe I'll even make it there. Unlikely though.

——————————

We sat there. Just looking at one another. Waiting for the other to say something. I realized my mother wouldn't want to to torture her child, so I'm not. I'll get her clarity.

But it's not going as I had planned. We're not talking. He's looking at me with a very creepy curiosity. And I don't like it.

"So.." I was finally able to say. "How about this, you ask, I answer, then the other way around. Back and forth?"

He smiled. "That sound good."

I breathed a sigh of relief. I don't know why exactly, but I did.

"What was it like?" He started. "To have her as a mom, I mean."

Whoa. He jumped right into it. I mean understandable, but damn.

"Well- it was different. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good. She had an obvious favorite. My older brother, Lupus. She wasn't really a good mother to me, but she was around more than my father. It was hard, when she-" I stopped myself. When did they go missing again? How old were they?

"When she has her episodes? Yeah, I remember those. They were scary when I was a kid. She didn't have them often but when she did they were bad. Really bad." He said softly.