Same but... different (Lestappen and Carlando)

Chapter 29

POV: Charles

I wake up with a horrible headache, the light aggressive on my eyes. Last night was definitely the worst idea I ever had. The memories are all mixed in my head, but there's one thing I remember perfectly: how I fucked up and the disappointment in Max's voice.

I need to apologise a hundred times, but in order to do this correctly I need to know exactly what I did. And for that, my only hopes are to ask my brother. I decide to message him, hoping he's not too angry with me.

~ to Arthur, now ~ : on peut parler stp? J'ai vraiment besoin de savoir certains trucs... Si tu veux passer ce serait peut-être plus simple. (Can we talk pls? I really need to know a few things... If you want to come over maybe it'll be easier)

He takes a few minutes to answer, and I use that time to properly get up and dress myself. I feel like shit both mentally and physically, it's worse than the loneliness I was feeling yesterday. It's like a sickening feeling making me want to either die or crawl out of my skin.

~ from Arthur, one min ago ~ Ouais ça tombe bien moi aussi j'ai pas mal de trucs à dire, j'arrive d'ici 15 min. (Well that's good cause I also have some things to say. I'll be there in 15 min)

It's a dry and short answer. But I was expecting it, I kinda remember how pissed he was with me yesterday, it only makes sense. Still, I sigh and go to the kitchen slowly, starting to make breakfast. Maybe I can at least ease the physical hurt that way.

Once I've started sipping on my coffee cup, the door rings and I immediately go to open it. I'm faced with my brother, looking rather unpleased. I gulp and let him enter, before closing the door. This is not going to be fun.

POV: Arthur

I can't believe he had the audacity last night. I need to calm down or else I might really lose all patience left, and I don't hate my brother, I just don't like the situation I'm in because of him. I want to support him, we've always done so and it's natural, but I can't encourage this behaviour, it's unacceptable really. Just imagining how Max must feel, it makes my blood boil.

We both sit down on the couch, and he hands me a cup of coffee, placing a few biscuits on the table. It's true that I still haven't eaten anything, so maybe I'm also angrier because of this. I take the time to drink a little, waiting for Charles to start talking. After all, he is the one who asked me to come over to ask me some questions.

— Euh bon déjà... Je suis vraiment désolé pour hier, j'ai vraiment fait n'importe quoi et en plus c'était pas cool pour toi, devoir tout gérer alors que de base ça devait être pour te remonter le moral... (Hum so... First of all I'm very sorry about yesterday, I really acted like shit and in addition it wasn't cool for you, having to supervise everything while it should have been to cheer you up...), he says in an apologetic voice.

— Ah bah ça c'est sûr, si tu m'avais vendu une soirée de babysitting j'aurais surement pas accepté! (Well that's for sure, if you had sold me a babysitting evening I certainly wouldn't have said yes!), I say ironically in a bitter tone.

He looks defeated, a real sorrow look on his face. It hurts me to treat him like that, as I know he's quite sensitive, but he deserves it this time. He needs to understand the full price of his actions.

— Désolé... (Sorry...) Avant que j'essaye de m'expliquer, est-ce que tu pourrais me faire une sorte de résumé de la soirée, je veux vraiment savoir à quel point j'ai merdé... (Before I try to explain myself, could you give me like a summary of last night, I really wanna know how bad I fucked up...)

I then proceed to tell him exactly what I saw and did last night in the club that involved him. Starting from how we simply chatted and danced, to his drinking madness and finally the red-haired girl. That's when I see his face slowly change, going from a quite neutral expression to a desperate one.