Brahms x Reader - After the killing

Chapter 16 - A suggestion

He starts walking but stops to look over his shoulder, as if to check that you're coming along. You get up as well and follow him out into the foyer, and up the wooden stairs.
You still haven't been in every room of this mansion, and you feel both curious and nervous about seeing the Heelshire's own private quarters. It's apparently located at the far end of the house, on the same floor as the childhood room and your guest room.
The massive wooden door is closed, but not locked.
Brahms steps inside and you follow behind. You're impressed by the sight of the large master bedroom. It seems fit for royalty, almost. On top of an elegant drawer you see a collection of picture frames with different faces looking out over the room. One of them is a family picture with Brahms as a baby. Surely that's how they wanted to preserve him in their memories. Young, helpless and completely innocent.
You stop for a second to take a closer look at the photo, examining the child's face. What ever happened to you? You wonder to yourself before you turn back around to see what the grown Brahms has found. He's standing by a large wardrobe across the room, and opens up it's creaking doors exposing a large collection of clothes. He seems a bit lost and shrugs when you give him a questioning look regarding the content.
You start to browse among the many garments and find several coats, jackets, knit sweaters and woolen scarves; the classic English nobleman's fashion. Something to wear on a golf course or garden party. Brahms sure has more of an eccentric artist feel about him though, you think. You pull out a black woolen trench coat.
You show it to him, and he takes it from you and tries it on. There's no denying to yourself that he looks good in it. Or well, his body does. You wouldn't really know about the face.
He automatically shoves his hands deep down the pockets of the coat.
You suspect he feels a bit strange about looting his father's belongings. After they left for good, not being able to 'bear what they had allowed him to become'... Seemingly something so horrible not even his parents could stand it.
"It looks great." You say and surprise yourself a little. One part of you tells you to be careful and watch out, and another just...
"Do you think so?" Brahms asks.
You nod. There's something telling you that you're safe with this lunatic, here and now. Maybe safer than you've been with anyone else.
"Definitely. Do you see any shoes in there?" you ask. Brahms looks around the closet and picks up a pair of brown dress boots. He looks at them before he puts them on the floor and compares the size next to his right foot. It's obvious that they're not going to fit.
"You need bigger ones I'm afraid." You say. He puts the shoes back on their shelf and looks at you.
"How?" he asks.
He can't go anywhere, and you can't ask Malcolm for help since he shouldn't find out about Brahms. You might have to go into town yourself and get some different sizes for Brahms to try out at home. But would you even dare suggest that?
"How about I call a taxi, and go to town for your sake?" you ask carefully.
You know very well that one of the ten rules were to never leave Brahms alone. Ever. But on the other hand, you're not sure the two of you are even following the rules anymore, since Brahms has already left the house to play violin in the garden. He looks at you in silence and you can almost sense the conflict in him.
"You'll leave." he states in a tense voice.
"For a while. Not forever." You tell him calmly.
"I don't want you to." He says hastily. "I'll be alone."
"But I want you to be able to go outside at some point, don't you want to?" You remind him. He stares at you through the eyeholes in his mask with an intense look. You hold your breath and swallow.
"Think about the things we'll do outside. You could take me for a walk, or show me the garden." You suggest to make him feel easier.
"I could." He says after a while. "I'd like to."
"Me too." you say.
You don't even know what exactly you're doing, or why. What's the plan here? To stay and live out your days in this house with a masked killer? You hear how the words in your mind sound insane, but they don't quite feel insane. Maybe this house is driving you nuts. Anyone would take this opportunity to leave and never come back.
"If I go, is there anything else, something you'd want me to get for you?"
"Just come back." He says quickly and then adds, rather a command than a wish; "Promise."
"I promise, Brahms. You know I do." You tell him.
He looks at you in silence.
"I can't wait to walk with you." He then says quietly.
You smile at him, before you make your way downstairs to call a taxi. All while you have a strange feeling that this went way too easy.