Big Bruder

Chapter 2: A Secret Past

Room 190

Room 191

Room 192

Room 193

The door slammed open as Roderich came rushing in, his face flushed with color as sweat dotted his forehead, thick streams of water dripping from his chin. "Basch," he spat out, his breath growing desperate as fear seemed to grasp his words.

Basch raised his head from the luggage he had just closed. The limited light that filtered into the room came from the rays of a dull sun, shining its way through the dark curtains. Dust floated around the room as Basch got up and stalked over towards the man in glasses. "What is it this time?" he glared towards Roderich.

The fact that Roderich didn't return his glare startled him, which was how he immediately picked up something was wrong. "What is it Roderich?" Basch asked cautiously, his tone a warning within itself.

Roderich stared helplessly towards Basch, his eyes swimming with colors of dark lavenders. "Since when did you tell her?" he mumbled, small hints of anger traced within his words.

"Tell her what..." was Basch's automatic reply, but deep within he knew what Roderich was referring to and it terrified him to the core.

"Why did you tell her the truth?" he objected as he straightened up, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

Basch's gaze remained steady as the room soon plunged into a dense stillness that grew suffocating. "I'm unaware of what you're talking about," he simply replied, his tone rather meticulous.

"You lied to me," he said, louder this time. His eyes narrowed as he took another step closer towards Basch, who was still standing his ground. "You told her about her past, you said that you would make sure none of this would happen, you said-"

"Roderich," Basch hissed, shoving him backward. "From what I can see, you're the one who broke that promise, not me."

Roderich froze, standing isolated from the room, his gaze distraught as his eyebrows pinched together. He finally met Basch's eyes, merely on the verge of tears as he said, "But..."

Basch struggled to maintain eye contact as he took a breath before saying, "Roderich, when we both discussed the exchange of guardianship of Elise, you made me promise to never mention any history you had with her," he paused, the numb memory still fresh in his mind as if it were just yesterday. "And I still hold that promise to this day, so don't you dare come in accusing me of something I didn't do."

Roderich flinched, as if the event was like pulling an arrow out of one's leg.

"It was an unknown promise, Roderich. We're forbidden to speak of it."

He nodded, but made no attempt to speak as silence unfolded once again. "And then we agreed to never mention how I failed," Roderich's voice cracked as he covered his face with his hands, his glasses falling to the ground though he made no attempt to pick it back up. "How I have failed at being a proper guardian."

Basch looked away as Roderich stifled a sob. "You look pathetic, you should clean yourself up," he muttered, his words coming out harsher than he meant it.

Roderich raised his head while wiping his eyes with his handkerchief, his hair a complete mess as strands were already falling in the way of his eyes. "But Basch, she knows."

Ice flowed through Basch's veins as his heart nearly skipped a beat. "What?!" He threw a glare towards Roderich, anger finally erupting underneath his mask of calm.

Despite his minor breakdown, Roderich made no intention of backing down, though streaks of dried tears were still distinguished under the faint lamplight.