The House Master

Enigmatic

You know what the warnings are ⚠️

Is this chapter image the same drawing as the last time just with a different background? Maybe. I'm lazy, okay???

Adrian lets his head fall on the table. His headaches have been gradually lessening, but the glaring lights create a burning depth behind his eyes. "Can you turn the brightness down?"

"Of my office lights?" Blavat stares at the ceiling with wide-open eyes. He appears not to notice the tears those lights bring in his own eyes, let alone Adrian's. "No, I asked for these lights because I wanted it to be this bright,"

He seems to drift off into his mind, only brought back to the current world when Adrian falls asleep against the table.

The purple-haired lawyer's eyes widen and he shouts "Wakie wakie!"

Adrian does, and they begin working on his defence. A guilty plea for the trespassing and an innocent plea for the harsher offences - on the defence that hiding evidence was necessary until enough was gathered to ensure Mr Phantomhive's conviction.

Blavat's face lights up, highly amused by this case. "You had an elaborate little scheme here - I admire your skills,"

"What sentence will I get?" Adrian asks, too tired to play games with the lawyer he doesn't respect - not after Blavat embarrassed himself by pretending to be psychic.

"Assuming all goes to plan, perhaps a fine for trespassing. If we can get you a Youth Referral Order that'll be great, since it's a first offence... but you're over sixteen, that complicates things,"

"I'm not doing fucking community service!" Adrian squeals, suddenly concerned. Unlike William or Vincent, he cares little if he gets a criminal record and has to pay a fine. But unpaid community service under a Youth Referral Order? That sounds like torture.

"Apologies, I meant to say that was the worst case scenario," Blavat gives him a smug grin, not sounding sorry at all. "Very likely, you'll be acquitted given the circumstances. Mr Phantomhive isn't there to bring a civil charge against you and the courts don't want to waste time on trespassing ,"

Adrian looks out the window as he listens carefully, biting his lip a little. "Does that mean we're done here?"

"Indeed - however!" he pauses when Adrian starts to leave. "I'm sorry I acted like a prick on our first meeting, I'm not used to people being able to see through my disguises,"

Adrian raises his eyebrow, because surely there is a point to this.

"So if you'd let me, I'd like a chance to prove I'm worth your time,"

"Why should I? You already disappointed me," he turns back and crosses his arms over his chest.

"Why should you? Because you're interested, of course!" Blavat laughs. "You wouldn't have turned around otherwise,"

Damn, he got me. "Okay, what do you have in mind?"

"Tomorrow at the bridge - at the transition from afternoon to evening,"

Adrian rolls his eyes. "Just say six o'clock - I like solving people, not riddles,"

*