Chapter 92: Brothers, Barely

Chapter 92: Brothers, Barely
Xavier didn’t move a muscle, one foot on the threshold and the other still outside.

His gaze slowly went from Vlad to Aurelia.

“What is it?” Vlad asked, seated four chairs away from where Aurelia perched on the table.

The atmosphere was… strange.

X finally stepped in, letting the door close. “What are you two doing here?”

His eyes were filled with suspicion, and Vlad promptly decided that he would rather die than let Xavier find out that he’d just been moaning hungrily against Aurelia’s lips.

So he put on the best act of his life, shrugging a shoulder. “Talking.”

“About what?”

“What do you want, X?”

“Well, I wanted to talk to you, but I didn’t know Aurelia was here.”
Xavier looked at her again, and that was when he noticed how she was just staring into space.

At the same time, Vlad noticed and frowned. “Aurelia?”

She blinked. Slowly, she turned to look at Vlad.

As soon as she met his gaze, he tensed, trying to hide his surprise. There wasn’t much recognition in her eyes. Had it worked?
He had thought that he’d failed to erase her memories because of the kiss, but maybe he’d been wrong.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Aurelia slowly nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“Hold on,” X said. “Something feels off.” He looked at Vlad. “What did you do to her?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Vlad, I know you better than anyone.”

“Do you? Or do you wish you did?”

X tensed. Deciding to completely deflect from that blatant jab, he looked at Aurelia. “You. Are you alright? What were you two talking about?”

Aurelia smiled at Xavier, a blank look still in her eyes. “It’s great that you’re here. I wanted to ask if you know where Syre is.”

“Don’t talk about Syre while I’m standing right in front of you,” he muttered, walking over to stand before her.

Vlad clenched his jaw. Too fucking close.

X’s trousers brushed the folds of Aurelia’s skirt, and she gazed up at him. “Why? I’m supposed to go to Geminor with him.”

“You were supposed to go with me. I’m the only one smart enough to get you what you need. But, go ahead with your foolish idea that you can survive without me.”

She sighed, a tired smile on her lips. “Of course I can’t. Since you’re the air I breathe.”

He blinked.

She gravely nodded. And, with that baffling statement that left Xavier’s head spinning, she slid off the table and landed swiftly on her feet.

When she turned to look at Vlad, he still saw a blank look in her eyes. She curtsied. “I’ll take my leave now, Sir. Thank you for the advice on...” She frowned, her mind suddenly emptied of anything to complete the sentence with.

Vlad could practically see the memories evading her grasp. For some reason… it didn’t make him happy.

She no longer recalled how he’d made sweet love to her that night. He didn’t like that.

But… at least she also couldn’t remember how mean he’d been to her. Now he just had to try not to give her fresh memories of him being an asshole.

She gave up trying to remember and nodded. “I’ll take my leave, Sir.”

Then she turned on her heel and walked elegantly to the door.
As soon as she was gone and the door was shut, X turned to him.

“That line about me being the air she breathes… Was that sarcasm?”

“Took you that long to pick up on it?”

“Damn it,” X muttered, glaring at the door. “I don’t know who’s teaching her all those things.”

“Olive,” Vlad sighed. He looked at X. Nodded at a chair. “Sit.”

Xavier hesitated. “For what?”

“Didn’t you want to talk to me?”

“….oh.”

Clearing his throat, Xavier lowered himself onto the chair and steepled his hands above the glossy wood.
Vlad watched him for a moment. “What did you want to talk about?”

X pressed his lips together, eyes glancing about like he was only then searching for a topic. He was growing tenser and more awkward by the second, and Vlad silently waited.

The silence was deafening, and Xavier suddenly had the crazed urge to rush to the doors and burst out of the stifling atmosphere.
And Vlad?

Cool as a damned cucumber. X glared mildly at him and then paused, frowning at Vlad.
“Why is your hair back? You want to show more of your face lately?”

Vlad stiffened, suppressing the urge to shove his hair forward. His hand trembled, but he didn’t lift it, not wanting to lose to X’s slight provocation.

“What if I do?” he countered, frowning.

Xavier shrugged with downturned lips. “Don’t care. It’s… good.”

Vlad blinked. Xavier stared.

The room became twice as awkward.

Xavier turned away and cringed at the floor. How on earth was it possible that he and Vlad had been the closest of all their brothers? They were so awkward.

And all because of reasons they could probably work out if they weren’t both so egotistical.

The door suddenly swung open.

Gasping for air, both men sprang from their seats and turned to the door like they needed rescuing.

Seth paused in the doorway.

“Seth!” Xavier gasped, like Seth was a savior.

“Yes, X?” Seth gently said, raising a hand to brush back Xavier’s hair when his brother reached him. He eyed the two, a smile on his lips. “Were you two trying to talk? Without me having to mediate it?”

Vlad turned away, shoving his hair back over his eyes.

Seth chuckled. “I’m proud of you, guys. Have you worked things out?”

“We didn’t say a word,” X muttered in his ear, and Seth laughed even louder.

“I have to go,” X said, and he marched to the door.

Seth watched him leave and turned back to Vlad, smiling.

“We need to talk, Seth,” Vlad said as soon as the door closed. “Great that you’re here. Sit.”

“What’s it about?”

“Him.” Vlad nodded at the closed door. “And, I also need… advice. I…” He rubbed a spot on the table, unable to look at Seth. “I need advice on… a girl.”

Seth’s eyes went wide. “A… a what?”