The complications of a simple question

[heirtothearcane]

"V, I was hoping to talk to you about something." Isidor had her eyes fixed on him in a sidelong look. An almost subtle examination of his expression.

"About what?" He asked, already hesitant as he sat, sliding his tea onto the table. It was hard to tell if she was about to ask something major or something extremely insignificant.

"The other day with Verity..." She started slowly and then her head tipped to one side. "What's the story with you two?"

Viatorus looked at her blankly, his head slowly shaking in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Isidor sighed and sat up, fingers splayed as she put a hand over her heart and adopted a mockingly sweet voice. "Oh Verity, of course I like you." The voice changed marginally, higher, lighter. "I really like you too, Viatorus!"

She relaxed back into her scrutinising stare and watched him frown. "What's wrong with that? We do like each other."

 "But do you like each other? Or do you like each other?" Her fingers lifted to her forehead in an exasperated motion as she asked.

Again, Viatorus looked at her blankly. "I don't understand your question."

Patience had always been her brother's virtue, never hers. Now quite fed up with gentle, dignified enquiries, Isidor's expression became one of unamused disbelief. "Do you have romantic feelings for her, V?"

Finally he understood, going bright scarlet and wide-eyed. "What?"

"The question is pretty clear."

"I-I-I don't know. No. No, we're best friends, not..." That's what Verity had continuously said, so that must be it. He scrambled for some composure. The thought completely knocked him off balance and sent his mind spiralling. "No."

Isidor, however, was unconvinced. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." He shuffled in his seat. Isidor didn't need a curse to tell that he was lying. The thought was one he'd probably never considered. It wasn't in his nature to consider it. He just wanted her to stop asking him about this, leading him to insist, "Yes, I'm sure."

"No you're not," she said bluntly. "But you need to find out. Soon. If you introduce her to our parents and they see how you act around each other... You need to be very sure."

Viatorus fell quiet, gaze flickering around to avoid hers. She was right. She was always right. He didn't want her to be. Everything was so confusing as it was. Now he had a hundred questions flooding his mind and absolutely no way of navigating through any of them.

Isidor leaned forward, her voice gaining a gentleness to it. "If you like I can talk to her." The suggestion was an appealing one and he met her eyes, wondering how good an idea it was. She adjusted herself, taking the opportunity now that she'd offered something that had gotten his attention. "I can find out what she thinks. Or at least ask her the same question that she can consider it and so that she knows it's an important one." A pause and then she adds, "I can explain to her how things work."

"No," he said immediately and firmly, his tone some cross between desperate and insistent. He started to fidget, fingernails clinking off of the mug in his hands. "Don't talk to her about it."

Isidor's gentle demeanour quickly cooled. "Then maybe you should talk to her about it. To make sure." Her tone became firm, strict. "You need to know before she meets the Archon."

"We're best friends. That's it. That's all." He sat back into his chair and almost forgot not to sink into his seat, though the urge to hide away was nearly overwhelming.

Getting away wasn't that easy. Isidor locked him in a deadly serious look. "This isn't a game, V. This isn't like the movies. Lying to me, to yourself? That's not cute. Or romantic. Or good. At all. There are consequences to being wrong about this."

"I know." His shoulders had lifted while she'd talked until he'd become hunched trying to hide from the conversation.

"Do you?"

"Yes."

Isidor went quiet, watching him for a minute while he put all this together. Only one more nudge was needed, by her reckoning. "But you're going to stay silent and hope that you're not accidentally getting her to like you as more than a friend, anyway?" She leaned back and folded her arms. "And if she does?"

"She doesn't," his voice and certainty strained against the interrogation.

"You don't know that." He frowned and looked away, so she continued. "If she does and you don't know, building her hopes without her realising it. Then when she finally tells you? You're going to have to explain everything to her." Isidor leaned closer. "She will bear her soul to you, be vulnerable and hopeful and trusting, and that is when you plan to dash those hopes and shatter those dreams? Real classy, V. Real friendship material."

"Alright!" The exclaimation came with raised open palms desperate to halt the nightmare being painted for him. "Alright! Stop it! I'll find out!"

Victorious, Isidor sat back again, relaxing once again. "Good." The conclusion had eased her mind, but her brother was far from happy. "I promise, it's best to know now. For both of you."

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"How was it today?" Isidor looked up from the report in front of her as her brother stepped out of a portal. It was still a strange sight for her, but she'd be damned if she ever let herself look bothered by it. One slender eyebrow lifted. "How is Verity?"

Viatorus sighed and ran a hand through his hair. As someone who slept as often as he did, tired was a normal look for him. Today, however, he looked particularly weary. "She's... fine. Good. Fine."

"Did you ask...?"

"No." The reply was quick and he found the energy to frown hard and disapproving. "No, I didn't ask." It wasn't what Isidor wanted to hear, but he was far too drained to argue about this. "It doesn't matter anyway. I know the answer."

That got her to hold her judgement. "Oh?"

"She thought I didn't want to be her best friend." Repeating it aloud, the ridiculousness of the idea still baffled him. "I found out how... truly incompetent I've been at being a friend." He looked over to Isidor. "I can't even get that right." Huffing a sigh, he shook his head. "We talked and it's alright now, but... You don't have to worry about 'romantic feelings'."

Isidor's thoughts drifted as she took this information in but returned sharply when Viatorus started to walk off. "Where are you going?"

He didn't stop, instead calling out to her. "The study. I'm going for a walk. I'll be a while."

The door shut behind him with a click, sealing him in his sanctuary, freedom and comfort beckoning. He eased himself into the lounger and closed his eyes, a leaf rose on his desk.