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“But why are you here?”
The desperation that resounded in Barok’s voice grew with each refrain.
Seated at the grand dinner table, in his habitual spot to the left of the head, was his brother’s former partner, confidant, and conveniently, his killer. Illuminated by an extravagant chandelier, shadows danced across the man’s figure, casting him in a mysterious light; ever-changing, uncanny.
Lost in the quiet, Barok’s eyes flitted around, eventually settling on Genshin’s left hand with deep focus.
His staring did not go unnoticed. Genshin folded his fingers together, hesitated, and finally said —
“… You were the only one I could think of to turn to.”
Barok reared back, his left arm flying wildly through the air and knocking into everything within reach. Genshin winced as a stack of legal tomes slipped off the sideboard, then lunged forward in an attempt to save the wine bottle and crystal chalices that followed. Barok reacted slower, only jolting into motion once Genshin had all but landed on the ground in front of him. Between the two of them, the lot of breakables survived Barok’s unintentional fit intact.
Genshin busied himself with settling the valuables against the softness of his body, so tenuous was his grip on the many stems; he’d caught the bottle by the neck, sandwiched between his index and middle fingers, and it dangled precariously, inches from the tile.
Barok could take it from him to ensure its safety. Barok still refused to approach him. He held himself at an angle, placing chalices down in a row, one-by-one, while he watched Genshin labour over his own undertaking out of the corner of his eye.
“You have yet to provide me with a satisfactory explanation,” Barok settled on, “for your sudden presence here. Now, after all this time.”
“What else is there for me to say?” Genshin wondered quietly. Distracted by the glassware as he was, he was blind to the coming storm, unprepared to soothe Barok’s growing outburst, and so it would hit like a torrent—
“You…! You- you killed my brother! And yet, you-! You… you would come to me, Genshin…?” What had started as an angry shout trailed off into a broken, half-whispered cry. By the end of it, Barok was hardly holding himself together, a decade’s worth of anger peeled back to reveal the full extent of grief and isolation-induced damage he’d buried upon losing his dearest companions.
Genshin stared up at him, wide-eyed. The lone wineglass remaining in Barok’s hand slipped, and it shattered between them.
“Don’t you hate us both?” Barok whispered.
“Hate you?” Genshin’s voice was bleak. “What ever gave you that idea?”
“What, you ask,” Barok scoffed, the softness fading from his demeanour. “Only how you took my brother’s life.”
“No,” Genshin asserted. “To your first- I may have, but… It’s quite the opposite from what you’re thinking… Barok.” Genshin was firm in his denial. He punctuated the point by setting down the bottle next to a neat arrangement of chalices, in the shape of a pyramid. The way Klimt had once entertained himself with arranging their glassware in his infrequent spare time.
Again, Barok faltered.
Genshin set to tidying the mess of glass between them next.
“What are you- leave it be, Genshin.” Barok frowned, stepping over. Genshin hissed, and dropped a large shard. Without a second thought, Barok dropped to his knees and took Genshin’s hand in his, checking for damage.
“You’ve gone and cut yourself,” Barok fussed. Gently, he turned Genshin’s palm over, slowing as his eyes were caught once again on a mark that stood out next to Genshin’s fingers. When Genshin made to remove his hand, Barok tightened his grip.
“You’re bleeding,” he said, mouth grim, lips downturned.
Turning Genshin’s palm back towards him, Barok proceeded to do the unthinkable.
Genshin’s breath caught in his throat as Barok’s lips pressed against his skin, something wet lapping at the stinging flesh before he sucked the wound into his mouth. While his tongue worked, Barok’s fingers felt at the scar that traced Genshin’s knuckles.
All too quickly, Barok withdrew, pulling a handkerchief from his inner pocket and pressing it to his lips. He left a spot in his wake, and his lips came away stained red.
“That’s all the glass, I believe,” Barok said. As though he’d suddenly grown conscious of his own actions, his ears flushed brightly, and he quickly got to his feet, as though he was the one with glass digging into his knees.
“Thank you,” Genshin offered around the lump in his throat. Barok, never meeting his eyes, nodded.
“Leave the glass be,” he repeated. “The servants will see to the mess.”
“Of course.”
“I won’t… I won’t have you hurt yourself on my behalf again,” Barok muttered, turning away.
“…… Barok?”
Any further conversation was cut off by Kazuma sweeping into the room. He couldn’t take his eyes off of his father, even as he addressed Barok.
“I hope you’re not discussing any alternate accommodations. Of course he’s staying here. My Lord.” Kazuma tacked on the title as an afterthought.
“I never said he wouldn’t be.” Barok, exhaustion writ into the lines of his visage, rubbed at his brow. The dynamic between him and his apprentice — though long settled and worn into a rut — still taxed at the best of times.
Genshin glanced between the both of them, uncertain.
“Kazuma?” he ventured.
“It’s alright, Father.” Kazuma’s eyes were bright as he turned to him. Hope shone from every feature. He’d never looked so dazzling. Barok slipped out of view, so as to allow the father and son to interact in peace. No matter his gripes, he knew what it felt like to yearn for a reunion with a loved one. “Not to worry. I’ll prepare your rooms straight away.”
He marched away immediately, humming a strange tune as he went.
“Hm,” came Barok’s voice from behind Genshin. Genshin’s eyes flicked to the side. “He’ll be rather put out to hear his efforts were unnecessary.”
“…”
“You mustn’t look so stricken, please.” Barok preempted any objections with a raised hand. “I shall not put you out on the streets. Not to mention, your son would never stand for such a thing.” Barok’s heels resonated against the stone walls as he paced. “… As I recall, you never slept alone once while you were visiting us.”
He came to a halt in front of Genshin, and brushed the tip of his glove against Genshin’s cheek. He murmured to him quietly.
“I’ll be waiting.”
Barok turned on his heel and vanished down the corridor, Genshin’s stare boring into his back. The clinking of his boots could be heard on the stairs long minutes later.