Villains & Beasts

13. old times

Chapter 13: old times.

“What are you doing here?” Victor doesn't have to lift his eyes from the crusty pages to know who's standing behind him, his older cousin has many talents but sneaking on someone isn't one of them. Yet, he doubts Elijah is trying to sneak up on him since he's the one breaking into his study.

“Can't a man miss his cousin?” a deep chuckle leaving his throat, Victor spins around in his chair, acknowledging the greying man with a nod.

“You only miss me when you need me or need to make fun of me, so cousin” Opening the second button of his ridiculously expensive suite, Elijah drops the medical files he was holding onto to the desk and leans against it. “Which one is it?” he nudges the later by bumping his knee.

“I'm wondering how you know me so well when all you do is hide in this man cave!” Victor's sarcasm is accentuated by his dramatic hand slam to the chest.

“You are not that mysterious, Vicky! Don't forget that I practically raised your sorry ass!” the amusement adorning Victor's vanishes, both at the nickname he grew to hate and the reminder of his lack of parental guidance, to the point where his cousin had to step in multiple times and make sure he doesn't go down a dark path.

If not for Elijah, he would've never agreed to marry a stranger. Back then, he was determined to go down the destructive path of impressing Malcolm, even if it meant using dark magic, even if it meant losing himself.

“Not that nickname!” He grits to his teeth, none of his previous playfulness displayed on his face.

“Ah,” rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest, Elijah gives his famous all-knowing look. “You only hate when I call you that when you are having Malcolm trouble because he gave you the nickname!”

“I came here bearing good news but looks like you don't need them..” standing up to leave, Victor is met with Elijah's palm, pushing him back into the annoyingly comfortable chair.

“What news?”

“News about my nephew's whereabouts...” it's Elijah's turn to be annoyed when the other speaks so nonchantly with a shoulder shrug as if this is simple news.

“Victor, I swear if this-” Elijah starts to threaten, his eyes no longer kind and fatherly but an ocean of wrath and instability. An accurate reflection of his trembling hands and the numbness running through his limbs like wild fires.

“It's not El! I was investigating a new lead before Milo crashed into our lives with the Toby news,” and now matter how hard Victor tried to play it cool, the mere mention of that name sent the choking lump down his throat, a fresh wound cannot heal with denial but when life keeps kicking things your way, you improvise.

And Victor knows how to improvise. He does it all the time, going into heartbreak land won't solve his problems.

“Before you start, I didn't want to tell you unless I was sure and I wasn't. There's no point in giving you hope when it's a dead end, but I saw something in Milo's memories and it confirms my suspicions. Again, I had to make sure it's the real deal and now I'm coming to you because I'm finally ready to take you to your son!”

One beat.

Two beats.

Count is lost.

An awkward silence installs over them when Elijah's unblinking face starts to give Victor the creeps. Years ago, when Elijah saved the later from a very stupid expedition that would've gotten him executed by law, he promised to repay him by finding his son. Elijah simply laughed it off and never took him seriously but he was one determined Montgomery. Never left a rock unturned, the task wasn't easy and he went through Elijah's life with a comb but every hope he had, every lead was a dead end.