Into The Aether

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Doctor's Lair

Once the buzzing lights evaporated around me - I finally opened my eyes. I still was not used to teleporting yet; at least not until I had done it a little more. Though, this new sight was far from an improvement. Richtofen stood leaning down as he looked deep into my face - our noses almost touching. After a few seconds, his eyes shot up to lock with mine as he stood there in silence.

The same glacial blue eyes held me in a hazy trance as we engaged in some kind of standoff. I held my ground waiting for him to speak first before he narrowed his eyes at me. It was clear he had something he wanted to say.

"Hah! Jou sheemed fine to enough to teleport vithout having to cling onto somezhing for dear life zhis time!" Richtofen noted irritatedly.

It seemed almost like he was comparing himself to Primis. Or at least comparing my behaviour towards them. As I hypothesised, he pursed his lips after he looked down at my neck.

"Jou are not vearing zhe perfume I bought jou", he snarled before pulling away.

He began pacing up and down on the other side of the small room as he awaited my excuse.

"I'm sorry, I just can't stand the smell of roses--", I began before being cut off.

"Hmph! How ridiculous, all vomen sheem to love zhe shmell of roses!" He snapped back irritatedly.

"I'm not 'all women'!", I replied bluntly but honestly.

And with that, Richtofen was now up close and personal again as he tried for the millionth time to intimidate me with his intensity.

"Mmh, ja. Jou keep reminding me of zhis", he whispered with a forked tongue as his eyes pierced through my very being.

I remained silent - ignoring his slightly flirtatious demeanour - which I knew for sure would irritate him. And right on cue, his lips began to form his signature pout.

"Are jou not surprised zhat I figured out jour ozher heritage?" He smirked, changing the subject.

"Nah, not really", I tried to say nonchalantly.

I was used to some people being able to identify my Middle Eastern features whereas some remained completely oblivious. It was all very hit and miss as I did throw most off with my complexion. Most people think of tanned, dark skinned people with black hair when they imagine Middle Eastern people.

"It is jour eyes. To zhe unrefined gentleman, zhey vould shimply shee brown - perhaps even hazel. But I shee zhe more delicate details und aspects. Zhe vay jour eyes turn zhe colour of peridot vhen zhe sun hits zhem. Yet, zhey revert back to a rich smoky quartz in dimmer lighting. Zhe full thick lashes, even zhe shape of jour eyes. Zhey are unmistakably Persian", he explained before pausing to gauge my reaction.

I remained stoic and guarded my thoughts which he noted before continuing.

"Yet, even vith such a rich heritage, jou choose to dye jour hair blonde. Do jou vish to conceal zhis shide of jourshelf? Jour roots are already telling a very different shtory. Jour dark blonde hair is very Caspian, zhey do have a fairer complexion compared to zhe south. Jou look very Caspian, I vould even go as far as shaying zhat jour family is probably from Tehran", Richtofen lectured before a triumphant smirk crept across his lips as he failed to conceal how proud he was of himself.

For once, he thought he was the detective. He was even smug enough to try and use his observations to question aspects of myself. I was completely taken aback by this sudden interest in me rather than the observations themselves. And, honestly, I did not really know how to respond. So I just remained silent and let him continue. It was evident that he was not done anyway.

"Do jou know zhe Germans und Persians vere vonce vone tribe?" He asked.

"Yes, the Indo-European Aryans. The race that your boy Adolf quite fancies", I replied sarcastically.

"Ja, und even I must admit jou are a vonderful shpecimen", he added.

"Aye, so I gathered from the notes you left me but I'm trying to just push what I read to the back of my mind, thanks", I said trying to end this line of conversation.

There was a brief silence as Richtofen obliged and did not push me further. But just awkwardly standing there was not much of an improvement - and it was clear the silence was annoying him too.

"Vell?! Don't jou have somezhing to shay? Jou did ask to come up here after all", he snapped impatiently.

He had placed one hand against the wall as he stood over me with the other behind his back. I slouched down and wriggled out of his enclosure to free myself before I walked away to give more distance between us.

I approached his desk and eyed the chaos. The desk was cluttered with papers but I was able to sit on a corner where the table surface was still visible.

"Well, I was raised right--", I said as I was cut off by an audible remark from Richtofen.

"Tch!" Richtofen scoffed before folding his arms and turning away from me.

"I was raised right -- despite your reservations on that. But I wanted to be civil and thank you properly. You really didn't need to go to all that bother--", I said before being cut off again.

"But you vanted it, right?" He interjected.

His eyes became manic as he stalked over to the desk where I was sitting.

"Well, of course. It was greatly appreciated. Back home, none of us are really used to this kind of living", I replied.

"But! I know zhere is a 'but' coming next", Richtofen interrupted.

He stood over me again - eager for my response.

"I just don't get why you would go out your way to do that for me", I finally explained.

His eyes calmed before he smiled.

"Vell, if jou must know... I shimply did it so I vould not have to listen to jour vhining zhat jou hair isn't pretty enough or zhat jou haven't 'exfoliated' recently", Richtofen snarked.

All I could do was raise an eyebrow at his sudden change in attitude - which really irritated him.

"I have entertained jour interrogation long enough. Can jou just leave now?" He snapped as he turned away waved a hand dismissively.

"I have another question", I said lowly.

This caught his attention as Richtofen swivelled around to look at me again with one eyebrow raised.

"I don't owe jou any explanation. I vill leave vhenever I vish und I vill not answer to jou vhen I do so!" He said angrily.

It was kind of scary how he knew exactly what I was about to ask but it brought a bit of a smile to my face.

"Oh, Doctor. I'm not bothered as long as you keep bringing back little gifts", I smirked sarcastically.

A large grin spread across his face.

"Oh, ja. I'm sure jou are vondering how I knew jour brassiere size", he growled as he stalked closer.

"Actually, I'm really not. And I really don't want to know your methodology behind that one", I grimaced as I turned away from him and broke eye contact.

"I think I'll go now thanks", I said quickly as I tried to get up without touching him.

He was standing right in front of me which made it difficult. Eventually, he moved aside which I took as my chance to jump up and try to figure out how to leave the projector room. In my haste, I scampered around before Richtofen gently grabbed my wrist.

"I vould really appreciate if jou vould vear zhe scent, just vonce. I know it vill grow on jou", he smiled.

Then, his face was engulfed in the same blinding light as before.

End of part thirty-two...