Julien continued watching Theia as the night dragged on.
What else could he do?
Maintaining his distance while occasionally succumbing to brief conversation with the others in the house, he stole glances as she wandered around doing one thing or the other.
Whether it was bringing the tourtie out, engaging in dog-related small talk with Lannon and Andrew, or seeing some of the employees home to spend time with their own families, he wasn't sure if she was actually busy like Loretta, or if she was simply keeping herself distracted like him.
Looking down at his plate which had gone slightly cold during his brooding, he sighed.
This isn't going well.
Poking at a carrot at the edge of his plate, he lifted it to his mouth before pausing as a series of increasingly heated whispers entered his ears. Turning his head, he saw Theia engaged in a hushed but heated conversation with Irina, a strained smile on her face as she tried to maintain decorum.
Chewing slowly, he narrowed his eyes.
Irina…
She was at ease, as though whatever conversation they were having was the least of her worries, but he knew that couldn't be true. No matter how neutral she pretended to be, she of all people wasn't someone that could ignore it if the rest of their family came calling.
To put it simply, she was here for a reason.
The only question was what that was.
Julien took a sip of his apple cider and balked.
It was supposed to be non-alcoholic.
Furrowing his brows, he turned over the bottle. It was.
Frowning, he could only think of one person that'd pull that sort of 'prank.'
Auntie…
She must've slipped something into it.
Reflexively rubbing his chest to keep it from settling, he sent a disgruntled look her way, his eyes briefly met hers. Catching a wisp of a smile on her face, he turned away first. He put the glass down and fiddled with his thumbs.
I think I'm gonna be sick.
Turning his attention towards the room in an attempt to rid himself of the queasy feeling, his eyes landed on Nevaeah, lingering for just a moment. She and Lannon were taking turns playing tug-of-war with the pup, and while her blue braids hid part of her smile, she was unmistakably having more fun than he was at that moment.
He looked away.
He felt simultaneously better and worse.
I shouldn't.
He was tempted, really tempted to place the burden of confrontation on her, to rely on her way of doing things if it meant he could change something—she'd be more than willing too—but he couldn't. Why add onto her his family issues when she was so…
Happy.
Picking at his food, Julien's eyes drifted to Loretta—busy setting up the next round of activities after dinner, her hair became increasingly frazzled as the night went on.
Then, his eyes fell on Andrew and he…
Julien's eyes lingered on the dark silhouette stationed by the open window nook.
Andrew was shrouded in shadow just beyond the curtains, staring out into the night without interacting with anyone. Julien couldn't tell if he was simply waiting for the time to pass, or if he genuinely enjoyed the night sky more than the company of others.
He still wasn't sure what to make of him.
He wasn't sociable, he wasn't flexible, and he wasn't even useful.
What was so special about you?
And how was he supposed to deal with him from now on?
He continued scrutinizing the man from head to toe, not caring how obvious he was being.
He knew that if he called out to him, the man would respond—albeit awkwardly—but just like with Nevaeah, Julien didn't want to.
Though, for fundamentally different reasons.
He forced himself to look away, shifting his attention to what he already knew, and what he didn't while fiddling with a stray tomato on the surface of his plate.
First, he needed to know exactly what Andrew was promised and what he was meant to do in return. As a bodyguard, he was meant to protect him from something—though all he was doing now was puppy-guarding him—but vague threats like that wouldn't have been a good enough reason for his sister to hide it from him. Right?
Is it something more personal?
He paused. Tapping the table with his finger.
To begin with, depending on what the man was promised, he may never be able to get rid of him, so wouldn't checking his goals be better?
If I were to list what he's done so far…
He made breakfast, brewed tea, cleaned, drove, and dogsat—occasionally he might read a book but that was irrelevant.
None of that was enough to tell him what he was supposedly being protected from. In fact, if Theia'd introduced him as a live-in housekeeper he would've believed it.
Recalling the contents of her letters, he scrunched up his face.
But he arrived early… didn't he?
Because if he had, was he not actually protecting him from anything right now? Like a grace period?
With a frustrated sigh Julien stabbed into the tomato, squishing it into the plate.
I just want 'something.'
Even an overheard conversation would be better than what he had now, but they never even talked to one another.
He frowned, an idea blossoming in his mind.
Maybe I'm thinking about this all wrong.
Discreetly eyeing Theia and Irina's battle of wit, he gnawed on his fork.
What if she was being evasive because it wasn't actually her call. What if…
Is it the main house?
Julien readjusted. If that was the case he might've been able to question her again from that angle. If he was being honest, he didn't want to talk to either of those women again if he could help it—at least not today—but he'd much rather know what he was dealing with sooner rather than later.
He put a piece of ham in his mouth, chewing through his thoughts.
For instance, why now? Did it have something to do with his aunt's disrupting presence here, or were they really completely unrelated?
He glowered at his aunt, analyzing her every move.
Irina, being the self-serving dog she was, usually only had one goal when she acted as the main house's information ferry: diverting attention away from herself. So when it came to dragging them into that mess, the most important question for him was this: Was Andrew Theia's watchdog, or was he Irina's.
Before he could worry about intangible threats, he needed to at least clear that suspicion out of the way if he was expected to continue playing house with his new guard dog for the next few months.
Julien put his fork down and leaned back in his chair. Picking absentmindedly at his fingers, he took a deep breath.
He had to move.
If the main house really was involved, then further questioning might even get his sister to slip—he never even considered his aunt.
He trusted her about as far as he could throw her.
So Julien waited.
He waited until their hushed argument drew to a close until finally, after what felt like an eternity—His sister separated from Irina. Julien's chair scraped against the marble floor as he rose to follow.
Theia entered her bedroom while Julien leaned on the doorframe behind her, arms crossed. She turned, a moment of surprise crossing her face before she covered it with a composed smile, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
That shift in demeanor reminded him of their earlier exchange, and only then did he register how they'd left their last conversation.
An inkling of regret tickled the back of his mind, but he shook it off. Looking at her now, she seemed almost relieved, as if convinced he'd come to see her point of view already.
Of course, that wasn't the case.
She's confident she's already won.
"Cadet, what do you need?"
"I have a few more questions for you."
She paused, then continued with what she was doing, her relief shifting into something unreadable. Annoyance, maybe.
"I thought we were done. Go on then."
Her face stayed neutral.
"Will you answer me if I ask you directly what Andrew's purpose is? And I'm not talking about your version of 'protection' either."
She gave him a dry smile.
"Purpose? Why, it's the same as everyone else's isn't it? Make money, live peacefully?"
She closed a drawer and walked over to the doorway.
Julien ran a hand through his hair, mildly annoyed.
So that's a no.
Expecting an evasive response, he drew in a slow breath and tried again—a whisper nearly drowned out by the sounds of laughter from the other room.
"Then what if I asked what you were thinking?"
She shut the bedroom door behind her and raised the deck of cards in her hand.
"I was thinking poker might be a good way to end the night."
Julien shook his head.
"No, what were you thinking letting Irina walk in here? Why are you getting involved with the main house?"
The question invoked a tense silence between the two of them.
Getting involved with them was as good as letting them use you. And they always cashed in their favors—whether you actually asked for their help or not.
Though there was technically a 'non-interference' agreement that kept them out of his life—with the exception of a few mandatory family meetings—having Theia 'willingly' engage with them outside of that was something of a loophole they loved to exploit.
Exhibit A. Irina.
If they really were involved here, he didn't want her to hide it from him just because of her misguided protectiveness.
If Theia could tell him—even as a lie—that his bodyguard was the result of conflict between her and the main house, that, at least, was a reason he was willing to accept beyond the usual 'you don't need to know.'
But she wouldn't even do that.
Theia scanned his face.
"So it's a different issue this time."
She leaned against the opposite doorframe and looked in the direction of the noisy dining hall.
"…It wasn't my choice. They want to see you."
Julien frowned.
So this topic—isn't—off limits.
His mind whirred as he fit the new information into the puzzle that was coming together in his head.
If she was sharing this much, then was the bodyguard situation unrelated after all? Or, was it that even if they were related, it wouldn't be enough to draw any real conclusions?
He picked at his nails, a growing tension he wanted to relieve gnawing at him.
No matter what the answer, there was something more pressing than even that in front of him.
"Me? What do they want me for?"
She lowered her eyes.
"They want you to do research at the parent company before you graduate."
He rubbed his temples.
"What for?"
She made air quotes.
"To 'rebuild your image' so to speak. They need someone from the direct line attached to this Raúl Collaborative Research Initiative. Supposed to be this 'big thing.'"
She muttered under her breath.
'It didn't have to be you though.'
Julien uncrossed his arms.
"Is it not optional?"
She shook her head. Her mouth opened for an explanation, but she said nothing.
Julien's frown deepened.
"I thought they were done after…"
He couldn't finish that sentence.
Theia massaged her eyelids.
"I thought so too. Yet here we are."
Julien looked away, rubbing the goosebumps off his arms.
One step at a time.
"Is this the reason you're leaving?"
She clicked her tongue, a hint of irritation slipping into her voice.
"Now that you mention it, it just might be."
Might be?
She looked at him.
"I'll be gone in the morning, but they want you for the holidays."
"Christmas."
She gave a sheepish smile.
"Unfortunately, I can't be there."
Julien waved it off.
You're never there when it counts anyway.
His heart panged.
At the very least, he got one thing out of this conversation.
Julien pushed off the wall and with a small nod he headed back towards the hall.
Her voice rang out behind him.
"…This little brother of mine has grown to be quite rude."
Julien stopped in his tracks and looked back. Scanning her carefully blank face, he nearly clicked his tongue in irritation. He knew that look in her eye.
It was a challenge.
One that barely held up as her way of 'apology.'
But I'm not a child anymore.
Huu…
Julien pushed his hair back and met her gaze.
"Am I rude?"
Theia didn't answer.
Instead, she stepped forward and asked him a question in return.
"Then are you just going to leave like this?"
He was tempted. But what would that achieve?
Nothing.
"No."
Turning to face her completely, he walked towards her until they were an arms length apart. If she wanted to sweep this under the rug, fine. He'd play it her way.
At least for now.
But he'd at least try to play it in his favor.
Cracking his knuckles, he beckoned her with a wave of his hand.
"How about letting this brother of yours blow off some steam? Wanna bet?"
He pointed towards himself.
"If I win this match you'll tell me where you're going."
She stared at him, scoffed, and began taking down her earrings.
"And if I win?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"I won't complain for at least a week."
She huffed.
"How terribly unfair."
Pulling her hair back, she sent him a familiar chilling glare.
"Space cadet Julien Amand Rubane of planetary line E4R7H… What insolence makes you think you can defeat me in a bout of fisticuffs?"
—
After a pitiful defeat, he dragged himself back to the main hall and settled in next to Andrew. Julien didn't say anything for a long time, and neither did he. But the man made space for him regardless, shifting to the side just enough for Julien to fill the space.
Considerate even at times like these huh?
He probably never felt a threat to his livelihood to begin with. Meanwhile, despite fighting the hard fight both literally and figuratively, Julien only managed to come back with a headache and a mere 3 new pieces of information:
He was needed back at the main house on Christmas.
Theia did send Andrew his way to protect him, if her reaction was anything to go by.
Though her methods could use some work.
And Andrew wasn't there to keep tabs on him for the main house, or even Theia. Or if he was, it wasn't his priority.
Technically that was only two new pieces of information, but he felt better saying it was three.
But he still didn't know the most important things.
Even if Theia hired him on her own, was he really not involved with the rest of their family? How much did the man know, not just about the 'danger' he was supposedly in, but about Julien himself?
His heart skipped a beat.
He couldn't guarantee he wouldn't lash out should the man see something he shouldn't.
Ignorance is bliss right?
Julien took a deep breath and asked his quiet 'companion' in a low tone, barely above a whisper.
"Didn't you have something to do?"
Andrew looked down at him from the corner of his eye, then continued staring into the distance, his eyes growing unnoticeably hazier.
"Not anymore."
Julien scrutinized his blank expression. Trying to decipher what the man meant half the time was like trying to translate code into a foreign language.
Except, you knew neither code nor the foreign language.
Julien chose to interpret his current brand of distance as longing until further notice.
He leaned against the railing and looked at the sky as well.
At least that, he could sympathize with.
The silence was a minor comfort for the storm boiling beneath the surface of Julien's restless mind.