Basil set his teeth, decidedly not finished with this conversation. He hated that Atticus was being evasive. It was like he couldn’t simply grow a pair and have the civil communication that he’d very much started! Why was this some big secret? Whatever had happened, Basil felt he deserved to know! Especially if his brother claimed it was “for him” which - squinting - the youngest very much doubted in the moment.
“Fine,” the professor offered, icily. Then, turning on his heel to walk out the front door, Basil slammed it with less self-control than he’d managed since he was an adolescent. Forget the party, he'd be late. Basil was going to try and find Lissington, even if it was rather hopeless at this point.