Ah, there it was - the anger that Basil kept burrowed deep inside himself, only unleashing it when Atticus was around; he had his own rage that sometimes sneered only for his brother from years and years of being buried deep. There was something tiring about trying to keep his brother in line, about trying to make sure he stayed in the good graces of the upper class for when he wished to marry. One day soon, he may give up entirely - even if that meant giving up on his brother.
Atticus gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to rub his temple with his fingers. He loved Basil with all his heart, but sometimes he was frustrating beyond belief; the world did not in fact revolve around him, and getting any commitments out of him without force was next to impossible. Basil did what he wanted, when he wanted. He knew their mother coddled him, but now it was showing to be too much! Had he any bone in his body for responsibility beyond what he merely wanted to do?
Freezing at the tone from his brother, Atticus inhaled sharply before he slowly exhaled, which did little to let out the anger boiling beneath his skin. “Yes, one thing.” He grit out. “Show up to the events on the list. It’s not as if every moment of every day was scheduled for you, as you had time to visit with whomever you wished during the day.” He had put together a meticulous list for him, of events and places he had to be seen at, although perhaps when he returned home for summer, the list would be even more measured, down the minute.
Had he not been so pointedly angry at him for something he had agreed without much pushback, Atticus may have thanked him for showing up. The words choked him, and he swallowed them back down; he wouldn’t thank his brother for doing the bare minimum.
He ignored the comment of the idle brain, instead watching as Basil tugged on his gloves to hail a hansom; an act that made Atticus arch an eyebrow at him, before he sighed and pressed his lips together. “You are drunk little brother. Perhaps you could use a chaperone for your next commitment lest you embarrass yourself further there.” It was a challenge, a threat. Still he managed to turn his head and smile at his brother as he stepped up next to him.
Atticus gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to rub his temple with his fingers. He loved Basil with all his heart, but sometimes he was frustrating beyond belief; the world did not in fact revolve around him, and getting any commitments out of him without force was next to impossible. Basil did what he wanted, when he wanted. He knew their mother coddled him, but now it was showing to be too much! Had he any bone in his body for responsibility beyond what he merely wanted to do?
Freezing at the tone from his brother, Atticus inhaled sharply before he slowly exhaled, which did little to let out the anger boiling beneath his skin. “Yes, one thing.” He grit out. “Show up to the events on the list. It’s not as if every moment of every day was scheduled for you, as you had time to visit with whomever you wished during the day.” He had put together a meticulous list for him, of events and places he had to be seen at, although perhaps when he returned home for summer, the list would be even more measured, down the minute.
Had he not been so pointedly angry at him for something he had agreed without much pushback, Atticus may have thanked him for showing up. The words choked him, and he swallowed them back down; he wouldn’t thank his brother for doing the bare minimum.
He ignored the comment of the idle brain, instead watching as Basil tugged on his gloves to hail a hansom; an act that made Atticus arch an eyebrow at him, before he sighed and pressed his lips together. “You are drunk little brother. Perhaps you could use a chaperone for your next commitment lest you embarrass yourself further there.” It was a challenge, a threat. Still he managed to turn his head and smile at his brother as he stepped up next to him.
*****
Basil Foxwood
Basil Foxwood
![[Image: cBAJGlb.png]](https://i.imgur.com/cBAJGlb.png)