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The more Klavier looked his brother over, the sicker he felt. Kristoph looked bad. He looked gaunt, and drawn. He’d lost weight, and his perfect hair had lost much of its color and shine. His cheekbones were too sharp, and his eyes were slightly sunken into their sockets. There were dark circles under them that Kristoph had tried to hide with makeup.
I shouldn’t have done what he asked. I should have come and visited sooner.
“It’s nice to see you, Klavier.”
“It’s nice to see you too, Kristoph. You look like shit.”
Klavier felt his brother’s fingers twitch, and Kristoph gave him a look of sharp reproach.
“Was that really necessary?”
“No.” Klavier glanced away, unable to look his brother in the face for the moment. He fought to figure out what to say, feeling the weight of his brother’s stare on him. “I– I’m still upset, Kristoph.”
“I can tell.”
Hot tears suddenly stung Klavier’s eyes, and he felt his head starting to spin. Not even a minute into the conversation and he had already made Kristoph angry at him.
“This was a mistake,” Klavier said in a leaden voice. “I should go.”
He started to pull his hand away but Kristoph grabbed him. It was too tight. Kristoph’s nails dug into his wrist. For a moment it was like his brother’s touch burned.
“Wait!’
If it had merely been a demand, Klavier might have wrenched his arm free and run. But there was something raw and desperate in the back of Kristoph’s voice, and that desperation was damning.
Klavier stopped.
— WIP snippet (edit: finished link)
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