Lawrence was staring intently at his brother.

"Sorry to drop by all the sudden! but I was on my way, so I decided "hey, it would be nice to pay the beansprout" a visit! So I had to stop by!"

Lawrence didn't even bother to comment at the word 'beansprout' anymore. Laurent was as much of an airheaded idiot as he was a competent professional. In fact, the first time he saw him change from one phase to the other he was bewildered, asking himself if it really wasn't a different person.

As much as he liked his brother, he had to admit Laurent was a pain in the ass.

"Weird" Laurent tapped his fingers on his liquor shot. "Usually, I can tell when you're thinking something rude about me. This time, I can't get a sign... Though I feel deep in my guts that you're being mean" he sighed and leaned back on the guestroom chair. Lawrence sighed too mentally. This was the hardest part to deal with: Laurent's incredibly sharp intuition. Lawrence thought that, more than anything else, was what made en excellent professional hero about his brother.

"You caught me off-guard. I was~" Lawrence was about to talk to his brother about this amazing MMORPG he had been playing, when Laurent interrupted him with a snicker. "Oh, did I interrupt something between you and that cute girl? She your girlfriend? Were you getting comfortable when I barged in?Sorry 'bout that!"

As a matter of fact, that thought was gone. Replaced by a sudden urge to break the banana liquor bottle on Laurent's head.

"Apologizes dealt with, tell me everything about her!" His brother leaned forward. As if doing so would suddenly convince Lawrence to spill his darkest secrets just because.

He sighed, this time not only on his head.

"Let's start by correcting you about that assumption. Mikaella is my subordinate, and we are not in any way involved in a romantic relationship. The most extreme thought I've had about her is that she is very dependable" that was a lie, Lawrence still remembered the first day she came and how she got out the bathroom with a towel and nothing but. Luckily, Laurent's power was off. He would've noticed instantly. And tease him for the rest of his miserable life.

Laurent didn't seem very impressed. He arched a brow and asked "Really? Care to inform me, why is she living with you, then?"

"As a matter of fact she is currently homeless and doesn't have the sufficient money to rent an apartment on her own. We both settled that this would be the best for us."

"Uhu" Laurent nodded, believing not a single word of his mouth. Damn his brother. Why didn't they talk about something more constructive?

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"What does she do? I don't think being a part-time programmer needs many staff."

"She is my secretary of sorts, and my editor as well. She also cooks and cleans when I'm unable to"

Lawrence didn't even stutter as he answered, so smoothly even Laurent would find it hard to doubt him. Thank Incomprehensible for that. As a matter of fact, he did practice this answer before, in case a curious neighbor asked. The last part was true, however. Mika was taking care of the house chores in the last couple of days, and Lawrence was free to mind his own business. So much he felt like a good-for-nothing husband leeching on his wife.

Of course he wouldn't ever admit that to Laurent.

"Uhuh. So you two are basically going out without realizing."

That was rude!

"Cease your chattering!" Lawrence forgot to drop the act around his brother and slipped, talking to his brother like he was Mika or Christiane. He was about to apologize when Laurent cut him off.

"Wow, you really grew up on this last couple of weeks, didn't you?"

Kghhhh...

There it was. That damn smile of his. This was why Lawrence could never get really mad at his brother. It was this kind, fatherly smile mixed in with childish inocence that made him admire Laurent so much. He It was because of that very same smile he dropped his shoulder and leaned back on the couch, deciding to say nothing.

Damn Laurent. He always got the upper hand, no matter what he did.

"Anyways, what about that girl who drops by often?"

"The who?"

"Oh you know, blonde beauty, cool aura, mature antics. That one."

Lawrence was thrown out of his comfort area for a couple of seconds. How did his brother even know about Christiane? Let's not even start with that incredibly accurately description! On her exterior anyways. Lawrence knew that the insides of that woman were twisted, if not to a point where she could be called truly evil.

"You seem to know everything about her. Why don't you tell you yourself?"

"Aww, you're so mean! It was a neighbor who told me! I helped them with their stuff and we chatted about you on our way."

Lawrence made a mental note to be more careful around neighbors. They could be... indiscreet, some times. Mrs. Rose was the one who talked with Laurent, that was almost certain. She was in relatively good terms with Laurent on his last visit.

"She's consulting me with her own studies. She happens to have started her life as a freelancer programmer, and I decided that I could tutor my colleague. For a price."

That was a also a calculated lie. But he couldn't tell his brother Christiane was his strategist planing for a way to take over the world. Especially not when Laurent was a hero.

And once again, Laurent decided to ignore Lawrence's explanations and reach to his own conclusions.

"So, a student-teacher affair? I have to say, I didn't picture you being this daring, little brother~ Ouch, that hurts, you know?!"

Lawrence removed his hand from the chop-headed wild-imagining thick skull of his brother, utterly ignoring his cry of pain.

"I see you have grown too cocky for your own sake, big brother. Allow me to rectify that for you..."

Lawrence tucked something out of his pocket. It was a Y-Box Vintage Edition console controller.

And Laurent's warning of impeding doom approaching...

"You wouldn't...!"

Lawrence grinned and his eyes gleamed vivid purple as he threw the controller over his brother. "Oh, yes I would..."

He stared at him, grin growing wider as he tasted the flavor of victory... and revenge.

"I will, and I am."

He stood up, heading for the exit.

"Get ready, big brother. I'm about to Deca-Kill the cockiness out of your sorry ass."

Laurent sighed.

A harsh night was coming, it seemed.