BTT x Reader | BloodXLust

Chapter Eighty Nine | ElizabettaXRoderick

There was a moment of silence us both on the ground staring at each other before he pushed his glasses further up his nose and rose to his feet offering me his hand.

I took it and he helped me up but damn these heels, I fell right into his chest.

He blushed and looked away and helped me steady myself.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean...I'm not used to heels..." I admitted, stumbling over my words.

"You recognize me..." he asked, a little surprised, somewhat flattered I think by the blush on his face.

"You're surprised? How could you recognize me? Vike this?" I gawked and he still looked away.

"Vell, I vas vondering how long you'd keep up wearing men's clothes-"

I felt a piece of my mind shatter.

"Vait...vait vhat!? You knew!?"

He nodded finally meeting my eyes again.

"I vas your best friend, of course I knew," I stated like that should clear everything up.

I shook my head in amazement.

"B-but Vhy vere you my friend if I vas a cross dresser...a-a..." I couldn't get the last part out, my mind filled with memories of Adela and my heart sank.

He nodded, "Vell, Vhy vere you my friend? I never played vith anyone and I vas quiet, I only knew how to express myself through music and the only one who listened vas you..." he admitted and I blushed this time.

We looked away from each other, not realizing we were holding hands.

I took them away and looked around nervously hoping no one saw us. I'd probably look like I was throwing myself into his arms. I heard the most nonsensical gossip moments ago imagine what they'd say about this.

"A-are you vell?" I asked and he nodded.

"Are you?"

"Not really...if you von't judge me still I have to say I hate acting like this. Women have it so hard, I had no idea?" I blurted out and he covered his mouth. I don't know if it was to hide a smile or disgust.

Hopefully not disgust.

I stopped myself immediately but he ran his fingers through my long hair.

"It vooks better down..." he said slowly.

I blushed and stepped back as he bent down to pick up his papers.

"Are you just visiting?" I asked.

"Actually, I just moved here," he informed. "I used to live near the palace. Have you seen Gilbert lately?"

"A few years ago."

"I saw him not long ago," he informed and my eyes widened.

"Veally? How is he?"

"...different..." was all he said looking away like he was recalling it.

"Vight...something happened to him I can't share vith you because it's not my story to share but if he ever tells you Vhen you'll understand the pain in his eyes."

He shook his head, "no, I just mean I never thought he'd step down from knighthood."

I almost choked on thin air.

"He did vhat?"

"He's a priest now....you didn't know?"

"No I didn't know, Vhat's crazy?"

He nodded and this time I did catch a small smile before he composed himself. He held out his arm for me to take and he lead me back in the right direction.

I didn't notice him looking and he didn't notice me looking either but we immediately looked to each other's hands for a ring.

He didn't have one.

I, of course, did not either.

Relief swept over us both.

Why was I relieved? I never saw myself settling with a man, but Roderick knew this entire time and he never judged me or left me.

I had the gut feeling that something about the two of us was always fated. As cheesy as that sounds...

As soon as I returned to the ballroom Roderick was announced on stage as R. Edelstein and began by composing a few musicians. A piece meant to settle the crowd down as we were seated. As soon as he was done he took on a violin piece and searched the crowd as he talked about the piece.

Roderick usually would never be able to address a crowd. But we all changed.

The violin touched my heart as he played, the moment he met my eyes I could feel the emotions he put into it.

It sounded like loss, then time passing by, then it was childhood again, each time he revisited a melody I could imagine he was thinking back to his childhood and finally, in the end, the notes saddened and that should have been the end of the piece. Supposedly this was a popular one he always performed but he didn't stop.

He took a breath and he looked at me and he continued to the bewilderment of a few in the crowd but the chatter quickly ceased so we could listen to him revisit the childhood melody and end on what I could only describe as a happy note. A hopeful note.

He bowed as we clapped.

I clapped a little harder than I was supposed to and got a few annoyed or curious glares. A few women even seemed appalled. Goodness, it's not like I bared my teeth at them like a snarling dog. The socially elite have a serious problem.

I could see the story, hear the story, feel it, in every piece he played.

After the violin, he moved to the piano.

The instrument he'd loved since our days in the orphanage.

He'd gotten so much better. It was hard to believe there was anything he needed to improve.

He followed through with an encore.

I remembered the melody.

The one he played for his adoptive parents.

The one he'd been working on for a long time.

He called it, "Lost Girl."

I listened to the piano. The Keys were bold and rapid, unlike a girl. They became sweet and gentle but every chance it seemed the girl in the song could get, she'd be herself again. Lost in the eyes of society but true to herself.

I am the lost girl.

And Roderick found me.