Tʜᴇ Pᴀᴛʜ Tᴏ Hɪɢʜɢᴀᴛᴇs

Oɴᴇs Rᴇᴄᴋʟᴇss Sᴇʟғ

Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 18

"Zo vat did vu do yesterday?"

You look up from your breakfast. Silver fork in hand, Reichs homemade breakfast, apply named Hopple Popple was impaled on the other end. "Stayed with German Empire." You replied as you take a bite of the casserole, trying to ignore the tinge of bitterness from somewhere between the chunks of salt.

"Vat did he vant from vu?" Reich asked as he watched you nod slowly, chewing your food with your hand politely against your lips. "We went somewhere." You say once you swallowed your food, again dismissing the bitterness that seemed to plague Reichs cooking.

The boy tilted his head not unlike a dog and widened his prominent eyes. "Oh, vere?" Questioned he as you stabbed another chunk of your Hopple Popple. "The graveyard." You answered, taking a bite of your food, which in doing so caused you to miss the way Reichs face turned a deeper red as though he was somehow embarrassed. He didn't speak after that, he simply adverted his gaze to the counter and kept it there, head bowed in abstract shame.

Though his subtle abashment didn't seem to last for long as an idea came to his head, making him perk up with a smile and revitalised expression. "How about I take vu zomevere?" He perked with a toothy grin. Your eyes glanced up at him as you finished your breakfast. "Where?" You ask, swallowing the rest of the Hopple Popple with a grimace, it really was rather bitter and you couldn't tell if it was Reichs cooking or the recipe. "I'll decide once ve get outzide." Reich declared before he grabbed Salem who had long since finished her meal, and began towards the door without waiting for you.

You jumped up, tripping over yourself as you fell to the floor with a thump before you yell a shrill "hey!" at the German. He didn't spare you a glance, he just booked it down the hall with a wide eyed Salem staring back at you from over his shoulder. You cursed under your breath and struggled to keep up with the boy, though it didn't seem to work very well as you lagged behind rather pathetically, hands gripping your bag strap with white knuckles.

You looked up to see a door come into view, and recognised it immediately as the front door. Reich slowed to a halt and turned on his heels to face you with a cocky smirk. Gently, he held out Salem for you to slip in to your bag, before he grasped the handle for the obtuse door and swung it open after a short struggle. It seemed that even with his desperate attempts to appear as powerful as the Empire, he still couldn't compare to him. You couldn't decide if that was sad or humorous.

"So where are we going?" You asked as the two of you step outside. Though before you could get a response Reich dashed forward, kicking a line of dust up from his platforms. "Reich what the hell?" You cried out after him, rushing to catch up, fingers gripping your bag anxiously. The German skidded to a halt and ducked beside the car you were in yesterday, you followed suit, crouching down as Reich stood up slightly, peaking over the door and to the other side of the vehicle. Salem seemed to notice something was happening as she poked her head out and meowed.

"Reich what are you doing?" You whispered roughly, trying to quiet Salem by stroking her behind her ears. "Being ein genius." Was all Reich said, he barely even acknowledged your subtle glares as he was too intent to watch the driver on his cigarette break. You would have to wait for another minute, he would pay attention to you then, for Reich had a plan. The car the two of you had ducked behind was empty, though the keys still remained in the engine. The chauffeur was having a little downtime across the courtyard, smoking and watching the clouds glide by through his puffs of smoke, though the car was still in his peripheral. If the driver could turn his back even for a second, Reich could start the car and drive away, bringing you into Berlin city and have a day free of constraints for the first time in his life.