Discover L (Book 2) | Complete |

~~ First Impressions Are Lasting ~~

"I'll alert the others that the boy has been found," Aldrid announced. He gave a stern look towards Latia and gestured for her to follow him out.

He left the last guard by the door, who was watching the interaction with a tinge of amusement in his eyes.

"So, where did you go this time?" Bryce asked Robbie as he and L walked to stand on either side of the bed.

Robbie explained his quick detour after the bathroom and Bryce chuckled when he was done.

"Almost got yourself in trouble for a pretty face and your own curiosity, I can relate."

Bryce side glanced at L and she rolled her eyes, hiding her smile behind a scratch of her cheek.

"That wasn't it," Robbie tried to protest, his face turning scarlet.

"You can argue with yourself later, what we need to do is come up with a new plan for getting through this." Bryce stated, waving his hands around like they had a new disaster to suffer through.

When L pointed out his exaggeration, Bryce snorted, "It may as well be. You think my parents were intense before? They were being polite because they'd just met you, taking in their first impressions, it will be worse the longer we're here."

He began to get up and L pulled his arm back, "I don't think you're ready to get up just yet, give yourself a minute and calm down. We can figure this out before they become insufferable."

Bryce didn't seem to think that would be possible but he didn't argue, he sat on the edge of the bed and they discussed how to manage the rest of their time there.

"Try not to end up alone in a room with either of them, they'll twist what you say to meet their own agenda. Whatever stupidity that might be at the time." Bryce instructed as though they were a ticking time bomb.

L nodded. "Got it, and when they bring out the guillotine, should I run or blow it up?"

L couldn't help laughing when he narrowed his eyes.

"You mock but I wouldn't put it past them."

L laughed more and gestured for him to keep going.

"Take your time to respond, sometimes their words have a double meaning. Try to catch any and all possible hints before you answer. They can be extremely blunt or entirely subtle, they're masters of wordplay."

"You make them sound like criminals," Robbie commented, he looked almost worried.

"Oh they are, they just never get caught, perks of being royals unfortunately." A sharp hint of anger darkened Bryce's expression and L leaned over to place a hand on his shoulder.

It quickly disappeared and he smirked, glancing at her hand. "And this. What do you want to do about this?"

L pulled her hand back slowly and pursed her lips, what did she want? Bryce had been the one with reservations but now that she'd met them, she wasn't sure what she could expect if they did discuss her being in a relationship with their son.

"We could deny it?" L suggested, wondering how well they knew it to be true.

Bryce must have been thinking the same, however the royal guard by the door quickly squashed their hopes.

"That won't work, you were seen together at the base of Lymasia, eyewitnesses can attest to it... sorry." He added after Bryce gave him a scowl of disappointment.

"Okay so lying is out... what about telling them we broke up?" L asked with a half shrug.

"I think that would probably be worse, they'd have so many questions and I don't even know what their feelings are towards us yet. They may be happy or angry about a break up, no we need to play it cooler than that."