The brown haired French was just about to enter the room when he hesitated for a second. He could hear some noise from inside, however it was hard to think of what was going on. Finally he knocked on the door, but entered without waiting for a reaction and once he was inside he was sure he wouldn't have got one anyway.
The room looked rather messy which actually was a strange view since it normally was neat and clean. However now books, documents and papers were covering every inch of furniture and some of them were even lying on the floor. Actually Luc Barre should already have got used to this, but somehow he just couldn't. But with every day it was harder to believe in a change back to normal. After all already six years and a half had passed and sometimes Luc thought it got worse every day.
At some time a scent of Cognac had started to fill the air which actually was just another not normal thing. Inside his heart Luc knew that there was no solution to this problem and yet he just didn't want to give up on him and so he was looking after him every single day.
The younger blonde was sitting at his desk which actually should be a normal view, but since Luc Barre knew the other one pretty well he also knew that this behaviour was not normal at all. Besides him working himself literally to death it was also easy to see that the man was exhausted. He was looking rather pale and Luc was sure he had lost some weight together with some muscles. But the blonde's eyes were the worst since they were just empty now. Years before pride, strength and intelligence could have been seen in these blue cold eyes. Now this man obviously was a broken man.
Luc slowly approached closer, putting a cup of coffee on the desk. If the blonde had drunk much coffee before the incident he know was drinking twice as much.
„Alaude? It's already almost half nine. Don't you think you should let it be for today?" The older one wondered, warily examining the blonde, waiting for an aggressive reaction. And he didn't have to wait long. The blonde looked up and for a moment there was pure anger inside his eyes.
„Can you please just care for yourself? I believe I do myself know pretty well how much I can work." The blonde returned coldly before he took the cup without thanking the other one, taking a sip and then going on with his work.
„I'm just saying. You already worked until one last night and you started again at five or something. That's pretty much work and pretty less time to rest." He said, returning the rather cold look. Alaude almost broke his pen when he heard these words and again he glared at the man.
„None of your business. Could you be so kind to leave me alone now?" It was not a question but a strict order and Luc knew that he would start a fight if he kept on talking. So he just gave a low sigh and turned around. It almost broke his own heart to see Alaude like this and it was even worse that he couldn't do anything in order to ease the pain. Suddenly anger grew up inside him and he looked back at the blonde.
„He would be really upset if he knew you'd be working yourself to death." He said with a sad voice and then went towards the door when he just heart a loud breaking noice. Quickly he turned around and immediately noticed the broken cup and the spilled coffee on the floor. He lifted his eyes and looked at the blonde who was glaring into the distance. In his eyes there was just pain and Luc knew he had pulled the wrong trigger.
„Alaude … I am sorry." He said with a low voice, simply regretting what he had done. Of course he knew that talking about him was the wrong way, after all it worsened Alaude's condition extremely. Probably he just had given him another reason to empty a Cognac bottle. However sometimes the blonde just made him so angry he really had to pull himself together and now he just hadn't been able to stay calm any longer.
Luc felt guilty. He knew that he had made it worse instead of helping Alaude and actually he had really promised to look after him, but he was just not really able to deal with the situation. The blonde had always been like a son for him although they originally had once said that this relationship would just exist on the paper. But it was hard not to care for him as less as for a boss and so Luc had just given in and although Alaude didn't know he always had seen a son inside him. To see him in such a bad condition really made Luc suffer as well and now he had made it much worse.
„Please just go now." Alaude finally said with a hushed voice and Luc was sure the man would probably get himself drunk now. He slowly shook his head. He just had to stop this. It was probably time to show him the letter. After all he actually deserved to know the truth and maybe the lines were able to help him to deal with the situation.
„Alaude, please come with me. I need to show you something." He said softly and came closer in order so place a hand on the blonde's shoulder.
„I'd like to be alone now." Alaude returned emotionless, but Luc didn't stop bothering the other one.
„Please, Alaude, you should come with me. This is very important." The brown haired French lightly pressed the other one's shoulder and finally Alaude nodded lightly.
„Whatever." He mumbled and slowly got up, looking like an old exhausted man.
Together they went to Luc's room where the older one went to his working desk which looked more neat than the blonde's at the moment. Luc Barre sat down and gave Alaude a short look.
„Please, you need to promise me something. Don't be angry I kept this a secret for so long. But I wasn't sure whether this would help you or worsen everything." Alaude gave him a sceptic look but then he nodded silently and Luc opened a panel at the desk's front, revealing a small lock. He quickly took a necklace from his neck and pushed the small key that was hanging from it into the lock. Slowly he opened the secret drawer and took a very small box that had been hidden inside. Alaude gave him a questioning look.
„What is this?" He wondered while Luc opened the box with a three numbers code.
„I do also have stuff which is not meant for everybody." He answered and took a letter from the box. „I am very sorry I didn't give you this long ago, but he asked me to keep it a secret from you and first I thought it was better, but now I am not that sure any longer." With these words he handed over the letter to Alaude who looked at it in disbelief and fear.
„He wrote you a letter?" He asked with a croaked voice and finally unfolded the paper with shaky hands in order to start reading.
Luc meanwhile kept a wary eye on the blonde and waited for a reaction. He just didn't know how else he could make everything easier for Alaude. Maybe it would help the man to accept everything and if not than Luc at least had tried it.
Silence dominated the moment until Alaude looked at Luc again and for a second Luc got scared about the look in Alaude's eyes. There was no anger there was just pain and it almost seemed as if the man would start to cry any second.
„Alaude? Is everything alright?" Luc asked cautiously.
„I … I just have to find him." Alaude suddenly said while Luc's eyes widened.
„You want to search for him? You think this is a good idea?" Luc wondered. He was not sure whether this would just make anything even more complicated and worse. After all there obviously had been a reason for the happenings and maybe Alaude would just open old wounds. Probably it would be worse for the blonde French because who knew what had happened in the time being and Luc didn't want him to be disappointed again. Alaude's heart probably wouldn't be able to deal with that.
„Luc, please. I just need to know why he has just left me without even leaving at least a note behind." Alaude almost begged, unsettling the other one.
„Don't you want to think this over?" He started another try already believing that it had been a bad idea to show Alaude the letter.
„Luc, please. You have to help me."
Luc hesitated and looked at Alaude in surprise and disbelief. Never in his whole life this man had asked for help so directly. He felt the pain inside his own heart becoming worse and then slowly pushed the box which had included the letter closer to Alaude.
„Inside this box you'll find all the information I have been able to collect so far. I thought I could maybe find out his location, but it seems like I wasn't able to. You know him much better than I do so maybe you'll be able to get something from these information." He said while Alaude already took the box, keeping it in his arms like a precious thing. „But, Alaude, please promise me you won't do anything blindfolded. If you'll find something out come to me first."
The blonde just nodded and turned around. There was a new fire inside his eyes.
„I promise you I will. Thank you, Luc." he said and finally left the room, while Luc stayed behind wondering whether he had made the right decision.