I'm back with another piece about the Luteces! ;)

I'm not happy with this one and it took me forever to write it even though it's only a short text. I don't have a beta who looks over these oneshots (that are not really oneshots anymore xD) and I'm not a native speaker but if you find any mistakes (and I'm sure you will), please let me know so I can correct them.

Also, it would be kind if you could just let me know what you think about this here. ;)

Voxophone recording, Rosalind Lutece, 18th May 1899:

"It has been almost six years since my brother stepped through the tear. His mind seems to have completely adjusted to this new reality; he has not hemorrhaged in nearly two and a half years. However, I have sensed a feeling of discomfort on his behalf. I am not certain what causes it, but I do intend to ask him if the opportunity presents itself this evening."

Voxophone recording, Rosalind Lutece, 29th May 1899:

"As usual, my brother dismissed my question when I asked him about the origin of his discomfort. We spent the rest of the evening in silence, each of us tending to our own task. When I woke up this morning, my brother was already gone. I already feared the worst; that he had left me and returned to his own reality. I found a note on my nightstand instead, stating that he had gone for a walk to clear his head."

Voxophone recording, Rosalind Lutece, 11th June 1899:

"My brother went for a walk again this morning. By the time he returned, it was almost dawn and by the smell of it, he was clearly drunk. I am at a loss of a theory in this case and, therefore, cannot provide a solution that would satisfy the both of us for as long as he refuses to talk to me. I worry about him, naturally. He is my brother, the closest human being I have to a family and I will not simply give up on him. If he does not see reason, I will have to present him with an ultimatum."

They are eating their supper in silence, again. And this time, it is only so much Rosalind can take.

She puts aside her spoon and looks across the table at the man who is and is not herself, lips pressed to a thin line.

"Brother, if you refuse to tell me what's bothering you," she starts with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "I am afraid I'm not able to continue like this any longer."

Robert lifts his glance to look at his sister. He remains silent, however, and Rosalind sighs exasperatedly.

"You are my brother, Robert, and I worry about you a great deal," she tries again. "You leave early in the morning to go god knows where and return late at night, sometimes too drunk to even walk straight! How am I to figure out what to do if you don't talk to me?"

Again, her words are met with silence.

Rosalind closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "This is getting ridiculous now, Robert. I did not want to do this, but you seem to leave me no other choice." She pushes back her chair and stands up. "If you refuse to talk to me and tell me what's bothering you, I will have to ask you to leave."

Her words are final but they don't trigger any kind of reaction from Robert who continues eating his soup as if nothing happened. The fact that her own brother, the only person in the depths of the multiverse who truly understands her, is showing her the cold shoulder, stings.

"Very well," Rosalind snaps. "It's settled then."

She turns around and leaves the kitchen without another word before he can see the tears that run down her cheeks.

After Rosalind is gone, Robert finishes his meal in an eerie silence. This one is almost worse than the one he has been sharing with his counterpart for the last month. It was around Christmas when he first figured out that he was in love with Rosalind. He thought he could ignore it to a certain degree and go on like they had before; he had thought wrong. Robert can no longer hide the desire to touch her, to be near her and it's eating him up. He cannot think of her as his sister anymore but she continues to call him 'brother' and he tries to keep up the façade. He knows that he is failing miserably, that avoiding her is no long-term solution to his problems but he can't tell her. If he gave in to his feelings and anyone were to find out, what would they do to her? They are in no way related but Robert would rather leave Rosalind than blemish her reputation.

When Robert ascends the stairs to the upper floor, he hesitates before entering their bedroom. Rosalind has the light turned off but he doesn't need it to find his way around and so he gets ready for bed in the darkness.

Robert only lights a candle when he goes into the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. He doesn't look at his reflection in the mirror, already knowing what it would look like; tired with dark circles around his eyes. The cool water feels good against his skin but does little to freshen his exhausted mind. Robert has not been himself lately, the last thing he needs now is a reminder of his current state.

He returns to the other room and creeps into bed besides Rosalind who has her back turned to him, the white blanket drawn up over her shoulders.

It takes him a while to notice that her entire body is shaking.

"Rosalind?" Robert asks and reaches out to her. "Are you… are you crying?"

She stills and he can hear her take in a shaky breath but he doesn't get a reply.

Robert has never seen her cry before and it suddenly hits him that, perhaps, he is not the only one who has not been feeling well about all this.

"I don't want to leave you, Rosalind," Robert says and moves closer to her. "I'm just… I don't know how to tell you…"

He puts his arm around her and she stiffens a little. Robert pulls back.

He is at a loss of words.

"You never call me 'sister'," Rosalind's voice sounds through the darkness but she doesn't turn around. "Why is that?"

Robert gulps. He's been expecting this question ever since December and now the inevitable has finally arrived. He doesn't know how to respond. "We're in no way related, Rosalind."

Of course, she has an argument against his logic. "I am aware of that, brother, "she counters. "However, we cannot simply tell people the truth about us."

He thinks of what to say next, trying to choose his words carefully without giving away too much of the turmoil going on in his head. Apparently, it has taken him too long to come up with a reasonable phrase to say because Rosalind raises her voice again.

"Is it me, then?" She asks, still refusing to look at him and the question truly catches him off guard.

"What?"

"Well, obviously, if it's not other people you have a problem with it has to be me," she remarks with a sniff. "Is it something I said? Really, Robert, if you are unhappy here, we can always send you back. I won't stand in your way."

For a moment there, all he can do is stare at her back in disbelief. When has their relationship gotten this far out of hand? Robert doesn't want to hurt her; he never intended to in the first place, but here she is, assuming that his behavior is her fault entirely.

"By all means, Rosalind, no!" Robert's eyes widen and he reaches out to her again. "It's not your fault. I…" He runs his hand through his hair, messing it up a little. "Calling you my sister would imply a strictly familial relationship and I…"

Robert stops himself before he can make things worse, realizing the possible impact his words could have, but they're already out and hang heavily between them.

Rosalind finally turns around; her eyes are reddened from crying and tears still shine on her pale cheeks and Robert uses his thumb to gently wipe them away.

"What kind of relationship do you want, then?" She whispers, her voice hoarse as she looks at him.

He can't find the right words to tell her what it is that he wants, or how wrong it would be in the eyes of the everyone else. Robert is sure that she is going to tell him to leave for what he is about to do next but there is no escaping the conversation now, not after what he has just said.

He slides his hand behind her head and into her silky hair, pulling her closer to him while inwardly bracing himself for some sort of resistance from her part. To his own surprise, however, it doesn't come; not even when his lips meet hers for the first time. Instead, Rosalind sighs into the kiss, her delicate body pressing closer to his taller frame and one of her hands finds its way to his own messy hair.

Robert is the first one to pull away. He is slightly out of breath as he looks down at his counterpart's face that shimmers in the silvery moonlight shining through the window and lets his fingers trace the outline of her features that looked so very much like his own.

"Took you long enough," Rosalind mumbles with a smile, her hand drawing lazy circles on the back of his head.

Again, she manages to catch him by surprise. "So my feelings are not one-sided?"

Relief washes over him when she shakes her head.

"Then I shall make it official now." Robert says softly. "I love you."

He is rewarded with the most heart-warming, loving smile he has ever seen from her. Smiles in themselves are a rarity when it comes to Rosalind Lutece and to know that this one is honestly meant for him, and only for him to see, makes it so much more special.

"Again," she whispers and presses a light kiss to his jaw. "Say it again…"

"I love you," Robert repeats hoarsely and relishes the feeling of her soft lips on his skin.

"I love you, too."