Pietro nodded through his tears at what Delphina said, but Hayle responded by snorting and pushing past her, leading them up the right side of the building to a wide stairway and a set of double doors.
Honestly, she just wished this debacle would be over soon.
"Ugh, Hayle's always going to view me as the bad guy until Pietro explains the situation, how annoying!"
Slowing down as they crossed through the doors, Delphina could see that a glass wall to the left revealed a large interior courtyard and part of an L-shaped building. In the centre of which, rows of glinting metal automatons could just be seen.
Putting the thought of this to the back of her mind as they hurried through to a final set of double doors, she stepped into an antiquated study-cum-office that was designed in a similar vein to the Dukes.
As she sat Pietro down in a leather wing chair that was behind the largest desk, she glanced around at the rich blue tones and darker mahoganies that seemed to dominate the space.
It was a shame that Hayle almost immediately interrupted her appreciation for it.
"So, why are you still hanging around? Can't you see you've upset your brother enough?"
Cocking a leg as he said this, he leaned back to sit atop a small desk off to the side.
Delphina couldn't help but snap back at this ridiculous questioning.
"Something tells me I'm not the one that's upset him, but by all means make yourself at home."
Openly rolling her eyes, she let out a puff of air to flick away the hair that had started to fall into them, moving to squat down in front of the man whose soft sobs were muffled by his hands and thighs.
"Where did this come from, hmm?"
Gently giving Pietro head pats, she internally sighed. She had to remember that they were technically adolescents or 'sub-adults' in this World, although it was easy to forget, she herself experienced random mood swings. Perhaps that was what he was experiencing now.
"Still a crybaby, I see. What upset you so much this time?"
Just as she finished saying this, Pietro jerked his head up, giving her quite the start.
"I'm not a crybaby."
Yeah, those red-rimmed eyes aren't convincing anyone my dude.
As he started to sit upright again, Delphina noticed he kept glancing in Hayle's direction.
"Not going to explain?"
The mantel clock resting at the head of his desk ticked away the minutes as the pair sat in silence- Delphina waiting for Pietro to collect himself, and Pietro waiting till his voice would sound less nasal from crying.
Drawing in a breath, he leant forward to lift her back up to her feet. Standing up together, they moved over to the edge of the room, where a small sideboard lay.
Of course, Hayle immediately followed after them.
Licking his lips, Pietro started to explain himself in a sheepish manner as he busied himself making tea for the three of them, pulling out utensils and teacups with distracted motions.
"It's just… I'm not very reliable, and I thought I had become someone who could be depended on. But you always prove me wrong, so I… Back then, I did something very childish, and it's only now I can fully appreciate how much it's hurt you."
Blinking at him slowly, she decided it was best not to interrupt his flow of thoughts for now.
"I don't think just saying sorry would be enough, and I even said I'd prove it to you today… Hasn't that already been thrown out the window with Hayle's behaviour?"
"I really don't know why he would say such things to you. Delphina, sister, I promise you I haven't heard him say anything similar before. And like you said, I will clarify everything with him today."
Hayle's face twisted as Pietro's short speech finally came to an end.
Letting out a sigh, she stepped forward to assist him in making the tea- filling the copper kettle he handed her with water from the nearest crystal beaker, and setting it on what she assumed was a small induction plate.
"Give me your hands."
As they didn't have long to wait for the kettle to boil, he grasped her hands as fast as possible, practically causing a blur.
Raising an eyebrow at his behaviour, she subconsciously let out a chuckle.
"Let me make it clear, Pietro, you haven't given me a reason, nor much faith in restoring trust in you. But I will still give you the chance to do so. You owe it to me."
"I'm still waiting on that 'proper apology' from you. Besides, you're saying that distance, that shitty behaviour I've been getting from you was… Childishness? Seriously, you need to grow up."
Hanging his head, tears started dripping down onto his grey uniform trousers again.
"Now you understand how much mess it's caused, right? You have to be more aware of your position and decisions, brother. I know you don't like it, but it comes with the Family name…"
As Pietro stood back to face the sideboard, he wiped the tears off his face and nodded.
********
After sitting down to enjoy the tea Pietro had made, Delphina had stepped back to let Pietro and Hayle have their 'moment', the result of which was Hayle almost getting his nose broken after he kept justifying his behaviour.
Seeing how he wouldn't defend himself against Pietro no matter what, she felt her heart soften just a touch towards him. Poor bastard, who told him to have such a bad attitude in the first place?
It took a little while for him to come around, but he begrudgingly accepted that Pietro was well and truly in the wrong.
"So, you're telling me you've done nothing to defend your sister in the meantime?"
Hayle rubbed his bruised cheekbone as he spluttered this out, not daring to look Delphina straight in the face since the revelation of her brother's behaviour, he had taken to gazing at the geometric patterns on the rug by Pietro's feet.
To this question, she stepped in and interjected before Pietro potentially started crying again.
"In all fairness to him, that was the point of today, so…"
"My arrival and behaviour were bad timing, like Pietro said earlier, I get it."
Nodding as he said this, Hayle finally straightened himself up and stood before Delphina, snapping to a textbook-perfect forty-five-degree angle bow.
"Your Ladyship Delphina de Velasques, please accept my formal apology. I, Sir Hayle Burgess, will do my utmost in assisting your brother Pietro de Velasques in restoring your honour… Which he may or may not have had a hand in damaging…"
As his voice petered out towards the end of his 'apology', Delphina whipped a leg out to hook behind one of his knees, causing him to fall flat on his hands.
Pushing himself up so he was only down on the one knee instead, he looked up wide-eyed and shocked at this behaviour.
Clapping her hands, Delphina smiled at the pretty picture this painted.
"Yes, now that looks much better! Sir Burgess, let's be honest, that's more of a reward for you than a proper apology towards me. But I'll let it pass this time- as you can see, Pietro is surprisingly socially awkward outside of… The Knights…"
Both of them glanced his way. Standing by his desk, wiping blood from his knuckles, Pietro gave them a crooked half-smile when he noticed their silent stare.