He had stood in front of a lot of graves in his lifetime but none hurt him like this one.
Has breathing ever been so difficult?
His gloved palms rubbed his throat in an attempt to ease the lump as he stared at the headstone. He had never prayed so desperately to be awoken from such a horrible dream.
He hoped the inscriptions were not true;
'Eniola Josephine Fernandez
Reina de Fuego'
Thunder rumbled in the far east, warning them of incoming rain, a storm perhaps, but he could not move from the spot.
"Gato, let's go inside. It's about to rain" He numbly raised his head at an unusually soft voice that hesitated to reach out to him. "Come on, let's go."
He could not leave her alone. Not again.
A hand tightened around his shoulders as he quickly wiped the tear that dropped from his eyes. He did not think he had any more tears left.
Looking back, another tear dropped. A thunderclap followed.
"I promised..."
His voice was too weak to be recognized. She would be so lonely there.
It would be too quiet for her.
Eniola never liked when it was too quiet.
Alvaro wordlessly remained by his side as he broke down again, his legs giving away under him. The politician caught him before he could fall for the hundredth time.
He failed her.
"Make it stop..." He choked out, the tears and pain burning his throat while he held onto Alvaro. He could not breathe. "Please, Varo. Make it stop."
He repeated the words over and over again, sobbing into his best friend's expensive suit but none of them seemed to mind.
They were too hurt to care.
The lawyer on the other hand was more livid than hurt.
There was nothing he wanted more than to find out who the killer was but at that moment, Tobias needed him.
He had to witness one of the most important persons in his life tear themselves to pieces.
A single movement behind the gate caught his attention and a worried pair of different coloured eyes met with his own.
Fuck, now Casi has to see you this way.
~~~
3 months later...
"Gato, they told me you were not eating anything," Alvaro said after knocking.
The entire room was dark, save for a small stream of light from Tobias' bedside lamp.
He had his entire body turned towards the light and seemed to be looking at something.
Yeah, the room was pretty creepy.
Varo cleared his throat again and walked towards the window.
"I've been eating," Tobias' quiet voice answered, forcing Alvaro to roll his eyes as he pulled the curtains apart, letting some more light into the room.
There was a plate of untouched food at the edge of the bed while Tobias seemed more interested in whatever it was that he was reading.
"Gato..." He called again, attempting to draw his boss's attention.
