GRAVEYARD. | lis 2

tonight's the night daniel realized that star-gazing was more peaceful than he thought. he wanted to let the silence envelope them, but there were too many questions stirring in his mind for him to stay quiet. he needed to ask all of them before sean were to leave without warning.

"why did you make me come here, sean?" daniel asked, his hand resting behind his neck. his head rested against his pillow. "to puerto lobos?"

"other than the fact that it's our hometown?" sean said. he paused before answering. "i... thought life would be better. for both of us." he sighed. "but now i've come to know that wasn't the case at all. it's like we're starting from scratch all over again."

daniel shrugged, a small seedling of hope glinting in his eyes, reminiscent of the bubbly 10-year-old boy he once was. "you're right. but life could've been better, you know... if you were here."

sean shook his head. he closed his eyes to blind himself to the pain he was about to say. "i'm sorry you had to go through this all by yourself. it's fucking dumb. i promised to be there for you, but now look at you - you're all grown up and i can't even witness it in my real body."

"i'm the one who should apologize." daniel's eyebrows furrowed. "it's my fault you died."

instantly, sean clicked his tongue annoyingly. "you've got to stop blaming yourself for that. it's not your bullet that grazed through my skin. it's not like you called all those police officers at the border, ready to take me on with a hundred guns."

not a word entered daniel's ears. "if only i wasn't so reckless." he ran a hand through his hair, his eyes hollow. "if only i'd practiced my power just a tad bit more, if only i could've seen that bullet coming, i would've been able to protect you better." his voice was laced with regret.

"that's enough, enano." sean shushed him. "it's my job as your older brother to protect you. not yours, okay? now promise me you won't blame yourself for my death."

daniel hesitated. "...i'll try."