Her words were vague. An instruction manual typed out in language he ought to been able to read but couldn't. Not exactly, at least.

There was, however, one deeply embedded response he could feel work it's way up the guttural ends of his throat. Hoarse, broken, instinctual, the man didn't dare look at her as he trembled out a quiet, "I can't."

illeana reyes

"I can't, Illie! I--"

Words fall short, becoming victims to the pit erupting across his entire body. What was once a small wound had spiraled into a disruptive force that left Felix wrenching forward, face first into the pillow of warmth illeana provided for him. His shoulders shuddered with what little strength he had left.

"If I give in," he attempted to breath between splatters of words, but all it did was contort his sentences into heavy puffs of strangled air, "it would've all been for nothing. All of those years for nothing."

And where would that leave August? Left behind with a husk of a brother. The person he entrusted to take care of him reduced to a shriveling pool of unkempt emotions.

"And, and," he panted, "August needs me. He needs me to be strong; I need to be strong for him."

illeana reyes

No one.

The answer was no one.

Dried lips parted to let out a long, shaky breath. His tongue, swollen and numb, whipped into the back of his teeth as he tried to formulate the only defense to his spiraling life.

"I don't want to burden anyone else, illie."

His presence was already enough. Since the beginning, he was unwanted, and to the end that will remain the same.

illeana reyes

With six simple words, the condemned titan of Atlas was reduced to the mere shack of flesh and bones that'd been hidden all along.

A long, hoarse howl raked his body, and with a harsh shudder, he sought the comfort of her arms.

Shoulders shaking, head buried, hot tears streaked his cheeks with vengeance.

"Promise me," he whimpered, heart frail. "Please. Promise me that."

illeana reyes