Worth The Shot

Brother against Brother

Today's fanart is by @ScarPTiger ! I love the autumn leafy background and Camilo's golden eyes! He looks so happy :)

BACK TO THE STORY

"How long have you been in love with my wife?"

His wife. Lillian. My... mother. The intimate word "mother" felt clumsy and awkward. You didn't even know Lillian. You futilely conjured a blurry image of an older, beautiful version of yourself. Did she love me?

You strained to imagine cave picnics and comfortable laughs with you, Marcos, and this faceless stranger. The Candella Family. Like a child inspecting a shiny toy ball, your mind admired this idol of an average, beautiful childhood that you so desperately missed.

"If I were you," Sebastian muttered, crossing his arms indifferently. "I'd be asking long she's been in love with me."

Marcos lost it. His eyebrows twisted in fury. His deep, tan skin flushed. He struck Sebastian with a sloppy, sideways jab. Sebastian grunted, his chin roughly knocked back. His sleek, black hair curtained his silent expression.

Suddenly, fear for your father trickled down your veins. Sebastian could kill him. You froze in the deafening silence, anticipating your uncle's explosion. Sebastian just held still, head down, his shoulders heaving with ragged breaths.

Then, almost comically offbeat, he laughed. It was an ugly, scary laugh, punctuated by breathy silences where he stretched out his jaw, feeling for damage. Slyly, his green eyes rolled up to taunt Marcos.

"You know," Sebastian's tongue swiped the blood off his sharp, white teeth. Jaw relaxed, he lazily flicked his gaze to the left. "As Head Candella, you weren't around much. Remember that one night, when you were out late talking business? Who were you with?" Sebastian thought for a moment, then chuckled coldly. "Can't remember. You weren't with Lillian. Anyways, I made out with her. And she loved it."

Marcos violently launched himself at Sebastian, spitting obscenities and threats. Dust whirled outward, repelled from their chaotic fistfight. It was noisy and messy and horrible.

Even Camilo roused from his shut-down fog of trauma. He didn't say anything, just twined your unchained hands together. You could feel his clammy hand shaking. He's just as scared as me.

But from the gentle way he grazed his thumb over the back of your hand, you realized only you trembled. Your shoulders quivered like a blade of grass in a rainstorm. You must have looked panicked, because Camilo repeatedly murmured to you under his breath, "It's okay, it's okay."

"Maybe (y/n) is mine," Sebastian hissed, thrashing in Marcos' head lock. Glaring daggers, Sebastian sharply inhaled as Marcos constricted his throat.

"She's my daughter!" Marcos roared. "Biological or not. She's my daughter. You can't have her, too!"

"She doesn't... even look like you," Sebastian choked out, recklessly hurling a smirk at his brother. Marcos squeezed harder, and you counted the silent seconds as Sebastian suffocated. His eyes fogged up, glazed and distant, and his skin grayed to a bluish pale.

Just before you shut your eyes, Marcos released Sebastian and shoved him hard. Gasping heavily, Sebastian staggered back, resting one hand on his knee and the other protectively on his neck.

Marcos stormed toward you, jerking at a stand of your (hc) hair. You shied away from this unhinged, violent imposter of your father. With crazed eyes and a hunched, vicious posture, you couldn't recognize this monster.

"She looks nothing like me, because she looks just like Lillian!" Marcos shouted, his hot breath flaming on your face. "Tell me, does she look like you, Sebastian?"

"Come on, leave her out of this," Camilo defended, tightening his grip on your hand. Chin tilted up.

"Don't you dare speak to me!" Marcos whirled on Camilo, the way a hunting dog turns on a rabbit, ears flattened and saliva dripping from its fangs.

Camilo flinched. Hard.

Marcos didn't hit him. But reactions like that don't stem from harsh words or isolation alone. It took 3 full seconds for Camilo to relax, softening the hard curve of his shoulders and warily opening his golden-brown eyes.

"This," Marcos gravely motioned to your interlocked hands. Now Camilo was the one shaking. "Has gone on for far too long."

With a swift movement, he slapped Camilo with the back of his hand. Camilo's chin slumped against his chest, cold unconscious.

Marcos lit the Candella miracle candle

and pressed a single finger to Camilo's forehead.