Turbinio

Balm and Bowesllia

Although you struggled to control yourself and stop crying, you managed to convince them to go back to the barn when they were already halfway there.

Johnny held you tight, sitting behind you while controlling Slow Dancer's reins. His breath was hot on top of your head, and when you finally stopped crying, he straightened you up a bit and leaned forward to check on you. Your hair covered your eyes, sticking to your face from the sweat and tears and dirt of the city. You shook your head slightly to disentangle them and managed at least a glance at Gyro.

"Are you sure you want to go back to the barn, (Y/N)?" One of them asked, his confused mind unable to discern who.

''Yes...'' You answered "He can't see me here, with you. Diego thinks I'm dead, that my body is freezing somewhere. If he sees that I'm alive, he will surely try to kill me again.''

''So he really was willing to...'' Johnny began, shuddering slightly at what you had said. ''Dio... that bastard..."

You fell silent and closed your eyes, feeling the soft impact of Johnny's horse's legs underneath you. Johnny's voice, which was normally low and soft, had a deep touch of anger in it. After a few seconds, when you opened your eyes, you saw Gyro get off his horse and open the main door of the same barn where Cadichon was sheltering. The Italian said something unintelligible when you saw him chase away the squealing pig. For a moment you wondered if Johnny had noticed some strands of your hair sticking up and being chewed by the animal, but you quickly ignored that thought.

You could feel Johnny's heart beating under the back of your neck as your body relaxed, but his hands were involuntarily steady as rocks, both resting on Slow Dancer's reins as they entered the barn.

Gyro helped you off the horse and you sat down on the same bale of hay you were before, now a little calmer to say it all.

"It was my fault... I should have killed Magenta the first moment I saw him..." You said, but were soon interrupted by Johnny.

"No." He started, getting down from his horse and sitting on the hay bale next to yours, but unable to look you in the eye. ''It's not your fault, (Y/N), you were being cautious. We should have made sure the bastard was dead... we left Magenta alive, it was our responsibility to finish him off.''

''We had no way of knowing the bastard would survive a headshot, Johnny.'' Gyro defended himself, although he knew where the residue of guilt that plagued his friend came from. ''We have time to talk about this later. Let's see those bruises... can you take off your coat, (Y/N)?"

You promptly obeyed the request and took a deep breath, looking at the floor. Johnny took his coat and folded it beside him, while the first thing Gyro did was to feel your neck when he saw the bruises.

''This bruises...'' He hesitated. ''(Y/N), don't tell me that...''

"It was Diego." You replied Gyro, stepping back for a brief moment when you felt his warm touch on your bare skin. "He strangled me. Twice. To make sure I was dead.''

Brutal courage, an icy spirit, Diego possessed. Nevertheless, now that you were calmer, your thoughts rearranged themselves into sparks of anguish and anger in your chest. Diego Brando was right to be apprehensive about you, but he should have strangled you three or four times. Diego feared betrayal more than death, you thought. What he had done was understandable.

Understandable, not forgivable.

Your emotions went back and forth, undecided. You were happy to be reconciled with Gyro and Johnny through your misfortune, but you felt nauseous every time Diego returned to your memory. The two men looked at each other, and Gyro stood up to get something from his bag.