<span style="font-family: 'Georgia'">He didn't want money. Well, what <i>did</i> he want?<br/>
<br/>
Theo's question was answered shortly after, and the artist stood there, confused, fear creeping slowly through his veins. What had he done to this man that would have him wanting Theo dead? He may have a slight recollection of seeing the man in passing, but nothing significant enough that would warrant a death threat. <br/>
<br/>
But then the man kept speaking; names and dates that Theo could never forget. And just like that, the puzzle pieces fell into place. Theo's breaths came faster, his vision blurring, and eyes swimming with hot unshed tears. His mouth opened and closed like a washed-up fish, futilely gasping for air. <br/>
<br/>
The cold kiss of the gun against his head, snapping him out of the worst of his stupor. He'd just seen a ghost and was at a loss how to make sense of it all. All these years. All this time of refusing to believe that his brother was dead. And now Michael was here, in front of him. <br/>
<br/>
Alive. <br/>
<br/>
Michael was alive. <br/>
<br/>
Theo slowly shook his head, "Mi..Michael?" he voiced the name as a question, voice cracking under the weight of the emotion that threatened to suffocate him. "You're alive." The wonder and disbelief was clear in his dark gaze, as he drank in the sorry sight of a man who'd been through hell, and had somehow clawed his way out. "You're alive!" This time louder, the curtain of disbelief slowly lifting. And despite the gun, despite the fact that the other male smelled like a trash dump, and desperately needed a bath, Theo still wanted to pull him close. To hold him and never let go.<br/>
<br/>
But the gun pressed to his head and the hate burning in the other's eyes kept him where he was. The hatred in Michael's gaze, more than the gun or threat of death, twisted up Theo's insides, and his heart broke all over again. <br/>
<br/>
Michael partly blamed him for whatever had happened to him, and Theo couldn't find it in himself to deny it. Yes, he'd only been a child himself at the time, but what about after? What about when he'd finally grown up, had made a place for himself in the world. He may have believed with every fibre of his being that Michael was alive. But had he made any efforts to prove his claims. Had he searched for him?<br/>
<br/>
No. No, he hadn't. <br/>
<br/>
"I'm sorry," he whispered, a tear finally falling. "I'm so fucking sorry." He wouldn't make excuses for himself. He wouldn't beg for his life. He deserved everything that happened to him, and even then it wouldn't compare to the hell that Michael had lived through for the past decade and some. "I...I know I don't deserve it, but-" Theo reached out, fingers gripping onto the front of the other's shirt, "-when this is all over, af-after you've done whatever you need to get closure...Would you forgive me?"</span>