Hot showers are a gift from God.

The hot water running down his body did wonders in reducing the tension that was always suffocating him but it could not guide his mind from wandering back to all the things Olegario had said.

Asides from himself, Ole was the most reasonable person he knew. He trusted the man's instincts and did not ever take his words for granted. Was Ole on the right track for linking Sergei with Eisenfaust?

Sure it was a bit far fetched as he could not see a possible connection between the Germans and Berlusconi but he still could not bring himself to completely discard the theory.

It would be extremely easy for Sergei's database to be manipulated but there would have been a loophole or two, obvious or not. Everything just added up. His family; Mila and Adeline had popped up as well. It all made sense.

Why then was he having a gut feeling that something was not right? Why could he feel that something big was brewing underneath the surface?

The possible connection with Eisenfaust was one thing, his mental health was another thing entirely.

He knew his anxiety was getting worse. His hands would shake at the slightest trigger. He felt suffocated when under very little pressure.

"I should have asked Ole for that psychiatrist's number again."

He barely heard his door slam shut someone stumble inside. Eniola.

Tobias' felt his stomach do a little flip at the thought. He had asked for her a while ago and she had really taken her time in getting there.

He knew there was no way in hell he would open up to her that day. He needed to give her time. Hell, he needed the time himself.

He wanted her to get accustomed to the workings of the family before he dropped the bombshell on her. He did not want to be selfish with her lending an ear.

He took a deep breath and exhaled as he wrapped the big fluffy towel around his waist.

He walked into the suite dragging a foot-rug along with him so. The marbled tiles looked cold and he could not fathom the idea of being in direct contact with them. Having wet tiles was a horror and he had exposed himself to the frosty weather enough for one day.

He looked around the room in thought as he could not find Eniola. Confusion slowly set in. He could swear he heard her come in.

After listening to the silence for a while, he shook his head and dragged himself to the walk-in closet.

There were not a lot to pick from just white shirts, warm coloured pants and some robes that smelled like they were just as old as the building. The pants were a last minute decision he made to buy them when he first arrived at the house the previous night.

He was just about to reach for a shirt when someone screamed and touched him on his shoulder—

"Boo!" He jolted a little but turned to see a mischievous Eniola grinning at him. "You didn't even jump and scream."

"I—" He could not admit to her that he was a bit spooked but sighed in relief. It could have been something much worse. "I do not even know what to say to you." He replied and she just rolled her eyes stopping midway to gawk at his exposed upper tattooed body.

"I will never get used to this. And Varo was right about you being a robot." She said, dragging her gaze back to his eyes then shaking her head and heading back to the bedroom.

He bit his bottom lip in thought before speaking. "Someone has tried to stab me in the back by scaring me like that. Literally."

He could hear her tell 'what?' as he quickly threw on a long sleeved cotton t-shirt and a pair of cream coloured sweatpants and ruffled his hair with the towel before heading back to her.

"Hello." She called sweetly, smiling at him. "You look cute. Like panda cute." She said taking in his casual attire. He thought he looked ready for a 12 hour sleep.

"Hello." He felt silly for having a blush creep to his cheeks when she complimented him.

"Franco said you wanted to see me?" She asked once he returned from air-drying his towel.

"I did. I wanted to know if you wanted to go home." He answered, clearing his throat as he took a good look at what she was wearing. For some reason she had changed into a large shirt that he wasn't sure she had anything underneath it. He figured she was staying and he was definitely not going to disagree.

"Is that mine?" He was very sure it was among the bunch of clothes he had bought from some store at a corner.

"Come stay with me." She laughed as she patted on the empty side of his unused bed in anticipation and he weighed the options he had.

Standing awkwardly by the side of the bed was not really the worst idea when you thought about it.

"Come on. I won't bite." She added and he stared at the bed apprehensively but got in anyway.

He felt strange with all the extra space between them but withheld himself from making a comment. He also felt grateful she was still honouring her promise and giving him his space but he wanted to be close at that moment.

"That wasn't so difficult, was it?" She asked propping her head up to look at him. It was.

"I guess it wasn't." He answered quietly as he settled his eyes on the incredibly high ceiling. He had not tried to switch on the unnecessarily flamboyant chandelier added a regal feel to the room.

"Are you alright?" She asked quietly and he only nodded. He didn't know what else to do or say to her. "Okay..." She said, joining him in staring at the ceiling.

"I met most of the guys. They're really nice. Like Xavier for instance, you didn't tell me you had an architect in the family." She started after some minutes of silence. Tobias knew Xavier. Not well enough to call him a friend like Varo or Ole or Mateo but enough to know he wouldn't stab him in the back —both literally and figuratively— when he had the chance. "He's a really cool guy. Even promised to show me some of his designs someday." She added and Tobias nodded.

Maybe Ole wasn't the only one who took his occupation seriously.

"They are all pretty cool, even Vittore." Vittore? That's new. "He freaked out a bit when he heard I took his vodka but eventually calmed down when I agreed on his dinner date."

"His what?" Tobias finally turned face her and realized she had been watching him the entire time.

"He asked me out to dinner, you know, after we're done with Berlusconi shit. He's not really the dick Varo painted him out to be." Tobias did not know how to feel about Eniola going out with any of his men. It was not professional and it was also Vittore.

"Okay." He finally answered after reasoning that it would not be a good idea to make a fuss out of it.

"He is pretty good looking and nice... To an extent." She added and Tobias mentally cringed.

He was definitely not going to have that conversation.

"Sure." Was all he replied with and she sighed scooting closer to him. Close enough for their shoulders to touch.

He subconsciously flinched.

"Did I do something wrong?" She asked after moving back to her arm's length position.

Well asides from stopping me from making 'Berlusconi on a stick', complimenting Varo and Luis while neglecting me and then accepting to go out on a date with Vittore, you have done nothing wrong.

"Not at all." He answered and she just shook her head, staring at him.

"It's fine if you do not want me here, Tobi. I could ask Bob to drive me home. I didn't want to make you comfortable but yeah, that isn't working," she said with a small frown and sat up after he said nothing.

He watched her as she lingered at the edge of the bed before getting up. His jealousy was just as toxic even when he did not show it. And there was no way in hell he would let her go out in just his shirt.

He had a house full of men for God's sake.

He shifted to the edge and sat up too, calling out to her just as she was about to reach for the doorknob.

"Eniola?" Her hair shielded her face as she slowly turned. "Come here."

He watched her bite her pierced lip in thought before she eventually let go of the doorknob.

"Come on. I don't bite." He repeated and she snorted a laugh before quietly sitting next to him but still giving him space. "You don't make me uncomfortable, Fuego. I just have a lot on my mind." He said half-truthfully and tucked a part of her unruly hair behind her ear so he could see her face. Her eyes had always been so shiny.

"You called me Fuego, what does that mean?" He rolled his eyes playfully. Of course that had to be the only thing she heard. At least she was not upset anymore.

"Fire." He answered, distracted as he toyed with another strand of her hair. She did not seem to mind as he twisted it with his finger and tucked it in with rest, leaving her beautiful face in complete view. "I do not know whether to try to put you out, or let you grow and consume everything."

"Okay. I like it." She said breathlessly as he pulled away. He thought he was a bit too close for her comfort. He had felt the urge to admire her features up close.

She had a fire in her that burnt with all its might. Her ability to see the positive side in every situation never ceased to amaze him. Putting her out was out of the question.

A part of him had expected her to run for the hills when he had first told her about Berlusconi.

And yet, she still here. Letting him touch her.

"You've zoned out again." She called him back, gently tapping his cheek.

"I apologise. Lie with me?" He asked innocently and she silently agreed, kicking her shoes off and moving close to him.

"Is this too much?" She asked and he shook his head even though she was practically sharing a pillow with him.

"How are you?" He asked after a while and her eyes met with his. He realized he had been a bit selfish for not asking after her after the whole court/Sergei/Giovanni ordeal. "With all that has happened today, how are you coping?"

"I'm doing pretty well. I haven't had a mental breakdown yet so I'm all good." Lucky.

"I'm glad." He said and sighed. He didn't know what to say to keep the conversation going but she did.

"How about you?" She asked. "Still freaking out about almost putting Giovanni on a skewer?" He couldn't help but chuckle. Everyone seemed to have a word for what he did.

"Not exactly. Olegario said it was just pent up angst." He answered and she rose up to look at him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Enny asked softly and he sighed.

"That was exactly what he recommended but I'm not sure I'm ready to discuss my current predicament." He saw the defeated look on her face and quickly added, "Not yet, at least."

"Okay." Was all she said snuggling into his side.

"That tickles." He said as he squirmed, feeling her nose digging into his ribs. He let out a short yell as he felt her fingers in his underarm. It was more terrifying than her jumpscare prank from earlier. "Please don't do that." He said half-seriously as he caught her hands. He was a bit too ticklish for his liking.

"But it's fun!" She whined pouting at him as he held her boy hands over her head.

"It's painful!" He retorted and she stuck a pierced tongue out to him.

"You're just stuck up!" She taunted back and he gasped in mock disbelief.

"Stuck up? Oh, I'll show you stuck up!" He said with a small laugh before charging for her sides and tickling her mercilessly.

Her laughter and pleads for him to stop filled the enter room as she squirmed wildly.

"S-stop!" She begged as he laughed in response.

"Say I'm not stuck up!"

"N-never!" She screamed back but surrendered after his hands wormed up to her underarms. "Okay, okay! You're not stuck up!" She yelled in surrender making him finally stop to look at her smugly.

"Of course, I'm not." He grinned victoriously as he watched her breathe heavily after the sudden attack.

"You're so... beautiful." She whispered, catching him completely off guard. He felt his smile falter. Why did she have to say that? Why did she have to be so sweet?

He quietly rolled off of her with her staring at him in confusion.

"Anything wrong?" She asked as she sat up with him, still flustered from her screams and laughter.

Was there? He didn't know.

"Sometimes, I don't think I deserve you."

"What do you mean?" She questioned quietly and nudged him by the shoulder when he didn't answer.

This was going to be a lengthy explanation.

"You're just... I do not know. You're so accepting. So many things have changed so quickly and somehow you managed to adapt to it." He started glancing at her focused eyes before looking at their fingers that were barely an inch away from each other. "You don't know a lot about any of the people you have decided to trust yet you just go with it. You're accepting them and everything for who and what they are without having a second thought. You're accepting me even when I am not being completely honest with you. How can you be so carefree and kind to me when you do not know me too well? Especially after all of your questions that I have left unanswered? Especially after I hurt you? Repeatedly?"

"You have not given me a reason not to accept you." She said and he felt her warm fingers tug his chin and gently drew his face to her. "And well, every person deserves a second chance. As long as they make an effort to right their wrong, the best we can do is let them back in again to motivate then to do more good. And even though you keep a few secrets from me, I know it's for the right reasons. Don't beat yourself up for it." She smiled softly and and he only nodded setting a pillow up behind him.

"I do not want to keep secrets from you," Tobias confessed as he accidentally grazed her right thigh. He felt goosebumps on the exposed parts as he quickly withdrew his hands and apologised.

"It's fine." She said and patted his cheek. "Place your head on my legs. I want to give you a massage." What?

"A massage?" He asked and she nodded excitedly. "Alright." He answered unsurely and did as she instructed. The position was a bit too intimate for two people that were supposedly giving each other time but as long as Eniola did not read too much meaning into it, he would try no to as well.

He sighed in relief as her fingers touched his forehead, applying pressure at the sides of his head then grazing his temple. It felt impossibly nice. Who else has she done this for?

"You have like the most perfect hairline." She said softly and he simultaneously felt her finger pads graze along his baby hairs. "How's it so fucking straight?"

It wasn't what he would call perfect. It was nothing special and he was just glad he did had bald spots. He was way too young.

"Do you not see my flaws?" He asked with his eyes still closed, enjoying her acrylic nails softly scratching his hair. He had not still figured out why she saw him as this pretty little angel. He was far far from that.

"I do." He could feel her finger brush over his brow.

"Then why do you not acknowledge them too?" He asked, genuine curiosity lacing his voice. He wanted to know what she thought about them.

"Your flaws do not define you, mi corazon." She replied, randomly tapping his earlobe.

"Did you just speak Spanish?" He asked opening an eye just to see her nod.

"Yeah, I thought we were coming up with nicknames for each other?" He rolled his eyes but still felt a smile stretch his lips.

"Something tells me you do not even know the meaning of the word." He replied and Eniola shrugged going back to run her hand through his zebra-print hair.

"Well I think I heard it in a movie or something. Maybe it means sweetheart?" She asked him and he nodded.

"Close enough, it means my heart." He answered and she grinned.

"I still think it's perfect." She replied and a comfortable silence followed.

Until she broke it.

"Is there someone else, Tobias?" She asked forcing him to open his eyes again. He was almost sleeping. He had felt right at home with her fingers in his hair and his head on her thighs.

"Sorry?"

"Is there a woman you're involved with?" She asked and he searched her eyes for any sign of playfulness but could not find any. What?

"There's no woman." He answered honestly.

Save for the blind dates Rebecca had set him up with and his one or two night stands, he had never been one to invest romantically in anyone. He always thought he would never had enough time for their relationship and well, nobody had really caught his eye.

"Okay." She answered, he could see she was seriously trying to hide a smile but decided to say nothing about it.

"Asides from Vittore, is there any man?" He asked forcing her to let out a short laugh.

"I only just met Vittore, Tobias. And no, I have not been with anyone in a while now." She answered easily and he only frowned. "I broke up with Kent a long time ago too."

"But after the dinner date, you would be with Vittore." He grumbled and she flicked him in the ear. "Oww—"

"If you do not want me to, just say it, Tobias. You know I'll listen to you." She frowned back and he only looked away.

"I have no say in that, Eniola. It's your decision." He forced himself to answer maturely and she kissed her teeth in annoyance.

Even though he did not want Vittore or any other male within a ten-mile radius with her, he still wanted her to make her own calls and do what made her happy... Even when he believed he was much better suited for her than any other man.

"Okay, get the fuck off me, I want to sleep." She said, flicking his ear again and he begrudgingly got up.

"Enny-" He said and she just waved him off and backed him.

"Goodnight and dim the lights."

He sighed for the umpteenth time as he watched her sprawl out on her side of the bed. Her shirt was raised in a rather seductive manner but he hesitantly pulled the duvet over her.

After staring at her sleeping for a while, he sunk into his own pillow.

"Maybe I'm not the most comfortable with you going out with other people. Not while I'm still here at least." He said quietly still watching longingly as she slept.

The night had gone a bit sideways but he was satisfied to have spent sometime with her. He might not have such luxury in the future.

He fell asleep going back and forth between telling Vittore to stay the fuck away from her, throwing him into oncoming traffic or simply watching from the sidelines how it would all play out.

The rain seeped into his bones as his teeth clattered. The grieving and sorrow in the air were not enough to make up for his soaked designer's shoes. He would have been better off staying home.

With the heaviness of the rain, it seemed as if the skies themselves mourned the loss of their king.

'Here lies Don Farrell Fernandez.

Señor de España y Padrino de todos.

1946-2006.'

It was the exact same thing that was written on his grandfather's gravestone but at least, he was the actual Lord Of Spain and Father Of All. Don Alejo had rightfully earned that name. He wondered if the same would be on his tombstone.

The mourning families clad in black apparel surrounded him in a taunting manner as he stuck out like a sour thumb.

He had no tears in his eyes and no flowers in his hand.

He stared at the tombstone that seemed to sink into the ground with his father's coffin uprooted in a vertical stance.

The family's wails were louder in his ears. He did not hear the coffin creak open.

He did not see his father crawl out with his head severed from his body.

He did not see the Felicio hold the gun to his head—

"Tobias!"

~~~

I'm watching y'all.😑