León Arganthonios Laurel

The sudden scrape of the cell door’s lock was a violent intrusion, a metallic shriek that tore through his self-imposed stupor. Light, harsh and unforgiving, flooded the cramped space, making him squint. He didn’t lift his head. This was it. The end. A bullet, a needle, a shiv in the back. He had steeled himself for it, accepted the cold finality of it. There was nothing left.

Then, the warden’s voice. It wasn’t a guard’s bark, but a calm, detached tone that was somehow more terrifying. “So this is where you’ve been.” Antonne finally stirred, a slow, agonizing roll onto his back. He saw the polished shoes, the impeccable suit, the face of a man who held his life in his hands and looked bored by the prospect. A flicker of defiance, the last embers of his rage, sparked in his chest. He wanted to spit, to curse, to launch himself at the man even if it meant his end.

When the priest tried to go in to help Antonne to his feet, the warden held an arm to stop him. They couldn't be sure that he wouldn't lash out, even in his weakened state. And it was clear he wanted to. But there was only one thing the warden had that could fix this.

The prison warden stepped away from the doorway and flicked his wrist to something just out of Antonne’s sight. ‘I thought you said he was tough.’ 

León appeared from around the corner, pale and looking unwell. But there was nothing visibly wrong with him. No. Instead, he looked guilty.

‘Antonne?’ His voice was barely audible. ‘What did they do to you?’ By rights, it should have been Antonne asking that. But unlike him, León had been safe, warm and well fed. This cell felt like a human rights violation. 

‘Turns out the bastards were hiding him under our damn noses,’ the prison warden said, arms folded over his broad chest. ‘Alright, let’s get moving. He probably wants to see a doctor.’ 

He growled with rage, wanting to smash everything to smithereens. It was a minor thing that had made him lose his temper, but he had to be credited for not acting on his impulses.

“You’re a fucking idiot,” he spat, running the back of his hand over his mouth, smearing blood from his fresh wound.

Matthew wasn’t prepared to fight him, even though he would have liked to see León get his face smashed in. But was that really it? Or did he want to beat Richard to a pulp?

He helped Richard to his feet and checked him over for any sign of broken glass. There was just a little blood on Richard’s collar from where Matthew cut himself. ‘Are you okay?’ He was starting to feel like he owed Richard his phone number. After this mess, it was the least he could do. 

‘I’m fine. Mostly just shaken.’ Richard tsked at his bloody collar then turned his attention back to León. ‘I’m more worried about you. That wasn’t about money, was it?’ 

León furrowed his brows and tilted his head back in confusion. ‘What else would it be about?’ 

‘He’s not a toxic ex, then?’ Richard glanced back towards the club exit where Matthew had just stormed out. ‘Then who…’ 

‘Some bastard! Come.’ León impatiently grabbed Richard’s hand and pulled him to the dancefloor, ignoring his protests. Matthew was swirling in his mind and if he didn’t dance now, he was about to hunt down that idiot and give him a beating. Guys who got weird like that deserved a black eye. 

He watched in silence as Leon wailed on them, unflinching. The burn of their blood stinging his nose. It pained his heart to see the once full of life lion turn into the Sun shining brightly in the sky with a red hue around him. That was his fault for some of his light going out. If he had just recognized his feelings earlier and not brush them aside, afraid.

It took him far too long to break out of his own thoughts. But when he finally did, he looked up at Rowin as if he was lost. 

And after another long moment, he blinked away those tears, face twisting into a fierce sneer. He spat on the corpse beneath him before rummaging through its pockets and retrieved a heavy key for the slave cart. He didn’t even make eye contact with anyone as they stumbled out. 

Some were terrified, all of them were confused. And when someone dared to ask what they were supposed to do now, he snapped, ‘I don’t care!’ 

Carlos Cuevas and Miki Esparbé as Álex & Bruno