Brennan had followed behind her, sticking closer to her than a shadow. Unsure of what he should do.
She continued to get closer, until she was right next to him. She didn't touch Gunter's body, but crouched down to see the stab wound. Immediately she recognized the dagger. It was the one that Zeven had given her, there was no mistaking it.
A visceral shiver ran down her spine, making her repel away from him. She had seen many corpses in her life, but this one hit her harder than all of them. He was the first person who she was close with to die. She didn't remember her mother's death, but this… this she would never forget.
Brennan noticed a white edge peering out from underneath his overcoat. Moving carefully so as to avoid jostling him, he lifted the jacket enough for him to reach in and removed two letters from his inside breast pocket. Gunter's blood only just touched the edges of the paper, striking a harsh contrast.
The front door opened and closed with only a soft thud. At the noise Brennan and Chris turned to each other. Knowing what Zeven was about to find would be even worse for him.
Springing into action, Brennan ran from the room to stop Zeven from being blindsided. He met him right inside the front door, keeping his back to the kitchen and acting as a sort of shield from what was in there.
Zeven didn't seem to pay much attention, he looked tired. The bags under his eyes were deeper than when he left, and he was just lethargic. Unbuttoning his shirt he flung in onto the back of the sofa. As it floated down, he put his hands down on it too. Leaning forward so he could rest his head.
He was conflicted, everything had gone so wrong and yet so right. A few weeks ago he wouldn't have cared about the results of the game they played, he would have won both ways. But right now… he felt like the biggest loser. She would go home and forget about all the time she had spent here, and he would be the only one left with these memories and these feelings.
Having Brennan beside him made him feel a little better, and with him there he figured he would let him know when Chris was heading down so he could resume his act.
Brennan held onto Zeven's shoulder.
"Zeven, I need to-"
"It's fine. I'll get over it."
"No, Zeven, this is very hard to say-"
"You want to leave with her too!"
He raised his voice more than he meant to, but Brennan didn't pull away. There was an intensity to him that Zeven couldn't place. He was very calm in his reply, his voice staying level and gentle.
"I'll stay by your side as long as you'll have me. But I want to tell you now that-"
Is it Gunter? Is he wanting to leave me? I won't allow it!"
"Zeven… Gunter is-"
Zeven shoved Brennan out of the way. As he ran to the kitchen, using the doorway to turn himself quicker. And that is where he froze. Hand on the arch, slightly bent forward he didn't know what he was going to find, but what he saw never even crossed his mind.
The man that he loved like a father was dead. His true family was slumped over a table with blood staining his pressed shirt. He couldn't feel anything, and neither could Zeven.
Chris started to say something, but stopped when he batted away the unspoken words with his hand. He didn't bother even looking at her, he couldn't tear his eyes away from Gunter.
He approached calmly. Appearing unshaken as he walked with his chin high. His steady breaths and footsteps were louder than the soft tapping of blood falling to the floor.
Zeven grabbed the handle of the dagger and pulled. A short, swift motion. The muscles in his arms started to shake from clenching so hard. His eyes held little emotion, staring at the hole in Gunter's chest. The blade pointing away from him as he brought it close, before slamming in through the wall behind him with a scream. His arm was the only thing moved, eyes still firmly locked on Gunter.