Bit of a short one this time but important all the same. Ey this one it's COMPLETELY miserable either what a bonus. Either way sorry for the wait again, hopefully my creative blocks will back off for a bit.

Joaquín's fingers hovered over the keys before he picked a different tune. The sound helped him relax but only until the pattern annoyed him. One of these days he'd have time to sit down and learn a proper song.

María sat next to him, her cheek pressed against his bare shoulder. She seemed to be in a daze since they got back from the graveyard. He managed to make her laugh a few times while making dinner but it didn't last.

He wished he could do more but he was in no position to.

At first they tried to turn in early. She headed to the bathroom while he took off his uniform. A part of him debated if he needed to wear it every day he was in town. As confident as it made him feel it seemed a bit excessive.

Seconds after he folded it up however he heard her scream.

He rushed to the bathroom to see her stumble out, clutching her own arms. When he asked if she was okay she seemed to snap out of a trance before laughing and saying she tripped. He doubted that, but didn't press it.

Then she asked if he could play some music for a bit, and here they were.

María didn't even know he could play until they travelled. A few of the houses they stayed in allowed him to try again after all those years of training. He wasn't good at it, by any means, but it cleared his mind.

He knew it didn't compare to Manolo's guitar either, but María never asked him to stop. She just sat there, possibly falling asleep.

A familiar chill hovered around the back of his neck. The images from today hadn't left his mind. Manolo's blank expression and glowing eyes kept popping up and making his fingers slip on the keys.

María yawned before curling up on the bench.

"Time for bed?" He paused his playing but left his fingers resting on the keys.

"We should have gone earlier," she spoke against his skin. "Especially after a day like that."

"At least you got to sleep in."

"You could have too. Try it tomorrow, you might like it."

"I doubt it," he shook his head. "But I probably need to."

"Seeing things?"

"Ah, well, yeah," he tapped out a few notes.

"What kind of things?"

"You'll think I'm crazy."

"No crazier than me," her hand rested on his arm. "Probably."

Joaquín debated telling her, but in the end who else could he tell. Besides, if she had seen something too she should understand.

"When I was leaving the arena I thought... I saw Manolo."

María tilted her head up. "What?"

"It was only for a second." His fingers tapped against they keeps but not enough to play anything. "And I saw him a few more times during the day but... it probably is just the lack of sleep. That and missing him."

María's silence made him nervous. He tried to find another tune but couldn't bring himself to play a single note.

"You're not alone." She murmured.

"Huh?"

"I saw him too."

His fingers slipped and slammed onto the keys. "Y-you did?"

"Once on the street, later in the graveyard, and then a little while ago in your bathroom mirror."

The chill ran from his neck down his back. He turned his head to the side as if he expected to find someone standing behind him.

"Come on," he tried to shrug her off. "It sounds like we both need our rest."

María sighed before sliding down and laying across his arm. "Carry me."

He frowned at her before moving his arms to the side. "Why should I?"

"Cause I'm tired." She tried to hide her smile as she now looked up at him from his lap.

"So am I."

"I'll carry you tomorrow."

He wanted to argue that was impossible but he honestly wasn't sure anymore.

He slid his leg out from under her, smiling when her head hit the wooden bench. He ignored her glare while he stretched.

"Let's go then, your highness." Joaquín slid his arms under her and practically tossed her in the air.

"Damn right I am." Her arms wrapped around his neck. "The princess and her knight."

He almost dropped her when she said that but kept his composure. He had tried his hardest to forget that drunken story, and the events that followed after.

"Hey, your bedroom is that way." María pointed when he turned to the left.

"Exactly, my bedroom, not yours."

"Joaquín-"

"It's bad enough I'm letting you stay here María. If someone comes looking for you in the morning and finds us what are they going to say?"

"We're just sharing a bed."

"Do you really think they'll consider that? They had enough to gossip about without seeing anything."

"People like to talk, I don't care." Her eyes moved to the side as she pressed closer to him. "I can't stand sleeping alone anymore, okay?"

"You'll have to get used to it at some point." He muttered but turned back towards his room anyways.

"Says who?"

"Says me, I'm not staying in San Angel forever you know."

"And who says I'm staying?"

"María-"

"Manolo's dead."

The words cut into him just as sharp as when he first heard them.

"He's dead and there's no reason for me to stay here anymore. And you better not try to leave without me, you hear?" Her voice shook. "If you do I swear I'll sneak out and chase you across Mexico to kick your ass."

"No, I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't leave you alone. I... I am not making that same mistake again."

María sighed and pressed her face against his neck. "We should just stop talking."

So they did, at least until they reached the bedroom and Joaquín tossed her onto the bed. She screamed before hitting the mattress.

"There you go your highness."

"Jerk," She tossed one of the pillows at him.

Joaquín let it bounce off his shoulder and laughed before picking it up and throwing it back.

María caught it and grinned. "Hah, you've left yourself unarmed."

"María no, we're supposed to-"

She didn't let him finish and leapt off the bed, smacking the pillow against his arm. She laughed and when she didn't stop he dove to the side to grab the other pillow. He swung it around, deflecting her next hit.

"Coward," he taunted between breaths. "Who attacks an unarmed man?"

"I did not come to fight fair." She swung the pillow again and he blocked it.

"Then neither shall I." He aimed for her head expecting her to block it. However the pillow slammed into the side of her head and sent her onto the bed.

"M-María? He stuttered and leaned over her. "Oh my god are you okay?"

Suddenly her arm shot out and pinched his side. Joaquín squealed and landed on the bed next to her. She jumped back up and pressed him down with the pillow across his chest.

"There's no end to your cheating." He muttered.

"But this is why I always win." She smiled and pinched him again.

He squeaked again and tried not to knee her in the back. "Cut that out."

In response María folded her arms on the pillow and plopped down. Joaquín tried to ignore how close her face was.

"Well guess it's time to sleep." She rested her head on his chin and made a mock snore.

Joaquín rolled his eyes. "You know I'd believe that you're asleep. Your actual snoring is that loud."

She paused and twisted her head to glare at him.

"Where did you get that snoring from anyways, your dad?"

María picked up the pillow and smacked him in the face.

He just kept laughing. "Now get off me so we can go to sleep."

"Make me."

Joaquín shrugged and easily shoved her small frame back. Her butt hit the floor but he didn't even snicker as he wrapped himself up in all the blankets.

"Hey you jerk," She hopped back onto the bed. "You're supposed to share."

"Make me," he mimicked her tone.

She tried, she really did. She tugged on the blankets endlessly but in the end could barely get them free. Eventually she collapsed, her arms draping over his side as she caught her breath.

"Fine, you win this round."

"Sorry, what was that?"

"Joaquín I want to sleep." She complained.

The soldier rolled over, forcing her back as he untangled the sheets. The second they were free María slipped under them and snatched one of the pillows. She put it above their heads before pressing up against Joaquín.

Without a thought he wrapped his arms around her and didn't let go.

Frigid air hung around him when he woke up. Even under the covers with María pressed against his chest he could feel the chills on his skin. He shivered and pulled the blanket up closer but it didn't do any good. Not even their nights out in the desert felt this cold. He needed to get another blanket.

Joaquín sighed before releasing his grip and rolling onto his back.

Manolo stared back at him.

Joaquín's heart stopped. The air caught in his throat and his mouth hung open in a silent scream as he stared back. His friend's eyes were empty, sunken into pale skin. His muscles went rigid. He couldn't move and couldn't breathe.

Why didn't it just vanish like all the other visions?

Then it tilted its head.

The scream finally tore out of Joaquín's throat as he scrambled away. María scrambled under the sheets next to him and he glanced at her when she shot up.

When he looked back the room was empty.

"What the hell?" María rubbed her eyes. "Joaquín if you want me to get up early there are-"

"I saw Manolo again."

Her hands dropped as her eyes widened and darted around the room. "Where?"

"Right there," Joaquín pointed. "He was just leaning over the bed staring at me."

He wanted to pass it off as a nightmare, another simple hallucination, but he had the worst feeling that wasn't the case.

"Maybe we should-"

A creak from the door echoed through the whole room. The pair turned to see it opening and suddenly shutting again. Soon the wood swung back and forth and Joaquín clung to María.

She just tilted her head. "What the-"

"Damn it."

The voice sounded more like a whisper and made Joaquín shiver.

"Just want... see... work..." The words became disjointed.

Joaquín swore he saw mist materializing near the door. Then it moved back and forth with the sound of soft footsteps. The image distorted, flashed, and suddenly his friend stood in the room again with his back to them.

"Manolo?" María breathed.

The vision flashed before it was suddenly facing them. Manolo's eyes were wide, mouth open before it turned into a smile.

"C-can you see me?"

Joaquín wanted to answer but he felt dizzy. This couldn't be real. Whatever Manolo was, it couldn't be real. Just something his mind made up to deal with the fact his friend was gone.

"You can right? Thank goodness, I've been trying all day."

"That was you?" María pressed closer to Joaquín.

"Ah, I didn't mean to scare you. I was just trying to... to..." The image flashed and Manolo clutched his head. "Sorry, this is draining."

"B-but how?" Joaquín stuttered. "You're dead. You're..."

"A ghost?" He gave them a weak smile.

Joaquín's vision went hazy. María caught him before he fell back.

"It's um, it's hard to explain." Manolo's eyes darted around as his body distorted a few times. "But um, you shouldn't worry about it."

"Shouldn't worry about it?" María pulled away. "Manolo you-"

"It's okay." His voice sounded like a growl. "It doesn't matter. I just... you guys are here. You're safe. You're okay."

The image vanished for a moment before it reappeared right next to the bed. Joaquín managed to stop himself from screaming. He shouldn't be scared. If it was Manolo then he wouldn't hurt them.

Right?

The bullfighter reached toward them but paused. "It's um, good to see you again." His hand retreated.

"Manolo what happened?" María spoke up.

"It's like you heard, a bull got me in the ring."

"Wait," Joaquín frowned. "How did you-"

"I've been following you since you left the bull ring."

The soldier's fingers curled into the sheets but he said nothing.

"S-sorry, I know that's weird I just..." He pulled at his sleeves. "I... saw the gift you made me. Thank you."

"Manolo-"

"Oh, and I heard the story you told the kids. You should have started training María sooner. Who knew she had such a knack for it."

"Manolo..." María whispered her name and covered her mouth. The second her body shook Joaquín wrapped an arm around her.

"Ah no, don't cry." Manolo waved his hands. "It's okay. It's-"

"It's not okay." She snapped. "You're dead. You're dead and it's all our fault for leaving you here."

"No, it's not your fault."

"Then what happened?"

"I... It's not your fault." He said. "It's not. It's not. It was... there was... and..." His body flashed and distorted before vanishing.

The room went silent. María rubbed at her eyes to get rid of any tears as the pair looked around.

"Manolo?" Joaquín whispered.

The mist reformed at the foot of the bed before Manolo reappeared.

"S-sorry, it's tricky. Materializing wears me out."

"Ghosts get tired?"

"Ah, yeah, if I go too far I black out for a while even. It's strange. Moving things, speaking, showing myself, it takes energy."

"You don't have to push yourself for us." María said.

"I'm okay. I want to talk to you guys it's been so long... Then again you need to rest too. Perhaps we can wait until tomorrow." He floated around in a circle. "B-but then you have to tell me everything. I want to hear about your adventure."

"But why are you a ghost?" María waved a hand. "Why didn't you go to the Land of the Remembered?"

Manolo's form froze up before he started swinging his left leg back and forth.

"It's not important." He whispered.

"Yes it is." She argued. "Manolo you can't stay trapped here that-"

"It's not important." A chill swept through the room and he vanished.

The pair held their breath as they waited for their friend to reappear. Footsteps echoed around for a moment before the ghost showed up near the window.

María opened her mouth, probably to ask him again, but Joaquín cut her off.

"Look, if you are real can this wait until morning?" He rubbed his head. "I don't think I'm even awake enough to handle this information."

"You're right, you're right." Manolo smiled. "I shouldn't have woken you up." He vanished before reappearing by the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Joaquín wasn't sure if he should say anything. He still had trouble believing any of this was real. He figured he'd just wake up tomorrow morning realizing all of this was a dream.

"Good night." María said but her gaze pointed down.

Manolo vanished once more and the door inched open a bit before it all went quiet.

"Tell me I'm not crazy," Joaquín muttered and buried his face in his hands.

"You're not crazy."

"This is a nightmare."

"I... maybe but if he is real at least we can figure out what happened to him."

"I don't think he wants to talk about it."

"Maybe not right now..."

Joaquín flopped back onto the mattress. "María, I hate to say this, but even if he is Manolo I don't think he's the same as we remember him."

She didn't respond to that. Instead she stared at her fingers and tapped her thumbs together. She bit down on her lip more than once and didn't stop until Joaquín tugged her down.

"You need to sleep."

"After that?"

"Try."

She frowned at him but eventually rolled over.

Even though the room felt warmer now the chills wouldn't go away. He wanted to hold her in his arms again but didn't dare. If Manolo saw that what would he think? Then again, he already had.

He tried to calm himself down by studying the stray hairs poking out of her braid. With how long she kept it up, the curls in her hair would be out of control when she took it down. He smiled at the image of her trying to tame that mess in the mornings.

When she began to quietly snore it put him at ease. He always teased her for that but these days he could barely sleep without the noise.

Finally he shut his eyes and his body relaxed. He could figure all this out in the morning.

But it took him a while longer to fall asleep. He couldn't shake the feeling someone was watching him.