The next two weeks at Jario's house pass by without any major issues. Although Héctor still treats this like a punishment, he's stopped fighting with Jario directly and trying to talk Ernesto out of staying there. Mostly, usually before and after concerts, when writing his letters, or when getting ready for bed, Héctor will rant to himself too quietly for Ernesto to hear. Or when Jario cooks for them, Héctor will sit by the window instead of at the table and either stare outside longingly or stare Jario down without blinking, as if trying to intimidate him.

But, except for a few short arguments here and there, nothing too drastic happens, which Ernesto is beyond happy about.

For Ernesto's part, he tolerates Jario as best he can, talking to him, inviting him to go out with them, or letting him cheer them on at their next few concerts (which might be a mistake-- Jario's yelling drowns out the whole crowd and it's more than a little embarassing). Despite not remembering the friendship they used to have, Ernesto finds it easier to be around Jario than it is to be around his other amigos-- with the exception of Héctor. While there's some hesitance between them because of the years apart and because of Héctor's pure dislike of Jario, him and Ernesto manage to have decent conversations that show that a rapport used to and could still exist.

That is, if Ernesto can figure out what Jario's deal is first.

As much as Jario appears to enjoy being around Ernesto, it's clear that Héctor is his main focus. It took Ernesto a few days to realize this-- he'd sensed something odd in Jario's mannerisms when they'd run into him after first arriving here, but he'd just written it off as adoration and generosity. But now that he's gotten to know Jario a little better, he can see one very disturbing thing about his old friend: the man is absolutely infatuated with Héctor.

It's not a love interest; Ernesto remembers enough about Jario to know that he detests romance of any kind, always has. But his affinity for Héctor is strong nonetheless, and it makes Ernesto uncomfortable.

And once Ernesto realizes this, he starts to notice other minor details. Jario's entire face lights up when he greets Héctor every morning, smiling like a child being given his favorite candy. Every time he and Ernesto talk and Héctor pretends he doesn't hear anything, Jario's eyes always look right through Ernesto to wherever Héctor is at the moment and he keeps his gaze there for the remainder of the conversation. It's always Héctor Jario engages with first, or tries to. It's Héctor who Jario bases their plans off of-- what to do after concerts, what to serve whenever he cooks meals for them, how to spend their spare time.

And every time Ernesto has an opinion, what does Jario do? He brushes it off, or makes a snide remark, like Ernesto's ideas couldn't possibly measure up.

One night, while he lays in bed after a rather uneventful day, Ernesto thinks of Jario's behavior, the pictures of Héctor that cover the walls, and startles when he realizes that he has seen Jario this way before. This is not a new thing. It might not have been as noticeable as it is now, since Jario and Héctor didn't hang out together very much back then, but now Ernesto thinks of the subtle things he'd ignored before.

Back then, Jario would fight anyone who so much as gave Héctor a weird look. And every time he attended one of their concerts, it was Héctor's name-- or rather, the nickname he'd come up with-- that he would cheer. If just him and Ernesto were talking, Jario would find a way to make Héctor the subject of conversation; if Héctor was around to hear them, Jario always made sure to include him. For Héctor's birthdays, or for holidays, the biggest, most meaningful gifts always came from Jario even if he wasn't invited to the parties.

When Jario told Ernesto and Héctor that the could stay with him, the invitation was directed at both of them. Yet Ernesto knows who he was really asking.

Ernesto shifts uncomfortably in his bed, staring at the nightstand where the moonlight glints off of the pictures, the younger, happier versions of Héctor that Jario captured in them. Yes, Héctor is mad that Jario left, but he could also be mad about this. The fact that Jario cares about him so much that it's borderline horrifying.

As Ernesto tries to sleep off these unsettling thoughts, Héctor sits wide awake in the room across from him, writing a letter to Imelda and Coco. He digs his pencil into the paper as he writes the following words:

Remember Jario, Superhero's other amigo? The one you hated almost as much as you hate Superhero himself? We're staying in his house. It's kind of surprising that a place this nice could belong to someone so evil. He's the one who left right after you beat Ernesto up, who we haven't seen in seven years up until now. Ernesto thought that it would be a good idea to stay with him, so I've been trying to make the best of it, but I can't even tell you how hard it is.

If it were up to me, we would've found another place to stay.

I miss you, Imelda, and I'm sorry for writing like this, but I had to tell you. We leave in a few days anyway, gracias a Dios, so at least we won't have to see him anymore, but this upsets me so much. Aside from me, Jario was Ernesto's closest friend, and how does he show it? By not helping him. By choosing me over him, which is amost worse.

I promise I'll better things to say in the next letter, mi amor. And if you're reading this to Coco, tell her not to worry about me. At least after this, I'm one step closer to seeing you guys again, and I'll be as far away from that jerk as possible.

He puts the letter in an envelope after signing it. It's a miracle that neither Ernesto nor Jario reads anything before Héctor sends it.

As they're packing up their final items, Jario hovers around them. "Are you sure you don't want me to walk with you?" he asks hesitantly.

Ernesto chooses not to answer, shutting his guitar case and slining over his shoulder.

Jario smiles softly, stepping closer. "I don't have anything to do today, so I wouldn't mind if you guys let me walk with you."

Héctor rolls his eyes as he latches up his suitcase rather aggressively. He yanks it off of its spot on the couch and glares at Jario out of the corner of his eye. "We can do it ourselves, you know," he snaps. He stands up and turns to face Jario straight on. "It's right down the road isn't it?"

Jario falters and doesn't say anything.

The moment Ernesto stands up from closing his own suitcase, Héctor pulls him up by the arm and practically drags him to the door. Before they step out, Jario rushes up to them.

To Ernesto's surprise, Jario heads straight for Héctor and gives him a tight embrace, the kind that he used to give when the three of them were younger. His arms work around the gutar case as he squeezes. "I hope I'll get to see you two again soon."

Héctor shrugs out of Jario's grip and gives him a deadpanned stare, placing one hand on the handle. "I'm sure you'll be just fine, Jario." He pulls the door open and starts heading out briskly. "It worked last time, didn't it?" he calls over his shoulder without looking back.

Ernesto stares at Jario and watches as he presses his mouth into a thin line, staring out the door and squinting into the sunlight at Héctor's quickly retreating figure. He sighs heavily as he turns to Ernesto, his arms crossed awkwardly and his gaze downcast.

"You should probably catch up to him," he says after a while. His voice has lost the affection it held earlier, his eyes reserved and cold. Ernesto leaves quickly, sliding past Jario without looking at him and winces when he hears the door slam behind him.

After a quick stop to send Héctor's letter to Imelda and Coco, he and Ernesto board the train to their next city. Héctor grins at Ernesto and slings an arm around his shoulder, squeezing tighter than usual.

"At least he'll never bother us again, Ernesto," he says with certainty as the train starts moving.

Ernesto stares out the window into the bright sunlight, too bothered and dazed to think of a response.