In Absentia

Chapter III: Placing Blame

Oftentimes the hazy mornings which followed rainy weather were some of the most beautiful. That day was no exception; the clouds that remained balanced that playful yellow sky and gave the morning an overall tranquil atmosphere. It was a happy day, with the sun breaking through the clouds at last, but all the same there was a peaceful ambiance.

Only a few souls had made it out and about yet, the rest undoubtedly all warm and cosy in their beds. Of those out enjoying the long-awaited daybreak, four of them had come from a certain hotel. Errands had to be run, after all, and although Francis had originally only invited Feliciano to tag along, Lovino had insisted on joining them and Alfred, having been a lot more active than usual, didn't want to miss out on the fun.

Most of what they had come out for had been found. Only a couple stops remained now, if that. Feliciano was helping Francis carry the bags while Alfred prided himself on holding the shopping list and marking off items as they went.

"Just the bread now, and then we'll be all set," the latter said with a smile and a nod.

"About time, I'm damn near starving. They got anything to snack on at this bakery?" Lovino asked in a hopeful tone, looking between Alfred and Francis.

The innkeeper laughed and waved his hand as if to dismiss any doubts. "Of course they do, I was going to suggest getting us all a little something for the trip back."

As they rounded the corner, however, Francis' face fell. The four of them were met with the sight of a tall, pale man in a dark coat, one who was humming rather cheerfully as he paced up and down the street, only stopping at the sight of the group approaching.

"Braginsky," Alfred whispered, unwittingly tensing beside Lovino.

"Dobroye utro, Fedya," the tall man responded with a smile and a short wave.

Francis took a few steps forward and attempted to look over Braginsky's shoulder. "It's never a good thing when you're out this early. Please tell me nothing bad happened."

The Russian magistrate, however, offered nothing but a soft chuckle as he looked down at the cobbled streets beneath them. Feliciano shuffled closer to the innkeeper and hugged his arm, Francis kissing the side of his head.

Alfred took a deep breath, then pushed up his glasses and straightened up. "C'mon man, tell us what happened, or at least let us pass. We just wanna get something to eat, okay?" He said softly, his eyes trained on a white sheet which lay spread out on the ground just behind the magistrate.

The other three followed Alfred's gaze, and Braginsky let out a soft sigh as he moved to the side. In some spots, the sheet was stained with red, and Feliciano dropped his bags before hugging Francis tightly and hiding his face. Lovino scowled up at the magistrate and moved closer to his brother, standing in front of him.

"It's not very pretty, but it was quick," Braginsky started to explain. Alfred was edging towards the sheet, but stopped abruptly when he felt the Russian's eyes on him.

"I won't go into detail since it looks like all of you frighten like rabbits, but I will tell you that she didn't suffer for long. We're finding a way to move her to the station now so that we can have the street clear. I think we have a lead-" here he looked first at Alfred, then at Francis with an uncharacteristically grim expression, and the two nodded knowingly "-but if any of you know more, I would like for you to tell me."

"Reminds me of Nonno, doesn't it, Lovi?" Feliciano said morosely, his voice thick with tears. Francis held him close and stroked his hair, humming softly.

At the mention of someone who could possibly be connected to this morning's incident, Braginsky turned his attention to the two brothers. Lovino shivered, but moved away from Feliciano and stepped closer to the sheet. He used his crutch to move the sheet, then he cringed and stepped away.