Eight, Nine, Ten

[0] T E N T H

[Early March, 2018]

Everything was a mess, his life was a mess.

His mind tortured him, trying to replay all interactions he had with Eighth before his death. All those random questions the curious pilot asked now raised flags in Tenth's mind. The fleeting looks of sadness and helplessness he thought he imagined on Eighth's face once in a while made the former agent want to bang his head on his foolishness. He thought he was only overthinking it then - it was Eighth, the always ball of sunshine brother, so he dismissed it back then.

Insomnia and whiskey were now his best friends- which caused him to lose his job. The job he was once proud of. To family he was becoming more detached, everything that he thought he knew was right - he started questioning. Eleventh once commented he was driving his own self insane but Tenth could not stop the gears in his mind.

Ninth, the once level-headed and definition of calmness to him and Eleventh, was falling into depression. Barely speaking to the point that Fourth seemed more talkative than him. No one could blame the writer though; he and Eighth were not twins but their bond sure was like one. If Eight was the sun, full of energy and boldness that would never fail to make anyone smile; Ninth was the moon, calm and quiet but leaves the same impact with his words.

It was hard losing one but now Ninth was slowly slipping away from them too. Not even First or Second could talk to him without him shutting down or snapping at them. Hell, even Fourth tried his luck, but he only got a blank stare before Ninth exited the cafe. They agreed to have lunch but he left without touching his food.

"He didn't do it Tenth," Ninth sat across him one morning, unkempt and the dark circles under his eyes were darker than last time. Tenth was taken aback with the mad glint in his brother's eyes as he pulled out a worn out leather journal and slipped it across the table. "Eight didn't do it."

[A/N Edited 11/12/19]