"Somehow I never saw myself with such a sweet family. They are worth all the hard work and I'll see to it they are happy." ((Fan character rp, 30 years later))
 Nellaâs first reaction was to reach for her husbandâs hand, which he weakly held hers. âSolen,â she whined. âPlease tell us itâs not true.â There was no point in asking, she realized, but she needed to hear it again. This couldnât be happening. This couldnât be right.
âHe-â It hurt to speak. Hugo, rubbed at the lump in his throat. âItâs funnyâ he was just speaking with me a couple months ago.â And now that he thought about it, Vito did sound a little off during their call. At the time, Hugo wrote it off as him being tired but⊠âOh gods-â his voice cracked with emotionâ he had meant to comfort Solen as he noticed the tears but only now he was realizing he was crying himself.
"I wish it weren't true. I wished that for months.." Solen answered Nella softly, rubbing his palm at the stream of tears dripping down his muzzle. He wished it all was just some sick nightmare, he had to face that reality long ago. He never seen Hugo act like this, never could he imagine the strong positive feline to have his heart broken like this.
"He always was bad with words, aha.." He spoke out, a small defeated laugh uttered out of his mouth. "Guess he could never get himself to know the right words to tell you guys or what to comfort with." Solen looked eye to eye with the felines and in tears, weakly smiled.
"You two made his life wonderful, he loved you both dearly."Â
Her husband frowned strangelyâas if he didnât know how to. â⊠died.â he tried the word out for himself, brow furrowing at the taste. âDied. He- Vito had-â Hugo looked at Solen, trying his damnedest to read him, hoping to the old gods and new that everything he just said was a joke. Nothing.
He felt numb.
âWhy didnât he tell us?â Nella spoke for Hugo; something sheâs never had to do. âWhyâŠâ
"Y-yeah.. I'm sorry. I tried my best. To save him. Nothing helped, no matter how much we tried." Solen whimpered, his hazy eyes glancing up to the two felines, seeing them express such emotions with just their eyes. It felt like an arrow shot through his chest at seeing, the usual happy Hugo, showing such numb disbelief and Nella wide in shock.
"I don't know.. I think he just couldn't get himself to break your hearts. To cause you to cry."
 âImportant, mhh?â Nella hummed, studying Solen. He seemed anxiousâ whatever this was, it was much too important to simply call them over telephone. A glance to her husband, smiling at his energy. Her husband was never one to pick up on otherâs body languageâŠ
Hugo nodded, âI see. Well, Iâll let you get to it then,â he sat neatly beside his wife, excited to see his family again. âWe could go for coffee afterwards. Vito was telling me about this cafe close to here he wanted to show us one day. Speaking of, where is the slugger anyways? Working?â
Fuck. That word once again echoed in Solen's mind. He hated this. He didn't want to be the one to break their hearts. He sat himself down onto the armchair across from the couch, breathing anxiously and fidgeting with his hands. Of course Hugo went on like his positive self, all talkative and loving. It hurt.
"Yeah.. That's why I called you here actually. Vito um.." Solen bit his lower lip, trying to hold back the tears. "Vito.. Died yesterday. He- He had cancer. He never had the nerve to tell you.." He uttered out finally, tears forming quietly.
 The thin feline yawned and made her way into her son-in-lawâs home, thanking the other for inviting them over. Nella mewled, rubbing at her face idly while finding a seat on their couch. While her husband trailed on right behind her, laughing about some story he told at the airport this morning.
âGood to see you, child!â Hugo boomed, giving Solen a strong hug. âIt has been years! I suppose thatâs mostly our fault though, haha! Where is my grandbaby? She still in school?â
Letting out a deep breath, Solen nodded and guided the family to the living room and watching them settle themselves in. He couldn't help but laugh lightly to himself at seeing Nella be her usual self, flopping onto the couch within moments. Suddenly..! A tight strong hug surrounded him by the bushy eyebrowed feline.Â
"Ahaa, It's nice to see you too, Hugo." Solen nervously responded, glancing up to the positive cat. "Oh Eve's actually up in her room. She's taking a little break from college." He answered, pointing up to the roof above them. "I'm sorry for asking you down here with such sudden short notice but it's pretty important."
God damn it Vito. Never even telling your parents once about your cancer, not even giving them a call. Now Solen had to break the horrible news by himself. After Vito passed away, the hedgehog instantly called the family to get down to their place right away. Here he sat now, waiting by the door for the arrival of the kitty family, having to inform the tragic fate of Vito. Then, the door finally rang.Â
" Welcome welcome, please come in right away.." The hedgehog spoke with a weak, worn out tone as he opened the door. His eyes hazy and had dark circles under them slightly. "It's super important." It did not help Thanksgiving was right around the corner, making this all the more difficult on this news.
 -Heâs always hated this part of the job. Honestly he did. Almost 4 hours of sweat and patience for nothing.
The doctor rubbed at a tender wing, scanning the waiting room for the hedgehog and approaching the two calmly. His sharp golden eyes studied the two, taking the moment to try to soften his gaze before he spoke. Not one of his stronger points, certainly.
âI am sorry to keep you two in suspense. Iâll get to the facts. There was a last minute mutation of the cancerous cells we did not forsee and could not combat. We had to remove quite of bit from a body that was already left with nothing and in the end we could not predict the results.â he paused. â⊠It is in my utmost regret to inform you that your husband did not leave the operation successfully.â
Tick tock, tick tock.
The clock in the private room ticked on for hours and hours as time went by. All Solen could do for his daughter was hold her by his side, holding her soft white paws gently and quietly wait. This was the worst part about being a bystander. He had to just sit and wait in this seemingly peaceful yet agonizing room.Â
Then the door finally opened. The doctor walking up towards them with those sharp eyes would always get Solen's quills on ends. Biting his lower lip anxiously, he breathed out heavily and tightening his grip on Eve's hand. Preparing for what words the Doctor had.
He hated how doctors and scientist would always ramble on and never get to the point of things. The only thing he cared about was to know the straight facts, that his husband survived or not. And within moments of the rambling, there it was. 'your husband did not leave the operation successfully.'
"Da..damn it.." Solen wheezed out, gushing out tears silently with his muscles quivering. "He had the nerve to die being right for once." He let out a soft, weak laugh in defeat. Vito was right. He didn't make it out of the surgery. Vito was right for the first goddamn time and it had to be here of all places. Â "Oh Solaris.."
 Everything was happening too quickly. Did an hour already pass by? Was it really time to go in that operating room already? The medical staff were talking amongst themselves, nearly finished preparing him but all he could really focus on was Solen. He vaguely heard them urge the two to hurry.
He couldnât be scaredâ he didnât have time for that. Vito blinked blearily at the haze that was his husband, managing a smile even now. âTake care of our Evelina,â he rasped, head swimming. âI love you.â
With those final words, the staff began to make their way to the main operating room while a nurse guided the hedgehog to the waiting room.
Heâs had a good life. More than he could of ever hoped for. Maybe heâll see them again one day.Â
That dumb dorky smile. That was the last thing he got to see of his dear lover, the smile that could make his heart skip a beat everytime. No matter how many times he's seen it daily.Â
"I will, of course..I love you too." Solen sniveled, smiling weakly back to Vito as those last words would never be forgotten. The words he could think about day and night to keep strong even in his darkest hours. He had to take care their daughter. It was all he had left.Â
Giving a weak smile back as the doctors began to push the bed away to the surgery room, the hedgehog could only whimper as tears gushed down his face.
Vito given him the life he never imagined. The best memories a person could have, with the one they love. Maybe one day they could finally be reunited too. One day.
VITOâS FUCKING DYING SOON. So of course I decide to put so much goddamn effort into one drawing about the happy memories about Vito n Solen. WAhhhhhhhhhhh never love an oc when Mai has power. I really really love how this turned out cause goddamn effort.
 Solen managed to coax a laugh from Vito that time, wiping the moist away from his eyes. âYeah. I did do that huh. It was thâ fuckinâ tree base okay. The guy sold me a defective base.â It didnât help much that he fell on the tree eitherâ Vito usually forgot to mention that part though.
About to counter that story with another, a knock at the door made his ears perk.
-The doctor knocked and entered the room, alongside two nurses. âIâm sorry. Itâs time to go.â The owl flipped through his clipboard, following another nurse to the operating room where Vito would be work on. The remaining nurses went to their patientâs side and began prepping himâ injecting his final drug to put him under. âSir, you will have to go to the waiting room,â the fox urged, hooking the feline with other .
Solaris those were strong drugs- how could he possibly feel it already? âAh- wait, S-Sweets,â Was that fear in his voice? Despite the what the nurses told him, he was still holding onto his husbandâs hand. âSolen, Solen Iâm- hhooh godââ Calm down, calm down.Gods, it felt like they were pumping lead into him.
That was the first time Solen laughed in the hospital, he didn't expect all these memories would be enough to break the stress. Even if it was for a moment, it was enough to calm the tears. Â Then the door opened. No, fuck, time ran out.Â
"Oh... Oh-! Doctor, okay yeah just- gimme one more second okay?" Solen whimpered, his eyes narrowing and body started to tremble. It was fear. Watching the drugs being pumped into his lovers body, instantly causing a response. Then Vito spoke with a hint of fear in his voice. There was this rush of adrenalin, the doctor and nurses all around in the room were too much.
"Yh-yes hun, what is it?" Solen quickly responded "What is it, hurry.." He felt this rush of anxiety and fear, this would possibly his last words to his lover, the last thing they get to say to each other. The nurse rested her hand on Solen's shoulder, telling him it's time to leave but he just wanted to hear what Vito had to say.
"Come on hun, what is it?"
 His smile softened to match Solenâs, feeling tears of his own prick at the corners of his eyes. In the midst of all the chaos, he coudlnât believe he almost forgotten how beautiful his partnerâs smile was.
"Y-yeah, I- I couldâve planned that better on my part, haha. That reminds me of when we first adopted Eve too," another squeeze to Solenâs hand. "Got hot coffee everywhere except on her. I made sure of it."
There was that soft smile, there it is. He hated and loved Vito's soften smile, it was his favorite thing to see ever. Â That was all he wanted to see in months, Vito's smile.
"Coffee always got you all messy ahaa.." Solen sqeezed at Vito's hand once more alongside him. The time was going by too fast, the surgery was getting closer. He just wanted to ramble on about the happy memories for hours. "Remember when you knocked down the Christmas tree when trying to put on the star, ahaaa, Eve was laughing for days."
 No matter how many times heâs seen Solen break down like this, Vito would never get used to it. His poor husband⊠These past few months have been non-stop stress and turmoil for him. Solen was probably as exhausted as Vito felt.
"Solen," he lifted his hand to thumb away his tears. "Iâve been thinking about this day fer a long time now. Itâs why I spent so much time with mâ willâ I didnât want to leave you two with no plan andâ" This wasnât fun to talk about and something told Vito Solen wasnât in the best state to hear all this right now. He paused, gracing him with a small smile.
"⊠Remember our honeymoon? When you told me not to wear the white shirt but I wore it anyways and that mug of coffee spilt all over it? Pff- âsuch an idiot. I still laugh when I think about the face you made."
Despite the constant stress and honest to god turmoil, the biggest reason Solen was so upset about it was simply; he wanted Vito to not suffer. Having to be taken to the hospital everyday, different medications, new methods and all must have been the worst. It was unfair.Â
"Vito.." He sniffled as the tears were thumbed away by the weak, shaky hand. "I know, and I'm proud of you, never have I seen you write with such care and thought,, even if it's a horrible thing like a will.." Solen added, glancing over to the documents and folders in his bag on the side of the bed. Then he heard what Vito said.Â
"Wh.. Yes, ahaa.. Of course I remember our honeymoon." Instantly his muzzle blushed a light tint of pink, those happy memories. "You were so smug when you decided to wear it, saying nothing would happen and- Pfffpft, instantly got that coffee on it." Solen giggled softly, finally cracking a smile at Vito. The first smile in days.Â
 Glancing over to the other, he tried to offer a calm face, exhaling with a shakey air. He didnât want to put Solen in anymore painâ but he had been thinking a lot lately. Solen needed to hear what he had to say.
"Solen," he swallowed. "Now I donât have much time left before they take me in, so Iâm gunna level with you." Vito held Solenâs hand as best he could, giving a small squeeze before speaking. "I know Iâve been sayinâ differently but I donâtâ I donât think Iâm gunna make it out of there alive. I just got this gut feelinâ, yâknow?â His throat was clenching painfullyâ it hurt to say these words but he couldnât leave without giving his partner proper closure.
"Iâm ssâ" It hurt⊠it hurt so much. "Iâm so sorry."
Solen quickly noticed as the feline looked towards him, with that calm, weak face. That instantly shook Solen into preparing whatever his lover planned on saying. Knowing it only could be bad just by that stare and the weak breath.
"No, no no don't do say that.." The hedgehog's eyes narrowed and the tears continued to gush down his muzzle, a few sniffles here and there from his nose too at this point. "All of this effort, all of this work.. You can't just die on that surgery table, no.. ." Solen whimpered, holding his lovers hand and shaking his head in denial. The truth was, he knew Vito was right. There was that lingering gut feeling in himself too, that he might not make it.
"I love you so so much, it's so hard to think, by the end of the day, you're no longer at my side.."
The most immediate one being waking up in this stale white room on his starchy white bed everyday. He lost count how much drugs theyâve pumped into him since we was admitted 2 weeks ago. Most likely ridiculously expensive shit too, Vito noted. Why was Solen spending so much⊠Vito never had the courage to tell him this would be pointless to invest in something that canât give back.
The feline strained to focus on his hand, weakly flexing his fingers in attempt to keep himself awake. Letâs seeâŠ
If he wanted to be quick about this and sum up all the rest of his problems, he could just say his second regret was dying. He was fading from this world and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Everything would depend on the surgery today though. A glance to the clock told him he had an hour until he was put under for his operation. Strangely, he was calm about this. Vito liked to tell himself it was mainly because heâs had so much time to think about itâ not because he was accepting his end.
Fuck. That was the only word that came to Solen's mind. He was one to never swear but as of this month, that was the only word he would say to himself about all of this. It was a fucking nightmare. Sitting at Vito's hospital bedside, holding onto his hand softly and having to watch the doctors constantly put many drugs into his lovers body. The fear and reality that all of this might not even work echoed.
"We'll get through this, hon. You'll be all better soon. I swear on it." He breathed out, eyes starting to form small gushes of silent tears, as though he was lying to himself to feel comfort.Â
Time was going by too quick, it was only an hour till the surgery, only an hour till Solaris knows what would happen. He put so much money into hoping his lover would get out okay, he didn't even care about prices anymore, if they said it would help, he threw money at them.
"I love you so much, hon.." Solen added, tighting his hold on Vito's hand once more.
Ahaaaaa I know first hand, the waiting room for a cancer-related surgery is where family just starts having waterworks and everyone just lets them cry it out. The stress and anxiety of having to wait for hours is just intense on the mind.
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
âThe name of my birth town, mother loved everything about Soleanna and claimed it's beauty would be perfect for my name.â
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
âThis morning. I never cried this much until the coming weeks..â
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
âAHA. I can read it perfectly fine, but apparently to literally everyone it's impossible to read. Guess being a scientist does that."
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
âBeef."
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
âOur precious little troublemaker, Evelina S. Amore."
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
âI basically was when Vannie was around."
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
âBeing married to Vito will do that to you."
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
âSadly no."
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
âHHmmm..Maybe. If Vito could with me."
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
âFrosted Flakes."
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
âYes, and then I make sure the laces are properly untangled."
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
âNope. I am a bit of a pushover physically."
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
âTiramisu."
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
âTheir posture and body expressions."
15. RED OR PINK?
âPink.â
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
âI'm a hopeless romantic."
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
âSoleanna. I wish I wasn't transferred so far away from home.
18. WHAT IS THE PAUL MCKENNA TECHNIQUE THAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE MOST?
âExcuse me?"
19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
âNo shoes on in the house okay."
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
âSome Chicken broth with Vito.â
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
âEve's jrock music muffled in the distance."
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
âLight Violet."
23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
âFresh sugar cookies."
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
âThe hospital."
25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?
âMountain hideaway. The beach houses in Soleanna were not that nice. Also Vito would bitch a storm about a beach house."
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
âFootball. Not that american kind either."
27. HAIR COLOR?
Slate grey
28. EYE COLOR?
Violet
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
âDon't need them."
30. FAVORITE FOOD?
âLasagna. I know how stereotypical that would be but.. It's so good."
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
"Happy endings, the nice endings make me smile and tear up."
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
âAn old italian movie from sixty years ago. Found it in my library when cleaning out old stuff."
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
âLavender."
34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
âWinter.â
35. HUGS OR KISSES?
âBoth. <3"
36. FAVORITE DESSERT?
âTiramisu!!"
37. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?
âCardio.â
38. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?
âComputers.â
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
âA Song of Ice and Fire, A Dream of Spring."
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
âHah... A family photo of Vito, young Eve and I."
42. FAVORITE SOUND?
âVito's dumb dorky laugh."
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
âRolling Stones."
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
âHere."
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
âPerfect photo memory, can remember everything I've ever read."
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
"Soleanna."
47. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?
[MOBIAN AMERICA??]
48. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE?
"A nice casual cream brick house.
49. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?
"SOMEONE, won't let us get one.
I just wanted the two of us to be like this forever. Sighs, itâs only three or four weeks away until he goes to the hospital.. I just wanted to spend the rest of my life by his side like this forever, but seems life had a different plan. This month is going to be the worst for all of us, especially Vito. Despite acting so calm, I know inside heâs freaking out the most.
Casually I placed my book down, my violet eyes drifting over to my right hand. The two beautiful rings placed on my ring finger shined in the dim lights. My engagement and wedding ring were the most valuable possessions Iâve ever owned. Just looking at them makes those memories shine bright in my mind.
The stupid dumb happy expressions on Vitoâs face when I purposed to him, he blushed redder than a tomato. Our gorgeous wedding with the help of Lanz made it the best possible wedding I couldâve had. All of that was I ever dreamed to have.
Quietly I slipped off my wedding ring and fumbled my fingers around it slowly. I donât think Vito knew how special getting married was to me. After dating Vannie for twelve years because it wasnât legal yet to get marriedâŠ
All I ever wanted when I got with Vito was to finally get that wish. I cried so many tears of joy that day, even when walking down the aisle I had to hold my tears back. That was the best day of my life.
This coming month⊠By Vitoâs side as he lays in the hospital bed, holding his hand softly and weeping to see him get better. I didnât want to lose another person I loved. I thought Vannieâs death was going to be the most painful thing I had to get through.
I went through a deep depression and withdrawal from life when Vannie passed. Now I must try to survive Vitoâs loss if itâs coming soon. I refuse to let him die. I refuse to see him go.
âSweets, are you okay..?â Vitoâs voice suddenly spoke, shaking me out of my daze. I didnât realize it bu tears were dripping down my muzzle and I was huffling. Quickly I placed my wedding ring back on and nuzzled up to his shoulder softly.
âI just love you too much, thatâs all.â I breathed out, purring weakly as I placed my right hand on his resting hand; intertwining my fingers around his.
