Archive of Our Own ^beta

He knew The Orphanage was there, he'd walked past it every time on his travels to and from Shanty town, he'd seen the children as they played outside but he never went too near. If the children approached him he was kind, he answered their curious questions of his name and what business was he off to and left them with a well meaning smile and wave but if he could he would rather avoid them, children were... painful.

He sighed as he rolled his neck that seemed to becoming annoyingly stiff recently, ten years in Shantytown and he could already feel something unpleasant creeping into his bones, it would only go downhill from here, Chich had laughed wetly at him with a grin and a slap on the back. His fingers ratted against the bottle of tequila in his grip, ready to go find Chich and some others to get a head start on the evenings drinking, that was at least his plan until he heard a little shriek and something clattering to the ground.

A young woman was wrestling to keep a grip on her armful of baskets, one already on the ground and its contents scattered at her feet.

He jogged up to her and caught one of the baskets off her arm before it had a chance to spill itself out “Here, let me help” he was already crouching and gathering up apples, oranges and little packages in brown paper and replacing them in the fallen basket. When between them they had gathered everything up he beamed at her “I wouldn't mind carrying some of these for you, if you would like company”

Large doe eyes watched him curiously, swirls of violet and silver across her cheekbones and forehead that caught the light, loose curls framing her face shifting in the gentle breeze and the rest of her long hair braided down her back “Gracias, that would be very kind of you señor...” she trailed off.

“Héctor Rivera” he grinned at her, tipping his hat.

“You're funny Tio Héctor, the children have spoken of you” recognition sparkled in her eyes.

“Children?”

“Si, the children at The Orphanage, it was all I heard the other day when some of them had seen you leaping from the walkway, honestly you are going to break something behaving like that!”

“Ah well I'm tougher than I look!”

“For your sake I hope so” she smiled, then she seemed to remember herself “Oh I am Lareina Suarez” she spoke with a nod of her head. “The Orphanage is this way if you still didn't mind assisting me” When she bent down to gather up the baskets her burgundy dress drooped loosely around her ribcage in a way that would have revealed her cleavage when she was alive, now it only gaped and hung off her so she had belted it with a ribbon tied around her spine

“Ah, no problem” he picked up two of the baskets and followed her as she turned with her own luggage and walked onwards, her heeled boots thudding lightly on the old rotten boards of the walkway and her long skirts swishing with her movements.

The Orphanage was just as ram shackled and run down as any other building here, it was a large wooden structure with uneven walls and levels placed with an haphazardness that showed they had to just keep adding to it over time with no real plan when the need called for it. Lareina turned from the main path up the steps towards the front door, struggling for a moment with her baskets before pushing it open and leading them inside.

Héctor took in a steadying breath, wondering what he was about to get himself into, he wouldn't have been so ready to volunteer help if he knew he would end up here, no matter, it would just be a quick visit, in and out. The building was warm inside with a gentle glow that came from lamps and candles around the room they were in, it seemed to be a lounge, or perhaps a waiting room, with multiple doors and stairs leading off in different ways.

And of course there were children, the nearest group looking up as soon as they heard the door “Tia Lareina!” a chorus of voices squealed, little skeletons dashing into swarm around them, chattering excitedly.

“We missed you!”

“Why did you take so long?!”

“Did you bring us snacks?”

Lareina laughed, already kneeling down with three of the little ones in her arms. “I think you have the basket with the candy” she grinned conspiratorially up at Héctor. The children who had been curiously gazing at him locked their eyes on the baskets before he was being swarmed.

“Ay ay! Careful there!” he couldn't help but laugh as little hands latched onto him, one child clinging onto his leg stubbornly.

“Tickle him!” One little voice called out, an excited boy who only reached his elbow standing and wore a cheeky grin.

“Oh no! Not tickles!” he shrieked playfully, although he was nearly being unbalanced over “Here! Take it!” the basket was passed down into their horde with a cheer the boy snatched it and ran off.

“Flavio! Remember to share!” Lareina called after him, the little boy instead of running off with his stolen goods as presumed was going around the entire room handing out his spoils with his friends.

A few of the children stayed by their side, knowing they would get eventually, still crowding around the new visitor and jostling each other to get closer to him. A little toddler clinging to his trouser leg was knocked off balance and landed with a thump on her back side, her jaw wobbling in distress as tears filled her eyes and began to cry.

Héctor glanced at her and without a second thought he leaned down, scooped her up and held her against his hip comfortably. “Hey shhh, it's ok, what's with the tears, eh?”

Oh god, she was exactly the same size his Coco had been when he left her, he tried to push that thought away as he stroked away her tears with his thumb. “There now that's better, I can see your pretty face” Large eyes turned up to look at him while tiny finger bones curled around one of his suspenders, her trembling lip turning into something more of a smile.

“It seems you have made an amigo, she usually doesn't take to strangers so well” Lareina grinned at him, her arm loosely around a little girl's shoulders in a hug.

“Well I am exceedingly charming” he waggled his brows at her, making her giggle and the baby girl in his arms show a smile. “See! She likes me!” he began making faces at her until she was laughing, he had missed the sound of a infants laughter so much. “What's her name?” he asked, in between silly expressions.

“Chico” If he had a heart it would have stopped in his chest, the name far too similar to his daughter's for comfort. This wasn't Coco, a frown sliding into place and he meant to pass the child to Lareina but she was still holding onto his suspenders with a fierce grip and wasn't interested in letting go anytime soon when she was investigating his face, tiny fingers tracing the markings across his cheekbone.

He had stayed far later than he had planned to, Chich moaning at him when he finally made it back.

He tried to not think too much of his trip to the Orphanage, of the children and little Chico until two days later when he was once again walking home, the hour late in the night with only the faint sounds of his Cousins in their dwellings coming through the fog around him, until he heard sobbing.

Lareina was sat alone on the edge of the walkway, her legs dangling over the water as she held her head in her hands and wept.

“... What's the matter?” he asked gently, approaching her as if she were some injured animal that would either bolt or attack at any sharp movement.

Her head snapped upwards, her large doe eyes filled with tears staring at him with anguish “Oh Héctor!” With that she was up and had flung herself into his arms, their rib cages rattling against each other and pressing her face to his shoulder.

He floundered for a moment before his hand came to cautiously cradle the back of her skull and his other arm wrapped around her back, holding her tight. He found himself forcing back more questions, was it Chico? A cold fear took over him, please not Chico.

“Flavio faded away...” she sobbed into his collar bone. He paused in thought, trying to remember the playful and cheeky boy he had seen only a few days ago, he hadn't looked so bad? He hadn't looked like he was being forgotten? Or at least he hadn't noticed it.

Héctor sagged and then shivered a little, the cold didn't bother them as much as it would a living person but it was still chilly and uncomfortable to be standing around in the murky night, so he gently took her by the arm and lead her away to his own dilapidated bungalow. Once there safely inside he sat her down on the edge of his small bed for the lack of any other furniture to speak of, and poured her out a drink.

“I'm sorry” she sniffed, wiping messily at her at face with the back of her hand as she accepted the glass. “It normally doesn't hit me this hard” Héctor sat down on the worn floorboards in front of her, his head cocked to the side. “It's just that Flavio was the first one I met, you know? He was the first one I looked after when I came here” she tossed back her drink, gasping thickly “And he had such an awful time of it, but he was such a good boy! His life was terrible and I couldn't even give him a good afterlife”

“I'm sure you did your best” Héctor spoke gently, pouring out more into her glass when she held it out to him.

Her head jerked in a harsh nod “It's more than what his rotten familia ever did for him, his papa killed him, bastardo beat him in a drunken rage but that boy never had a bad bone in his entire body! He was so sweet and kind”

Héctor had allowed her to stay the night, curled up sobbing in his bed while he slept on the floor, the next morning he walked her back to the Orphanage and really just didn't stop coming back afterwards.

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“Héctor, if you could put those plates on the table” Mama Ester, the small elderly woman who ran the Orphanage murmured with a wave of her hand while she stood in front of the oven. He nodded, pleased to be useful and moved plates of hot food from the counter to the long wooden table that took up most of the kitchen.

“Everyone sit down now, Berto and Felix if you play up again you won't be allowed to sit together anymore” Lareina called, herding in the children to their respected places, chairs, stools and even a few crates were the seating arrangements, they only had whatever furniture they could scrabble together. Héctor grinned at the two little boys when they passed him, his hands holding onto his suspenders as he rocked on his heels, knowing it was probably time he was off for the evening.

“Héctor, sit here next to Emilo” Ester's old stiff fingers pointed to where one of the other carers, a young man who had died in his late teens and wore what was left of an empty bullet belt across his ribs and a sombrero, was sliding in another stool for him.

His contented smile slipped off his face, panic taking over “Ah no no no, that's alright, gracias, I should be leaving now anyway”

“Don't argue, your staying” Ester fixed him with something of a glare over her shoulder. “You've been so helpful and you're always here you might as well consider yourself part of our familia”

“But! … I” he fumbled, staring at his feet. Emilo glanced up at him as he sat himself down, sighed dramatically with a roll of his eyes and snatched a hold of his arm, dragging him down beside him, making him yelp.

“You're one of us now amigo” the other man cackled before leaning in and whispering, near conspiratorially “She's adopted you, it's what she does best”

“But I don't want to take food from the kids...” Héctor worried, watching as the children around the table began filling their plates from the dishes spread around, he knew they struggled enough as it was without another mouth to feed.

Lareina pushed a wooden high chair in at his other side and placed Chico in it before squeezing herself in at the table. “Don't worry we manage, so there isn't a lot to spare? Who cares, whatever we have we share” she carefully filled Chico's little bowl with food she would be able to manage herself and fixed him with a smile “Besides, Chico loves you so there is no way we're letting you and your baby wrangling talents leave”

He smiled weakly back at her, his mind working overtime. These people knew nothing about him, they had only met him a few days ago and yet they were ready to welcome him in with open arms? Into their familia? … His familia? It was different from the other Shantytown residents, they were outright asking him to stay with them, they wanted him. His smile grew a little more, it was a lovely thing indeed, he decided, to have a familia that wanted him again.

“Boys! Hats off at the table!” Ester growled, smacking both him and Emilo in the back of the head on her way to her own seat.

---------------------------------------------------

“Hola Tio Hector!” two little girls chimed together, looking up from where they sat on the floor with paper and crayons scattered about them as he opened the door one morning, carrying in a basket of groceries with him.

“There's my girls!” he grinned, making his way over and ruffling both of their heads. “Hey, what's all this?”

“We're drawing Mariachi princesses!” one beamed at him, the other nodding in agreement.

“Now that's an excellent idea!”

“Hola” Lareina called idly as she walked down one of the sets of stairs carrying Chico in her arms who fussed and stretched her little arms out towards Héctor as soon as she saw him, he had quickly become her favourite person and would sulk dreadfully if he didn't pay her any attention when he was in the building. The toddler was passed between them, sliding into her usual position held on his hip. “The department has asked someone to go collect another child” she told him, flashing a piece of paper in her hand. “You'll be fine taking care of them for a while, right?”

“Of course! I won't let them get into any mischief!”

“It's more you than them I should be worried about” she teased with a brow raised to which he pouted. They both knew he wasn't being left completely on his own, there was other adults in the building, other Shantytown residents that volunteered their time to look after the children. Ester sat in the corner reading to a collection of little ones gathered around her and Emilo was somewhere upstairs.

Héctor waved Lareina off with a smirk before placing himself down on the floor by the girls, Chico content enough to sit in his lap and watch with him. “Now that guitar isn't going to sound very good, you've forgotten to draw any strings!”

One of the girls, Maria, gave a gasp and her eyes widened at her mistake “Oh no! How will the princess play without strings!” she quickly scribbled lines across the guitar she had drawn to fix it.

A while later Lareina returned, the door nudged open by her shoulder as she carefully eased her way in “Mama Ester! Héctor!” she called with some distress, her eyes flickering about as the two other carers glanced at her across the room, Héctor bounding his way over while elderly Ester moved slower.

“Si? What is....” Héctor trailed off, his gaze falling on the tiny bundle in her arms, it was a baby.

“... Not another one this small...” Ester's voice was pained, her withered shoulders slumping.

Lareina nodded, her eyes transfixed on the little one, “The department didn't know what else to do with him, the other places don't have room” she growled out near absent mindedly, there where other Orphanages in the Land of the Dead, their one was for forgotten children in particular, the others in the upper city was where remembered children were housed until a family member was either found, or arrived on their death. “They said his mother may cross over soon”

“I see” Ester murmured softly “Perhaps I should take him, mija” she held out her yellowed hands for the child only for Lareina to twist away, her grip tightening.

“No! I want him”

“Lareina” Ester sighed, almost in a warning.

“It's fine I can look after him” she growled back, something of a demand in her voice. The tiny bundle in her arms wiggled with a clenched fist stretching out as the baby began to cry, her eyes went instantly down to him, her voice gentling as she tried to hush him.

Ester threw up her hands with a mutter before walking away and shaking her head, her steps heavy and awkward. Héctor looked to her before turning back “...You have to support his head, here like this” he lifted his hands to the baby which earned him a glare and Lareina trying to side step his attempts of help “He can't hold up his head, you'll hurt his neck like that” her eyes flickered from the baby to him and back again then she stepped back, letting him reposition the baby and guide her hand to cradle the back of his head. He noticed the small hole at the top of child's skull that hadn't had time to fuse together, he must have only just been born when he died. “He's so small...” he voiced weakly, Lareina only nodding in agreement.

“Héctor?!” Emilo came limping in at a speed, his movements jerky and rough after years of fading memories. “Oh Héctor! There you are, por favor I need your help, Chico won't take her nap and she won't stop crying”

Héctor glanced back at Lareina but she was once again fully absorbed staring at the little one in her arms so with a grin he nodded “Of course!” Emilo's relief was clearly visible in the way he sagged with a smile, he lead them out, up a set of stairs and along one of the narrow corridors, smiling at children here and there.

“Ah!” Emilo staggered forward and caught himself against a damp infested wall, breathing out in harsh gasps, his loosely held together bones rattling against themselves.

“Whoa! You ok?” Héctor came to his side, taking a hold of his elbow and helping the other man to lean into him, his other arm sliding around his shoulders.

“Tio Emilo?” a little boy approached them from a doorway “What's wrong?”

“I... I … it's nothing... just Tio Emilo hasn't been sleeping well” the man bit out weakly even as he curled more into Héctor and pressed his face to his friend's shoulder. “I'll be fine, go help Mama Ester with everybody's lunch, okay?” the little boy gave them a hard stare before he shrugged and carried on his way. “They- they don't know, the kids, we don't tell them, they don't know what happens to people like us...”

A golden light ricocheted through his frame and he groaned out a curse. “You're fading...” Héctor breathed dumb founded.

“Not yet” Emilo growled out, struggling to pull his legs more firmly beneath him “Not yet, it's fine, we need to see to Chico” he moved to pull himself away but Héctor wouldn't let him, so instead they walked together, one holding the other up the rest of the way. Chico didn't sleep in the little dorm room with other girls, she was too disruptive and only woke other children when they had tried the arrangement, she was prone to screaming fits at all hours, she didn't like the hustle and bustle of a room full of children. So she was placed alone in the small cupboard room Lareina had claimed for herself, with only enough space for a small bed and a cot pressed along side it and a lantern hanging from the wall for light.

They could hear the baby girl's screams before they had even turned to corner to her room door, when they entered Héctor had Emilo sit down on the plain straw filled bed before he turned to the cot where Chico was standing up with tears down her face. “Hey, hey mija, what's all this about?” he soothed plucking her up into his arms. He placed himself down on the edge of the bed beside Emilo, his hand rubbing up and down the the infant's spine softly cooing to her, she only hiccuped and spluttered on her cries and wouldn't even look at him, her little hands clenched into fists and smacking against his ribs.

“She's in one of her tempers” Emilo breathed heavily, his hand tugging at his shirts collar as if it was choking him though it hung loose around his neck vertebrae.

“You should lay down, amigo” Héctor eyed him cautiously, his knee bouncing Chico in his lap but otherwise not paying too much mind to her cries.

“So I can lay down and die?” Emilo made a disgusted face “No thank you, did that once, it wasn't a good experience” he grinned a little despite himself even as another flash of gold went through his bones. “Ugh” he slid down against the wall he had propped himself against to curl up on the bed. “... Ay, mija you ever gonna stop crying?” he glanced up and prodded a finger against Chico's foot, she still wouldn't look at them.

“I can take her away? Or get someone else here with you?” Héctor offered nervously.

Emilo shrugged one loose shoulder “Eh, it's fine, she's a good kid, I had a sister like her, bit distant too” he let out a groan of pain “... She forgot me first, couldn't remember, I was gone from her mind after she hadn't seen me for a few months... rest of mi familia never forgave me for running off to fight in the war” he spoke quietly, his eyes some place far away.

“It's alright amigo, rest now” Héctor's hand came to rest of his shoulder, his thumb gently stroking.

“Mmhh” Emilo grimaced as another wave glowed through him, his head resting beside Héctor's hip, when it happened again it caught Chico's eye, her cries subsiding down into small grumbles as she focused on the light, tears damp on her cheekbones. She nudged him a little with her foot with a curious gurgle. “Hey mija, you gotta be good for me, yeah? Take good care of your Tio Héctor, Tia Lareina, Mama Ester and all your hermanos and hermanas?” The flashes grew stronger, leaving him barely able to keep his eyes open while the pair of them could only watch “Héctor, por favor, look after her... keep her safe... I tried to keep my sister safe, thought helping to win the war would keep her safe...”

“I promise I'll take care of her, you don't have to worry about her” Héctor said gently, his fingers squeezing the other man's shoulder. Emilo only gave a thankful hum in response and then a sigh, his eyes falling shut as the gold light took over him, turning to dust under Héctor's hand. Chico frantically flailed her hands, smacking at the air and she gave a low whine.

“He's gone, mija...” He pulled her close while she swung her head to and fro.

“He's gone?!” Lareina had cried when he returned to them downstairs, sitting at the kitchen table with her new charge sound asleep in her arms, Ester staring at him where she had been cooking lunch. “But … but he never said anything...”

“Perhaps he didn't want to worry anyone...” Héctor shrugged sadly, one hand grasping at his other arm awkwardly. “... What do we tell the children?”

“We tell them he had to leave, that he loves them but nothing else” Ester glanced around at them with command in her withered old voice “It happens to everyone, it will come for all of us, but we must move on for now”

The next day the word had come down from the Department of Family Reunions, their youngest's mother had passed over into their world and they were to give the baby back. Héctor had volunteered himself to go with Lareina and they entered the tram carriage together and found seats at the back side by side, some of the other passengers glancing over with pitying looks at the little bundle in their care but no one made any comment.

“So...” Héctor began after a few minutes of silence and feeling uncomfortable “Have you ever had to do this before? Give a kid back?”

Lareina shook her head “Not myself, we've sent back a few before though...” her eyes were still fixated on the baby in her arms, a little basket of essential items they had scraped together for him by her feet. “I wanted her to live... I wanted her to stay in the Land of the Living so I could keep him...” her thumb rubbed gently at his cheekbone.

“You know this is the right thing to do, it's the best thing for him” he tried to soothe, placing a hand on her bare shoulder. She nodded without a word and Héctor sighed, spending the rest of the journey watching the city out through the window going by.

At the Departments offices they were guided to a small private room and advised it would take a moment to bring down the mother. Lareina sighed, finally lifting her eyes up and gazing at her friend “Did you want to say goodbye?” she asked, nodding down at the baby.

“I'm good, if you wanted...”

“por favor... it will be easier to give him to you than her” she pleaded, a pained look in her large eyes to which he nodded and held out his arms. She pressed a kiss to the sleeping babies forehead and passed him over, he held the little one until the door opened and a young woman was lead in by two department workers.

She couldn't have been any older than mid twenties and she stared about at them with all the discomfort of the newly dead until her eyes homed in on the bundle in his arms. “... Is that...?” she trailed off, unable to finish the question.

“Si” one of the workers nodded and Héctor stood up as the woman cautiously approached, Lareina silently sat by his side pointedly not looking at anything.

He offered the baby when she came close enough, her eyes locked on the little one when he pressed him into her waiting arms. “I'm... I'm so sorry … I didn't mean …” she began to cry, her shoulders shaking “I should have tried harder! … I should have been stronger... I...” she sobbed, clutching her baby to her, her head lowered to touch her lips to his unfused skull.

“If you'll excuse us...” Lareina at last spoke, standing up and nodding to the works who nodded back and opened the door for her. Héctor glanced at the mother and her son for a moment longer before following her out.

“...O-Oh! Gracias! Gracias so much!” the woman called after them on seeing their retreat.

Later that night, when they had returned to the Orphanage and all the children had been fed and put to bed Héctor climbed up onto the roof where he found her sat with a bottle of tequila in her hands and one bottle already empty at her side. “So that's where all my bottles went” he called good naturedly as he came up to sit himself with her, his long legs dangling over the edge of the roof.

“I was going to buy you more...” she hiccuped, passing the bottle to him so he could take a swig.

He passed the bottle back then wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in “Come here” he cooed, resting his chin on top of her skull. “What's wrong? Today was a good day, we didn't loose anyone else, we reunited a baby with his mother”

“Didn't want to give him back...” she sniffled, rubbing at her face.

“I know...” he sighed, rubbing a hand against her shoulder blades. “But you did it and it was the good thing to do” he took the bottle back and awkwardly took another mouthful while still holding her. The lights of the upper city sparkling above them like stars, he found himself entranced for a long moment, peacefully just watching it all over head while she stayed in his arms. “Lareina...” he spoke after a while, stirring her, “Why do you stay here?” he asked, his suspicions of what her story may be, in the Land of the Dead everyone had one, people in Shantytown tended to have sadder ones to tell.

She pulled away from him, prising the bottle from his grasp and downing quite a bit before her eyes found his “I was going to be a mother, I wanted it so badly, something went wrong with the birth and I ended up dead, I was told my child lived, he's not here”

“Mother without a child to take care of, eh? So you found some” it made sense he thought, the way she was always so protective over the children, how badly she wanted to keep the baby.

“Si, most people, the ones up there” she jerked her thumb up in the general direction of the upper city “They don't want them, its worse with the kids, people don't want to adopt in a little one to their home and deal with the heart ache when they fade, these kids have nothing, no familia, no memories, just us down here”

“And that's not a lot”

“So there you go, I died trying to push out a baby, we're in two separate worlds and nobody remembers me” she gave out a bitter laugh, tears of anger glistening in her eyes.

“And your sons father?” he was almost sorry to ask, but she was a good enough person? Why would her husband not honour her memory?

She shrugged “He was whoever had paid me for my time” she replied near carelessly, until she sent him a pointed warning look “Is there a problem with that?” she asked coldly, when he was staring at her.

“Oh!... Um I just...” he fumbled, glancing away, he knew his cheeks would have been bright red if he still had flesh. She had been a lady of the night, a prostitute.

“People do not remember whores” Lareina snarled out, mostly towards herself before downing more alcohol. Her large doe eyes stared knowingly at him “So, why do you stay? You love the children, did you have any? Or little hermanos and hermanas? You're noticeably good with them”

“I have a daughter, her names Coco” he breathed out, almost like he was telling a secret. “She was the same age as Chico when I died … um I got sick, food poisoning I think when I was out of town... she probably doesn't know what happened to me...”

“I'm sorry” Lareina spoke gently, her anger gone as she listened to his words then passing the bottle back to him. He took a swig then placed it down, his eyes flickering up to the city lights again, he nearly jumped when her hand moved to cup his face and suddenly she was leaning in and kissing him.

It wasn't that it was unpleasant, despite the smell of tequila on her breath and she was beautiful enough but the only person he had ever kissed in his entire life and death had been Imelda and he wanted to keep it that way. He pulled away and held her at arms length before she could move in again “I'm married” he smiled apologetically which made her pout, instead he leaned back in and kissed her forehead. “Besides your drunk”

“Fight me” she whined, though she still dipped her head into his affection, her hands curling into his tattered jacket.

“That wouldn't be a fair fight! I'd win!” he chuckled.

“You've obviously never seen a prostituta in a bar fight” she grinned, rocking forward to slump against him. He choked back a stunned sound and burst into laughter when she tilted her head up to look at him. “Ay ay! You laugh now but I could have slit your throat back when I was alive!” she giggled which only made him laugh harder. They were left breathless from too much laughter, holding onto each other and snorting back giggles like drunken teenagers.

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“Right I'm here, I've got the paint, is that all you wanted?” Chich grumbled as he came through the door, pots of paint and brushes in his arms “It better be, cause I'm telling you this was already hard enough, that's me done for the day” he piled the items up on the floor.

Héctor was already strolling across the room, Chico on his hip. “Ah gracias amigo! This is fantastic!” he eyed the supplies and jostled the infant up into his arms “Hold her for a moment”

Chich suddenly found himself with an armful of toddler “What is this? If you're here more than five seconds you get handed a kid?” he grumbled, although he held her carefully.

“Basically” Héctor grinned, gathering up the cans and brushes.

“Is this how they trapped you here?” the older skeleton mumbled as he eyed the child suspiciously.

“No one is going to trap you here, Chich” Héctor laughed over his shoulder as Ester and Lareina came through a doorway together. “We can start work on the wall right away” he waved a brush at them.

“Good, if nothing else the lacquer we've already painted on should keep the rot out for a little while longer but since we've already committed we might as well make it look a little nicer in here” Ester rasped.

Lareina at her side held a collection of papers in her hands “The children have also given suggestions for the wall, Maria is especially keen on mariachi princesses” she paused, looking over one drawing in particular “We also thought it would be nice if we could get a little of everybody's face markings too on there, perhaps a border along in patterns”

“How long do I have to hold this kid? Chich was grumbling as Chico was trying to rock herself out his grip while whining.

A few hours later Héctor sat reclined into an aged sagged sofa, taking a break for a moment while the others still worked on the wall, his fingers stained an array of bright colours. The cushion dipped in and a little body settled in at his side, which didn't surprise him at all, whenever any of them tried to sit down in this place they often found themselves with a lap full of child or a few little ones snuggling in for cuddles. He merely curled his arm around small shoulders and tugged the little one in a bit more comfortably.

“Tio Hector?” it was Raul, a little boy well known for being a chatterbox and always full of inquisitive questions. “How did you die?”

Héctor's eyes slid open with a yawn “Mmh, got sick”

“Oh” the boy blinked, twiddling a length of string around his finger bones “So how did Tia Lareina die?”

He held back a sigh, already knowing this would be a long line of conversation. “She died trying to have a baby”

“And Mama Ester?”

Héctor paused, not actually knowing how their elderly carer had arrived in the Land of the Dead, only that she had been here longer than the rest of them. “I think she was just old”

Raul nodded “Yeah, she is like a million years old” he swung his legs back and forth over the edge of the seat idly.

“You better not tell her that” he smirked down at the child.

“Wanna know how I died?” the boy continued without giving a real chance for a reply “I fell down a well. It was scary and dark and I was down there for a long while, but that's okay now, though I still don't like the dark, but Mama Ester lights a candle by my bed every night so its not dark” he pulled the string off his fingers, working on a new tangle “Tio Jose, who lives down the street, he got hit by a train, that's a silly way to die, you'd think he'd notice a big old train coming”

“Chico! No!” Lareina's voice cut through the calm of the room, making both Héctor and Raul look up and within a moment the elder was up, ruffling the boy's hair as he moved and strolling across the room to see what the fuss was about. Chico was up and tottering about and had apparently decided to stick her entire hand into one of the paint pots while nobody was looking if her bright sunshine yellow hand was anything to go by. Lareina was trying to approach her, her own hands held out non threateningly “Don't you dare! No!” Chico did dare, and promptly slapped her hand flat down on the wooden board of the wall. “Mija!” Lareina mourned, prising the child away before she could do anymore damage.

Héctor couldn't help but chuckle as he observed the skeletal hand print slammed just above where Lareina had been working on an intricate pattern of swirls and markings. “I dunno know, I like it” he looked over the collection of paint brushes on the floor before choosing out a thin detail one and dipping it into the same pot that Chico had gotten into, carefully writing her name beside her print. He grinned over at the woman who was giving him a near withered stare with a raised brow and picked out a pot of green to dip his own hand into before he pressed it on the wall, rolling his bones firmly to get enough paint down. “Your turn, yeah?” he gave her his most charming smile after he had written his own name, digging out a threadbare handkerchief from his trouser pocket and beginning to wipe at his and Chico's hand. Lareina sighed the breath of one forever suffering but all the same she chose a violet that near enough matched her own swirled patterns and did the same.

“I suppose we should have everyone join in” she spoke, wiping the stained handkerchief over her hand, trying to get paint out between her bones before it dried.

“Of course” He grinned. A short while later they had all of the children organised who were happily printing their own hands on the wall while Ester looked on with a gentle smile. It was going well until Chico had found her way back to the paints, this time not only sticking her hand in but then proceeding to slather herself. “Whoa! Whoa mija no more of that” Héctor staggered over and snatched her up into his arms.

“Bath time” Lareina nodded to him with a sigh and followed him upstairs towards the wash room. Once there Héctor occupied himself with sitting himself on a stool beside the large metal tub, Chico already stripped of her clothing on his knees as he made sure she couldn't stick her paint covered hands into her mouth or accidentally wipe the mess smeared across her face into her eyes. Lareina warmed buckets of water over the fire before pouring them in, checking the temperature with her fingers. “Alright, pass her over” she took the child from his arms, she barely got a few steps forward when the little girl began to fuss and when she tried to lift her over the bath she let out a fierce scream, making Lareina pull her back in close to her. “Héctor, get in the bath” she sighed, turning to him.

“What?” he stared at her.

“Chico won't go in, so maybe if you're in there she won't be too upset” He nodded with a shrug at her words, knowing she was right and promptly stripped himself of his tattered jacket, stepping into the tub and sliding himself in, the water pleasantly warm. “You must be careful she doesn't like her face getting wet” Lareina spoke softly in warning as she handled over the child who went calmly when she was placed on his lap and she sat only a few inches deep. “She drowned” she continued when he looked up at her with the unasked question, why?

“... an accident?” Héctor blinked, his eyes shifting down to the little girl in his hold.

“... I don't think so” she handed him a wash cloth and a bar of soap.

He had noticed little Chico was different from the other children, from his own daughter. She was always so lost in her own little world, unwilling, or perhaps unable to fully communicate with them, she preferred wails and grunts to actual spoken language, she had no interest in the other children near her age, she barely responded when she was talked to, or even when her name was called. But no matter how trying her unusual behaviours might be, how frustrating it may have been to have a child that hardly acknowledged the world around her, surely her parents wouldn't have outright harmed her?

“I think she was thrown into a river”

Chico had focused in on his face, her little hands patting at his jaw and fingers moving to trace around his mouth.

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“Ah!” little Maria screeched as she tripped over, breaking apart and her bones scattering across the floor. “Help!” she wailed, distraught.

“It's okay mija!” Héctor was quickly at her side, one hand rubbing the back of her rib cage that was the only part left in her faded pink dress while he lifted her skull. “It's okay, you just need to pull yourself back together, you can do it”

She visibly strained for a moment, her tear filled eyes turning up to him “Tio Hector! I can't!”

“I believe you can, keep trying!” he pulled her ribcage to lean against his leg then snatched up the smaller neck vertebrae he could see nearby, holding them in place until they clicked back in line, next went her skull and he was holding her up as the rest of her bones snapped back in under her dress.

She stood up with his help, her completed feet sliding into place like a pair of shoes. “Gracias, Tio Hector!” she turned around and hugged him tightly.

He wrapped his arms around her, curling his tall frame around her with fear in his eyes. Her bones were getting looser, he knew what that meant. It wouldn't be long for her now.

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The day Ester faded she had gone to the upper city to the market place, always so busy with taking care of everybody until her last breath. She never returned from her errands and they never saw her again, it was only when a police officer was standing on their doorstep with her basket in his hands later that evening they knew.

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When Chico went she had been noticeably off all day, grumbling and whining near constantly and she was far more clingy than usual. Héctor had sat himself comfortably on his bed in the room that she had been moved to when it was clear she slept better in his presence than anyone else's, she was curled up in his lap sucking at her thumb, her cheekbone pressed to his ribs. He was humming to her, his hand gently soothing at her shoulder blades when the first golden flash lit up her bones.

She screamed.

He screamed for Lareina.

She didn't pass quickly, whoever had known her in life, whoever remembered her cared enough to try to hold onto her. Someone was trying to not let her be forgotten. She stayed for hours passed between their arms, both of them trying to soothe her with words and songs while they cried.

The infant couldn't understand the world around her, she didn't know what was happening beyond that it hurt and she was frightened. She screamed for hours.

When her cries died down into near inaudible whimpers they were both left broken, her large confused eyes focused one last time on Héctor's face and her tiny fingers reached for him.

“It's alright mija, I'm here” he choked back on his sobs, his hand moving to cup her glowing cheek. With a final whimper her eyes went distant again then she was nothing but dust.

That night he had slid himself in Lareina's bed with her, unable to sleep in his own room without Chico's soft breaths and her cot laid empty.

“Héctor, I'm scared” Lareina sobbed, her face hidden against his collarbones, their arms wrapped around each other. “por favor... por favor … you can't leave me too”

“I'm not going anywhere” he promised.

As hard as it was, they had to keep going. They had a house full of children to take care of, though other Shantytown residents would visit daily to spend time with the little ones, Chich always easy to talk into a round of babysitting but it wasn't the same as when they had been a familia in the building.
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Years past, children past and more always were being sent down to them from the upper city.

“His name is Abel” one of the department officers told them, leading in a new little one through their door, a little boy who was only five years old. “He died when he walked out into a road and a car hit him”

The man handed the folder of the child's details to Lareina who looked at the boy and then to the officer with a disgusted look “Walked out into the road? Why wasn't anyone watching him?!”

“He was in the foster system apparently, I guess he was placed in a home with people who didn't care enough” the officer could only guess with a shrug, a pitying look in his eyes.

After the officer left Héctor knelt down in front of the little boy who stared shyly at him. “Hola, I'm Tio Héctor and this is Tia Lareina” he smiled, nodding at his friend at his side.

Little Abel watched him through heavy lashes for a moment, his own smile creeping across his face. “Papa”

Héctor was stunned, no one but his darling Coco had ever called him that. “Ah, no, Tio”

The boy shook his head, a knowing look in his eye “Papa” he reaffirmed with a confident nod “Papa” he pointed with a tiny finger to the man in front of him and turned to Lareina “Mama”

Lareina only shrugged at him with a grin, pulling Abel in between them for a cuddle.

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A few more decades past, none of the children that joined them at the table for meals were the same as the ones he had first met, still Lareina sat beside him even though her bones were rickety and yellowed.

One night saw them sat again on the roof, bottles empty at their side, Lareina leaning into him as she stared up at the city lights above them. “I'm being forgotten, Héctor. ” she breathed wistfully. He only pulled his arm tighter around her and pressed his mouth to her temple, he knew, he had been watching the signs for years, the dullness of her bones, how her eyes seemed a little more sunken in her skull, how her arms separated off more often than not when she tried to lift things. “Only one of my friends remembers me now and she's old... I used to be on an Ofrenda, the girls I worked with, a lot of us died in our line of work so we put up their photos but that was a long time ago” she hissed out a pained groan, one hand clutching at her ribs. “If anyone tries to tell you it's painless they're a lying bastardo... but I guess it happens to everyone eventually, hey pass the bottle”

He pressed a new bottle of tequila into her hands, she flicked off the lid and brought it to her lips, throwing back her head and downing it even as the first glimmer went through her, her fingers only clutching the bottle tighter. She chugged the bottle in one, then flung it over the side of the building “Ha!” she crowed triumphantly, pleased with herself. Héctor pulled her more into him, near enough on his lap as he curled around her form. “Héctor, mi mejor amigo...” she sighed, another flash lighting her.

“Hmm?”

“You'll take care of them? Take care of yourself?” she asked, her doe eyes flicking up to meet his.

“Of course, you know I will” he held her while she trembled.

“Good... I wanted to see my baby again... I wanted to tell him how much his mama always loved him” her eyes were distant, looking up in wonder at the lights above. “I hope... I hope you get to see your girl, your Coco” another glow through her old bones and she looked back at him when he sobbed. “... Don't let it make you cry...” she sang gently, her hand coming up to touch his damp cheekbone and he blinked in shock, eyes wide. He shouldn't be shocked she knew his song, he supposed, how many nights over the years had she overheard him singing it at his daughter's bedtime?

“F-For even if I'm far away I hold you my heart... I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart” his voice was unsteady but the melody came naturally, both painful and soothing.

“Remember me... though I have to travel far... remember me... each time... you hear a sad guitar...” she continued on weakly.

“Know that I'm with you the only way that I can be... until you're in my arms again, remember me” her voice trailed away into sighs and hums while he finished the song and held her. Her bones glowing at a steady pace now making her whine in pain and it struck him, not for the first time, just how young she had been when she died, a mere nineteen years old, the same age as his Imelda when she had given birth to their daughter. She had told him once she was one of the older girls in her trade.

She gave one last sigh full of pure exhaustion then the light claimed her, disappearing on the nights breeze, leaving him alone.

Afterwards he left the Orphanage to others to run, he visited the children often enough, bringing them treats and presents each time he walked in but as soon as he had rounded up enough volunteers to stay put there he was out back into the depths of Shantytown. He just couldn't live there anymore, the old building seemed to be full of ghosts of his friends, how many times had he walked into the kitchen in the mornings to prepare the little ones breakfast expecting to be greeted by Ester and Emilo laughing together, the old lady nagging them to take off their hats at the table. How many times had he climbed up to the roof wishing that Lareina was there to talk and sing the night away with, how many times he had turned around expecting to see little Chico holding up her arms to him, demanding his cuddles.

He couldn't stay there without his found familia. He couldn't.

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He sucked in a deep, steadying breath as he approached the Marigold Bridge entrance check in, dressed in a Frida Kahlo outfit borrowed from a friend, this was his ninety-sixth attempt at getting across and he knew this was far from his greatest plan but it was all he had left, he had to make it this year or he never would. His time was up, his Coco was forgetting him. He had to see her, he had promised her, promised himself, promised Lareina.

Coco had spent long enough waiting for her Papa to come home, he had to make it this year, this was his last chance.