Appealing To His Gaze
a muffled cough
“i can’t,” he said finally
“bullshit,” i snapped, “why not?"
“things are a mess,” his voice had that edge now, that clipped russian tone he used when he was trying not to bark, “benito’s sick. real sick. doctors aren’t hopeful. I'm acting until we know more. I can't leave. not even for a weekend. not even for a night. not even for Timone. if i disappear now it looks like weakness. they’ll circle like sharks”