It was a few weeks before the final paperwork came through, and Leo was sitting on the futon when Ravi came up with the post, a huge evelope in his hands, a puzzled expression on his face. They'd both lost weight in the time since their ordeal, and Ravi had never gone back to the house to collect his things, preferring to leave it to others to do for him. As it was, he'd had to put most of it in storage, since Leo's flat wasn't big enough for him, let alone both of them and their things, so they had to make do.

"I don't know what this is about, but it's addressed to us both, and it's in Hongbin's writing," he said, his hand shaking as he held the envelope out to Leo to open. "I can't... I can't face it. Can you open it?"

Nodding silently, Leo took the envelope from him and opened it carefully, sliding out the papers and photographs that were stuffed into it with a bemused expression.

"What...?"

He sifted through the mess in his lap. There was an envelope with Ravi's name on it, one with his name on it which he stuffed under his knee, and the rest of it seemed to be a jumble of things that made no sense to him. Sorting through the photographs, he found they were all of Hongbin when he was younger and looked at least a little happier, though a few were of when he was with Hakyeon and Jaehwan, his expression more closed-off by then and not as carefree. Where he'd gotten these from, Leo had no idea, but he passed them to Ravi without a word.

"Do you want me to open this?"  he asked, holding up the envelope with Ravi's name on it, and at the answering nod, he opened it and unfolded the paper, handing it to Ravi to read, having judged from looking at the first few lines that it was far too personal for him to read it, even with Ravi's permission.

Instead, he busied himself with the other paperwork that had come with the photographs, the deed to the house and a copy of Hongbin's will in his strangely neat handwriting catching Leo's eye. Scanning it, it seemed to be exactly what the police officer had told him weeks before, and he put it aside for the moment, glancing over at Ravi and unsurprised to see him in tears, holding the letter to his chest. Putting a comforting hand on his knee, Leo gave what he hoped was an encouraging smile.

"Will you be ok?" he asked softly, concern in his eyes as he looked at Ravi, the other man wiping at his eyes with the corner of his shirt and making Leo sigh at him.

"I'll be fine," Ravi replied, his voice wavering. "Eventually." He sighed heavily. "What did he say to you?"

"I haven't read it yet," Leo shrugged, not really in any hurry to find out. If he was honest with himself, he was scared. He didn't want to feel Hongbin's anger again, even from a written page. "I was just looking at this stuff..."

"I want to know what he wrote to you," Ravi insisted, poking at Leo's leg. "It won't be anything bad. I promise."

"How can you promise something like that?" Leo scoffed, though he retrieved the envelope from under his knee and opened it warily, reading the letter Hongbin had written him carefully.

Dear Leo,

I'm sorry for everything that happened between us. It wasn't how I wanted things to end, but maybe it was for the best. I'm glad Ravi has a friend like you. Maybe if I'd had someone like you sooner, I wouldn't have... But then we'll never know now. I'm still sorry, and I hope someday you'll be able to forgive me.

I know it's not much, but I've made arrangements for you to have an income of your own so you won't have to live in that hole flat. He showed me the pictures of it and I recognised it at once. Hakyeon used to live there... I hated it even then, but he didn't have any money either and wouldn't allow me to help him. I know it won't ever make up for everything I've done, but I hope it will help you... so you don't become like me. Twisted and warped beyond help.

Hongbin.

Leo was unaware that he was crying until Ravi put his hand over his in concern, invading his personal space and making him shrink back in surprise.

"What?" he asked hoarsely, rubbing at his face and turning away, his cheeks pink with embarrassment. He was curious to find out just how much Hongbin had left him, since he hadn't really paid much attention to that part of things and it hadn't been specified by the officer who'd called.

Rifling through the papers in his lap again and ignoring Ravi's attempts at getting him to talk, Leo in a breath, his eyes wide as he read the relevant lines. This was what Hongbin considered 'not much'?  

"What's wrong?" Ravi asked, worried at Leo's actions. Just what had Hongbin said to him? "What did Hongbin say? Hyung?"

"Have you read Hongbin's will?" Leo asked, his voice faint. He felt like he was going to fall over. Just how much money did Hongbin have? Where had it all come from? "He's... I don't understand him. I honestly don't." He shook his head and handed Ravi the papers in his lap, as well as the letter Hongbin had written him. It wasn't as though it was personal. Not like the one meant for Ravi.

But it meant they both would be able to live more comfortably than they had been doing, and hopefully would start to recover, even if they would never be able to forget what had happened to them. As if anyone could forget anyone like Hongbin.

Or that it had all begun with a man sitting on the stairs. A man who was not there...