Chapter Text
Pantalone knew something was wrong when he first woke up. He woke up in a cold sweat, unable to breathe, in such a panicked state with no idea why other than a hunch. He had felt an emptiness in his heart, almost knowing the reason.
He climbed out of bed hurriedly, throwing some clothes on from his drawers and sliding on his shoes, putting his coat on as he already felt goosebumps despite his body heat spiking.
He needed to see him.
Once Pantalone had run out of his room, passing through his office and into the hallway, his immediate route led to the Doctor’s wing. Once he got closer and closer to the chambers of the Doctor, the overwhelming sense of dread worsened, the lump in his throat wanting to break, but the Regrator did not let himself break. Yet.
He finally got to Dottore’s lab, slamming the door open, only to find what he’d been dreading.
Dottore’s body. Pantalone knew it was him and not one of the clones he had fabricated, he knew the feeling that he felt when he was around him, yet it was different this time.
There was a pool of blood surrounding Dottore. His body seemed unresponsive, although Pantalone had not moved his place. Staring at the body, he felt tears streaming down his face.
After moments he quickly ran to Dottore, falling to his knees while his coat started to soak with blood. With each hand grabbing his shoulders, Pantalone lifted Dottore’s lifeless body forward, holding him close.
“N... no, Dottore? Please, Dottore, please.. I thought.. No no no no no-” Pantalone choked on his words as he broke, his face being covered in tears and anguish. How could this happen? He had made so many modifications on his body, he had been living for so many years, hundreds such as himself,
How could this happen?
Pantalone took his hand and moved Dottore’s hair out of his face, revealing his healed scars and birthmarks across his face. He sobbed more, thinking, thinking and thinking about everything but nothing, all at once. He cupped the cheek of Dottore, tears falling onto his body.
How had he let himself get so attached to such a distant man? He would never even know if Dottore had truly loved him as much as Pantalone did.
His thoughts were interrupted by a slam of the door behind him. Pantalone’s head stayed, not wanting to show the pathetic state he was in.
“Regrator? What are you…” The voice trailed on as the person noticed the blood. The person rushed over, Pantalone now recognizing him as The Jester, Pierro.
“When did this happen?” Pierro finally broke the silence between them.
It had been an hour since they found Dottore. Pantalone, no longer crying, but left numb. Still holding onto Dottore.
“I’m not sure myself… I had found him around,” He looked meekly at the clock at the back of the room, his glasses tainted with tears. It was 5, and it surely wasn’t in the afternoon. “4 am.”
“Why were you up at 4 am? That is very unlikely of you” Pierro had his eyes on Dottore, glancing up at Pantalone every now and then. Pantalone stayed silent, not having the energy to answer. He kept staring at Dottore’s shut eyes. He never noticed how pretty his eyelashes were, he’s never been allowed to be this close to his face.
“Do... Do you know who did this?” Pantalone managed to spit out, voice trembling.
“I only have my suspicions. Although, one may be the only answer.”
“Who? Who did this?” He finally let Dottore’s body down after holding it and soaking in his blood for so long, rage suddenly fueling him to regain his composure, although it rattled him inside.
“The Traveler. The same who killed our dear Rosalyne.”