oh baby, I have not been kind
He was feeling a bit listless, a bit lost. And empty. Staring out at... Well, he wasn't even sure, really. It didn't matter.
Dad managed to get his attention though, nodding him over a ways away from everyone else. He blinked, then put himself in motion, head bobbing with each heavy step. He walked silently with Dad. He was usually thrilled to have time with him. Dad was completely perfect, just like Mom thought. It was just hard to be enthused about much anymore lately. He was probably the happiest he had been, though.
He smiled a little for Dad, quietly basking in his praise. Dad definitely would've done better at it though, if he hadn't already been so busy with searching for the family to let them know which way they were all going. It was still so nice to hear, filling him with this crazy amount of warmth. Phenomenal, like dad.
"Yeah," he replied aloud softly, giving a gentle touch to Dad's shoulder. "Like you." Even Mom would've agreed, not that anyone knew it.
How are you doing, son?
His face flattened and he looked ahead again. Shrugged. Dad hadn't liked how close he had been with Kylin, how he'd watched her. He probably thought Kharon had done as he said and backed off. And he had. He had. It had been so hard, even snuggled up to Dad at night instead. So damn hard. Painful. As if he'd had to cut his own wings off.
It's hard, he told him, because Dad wouldn't believe him if he said he was fine. None of them were fine. I'll be fine. He'd lost his sister, his other half. A stranger now stood in her place, with her beauty. Her voice, her thoughts. And her kids.
How about you? he asked, tilting his head to look at him.
I wish I could scrape away the dirt that's on my mind