тιмє ƒℓιєѕ... αη∂ ѕσ ωιℓℓ ι (Kai)

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Ronin had held Kris' hand as he died. He'd stared into his pained eyes, watched as they went peaceful and then blank. He'd been there when they'd called time of death. He'd held Rory as he cried. He'd felt like crying himself, but somehow he couldn't find it in him. He'd felt so... numb. Dead. Like Kris had taken a piece of him when he died. Ronin would never get that piece back. After Seyong, he never thought he'd fall in love. But then Kris came along, perfect in every way. Their family hadn't been perfect by any means, but for Ronin, who was used to dysfunctional relationships, it was bliss.
Then Kris had been diagnosed with cancer. They'd given him two years. He only got one. The cancer spread faster than they'd predicted. Ronin would always wonder that if they'd tried treatment, just maybe, Kris would have pulled through. But his husband had refused any kind of chemotherapy or anything else that could have saved his life.

Now Ronin stood next to his son, in front of the coffin that sat in the living room of their house. Friends and family had come to pay their respects. Ronin's family, of course, wasn't there. His mother had died years ago and his father and him hadn't been on the best of terms for ages. Then there was Seyong, but Ronin never expected to see his step-brother again. Half of him hoped he wouldn't; the other half wanted nothing more than to hold his first love. How was he supposed to get through this? He had to be strong for Rory, but first he had to fight that something that was dying inside of him.
Rory turned and pressed his face against his father's shirt, his eyes squeezed shut. He hadn't cried since Kris had died. He didn't want to cry anymore. He wanted everything to go back to the way it was. He wanted to wake up from this awful dream where his father was no longer alive. Thirteen was too young to lose a parent.
Unexpectedly, the doorbell rang. Ronin had thought everyone had already arrived, but someone must have been running late. He gave Rory's hand a squeeze and then pried himself away from his son. He made his way to the door and opened it. Then he stopped breathing.

[∂яινє му ωσℓƒ ωιℓ∂ ♥]

Standing beneath the overhang were two ghosts. Well, not necessarily - but they certainly looked otherworldly. The first, standing a bit in front of the shorter, was an average height beauty with neck-length hair shaped around their face and flawless smooth skin with warm chocolate eyes, despite the fact it was raining. Around his, yes his, shoulders was a red velvet cloak with silk lining that billowed around his feet a bit in a gorgeous sort of way. There was a soft smile on pink lips, and he rested manicured, feminine hands on the smaller person's shoulders. No doubt a child.

"I'm sorry we came so late, we tried to make it as quickly as we could."

Suitcases - simple hand-held things that were packed full of the bare essentials - were set next to their feet.

"I'm not sure if you remember me, ah..." A pink blush slightly decorated the apples of his cheeks. He was thin- very thin. But not unhealthily so- he had simply matured, grown into his feminine frame. His hips were child-bearing worthy without looking misshapen, and his entire form gave a soft hourglass sort of look. "My name is Seyong, and this is my son, Anouk." In a softer voice the words 'go on' were whispered, and the smaller being stepped out.

The boy looked different from his father- or, mother, considering Seyong was intersex. Soft tresses of hair reaching the middle of his back were chocolatey, his skin was pale, his cheeks gently pink, and his eyes were a soft chocolatey brown. He was shorter than his mother, but he took after Seyong in the feminine ways. He was mildly curvy, but thin, and had a sort of... flawless glow. However, he had his head turned down, and his hand was firmly clamped in his mother's, obviously shy and a tad bit afraid.

"We've rented the home... just down the street." Seyong gestured to the home, which actually looked more like a rotisserie with the large glass windows, apartment above, and sign outside. Something was up- something was being planned. But if anyone knew Se, he wasn't going to give into pleading easily. Not while knowing if he gave in, he would miss the initial reaction to the outcome of his plans.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Ronin stared at the beauty in front of him, unable to speak or breath or move at all. All the memories he'd tried to suppress for years came crashing back down. The fighting, the kissing, the long nights spent wondering if everything would work out. The puppy that Ronin would always regret getting him. The way Sey would shift into a kitten and cuddle with him, a purr rumbling in his (or her) throat. "Sey?" he finally whispered.

[∂яινє му ωσℓƒ ωιℓ∂ ♥]

Seyong gave a shy smile and turned his head down for a minute before glancing back up at him again. "Yes. Hello, Ronin." And this time, his French accent was clearly heard. He had spent the past 13 years in France, where he had met his ex-husband and had Anouk.

The boy, now behind him again, pressed against his mother and Seyong rested a hand against the boy's shoulder.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Ronin felt like he was seventeen again. All the emotions rushing back, all the pain and angst. He wanted to step forward and wrap his arms around Sey, but there were a million things stopping him from doing that, including but not limited to the fact that he hadn't seen Seyong for over thirteen years. "You... you moved in down the street?" He couldn't quite grasp what was happening here. It didn't make any sense. It felt like a ghost had appeared in front of him.

[∂яινє му ωσℓƒ ωιℓ∂ ♥]

"Um. Yeah." He laughed quietly, awkwardly, uncomfortably. "I wanted to be available in case you needed help or anything..." He trailed off, glancing behind Ronin at the people who were inside. They were still standing outside, the rain falling even heavier.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"So you heard," Ronin said flatly. "About Kris." He couldn't bring himself to elaborate. It was too painful. Of course, he had to remember that Kris had been Seyong's friend. He would be mourning too.

[∂яινє му ωσℓƒ ωιℓ∂ ♥]

Seyong winced and looked down, rubbing his arm and biting his lip. "I was with his mother when it happened." He inhaled deeply before lifting his head and giving him a small smile. "Why don't I come in and bake some cookies? I'm sure everyone would enjoy a snack."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Ronin found himself nodding without really thinking about it. He stepped aside to let the two of them in.

[∂яινє му ωσℓƒ ωιℓ∂ ♥]

He nodded and walked in after his son, allowing Anouk to stand in a corner while he walked into the kitchen. He seemed to know where he was going without being there before.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Ronin watched him for a second before heading to the living room to find his son. He at least ought to introduce them. He put a hand on Rory's should and murmured something in his ear. Then he walked him to the kitchen.

[∂яινє му ωσℓƒ ωιℓ∂ ♥]

Seyong stood in the kitchen, sleeves of his white decorative shirt rolled up to his elbows and bangs falling into his narrowed eyes. He had gathered the different things he needed, including a mixing bowl and hand mixer, and was reading something on a note of paper.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Seyong? This is my son, Rory," Ronin said. The boy beside him stared wordlessly at the floor. He had no desire to meet an old friend of his father's at a time like this.

[∂яινє му ωσℓƒ ωιℓ∂ ♥]

Seyong gave Rory a sad smile that was hard for even he to conjure up. "Hello, Rory..." He greeted softly. "Would you like a cookie when they're done?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Rory was silent until Ronin nudged his side. "Yes, thank you," he said in a small voice.

[∂яινє му ωσℓƒ ωιℓ∂ ♥]

Seyong gave him a fake smile, eyebrows expressing his concern, before he turned back to the oven.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Why don't you go sit down?" Ronin murmured in his son's ear. Rory obediently walked over and sat down at the kitchen table. Ronin walked up behind Sey. "You know, I haven't had fresh cookies in awhile," he said.

[∂яινє му ωσℓƒ ωιℓ∂ ♥]

"Oh?" He blinked at him in surprise. "I thought surely you would have made a batch. You know, on your own... Or with Kris's help. He wasn't very good in the kitchen, but he did do a pretty good job when it came to desserts."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Ronin smiled faintly, but it quickly turned wistful and sad. "Yeah, he was," he said softly. In fact, Kris had probably been the last person in the house to make cookies... before he'd gotten sick.