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Post by clouds just clouds on Jun 11, 2016 20:36:26 GMT -8
Moonlight shed onto the small graveyard. The field stretched towards the horizon with a few trees darting the ground. His heart stuttered a few moments, thick with uncertainty. The bundle in his arms acted both as warming comfort, and twisting anxiety. Just ten minutes ago:
"Timmy," Malcolm whined. "Timmy, my arms hurt."
Confused, Timothy glanced down at the boy beside him, walking with the bundle in his arms. His cheeks warmed when he connected two and two. "Then... set Gabriel on the ground," Timothy fought to keep his voice even. Why wasn't his father answering? Why wasn't Malcolm complaining to Gabriel?
"But your daddy is asleep. I don't want to wake him up." The kid stopped and gave Timothy large eyes.
Timothy never would have expected to be holding his father in his chest. He highly doubted that his father slept through all of that--but his father was old. Far older than him. Taking in a deep sigh, he came to a stop by an old wisteria tree, where a few graves laid in the ground.
At the base of the tree stood a statue with two figurines holding onto another. A sharp breath cut through his lungs. Swallowing, he managed, "Hello, little Rica, Rouge," he muttered, stepping past graves set in the ground. He stopped by the statue and carefully moved to kneel onto the ground. Tears pinched his eyes and he managed, "Hello sister, h-hello," he swallowed, "Alan."
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Post by Dina Doo on Jun 12, 2016 17:37:48 GMT -8
It was a certain fact that Gabriel hated being a small child. He felt as useless as everyone kept telling him he was. And yet... Yet the old ketsuki found that he didn't mind so much. He couldn't remember the last time he had been held in warm arms, save for ancient days when he had been that small. But if only it was easy to drift into a peaceful sleep now. Gabriel was a tired old man and he wasn't sure how much more pain he could handle. Though, it was for his son.
In his arms he brought with them a bouquet of flowers. He felt it was the only thing he could offer. When his son spoke, Gabriel finally opened his eyes and saw only his colorless world. He hadn't been asleep; there was no need to ask where they were. If it was possible and despite his aching wound, the old ketsuki attempted to slither from his son's hold. "So this is where your sister is buried?" He asked softly. Gabriel would have rested the flowers on his daughter's grave, if only he could read which grave was hers..
"I wish she could have been laid to rest with her mother. But your mother is with her family and Victoria has family here." And Gabriel found it utterly and tragically ironic and cruel. He had held his daughter when she had been naught but a newborn. Victoria had been lost to him for so long. There they were, father and daughter reunited at last as she slept soundly in her stone bed.
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Post by clouds just clouds on Jun 12, 2016 20:16:42 GMT -8
Timothy's eyes sorrowed. He dipped his head and said, "I don't… I don't know where Mother is buried." Shakily he gently tried to guide his father's hand to the statue, so he might be able to just wipe his hands over the engraving. "She had Alan. And grandchildren. Her little Rouge married a young orochi, and they had two children. Victorique and Damien Alan... Damien is still alive. Out there, somewhere. Last I saw him he was struggling…" A sigh left Timothy and he dipped his head. "The child Victoria born after Rouge was…" His voice wavered. "Sorry. None of these stories are really happy." In a small voice he said, "She would have loved those flowers. And loved you. She would have been so much better at handling all of this." Timothy hesitated and bowed his head. "I'm sorry." He didn't know who was apologizing to, exactly.
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Post by Dina Doo on Jun 12, 2016 21:34:48 GMT -8
"It is good to know she lived well enough to have a family of her own," Gabriel uttered softly as he etched the names on the graves. He wished he could read. Anything beyond Braille was beyond him. A weak smile twitched the corners of his lips. "She sounded like her mother, always wanted to move on from the past." Gabriel's smile fell away as he set the flowers down. "Someday soon, maybe I can take you to see your mother and her family. Perhaps.. even my family." Even if they didn't plan on staying long, Gabriel knelt down in front of the graves regardless. He owed it to his daughter to spend some time with her. "And I knew of a Damien, once. An orochi by the name of Damien Morrison." His small shoulders slumped and his hea in lulled to the side. "At least Victoria can know her grandson is alive and has a fiancee of his own. If he ever returns. I was told he wouldn't return to a happy home."
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Post by clouds just clouds on Jun 13, 2016 9:42:43 GMT -8
Timothy glanced up at his father and swallowed. It perhaps was one of the few times his chest wasn't dying of anxiety. Taking in a deep breath, Timothy said quietly, "I.... would really appreciate that." He leaned forward to gently wipe leaves and dead grass off of the graves. "Damien Morrison… that's him. Most likely." Timothy let out a small breath. "Well, at least he's… alive from what you last heard." He paused and glanced up at his father. "Tell me… if someone committed crimes, terrible horrendous crimes--crimes that they had no control over. Something that they didn't to, but something inside them did. Do you believe they deserve death for what they… haven't really done?"
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Post by Dina Doo on Jun 13, 2016 12:15:20 GMT -8
"I don't know, Timothy. Sometimes it's not our place to make that decision," he said. Poor Gabriel still couldn't turn around and face his son as he stared on at the graves. "Sometimes, we have to consider what the victims want, or their families. But.. no, I don't think they deserve death unless it is a mercy. Because if they are a danger to others and themselves, or if they ask for death, then that puts us in quite the predicament." Gabriel finally turned himself to face Timothy and Malcolm and he looked sad,solemn. "If you two don't mind, I'd like a few minutes with Victoria. Then we can leave."
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Post by clouds just clouds on Jun 13, 2016 19:12:16 GMT -8
Timothy slowly shifted and pushed himself up onto his feet. He gently moved around the tree and sat down at the other end. With a quiet breath he held his head in his hands. Small hands pressed against his side. Shakily, he lifted an arm and wrapped it around Malcolm. Two small arms encircled him and he let out a shaky breath. "It's okay," Malcolm whispered. "They are just always watching over you. You get to live for them, and be happy with your daddy."
Taking in a shaky breath, Timothy hid his face in his arms and whispered, "Thank you." His voice cracked.
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Post by Dina Doo on Jun 15, 2016 11:02:50 GMT -8
Several minutes passed by thereafter as Gabriel sat vigil in front of his daughter's grave. He said nothing, at least nothing out loud or in a voice loud enough that the others could hear. He wasn't sure what to say at first, so the old ketsuki started from the beginning. Gabriel introduced himself to Victoria, that he was the father that Timothy had been searching for for so long, that he hadn't known her long but that didn't make him any less proud of her. And he was proud because she was strong enough to let go of the past and could move on. Gabriel promised her that he would try to visit her again. With those final words, the old ketsuki stood and made his way back towards Malcolm and Timothy. "I am ready to go." His ghostly eyes settled on his son. "Timothy, thank you for bringing me here. It was.." His gaze fell. "Good to see your sister again. Are you ready to go?"
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Post by clouds just clouds on Jun 15, 2016 16:27:31 GMT -8
Timothy startled at the sound of his father's voice and glanced over at him. He had grown accustomed to the quiet murmuring his father offered his sister. His heart had grown warm because of it. And it might have had something to do with Malcolm sleeping on his chest. "Oh," Timothy's voice cracked from lack of use. He sat up and sadly stared at his father. "Thank… thank you. For all of that. I think… she loved that." Clearing his throat, he slowly pushed himself onto his knees and held Malcolm close. He paused and asked, "Where… where would you like to go now." His cheeks filled with a blush and his stomach twisted anxiously. "M-Malcolm… he is asleep, b-but, I… if you wanted someone--I can, I can carry you both."
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Post by Dina Doo on Jun 15, 2016 18:41:18 GMT -8
A light smile curled the edges of Gabriel's lips. "Well, I can't say that I would mind being carried around more, but only if you want to. You already have Malcolm." The old yet small ketsuki made his way over to Timothy's side and turned his ghostly eyes to the sleeping child in his son's arms. "Since Malcolm is sleeping, we should probably head back to (maybe) the hotel so he can get to bed. I have no other plans for tonight." It was tempting to lean against Timothy, especially if the younger ketsuki was knelt down still, but Gabriel wondered if they had really reached that level yet. Gabriel was sure he wasn't sure yet, but being carried was different. "Was there anything else you wanted to do before we head back?"
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