Slipping away from his old friends side, Byron concocted the perfect plan for rising him from his unsettling stupor.
Sure Faker was the kind of man who was almost always stony faced and somber, well, at least in the presence of the general public. Since he had grown close to himself and started a family however, did his scraggly faced companion learn to smile more often. This pleased Byron on levels beyond what was most likely usual for two men. Hell, this was his best friend, he'd follow him to hell and back!
That's what friends did for each other. And he would never let Faker down…especially with the so fresh wound of the…
He couldn't even bare to think of it…she had been a part of their little broken family for so long, and made brought to it an element of cheerfulness and love that Byron alone couldn't accomplish for his friend.
No Faker had been smitten by her. Taken completely in by someone it didn't feel fit to call just his wife.
She completed him, completed them. They had grown far apart…they had been through too many rough bumps due to all the stubbornness and blind site on Byron's part…
But it didn't matter anymore. Well…of course it would always matter, but Byron needed to be there for Richard now.
He would always quite down a bit while she was away. Be it at a dueling tournament, or when they were simply working quietly together. He had the same washed over look on his face…but upon looking a bit closer he could see the tiny bit of emptiness there.
It caused Byron to internally cheer for his friends when they were reunited. He would give a small, involuntary smile, and quickly try to rid his face of it. But he could not hide the light that broke free in his eyes, and the brightened tone that erupted in his voice.
He looked completed once again. His friend was happy. Wasn't that all he could ever want for him?
Sliding his fingers around the instant coffee machine Byron internally cringed as he spilled yet another pack of sugar onto the table.
These little things were impossible to open.
He recalled musing this often to his wife time again about how frustrating they could be, and she would just laugh her tantalizing, clear laugh, and use her delicately painted finger tips to open the packages with ease. She preferred the artificial sugars over the regular kind, something about calories. No matter how many times he explained that calories was a measurement of energy, but she just brushed him off as being a "nerd".
Well she used to brush him off…the divorce was a bit more rusty than he'd like to admit…but he couldn't burden Faker with such things right now. He needed to be strong for his friend, be there for him like he always was for him.
Finally managing to pour a sufficient amount of sugar into the near boiling cup, Byron put on his most cheerful face and headed back to his friend—
Wait no he should…yes…yes Faker could wait just a moment longer.
"Chris m'boy! Would you like some coffee?"
"I, thank you father…but aren't I a touch young for that?" Chris fumbled trying not to sound too excited at the prospect of sharing an "adult" drink with his father.
He had never drank coffee before…tea sure, but his father would always say it was something strictly for adults.
"You've been up all night, son, come now. Cream? Sugar?" he joked, planning on handing his son the sweetened concoction he consumed every morning anyways.
"Umm, b-black please." Chris managed, trying to sound mature, but flushed deeply upon hearing his father laugh buoyantly.
"Of course! Black, should have known!" Byron coddled his son, kissing his nose and handing him a scalding cup, "Now it's very hot, be careful"
Nodding pleasantly to his son and chuckling quietly enough so Chris would not notice, Byron headed towards Faker with the other cup. His keen ears picked up on Chris's quiet, "ouch!" from sipping his coffee too quickly.
Ah he would have many years to learn…but Fakers child may not.
Byron wouldn't let it come to that though.
"Extra sugar, just the way you like it Faker," Byron offered, noticing the rising bitter demeanor his friend was taking on.
…his actions with Chris must be…well it…it would all be smoothened out later. It was natural for Faker to feel a bit jealous…just…
Byron couldn't neglect his son. He felt since seeing the distraught state Fakers youngest was in…well…he couldn't bear to see any of his three angels in pain.
He couldn't imagine Fakers pain…all this…
Well he had Byron here now. And he always would.