She did make a fair point, he knew now after all of those years of bitter resentment and irreconcilable hatred towards him. As much as he had hated to hear the blunt truth in her words, he realised they were that: the truth. It was something he needed to hear, too. Something he may have even longed to hear at long last. Therefore, he did what was necessary.
His Zen lessons had never prepared him for a challenge so daunting and terrifying. He wanted to back away. To run far and be a coward; something he had never imagined he was capable of before. And it scared him.
So, he started small. Informed his beloved of his decision. Visited the church. Hell, he even prayed. Then his actions grew, he started researching, investigating, and searching desperately for any clues as to where he might be. Finally, he found him, and his emotions weren't what he expected. Yes, there was pain, and anxiety, but, no, to his astonishment he no longer felt hatred or fury towards that man. And he liked it.
He packed up, and took some precious time away he would much rather normally spend with her. Finally, after much convincing, he left. Alone.
The trip there was more difficult than he had originally anticipated. Twice he had turned around only to remind himself as to why he was embarking on this seemingly crazy and incomprehensible mission. Then he remembered. If he started there-with him- he could maybe, finally, (hopefully) finish with his own self.
When the time arrived, he strangely didn't dread it. The whole experience was frankly going against any preconceived notions of how that moment would really carry itself. It unnerved him slightly, yes, to know his instincts were so completely misguided. However, it relieved him, mostly; at how prepared he was finally to reach the beginning threads of peace. The much welcomed threads of sanity.
He knocked briefly at the door with steady hands. Waiting only for enough time to take one deep breath, the majestic oak door inched open by a tiny hand. He wasn't shocked, he had known about the man's new family before arriving, but it still enervated him. He patiently paused while the dhampir child teetered off to find the requested man.
His arrival shocked the man on the other side of the threshold. Fear passed through the man's eyes, followed by shock, disbelief and settling on sorrow. Similar eyes searched their twinning counterparts for any signs of the past before the youngest of the pair stepped closer. Frozen.
The older man, in a gesture of peace, uncertainly reached his right hand forward. The younger man disregarded the stable hand he had only ever see quiver and enveloped the older in a swift hug. They stepped back from each other solidly. Differences settled. With one last look at the opposite man standing across from the other, both men forgiven: one for familial abuse, the other for crimes he hasn't even addressed in his thoughts yet, the younger left. No words were necessary. Something the two shared in common. And that something, sometimes, they both valued.
Hope it was good. Feel free to say how you feel.
Disclaimer: I do not own any content by Richelle Mead, nor do I claim to.
