They stood on the bridge in prayer, looking up at a moon that knew more of their parent's whereabouts than they did. Grandpa insisted Renton and Mama would be back soon, and they weren't going to argue with him, especially after he'd taken them in as family. When all eyes were closed in prayer, Maurice snuck a peak at his siblings. He wished he could unquestioningly accept that Mama cared for them as much as they cared for her, but a cynicism too heavy for his slight shoulders had already crept into his mind and Maurice preferred to pray for Maeter and Linck than for an absent Mama.
The day they came home was rainy and cold. Linck was nursing a runny nose while Maeter played Doctor, wearing Grandpa's work apron. It dragged on the floor, threatening to trip her as she stuck spare wiring onto her brother with play dough.
Grandpa Thurston was working at the Garage. He tried his best to watch them, but with three more mouths to feed, he couldn't ignore his clients. Maurice lay on his stomach on the couch, flipping through pages of RayOut that had belonged to Renton. He couldn't really read them, but he loved looking at Stoner's pictures. Stoner didn't fight, he watched and he understood.
" Linck! I need to hear your heart!"
" Noooo! It's COLD!"
Clambering onto the couch, having no qualms with stepping over and onto their brother, Maeter chased Linck, giggling and squealing, over the sofa and into the hall. She held her stethoscope spoon high while her patient scampered away.
"Watch it!" Maurice called after them irritably and went back to his magazine.
They were so loud.
Suddenly, the laughter stopped.
Maurice pulled himself up to peer over the back of the couch. The two stood frozen in the hall as the door creaked open to reveal two wet, cloaked figures in the doorframe.
Maeter screamed, instinctively pushing her brother behind her. Maurice was in front of them in moments, skidding to a halt on the wooden floor, shielding his siblings just as Renton pushed back the hood of his oversized coat.
If that was Renton...
"Children!" Eureka exclaimed, throwing the jacket off over her head, beaming at them. It didn't take long for realization to set in and the younger two pounced onto their beloved Mama, mumbling too much too quickly and at the same time. Eureka scooped them both up into a tight embrace, then realizing there seemed a void in the reunion, she glanced up between the two heads and beckoned her eldest to her.
Maurice hesitated,
"W-welcome home Mama, I'm going to go get Grandpa." he stuttered, dashing past the group, past a set of pale green wings, and into the rain. A hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder before he could escape.
"Maurice! You don't have to go running into the rain." Renton had caught him, but not before droplets could reach his cheeks and ease their path down to his chin.
The floor was suddenly falling, strong hands supporting him in the air and setting him down again. Maurice scowled at the ground, unable to lift his tear-streaked face, but he didn't try again.
"Maurice..." he heard Eureka murmur.
"Maurice! Look! It's Mama!" Pale blue and gold blurred before him, "What's wrong? Do you need a Doctor too?"
Maeter got off her knees and shrugged up at her parents apologetically. "Maurice is sad."
"Maurice. Don't cry, Mama's home." Eureka wrapped her arms around him, holding him to her chest. He can feel her sobbing as well. He bites his lower lip and closes his eyes. She smells familiar. He wishes those tears weren't of guilt but of love.