Len was the only one who wasn't given ice cream. He would've bought a banana split—his absolute favourite!—had Rin permitted him to. Rinto, upon noticing the empty space between his fingers, making him stand out from his mother and himself, had asked Len, "Why didn't you buy that banana split you wanted, Uncle?"
Munk up, Len. Munk those balls up…
What should I tell him?
Lie.
"Because Rin'll miss me if the monkeys take me away with them."
Rinto seemed satisfied with that answer, and proceeded to ask—Len's heart skipped a beat—Rin herself.
Rin expectedly put on a successful mask of a sweet smile to endear her son. "I doubt it'd only be the monkeys who're out looking for him, Sweetie."
Hoo, boy.
He leaned backward from the cage of the cuckoo bird that slurred their conversation in an attempt to mimic whatever they articulated. He so wished that the bird would word out the bad things his mind was flaring off just so Rin would hear him without Rinto ever finding out that it was Len who thought of those profanities himself.
Made no sense, right?
Len distanced himself from the small broken family that retained the joy of what they had left. He had calculated the impact of Rin's comebacks and his expectantly failing words that were piteous next to the former and the reach of Rin's glares that could give him a second-degree burn, peeling his skin. As if his too-hot-to-handle-ness wasn't already enough. He's kidding—he's kidding! He doesn't need any more wisecracks that would backfire his otherwise witty comment that boosted his esteem that'd be shot down immediately in one go.
"I wanna go and see the erephants next!"
Rinto was jumping happily, brimming with the happiness Len thought would infect him, too. Unfortunately, Rin's influence was that much more powerful. Snap out of it, Len! Must Rin always drag your lazy ass around and must you always let her?
Len grimaced and looked at Rin and Rinto, the former of which had given the child some money to buy balloons.
…Aren't many choices.
The young blonde mother turned to Len, whom she could see at the corner of her eye looking at her too, no doubt, and Len anticipated just that and for her to give him another command he'd yet consent doing again.
She did, and Len inwardly heaved a breath.
"I know you've been like a fatherly figure to my baby, an—I dare you," Rin added snappishly when Len botched to supress a snigger at 'my baby.' "And I understand that you've started treating him like a son—and that's good, actually. I had really hoped you wouldn't act like an old leprous wheezer with a bad case of bronchitis to him—which is true! 99% of the time."
Len opened his mouth to contradict, but Rin put a halt to his rejoinder by continuing her rant.
"Anyway—you're a good influence. Better than me, at least," Rin said, more like dismissing her own disturbing thoughts. "He can learn a lot from you, and I get that. That's partly why I came to you—this is gonna sound sappy and corny, so brace your balls—it's 'cause I trust you the most."
Len knew that, but never had he ever thought she'd admit it to him, especially as a sub-topic of a conversation hardly related to it. She was blushing slightly, like she regretted saying it, though had to. Seeming like she had to do something to emphasise what she said, she—Len assumed it was the least fatal to her public reputation—reached out and held Len's hand, clasping it with her smaller own: Their fingers intertwined.
While Len was momentarily distracted by the ministration, Rin went on, "…but you can't just keep filling his head with random crap."
He looked up from their hands, seeing Rin with a sincerely serious expression that pleaded something, looking for the absent understanding in his eyes that was at other times there.
"Please don't…Stop making him think that anyone deserves to be his father—not that I'm saying you're—" She was shaking, having trouble making her point. "You'd make a wonderful dad, Len—I know that better than you—but Rinto's been through so much—he's confused—he's—"
"If anyone's been through more than Rinto, it's you…" Len said sternly, putting his hands on her shoulders and looking at her face that never met his gaze. "Is that why you're hooking up with douchebags lately?"
When Rin didn't answer, he didn't push the 'too-many-boyfriends' topic. Instead, he led her to the nearest bench and made her sit down beside him: She practically collapsed in his arms as she buried her face in his chest.
"You wouldn't want Rinto to see you like this, now would you?" asked Len. He slowly caressed her back with his hands, his other one tucking hair that occasionally fell to her face by gravity.
"I'm not crying, dammit." She sniffed, groaning.
"Never said you did."
Scoffing, Rin shoved Len again, but she was still in his embrace. Len didn't let go of her not because he wanted to—hey, on the contrary, he missed this kind of thing from Rin, who only seldom made time for this—but because Rin didn't want to leave the warmth his body supplied. Just the kind of warmth she didn't know she'd been looking for, you know?
"I hate this," Rin was saying, burying her face in the valley of his shoulder like a guilty child accused for a wrongdoing. "It's so pathetic of me. Ev-ever since that son of a bitch—that—"
Len patted her back as she sobbed, tearless. She must've been close to hyperventilating already: She's always like this, anyway, and he'd always do the same things to console her from breaking into a fit.
He didn't notice earlier how many people were already looking their way—even polite enough to immediately look away the second they realised a "moment" was unfurling in their disturbing midst—though he disregarded their unwanted attention, for he knew more than the blonde woman he was hugging to not realise he did.
"He's good for nothing, Rin," Len said weakly, but a bit of leftover anger was spilling forth. "I'm just so sorry that I didn't tell you about my doubts of him earlier—so sorry I didn't convince you enough—"
"As if," chuckled Rin, shaking her head. "I wouldn't've believed you anyway, you dumbass. It was pretty cool when you hit him."
"Yeah, after you kicked him in the nuts."
They broke into a mirthless laughter that sliced through the thick air of tension. It wouldn't hurt to just laugh.
Len had helped Rin stand up when they saw Rinto running in their direction, bubbly as usual—he stayed like that ever since Len saw him for God knew how long so what more in less than ten minutes—chirping about the biggest trunks he'd ever seen in his life—insert Rin's dirty euphemism here that to Rinto's ears were mere innocent truths but profanity to Len's—and how the animals staying next to the big walled-up field of elephants were still asleep in broad daylight, to which Len commented that they're nocturnal.
"So…"
Len looked up, then saw that the person in front of him was actually below his eye-level even while sitting on the bench, so he looked down: Rinto shoved something yellow in his vision.
He looked kind of happier.
"Mummy told me you were being a good daddy, Uncle Lenny!" Rinto giggled, and showed off the plate he was holding…The plate of banana split! "This's your treasure!"
Curiosity and uncertainty filled Len: Then happiness took their place.
Smiling, Len accepted Rin's gift and ruffled Rinto's hair fondly, watching wistfully as he sprinted to his mother, who struck a ninja pose at Len.
You're not a bad mum yourself.
…
That escalated quickly o.O Wasn't gonna turn out this way, but it expedites the story's progress! =O
To explain why Rin's been dating assholes—as it was only vaguely mentioned, therefore not clearly explaining the meaning in the small context—it's because she wanted to have a place to live for the time being. 'Course, she COULDN'T just barge in her brother's door after a break-up. It's surreal, because mostly, you wouldn't turn to your family first. You turn to them last, actually: You usually face problems by yourself first before giving up and getting help. Rin thought that her family already had their own lives—especially good-looking Len here—and that being a burden would make her son, Rinto, look down on her, so she went looking for other men to hide her shame. So: Why douchebags? (Yes, Mike/Mikuo WAS a douchebag here.) She didn't want Rinto to be too attached to each of her flings—I think I've made a living out of ruining characters I don't even own, LOL—so she dated guys who're mean until she had it with Mike and moved in with Len. Don't judge Rin—then again, you can, since it's my fanfic, and I couldn't stop you—too much…
…
…
Oh what the hell, I've made her a whore without intending to, so I might as well be proud of how she really turned out XD SORRYIFTHISWASBORING!
MizuneMinamiki: That's because she basically is...er, here XD I hope I'm not creating such a knacker among the Vocaloid fans... Sorry if there's a HUGE lack of Rin-beating-Len-up here, folks! ADFHUASJDKFN You're not horrible. Fanfic writers prefer to write satirically when it comes to Len, if you get what it means =D You make me blush more than real boys with those compliments, jeez xD
YellowfluffiesForever22: Who DOESN'T want Len to be their daddy? =D That's it, Lenny! He's like everyone's property =P Don't tell Rin I said that, LOL. This chapter's simply like a side-bit where we see how Rin and Len still retain their close bond. Ish. Ugh, I'm such a boring writer V.V I plan as many as I could, if I CAN XP Adds to the spice.
LittleKagamineLove: I've actually BEEN looking for something like that picture for WEEKS on end until I stumbled upon it ; ) All I'd ever seen was RintoxRinxLen, and that seemed awkward for Rinto in THIS story xD I'm glad you like it! Yeah, blasphemy seems kinda funny (GOD I'M SORRY) if taken on a kid's perspective, and I learned that the HARD way!
RukoKurokawa: Just ONCE? Oh God, I go to it every WEEK... I think I'm one of those okay-religious families, huh? You DID? That's so adorable! Haha =D I think I only nod off in mass when I sit down ('Cause most of the time we only stand up for being so late.) Rinto's such a diamond XD
Dearest people, you will be bequeathed tokens of appreciation from the author…Though they are virtual, she trusts you treat them with utmost gratitude.
REVIEWERS/FOLLOWERS/FAVOURITED: Caramel Cubes and Nerds! (The Willy Wonkas)
READERS: Veggies…Just kidding! I ain't that cruel! Here's some Kit Kat!
Ever played Persona 3 Portable? : 3 LOVED IT
THIS IS ALREADY ON THE 10TH CHAPTER? WHLAEKSDFNMXC Crap, I need to update THE MISTRESSS! Sorry if this was short! I was busy with the teaser!