Chapter 17
With Amai out of the house, Garou turned to Melee oddly. "Something is off about him, more so than usual." He said aloud. "I don't know if I should be concerned about it or if something is going on with him…"
Melee nodded in agreement. "He's not acting like himself. Even just now with the hoodie, normally he would have tossed it at me and expect it to be fixed, instead, he asked…"
"I wonder what he and Hunter have been taking about, I mean our own son is coming to his defense, what on earth is happening to our kid?"
"Beats me, the more time Hunter spends with him the more Amai changes. Like you said I don't know if it is something we should be concerned about or if perhaps he is starting to see beyond himself. I have my doubts about it, I mean, he's going to be humble for the next while, yet the moment he is returned to his old self again, he will go back to his ways."
Garou nodded. "I thought this experience would be more daunting than it is for him. I am surprised to have quickly he has adjusted, even his diet."
"Remember, Garou. He's deprived himself to maintain an image, since he doesn't have one to uphold right now, it's all out the window. If anything it just might be a taste of freedom he never really had before."
He shuttered at the thought of it all. "We're HELPING him. Gah, even those words tasted terrible."
Melee snickered. Garou then looked to her oddly. His hand came to rest gently on her stomach. "Any changes?" he asked of her. "Have you been hungrier? Anything of the sort? It's been beyond a week since I made that 'prediction'."
She sighed and shook her head. "I haven't noticed anything, but it does take time, even if you dictated a week, it takes more than that to know for sure."
He sighed. "I really want another daughter."
"What is with you and having a daughter? You have one already"
"I know, but after you said that they are rare in your family, once in a generation… I like to challenge that. No one tells me what I can and can't have, and if I want another daughter I get one damn it!"
Melee laughed to his determination. "HEY! SOME OF US ARE STILL IN THE HOUSE!" protested Pac.
"Oh yeah, only Hunter and Amai left. Oops." Said Garou.
Pac came out of his room, with a sigh he turned to his parent. "Really? More siblings?" he asked aloud.
"What? You don't want more siblings?"
He shrugged his shoulders to it all. Pac took a seat at the table, suddenly, he fell face first into it. Garou cringed as his son's forehead landed with a thud on the wooden table. "Why must I go through this again?"
Garou froze as did Melee. "You need to be more specific here kid, is it what we were talking about or something else?" asked Garou.
Pac held up his arms and revealed the serpents growing back. They were smaller than before and some have yet to break through the old skin. "Why do I have to endure this again?" he said. He wasn't the least bit thrilled with the idea of growing back the snake like dragons, yet, there was no going back after the first time. "This sucks!"
"Yeah, it does, but it's just how you are. You think it was easy for me to grow mine back? That hurt like a bitch!"
"But dad… you're use to it, aren't you? I'm not, I still can't control them!"
"You're fighting your own body, that's why."
"Gaaaaaahhhhh" Pac moaned lowly. He wasn't in pain, just frustrated.
Melee sat across from her son and gently lifted his head up off the table. "Pac, why does it bother you so much? Zenko didn't mind them, did she?"
"No…" he sighed. "But… I mind them. I want to be normal mom, I don't want to be… this!" he said. "I mean… I grew up with kids calling me a monster all the time, just because my eyes were red. Now, they don't call me a monster as often, but you can see it in their eyes."
"Pac, I never wanted to be this. You know that," said Garou. "Sometimes, it's beyond our control."
"But dad… you were human! I saw you as a human and you looked awesome! You were still strong and powerful… I wanted to be like that."
"You saw what happened though, when that power went to Amai, and he couldn't handle it. He nearly took out a whole city block just to strike me down!" Garou paused. "Pac, like it or not, you need to look at it this way. You are capable of controlling this. Not a lot of people are, look at Amai Mask. He's strong to begin with. One of the strongest heroes I know, even with his strength, he couldn't. It was impossible for him."
"I know… I know… I just wished that maybe that soothsayer power you had, you could let someone else take this, and I could be normal…"
"No" Melee said flat out. "We are not risking that. Pac, sweetheart. I love you dearly, but this is a responsibility we all have to bare. Not just you."
Pac slipped from his mom's hand and his forehead smacked against the table once more. "Just leave me here…" he muttered.
"I think he needs to get out more," whispered Melee.
Garou shook his head. "I think it's time for some tough love."