A/N: Grazie per tutti gli osservazioni! So che dimentico constantamente a dirlo...Anyway, here's another chapter. :D ~ Mika
Chapter 3, "The Fire..."
The large green armchair the three-year old was hidden behind was very hard if you weren't sitting in it. Not that you were allowed to sit in it anyway; it was Grandpa's special chair, the one he'd had for years and years, even before Mummy was born.
"Three...two...one..."
Rufas Day Mar Ghosten held his breath as he heard Mummy's footsteps pass Grandpa's armchair. He squidged up as tightly as he could, closing his eyes, pretending he was a baby kangarat tucked away in its warren.
"Rufas!"
And Rhogan, Mummy's boyfriend. Rufas liked Rhogan. He wasn't cross and mean and never shouted at him. Maybe because Rhogan knew Mummy would "kick his ass" if he did. He remembered Grandpa saying those words to Mummy, but Rufas wasn't supposed to be listening at the time.
"Rufas! Come out, come out, wherever you are!"
Still being a hidden kangarat, Rufas let out a little giggle before stopping himself. They'll find me if I'm noisy, he thought to himself, opening his eyes just a little bit in case Mummy or Rhogan had snuck up on him. He didn't see them.
He did, however, see another person.
Opening his eyes wide, he stared at the new person who had joined him behind the armchair. This strange person was a man. He had black eyes, messy black hair and was dressed all in black. The only thing that wasn't black was his skin, which was very white.
The strange man smiled at Rufas.
Rufas froze with fear.
"Hey, don't be scared!" the strange black-and-white man reassured. Not only was his skin white, he had a glow around him that was also white, like Mummy and Grandpa's light, only this one covered all of him. "My name's Deimin. I'm your daddy,"
Rufas frowned, pointing at the other person. You're my daddy?
The man who called himself Deimin shrugged, a small smile on his face. "Yeah, kid. I helped make you, but you don't need to know the details. Listen...you're gonna see some stuff in a few minutes, okay? Stuff that only you can see." His big black eyes were very serious.
Rufas nodded. He knew what the man was talking about.
"It's gonna be scary, but you don't have to worry about it, okay? Don't be scared."
The little boy frowned again. What kind of things?
Deimin opened and shut his mouth, looking like a fish. "I can't tell you what you're going to see...that's up to the Precursors. But..." His voice softened, like Mummy's did. "Don't be scared, okay, Roo?"
Rufas backed away from him. How do you know my name?
"Like I say, little one..." The man reached out a hand. "I'm your father. And I'll always be here for you. And Mummy too."
Tentatively, Rufas put his hand in the man's hand. Deimin closed his fingers around those of his son's, eyes holding something that Rufas was too young to understand, biting his lip to keep whatever it was inside. Without warning, he pulled the little boy into a big hug, the kind that Mummy normally gave him and that Rufas liked. Something inside the little boy told him that what the man said was true and he hugged the man back tightly, feeling the glow around the man warm him up.
"'Kay, kid," Deimin whispered, sounding like he had a sore throat. "Take care of yourself, yeah? And your mama. Look after her."
The never-before-met father and son released each other. Rufas watched as his daddy stood up, ruffled his hair, gave one last smile and turned away.
"...this little worm here!"
The three-year old laughed as he felt himself being swept up by Rhogan, facing Mummy. He landed in her arms and twisted his head towards the armchair.
Daddy was gone when he looked.
Rufas never told Mummy about the little meeting; partly because he knew it was something special and secret between him and Daddy, and also because he never had the chance to.