[ Tears dot the page, pooling like little puddles on the thick, glossy paper. Maruki daubs them off gently with one sleeve so as not to smudge Akechi's writing – the other comes up to take his son's grubby little hand, moving it away with untold tenderness so he can wipe those tears himself. He's done it again and again, practically since the first day they met Akechi. He'd do it for the rest of Akechi's life if only it were allowed. ]
Of course. We can finish this tomorrow. There's no rush.
[ Another swipe of his thumb beneath each teary eye, and then Maruki tips Akechi's chin up to look at him, beaming with pride. ]
[ It's his blurry vision that distorts his dad to look like the woman hanging on the wall. He hears her voice in those words, but-
He loves his mom.
He loved his mom. He'll never stop loving his mom.
But he loves his dad. He wants to see his dad. He can't fathom a life without those hands brushing against his face, saying those words.
So he blinks and blinks and blinks his mom away until his dad comes into view. ]
I love you. [ As he crawls into his lap and wraps his arms around Maruki's torso as far as they can go. His face presses into his shirt. He'll be taken to a bed, a couch, the floor. He doesn't worry about that anymore.
But he worries his love with never reach. Worries it won't be enough. Worries that one day he'll wake up and it won't matter how proud Maruki was. He needs to say it enough - over and over, so he never has to wonder why to lie about Maruki's likes on a piece paper for people who would never know him.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
god.... we can wrap......... we know what horrors are coming
Of course. We can finish this tomorrow. There's no rush.
[ Another swipe of his thumb beneath each teary eye, and then Maruki tips Akechi's chin up to look at him, beaming with pride. ]
You did well. I'm so proud of you.
shuts my eyes and wraps
He loves his mom.
He loved his mom. He'll never stop loving his mom.
But he loves his dad. He wants to see his dad. He can't fathom a life without those hands brushing against his face, saying those words.
So he blinks and blinks and blinks his mom away until his dad comes into view. ]
I love you. [ As he crawls into his lap and wraps his arms around Maruki's torso as far as they can go. His face presses into his shirt. He'll be taken to a bed, a couch, the floor. He doesn't worry about that anymore.
But he worries his love with never reach. Worries it won't be enough. Worries that one day he'll wake up and it won't matter how proud Maruki was. He needs to say it enough - over and over, so he never has to wonder why to lie about Maruki's likes on a piece paper for people who would never know him.
Quiet. Muffled. ]
I love you.