River
starts cackling and covers his mouth, just shaking his head as he crumbles the
letter on his hand, he’s just cackling uncontrollably, his body and mind not
knowing how to react and cope with the overwhelming sadness. How he
wished all his life his mother would look at him instead of looking for his
father, would love him and not his power. Rylan shakes his head slightly,
before he resolutely pulls River up and into his arms easily holding his head,
his forehead against Rivers. The chuckling it was starting to make sense to
him, it happened whenever there were strong emotions, like the laughter before
this.
“River, look at me.”
His golden green eyes peer into River’s blue ones,
this in many ways reminds him of his panic attacks, where you just don’t know
what to do.
“You know what this means? You own the shelter, you
can become a vet, and we can go visit your mom one day, whenever you feel
ready.”
He smiles, his arms still holding him in a way that
lets Rylan hold all his weight.
River looks at Rylan still cackling and covers his
mouth to try and still the momentary panic, shaking his head, trying to take control
and subside these emotions. He takes several deep breaths, pushing back the
sadness and biting his lip, the cackling slowly stopping, with only one or
stray cackle escaping.
“I own the shelter… I… shit!”
He lays his head on Rylan’s shoulder, trying to hold
his cool. He couldn’t let this continue, he had to get a hold of himself. Rylan
had no need for this, Rylan didn’t need one more burden to carry, so he pulls
back, hands on Rylan’s shoulder.
“Okay, I’m alright.”
“That cackling… It’s from when the emotions become too much isn’t it?”
He looks at River, not really wanting to have him pull
back.
“And yes, you own the shelter, now you just have to
decide what you want to do with it.”
He kisses river gently, guessing there are still many
small things they have to discover together after three years apart where so
much had happened. Not only to him but to River as well. Neither was the same
as they once were. River nods and brushes Rylan’s cheek.
“Let’s leave…”
He picks the folder and the letter, it has the shelter
key inside, so he shoves it inside his bag alongside the folder. Opening the
shelter, going to college and being a vet, he had actually given up on this
dream, but what if he could. What if it was alright for him to be a vet and a
mage and protect the Wards.