Refresh: Extras 2

Reaper and Kids

If you've read Reaper's Tale this will make a bit more sense. After Bethany's death but before the last chapter of the story. Between chapters 7 and 8. This is really long cuz I couldn't get the scene out of my head. 

   "You really need to stop babying them," Reaper can't remember who had said it.

   "What do you mean?" He looked over toward the voice. 

   "Morang is an adult now. She's in college. Goth is already 9. Raven is 2 and you still help him walk like a baby just learning to walk. He can barely even talk yet cuz you baby talk to him." The person repeated. "You have to give them space to grow up. It isn't healthy."

   Reaper swallowed thickly. "I'm not babying them. I'm just showing that I care about them. Any parent would do that..."

   Geno chimed in at that point. "Reaps... You do baby them just a little..." He murmured.

   Reaper felt his soul crack a bit as he turned to look at Geno. He didn't mean to make it into a bad thing... He was just trying to be a good father. "Oh. Okay." Was his only answer. 

   So Reaper backed off. He let Raven play on his own. He let Goth ride the bus instead of picking him up. He stopped calling Morang every night. He gave them their space. And it hurt. Goth was the same age Reaper had been... Reaper had been struggling.

   Reaper busied himself with reading. He liked books. He read a lot of books when he was by himself. Books never left you or told you to back off. 

   "Papa..." Goth looked up from playing with his brother. He had been thinking about this question for days.

   His teacher had asked if something happened to his father. He remember the conversation clearly. 

   'Goth... Where is your father?'

   'Probably at home. Why?' He looked up at his teacher while waiting for the bus. 

   'He never comes to pick you up. And he isn't at the parent teacher lunches. He stopped the calls about your work. You're art projects have been sitting in your cubby because he doesn't come get them. Is he... alright?'

   Goth hadn't noticed something strange until then. It was weird. His papa just kinda... stopped. His soul ached a little more everyday when he didn't see his papa there to pick him up...

   Reaper looked up. "Yes?"

   Goth clutched the block in his hands tightly. "Do... Do you still love us?"

   Reaper's sockets went wide. "Of course I do!" He set his book aside and kneeled by his son. "What made you think I didn't?"

   Goth sniffled as tears dripped down his face. "You never drop me off or pick me up. You don't get my art pictures anymore. You stopped playing with Raven and you never call Morang. I thought... I thought you didn't love us anymore."

   "Oh Goth..." Reaper pulled his son close and wiped the tears away. "I love you three more than anything."

   "Then... why?" He looked up as Raven continued playing with his blocks. 

   Reaper sighed and looked to the side. "Some people said I was being to clingy and babying you guys too much. They said it wasn't good for you."

   Goth frowned. "That doesn't make sense. We liked spending time with you... Didn't you?"

   Reaper smiled. "I did. I liked it a lot." 

   Goth nuzzled close to his papa. "Will you pick me up tomorrow?"

   "Sure thing kiddo..." Reaper sighed with a smile. 

   "Papa's crying!" Raven blurted hurrying over and toppling his tower of blocks. "What happened?"

   Reaper reached to touch his face. He didn't realize he was crying. He laughed a bit. "It's okay Raves... Can I tell you two a secret? No one knows about this. Not even Daddy."

   Raven nodded furiously crawling in Reaper's lap. 

   "Of course papa." Goth hummed snuggling closer. 

   Reaper sighed. He really hadn't told anyone... Geno knew he had a brother and a mother but he assumed they had died. No one knew. No one but Bethany and she was... gone...

   "When I was your age, Goth, I was really sick. And my family was really poor. We didn't even have money for shoes. My dad had wasted all our money and then he disappeared. My mom couldn't afford to get medicine and feed us all." Reaper admitted. The details from that early were hazy... Gosh it was so long ago. 

   Geno poked his head in to listen. Reaper is talking about his family. Reaper hadn't even told Geno much. He usually avoided the question. 

   "One day I wasn't as sick. My mom told me she and Grim were going to the store. She left me in charge of the house. She and Grim did leave... But they never came back." 

   Goth gasped softly and clutched his papa's arm. Raven gasped really loud.  

   Geno swallowed his gasp down. He didn't know that... Suddenly so much about Reaper made sense. 

   "What did you do?" Goth asked.

   "I stayed there for a really long time. I was waiting for them to come back. I went to look for them one day and then I realized... They were never coming back. So I lived alone for a long time, Bethany helped me. Remember her Goth?"

   Goth nodded a little.

   "And then I met Daddy. And we had you two. And I wanted to make sure I wasn't like my parents. So that's why I do what I do."Reaper admitted holding both of his boys close. 

   Raven nuzzled into his papa. "Love you Papa..."

   Goth nodded in agreement and just laid against his papa. "Me too."

   Reaper smiled softly. "I love both of you. And your sister. So, so much." He held them closer. 

   Geno smiled and ducked back into the kitchen to call the school. Goth no longer needed a spot reserved on the bus..