Everchanging

Home

A dripping sound called out to Genya. He was home again, the floors and walls just how he remembered. He spun to look at every wall and every picture. It was like how he remembered it before Shizu died. Photos of his mother and the kids hung on the wallpaper, everyone smiling so big. The dripping sound stopped for a second, the boy turning to see who had made the noise.

"Genya, welcome home." Violet eyes widened and he was positive he was crazy as a body collided with his leg. Small arms wrapped around him, big eyes grinning as Shuuya looked up at him. Genya wasn't sure he could breathe, fearful that this would be ripped away from him before he got to fully cherish it. "I missed you!"

"I... God, Shuuya." Genya whimpered, his whole body crumpling to the floor as his arms pulled the little child's body close to his. He was warm, so warm that Genya couldn't stop the tears from leaving his lashes. His heart felt swollen and thudding when the child grinned at him happily. His skin was pristine, and his body felt solid against Genya's. "I missed you too. I missed you so much."

He couldn't get close enough. He wanted to fuse their beings so he wouldn't have to lose him again. The baby giggled when his older brother pressed a peck against his cheeks and forehead. He needed Shuuya to know just how much Genya had lost when the baby had died. He needed his baby brother to know how much he meant to him.

"Genya, it took you long enough." The teen was urged to look up when Hiroshi wrapped his arms around him, the girls and Koto following quickly. It broke whatever control he had, pinning his kid in his arms and sniveling as he looked at the others. They were warm to the touch, their eyes pleased and their words kind. Every atom of hatred they held in his mind was wiped away with their easy smiles. "We wanted to talk to you for so long."

"I missed you. I missed you all so much." Genya threaded his fingers through hair and pressed his cheek against warm skin. He couldn't get close enough, so he hugged them closer. "I'm so sorry. I'm really sorry. It must've hurt so much. I'm so sorry I let dad hurt you all."

"Shh, Gen. It's okay-"

"It's not! It'll never be okay. It must've hurt so much. You all had to have been so scared." Genya shook his head; he needed them to know. He needed them to understand before this was ripped away from him again. "I should've protected you. I'm so sorry-"

"You already protected us. You did so much for us, Gen." Teiko smiled sadly, sitting beside her big brother so she could lean against him. "You were more of a dad to us than Kyogo could have ever been and that was more than any of us could ask for."

"You've been hurt so much for us already Gen. We couldn't ask for more." Hiroshi mumbled, running his fingers through Genya's trembling fingers. "You protected us from so much. Dad, Miyano, mom's death. You saved us so many times so it's our turn now."

The phrase confused him, but he easily stood when Hiroshi beckoned him to. The dripping resumed, making his stomach clench painfully but the kids guided him through the empty house. Kyogo wasn't here and neither was Sanemi. It looked as if Miyano had never entered this house, Shizu's possessions remaining in their spots.

The smears of blood and scratched flooring that had once ruined the house was gone. Pristine wallpaper and clean floorings filled the home. The rotten smell of blood and booze was nowhere, just Shizu's perfume remained. The scent of flowers had once been tainted by Miyano but here, in these walls, Genya couldn't remember the woman anymore. The perfume's smell became something precious once more, at least for a little while.

They passed the bathroom and Genya couldn't stop his eyes from zeroing on the clean surfaces. The broken sink and blood crusted crevices were no more. The razor filled trash bin was empty, the mirror new once again. And Genya's eyes widened.