Tender gangster

The fox rain

Kinn has always been more restrained and rational than you. This applies to all levels of your relationship, including business. But lately you've been noticing a certain... sentimentality in your man.

It all started with little things. You remember how one of the late evenings — those few where you were just lying in his arms, and Kinn's palm didn't even try to fall below your waist — you were watching some action movie flavored with melodrama, and Kinn turned away at the moment where one of the heroes dies and this happens in front of his kids. At that moment, it flashed through your head: if anyone should have turned away, it was me. But what struck you even more was how Kinn, who had been used to seeing death and violence in real life for so many years, and did not think much about the consequences of his punishments for bad guys, suddenly said:

"And what will happen to his children?"

You remember how confused you were at first. For some reason, only "they will be taken care of" was spinning in the head. But was it really like that?

"Kinn… It's just a movie," you muttered, burying your nose in his neck.

"And if I'm not talking about the movie, Porsche?"

"What do you mean?"

After patting you on the shoulder, Kinn stared thoughtfully at the ceiling:

"If we had a child and someone left him without our care and support, what would happen to him?"

Of course, you habitually tried, if not to move off the topic, then at least to defuse the situation:

"Or to her."

"Er?"

"In my opinion, our large family lacks women. We..." you giggle, tickling his neck with a smile, "we could have a daughter."

You really just wanted to defuse the situation, but it was like a mode switch clicked in Kinn's head. Startled, he turned you around to face him, so much so that your eyes were on the same level:

"What are we going to call her?"

What?

"Uh, Kinn, wait," you giggled again, not quite sure how seriously he asked, "wait, I said it as a joke, well, what are you talking..."

"But I'm serious."

Noticing how focused his gaze became, you also stopped having fun.

"So what? Do you have a name on your mind?"

Without thinking twice, you gave out:

"April."

Grinning, Kinn silently mouthed what you suggested, and then said:

"Maybe it's better… Avril?"

It took you five seconds to guess why Kinn suggested the French version of the name. You rarely spoke about her,  but he was always in awe of the memory of his mother.

"Mm... yes. Sounds good."

You chuckled to yourself. It's as if everything has already been decided, and the matter really remains for a little ... just to choose a name.

That night you couldn't imagine how serious he was.

***

Today, Kinn acted as the head of the main family. You and your people were involved elsewhere. And when you return, you find your man sitting in a deep armchair with a very young baby on his lap. He doesn't even notice your arrival right away, completely occupied with his little guest.

"Uh... Kinn?"

"What?"

"Where did the child come from?"

Kinn sighs so significantly, moving his jaw, that you instantly begin to suspect something is wrong:

"Kinn. You were there... I have no idea how it all ended up there... but now you have a little baby on your lap, and I want to know where she is from? Don't make me think the worst."

He's silent and doesn't look you in the eye. A sure sign of impending disaster. Or has it already happened?

"Kinn... Kinn, did you... did you kill her parents?"

He finally crosses your looks:

"These are not very good people… But I didn't kill them. Let them think about their behavior and learn to prioritize."

"What are you talking about, Kinn… Did you take the child from the alive parents? Do you even realize that you crossed the line?!"

You've both crossed a lot of different lines. But even in your world there are principles and taboos. There is a code of honor. And taking it out on children for the mistakes of parents is a direct violation of it.

"Kinn," you kneel down in front of him, "just imagine: and if someone stronger than your father had once been found and taken you or your brothers away from him... if that someone had deprived you of his care just because he wanted to settle accounts with him? How would you feel? Think of Tankhun... hmm?"

Kinn is looking at you. Too painful and sad. He seems to hear an unconscious reproach in your question: once your father did this to me and my brother.

"Kinn, return the child to the parents. That's the only thing you must do."

"It would be very suitable for her to be Avril."

"Kinn..." you stroke his knee, "don't... on someone else's misfortune... no, Kinn. We'll have our own Avril."

"Do you promise me?"

"I do."

In the evening of the same day, you take the sleeping baby in your arms, go downstairs and give it to the crying mother, who does not know what words to find to thank you. For all this, you only ask to take care of the child and not make mistakes anymore.

This night Kinn can't sleep for a long time. And you decide to cancel your booking at a restaurant for the weekend and walk around the evening city with him, as if you are two students with only change in your pockets, which is enough for takeawaycoffee, candy floss and an ice cream cone.

"Damn, neither you nor I took umbrellas, of course," Kinn grumbles, just starting to smile, when large warm drops begin to fall from the sky through golden clouds.

"Come on, Kinn," you crunch the tip of a waffle cone, "it's a fox rain. It's magical."

"P-f-f," Kinn wipes the moisture from his forehead, and you reach out to his face with your hand and straighten the thick eyebrows with the fingertips, "Why is it magical?"

"And that is why!" you nod towards the sky behind him.

Kinn turns around, and now both of you can observe a double rainbow, with bright arches decorating the refreshed sky. You look at Kinn — moisture glistens on his eyelashes, rain or... He takes your hand and presses it to his heart:

"So... can I make a wish?"

You nod briskly, rejoicing at the change in Kinn's mood.

You both make a wish. One for two. You have a lot now — one for two. Kinn puts his arm around your shoulders, joining your foreheads:

"I will definitely become bold enough to take this very step. Avril will officially have two parents."

You didn't ask him about this... and you never hinted. How did he guess?