Black Sheep - Rick Grimes x Male

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"Y-yo-you-" Moon tried but couldn't get the words out. He felt his throat close up and his heart pound against his rib cage. Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes, his vision threatened to blur.

His head shook in disbelief as the boy's innocent eyes peered up at him nervously. Moon felt his chin twitch and his bottom lip tremble. It made the boy frown in worry. Moon couldn't help but notice, it made his heart stutter.

This moment has gone a thousand different ways in his mind. And in a thousand different ways, his son hated him. He prepared himself for that. That would have been easier because he felt he deserved it. But Moon never thought he would see worry in the face of the boy he longed for. 

They stared at one another for what felt like forever. Moon did nothing to stop his tears. He didn't even blink he was too scared that if he did, his son would suddenly be gone. Like all those years ago.

There was no yelling, no running into each other's arms, they just took each other in. Silently, they understood each other. The boy held no hate or anger towards his father, he proved this by smiling. It was a small timid smile but Moon found it to be contagious.

His trembling lips curved into a smile that matched his sons. They shared the same smile, it made Moon Jr giggle. That sound was so pure and light, Moon wanted to hear it again. He forced himself to blink twice to clear his eyes.

Moon held everything back. The relief and the grief. The sadness and the guilt. He kept it in, trying to find the words to speak. His mouth opened and closed as he second guessed himself. His son noticed.

"Umm, we can hug if you want." The boy raised his arms hesitantly. Hugs were always a part of the reunion videos Moon Jr used to watch, he wanted the same thing. Moon Jr wanted to be loved and he wanted to feel it. Moon's eyebrow furrowed in confusion. He tried to see if the boy was joking. But he wasn't. It seemed his kindness had been passed down.

With a small step forward, Moon placed a shaky hand onto the boy's shoulder. The father was in shock, his wide eyes stared at the shoulder he held. Moon could feel him. He felt his son, the little baby he never got to meet. The baby he never got to know. It was surreal.

Once he realized it wasn't just another nightmare, Moon's hand curled around the boy's shoulder. A choked sob tore through the man's throat as he pulled his son close. His arms wrapped around the small boy, his embrace was full of emotion.  He was so happy but he was still so scared.

The insecurity Moon carried made him wonder if this was just a pity hug. One to soften the blow of rejection right after. Even if it was, he didn't care. He relished in it.

He pressed his lips together to keep his cries quiet. Moon Jr felt his father's tears hit the top of his head, he tapped the man's back as he tried to comfort him. Moon's arms tighten around his son, vanilla and wood filled his nose. He took a deep breath, more tears filled his eyes.

The feeling of missing someone, someone you can't put a face to. A memory to. It was a different kind of pain. The kind where words couldn't be an equivalent. Moon spent sixteen years having nothing of his son, only the pain of how he came to be.

He hardly allowed himself to think of the boy, every time he did she was there too. Taunting him because he had nothing and she had everything. He wanted what she had, she had their son. She got to keep living while he was slowly losing his mind. He hated that.

But now, he held his son. And the hate didn't seem as strong. She didn't seem as strong. It was only them, a man and his son. Meeting after being ripped away from one another. A child and a baby. Now a man and a boy.

"I-I'm s-so sorry. I-I'm sorry." He whispered into the boy's hair, feeling arms circle around his waist. "I understand, I do." Moon Jr knew more than he could ever imagine, he understood. For reasons no child should ever understand. They both know what it was like wanting to escape a monster.