Cronkri: I won't let you down

Chapter 28: Cronus

The morning after I visited Kankri, I drove home, listening to the Grease soundtrack in the car and singing at the top of my lungs.

"YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT, YOU ARE THE ONE I WANT, OOH OOH OOOOOH, HONEY!"

After I pulled into my driveway, I parked and got out, just to be greeted by none other than the big bad wolf himself: Kankri's dad. He was right up in my face when I turned around, looking me straight in the eye since he was the same height as me.

"Look, Mr. Vantas, I don't want any-"

"I know you've been seeing my son."

I laughed nervously and glanced to the side, caught off-guard by his abruptness. "What gives you that idea?"

"You have no other business far away that I know of and you haven't gone to see him anywhere else."

"Well I-"

"I'm not mad."

That surprised me. "You... aren't?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm not. I just want to make sure my son is okay, at least physically if not mentally."

"Will you leave us alone if I spill? Like, completely alone. As in, quit watchin' my family through the window and trackin' my every move."

He nodded hesitantly.

"Alright. Fine. Yeah, I've been seein' Kankri every so often. He's doin' fine, even got an apartment and a roommate and everything."

"A roommate?"

"Yeah." My voice reflected the unamusedness in my face. "She's really somethin'."

His face lit up. "She? He's living with a woman?!"

I nodded.

"That's fantastic! My prayers have been answered after all!"

"Mr. Vantas, we're still together."

"Still, it's a step in the right direction! Maybe once he's spent more time with her, he'll realize she's better for him and forget about you completely! No offense."

"Some taken. Can I go inside now? This is my house after all."

He stepped aside and gestured to the front door, smiling. "I'll see you around, Cronus."

I wasn't smiling. "Yeah, see ya later." I turned away from him and walked up the path to my house, closing and locking the door behind me. Out of the window, I could see him strolling down the street towards his house, hopefully never coming back.

I decided to call Kankri. It didn't take long for him to pick up.

"Cronus! Hi! How are you?"

"I'm fine. Listen, I just had a conversation with your dad. He said he'd leave us alone from now on."

"....Really?"

"Yeah, it's weird, I know. But it means you can come back now! We could live together with my folks and keep you away from Aranea."

He hesitated. "Well.... As good as an offer as that sounds, I don't think I can. Aranea's relying on me for rent at this point, I can't just leave her like that."

"Kanny, you know I don't want you around her any more than you gotta be."

"I know, I know. But I can't abandon her after she's taken me under her wing so gracefully."

"So you'd rather stay with your roommate who could wanna fuck at any time than come home with your boyfriend and have a roof over your head and food on the table that you don't even have to pay for?"

"Please don't play the guilt card with me, Cronus. You know I love you."

"But you still don't wanna live with me. What, are you scared I'm gonna rape you or somethin'? 'Cuz I won't. You can trust me on that. Aranea on the other hand..,"

"Aranea has apologized for that night. That happened a long time ago, just please keep it in the past."

"Alright. Fine. Have fun payin' for your own place. I'll see ya later."

"I love you!"

"If you loved me, you'd ditch the girl."

I hit End Call.