After Cyrus's parents pass away after getting into a car crash, the Sykes take him in and treat him as their own.
He grows up alongside his childhood bestfriend Rosie inside a mansion. Life seemed great.
Well, right up until he fell into a depressi...
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Cyrus watched as Hayze pulled his daughter into a hug and he kissed her head as an apology for shouting at her the night before.
His eyes drifted to River, her face a pale contrast to her dark hair which was pulled back into a sloppy ponytail. She looked sick and it scared Cyrus to see her that way. He saw the way Rosie was hesitant to even look at her mother and he sighed quietly. He really wanted to know what had such an effect on River.
"Mama.." Rosie said as she hesitantly approached River who was sitting on the couch, peering out the window with her hands wrapped around a mug of hot tea.
River turned her head a bit and she offered Rosie a small smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Hi darling, I'm sorry. I'm just so tired today.."
Cyrus rubbed his chest, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. He wanted to put in earphones and blast loud music to block out whatever pain he heard in his foster mothers voice.
Rosie sat down on the couch beside her mom, knocking the tea in her hand slightly and it spilled onto the Rosie's arm. She yelped and soft skin immediately turned a shade of red. So obviously it was hot.
But what was strange was that the majority of it spilled over into River's lap and she hardly moved. It was like she was numb. It was like she hadn't even noticed that the scolding hot tea had just burned her pale skin.
Cyrus went over and grabbed Rosie up to go clean her up and run cold water over her new burn when River stopped the both of them, her hand grasping onto his wrist as she looked between the two of them with her dull, honey green eyes. "I'm sorry if I stressed you kids out last night. Thank you for cleaning up the house. Don't think I didn't notice," she said softly. "I'm so grateful to have both of you. And the both of you are the best kids a mother could ask for but.." There was a long pause and Cyrus found himself looking away as River teared up.
Hayze came over and shook his head repeatedly, wrapping a protective arm around her waist as he whispered comforting words into her ear. "Don't tell them if you aren't ready to talk about it," Hayze murmured. "This about you right now. No one else."
"But they're my kids, they should know," River replied as she sank back into Hayze and laid her head against his broad chest.
Cyrus watched as Hayze swept the hair that fell loose out of her ponytail back and he looked down into her eyes as she leaned her head back to look at him in the eyes. They seemed to be communicating just by gazing at each other and Cyrus found it oddly.. cute.
Hayze gave her a subtle nod and then River turned her attention back to Rosie and Cyrus. "I don't know if this is ever right to say to your own kids when you'd never get to meet them. But I was pregnant.. last month. Hence the headaches and mood swings. And I'm so sorry if I've ever taken any of my frustration out on you, but its been a hard few months for all of us. Isn't that right Cy?"
Cyrus nodded his head, trying hard to keep his mouth from dropping opened.
"I m-miscarried. So.. I'm gonna be staying with Hayze's mother. Your grandma. She stays nearer to the hospital and she'll keep me good company. I have a few more doctors appointments to go to back to back. And then I'll come back home happy and healthy so I can be with all my loves," she smiled, tilting her head back so she could look back up at Hayze.
He smiled back down adoringly at her and leaned into her hand as she placed it on his cheek. "Remember to take care of yourselves before anyone else, you two, alright?" River said as she extended an arm for the both of them.
The both of them immediately rushed forwards, practically throwing themselves into her arms when she placed her tea down. "You're both still my sweet babies.." she whispered and all Cyrus did was bury his face into her neck and hold on tighter to River; clinging to her. What else was there to do when River had just let go of something apart of her?
___
Cyrus sat in front of his parents headstones, no tears staining his tanned skin, no grief settled deep in his heart for the loss of his parents. The sun was shining down on him and warming the ground he was sat on.
The wind was blowing through his fluffy sandy blond hair and he felt a sense of peace.
Rosie wasn't there and for once he didn't need her to hold him while he cried. He didn't need her to give him tissues to wipe away his tears. He didn't need anyone there to convince him that the days would get better.
Things were better. They got better.
He could breathe.
He could smile.
He could eat. And love. And live his life.
"I don't feel guilty that I still live my life anymore. I don't. And.. it feels good to say that," he laughed, tilting his head up and closing his eyes so the setting sun didn't blind him. "I have cool new opportunities and I know you'd be proud of who I am. Because I'm all good with who I am. I probably look crazy sitting here with a smile on my face when there are still bad things going on everyday, but I see the good still.
He traced a long index finger along the name Margot. He remembered his mothers soft smile and sweet hums. He remembered the way she held his hand as they walked along by the tide pools and the way she described ugly little sea creatures in such a beautiful way.
"I'm in love.." he admitted before he traced his fathers name engraved in the marbled stone. Etched there and in his heart. Forever there to remember and admire. Ku'ai. The man who taught him how to be resourceful. To use what he had to his advantage. The man who taught him how to survive. "Rosie's so.. i don't even know. She's so f~cking perfect. She's so perfect for me. And I hope I treat her as well as you treated mom. I hope I'm able to make her smile like you made mom smile. That's all I want in life."
He looked down at the flowers placed there and sighed when he noticed a wilting rose. "River was pregnant. She lost her baby. She cried about it a lot. And I don't know but.. I feel like when she doesn't smile. Neither does Hayze. Neither does the world I'm sure. And it feels wrong that she's just so.. in pain. And I'm not, you know. It's weird to just be okay when my own family isn't. How do I fix things?" He scoffed and shook his head. "I'm trying really hard to not take on the guilt for things. But I've been so stuck in my feelings that when I'm not and someone else is; a part of me is like.. did I pass it on? Almost like.. they caught my feelings like a cold. That's stupid, I know. But.. yeah. Whatever. I'm rambling. It's getting dark, so I should start heading home. I love you both."
He stood up off the ground and brushed his track pants off, tucking his hands into his pockets on either side of him when he felt the damp air start to settle around him. "Things will get better, I know they will. Because if they got good for me, some.. ratty kid, they'll do the same for River. She's literally sunshine. And the sun has to come out from behind the clouds at some point."
