The Final Cycle: A Zodiac Story

𝕏𝕀𝕍

"Welcome home, Master Capricorn." Capricorn's family head Butler, Reginald said to him. Cap gave him a little nod, before trotting up the stairs to the familiar home. "Your mother and father are waiting for you."

"Thank you." Cap thanked, a bitter smile worn on his face. Reginald held his hand out, Capricorn instinctively dropped his car keys in the butlers' hands. He briskly walked off, leaving Cap in front of the large house.

The Addington estate. It was one of the largest homes in the state, owned by Capricorn's father, Elias. He ran several law firms and businesses, racking in hundreds of thousands dollars in a single year. Capricorn's mother, Mary was, in Cap's eyes, a simple blonde, gold-digging housewife. The perfect nuclear family.

How long has it been? I left before I graduated... two, three years?

Opening the doors, he let himself inside. The large, elongated hallways stretched further than Cap remembered. Still, he could never forget his way.

He met an impasse when the hallway split. To the left was the kitchen. To the right was Elias's office. Who to greet first... Making a hard left, Cap head straight for the kitchen.

Mary was in there, tasting a pie some maid made. Of course. She never cooks. Cap didn't recognize the new maid. He also didn't make any noise, hoping his mother would notice him first.

She didn't. The maid looked up and gasped, bowing to Capricorn, and leaving the kitchen immediately. He and his mother were alone. She kept her eyes down as Cap forced himself to say, "Hey, Mom. It's been a while."

"It has." Mary quietly answered. An uncomfortable silence filled the air quickly. "I've missed you." She awkwardly added.

Cap lost control of his voice and the edge left him before he could stop it. "Have you?"

"Of course!" Mary raised her voice, hardening herself. Her steely grey eyes matched Capricorn's. "You're my son... and..." She didn't finish her thought, as another servant called for her. Before she left Cap, she told him, back in her natural hushed tone, "Go meet your father. He's in his office."

Cap watched her leave with a sigh. When isn't he in his office?

Leaving the kitchen, and making the familiar route to Elias's office. The large oak doors made Cap feel small again. He had several memories of being ushered away from those doors by a maid, telling him to not disturb his father. Cap made himself swallow his nerves before rasping on the door.

A hard voice answered. "Come in."

Cap knew he had to enter quickly; Elias hated his time being wasted more than anything. Cap closed the door quietly, watching his father type away on his computer. Not waiting for his father to acknowledge him, Cap cleared his throat and said. "Hey, Dad."

"I thought I told you to never step foot in this house again." Elias retorted.

How could I forget? Cap wanted to spit back, but held his tongue. The day his father disowned him in front of his entire graduating class was burned into his memory like a branding. "I know." Cap responded evenly, clenching his fists. "But I want to make it up to you. I can prove-"

"You had your chance." Elias still refused to look at his son. "And you failed. You'll just fail again."

Cap grit his teeth. You call being Salutatorian a failure?! "I did mess up." He agreed, his teeth clenched. "But that's because I thought I could do it on my own. Clearly, I still need your guidance." He didn't try to hide the sarcasm that was laced in his voice. "You planned my life from the moment I was born. I should have stayed on track."