Work Text:
Taiyang rounded the corner of the cabin, fumbling to retrieve the keys from his pocket while holding the bag of groceries.
The white cloaked figure standing in front of the door turned and locked eyes with the huntsman as he felt the bag slip from his grasp and onto the ground.
He swallowed hard, Interpreting the the situation in the only way his mind could allow.
“Ruby…please take that off…” he said leaning down to gather the items and return them to the bag. “Just..just put that back in the closet with the others”
Eyes cast to the ground he quickly walked past the figure. He set the bag down at his feet and unlocked the door. It wasn’t the first time this had happened. When Ruby was younger it wouldn’t be unusual to see her swaddled in one of her mothers cloaks. It seemed to help Ruby feel closer to her, but as the girl grew into the spitting image of Summer, Taiyang found it more and more difficult to see her with it on. It had been what lead to Ruby donning the red cloak for herself.
“Tai”
The word made him halt. He stared at the wooden door and took a long slow breath. No. He wouldn’t entertain the idea. He should go inside. Prepare dinner. He was just tired. Just tired.
“Tai..look at me” came her voice once more.
“I can’t do that” Taiyang said eyes fixed forward.
“Why not..”
“Because I don’t what I’m gonna do if I turn around and you’re not there..” he whispered.
A hand touched the back of his shirt griping it’s fabric slowly. He squeezed his eyes shut and rested his head against the wood in front of him. It had finally happened. He had snapped. His grief had strained his hold on reality. No…no..he didn’t have the luxury of madness. People still needed him.
“I tried…” As he spoke the emotion in his voice became thicker. “I tried so hard to move on..but I couldn’t. I think of you everyday. There isn’t a moment that goes by that I don’t miss you..”
He wanted it to be true. He would give anything for it to be true..but he knew it couldn’t be. She was gone.
“Tai…Thinking about you..the girls..it’s all that kept me going” The voice said trembling. “Tai ..look at me..please..look at me and tell me I’m home.”
It wasn’t too late. He could still go inside. He could pretend he hadn’t heard anything. Yet he couldn’t stop himself from slowly turning.
Her face wasn’t exactly what he remembered. It was a bit more weathered. But her eyes. The sterling silver that seemed to shine when she smiled. He could never mistake them.
She was still the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
“I’m sorry, Tai..I’m so sor-“
Her sentence was cut short as Taiyangs hand cupped her face and pulled her closer into a deep kiss. Though the action had caught her off guard she soon melted into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck as the two rediscovered the familiar surface of each other’s lips.
Maybe he was dreaming. Maybe that final bit of sanity that he had held tightly onto had slipped away, but Taiyang found it impossible to care either way.
Because here and now. In this one moment. For the first time in longer than he could remember..
He felt whole.