Chapter Text
The apartment complex was located in a nice enough place. Nothing too fancy but nothing too rundown either. Aruran had tried to strike a balance between his modest budget and a safe enough place for a kid to grow up in. Astel had a tendency to run off and do his own thing more often than not, and Aruran wanted to minimize the danger his son would get into as much as possible.
Because he knew there was no point in trying to shield Astel from everything. Aruran had tried in the beginning -- by god had he tried because Astel was all he had left as a reminder of everything else he'd lost and he didn't want to screw it up -- but he didn't have the energy to keep up with a child that seemed determined to challenge the world and everything in it daily.
He was too old for this.
Well, okay, he was only in his thirties, but it felt like the exhaustion in his bones was the result of several lifetimes of pain. He was barely keeping himself together on most days and there were times when he felt guilty because he wanted to be a better father to Astel, but the kid was too much for him to handle sometimes and it was easier to just give up and say 'go ahead' or 'be careful' instead of trying to say 'stop'.
If nothing else, Astel seemed to be smarter than he let on. He would get into trouble at the drop of a hat -- sometimes starting fights on purpose, but most of the time just being dragged into them because he was a mouthy little kid who naturally attracted attention for better or for worse -- but he would learn just as quickly.
If he ever committed the same mistake twice, it was only because he'd decided he wanted the outcome -- or he'd been too emotional to stop himself the second time around. Because wow, could Aruran's son get weirdly emotional over the littlest things. Crying over cartoon animals, singing at the top of his lungs, and screaming if left alone in the dark.
Astel was smart, but at the same time, he was still a kid in the end.
And maybe Astel's chaotic attitude was because Aruran wasn't a good enough parent, but he was doing his best. And he wasn't allowed to say his doubts outright either because Astel could get vehemently defensive over his father repeating his own words back at times.
"Papa, you're so dumb," Astel would say at times, grabbing his hand and leading him in the correct direction before Aruran could get them lost all over again.
And then when Aruran would try to say it-- 'Sorry, your papa is dumb' -- Astel would glare at him and stomp on his foot and tell him to 'shut up' or to 'point out who said that!'
It was heartwarming, in a way, and Aruran appreciated his son's concern. He loved Astel with all his heart and he knew Astel loved him back, even if the kid never said it aloud. Astel would cringe and actively avoid Aruran's sloppy wet kisses on his chubby cheeks, but he'd call for Aruran anyway when he was in distress.
Just as he was calling for Aruran right now.
"Papa!" Astel was yelling, his voice loud despite his tiny frame. He hadn't taken after Aruran in the height department, so he was smaller than most of the kids his age as well. "Aruran! Oy! Come here!"
"Not so loud, Astel," Aruran murmured, hefting one of their moving boxes onto the kitchen floor and then straightening with a groan of effort, his hands on his lower back.
He walked slowly towards the living room to find out what had his son all riled up so early in the morning right after they'd just moved in. Surely, he hadn't gotten into trouble that quickly?!
When he got there, he saw a strange sight. There was a young-looking man(?) -- the long red hair tied back in a ponytail paired with the gentle appearance was throwing Aruran off a little -- standing in the middle of the living room, and he had a plate of cookies in his hands. Wrapped around his leg was a blond boy with wide blue eyes who was eyeing Astel with a little bit of amazement and a little bit of fear in his gaze.
Meanwhile, Aruran's son was standing on top of one of their moving boxes, and he was brandishing his tiny fists at the redhead who was smiling down at him with a bemused expression.
"Get out, get out," Astel was saying threateningly. "It's bad to just walk into a house that's not yours!"
"I'm your neighbor," the redhead tried to say. His voice was deep and a little bit in contrast with his appearance, but somehow it was still soothing.
"No, papa said not to let strangers--"
"It's okay, Astel," Aruran said, laughing a little because when he'd told Astel to watch the door, this wasn't what he'd anticipated at all.
But really, what kind of neighbor just walked in, anyway? Sure, the door was open because most of their boxes were still outside and Aruran was in the process of moving them into the correct room one-by-one but still.
"Oh, hi," the redhead said before the riled-up Astel could reply to his own father. He held out the plate of cookies towards Aruran and smiled brightly. "I'm Miyabi and this is my son Temma. Welcome to Holostars Tower!"
"Thank you," Aruran said politely, and he was walking forward to take the plate. "I'm Aruran and that hero over there defending our domain is my son Astel."
Miyabi laughed. "He's a bit... energetic, isn't he?"
Aruran almost rolled his eyes, but he settled for laughing in return. "You don't know the half of it."