Work Text:
Enjin was sitting in the yard, smoking.
For once, there was silence.
Peace.
Calm.
Some time alone wasn’t so bad…
He looked up at the sky.
The clouds were heavy.
It looked like it would start raining at any moment.
But he didn’t care.
He lowered his gaze again, letting out a quiet sigh.
—Who would’ve thought I’d run into your kid again… Alto…
He slipped a hand into his pocket.
—I won’t tell him yet…
The air grew colder.
He stayed there, thinking.
About what could’ve happened.
About what he didn’t know.
About what he might never know.
He had thought about asking Rudo…
But no.
Not yet.
It wasn’t the right time.
The first drops of rain began to fall.
Soft.
Steady.
Enjin didn’t move.
He stayed there, letting the rain fall on him.
Time passed.
He didn’t know how long.
Until—
The drops stopped touching him.
He frowned slightly and looked up.
There they were.
Rudo, Riyo, and Zanka.
Rudo was holding an umbrella… covering him.
Enjin stayed silent for a second.
That gesture—
It reminded him too much of Alto.
And without realizing it…
He smiled a little.
(Your kid is kind… just like you…)—Enjin thought.—
Riyo gave a soft smile.
—We should head inside.
Zanka crossed his arms.
—We were worried about you.
Rudo simply nodded, not saying much.
But he didn’t lower the umbrella.
He stayed there.
Making sure Enjin wouldn’t get wet.
Enjin looked at him for a moment longer.
And for an instant…
It felt like the past and the present overlapped.
Like he had lived this moment before.
…Yeah, yeah… —he muttered, exhaling smoke calmly.—
He finally stood up, stretching a little.
—Let’s go eat already, damn it.
Rudo adjusted the umbrella slightly.
Riyo had already started walking.
Zanka scoffed, but followed.
Enjin watched them for another second.
Then, like it didn’t matter much, he looked away.
—Tch…
Now he had some brats…
His brats.
And for the first time in a long while—
He didn’t mind it at all.