A Father's Emotions

VIII

She watches as the young male inches closer until he's practically sat on her dad's lap. Her smirk is hidden by her ducked head but Oriana's hand sliding slowly over her thigh makes her look up. Hope smirks at her dad's raised eyebrow due to Salix gripping his hair again.

'I said, eat your own food. It's why you have it,' Death states lowly.

'You sound like such a daddy when you say it like that,' Salix replies teasingly.

The meaning is lost on Death as he glances at Hope with memories of her calling him that as she coloured in pictures and he's certain it doesn't have the same meaning from the way Fear, Hope, Love and Oriana are now laughing. 'Right.'

'You have no idea what that means.'

'Nope.'

'Have you been living under a rock and not looked in a mirror?'

Death tilts his head thinking. He wasn't sure when he last really looked in a mirror, it must have been a good six years. Seeing the same person staring back got boring after a while. 'Pretty much.'

Salix looks at Hope in disbelief as she shrugs slightly and waves him off as she is unable to control her laughter. 'Never pegged you as innocent.'

Fear scoffs. 'He has two kids,' Fear mumbles but groans as Love elbows him in the side sharply.

'What?' Salix asks having not heard what Fear said.

'Nothing.'

'He said eat your own food,' Death complains.

'No, he didn't,' Salix responds.

He narrows his eyes at the hand reaching for his food. Carefully he bats it away. 'Why did you buy food if you were only going to steal mine?' Death asks. He can see Hope watching him as if to say you should know what he's doing but the thoughts are slipping from his mind.

Salix shrugs one shoulder, twirling some of Death's hair with his finger. 'Because I'd rather eat something else,' Salix replies quietly, his breath hitting Death's neck.

Death looks at the male beside him. 'And you've never considered that you're being too forward? We've only just met.'

'Call me desperate but you're what I've been waiting for my whole life.'

Death searches the brown eyes that stare at him. 'How sure of that are you?'

'Enough that I wouldn't mind kissing you right now.'

Death's eyes notice Karma stop at the side of the restaurant, a girl with her head leant on his shoulder but his blue eyes burn through Death. It's enough to snap Death out of his one-way thoughts due to the reminder of Juno. His mood sobers and he picks at his food, feeling bad for feeling happy with someone else two weeks after Juno's death.

Hope's gaze softens as she realises from the sag of her dad's shoulders what he is thinking about and notices Karma stood across the room behind Salix's shoulder. She stands up, dragging Oriana with her and ushering the other two from the table as well.

She goes over to her brother, curious about why he had suddenly appeared. 'You okay?' Hope asks.

Karma shrugs a shoulder. 'I guess,' Karma says, his eyes going to their dad who is still slightly slumped in his seat as Salix tries getting out of him what is wrong. 'Just seems weird that I hear about them and now he has someone else. But I'm glad he's happy.'

'I would say he was until he noticed you,' the girl beside him comments tapping his nose with a finger. Her eyes go to Hope and Oriana. 'Who are they?'

'Nar, this is Hope, my sister, and her girlfriend, Oriana. Hope, Oriana, this is Naretha, my girlfriend.'

Oriana raises an eyebrow. 'I thought he was gay,' Oriana whispers making Hope elbow her.

'Bi,' Hope mumbles before smiling at Naretha. 'I wondered where he snuck off to. It's nice to meet you the first time I ever knew you exist,' Hope comments making Naretha smile.

'He gets embarrassed easily which is why he probably hasn't said anything about me because you guys embarrass him a lot and you don't need any more ammunition,' Naretha replies.

Love joins Hope, smiling when he spots Naretha. 'Naretha, how are you doing?' Love says.

'Fine, introducing myself to his sister as he hasn't talked about me. I need to meet your dad still, where's he at?' Naretha looks at Karma who looks at Hope.

'It's complicated,' Karma explains.

'How?' Naretha says.

'He isn't someone you expect.'

He picks at his food, effectively blanking the guy who keeps tugging his hair until his eyes flick up to see Juno sat opposite him. A quick glance at Salix shows that he cannot see her as he keeps trying to talk to Death.

'I appeared here a while ago which is why you've blanked him because I essentially blocked us from them,' Juno says. Her eyes watch him. 'You don't have to feel bad. I sort of knew what I was getting into with you and I wasn't always there. For that, I'm sorry. I've scarred you and it was for entirely selfish reasons. Who else can say that they have two kids with Death?' Juno shakes her head before running a hand through her hair. 'Let me go because I wasn't good enough for you but he is. He is everything I wasn't and that's a great partner. Don't let me stop you moving on. You deserve this, you deserve him. Take him to that bar down the road from your place and tell him the truth. He'll stay. Despite the fact he won't believe you at first.'

'Thank you, for Hope and Karma. They're all I can ever ask for,' Death whispers as he lifts his head to look at her.

'I know, which is why Love gave you Salix.' Juno looks at the siblings. 'Give them both a couple more weeks then come visit. Tell Hope that I'm proud of her being true to herself.'

Her eyes go across to the table they left to freeze confused at the woman sat across from her dad but Salix seems to be totally oblivious to her presence. Blue eyes go to Karma before looking back at the table. Karma looks across and he stands up, resting a hand on Naretha's shoulder for support. She automatically reaches up and places her own hand on top of his while continuing her conversation with Fear and Love. The siblings share a look, Hope realising that their mother sat across from Death.

Oriana supports Hope as she stumbles back into her in surprise. 'Babe?' Oriana asks as Hope turns around and wraps her in a tight hug.

Death looks over concerned, ignoring both Juno and Salix to notice the way Hope is shaking. Salix looks across, confused by Death's distraction. When Death glances at the bench opposite him, Juno is gone. He moves from the table to join Hope and Oriana, Hope moving into his arms. She tucks her head in his neck, gripping him tightly to make sure she doesn't lose him to.

'Family hug!' Fear exclaims, pulling Karma and himself into the hug also, knowing that his family needs his support.

Hope reaches out for Oriana and Death helps pull her into the hug.

Salix hangs back at the table with a thoughtful look on his face. Maybe this time, he needed to win over someone else before he could get the person that he wanted.