but that was then, and this is now
For a long moment, Remi says nothing at all. He just stands there, watching the hurt in Mateo’s face, feeling the weight of it settle somewhere deep and uncomfortable in his chest. He’s had this conversation before—too many times, too many variations of it with his son—but somehow, it still lands like a blow he should have seen coming, quite possibly because it's one he absolutely deserves.
"You’re right."
The admission comes quietly, but it holds no hesitation. His sea-glass gaze drops slightly, tracing the edges of the wrapped box still in his hands before lifting back to Mateo, his expression stripped of all its usual defences and hardness. "I didn’t come sooner because I was selfish. Not because I thought you didn’t deserve an apology, not because I didn’t know I owed you one—but because I let my own life get in the way." He shakes his head, jaw tightening for half a second before he forces himself to relax. "At the festival, I lashed out because I didn’t want to take responsibility for another one of my shortcomings, especially not in light of having not been able to protect Flora."
Pausing, the Bastion measures his son's expression as best he can, if only to judge where he has time to say more or if it's all already far too late. "What you said that night...about us acting like we don't want you.." Fuck but it hurts even just to think the words, let alone say them out loud. Remi's fingers tighten around the box, as if realizing he’s still holding it. "I don't quite know when I allowed myself to become such a terrible father to you, but I hope you know that it has nothing to do with how much you are wanted or loved."
"I don’t want to force this conversation on you if you aren’t ready," Remi continues, his voice steady despite the weight of it. "But I also don’t want you to think I’m saying that so I can walk away and pretend it doesn’t need to happen." He exhales slowly, fingers flexing once before he carefully sets the box down between them, as if laying something fragile at his son’s feet. "Whenever you’re ready, whenever you want to talk—really talk—I will be here. No excuses, no running from it." His sea-glass eyes flicker over Mateo’s face one last time, something quiet and heavy in his expression. "And if you don’t want to talk, at least not yet…I hope you know that I love you, despite how poorly I've managed to show it."
"You’re right."
The admission comes quietly, but it holds no hesitation. His sea-glass gaze drops slightly, tracing the edges of the wrapped box still in his hands before lifting back to Mateo, his expression stripped of all its usual defences and hardness. "I didn’t come sooner because I was selfish. Not because I thought you didn’t deserve an apology, not because I didn’t know I owed you one—but because I let my own life get in the way." He shakes his head, jaw tightening for half a second before he forces himself to relax. "At the festival, I lashed out because I didn’t want to take responsibility for another one of my shortcomings, especially not in light of having not been able to protect Flora."
Pausing, the Bastion measures his son's expression as best he can, if only to judge where he has time to say more or if it's all already far too late. "What you said that night...about us acting like we don't want you.." Fuck but it hurts even just to think the words, let alone say them out loud. Remi's fingers tighten around the box, as if realizing he’s still holding it. "I don't quite know when I allowed myself to become such a terrible father to you, but I hope you know that it has nothing to do with how much you are wanted or loved."
"I don’t want to force this conversation on you if you aren’t ready," Remi continues, his voice steady despite the weight of it. "But I also don’t want you to think I’m saying that so I can walk away and pretend it doesn’t need to happen." He exhales slowly, fingers flexing once before he carefully sets the box down between them, as if laying something fragile at his son’s feet. "Whenever you’re ready, whenever you want to talk—really talk—I will be here. No excuses, no running from it." His sea-glass eyes flicker over Mateo’s face one last time, something quiet and heavy in his expression. "And if you don’t want to talk, at least not yet…I hope you know that I love you, despite how poorly I've managed to show it."
the bastion
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
