A Father’s Plight

[TAMIKO]

The outburst was both expected and unexpected. The king looked at his son's shame written all over his face as he watched in defeat while the only good thing in his life walked away. 

King Zaffuto had witnessed a lot of things and none had broken his heart like Tamiko leaving. His son's words rang in his ears and the king wasn't sure whether he was supposed to go on a wolf rage. 

It was all so unpredictable but deserved. A lot of things had happened and he had remained stoic for a while now.

"Wait… Please," King Zaffuto said right as Tamiko neared the door. He knew he didn't have anything to say to his son and he expected defiance from Tamiko who was still angry with him. 

The boy deserved to express himself and Zaffuto wasn't going to take that away from him. No matter what the universe brought their way, he would try and make things better for his son. 

So much was not okay and it was heartbreaking. 

Zaffuto's mind was in a whirl. He wasn't sure what to say or do, but he was desperate to have his son stay. Maybe it wasn't the best of days for that, but what else could he do, now that everything was out there in the open?

"What is it?" Tamiko asked his voice neutral that even Kosta who had been watching silence felt a pang in his heart. His heart shattered for the boy who had suffered alone, the boy who had hoped to be saved, and yet the one who had to save himself. 

It was not fair and they all knew how it was. Nothing was alright so there wasn't even a way to make Tamiko stay. Perhaps there would be better days for them, but even that didn't make sense a few too many times. 

What if it all came down and they were stuck in the cycle of chaos that none of them had ever thought possible? Who would tell them what to expect at that time then?

"Stay for the night, please. I won't do anything to stop you when you wake up tomorrow and insist on leaving. No one will hold you back, I swear it. Just… It's late and you haven't eaten. 

"You can't go out there in the cold without any warmth whatsoever," King Zaffuto said softly, his eyes filled with earnest as he watched his son stare at him like the world was finally healing. Maybe it really was, but would that be enough for the broken boy?

"I would like to stay, but I can't. I've been gone for so long and I need to go back home, the only home I've ever known. They may be cruel and unrealistic, but I survived them for my entire life. 

"Thank you for the offer, but I'll have to respectfully decline," Tamiko stated and King Zaffuto felt his breath hitch in his throat. When the hell had everything gotten this complicated? 

Tamiko had come home to see his father. He had wanted to spend more time with the king and he had. He had gotten to learn that his father was a good man, someone who protected everyone he loved with his heart. 

Tamiko knew that this was the hardest decision he had ever made but just like his father was trying to protect him, Tamiko was bent on protecting him too. 

King Zaffuto had built a reputation, one that he was willing to bring down for his son. He had worked so hard to keep the people of Kawai safe and if Tamiko was being honest, the king's reputation had played a part in making sure the people of Kawai were safe. 

Tamiko couldn't take that away from them by having people question his father. Granted he was angry that he had done a lot of homework on his own and figured out who his parents were without help but he also understood the king. 

Grief was messy sometimes. 

Grief would always force the best of the best into a corner they would never come out of in the longest while. It was normal and Tamiko hadn't expected any less for his father with how much information was out there about his mother. 

But he had to make the hard choice and leave. He had to let himself feel the emotions he had been hiding for a while now. It hurt, knowing that he had survived alone, and Tamiko would always remember the pain that came with that. 

But he couldn't blame it on his father. That was also why he was determined to go back to Grealor and finish the mess on his own and make sure that no one tried to fuck up his family again. 

Grealor owed him and his father happiness. 

Grealor owed the father and son a chance at a good life, and Grealor owed Kawai a chance at a normal kingship, a time when children could know the king and interact with him. Tamiko wasn't going to hold back this time.

"I understand, son. In that case, let me do just one thing for you," King Zaffuto pleaded and Tamiko watched hopefully. He had intended to say his goodbyes like this, but then the tides had been high and still were. 

He hated the sadness on his father's face, but he also knew that this was nothing compared to the pain that Grealor had put him through. Perhaps he was being selfish, or perhaps he was being a son. 

An expressive son who was letting his father know how he felt and it was okay. It had to be. There was nothing else.

"You're not planning on manipulating me, right? Because I may be your son, but I have endured worse than anyone can inflict on me at this point," Tamiko stated and king Zaffuto flattered in his steps. 

Each word from his son today felt stable to the heart. He hated that his son had gone through all of that but there wasn't much he could do when his son wasn't letting him in on the madness. 

Perhaps it was for the best, but it still hurt like a bitch. It still made the king feel all kinds of things. 

"No, I would never manipulate you, Hinata. I'll just open your core of magic. It's something only a father can do, and I'm sorry it took me so long to get to you or even find you. With this, you will be unstoppable. 

"Before I locked myself up, I cast one last spell on Liana's body during her final rights. I knew my son was still alive at that moment, so I channeled Liana's magic and used a transition spell to send all her magic to you. 

"I was a grieving father and erasthai, but my Lycan knew that the heir had to be protected. I wasn't sure that spell worked, because I never stepped out again, but when you walked in with that radiant smile on your face…

"... and with how easy it was for you to interact with Sadako, I hoped that it had worked. I need to unlock all of that to keep you safe. It was what your mother would have wanted for you," King Zaffuto said as he walked over to his son. 

This time it felt a little different. He wasn't smiling like he used to. His on didn't look cheery as the past hours and it broke Zaffuto's heart. However, he could see the conflict in Tamiko's eyes, which told the king what he needed to know about his son. 

And he hoped to the goddess that there would come a time when Tamiko let him in so he would make amends and make sure everything was as it needed to be.

"Alright. Get on with it then," Tamiko said, his voice sounding so different from what his heart was screaming out. He wanted to hug his father. He wanted to stay by the king and be the child that the king saw him as. 

He hated to stay here and not have to fight for anything, he wanted to let his father take revenge for him because the king was the most insane person to ever live in the realm and everyone knew it. 

Tamiko knew his father's vengeance would have the realm squeaking and singing the Kawaian anthem. But he couldn't do that. Not yet. 

"Okay," King Zaffuto said as he gently held his son's head, before he cast a spell.

It didn't take long before the king's hands were off his son's head. He could see Tamiko's eyes shifting between blue, yellow, red, and black, before settling on brown, like his mother's eyes. 

"You have her eyes," King Zaffuto whispered as he stepped back from his son. This was the harshest goodbye and he hated it, but he also knew he had to give Tamiko time to come to terms with this aspect of his reality. 

No matter how hard it was for him, Zaffuto had to give his son a chance. He had to believe that the kid meant well and if he was in danger, then the king would come for him no questions asked.

"Goodbye, your Highness," Tamiko said to his father, a hopeful king with wishes.

"See you soon son," the king said earnestly.

"Yeah, yeah. Take care of yourself, father. I hope to come home under better circumstances. Who knows, maybe we will be the best father and son duo after all," Tamiko said and the king watched softly.

"Father?"

"I may be angry about the missing history and everything, but you've been nothing but kind to me even when you didn't know I was your son. That proves you're a good person. One of us has to be good, father. 

"See you soon," Tamiko said as he bid his father farewell.