[Riley threads his fingers with Ferran and grips tight-tight-tight. What he wants to do is press his face into Ferran's hair, but he can't let himself do that right now. Right now, they need to walk, and Zetta is looping her arms around his free one and he's so grateful to have them. It makes it a little easier to breathe as they follow Shaun through hallways that aren't as brightly lit as his room, as the ones leading to it, as the big open space where people celebrated his birthday.
It doesn't occur to Riley until they reach the lab that Shaun is trying to minimize the number of people who see him. The only person who does is the lab tech who takes his sample. While they wait for the test to be complete, Riley presses himself up against Ferran and Zetta in one of those dark hallways, heart pounding in his chest.
But eventually, Shaun rejoins them, looking... overly composed. Zetta watches him carefully, and decides it's because he's shaken as he takes a moment before he speaks. After he steels himself, he looks Riley directly in the eyes and says,] It is... an unexpected honor, Father.
[Riley can't take it any more. For the first time, he lets go of Zetta and Ferran, stepping forward, arms reaching out to wrap around Shaun. Shaun hesitates, clearly surprised and still trying to process this, but when he notices Riley's trembling, he slowly settles his arms around him and returns the hug.]
no subject
It doesn't occur to Riley until they reach the lab that Shaun is trying to minimize the number of people who see him. The only person who does is the lab tech who takes his sample. While they wait for the test to be complete, Riley presses himself up against Ferran and Zetta in one of those dark hallways, heart pounding in his chest.
But eventually, Shaun rejoins them, looking... overly composed. Zetta watches him carefully, and decides it's because he's shaken as he takes a moment before he speaks. After he steels himself, he looks Riley directly in the eyes and says,] It is... an unexpected honor, Father.
[Riley can't take it any more. For the first time, he lets go of Zetta and Ferran, stepping forward, arms reaching out to wrap around Shaun. Shaun hesitates, clearly surprised and still trying to process this, but when he notices Riley's trembling, he slowly settles his arms around him and returns the hug.]