A Dynasty

[Ryan Amador]

Ryan was pacing. He should have been celebrating with his sister and brothers. The mission was a success. Yet instead of celebrating or even heading to the locker room to wash up, he'd found himself knelt next to a cot in one of the infirmary rooms. Across the bed had been Dorian Croft. On the bed had been his youngest brother, Joan, sedated but clearly in distress. Ryan's cowl had been grasped tightly between his hands as he looked at his brother. Emotions had welled up. He'd considered yelling at Dorian - Hadn't he been brought in to prevent something like this? But it was obvious to him how much Dorian cared about Joan. It was obvious he was suffering too. Yelling wouldn't have solved anything. He'd reached out and gently grasped his brother's limp hand, running a thumb over it. He remembered finding out their mom had died, how her car had gone off the road and down a steep cliff. He remembered standing at her funeral, wondering how he was going to take care of his siblings. He remembered swearing he'd do all he could to protect them even at his young age. He'd stood up and then leaned down, placing a soft, affectionate kiss against Joan's forehead. As much as he wanted to stay by his brother's side, he knew there wasn't anything he could do. His eyes met Dorian's across the bed, briefly because the older man wasn't about to keep his eyes off of Joan for long, it was obvious. What was also obvious was the message unspoken between them. Protect him. Ryan had left the room after that, feeling powerless, useless. He'd then found a control room and that was where he'd started pacing. His cowl was stuck hanging off his belt. He still hadn't gotten changed. He needed to check on his other siblings, on Ariel, Xander, and Sara. He needed to make sure they were alright. He needed-- The door slid open and Perses stood in the doorway, framed like a silhouette of shadows. He walked in, dressed casual, a grey button up shirt with the top two buttons undone, and black slacks - It was as casual as the man ever got, he knew. He reached forward and placed a hand on Ryan's shoulder. "Your brother's going to be fine. The best doctors are on it." Ryan didn't doubt that. Still questions formed, bitterness welled up. "Why was he there?" he asked, looking up and meeting Perses' eyes. "He wasn't ready. You had to know that--" Perses lightly squeezed his shoulder. "We all make mistakes, Ryan," he explained, voice calm. "What matters is that we learn from them. I thought Joan was ready - That is on me. I will personally make sure he's not sent on anymore missions and that we expedite the search for a cure to his powers." He said a cure specifically because both of them knew that was how Joan saw his powers - as a disease. Ryan bit down on his lower lip, his eyes stinging. He thought of his mom, of her grave. He turned his watered gaze to the one man who had been with him all those years, who had helped take care of him and his siblings, who had stepped up when no one else had. The one man who had taken on responsibility so he could still grow up and be a child when he'd needed to. "I can't lose him, Dad," he breathed out, voice small. "I can't." Perses' grip on his shoulder shifted and he found himself pulled into his dad's arms. He wrapped his own arms around the older man and clung, burying his face against his shoulders, his body shaking with sobs as he let his fear out. "Shhh," Perses' voice was soft, a tone Ryan hadn't heard him use since he'd been a child sobbing over his mom's grave. "I keep telling you, Ryan, your Dad will take care of everything."

... a restless heart and a beautiful soul. it really doesn't matter if i stay or go. it's hitting me hard but i'm lucky i know ... null one-shot costume 662 words This takes place shortly after the final post in MISSION: burn your kingdom down.

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