"Well shit, you're gorgeous."
Kharon's smile grew wider, a little brighter, and he nodded. Yeah, he knew. He looked like his dad, and his dad was gorgeous. So, of course he was too.
Father seemed to get a little less comfortable when he'd said he could see him in Mother's thoughts sometimes. Maybe it was understandable. He was clearer in her nightmares that Kharon would try to silently sing away for her. But nightmares aren't truth, really. They aren't memories, they're stories. He knew, because she'd had nightmares of him too, her little boy, things that never happened and would never happen.
So he shook his little head in dismissal, trying to brush away Father's worry. It was still okay if some of those bad things were true, because he'd seen Mother before she left just a moment ago. He'd heard how badly she wanted to stay with Father, how badly she wanted more with him. So it couldn't be hurting her too much anymore, right? He was sorry she couldn't have it though, if that's what would make her finally happy. But he heard her thoughts a great many times, and maybe she was right, and nobody but he and his sister would really love her. And Reilly. She didn't know that one.
He sighed and glanced away in thought. It was the perfect timing for Father to bring up his mind-gift thing. To tell him he could do good or bad with it, depending how he used it. He'd have to think about it more, because it only ever seemed to hurt Mother. Even the good things, or what he thought would be a good thing. She fought the good things a lot, didn't want to believe them.
"I think I don't know the difference. So I keep it to myself, like a secret. And I pretend I can't do it at all."
It was better if nobody knew he could do this thing. Then they would still want to be around him, and not avoid him to try and hide their thoughts. Yes, that was better. A secret. "Will you keep my secret? Even from Mother and Reilly? From everyone?"
He wanted to ask if dad's metal was good or bad. But also, maybe he didn't want to know. This concept of good and bad was hard to understand. What made things good? And what made them bad? The iron holding her in place was bad, wasn't it? It frightened her. To be afraid is bad, isn't it? But she'd also liked it, it had felt good. She still thought about it, though she tried not to. No, it seemed to bother Dad too, so maybe he shouldn't want to know more.
"We don't have to talk about it. I only see quick flashes of your face sometimes," he lied through a soft smile. Sometimes flashes of other things too. Sometimes more than flashes. There was so much that goes through someone's mind at a time.
"I'm Kharon." The Ferryman to death. Mother had been in such a dark place. But he'd mentioned Reilly. "And Reilly is... I'm not sure. He's been here since I can remember. Stays with us, takes care of us, watches over us. So, maybe he's a dad too. But he and Mother don't-" do all the things that Father does to her. He's not supposed to know that though, not supposed to see those things. "They aren't.. They don't.. He shook his head uncertainly with a grimace. "It's not the same." Maybe Father would leave it at that.
