His boy had so much anger inside him, a rage barely contained under his skin. No idea where he got it from, of course.
Dovev watched him hunt down the perfect weapon, his naive calculation finding precisely the best one. Then he watched him proceed to beat everything with it until it snapped, enjoyed it while it lasted then tossed it aside like it was nothing. Much like the both of them were likely cursed to do with everything that mattered most to them. Everyone they loved.
As his boy took off running with a proud buck, he walked over to the broken little branch. He should do something here. This was an important moment. But how was he supposed to teach a lesson he himself had yet to learn? How do they stop using and breaking and discarding everything, leaving splintered loved ones in their wake.
"Defy."
Maybe it was from his training. He'd been so brutally trained not to have attachments, and it was so easy to shift his mind and leave them. Or try to. And now look at him. Children and loved ones. So many goddamn attachments. He was just as broken as he made the rest of them. He defied the training of his magician master. Maybe that was why he was in this situation. Testing out the laws placed on him by a traitor. Or perhaps cursed by him.
Or maybe he was just naturally this fucking lucky.
"Defy, come here." He nodded down at it. "That was a good stick, huh?" Good once, broken now that his boy had gotten to it. So much like his daddy. He could just see his own life repeating in his gorgeous son, all the tragedy and hardship he'll have to face. All of it he might cause. It wasn't a big deal though. It was just a stick.
"Do me a favor and remember somethin' when you get bigger, alright? It's fine now," he told him, nuzzling against his neck and sweeping through his soft baby hair. "But when you're bigger, remember to be your own weapon. Leave the sticks where you found them, where they're happy and safe." Maybe they didn't have to break everything they touched.
"And when you find a girl, don't tell her your name. Don't tell her where you live. Just turn around and leave her where she's happy and safe too."
And that stubborn one with the fire in her eyes that just keeps coming back for more.. Give her the perfect miniature, and teach him to treat her right. Better than his daddy ever could.
"You're gonna be a good boy, you hear me? You're mine." He kissed his little forehead and nuzzled him. "We're gonna keep Momma safe and happy, aren't we? She's the only girl you never walk away from. And you gotta keep your sisters safe too."
we're slaves to any semblance of touch
Lord, we should quit but we love it too much
