Titan Turn; A TDS Story

Chapter 24

The injured Titan studied him somewhat bewildered as Grave refused to lift his eyes off the floor.
Without a word he sat down on the edge of the bed ready to run for the hills to the door if need be.

They stood in a intense silence.. Only an old grandfather clock could be heard through the entire room, ritmicaly beating away as the minutes past. A minute turned into two, two into five, five into ten and no one has yet to say anything, not even a word.
Soon the nerves were starting to get to Gravedigger... Why was he so quiet? Why was his father not speaking? Is he angry? And... what's that one his side, sticking from beneath his shirt?
Is...is that a bandage...with blood? Is his father wounded? Is it bad? He looks so tired... Did he even sleep?
All of these and many more questions and thoughts filled the child's head. More and more they spun around banging on the side of his skull as if they would blow up at any moment.
He could see his father fiddle with his fingers from the corner of his eyes, something he noticed the man would do mostly at meetings or any sort of social gatherings.... Was he scared?... He seemed peaceful at least... But what if he was giving him the silent treatment??
After another round of lightning questions ringing in his mind, the boy had had enough.

Grave jumped up from the bed, hitting his fist down on the cover, "Say something damn it!"

The man looked up in surprise at the sudden outburst, flinching back. He gazed on as the boy's eyes started to flood with tears, slowly dripping down his face.

"What are you even doing here?! Y- You could've died!... A-And what about M-Molten.. What w-would he have done w-without you?... He is your son!

Fallen watched him evenly as his small body shook from the pent up anger, ".....You are my son as well..." he answered calmly.

Grave paced around the room anxiously, "Yeah.. B- But you raised him.. I am just... I was just...there..."

Fallen stood up, reaching a hand out, ".. That does not make you my son any less.. AGH-!"

He pressed his hand up against his side, the abrupt movement causing the wound to rub rigidly against the bandages. He sucked in a sharp breath, pain flaring up with a burning sensation. Grave carefully pushed him back down onto the pillow, applying pressure, his tiny hand on top of his father's. He whispered, "D-Dad?!.. Dad! Breathe! Breathe... It's ok! ..It's ok... Just...breathe"

Grave inhaled through his nose and exhaled out the mouth, something he watched his brother do whenever he had a panic attack. He ushured his father to do the same. Eventually, Fallen managed relax as the pain slowly came to a halt. His tensed body being engulfed by the softness of the pillow also helped ease his discomfort. He sighed tiredly before continuing, "... Do you even know how worried I was when you disappeared?"

He lifted his hand, cupping the boy's cheek, "... I watched you walk through that portal.... That... T- That Creator forsakened p-portal...that t-took my brother away..."

Gravedigger paused, "... You knew about the-?"

"You are not the only one who tried to find him, child... I had my doubts but you proved me right in the end.." he brushed the green locks out of the boy's face, "I always knew the Towers were behind it but never had the evidence for such bold accusations... It would have meant war yet again... And with a toddler that barely reached up to my knee that would have been almost guaranteed death"