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Ty reaches for his clasped hands. Cy’s flesh feels cold and waxy.
Tayida’s heart breaks all over again. He closes his eyes, remembering how they had parted instead. Cyril’s impossibly strong signature bone-crushing hug for him, uttering in his ear,“I can’t wait for you to come home to us, Ty. I can’t wait for us to be a family. I love you, brother.”
Ty had bawled his eyes out then, so happy and relieved Cyril had encouraged his affection for Ri. The dream he had thought impossible had been about to come true if only Rian would have him.
This is what he chooses to remember him by, instead of the sight of the fragile body in front of him. He wants the last memory of Cyril to be his warmth, his solid, larger-than-life presence, his resolute love for Rian, and his firm belief that they were going to be a family. His conviction that happiness was in the cards for them, after all.
Ty is forced to wait until the short service is over. Once all those strangers are done shaking Ri’s hand and giving him their fake condolences, Tayida makes a bee line for him. When he finally faces Rian, he crumbles as soon as his glassy eyes land on Ty.
Ri falls into his arms and holds him tight as if he’s been waiting for Ty this whole time. His sobs are uncontrollable, and they drag out every bit of grief Ty had not allowed himself to fully feel yet. They both cry for Cyril. The moment they share feels like a long time, only Ty knows it has been mere minutes.
“Where have you been? I’ve called you so many times. I wrote…I…I tried so many times…you…Ty, he’s gone. He’s really gone. Oh my God…I can’t…” Ri mumbles against his shoulder in between sobs.
None of the things he’s saying make any sense, but Ty is too overwhelmed to unpack the meaning of his words.
Rian is so upset, that Ty can’t help but tangle his fingers in the golden strands of his hair at the nape of his neck and tuck him in even closer.
Absentmindedly, he acknowledges that this is the first time he has ever held Rian in his arms. Through the years, he could probably pinpoint only a handful of times they have even touched – accidental brushes of their arms and fingers, knees bumping slightly, nothing more than brief impulses triggering days and months of longing.
Those touches had set his skin on fire every time, and now that Rian is finally in his arms, under the worst possible circumstances, all he wants to do is crush him to his chest, just like Cyril had done to him so many times.
Tayida needs to say something that isn’t profoundly useless to soothe Rian’s pain. To encourage him to be hopeful and brave. The perfect sentiment never comes, as Tayida’s mind is feverishly trying to put together words of comfort that will reach Rian’s heart and make him understand, that Ty is here to stay. He has come back for good. He wants to be by his side and share his life with Rian. Even if Ri doesn’t love him back, he’ll never abandon him. He’ll always be there for him.
The seconds it takes for him to gain the courage to part his lips and prepare to utter his quiet declaration to Rian have been too long. He knows it as Rian is yanked away from him. His whole body cries bloody murder at the intruder.
Harris is tugging Rian to himself. Ri is so overwhelmed he takes this gesture for consoling. Rian thinks this fucking monster cares. Harris stares Ty down and he hates the cold sweat on his back and how deeply ingrained it is in him to follow his fucking order and lower his eyes at his captain.
Fucking coward! Do something! Anything!
He should stop this insanity. He should protect Rian. Cyril trusted him to protect Ri. To be there for him. Ty feels his hands sweating, and he knows he’s being told to leave in the silent way Harris is pinning him to the ground with his eyes.
Tayida feels so lost without Cyril. This man makes him feel like he’s eighteen years old again, horrified of everything, and everyone. Utterly alone and desperate for some sort of acceptance.
Ty shakes this bout of anxiousness away. This isn’t who he is anymore.
With a renewed sense of purpose, he boldly reaches for Rian. His fingers brush his arm, then linger and take hold of him, gently trying to pry him away from Harris. Rian doesn’t react. He’s too distraught and still crying, tucked away against Harris Kelly.
Ty doesn’t let go. He speaks through the lump in his throat, muttering, “Rian, if you ever need ––”, he swallows hard. Harris is glaring at him, but he presses on, “I’m here, Ri. I’m back for good. Anything you need...I…I’d like to talk to you. Please. If we could just ––”
Harris cuts him off, “Thank you. We, appreciate you coming today. Rian has been through a lot. I think it’s best I take him home.”
Then, as if in slow motion, he tucks Rian closer to his chest. They turn and walk away from Ty. Rian is muttering something, dragging his feet, but Harris never pauses his stride, firmly pressing on through the dwindling group of mourners.
Tayida’s arm drops like dead weight by his side, and he stands there feeling helpless as Harris leads away the love of his life.
Rian. Rian. Rian.
Do something!
Ty moves to follow them, but his way is quickly barred by a group of men. They are all dressed in black suits fitting for the occasion, but Ty is quite confident they have not come to this funeral home to pay their respects.
“Get. The fuck. Out. Of. My. Way,” he grates with a low threatening voice.
One of them steps forward, looks around cautiously, then pushes him back causing him to lose his balance. Ty stumbles, but quickly regains his footing and lunges forward, only to feel several pairs of hands grabbing and restraining him, clamping down on his mouth and dragging him away from the funeral home.
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