DARKNING [Completed]

10. Father of mine...

after cozy night at zhan's lighthouse, yibo return home to find zhan's mother - greta - waiting for him.

"miss greta, what a surprise!" said yibo.

"i bet it is, dear! i hope it's not much of an inconvenience that i dropped by without a warning." said greta.

"not at all!" said yibo.

sue is still eyeing unexpected guest with a sour frown on her face.

"uhm, would you like to come to my room to talk, mrs. greta?" asked yibo.

"please, just call me greta. and yes, i'd love to see your room." said greta.

"don't mind me..." said sue.

sue mutters something as yibo lead greta up the stairs to his room. yibo wonder if zhan is aware of his mother's surprise visit and what it is that she wants to discuss with him in private.

as yibo close the door behind him, an awkward silence falls in the room.

'i should try to break the ice by...' thinks yibo.

"i'm afraid zhan doesn't talk much about his family..." said yibo.

"that is true. his position in the raven world requires secrecy. i believe he is trying to protect you from us. and from his younger brother." said greta.

"when you say both sons, do you mean..." said yibo.

"sean - my younger son. i believe you've met him already.' said greta.

"ah... right..." said yibo.

yibo feel uncomfortable at the mention of the other man.

"he is a bit of a troublemaker." said greta.

"i know what you mean, danger should be his second name." said yibo.

"i have to agree on that one. he was such a sweet boy. but too stubborn for his own good." said greta.

"i believe there's a lot more to that story." said yibo.

"every family has skeletons in their closets, don't they?" said greta.

the memory of the two magnificent ravens ready to tear each other because of him yibo does not give himself any rest. yibo shake his head, trying to push away those images.

"by the way, are you wearing zhan's shirt?" asked greta.

yibo gasp and try to cover himself. since his clothes were shredded away during his shift, he has borrowed zhan's shirt this morning. yibo blush, getting caught by zhan's mother.

"uhm... this is... ah, i guess it makes no sense to hide it from you. zhan took me to his lighthouse last night. and i had no spare clothes, so i borrowed one of his." said yibo.

"hmm... things are getting pretty serious between the two of you then." said greta.

"what do you mean?" asked yibo.

"zhan cherishes his privacy. and as raven scout, he keeps the lighthouse strictly locked for guests." ssaid greta.

"oh..." said yibo.

"i must say, i am surprised. it is not easy to conquer my son's heart." said greta. 

yibo blush once again. greta's eyes are so intense. it feels like she can see right through his soul.

'i wonder if she knows how confused i feel around both of her sons.' thinks yibo.

"anyway, you wanted to talk to me about something, right?" said yibo.