"No," he whispered, a firmness in his tone. Yang's hands shot to Eli's shoulders, pulling him out of his pity ball. His brown eyes were focused, burning holes into the boy's head despite the wet streaks down his cheeks. "Don't you dare say that, Elliot. It was m – I-I was the one who – "
Eli stared, wide-eyed and frightened.
Yang lifted his hands from his nephew's shoulders. "Sorry," he breathed, placing his hands back in his lap. His eyes drifted to the headstone, expression turning hazy and unfocused. He crossed his legs and sat up straight.
Curling a blade of grass between his fingers, Eli shook his head. "It's annoying that Matt was right."
"About what?"
"About you. About you believing you're the reason Mom and Dad are gone."
Yang scoffed. "Mr. Robinson's been...annoyingly right about things for the past while."
Eli hummed his response. "I thought I was the reason Mom and Dad are gone."
The older man deflated.
"We're both stuck?"
"...we're both stuck."
The boy wrinkled his nose. His eyes narrowed before he whispered, "Mom wouldn't like that we were fighting."
That brought a smirk onto Yang's lips. "She would scold me for it."
"She would?" he asked, side-eyeing his uncle.
"She would," he confirmed. "She always wanted to be the older sibling." And without thinking, Yang spent the next hour telling stories of Lin growing up, of her courtship with John. Everything under the sun
And without thinking, Eli watched his uncle with a degree of caution, asking questions that felt as desperate as a fire needing air to burn.
Matthew hadn't expected them to be gone for so long, yet Jun and Eli returned with the empty bucket of water and brushes in his hand, and a bag of paint and food in the other. The day was still sunlit but their physiques were sagging, exhausted, yet their expressions were downtrodden. "...how was it?" Matt ventured carefully.
Eli wrinkled his nose and went to his room. He closed the door separating his and Lilly's room to Matt's room with a soundless click.
Sighing, Matt switched his gaze to his employer, ready to piece together everything on his own. "I take it he wasn't as receptive to it as you were?"
"We both hate you."
He hadn't expected that. Matthew met the man's stare.
Yang slumped, frown matching his posture, and drifted from one foot to the other. "Did you know?"
"Know what?"
"You saw our sadness, our stuckness before we even knew it was there."
Matt waved. "Masters of Psychology."
"Matt," Yang warned, growing solemn a second later.
He stepped forward, waiting.
"My nephew was so careful, painting. More careful than I've seen from Lilliana," he whispered, sunken brown eyes drifting back to the nanny. "He's got a foul mouth, though."
"I know," Matt sighed.
The older man sat on the edge of the bed, folding his hands in his lap. "He believes he's the reason they're gone. I believe I'm the reason they're gone." He groaned softly. "Isn't there...some kind of 'fast track' progress?"
"Very few things, psychologically, are a straight line, sir. It's back and forth, up and down, and it's such an...arduous process, at times."
"It feels an arduous one," Yang sighed.
"...did you enjoy yourselves, at least?"
Yang glanced down. "I do not know."
Matthew nodded, soaking in the silence. All other words felt superfluous.
The older man must have understood that. He glanced towards the closed door to his children's room before departing Matt's room, leaving behind a quietude that was, in equal parts, unnerving and relieving.
A/N~
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE! i hope 2024 is filled with more happiness, laughter, and success for you and everyone you care for!
i'm going to take a short break while i get into finalizing the rest of the story. the last time i took a break was in february last year, and the winter holiday season at my full-time has kicked my ass hard. i have a few other projects in the works at the present moment which have my attention as well (you can check out those on my Patreon if you'd like)
YOU ARE READING
It's Definitely Not All Mary Poppins
General Fiction[A Slice-Of-Life LGBTQ+ Story about Found Family] Matthew Robinson's career as a teacher seemed to have stalled, yet when the winds in the East suddenly lands him in the employ as a nanny, Matthew realizes he's probably signed up for more than he ba...
