Shallow Waters

3

Rin opened the front door and stumbled through it.  Someone had even called an ambulance because of what happened with Sousuke at the bar.  He had been unconscious for 15 minutes the paramedics told him.  The paramedics did treatment and then cleared Rin to go home but still highly recommended going to the hospital.  Rin refused, he had already been gone too long.

First thing he heard was Makoto banging on Haru's door.  "Haru?  Haru please, come out, talk to me."

Rin just stood by the edge of the hallway, leaning against the wall.  "Makoto..."

Makoto jumped a little and turned to see Rin, he didn't hear him come in.  Makoto only looked at Rin, his mouth hanging open.  He ran up to Rin, "Rin!  What happened?"

Rin tried to stand up straight and started to walk down the hall, "I just ran into Sousuke, I'll be fine."  He wobbled as he headed down the hall, he had to put a hand on the wall to steady himself.

"You're not fine!"  Makoto reached out and grabbed Rin by the arm, "You can't let him hurt you like this.  You need to go to the hospital!"

Rin yanked his arm away and kept walking down the hall.  "What happened with Haru?"  Makoto didn't say anything.  Rin reached Haru's door and lightly knocked, leaning against the doorframe.  "Haru?"  The door creaked open a little and Rin saw Haru's deep blue eyes staring up at him.  "Haru, what's wrong?"

The door flung open and Haru threw himself into Rin, wrapping his arms around him.  Rin winced a little, his chest still hurt from where Sousuke had pinned him down.  He wrapped his arms around Haru.  Haru just cried out, "Don't leave me, Daddy!"

Rin held Haru tighter, "I promise I won't go anywhere."  Rin lightly rubbed Haru's back, "I'm sorry Haru... I'm sorry I haven't been here..."

Haru broke out of Rin's arms, he looked like he was on the verge of tears, "I-I can't just forgive you!"

"What do you want me to do?  What ever it is, I promise I'll..." Rin reached out to Haru but his hand fell short.
Haru stared back, his gaze was hard.  "I want you to be here."  Tears started to form on the corners of his eyes, "But you won't change..."

Rin reached out, holding Haru by his shoulders.  "I will, I promise, I will change I will be here.  I've been wrong to leave you alone the way I have."

Haru shrugged off Rin's hands.  He hesitated for a moment before hugging Rin again. It was short, in moments, he broke away again and disappeared back inside his room.  Rin stared after him at the closed door.  He had been so blind to the way his son had been feeling.  He turned around and saw Makoto still standing at the edge of the hallway.

Makoto walked up to Rin and put his arm around him.  Together they walked to the bathroom inside the master bedroom.  Makoto got a clean towel and soaked it in water before lightly dabbing at the cuts on Rin's face.  Rin's eye was already turning black.  Makoto couldn't look Rin directly in the eyes, "Rin... Did you mean what you said to Haru?"

Rin nodded, "I've been spending too much time at a bar and not enough time home here with you and Haru..."

"I'm actually..." Makoto paused, standing up, "Glad to hear that."  They both went into the bedroom and Makoto set Rin's pajamas in front of him.  "You should rest."

Rin slowly nodded and started taking off his shirt.  Makoto could see black and blue already forming on the middle of Rin's chest.  Makoto couldn't help staring, he almost felt like he could cry.  What ever tension he and Rin were having, it still hurt to see his husband so broken like that.  Rin caught him staring and quickly pulled on his pajama shirt.  "It's nothing."

"But it's not..." Makoto rested a hand on Rin's chest above where the bruising was forming.

"It's nothing," Rin repeated, he didn't want to worry Makoto, "I've been hit worse.  This'll be gone in a couple days."