Words Don't Come Easy

Chapter 6: White Champagne and Lipstick Stains

October, 2016

The silence was killing him. From the corridors of the primary school to the elevator ride up to their hotel suite, not a single word had left Ryuu's lips. Syaoran ran his fingers through his hair for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day.

"Ryuu, please talk to me," Syaoran pleaded as he followed the child down the hallway of the hotel suite. "I said I was sorry."

Ryuu's hands clenched the straps of his backpack tighter. He kept his head down as he scurried to his bedroom.

"Ryuu, you need to eat," Syaoran said, but there was no reply. Only the sound of a door slamming echoed throughout the suite. Syaoran winced at the noise. This was the first time Ryuu had acted like this and he was not prepared.

Syaoran strolled into the kitchen and opened the freezer. His eyes scanned the contents that were within. He didn't recognise any of the labels or packages. It had been a long time since he had cooked a homemade meal. The food contained in his freezer was bought by Mei and eaten by Ryuu and Eriol.

He reached out for the ice cream container and dropped it on the bench. It had 3 flavours - vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate. Each flavour had its own section, separate from the rest. He went directly for the chocolate ice cream and scooped it into a bowl. Chocolate was his favourite flavour when he was Ryuu's age.

Syaoran stood outside Ryuu's bedroom. One hand held the bowl with chocolate ice cream and the other hand curled around the handle.

"I'm coming in," Syaoran said, loud enough for the boy on the other side of the door to hear.

The door was pushed lightly, wide enough for Syaoran's broad frame to enter. Syaoran swallowed hard at the sight before him. Ryuu was curled on top of his red and blue bedsheets, his arms wrapped around the Pokemon plushy Eriol had given him for Christmas last year. Syaoran sucked in the stale air and sunk into the bed.

"I brought you ice cream," he mumbled as he placed it on the bed next to Ryuu.

Ryuu peered over the plushy that was pressing against his cheeks. He eyed the bowl before sitting up, taking the bowl into his hands. His expression was blank as he looked down at the ice cream.

"Your teacher gave me this." Syaoran pulled out the drawing from his pocket and put it down in front of Ryuu.

"Kinomoto-sensei," Ryuu whispered.

Syaoran furrowed his eyebrows at the name. "What?"

"That's her name." His eyes fluttered up. "Kinomoto-sensei."

"Okay..." Syaoran blinked at the information. The name of Ryuu's teacher was the least of his concerns now. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. There's nothing to talk about," Ryuu replied as he put the bowl onto the bed. The ice cream was untouched.

Syaoran's gazed dropped from Ryuu to the ice cream bowl. "Oh, come on. You're not even going to eat the food I give you?" he asked, throwing his head back in frustration. He had been cold-shouldered by plenty of people before. His mother, his friends, women - but now, even his son was giving him a cold shoulder. There had to be a line drawn somewhere before he lost his mind.

"I don't like chocolate ice cream," Ryuu whispered. His brown bangs covered his eyes as he looked down at his clasped hands in his lap.

Syaoran's shoulders slumped at the response. He didn't know that. He didn't know something as simple as his son's favourite ice cream flavour. He dragged his hand down his face before reaching out to pick up the bowl. The ice cream was half melted now but it didn't matter. Chocolate was his favourite flavour.