Nothing Short Of A Hero (Unedited Version)

Chapter Fourteen

Only edited once because I'm kind of lazy.

--
Eijiro's pov

"Dad!"

I lifted Kai onto my hip and kissed her cheek. "How's your day been?"

She giggled and smiled brightly. "It was good! I made a good grade on my test!"

"Really? That's great!"

I gently set her down and ruffled Micah's hair, which he pulled away from. "What about you, Bud?"

He shrugged and walked towards the truck. "It was okay."

I sighed and frowned.

"Okay. Your dad won't be home until later. He had to work late."

I lifted Kai into the truck and helped her buckle in.

I chatted with her the whole way home while Micah was just quiet as he looked out the window.

Ever since his outburst he has been distant to me. I don't know how to fix this.

What did I do wrong?

~

"Kai? Could you go upstairs? I wanna talk to your brother."

She nodded and hugged me before walking up to her room.

"Buddy? Will you talk to me please?"

He furrowed his brows and kept coloring the picture he was working on.

"Micah? I just wanna talk to you."

He frowned deeper and his colors steadily got darker as he beared down harder.

"Bub, can we just-"

He slammed his crayon the table and looked to me.

"Why?! It's not like you actually care about weather I like you or not.."

He picked up the broken crayon and threw it in frustration.

But he made eye contact. That's progress I guess.

"Micah. The thing I want most right now is for you to like me."

I could already feel my throat tightening as I reached to rub his back calmingly, which he leaned into.

"I love your Daddy. So much. And I love your brother and sister. And I love you, Micah."

He sniffled as his hands shook.

"Y-you mean it..? You wouldn't leave Kai or Niko? Or Daddy?"

"No. I wouldn't ever think-"

I paused.

He didn't even ask if I would leave him. My face fell in sypmathy as i tried to catch his gaze.

"Micah...is that what this is about? You're scared if I leave it'll hurt your family?"

A small sob shook his body as he wiped furiously at his eyes.

That was all the answer I needed.

I pulled him into my lap and nuzzled into his hair, holding him tightly. "I would never. I promise if you ever need anything I'll be here. I'm never gonna leave any of you. I promise."

He sobbed into my shirt and gripped it tightly. "S-she did it! She's the reason he was s-sad all that time... She left and he was sad. Even if he didn't show it to us, I could tell. It's her fault!"

I gently shushed him and rocked him like a baby, whispering soft promises to him as he cried.

He hiccuped and sniffled as I ran my hand through his hair.