Neverwinter Forest you don't wanna be seen rollin' in my bar

everything, all at once, comes crashing down like a wave let loose upon the shore, grabbing him and pulling him under until he feels like he cannot breathe.

anger and betrayal and aching and, and, and!

it's almost an overload, overwhelming kivaluk so that he can only stand there and stare at his father.

dumbfounded as he is greeted with enthusiasm as if months — maybe even a year! — hadn't passed.

as if he hadn't left without word.

why even bother coming back? the question comes out knife sharp and cutting like barbed wire; ignoring the pride in his father's words that makes his heart ache and the want to accept it mixed poisonously with the want of wishing it didn't affect him so.

ignoring, even, the measured question left to hang, limply, in the air between them.