"Word spreads quickly in the Between." She waved her hand lazily, then glanced back at Runner. If things between him and Theresa changed, then that means…
She went into auto pilot as she turned back to the food, tilting her head. She slipped halfway into the past again, searching for when things changed…
"You're doing the thing again, Mom." He didn't even need to sense it; he just knew his mom that well. It did help, though. "What are you looking for?"
She found the moment, and she turned with a knowing look on her face, arms crossed. "You have one chance to be more specific with me, son," she said instead of answering, but the look on her face told him what she had found.
Runner pulled a face and turned away, his cheeks changing into a deep shade of red.
"And what happens if I don't explain?" he asked weakly.
"Runner," she said by warning, her eyes narrowing. "Care to explain, or do I have to get a Seer to do it for me? I happen to know one that's a friend of your dragon."
No matter how old he got, there would be no way he'd grow out the childish fear of his mother's unhappiness. He explained to her the entire situation, staring down at his feet with a sheepish look on his face.
Rhianon lifted her head slightly, thinking. After a stretch of silence, she turned back around to finish cooking. "I hope you know what you're getting into. And I also hope it doesn't get in the way of everything."
"I doubt she'll let it go any farther than it is now. She doesn't think it;s right, either." He glance up once, his face pulled into a slight cringe.
"And what do you think?" she asked, finishing the last touches of the pasta. "What do you want? Any sort of relationship has to go both ways, platonic or otherwise."
"I just wish she'd give it a chance instead of writing herself off so quickly. It's…..frustrating." Runner chewed on his bottom lip, a habit he had since he was three.
She put some food onto a plate for Runner, then came over to the table and set it in front of him. "I've seen her past. She's broken and in the process of healing, but still stubborn as an ox. She cannot change on her own."
He'd lost his appetite, so he didn't even touch the food when it was set in front of him. "So what do I do, then?"
Rhianon smiled softly and reached out to grab his hand. "While I might not be the best at love, or like the circumstances under which you are in, I still want you to be happy. Make an effort. If you truly care for her enough and want this, then don't let her bully you into dropping it. You've already managed to make her do something she clearly didn't want to do."
"Making a girl fall in love with me is different than making a beat up girl go to sleep," he mumbled, but took his mother's hand.
After a moment of silence, he asked, "How did you meet my dad?"
He'd known this before, but he forgot it in the 8 year span they were separated.
"Who's to say she doesn't already love you?" she said, then cast her gaze downwards at the table. "Your father…Your father was an incredible man. A curious mind that caught my attention by attempting to investigate the possibility of different realities."
"Why was he?" he asked, frowning slightly as he looked up at his mother.
She shrugged. "Humans are curious creatures by nature. He was fascinated with the fictional takes on alternate realities and decided to see if it was true." She chuckled. "He didn't get very far, however."
"Because he met you?" Everything she said sounded familiar, but he still couldn't remember the details.
"Because he's only human," she said. "His fascination was curiosity alone—a hobby, if you will. Our meeting was accidental on my part, but it was fate for him. I helped him understand what he was seeking, and it all just…" She fluttered her hand.
"Does he have anything to do with why my dragon is so weird?" It was a question he'd been itching to ask for his whole life, but never did.
She tilted her head, brows furrowing. "What do you mean by 'weird'?" she asked, confused as to what he was asking.
"I mean….different. I've never seen any that even remotely look similar to mine." He finally took a bite of noodles, pleased by the lack of alcohol on his taste buds.
She shrugged, then held up her hands, palms up as if she were weighing something. "Dragons are unique to their persons. They might have the basic aspects of their type of dragon, but beyond that… It's difficult to explain. But I'd assume your mixed heritage has a part to play as well."
"…..Hm. I guess that makes sense." He glanced over at Tess, asleep on the couch. "I didn't think she'd pass out that hard."
"She's a sun dragon deprived of sunlight," Rhianon said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "The possession took too much out of her, no matter what she might try to tell you. Proud creatures, they are." She propped her head on her fist, strange eyes flickering as she gazed in Tessa's general direction.
((So, there's this moon dragon shapeshifter character that I've made for Tess. They basically grew up together and went through the same shit. Thoughts on a possible introduction?))