Venturo swung around on Romulus’s other arm, hopping up and down excitedly. Even though the whole day had been nonstop excitement, his energy didn’t diminish at all.
“Smile big, okay, Dad?” Venturo exclaimed as they turned for the photo.
Remedy procured her phone and took a picture of the three of them. The sky behind them was orange and with smoky colored clouds, the street lights had turned on now and the threesome were illuminated by its spotlight.
“There!” Remedy said with finality and a wide smile of her own as she looked down at the picture. “You guys look great.” She said with a smile as she walked to rejoin them under the light.
Much like his fleeting moments of happiness, smiling was something that Romulus hadn't done much of previously, doing even less in the last few years. But at Remedy's request and his boys' insistence, Romulus smiled wide, though a bit awkward and out of practice. He didn't know it until Remedy stepped over to them with the phone, but even if his smile was a bit strained, the way his and the twins' mouths curved and even the cheeky little dimples in their cheeks were the same.
"Ah, we smile alike." He said, his mouth softening into more natural little grin. He looked up to Remedy. "I don't have a phone...but I would like a copy of it. If we can." He said.
"Me too! Me too! I want to put it next to the couch!" Romano chirped enthusiastically, pawing at Remedy's hand so she could tilt the phone down towards him and his twin. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
“Me too!” Venturo echoed after his father, and then his twin. “I can put mine on the other side of the couch, so no matter what, we’re always sitting next to him!” His brows were furrowed and his expression self assured, Venturo thought all his ideas were good ones; this one was actually very thoughtful.
“Yeah of course, maybe can all make frames for our photos.” Remedy suggested then with a wide smile.
In this universe, Remedy was a fun boy mom, she took initiative and always had something creative up her sleeves to entertain the boys. Remedy wasn’t a restrictive parent either, sugar and messes were all permitted. Nothing couldn’t be run off, or cleaned up and it meant making memories. Making picture frames was a craft idea that came easily to her, and it would be another opportunity for the boys to spend time with their dad.
“We go to the community center on my days off, they have a big activity room with donated crafts.” Remedy continued to explain. “We should go there next, whenever you’re free.” She offered with a grin.
It was not so long ago that a reality where Romulus was able to lead a normal life was nothing more than a bittersweet daydream. He had been in such a state of misery while serving his parents the last few years that the notion he could ever be happy again and free of them seemed so far removed from his situation it felt like it was more of a desperate wish than anything else. For that reason, sometimes it felt unreal that he was in fact living in that reality, that it was no dream.
And he was happy.
Three months had passed since he last saw his parents and though his path to recovery, both physical and mental, was in constant flux, he was finally settling into a new and better version of himself. In that time, most of his physical wounds had healed, leaving only faint traces on his person by the way of faded scars and a permanently crooked nose. He had been able to gain back some of his weight now that he was in a safe space and didn't have to worry about when he'd get to eat next. His hair, that had been crudely shaved when he'd first returned, had begun to grow back, though it was still not quite as shaggy as it had been several years ago. The biggest change in Romulus was his overall outlook on life, which of course was thanks to Remus and his family as well as the therapist the Society had ordered he see every week, but more than any of those factors it was thanks to his boys and Remedy.
Things between he and Remedy were still not as they had been before he admitted his betrayal and ran back to his parents as a self-inflicted punishment, but it was also not bad between them. He didn't think he deserved her easily given forgiveness, at least not yet, but he was comfortable enough in the friendliness between them.
His relationship with his boys was still very fresh, but he knew that he loved them in earnest, as much as they seemed to love him. If anything else, the relationship with his boys was the thing that kept him motivated to work on himself and be a better person because if anyone deserved the best version of him, it was them. He wanted desperately to be good and deserving of them, he wanted to be a better father to them than his father ever was to him and his siblings.
In the last month or so, Remedy had tasked him with picking up the boys from school a couple days of the week and bring them home so she could have more time to finish her work at the autobody shop. Romulus was still out of work, mostly at everyone's insistence that he needed time to recover from everything he'd endured by himself the last few years, so he figured picking up the boys was the least he could do.
Usually, he'd arrive a little before one and he'd sit at the park across the street from the school until the final bell rang and children flooded out of the building. The boys were only in kindergarten still, so their teacher would bring their class out at the end of the day with the other kindergarten classes and they would wait outside with the children for parents to arrive. Today was no different as Romulus got up from a park bench that overlooked the walking path upon hearing the bell. He dusted off the back of his pants as he turned and began for the school. Some of the older kids rushed out of the yard in clusters, all of them chattering loudly to one another, and some parents had already collected their children and were leaving the yard as well.
Romulus entered the schoolyard and headed over to where he usually met his boys with their teacher, Mister Mouser. He smiled when he saw the two little boys and he offered a little wave to them to get their attention.
Romano looked up and instead of smiling his usual broad grin, his eyes instantaneously grew dewy and a deep frown curved his lips. He broke away from the lineup and rushed over to Romulus, not slowing a single bit as he threw himself into Romulus's leg, wrapping his arms around tight and burying his face into his thigh.
Romulus instantly became fretful and he reached down to pet at the top of Romano's head and tried to peel him back gently.
"Roma, Romano, what's wrong? What happened?" He asked.
Romano didn't respond, just shook his head and refused to unwind himself. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
For Remedy, Romulus being present in her life again was something wanted and welcomed. But things were still not the same as they were before, not that Remedy expected them to be. But she had hoped some things remained the same, she still held deep affections for Romulus and while she knew he couldn't return them right now, she hoped he might come around. Even so, the friendliness was easy enough, and the boys loved being all together finally. That was the most important thing after all, the boys. It would have been hard to hold resentment if she had any, because the twins constantly talked about Romulus. They were always asking him questions, or asking Remedy questions about him, and the following question was always, "when can we see dad again?" They saw Romulus for who he is today, with eyes not clouded by judgments and minds unburdened by the truth of his past and heritage. That was at least as far as Remedy had been made aware.
In the line, Venture looked very much the same as his twin. Besides their face, Venture had the same expression as his brother; a deep frown and eyes glossy and sad. Venturo rushed after Romulus in the same manner as Romano, he very much needed his dad today and he was relieved to see him. Like his twin, Venturo wrapped around his free leg; tears dotting the denim as he rubbed his wet face against Romulus's jeans.
"Can we go home, please?" Venturo asked, voice dampened against his fathers leg.
"Boys, what's wrong? Are you crying? What happened?" Romulus sputtered, a bit helpless as he fretted at the twins. As he smoothed their curls and tried to wipe at the bits of their faces he could access.
"That's him...look at him." Someone whispered as they walked by, which Romulus didn't react to, but Romano did by way of little shoulders tensing and his grip on Romulus tightening.
"Can we go home?" Romano repeated his twin's question, his voice small and raspy like he was trying to keep himself from wailing. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
Venturo normally followed his twin's lead, Romano was the leader between the two of them, not that there was an expectation that came with it. But for Venturo to stray from whatever Romano was doing, was uncharacteristic for him. But he'd been hearing awful things all day, and since children are small, they fill up with big emotions faster. Venturo's wet little face snapped up from Romulus's pant leg and he spun.
"Don't talk about him like that!" Venturo screeched, his little voice cracking as he did so. The boys while mischevious, were generally well behaved. They did not usually raise their voice at adults, not in anger at least.
"Ven!" Romulus exclaimed, eyes flitting between the little boy and two women, one of whom Venturo was yelling at, and the three small children between them. All of them jumped and the women tucked the children behind them as they began to scurry away.
Meanwhile, Romano's lips began quivering and as he clung to their dad. It seemed his last thread had snapped as his sniveling turned into proper wailing, high pitched and full of sorrow.
"Oh, oh no. Don't cry, don't cry." Romulus spluttered, quickly bending over to collect Romano into his arms, which the little boy allowed him to do. Little arms wrapped tight around his neck and his ears rang as Romano cried loudly. He winced, but endured as he reached down to turn Venturo back around, tucking him to his hip and patting his back. "It's okay, guys, you're alright." He crooned to them both. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
Venturo broke into a sob in tandem with his brother. Once Romulus scooped him up as well, he wrapped his arms around his neck tight, and hid his face into Romulus's shoulder. His dad was so kind, so funny and interesting. Venturo couldn't fathom why anybody would say anything bad about him or his character, they didn't even know him. Sometimes people would talk about Remedy, but not like this. Even so, Venturo was distinctly aware that his mother was not someone who was easily bullied. She had an easy going attitude about most things, there was little that could be said that would damage her feelings or her character. But in the short time Venturo had come to know his dad, he wasn't so sure the same was true for him.
"Oh, no, no, no. It's okay, guys. We're okay, you're okay." Romulus made his best attempt to comfort the boys, but that was something that was admittedly out of his depth. He wasn't used to comforting someone else, let alone two small children. He wasn't even really sure how to comfort himself in truth. "Hey, let's not cry, guys." He added, pressing his nose first to Romano's cheek and then to Venturo's, his brows furrowed. "You don't want to make me cry do you?"
"Nooooo." Romano choked, fighting his sobs. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
Venturo also followed with a sobbing, 'no!' He took several shaky breaths as he tried to reel in his own crying, rubbing his tears away on Romulus's shirt. He still sniveled though he was actively trying his best to reel in his crying.
“That’s good, that’s better. Let’s get it all out and then we don’t have to cry anymore, claro?” Romulus offered his best reassuring smile as he bounced the boys in his arms. “Should we stop by the bodega and get some candy to share? I’ll even let you have it before dinner.” He suggested, playfully scandalous.
Romano let out a particularly loud snivel and peeked a glance at Romulus.
“Really?” He squeaked. This surely was not the bad man people apparently thought their dad was. Their dad was nice and good. He bought them treats and played with them. He carried them around when they were tired and wiped their faces when they were smeared with food. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
Venturo let out a shuddering breath, teetering on the edge still of sobbing hysterics.
"What I really want is a bacon, egg, and cheese on a roll, but they stop serving them after eleven!" Venturo whined before trailing off into a new reason to be upset. The floodgates were open, and now Venturo was experiencing a wave of dismay. People are mean. Even worse they're mean about Dad. If we're going to the bodega, what I really want is a breakfast sandwich, but I won't be able to get it. Life is unfair.
Romano's own lip began to quiver again when Venturo began crying anew and fresh tears filled his eyes.
"W-with a hashbrown!" He began sobbing again, burying his face into Romulus's shoulder again to muffle his crying.
Romulus's brows pinched and he resumed bouncing the boys.
"You guys want a sandwich? I can make a sandwich, I can do that. Do you want that?" He sputtered out, unsure if he actually knew how to make a breakfast sandwich. He helped Astrid out from time to time when she cooked family meals, but that was about as far as his experience went. He wasn't sure it would be what the boys hoped for, but he would try anything to stop their tears. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
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