but you're somebody else

He didn’t know what he wanted. There was no solution here that would bring satisfaction. Rhyme would never be able to trust his father again, any respect that had been there had long fled. On both sides he was sure. Unexpectedly Valentine turned around, mostly silence but oddly neutral as he uttered one word. Rhyme sighed heavily, allowing the tension that had built up dissipate with his words as he gained his father’s attention once more. He didn’t want a relationship with the old man anymore, Rhyme wouldn’t have been upset if he never saw him again. His opinion was not the important one though.

Valentine had taken care of his mother, Rhyme had little desire to let her back in but it was harder when she was in Abaven again. He knew that Shaye would have wanted him to forgive her, and that was the driving force now. Rhyme’s decisions needed to be his own, not his childrens. He wasn’t being fair to them, he’d seen them with their grandmother and how much they benefited from her presence and deep down he knew they would take the same from their grandfather.

”I don’t want to see your ugly mug,” Rhyme started, his voice was quiet and didn’t echo the amusement his words portrayed. After this he didn’t have to say another word to Valentine ever again. He could wash his paws of him and let his kids make their own judgment of him. ”But they need you as much as they need Rhythm.” Rhyme gestured vaguely towards Abaven in reference to the grandchildren within before lowering his gaze to the grave below him. Fitting that he was able to move forward in Shaye’s presence.