Chapter 03

"I missed you so much!"

Hyaté's voice was wobbly as he tried looking straight into his eyes. He wanted to say he missed them too. He did. He did really miss them. But did they really miss him? If there's one thing his father taught him, it was that faking genuine emotions was easier than one could assume. So he kept quiet, attempting to smile by slightly curving his lips crooked to get the emotion across, he cringed at the image that appeared in his mind at what his attempt of a smile might look like.

"You know if it weren't for your widow's peak, I wouldn't have recognized you at all. You've changed so much"

Shadawn knew the change he referred to was much more than the change in his features that came with maturity, the under tone also referred to how fucked up he looked. Shadawn's eye brow's slightly scrunched up in confusion.

As if realizing what confused him, Hyaté clarified.

"Your hairline. You and Hyn always had the same hairline that sort of looked like a hood. I used to be so jealous of the two of you."

He pouted with a glint of fondness behind it.

Shadawn's fingers that hid beneath the sleeves of his oversized faded grey hoodie unconsciously reached his hair. He did have jet black hair in common with Hynata, they did look a lot alike with each other and it used to always make him feel better since none of his siblings really looked like him.

"Well of course he didn't know what it was called so he called it a shanata hood for a while. Like why did you even come up with that word. Mum literally googled it thinking it was something we learnt at school."

Hynata giggled ruffling her twin's brown hair. The mention of their mother got Shadawn to look away not knowing how to act around any topic related to her.

"In my defense, It's sort of like a hood, and well Shadawn plus Hynata sounded like Shanata"

Hyaté shrugged while rolling his eyes.

While they continued their playful banter, Shadawn's running thoughts were still occupied by thoughts of their mother. Cynthia. He really dreaded meeting her. And the one thing that he wanted to avoid at all costs, was her. But he ended up being sent to the house of the very person he didn't want to see. He feared to be in her presence. Not that he feared her as a person, but because he didn't simply know how he'll end up acting around her.

"Shadawn"

Hynata's soft voice intruded on his running thoughts.

"Like he said. We really did miss you"

Out of the two of them, Hyaté seemed to be the emotional one, while Hynata seemed to be not as sensitive as him. More in control yet kind, however, underlying all of that, he sensed something else in her. Her brown eyes in them a familiar story. Shadawn could have been extremely wrong with his observations. But being an observer rather than an engager resulted in him being quite receptive when it comes to perceiving minor details that indicated a person's unconscious state of mind. But as much as he was good at seeing some of these naked to the ordinary eye qualities, he was bad at seeing the difference between being genuine or a master at faking it, or reading context in general.

Her body language indicated that she clearly wanted to embrace him in a hug, but something held her back, which made Shadawn wonder what it was.

The sound of someone clearing his throat grabbed all three of their attention. Behind the twins stood an older man, who at a glance didn't fail to make Shdawn realize that he was related to Nikolai, being an older replica of him. He wore a kind smile as he looked at Shadawn through his square rimmed glasses. Just like Nikolai, he had dark hair, olive skin and warm brown eyes.

"Hello there! I guess I should introduce myself."

He came forward, towards Shadawn, which instinctively urged him to take a step back, but he willed himself to stay planted to his present position.

"I'm Asithe. Sort of their dad and well, as you've probably guessed, Cynthia's husband. I've been waiting so long to meet the ever famous Dawn I keep hearing about."

His smile widened as he spoke, his gaze soft, with an emotion Shadawn could not quite pin point. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. Was there a standard reply he was supposed to go with in a situation like this? Was he supposed to hug him like Hyaté had hugged him? or is nodding in acknowledgment good enough? Going through each option he had, he still could not decide which option would appeal to them the most. Never interacting with normal people had deprived him of common sense when it came to social cues. He went with just nodding.

His nod which was accompanied with his constant blank expression left Asithe in an awkward situation. As someone who knew the ways around even the most awkward of situations, he did not know how to proceed with the conversation without letting the awkwardness seep with such obviousness.

As a last attempt to cover it up he cleared his throat, as if clearing it were the button to restart their entire meeting.

"You must be tired love. As much as we want to get to know you we better let you rest. Do you want me to show you your room or do you-"

Shadawn interrupted him with a nod at the offer of heading to his room, not even bothering to hear the second option.

"To your room it is then"

Asithe laughed while Hyaté grinned like a child who just received a gift for his birthday. He grabs Shadawn's hand attempting to drag him up the stairs.

"Hey hey hey. Hold your horses you big oaf"

Hynata holds him by the collar. He looks up at her in annoyance.

"What?!"

"You go grab the rest of Shadawn's luggage, I'll lead him to the room"

Hynata, leads the way, to be interrupted by Nikolai who had been quiet through it all.

"Um.. that's all he brought along....."

Hyaté's thick brows crunched with confusion as he looked between Nikolai, Shadawn and Shadawn's hand luggage.

"What do you mean son?.."

Asithe questioned with subtle caution.

"Um.... exactly what I meant...?"

Shadawn couldn't see why it was so shocking to only have one small suitcase. He had everything that he considered necessary. But everyone else in the room's confusion in turn greatly confused him.

"Well then I could show him around after all."

Grinned Hyaté which was subsequently wiped off with Hynata's statement of dismissal.

"You got to greet him first and you get to bunk together. So I call dibs on this"

Before Hyaté could reply to it, Hynata quickly directed Shadawn up stairs.