Chapter 400: Emotional Reunion (2)
"How have you been? Are you okay? Do you have any limbs missing?" Elena asked breathlessly after hugging Leo for a few seconds, her hands moving frantically over his body in search of any injuries, only letting out a long, shaky sigh of relief once she confirmed that he was indeed whole.
"I’m fine. I’m taller and stronger than I’ve ever been," Leo replied with a soft smile, stiffening his muscles slightly to demonstrate the progress he had made, a subtle invitation for her to notice how much he had grown.
However, his mother heard none of it.
"Taller and stronger my foot," she scolded, her brow creasing in concern. "Look at how skinny you look. There’s not an ounce of fat on those muscles, and your skin is so thin and veiny... did you not eat properly these past few years?" she asked in a voice full of worry, as if his physical appearance alone confirmed her worst fears.
*Chuckle*
Faced with her irrational maternal concerns, Leo could do nothing but chuckle quietly to himself, as he did not dignify her concerns with a response.
"Leo!"
A sudden male voice cut through the emotional reunion, causing both mother and son to turn as Jacob stepped out of the house. He had heard Elena’s sobbing and came to check what was wrong, only to be stunned into a pause by the sight of Leo standing there.
"Fa..., Jacob–" Leo began, instinctively starting to call him father, only to catch himself and replace the word with Jacob at the last second.
"Jacob, look! Our boy is home!" Elena exclaimed joyfully, brushing away a fresh tear from her cheek as she turned to beam at her husband with a radiant smile.
"Good..." Jacob said softly, his voice barely above a whisper, as he quickly swiped his nose and looked away.
It was clear he was trying to hide the emotions building behind his eyes, as although every part of him ached to rush forward and embrace his wife and child, he restrained himself, knowing full well that Leo’s feelings toward him had been complicated, strained by years of estrangement.
Despite his physical restraint, Jacob’s aura betrayed everything he was feeling. A soft pink hue floated around him, unbidden, telling Leo all he needed to know about how the man truly felt inside.
Jacob had left their family back on Earth to serve in the military, and Leo had never fully forgiven him for that choice.
Yet, in the years that followed, Jacob had tried—truly tried—to make amends, slowly chipping away at the wall Leo had built between them. And now, seeing the honesty and love radiating from the man’s aura, Leo finally exhaled a deep breath and decided, at long last, to let the old grudge go.
"What happened to your eye? Father?" Leo asked, his voice steady and deeper now, his composure returning as he addressed Jacob with a title that hadn’t passed his lips in nearly two decades.
Jacob’s eyes widened slightly—not because of the question about his eye, but because of the word ’Father’. It was a title he had not been called since Leo was just three years old.
"I—I, th..." Jacob started, but stumbled over his words, his voice cracking as a small tear welled up in the corner of his eye.
At fifty-seven years old, he no longer possessed the emotional control he once had in his youth. And while he wished desperately to hold it together, something about being called ’Father’ again pierced straight through his composure.
That one word was enough. It was confirmation that, after all these years, Leo had finally decided to forgive him. That his son once again saw him as part of the family.
It was a dream Jacob had once feared might never come true, but miraculously, it came true today.
"Aww, come on! Do you need a special invite to come hug him? Get over here!" Elena scolded playfully, her voice tearful and firm at once as she reached for Jacob’s wrist and tugged him down the porch steps.
With misted eyes and trembling hands, Jacob obeyed, stepping into the embrace that Elena initiated, as the two of them wrapped their arms around Leo together.
Leo, for his part, placed his arm only around Elena. He didn’t return Jacob’s gesture of affection, but he also didn’t push him away.
For now, Leo had accepted the man back into the family fold, but that did not mean they were back on affectionate terms just yet.
That would take more time.
"My eye is going to be fine," Jacob said after pulling away slightly, answering the question Leo had posed earlier.
"I lost it in battle, but they’re going to find a replacement soon. They’ve promised me a new one in about thirty days, and if not a living tissue eye, then they’ll give me a cybernetic one. Either way, I’m going to be fine."
"Very well," Leo acknowledged, giving him a curt nod, his tone clipped but civil, as with that, he turned and began ascending the porch steps, intending to enter the house and make his way to meet Luke.
However, he was stopped dead in his tracks almost as soon as he entered, as not even two steps inside the house, Leo was met with the sight of a small figure prostrating itself on the floor.
"This lowly creature greets Lord Father..." came a familiar voice from the ground. "It has endured a gruelling two years of separation and has grown stronger to the Transcendent Tier so as not to disappoint the Lord Father’s expectations. However, these two years of Lord Father’s absence have been the most difficult of its existence."
Leo chuckled, having almost forgotten about how formally the little frog usually addressed him.
"Living without Lord Father’s wisdom has proven to be extremely challenging," Dumpy continued, "as lowly mongrels kept trying to harvest my poison from me. Needless to say, they never succeeded. For I only spit poison on Lord Father’s command.
However, my refusal did put me in much trouble. I was turned into a combat frog, forced into arena battles for the entertainment of strangers."
He paused, lifting his head slightly to look up at Leo’s face, his voice growing prouder.
"And I am proud to report that after two years, three hundred and four battles, and countless dead opponents, this lowly creature named Dumpy is still undefeated!"
"Lord Father, if you believe I am worthy enough to return to your side, and if you feel I have not dishonored your name in your absence, please allow me to hop back onto your shoulder where I belong.
For I have longed for this moment for a very, very long time," Dumpy said, his tone reverent and full of hopeful anticipation.
Leo smiled, a quiet warmth stirring in his chest as he gave a small nod.
"You have done well. You have not disappointed me. You may return to your designated spot on my shoulder, my genius pet," Leo said calmly, as Dumpy beamed with joy.
*Ribbit–*
With a proud little croak, Dumpy leapt off the ground and landed smoothly on Leo’s shoulder, his pride practically radiating from his tiny frame as he reclaimed his rightful place beside his master.