just doesn't seem right

[ELIJAH FOSTER SOMERSET]

“So… what are we doing here again?” Elijah tilted his head to look down at his son who was staring curiously up at him. “I thought we were suppose to go home?”

“I told you, Jay,” he grinned a little and turned his gaze back to the storefront as he opened the door for the six year old, “We have to get something for Shou and I needed your help.” Jayson toddled into the brightly lit store and glanced around. Lining the walls were glass cases showing off jewelry of all sorts. Jayson was as confused as ever and just threw his gaze back up to his dad. Elijah was paying no attention, though. He was looking around the store for the jewelry and once he found him, he walked over. Jayson had no choice but to follow him, even with his eyes glued to the multiple shiny things that glittered in all the cases.

The store was unsurprisingly vacant for a New Years Eve night, and the jeweler didn't look too amused to have costumers, but Elijah promised he wouldn't take too long. He wanted to find a ring and get back home to Shou. He was planning on proposing just as the clock struck midnight. Instead of a New Year's kiss, he'd give his love a New Year's proposal.

It was a little less special, though. He supposed that, in a way, it was still special. It was special because it was Shou. It was special because Elijah was finally accepting who he was after at least fourteen years. It was special because he actually loved who he was planning to be with. He wasn't marrying him because he didn't have the heart to tell him that he didn't want to be with him. Most importantly, Jayson loved Shou. But it was Elijah's second time at this, and he didn't like it. Sure, he didn't grow up in a religious town, but it was religious enough that divorces were severely frowned upon. Rumors of a married couple separating spread like wild fire. He had told his parents what had happened, and though they didn't approve of it, the fact that Jaquelyn had been the one to bury their hearts six feet under made them pity Elijah at least.

He still hasn't told his parents he loved men. He hadn't told them anything about Shou. They didn't know he wanted to get married for a second time, either. Eventually he'd have to tell them. He knew this. He didn't want to, though. Elijah had no idea how they would react. This wasn't... normal... There had never really been a "gay guy" where he grew up. At least not one that was open about it. Things like this stayed hidden with the skeletons. He knew it hurt Shou, but he also prayed that Shou understood. He was disowned for being the way he was. Elijah didn't want that, especially because that would mean Jayson would be disowned as well. His mother already left him. Elijah couldn't have the rest of his family leave him too.

So he wasn't able to spend Christmas with Shou. Elijah knew it was probably a serious blow to him, but... He didn't know what else to do. He hadn't told his parents about Shou. He couldn't just show up with an unexpected guest. Next year, though... Next year... They would have to accept them. They'd find out eventually. Elijah would make sure of that. He wasn't going to keep Shou his dirty little secret, but he was so much more than that. He was something Elijah really wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

They had been through a lot. It was a rocky beginning. Shou had to deal with Elijah's trouble of even accepting what they were. And even after they were officially together, Elijah looked for anything he could to slip out of the relationship. He was flighty and nervous and worrisome. He always had been, and probably always will be. At least he'd always be worrisome. Flighty, he was no more. Nervous, yes. It wasn't hard to make him nervous or flustered, though. Shou was particularly good at it... But then there were the bigger issues, like Elijah's abuse, and Jaquelyn, and the car. But they were okay now. They were okay. It was Elijah's first attempt at furthering their relationship. Shou had coaxed him through all the other mile stones: their first kiss, their first time in bed, the first time they had sex, when they had become official, when Elijah had moved in... All of it was Shou. Now it was his turn.

It hadn't taken them too entirely long to pick out a ring. Elijah knew the size and Jayson was dead set on a silver band with three stones set into it. "See the big one? In the middle?" he had pointed out.

"Mhmm," Elijah hummed, glancing at his son and wondering where he was going to take it.

"That one is Shoo because he's the most important, so he's biggest. He has to be in the middle. This is for him, so he gets that one. And then this one, on the, on the... right--"

"Left."

"Left is you. Because you put you hand over your heart and, and he loves you. Right?"

"Yes, he does." Elijah smiled.

"And then this one on the right is me. And we're, we're, a family, see? All three of us." Elijah left with the ring Jayson had chosen. Now all he had to do was get home.

The car was stopped at a red light and Elijah glanced into his rear view mirror to peek at his son. He was smiling away, face lit up by the dim screen of his father's phone. "He says he's okay," Jayson piped up and started to slowly press at the keyboard on the screen.Elijah just smiled and watched. "This girl has pink hair!" he gasped after a moment. His father couldn't help but laugh.

As soon as the light turned green, he pressed on the gas. Headlights had surrounded him, but he didn't think much of it. People say that time slows down as your body kicks into overdrive. Adrenaline is pumped through your system and the flight or fight reflexes are activated. When you don't see it coming though, everything happens in a millisecond. There were lights and then the next moment there was the sound of metal giving into metal and a deafening crunch.

Now, there was nothing but silence.

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