gone too long | {mace/kieran} blitz

for what it's worth, I have a slow disease that sucked me dry... I always aim to please
but I nearly died

Another round on the carousel of death. He'd barely wiped away the last remnant of dust from Ten before he was presented with a schedule of events, which filled his time from morning until night. Yes, he had two babies, but that didn't seem to matter to anyone in the Capitol. In fact, it was just another reason to add more events - photo ops, and meet and greets and all of the torturous aspects included in the privilege of living.

To add to the general chaos, they continued to covertly plan their wedding. Sleep had fallen by the wayside, although thankfully hot meals could be delivered at any hour of night. He rarely thought beyond the confines of his schedule, of keeping up with the demands of others. That was the definition of fatherhood, and he'd nearly forgotten how long he had worn that mantle. When he realized it had been days, days that he had been in the Capitol without seeing Kieran, he almost locked Olive in the closet again. Except that he needed her help wrangling the schedule.

When Julian went to see his parents, Mace gathered up their children and took the elevator up. It never ceased to amaze him how far they had come in a year. From wailing little bugs in blankets to mobile, babbling mini-humans who behaved much like Arbor. As the elevator doors pulled back, they took off, crawling at first and then grabbing onto any surface to haul themselves upright. Mace chuckled, delighted by the enthusiasm, and then looked up as a door opened.

If he was impressed by Mason and Juliet's growth, he could not believe the site of Kieran. Every year he was exponentially taller, more mature, more articulate. He barely recognized him. His chest constricted, his grey eyes riding out the storm as he stepped forward. In years past he had bent to hug his son, but it had taken him so long to get up to the Penthouse. He needed to take things one step at a time. "Hey, little buddy. I brought you somethin'."

He moved slowly, as though approaching a wounded animal. He knelt to one knee and from his pocket took out a paper bag. "Go on, open it."



"Your mama tells me you're learnin' to tell time. That's important. This here will help you. It's uh... traditional, in Ten, to have one once you're old enough." He cleared his throat, having already exhausted his voice. He looked from the gold-plated watch, something he could have never dreamed of owning, and into the mirror reflection of his own eyes. "What do you think? Can you tell me what time it is?"