[It's just a dumb saying, and yet...just saying it out loud - however weakly he does it - brings an old, old memory rushing to the front of his mind. Of how, when he was just a boy, he literally spilled some milk because he wanted to help his mother with the cooking. He was a Big Boy, of course, so he could do anything she needed!
...Except deal with a gallon of milk. It was deceptively heavy. And a good portion was suddenly all over the kitchen floor. And he surveyed the damage he hand done. And he looked up at his mother with wide, frightened eyes, because he had done such a Bad Thing. Tears stung at his eyes.
But she had just taken in the scene and smiled - she had the brightest smile, one that could put even the sun to shame, Eiri was sure of it - and said there was no use crying over spilled milk. Leaning down, she gently tapped Eiri's little nose and proceeded to pick up the half-empty jug so nothing else would happen to the good contents.
When this sort of thing happens, she had told him, all you can do is accept the damage done and then clean up the mess. And they had done just that, getting down on their hands and knees with paper towels to soak up the milk, and then damp washcloths to wipe away the stickiness.
...It's so strange that he thinks of that time now. While his family is always somewhere in the back of his mind, he tries not to think of them too much so he doesn't get sucked into the past. No use crying over spilled milk.
No use crying over the dead.
But he's part of this new mess, isn't he? And didn't he learn anything from his mother? His sweet, wonderful, cheerful mother.
This time, though, it's not just a simple matter of cleaning the floor.
Eiri can't quite give up his comforting gig just yet, though, and he reaches for Haku's head to hold him steady. If this is comforting, then he can stay there as long as he needs to.]
...I know you are. I'm...I'm not angry with you, either.
[If their roles had been reversed, however, he wouldn't actu all that different from Haku right now. They've become too important to each other to just be able to shrug this sort of thing off.]
It's fine. 'Cause we're here now.
...But...if you want...you can make it up to me.
[He tangles his fingers more deeply in Haku's hair.]
no subject
But none of that matters now, does it?]
No...no use crying over spilled milk.
[It's just a dumb saying, and yet...just saying it out loud - however weakly he does it - brings an old, old memory rushing to the front of his mind. Of how, when he was just a boy, he literally spilled some milk because he wanted to help his mother with the cooking. He was a Big Boy, of course, so he could do anything she needed!
...Except deal with a gallon of milk. It was deceptively heavy. And a good portion was suddenly all over the kitchen floor. And he surveyed the damage he hand done. And he looked up at his mother with wide, frightened eyes, because he had done such a Bad Thing. Tears stung at his eyes.
But she had just taken in the scene and smiled - she had the brightest smile, one that could put even the sun to shame, Eiri was sure of it - and said there was no use crying over spilled milk. Leaning down, she gently tapped Eiri's little nose and proceeded to pick up the half-empty jug so nothing else would happen to the good contents.
When this sort of thing happens, she had told him, all you can do is accept the damage done and then clean up the mess. And they had done just that, getting down on their hands and knees with paper towels to soak up the milk, and then damp washcloths to wipe away the stickiness.
...It's so strange that he thinks of that time now. While his family is always somewhere in the back of his mind, he tries not to think of them too much so he doesn't get sucked into the past. No use crying over spilled milk.
No use crying over the dead.
But he's part of this new mess, isn't he? And didn't he learn anything from his mother? His sweet, wonderful, cheerful mother.
This time, though, it's not just a simple matter of cleaning the floor.
Eiri can't quite give up his comforting gig just yet, though, and he reaches for Haku's head to hold him steady. If this is comforting, then he can stay there as long as he needs to.]
...I know you are. I'm...I'm not angry with you, either.
[If their roles had been reversed, however, he wouldn't actu all that different from Haku right now. They've become too important to each other to just be able to shrug this sort of thing off.]
It's fine. 'Cause we're here now.
...But...if you want...you can make it up to me.
[He tangles his fingers more deeply in Haku's hair.]
Help clean me up after all this, okay?
[...Because he's the spilled milk.]