Sorrow had been looming over all of them today, thick and heavy like rolling storm clouds. He'd been dreading this event for days, and now that it was happening it was somewhat difficult to grasp. Burying Toby seemed to surreal; it had been surreal back when he had actually died, too. Children weren't supposed to die that young, not when they had barely experienced the world, not when they hadn't even gotten a taste of the wonders it had in store. Although he hadn't known the little tyke as well as Seth had, he knew that he had been an absolute bundle of joy (to be a bit cliche) and absolutely full of life. This shouldn't have even been happening... But life had a certain way of being cruel, didn't it?
Nikkolai wasn't very experienced with funerals, having only been to maybe one or two in all of his seventeen years and maybe one wake somewhere along the way. He knew all too well of Seth's grief, however; he'd been there the night Toby had died and it wasn't easy to forget. It had absolutely destroyed Seth - thinking of him in tears pulled at his heartstrings until his chest literally hurt. Every now and then Nikkolai made sure to spare Seth a glance, never having left his side throughout the duration of the funeral. There wasn't much he could do to assuage the pain, but he would do whatever he could to at least make it bearable for his boyfriend and to help him get through this.
The weather was typical for early June, warm and dry with clear, bright blue skies. The brightness in the sky didn't seem to register, though, for it was if that deep sadness was covering all of them in darkness. Looking over to Seth for probably the millionth time, Nikkolai reached over and took his hand, weaving their fingers together and moving his body close to his.
"You doing okay, babe?" he asked softly, voice just loud enough for both of them to hear. Tenderly he stroked Seth's knuckles with his thumb, looking down at their hands before looking up to his face, a concerned expression in his eyes. It was a stupid question, he knew Seth wasn't okay... but it still felt like it was something he needed to ask.
Nikkolai wasn't very experienced with funerals, having only been to maybe one or two in all of his seventeen years and maybe one wake somewhere along the way. He knew all too well of Seth's grief, however; he'd been there the night Toby had died and it wasn't easy to forget. It had absolutely destroyed Seth - thinking of him in tears pulled at his heartstrings until his chest literally hurt. Every now and then Nikkolai made sure to spare Seth a glance, never having left his side throughout the duration of the funeral. There wasn't much he could do to assuage the pain, but he would do whatever he could to at least make it bearable for his boyfriend and to help him get through this.
The weather was typical for early June, warm and dry with clear, bright blue skies. The brightness in the sky didn't seem to register, though, for it was if that deep sadness was covering all of them in darkness. Looking over to Seth for probably the millionth time, Nikkolai reached over and took his hand, weaving their fingers together and moving his body close to his.
"You doing okay, babe?" he asked softly, voice just loud enough for both of them to hear. Tenderly he stroked Seth's knuckles with his thumb, looking down at their hands before looking up to his face, a concerned expression in his eyes. It was a stupid question, he knew Seth wasn't okay... but it still felt like it was something he needed to ask.