#kabou

     Kabou didn’t get a chance to spend time with his kids for quite a long time. His recent injury made it nearly impossible for him to be away from the local hospital of Soundrest. The recovery included visits from his family, but it wasn’t nearly as satisfying as spending the entirety of a day with his wife and children. He missed them, surely more than they would ever know.       However, he was finally home. Away from the hospital and within the four walls of the place he was most comfortable. Arvanna took Subira and wandered off to the market for some groceries. There was a surprising lack of ingredients in the house, probably due to Arvanna’s lack of cooking skills, with Kai being away.      Kai was still getting used to his prosthetic, but the road was rather bumpy. He found himself tapping his foot on the floor, and his fingers on the table, while Mason sat in the seat next to him, playing with a little puzzle toy Kai got him the other night.       “Baba?” Mason asked quietly.      “Yeah, bud?” Kai responded, glancing over to his son.       “Can we play outside?” The little boy asked with a big smile. He knew already that his father struggled so hard to say no to practically anything. Kai returned a smile, then stood right up.      “Let’s go.” Kai said, picking his son up out of his seat. He held his hand, then wandered outside. Earlier, Kai mentioned skimmer riding to Arvanna, and she was sure to decline. But she never said anything about visiting the skimmers down by the overflowing waterways. So that’s exactly where they went.       Once they arrived, the skimmers were all relaxing in the light rain, maneuvering around the water like floating magic carpets. Kai gave Mason his hood, which was clearly way to big for the little boy, but Mason seemed overjoyed to be wearing it.”Baba look!” Mason shouted, pointing his finger towards a skimmer that was small enough to be a growing pup.       “He’s just as big as you are, buddy!” Kai said with a growing smile. There was a skimmer with a saddle just at the shore. It was a local rider’s, but the rider was nowhere in sight. “Come here, Mason. Wanna sit on one?” Mason eagerly ran over to his father  in boots that were just a little too big, and a hood that even went over his eyes.      Once they got there, Kai lifted the little boy onto the skimmer. Arvanna shouldn’t be mad about that. Unfortunately for Kai, that skimmer was in the midst of a nap, until something suddenly crawled onto it. As soon as it felt the touch of something on its back, it took off. Mason flew away with the skimmer, as it began swimming around the water in a panic. Kai immediately freaked out, and started running into the shore’s already deep waters. “Mason! Hold on!” Kai shouted desperately to the little boy, who was too far away to hear.       Thankfully, the skimmer’s actual rider wasn’t far, and happened to hear the shouting. He ran over, with what appeared to be a bucket of some kind of fish. As soon as it smelled the bucket, it relaxed, and swam right to shore. Kai was absolutely filled with fear. Would Mason be okay? The question ran through his mind dozens of times.      The rider seemed annoyed, but didn’t say anything. As soon as the skimmer was back to shore, Kai ran back from the water, and went straight for Mason, who was still surprisingly on it.      As soon as Kai got there, Mason had the biggest smile he’d ever seen. “Baba! That was fun! Again!” He asked in the happiest voice a little boy his age could manage. At that moment, Kai relaxed, glad to see his son was completely out of harm’s way. He lifted him off the skimmer, then began carrying him away.      “I’m glad you had fun buddy. You made me super worried there!” Kai said to the little boy he was carrying.      “I’m sorry Baba.” Mason said frowning.      “It’s okay, bud. Just... don’t tell your mother.”