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Wilbur sees him, and it's sort of like his entire world just collides into him, toppling him over and crushing him under its weight. Fundy stares back at him, his eyes watering and narrowed sharply, his ears pressed firmly down against, anger and betrayal and sadness shining in his golden eyes. Wilbur breathes out, shifting back and forth on his feet as he stares ahead at his only son, wondering what he's meant to do. Apologise, he thinks to himself, but what does he apologise for? How much of it does he say sorry for? All of it? Wilbur feels like it would take years for him to say sorry for all he things that he did, specifically to Fundy, and he isn't sure if he even wants to try. Wilbur breathes out, taking a few steps forwards, careful to keep his hands where Fundy can see them, though he isn't really sure if he needs to or not, Wilbur thinks that it's better if he just does it anyways, just in case.
"Hi," Wilbur greets, looking at his son carefully, wondering how Fundy managed to grow up just so fast. "It's been a really long time since we've seen each other, it seems," Wilbur smiles, leaning back on his heels as Fundy shifts. "I don't know if you were close to Ghostbur or not, but I figured that I should say sorry for him disappearing," Wilbur murmurs, looking down at his own feet, breathing out heavily, already feeling exhausted. He's barely even started talking, but he still feels like he's drowning already. It's been a decent amount of time since Wilbur's felt like he's drowning, he thinks to himself quietly. "I didn't really ask to come back, and I'm sorry that you have to see me like this," he laughs, gesturing up to his hair and to his outfit, matted with blood. There's a streak of white in his hair, and Wilbur can't help but smile a little, because it reminds him of the man in front of him, of his son. "There are a lot of things I want to say."
Fundy scoffs, crossing his arms tightly against his chest, jerking his head to the side. Tears prick at his eyes, and Wilbur can tell that he's struggling to not cry, to not break down. Wilbur understands that entirely. "I don't really give a shit," he whispers, voice hoarse and angry. "I don't fucking care, Wilbur. You're not my father anymore, you're not the man who you used to me, you're not my dad anymore. I don't want to have this conversation with you, I'm so sick and fucking tired of having to talk to people who tried to disown me when it was convenient for them!" Fundy shouts, whirling around on his feet, stomping forward, jabbing a finger at Wilbur's chest. "I'm so fucking sick and tired of you! It's always you, it's always..it's always you, and you're always here no matter what, and I don't want you to be, and I'm..I'm..I don't.."
"I know," Wilbur says, even though he doesn't. He takes a step forward and wraps his arms around his son, gently setting his head on top of the other man's. Fundy stiffens for a second, but immediately after Wilbur can hear a choked out sob, one that's so broken it hurts his own heart, making his head spin in the worst way possible. "It's okay," Wilbur murmurs, trying to keep his voice as soft and as gentle as he can, not wanting to accidentally startle his son. He loves his son, Wilbur loves Fundy, but he can so very easily remember times where he was convinced that he didn't. Those were recent in terms of the real world, rather than the afterlife. Maybe only a year from now, he thinks to himself. "I love you," he whispers, feeling his heart pound in his chest as he says the words out loud. They're true, of course they're true, but it's been so long since Wilbur's said them, to anyone, and it's terrifying. "I'm sorry for everything I did. I don't think there's enough time in the world for me to individually go over every single thing I did, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Fundy. I'm so sorry, my little champion."
Fundy breathes in sharply, his breath very apparently hitching in his throat. "Are you really?" He asks, his words sounding broken, syllables shattering. "Or are you just saying that 'cause that's what you know I want to hear?" He whispers, sounding terrified, as if Wilbur is going to say something that'll break him. Wilbur wishes that that thought didn't sting as much as it does, but he understands why Fundy would think that way - he would think the same way too if someone did the things Wilbur had done to him. "I'm so fucking..I'm so mad at you, and it's not fucking fair that you get to say I love you and think that it makes it better, 'cause it doesn't, and I'm so tired, and I don't..I don't want this to be my life anymore, d- dad. I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to do this. I'm so sick of being a fucking orphan, I'm so sick of..I'm so tired of being alone all the time. Are you actually going to stay? Are you actually sorry? Do you really love me? Or are you just fucking lying again?"
"Why would I lie?" Wilbur asks, tightening his grip around his son, moving forward when Fundy buckles, catching him easily, holding the other man against his chest. "I'm sorry," he whispers, feeling like he's drowning all over again. There are a million things that he wants to say, and a million of those things are going to go unspoken for the rest of time, and Wilbur's trying his best to make peace with that, but it's so difficult to do when his son is right here and all of those words he wants to speak are fighting to get out of his mouth all at once. "You mean the world to me, Fundy. You're my little champion, my son, my boy," he murmurs, smiling a little. "You're my boy. You're my son, of course I love you. Of course I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I did and everything I said, and I'm sorry for everyone else too, because they'll never say it, because they're still too proud to say it. They don't know that being proud is a downfall, rather than a strength. Fundy," Wilbur moves to the ground when Fundy's legs buckle again, holding his son close to his chest. "It's okay. Everything is going to turn out okay, I promise. I promise you, Fundy, everything is fine. It's going to be okay, and you know why? Because I'm here, now. I'm here, and I'm not going to go anywhere, and I'm going to make the world okay, just for you."
Wilbur listens as his son sobs gently against his chest, genuinely sounding broken beyond belief, and Wilbur just sits there with his son in his arms, listening to him cry. Fundy breathes out slowly, his sobs eventually coming to a stop. "I don't want to believe you," he admits softly, his voice strained, "but I do. I do believe you, and I always have fucking believed you, so if you do anything, Will, if you do anything to fuck me over again, I'm gonna be the one who kills you, I swear to god. I can't do this all over again, W- dad. I can't do this all over again, and I'm not going to. If you fuck this up again, I'm not doing it again. Fuck you, fuck you for making..fuck you for making this better, I don't..I shouldn't forgive you, I shouldn't- I shouldn't.."
"I know," Wilbur murmurs. "I know."
The both of them fall silent, and Wilbur simply sits there in the dirt, holding his son tightly against his chest. They rock back and forth a little, and Wilbur is taken back to a much easier time, a much simpler time, back when Fundy was only a child, back when his son was just born. Back when Sally was still alive, back when everything was okay, back when things were so much easier. Back when he was a good person. Wilbur murmurs gentle reassurances into Fundy's ears and hopes that they do what they're meant to do, he promises things that he isn't sure he can promise, but he does it anyways because all he needs to do know is make sure that Fundy knows he's loved. Even though Wilbur is shit with emotions, he's terrible at recognising cues when it comes to his son, and being entirely alone for thirteen years hasn't made it any easier, he still knows the basics and he knows how to make things better. He's always been good with words in a way that no one else could hope to be, and now he's using his silver tongue to ignite hope and safety rather than other bitter emotions.
"I love you, dad," Fundy whispers suddenly, and it feels like Wilbur's been struck in the chest. He can't breathe for a second, and he thinks that it might be out of fear or hurt or something like that, but he realises a minute later that it's not because of either of those things. No, he can't breathe because he's so unbelievably happy to the point in which his entire body and mind have decided collectively to just shut down, because it's been so incredibly long since Wilbur has heard those words, it's been so long since he's heard them from anyone, but his son is not just anyone, he's his fucking son, and Wilbur doesn't know how to react. "I didn't expect you to say it back, but I just-"
"I love you too," Wilbur whispers, tightening his grip around his son, around his little champion, around the boy that means the entire goddamn world to him. "I love you too, Fundy. More than anything, and I always will, I always have. That man that I used to be before all of this, I'm going to try and be him again, and I'm so sorry that I ever strayed from that path, I'm so sorry Fundy, I'm so sorry," he whispers, holding Fundy closely, terrified that if he's to let go, he'll never get to have this conversation with his son ever again. He's scared that if he lets go, he might never see Fundy again. "You don't have to forgive me, and I don't expect you to and I never will, but I love you so much, and I'm so sorry," he murmurs, closing his eyes tightly, breathing out slowly. "I'm sorry for everything that I've done. I'm going to be better. I'm going to make it all better, I promise."
Fundy sniffles, pulling away from him. Wilbur lets him, even though it makes his heart pound furiously in his chest, terror gripping him, a constant nagging of what if he just leaves ringing in his ears and mind. "Okay," Fundy smiles, standing up. He offers Wilbur a hand, and Wilbur takes it, pulling himself up to his feet once again. "Okay, dad. Okay. Let's..I'll show you around, okay? A lot has changed since you left," Fundy smiles a little, his ears no longer pressed flatly against his head - they're perked up, flicking back and forth every now and then when there's a new sound. He's not upset, he's not..he's smiling. Wilbur's little champion is smiling. "I, um..thanks. For not being a bitch," Fundy laughs, ducking his head, reaching up to rub the back of his neck with his hand. "I didn't expect you to try and do anything, and I'm, uh, I'm glad you did. Just..don't fuck this up, okay? I'm serious about not giving out another chance."
Wilbur beams at his son, reaching out to ruffle his hair. Fundy snorts, dancing back on his feet, and Wilbur can't help but laugh, grinning so hard that the sides of his face hurt. "Okay. I love you, my little champion. I'll make sure that things are different this time around. Let's go take on the world, yeah?"
Fundy laughs, nudging Wilbur with his shoulder. "Okay, pops. Let's."
"Don't fucking call me that, you little shit. I swear to god-" Fundy throws his head back and starts to laugh so hard that he doubles over, and that means the entire world to Wilbur, it makes his heart soar to hear his son giggle and burst out laughing so hard like that.
Wilbur grins right along with his son, and he thinks that things are finally getting better. And this time, Wilbur knows that no matter what he does or what happens, he isn't going to betray Fundy's trust. He's never going to do that again.
He's sure of it.