He'd sensed his father's presence in the apartment, of course, before he noticed he was at the doorway. Laharl wasn't sure what to do, so had closed his eyes, pretending to sleep, wondering what his father was going to do.

Long silence stretched on and finally the boy dared to crack open his eyes, in time to see his father resting against the door frame then begun to turn away.

"Old man?"

It had fallen from his mouth before he'd really even thought about it. He kicked himself now for it, but it was a bit too late.