The Daddy Project

Christmas Shopping... Daddy Issues.

     Fyodor was doing his math homework like the good little boy he was. Vlad found it adorable as he counted with his hands to add or subtract the numbers. If only his dad were the one who watched over him like this, he would have had the urge to call him.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" The kid looked up from his work.

Vlad blushed lightly for being caught then smiled and said, "No reason. I like watching you work."

"But you look sad?" His brows knitted up in worry and he licked his lips before continuing, "Did other daddy do something and hurt you?"

Vlad cocked his head at the kid, surprised he could come to such a statement. "No. I was zinking of something. Why would you zink daddy will hurt me?"

Fyodor looked away to his book and sighed softly. "Mrs. Freya thinks the both of you fight a lot but I don't believe her. You love daddy a lot."

Now that confused Vlad. Who was Freya and why was she talking about his fake relationship? What exactly did she know? Now that this was brought to him, it was fine to say the people in the town were weird.

     He had gone out on a coffee break to the Tim Horton beside the hospital and he had hated the way everyone had stared at him. Well, not stare but the short weird glances were enough for Vladimir to know something was up.

Even if a couple of the guys talked to him like he had been their friend since the crib, there were still some that looked at him like he was some new kid. And that was when he noticed the flaw in The Gay Project's plan.

Not everyone was informed about them. Maybe the people he talked to but not everyone in the town.

     The part that baffled Vlad was the fact that they got this little kid before him to act like he was his dad. And the way he called him 'dad' so movingly reminded him of himself when his dad used to come for the Christmas holiday and stay a couple days.

     Vlad had cherished those days. It had been wonderful because his dad would bring him lots of presents and tell him stories of the places he had travelled to throughout the year. Vlad had looked up to Christmas because of those stories.

"You're sad again?" Fyodor spoke up, bringing Vlad out of his thoughts.

He shook his head and smiled even though it didn't reach his eyes. "No darling. I am good."

"No. You're sad." He said as he jumped down from his seat and walked over to him, his little feet beating the floor so lightly. When he got to him, the kid smiled up at him and said, "Tell me what is making you sad. I will listen."

Vlad's heart throbbed from how cute he was just walking over to him like that and saying such words. Fuck what he said about not wanting a family. He bloody wanted this kid.

"Aww. I remembered what my dad used to do to me."

"What did he do?"

"He did not live with me much but when he came, he told me many stories of when he went to different places. Zat is why I like Christmas very much."

"That means you miss your daddy then?"

Vlad nodded weakly and chuckled when the kid climbed up on his laps with his help then said, "It's fine. You are just feeling lonely. Hug me. You'll feel better."

Smiling, Vlad couldn't find any reason to say no. He pulled the kid closer and held him tightly against him but not tight enough to choke him.

"Do you feel better?"

"Better." He muttered quietly, inhaling the kid's boyish scent. Lord, he was adorable.

Vlad didn't know how long they stayed like that, but he had a feeling he would have stayed longer if Gala hadn't startled them. Pulling away, they stared at the girl who rose an amused brow at them.