Learning | Jacob Frye x Reader |

Fathers and Lack of Mothers

"You mentioned your mother before. Does she not approve of your lifestyle?" Jacob asks. I sigh and look away.

"Sorry, sorry. You don't need to answer that. I shouldn't have asked," he quickly adds. I shake my head and respond.

"No, it's fine. It's not like what I do is particularly normal." I take a deep breath and continue. "She always didn't approve me me joining the Creed or just me in general. As for my lifestyle, I'd venture that most mothers wouldn't want their daughters doing what I do, because of the obvious occupational hazard," I say, still not able to look at him in the eye. I reflect on my time as a underage rebel, well, in my mother's eyes anyway.

"Didn't approve?"

"My mistake. 'Doesn't approve' is what I meant to say," I say, looking over the ever-gloomed city.

"So, she basically just wants you married off?" he says. I grunt and turn my attention back to the questioning man next to me.

"Yes, basically. She even had me engaged to someone at one point, without me knowing. That's what finally pushed me to leave home and come here. I could have very well worked in the American Brotherhood but I needed the distance. Substantial distance," I say, reminiscing on the memory. I put my hands on the worn bricks of the distinctive walls of the building and run my fingers over the rigid edges.

"What? Engaged without knowing?" he says, in utter confusion. The joys of being a male. He leans against the wall and puts his weight on his hands.

"You can understand my frustrations then? Arranged marriages are common, but the fact is usually known to both parties," I laugh to lighten the mood. He smiles and lets out a cloud of smoke.

"Yes, I can't say I've been in that situation, but I imagine that it would be infuriating, so say the least," he says, finishing his cigar and throwing away the butt. I do the same and exhale.

"It's behind me now. I won't be man handled down the aisle. Or mother handled," I say, letting a smirk form on my face.

"Well I assure you, that your mother was wrong. About you not being good enough as is," he says, giving me a little shock of surprise through me.

"Thank you, Jacob."

"You are welcome," he says, shifting his hands onto mine.

"STOP IT, SOMEONE HELP." A young voice emanated the screaming. I spot an older man and a small girl no older than ten. I descend the building and make my way towards them. I hear Jacob's footsteps behind me. As we grow closer to the screams, I see that the man is hitting the younger girl ruthlessly. I quickly intervene between the man and the young girl. I pin him down and keep him a distance from the small girl.

"What are you doing to her?!" I question him. I wedge myself between the man and the young girl, blocking her from any more attacks and pushing her in Jacob's direction.

"She deserved it! She stole from me! Me own daughter!" he yells. I punch him in the jaw to put some distance between him and I.

"All the more reason why you shouldn't even be in eyesight of her!" I harshly say. The poor girl, who knows how long she's had to endure this for.

"Take her! If you think she's so innocent, take her!" he says, throwing his hands up in defeat. What a disgusting man.

"We will! Get lost before you get a real thrashing," Jacob yells at him. The man grabs a beer bottle from the ground and runs. I turn my attention back to the little girl, who was now crying her eyes out. Her face looked sunken in and she was skinny. Dangerously skinny. She had dirty blonde hair and was wearing an old cotton dress with old stitching that was ready to fall apart. She wore a single silver bracelet that had seen better days but was silver all the same. I take her small, delicate hand gently, not to scare her and look into her eyes.

"What's your name?" I ask smiling, in a soft tone. I need her to trust me. She sniffles and looks at me.

"Charlotte," she sniffles softly. Jacob pulls out a hanky chief from his jacket and wipes the girls tears from her milky skin.

"I only stole money from him because I haven't eaten anything in days, and I was starving. I swear it miss," she says as if assuming punishment was imminent.

"Hey, it's okay. We're not going to hurt you," I say, urging a level of security.

"My name is (Y/N) and this is Jacob," she starts to smile.

"You are very pretty miss," she says. I smile and pat her back.

"Thank you, Charlotte. You can call me (Y/N)," I take out a small box of strawberry lollies and give light pink box to her.

"Here. You can have the whole box," she hesitantly takes it into her small hands.

"I can't."

"Sure, you can," I close her open palm around the box. She giggles and I smile at her girly voice. I decide to ask her a question, one that I'm not sure she'll be able to answer.

"Charlotte, do you have anyone else that could look after you?" she shook her head.

"No miss. My mama has passed," she says at peace with the subject. I stroke her surprisingly soft hair in reassurance, I glance back at Jacob who was just as sad as I was.

"Okay," I pause.

"Everything will be alright," I hug her tightly, feeling her pain. I then feel Jacob's arms around both of us.

"Charlotte, my mother also went to heaven a long time ago. I'm sure they are both smiling down at us," he says in a sad yet comforting voice. I've been so selfish, talking about my bitch of a mother, while he doesn't even have one anymore. Charlotte starts to talk to Jacob.

"Are you a prince?"