"you and my dad would come here sometimes?"
"yeah, we did. he always got chocolate ice cream with rainbow sprinkles. just like you." luke said, and carson smiled.
"my dad looks at pictures of you a lot." carson said, and luke furrowed his eyebrows.
"what?" luke laughed.
"i was gonna get on his phone to play a game, and when i opened it, a picture of you was there. he has a lot of pictures of you, and me, and you and me together, and you and mama c, and all three of us. it's kinda like you're in our family pictures now." carson said, making luke's heart beat a little more.
"i have a lot of pictures of you guys too." luke said, and carson looked up.
"you have pictures of me too?" he asked, and luke smiled, pulling out his phone.
"look..." he said, and carson smiled as he looked through pictures of himself and michael.
"you love me too?" carson asked, and luke smiled.
"of course i love you."
carson handed his phone back, and luke slid it in his pocket.
"hey dad? i think-"
carson stopped talking as soon as he realized what he said.
luke didn't know what to say. michael was having trouble trusting luke to even be alone with carson, and now carson was calling luke dad, and luke felt like he didn't even deserve to be called that on accident.
"i-i'm s-sorry." carson stuttered before standing up, and running out of the cafe.
"carson!" luke shouted, standing up, and pushing the door open.
the door handle caught on luke's jacket, pulling him back, and ripping his jacket.
luke cursed as he tried getting unstuck, glancing up to see carson running further and further away.
it was 9 p.m. and carson did not need to be alone outside at night.
luke hurriedly took off his caught jacket, leaving it hanging on the door before he ran after the young boy.
he couldn't see him as his breathing became heavier. he was almost in a panic but he knew he had to find carson.
"carson!" luke yelled, catching the attention of a couple strangers who didn't bother to stop and see if he needed help.
tears filled luke's eyes as he looked around, finally seeing carson on the other side of the street, talking to a really tall man.
luke made sure no cars were coming before he ran over to carson.
"baby, you can't run off like that-"
"hey, back up. this is my son." the man said, and his voice was deep.
"you idiot, he's with me." luke said, and the man grabbed carson's arm harsher than he should have.
"luke..." carson whimpered as the man pushed him behind him.
"you need to leave right now. leave him alone." luke said, feeling anger build up.
the man turned around, and held carson's arm, starting to quickly lead him away.
luke angrily ran, and tackled the man to the ground. he turned him over, and started hitting him as carson stood back a little.
"don't you ever fucking touch him!"
the man pushed luke off, and got a couple of good hits in too before a couple of strangers pulled them off of each other.
luke spit at the man before turning around, and picking up carson.
"luke, i'm-"
"shh. don't say anything. let just get you home. it's okay." luke said, rubbing the little boy's back.
carson cried a little on luke's shoulder, and luke just held him tight.
"luke?" carson whispered.
"yeah?" luke asked.
"am i allowed to go to sleep? i just- i just want to go to sleep so i don't have to be scared anymore." he whispered.
"yeah, sweetheart. go to sleep. i've got you, okay? you're safe." luke said softly, and turned in the direction towards michael's apartment.
"i'd never let anyone hurt you."
