Childs Play

Halfway to purgatory

The smell of coffee wafted through the crack under the door as I rolled over, groaning into the pillows. The smell of aged sweat and dandruff wafted into my nose and I gagged, over dramatic and loud, before getting up and sliding out of the bed.

" 'Morning sunshine. You like to sleep." Gerard called from the living room. I rolled my eyes and raped the coffee maker, allowing the bitter drink to soil my tongue.

"Eh, whatever. Just don't fire me okay?" I mumbled, staring at the art work on the fridge.

"Wouldn't think of it," He laughed, shoving me out of the way. I scowled and stepped aside, taking in my new boss.

He had fair skin, stained yellow at the finger tips by what I assumed was cigarettes. Paint was stuck under his nails and a few bits were clumped in his shoulder length raven hair. He looked back at me with golden hazel eyes.

"So um, creamer?" He asked, holding up the carton. I nodded and handed him my mug, where he poured a considerable amount in.

"You just drowned my coffee in creamer." I murmured, swishing it around.

"Psh, whatever." He snorted and put the creamer back, "Now get to work! I want a clean house by the time i'm done with this painting!" He wagged his finger jokingly and walked away, leaving me giggling behind him.

He walked up the staircase in the back, where he had shown me his 'studio' the night before. I smiled and took a sip as a yawning Kellen walked into the kitchen. He looked at me and bared his teeth, pointing into his mouth.

"I Hungary!" He whined, pulling at the superman pajamas. I sighed and thought back to when I was fourteen, babysitting the toddlers down the street.

"You're hungry? Well, do you want oatmeal?" I asked, picking him up. He shook his head and I thought some more, " What about pancakes?" He grinned and stuck his tongue out happily.

Twenty minutes and one smokey kitchen later we had a nice stack of slightly over-browned pancakes. Kellen didn't seem to mind, in fact the four year old smothered them in chocolate syrup and shoved them in his mouth. He grinned a brown toothed smiled and went back to eating as I began to pick up the living room.

"Vladimir, do you have a toy box? I asked, putting the last of his action figures in a pile. My knees hurt and I desperately needed a second cup of coffee. He shook his head and I sat back on my heels, blowing a curl out of my face, "Well, do you want to go to the story when daddy finishes in his studio?"

V's face lit up with so much enthusiasm It looked about to split. He nodded furiously and began to chew faster, finishing his pancakes.

"Do I get new toys?" He asked, bouncing up and down.

"Only if you help me clean!" I tossed a pillow at him playfully he ran into his room and put it on his bed before coming back and carrying his toys to his closet.

Vladimir and I scrubbed, vacuumed, and danced along to Tim Burton movies for the next two hours before collapsing onto the couch. The apartment was spotless and we were both tired. He climbed up into my lap and stared at the T.V as Jack Skelington and Oogie Boogie battled it out.His eye lashes fluttered closed and soft snore began to escape his mouth. I followed soon after, slipping into a worn out nap with Vladimir held securely in my lap as the credits rolled on the screen.

The black abyss of my dreams was interrupted by a pair of long pale arms wrapping themselves around my body, pulling me up off the couch. Vladimir's weight was gone from my lap as I was being carried across the room. My eyes fluttered open, the gritty bits making them hurt as I opened them.

"Gerard?" I asked, yawning as he stopped suddenly, looking down at me.

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry." He said, biting his lip. I shook my head and stretched, tumbling out of his arms onto the floor.

"I promised Vlad we would get him a toy box and a hulk action figure for helping me clean the house." I said, rubbing my eyes. Not bothering to sit up I stared at my employer as he nodded and called out the child in question.

"V! Get your coat, we're going to the store!" He called. I heard Vladimir stumble out of his room with a large winter coat.

"Arsenic!!! You're up!" He ran over and hugged me as I helped him pull his arms through the sleeves. Gerard helped me up as I grabbed my own leather jacket and we walked out the door.

"Gerard, I need to stop by my brothers to get my stuff." I said as we climbed down the stairs (Vlad and I shared the mutual fear of elevators) he nodded and held the large metal door open for us. We stepped out into the fading sunlight as Vladimir ran towards a large grey van.

"We can stop by after we get the toy box." Gerard said, buckling his son into the back seat.

Five minutes later we were pulling out of the small apartment parking lot and onto the highway, heading to the nearest Toys R Us. The ride was comfortably silent as we pulled into the mall parking lot, Iron Maiden playing softly from the stereo.

"Daddy?" Vladimir asked, setting his toy Death Star down.

"Yes V?" Gerard answered, hunting for an empty parking space.

"Is Ms. Arsenic my new mommy?" His voice was innocent and curious as Gerard slammed on the brakes, blush creeping up both his cheeks and my own.

"No Kellen, Arsenic is not your new mommy." He answered.

"So she's not married to you daddy?" He asked.

Gerard's eyes got wide and I swallowed a laugh. He was speechless as I turned around and looked at Vladimir.

"No Vladimir, I am not Married to daddy." I answered him, giggling a little. Gerard looked stricken as we finally found the empty parking spot we needed.