The Boy [mxb]

15

Later, I drive over to Ken's to pick up my boy, rain sloshing on the windshield. I look around for any illegal parking as I drive because I'm in the mood to ticket the shit out of someone. My logic is: Ciel obviously likes my friends better than me, so that guy over there is getting a parking ticket. Makes sense.

"Man, that insurance premium must suck every morning you wake up," Ken laughs when he sees me.

"Shut up, Kenneth." I slam the door and stride up the doorsteps.

It's a Ferrari 488 GTB with HRE P204 wheels. I invest in nice cars, so what.

"Don't worry," Ken tries to smooth over with enthusiasm that sounds a little too forced for my comfort. "We've been taking good care of your little son..."

I quickly discover that they're all there, the fuckers, and apparently having a good time without me. "...except for a teeny, tiny mishap," Ken cringes. I get a look at what's on the TV screen in front of Ciel and I wish the floor beneath me would just fall through the earth. 

"You showed him what?!"

"I didn't deliberately show him anything," Ken argues, defending himself. "The movie had a sex scene I didn't know about. What was I supposed to do?"

I never should have let him inside this squalid household of men. "Oh and FYI? He asked me if they make any of those movies with characters who look like you. So you're welcome, Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes."

When Ciel and I make eye contact, he doesn't say anything and neither do I. He just crawls into my arms and curls up against me, his head tucked beneath mine.

"You're a big, tough-looking dude," Jackson says quietly. "Don't scare him anymore."

"I don't scare him. I adore him."

I kiss the top of Ciel's head over and over again. "You know that, right, Ciel?" He nods without looking up. "Would I ever hit you?" He hesitates before shaking his head. Crap, he hesitated. Why?

I run my hand through my beard. "I would never lay a hand on you or hurt you in any way. I try not to even raise my voice at you."

Ciel lifts his arms up and gives a little hop so I can pick him up and nuzzle him.

"Seriously, man. You're a big, scary-ass motherfucker on the job, but you don't know anything about...this," Reagan says, gesturing at Ciel.

And, he's not wrong.

•••

I normally only give Ciel one spoonful of Nutella a night, max. Tonight, however, his puppy dog eyes compel me beyond my abilities to resist, and I feel like I owe him in a way...

"No."

"But, Daddy-"

"Don't but Daddy me, Ciel..."