Raising Anti

19

"Daddy?" Anti mumbled under his breath as he curled up in those unfamiliar red and yellow blankets. He coughed as he gripped the sheets loosely with a frown. "Dad?" Anti slowly started to push himself up only to feel someone push him back down. "Chase?"

"I'm here. It's ok." Anti smiled as he looked up to see Chase smiling down at him. "How are you feeling?"

"Icky." Chase's eyes flashed as Anti coughed a bit more. "But... But not as icky as last night."

"That's good. It's been a good while though, I could get you some more meds. How's your head?" Anti grimaced as he made grabby hands out to the man. "Sam..."

"I'm cold. Cuddle me... please?" Chase's expression softened as he laughed lightly. "Please... Dad."

"How about we do one better? Come on, Kid." Anti latched on to the older as Chase carried him off into the bathroom. Anti cough loudly as Chase started the bath.

"C-Cold..."

"I know, bud. It gonna be because of fever but... a bath should help." Anti frowned as he pulled the towel down and wrapped it around him like a blanket. 

"But... Jack usually gives me my bath." Chase nodded as he felt the water to make sure it was warm enough.

"Today, I'm going to help you, ok?" Anti just nodded as he watched Chase methodically check things. He felt the water gain before walking off with a slight smile. Anti just sat there kicking his feet waiting for Chase to come back. He did, obviously, holding a new outfit and a few bath toys. Anti's eyes lit up as Chase lined them all up like bath time soldiers. "All set. Do you need help with your clothes or..."

"I can do it." Chase just smiled as he turned to fetch the soap he had gotten when they all went to the mall. He could hear the quiet and muffled sounds of struggles as he grabbed a clean loofa from the bottom sink drawer. The moment he turned around though he was met with  very shocking sight... Shocking... yeah that was a pun. "Dad? You ok?"

"Are you?" Chase frowned as he carefully got to him knees setting the stuff on the tub never taking his eyes off of the boy. Anti stood there in nothing but a small pair of briefs. Dull near green-like veins branched down the kid's body like arches of electric currents. Chase frowned as his fingers brushed one area of pretty dark one by the right shoulder. "How did this..."

"Things get too much... even for me." Anti mumbled softly as he shivered from the cold. Chase just sighed as he nodded as he gestured to the tub. 

"Do you need me to watch you or?" Anti just smiled as he carefully got in and melted into the water. He let out a content sigh as he reached out for some toys with a sparkle in his eyes. "Ok then, I'll be right outside though ok... and I'll be checking in on you to make sure you're ok."

"Ok, Dad." Chase smiled as he slowly let the bathroom only to crash against the wall and let out a shaky breath.

"You ok, man?" Chase looked up to see Jackie standing there and he smiled thinly. "You look exhausted."

"I'm good, just worried. Plus... It just hits me... every time he calls me dad, you know?" Jackie nodded as he sat on the floor beside the dad with a smile. "I'm sorry."

"About?" Chase frowned more as he slid down till he was right beside him with a nearly defeated look in his eyes. 

"Kicking you. I shouldn't have done that. I talk shit about Anti attacking you all but... I'm one good stress trigger away from doing the same." Jackie frowned as Chase ran his hands down his face. "I'm sorry. I was just stressed over Sam and then he was screaming and you guys weren't making any sense. Plus... He called me dad. It was like this push. This kid saw me as his father and he was in pain and afraid. I just HAD to help him, you know?"

"I am the superhero of the family." Chase laughed softly as he nodded. "You're the father. I know Henrik has kids but... Chase you aren't just the 'sharpshooter' of the group. You are the 'Father'. That's just as much a part of you as being a 'Hero' is to me. Jack knew what was going to happen when you got involved. He knew you would get attached."

"Is it wrong?" Chase just stared off in some random direction as he voiced his thoughts out loud for the first time. "To care so much for a child that isn't mine... to think of him as my own... to care for him..." Jackie's eyes darkened as Chase's hands shook slightly. "Jackie, is it wrong you see him as my son?"

"Of course not, Chase. The only problem there is with that..." Jackie frowned as he looked away. "Is that you don't know everything about him."

"Like the fact that Sam isn't his real name?" Jackie's eyes went wide as Chase chuckled a bit. "He told me. The very first day... he told me. Plus the fact that he knows Dark and the way he talks about certain things, his scarring. Look Jackie I know there's something more going on but... I just..."

"We are trying everything in our power to help him, Chase." Chase nodded as he slowly fell into a numb silence. "We are trying to help him."

"Right now, I just want him to get better." Chase slowly picked himself up, fixing his hat as he sighed softly. "One of these days, you're all gonna have to sit me down and tell me EVERYTHING." Jackie paled seeing his 'warning' look as Chase straightened himself out. "If I don't have the info then I can't help. What if he has another episode, Jackie? I DO NOT want you guys putting him in that bubble thing or locking me out. I need to help."

"Chase, I get that. I do but..."

"He chose me, Jackie." Jackie clammed up as Chase's eyes filled with parental determination and tears. "He chose me to be a father to him. He called me dad. I don't want to let him down."

"Daddy?" Chase's attention snapped back to the bathroom with a smile as he shook his head. "Dad?"

"I'm right here, Sam." Chase shot Jackie one last look before sighing. "I mean it, Jackie. I won't let anything stop me from helping him." Chase just laughed as he walked in to find the place covered in soap suds. "What did you do?"

"Admiral Duckington said we had to save the soldiers under the Evil Doctor Doggo's mind control." Anti smiled as Chase sat on the toilet with this amused look.

"Oh, And how did you and Admiral Duckington do it?" Anti's smile widened as he held up the bottle of soap with a giggle.

"Brainwashing!"