Whatever It Takes {MxM} *COMPLETE*

{22} - Too Much

The older man's eyes rose to seek Andre's but he was still staring up at the ceiling. "He was only fifteen. A year younger than I was when I had been just as stupid."

"Your family is fucked up, dude." Andre said straightening and giving him a pointed stare. "You're not pleading your case as good as you think you are."

"Yes, you're quite correct." Nathaniel said lowly, averting his eyes in shame. "But I'm being truthful if that helps at all."

The man was really starting to get under his skin. Not in a bad way but more in a way that made him feel confused, vulnerable. He was making him feel like he needed to apologize to the man for some reason and he hadn't even done anything to him.

Hardening his mind as well as his heart and gaze, he glared the man down. "As I said before," he lowered his voice to a quiet growl. "It's not important to me whether or not you're in my life. I can certainly do without you. I am no longer a child who needs his daddy. Your position as such is null and void. Get over yourself."

Brookoff nearly gasped at the cold indifference emanating from the young man on the bed. He was so abrupt and was clearly dismissing him in more ways than one but he knew that if he gave up now, it would cement the fact that he didn't really care into Andre's mind, ruining his chances of creating even a smidgeon of trust.

But he did care and that's what he intended to bring across no matter how much his son fought it. Stubborn little shit.

"You don't even really know me and you're already pushing me away?" he asked incredulously, his hands thrown up as if in defeat. "I am trying here, Andre. Why can't you just give me a chance? I know you are way past the stage of needing a father figure in your life. I know that. I get that. But you're not past the stage where you could use at least one more person in your life besides Rafe who gives a damn about you."

He couldn't be too sure, but as the Patriarch looked on and spoke with conviction, he could swear to see the decidedly pronounced slump of his son's shoulders and the glistening of his eyes before he looked away and his eyes fell to his lap where he had folded his hands together.

Was he getting through to him, making progress?

"Give me a chance to be your father, son." he whispered, rising to his feet to approach the bed and place his uninjured hand over Andre's folded ones. "I won't ever let you down like I let Daniel and Bradley down and I would never treat you as though you weren't important to me because you are. I missed so much and I think that is unfair. For both of us. I want to know all about you and I want you to know all about me. Please...just..."

He was breaking. He could feel something chipping away inside of him, violating and breaking down his carefully erected, protective wall. This he could not take. Everything was happening much too fast for his liking. He needed some space. He couldn't think with him being so close, speaking with such a look of sorrow in his eyes.

He'd had no choice but to look away. It was just too much.

Panic was swelling within him the more he felt the heat of the man's hand over his own. Abruptly, he slid his hands out from under the soft hold and tucked them under his thighs. "I-I need some time to think." he stuttered out the whisper. "A...a little time to myself and I..."

Just then the door flew open on its hinges and a sobbing Wanda came running through, making her way to the bed, startling Andre and giving him no warning before she threw herself over the bed and nearly flattened him right into the mattress as she proceeded to suffocate him in a near death grip with her giant badungas pressed to his face.