Family of two

Shopping

Much to her astonishment the little guy shied away from her, seeking comfort from Eric. Blue eyes looked at her anxiously under a mop of short fair hair. Mia was about to get up, not wanting to terrify the child, when she noticed Eric giving him a little reassuring squeeze with his hand and just like that the boy answered, albeit in a low voice:

"Teddy."

"Hi Teddy. I'm Mia."

Feeling much more comfortable with the situation she smiled at the pair: "So what do you need?"

But when Eric listed all the clothes he wanted she was dumbfounded, he couldn't buy more if Teddy just had the clothes he wore. Then again, it was obvious that none of the things he currently wore were fitting. She must have looked at him funny because the young leader rudely said:

"You going to stand there or are you showing me where I can find what I came here for?"

Asshole. Just when she thought there might be more to him.

Nevertheless all she said was: "Follow me." Gesturing for him to follow her to the children's compartment.

She could tell, that Eric wasn't happy about what the store had to offer. He looked downright taken aback by the choice of clothes. Mia felt herself getting angry only then he asked with an uneasy voice:

"Are there by chance any shirts that aren't black? Maybe red?"

Mia brightened up again. Being an Amity-transfer she had a hard time with the lack of colors in Dauntless. Beaming at him she plunged into the shirts coming up with shirts in red, orange and dark purple.

Eric looked more contend now and, was that relieve she saw in his eyes?

"Okay Teddy, which do you like most?" Oh, he let him choose. That was sooo nice. Most fathers hadn't the patience. Okay, most fathers didn't even bother to take their children shopping. And Eric wasn't the father or was he? Nah, Mia was fairly sure everybody would know if Eric had a child. Whose child was he? Why was Eric babysitting him or more so, why had someone assigned him to go shopping with Teddy?

Teddy looked at Eric with wide exited eyes.

"I choose?"

"You choose."

Teddy beamed and then looked at the shirts in concentration, wrinkling his forehead.

Mia contemplated if she should tell Eric that Teddy would be over challenged but decided against it. It probably wouldn't do her much good and she doubted Teddy would be really suffering from her selfishness.

Eric's POV

So far everything had been good but now Teddy had already stared at the shirts for some time. It couldn't be that hard, now could it? Frowning he looked at Teddy and was alarmed by the terror shown on Teddy's face. A moment ago he had been happy to be allowed to choose and now he looked close to tears? What the fuck?

"Teddy?"

"'M sorry."

"What for?" Eric was at loss.

"I wanted to make it right."

"And?" He still couldn't understand what he was so worked up about.

"I don't know how." Teddy looked at him miserable.

'Oh.' He hadn't thought choosing would be an issue. He tried to reassure Teddy:

"Then you'll learn. Don't be sorry okay?"

Teddy nodded his head still looking slightly miserable, when Mia addressed him: "Just give him a choice between two things. It's the way to do it with children his age."