Louder Than Lions [zarry stalik au]

Chapter 11 - I Love You And Thats All I Really Know

Richard helped Charlie dress in something rather dashing, fixing his messy hair and wiping the drool from around his lips. Not that Charlie could help that, the lad paid no mind as when to swallow his spit, or let it trickle down his chin.

They then snuck through the front door and down the sidewalk, Richards arm around Charlie's waist instead of his hand. It would be the second time they snuck out tonight, not that Charlie minded that. Being with Richard was like a drug. The boy couldn't get enough of it.

"Hop in." Richard told him, opening the door to his Camaro parked a block away and strapping the fourteen year old in.

He then raced to his own side and got in the car, starting it quietly and pulling away from the curb and away from the Tomlinsons house before he really put the pedal to the mettle, holding onto Charlie's hand and rubbing soothing circles, comforting the nervous young lad.

Charlie had never disobeyed his dadda so much and it made him feel almost giddy, like he was suddenly cool. Although, he always would be in Richard eyes.

Richard drove for some time, going down surprisingly crowded streets till they stopped on a busy strip, a small cafe looking place before them. Charlie had never been there before and it was pretty and colorful, filled with shiny things the caught his eyes, yet, he still held onto Richards hand as they walked in, not straying from him, only hiding behind his shoulder, much like his daddy would do around new people.

"Charlie, what kind of ice cream do you want?" Richard asked, brushing the hair out of the blondes face. "Stawbewey please." He giggled, glancing around at all the different ice creams behind the glass. There were many colors and flavors and Charlie wasn't sure if he wanted just strawberry anymore because boy, did these look delicious.

There was a green on and an orange on, even a blue! And Charlie sure did love blue. But then again, Strawberry had always been his favorite. He like the little fruits in it and the sweet flavor.

Richard ordered there ice creams, Charlie's with sprinkles and a cherry while Richards was a good old soft turned Chocolate, which he just so happened to love.

They sat down at one of the small tables, being some of the only people in that and started eating there ice cream.

Charlie had a dribble of strawberry leaking down his face and Richard wiped it away with a napkin, still smiling lovingly at the boy who only giggled, sucking the ice cream out of his cone before biting into the waffle cone.

"Charlie hun, slow down. Your don't have to eat so fast." Richard laughed, licking his ice cream once more, wiping the corner of his mouth and licking his finger. Charlie only smiled at him, continuing to eat his cone.

Richard himself didn't feel like finishing his ice cream, so he handed it to the young lad who devoured it. It reminded Richard of the time at the Family reunion, which he still remembered clearly.

Charlie's face was covered in Strawberry ice cream and he smiled a toothless grin at his older cousin who was in the same predicament, his arms protectively wrapped around the blonde. Charlie was so little and innocent back then. Not that he wasn't now, but back then...They were both just little boys, who had nothing but each other and didn't have to worry about a thing in the world, but now...Richard knew the sad truth about the world, and he knew he had to protect that same little boy from it.

Because, when Charlie stared into his eyes with mothering but happiness, Richard knew he had to keep that toothless smile, messy hair and dirty face because that meant Charlie was Happy...and that's all he ever wanted for him.

Richard smiled at the memory and wiped Charlie's face again once he was finished, pressing a sweet kiss to his cheek and taking his hand once more, leading him out of the shop and down the sidewalk for some ways, their hands swinging.

"Richard look!" Charlie pointed to a sparkling jewelry store in which his eyes wondered two aimlessly.

Richard smiled. He knew he still had a reasonably large amount of money in his pocket, so he lead Charlie into the high class store, letting him look around and point and his favorite things, giggling at how pretty they were.

But Richard had other intentions as he spun the jewelry case round and round, till his eyes landed on a silver necklace, a superman 'S' on the front, hanging from a dainty Chain.

Charlie's attention was turned elsewhere as Richard called the employee over, asking to see said necklace.

The man-rather feminine Richard might add-explained that it was Sterling silver and costing nearly two hundred pounds, which Richard more than willingly gave up, the employee collecting the money and placing the beautiful necklace in a velvet box which he handed over to Richard who denied the bag and pulled Charlie's attention back to him.

"C'mon baby, it's getting late. Better get you home." He told the young boy, taking his hand.

"I don't wunna go home yet. Can we go look at the stars again Richard?" Charlie pouted and of course, Richard couldn't say no to that face, so he took Charlie to his car, where they jumped in and took the long drive to the same place they had spent nearly an Hour at before, but this time, Richard put the top down on his Camaro and laid Charlie down on the white leather, lying beside him and just holding him in his strong arms, breathing gently into Charlie's soft hair till they both, by mistake, fell asleep.

When Richard woke, it was nearly morning. The sun was only just peaking over the city and Richard scrambled from beneath the sleeping boy, who grumbled and grabbed for him again. "Charlie no, I need to get you home." Charlie said worriedly, jumping in the front and not even bothering to put the top off before he was pulling out, Charlie finally buckling himself into his heat, smiling sleepily, happily at the lad next to him who was more than frantic to get Charlie back before Zayn woke.

Which was surly just a dream as he pulled in front of the house quietly, a light shining from the kitchen he wasn't sure had been there when they left, but never the less, he got out of the car, walked around and let Charlie out, holding onto his hand as he stepped onto the curb.

"You should go in Charlie, I'm probably going to get into trouble." Richard sighed, leaning into Charlie's beck, the comforting place it had been all night.

"Okay...I love you Richard." Charlie giggled, waving at the boy before turning on his heal, before Richard remembered something.

"Wait! Charlie wait." He garbed the boys waist, pulling him back in, closer to his body than before. "Do...Do you remember when you asked me if I was going to love you...like your daddies love each other, and I told you I didn't know, we would find out when we were older?"

Charlie nodded his head, remembering it as if it were yesterday. He had been so excited.

"Well...I-I think...I think I love you like that now. And...I just wanted to give you this, so you know how much you mean to me." Richard reached into his pocket and pulled out the black velvet box and opened it slowly.

Charlie gasped, his normal smile spreading wider as he giggled. "You're my superman, Charlie." Richard told him, removing the necklace and placing it around Charlie's neck, clasping it and finally, resting his arms behind Charlie's head, playing with the soft hairs before he mustered up the courage to lean in, pressing his lips to Charlie's shortly, the blonde boys eyes wide open, but he kissed back with slight shock, finally managing to close his own eyes.

It was a short, sweet kiss, their lips staying in one place before Richard slowly pulled away, staring into the lad before him's eyes.

"I love you Charlie," Richard told him. "I love you too Richard."

~*~