Ichor || mxb

XII

Settling with leaving the much needed discussion of the multiple questions pondering Ethan's brain for later, the gang lord kept his eyes on the road, not removing them once for a glance at the younger.

Due to the stuporous reaction portrayed by the older, the assumed answer was 'No' to Grayson. Earning a pout and slight watering at the base of his eyes.

Still not quiet discerning the complexion of the boy at hand, Ethan found it weird when a patch of newly formed tears increased in size against his shoulder.

Manifestly, the older of the two hasn't given the boy an answer. Why would he already be crying? Which is not what he would be doing if the gang leader actually decides to give his answer.

Continuing to rub soothing circles against the baby's thigh, Ethan pressed on the pedal at such a force he was sure it might brake any second.

~

With great difficulty, the narc stepped out the car, Grayson perched up, hanging onto his waist. Chubby little fingers tightening as if his life depended on it, afraid of losing his comforter after allegedly rejecting him.

Swinging the door of the villa open, he was instantly swamped with eyes and expression that were coming up against instant realization.

Nobody could figure out why the leader decided to abandon the gang and risk the whole lot, with such persistence, it wasn't like him. At least not until stares marked up the boy at hand.

It was all for him.

As reckless as the nefarious drug lord could be, the gang he controlled was his literal life. As close as family as they come. At times even choosing the well-being of the bandits within over his own.

A piercing wail breaking the dumbfounded and baffled daze the gang's inferiors seemed to be in. The younger boy's moves became erratic, squirming out of the baffled Ethan's tight grip.

A blabbering leaving his pretty peachy lips, something along the lines of 'momma'. Not that anybody in range could register the actions, including the gang lord.

Finally succeeding, Grayson found himself fleeing up the significant amount of stairs, with no coordination or knowledge of where it might take him.

A possible explanation of what has caused such an erratic behavior could be because of the smell he was suddenly surrounded by. A natural wooden hue, with an under-toned hint of vanilla scent snuck up on him.

It was the smell of home.

The nostalgic scent triggering the youngster's heart shatter. He hasn't thought of his mother and father in so long. Guilt pricked at his twisted gut, his body crimping into a folded up position.

Gaining his composure, Ethan warily faltered up the spiral stairs. Eyes anchoring on the heart-piercing sight of the boy, lying against the cold floor.

Both persons bombarded with an agonizing feeling of nostalgia, the older one experiencing the first time he ever laid eyes on the boy who seemed to have stolen his heart.. or whatever was inside there.

Sadness should not come anywhere near this boy, Ethan thought.

Thus, crossing his heart on finding out what the kid needed, and fetching it. Just for the sake of this boy, he'd build a staircase to the moon brick by brick.

All for the stretch of his lips, for the show of his perfectly aligned pearls, for the sound of the wondrous and satiny giggle. Just for Grayson.

The narc deliberately took his steps towards the inattentive and sorrowful Grayson. Situating himself into a heel-sitting position, he grabbed onto the juvenile's wrists, earning an dolour flinch followed by a whimper.

The woeful gang lord retracted his hand as though he'd put his fingertips atop of the sun. The pain provoking his heart and gut probably exceeded that of any physical pain a burn could give.

The thought of the boy possibly not wanting him shattered his heart. An undesirable and unfamiliar lump forming at the base of his throat.

Not giving up, Ethan warily and softly placed the tips of his fingers on the younger's hands. Handling his as if he was made of porcelain, the narc pried off Grayson's hands from his face, replacing them by his own.

The beautiful irises that belonged to the beautiful boy failed to prevail, as the said boy refused to open them.

Cupping both cheeks, Ethan stroked away the continuous flow of the sorrowful-liquid. The lateral lines along the tips of his finger absorbing the low spirits of the boy-baby, the process coming in the form of electric sparks against the softness of the latter's skin.

Managing to pull him up into a sitting position, Grayson quickly crawled into Ethan's lap, head burying into his chest on instinct.

Trying to halt the seemingly never-ending sobs and wails, a course of 'shhh' and 'it's okay, baby' were quietly whispered into the smaller's strawberry scented hair.

After what felt like hours later, the boy fell into a fit of small hushed hiccups. Ethan grabbed at his head and pulled it back, placing his large hands covering almost all of Grayson's face, though meant only to be placed at his cheeks.

"Tell daddy what's wrong, baby. I promise to fix it." The gang lord whispered, afraid of triggering or breaking the boy, yet again.

"Misses momma and dada." He muttered sadly, eyes casted downwards, emphasizing his doleful mood.

Ethan tried to gulp down the helpless feeling that impaled his heart. The unwanted lump shaping  itself untowardly from the top of his throat all the way down to his gut. With a light jostle, Grayson's head ended up parallel to the distressed heart belonging to the narc.

That exact minute had to be the most vulnerable state Ethan has ever experienced. As close to a softie as the cold-blooded dealer could get.

The good versus the evil bickered over his shoulder, exhausting the wires of his brain, brows furrowing in concentration and eyes falling shut to ease the bewilderedness and unsteadiness he felt.

Letting him off to his family seemed like the only option in which the boy could get the promised happiness.

It would make Grayson smile.

On the other hand, the logical side, the boy has seen too much. Faces, the villa, the mansion, his possessions, their cars, their enemies, their lifestyle. This could risk everything the man has worked, toiled and grounded for over the years.

Feeling the younger boy's arms tighten around his neck brought him out of the intensive thinking session he was having.

A sniffle was heard from the younger boy after a long silence, instantly alerting Ethan that he has conclusively made his choice.

"Daddy promised you, didn't he baby boy?"