Author's POV
"Aren't you going to university?"
Charlie who's currently laying down on the couch staring at the TV screen suddenly turns around towards the source of voice behind him.
"I'm still on semester break.", he sits up from the couch to fully focus on Babe.
The older guy just sighs before moving to sit besides him. "You don't have to lie, Jeff already told me to tell you to go to class tomorrow. "
"Ohhh..."
"And why did you run away from home?"
"I didn't... You told me to stay here."
"Charlie-"
"P'Babe let's go to theme park today!", the younger guy tried to stray away from the upcoming question.
"I don't want to. Too many people.", sensing that Charlie wouldn't answer him truthfully, he didn't pry any longer but he knew he'd have to send the child home soon.
He didn't care about the child or at least he didn't want to admit to feeling such things but he just didn't want to get into trouble with the mafia family. Who knows if suddenly he would be accused of kidnapping the youngest of the brutal mafia family in his house. If that happened, best believe he'll never live to see another day.
"It's weekday, there won't but that much people. Please....", Charlie inches closer to Babe while putting on his best puppy eyes, a signature that he knew the older would give in to.
"Will you go home and go to class if we go to the theme park today?", Babe lifted his brow.
The younger turns his face away swiftly in attempt to sulk while crossing his arms to his chest. Just like what a little kid would do.
If some other people does that, Babe would've been so disgusted and he probably would've immediately kicked the kid out of his house. But for some reason he just find Charlie... Cute?
Of course his ego wouldn't let him say it out loud but it didn't erase the fact that Charlie is really growing on him.
"Come on. I only offered once. If you want to go to the theme park today you have to go home tomorrow.", Babe lured him again.
"I can come back, right? You're not changing me with another guy, right? I'm still Babe's boy, right?"
"If you don't listen to me then you no longer will be."
"Okayy! I'll go home tomorrow. Can we go to the theme park now?", Charlie latched himself onto Babe's muscular arm while smiling brightly.
A little too brightly for Babe's dimmed life. Babe always hated crowded places because of his senses. Since his sight, hearing and sense of smell are 10x better than most people, a place with a lot of things going on all at once will just make his head buzz with multiple loudness and smell.
It's different when he's at the club or at the bar because he's always intoxicated during those times and that would be the only time his senses will be less competent.
'Better be safe than having my head chopped off by the mafia family. Let's just get through today.', Babe thought to himself.
Charlie who's holding his arm, frowns his brow at the thought that he heard from the older but decided not to say anything about it.
'Like hell I would let anyone touch a single hair on your body, P'Babe.'
*****
They arrived at one of the largest outdoor theme park in Thailand at noon and the puppy like child has been skipping in his step towards the entrance.
He can already hear the screaming from the ride, children crying, the screeching of the machines, the birds chirping and truthfully it is starting to overwhelm him.
A hand suddenly slips around his hand, intertwining their fingers together. Babe looks up to see Charlie flashing him his signature smile. One that resembles the bright sun.
For some reason he suddenly feels calm. The noises are almost gone it's as if his head was submerged into water, his senses diluted.
"Let's go ride the rollercoaster first! The best one first!", Charlie's words pulled him back into reality.
It's weird that this always happen when he's with the kid. Charlie never failed to keep his nerve in checked, his presence brings peacefulness despite them always bickering.
Babe eventually follows Charlie's steps mindlessly towards the rollercoaster line mentioned by the younger. He has never really been to a theme park before, partly because of his heightened senses and partly because his dad was too busy managing the company thus he never gets to experience being a normal kid.
"You're not scared of heights right, P'Babe?"
"As if I would. I'm PitBabe. I'm not scared of anything...."
"ARGHHHHHHHH CHARLIE AHHHHH HOLD ME!"
He screamed as soon as the rollercoaster starts to drop from the highest point of the railing. Babe squeezes Charlie's hand hardly while screaming his heart out nonstop throughout the ride. The almighty egoistic Babe flew away with the speed of the rollercoaster.
Charlie on the other hand finds it amusing that his phi who acts all tough is currently cursing and somehow also praying in his head while he screams. He never knew Babe was religious.
The ride soon ended with disheveled looking Babe trying to catch his breath. Since getting to know Charlie, Babe's vocal chords seems to have been put on max capacity usage.
They both exited the ride before a chuckle escaped Charlie's lips. However that didn't stop him from helping to fix Babe's hair while stroking it gently.
"I wasn't scared. I was just startled.", Babe suddenly said in his little voice, avoiding eye contact with Charlie. Redness spreading from his cheeks to his ears.
"I know.", the younger nodded his head.
"I was really just surprised so I gasped a little."
"Yes, I know.", Charlie continues to fix Babe's shirt next. Tugging it in back into his pants.
"It wasn't that scary.", condescending can be heard laced in Babe's tone.
Charlie just nods his head again with an amused smile playing on his lips. He knew exactly that Babe was embarrassed and is trying to cover it up and he didn't mind it one bit. He'd erased his memories if that's what Babe wanted.
"Let's get something to drink.", Charlie pulls on Babe's wrist going towards the stalls lined up around the area.
As they got closer to the crowd of people lining up and sitting down at the outdoor dining area, Babe couldn't help but noticed multiple pairs of eyes looking at his direction.
No. He wouldn't be weirded out if it is towards him because he's used to getting a couple of turning heads with his visual but today it seems like the gazes fell on Charlie.
There's a lot more younger people here, a couple of high school teenagers and a bunch of young adults around Charlie's age.
"Go have a sit first, P'Babe. I'll get us some snacks too.", Charlie smiles at him while motioning him to go sit at one of the empty table.
Babe reluctantly goes to sit but he couldn't tear his eyes away from Charlie that he started analysing the kid. Charlie is wearing a white crew neck sweater with black lose jeans and Nike dunks. He wears a piercing only on his right ear and just a simple watch on his left wrist.
There's nothing special about his outfit but why is everyone staring at him.
The older unknowingly squint his eyes in annoyance when one of the girl who's been staring at Charlie approaches him. In this situation, his super hearing comes in handy.
He focuses his senses to listen to their conversation.
"Hi, I'm Maya. I think I've seen you before at my university. You're Paris, right? Such a coincidence meeting you here."
"Hmmm...", Charlie barely looking at the girl as he responded.
"I heard you're single so can I have your LINE ID?", the girl hands her phone to Charlie shyly. "I would like to get to know you more."
Babe scoffs at the confession while he inadvertently rolled his eyes. He didn't want to listen anymore so he turns around to face another direction while humming to himself.
"Well I don't. Now fuck off.", Charlie said in a much harsher tone completely different than what he would use with Babe. His face dark and distorted as if he's nauseated by the girl's presence.
He takes the tray of food before moving past the girl to get to his phi. A smile plastered back onto his sweet face while he takes a seat across from Babe before placing a drink infront of him.
"I got you a lemonade and cheese corndogs. I saw that these are the must try food at theme parks.", Charlie said enthusiastically.
Babe just stayed silent with his lips pursed out, not moving to take any of the food and drink on the table.
"Do you not like it, phi? I can go buy you other things.", he's about to get up from his seat before he's stopped by Babe's voice.
"I don't get why you refused to go to university when you're that popular.", Babe said monotonously.
"What do you mean, P'Babe?", Charlie turns his head to the side, confused.
"That Maya girl. Bet you get young guys and girls lining up for you."
"Ohhh...", a wider smile adorning Charlie's face when realised. "Are you jealous, P'Babe?"
"Have you lost your mind? Why you I be jealous?"
Charlie reaches out to places his hand on top of Babe's hand. Babe is indeed jealous. His thoughts about it is loud and clear in Charlie's head.
"Should I not go to university then if you're this jealous?"
"The fuck are you saying?", Babe pulls away his hand harshly from Charlie's hold. "Go the fuck back home to your own house. Don't come back to mine."
He stands up abruptly before quickly walking away on his own feeling the warmth in his head spreading all over. He never experienced this feelings before and it bothers him.
It's like an itch that you can't scratch.
And he hates it.