"Wow! Wonder who those belong to," Gunn said in awe, feeling a lot of satisfaction here. This was going to work out, he just knew it.
"Oh, those are Gideon's, of course. I love that little bear, I think you should give him a name, Gid. Or maybe it's a her? I'm not sure, you might have to ask." Holden considered the bear thoughtfully. "What I do know is that there are some toys waiting for you in the bathroom as well."
"Ohh, the intrigue." Gunn laughed. "Gid, you'll have a lot to tell me when I come by next week to check in, huh?"
"You can come back tomorrow." Gideon said without thinking because sometimes Gunn was like an adult and sometimes, he was like a friend. And right now, he was the only stable influence in his life. He looked at the bear and then tried to work out what it's name was. "I think it's called... Apple."
He looked at Holden cautiously, worried he may have the wrong name and misheard the bear and then he wouldn't be friends with the bear!
"He can come to the bathroom to look at the toys." So he didn't have to go alone.
"Then I'll be by tomorrow evening, yeah?" Gunn could just come after work. Whatever, this was worth it. "You'll have to tell me about the chickens and all that."
"Oh, he will. And Apple can tell you too. What a nice name the bear has!" Holden enthused over it, maybe playing it up a little. How could he not, with the uncertain look that little boy was giving him? "How about we say goodbye to Gunn and then we look into the bathroom?"
"That's a good idea." Gunn nodded. "I need to get going anyway, gotta get myself all clean." Well, it had been a long day. "I'll see you tomorrow, Giddie."
"Bye. I'll see you tomorrow." He was going to be alone with Holden. The safety net would be gone. He watched Gunn leave the room anxiously and listened to every step down. Holding the bear close, he looked up at Holden and heard the door shut downstairs. Now they were alone. That was usually when the nice people stopped being so nice and became meaner.
He felt tears come to his eyes suddenly because Gunn was gone. He was gone and he was alone and he didn't know if it was safe or not.
"Do you want to see the toys in the bathroom?" Holden crouched down again to hopefully seem less scary. Whatever, might be worth a try. Gunn was a giant and Gid trusted him, so maybe it wasn't as easy as that, but still. It might help. "There is quite a few rubber ducks, from what I remember. At least three. One of them wears sunglasses."
All purchased at the duck store their village inexplicably had. "And there is a book that changes colour in warm water."
Gideon nodded and followed Holden into the bathroom. It was a big bathroom, all nice and white, it looked very much like a picture book concept of a bathroom. He touched the one duck that was closest and then looked at the sink, getting onto his tip toes to just peer around and see what they had.
"I've never read a book before." He just knew they existed. He'd seen his other siblings do it but he never wanted to sit still and focus on it. "Neither has Apple. Apple doesn't really like baths either. He says they're too wet."
"Does Apple like baths any better when there's a lot of bubbles and they smell like strawberry?" Seemed like a good question. Holden started the bath, because he figured they were leading up to this. And because he could see how Gideon kept scratching, how he kept wiping his hands on his clothes. How he longed to be clean, whether he was aware or not.
He held out the bottle of bubble bath for the boy. "Here, you and Apple can smell. See if you like that, maybe it will make the bath a bit nicer. And then maybe I can read a book to Apple and you while you have a nice smelling bath."
He sniffed the bubble bath and then nodded his head, a small smile on his face. "It smells like bubble-gum." Well, the strawberry one that his mom always had. He didn't know if he missed his mom so much, she was kind of weird but he did miss his home quite a lot. "I live in the city." Gideon explained as the bath filled, watching it as he held onto the bear still.
"There's a park by my house with a sandpit and swings. I don't go there but I can see it when we go to the offy. And I have a big bed by the TV. I watch a lot of TV." He just felt he should share it, just because. "TV is boring when its not cartoons."
"I also like watching TV. I was thinking that today, after you've had your bath, we could sit downstairs on the couch together and watch something. I have a lot of videos, so I'm sure we can find something that's not boring." He wasn't sure whether Gideon would manage to stay up that long, but watching TV might help him feel more at home, as he said. Here was hoping. "There is a park here too, in the village. It's not too far to walk, so we can go there soon."
Finally he could go there without seeming creepy. "Do you need help getting your clothes off? The bath is getting there, look at the bubbles."
"No, I'm fine." He pulled his clothes off slowly, not having much issue shedding what little clothes he had before he looked at the bath and tested by putting his hand in it. Once he was sure it wasn't too hot, he got into the bath with Apple and tentatively splashed around. "What TV shows do you like?"
He set Apple in the water and the poor waterlogged bear started to sink. Gideon pushed it back up so it didn't drown. "I like Postman Pat, Noddy, Fireman Sam annnnd I like Thomas."
"Wait, I think Apple can't swim!" Holden quickly rescued the bear and securely set it on the side of the bath instead, perching in the corner. Didn't seem to have gotten too soaked yet, luckily, so hopefully it would dry quickly enough. Latest tomorrow, if it sat in the sun for a bit.
"And I like those shows too, you've got really good taste. I think my favourite show is probably Doctor Who, but I like a lot. Quite like Disney stuff too, always have." Ever since he'd discovered it, anyway. "Can I help you a bit with washing your hair, Gideon? And then I can start reading the book."
"I guess." He hated having his hair washed but he got through it with minimal whining as he closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, letting himself get washed and cleaned up as Holden got all the dirt and muck scrubbed off him.
Once it was all safely over, Gideon watched Holden get the book with awe and picked up one of the ducks, playing with it and wondering how a colour changing water book even worked.
"All the friends are playing by the lake. Only one of them, he doesn't want to get wet! So he's hiding in the reeds." Holden read the story and explained, then showed the page he was currently on. "I can't see him, can you?"
Nothing to be seen. "Anyway, apparently while his friends play, they splish with water and the reeds get wet. And, look!" He held the book under the water and, sure enough, the colours changed, revealing the cute thing in hiding - what was that supposed to be, a weird platypus? He had no idea. "Wow! There he is! Ah, but look, now he is playing with his friends, he realised water isn't so bad."
Well, that was the coolest thing that Gideon had ever seen. He had to take it in his hands and check it to make sure it wasn't a trick but no, it was actual magic. He frowned and then put it back in the water but it stayed the same this time. No new pictures. His eyes were wide with awe as he looked at Holden. His bath water was magic... how did he do that?
"Woah." Well, that blew his tiny mind. "Can you do it again?"
"Yeah, look. There's another one on this page too. Because Kitty here, she couldn't decide whether she wanted the dark blue bathing suit or the pink one. But, see, when we put it under the water... Look! The dark blue turns pink. So, as it says here, Kitty got to have both after all."
What a great and very simple trick. Holden hadn't been sure whether the book might be too childish for Gideon, but clearly not. Excellent, this boded well for the future. "Do you want to give it a try for the next page?"
The book had great mileage for Gideon and for the first time in a long time, he smiled and laughed. Well, amazing what a toy can do for a child. He grinned as he took it out of the water, looked through it once more and once he was done with the amazing magical book, he handed it back to Holden. "I want to get out."
He was wet and smelled of strawberries so he felt his mission was complete. He wanted to take Apple and explore more, read more, do more and -- Gideon yawned, his body rebelling against him. This day had been a lot and he was fighting against how tired he was. "TV time?"
"TV time," Holden agreed. He got to his feet to get the towel he had prepared. "Look, it has a ducky on it." Yellow and blue, a nice big towel for the little boy. He held it out in his arms and just used it to lift Gideon out of the bath and dry him off, taking the opportunity to hug him close for just a little bit. He wanted him to feel loved, feel appreciated, feel cared for. He knew it would take a while but ever moment helped.
"Let's get you some clothes, huh?" That said, he lifted Gideon up in his arms, stopped to pick up Apple and carried them both to the bedroom. There he set him down and then handed him the pyjamas that were already laid out on the bed. "Put them on, yeah? And, Gideon, do you like sausage rolls?"
"I think so. Like Greggs? My dad liked those." He didn't see his dad much but his dad got him one once. He didn't remember it though. He pulled out his pyjama top and pants, rubbing at his eyes tired as he tried to remember his dad more than anything else. His dad was a bit of a distant memory now, it was kinda weird but he did remember a sausage roll. Once.
"Do you have any videos?" He wondered if they'd watch boring TV or if he could watch something fun. Videos were the most fun, though his mom only owned one. It was Aladdin and he had seen it a billion times.
"Yeah, I got loads of videos. I'm a bit of a collector." All right, so sausage roll, making sure Gideon drank some water and they could sit in front of the television until he passed out. He assumed that wouldn't take long.
"You can pick a video to watch and if you fall asleep before we finish, we can watch it again tomorrow." He walked with Gideon down the stairs, holding his hand. Leading him over to the television, he opened the cabinet where he kept his videos, gesturing to the cartoons. "Pick whatever you want. I'll get us the sausage rolls and something to drink."
"You have the most things ever." Gideon informed him wisely as he pulled out a few boxes and looked at the cartoons before settling on a tape of the Ninja Turtles. He put it in the VHS player, because he knew what he was doing, and then he climbed up onto the couch. With a sleepy yawn, he got comfortable with Apple on the couch.
It was nice and he didn't have to sleep on it or anything. It was so cool. He could just sit on the couch, watch the ninja turtles and have fun.
"I like having fun stuff. And now you've got it too. We share." That said, Holden sat down next to Gideon and handed him the cup first, so he could hydrate. Once he'd drunk at least a little, he gave him the sausage roll as well. Then he sat down next to him, getting quite close. He watched the screen, quietly speaking to Gideon. "If you want, you can lean against me."
Sleepy little boy. Precious little boy. "If you fall asleep, I'll carry you to bed. And I'll leave the hallway light on, so you don't have to worry."
At first he didn't but after a few bites of food, some water and half a cartoon, he was slumped against Holden, struggling to keep his eyes open. They barely got to the conflict of the episode before Gideon was just fast asleep against him.
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gay90s2023-08-16 08:00 pm
no subject
"Oh, those are Gideon's, of course. I love that little bear, I think you should give him a name, Gid. Or maybe it's a her? I'm not sure, you might have to ask." Holden considered the bear thoughtfully. "What I do know is that there are some toys waiting for you in the bathroom as well."
"Ohh, the intrigue." Gunn laughed. "Gid, you'll have a lot to tell me when I come by next week to check in, huh?"
no subject
He looked at Holden cautiously, worried he may have the wrong name and misheard the bear and then he wouldn't be friends with the bear!
"He can come to the bathroom to look at the toys." So he didn't have to go alone.
no subject
"Oh, he will. And Apple can tell you too. What a nice name the bear has!" Holden enthused over it, maybe playing it up a little. How could he not, with the uncertain look that little boy was giving him? "How about we say goodbye to Gunn and then we look into the bathroom?"
"That's a good idea." Gunn nodded. "I need to get going anyway, gotta get myself all clean." Well, it had been a long day. "I'll see you tomorrow, Giddie."
no subject
He felt tears come to his eyes suddenly because Gunn was gone. He was gone and he was alone and he didn't know if it was safe or not.
no subject
All purchased at the duck store their village inexplicably had. "And there is a book that changes colour in warm water."
He felt that was especially cool.
no subject
"I've never read a book before." He just knew they existed. He'd seen his other siblings do it but he never wanted to sit still and focus on it. "Neither has Apple. Apple doesn't really like baths either. He says they're too wet."
no subject
He held out the bottle of bubble bath for the boy. "Here, you and Apple can smell. See if you like that, maybe it will make the bath a bit nicer. And then maybe I can read a book to Apple and you while you have a nice smelling bath."
no subject
"There's a park by my house with a sandpit and swings. I don't go there but I can see it when we go to the offy. And I have a big bed by the TV. I watch a lot of TV." He just felt he should share it, just because. "TV is boring when its not cartoons."
no subject
Finally he could go there without seeming creepy. "Do you need help getting your clothes off? The bath is getting there, look at the bubbles."
no subject
He set Apple in the water and the poor waterlogged bear started to sink. Gideon pushed it back up so it didn't drown. "I like Postman Pat, Noddy, Fireman Sam annnnd I like Thomas."
no subject
"And I like those shows too, you've got really good taste. I think my favourite show is probably Doctor Who, but I like a lot. Quite like Disney stuff too, always have." Ever since he'd discovered it, anyway. "Can I help you a bit with washing your hair, Gideon? And then I can start reading the book."
no subject
Once it was all safely over, Gideon watched Holden get the book with awe and picked up one of the ducks, playing with it and wondering how a colour changing water book even worked.
no subject
Nothing to be seen. "Anyway, apparently while his friends play, they splish with water and the reeds get wet. And, look!" He held the book under the water and, sure enough, the colours changed, revealing the cute thing in hiding - what was that supposed to be, a weird platypus? He had no idea. "Wow! There he is! Ah, but look, now he is playing with his friends, he realised water isn't so bad."
no subject
"Woah." Well, that blew his tiny mind. "Can you do it again?"
no subject
What a great and very simple trick. Holden hadn't been sure whether the book might be too childish for Gideon, but clearly not. Excellent, this boded well for the future. "Do you want to give it a try for the next page?"
no subject
He was wet and smelled of strawberries so he felt his mission was complete. He wanted to take Apple and explore more, read more, do more and -- Gideon yawned, his body rebelling against him. This day had been a lot and he was fighting against how tired he was. "TV time?"
no subject
"Let's get you some clothes, huh?" That said, he lifted Gideon up in his arms, stopped to pick up Apple and carried them both to the bedroom. There he set him down and then handed him the pyjamas that were already laid out on the bed. "Put them on, yeah? And, Gideon, do you like sausage rolls?"
no subject
"Do you have any videos?" He wondered if they'd watch boring TV or if he could watch something fun. Videos were the most fun, though his mom only owned one. It was Aladdin and he had seen it a billion times.
no subject
"You can pick a video to watch and if you fall asleep before we finish, we can watch it again tomorrow." He walked with Gideon down the stairs, holding his hand. Leading him over to the television, he opened the cabinet where he kept his videos, gesturing to the cartoons. "Pick whatever you want. I'll get us the sausage rolls and something to drink."
no subject
It was nice and he didn't have to sleep on it or anything. It was so cool. He could just sit on the couch, watch the ninja turtles and have fun.
no subject
Sleepy little boy. Precious little boy. "If you fall asleep, I'll carry you to bed. And I'll leave the hallway light on, so you don't have to worry."
no subject