"Puppies only bite when they are upset or angry and not trained well. But we'd make sure our puppy is nice and happy, like we are." Seemed like the easiest way to explain that. And he'd not get into the nursery school argument right now, they'd cross that bridge later. "There's a couple of ways to get a puppy, but I was thinking about it because some kids I used to help, well, I guess they are adults now. Friends. And they have a beautiful dog and she has had puppies recently. We could go and have a look."
"We could go today." Said the tiny boy with puffy cheeks, slightly slurred and considerable pain. Well, pain was nothing compared to a puppy to love and cuddle all the time. Was he allowed a puppy? Did he ask Gunn or did Holden get to decide when they had things. "If we get a puppy... then I can't go away. I have to stay. Because it's my puppy and I take care of it."
So Holden wasn't allowed to get a puppy if he didn't want him anymore. "You can't make the puppy sad." Or him either.
"Sweet lad..." Holden shook his head, running his fingers through Gideon's hair, hoping to be able to reassure him. "I'd rather let people take the house than ever let anyone take you away. You are my boy, aren't you? Forever and ever."
He wasn't going to lose him, no matter what. "But we could get a puppy, because we both want one. Get one together, like we have the chickens. Although the puppy is going to be a lot more work." He knew that much. But walking a lot every day, training a puppy to behave, teaching Gideon responsibility, all of those seemed good. "I don't think we should go today. Today we need to have food that's gentle on your teeth and maybe we can watch a nice movie."
"Tomorrow." Gideon decided, which was very patient for him. He nodded his head tiredly and then wrapped his arms around Holden's neck - well, he wanted to be carried, he was sick and hurty. He deserved it. And it was so easy with Holden - he just held him, carried him, hugged him unprompted. It was so fun.
"Can we visit your brother? We can bring him eggs..." And then he could see Holden's brother. He was curious, like all kids would be, and he just wanted to see if he had more family.
"I guess. We can try to go his way some time this week, maybe he'll be home." Holden got out of the car, carrying his boy and his boy's toys with him. He headed for their door and unlocked it, then took off his shoes while still carrying Gideon. Finally he set him down on the bench in the hallway and bent down to help him with his shoes. "Jonathan isn't one to like people a lot, so he's not usually nice."
Seemed only fair to give him a warning. "But he does like eggs, so I'm sure he'd say thanks."
"We can say hello and then run away if he's mean." Gideon explained as he let Holden remove his shoes for him. He wondered if Jonathan was scary and if he could play with him or not. Probably not, if Holden said he was not nice. Not nice and a teeth puller... maybe he'd say hello from a distance.
"If he's your brother, what is he to me?" How did it work? He wanted to understand family so badly, he wanted to be able to brag to others.
"I guess he's your uncle." Holden laughed at that, shaking his head a little. "Damn. Bet he'd love that."
That said he picked Gideon back up and carried him into the kitchen, where he started the kettle. He got got a vegetable mix from the freezer and put a pot on the stovetop, having an idea for Gideon's dinner.
"He won't be that mean, he's just not good with people. He has a strong Irish accent, but I'm sure you can understand him."
Well, probably. Worth a try, anyway. "He likes birds, so you could tell him about the chickens."
"I love the chickens, we're best friends." That's why he didn't need a nursery or anything else really. He had Holden and the chickens, and soon a puppy, so he didn't really need any other kids in his life. He was happy as he was and school would surely only ruin his peace.
"Do you have any other family?"
Did he have a grandma or a grandpa? Did he have anything fun?
"Well... Not anyone actually related, no. I have chosen family. I have people like Remus and Sirius, you'll meet them. And Gyungho and Minjun, of course." Hard to explain the concept of chosen family, but maybe not. He supposed someone with Gideon's background should be able to understand. "And, of course, you know so many people in the village that are like family for us."
Every woman in the neighbourhood seemed to have adopted Gideon with him. "When I first came to London, I worked for a man that feels a bit as if he's my uncle. Aziraphale. He owns a bookshop."
Holden poured the water on top of the instant mash as soon as it was boiling and then began stirring it. "Can you get me a plate, son?"
"Uh-huh." Gideon got his little step stool and used it to get the plates out carefully, getting two just in case Holden needed an extra. He set one aside and carefully climbed down his steps, coming over with the plate. He had dropped a cup two days ago and it had been tragic, he cried for almost an hour over it so now he was hypervigilant and took his time.
"I get to meet them all? I'm in the ... the family?" He wanted to be, he didn't like being just alone. "Am I still a Fletcher?" His name was Fletcher. Gideon Fletcher. And Holden was Holden O'Shea. Could he be in his family if he didn't have the same name?
"You are my family. We are working on the paperwork. But once it is all seen through, Gideon, you could be Gideon O'Shea. Do you want that?" Holden thought it sounded quite nice, all things considered, but he didn't want to take the boy's identity from him. What he did take from him were the plates, which he set out.
He put a generous portion of mashed potato on Gideon's plate first, then began using the veggie to make a face. Carrots for the eyes, with pea pupils, a broccoli nose and then he got a piece of bacon from the fridge so there would be a nice mouth. He showed it to Gideon and smiled. "There. Special dinner for my brave boy."
"I wanna be an O'Shea. I think my mommy wouldn't mind. I can ask her when I write my letter." He had no writing skills but he could communicate it in drawing form. He didn't think she cared much so he assumed it was fine.
He came over and peered at the food, his eyes wide and then he grinned a big, wide grin. "Woah, it's a face!"
He sat himself at the table and looked at it a few more times before he started to eat.
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gay90s2023-08-16 08:00 pm
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So Holden wasn't allowed to get a puppy if he didn't want him anymore. "You can't make the puppy sad." Or him either.
no subject
He wasn't going to lose him, no matter what. "But we could get a puppy, because we both want one. Get one together, like we have the chickens. Although the puppy is going to be a lot more work." He knew that much. But walking a lot every day, training a puppy to behave, teaching Gideon responsibility, all of those seemed good. "I don't think we should go today. Today we need to have food that's gentle on your teeth and maybe we can watch a nice movie."
no subject
"Can we visit your brother? We can bring him eggs..." And then he could see Holden's brother. He was curious, like all kids would be, and he just wanted to see if he had more family.
no subject
Seemed only fair to give him a warning. "But he does like eggs, so I'm sure he'd say thanks."
no subject
"If he's your brother, what is he to me?" How did it work? He wanted to understand family so badly, he wanted to be able to brag to others.
no subject
That said he picked Gideon back up and carried him into the kitchen, where he started the kettle. He got got a vegetable mix from the freezer and put a pot on the stovetop, having an idea for Gideon's dinner.
"He won't be that mean, he's just not good with people. He has a strong Irish accent, but I'm sure you can understand him."
Well, probably. Worth a try, anyway. "He likes birds, so you could tell him about the chickens."
no subject
"Do you have any other family?"
Did he have a grandma or a grandpa? Did he have anything fun?
no subject
Every woman in the neighbourhood seemed to have adopted Gideon with him. "When I first came to London, I worked for a man that feels a bit as if he's my uncle. Aziraphale. He owns a bookshop."
Holden poured the water on top of the instant mash as soon as it was boiling and then began stirring it. "Can you get me a plate, son?"
no subject
"I get to meet them all? I'm in the ... the family?" He wanted to be, he didn't like being just alone. "Am I still a Fletcher?" His name was Fletcher. Gideon Fletcher. And Holden was Holden O'Shea. Could he be in his family if he didn't have the same name?
no subject
He put a generous portion of mashed potato on Gideon's plate first, then began using the veggie to make a face. Carrots for the eyes, with pea pupils, a broccoli nose and then he got a piece of bacon from the fridge so there would be a nice mouth. He showed it to Gideon and smiled. "There. Special dinner for my brave boy."
no subject
He came over and peered at the food, his eyes wide and then he grinned a big, wide grin. "Woah, it's a face!"
He sat himself at the table and looked at it a few more times before he started to eat.