Doux

vijf (five)

Wilder's POV

This is my first family dinner since my parents died. I don't know how to feel about it but I'm glad it's with Danaë. She's the only one I would do any of the things we've done with.

"Wilder? Wilder!" Ms. Jacob's voice interrupts my thoughts.

"Huh- oh yeah. What is it?" I fumble over my words, pretty nervous around her mother.

"I asked what you do for work."

Ahh, the infamous question. What do I do for work? Such an average question has me breaking into a cold sweat. It's not that I hate my job because I love my job. It's just that I'm worried about how they will perceive me after they find out what I do. It's a somewhat dangerous job, but I'm not always in harm's way.

"I uh own a bounty hunting agency."

"That's very exciting. But it seems a little dangerous." Her mom's response was better than I expected. Danaë seems to be stuck in thought. I don't know if she understands what I do.

"Yeah it's a little dangerous, but I'm trained to be able to keep me and my workers safe." I try to make them understand that I'm as safe as possible in my line of work.

"W-whats a b-bounty h-hunter?" Danaë's voice comes into the conversation. I was right, she doesn't understand what I do.

"We find people who haven't shown up for their court appearances. Then we take them back to jail." I turn to her to try and get her to understand what I do. In the day that I have known her, I've learned that she understands better when I look at her while I explain something.

"So you g-get bad g-guys?" See, now she understands. It just takes a little face-to-face.

"Yeah, I get the bad guys," I tell her, and her face lights up.

"S-so y-your a-a superh-hero!" She gets so excited, that I don't want to tell her that I'm just a normal guy.

"Yeah, little one. I guess you could say I'm a superhero." She seems to relax a little and goes back to eating.

"This is wonderful Ms. Jacobs. What is it?"

"Stamppot boerenkool en rookworst met jus. It's a traditional meal in Nederland."

We just eat together in silence for the rest of the time. But it's not awkward, and I enjoyed it.

After dinner, I try to help wash the dishes but Danaë's mother wouldn't let me. So instead I talk with Danaë.

"Hey, little one." She's sitting on the couch just twiddling her thumbs. 

"H-hey Wilder." She is always so goddam nervous around me. I hope I don't scare her.

"Little one, why do you always stutter when you're around me?" I sit next to her on the couch.

"I-i don't k-know." She doesn't look at me, she turns her head away from me.

I take her chin in my hand and turn her face towards me. Her mouth parts, shocked at my actions.

"I don't care whether or not you stutter, okay? It's who you are. So don't be embarrassed."

"Y-y-you pr-prom-i-ise?" She looks at me with her doe eyes, unshed tears threatening to leak. I don't know why she's so upset.

"Hey, It's okay little one. Shhhh, don't cry." I once again pull her into my lap to comfort her. We seem to be doing this a lot.