𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘺, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙮𝙨

𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣

"WELL, YOU KNOW, IN MEDIEVAL TIMES, THEY LOCKED PRISONERS INSIDE A PILLORY BARREL." FRENCHIE SPOKE UP, LOOKING OVER SAMUEL TO SEE M.M'S SCOWL. "Then they'd kneel in their own excrement till they got sepsis and died, so..." Frenchie shrugged, watching Samuel slowly turn to him. "Thank you, Frenchie, for that disgusting yet fascinating piece of trivia." M.M remarked, Samuel looking ahead once again. The three were stuck in a large hamster-like cage, everywhere around the cage pitch black. Kimiko was nowhere to be seen.

"I'm just saying it could be worse, huh?" M.M shrugged. "Right." The three sat in silence, Frenchie sighing. "Why didn't you tell us?" Samuel made conversation, looking to M.M. "Tell you what?" He asked, Samuel shrugging. "That you have a daughter." Frenchie looked over, interested as the two watched M.M shrug. "I don't know. I mean... I guess she's- the only good thing I ever did, man." M.M spoke, Samuel nodding.

"I just wanted to leave her clean out of it, you know? But I fucked that up to high heaven." He looked ahead. "Probably never see her again." He remarked, Frenchie humming. "I understand. She made you a better person." He spoke, M.M glancing over to the man. "Kimiko's gonna be okay." M.M spoke, Frenchie smiling lightly. "So you do know her name." M.M smiled gently, looking away. "She can rip someone's face off." Samuel shrugged, Frenchie laughing lightly. "Ah, yes. She'll be okay." There was another silence, M.M second guessing his next words.

"Hey, Sammy, why did you go with Butcher?" The two men looked at Samuel, him stuck for words. "Uh, I guess I got bored." He let out, Frenchie shaking his head. "No, bullshit, huh? No one resorts to Billy Butcher if they get bored." The teenager laughed a little, staring ahead as his laughter died down. M.M's smile vanished too, leaning forward to check the boy. "I guess since I have nothing else but this so I sprung to the occasion." Samuel's voice went small, both men letting him continue.

"Mom disowned me. Dad probably wants to kill me. No friends except from you guys." He shrugged, Frenchie squeezing his lips shut. "I guess I was just trying not to be alone." The three were in silence before Samuel scoffed with a smile. "I already know the reaction, but I felt as if Butcher took care of me. Like, uh..." Samuel gulped, M.M looking at him. "You know, like how M.M takes care of his daughter." Frenchie's brows furrowed, M.M glancing at the floor. "I don't know." His eyes began to sting, bringing his knees closer to his torso.

"I guess trying to replace your parents with assholes doesn't make you feel any better." M.M glanced to the boy, seeing a tear run down his cheek as he bit his lip. "It just makes you feel worse, I think." His eyes looked anywhere but at the people with him, everyone in silence. "So, when Butcher came to me asking if I wanted to join him, I was like a little puppy who's owner had just come home after, like, forever." M.M nodded, Samuel wiping his eyes with his handcuffed palms. "Now I look back on it, it was kind of pathetic." More tears fell as he laughed, Frenchie sighing.

"I should've been like Frenchie and pulled a gun on him. But I was way too high to think." M.M and Frenchie stayed silent further. "I actually admired Butcher, wanted to be him." Samuel spoke, Frenchie smiling lightly. "But then, like those shitty rom-coms, I realized he doesn't even give two shits about me in the first place." His tears dried on his cheeks, Samuel shrugging. "But I held onto that, even if it hurt. And it did, a lot." He told M.M, the man humming for him to continue. "It was better than wandering the streets for some company." Samuel admitted, swallowing harshly as he messed with his own fingernails.

"You have a family and Frenchie has Cherie and now Kimiko. What do I have? Except from you guys?" He asked, glancing to both Frenchie and M.M, watching the two never answer. "Nothing except a blunt." He extended his legs out fully, leaning his head back. "I'm just a lonely little kid who needs company to stay alive." He spoke, Frenchie gulping. "You also need food and water-" "Shut the fuck up, Frenchie." M.M spoke, Samuel letting out a laugh as Frenchie did the same. M.M joined them, Samuel letting his laughter run.