Lessons

Lesson 1: Do not talk back, don't speak unless spoken to.

TW: abuse, gaslighting, violence,
Please let me know if I missed any

Techno put his last shirt into his bag, grinning at the prospect of living with a family. It was a foster family, but he didn't mind. The orphanage was nice, but there were too many people.

Puffy had high hopes for the five year old, he didn't like people very much, but he was smart and young, it would be hard to say goodbye to him, but he'd be happier once he was adopted.

The strawberry blond sat in the chair, watching Ms. Puffy and the people signing and going over legal contracts. He'd be safe, right?

He was sat down at the kitchen table once they reached the house. The man grinned gruffly. "Alright kid, we have a few rules in this house that you do not break under any circumstances."

Techno nodded. He knew how rules worked and that some rules had punishments.

"Rule 1: no whining, rule 2: no crying, rule 3: no complaining, rule 4: no lying, and rule 5: no talking back."

The little boy nodded, he'd be good and follow all the rules, he'd do what this man said and maybe get a family out of it.

● ● ●

Following rules is harder than it looks. The first week went quite smoothly until their biological son stole one of Techno's shirts. Now he didn't have many shirts to begin with, so he was very upset about that. The little boy liked keeping his things close but shared a room with the son, which complicated things.

He was about to go tell the man, because the boy wouldn't give him his shirt back. But he stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

Did that count as complaining? It shouldn't. He was reasoning. Right?

"Excuse me, sir?"

The man turned to see the little boy at the door of his office. "What is it?"

"It's just- your son stole my shirt." He tried to keep his voice level to not seem like he was breaking the rules.

The man sighed and walked downstairs. The pinklet followed behind him. When they got back to the room, the son was playing on some kind of iPad.

"Liam?" The man said gruffly. Liam hummed in response, not looking up. "Did you take Techno's shirt?"

"No, Father." He replied innocently.

"Yes, you did!" Techno said before he could stop himself.

The man turned to the little boy. "Are you lying?"

Techno cupped two hands over his mouth and shook his head.

"I do not believe my son is lying." He put an emphasis on son. "So you broke one of the rules."

Tears welled up in the orphan's eyes. "I wasn't lying!"

A moment later, the man was right in front of him, and his cheek stung. "Why did you smack me?" He whispered, hand cupped over his mouth once again.

"You broke two rules." The man smacked him again. "I am punishing you."

He tried to keep his distance from Liam, but the other little boy seemed to have it out for him. He kept tripping the strawberry blond, pushing him, and sometimes hitting him. And every time he retaliated, the boy would run to his father and tell him, and then Techno was punished.

"Tomorrow is the day we finally get rid of you!" The man said matter of factly. Techno was relieved, and Liam looked happy. That night, he packed up everything, and stole his shirt back.

______________________

This book is to see improvement mostly, but it is also for fun

I may challenge myself to do a chapter every 1-2 days like I used to, they will be shorter chapters but this book will be updated most.

Not unlike my first book, this one will also explore the foster system, but it will surround more of the healing new adoptees must face.

Have a great day/night my friends! 💙💙💙💙