No Matter What

10

TEN YEARS LATER

"Babe, plug my phone in for me please."

I reach into the arm rest for the charger as Childe focuses on driving the Bentley, speeding through traffic whenever possible. The three of us are finally on holiday. Xiao has finished his first year of high school, and we decided to take the camping trip a bit early to start off the summer since it's something Childe loves to do every year.

We're married now, Childe and I. He proposed to me on a trip we took to Sumeru eight years ago. We started dating not long after meeting and have been together ever since.

And no, we've never been caught for our crimes.
Childe still kills predators, and now I've become an accessory to every murder since the first body I helped him cremate. It's sort of become a bonding activity, in a strange, twisted way.

Xiao is 14 years old now, and no, he still has no idea that his fathers have serious skeletons in their closets. We tend to keep it that way for as long as possible.

Right now, Xiao sits in the backseat with his feet resting on the back of my chair, texting away on the phone I bought him when he entered high school. Childe hates that phone. He was upset at me when I bought it for him, saying he was too young to have that much access to the world. After my protests on the fact that he's a teenager now and not a baby anymore, he eventually gave in.

The gentle music playing in the car suddenly stops, and the sound of a Bluetooth connecting to the vehicle blares through the speakers. Suddenly, the car is being violated by the sound of heavy metal and screaming, while my seat rocks back and forth from the movement coming from the behind me.

"Xiao," Childe yells over the music, "stop doing that."

"Don't like it? Cover your ears," Xiao spits back.

Xiao has been a lot to handle lately. He's definitely entered his bratty teenage years, especially now. He's hotheaded and full of angst, and as he once adored Childe, he's now in his I hate you you're not even my real dad era. Childe is very overprotective of Xiao, but it's only because he loves him and doesn't want anything to happen to him. He may not appreciate it now, but one day Xiao will look back and realize how unfair he treated him.

I've learned to tune out Xiao's music, as well as him and my husband's arguing, reading my book and falling in and out of sleep throughout the ride.

Childe let's the music play, finally giving in to Xiao's constant reconnecting of the Bluetooth and driving tensely, both hands firm on the wheel. I reach a hand over to give his leg a little squeeze, and before I know it, I've dozed off into another nap.

I don't know how long it's been when I'm suddenly jolted awake by the sound of ringing booming through the speakers. I look at the caller ID on the screen, confused.

"Aether??" Childe says. "With a cat and black heart emoji?" He attempts to turn back to look at Xiao while still eyeing the road. "Who's this Aether with a heart??" Childe purses his lips, then immediately clicks the answer icon.

"Babe guess what?" A young male voice spills through the car speakers, and now both Childe and I are looking back at our son in shock, who also looks just as shocked. His face is beet red as he stares back at Childe.

"I-I-I'll call you back later!" Xiao says, then his finger spazzes on his phone to hit the end call icon. Once looking embarrassed, his face now flushes in anger. "What the fuck!"

"Language," I manage.

"Babe???" Childe says, shouting over the music that starts blasting through the car again. He jabs a finger around the pause icon a few times before hitting it. "Dammit, what's going on, Xiao? Who was that??"

"That's none of your business!" Xiao shouts. "Fuck, I hate you! Don't answer my calls!!"

"Language!" I say.

"It is my business because I'm your father!" Childe says.

"No! You're not!" Xiao disconnects his Bluetooth from the car. Usually, this would give Childe relief, but his tense state doesn't seem to falter. "Stop pretending to be my dad. You're just some annoying ginger my dad pick off the street and married."

"Xiao!" This time I can't ignore the arguing. I slam my book closed and turn to him. "That is enough. That is very hurtful. Childe is just as much of a father to you as I am. He saved your life, don't forget that. He raised you too, he keeps you safe. You will not disrespect him in such a way. He's done so much for you."

Childe pretends those words don't bother him, but I know how much they sting. I give him a reassuring look as my hand gently rubs over his thigh. His focus stays firm on the road, lips tight. He's used to this behavior by now, but that doesn't mean he'll ever get used how it makes him feel. He cares so much for Xiao. He knows it's just a phase, but I can't help but feel bad whenever Xiao acts out like this against him.

Xiao is quiet, texting away at his phone again, an angry little pout on his face. He usually doesn't talk back to me, either out of respect, or over the fact that I'm a lot more lenient in my parenting. I understand why Childe is the way he is, but I admit it can be a bit much at times.

We all drive in silence for a bit, not even music in the background. Xiao is the first to break the silence.

"I have to pee," he mumbles.

"Well you'll have to wait," I say, still a bit upset with him for his comment earlier. "We're almost there."

"No, it's fine," Childe says softly. "I'll pull into that petrol station over there. I should probably fill up anyway."

I look back at Xiao, lowering my reading glasses. "See how much he cares about you? Even when you're being a brat, he goes out his way for you. I'd have let you piss yourself."

"Language," Xiao mocks under his breath, eyes never leaving his phone. Even though he's being pissy, I can't help but smirk at that.

"Cheeky runt," I chuckle, reaching back and shoving at his leg. He tries hard not to smile, but I see the corners of his lips turn up, pretending to ignore me.

We pull into the petrol station and there's a line for both pumps. Childe pulls up behind a car, and the moment we're stopped, Xiao opens the door and hops out.

"Wait, I'll go in with you," Childe says, rolling down the window and taking off his safety belt.

Xiao leans into the window, looking directly into Childe's eyes. "Yeah, I can pee by myself, thanks," he says.

"I know," Childe says. "I'm not trying to be pushy, you just... don't know the area."

"Think I'll manage to navigate my way through a tiny ass petrol shop without holding daddy dearest's hand." Xiao rolls his eyes and starts toward the shop, eyes once again glued to his phone.

Childe watches him walk in, then slowly turns to me with a look like he may explode at any moment. I give him a sorry smile and place a hand on his cheek, leaning in to place a few soft kisses on his lips, to which he returns.

"Hey," I say, another kiss gently on those soft lips, "at least he called you daddy this time. That's a start."
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TO BE CONTINUED (please vote 💛)