𝓝𝓸𝓽 𝓢𝓸 𝓔𝓿𝓲𝓵 [√]

Part Fifteen

Zach didn't bathe in scent suppressant that day or any day after that for the next two weeks. He knew he said he couldn't, but that day in the bathroom, when he picked up his body wash, he couldn't use it.

He was in his lab fixing a Zach bot when he heard Junior call him; he immediately placed down his screwdriver and went to find him.

He exited the lab and went into the house, which was on the other side of the garage. He entered the house and went into the kitchen, where he heard talking.

He entered the kitchen and was showered with confetti. "Happy birthday," Chris and Junior said, and Zach stood there in shock.

"Birthday?" Zach asked, confused.

"Yeah, it's your birthday. Don't tell me you forgot," Chris laughed, and Zach blushed.

"I don't celebrate it," Zach said, walking further into the room and picking up Junior.

"Well, you will today," Chris said, pulling him into a chair.

"We got you a cake, Daddy," Junior beamed up at him, and Zach smiled down at him.

"Really? Thank you, bud." Zach said, running his hand through Junior's hair.

Chris pulled a black forest cake from the fridge and lit candles in it. He placed it in front of Zach, and the other man stared at it for a while. He blew out the candles, and Chris cut him a piece of cake.

Zach ate his small piece in silence, watching Junior make a mess of himself. After the cake was eaten, Zach cleaned up and put the rest of the cake in the fridge.

"Zach?" Chris said from behind him, and Zach hummed in acknowledgment. "I was thinking we could go to the park today," Chris said. Zach tensed a little.

"Ok, well, um, have fun," Zach said, and he heard Chris sigh behind him.

"No, I meant me, you, and Junior," Chris said, and Zach froze in his movement.

"I can't," Zach said, making his way to his lab. "Just make sure not to lose Junior," he said, closing the lab door behind him.

Zach watched through the cameras as Chris got Junior ready, and they left together. Zach left the lab and made his way to his room. He got on his knees, pulled a box from under his bed, and opened it. Zach pulled out a picture and rubbed his thumb over it.

He didn't know how long he stayed there till he felt a hand on his shoulder, looking up he looked up and saw Chris frowning at him. "Are you ok?" Chris asked, and Zach nodded.

"I'm fine," Zach said, putting the picture back in the box, but not before Chris took it from him.

"Who is that?" Chris asked, looking at the woman in the photo.

"That was my mother," Zach said sadly.

"Oh, sorry for your loss," Chris said, and Zach shook his head.

"She's not dead," Zach said, standing from the floor and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"So..." Chris said, not understanding.

"She abandoned me, and she sent me a letter on my birthday, kindly informing me that I wasn't going to come back. I was kicked out of the family because she thought that by doing that, she would have gotten the money my father left me, which was all of his possessions and a few other things. But it didn't happen that way. It was mine as soon as my dad died, no matter what happened. She couldn't do anything like that. She called me a few weeks later, telling me she wanted me to go to the bank with her to sign over my inheritance. I went there the next day and blocked her from it. I was over 18, and I used most of it to build this house," Zach told him, and Chris frowned.

"But she was always such a nice lady from when I remembered her," Chris said, and Zach huffed.

"Yeah, she was nice to other kids. She hated me, and she didn't want an Omega baby. She wanted a strong Alpha who could carry on the family name. When my dad died when I was four, she ignored me after that. I would only eat when I went to daycare and school. I got a job when I was thirteen so I could buy my own food. When you and your brother came along, she kept asking why I couldn't be like the Kratt brothers. Everyone loved the Kratts; my own mother loved you more than me." Zach told him, and Chris moved closer.

"I'm sorry," Chris mumbled, and Zach looked up at him.

"It's fine," he replied, patting his arm. Feeling tingles run up his fingers, he quickly pulled back.

"I'm going to finish Junior's new machine." He said before rushing out of the room.

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Word count: 780

Re-published: April 26, 2024, 1:30 pm

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