talking to him

prologue - quackity

𝖙𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖌𝖊𝖗 𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘 𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖎𝖓 𝖆𝖚𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖗'𝖘 𝖓𝖔𝖙𝖊

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karl is bouncing on his feet as he waits outside his classroom, pushing up onto his tippy-toes so he can see across the vast playground before him. his little eyes turn to slits as he squints, searching the crowd of faces for a familiar smile.

his heart leaps when he spots a head of curly brown hair entering the school gate and he is quick to grab his book bag and lunch box off of the floor before running past his classmates to miss klein.

someone is already talking to his teacher so he waits his turn, however impatient he may feel, until he's able to step in front of the blonde woman and chirp, "i can see my daddy!"

miss klein asks karl to point him out, just to make sure, and when she can also see him standing at the edge of the playground she dismisses the young brunette, opening the gate so he can dart out and sprint as fast as his little legs will take him.

he weaves through all the other adults, his bag hitting his leg in a steady beat as he runs. when he gets close enough he shouts to his dad and, of course, the older man hears him.

his daddy is standing with another man, talking to him, but that doesn't stop him from bending down and holding his arms out when karl gets close. the brunette's stomach goes all bubbly as he jumps into his daddy's arms, giggling brightly as he is spun around in the air.

"good day?" the curly brunette asks as he settles karl back on the floor, instinctively taking the book bag and lunch box from karl's little hands as he smiles proudly down at his son.

"the best!" karl chirps, hugging his daddy's legs. he chances a look up at the man his dad is standing with and doesn't recognise him, though the stranger easily picks up conversation with karl's dad as if they're friends.

"and you've only got the one?" the stranger asks.

"yep," karl's dad answers, ruffling the little brunette's hair as karl continues to cling to his legs. "you're my little star, aren't you karl? my only child."

karl nods quickly. he is proud to be an only child because that means his daddy loves him perfectly. he doesn't need brothers and sisters because he is already the best son ever.

karl's attention shifts away from the adults' conversation when another little boy skips over to them. karl recognises the ravenette from the playground and he thinks that he might be in owl class, meaning they're the same age. he remembers them playing tag together once, along with lots of their other friends, but karl doesn't know his name.

"ah, and here's my cheeky rascal," the stranger says to karl's dad as he hugs the other little boy into his side, pressing a kiss to his head.

the child pretends to wriggle away from his dad's affection but karl notices the smile on his face. the brunette takes note of his own position and steps away from his daddy's legs, not wanting to look like a baby. he is big and independent now, anyway.