A Family

Taken For Granted

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  Next day Ethan still has to work, and as everyday he gets in the truck with the others, but this time you and Parker don't show up to wave him goodbye. He looks around, but there's no sign of you. The truck starts moving, and he looks devastated down at his hands.

  The others in the truck glance at each other, knowing this time it was bad. Even when they knew you had argued, the two of you still always showed up and waved him goodbye with a smile.

  When they get back, he hurries to finish what he has to do before going to find the two of you. He eventually does and just stands there awkwardly until you notice him. You look up and take in his appearance. He looks awful, tired, sad and regretful. You sigh to yourself before getting Parker's attention.

  "Someone wants to apologise." You say and point, he looks and sees Ethan standing a bit away, looking at him.

  The boy hesitantly walks toward him but turns and reaches his hand for you to join. So the two of you walk over to a bench and Ethan lean down in front of Parker in his seat beside you.

  "Parker.. I'm so sorry." Ethan apologises, feeling awful for his actions. Parker stays silent for a long moment.

  "You mad I hurt Yn." He then mumbles, fiddling with his hands in his lap.

  Ethan looks up at you, surprised but thankful that you had tried to defended him in a way, not to justify it, it was still wrong of him to handle it like that. But even though you didn't approve of his actions, you helped Parker understand why he made the mistake, so he would know how awful he felt when he realised what he had done. It wasn't the most horrible thing to do, but with Parkers past, he needed to be reprimanded a bit milder, and he still got the point.

  Ethan was just tired, and even the thought of someone hurting you makes him angry. When he heard Parker hit you, he didn't think much about who hit you, just that you were hurt. He mostly thought about how he needed to reprimand him, he didn't think about how he should've handled it. And Ethan didn't understand that the reason he acted out was kind of his fault.

  "Yes, I was. But it doesn't mean what I did was okay." Ethan tells him. Parker is silent again, just looking at his hands in his lap and Ethan swallows nervously. "Can you forgive me?" He then asks.

  After a long moment, Parker nods slowly in affirmation and Ethan lets out a relieved sigh.

  "Thank you, Parker." He says, the boy still just sits beside you silently. "Can I have a hug?" Ethan asks tentatively and opens his arms.

  Parker glances at you and you give him a reassuring smile to let him know it's his own decision. He looks back at Ethan, carefully he moves closer and into his arms.

  "Thank you, bud. I promise I'll never grab you like that again." Ethan promises.

...

  Next day Ethan has to leave for work again, you and Parker stand as usual and he waves to the two of you as the truck leaves. Parker waves this time again, Ethan having made up and even spend some time with him and you, before he left for work.

  But you just look with a forced smile, your hands on Parker's shoulders. Usually you would wait until he was out of sight before turning, but you do it earlier. Ethan stares longingly after you as you walk away to get to your own work with Parker. Ethan doesn't understand why you were like this now, he thought he had made it up with Parker and that everything was fine now.

  They're out scavenging a mall. Ethan assigned everyone tasks and what to get. Jason and Tom hear glass chattering and whip their heads toward each other in alarm. They run to find the others, they pass a jewellery store and notice Ethan standing there.

  "Ethan, did you hear.." Jason starts but sees the chattered glass around his feet. "Oh.." He just says as they look at him.

  Ethan just stands there, staring at the necklace he was holding, having seen it as he walked past.

  "She said once that she used to wear one like this." He mumbles staring down at the gold necklace with a small heart pendant.

  "Need a gift bag for that?" Tom tease, but gets no response from him.

  After a few more seconds of staring at the necklace, Ethan just put it in the inside pocket of his jacket and goes to the two. Taking a deep breath he looks around then at them.

  "You think there's a toy-store here?" He asks and they smile.

  "I saw one downstairs." Jason says.

...

  Later when they come back, Ethan gives Parker a small toy plane he brought back for him.

  "Plane." Parker says looking at the plane in excitement and then pointing to Ethan while taking your hand and hugging it, trying to communicate that the airport is where he met you and Ethan.

  "Yeah." Ethan smiles.

  He grins at the boy looking happy again. Then he stands up, reaching for the inside pocket in his jacket.

  "Yn, I have something for-" He's just about to pull the necklace out when you interrupt him.

  "It's almost dinner, we should go." You say casually, taking Parker's hand and smile as he shows you the plane, waving it up in the air like it's flying. Ethan looks after you for a moment before following, laying the necklace back in his pocket for now.

  At dinner he sits down beside the two of you like always, relieved when he sees the two of you smiling and laughing.

  "Can you show me?" He asks Parker and he nods.

  Ethan moves for him to sit on his lap like he usually does, but Parker just sits a bit closer so he can see, not making a move to sit on his lap. You look at Parker while he shows him. Ethan glances up to share a smile with you, like you always do, but you don't look up at him, only focusing on Parker. He feels himself getting nervous again but tries to brush it away and focus on Parker.

...

  At night Parker cuddles into Ethan and he looks down at him with a soft smile. His arm is still outstretched for you to join. But when he notices you don't, he looks at you, only to find you turning around with your back to them.

  "Yn, aren't you-"

  "Good night, Ethan."

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