Cody learns to love

The one chapter where Waxer gets to take care of a child

  "Boil?"

  Boil was pretty sure he wasn't going to like whatever Waxer had to tell him just from Waxer's tone. It was way too cheerful. "What?" He turned to his twin.

  "Cody just called me."

  Cody? A cheerful tone? This was definitely something about children. "And what did he say?"

  "He asked if Fox could stay here for a few days."

  "And what did you tell him?"

  "That he certainly can and he can be here for as long as he wants," Waxer replied brightly. "I hope you don't mind."

  Boil did, in fact, mind. He never had the heart to tell Waxer but he didn't like children all that much. He liked Numa, she was their baby sister, but other than that, he never really saw the appeal of taking care of children. Waxer loved kids. He worked as a caretaker and he did it of his own free will. And as if looking after little shits for the entire duration of his shift wasn't enough, he jumped at every occasion to babysit. He even mentioned he was thinking about asking Cody if he could adopt his next little sibling but luckily Boil managed to talk him out of it and not break his heart in the process.

  "Why would he even need babysitting for Fox, isn't he like... thirteen?"

  "He is fourteen, actually. And he doesn't need babysitting, he just wants to take a break from all the chaos in their house."

  Oh. Boil could get that. He would go crazy in a house full of children. He honestly didn't know how Cody put up with all of his family bullshit. Cody complained sometimes but he seemed generally happy to have so many children. Just... how?

  "But you don't mind him staying here, right?"

  "Not really," Boil lied. At least it was Fox and not some annoying toddler. Boil hasn't seen Fox for quite some time but from what he remembered, Fox was generally quiet and that's what matters.

  "Do you think you could go shopping? I will give you a list."

  "Shopping? The fridge is full."

  "We need something that Fox eats."

  Of course. Cody did mention Fox being a picky eater. "Alright," Boil sighed. "What do I buy?"

  He should've expected Waxer's list to be long. Of course Waxer wanted him to buy enough food for an army. Sometimes Boil thought that it would be easier to just buy Waxer a dog. Maybe it would soothe his mandalorian adoption instincts.

  Somehow, Waxer found the time to clean the guest room they usually used as storage area in the hour and half they were waiting for Fox arrive. All that while preparing a huge dinner. Boil tried to remind him that Cody certainly didn't starve his teenager for two weeks but Waxer would have none of that. So there Boil was, helping Waxer to fit all the plates with food on their small kitchen table.

  "Just why didn't you put this into a sandwich?" Boil asked when Waxer laid a plate with toast bread and a plate with generous piles of ham, cheese and lettuce.

  "Fox doesn't like mixed foods. He needs it separated."

  Of course Cody had to give them the picky teenager. Oh wait, Wolffe was loud. Maybe picky was better, after all. Either way, Boil needed a drink, a strong one. Too bad that Waxer would never allow him to even have a glass of tihaar with a kid there. So he at least helped himself to a cookie.

  "Hey! Don't eat that, those are for Fox!"

  "He won't eat a whole packet of cookies at eight in the evening," Boil rolled his eyes.