Keys // Nicolas Brown

Act. 2 Scoldings

Once we entered the alleyway, Doug wouldn't shut up.

"You get into so much trouble and your life is always at risk. You don't think twice before doing something dangerous and you live as though there's no tomorrow. On top of that, you don't hesitate to kill anyone you see who poses a threat to me or yourself. Whi-"

"LOOK!" I screamed in excitement as we came upon granny's shop and the flavored water she had on show. "There's all sorts of flavors!!" I rushed to greet her, leaving Doug behind to grumble in frustration as he followed behind me.

"Mom, stay in one spot and stop moving so fast," he hissed, poking my cheek as I looked at the colorful bottles.

"Aw, sorry, baby," I sheepishly smiled, patting his head. "I tend to get carried away at times," I scratched the back of my head as he rolled his eyes at me.

"How many times have I told you to not call me baby anymore, I'm grown now," he whined.

"Eh, you two never change," granny smiled as we stood before her. "What's your poison for today? I swear you change what you want every damn time you come to see me."

"Gotta keep our orders spicy," I grinned, leaning over the counter. "And I need to find a place to buy my son a jacket," I winced as Doug sighed beside me.

"Again? You lose that boy's clothes more often than you show up here," she sighed, shaking her head and turned to the back of her shop.

"What can I say? I kill with comfort," grinning, I felt her smack me on my head.

"You gotta stop running around like a stray and find some place to settle down," she scolded. "Especially with those keys around your neck."

"Yeah, my keys sure are special," I sighed. "I- Wait, gran!" I jumped up to grab her shoulders as she smacked me again. "Have you seen my tags?"

"Yeah, I got them right here," she pulled a chain off the table beside her. "When you fought here, you dropped them and didn't bother to retrieve them."

"I know, I know. Sometimes it's safer to wear the tags instead of my keys," I spoke softly with the tags in my palm.

"Your tags aren't even real, your keys are what are intwined with your blood. I don't see the point in keeping fake tags of yourself with you, they weaken you immensely whenever you wear them," she stared at me with an ice cold look in her eyes.

"Gra-"

"Don't 'gran' me," she pulled my ear. "You know you get midnight attacks when you keep changing your chains from keys to tags, so cut it out," she snapped.

"They're getting better," I lied, successfully getting her hand off of my ear.

"No, they're not," Doug spoke up, looking at a pack of gum.

"Doug," I hissed, getting my ear pulled on again.

"You have one more attack and those tags are mine, got it?" Gran glared at me.

"Got it, got it," I agreed, swatting her hand off my ear. "Doug," I slapped his hand as he reached for a pack of cigarettes. "You'll make mama get gray hairs if you even dare to put your health at risk," I scolded.

"I wanted to mints next to them," Doug pointed as I looked at the box of mints right beside the cigarettes that he was reaching for.

"Oh, yeah. Sure thing," I smiled bashfully, handing him the mints.

"Surprised that you don't got any gray hairs already," Gran taunted.

"Hey! I am 32 years of age, despite how short I may be," I defended. "I have a son to look after," I huffed, bringing Doug close.

"You two many not be blood related, but sure are the closest thing to family you got," she sighed.

"I don't even know why I call you mom, it just kinda stuck," he shrugged as he stared up at me.

"Aww, it's because we loooooove each oth-"

"No," he pushed my face away.

"You should find a place to stay, or live since you're always around here," gran suggested.

"Yeah, I thought of putting Doug in th- OH, THEY ARE GLASS!" I lifted the flavored water to see it in a glass bottle. "Marvelous, we will take three and the mints Doug has, oh and two gums. Then we'll be on our merry way," I said as I pulled out the money to pay.

"You always give me more than your total," she sighed.

"Aw, come on. I can't even spoil ya a bit?" I grinned.

"What's your business here?" She sighed once more.

"Oooh, what brought me into this area?" I asked, resting my chin in my hand. "Well, big mama requested to see me tonight in a few hours so here I am," I smiled. "And I think it's about time that Doug goes to the Paulklee Colony as well," I spoke.

"What? Mom, you can't do that!" Doug's eyes widened as he stared at me. "NO, I WON'T GO!" He screamed at me, clutching onto me tightly. "I'm not leaving you, and you're not leaving me," he spoke, his words grumbled together.

"Now who said that would happen?" I smiled softly as I held him close.

"Stay close at least for tonight," granny sighed, waving us off.

We walked through the alley as it started to get darker, Doug holding onto me as if I would disappear into thin air.

Stopping abruptly, I sat against the wall, pulling Doug into my arms.

"Don't worry, you're great on your own," I praised. "You've been working through the ranks and can kick anyone. You're an A/0," I spoke as he held me tighter.

"That's because of you," he spoke muffled.

"I'm not going to drag you down your whole life, I'm a key. You can't stay with me. As a tag, you should go somewhere where you won't be in as much danger with me. I'm not a twilight, I don't even know what I am, some twilight hybrid? Who knows?" I sighed, patting the back of his head as his head rested in the crook of my neck, and I felt a drip of something wet run down my neck and onto my collarbone. "You'll do great," I smiled.

"What if they don't accept me?"

"They wouldn't dare to reject you, trust me on that," I smirked.

There were moments of silence as we embraced each other under the starlit sky, the moon shining above us.

"Big mama will be waiting," he stood, holding a hand out for me to take.

With a smile, I took his hand and stood straight, ruffling his dreadlocks.

"Then let's not take advantage of her patience," I grinned.

Nicolas will be coming in later, no worries buT CAN I JJST SAY I AM SO SOFT FOR DOUG AWWW