CAPTIVITY

37. Imaginary Tigers

(Johnny POV)

Finley sits in the middle of the bathtub with a tired pout on his face. 

"Are you done yet daddy?" He asks and I look at my watch, cursing myself out under my breath after seeing the time. 

"Yes bud, almost." I sponge his little nose and raise his arm, getting out the mud from under his armpit. He groans softly, his eyes just wondering around with the telltale signs of his exhaustion meaning I might be able to sleep without interuption. His thick black hair falling flat when I pour water over his hair to get the shampoo out.

 "Daddy, why are you so fucking slow? Can't you see I'm tired." He groans and I drop the sponge into the bubbles. Tugging at the stopper to start to drain the hot water. We got most of the mud off in the shower but there was a few caked on dirt stains that needed a soak and an extra scrubbing to get off. 

I grab his towel off the radiator, draping it over my little boy with a long sigh. 

"What have we told you about swearing Finley Oliver?" I ask him. Knowing he had better sense than that and was just tired so I'm not going to punish him...this time. 

"Swearing is bad for children and I'm not allowed to swear until I'm as tall as AJ," He says the repeated sentiment with a small frown.

 "I don't say it in school though. Miss Higgins put me in the corner during playtime once when I told her to go fuck herself after I got a math problem wrong. And it was a long time out, like hours long. It was traumatizing daddy, honestly," he says it with a strange look as if he had a bad taste in his mouth and I try to stop myself from laughing. It was one I would have to tell Ash later tonight.

 Finley rubs himself down with the towel and ruffles his hair before sliding into his little blue bunny slippers and puting on his favorite, cozy bathrobe. I pick up his comb from the counter and run it through his hair. 

"You shouldn't be swearing at all buddy. I hope you don't swear in front of your cousins either," I add and he rolls his eyes. 

"Only Mari I swear. But it's only because he makes this weird choking gaspy sound and looks like a dead fish when I do. Then he tries to smack me and says I'm a bad boy. I always think it's really funny." He giggles softly and I halfway groan. We go out into the hallway together to his bedroom. 

Fin quickly hops into bed and snuggles up with the comforter before reaching out to his desk. I grab the stuffed tiger he had left there and hand it to him after sitting down on the side of his bed to put him to sleep. 

"Why do you like this tiger so much, buddy?" I ask out of curiosity. Having no idea where it came from. 

"Because Papa got it for me and I miss him a lot. Papa reminds me of a tiger because he's always growling or roaring at me with his mighty tone of anger. But I still miss him and I love him very much." He says and I bite the edge of my lip. 

"When you go see papa, can you tell him I love him?" he asks, unable to speak with the large lump in my throat that makes it hard to even swallow. I give him a small nod and kiss the top of his head. 

Tucking in my little boy and turning off the light.