Death's Son (And All Its Jobs)

Chapter 8

Nico paced down the aisles of the store, his face red as he looked at all the baby stuff. What did toddlers eat?

Anubis, come on. Nico pleaded. Help me.

I've never raised a child before. Anubis replied. How am I supposed to know?

Nico groaned in frustration. Does he eat baby food or formula or regular food?

Again, I've never raised a child before.

Nico stopped his pacing to glare at a package of diapers. Do you think I need to change the kid's diaper?

I don't know if he even wears a diaper, Nico.

"Ugh." Nico put his head in his hands. "Why is this so hard?"

"Sir?" a woman pushing a cart stopped next to him. They were in the middle of the baby aisle, the bright lights of the store shinning down on them. "Do you need help?"

Nico blushed in embarrassment. "Do I look that lost?"

She laughed softly. "It's okay. Being a first-time parent can be rough."

Nico blushed worse. "I'm not...I'm not... My friend sent me to the store. He has a small kid and I don't know what the kid can eat. Without a phone, I'm at a loss right now."

"Oh, sorry for assuming." she gave her own toddler a pacifier to chew on. "How old is the kid?"

"I would say the same age as yours," Nico admitted. "But I'm not sure."

"Well, she can have some regular foods." she took a pack of diapers and put them in the back of her cart. "Mashed potatoes, mashed up vegetables, ice cream."

"Ik rem!" the small girl screamed, having spit out her pacifier at the sound of the dessert. "Ik rem!"

Nico smiled. "Okay. Thank you."

"No problem." the woman put the pacifier back into the toddler's mouth before walking off. Once she was gone, Nico grabbed the same type of diapers that she had gotten before also getting some baby wipes. I am not changing this kid.

Have Will do it. Anubis offered. He's the one that brought the kid home.

You're right about that. Nico looked at the shelves before moving down the row, getting a package of pacifiers. These look alright?

Get the yellow ones. Anubis instructed. The kid said he liked yellow.

The kid should like these. Nico argued, holding up the black pacifiers he had picked out. They're much better.

He's a child, not a Satanist.

Nico threw the pacifiers back onto the shelf in anger before grabbing the yellow ones. Happy?

The kid will be. Anubis replied. Now get him a blanket. What if he's like you and he gets cold easily?

Stop looking into my memories! Nico marched to the blankets. Wait...he doesn't have any warm clothes. What if we end up going to Canada? He'll freeze.

The baby clothes were down a couple aisles. Anubis remembered. Get the kid a coat, you idiot

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nico dumped the piles of bags in front of Will on the hotel bed. "There. KFC for dinner."

Will looked at the bags with wide eyes. "That isn't all KFC."

"I picked the kid up some stuff," Nico admitted. "Doubt we were going to find his parents anytime soon."

Will started to look through the bags. "Why did you get him a shirt with skulls on it?"

Nico blushed. "Uh...it looked warm?"

"Ello!" Peyton leaped out of Will's arms and onto one of the bags, having seen the pacifiers through the thin plastic. "Ello! Ello!"

"Yeah, yellow." Will opened the package before putting the pacifier into Peyton's mouth. "Nico..."

"I know, I know, I went overboard." Nico got his food and sat by Will. "Whatever. Anubis was egging it on."

Excuse me.

Will set Peyton by Nico before searching through the rest of the bags. He pulled out diapers, baby wipes, baby clothes, toys, blankets, and more. "Yeah, this is overboard."

"I got yellow stuff instead of black." Nico defended. "And I got him mashed potatoes. He can eat those, apparently."

Will got the container of mashed potatoes out before opening it. He put in it front of Peyton, gently taking the pacifier out of the boy's mouth. "See if you like this. It's potatoes."

Peyton started to eat with his hands, causing Will to let out a sigh. "Now we'll need to wash him."

Nico shrugged. "You brought him here. You wash him. Oh, I'm not changing a diaper. I'm saying that right now."

Will gave him a small smile. "While he eats, we should talk about this quest."

"Oh, right, the quest..." Nico scowled. "I hate the quest so far."

"Yeah, me, too." Will got his own food out. "How are we going to fight with Peyton? We can't risk him getting hurt."

"We can drop him off with Hazel." Nico took the blanket out of the bag and wrapped it around Peyton. "There, kid, stay warm."

"So you'll shadow travel him to her?" Will asked.

Nico nodded. "First thing in the morning. I'll take all his stuff, too. Will you be okay here until I get back?"

Will threw his empty food container into the trash. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Okay." Nico laid down. "Can you clean him?"

Will smiled. "Yes, I can clean him. You know, you need to learn how to take care of him, too."

Nico shrugged. "Not now. And it's two votes against one. Anubis agrees with me that you should be the one to clean and change him."

"Okay, okay." Will picked Peyton up. "You ready for a bath?"

Peyton clapped his hands together, spraying mashed potatoes onto Will's face. "Ath! Ath!"

Nico laughed softly. "Wish I had a camera."

Will stuck his tongue out at Nico. "You and Anubis need to invest in one then, huh?"