X, Isn't Replaceable(MxM)

Robbery (2)

Chapter 2: Robbery (2)

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“I… was trying to steal money from you because that’s what dad said I should do… I just… didn’t know you didn’t have any, I’m sorry…” Pesco apologized, his sincerity seemed to be present to say the least. The fifteen year old child didn’t seem to hold any horrible intentions behind his darkened brown eyes, he was just as desperate as he was taught to be by his own father.

“Your dad?” The man standing at the doorway questioned with interest. As if written on his face he wondered why would anyone force their child to do something like this?

“He’s told me that this was a way to make money even though I’m young… that I wouldn’t be charged even if I was caught… but you said this wasn’t a good way to make money… so what is?” Pesco asked, he was confused, genuinely so, he didn’t understand the way the world worked nor what was required of him at the time.

The man sighed as he sad down on the ground as if to level with the child. “Kid… I don’t really know what your situation is…” He said while shrugging his shoulders. “Where’s your mother?” He questioned with a serious yet still kind look on his face. There was the sort of appropriate distance between them that you would expect, yet he seemed really concerned for a child he didn’t even personally know.

“She left us a long time ago.” Pesco admitted in a careless manner. He looked at the man with a sort of lost in thought gaze. ‘This person isn’t kicking me out or calling the police although I tried to rob him…’ He thought to himself his young brain not being able to completely tell why the other wasn’t angry at him as his own father would have been in that situation.

“Then any other relatives? You must know some of them, right?” The man asked while tilting his head to the side. He seemed even more concerned now than ever. Gregory’s face seemed to wrinkle as he furrowed his brows.

“No…” Pesco shook his head from side to side.

“Listen… I can’t really give you money because I don’t have any… but… I could find you a better place to stay and people that will actually take care of you.” The man suggested as he still kept a certain distance from the other as if not to make him feel uncomfortable.

“Is there any place that would take me?” Pesco seemed reluctant and uncertain.

“Of course… do you go to school?” The man asked again as he picked up his phone and began typing something on it.

“No.” Pesco admitted, he seemed calm in the other’s presence.

“Then you should start. There are plenty of interesting things you could learn there. And then you’d be able to get a job when you grow up, that’s the proper way to make money, more so rather than stealing.” The man said with a somewhat goofy looking smile on his face, his wrinkles from smiling seemed so sincere and reassuring.

“What else?” Pesco asked for more advice, he seemed interested to know. ‘If I listen to a man quite so happy like him… I wonder if I can achieve the same happiness he has…’ Those words were inside his mind at the time. He’d never really been glad with the way things were and he wanted a change, desperately needed it even.

“For starters… you could tell me more about your father and what he’s been doing at home? We need to give a proper report of that to authorities…” The man suggested while still typing on his phone focused.

“He’s been drinking mostly… sometimes he leaves to go to bars but most nights he’s just at home with a few bottles…” Pesco admitted, it seemed easy for him to mention now but you could see he wasn’t too happy about it, within those small eyes of his you could see a child that’s been through much in his lifetime.

“I see… then… could it be alright if you waited here for a bit?” The man asked as he slowly stood up. “I want to make a phone call to CPS, they’ll know what to do, I have a friend there that will make sure you’re taken care of.” He said with a gentle look on his face.

“Sure…” Pesco agreed as he nodded his head, then sat there waiting, he had no reason to trust the older man and yet he did. ‘I could have pretended I was alright in front of him… but I didn’t… because despite the fact I saw him for the first time I felt like I could trust him…’ He thought to himself it was difficult to rationalize his thoughts because he didn’t see any reason to his own actions that night.

‘I felt as if this random man cared more about me than anyone ever had. I felt safe even after I was taken in by the social workers, maybe it’s because he reassured me, or because I didn’t care anymore what happened…’

‘I didn’t have anyone in this world but I looked up to him… he was very strong… and very kind… and someone that didn’t think twice about helping a brat like me who could offer absolutely nothing in return to him…’ Pesco’s mind was filled of these thoughts of the past that made him feel nostalgic as he stared blankly into space. ‘The social workers he called later took me away… it’s been over fifteen years and I still haven’t forgotten that man… the man that saved my life from going downhill…’ He recalled, the expressionless face he showed to the world by no means reflected the conflict inside his mind that he couldn’t ignore.

‘It took me a while to realize the feelings I had for that man weren’t as simple as admiration… It was something deeper than that…’ Pesco thought to himself as he lowered his head and looked in front of him as if his blurry vision had just cleared up all of a sudden. ‘I wanted to meet him so desperately to thank him for what he’d done but… I never expected he would be gone…’ Pesco felt an ache in his heart as he read the tombstone in front of him…

‘In loving memory of Gregory…’

‘Gregory, that was his name… the person that didn’t shame me that day, the person that listened to me… the person I couldn’t help but love to the point of obsession…’ Pesco thought to himself although he felt like it was far too late. ‘The kindest people die the soonest… the most beautiful flowers are picked first…’ Pesco turned around to leave but before he could do so he was stopped by another man approaching him.

“Excuse me, are you a relative of the deceased?” The man asked in a somewhat panicked sounding voice. He was constantly checking his time as if he was going to be late.

“No, just an acquaintance…” Pesco admitted while trying to leave again but the other stopped him once more and shoved a bunch of things into the man’s hands.

“This is bad… I have to take this to his son but I can’t seem to find him anywhere…” The man said as he looked down at his watch again. “Please find him and give these to him, I really have to leave now or I’ll be late for my shift!” He said still desperate as before.

“He isn’t here? The son I mean.” Pesco asked as he looked around, the other shook his head from side to side in agreement. “Apparently not…” He remarked quietly.

‘What kind of a son wouldn’t come to his father’s funeral? He must be a stupid brat…’ Pesco thought to himself, he was ready to curse out the child’s name if only he knew what it was.

“Please could you look for him for me, I have to go now.” The man asked as he turned around and left, it felt more like a demand more so than a request.

“I don’t know anyone-” Before Pesco could even reply the other had sprinted away from him as if he was a professional runner. The only way to reach that man’s top speed was if Pesco were to grow an extra pair of limbs. ‘Incompetent people everywhere these days… what is this anyways?’ Pesco looked down at the bag that was shoved in his hands. Inside he found some of the deceased man’s belongings, among which he noticed something particular…