Vitriolic

"Who are you?" Roma asked with a bitter tone. Her voice couldn't hide her anger towards this unwanted being.If not for Freya being busy with an urgent shoot. It would have been her instead of this unknown being.The beautiful smile slips from Dean's face as he feels the bitterness in her tone. "Myself, Dean Rayden. I'm Ayan's teacher," pats Ayan's head, "and work in the same company as Roman."Roma faked a smile. "I presume teachers are not family, right?"Roma's words trapped a barricade around him. It made him feel outsider for the first time in Roman's presence. The man never made him feel left out."Mom, he's here because I called him." Roman stood next to him as Ayan jumped on Dean's side too. "Yes, teacher is here to play with me." He swigs Dean's arm.Dean smiled at the adorable boy.Roma scoffs and looks away as her eyes lock with her husband. Her husband's eyes spoke the unspoken, which is asking her not to speak unnecessarily.Neil smiles at Dean. "You're welcome, dear. This event was always handled by me, Roman, Roma, along with angel Ayan." Grandpa smiled at his grandson, who looked at him with a nod."We don't mind an extra hand helping us." Neil further added a smile. He gestured to Dean to hold packed food. "Please help us."Dean looked at Roman, who nodded and blinked his eyes with a smile. Dean looks back at the elder Carter and nods. "It'll be my honor.""We still have a lot of food left. We should go around and serve it."

Dean nodded, glancing at Roman one last time. He followed the man.

"Teacher, I'll help--"Roman held Ayan's shirt, stopping the boy from running. "You are going to be a good boy and help your dad first.""Help, papa first," Roman says, pointing at the paper cups lying around the ground. "Please collect them and place them inside this black bag, okay?" Roman showed the garbage bag. Ayan nodded with a pout.He ducks down to Ayan's level. "How about your favorite noodles later?"This surely brightens Ayan as the boy beams a bright smile. He looks at the wide ground with determination. "Yes," Ayan fisted, ran towards the lying paper cut and threw it inside the garbage bag."Why are you making the boy work?" Roma asked, watching her grandson with pitiful eyes. "He's still a child."Roman threw a glance at his mother. "That's the reason. I want his foundation to be strong. Learn the basics of life in this itself."Roman clears the tables. Knowing the rented people will come back any moment. They will ask for the tables and chairs.Roma looked surprised with the words. "Are you going to remain this way with your mother?"Roman paused his action of folding the table. "Mother, it's your words that pushed us away.""And your silence is building the wall here." Roma cuts while stepping closer."What I'm saying is for your good." Roma is not going to back off.Roman sighed with yet another conversation on the same matter."Mom--""You don't understand. Ayan needs a mother."Roman looks back at his mother. "Ayan needs a loving parent. Not just a mother."Roma narrowed her eyes. "You said, parent. Not moter. Should I take it as the hidden statement?"Roman sighed to himself. "What hidden statement, mom?""That man, Dean or something. Who is he to you?" She held Roman's shoulder in a tight grip. "answer me."Roman just looked at his mother. "Whatever, your thinking is right."Roma gasped, moving back with a hand over her mouth. Her wide eyes locked on Roman''s eyes, which for some reason reminded her of calm and blank."Did I raise a homo all this while?" Roma's question remained hung in the thick air, with red eyes glaring at Roman with accusation and disgust.Roman sighed, "Mom, when did feelings see gender? If it can be blind for status, looks, then why-"A tight slap echoed in a silent place, alerting the tiny boy, looking at his papa with wide eyes. He was so far and immersed in his world that he didn't hear anything. However, the sound shocked his core."Papa," Ayan calls with a shaking figure. He couldn't see his dad's face. However, the tilt of the head said that something was wrong.Ayan hiccups with tears brimming in his big eyes. "Papa." He keeps the bag aside and runs to his pap.Roman quickly blinks his eyes and clears his throat, forcing himself to smile. He ducks down to capture the tiny hope in his arms.Ayan cried loudly, shocking Roma too. She was still in shock that she slapped Roman, and the boy's cries overwhelmed her.The sound shook the tiny oy to the core. He couldn't comprehend the situation. His shivering hands grip his father's shirt tightly. His sobs broke his father's heart.Roman gave a sharp look to his mother, standing still while gazing at her hand.Sometimes, with losing grip on any one of the emotions, we tend to do the things we don't mean, which we may regret later.With a horrified face, Roma placed the burning hand on her chest. Her eyes waver as realization draws in her mind with thunder."I...slapped my son."⋇⋆✦⋆⋇Nervousness made Dean take steps a bit behind HeeRoman's father. However, the man looks very polite. Yet Dean grips toe containers tightly, following the men as they give out to homeless people."This is the last one," Neil said, drawing Dean's attention to himself.Dean gave a nod and looked around to find someone.Neil glanced at the food and his watch. "You must be hungry too."Dean looked back at the man and smiled.Roman's kindness is mainly from his father.Dean shook his head in denial. "It's ok, sir. I just wanted to be there with Roman on this day."Neil nodded. "That remains with me; how do you become so close to Roman?"This question was not expected."I don't know myself, sir." Dean smiles, "Sometimes, we just feel the connection with someone; sometimes we become comfortable with someone we hardly know. Sometimes, it's just their smile and open arms, which make you close." Dean replied in a daze.Neil smiled, believing whatever Dean spoke now was directly from his heart."I'm glad that Roman met you," Neil whispered and patted Dean's head.Dean looked down and thanked him.What else should I say?Neil read the awkwardness in the air."Let's get back to them," Neil asked, gaining another nod. This boy is feeling awkward with me."How is Ayan in school?" Neil started a conversation again.Dean smiles, looking at him. "Ayan is a very intelligent student. He understands a problem and knows how to get out of it. He adapts to things easily. I have never gotten any complaints about him or he complied with anything. He is a very calm and collected kid." Dean looks down. "Probably, he's brothert up so well." Dean smiles to himself. "Roman himself is a very kind, good, caring person. Ayan"Neil nodded his head.This way, or that way, it reaches to Roman anyway.Neil chuckled to himself."What does Ayan do in his free time?" Neil asked with a smile.Dean looks back. "I have seen him playing games and drawing. He is very much fascinated with the arts. Also, he is interested in raping." He looks back at Neil. "Roman planned to teach Ayan basketball. DCalder sir told me that Roman was amazing in it."Again, we reached the same place!

"Is it true?" Dean asked, snapping the man from his thoughts.

Neil blinks his eyes with a nod. "Yes, he's an amazing player. We have all his trophies and medals with us. I often clean them, remembering my Roman being a child. Now, he has a child of his own. A tiny family of himself, Ayan, and..." The man looks at Dean and smiles."We have reached," Neil said, taking big steps, leaving Dean to decrypt the unsaid words himself.Dean's eyes narrowed at Roman, who was calming down Ayan. With quick steps, he walked past the old couple."It's ok, dear. Shush, Papa is doing fine. Papa is okay."Ayan sniffled and fixed himself to hug his papa comfortably. His eyes were looking around as though searching for something or someone.As soon as Dean came into Ayan's line of sight. He straightened his back, sniffing. "Teacher," the boy's broken tone urged Roman to hug him tightly.He has never raised his hands on Ayan. The boy never gave him any reason to get upset with him. The boy is the sole reason for his happiness, and he doesn't want Ayan to see the reality of the world yet.Ayan has woven a fairytale land for himself, and Roman, being the father, will guard the land for his dear son.When the time is right, Ayan will be old enough to make the right decisions. Then he will let the boy spread the wings and fly higher than him.Roman's thoughts broke due to cold fingers touching his left cheek. He looks at Dean, wetting his palm with water and gently patting his cheek.Though the man is not saying anything. His quivering lips spoke all. His glistening eyes whispered his questions. His trembling fingers were shaking with worry."I'm fine," Roman whispered enough to calm another soul worrying about him.Dean hums, caressing Ayan's back, and leans forward to blow on Roman's cheek. The redness of the cheek gave all the reasons to turn his eyes red with pain.Watching Dean blow on his father's cheek. Ayan did the same on his other cheek.Roman couldn't hold his smile. "I'm fine, love. Don't worry."Neil held his wife's hand and gestured for the lady to look ahead."Tell me what you are seeing," Neil asked, pointing at the group with a smiling Roman.Roma's eyes narrowed. "Why the hell is the man so close to my son?"Neil nodded and crossed his arms. "And?"Roma narrowed her eyes. "What else? It should have been Freya. But Roman doesn't understand that she's best for him."Neil said nothing and looked back at the boy, who had a kerchief on his cheek. "You slapped Roman again?"Roma stood stiff in her place. "He's taking the wrong path. So-""So? You are going to raise your hand to him? What made you think the path is wrong?"Roma looked at her husband with stern eyes. "I hope you are not saying what I'm thinking."Neil pressed his lips together. "If Roman was interested in Freya. He would have gotten the feelings long ago. Freya is Amelia's friend, right?"He shook his head. "Instead of Freya, he fell in love with Amelia. Do you understand? If Roman didn't choose her back then." He sighed, "He wouldn't choose her even now." Looking back at his son. "My son has found the one for himself. I'll support him."Roma glared at him. "Are you nuts? He's not understanding. I gave birth to him. I was the one who took care of him even before he was born. We brought him up together. We-""So? Just because we brought him up. Because he's our son, does it give us the chance to choose a life partner for him?"Roma remained silent. Unable to decipher the words."It's his life, Roma. Can't you see our child has his own child now? Can't you see how amazing a father he has become? Trust me, sometimes I felt I should have been like Roman. The dad that every child deserves. Sometimes I couldn't give time to my son. Even though you are there in my life."But Roman is a single parent. Yet he always makes time for his son. You know Ayan got vaccinated for the flu. Can you imagine? I never thought about it."If he can take care of his child. Don't you think he is capable of making decisions in his life?"Roma shook her head. "The society-"Neil rolled his eyes. "The society didn't take care of my son. Dean did and is doing it even now. Dean is the first ray falling from the sky just for our son." He held Roma's hand. "We should support them."Roma is contemplating with words from her husband and how society is. She knows if Roman walks this path. It's going to be way more difficult for him than regular life."Should we?" Roma asked with a whisper. Neil blinked his eyes with a nod.Roma mutters, "Okay. But if society says something-""Roman will take care of it. He can protect his family. Don't forget, his strength has doubled now."Roma nodded her head and looked at Roman with an apologetic gaze."Shall we go to them?" Neil asked while forwarding his hand towards Roma.She smiled and held his hand.Dean's gaze does not leave Roman's cheek. He is still unable to understand who did this. But he's hesitating to ask about it too.Roman sighed, noticing the gaze. "It's nothing serious."Dean's eyes lowered with a nod."You are worrying too much. It's just that mom was upset."Dean looks back with wide eyes."She's worried about me, that's all."Dean narrowed his eyes."Yes, that's it. Nothing else."Dean nodded with understanding. However, he looks back again."Yes, I'm not lying."Dean hummed, combing Ayan's hair as the boy slept in Roman's arms. His face squished against his chest with pouty lips.Neil held a surprised face when he saw Roman replying just by seeing Dean.How deep is their bond now?Roma stepped closer, and Dean gently stood up from the bench. His fingers brushed against Roman's hand.Roman was quick to hold his hand. His narrowed eyes asked the man to sit down.Dean's eyes flickered back and forth between mother and son.Roma sighed, "Son." She glanced at Dean and back to her son. "I'm sorry."Roman shook his head. "Mom, it's-""I apologize for everything. For forcing my decision on you. For not respecting your wish. For not believing in you. For," she glanced at Dean again. "For not accepting your love."Roman stood up straight, looking at his mother with wide eyes. Ayan whined and adjusted himself while pressing his face on his father's shoulder, arms wrapped around his neck.Roma smiled and stepped towards Dean. "I'm trusting my son in your care." She carefully held Dean's hand. "I know you have something that I missed seeing. Something which my son and husband saw in you."She smiled at Roman. "Will you give me a chance to know you better?"Dean looks at Roman, not able to understand the situation. His eyes plead with the man to help him.What's happening? What's she saying?Roman patted Ayan's back and blinked his eyes.Dean nodded almost immediately, looking at the lady."Brilliant! How about spending Christmas with us? Even better in Roman's apartment." Neil spoke standing behind his wife.Dean looks back at Roman and the handheld by Roma. He gently shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know," whispering with ragged breath."I don't understand what's happening." Dean looks at Roman with helpless eyes.Roman shook his head. "Don't mind them. They get excited easily."Neil threw him a glare, earning chuckles from his wife."I can see what you're doing, young man," Neil spoke with hands behind his back. "Don't forget, you're my son, which means even you get excited easily."Roman smiled, looking down and his father said. "Now, you are stopping yourself from whining just like your son.""Dad,""It's so fun making fun of you."