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Cellbit couldn’t say he expected nothing that was happening with him since he got that island. After the crimes he committed, the atrocities he’s done in prison, if he just got to have an uneventful life, he would consider himself a lucky man. The truth is he knew he didn’t deserve any peace. But everything changed when he shipwrecked in that place. He didn’t know exactly what he was doing in a ship with his friend (as impressive as that status was for him after everything, they had caused to each other in prison) and not even how they had got to Quesadilla Island, but he couldn’t deny that his life had never been so good before.
He had friends, shelter and a son. A son. When in his life he would picture himself as a dad? And of a dragon baby? Anyways, as absurd as that sounded, Richarlyson became the most important in his life faster than he would like to admit. He would do anything for that kid, even becoming that person he swore to the never become again.
He honestly thought that would be it, an united family and a son was more than he could ever ask for. So imagine his surprise when an handsome Mexican guy started to flirt with him daily. At first, he dealt with it like that, just flirting. He learned really fast that Roier treated everyone like that and decided to retribute the little jokes. Soon they had nicknames they only called each other, were going out in adventures often and their kids had become best friends.
Bobby, Roier’s son, was a difficult child. At first, Cellbit didn’t like him, since he baby dragon had pointed a gun to his head on his first day on the island and would pick on Richaslyson a lot, but with a little time he realized that despise the hard to deal with personality, Bobby was a good kid and started to like him little by little. However, he only realized just how much he liked the boy after his first death.
He still remembered the despair climbing up his spine when he saw the message on the communication device the Federation had given him as soon as he set foot on the island. He had never felt so guilty for laughing every time the boy would get a little bit hurt. Different from the adults, the kids didn’t wake up on their beds unnumbered times after dying. They only had two chances and Bobby had just lost one of them.
He ran to Roier’s castle with Richas close behind and did all he could to comfort the man and the little boy, that was quite shaken and scared. Roier, as always, kept his playful personality in order to lighten the mood and calm his son down, but Cellbit could see the pain hidden behind the mask and the crippling worry in his eyes.
After that they got even closer. Guapitos and Guatinhos were exchanged more often than not and if he wasn’t head deep into some puzzle, he was with Roier and Bobby. He wasn’t sure when everyone in the island started to assume they were a couple but was much before they could admit it. They wouldn’t correct anyone when something like that was said, and even reinforced the idea sometimes, but had never actually talked about their feelings.
It all became a little more official after Bobby’s “almost” second death. They had gone exploring together, since Roier wasn’t feeling ok that day. They found a nice dungeon but had decided not to get in because the Mexican couldn’t fight that day. Despair took over both guys when the boy with the boy overalls run inside the structure filled by monsters. Roier ran after him without thing twice and Cellbit shouted to Richarlyson stay back while following him. He got in already fighting and killing what he could, he scanned the area and when finally found what he was looking for, he was completely out of breath.
Roier had big cuts in his right arm and legs, he barely could keep himself standing and wielded his sword in a desperate attempt to protect his son, that was fallen behind him with a pool of blood surrounding his head. There were way too many monsters between them, Cellbit knew he wouldn’t be able to save both.
“Cellbo! Bobby!” Roier shouted as he approached “¡Sácalo de aquí!”1
Cellbit stood between Roier and one of the monsters, defending him from a attack and taking a punch in the gut, but still keeping his foot.
“Run! Both of you!” he shouted to the Mexican.
“¡NO CONSIGO!” he answered in panic “¡CELLBO TIENES QUE SALVAR A BOBBY, NO SOY IMPORTANTE!”2
And was in that moment that Cellbit realized that Roier mattered to him. Like no one had ever before. It was right then and there that he understood why his heart broke at just the idea of leaving him to die in the dungeon, even though he knew he would see him in a few minutes. Why he would think about him all the time when they were away. Why Bobby had become one of his priorities.
And it was for understanding how important Roier was for hum, that he quickly picked the baby dragon up and ran outside without looking back.
The first thing he saw outside was Richarlyson. His son was a few meters away from the door wearing full armor and with his sword in hand looking quite frantic and ready to fight if necessary.
“Pai! Pai!”1 he shouted running in his direction and then stopping in shock “BOBBY!”
Cellbit ran and kneeled down, laying that boy on his arms on the floor carefully. His dark hair and blue bandana were soaked in blood, making the detective sick. Blood usually wouldn’t leave him like that, but the idea of seeing his little boy that hurt changed everything.
“Pai, ele… Ele…”2 he could hear Richas cry by his side and when looked at him he could see tears rolling down his cheeks and the panic in his eyes.
“Vai ficar tudo bem”3 promised in an attempt to calm the boy down, even though he wasn’t he could keep that promise.
Quickly started to look for the origin of the blood, ready to find some big and nasty wound, but that wasn’t what happened. What caused all that panic was only a small cut on the side of the boy’s head, probably caused by the hit that knocked him out. He pressed the wound to stop the blood flowing out of it and sighed. If Cellbit wasn’t there, that cut would have killed Bobby not for the blood loss, but ‘cause he was knocked out. They needed new better ways to protect the kids URGENTLY.
“Papai…”4 Richas called him again.
“He will be ok, it’s just a cut” assured without taking his eyes of the unconscious boy in front of him.
“Dad… Where is tio Roier?”
Cellbit felt his heart sunk in his chest and looked to the dungeon’s entrance. Roier was still trying to fight. Probably even more hurt, worried about Bobby, tired…
“He will be fine” he whispered more to himself than to Richarlyson, but it was hard to convince even himself when in the next second the alert about the Mexican’s death showed up in his communication device.
He let out a frustrated sigh. He couldn’t save him in the end, even though he knew Roier would wake up in his castle in a few minutes. Sore, with new scars and traumatized, but alive. Bobby on the other hand would be lost forever.
The man messaged his friend warning him that Bobby was ok and that he should wait for them at home and not worry about his items because he would take it. The boy’s bleeding had finally stop and Richarlyson was kneeling beside them, looking straight at his best friend face.
“Richas, I’m going inside the dungeon to get Guapito’s things. Wait for me here and take care of Bobby, ok?”
His son shook his head in agreement and held his sleeve.
“Toma cuidado, pai”5 he asked worried.
Cellbit smiled and kissed his son’s curls before getting up and walking towards his next fight.
After blocking the second floor and destroying the spawners, cleaning the first floor and getting Roier’s backpack wasn’t that hard. As soon as he got out he saw Bobby not only wake but also sitting up. The boy had one of his hands in his head and the other one holding a bottle of water.
“Tio Cellbit?” he called as the man approached “¿Donde esta mi apá?”3
The blond man kneeled beside the kid and smiled, happy to see his doing well.
“Home” he answered “How you doing, buddy?”
“Ok” he shrugged “My head hurts.”
“We can put some ice in it later, now let’s go” Cellbit caressed Bobby’s back and got up.
He waited for the boys to follow him, but Bobby lost his balance and was held by Richarlyson.
“Be careful, idiot!” his son said trying to keep the other boy up on his feet.
“Hey! Let me go! I can do it!” the older boy complained, trying to get off the other hold.
“Shup up! You’ll fall and hit your big head again” Richas countered without letting go.
“Oh oh, no fights” Cellbit picked Bobby up, holding him in his arms. He felt the boy secured himself wrapping his arms and legs around him “You ok there?”
The boy nodded in silence and Cellbit made sure he was secure in his arms. Soon they were walking back the trail they had opened on their way there. Roier had send a few messages saying he was awake and waiting for them to return. It wasn’t a long walk, but with the extra weight of Bobby and Roier’s backpack it would take his at least 30min.
They walked in silence for quite some time. Richarlyson was a bit ahead, doing his best to distract himself with flowers and small animals. Cellbit was close behind carrying Bobby, the child let some sobs scape from time to time and the man did his best to comfort him by doing light circular motions on his back.
“I’m sorry” he whispered about halfway home, when Richas was far enough not to hear them “I shouldn’t have run inside.”
Cellbit felt the boy’s tears wet his shirt and took one of his hands to the kid’s hair, running his hands through it carefully to avoid his wound.
“It’s ok, you had no way to know” he tried to calm the boy down.
“Mi apá…”4 Bobby said in between sobs “It’s all my fault”
“Tu apá está bien y nos espera en casa”5 he guaranteed “Don’t blame yourself because he saved you, that’s his job.”
After that they went back to being silent, being interrupted only by some eventual bird chirping or leaves rustling. When they finally got to Roier’s castle the man for them was waiting outside. Cellbit didn’t even had time to think before Bobby jumped off his arms and ran to his father, that caught him midair. Well, at least he was already able to stay up. Soon he noticed that his son was also clinging to Roier, hugging the Mexican’s legs. He got close to them observing how his friend hugged his own son tightly and had one of his hands running through Richaslyson’s hair, whispering comfort words to both kids.
“Thanks, Gatinho” Roier said looking in his eyes.
Cellbit smiled and felt the relief took over his body. Resurrecting doesn’t heal all wounds or makes the pain of dying go away. He could see some new scars on Roier’s arms and there were probably other hidden ones under his clothes, he would have to remember to care for them later. But the most important thing was that he was there, happy and well. That was enough.
“You scared me, Guapito” he said leaving the backpack on the ground and joining the group hug.
He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he knew he was head over hills for that man.
After that things changed on the island. Bobby’s almost death, Tallulah losing one of her lives to a code attack and Ramon having a “nightmare” had let everyone on high alert. Forever had the idea for the NINHO, an hotel for the kids where they would be all automatically teleported in case of attack. The French’s arrival and with them the new baby dragon, Pomme, also had changed a little everyone’s dynamic, since she became the only child to still have two lives.
The urgency to leave that place kept Cellbit inside his office for days, trying to solve the puzzles he’d received as soon as possible. The only thing that would make him go out was Roier and the boys wanting to go for an adventure, since he refused to let them go alone after what happened that day. He didn’t even like to wonder had what could have happened if he wasn’t there.
There was when his big opportunity came. A forbidden item and a chance to negotiate with Cucurucho. A chance to infiltrate the Federation and gather information from inside. He knew that to do it he would have to betray everyone, no one could know his real intentions.
Betraying Forever was painful, but necessary. However, when Roier showed up calling “Gatinho!” and happily running towards him with Bobby by his side, the Brazilian knew he would be able to lie. Without thinking twice, he told his whole plan and asked for the Mexican’s support, that immediately agreed. Cellbit couldn’t begin to describe how relieved he was, he knew he couldn’t take it being way from the man.
And that’s how it went for a few days, doing small missions for the Federation and with everyone hating him, apart from Richarlyson, Bobby and Roier. His family, how Cellbit had started to think. He had already decided to confess to Roier once his plan was over. He wouldn’t bare to hide his feelings anymore when they were crystal clear to everyone else in the island.
Foolish had also been a good surprise on those days of solitude. He didn’t seem to be helping the Federation, but he also didn’t hate them, so he had no problem with Cellbit working for them. He had helped building his castle and turn out to be a good friend.
So the day came. The day he would be officially working for the Federation. The day he found Felps frozen. The day he was kidnapped.
It was already expected that something like that would happen, so he left letters and gifs for the people he cared the most. Pac, Mike, Forever, Richarlyson, Roier and Bobby. He hopped they had found his last words and forgiven him for everything he said and did the last few days. He genuinely thought that was the end for him.
But them he woke up, all dressed in white, with a white strand in his hair and stuck in a room with Felps in the other side of a glass wall. His best friend was alive, awake and talking to him.
After a few struggles they managed to get out of there and find a computer where Cellbit could sent their coordinates to everyone since his communication device was taken at some point when he was unconscious. He feared that no one would come get them. Maybe they hadn’t read the letters? Or maybe they HAD but not had forgiven him? What if they thought leaving him stuck at the Federation was the best?
No, he could not believe that. Even if everyone was against him for sure Roier would still be on his side, he would come for him and help. That was probably his only certainty.
He definitely didn’t expect that many people to come. The whole dungeon was taken by the island residents fighting to free them. Forever shouting curses, Pac saying how much he was missed, Roier calling his name on the other side of the glass…
When he got out, he was overwhelmed by so much love and worry from everyone. Back to the Favela, he was about to cry. Hugging his son again had been the icing on the cake, holding the boy against his chest and burring his face on his curls. When they finally parted, allowing the kid to talk to his dad Felps after a month, he felt a pull on his shirt. Looking downs there was Bobby looking a bit ashamed.
“I’m happy you’re back, Tio Cellbit. My dad was very sad without you here” he told and then looked down “Yo también te extrañé.”6
The second part was said in such a low whisper that Cellbit could barely hear it. Beraly. He picked the boy up, just like he had done with Richarlyson a few minutes before and hugged him tightly.
“I missed you too, buddy.”
But that day was still full of surprises to come. After a brief meeting at the Order to explain his point of view in what had happened, Cellbit found out that Foolish not only had finished building his castle but had also somehow adopted Roier with Vegetta.
However, the real surprise came later. They were on the NINHO’s rooftop, partying and playing. He looked at Roier with fondness, thinking how bad he wanted to pull his aside at that exact moment and tell all his feelings. How much he enjoyed his company, his laugh, his arms. How much he loved him. That was when Richas and Bobby started to make comments about their parent’s future wedding. At first Cellbit took it as a joke, but then he noticed how Roier’s eyes shined with the idea and looked at him with expectation.
“Do you wanna get married?” he asked before he could stop himself.
Roier shrugged and smiled.
“If you want…” he answered with a playful smile across his lips.
That’s how, a donut and a kiss later, he got engaged to the love of his life.
The days till the wedding were “busy” to say the least. Abueloier had definitely been a bump in the road, but with a little help of fate, and the old man’s apparent inability to die, everything had worked out in the end and even make their relationship stronger.
The ceremony was perfect. The gazebo was beautiful, Roier was breathtaking, his friends and family were there by his side, his now two kids delivered the rings and the votes they said to each other were forever engraved in his mind. It all had blown up in the end? Yes, but at least it was when no one was around anymore. Cellbit didn’t even like to entertain the idea of what could had happened if the bomb had gone off during the ceremony, with Bobby, Richas and Leo so close to the stand.
Being married to Roier was like living in a dream he never had the courage to dream. Sleeping with his husband’s arms around him, waking up with kisses on his face, always having a partner to build, decorate or investigate… Having someone there when he woke up from nightmares in the middle of the night, that would hug him and sing till he was back to sleep. Cellbit wasn’t used to being loved and cared for, but the Mexican seemed set on changing that.
Another change on his life had been Bobby. He usually only saw the boy with Roier, but since the wedding the baby dragon had been following like a shadow even when his husband was asleep. It wasn’t like Cellbit was complaining, he loved the kid as his own and he made him company when Richarlyson was too busy with his one too many parents. Now he had two children to feed, check homework, take on adventures and tell bedtime stories.
Different form Richarlyson, that had started to call Roier dad still on their wedding day, Bobby still called him Tio even after the relationship they had built. He’d already seen his husband talking to the boy about it but asked him to not to pressure the kid with that. Maybe he needed time to get used to it and even if Bobby never got to call him dad, it was ok, it wouldn’t change how he felt towards the boy. However, it didn’t take too long for some evidences that things would change soon start to show up.
The elections came and with it his plan to run for president with Forever. Roier was a fan of the idea but understood when he explained that he didn’t really wanted to be president and only help his friend. Build a plan for the government was tiring, campaigning was even worse. When the first debate came, Roier wasn’t feeling well so he ended up going only accompanied by his two kids. Richas and Bobby spent the whole time going from fighting on the benches and setting fireworks to support him. The Welcome back Willbur party was right after. Richarlyson went ahead with Forever and he walked a bit more slowly with Bobby a bit after. He was impressed the boy decided to wait for him since Jaiden was there and he usually would prefer to be with her above anyone else.
“I have a bad feeling about it” was all he answered when Cellbit questioned him about not going with his mother.
The detective had to remember to take Bobby’s “bad feelings” more seriously, because not much later there was a “TTTTTTTT” on his chat followed by the sound of a big explosion and a message in chat alerting Jaiden’s death. His first instinct was telling Bobby to go to the NINHO, but the boy ignored him and ran towards the noise, shouting for his mom. Cellbit followed him as fast as he could, sending messages to all the Brazilians trying to make sure Richarlyson was safe and just as fast was answered with the assurance he was already on NINHO.
Gladly when they got there Jaiden had already resurrected and her body disappeared, leaving only her items behind. He didn’t want his son to go through the trauma of seeing his mom dead even if it was just for a few seconds.
“MOM! MOM!” Bobby ran towards the explosion area and Cellbit scooped him up “LET ME GO!”
The boy struggled in his arms, but Cellbit held him tie at till they were at a safe distance.
“We don’t know if there are still TNTs that hasn’t exploded there, pendejo!” he scolded the kid “I know you’re worried about your mom, but she has already resurrected and is probably coming back to gather her things. How do you think she would feel if you blew up looking for her?”
Bobby looked at him with tears running down his cheeks and lips shaking. Cellbit took a deep breath and kneeled, cleaning the boy’s face with one his hands.
“She will be here in no time and you’ll spend as much time as you wish hugging her, ok?” he guaranteed “I just can’t let you run into danger right now.”
“Ok” the boy sniffed rubbing his nose on one of his arms.
“CELLBO” Forever voice sounded from the explosion site “Are you and Bobby ok?”
“Yes, we are Forever” he answered as his friend got close looking worried “What happened? Who exploded everything?”
“It was a trap. Ramon found the TNTs and Fit sent the alert. I teleported Richas right away and ran” he explained “I think it was ElQuackity, but there’s no way to be sure.”
Cellbit nodded and felt a tug on his clothes. He looked down and saw his son pointing to Jaiden that was picking her items up.
“JAIDEN!” he shouted to get the woman’s attention that looked at him and smiled, getting up and walking in his direction. She had a few scars on her arms, that would probably fade with time, and part of her hair was scorched, but she looked fine. As soon as he was sure she was far enough from the explosion area he gave a few pats on Bobby’s back alerting he could go to her. The boy took no time and was already running to his mother’s arms.
“I checked the whole area, there are no more bombs. Do you wanna investigate?” Forever suggested.
He agreed, still looking at the reunion in front of him and followed his friend. The crater crated by the great explosion was huge and for sure had the as a goal to kill the candidates and even the kids that were caught in it.
“I think it was a Redstone system, but it was probably destroyed by the explosion” Forever explained as they went down the hole.
Slime was also there. He seemed to be looking for something. For a moment Cellbit wondered if he wasn’t the responsible for all of that but discarded that idea. The man still looked to be grieving and in pain by his daughter death and although he was told Slime had gone mad and tried to kill the eggs at some point, he doubted the guy was capable of doing anything like that again.
Felps was also there, not very far ahead, being followed by a capybara and Fit was walking around restlessly checking the perimeter. A bunch of people were still quite close, talking and dressing wounds, but looking ok at most. For what it seemed, Jaiden had been the only true victim.
That was when a deafening noise almost made his heart stop. He turned around on reflex and at the same time he saw Slime’s body he received the alert of the man’s death.
“Forever, didn’t you said there were no more mines?!” he shouted a bit despaired
“THERE AREN’T!” his friend answered in the same tone.
“Well Slime just exploded! Or there are still mines or someone just put one under his feet!” he replied still shouting trying to keep still not to risk stepping on any explosives.
He looked for signs of someone spying on them or anyone that could have possibly exploded Slime, but the only thing around was that damn capybara. Wait… A capybara? Before he could complete the train of thought, heat to over his body, everything was burning and a loud “BOOM” consumed him.
The first thing he thought when he resurrected on his secret room was that he was glad not to be on his bedroom by his sleeping husband’s side. His ears were ringing and his whole body hurt. That damn capybara had exploded him, now he only had only one presidential life left.
He touched the side of his face and it was really sensitive, a no so big area going from ear till half of his cheek. It didn’t feel like anything serious, the color of his skin there would be probably little different for a while but that was ok. The real problem was his arms. He knew the burns were worse before even looking. A bunch of areas were shinning red and there were big bubbles on some of them. That would leave some nasty scars, but it wasn’t like he already didn’t had lots of them.
“Ta aonde?”6 Forever’s message showed in his communication device and sighed.
“Sala do Medo”7 answered simply.
“Show.8 I’m getting your things.”
“Thanx”.
Forever was a good friend. Cellbit wasn’t sure how he had got in the boat with other Brazilians. All the others had already met and had a past together, even if it wasn’t very good, but he was a complete stranger. However got in the way of the noisy blond becoming part of their family and one of his closest friends.
“¿Donde estás?7 He heard Bobby’s voice from the up floor.
“Hey, it’s no that room” Richarlyson answered right after “BOOBY THAT’S THE BLOO-“
The sound of the elevators being activated a bunch of times made the man open a small smile in such a horrible time.
“¿Cómo sabré cuál es el símbolo del miedo? ¡Son todos iguales!8” the oldest boy complained.
“They aren’t! You’re just not paying attention” Richas replied “That’s the fear one.”
In the next second both boys were in front of him. Now up close, he could see they were out of breath, as if they had run there.
“Pai!” 9
“¡Papá!”9
The column behind him was the only thing that stopped him from falling as the boys crashed against his body, since his legs were still a bit wobbly after the explosion.
“¿Estás bien?”10
“Ta doendo?”10
“I’m ok” he ignored the second question, knowing none of them would like the answer “I’m always ok.”
“How did you explode, dad?” Richarlyson asked.
“Pozolito” Bobby answered for him sounding pissed and hugging him tighter.
“Damn capybara” the other boy reacted in the same tone and repeated his brother’s actions.
“Cellbit?” Felps voice sounded on the second floor.
“Fear Room” the detective saw his friend show up right in front of him in a few seconds.
“Are you ok?” was the first thing he said.
Cellbit let the question set this time. His face was still burning and his arms felt like on fire, but his two kids were still pressed against his body and very scared.
“Yeah” he signalized the boys with his head. Felps quickly understood the situation. This ability of silently communicating to each other was something they had developed along years of friendship and Cellbit valued a lot.
“Forever must be on his way here, he was getting his things” he explained leaning on one of the columns. “I came before because the boys ran away.”
The man looked one more time to the kids hugging his legs. It was weird to see them clinging to him like that. Of course they liked hugs, good night kisses and being carried around, but that was different. They were truly terrified.
“Cellbo! Cellbo!” he heard Forever’s voice just to see him right after, putting some backpacks on the ground “I grabbed everything I could find, but I think I may have messed it all up.”
“Thanks, Forever” he felts his sons finally let him go, allowing him to check the bags.
He found his armor, weapons, teleport stone, supplies, camera monitor to the boys’ stasis chamber, note blocks, camera, photos… It was almost everything there. Almost.
“Where is my wedding ring?” he asked looking for the backpacks.
“Oh man. I don’t remember seeing it, but I got everything I could find.”
He felt his heartbeat faster and felt sick, panic taking over his body while he desperately searched through all the pockets. His wedding ring was much more than just a piece o jewelry. For him it represented the presence of Roier by his side at all times. He’d got used to touch it when he was nervous and hold it against his chest to calm down. That small golden band was the physical representation that he wasn’t alone anymore.
“I’m going back there to look for it” he got up quickly putting on his armor.
“What? Cellbo!”
“¡Papá no!”11
“Dad you only have one life!”
“I don’t care about the elections! My marriage is more important!” he said finishing gathering his things.
“If he doesn’t go, he’ll lose his life” Felps explained.
“The only one that matters” he completed putting on his backpack and wilding his sword.
“Papá, please don’t go.” Bobby grabbed his arm.
“I’m going” Richarlyson announced picking up his teleport stone.
“Richas, não!”11 Cellbit held his son’s hand “You’re not risking yourself! I’ll got there, get my wedding ring and come back” he looked at Bobby “It’s a promise.”
Bobby let go of him and nodded. Richas got close to his brother and in a rare gesture pulled his close and put an arm over his shoulders.
“Stay here, I’ll be right back” he said teleporting to the closest warp stone he had to the explosion site.
Finding the ring wasn’t hard. It was shinning close to where he had exploded, like it was waiting for him. The relief he felt putting it back was indescribable and suddenly his mind was clear again. Bobby had called him “Papá”?
That night he slept by his husband’s side with his two kids, each on one side, hugging him and feeling happy he’d a family to comfort him.
After that day his relationship with Bobby had gotten even better, although the “papa” hadn’t been said again. The elections were stressful, ElQuackity was stressful, the federation was stressful. The only good moments he had the last weeks were with his husband and sons, that somehow made everything easier. He loved them even more for that.
When the last debate came, Cellbit was extremely anxious. Roier and Bobby had slept for the last few days and he felt like he was about to lose it. He’d already decided he was dropping out the elections with a bang. Well, literally, since he was planning to explode himself before everyone in defiance to the federation and be finally free from that hell. With luck his campaign with Forever had worked and he would be elected on the end, but the detective just couldn’t take all that madness anymore.
Everything looked perfect till Bobby and Roier showed up on the crowd. They didn’t know about the plan and there was no way he could explain everything with all those people around. All he managed to do was pulling his husband aside on the brake and tell he had a surprise planned to the end and that he would have to trust him.
He could barely focus on the debate, anxiety taking over. The other candidates’ arguments had stopped making sense long ago. He just wanted all of that to end.
When it was time to his final speech, he said all he had planed and pressed the button that would activate the TNT tied to his body. He could see Roier’s eyes widen in acknowledgement and could only hope he would forgive him in the end.
When he woke up in his castle, despite the pain on his chest, he felt happy and relieved. He got his equipment he’d already left there on purpose and went back to the debate area. Richas met his on the way there, laughing and jumping, delighted their plan had worked.
He barely stepped on the bleachers and Roier was already dragging away to a more deserted area looking mad. Bobby followed with eyes and cheeks painted on crimson red. Cellbit expected Richas to pick on him for that, but his youngest didn’t say a single word about it.
“¿Qué fue eso, pendejo?” asked his husband “¿Por qué explotó?”12
“I needed to drop out of the elections” he tried to explain.
“And you had to explode to do it?” Roier scolded him “Me asustó” he looked at Bobby that was stand still behind his legs “Nos asustó…”13
Celbit took a deep breath and held his husband’s face, not looking away even for a second.
“Desculpa12, Guapito” he apologized with all sincerity he could muster “That was the only way to assure I would be out of the elections. Now I can focus on what I really want, spending time and investigating the mysteries of this island with the people I love the most: you, Richas and Bobby.”
He held an arm to the boys head and without much resistance pulled him into a hug.
“We are the people you love the most?” Roier asked sounding much calmer.
“Of course, you’re my family” he pulled his husband to a sweet kiss “Now come, lets go back to the debate”.
Cellbit picked Bobby up, felling the boy quickly getting comfortable in his arms. Somehow, he knew that was what his son needed at that moment. The kid must had been very tired, because he fell asleep in their short way back.
When they got there Jaiden was already wrapping things up. She smiled and waved to them, walking in their direction while everyone was saying their goodbyes and walking away.
“That was quite unexpected, Cellbit!” she laughed.
“Es un pendejo”14 Roier complained again, punching his arm.
“Ouch, Guapito” he faked pain. His husband rolled his eyes and walked away, following Richas that had ran towards the stage.
“I’m glad he is calmer today” Jaiden said caressing her sleeping son’s hair “Last time he was really shaken.”
Cellbit frowned.
“What do you mean ‘last time’?”
“Oh. Bobby and I saw you exploding when you lost your first presidential life” she told him, still playing with his hair “He ran to you and shook your body, trying to wake you up. I had to drag him away since I was afraid there might still have a few mines around.”
Cellbit felt his heart sunk. Bobby had seen he exploding on the day of the “Wilbur’s Party”. He had seen his body, tried to wake him up and been dragged away by his own mother… He had made his son go through all that trauma again today. Never had he felt so much as a total failure as parent as he was on the moment.
The man didn’t think he would be able to talk to anyone else after that news, so he just said goodbye to Jaiden and told Roier he would take Bobby to the castle. His walk home was long and restless. He couldn’t stop remembering how the boy had hugged him weeks before, refusing to let go. How scared he looked and had called him “papa” several times and tried to stop him from going back to get his wedding ring.
He went up the stairs of the castle and walked to the room his sons shared. When he eased the boy on the bed, he felt his arms and legs holding tight.
“No, papa, por favor”15 the boy said on his ear “I don’t wanna be alone.”
“It’s ok. I’ll stay here” he guaranteed, siting down on the bed and leaning against the headboard. Bobby sighed in relief and got comfortable laying on his chest. Luckily his burns had been much smaller and less painful this time, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to keep that position for long.
“Please, don’t blow up anymore, papa” his son said after a few minutes “I was afraid I was gonna lose you forever.”
Cellbit held him tight against his chest.
“I’ll never do anything like that again” he promised “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Bobby nodded against him.
“It’s fine. I’m glad you’re out of the elections, papa” disclosed the boy “Tú, apá, mamá y Richas también son las personas que más amo.”16
The Brazilian smiled and felt his eyes welling up with tears, but managed to held them back and kissed the boy’s black loose curls.
“I like it when you call me “papa” he admitted caressing his back.
“Me gusta cuando me llamas ‘filho’”17 replied the boy pushing away only enough to look his father in the eye.
“Es mi ‘filho’”18 he said brushing away a few locks of the boy’s bangs that had scaped his bandana and fell in his eyes, smiling to him.
“É meu ‘papá’”13 Bobby answered also smiling.
The detective knew right then and there that from that moment on he would be “papa Cellbit” and that idea warmed his heart and relaxed him enough to feel sleepy.
And if later, when Roier and Richas got home and his husband called him to go to their bad, Cellbit took Bobby with him because he could not even fantom the idea of spending that night away from his son, no one but his small family had to know.