Chapter Text
Despite how many people thought he was crazy and probably in need of some sort of psychiatric help, John Price was very happy having four children. Honestly, with the help of his husband, raising four adopted kids didn’t seem that ridiculous. What really made people think he was out of it was when he told them that said adopted kids were all teenagers and very traumatized in their own ways. If he had a nickel for everytime a stuck-up, middle-aged woman had criticized his choices to adopt, he would have enough money to move someplace where he wouldn’t have to deal with those comments anymore. He loved his children, he didn’t care where they came from or how they lived before, it was his duty to give them the best lives possible going forward. John was also lucky enough to find a partner who shared the same sentiments as him when it came to raising children. With how both him and Nikolai had grown up, all they wanted was to show their children unconditional love, especially when no one else had before.
Throughout each previous adoption, John had been drawn to each kid for roughly the same reason: they looked like they could desperately use someone in their lives who actually cared for a change. He was getting that same feeling now, but with a couple key differences. For one, he wasn’t actively looking to adopt, he and Nikolai had decided that four kids was enough for the present, and John was completely on board with that. Well, up until this moment, where he was face to face with one of the most miserable-looking teenagers he had ever laid eyes on. And secondly, everything about this kid said “fuck off,” from the medical mask to the all black clothing to the absolute death glare he gave to anyone and everyone nearby. But there was something else about him, Price didn’t know if it was something in his eyes or what, but something was screaming at John that he needed to help this boy.
It was obvious from their very first encounter that this kid didn’t necessarily have the greatest thing going for him. Especially when you considered that their first encounter involved John jumping in to break up a fight between the kid and another boy around his age. Price had been walking with his cane corso, Captain, down their usual route past a local group home when he spotted two boys attacking each other while a few other kids looked on. He spotted the conflict the same time as one of the home’s staff members, and both rushed over to break it up. As gently as he could without risking catching a fist to the face, he grabbed the taller boy and dragged him a few feet away from the fight. As soon as the kid began to struggle in his hold, John backed off to give the kid some room to calm down. After a few tense moments where all parties paused to catch their breaths, the home worker finally spoke up, her voice sharp and clearly exasperated.
“Mr. Riley.” A glare was shot to the boy Price had grabbed. “Mr. West.” Another glare, sent to the boy closest to her, this one with slightly less heat. “What do you boys have to say for yourselves? You both know very well we don’t tolerate violence around here. You especially, Riley.”
The lanky boy in front of Price seemed to shrink in on himself at that, and John was hit with the very strong instinct to wrap this kid in his arms and protect him at all costs. Shit, he hadn’t even spoken to the boy and he already felt protective over him. He was so lost in pondering ways to bring this up to Nik that he missed most of what the worker had been saying, only catching the very tail end of her rant.
“Now, both of you are going to explain to Mr. Shepherd what happened, and I don’t want to hear a peep out of you until we get to his office.”
Maybe it was how she almost exclusively looked at the larger boy, Riley, as she said this, or maybe it was the self-satisfied smirk on the other kid’s face, but something told John not to leave just yet. So, just as the woman turned to march back into the home, Price spoke up.
“Sorry to bother you ma'am, but I feel like it might be best if I come along with you for the moment. Just to make sure the boys don’t get into it again, y’know.” He flashed her one of his friendliest smiles to seal the deal, but she seemed quite skeptical.
“That’s very kind of you, Sir, but they shouldn’t give me any more trouble now.” Another harsh look thrown at Riley made the pit in John’s stomach grow slightly.
“I don’t mean to be a pain, but I really must insist. I have three boys myself, and I know how much of a handful they can be at times.” He could see her mulling the statement over, and he almost slumped over in relief when she sighed and seemed to finally give in to the idea.
“Well, I guess a little extra backup couldn’t hurt, especially since my coworkers are all on lunch. Follow me, Mr…?”
“Price. But please, call me John.” He held his hand out for her to shake and she returned his grip, plastering on one of the fakest smiles he had ever seen.
“Nice to meet you, John. I’m Carlie, or Miss Carlie, as the kids call me. Why don’t you follow me inside to the director’s office?” She turned away to next address the kids that still stood in a loose clump around them. “And the rest of you can go inside and watch the telly. No one is to leave the living room until Miss Matilda comes and gets you. Understood?” This statement was followed by vigorous nods and half a dozen children clamoring to get back inside the house.
John , Captain, Carlie, and the two boys brought up the end of the procession, Riley dragging his feet the whole way, as if he was heading to the gallows. After entering the house, the other kids split off to the left and the group of five continued to the right. The journey to the director’s office was short, but Price noticed Riley tensing further with every step they took towards the mahogany door at the end of the hall. A bronze plaque on the door read “Director Shepherd's Office,” and the pit in his gut grew just a bit more at the sight of it. Carlie stopped once they reached their destination, and the way she spun around to address the three of them almost made John feel like he was in trouble too.
“Alright, Mr. West, you come with me first. Mr. Riley, you are to stay out here until we call you. Am I understood?” Once again, she leveled that glare at the poor kid. John could tell now that it was not a look of reproach or frustration, but rather of complete and utter disdain. She didn’t move her eyes from Riley until the boy gave the slightest of nods, then she finally turned away and walked into the director’s office.
The kid immediately sank to the ground once Carlie had left sight, and the way he seemed to move on autopilot told Price that he was in this situation often. Still unwilling to leave just yet, John parked himself across from the boy, bringing Captain down to rest halfway in his lap. The movement caught Riley’s attention and John could see the moment the boy’s eyes locked onto Captain. He caught the kid’s eyes and gave him a small smile, but the other was quick to look away, only stealing glances at the dog every so often. And even though most of the boy’s face was covered with a mask, he could still see the slight bit of happiness Captain had brought on. John started to brainstorm ways to start a conversation using his dog as the jumping off point, when Riley startled him by speaking first.
“That’s a cane corso. Full grown, judging by how big they are. And they’re very pretty, with the brindle coat and everything.” Riley stared steadfastly at the floor as he said all this, and John couldn’t help but beam at how it reminded him of his youngest son, Gary. This was the perfect opportunity he had been looking for, so he decided to keep the conversation going.
“You’re pretty spot on with your observations. This is Captain, he is indeed a cane corso and he’ll be five in about a month. But I’ve never heard of that last thing you mentioned. Brindle, was it?” John was no dog expert, but he knew what a brindle coat was. He just wanted to hear the kid talk about something he was clearly interested in.
“Brindle is a coat pattern that appears in animals like dogs and cows. It makes them look kinda mottled with their coloring, almost stripey.” He threw a quick glance up to John’s face, like he was trying to see if the man was still listening. “I’ve never seen a brindle cane corso in real life.”
“Well then, it’s quite lucky that Captain and I were walking by today. You can pet him if you want. He may look big and tough, but he’s really just a big baby.” He could see the war in Riley’s eyes as he debated whether or not he wanted to get closer to this man he had just met. Price wasn’t offended by his wariness, considering all of his kids had acted like that at first. He had just woken Captain up and was about to send the big oaf over to the boy when the director’s door opened again.
Out walked the other boy Riley had been fighting with, Price thought he might have been called West, with a shit-eating grin splitting his face. Carlie popped her head out through the cracked door and wordlessly gestured for Riley to step inside. The kid took his time getting up and meandering to the door, and John couldn’t help but follow. Something in his gut told him he shouldn’t let the boy go into that room by himself.