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007n7 stared at the clock on the wall. 4:25.
C00lkidd was usually home by now.
It's not like C00lkidd had never come home late before, sometimes he stayed at a friend's house for a couple hours after school, but when that happened, 007n7 always got a message about it from their parents. He didn't get anything this time.
His mind started to wander. What if something happened to him? Surely the school would try to contact him about it, right? Maybe the school is hiding it from him on purpose. They already gave him and C00lkidd dirty looks, it was clear they weren't well liked. Maybe something happened to him and the school decided calling would be pointless, why care about some hacker's kid ?
The thought made 007n7 sick to his stomach. He didn't know what he'd ever do if anything happened to his little boy.
4:30. Nothing.
He'd be back. He had to come back. He just went to the park or something, and forgot to tell his dad. That was normal. That's what happened.
4:40. Nothing.
He was just having a really good time at the park. Time flies when you're having fun, after all! Maybe he just didn't realize how long he'd be there.
4:50. Nothing.
He couldn't be dead, right? The world wouldn't be that cruel. Not after 007n7 had worked so hard to raise him the best he could. Surely he wasn't. He couldn't be. His son couldn't be dead. He was barely even ten yet!
5:00.
Just as 007n7 was reaching for his phone to call someone, anyone , the door opened, and in ran that little bundle of joy. 007n7 let out a sigh of relief, and almost started crying. The boy ran right into his arms, just like he always did when he came back from school.
He was holding something, a piece of paper. He broke the hug and ran to go hang it up on the fridge, all by himself. He usually hung his own art on the fridge and the walls, he wanted to show it off.
The drawing was of 007n7 and…
007n7’s heart stopped.
Was that Noli ?! Why was he drawing Noli? How did he know who Noli was? Why were they all holding hands??
“Kidd, uh.. who's that?” 007n7 pointed to the purple and black figure.
His son beamed up at him. “Mr. Noli!”
So it was Noli. That didn't help his anxiety out one bit.
“How do you know Noli?!” He couldn't help the way his voice raised in panic. He couldn't think of a single good thing that would happen if C00lkidd met Noli.
“He picked me up after school and drove me around town!”
What.
“He was really nice!” Well, C00lkidd didn't… seem hurt. 007n7 really needed to teach him not to trust strangers, though.
“Kidd, why would- You can't just get in a stranger's car! He could've hurt you!” 007n7 ran his fingers through his hair.
“He said you used to be boyfriends..” C00lkidd just frowned, keeping his eyes on the floor. He thought he was in trouble, clearly. Which he wasn't, but he probably should be.
“He could've been lying.. What?! ” 007n7 knelt down to his son's level so he could look him in the eye.
He and Noli never technically dated. It was complicated. He never considered him and Noli to be boyfriends, they were just friends that were a little more than that sometimes. 007n7 didn't like labels that much.
“Was he lying?”
“Not really..? Kind of. We did, uh, know each other.” 007n7 did not want to be talking about Noli. 007n7 hoped he'd never have to think about interacting with Noli again after the argument, though that didn't stop him from thinking about it.
“Is it okay for him to pick me up from school, then?” C00lkidd looked up at 007n7 with those big, pleading eyes that he knew his dad could never say no to. 007n7 frowned.
“I would probably have to, uh, talk to him again to feel comfortable with that, Kidd..” he sighed, picking at his nails.
“Okay! When are you gonna talk to him?” Poor kid was grinning ear to ear.
007n7 was not talking to Noli. Ever again. C00lkidd could beg and plead all he wanted, 007n7 wasn’t budging.
“I dunno, Kidd. Probably not any time soon.” he sighed.
He ruffled C00lkidd’s hair, it was clear his son was sad, 007n7 hated making him sad. It was necessary this time, though. C00lkidd didn't seem too upset, just running off to his room, but that's not unusual for him. 007n7 allowed himself a moment to breathe, thank god his son was safe and sound at home.
His short-lived peace was disturbed by a knock at the door.
Wonder who that could be!