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“ Licorice, peanut butter, crispy boys…I really need to talk to Gricko about his alcohol consumption…Frost, am I missing anything?” Kremy asked, looking up from his list, to look for his Clawderan child as they walked through the marketplace of the green light district. Kremy figured that walking through the marketplace would be easy enough for Frost to get used to crowds, at least enough that he wouldn’t hide behind Torbek or under Gricko’s sound booth during crowded hours.
“Frost…Frosty?” Kremy asked, looking around for Frost, feeling his heart go into his throat when he didn’t see black, orange, and white fur and neon green clothing. Frost was no longer holding on to his coat tails, and Kremy didn’t remember if he had given him a pill before they left.
“Shit! FROST!? FROST, WHERE DID YOU GO!?” Kremy yelled, not really caring that he might look insane or was making a scene; he had to find Frost before he had a headache or a panic attack. Kremy pushed past others, not caring about the dirty looks that he was getting or the fact that he had dropped the bag of supplies he was carrying.
“FROST?! FROST LECROUX, WHERE DID YOU GO!? FROST, THIS ISN’T FUNNY. PLEASE RESPOND!?” Kremy continued to shout, bumping into strangers, tendrils unwinding from their normally slicked-back positions, making them look messy and unkempt, and worrying about Frost, who was hoping he was reading a book in the last shop they were in. As Kremy got closer to the last shop, he noticed a saurian man with a long neck… a Liopleurodon, he guessed, or it could have been a Brachiosaurus. Honestly, he couldn’t tell; both had long necks.
What he did care about was who he saw next to the Saurian, a familiar Clawderan cub with orange, black, and white fur, wearing bright neon green clothing, looking up at the Saurian with amazement and joy. Kremy ran to Frost kneeling down and hugged him, something he normally didn’t do in public, but right now his worry for the young Clawderan cub was greater than his pride at the moment.
“Mr. Kremy? Why are you hugging me in public?” Frost asked calmly and confused why his guardian figure was hugging him so tightly. Kremy coughs and sniffles trying not to look like he had been crying thinking about the worst outcome.
“It’s fine Frost just worried about ya…why did you let go of my coat tail? Is everything okay how’s yer head?” Kremy asked in rapid succession, tilting Frost’s head back and forth causing him to fuss and batting at the Gorgonite’s hands away as he pouted.
“Mr.Kremy I’m fiiiiine!” Frost huffs as Kremy sighed in relief and smiles at the cub. Kremy was just happy he wasn’t having a meltdown or having a headache. Smiling softly, Kremy stood back up patting down his pants and straightening out his coat.
“Alright Frosty we should head back to the lounge and maybe go back and grab the groceries I…cough I might have dropped them back there when I noticed that…anyway we need to go.” Kremy started trying to hurry Frost back to the Starlight lounge making sure that this time he was holding Frost’s hand. However Frost stayed put staring at the Saurian who was doing small little illusions of bitlings and other Arcadia denizens enchanting the young clawderan.
“Kremy.” Frost stage whispered, pulling Kremy closer to the gridrunner. Kremy had a bad feeling. That feeling when you know your child is going to say something that is either gonna be really cute and funny or embarrassing to the point of needing to pick said child and book it home and pray that the person that the comment that was aimed at them didn’t hear them.
“Kremy it’s a Liopleurodon!” Frost continued to loudly whisper. If Kremy could sweat he would but all he could do is smile and nod.
“That's nice sweetheart we need to get home.” Kremy whispered trying to drag Frost away from the Saurian hoping the heat he was feeling was just running around and not shame and embarrassment.
“It’s a magical Liopleurodon! They’re here to show us the way!” Frost yelled loudly tail wagging excitedly pointing to the gridrunner who was now looking at the pair. Kremy started to feel his face turn olive, teal and mint all at once as he picked up Frost covering his mouth laughing in embarrassment muttering an apology to the Saurian and started to run away. groceries can be done another day.
As Kremy opened the doors to the Starlight lounge huffing and puffing, putting Frost down who just looked confused as to why Kremy had ran away from the market place. Torbek and Gricko asked him something most likely it had to do with why he didn’t have the groceries but all Kremy could hear was the buzzing in his ears and a heavy weight in his gut.
“I’ll get them later.” Kremy muttered as he walked up to Gideon’s, Frost and his apartment ignoring the three voices calling to him. As he shut the door to the apartment he leaned against the wall groaning and sliding down the wall.
A few minutes later Kremy heard a knock on the door. Groaning again and looked at the door. Kremy really didn’t want anyone to talk to, especially about what just happened at the market, even more so if it was Torbek or Gricko.
“Krem? Darl? Are you there?” The voice of his boyfriend calling to him as gently as he can. Kremy swallowed his pride and unlocked the door letting Gideon into the apartment. The Raizo man walked into the apartment with a small smile.
“Hear from Frost that ya had an interesting day at the market.” Gideon said, sounding like he was trying to suppress a chuckle causing the Gorgonite to glare at him. Gideon held up his hands in surrender trying to calm down his huckleberry.
“Sorry darling didn’t mean to make a joke about it…but it was kinda funny though.” Gideon laughed softly causing Kremy to smack his chest lightly.
“You’re an asshole ya know that?” Kremy mumbled as he tried not to look at Gideon who just smiled at him. Gideon leans in and kisses Kremy’s cheeks.
“Yeah but I’m your asshole, now are ya going to tell me what happened at the market yourself or are you gonna sulk in our apartment until you can face people again?” Gideon teased trying to tickle Kremy’s neck with his beard. Kremy snorts and nudges Gideon.
“Frosty yelled at a Saurian man calling him a magical Liopleurodon and I ran…kids say the darned things you know.” Kremy huffed as he laughed at the ridiculousness of the day. As Gideon threw back his head laughing deeply. Kremy huffs again and pushes Gideon off of him.
“Don’t have to tell me twice, remember when we first started dating and he hissed at me saying he didn’t like me because I was taking too much of your time?” Gideon reminded Kremy of their first month together as Kremy groaned at the memory then snorted.
“Yeah I never saw that side of him before.” Kremy muttered softly.
“You never saw how angry he could be before we started dating?” Gideon asked teasingly but Kremy just shook his head almost in a melancholic way. A memory from a lifetime ago almost made him shutter.
“Nah I’m more meaning I’ve never seen him jealous before…I’ve seen him angry before and that wasn’t anger…I’m just glad he's warming up to you.” Kremy said, leaning back against Gideon’s chest into a cuddle.
“Hehe yeah but it took a whole lot of bribery to get him to like me.” Gideon laughed, rubbing the back of his head as Kremy looked up at the Raizo tendrils, starting to unwind again trying to shoot a warning shot at him.
“Wait, are you the reason why Frosty had three giant boxes in his room?” Kremy huffed remembering the three big boxes that frost just sits in. Gideon tries not to look at him.
“Maybe…but he likes them!?” Gideon argued, causing Kremy to huff but chuckle and nuzzle into his boyfriend.
“Alright fair but no more…I should go back to the market because I did leave them and I don’t want Gricko drinking the good stuff tonight and accidentally letting frost have a sip.” Kremy said as he started to get up ready to leave for the market again.
“Aww come on man I don’t think little blue would let Frost have a sip of booze.” Gideon tried to argue only for Kremy to raise a perfectly drawn eyebrow in a look that said ‘really?’
“I know you and Gricko have given Frost a Crispy Boy and I don’t want him drinking any hard booze Gideon.” Kremy pointing a finger into Gideon's chest causing the Raizo to snort laugh at his partner’s antics.
“Alright alright no hard booze till he is at least 15.” Gideon laughed, causing Kremy to roll his eyes again.
“Not until at least 20!” Kremy yelled out as he started walking down stairs. Stopping to ask Frost if he wants to go back out to the market promising a sweet treat after dinner if they hurry. Frost’s eyes light up at the promise of a sweet treat and hurried to find his light up shoes to go super fast. Kremy smiles softly as he watches the boy hurry away, finally looking like a little boy who could be anything and not what Chimera would have made him. He is Frost Lecroux not 004.
“PAPA LETS GOOOO!” Frost yelled at Kremy already at the door jumping up and down neon lights blinking as Kremy came back from his thoughts of the past. Though he wished he could have saved more of the children at least he was able to save one and he won’t let anyone or anything happen to him.
“Alright alright Ti Tig we’re going your acting like the ice cream shop are all going to melt if we do leave now.” Kremy teased as he boops Frost’s nose causing him to puff out his cheeks.
“Boss if you’re going to the ice cream parlor can you-.” Gricko asked as he poked out his head from behind his sound booth.
“Yes yes I’ll bring some home for everyone Gricko just make sure you fix that lag before we open tonight alright?” Kremy huffed, making sure Frost’s hand was in his own as they walked out to the market.