"Mmm!" my son, Ben, hummed in the back seat. He was munching on a French fry from McDonald's. I smiled, looking at him in the rear view mirror. I turned my eyes back to the road just in time to see the light change from green to red.

"Shit," I mumbled, slamming on the brakes. I heard Ben's fries hit the floorboard and his drink spill. What I heard next floored me.

"Shit!" Ben cursed. I flipped around to look at him.

"Hey, son! That's not an okay word! Where did you learn to talk like that?" I scolded, appalled that my son knew words like those. What he did next surprised me even more. He smiled.

"Well, daddy, I've been watching you. Ain't that cool? I'm your buckaroo, I want to be like you. And—and eat all my food, and grow as tall as you are!" He looked at me, searching for confirmation that he'd done the right thing. I turned, looking at the light as it turned back to green. I sighed as I pressed the gas, setting us in motion again.

"It is pretty cool that you want to be like me, son—" Ben's eyes lit up here, "But—" his face fell, "You can't be talking like that. Those are big people words, and you're just not big enough to use them."

"But, I thought I was being like you! We have cowboy boots and cameo pants. We're just alike, hey, aren't we, Dad?" Tears began to well up in Ben's eyes, and I sighed again.

"Yeah, we are just alike."

When we got back to the house, Maka was livid. She kept asking why Ben was covered in orange soda, and why he looked so guilty. I sent Ben to his room to change, sat at the table, and put my head in my hands.

"Lord Death, please help me help my stupid self," I prayed, knowing the death god couldn't hear me. I'd have to call him if I wanted that. And I definitely didn't right now. Maka sat down beside me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"What happened?" She asked, and I felt even worse.

"Ben learned a new word today," I said. Maka's eyes filled with curiosity. I took a deep breath before continuing. "We were in the car today, and the stupid traffic light skipped yellow. I hit the brakes, and Ben's food went flying. I muttered a curse word and he copied me. When I asked him where he learned to use such language, he said he'd been watching me! I felt awful."

Maka laughed. "Don't feel awful, Soul. You explained why it was a bad word, right?"

"Sorta."

"Okay. Watch your mouth from now on, and it shouldn't happen again."

Maka got up and walked out of the room. I put my head back in my hands and prayed again, hoping that I hadn't wrecked my child's childhood forever.

Later that night, I walked into Ben's room to tuck him in. I walked over to the wall and plugged in his favorite night light: the Scooby Doo one. I was about to walk out when Ben crawled out of bed, got on his knees, folded his hands, and began to pray to Lord Death. It wasn't the fact that he was praying that got to me; it was the fact that he was speaking to Lord Death as though he were his best friend. I smiled, waiting till he was done, and walked back over to his bed.

"Now, son, where did you learn to pray like that?" I asked, placing a hand on his head. He looked up and me and smiled.

"I've been watching you, Dad, ain't that cool? I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you. And eat all my food, and grow as tall as you are. We like fixin' things and holding Mama's hand. We're just alike, ain't we, Dad? I want to do everything you do, so I've been watching you."

I gave Ben a huge grin and wrapped him in my arms.

"My Little Bear is growing up!" I said, trying to hold back how touched I was. He lifted his head to look at me again.

"But when I'm big, I'll still know what to do! I'll be strong like Superman! We'll be just alike, hey, won't we Dad? When I can do everything you do!"

I was smiling so wide, it hurt. I hoped and prayed that every father would have the satisfaction of knowing that they were their son's hero. I gave Ben a huge kiss and tucked him in again. Just as I was walking out of his room, I heard a little voice say, "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too."

I closed his door, revealing Maka. She grinned from ear to ear. We linked arms and walked to the living room. I don't think either of us quit smiling all night.

The next day, Ben learned a new trick. I walked into his room to see a scythe blade replacing his arm. He gave me the biggest grin imaginable.

"Now I really can be just like you, Daddy!"


I was listening to this song on the way home from Wal*Mart today and this popped into my head. Sorry to add an OC in there, but since Soul and Maka don't have any children, I kinda had to create one. FEAR ME! I AM GOD! haha.

Oh, and I freaking love the idea of Daddy Soul. I have been since I read the fan fiction Role Model. Go find that fic and read it.

I figured I ought to put a disclaimer as well. Soul Eater ain't mine, neither is the song, yadda yadda yadda. Y'all know the drill. That goes for all other chapters. (Because I'm too lazy to rewrite the disclaimer.)