Disclaimer: I do not own wowp.
Warning: I wouldn't call it a tragedy. But it isn't exactly happy either. Don't expect much steamy stuff, since it's me :P rated mainly for the theme, and *some* explicit stuff.
The second thumb
He stood still, in the middle of the living room of his sister's apartment, staring at the little boy in front of him, studying his round, curious, grey eyes, his curly short black locks, his slim body, his limbs, his tiny fingers…. Its second thumb.
"Oh, you are awake." Alex mumbled, walking into the living room and seeing him transfixed like that, the extra pillow still in the couch, the covers on the floor. Rummaging through the fridge in her kitchen, she quickly got him a glass of water and some medicines, and put them down on the table. "There. That should take care of your hangover. Sit down."
He blinked, his eyes still fixed on the extra finger in the child's left hand.
"Mommy." The child ran up to his mother, wrapping his tiny arms around her legs.
"Yes, Ethan?" she asked softly, ruffling her little boy's hair.
"Who's this?" the child asked, gesturing at the man with the messy hair, who was still standing as still as a statue in the middle of the room.
"That's Justin." She answered, her voice quivering as she gulped. "Your uncle."
His eyes finally moved up from the child's fingers, to the eyes of his sister, silently asking her a thousand questions.
She looked away, and down at her child, smiling. "Don't you wanna go and say hi to him?"
Ethan shook his head, hiding behind Alex.
"Don't be scared." Alex teased, pushing him in front of her and towards Justin. "Say hi to your uncle."
Justin chuckled darkly, as Ethan retreated again in fear. "Uncle?"
Alex cringed inwardly, but kept her cool. "Yes. Uncle…. I think you are still under effect from last night's drinking…"
He rubbed his foreheads with his hand, his eyebrows pleated against each other in his confusion. "I… I don't remember what happened last night… how did I end up here?"
She shrugged. "You rang my doorbell at midnight. And you were drunk. My respect for you is increasing, Justin." She grinned, like old times, except the innocence, mischievous and carefree glint was missing from her eyes this time.
He shook his head in frustration. "I don't get it…"
She sighed. "Just take the medicines…. And stop scaring my little kid."
He looked at the child, once again, studying it intently….
Her giggles filled his ears, as he gently licked the sensitive skin of her belly. She gently tugged on his soft hair, urging him to go on. He darted his tongue out, swirling it around her belly button in the most torturing gesture.
Her grip on his hair tightened, her eyes growing wilder with even more lust. "Justin, stop teasing me!" she let out between breathy moans.
He chuckled, returning to his slow teasing of her inner thighs. "You've been teasing me for months, Alex."
She groaned, rocking her hips. "I… can't take it…anymore.. Justin… please."
He looked up at her, his eyes meeting hers after traveling over several inches of forbidden skin. That pout was all it took, and the last string of self-control he had left was torn. His lips crashed on hers once again, as she tugged on his belt.
This time, he didn't protest.
"Sandwich?" she asked, setting the breakfast table for everyone.
He nodded, sitting down in a chair. "Thanks."
She shrugged, running around Ethan in her attempt to make him sit. She finally managed to pull him over her shoulders and force him into the chair. "Come on buddy."
Ethan shook his head, making a face at the vegetables. "I don't wanna eat those, mommy."
She sighed. This was becoming her daily routine. "Come on Ethan. Just eat them like a good boy…. You don't want Uncle Justin to think that you are a bad boy, do you?"
Ethan shook his head quickly, and began eating, while Alex sighed in relief, and watched him with soft, loving eyes.
"How old is he now?" Justin asked casually.
Alex gulped, the smile disappearing from her face. "Three years."
His hands paused around the sandwich, his eyes growing wide in realization. "Alex… is he…" he trailed off nervously, unable to complete his sentence.
"I am a single mother." She replied bluntly. "He has no father."
And that's all it took to confirm his fears.
She snuggled closer to his chest, sighing dreamily. "Justin…?"
"Hmm?" he pushed back the bangs from her face.
"You won't regret this, right?" she asked in a fearful voice.
He placed a soft, assuring kiss on her forehead. "Never. We will always keep doing this."
He winked at her, ready for another round. She grinned, giving in instantly, ready to give up everything to him, yet again.
"Justin?" Ethan finally let out.
"Yeah?" Justin deadpanned awkwardly.
"Will you play with me?" Ethan asked, looking up at him with those bright orbs that were so similar to his!
"I…" Justin stuttered nervously.
"Can't." Alex completed. "He has to leave soon, honey."
"Do you have to leave?" Alex whispered, sitting down on his bed.
He smiled sadly. "Dad said it's urgent… I really need to go home, Alex."
She nodded. "Yeah. I know, I understand. It's cool."
He chuckled. "Since when did you become understanding?"
She glared at him coldly. "Just come back soon, okay?"
He nodded, kissing her forehead softly. " I will."
He never did…
"So… you have been living on your own?" he asked her, glancing around her small apartment.
"Yupe." She replied, brushing dust off the photo frame that his eyes fell on. "Old times, huh? I would never forget that vacation."
"Neither will I." he replied quickly. "Alex, I am so sorry I didn't-"
"-I need to get to work soon. So…." She trailed off, gesturing at his coat, lying in her couch.
"What about Ethan?" he asked, gulping at the name.
She shrugged. "I'll just drop him at Harper's."
"I can watch over him." he offered promptly.
"I am a single mother." She repeated. "He has no father." And just like that, she admitted.
"What other," he gulped again, even afraid to ask the question, "defects does he have?"
"It's not a defect!" she snapped.
He cringed. "I am sorry."
She sighed, picking his coat and throwing it at him. "Leave, now." She pushed him out of the door, slamming it in front of his face.
"I'd be careful next time." He promised, kneeling down in front of her.
She sniffled. "What if something happens this time, Justin?"
He gently took her hands in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry about it. We will make it. As long as we are together, nothing will go wrong."
And it all went downhill the day he left…
When she opened the door to her apartment, she wasn't surprised to see him still standing there. She closed the doors, locking it carefully, and tugged on her kid's hands. "Come on Ethan."
He stood motionless, unable to speak, just staring at the intertwined hands in front if him, just studying the second thumb…
(A/N: I am so nervous about this one! Did you guys like it? Did I do okay? Do you want this to be a chapter-fic, or should it stay this way?)
