Time for a bit more of Roman's parents, since they're going to be a big part of this thing! Plus we get to hear Dean's big idea!
Skovko, Thanks for your wishes, much appreciated. The boys gradually bonding is definitely my favourite part of this story. Bit more next chapter then it all goes mad!
xXBalorBabeXx, Thank you so much. The story is actually all written up, but it's the editing and frantic scouring for mistakes that takes the time! Sure I miss loads as it is, but I try not to!
SkittlezLvr79, It was just as nice to write Dean relaxing as it was for you to read (I hope). Kinda been missing that cheeky personality! Thank you for thinking about my mother as well.
Ninjoy, I have to give you a break from all the drama occasionally, if only to let you catch your breath! Glad you liked it and seeing Dean happy. There's more of that in the chapter after this.
Sodapop25, Aww, thank you, I'm going through a bit of a spell right now where everything I write is a bit of a struggle (happens sometimes) but hearing such lovely praise spurs me on!
Minnie1015, Thank you for your hugs, there's a lot of uncertainty here right now. But hey ho, such is life! Oooh, glad you're always itching for more. As for Dean's grand idea? You'll find it below!
Stingerette1975, Well, I would say your ideas are along the right lines but not quite on the money! (As always though you know me too well) Thank you for your healing thoughts, much appreciated!
Mandy, Thank you for your well wishes, we're keeping our fingers crossed. More and more information about the boys is going to come out and the bond will only get deeper as well!
June3law, Winner winner chicken dinner! Fabulous guess work there as to what Dean's idea really is. Dean is starting to trust Roman more and that is going to really speed up in the next few.
Cherry619, Check you out, going and guessing all right and everything *gives winners medal* Glad you're liking their brotherly relationship, after this chapter it's growing to grow a lot further too!
Dean's idea reveal in 3...2...1...
Ten.
"Boxing club?"
His father blinks back at him, expression half obscured by a rising cloud of steam. His mother is dishing out homemade clam chowder into the bowls which have been set down on the placemats in front. Roman has really just stopped in to talk business since it isn't their usual family dinner night, but his mother has somehow corralled him to the table and furnished him with cutlery while pushing him down.
"Boxing club," Roman repeats, pulling his bowl back as the clam chowder ladle swings closer again, "Nah, thanks mom, I'm good with what I've got here."
His mother's face creases into a series of little frown lines and she clicks her tongue against her teeth,
"If you're sure? Don't want you wasting away through not eating."
"Yeah, that ain't happening, trust me on that."
What he doesn't tell her is that sitting on the countertop back at his apartment is a thawing nine ounce steak, which had been about to be pressed into service with some pepper sauce and crisp golden fries but which will now have to wait. Still, his mother's homemade fare is famous and famously good so the soup is divine, only once more it makes his thoughts drift back to Dean again and his violent fractured family and all the love he'd not had. It's why he's pushing the kid's idea so forcefully. That and the fact it's actually good and so he bats aside the rising steam from the chowder and gets his father's attention,
"Two nights a month, at least to begin with, low cost for the people in the neighborhood, you know? Not a whole lot of throwaway income so it's gotta be pitched at a price they can afford."
His father blinks,
"You're talking this boxing club?"
Roman nods,
"For the local kids, yes."
"Why just the kids?"
Roman draws a quick breath in, mentally trying to remember Dean's patter and do it the justice it richly deserves.
"There's nothing for them to do in the area, so mostly they're all just out roaming the streets. Boxing appeals to 'em and it's a good way to channel them into something positive and kinda controlled."
"You think they'll go for it?"
Roman shrugs,
"It's worth tryin'."
"Won't build the business back up."
"Might help – if word gets out, if people think the gym is for them, like a community center or something they can own."
His father blinks at him for several long seconds which makes him feel nervous and he isn't sure why. In part it's because of his father's brutal business sense but it's also because the idea is Dean's. He's going ahead with it regardless of what his pop says, purely because he's promised the kid he will and what's more he'll fight to get his father to accept it and that he is the manager which makes him the boss. Surprisingly however it doesn't come down to that, as instead of picking holes his father merely hums. There's a look on his face like he's impressed with the initiative and maybe that's even vaguely borderline proud.
"That's not a bad idea son, you may have hit a winner."
Roman smiles triumphantly,
"It's not my idea, it's Dean's."
"Dean?"
"The kid I took on a few weeks back."
"He still there?"
Roman nods,
"He sure is, doin' great too, all damn things considered."
It slips out before he can stop himself from saying it and it instantly draws looks of mild alarm. If not for the fact that his mother is right next to him then he might even be vaguely tempted to curse, but in the end he keeps schtum and let's his father do the asking –
Which he does.
"Meaning what?"
Roman grunts,
"Never mind."
Trying to deflect the sudden attention he drops his gaze back down to his food, inhaling clam chowder in an attempt to keep his mouth full so he can't really answer.
His mother touches his arm,
"Roman, honey? Is this boy in trouble?"
He makes the mistake of looking up at her, then grumbles as the soft eyes seem to sort of quiver and rapidly fill with instinctive concern. It isn't for him but it's hopelessly maternal and he knows that she's now worrying about a kid she doesn't know.
She's the type of mother that Dean deserves to be with – Roman's lucky to have her.
This he already knows.
"Baby?"
"He has – ," Roman stops, "A rough home life."
Seems like a good way of putting things for now.
Unfortunately though, his father's like a pitbull and so sees through the smokescreen.
"I see, rough how?"
His mother is still blinking across her chowder apprehensively and his father is unflinching.
Roman sighs.
Here goes.
"His father's a drunk who likes to play the big man and evidently gets his kicks by beating his son."
It's a brutal assessment but no less true for it and it draws two reactions which echo back at him as one, his father sort of blinking in astonishment while his sweet mother gasps and claps shocked hands across her mouth.
"Oh my goodness, oh the poor baby, how old is he?"
"Fifteen."
"He's just a child."
"Yeah, he is."
It isn't difficult for Roman to see where he gets his empathy and in the silence he thanks god for his mother once more. Without it he might have let Dean go unnoticed, or maybe even turned him down for the job. Where would he have gone then? Who would have looked out for him? Unconsciously Roman's hands curl up in anger and he bites back a growl.
There's a sigh from his old man,
"You're saying this Dean boy told you all of that stuff?"
Roman shrugs a little,
"I sort of found out."
"How?"
"Didn't want him out in the dark so I drove him home once, saw his father coming back drunk. Then there's the way Dean is all sort of twitchy – doesn't like touching or people getting too close. Two weeks back I bumped into him in the corridor and he damn near almost collapsed right there, had a bruise across his stomach where his father had laid into him, all because he slammed a door."
Roman breaks off again, remembering the moment that the swathe of painful purple had fallen into view, remembering Dean fast asleep on the sofa and the shame he had felt for being beaten up at all. That is almost the hardest damn part of it, the fact that poor Dean carries some sort of guilt. As if somehow he should be able to stop it from happening or like it makes him less brave which it certainly does not.
Beside him his mother sucks a shaky breath in and shuts her eyes briefly,
"The poor, poor child, what he must have been through. So he doesn't have anyone?"
Roman grunts,
"No."
Only that isn't quite true because Dean has him now and he also has Truth, not to mention the rest of the staff. Okay, so maybe Sasha is still reluctant and not a big fan of the whole puppy love but even she seems to have grudgingly accepted him and everyone else has sure taken him to heart. The kid kind of seems to glow when he's with them. He loosens up and acts – well – he acts like a youth. He's clumsy and gangly and crazy and charming and it's damn good to see.
His father clears his throat,
"You think it's a good idea taking all this on when you're trying to run the business as well?"
"This?" Roman echoes, for clarification, "You mean Dean right?"
"I do."
"Well, I'm not backing out on him now. I can't. Not with him puttin' his trust in me and everything. If I break that now, ain't no getting it back."
"It's a dangerous situation."
"For Dean, not for me pop. All I do is document it and give him his pay cheque."
He decides to leave out the part about the sneakers and promising to teach the kid how to drive. Chances are his old man won't agree with that aspect and it isn't an argument he's willing to have. Frankly it isn't an argument anyway since what's done is done and there's no going back. He's not there for permission to look after the kid and it isn't an acceptance he wants or needs to get.
"Document it?"
His father blinks across at him, his head tipped curiously off to one side,
"Uh huh," Roman nods, "Take shots of the bruises and write down what happened in case it ever gets to court. Figure that's the best way to give him the edge on this."
"What about family services?"
"He won't go. Thought of it scares him worse than his father does. The kid would runaway for sure and honestly, I'd rather keep him where I can see him. Kinda promised him I would, you know?"
For a second his father sort of blinks across the table and Roman can't tell what's running through his mind. He looks a strange mixture of dubious and gratified but they're almost too well blended to separate out. His mother however is far less bewildering as she reaches across the bowls and hooks a hand over his arm, squeezing gently as her brown eyes grow teary,
"Well then I'm glad that he has a friend like you. You're a good boy Roman, I'm very proud of you."
He squeezes the hand back, smiling at her warmly and feeling her faith in him fuel his own resolve. Across the table his father heaves a sigh out and they both turn to look as the older man shrugs,
"Well, if you think you can help then so be it, but I don't want you putting yourself in harm's way."
"I won't pop, trust me, I'm not the one that needs protecting."
His old man nods, then pushes his bowl away, triggering Roman's mother who instantly refills it which is fine since she's made more than any living man can eat.
"Good, now tell me more about this boxing club, I want to know how it's going to work."
How are we finding Roman's folks now?
Thank you for the well wishes for my mother by the way, both them (and all the reviews for this crazy little story of mine) mean a lot and especially at this moment in time.