Chapter Ten: Jesus Christ Superstar
Hey once again! Don't really have much to say about this one. It's sort of rushed, and some parts I was like 'I-don't-fucking-feel-like-going-over-details' so I just went over it. XD Anyways...Enjoy! Next chapter: Christmas tiiime is heeere...
"What? You ne'ber celeb'wated C'wistmas before?"
"Well...can't say I have," I mumbled, fidgeting with the scarf around my neck. Mello gasped, his eyes huge.
"Ne'ber e'ber? 'Dat's just c'wazy!" He nearly was yelling, causing many curious onlookers to turn in confusion. "But C'wistmas is my favoritest holiday! It's all about p'wesents and cookies and Santa and Mister Jesus!"
"Jesus?" I say softly, surprised by such a religious remark from my son.
"Yeah! Mama says that Jesus was born on Ch'wistmas...and he's 'wike super-mondo important...and so we...gi'b presents to show...how important he is?" Mello finished his statement questioningly, acknowledging how idiotic it sounded. If Misa really told him that's what Christmas was about, I'm sure she was having a pretty damn fun time in Hell right about now. (If anything about God is actually true, that is.)
"I'm pretty sure that's not what Christmas is about," I shrug my shoulders, looking about at the Christmas decor that littered the streets and shop displays.
"Well what is C'wistmas about 'den?"
This left me baffled. What did an atheist such as myself think about Christmas anyway? Where did such a ridiculous tradition like it even get started?
"I dunno... I think it's about spending time with your family or something,"
"'Weally? I spend time wi'f my family all 'da time and I don't get p'wesents or anything..." he grumbled, the cogs in his brain working overtime, "I 'fink 'dere must be more 'den 'dat..."
We passed a few stores with large, over-the-top anamatronic Santas. At each one, Mello would grin, running up to them, and would wave to them in hopes they would wave back. Which, needless to say, they didn't.
I was faced with quite a predicament then; do I reinforce Mello's religion? I had known Misa to be Christian, but I didn't think it would rub off on the child. I knew God didn't exist; the Bible was filled with fairytales to keep humankind calm in danger.
Perhaps that gave me all the answers I needed? Religion was to keep people calm, and God knows Mello needed something to calm him. He got extremely worked up at the smallest things, and without God to keep him hopeful...
"Daaaddy... I'm cold...can we go into 'dat p'wace?" Mello points to a fogged up cafe with a smile, his pale face half hidden under a scarf and ear warmers.
God he was cute.
"Yeah," I breathe life into my cold, bony hands, and lead Mello into the little shop, hearing a bell attached to the top of the door ring as we walked in.
The cafe smelled overpoweringly of coffee and of hipsters, a combination of which I didn't really enjoy. Yet it was warm, and I was able to unwrap my scarf without the cold air nipping at my poor skin. Mello sat down at a table, removing all of his layers down to his black turtle-neck sweater and baggy pants. He motioned for me to join, and cocked his head, trying to read the menu behind me.
"Daddy! What's 'dey got to d'wink?"
"Um..." I glanced behind me, straining to read past all the names of coffee I didn't understand, until I found something he would want, "They have hot chocolate, do you want th-"
"YES! I want 'dat! Daddy, I wanna cookie too p'wease! 'Fank you!" He grinned, giving me that face that pretty much kept me from saying no. I nodded in response, getting in line. I hated coffee, hated it with a passion. But hating chocolate as well, I settled for some mountain dew. Soon, me and my son were sitting at the small table, him happily dipping his cookie into hot chocolate, me sipping my caffeine-boost.
"So Daddy...after 'dis can we get a C'wistmas t'wee?"
"Well... I mean..." I begin, feeling a bit awkward about the whole thing, "I dunno, it's only a few days until Christmas anyway, and..."
Mello gave me that look once more, resulting in my insides to turn into mush.
I nodded solemnly, taking a sip of my drink. "I guess. You'll have to direct me in what to buy..."
"Yay!" the small boy stood on his seat, cheering loudly, with my 'shuushing' doing little good. Eventually, I got him calmed down, and sadly he sat back down.
"Daddy... Whatchya want for C'wistmas?"
"What do I want?" I pondered the question for a minute, thinking of the many games, consoles, DVDs and CDs I wanted. Not thinking that Mello was four, I began a list, "Weell~... The new Kingdom Hearts, Mass Effect Three, Rayman Origins, the new Tool CD, some new boots..."
"Daddy, I'm four,"
"Oh..." I laughed nervously, "Right...well... I guess I don't really need anything,"
"No! 'Dat won't do! I gotta get 'chya some'fin'..."
"Um...well..." I cupped my head in my hand, thinking, "I'm sure anything you give me is fine, Mells,"
He grinned, and nodded, taking a big sip of hot chocolate so the whipped cream got smeared on his upper lip. "I 'wike 'dat nickname, Daddy..."
I blushed lightly, not knowing quite where it had come from. I had started using it the night after L first babysat Mello, and now I almost never called him anything else.
Before long, he had put his empty mug down, and rubbed his full stomach contentedly.
"Ok Daddy... 'Wet's go get 'dat t'wee!"
And so we left the musty smelling cafe, to walk to the nearest place selling trees. We found a nice, thick little tree, and carried it back to the apartment.
Once the tree was up in the corner of the living room (bare, as Mello was very depressed to find), we collapsed on the couch, close together for warmth, underneath a fuzzy blanket. Mello curled up next to me, smiling as he watched me play videogames.
"Daddy... You 'fink you're e'ber gonna have a girlf'wiend again?"
I was surprised, and died in my game, caught off guard. I looked over to the little boy with his arm entangled with mine, smiling innocently.
"It's not that easy to get a girlfriend, Mells. Why? Do you want me to have one?"
"Well...maybe... I just 'fink maybe instead of watching 'da nakie women on the computer you could just see one in 'weal life..."
My cheeks were on fire.
"W-What the Hell are you talking about, Mello? When did I do that?"
The child gasped, unwrapping his arm from mine. "Daddy! Potty word!" He stuck out his lower lip, covering up my still agape mouth with his small hands. "I saw you 'wooking at 'bideos of girls, and 'dey were makin' funny noises 'wike 'ahhhh...ahhhh...ha'wder...' Why was you doin' 'dat?"
My cheeks were bright red, and nearly blended in with my hair I'd imagine. I fumbled with his hands, and got him to let go eventually, letting out a long sigh.
"It's just...something adults do... You'll understand when puberty kicks in..."
"Puberty? What's 'dat? And when is 'dat gonna happen?"
I couldn't help but laugh, looking down at my innocent little son. I rustled my hand through his hair and grinned. "Not for a long time,"
"Oh. Alrighty 'den..." Mello sat back down properly, letting it go, (much to my relief). I resorted to my videogames, which would hopefully dull the arousal I felt at remembering... I would need to do that again tonight.
Just when Mello was asleep.