I was on my favourite swing just outside our house writing this new chapter when I heard my friend crying to her heart's content. I saw her running away from her house while crying and I heard her screaming her mother's name in despair. I wonder where she was going then I thought maybe to her grandma's house. What bothers me now is about her mother. I heard she found her mother in her room lying on her bed and eyes were wide open yet she isn't breathing anymore. I treated my friend like my younger sister and it really bothers me since I don't know what happened next. I'm still hoping that her mother is well, but...it seems to be too good to be true. *sigh*

Anyways, I'm glad you like the story and portrayed Cross well. I hope it'll remain that way as this goes on. Thank you for the reviews guys and for following and adding this to your favourite lists. If you find any flaws, please let me know. Thanks~!

Enjoy!

: )

Night Two

The next day, Cross found himself in a fuchsia pink apron, hair tied in a low ponytail, cooking beef stew. His left hand on his hip, the other held the wooden spoon as he stirred the stew while his face contorted in annoyance. Why, you ask? Well, who wouldn't be if you were force to do the things you didn't want to? And speaking of which, the old woman, mother as the townsfolk called her, had forced him to cook for the child, or rather, for all of them and there was Baba, who passed by with the laundry, teasing him whenever he finds the perfect occasion.

"Father~ you shouldn't pour the wine in the stew!" Baba scolded when he caught Cross pouring wine on it, but it came as a tease to Cross.

"Tch." he gritted his teeth as a tick mark popped on his cheek. "Don't call me that!" he yelled.

"Your son will get drunk. Now, father wouldn't want that to happen.~" ignoring Cross yell, Baba said innocently though teasingly.

"I told you not to call me that! I'm not his damn father- hey! Are you even listening?" he ranted and reached his hand out to Baba who ignored him once again as he left for laundry.

oOo

"Hey! Breakfast's ready!" Cross called out from the dining room when he was done preparing the table. Mother came in first and sat at the head of table followed by Baba who had yet to finish the laundry. Baba sat at mother's left and across him was Cross. They were silent for awhile until Cross helped himself so he could start eating, but then again, he noticed they didn't move.

What? Don't tell me they wanted me to serve them? He thought as he eyed Baba and mother.

"What?" he asked.

"Allen is still in his room..." said Baba worriedly.

"Well, if he isn't hungry then I won't force him to come here and eat his breakfast." Cross replied and stuffed his mouth.

"Cross." mother called sternly.

"What?"

"You are not allowed to eat until your little charge eats his breakfast."

"You're kidding."

"No, I'm not." she said. "Now, get his breakfast to him." she commanded.

Cross knew protesting wouldn't do any good, thus he obeyed mother. He got another plate of rice, a bowl of beef stew, and put it on a tray and went to Allen's room grudgingly.

How was he going to do this? Allen won't talk let along move a single muscle, so how was he going to bring a traumatized child to eat? Is it worth trying? He'll never know until he try, and so Cross opened the door with a small 'squeak' once he reached Allen's room and closed it behind him. He saw Timcanpy on the bed as the golem looked up at him with worry and noticed that Allen was still at the very same position as he was yesterday.

Cross sighed. He knew Allen didn't sleep.

"Hey, Allen. Here's your breakfast. Eat it." he said as he settled the tray on the small table beside the bed.

"..."

"Are you not hungry?"

"..."

"Allen. I said eat your food or you will die."

"..."

Cross sighed. He really doesn't know how to handle a kid let alone a traumatized one. He tried to get Allen eat, but the accused boy wouldn't even budge and Cross is impatient. If Allen doesn't feel like eating then, he'll just let him starve to death, but... Only few know, or probably, no one knows he had a soft heart behind those stubborn eyes.

oOo

Cross walked out of Allen's room. The tray of food that was on his hand remains untouched.

"He did not eat his food?" standing on his right was mother who asked.

"He won't eat." he said.

"Well, go back inside and feed him." she ordered with authority in her voice. Sometimes Cross wondered why he couldn't disobey this old woman.

Cross looked at her incredulously and said, "No way."

"We can't let him die in famine, Cross. You know that."

"Yeah, yeah. I know it already, so why don't you have Baba do this stuff or you?"

"...Baba is busy and I am too old for this stuff."

Cross rolled his eyes and mumbled to himself, "Hell... You are too old to kick strong enough to knock me down."

"Eh? Did you say something?" she asked as she cupped her hand around her ear and leaned forward, pretending she didn't hear him.

"I said I'm not going to feed him." he said stubbornly.

"But you are his father~." Baba, who suddenly appeared out of thin air, whined.

"I told you I am NOT his damn father, muscle man! So don't call me that!"

"Cross." mother called him. This time, her casual expression turned into serious. Cross noticed the tone on her voice and looked at her. "Allen is your responsibility since he is your apprentice. Like it or not, feed him. Don't make me punish you again for disobeying me."

God, Cross hated it with passion when this old woman talked to him in this way. And he doesn't like to be kick again; it hurt so much for a granny. But...no matter how stubborn he acts and being the bastard, he just can't bring himself to disobey the woman, though he had tried it many times, because he owed her, not in terms of money but something else, and respected the old woman even though he seemed to be foolish at times.

"Fine." he grumbled and went back inside, slamming the door close.

"Oh, my! Father is really a good father after all~ I hope little Allen will get better soon. I want to hear his cute voice so badly~" Baba squealed as he did the waltz whilst dragging mother who didn't mind at all.

oOo

"Hey, brat. I'm going to feed you, you hear me?" Cross said when he re-entered the room. As expected, Allen remained silent as if he heard and saw nothing. Cross sat on the bed, he settled the tray on his lap, scooped the food, and held the spoon in front of Allen waiting for him to open his mouth and eat the food. But Allen seemed to see nothing as he didn't bother to at least take a look on the spoon that was held in front of him. He just stared with his visible eye ahead. His arms were still wrapped around his knees protectively.

Damn this brat. Isn't he feeling anything? For a parasitic- type wielder, he has to eat. Cross glared at Allen coldly; his patience running short. "Open your mouth." he said, but Allen stubbornly ignored him which made him grew annoyed.

SNAP!

Without thinking twice, Cross did the only option he thought effective to make Allen eat his food which almost turn cold. Cross replaced the tray on the table, grabbed Allen by collar so he was close to him, pinched his nose to open his mouth, and shove the spoon in before Cross closed his mouth. Allen would have spit the food out his because Cross had choked him accidentally if his mouth wasn't forced to close. Allen turned blue when his instinct took over him as he reached for the glass of water that was on the table and drank it before he returned back to his previous state.

Cross twitched at this. He thought that now Allen had move on his own, he can now start eating by himself, but no. Allen went back embracing his knees and stared ahead with wide eye as if the little mishap didn't happen at all.

"Damn." Cross muttered. "Don't make my life miserable kid." said Cross and scooped another spoonful.

This time, he found it easy to feed Allen with gentleness though he didn't know where and when he learned it to do.

Maybe his fraternal instinct was kicking?

Later, Cross found the lad fast asleep after he ate his food. Well, his little experiment worked. And with that, Cross made up his mind to add a little of wine on Allen's dinner every night so he could sleep without worrying about his nightmares.

Thanks for reading! I'm looking forward for your reviews.

See you!

#CBA