Forgotten Bonds

Twenty-Seven - Baby Chick

February 8th, 2009. Sunday, 11:07 am. 

"Dick, don't you have anything to do?" 

"Not really." 

"It's your day off. You don't want to waste it. Surely you have something better to do than stick around me." 

"Nope, not really, sir." 

Slade sighed deeply, running a hand over the fur on his chin in light frustration. The boy was being exceptionally... exceptionally something today! Slade couldn't quite put his finger on it. But the child would just not leave him alone for a quiet moment. The boy followed him everywhere. It was the oddest thing that Slade had ever encountered with this boy. 

The boy had actually followed him, almost cheerfully, into his bedroom even. At that very moment, Dick was sitting in the extra computer chair, twirling around in it occasionally. He looked content, an almost peaceful look on his face; but the constant twirling in that blasted chair was beginning to grate on Slade's nerves. Couldn't the boy find something constructive to do with his time? 

"Dick, are you going to twirl around in that chair all day?" asked Slade, unable to keep the irritation out of his voice. The boy stopped suddenly, looking contrite and almost bashful. 

"Sorry, is it bothering you?" 

"Just a bit," admitted Slade with a sigh; giving him a nod. Dick grinned sheepishly; dropping his hands into his lap while straightening in the chair. The irritating spinning ceased. 

"Sorry, sir. I'll stop." 

"It would be appreciated," commented Slade dryly, turning back to his work. With a settling sigh, he studied the complex coding that he was working on – a simple job that a client wanted done. Merely test the security of their mainframe computer. Easy job; could be done in his sleep. 

But somehow Slade was finding that he just couldn't concentrate. Why? The boy was drumming his fingers in his lap. It wasn't loud, but it seemed as if everything was irritating Slade. 

"Dick, why don't you go do something?" suggested Slade, hoping the boy would finally take the hint and leave.  He just needed an hour or so alone; hence the day off. 

"No, I'm good." 

"What if that was an order?" said Slade, tilting his head to the side slightly – just enough to look over at the boy. 

"Do I have to?" asked Dick with a small pout, his shoulders hunching slightly as he stared at Slade. 

Good grief, why wouldn't the boy just leave him in peace already? It was as if Dick didn't want to leave. Such strange behavior indeed. What on earth was going on with this boy? 

The pout grew bigger. 

Would wonders never cease? 

"Fine," said Slade with an annoyed sigh. He turned back to his work, staring at the computer screen and willing himself to concentrate. 

However, two minutes into it and Slade knew there was no way on the planet he could get anything done with the boy in the room like this. Perhaps if the boy had been doing something useful, then maybe he wouldn't have such a problem with him. But the boy just insisted on staying with him, as if the act of being together was pleasing to him or something. 

Slade just couldn't understand the boy's behavior. Why on earth was he acting so... so... Seriously, was the boy really acting clingy? That was ridiculous. But as Slade glanced at the boy, dawning realization flowed over him. Truly, the boy was acting clingy. But why?