Forgotten Bonds

Twenty-Eight - A Pellet of Peas

February 12th, 2009. Thursday, 6:13 pm. 

"Dick! For the last time, dinner!" shouted Slade down the hallway. 

"Coming!" 

Slade sighed, shaking his head as he walked back to his seat; sitting down into it. That was the sixth time he had called Dick to dinner tonight. What on earth was taking that boy so long? Normally, he obeyed on the first request – not to mention, he wasn't ever late for dinner. 

But the boy had been exceptionally good – unnaturally even in Slade's eyes. He still stuck to Slade's side like glue most of the time, though. Moments like now were rare and far between; giving Slade that tiny second of reprieve from the boy. But he was starting to get used to it. If it made the boy happy, then so be it – there wasn't anything Slade was going to do to stop it. 

Or could do... 

But the day that boy came into his room in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm with a pillow in his arms was the day Slade drew the line. No way. Nightmares while he was still working were one thing, but thunderstorms with a pillow were a whole other duck. 

Although Slade doubted that would happen. He had the entire haunt soundproof. Lucky for him. 

But Slade was still getting used to this behavior. Dick seemed so different than before. It was as if something settled perfectly into his heart. Was it truly because he trusted Slade? Was it simply the trust that anchored the boy like this? This trust that made him so happy, so content, so pleasant, so obedient? 

Or was it more? 

Slade grabbed one of the papers that Wintergreen set out for him and began to read, but not really paying attention to the words on the page; his mind too full of his mulling thoughts. It was a few swift moments later that he heard eager footsteps and Dick's cheerful voice. 

"Slade, listen to this," said Dick excitedly, running right up to him and holding up his music device. Slade raised an eyebrow and looked up from the paper he had been perusing. Was this what had taken the boy so long? A music device? 

"What is it?" 

"Come on, just listen," said Dick in a coaxing manner, placing white earphones near Slade's ears. Slade sighed, unable to deny that eager face. He took the pair from the boy's hands and placed them to his ears. Only one word could describe what Slade heard through those earphones: noise – noise accompanied to a tune. 

"What is that nonsense?" demanded Slade. Dick nearly giggled at Slade reaction. 

"It's a song, Slade," said Dick, his eyes dancing mischievously. "Didn't they have them when you were young?" 

"They did, but it wasn't racket," said Slade with a shake of his head. He pulled the earphones away and handed them back to the boy. "What is that stuff?" 

"It's a song in Japanese." 

"You can understand that nonsense?" 

"I ca—wait... Don't you know?" asked Dick, stopping midway; those crystal blue eyes blinking. 

"Know what?" 

"You don't know, do you?" said Dick, looking positively excited. A wry, triumphant smile spread throughout his young face. Slade raised an eyebrow at this reaction. "Heh, you don't know how many languages I can speak, now do you?" 

"I have some awareness that you can speak a few," said Slade with a dismissive wave of his hand. "You were, after all, the ward of a wealthy man who could afford the best of tutors and learning available to him. It's why I haven't pursued that area of your education."