Rich Bastard {mxm}

Thirty One.

"Finding a love in someone who supports everything you do is priceless," -C.T

"Oh wow, I didn't know food under 10 dollars could taste this good!"

Joaquin gave me an unimpressed stare, sitting down next to me as I ate the food that he brought me from the restaurant. "Careful. You're starting to sound like a spoiled brat," He rolled his eyes sarcastically with a smirk, letting me know that he was just playing with me. "Yea, of course, it does. Ingredients don't need to cost thousands of dollars just to make food taste good. It doesn't matter what you have, but how you make it work together to make the food tasty," He winked and I blushed, sensing that there was some innuendo there.

"Master, I'm so sorry for not being there to protect you!" I heard an unmanly wail before arms wrapped around my waist. "Huh? Pierre!?" I sputtered in surprise and in amusement, patting his back softly as he cried into the blanket. One would never be able to tell that he was older than me. "It's alright, Pierre," I muttered with a grin. Before, I would never let myself get this close to anyone who worked for the Thorn name, but here I was. 

A shame.

"He was panicking on the way here because he thought you wouldn't like him anymore," Holly giggled from Joaquin's lap as the door shut behind her. "Stop crying, you wuss," I snorted in disbelief as he started crying more, clutching me to him. Joaquin shot him a look of annoyance that he couldn't see, but it was fine because I directed my attention to his daughter.

"Yeah, your birthday is coming up, Holly," I got her attention with a wide-eyed nod of her head. "What do you want? Ask for anything," I ignored Joaquin's exasperated sigh as I sought out to spoil her. He couldn't stop me. "Um," She got quiet as she removed her gaze from me to look at her twiddling fingers. "Uh," It sounded as if she knew what she wanted, but she was too afraid to ask because it was something unattainable.

"Just ask," I offered gently with a smile. "If you don't tell me, I can't get it for you," I stated casually and she nodded confidently. "When I was staying at the foster home," Joaquin's jaw tightened as if he felt even more guilty. "There was a kid who always stayed with me since no one else wanted to take care of a young boy. I was wondering if he could come live with us too," Her voice sounded so sad as if she couldn't believe that she left him there all by himself. What was with this van Zante family and their guilt?

But before I even addressed that, I had to make sure she understood the full repercussions and the implications of what she was asking me. Furthermore, I had to make sure Joaquin was on the same page. I had no clue how to go about doing things like this or how to include the feelings of someone else. I had to remember, it wasn't just me I had to think about.

But before I could even flick Pierre off of me and get straight to the point, Holly hit me with the facts. "I know we'll have to be a family now so that the boy can feel all of the love from you and daddy. I'm totally okay with you being my mommy if that means that the boy can be loved too," I stifled a choke that threatened to take my whole life out. "Besides, if you make daddy happy, you make me happy so don't leave us," She smiled brightly and Joaquin and I looked at each other, both sharing equal thoughts.

'She is too mature for her own good.'

'Well, if she wants it, then we might as well.'

'I'm with you every step of the way, so no worries.'

'Fine.'

I took a deep breath, tapping Pierre so that he knew to get more information about said boy. This was becoming too familial-like and I had to admit, I loved the idea of a family, especially one with Joaquin.