Rocky wasn't surprised to find Pup was a gamer. He'd expected it, honestly. Pup would probably be more surprised to find out Rocky was one. "What do you play?"
"Huh?" Aiden turned back to him, "Oh! Um, pretty much everything but my favorite is Elder Scrolls Online." Rocky jerked in surprise and did his best not to let it show. He was sure that Pup would figure it out soon but Rocky had already figured it out. It was just too obvious now that he thought about it more.
"Have you gotten into the Necrom expansion yet?"
He smiled as Aiden's eyes became as big as saucers and his jaw about hit the floor. "You play?"
"I do. If I could just get Rune Master Xiomara to go down, I'd be doing good."
"Right?!" Aiden set his hands on his hips, "A friend and I have been working on that bitch for weeks and still haven't succeeded."
"No cussing." Rocky automatically ordered. He felt his cheeks heat and cleared his throat, trying to cover his faux pas. "But yeah, same here. Almost had them last night. Was this close," Rocky held two fingers barely apart, "I was almost rezzed when my last group member went down."
Aiden got a considering look on his face but then shook his head and said, "Anyway, playing on your TV would be freaking heaven."
Aiden moved out of the living room and into the dining room. "If it's just you, why have a table that seats ten?"
That was a good question. At one time, before fear had replaced his common sense and he'd chickened out, he'd wanted to have room for all of his brothers and any of their significant others to be able to come for dinner. Rocky loved cooking and had at one time regularly thrown dinner parties. He hadn't hosted one in four years, though. Still, he decided to be honest in his answer, "One day, I might have a family dinner here. Want everyone to be able to fit."
"You? But you're always such a stickler about going to everyone else’s place for any special occasion. You’ve never once had any of us here."
"True. But it might not always be that way." Again, Rocky cleared his throat, it was time to focus on something else, "Speaking of dinner, are you hungry?"
Rocky knew Pup was about to deny it but before he could get the lie past his lips, Pup's stomach let out a ferocious growl and he laughed, "Guess I am."
Smiling a genuine smile that he was recognizing came more and more often these days, Rocky headed to the kitchen to rustle up some dinner for his hungry boy.
Aiden took a seat on one of the many stools surrounding the massive island that separated the kitchen from the rest of the living space. As he settled in, he mumbled something about needing to get a new laptop since he had many searches to do. Rocky felt himself stiffening at the thought of Pup putting any more strain on himself when he was injured.
"You've got a pretty concerning head injury right now, baby. You don't need to be adding to it by gluing yourself to a computer screen."
Rocky rummaged in the fridge, pulling out what he would need to make meatballs and the various ingredients for a Bolognese that was sure to knock the socks off his boy. He placed the ingredients on the counter as Pup replied, "It's a non-issue anyway, since I don't currently have a computer to work on."
Reaching into a cabinet and selecting his desired spices, Rocky set them beside his other items and turned to Aiden. Walking over the island as close to Pup as he dared, he placed his palm on the marble top and leaned closer, looking the boy directly in his eyes, "It's not a betrayal or something if you take a night off to recover and recharge, you know."
"Logically, I know that. But this is my family. I can't go out and take down the enemy like the rest of you. This is the only way I know to keep my family safe," Aiden confessed. "What if I'm not fast enough? What if I can't find the person intent on harming the few people in this world I love, and they pay the price? I can't slow down, Rocky. I can't. I won't chance it. I won't stop until I know my family is safe."
Rocky admired Pup's dedication and felt honored to have been given a confidence like that. It was honestly the most emotional he'd seen Pup, and it felt like in that moment, they'd formed a stronger bond. At the same time, he worried about the effect Pup's single-minded focus would have on his own mental peace and health.
"What if you burn yourself out and miss something because you didn't take the time for you that you needed to stay sharp and keep your critical thinking up to speed?" Rocky raised his eyebrow at Pup as he threw out his counterargument. "Have you even considered that?"
Pup kept his silence for a bit, but he shifted in his chair and seemed to be working something out in his brain. Rocky turned back to his task, leaving Pup to think about whatever he needed to consider. There was silence as Rocky worked mixing meat, breadcrumbs and spices in a large bowl. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence. It didn't lay heavy, begging to be lifted. It was a sweet silence built of familiarity and comfort and the knowledge that words weren't needed. The simple time together was all that was required.
Rocky rolled the balls, placing them in a baking dish and as he was washing his hands after placing the pan in the oven, Aiden blurted, "I'm not a Daddy."
"I'd gathered as much," Rocky said. He made sure to keep his tone even, not relaying any kind of surprise or judgment. The last thing he wanted was Pup feeling like he needed to continue to hide. He wasn't sure of Pup's reasons for doing so in the first place. No one in the MC would have rejected him or judged him for it. Whatever the reasons, though, Rocky found himself with an inexplicable need to know everything. He didn't want Pup hiding anything from him.
"Yeah, I figured when everything happened today. I haven't been straightforward in my nature and I'm sorry for that, but I need to ask you not to tell the others. I may make it known someday, but I’m not ready yet."
"You know none of them would hold it against you or think less of you for it, right?"
Rocky needed to make sure that Pup understood that. No one would look down on him for who he was. They wanted him to be comfortable being himself. Rocky made his way back to the island and leaned his elbows on it. The sauce could wait. This conversation was too important.
"That may be true but I can't take that chance yet. I just can't. Please, Rocky. Just, keep this secret for me. Let me get there in my own time."
Rocky reached out and lifted Aiden's chin with his knuckle when Aiden tried to look away. He needed Aiden to see his eyes as he said what he said next. He needed Aiden to know he meant it with every fiber of his being.
"I would never, ever, break your confidence. I would never betray your trust. I want you to know that you can trust me with anything. That you can be who you are and know that I've got your back, that I'll support you and encourage you and that anything and everything you choose to share with me will be treasured and held dear and I would never give it to someone that you didn't want to have it."
