Chapter Text
David was awake at almost five in the morning and was bouncing with energy to start the day. Today was Father’s Day, and he really wanted to give his dad his gifts. He had made a card during school, which had a picture of two wolves and a heart, and bubble letters that spell out Happy Father’s Day. And then there was the actual present.
His hand clasped around the small red keychain accessory that read “My Favorite Dad” with a heart at the end. He had bought it from the school store, with tables lined up with random goodies or trinkets, it had been a hard time choosing what to buy in such a short amount of time.
He was hoping that those two things were enough to show his love. But maybe he needed to give his dad something more?
He set his presents back down, and lightly padded down to the kitchen with a new plan. He grabbed out his dad’s favorite cereal and then hopped up onto the counter.
BANG. David froze, the loud noise echoing in the quiet house, and listened to see if his dad had heard him accidentally kicking one of the lower drawers. His dad would have definitely come bolting downstairs if he had.
David breathed out a sigh of relief, and continued his task.
With the bowl now acquired, he shook the cereal into it and then wobbly poured the milk too.
He carried the bowl and climbed the stairs, grabbing both of his gifts from his bedroom before making his way to his dad’s room.
David gently pushed the door open, hands steadying the bowl to make sure no contents spilled. He crept over to the bedside, placing the bowl on the nightstand, and examined his dad’s face. Yep. Definitely still asleep. He tapped Gabe’s shoulder a few times, his dad taking a sharp inhale of breath before opening his eyes.
“David? What are you doing up?” Gabe stuffily asked, and rubbed his face. “It’s 5 a.m. You should be asleep.”
“It’s Father’s Day,” David happily said, ignoring the fact that it was still super early. His father wasn’t too surprised, considering that David had been going through another bout of not wanting to sleep. Whether that meant David staying up late, or his son waking up way before sunrise.
Gabe muttered, “I’d argue that is exactly why we should both still be asleep, but that’s alright,” before flicking on the bedside lamp, the sun not having come up enough to brighten the room fully.
His eyes landed on the cereal bowl, and then the fact that David held a card and something else in his hand. “What do you got there?”
“A present and a card. Here,” He held out the card to him, and the keychain accessory.
Gabe gently took both of them and read the card, smiling at the picture on the front and seeing all the hearts that covered the inside of the card. Though the message written inside was generic, and most likely what his teachers had told them to write, he could tell that David put a lot of love into it.
He then examined the red keychain accessory that could wrap around your wrist. His eyes flicked back to David’s.
“I’m your favorite dad?” Gabe raised an eyebrow, a small smirk on his face.
David nodded.
Gabe chuckled, wrapping an arm around his son. “I would hope so– I’m your only dad, bud!” David giggled along and fully wrapped himself around his dad. He tucked his head further into his dad’s neck. Safe. Home.
Gabe broke away from the hug after a moment, and petted David’s hair backwards. “I see you brought cereal as well.”
“Your breakfast in bed!” David peeled himself away and grabbed the bowl to hand over.
Gabe’s heart warmed. “Did you come up with that idea by yourself?”
Once Gabe grabbed the bowl, David moved around to the other side of the bed, hopping next to his dad. “Sort of. One of my classmates said that their parents do it for each other.”
Gabe took a bite of the now slightly soggy cereal, and hummed. “Thank you very much. I must be doing something right for you to be such a thoughtful kiddo.” David shrugged and relaxed against the headboard, taking the praise to heart. . .
- - -
He froze after opening the box. It was a small box full of cards, all of the ones that David had made over the years. . . And that Father’s Day card was on top.
His heart lurched in his throat as he stared and picked up the flimsy, folded paper. The feeling settled back down to an ache in his stomach, tears gathering, just waiting for him to blink so it could kick off another crying session.
He closed his eyes tightly and felt his lip trembling again, and pursed his lips. I can’t cry. I have to focus on cleaning out stuff. I–
David could have wailed if he wanted, but covered his mouth to prevent any sound to escape his body, even though nobody was in the home. His nose could barely get any air in or out, and he had broken out into a sweat. He kneeled to the floor, his whole weight sat on his legs, as his face became sticky and wet with snot and tears.
I miss you so fucking, goddamn much, Dad. I hope you know how much I love you, wherever you are now. . . I love you so so so fucking much. . .
His vision blurred with the seemingly continuous tears, and his body shook as he curled in on himself and repeated in his mind: It isn’t fair. It isn’t fair. Why couldn’t he have stayed?! It isn’t fair. It isn’t fair!