"So, you're a dad now." My friend Arthur commented, smirking a bit. He, Vlad, and I were sitting at one of the tables in the college food court. Vlad was also joining in on mocking me. I ended up ignoring then as I looked over my notes.

"Come on Lukas. He's only joking. We just want to see something out of you since you haven't shown any emotion over your mother's death." Vlad seemed to try and be putting his psychology classes to good use.

I wasn't going to have any of that. Closing my notebook, a sigh escaped my lips as I looked up at them. "Really guys, I don't real anything towards it. Her and I were never close and if there were any, my feelings would be agitation for leaving me with her next husband's son." I took a breath in between. "With that said. I do care for Emil, that's why I'm taking care of him." I said making sure I got everything out in the open. "Happy?" I asked, leaving the floor open for their comments.

"We just worry about you." Arthur said quietly. "I know yu might not like it, but maybe you should try getting help from your dad." A dark silence fell over us.

I gritted my teeth and started cramming stuff in to my bag. A hand on my arm stopped me from going any further.

"Lukas." Vlad said getting my eye contact. "Like he said, we're just worried. I know he wasn't the best person, but you said he was trying to make it up to you and plus I don't like seeing you this tired all the time." HE seemed really concerned." He seemed really concerned. His red eyes showed sorrow that didn't go well with his usually bright red hair.

Now that I actually look at Arthur, he too looked duller than usual. The green of his green of his eyes didn't pop, making his hair look that much more paler. Throwing my bag over my shoulder, I gave Vlad a reassuring pat on the back. "Don't worry about me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to pick up Emil and go to work." I started walking from the college to Emil's babysitter's, a nice old lady who lived close by. She took pity on me and charged me a fair price to watch him.

I trudged up to the front door and rang the doorbell. On the other side of it, I could hear her stumbling around, probably trying to get Emil and his things collected. She opened the door looking a flushed, but smiling none the less. Emil stood behind her, chewing on his thumb. Upon seeing me, his violet eyes grew wide and he quickly took his finger out of his mouth.

"Hello Lukas." My attention was brought back to his sitter. "How was your day?" She asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Hello Martha." Personally, I didn't want to get in too close of a relationship with her, partly because I was lying to her about my schooling. "Fine. Classes were boring though." Not really a lie since I was taking at least one more than one class. She thinks I'm taking a full schedule and, like my friends, I'm only working one job.

Martha laughed and handed me Emil's bag. "Yes, so I've heard from my grandsons. You just hang in there."

Motioning for Emil to come over and take my hand, I thanked her and started on my path to the diner I worked at in the evenings. "How was your day?" I passed the question to my brother, feeling that he was being a little too quiet.

He looked up at me through long white bangs that began to fall in to his eyes. I really needed to get his hair cut. "Fine." He replied, playing with my fingers. "Why do you lie to Mrs. Martha all the time?" Emil finally gained enough courage to ask.

I rubbed the back of his hand with my thumb. "Because I don't want her to become worried about you and..." I paused to think about how to tell him the rest, if at all. "I like having you around." I decided that was a safe enough answer.

"I like having you around too, Lukas." The five year-old replied.

Even after being around him for a month, Emil was still able to spark emotion in me that I thought had died long ago. "Do you have any homework?" I changed the subject so I wouldn't have to deal with it before my second job.

Emil's eyebrows knitted together and his face scrunched up. "A little." He admitted begrudgingly.

"When we get to the diner, I want you to sit at a booth and get it done. Okay?" I asked to make sure he understood me.

"Yes." He pouted as I held open the door for him.

"Hey Lukas!" Elizabeta called from her place behind the counter. "Oh Emil! You look so cute today!" She fawned over my brother like always. "Would you like a cookie?" She asked, spoiling him even more.

Emil looked up at me for approval. "One." I said and he ran smiling to Elizabeta.

While she was watching Emil, I took my chance to go to the back and get my apron. I said hi to Toris, one of our cooks, before going back out. I was grateful to find that Elizabeta had made sure my little brother had started on his homework when I returned.

"Thanks Liz." I muttered as I checked what tables I'd have to keep an eye on every now and then.

"No problem!" She said bubbly. "Are you going to have him eat here or do you have a shorter shift tonight?" She asked making sure her long brown hair was still tied back tightly.

I thought about her question. Sadly I wasn't sure how long I was wanted here and it looked like Emil would have to eat here, again. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I sighed. "I think he'll have to eat here again. you don't mind me taking care of it now, do you?" I asked, ashamed of myself. I still hadn't gotten the hang of getting him home at a decent hour, or even giving him health food choices.

Liz must have seen my inner turmoil, because she gave me a small smile before shooing me off to my brother.

I sat down in front of Emil and watched him try to match the colors with their names. "Are you hungry?" I asked.

He didn't even look up at me. "We're eating here again tonight?" His voice sounded a bit upset, but he tried to hold it in like he had seen me do so often, even if we hadn't really known each other that long.

"Yeah. I don't know when I'll be able to get off. What do you want?" I asked again as a way to keep him off any upsetting thoughts.

"Can I have a tuna sandwich?" I couldn't help but laugh at his request.

"Tuna? You know most kids want peanut butter and jelly." I joked.

He gave me a shrug, still working on his pages. "I'm not most kids." That's one thing I liked about him. He was pretty smart for his age, so I didn't have to hover over him like a lot of kids his age. That didn't mean that I didn't find myself doing it though. "Can I have some juice with it?"

"Sure." I said, getting up and rustling his already messy hair. This earned me a groan of displeasure from him, but nothing more. I gave Toris the order, got Emil his juice, and officially started my, what I found out later, long shift.

By the time it had finally ended, Emil was fast asleep in his booth, his stuff sprawled all over the table. I started to pack it all back up as Liz split up the tips.

"I feel like we worked harder than this." She commented handing each of us our stack. I counted it up and groaned. "Sorry." She apologized.

"It's fine. Better than nothing." I said back stuffing it in to my pocket, grabbing both mine and Emil's backpacks, and finally Emil himself.

"Are you walking home?" Toris asked sounding shocked and we made our way to the parking lot.

"Yeah." I readjusted my brother, trying not to wake him in the process.

"Come on. I'll drive you home instead." He offered, his green eyes sparkling at the idea. "I've got sometime before I have to officially release Eduard from babysitting duty." Toris joked.

Looking at Emil's sleeping form, I decided it would be a nice change from walking. "Thanks." I said as he lead me to his old-looking car. Buckling him in to the backseat, I made sure he was secure, before I sat in the passenger seat.

"He's a cute kid." Toris said as he started the car. I didn't reply back, only stared out the window. "How old is he? Five? Ravis is around that age." I stole a glance at him. "I know what it's like. Taking care of siblings on your own is hard, but it can also be rewarding."

"You think?" I finally asked as I directed him to my place.

"Yeah!" Toris looked at Emil through his rearview mirror. "And don't worry about screwing up. I've seen how you are with him and I think you're doing an amazing job."

I could feel my eyes burn, threatening to release tears, but there is no way I would let anyone see was almost like he could read my mind, even with the age difference.

We pulled up to my trailer that I'd been living in for the past few years, and Toris turned off his car. "Looks like this is where we part. Have a good night and..." He paused for a second. "If you ever need any help, don't be afraid to ask." Toris offered as I got out.

"Thanks again." I muttered, picking Emil and our things up. Slamming the door with my hip, I drug myself up to the front door. Balancing the still sleeping boy, I pulled out my key and unlocked it. I think I was starting to get a whole lot better at this type of thing, especially since the first time I tried it I almost dropped the most important variable.

Tossing down the bags, I carried Emil to the back bedroom. I tucked him in to the comfy sheets and placed his favorite stuffed puffin under his arm, which gave me a content sigh as a reward. After turning out the light, I went back to my bag and pulled out my homework that I had yet to start on. Sometime during my math equations, I had passed out on the couch. Another thing I had gotten use to, along with scrubbing the pen marks off my face in the morning. I think the only thing that kept me going, despite all that, was the toddler in the next room, sleeping soundly with his puffin.

A/N: I don't really think this is going anywhere, but I felt like I had to put something up. So yeah, I might do more with this if I get good feed back and I can keep the inspiration. If anyone is reading my other story, I'm sorry I haven't been able to update it. Lots has been going on and I just haven't had the motive to continue it, but I will go back to it ASAP. Thanks for reading!