His Worth | MxM

² six

"Malakai...?"

I felt a soft nudge on my shoulder, and I turn over some to see Cassius. He had a concerned look on his face that had me sit up slowly. Glancing over to see Nate still asleep, I lift up Cassius onto the bed.

"Yes? What's the matter?" I ask him quietly, seeing that it was one in the morning. "Another nightmare?"

He nodded again, and I set a pillow right in the middle. I watch him nestle between Nate and me without any hesitation.

Because I went online for classes only a couple of days ago, but so did Cassius' sudden nightmares. He doesn't want to sleep by himself anymore. He will always come and do this, but I'm not complaining.

I can tell it's more of a comfort thing. To make sure he's waking up in the same place. The place he wants to be...I presume.

I lay down beside him now, beginning to close my eyes until I felt his hand pat my shoulder again. I open my eyes again to see him look concerned still.

"What's up? You aren't tired?"

"I am..."

"Then...?" I glance behind him, seeing Nate still asleep, "why aren't you closing your eyes?"

"Are you sad we came here?"

I flinch, shaking my head fast as I saw Cassius look off.

"Who told you that?"

"No one. You just always look sad...and I was just asking...if it's because of me and Micah."

"Of course not." I shook my head quickly because now I see that my own worries and stress is affecting them. They're seeing my own struggles and think they're the cause of it.

I never had...those thoughts, where I felt like - as a child - that I was the reason for someone's sadness. If anything, I just felt like I wasn't enough for my parents.

They know their parents want them...that's the difference. Just with the things they've done, they aren't suitable fits.

"I am happy you and Micah Jr. are here. It never crossed my mind that you two were the problem. I'm just stressed from school and certain events coming up. You two are not the issue, I don't want you to think you ever are." I try to reassure him as he grins at me. "Are you...happy here so far?"

Cassius nods excitedly, immediately causing me to smile, "I really like it here. The house is awesome, and it's humongous."

"Is it now?"

I remember feeling the same thing when I first entered Nate's house as a child. That...his house was humongous and so much larger than mine.

Because in reality, my house wasn't really a home. I don't know if you could even call it a house with how many times nothing in there worked. Mainly because there wasn't really anyone to pay the bills a lot of the time.

If not all the time.

We just made due with what we had.

"Does Micah Jr. feel the same?" I look back at him, only to see that he had fallen asleep.

The reassurance definitely allowed him to sleep easier. Now I was awake as I got out of bed, going into Rue's bedroom.

She slept soundly in her cot, swaddled up as I just watch her sleep peacefully. Being able to just look at her relaxed me...because she just saw me as her dad. Not as the person who's made mistakes and been through shit.

I was just...her dad. She was the only one who didn't know what I've been through. Rue may have been looking at me through rose-shaded lenses...but I'd rather that than viewing me as the victim.