Chapter 15
“Come on Henry!” Charles said, running ahead as the two walked through the streets to the restaurant they planned to eat at that night. Henry smiled, following behind him. It’s been two years since the wall had been shut down and Henry was happy with how everything turned out.
RHM woke up a month later. It had taken him a while to get used to being a cyborg but once he did, he was easily able to take his place again, helping Reginald run the clan. The two had no plans to retire any time soon and Henry was okay with that.
Sven and Burt had ended up getting engaged a year after the prison break, having let everything calm down before telling everyone about it. Henry was happy that the two of them finally were engaged, and while they hadn’t gotten married yet, they were planning on a decent-sized wedding. With Henry as best man.
Ellie had gotten comfortable with her role in the Toppats, training hard to be a good replacement to RHM when he finally retired. She had ended up with a Toppat named Witch, which seemed to shock everyone. The two seemed happy, so Henry didn’t mind.
Henry and Charles had ended up moving in together after a year of dating. The two had been inseparable and Henry was okay with that. He would often join Charles on missions, just to make sure the pilot was alright. A good thing too sometimes, Charles was reckless enough to crash his helicopter into anything if it seemed like even a slightly good idea. While Henry enjoyed seeing him enact the ‘greatest plan’ he would prefer his boyfriend, not in the hospital.
While Charles stayed in the military, even rising through the ranks. Henry stayed, in public, lawful. Not stealing anything or breaking into any banks. Of course, when there was a missing jewel or bank robbery and they couldn’t find the culprit, Charles would see him tucking something away in the backroom or their bank account slowly gaining money for the next few weeks. That or Charles would find himself with a lot more gifts from Henry.
Henry still was the heir to the Toppats and would go to visit at least once a month, usually with Charles coming with. The Toppats had successfully launched a spaceship into orbit around the Earth, it being their new base of operations while a smaller team took care of the airship. Reginald and RHM, while not liking it at first, agreed on Henry’s relationship with the military pilot. Though every time they went to visit they try to convince Charles to join the Toppats. It had become a running joke at some point, though Henry knew they would prefer if Charles did join eventually, if only for the fact that it would make Henry live with them as well.
The two ended up getting a house together, Henry mostly paying for it with his fortune he had gained over the years. It was away from others, for the most part, being on a large plot of land so Charles could land his helicopter in the backyard. It was also close to the ocean so Dr. Vinschpinsilstien could stop by on her boat and check on Henry’s cybernetic parts. Or yell at him for not taking care of himself.
She came over a lot to do that.
“Henryyyyyy!” Charles called, breaking Henry out of his thoughts as he quickly caught up to the pilot.
“Sorry, got caught up in my thoughts. Everything changed after the wall got taken down.” Henry signed to him, smiling. He had gotten so used to signing after the number of times that he hurt his throat, that Henry rarely spoke anymore. It hurt to speak too much or too long anyway but Henry dealt with it if he had to.
Charles smiled, grabbing one of his hands. “Yeah, but they’re mostly good things,” Charles replied, making Henry nod with a smile.
“I promised my dads to help with some stuff tomorrow,” Henry told him softly, kissing his pilot on the cheek.
Charles rolled his eyes, knowing what he would be helping with. “Alright. Just don’t get seen.” He replied, making Henry grin at him.
“Never,” Henry told him smiling.
Henry’s life was good.
Henry frowned as he followed RHM and Ellie through the basement of the house they were robbing. It was too big and Henry could see why they were targeting them.
Henry looked at the rooms in the basement, they seemed… off. He was quick to signal them to stop, making the two look at the Toppat Prince as he listened. Was that… crying?
“We need to get these doors opened. There’s someone inside.” Henry told them, making them both look at each other before nodding.
A laserbeam later, the door was broken through and Henry went inside, freezing as he children, young children, inside the room. “Oh fuck…” He mumbled in shocked as he heard Ellie gasp behind him.
“I’m calling in reinforcements. Henry, call your boyfriend. I don’t care about the excuse right now. This is disgusting.” RHM told them, using his cybernetics to call Reginald. Henry nodded quickly, calling Charles.
“Henry? Weren’t you helping your dads with something? What’s going on?” Charles confused voice came through the phone.
“We found children in this guys basement. A lot of children. Locked up in a room. I don’t know how many more. I’ll text you the address just get here as soon as possible.” Henry told him, texting the address to him before helping Ellie get the children freed.
Henry sat down in the grass, holding a sleeping six-year-old girl in his lap. RHM had the dude that lived there tied up, glaring him down as Reginald, Sven, Ellie, and a few other Toppats calmed down the children.
Henry could see the helicopters flying in. He could only assume that there were military trucks or swats vehicles as well. Though they already had it covered, Henry was glad that they were there. They needed someone to take care of getting the kids home.
“Henry!” Charles called, landing his helicopter and going over to him, making Henry motion him to be quiet.
“Hey Charles,” Henry signed, holding the girl gently. “Pops has the guy while Dad, Ellie, and Sven have the other children. This girl wouldn’t let go of me though,” Henry told him, frowning a little. “Some of the stuff she said is concerning.”
Charles frowned, kneeling beside him. The girl slept soundly, clenching tightly to Henry’s shirt. There were no signs of her letting go any time soon either. “We should probably go speak with the General,” Charles told him, making Henry nod as he slowly got up, careful not to wake the girl as he followed Charles.
General Galeforce looked at the three, noticing the girl in Henry’s arms instantly. “What’s going on here Henry?” He asked, watching as some of the medical staff that came with checked on the kids. The kids themselves would barely leave the Toppats, scared of new people.
“This dude has been on the radar for a while. He was stealing money from us and kept trying to sell us questionable things for ridiculous prices. We came today because the bastard shot one of our people before running. As we went through the basement I heard crying in one of the rooms. We broke through before finally a bunch of children inside, locked in. There were three rooms of children. The guy might have a broken arm. Lost control of my arm when I grabbed him.” Henry signed, managing to do it with the girl in his arms while Charles translated. The two frowned, obviously not liking what was the obvious here.
“We’ll get these kids back home to their families. Men! Get in there and find out what this man was hiding!” General Galeforce ordered, making a few military soldiers nod as they went inside.
The girl started to wake up, making Henry look at her. “Hey, kiddo. Sorry for waking you.” Henry spoke to her softly, shifting her so she would be more comfortable.
“T’is okay…” The girl replied, snuggling close. “Me not tired now.”
Henry chuckled, making Charles look at the two. He smiled, moving over. “Hey, kiddo. I’m Charles, Henry’s friend. We’ll get you home soon okay? Do you know where you live or where your parents are?” Charles asked her softly, smiling at her as the girl blinked.
“Mommy and Daddy wouldn’t wake up no more when bad man take me. I all alone.” The girl spoke softly, tearing up. Henry and Charles both frowned, Henry, wiping the tears and spinning her around.
“It’s okay kiddo. You aren’t alone. What’s your name?” Henry asked her. His throat burned but he didn’t care. The girl was more important.
The girl giggled softly when he spun her around, snuggling close. “I’m Harriet! Mommy calls me Harri though.” She told them, smiling at Henry.
Henry smiled, holding her close. “Well Harriet, I’ll make sure you aren’t alone anymore okay?” Henry asked her, making the girl nod before yawning, obviously tired. “Sleep okay? I won’t leave you.” Henry told her softly.
Harriet nodded, sleepily closing her eyes against his chest, falling asleep in a matter of seconds.
Charles watched, finding the scene adorable despite the circumstances. “You keeping that promise?” He asked the Toppat Prince, making Henry look at him before nod.
Charles smiled, kissing his cheek gently.
“Well. If she doesn’t have anyone to take her in, we might have to raise her. Since you’re making promises like that.” Charles told him, making Henry look at him wide eye.
“A-are you sure?” Henry asked him surprised. Them? Raising a kid?
Charles grinned. “Yep. She looks kinda like you anyway. You’re not allowed to corrupt her though.” Charles told him, smiling as Henry chuckled.
Henry smiled, looking down at Harriet, who slept soundly.
He wouldn’t mind raising a kid with Charles.