The Growing Bond of a Father and Son
Harry's P.O.V
It's been about two weeks since the trial. Mr. Afton, or William as he wants to be called, has been keeping track of Harry's eating habits, trying to break him out of the mindset he'd gotten at the Dursleys.
It's obvious he's trying to establish a closer platonic relationship, and one of the main components of the relationship is trust. The point is William was trying to gain more of Harry's trust. He will admit... William is getting there. Mostly because he never asks questions about the Dursleys unless it is about Harry's unhealthy habits, which Harry understands why. He's come to understand that to change unhealthy or bad habits one needs to be able to change their mentality toward them.
That isn't to say William hasn't also been using Harry's bad habits to an extent. One of his manipulations is usually during Harry's many meals; he needs small, snack-sized meals every two hours and then slightly bigger ones at breakfast, lunch, and dinner to help with his malnutrition. William would make Harry his plain meal of fruit, nuts, vegetables, eggs, broth, or certain kinds of wheat or grain, sit him at the table, seat himself across from Harry, and watch until Harry either finishes or can't eat anymore. Only then would William smile at him and do what he needs to do. If Harry tried to say he ate enough when he only took a few bites, tried to refuse the food, or what William tells him are the necessities he would remind him of just that, guilting Harry into eating his food.
When Harry was deemed at a good enough weight to decrease the number of meals he needed to eat and the restrictions on what food he could eat, William laid off and left him to eat in peace. The guilt-tripping William would come back if Harry still had a full plate, 'requesting' Harry to "Eat at least half the food on the plate, eating more is, however, more desirable." Now looking at it, the last part of that sentence was a subtle manipulation, using his need to please others against him. There are many other examples of manipulations like the two previously mentioned, but Harry couldn't get angry at William for it. The fact William only used the manipulations to ensure Harry was healthy made warmth flood his body; he'd never had someone care for him like this... Or in any way.
Every once in a while, Harry wondered why no one has come to take him to a foster family or orphanage or got any mention of such happening. He decided to not think about it and focus on the present instead of the future. He also resolutely decided to take part in the impossible task of not getting attached. William was just too caring, 'helpful, he's simply helpful. Don't get attached', and eccentric for Harry not to lov-, 'Like. Like, like, like, like! Don't get attached', him.
A perfect example of such eccentricities, and something Harry remembers fondly, is when William learned he's never had pizza before. Well, to say William was shocked could be considered an understatement. The more accurate description would be horrified, and William immediately, using the savings he's built up, to Harry's horror, bought almost every. Single. Pizza topping combination. The only ones he didn't get had toppings Harry could definitely say he hated. Let's just say, the duo had pizza for lunch and dinner for the next two weeks. William loved his toast and coffee too much to sacrifice breakfast.
Another adjustment Harry made was the amount of affection and compliments he was given when at William's work. About a week ago, William decided he's been away from work for too long and then had a dilemma over what to do about Harry. When he suggested William just let him stay hom-, 'At the house. Don't get attached', he threw the biggest fit about how Harry was still a baby (he was not!), that he needed William there to protect him (he's survived worse), about how William would possibly be able to help Harry if he was away at work(he could take care of himself!), and speculated on what if a robber were to try and rob the house (no matter what he said that it was unlikely). It was later decided, with many protests that William ignored, that Harry would simply go to work with William.
The first day went something like this,
Flashback
Harry was looking at the building threw the window of William's car. The building seemed much more intimidating than before, the grey concrete wall seemed twice as high and towering over his small form. William however, seemed ignorant of such a thing and got out of his car with a happy toon before opening Harry's door.
With a glare on his face, Harry got out of the car and dragged his feet to the entranceway. William, who had gotten to the door first, waited the extra three minutes it took Harry to get to the door by holding it open with a giant grin on his face. 'Way too large to be genuine. The bastard.' Thought Harry, who held a scowl as he passed through the doors. To his credit, Harry did straighten out of his slouch and stopped dragging his feet, if only to make a good first impression. It was still obvious he had no desire to be there, the scowl having never left his face.
"Let's go meet my co-workers, shall we?" Knowing it wasn't a question, Harry nods. "Wonderful! They are all very excited to meet you!" Was said as William led him through a door that said 'Staff Only'.
"I doubt that..." Harry mumbles under his breath, he was no one special.
If William heard him (which he definitely did) he didn't show it, and continued to walk him to the Staff breakroom; if the sign is to be believed at least. "Mike was complaining about Jeremy being all bouncy this week after hearing the news. I heard the Boss asking Mike to ask me to ask you what games you were interested in so you wouldn't get bored. He was also talking about giving you a free ultimate unlimited pass so you have access to unlimited pizza of any kind, unlimited shows from the animatronics, and access to any room in the building just so you wouldn't get bored! The Boss doesn't even do that for me! And I've been here since he was just starting out as a day guard! They all are too excited to see you in my opinion. Mike didn't even complain about you! He complains about everything!" Harry stopped listening after that.
Harry personally thought William pulled some strings to get him the ultimate unlimited pass that was promised to him. It wouldn't surprise him at all with William bragging about how long he's been here. Harry was planning on spending his time silently staying out of people's way and figuring out how to keep himself occupied. He's sure the workers and boss here wouldn't appreciate some kid getting in the way of their jobs and making them work more than necessary. He didn't want to get William in trouble. He's done more than enough for Harry, and maybe William won't get tired of him as quickly. "And we're here! I'll try and control the amount of affection they'll smother you with, but I make no promises it works." With that Harry was brought out of his musings and prepared himself to face vainly concealed contempt.
William knocked on the door and then opened it a second later to reveal their presence. Harry had been planning to walk in behind William, especially since he said he'd mediate between the workers and Harry. No one can blame him for his shocked face as William unceremoniously shoved him in front and through the door, presenting Harry for all to see.
"Oh my god! Is that him!? He's so cute!" Another thing Harry was not expecting.
"Of course, it's him you dimwit. What other child are we expecting in the lounge?" That must be Mike.
"Oh, lay off him Mike. You have to admit the little fella is cute." That confirmed the guy's name.
"With all due respect, shut up Boss." The other guy William referred to.
"That gives the impression that there is no respect." Mike opened his mouth to retort, "But before we get into our usual squabbles, I believe we have someone to welcome?" Mike closed his mouth and everyone looked at Harry.
"I apologize for my rudeness. I am the Boss of these four," He gestures to each worker with his hand as he introduces them. "Mike, the one you saw me just argue with," Mike gives a slight nod, "Jeremy, the one who called you cute," Jeremy waved in what others would call, an adorable fashion, "and finally Phone Guy, a nickname that we call him by, and he's a very shy guy."
"I'm Harry, nice to meet you all." Harry gives a slight nod in everyone's general direction.
"He's acting all shy! He's so cute!" Jeremy squeals.
"You think everything is cute." Retorts Mike.
"I do not!"
"Prove it."
"You're not cute!"
"I know, I'm handsome."
"That's what you think!"
"What's that supposed to mean!?" Mike pushed himself off the wall and stalked towards Jeremy, putting only an inch of space between the two.
"You're not Handsome, or good-looking, or gentlemanish! Who do you think is gonna go for you?! You're obviously living in some kind of fantasy land if you think that!" Phone Guy came over to the two with his hands out to try and push them apart.
Mike, ignoring the hand in front of him yelled, "Why you!" And proceeded to fistfight Jeremy.
The Boss then rushed over to help Phone Guy pull the two apart. Harry was dimly aware of William cackling behind him, but he was too shocked to care. He stared at the scene with vacant, blinking eyes trying to understand the situation. Suddenly, Harry turned on his heel, and pushed past a dying of laughter William while saying, "Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope! I'm not dealing with another crazy crackhead." This caused William to clutch the wall in his renewed hysteria.
"The first crazy crackhead being you, William!" Harry shouted over his shoulder before booking it down the hall for no later than he did so, he heard a "Hey!" and the sound of sprinting was heard after it.
End of Flashback
Nothing of interest happened after that, so Harry didn't really remember it. Jeremy, Phone Guy, and Mike had all been, and have been, really nice to him even if Mike had a different way of showing it. Harry noticed that day William had more influence than a senior day guard because everyone went to William first before the Boss. If someone had a question they went to William, if they had a complaint they went to William, and if they had a problem they went to William; the Boss went to William when he had a financial problem that day.
To Harry, it seemed William was the actual Boss, the Boss being like a secretary taking care of all the tedious paperwork and complaints. The funniest part is that William never noticed. Harry subtly brought it up under the guise of innocent curiosity, Willaim responded "What are you talking about? The stuff is insignificant enough that he sends them my way as someone who already knows. They just figured to come to me before the Boss." Like Harry believed that's what everyone does. Seriously, a lady was yelling about seeing the manager to Jeremy and he went to William! Granted William took care of it with a great deal of fitness that left the women feeling satisfied, but the Boss is the manager.
This all would have been fine, Harry could watch the shows that never seemed to repeat or get boring, had an all-you-could-eat buffet pass, and could go to the lounge and watch television if the noise got to be too much or he got bored. The weirdest thing was William's need to have lunch with him. It didn't matter how busy he was, at one o'clock Willaim would finish up whatever he was doing, go ask one of the others to cover for him, grab Harry to pull him to the food area to grab lunch, then pull him into the lounge to sit and talk about the day so far and what he wanted to do. Harry couldn't understand why he was wasting his time with him when he was going to leave eventually and go to another foster home or a family; he was leaning towards the former.
He looked at the clock absentmindedly and noticed it was one o'clock. He shot up in his seat and looked around for William to see him talking with Phone Guy, and ever true to schedule he looked at his watch, finished up his conversation, turned towards him with a big grin on his face, and practically skipped towards him. Harry braced himself for a moment before he was, somehow, carefully hauled out of his seat and dragged toward the food court with William talking about what they had that day. They got their food and before he knew it he was shoved into the leather couch in the lounge with a talking William seated across him. Yet again he was talking about his day and all the complaints and people he nicknamed "Karens" craziness, and before Harry even knew he opened his mouth the word tumbled out of his mouth as he questioned "Why?" In what he recognized as a broken tone.
The chatter met a swift end in William's mouth as he stared and silence filled the lounge. "Why what?" Was said calmly and evenly and that somehow made Harry angry.
Before he could calm himself down he stood so fast, looking at a confused William in anger before he yelled, "Why are you wasting your time on me!? And money for that matter! Why did you buy me an entire wardrobe of clothes!? Why do I go to your work every day!? Why do I have the Buffet and Every Show pass!? I know how expensive they are! Why are you spending over a hundred dollars on me!? Every! Day!? Why are you talking to me like this!? When I-When I- I'm- I'm going- going to be gone!?" And with that, his rage left him and tears started to fall.
William stared blankly in shock as Harry collapsed back on the couch, curling himself into a ball, and trembled as he tried to stifle the broken sobs that fell out of his mouth. 'William definitely won't want me now. I'm bad. I'm a freak. I don't deserve anything.' He was too lost in his self-deprecating mantra of thoughts to hear an exhausted sigh and the sound of the fabric against leather. Harry flinched violently when he felt a foreign touch against his shoulder. 'He's going to punish me like uncle did. I deserve it. I'm bad. I'm a fre-' His thoughts stalled, and his trembling body stilled. His senses were filled with the scent of coffee and warmth, a strong, soothing presence against his own. Seconds later a hand was running through his hair in calming strokes and quiet calming words telling him "It's ok. You're ok. You're just fine." Caused his body to sag as quiet tears continued to roll down his cheeks.
William continued to hold Harry until he was shifting to get out of it, while he did allow Harry to take half a step back he never truly let go of him; his hands going from his shoulders to Harry's own, his eyes staring straight into his own. "I'm sorry Harry." Said boy's eyes widened in shock.
"I wanted to keep it a surprise, but I see not telling you has put you on edge. You don't want to get too close in fear of losing me right? But with how I'm acting and how much I'm giving you can't help but get close, correct?" Harry could only nod dumbly, William nodded in return and took a breath before continuing. "About a week after I began fostering you I put in an application for adoption. I already had a fostering license so my home was already cleared as a good one with a good enough job that I could financially support a child... While it isn't official yet, I'm adopting you, Harry." His breath caught, "I in no way expect you to call me your father, but I've grown used to having you in my home grumbling about having to eat french toast for the fourth time in a row. I've grown used to seeing you hang around the pizzeria. And I've grown so used to your presence that I can't imagine my life without it, all in the few weeks you were with me." Harry's body was frozen still in shock, there was no way William had said that.
There was no way he could want a broken, freaky thing like him. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had beat that into his head enough... 'The same Aunt and Uncle that are now in prison because they beat it into you. That means they're liars. They also said freaky things like you go to prison because of all the trouble us freakish people cause to formal people, that means they're freakish.' That unforgivably reasonable voice in his head says with all the conviction in the world that Harry can't help but believe it.
"So you want me..?" He still whispers out, just to check, just to make sure William doesn't cruelly back out and say it was a joke.
"Always, little one. I'll always want you." He couldn't stop the sobs or stop how he jumped into William- father's arms and clung to him as if his life depended on it.
That same comfort Willi- father had given earlier came again as the both of them stayed in the secluded room until Harry's tears dried on his cheeks and his sobs had quietened. Stayed together as William's knees complained and protested, stayed and enjoyed the comfort of another's hug. As they broke apart they looked into each other's eyes and nothing notably different had happened, nothing physical. But as Harry looked into his father's eyes he could feel the growing bond of a father and son.