Can I Help You? (DADDY)

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Phoenix was pretty proud of himself. He'd been working at the pet store for several weeks now, and he was slowly starting to feel more comfortable with his work. The pixie had gotten into a routine - between cleaning, feeding, and organizing stocks, he was kept quite busy, even for the somewhat small shop. And even though it was tiring, Phen loved it - just having a job was great enough, but having one where he could be surrounded by cute kittens and puppies and all things fluffy all day? It was perfect.

With his recent haircut, Phoenix was feeling older and more mature by the day. Whether that was a good thing or not, he wasn't sure, but his manager seemed happy with him. Phen was even starting to get better at talking with people, too - it'd been hard at first, but he found that he actually had a natural, easy-going vibe that people seemed to click with easily. It... Helped with his self-esteem quite a bit, actually.

He was busy organizing the shelves of pet food at the moment. He was the only employee working, other than the boss, and so he was constantly going around, checking things, making sure all was where it should be. At the sound of a ring signaling that someone had opened the front door, Phen peeked up over the counter and offered a smile at whoever had entered.

"Can I help you?"

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Pilot Ridge…sure had changed in the twenty or so years since Derek left. Back then, he couldn't be rid of the place fast enough, it was only because of his ill-desired power that he even had to remain for even a second longer than he had to.

Now Derek's time at the Hammel Institute hadn't been completely terrible. He remembered enjoying the sense of prestige that attending such an academy instilled upon it's collection of gifted students. However, it was still true that the school was merely a place to horde young metas and teach them all about how to use their abilities, whether for the good or for the bad. Derek supposed that the institute meant well, but if some of his former colleagues had been any indication, the school did little to impose a good set of morals and direction among it's students, especially among those delinquents who ran amok, using their poor childhood and lack of compassion towards their so-called troubles as an excuse to reject any sense of moral fiber. If they knew it was wrong and chose to run deviant anyway, then those children ought to be held responsible for their misguided actions. The world wasn't going to hold their hand and be sympathetic when they committed murder simply because they grew up without a mother.

At least there were people looking out for the best interests of humanity, ready to instill a sense of responsibility into these young walking time-bombs.

Just the same, Derek felt a sort of nostalgia walking through the downtown streets of the small town. It was still a tad chilled outside as the seasons were in the midsts of changing from an unfortunately cold winter into what was starting out to be a fairly cool spring. He was dressed nicely, warmly, in a pair of black slacks matched with a light blue shirt, collared with a black tie striped with grey. Over it, a blazer the same color of his pants, and over that, a long woolen jacket, grey, which was belted tightly at the waist too keep out the chill. For whatever reason he decided to venture onto these streets immediately after he punched free from his office in Burlington and driving down here, hoping to catch a quick drink before finally turning in for the evening.

He stopped before a quaint little pet store and mused over the thought for a spell. Derek enjoyed the presence of animals, but he wasn't certain if he was yet prepared to adopt one so soon after settling into his new life. Still, it couldn't hurt to take a gander and make some preliminary considerations. The bell rang as he opened the door and soon after he was greeted by a young man. "Hello," he returned the greeting with a slight smile, removing his sunglasses to get a better look. His face seemed to drop a mite as he peered over the store-worker with unshielded eyes. "I'm really just browsing for the moment, but I'll let you know if there's something I need."

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Phoenix's hands automatically twisted together a little nervously at the sight of the customer. There was nothing particularly intimidating about him, although the glasses did make him seem a little less personable; Phen just always got a little nervous with new people, he couldn't help it.

And then there was the fact that he had been smiling at first, but as soon as he seemed to get a better look at Phen, he looked a little... Unhappy, for some reason. Phoenix looked down, wondering if there was something wrong with his appearance. His work apron was fine, if a little mucky, and his nametag was right where it should be. He didn't think anything was off. His hand automatically swept through his short hair, and he mustered up another smile. He must have been imagining things in his paranoia.

"Alright, I'll be around," he replied, stepping out from behind the counter and passing right by the man as he went to pull a box of stocked fish food from the shelf. He struggled to reach it, and when he managed to grab onto it, he obviously struggled with the somewhat heavy box until he got it on the ground. "Heh, my boyfriend would have been able to do that no problem," he chuckled nervously, a little embarrassed from seeming so weak in front of a stranger. "I thought I would have built up more strength by now." He shot an awkward smile towards the customer before he started pulling out some containers of food, wishing for the moment he had his long hair again to hide his surely flushed cheeks.

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Derek replaced the dark shades over his eyes, not wanting to be distracted further by the meta-child. He couldn't help running into metas in this town, he knew. Because of the institute, the population of metas here was proportionally higher than that of other cities. You couldn't walk down the street without passing at least one on a good day. And there was no reason why he couldn't remain cordial, after all this child didn't choose his status anymore than Derek had chosen his.

He acknowledged the boy with a nod then proceeded to venture further into the small shop, eyeing the animals that peered back at him from behind the glass windows and kennels and cages. What would be a good pick, he wondered.

Truth be told, Derek had never met an animal he didn't like. But if he had to pick, then the middle-aged man would have to favor the dog. They were loyal, playful, and could be trained to obey their masters.

A noise distracted him from his shopping and he glanced over at the boy worker, struggling with a box that seemed like it was about to take him out. It probably could too, with those skinny arms of his. Derek's eyes narrowed from behind his sunglasses, instantly offended that this boy felt the need to parade his sexuality so shamelessly with the mention of his significant other. Why did fags always feel the need to announce it to everyone they met? It wasn't like he went around giving out his orientation along with a handshake to everyone he met. "How long have you been working here, son?" he asked with a casual tone.

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Given that there was no one else in the shop at the moment, Phoenix's eyes were automatically drawn to the movement of the single customer. He wasn't staring, per say, but he kept glancing that way, prepared to leap into action if he was needed. He vaguely wondered if the man spoke Korean; he hadn't met many in this town, and Jin-hwan had been helping him with his own bilingual skills.

He was also completely ignorant to the homophobic opinions of the older man, and kept a pleasant smile on his face even after he struggled getting the box down. He took the jars of fish food back over to the shelf, placing them neatly before returning to the box, flipping the flaps closed, and barely managing to ease it back in place. "Hmm?" he asked, blinking as he realized the older man had spoken. "Oh, um... About two months now, I think," he replied, rubbing his arm with the opposite hand.

The word son rang strangely through his head. He'd never really had a man call him it before, even casually like this guy was. "Um, do you have a pet already, or were you looking t'buy one?" he asked with polite curiosity.

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It would surprise this boy to know that not only did Derek speak Korean, as it was the language of his household as a child, but could also hold basic conversation in a select few other asian languages as well, something he picked up on a semester of exchange during his own time at the Institute. And then he'd gain a bit of more during his dealings with a particular criminal organization. However, they rarely came into use these days and Derek held no desire to expand on them.

"Only two months?" he stated as a rhetorical question. "Well, it takes a lot longer than that to build your upper body strength, unless you're also strength training outside of this job." Derek offered the boy a deceptively supportive smile. "It takes time, but I'm sure you'll get there eventually." Perhaps if this boy made the effort to look and be more of a man, he could break free from his unnatural, undisciplined lifestyle and find a woman instead of resorting to whoring himself out like one.

Derek himself wasn't interested in idle conversation, but since this child seemed so insistent on it, the man wasn't going to deny him a bit of courtesy. "As I said before, I'm merely browsing. In the near future, I may decide to keep one. It's not possible at the moment." Derek had not been at his new job for even a month yet and there was still the 90 day probation period he had to wait out before declaring himself a permanent place at the company.

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Phoenix blinked at the customer, feeling his cheeks heat up a little at the response. He hadn't really expected him to respond, especially in such a manner, and now he felt dumb. "I... I sort of want t'do some stuff on the side, but I haven't made it to the weight room at my school yet..." he mumbled guiltily. He caught the smile and did, in fact, see it as supportive, so he straightened a little. "I hope so," he replied with a nervous smile. "Thank you, um...." He didn't know the guy's name, of course, so he just trailed off awkwardly before finishing,"Sir?" ... Did people say sir anymore? Would that be offensive? Phoenix didn't know.

Phoenix didn't know why he was still talking, he should have just shut up, but he couldn't help himself. "Oh, right," he replied, feeling even more awkward. "I-I wanted t'keep a pet too, but the dorm I live in won't allow it," he offered. "So I got the job here." And it was working out very well. Phen looked around for something to busy his hands with, and his eyes landed on the bird cages. Right, they probably needed to be fed. One of the bigger-beaked parrots was kinda mean and always snapped at him when he tried to pull out the food container, so he started with the skittish little finches and such. "W... What kind of pet would you like?" he asked.

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So this child was going to school? Given his assumed age, Derek presumed that this young meta was attending the Institute and not at the local community college. If there was one thing that Hammel had, it was top of the line facilities for all your physical and academic needs.

"You're going to school," he pointed out, "And you're working. That's bound to take up a lot of time." Derek paused for a moment, then removed his sunglasses as he turned to face the young man. "There are a lot of people in this world who would use one as an excuse to not do the other. There are also those who can only do one or the other. The mere fact that you're doing both already puts you ahead of them." He kept up his polite smile as he lectured the boy. "While you may be wanting to do more, it's not smart to rush it. You'll get there when your body tells you it's ready."

Derek had seen many people injure themselves because they were in a rush to build up their physical strength and stamina. Everybody wanted to be a bodybuilder or olympic athlete overnight. "Derek," he offered when the boy so childishly struggled in finding a title with which to address the older man. He folded up his sunglasses and slipped them into his coat pocket, then extended a hand towards the young man.

The boy sure liked to talk, and that was only mildly grating on the older man, though the fact that he removed his dark shades indicated that he held some interest in the boy. Maybe even some friendliness. The boy seemed polite, if a little shy and naive, hardworking. If he kept on this track, he may even outgrow his rebellious delusions of homosexuality. "A dog," he replied succinctly, looking down at the happily yipping and romping puppies. He would need one suitable to be a guard dog, he decided.

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H... Huh. Phoenix stared a little dumbly as the older man spoke some more, lips slightly parted as he stopped what he was doing to listen. "Yeah, I... I guess it does," he said softly, glancing down shyly as the man took off his sunglasses and looked his way. "I didn't think about it like that..." A small tingle of affection for this man rose in Phen's chest. Sure, there were people at Hammel willing to help out, but this guy was a complete stranger giving him support; it was strange, but not unwelcome. He wondered if the guy was a doctor or psychiatrist or something. "I'll keep that in mind," Phen promised, peeking up timidly. "Thanks for the advice."

He hadn't expected the stranger to offer his name, but when he did, Phoenix brightened a little. "Nice t-to meet you, Derek," he replied, taking the hand that was offered to him in his weak grip. "I'm... I'm Phoenix." Of course, his nametag said that too, but in the heat of the moment he'd spaced out and gone automatic. He smiled nervously before looking away again, seeming to take a particular interest in the displays of bird toys on a nearby shelf.

Phoenix went back to feeding the birds then, but made sure to keep the conversation going, because it was the polite thing to do. He had no idea, still, the opinions the man, Derek, had of his love life, so he was all good manners and helpfulness, like he should be with all customers. "Oooh... Dogs seem like they would be a fun pet," he replied, nodding in support. "I... I think I'm more of a cat person myself, but some of our puppies are awfully adorable," he giggled.

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Hmm. A polite boy, despite his shyness and orientation. Guess those kind existed in this world. Though that was merely Derek's initial assessment of the young man based on a small conversation. And Derek wouldn't call it much a conversation as he would a simple helpful lecture to direct this child on the right path. Still, his sincere appreciation brought a slightly more genuine smile out of the former-physician. "You are welcome," he returned with a shallow nod.

Offering one's name once engaged in a conversation was only expected. He loathed the notion that some people could have lengths of intimate conversation without ever knowing the other person's name. No, once your name had been given, it was assumed that you'd gained the trust and respect enough to have it. No, it did not mean they were friends…just acquaintances.

The boy had a weak grip, which Derek predicted given the boy's shy demeanor. He did have to pause a brief moment upon hearing his name, however, having not taken the time to see it on the boy's name tag. And besides that point, the boy's colorful aura seemed to block it out well enough. "Phoenix? That's a rather unusual name." If he wasn't mistaken, his brat of a kid shared a similar name or some such like that. "It's nice to meet you."

The boy Phoenix sure was chatty, though. It was probably just as well. If Derek truly wasn't interested in continuing - he was pretty neutral before, though after hearing the boy's name, Derek had gained a mild interest - then he wouldn't have continued to respond to the boy's inquiries. Or would have done so in a manner that clearly showed his disinterest. "Dogs are loyal. And they are protective. I need a genuine companion willing to serve both those functions." Which instantly ruled out a cat, the useless creatures they were.

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Phoenix wondered what other kind of advice this man might be able to offer. He was tempted to ask, but of course, that would be weird - he really didn't know him, despite their conversation so far, and that might be considered aggravating a customer. That was the last thing Phoenix wanted.

He gave a small, embarrassed chuckle at the comment about his name, rubbing his fingers through his short hair after he pulled his hand back. "Yeah... I still don't know why my mom named me that," he mumbled. "Phoenix Tang. I mean, really, I sound like... I don't know, like I should be a K-pop star or something." Phen smiled and dipped his head, almost repeating 'it's nice to meet you too' again, before realizing he'd already said that. "Thanks," he replied instead.

Phoenix jerked his hand back as one of the conures snapped at his fingers as he tried to pull out one of the feeding containers. He squeaked a little before feeling his face burn with embarrassment, realizing the older man was still there. "Oh, um, yes," he agreed distractedly, managing to wrangle the container out without another incident. "I-I know they are good for that. I really like the, um, chocolate labs and German shepherds." He filled the little cup with seeds before easing it back into the cage, wincing as the bird snapped at him again, but managing not to make a sound. "Heh... Maybe you'd like a guard bird instead?" he joked.

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If this child asked for further advice, Derek would feel inclined to give it regardless. It was rare to find a young person these days who actively sought advice from their elders, most he’d encountered were under the false impression that adults didn’t know what they were talking about and shouldn’t be interfering in their lives. The fact that this one was willing to accept his own naivety, including his incentive to work while going to school, already gave Derek a high opinion of him, despite his unfavorable lifestyle choice.

Phoenix. Phoenix Tang.

The name sounded like…well, it certainly was possible, but coincidences did happen on occasion. Derek said nothing more on the matter, merely giving the boy a nod in response.

The boy, Phoenix, seemed to be having trouble with the birds, but he said nothing to acknowledge his folly. There was no point in doing such a thing and if he didn’t know how to do his job, then that was either his own shortcoming or that of the one who trained him. Not the responsibility of the customer to correct or offer sympathy towards. It was one thing he would learn as he grew older, how to remain a professional while on the job.

The joke was not helpful, though and he merely gave the boy a sharp, unimpressed look. “A dog will do. German shepherds are incredibly high maintenance, though would work best. A labrador might do.” He would have to see once he gained enough stability at home to keep the pet. “What others do you have?”

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Phoenix was far from thinking he knew everything. Hell, he knew he was pretty dumb, and often looked to others for advice and support, not the least of whom was Oriel, a boy almost two years younger than him. Now that he was clean, he really appreciated what some of the adults he knew went through to help students. He knew not everyone thought that way.

Completely ignorant to the possible connection the older man had made to his name, Phoenix continued with his business trying not to get his finger taken off by a creature so much tinier than he was.

He felt himself grow a little pale, and then blush when the customer only reacted to his weak joke with an unimpressed stare. "Er, yeah, that's true," he managed to reply, being careful with the next cage. Fortunately, none of those guys were aggressive, and he refilled their food without a hitch. "Um, let's see..." He tried to recall the other puppies they had at the moment. "We have some little terriers, which I don't think would be what you'd like. Uh... I think we have some rottweilers, and golden retrievers." That was about it, though - it was a small shop, they didn't have a large variety.

"I, um, I'll be right back, I need to..." Phen motioned towards the empty container of bird food and quickly zipped back to the supply closet to get some more. It was partially an excuse to steel himself again, though. He wasn't sure what to make of this guy - he seemed nice enough, but... Kinda not, too.

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Perhaps that was a little harsh? No, it was not Derek’s job to indulge the customer service with their attempts at humor. If it were funny, then he might have cracked a smile, but it was not therefore he felt no need to respond. Especially not when the question asked was a serious one. To be given a frivolous response in return was unprofessional of the boy and he best learn that now.

For now, though, Derek considered his true response, the list of canines available for the man’s needs. A golden retriever, while an intelligent dog, would be incredibly high maintenance, especially with it long haired coat. A rottweiler might be a good pick. He’d have to keep that in mind. Though if he wished for something else, Derek might have to go to one of the other pet stores in town. He had heard there was a larger one a short ways away as well. “I will consider those as well. Thank you.”

Derek gave the boy a slight nod, as if giving him permission to leave, though it was unnecessary. He wasn’t going to steal anything and understood that the boy had other duties to fulfill in his job. Additionally, Phoenix had already answered the questions Derek required. There was no more need to linger any longer. He also had another, more pressing question he needed to ask, but not from the boy himself. While the boy had left, Derek started towards the exit without another word.

As soon as he stepped outside, Derek pulled his cell phone from his jacket and dialed in a number that he hoped was unchanged. He walked away from the store as he let it ring until a woman's voice came on the other end. “Myndi…it’s me…”