#manipulation talk

He had spent most of today regretting not buying his son a Frogmin earlier. He definitely regretted telling him that they would be getting him one this morning as an early Christmas present from him to only have the sun setting after an entire day spent in the car. He regretted--Janus jumped as a small hand patted his arm. 

“You’re still the best Daddy, Daddy.” Patton said, leaning into view, a wide smile on his face even as tears shimmered in his eyes. 

Despite himself he scoffed, raising a hand to cradle his son’s cheek. The Best? His little Lilypatton was doing his best to not cry on the most magical night of the year and he thought he was the best?! 

“Liar.” He murmured.

Patton flashed him another heart-melting grin. “Truther!” He retorted, patting his arm again. “You’re trying, Daddy. That’s what counts. And you’ve tried sooo hard for me.”

He had. But that didn’t make this situation any better--okay it did make him feel a little better. That his son didn’t hate him for making a promise that he would have to break if this pet store also was out of Frogmins. But that didn’t stop him from feeling like the biggest failure in the world. 

On Christmas Eve no less.  

It would be nice, for once, if he could just succeed in something without having to climb a bloody mountain every time. It would be nice if he could have his little Hallmark movie moment and have everything work out. 

But no. Even when he was trying to do something good for someone else...he still failed. Janus dropped his hand to Pattey’s little ones, giving them a squeeze. “Odds?” He asked, tilting his head to the door.

Patton bit his lip, climbing into his lap to get a better view of the store with a gaudy castle emblem, grey stonework, and the customers constantly streaming in and out. “I say Eight!” 

Janus blinked, wrapping his arms tightly around his son in a hug as he gave the place another once over as well. That was...far more optimistic than the last four stores they’d gone to. Maybe Pattey just liked the castle. He was a fan of Princes after all. Especially the Frog ones. “I’m gonna stick with Two.” He said pushing open the car door and angling himself so Pattey could easily jump out. 

“But look at all the people!” His son argued, slipping his hand into Janus’s as soon as he’d locked the car. 

“I’ve looked….what am I supposed to see?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Pattey gestured wide. “They’re all smiling when they leave!” He followed suit by giving Janus a wide toothy grin that showed three empty spaces where he’d lost his teeth two and a half weeks earlier. 

“And?” 

 Patton practically skipped in place, only held back from dancing around him by the fact that Janus was not letting him leave his side in such a busy parking lot. “That means they found what they wanted! So that means we will too!” 

 No, it meant that with his abysmal luck, they would once again be just slightly too late. Their Christmas moment ruined. This store did close in ten minutes after all. They had to have run out of a few creatures. Had to have denied some customers their Christmas miracle.

Still...Janus again studied the faces of the people passing them. His kid had a point. Everyone they passed was smiling. Their hands were full of bags and...his heart skipped a beat. And boxes with holes. Holes that had movement. That showed a tiny hand or a little foot. That let him hear the tiny hisses and croaks and mews. 

He smirked, winking at his son. “I’m sticking with two.” 

“Daaaaaddddd!!!” 

Janus laughed, shaking his head. “Three then.” These people had found the pets they were looking for even at this late hour. Maybe--He squeezed Pattey’s hand, allowing a small flicker of hope to burn in his chest as they walked inside. Maybe this time...they would finally succeed--

He looked up only to feel that small flicker of hope fade as soon as he saw an achingly familiar figure approaching them. It was crushed the moment he could read the name tag on his shirt. Pulverized when he looked up into the intricate, ever shifting, amber eyes that he’d spent most of college daydreaming about. And it subsequently burned to ashes the moment Roman Prince opened his mouth to probably greet them with the standard shop greeting...only to say nothing as recognition and then hatred flared like a raging inferno in his eyes.