Misha stuffed a handful of candy into his mouth, and his small cheeks bulged like a squirrel's. While chewing on them, he stared at his sticky fingers with a complicated gaze. He wanted to wash his hands, but it was hard to do so in a car. Well, he could always take his bottle of water and—yeah, no. It'd undoubtedly result in a mess, so he quickly pushed the idea aside, knowing how clumsy he could get.
Misha pondered over the problem for a second, then shook his head. He didn't want to ask Alexey to stop the car on the roadside just so he could wash his hands, especially not when they were on the highway. No matter how kind his father had been lately, Misha still feared he'd snap over a small request and beat him up.
Though he managed to speak up during the past month, it was still difficult for him to ask things from his father. And so he didn't say anything and silently stared at his fingers.
Seconds later, he smiled and glanced at Gabriel, who was quietly gazing out at the scenery. It made him appear somewhat melancholic, and with the morning light that gently shone on him, dying his copper hair with golden and auburn hues, the sight seemed to come straight out of a magazine.
Gabriel had a handsome side profile, but Misha couldn't care less. No matter how gorgeous that man was, Misha would nevertheless find him unpleasant to the eye. However, it'd be another story if a few cuts and bruises were added to the picture, like a busted lip or a broken nose. Then, he'd be able to appreciate the beauty of his face.
Like a snake ready to pounce on its prey, Misha stretched out his hands and gripped Gabriel's shirt in a swift motion. He carefully and slowly wiped his fingers with the white cloth.
"Misha, what are you doing?" Gabriel asked, pronouncing every word clearly as he turned his head to glance at the boy. A slight frown creased his brow, and his smile seemed to twitch a little.
"Wiping my hands clean?"
"With my shirt?"
"With your shirt."
"And… are your hands clean now?"
"Hm, not really."
Sitting on the boy's right, Masha couldn't restrain her chuckle anymore and blatantly laughed at Gabriel's expense. She had observed her brother's actions since the beginning, not once thinking of warning Gabriel.
"Mom," Masha asked after wiping the tears at the corner of her eyes, deciding to show mercy, "do you have wet tissues?"
"Of course," Gulnas answered. She had been reading a cooking book on the passenger seat, and after her daughter asked for tissues, she put it aside to bend down and rummaged through the glove box. She took out a small packet of wet wipes and handed it to her daughter. "Here you go."
"Thanks." Masha swiftly tore the package open and took a wet tissue. "Misha, give me your hands. I'll clean them. "
"You know," the boy squinted, "I can do it myself!"
Goodness! The two women of his family didn't only pamper him to death, but they also treated him like a three-year-old kid. After interacting with them for two months, he had discovered this harsh reality, and he didn't know how to feel about it. It was as if they thought he couldn't do anything by himself, making him wonder if they knew that he was almost ten years old.
By any chance, had they forgotten that his birthday was in less than three months?
"Yes, yes, I know. Now, be good and give me your hands."
'For fuck's sake, I'm not a baby that only knows how to shit and cry!' Misha shed silent tears, wondering what went wrong with his sister and his mother. Their overprotecting tendencies were getting worse and worse by the day, making him despair a little.
Still, Misha complied with Masha's wishes, thinking, 'As long as you're happy….'
After Masha was done wiping his fingers, she nodded, quite satisfied with her work; her brother's little hands were now soft and smooth to the touch. Afterward, she threw the used wet tissue in a plastic bag before turning her head to admire the scenery through the window.
Since they were going to the Parc national d'Oka for their camping trip, the itinerary Alexey chose first followed the Lake Ontario, then the St. Lawrence River, which offered a beautiful sight.
However, Misha couldn't see it at all. Not only because he was too small but also because he sat between Gabriel and Masha, the windows partially hidden by their heads. Even if the boy stretched his neck, he couldn't see a thing. Yet, he didn't complain. It was only the St. Lawrence River's scenery, something he could see any time he wanted in the future. Yup. Being unable to see the scenery didn't make him regret sitting between the teenagers, not in the slightest.
Misha happily separated the two lovebirds however he could, whenever he could. Of course, that included every time they climbed into the car. The boy had the perfect excuse to sit between the two; he had the smallest butt, so, obviously, he should sit in the middle where it was the most cramped. Unlike the teenagers, he wouldn't feel squeezed or stuffed. His legs had just enough space, and since the teenagers weren't fat and stayed close to the window, they also didn't flatten him between their two bodies.
Still, the ride to the national park would take a bit more than five hours, and sitting still for so long wasn't comfortable. So once every hour and a half, Alexey stopped the car to let them stretch their legs for a few minutes.
In the beginning, Misha played some road trip games with his sister and Gabriel, but he was soon bored. Besides, the games often required using his brain, and it made his head throb in pain in the long run. After the headache grew stronger, he decided to give up and take a nap to pass the time instead. The rocking motion of the car made him sleepy, anyway.
Thus, Misha slept. His head fell onto Gabriel's shoulder along the way, making the teenager glance at the sleeping child with a raised eyebrow. However, he didn't push him away and sat still. No matter how many hours were left to reach Oka, Gabriel didn't dare to move an inch for fear of waking him up.
The boy looked like an angel when asleep, and Gabriel didn't want to destroy the illusion. As long as the little devil slept, he wouldn't suffer in his hands.
'Let's see what this brat will do during the camping trip. He has a whole week to show off his creativity, so I better be on guard,' Gabriel inwardly sighed as he refocused his attention on the scenery.
If only Misha could be well behaved throughout the next week, the camping trip would surely be a great experience. However, Gabriel knew it was a pipe dream. That kid certainly wouldn't behave, much less give him peace.
______________
Mini Theater (which I wrote on Valentine's day)
MC: Gaby! Here for you! *Gives him heart-shaped chocolates. *
ML: Did you put worms in it?
MC: I didn't!
ML: *Stares*
MC: But I kind of mistook the salt for the sugar.
ML: *Sighs* I wonder what it'll be next year.
MC: Dunno. But in a few years, I'll be able to buy laxatives ~
ML: ….
Chapter revised on 2022-05-04
Edited by Clozed! ♥
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