When I wake up it's lunchtime, I want to get up and make something but Nero is still sleeping on my chest. He looks so peaceful and calm, I don't want to disturb him, but I need to make lunch. It wouldn't be the end of the world if I left him alone for a bit while I make lunch. I gently sit up and lay him on the couch while making sure I don't wake him up. I watch him for a full minute before heading into the kitchen, immediately grabbing ingredients from the fridge and cupboards, instantly knowing what I'm going to make.

I just finished cutting steak and started on the onions when I hear Nero start crying in the other room. I throw the knife on the counter and run into the living room to see Nero sitting up on the couch and trying to wipe away his tears that kept falling. I wipe my hands on my pants, not giving a damn right now, and run over. I take him into my arms and say "Shh, I'm right here, what's wrong?"
"I had a nightmare," Nero said quietly, which I was able to tell was a lie but I didn't call him out on it. The way he was crying and how he immediately calmed down when I picked him up told me he was crying because I left him alone and I could tell he was too embarrassed to admit it.

"I need to make lunch, want to stay in the kitchen with me while I make it?" Nero immediately nodded when I said that. I carry him into the kitchen and set him on the counter while telling him not to touch any of the knives. When he nodded I went back to cutting the onions. When I finished cutting the first one I go to put it in the skillet but noticed 2 cubes of steak were missing from it. I turn my head just in time to see Nero swallow something. I give him this look and he puts his head down. I grab a piece of the raw steak and salt it, saying "It tastes better if you salt it." He picks his head up and as soon as he does I put the cube of steak in his mouth. He chews the raw meat and I say "Better?" He nods and smiles.
"Good. Now no more, wait until it's all done." I say and start chopping the second onion.
"What are you making?"
"Steak and onions in gravy over rice."
"Dad always puts mushrooms in it when he makes it."
"Well I'm not your dad, I know you don't like mushrooms so I'm not gonna put them in." As soon as I said that, I heard Nero quietly say "You're better than dad." It was obviously not meant to be heard by me so I pretend I didn't hear it despite wanting to ask him about that.

~

As soon as the rice is done, I drain the water and put the rice back in the pot. I grab two bowls and fill them with the rice then the steak and onion with gravy. I hand a bowl and spoon to Nero and he immediately starts eating like he was starved. What the hell, is Vergil not feeding him? I know he's pissed at him for acting out but he shouldn't starve him. I set my bowl down and say "I'll be back." I grab my cell phone from my pocket and dial Vergil's number, waiting for that bastard to pick up.

As soon as I hear him say "Hello?" I say "What the hell, I just gave Nero his lunch and he's eating like he hasn't eaten in forever. Are you even feeding him? I know you're angry with him but you shouldn't starve him. He's just a kid."
"Listen, I make him stuff to eat but he doesn't want it. I even tried ordering pizza but he still wouldn't eat it. I'm not starving him. Now listen, I'm very busy, don't call unless it's an emergency." With that said, Vergil hung up without even saying goodbye. I sigh and put my phone in my pocket. Bastard.

I go back in the kitchen and see Nero is still sitting on the counter but he isn't eating anymore. I walk over and see that his bowl is empty which surprised me because I gave him a lot and I was only gone for 2 minutes. I fill his bowl again and give it to him, he starts eating again except slower. I smile lightly and start eating, at least he'll eat when I feed him. I want to question him about all this but I feel like I shouldn't, that it's a sensitive subject right now. I finish my bowl and put it in the sink along with Nero's. I look at him and say "What do you want to do?" He just shrugged and said, "I don't know." I hummed in thought and said, "Well, how about we go to the park?" He smiled brightly and said "Yeah! Let's go there!" I smile and say "Good, let's go." I pick him up, knowing he would want me to, and carry him outside and down the street. The park isn't far away so we'll be walking there.

~

As soon as I step foot into the park, Nero looks at the playground excitedly. I set him down but he doesn't go over, instead, he looks up at me and says "Will you play with me?" I didn't like the idea of being on the playground but I smiled and said I would. Vergil probably never plays with him. I take his hand and go over to the playground. He climbs a rope ladder and sits on a raised platform with 9 yellow blocks that are on the blank side. He turns one of them and it shows a black X. I turn one of the blocks to reveal an O. The game was very short, I won. I have much more experience with this game 'cause I have played it longer than him. Vergil said Nero had a horrible temper so I was expecting him to get angry at losing but instead he smiled and reset the blocks.

After three more games, I tell him to wait there and I'll be back. I head into the building behind the park where the pool and other things are, going straight to the snack bar. I ask for a coke for myself and an orange soda for Nero. I also get him a Reese's Fastbreak before heading back outside. As soon as I'm outside I see Nero fighting a boy much older than he is, he has to be about 12. I run over and pick up Nero while screaming at the kid to get lost or I'll kick his ass.
"He had it coming!" The boy screamed and ran off. I look at Nero and see he already has a black eye, his nose is bleeding too but it's not broken. I know Nero fights all the kids at his school but I know he would never fight someone older and way bigger than him.

I carry my nephew inside the building and take him to the bathroom where I grab some tissues and start to clean off the blood. I hand him his orange soda and he immediately puts the cold can to his black eye. I keep wiping away the blood as it drips until there's no more.
"Why did he fight you?" I ask,
"He told me to get out of the way and I just continued sitting where you told me to stay. He got mad and hit me so I hit him back." Nero said and pulled his soda away from his eye, opening the can and drinking from it. I shake my head a bit, damn brat. At least Nero stood up for himself, a lot of younger kids don't even try and put up a fight, they just run to their mom or dad.

"Here, I got you this," I say and present the candy bar to Nero, who smiled and immediately takes it.
"Thank you! Dad never lets me have candy!" Nero said and quickly opened up the wrapper. He broke the bar in two and handed me the bigger half. What a sweet kid. I shake my head and say "No thanks, I bought it for you."
"Are you sure you don't want it?" He said and tried to give it to me again. I smile lightly and say "Okay, I will take it, thank you." Though instead of taking the bigger half I take the smaller half. Nero took his first bite of the candy and said: "This is really good!" He then quickly finished his half.

After I finish my half and pick up my nephew I carry him back outside. As soon as we are outside the boy that was fighting Nero came over with his mother and pointed at Nero.
"That's the boy who beat me up!" He screamed. His mother immediately shook her head and said "Yeah, I'm so sure an 8-year-old beat you up. You always start fights here with the other kids, I believe that you were the one who beat him up."
"But I didn't do it! He started it!"
"Yeah, sure, we're going home, now." The mother said and led her kid back to their car. As I watched him I saw he had bite marks on him. I'm starting to feel like Nero really did start the fight, he fights practically every kid at his school. Though I don't understand why he fought him, he was so sweet and nice right before I left to go to the snack bar.

Something immediately struck in me. He cried earlier because I left him alone, he was a sweet and happy kid until I left, then he fights another kid. Maybe being left alone is what triggers him. Does Vergil leave him alone? No, he works from home, he is always there unless he has to go shopping or something. I don't understand but I better figure out soon. I still feel like asking Nero about it is a very sensitive topic so I'll wait a bit, he is gonna be staying with me for 6 more days.
"Let's head home," I say and start leaving the park.
"But we weren't here for even an hour," Nero whined,
"I know, but you're filthy and so are your clothes. You need a bath." I say and continue walking, but Nero whined again said he wants to stay here because this is the first time he's been here in 2 years. What the hell, Vergil doesn't take him here? Probably because he's always so damn busy.
"If you comply then I'll order out for dinner, deal?"
"Deal!" Nero smiled happily when I said that, bet his dad never orders out for dinner. He said he tried once but I bet that was the only time. I knew that he would only feed Nero home cooked meals. That is a great thing but order out for once, give the kid a treat.

~

As soon as I step through the front door, I set Nero down and tell him to head to the bathroom and that I'll be there in a minute. He does as told and runs off to the bathroom, he'll probably be asleep on the rug again when I get there. I head into the kitchen and cover the food before putting it away. Now I head towards the bathroom. As predicted Nero was sleeping on the rug, well, I thought he was sleeping because as soon as I closed the door Nero sat up and looked at me. I start running bath water and say "Want to stay in your pajamas for the rest of the day?" Nero smiled and said "Yes! Yes!" I smile at his enthusiasm. Vergil doesn't let him get dressed into pajamas until it's bedtime or unless he is sick.

As soon as the bath was full, Nero undressed and gets in the tub, then I see something that made me mad.
"Are you serious?!" I shout. Nero backed away into the tub and started to whimper. I pull him close and examine his stomach.
"That little bastard bruised your entire stomach!" I snap. After that, I notice that Nero is shaking and has a terrified expression on his face. I immediately calm myself and say "I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at the little brat that beat you up. Let's hurry and get you cleaned up." I grab a washcloth and wet it before thoroughly rubbing soap into it and started to scrub the dirt off of Nero.

After the bath, I wrap Nero in a towel and carry him to his room. I set him down on his bed and say "I've only got your old clothes here but you haven't grown much so I'm sure you'll fit into them. I'll get you more clothes tomorrow." After he puts on underwear, he says he wants to wear one of my shirts as pajamas. He would always wear my shirts as pajamas when he stayed here and he can wear them again. I walk into my room and grab a shirt out of my closet, going back to Nero's room and handing it to him. He smiled and immediately put it on. I pick him up and say "Okay, you need to take a nap right now, doesn't have to be for long. Just enough to help you calm down from earlier." He doesn't argue, which he always did when he had to be put down for a nap. I tuck him into his bed and kiss his forehead before leaving the room.

I head downstairs and start up my laptop, trying to see if I can find a good place near here to order from. There's Chinese food, Italian food, and a bunch of random fast food places that deliver. Not much to choose from. I'll ask Nero what he wants when he wakes up. For the mean time, I sit on the couch and watch Bar Rescue.