A/N: Here I am once again! Anywho....enjoy the story. Check in here for a hug from Malik 🫂

Ming Lee above!

~2 years later~

A soft gleam of light shines through the old curtains of the RV. Rhys blinks his eyes trying to readjust them to the ever moving light. A soft tap alerts him back to his surroundings. His dull and murky surroundings.

After 2 years of being in this moving hellhole, he has yet to yet get used to the smell. On a good day it smelled of old beer. On bad days like today it has a certain kick of cocaine burning around. His nose scrunched to smell.

What a waste.

Soon another tap peppers on his skin. This time, his eyes cast up. Kneeling on the shared futon was his dear Cub. One of the two people that he continues to wake up in the morning for.

In the warm light of the morning she looked most adorable. Her black hair tossed from a good snuggly sleep and her cheeks tinted pink from the warmth of the morning. A small smile came to her lips. The same kiss above her lip still remained the same as the day she was born.

"Daddy! Morning!"

Rhys cracks a smile. "Morning Cub. Slept well?"

Lee nods her head quickly. "I dream"

Rhys sits up more on the futon. Lee found herself comfortable in the arms of her mama bear. Rhys gently brushes out his daughter's hair with his fingers.

"What was the dream about?"

"Bout, you and Eli....and.....", Lee looks pointedly down the RV hall to the door closing off the driver and the rest of the van. "We play ball. He...throw....me.."

Rhys hand pauses in her hair. He presses a soft kiss against her cheek silencing her. "No need to finish sweetie."

Soft footsteps draw Rhys' attention to the bathroom. Tall legs and lanky arms is what Eli is right now. Eli made a sniffing noise before taking a seat next to his daddy. He leans his head against his shoulder before muttering a soft, "Morning."

"Morning to you too Eli.", Rhys whispers.

Eli lets out a long sigh before poking his hand with a folded piece of paper. Rhys' face became puzzled but Lee's face lit up like a flashlight. It was a simple card you could get from any drugstore but the thought and meaning was still there.

"Birthday Daddy!" Lee cheered.

"Happy Birthday indeed.", a new voice enters the conversation.

The calm air that filled the earlier conversation became chilled. Sick eyes and gnaughty skin made a sticking feel like tar sitting at the bottom of a stomach.

"Isn't this something for celebration?", Oscar smiled. He had long lost the muscles that used to cover his body. Now they were replaced with a heavy pot belly and red lined skin tags.

"What? You were all talking so lovely before.", the smile drops as quickly as it comes.

Rhys was quick to act. He stands up from the futon and smiles at the quickly angering man. "No, it's nothing to worry about. What do you have in mind dear?"

That did the trick. Oscar grins back and picks up one of the many fast food menus on the small dining table.

"You can take your pick of breakfast dear."

Oscar's moves to hand the menu to him but pulls it back at the last second.

'Oh fucking great',, Rhys cursed mentaly.

"Now...this does come with a small price. You know the rules dear. ", Oscar says in a pleased tone. "Since it is your birthday, I shall just have your mouth."

Rhys bit his lip to hide his grimace.

"Honey, can it be later after breakfast? We didn't get much to eat last night and it would make your dear wife so happy. I would even let you have the full thing."

Oscar grabbed Rhys violently by his collar. Rhys can spot Eli pulling Lee back and away from the sight.

"You don't let me do anything. You are my wife. I let you do things. Do you understand me dear?"

Rhys licked his lips in an effort to remain neutral. "Yes, my husband."

Oscar drops Rhys to his feet and the smile returns. "Now, I will start driving out now. You have until then to pick. Before I go."

A kiss. Rhys has many experiences with kisses. Those filled with lust like the taste of highschool rebellion. Those kisses are filled with first love like the taste of a daughter's namesake. Those kisses of a budding puppy love to embrace him in strong arms. And finally, those kisses that are not kisses but bullets.

A bullet that punctures his lungs and leaves him begging for air. Begging for an end to his pain. He only lives for those that come after the kiss. Those who have nobody if he was not there for them.

~~

It is rare that he and the kids get a chance to eat outside the van. Usually it is safer for Oscar's ass to not be spotted. Rhys supposes that he is feeling generous this time. Generosity in a corner booth in a random Burger King at 8 in the morning.

This is what he has for his kids?

To feed his cubs rubber like pancakes and slice up a hash brown for his youngest to eat. He feels like a failure of dad. Worse than he felt when he was in the street. Least when he was on the street he was in control.

"Dear, I have to step out for a bit. Don't go anywhere.", Oscar threatens before walking out with hands pushed in his pockets.

Drugs.

He honestly hates this man with a burning passion. However, that hate turns into unadulterated fear when that man is juiced up on whatever mix he gets on. He shakes his head and redirects his focus onto his daughter and her ever spilling spoon.

Rhys flicks his eyes up to the TV mounted on the far side of the room. It was on some sports channel gearing up for a college football game. The red head mostly tuned it out, that was until the fast tapping against his arm alerted him.

"What is it El-",

It was him. His face there staring right back at him on the screen. He looked so much more grown and yet he was all him there in the line up.

All Malik.

"The Riverside Rhinos will be playing against Easton Eagles today at 5pm Eastern Time."

Something sparked in Rhys at that moment. A chance. A small chance.

And Rhys refuses to lose that chance.

Question: How are you all enjoying this story so far?