28. Volt
Volt
Volt stared out the subway windows, oblivious to the flashes of light and dark.
He’d been so relieved a few weeks ago when Wallace had paid off all of their debts. It was almost like a physical weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and for several days he’d just walked around, dazed, unable to believe that his life could be so easy. So good.
And then the doubts had started to seep in, whispering around the edges.
Wallace had just gone on about his business, as though nothing had changed. They went to concerts together. Took walks in the park. Ate breakfast at cute little diners.
Magnolia and Wallace had even had a “girls’ night” together and Wallace had wandered into Volt’s bedroom three hours later, adorably tipsy as he pawed at Volt’s clothes and pouted until Volt produced his dick for Wallace to cover with happy little kitten licks, giggling the whole time.
Some days, Volt was so damned happy and in love with his baby girl that he couldn’t even contain himself.
And some days, usually when Wallace was out with his new friends or going to a concert on a night when Volt wasn’t available, the doubts crept in.
Wallace quitting his job today was almost like a graduation.
He’d come to Prism that first time, a timid little hamster terrified of admitting that he was attracted to men and unaware of his deep submissive streak.
Now he was confident in his identity and sexuality, able to stand up to his father after a lifetime of abuse, and ready to move on to bigger things.
Volt knew that Wallace had done all of the hard work to make this transformation from cowering caterpillar to bold butterfly, and all Volt could take credit for was guiding him in the right direction.
Only, how much of their relationship was built on that guidance?
And would Wallace still need Volt now that he could fly?
That was what it really came down to. Volt loved being Wallace’s Daddy more than anything in the world. But after this Friday, his rules would be meaningless.
If Wallace wasn’t working long hours at a job he hated, he would have no reason to send Volt evidence that he was eating healthy meals or taking a daily break.
When he didn’t need to wake up on time in the morning, he’d have no reason for Volt to reinforce a bedtime.
All of the rules about compliments and colleagues were equally moot.
Volt knew that he could invent new rules, but they would seem silly by comparison. Wear some pretty panties for me? Wallace was already going to do that.
He would be making up meaningless rules for the bedroom instead of giving Wallace structure and affirmation, the pulsing life’s blood of their connection throughout the day.
Which brought back all of his larger worries.
Wallace had only dated one man. He’d only had one Daddy. It made sense that he’d cling to the first person who showed him a little affection, even if that affection came from an outmoded sexbot who needed to be bailed out of debt.
There was a whole world out there waiting for Wallace to discover it.
It seemed like as Wallace’s world was expanding, Volt’s world was shrinking.
Wallace had every possibility in front of him. He could get involved in the arts. Start a new business or nonprofit. Join another engineering company. Or even do all of the above. He had endless money, years of experience, a world-class education, and a host of passions. The world was his oyster.
And Volt? With Magnolia’s health continuing to decline, he and Angel had discussed that they might someday close Prism. It wasn’t exactly his calling. It was just the only thing that he could do.
He had no career path laid out. No skills. And even though he could download a mod that would give him instant access to what should be the same as years of knowledge and experience in a new field, nothing called to him.
The only thing he truly wanted was to be Wallace’s Daddy.
It felt, sometimes, like the only thing that made him whole. The only thing that he needed.
And how pathetic was that?
Wallace deserved someone who had more to offer.
The subway slowed down, and he noticed with a start that he’d reached Wallace’s stop.
On autopilot, he exited the train and made his way up the stairs. The sun was sinking lower in the sky, turning the city street golden, and he tried to put himself in the right state of mind.
On the way down the block, he spotted a planter overflowing with pansies, and he picked two on his way.
One a classic bold orange and deep purple, the other a soft pink and yellow.
Their stems were thin and breakable under his thick fingers, so he held them gently, already imagining Wallace’s smile.
This was what he needed today.
The flowers in the sunroom, his secret garden, were getting so big that he’d started repotting them from the tiny holes they’d started into more moderate trays for seedlings. None of them had flowers yet, but some of them had buds, plump and pregnant with possibility.
And that had gotten him thinking.
What if he could sell them?
Maybe at the farmer’s market?
The idea had taken root and spread… only to come crashing down to earth.
The farmer’s market that he loved ambling through with Wallace, which always felt so carefree and joyful, had a cutthroat waiting list for market stalls. The wait was two to three years just to be placed on an alternate list where you could sub in if someone had to miss a day.
Zoning to use Prism’s roof for business purposes required an expensive inspection from a civil engineer and then months of waiting.
Even the steps for registering a new business with the city and state government were overwhelming, along with all of the compliance laws. If he wanted to sell vegetables and fruits that people could eat, the complexities tripled.
Turning his little hobby into a business would truly be a full-time job, and a risky one.
It shouldn’t have been such a crushing disappointment, but it was.
He resolutely made himself stop thinking about it, shutting all of the data away and putting it on a ten-minute time lock. It couldn’t truly stop him from thinking about it; it was more like putting a book on a high shelf to remind himself not to take it down.
Right now, he wanted to give all of his attention to his creampuff.
Today was a day to celebrate. Wallace was free from Orbit, free of his overbearing family, and Volt truly couldn’t be happier.
Volt grabbed a third pansy from the next planter he walked by, a vivid magenta. They would look lovely in Wallace’s dark hair, which was starting to grow out past his ears. Though if he was careful with the stems, they would last a few days in water.
The security guards all knew him by now, so he easily found his way upstairs, a grin rising to his face as Wallace met him at the apartment door before he could even knock.
“Hey, darling girl,” Volt greeted Wallace with a kiss. He was dressed in a cute little number and looked positively edible, his brown eyes glowing with happiness.
“Hey, Daddy,” Wallace replied, melting into him.
“You did it!” Volt announced, picking Wallace up and twirling him around. He enjoyed the feeling of picking up his baby—mostly because he knew how it made Wallace feel delicate and small—and anything that made Wallace happy made him happy.
God, he loved this boy. So much that it made his vision sensors fade and his heart hurt.
“I did it!” Wallace shouted.
“I want all the details,” Volt told him, all of his attention shifting to his baby. “But first, pansies for my pretty pansy.” He took one hand from behind Wallace’s back, still enjoying those thick thighs clinging to his waist, and handed Wallace the flowers.
“Aww… Daddy!” Wallace cooed. “Let me go put them in water.”
“Or they could go in your hair,” Volt suggested.
Wallace giggled. “You tried that before, Daddy. And they fell out. Besides, this way I can see them.”
Volt reluctantly put him down, making a mental note to buy Wallace some hair clips.
He enjoyed watching Wallace’s plump ass in those skin-tight leggings as he got out the bud vase that Volt had purchased at an art fair a few weeks ago. It was blown glass and not cheap, but the perfect size to fit a small handful of pansies, supporting their delicate stems.
Maybe it wasn’t everything that Wallace deserved, but Volt hoped that it was enough to show his love. That he was thinking about his baby girl all the time. That Wallace’s happiness meant everything to him.
Wallace gently stroked one of the petals, grinning giddily, then turned his adoring eyes to Volt. “Thank you, Daddy. I… I couldn’t have done any of this without you.”
Volt shrugged, even while his fans went into overdrive. As a Daddy, this meant everything to him. “You did it all yourself, baby girl. I’ve just been honored to watch you bloom.”
He quickly repressed his fears about what that blooming meant for them. That Wallace would outgrow him some day. That Wallace soon wouldn’t need a Daddy any more.
That he had nothing to offer the world.
“So tell me about it,” Volt quickly went on. “I want to hear everything.”
Wallace raced back to him, jumping into his arms, just expecting to be caught. He’d never done that before, and Volt’s whole chest grew warm. He was so fucking proud of his baby. The way that Wallace had grown so confident, both about his body and his trust in Volt to catch him.
Volt would catch him every time. Forever.
“Well, I told my father I was quitting…” Wallace started, voice teasing and happy, drawing out the story.
“Hell, yeah, you did.”
“And then I told him that I have an amazing boyfriend who was a better man than he’ll ever be.” Wallace grinned up at him. “And then I told him that you like me in lipstick and lace.” He collapsed into giggles.
“Really, creampuff? Really, really?” Wallace hadn’t just quit, he’d burned down the fucking building.
Wallace nodded his head, still giggling. “I thought he was about to have an aneurysm.”
“Oh, my god, you’re amazing!” Volt swung him around in a circle. “What else?”