"She should hit him."Athanasius says out loud. "Why does she allow her child to make a mockery of her in public? It looks like she cannot control her offspring."
Yes, he is right, but damn. My eyes go wide as the woman looks up with a sour expression. "You can't say those things out loud." I hiss.
He doesn't care. "It's true."
"Some of us are doing our best," The woman sneers. "Timmy, please, I will buy the cookies."
"Abandon him in the woods." Athy chuckles. "Maybe he will be grateful then."
Why me?
"How about you set him straight? Hm?" The woman nearly yells. "Since you're such a great father."
We're almost out of the aisle, I'm snatching for Athanasius, and he pulls away from me. "Boy, get up."
Timmy continues to scream.
Reaching down, Athanasius grabs the boy by the front of his shirt and sets him on his feet. He leans close, whispering something in the boy's ear. Timmy's face goes white, his lips pale, and his eyes widen in horror. He scampers back to his mother, clings to her side, whispering apologies.
"There." Athanasius crosses his arms over his chest. "He shouldn't give you any more trouble, will you boy?"
"No sir," Timmy whispers. "I'm sorry momma."
His mother looks more than concerned, quickly scampering away with her child. As they round the corner, I shake my head and look at Athanasius. "What did you say to him?"
Athanasius smirks, the right side of his tongue poking from between his lips. He looks downright devious. "I told him that long ago, I made a cradle from the ribs of disobedient children. It still rocks in the dark, waiting for the next one to forget their manners. Cry louder, and it might just hear you."
I don't even know what to say. "Is that true?"
"Maybe," He walks past me towards the meat aisle. "I enjoy eating meat."
"Athanasius," I smack the cart on his butt. "I'm being serious."
"It was an effective method to make the boy behave." He picks up a T-bone steak. "I remember when people used to throw their children off of cliffs for clef palates and heterochromia."
It's true, but damn does he have to say everything that's in his mind? "Athanasius, I'm beginning to see that I can't take you in public."
"I look acceptable," He looks down at himself. "Arms put away, two eyes." He blinks. "What do you mean?"
"You say the most out of pocket stuff."
He nods. "You think I am unhinged."
"I believe it to be so." I correct him.
Opening his mouth, he flicks his tongue at me, wagging both sides. "You'll learn, rabbit."
"Ugh," An older woman walks by holding her basket. "Please keep that fetish business at home."
Athanasius smirks at me. He's on a roll. "Fetish?" He says, tossing six T-bones into the cart. "If I want to tongue fuck my rabbit until her eyes roll back in her skull that is my business to share with whom I wish, hag."
"Ok," Lacing my arm through his, I try to pull him away. "Let's go this way, we need milk."
The woman gasps, if she had pearls, she'd grab them. "I beg your pardon?"
"You can beg all you want, doesn't mean you'll get it." He smiles.
Then he does the most. Grabbing my face, Athanasius wiggles his split tongue at the woman before licking my lips. First with the left side, then with the right while grabbing my ass. My brain is hyper aware of the feeling of his hand. Long fingers, wide palm, he digs his fingers in and I'm wet. He has me pressed against his chest, my hands are clenched in his shirt, and I can feel every muscle beneath his clothing. One good smack has me yelping, and he moves away as quickly as he invaded my space. "Come rabbit, this place bores me and its patrons are beneath us."
