See, the thing with this whole... raising an imposter son thing is that. Well, Bubs Coolatta has no clue what the hell he’s doing. Completely flying blind here, no thoughts as to what he could do better.
But, y’know. [REDACTED] seems to like it. Seems fine, seems to be growing like an impostor should.
As if Bubs knows a single god damn thing about that.
And well. Despite having the reputation as ‘The Impostor Killer’ it does take a bit of work to feed your kid when it only eats human flesh.
The first time Bubs tried to feed [REDACTED] something other than human flesh still... haunted him.
So it takes work, and Bubs can’t always expect the other impostors to do all the work for him, he can’t, they always clean up before [REDACTED] can stumble upon anything, and Bubs ends up having to get his hands dirty.
Which. Really. Bubs doesn’t mind it. Not that much. There was something about shooting a man who idolized you for being his savior from a trip two years back that Bubs barely remembers that... y’know. Does something to you.
The gun was silenced of course, and electrical was just such a good place to get a quick kill in, and let [REDACTED] drag it into the shadows or the vents and feast for a bit while Bubs miles around and pretends to be working. Or does his actual job. Taping up wires and shit.
The thing is, he turns, gun going back into the hidden spot between his back and the bag on his back, and he turns, looks around, the gun shot was quick and quiet, unless someone was right there, which, if need be, he could fire out another round, but he really didn’t want to, that would be too obvious and having his son drag him into the vents just feels weird to Bubs, but
No.
Bubs sees the figure in the doorway and it registers.
Benman.
Mother fucker.
That impostor, the one not even doing shit to hide the fact that he’s an impostor, the horns and the ears and the fucking mouth right there, it’s just so obvious and Bubs isn’t even surprised that he clocked that one right off the bat, and maybe, maybe, Bubs is gonna feel bad about killing this one. He thinks that Benman is a younger impostor, but, y’know.
Gotta keep the reputation alive.
But Benman just shuts the door, and Bubs has the gun out again, eyes darting between [REDACTED], whose chowing down on the flesh of the crew mate he just murdered in cold blood, and Benman, who stands at the closed door.
“Yo. You just. You did that.”
Bubs stares. “My kid has to eat.”
“Yeah.”
There’s a moment of silence, and Bubs looks to [REDACTED], whose glowing eyes focus back on him for a moment. “[REDACTED], hun, why don’t you eat in the vent, it’s easier to clean up in there, remember?”
[REDACTED] ponders this, too smart of his own good, and nods, dragging the man into the vents, the horrible cracking of bone and muscle bending in way sit shouldn’t following the young impostor until the body is gone and nothing more than a blood stair remains.
Bubs stares at it. He should have said something sooner. Globe slides down his pack, hangs off the end and lands carefully, before wandering over to the vent and sitting a top it. He does not breathe, and Bubs worries so much about Globe, wonders if he really does have two children or if [REDACTED] just needed another boy for whatever reason.
He looks back to Benman, who... seems completely calm for this situation. He has to know. Benman has to know who Bubs is, Bubs knows that Benman knows, that’s how everyone introduces Bubs, ‘The Famed Impostor Killer’ and there has to be something that Bubs doesn’t know that Benman does.
“The kid can’t eat all that. Can I have some of it?”
Bubs blinks in silence.
What the fuck?
“You... You want... the rest of the body. Of what [REDACTED] can’t finish.”
“Is that the kid’s actual name?”
Bubs huffs. “He chose it himself. Brackets, all caps, [REDACTED].”
“Wasn’t making fun. Just asking.”
“Look, I want a supply to last us until we get back home, and a bit after, okay? You can’t just... eat everything. I need some sort of alibi.”
Benman nods. “Alright. Kid’s gotta eat first. I get it. You can keep that one, save it. Me and the other guy can share the next one. Not like we need it to live like he does.”
Bubs thinks about that. [REDACTED] won’t always need this. That’s more information than Bubs has ever gotten about his kid before. Maybe it would be useful to keep one of them alive long enough to tell him what he needs to know.
“Fine. Fine. Just. Leave me kid alone, alright?”
Benman shrugs. “I’m not gonna take your kid. He’s already imprinted on you hardcore.”
Bubs has no fucking clue what that means, but hopes it’s good.
“Good. Get the fuck out of here.”
Right on time, Globe moves, prying open the vent to help his brother up and out of it. [REDACTED] surprisingly clean, wanders over and hugs his father’s leg, nuzzling him gently. [REDACTED] has never spoken a word to him, but Bubs feels the love his child has all the same.
Bubs puts away the gun, picks up Globe to put back up onto his shoulders, and places a gentle hand on top of [REDACTED]’s head, who grins up at him with too sharp teeth, and licks the stray blood from his fingers.
“Alright. Get the fuck out of here. Don’t need you getting caught before I’ve got what I want.” Bubs then brushes past Benman, leaving him behind in electrical. The door had popped open half way through the conversation, and Bubs was really lucky no one else wandered in.
Bubs hears the vent rattle again as he leaves, but in the evening, when [REDACTED] is hungry again, the body is still there.
