If I knew.

"Oh Bawwy! I lub ew!" The boy could not wipe the smile from his face. 'Ew tan be my duppy!" He said it with an air of finalization.

"I love you too kiddo." Barry smirked softly. "I love you a lot..."

"But Ah wub ew more!" Killian squeaked into the nape of Barry's neck, his voice quieting down to a small purr. He could not be more happy.
Sadly what he does not know, is that happiness doesn't last forever.

And at this moment Barry was realizing that he could not get so attached to this child... This was the same thing that had happened with Trever... he couldn't do this. Not again.

Killian was blissfully unaware of Barry's thoughts. Instead he was wrapped up in his dreams of living with the man, and getting older, and everything being okay. For the first time in his life. It was okay.

But Barry wasn't so sure.
Killian deserved better... and Barry would make sure he got it. Even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness.

Even if he thought it was best for Killian, he would be doing the same thing he did to Trever. He would break another heart, and rip away happiness.

But Barry just couldn't do it anymore... he couldn't continue to fall for someone he couldn't have. So that was why several weeks later he was folding up Killian's clothes, packing a tiny suitcase for the boy.

"Ish weh going somehwhere?". Killian sat on the edge of the bed, kicking his feet happily. "OOH! Ish we dowing to det mawwied now?". The childs voice was full of delight.

"No baby, we're just going out for the day." Barry swallowed hard, his own face drawn in a grimace. He didn't want to do this but he felt he had to. He couldn't admit it to the small boy though.

Killian nodded his head as his feet slowed, his hands moving to sit in his lap.
"Uh...Duppy, where is we dowing?" He was simply curious,, he was hoping they would go to the park or something and have a good day.

"I don't know." Barry shook his head. And he honestly didn't. Maybe the slave auction...

"Ohtay. Duppy, how tome ew wook so sad?" The boy did not understand why Barry would look unhappy. He was happy, he was pleased to be here. "Did I dew tometing wong?"

"No babe, you didn't do anything wrong. Everything is going to be just fine." Barry nodded at the boy, just trying to keep himself composed at the moment.

"Pomish?" Killian asked softly, his voice threading together as if the tiniest gust of wind could unstring him. He had lived such a hard life already, and the very thought of trouble had him reeling. "We ish otay?"

"Promise...." Barry scooped the boy up along with the bag he had packed before heading out the door, letting his feet carry him.

Killian pressed himself close to Barry, his head ducked under the mans chin. He sang softly to himself, some song about guppy's and his Barry. He was safe here and he never wanted to let go.

Barry pressed the boy close to him, nearly in tears as he made his way to the slave auction where he'd bought Killian, pullling a leash from his pocket and quickly fastening it around the boy's neck.

Killian curiously looked to the leash, his eye brows furrowing in confusion.
"Duppy...How tome ew put me on the weash?" Killian despised the leash. He could not stand being drug around like he was when someone had him fastened to the horrid thing.

"Because." Barry spoke simply as he drug Killian into the auction, taking him up on stage to the man in charge of auctioning off the slaves.

Killian soon recognized this, and immediately recoiled. He moved himself to behind Barry, his blue eyes wide with fear.
"D-Duppy! What ish we doing here!"

"You're going away baby... to another man.." He hated it but he did not know what else to do...

"W-What?" Killian looked up to Barry, reaching out to latch into ine of his legs. "B-But ah don't wanna! Duppy! We ish donne beh todeder foreber!"

"We can't baby. You gotta go..." Barry turned away from the boy while still trying to pry him off of himself.

"N-No!" Killian shook his head, slinging tears. His blue eyes were even more pronounced when over flowing with his fear. "W-We sh donna det mawwied!"