Chapter Text
It had nearly been a week since Devin had had to put up with “Miss Evelyn Anderson.” The boy was slowly trying to figure out what sort of buttons he could press to get a reaction out of her, but she was nearly impossible to get through. He tried playing loud music, playing loud games, and even made small messes in the living room for her to clean before she left. She never complained, but instead found ways to make everything about his interests. Miss Anderson never raised her voice, always speaking in that calm, collected tone, and she never treated him like the nuisance he was constantly behaving as. Devin had noticed the small references Evelyn made towards his interests, and it bothered him. Today, he was in the living room watching a history documentary about Alexander the Great while Evelyn worked quietly across from him. The child looked at the TV, a small smile on his face as he learned about history- he loved history, one of the only subjects he paid attention to in class. He started to kick his feet, the documentary nearing its climactic end. He watched the screen with bated breath, slowly leaning forward.
Evelyn had noticed his movements from the corner of her eye. She smiled at herself, knowing her son was having fun, even if it was by watching television. The attorney had been working in the living room space for five days, and every single day was a new encounter with Development ‘Devin’ Dimmadome. Over the week, it became easier for her to look at the boy without her heart aching. She longed to speak to the boy, to ask him mundane questions about his day, because she cared about his well-being. He was growing up to be a passionate young man- she observed how he had an interest in history and marine biology, noticing how he’d draw characters and read his little comic books, along with doing his research to get facts as accurate as possible. She respected his small hustle for knowledge. When she wasn’t working on Dale Dimmadome’s law case or talking through evidence with her assistant, she was doing her research on her son’s interests. It was easy to notice how this was the kid’s third time watching the documentary this week.
“Alexander the Great again, hm?” The adult asked, her focus on her laptop, but her ears were listening to the program.
Dev had forgotten the adult was in the room, for how quietly she worked. His kicking stopped as he remembered he needed to make her life as difficult as possible. “Way to figure it out, Miss Apostrophe,” Devin replied sarcastically, his smile dropping to a small frown as the woman’s voice pierced through the documentary.
“He was a very ambitious man,” she said, looking up briefly to watch the documentary.
“Duh! He was a war genius. He took down the biggest empire in the world with less than half their numbers.” His tone was snippy, slightly annoyed that the older woman kept talking over the documentary. He started to kick his feet with frustration, his documentary getting ruined by her.
Evelyn hummed, turning her attention to the young boy. “It sounds like you look up to him.”
“Mhm,” he mumbled, trying to ignore her voice. “Yeah.” So much for the adult being quiet. He preferred it when she wasn't trying to fake interest. The child let out a sigh, looking at the woman to ensure she wouldn't speak again. When it seemed like she went back to working on her laptop, he relaxed.
“I find Alexander the Great very interesting,” Evelyn chimed in after a while. Devin groaned loudly, his eyeroll evident despite wearing his sunglasses. “He did more in twenty years than most civilizations do in a hundred.”
“I already know this!” He crossed his arms, his legs bouncing again.
“You like him so much because?...”
He growled in more frustration. Why did this adult care so much about what he liked? Shouldn't she be working? If he answered her questions, then maybe she'd finally be quiet and leave him alone. “It's obvious. He changed history, and people still talk about him. He didn’t wait. Everyone else plays it safe or waits forever before doing anything, but not him. He just moved and got what he wanted.”
Evelyn smiled, her gaze falling back to the young boy as she conversed with him. With the knowledge she remembered from school, she brought up a few facts. “Well, he indeed accomplished a lot, but it’s not like he did it all himself. He was a charismatic leader who led hundreds of soldiers into battle.”
“Duh, I already mentioned that. He crossed deserts, fought elephants, and won every battle- even when the odds sucked.” Devin reclined back into the sofa, propping up a golden cushion to use as a pillow. He looked at the woman, rolling his eyes. “Let me guess, now you’re going to say how he learned from the people he conquered, then sneak in a lecture on how I shouldn’t look up to him because he was a ‘tyrant’ and ‘invader.’”
“That’s besides the point, Devin,” Evelyn said calmly. She turned to face the child. “I think it’s important for children to have role models they can ‘look up to,’ and I think it’s even more important for them to learn from their role models. I…” She trailed off, her thoughts becoming slightly muddied. “I am not here to tell you what you can or cannot do beyond the realm of rules your father has placed on you. I’m only here to ensure your safety.”
Devin scoffed. Of course, Miss Anchovy was only here for work. His instinct was right; she didn’t care about his interests. She did the bare minimum to appease the kid because it was expected of her.
The woman looked at the boy, noticing the nuance change in his demeanor. She quietly chuckled and looked at Dev. “You know, I’m pretty sure I remember reading somewhere how he still learned from his mentors, peers, and even the people he conquered. He was always on a quest for knowledge.” Her tone was sweet, trying her best to relate to the little boy. Evelyn looked back at her laptop screen, typing away at legal documents. Devin crossed his arms, his lips pouting at her words. The adult had a point, but he wouldn’t make a big deal out of it. Alexander the Great was one of the most well-known people in the world- everyone learned about him, so of course, an adult would remember the bare minimum.
“He studied under-”
“Aristotle,” Dev interrupted. “He studied under Aristotle.”
Evelyn hummed in agreement, “He did. And that education shaped many of his decisions.”
“Of course it did! People mischaracterize him as being a meathead when he was really, really smart.”
“That’s fascinating, isn’t it?”
“What is?” Devin asked, finally getting tired of the small talk that kept interrupting his documentary.
“It's fascinating how even the most powerful leaders value knowledge,” the lawyer finished. “Maybe that's something you and Alexander have in common?"
Dev took a moment to stare at the adult because he felt a weird sensation occur in his chest. The boy’s chest felt lighter, as if he enjoyed hearing what Miss Anderson said. “Are you trying to tell me that I’m like Alexander the Great?”
“In my own way, perhaps I am. It’s up to you on how you want to be remembered; by your brains, brawns, knowledge, skills, and everything that makes you, you.”
His chest did another flip. His cheeks turned a slight shade of pink as he cleared his throat. The 10-year-old fixed his glasses and kept quiet, finally able to tune out the adult. However, his mind kept drifting to that potential compliment… Was this blonde lady being serious, or was she faking interest since she had to watch over him while Peri was away? Was she trying to be nice? The boy shook his head, adjusting his sunglasses as he looked at the television screen. It was nice to be acknowledged for his smarts and skills, and it was an honor to be compared to the Alexander the Great. He patted his cheeks and shook his head. The documentary was almost over, and he liked listening to the closing monologue the narrator provided.
As the documentary reached its conclusion, Devin smiled, turning off the screen. He loved history and loved to learn about powerful figures. It was one of his aspirations to be remembered as such, and being a Dimmadome meant he had to work for it. His grandfather, Doug Dimmadome, was still iconic all around the country- his father used Doug Dimmadome’s face at every Dimmadome-run festival and event. If Devin wanted to be like his grandfather and dad, he needed to put in effort to own a conglomerate like Dimmadome Global.
“One day I’m going to own a sports arena too,” the young boy bragged to the adult. The documentary was over, and he felt uplifted.
Evelyn paused typing, staring at her screen. “Really? A sports arena? For what purpose?” Her tone was careful, slow to gauge what his intentions were in starting this new topic of discussion.
The ten-year-old boy spoke what was on his mind. “Because I’m going to be remembered as Dev Dimmadome. I’m going to conquer the world like Alexander the Great and be an awesome businessman like my dad and grandpa.” He stood up, doing a small power pose as he put his arms to his hips. “I’m gonna have big speeches, big crowds… I want to run Dimmadome Global like my dad and grandpa—and go even further,” he said, puffing his chest. “Maybe I’ll call it Dimmadome Universe. I’ll send the Au-Pairs into space and have underwater buildings and-”
He caught Evelyn stifling a laugh. Despite being like his father, he was still a young boy with a wild imagination. “Hey, it’s a good idea!” he insisted, cheeks warming.
“It is,” Evelyn replied, her smile soft. “Keep dreaming big, Devin. Just don’t forget every leader, even Alexander the Great, needed help to get there.”
Devin rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. That’s what the Au-Pairs are for. They won’t mess up like people do. They’ll do all the boring office work while I do the important tasks.”
The attorney’s eyes twitched at the mention of Au-Pairs working alongside her son. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she ran a hand over her face. “I understand those… drones … are a key asset to the company, but I implore you to remember that human help is imperative to keeping a company thriving .”
“Dad says humans are the reason the company nearly tanked.” He paused, then jabbed, “You’re not a Dimmadome. You wouldn’t understand.”
That landed harder than she expected. Evelyn didn’t flinch, but she stopped typing. Evelyn exhaled slowly, keeping her voice steady. “Human help isn’t always about perfection, you know. It’s about understanding, growth, trust-”
“What would you even know about running a company as big as ours? You’re just a lawyer.”
“Yes, but you know I’m also the CEO of-”
Why did she bother with him so much? Why was she always imparting him with unnecessary wisdom? His eye twitched as he looked at her one last time, looking at that face he couldn’t read. “ I don’t care! ” The boy blurted out. He sighed and stood up. He adjusted his sunglasses on his head and looked at the blonde woman in the living room. Dev could have said goodbye, but he didn’t; goodbyes were only meant for people he enjoyed spending time with. With Miss Anderson, his time was… confusing. Confusing because he couldn’t understand her, he couldn’t read her, and he couldn’t tell if she was genuine or not. Devin hated the feeling of uncertainty, and Miss Aardvark made his chest feel unsettled. The child rolled his eyes and scoffed, leaving the adult alone in the living room of his house.
Evelyn watched as the doors closed on his son. For the first time in the five days she had been here, he didn’t insult her as he left. She smiled to herself before finishing up the last of her documents. Knowing Devin was home safe meant her task of watching him was over. All that was left was getting her meeting notes aligned for when she’d reencounter Dale Dimmadome.