Chapter Text
007n7 was a well-known hacker, and alongside Noli, they acted as partners in their wrongdoings. They moved from place to place, cracking codes and undermining others simply for fun. 007n7 had multiple reasons for pursuing hacking, but the temptation of power frequently obscured his judgment. He had transformed into the very entity he sought to oppose. It seemed like an ordinary day, yet today’s target was the pizza shop, one they had tormented many times before. Noli engaged in it purely for enjoyment, while 007n7 participated not only for the fun but also because he appreciated the sight of that charming pizza boy.
After a lengthy day of evading Admins and taking advantage of situations, 007n7 and Noli chose to end their evening and went their separate ways.
The rain had started to pour heavily, drenching his small figure as he struggled to insert the key into the lock. He breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the door click open, quickly rushing inside to escape the downpour, which now carried the rumble of thunder, echoing through the overcast sky. He removed his coat and headed straight for the bathroom, intending to indulge in a long, hot shower. He pushed the bathroom door open, shedding his layers of clothing before turning on the shower and stepping in. The warm water cascading over his skin felt incredibly soothing after the icy rain that had just soaked his now non-shivering body.
After enjoying a lengthy, refreshing shower, 007n7 emerged from the bathroom dressed in a fresh set of clothes, his hair damp and his expression weary. He made his way to the couch, sinking into the soft fabric, his hand awkwardly handling the controller as he switched on the news. 007n7 typically had little interest in the news unless it featured him, as it inflated his ego to witness the reactions of those brave enough to utter his name.
007n7 sat there for about 5 minutes, not even that long, as his relaxation was abruptly interrupted by both frantic knocking and the persistent ringing of his doorbell echoing throughout the house. The old man flinched at the noise before pulling up his C00lgui and summoning a baseball bat. He wasn’t about to take any chances, especially since he was an exploiter and fully aware of his status as a highly wanted criminal. Rising from his cozy position on the couch, he tiptoed toward the front door, hesitating for a brief moment as he peered through the small peephole near the top of the door, only to see nothing. No one was outside, just the chilling presence of relentless rain. 007n7 groaned, “Damn kids these days, doorbell ditching.”
He was on the verge of reclaiming his spot on the couch when he heard a faint sound of a sob, or rather, a wail—one that unmistakably belonged to an infant. Although 007n7 wasn’t well-acquainted with children, he had spent enough time around families with such little ones to recognize the difference between their cries. This was no adult; it was definitely a baby.
He spun around and flung the door open, bat still in hand, scanning the area until his gaze fell upon a basket that was quickly becoming drenched in the pouring rain. Inside that basket was a bundle of cloth, or perhaps a blanket; he couldn’t quite discern. It appeared torn in several places and seemed to be made of rough fabric, not the kind of material anyone would typically seek in a blanket. But that was of little concern to 007n7, for the moment he spotted two small hands reaching out from the fabric, he wasted no time in snatching the basket from the rain and bringing it into the warm comfort of his home.
He collapsed onto the couch, holding a basket as he hurriedly started to remove the drenched fabric, only to find himself staring into large, tear-filled eyes. He recoiled, glancing down at the tiny, red infant. Lacking any experience with children, especially infants, he was at a loss for what the baby needed. This situation was nothing like coding; infants were not composed of code or firewalls that required hacking. Instead, they were delicate beings that demanded constant attention and care, something 007n7 realized he was incapable of providing.
007n7 was known as a notorious hacker, not a babysitter, caretaker, or father—he hesitated, pushing that thought aside. This was a baby, for heaven's sake! He couldn't possibly manage the responsibilities of caring for an infant while also engaging in his exploits. There simply wouldn't be enough time to balance both. Moreover, he would be a dreadful father figure if he continued his activities while raising a child, especially a baby. Yet, as he gazed back at the infant, his heart filled with trepidation. Perhaps it was the horns the baby possessed, or the small tail that was beginning to sprout, or maybe it was the hue of the child's skin? Whatever the reason, it had led to this poor creature being left at his door. This baby was evidently an outcast, even to its own parents, a situation 007n7 was all too familiar with, and not one he took pride in. If he were to abandon the baby at an orphanage, the child would likely grow up feeling unwanted until reaching an age too old to remain in the system, ultimately being cast out onto the streets.
What kind of person would he be if he did that?
A monster.
That’s what.
UGH! What is he thinking!? You know what? He’ll take care of the infant until he can find a more suitable family to look after the baby.
The following day, after staying awake all night conducting research, he ventured out to the store with the infant to purchase necessary items for the baby's care. He acquired baby formula, diapers, a few toys, and other essentials.
Initially, 007n7 found it challenging to adapt to the routine of caring for the child, but after five days, he managed to get the hang of it. He also attempted to shut off his emotions, as he couldn’t risk becoming attached to the baby, but it proved futile; every time he gazed at the little one, a wave of love surged in his heart. His instinct to protect became overwhelming, a feeling he could hardly contain. He refused to let the child, whom he would later name C00lkidd, out of his sight, even for a brief moment.
His desire to part with C00lkidd was nonexistent; he had no plans to give the child up because this was HIS son, his boy. He stopped hacking, informed Noli about it, and subsequently severed ties with the other man. He was determined not to let anyone come between him and his child. He embraced the kid into his life and was resolute about not allowing anyone to take him away.
He sat at his computer, with C00lkidd sleeping in his left arm, while he typed on the keyboard. He had successfully hacked back into the Builder Brother’s Pizza Place’s website, but this time he was focused on removing all the glitches and mini-games he had previously added, even going so far as to send out advertisements for the restaurant, updating the website to make it more attractive to others. He had no intention of continuing this torment, as whatever this child did to him had transformed him for the better.
It’s been several months since he fixed the pizza place’s system, yet recently he found himself craving pizza, so he took out his phone while C00lkidd was napping and placed an order.
Elliot let out a sigh; it was just 30 minutes until closing time, and he was irritated that an order had come in, specifically a delivery one. He ran his fingers through his hair as he started to process the small order, which consisted of a simple medium pepperoni pizza and a drink. After cooking the pizza and boxing it up, he got into his car and drove to the specified address.
Meanwhile, C00lkidd had already woken up, and 007n7 was in the midst of feeding the boy when he heard a knock echoing from the front door. He stood up from the couch, C00lkidd still in his arms, and walked over to open the front door.
"Thank you for ordering from Builder Brother’s Pizza Pla- YOU," Elliot began, glaring fiercely at the older man. He was about to launch into a tirade until he noticed the child in 007n7’s arms. "I-when did you-who would want a child with YOU of all people?"
007n7 paused, looking at Elliot with a puzzled expression until he followed Elliot’s gaze to his son. "Oh, I’ve had him for quite a while now, why do you ask?" 007n7 replied, his voice sounding tired and surprisingly soft, which was something Elliot wasn’t accustomed to.
"I didn’t picture you as the nurturing father type..." Elliot muttered, prompting 007n7 to let out a soft chuckle.
"That’s understandable, given my past behavior," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Anyway, I don’t want to keep you here for too long, so how much do I owe you?" he inquired, a gentle smile spreading across his face.
"That will be $17.85, cash or card," Elliot replied, extending the pizza and drink while deliberately avoiding 007n7’s gaze.
The older man nodded, taking the pizza and drink before disappearing inside the house to fetch his wallet. He returned shortly, having put C00lkidd back to bed at the same time. He didn’t waste any time, quickly pulling out the cash as soon as he opened his wallet and handing it to Elliot, along with a generous tip.
Elliot stood frozen, his eyes wide as he gazed at the tip 007n7 had given him, which was nearly ten times the cost of the order. However, he didn’t question it, suspecting that half of the money MUST be counterfeit.
"So... what happened to your little mini games in our system?" Elliot mumbled, feeling quite perplexed about their sudden disappearance and the influx of customers.
"Oh! I removed it, why do you ask?" 007n7 replied, pausing to raise an eyebrow at the pizza man.
"The ads... was that also you? Everything else?" the pizza boy inquired again.
007n7 hesitated before giving a slight nod.
"I see... is the person who hacked into our system yesterday also you?" Elliot asked, causing 007n7 to freeze in bewilderment.
"Pardon? I haven’t accessed your website since I fixed it. If you don’t mind me asking, what did this hacker do?" 007n7 probed, maintaining a calm demeanor, though internally he was furious. How dare someone hack into this Pizza Place’s system after he had repaired it? He was not going to let that go unpunished.
"Oh, well the hacker kind of messed up our order and menu, and we plan on closing the pizza place until the issue is resolved," the pizza boy responded.
007n7 fell silent for a moment before grabbing Elliot by the arm and pulling him inside. "I need you to show me, just keep quiet, as my son is sleeping," the old man instructed.
Elliot’s face turned a deep shade of red as he was pulled inside, escaping the chill of the outside air. He followed the older man to the computer, confusion clear on the pizza man’s face.
007n7 took a seat in the chair, entered the pizza place’s website, and hit enter. The website appeared on the screen, and he waited for it to load completely. "Where?" 007n7 muttered, glancing at Elliot, who reached for the mouse and scrolled down to the relevant section.
007n7 grunted in annoyance before exhaling, "I’ll have it fixed by morning."
Elliot let out a sigh, silently expressing his gratitude before pivoting and leaving. He entered his car and drove back to the pizza establishment, where he closed up for the evening.
007n7 quickly became a frequent patron, consistently leaving generous tips, always offering assistance during technical issues at the pizza place, and ensuring that no hackers could breach the system. It was the least he could do.
As the months passed, 007n7 took on four different jobs to support both himself and C00lkidd, as he was no longer earning money through exploitation. It was manageable, somewhat, but it wasn’t easy. After C00lkidd celebrated his fifth birthday, feeling like a proud father, 007n7 discovered two other children resembling C00lkidd; the pink one appeared to be about six years old, while the light blue one seemed to be around seven. He couldn’t leave them behind, so he decided to take them in as well. He found out that the pink one was named Pr3ttypriincess, and the blue one was called Bluudud.
However, after that point, finances became increasingly tight, prompting 007n7 to completely resign from all his jobs, intending to leverage his coding expertise. 007n7 was indifferent to his financial struggles or the prospect of going hungry so that his children could have meals. These were his kids, and he was determined to do everything within his power to provide them with a wonderful childhood. Consequently, he established a small business focused on upgrading firewalls; as a former hacker, he was well aware of every vulnerability. He also offered services to repair coding issues or machinery. Initially, the business struggled, but after he placed a few advertisements, revenue began to flow in.
This income was sufficient for them to live comfortably, and for the first time in a while, 007n7 experienced a sense of happiness.
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₍^. .^₎⟆
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