Post by Kari Muffin on Mar 22, 2008 2:22:01 GMT -5
Oh look, a Theo fic. While I was writing this Jenn did scary scary things like read my mind. Thank her for the while minute quote and the pocket watch idea. Since you know, it's the "theme." Again, forgive me for typos and all of that.
Thank you all for your previous comments. I am insanely lazy so I thank you here. <3
Parting Gifts
"Shouldn't you be dead?" Theofilus asked as he tried to back away from the aging figure of the Selkie hawk.
She slapped him across the face with taloned hands. For an old woman she had a lot of power behind the blow. Enough that Theofilus stumbled back into his desk.
There was another Selkie Sparrow in the room. An older sparrow who just seemed to be desperately clinging to life for the sake of his wife. He chirped sadly at the scene playing out in front of him. He knew full well that his son never got along with his mother but this just made him feel miserable. "Theo... you could have told us that you were planning to become The Queen of Diamonds. Well, you could have told us a lot of things. We didn't even know about our grandchildren until one of them actually sought us out."
"You're just an ungrateful bastard Theofilus Giovanni!" The woman hissed.
The man rubbed his sore face. He could feel the blood trickling down his cheek. His mother never was a nice woman. She never should have had children. "You punched me in the face on my eighteenth birthday. Then you told me come back when I was a man. I figured you wouldn't miss me. You never were a good mother."
"Don't you dare disrespect me!" she began. The hand on her shoulder prevented her taking another swing. Her husband made a worried sound and shook his head. Fine she wouldn't slap the boy straight.
Theofilus shook his head in return, brushing his fingers through his hair. He honestly didn't have to put up with this. He had gotten so far, he wasn't about to take several steps back because of his mother. The man returned to the safety of his desk. "Get out."
"W-what?"
"I said "Get out." I don't want you here and I'm not putting up with your crap. You can stay if you want Dad, but I imagine you'll want to leave with her. Loyalty and all that. I'm sorry I'm not willing to put up with the abuse. I just don't care enough."
"But..." his father began, but couldn't seem to find the words to finish. It was a sore subject in the first place. He watched as his wife straightened up slightly and headed for the door. "I'm sorry we couldn't solve any of these problems. I just wanted to try to before we kick the bucket, ya know? I mean... you went up for the Queenship and you could have died and we never would have known..."
Theofilus looked up at his father. He had always respected the man. "I'm sorry Dad, I just can't forgive her."
"I know. I just... thought I would try." He was fiddling with something in his hands. Theofilus had been too busy with his mother to notice until now. She had left the room, letting the two sparrows have some privacy "I...wanted to give you something. It was your Grandfather's watch." The older man handed it to his son, a weak smile on his face.
Wide eyed, Theofilus stared down at the object in his hand. It was his Grandfather's watch, with the diamond crest engraved on the front. How many times had he looked at this when he was a kid? His fingers traced the pattern.
His father laughed. It was a hollow sound that made Theofilus look up. His father waved a hand dismissively as he spoke, "I guess I don't have to count the minutes anymore. I hope you can put the watch to better use than me." The sparrow offered the Queen of Diamonds his hand. "This is farewell."
Theofilus wondered what would happen if he didn't take it. His father's hand or his grandfather's watch. If he refused would that change the outcome of this meeting in the long run? Had his dad really just hinted that he was going to die? He looked sickly but... he was Dad. "I think you deserve more than a handshake, Dad." He got up and walked around the desk. He hugged his father, who gave very little protest. "I'll see you again, right?"
"Yes, yes. You'll see me again," The old sparrow patted his son on the back before escaping the embrace.
Theofilus smiled as he watched is father leave. The next time he saw his father would be in a pine box, wouldn't it?
Thank you all for your previous comments. I am insanely lazy so I thank you here. <3
Parting Gifts
"Shouldn't you be dead?" Theofilus asked as he tried to back away from the aging figure of the Selkie hawk.
She slapped him across the face with taloned hands. For an old woman she had a lot of power behind the blow. Enough that Theofilus stumbled back into his desk.
There was another Selkie Sparrow in the room. An older sparrow who just seemed to be desperately clinging to life for the sake of his wife. He chirped sadly at the scene playing out in front of him. He knew full well that his son never got along with his mother but this just made him feel miserable. "Theo... you could have told us that you were planning to become The Queen of Diamonds. Well, you could have told us a lot of things. We didn't even know about our grandchildren until one of them actually sought us out."
"You're just an ungrateful bastard Theofilus Giovanni!" The woman hissed.
The man rubbed his sore face. He could feel the blood trickling down his cheek. His mother never was a nice woman. She never should have had children. "You punched me in the face on my eighteenth birthday. Then you told me come back when I was a man. I figured you wouldn't miss me. You never were a good mother."
"Don't you dare disrespect me!" she began. The hand on her shoulder prevented her taking another swing. Her husband made a worried sound and shook his head. Fine she wouldn't slap the boy straight.
Theofilus shook his head in return, brushing his fingers through his hair. He honestly didn't have to put up with this. He had gotten so far, he wasn't about to take several steps back because of his mother. The man returned to the safety of his desk. "Get out."
"W-what?"
"I said "Get out." I don't want you here and I'm not putting up with your crap. You can stay if you want Dad, but I imagine you'll want to leave with her. Loyalty and all that. I'm sorry I'm not willing to put up with the abuse. I just don't care enough."
"But..." his father began, but couldn't seem to find the words to finish. It was a sore subject in the first place. He watched as his wife straightened up slightly and headed for the door. "I'm sorry we couldn't solve any of these problems. I just wanted to try to before we kick the bucket, ya know? I mean... you went up for the Queenship and you could have died and we never would have known..."
Theofilus looked up at his father. He had always respected the man. "I'm sorry Dad, I just can't forgive her."
"I know. I just... thought I would try." He was fiddling with something in his hands. Theofilus had been too busy with his mother to notice until now. She had left the room, letting the two sparrows have some privacy "I...wanted to give you something. It was your Grandfather's watch." The older man handed it to his son, a weak smile on his face.
Wide eyed, Theofilus stared down at the object in his hand. It was his Grandfather's watch, with the diamond crest engraved on the front. How many times had he looked at this when he was a kid? His fingers traced the pattern.
His father laughed. It was a hollow sound that made Theofilus look up. His father waved a hand dismissively as he spoke, "I guess I don't have to count the minutes anymore. I hope you can put the watch to better use than me." The sparrow offered the Queen of Diamonds his hand. "This is farewell."
Theofilus wondered what would happen if he didn't take it. His father's hand or his grandfather's watch. If he refused would that change the outcome of this meeting in the long run? Had his dad really just hinted that he was going to die? He looked sickly but... he was Dad. "I think you deserve more than a handshake, Dad." He got up and walked around the desk. He hugged his father, who gave very little protest. "I'll see you again, right?"
"Yes, yes. You'll see me again," The old sparrow patted his son on the back before escaping the embrace.
Theofilus smiled as he watched is father leave. The next time he saw his father would be in a pine box, wouldn't it?
