August
folder
Original - Misc › -Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
52
Views:
36,419
Reviews:
358
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Original - Misc › -Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
52
Views:
36,419
Reviews:
358
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
August
August 1
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Phidias perched on the edge of Caddy's bed, his bare feet pressed against the cool tile (for some reason, this technique seemed to help settle his stomach). From the other side of the room, Caddy shook his head. Phidias watched him. "It's clearly bothering you."
Caddy shrugged. Phidias shook his head and got up to go over to where his son sat cross-legged on the settee. He took up a seat next to him, sitting close.
"Come on, Buster. Talk to me."
Caddy blinked at the floor, then turned empty, distant eyes up to his dad.
"I messed up." he said, quietly, in a voice thick with disuse. Tears sprung to his eyes. "I really messed up."
Phidias had no comfort for that, and so he pulled Caddy into a tight hug and let him cry.
"I know." he said, when his son had cried himself out some, "I know."
"I ruined Ghali's life." Caddy managed between sobs. Phidias stroked his hair where the thin veil was falling off of it.
"Hush." he cast about for something to say - something which Caddy, astute for 14, wouldn't see immediately as a lie. "What's done is done." he said, not sure why. "We can only go forward."
Caddy cried harder.
After his tears were somewhat dried, and he'd drunk some of the water Phidias brought him, Caddy spoke again.
"From now on," he said, slowly, turning the glass in his hands, "I'm going to be good." he looked up at his dad - for what, Phidias wasn't sure. Support? Confirmation? "I promise," he pressed Phidias, "That I'm going to be good."
Phidias patted his shoulder.
"OK, kiddo." he said, smoothing some of Caddy's hair back under the veil. "Then you be good."
~:~
Henrik lifted his hand to shield against the burning sun.
"Looks like seven vans." he glanced over his shoulder at Al-Aera. "No protection?"
Al-Aera inclined his head.
"I assure you, they are better protected than any of us."
Henrik grunted.
"It will be hard on them, won't it? Being dropped into a new place, a new life?"
Al-Aera squinted under the shelter of his keffiyah and studied the caravan as it drew closer.
"Perhaps. But they'll manage."
Henrik looked skeptically out over the landscape.
"Will they?" he asked drily.
Al-Aera smiled quietly.
"We'll all manage, Henrik." he looked out and gauged the approach of the vans again. "Life goes on."
Henrik did not protest this, and Al-Aera thought pridefully that he had said just the right thing so that there would be no response.
They lapsed into silence then, and for long moments just stood there, the two of them - each shielding their eyes and watching the desert, breathing the dust and biding their time while the sun rose overhead and the sand kicked up - each preparing for the next day in the dull heat of August.
~:~
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Phidias perched on the edge of Caddy's bed, his bare feet pressed against the cool tile (for some reason, this technique seemed to help settle his stomach). From the other side of the room, Caddy shook his head. Phidias watched him. "It's clearly bothering you."
Caddy shrugged. Phidias shook his head and got up to go over to where his son sat cross-legged on the settee. He took up a seat next to him, sitting close.
"Come on, Buster. Talk to me."
Caddy blinked at the floor, then turned empty, distant eyes up to his dad.
"I messed up." he said, quietly, in a voice thick with disuse. Tears sprung to his eyes. "I really messed up."
Phidias had no comfort for that, and so he pulled Caddy into a tight hug and let him cry.
"I know." he said, when his son had cried himself out some, "I know."
"I ruined Ghali's life." Caddy managed between sobs. Phidias stroked his hair where the thin veil was falling off of it.
"Hush." he cast about for something to say - something which Caddy, astute for 14, wouldn't see immediately as a lie. "What's done is done." he said, not sure why. "We can only go forward."
Caddy cried harder.
After his tears were somewhat dried, and he'd drunk some of the water Phidias brought him, Caddy spoke again.
"From now on," he said, slowly, turning the glass in his hands, "I'm going to be good." he looked up at his dad - for what, Phidias wasn't sure. Support? Confirmation? "I promise," he pressed Phidias, "That I'm going to be good."
Phidias patted his shoulder.
"OK, kiddo." he said, smoothing some of Caddy's hair back under the veil. "Then you be good."
~:~
Henrik lifted his hand to shield against the burning sun.
"Looks like seven vans." he glanced over his shoulder at Al-Aera. "No protection?"
Al-Aera inclined his head.
"I assure you, they are better protected than any of us."
Henrik grunted.
"It will be hard on them, won't it? Being dropped into a new place, a new life?"
Al-Aera squinted under the shelter of his keffiyah and studied the caravan as it drew closer.
"Perhaps. But they'll manage."
Henrik looked skeptically out over the landscape.
"Will they?" he asked drily.
Al-Aera smiled quietly.
"We'll all manage, Henrik." he looked out and gauged the approach of the vans again. "Life goes on."
Henrik did not protest this, and Al-Aera thought pridefully that he had said just the right thing so that there would be no response.
They lapsed into silence then, and for long moments just stood there, the two of them - each shielding their eyes and watching the desert, breathing the dust and biding their time while the sun rose overhead and the sand kicked up - each preparing for the next day in the dull heat of August.
~:~