![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
witticasterThat time when Archie is really awkward with Sebastian, re: his St. Christopher medal.
"Turn off the telly a moment, Sebastian," said Archie to the young man currently imitating a lump on the sofa. "I'd like to talk to you." At Sebastian's frown, Archie rolled his eyes. "It's on break; if you hurry, we'll be done before the next programme starts."
"All right," Sebastian sighed, inching up from the slumped position he'd been sitting in, and hit the remote. The screen went dark, and Archie sat down next to him.
He found himself uncertain how to begin, despite having rehearsed the scene in his mind previously. He closed his right fist all the tighter, trying to find the right words, and felt the dull edge of metal pressing against his palm. Sebastian was looking at him with concern in his eyes, and had left off complaining they'd already wasted half a minute of the commercial break.
It was that expression of worry that spurred Archie to action: he didn't want to see his son worrying over him, and the sooner he opened his mouth, the sooner that would end. "Sebastian, you've grown up so fast," Archie said, looking straight ahead, trying to line the words up properly and mostly getting platitudes for his efforts. "I can hardly believe you're off to uni in September. And--you know your father and I are very proud of you."
From the corner of his eye, Archie saw Sebastian nod, his brow still furrowed.
"We want you to be safe and--and happy, and--I want you to have this." Archie reached for Sebastian's hand and pressed into it the bit of sterling silver and black cord. Sebastian sat very still, looking down at it as though he had never seen it before. "It's my Saint Christopher medal." Unsure what more he should say, Archie put an arm around Sebastian and drew him close. "You don't have to wear it if you don't like, but--I want you to have it."
"Thanks," Sebastian said, after a moment. "I--I'll take good care of it."
Archie nodded. "Well--I ought to let you get back to things." He stood, looked down at Sebastian for a moment and could not help but smile; as much as your father and I are proud felt a bit trite, it was every word of it true.
"Turn off the telly a moment, Sebastian," said Archie to the young man currently imitating a lump on the sofa. "I'd like to talk to you." At Sebastian's frown, Archie rolled his eyes. "It's on break; if you hurry, we'll be done before the next programme starts."
"All right," Sebastian sighed, inching up from the slumped position he'd been sitting in, and hit the remote. The screen went dark, and Archie sat down next to him.
He found himself uncertain how to begin, despite having rehearsed the scene in his mind previously. He closed his right fist all the tighter, trying to find the right words, and felt the dull edge of metal pressing against his palm. Sebastian was looking at him with concern in his eyes, and had left off complaining they'd already wasted half a minute of the commercial break.
It was that expression of worry that spurred Archie to action: he didn't want to see his son worrying over him, and the sooner he opened his mouth, the sooner that would end. "Sebastian, you've grown up so fast," Archie said, looking straight ahead, trying to line the words up properly and mostly getting platitudes for his efforts. "I can hardly believe you're off to uni in September. And--you know your father and I are very proud of you."
From the corner of his eye, Archie saw Sebastian nod, his brow still furrowed.
"We want you to be safe and--and happy, and--I want you to have this." Archie reached for Sebastian's hand and pressed into it the bit of sterling silver and black cord. Sebastian sat very still, looking down at it as though he had never seen it before. "It's my Saint Christopher medal." Unsure what more he should say, Archie put an arm around Sebastian and drew him close. "You don't have to wear it if you don't like, but--I want you to have it."
"Thanks," Sebastian said, after a moment. "I--I'll take good care of it."
Archie nodded. "Well--I ought to let you get back to things." He stood, looked down at Sebastian for a moment and could not help but smile; as much as your father and I are proud felt a bit trite, it was every word of it true.
no subject
on 2010-06-29 03:55 pm (UTC)