[#002] Not Fully Apparent (Original)

[dray]

Theme Prompt: #002 - Heartbreak
Title: Not Fully Apparent
Fandom: Original
Rating/Warnings: n/a
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 483
Summary: Boyce watches his daughter make the transition to her new parents after a meet & greet. He's used to sweating, but sweating from the eyes feels so much worse??


"Oh hey, little goblin, hey!" Akadine had Vianne by the armpits, was raising her up and threatening to drop her. Every time she did, Boyce's heart dropped a beat. He could practically feel the grey hairs sprouting in his beard.

What could he say? Vi was gurgling with interest at the battle-hardened woman, and if Akadine called out Vianne's strange black eyes, her sprouty hair, her barky-textured skin (which now looked much better having been oiled--another facet of childcare Boyce had not even thought to consider) she was as rough to her own daughter. There was genuine fondness there, through the gruff exterior.

"That's right, I've been fully cuckoo'd," Akadine was saying to Goodlace, while she settled Boyce's daughter into her arms and bonked her axe-sharp beak against the button nose of the baby. "I'll tell you something," and she half-turned to Boyce, "I never figured I'd get this old to start with, and I definitely never figured I was gonna have a knack for kids. I put pointy things in people--begging your pardon," she covered a leer, "and I never went in for puffing up like a dough tin." Despite her objections, she seemed perfectly content.

Boyce, on the other hand, had been sweating all night, sharing a table with the two women that Goodlace had brought him to meet. The bald one was okay--Brandili, an astute woman who was obviously the blood-mother of the older toddler. But Akadine...

He glanced at Goodlace, and Goodlace caught his nervous look. His more-than-nervous look. "Ah--excuse us."

Outside of the cabin the air was fresh and crisp with autumn. Boyce considered slinking all the way home... but almost as soon as he thought it, the other man had stepped around front of him, placed a gloved hand against Boyce's chest. The little gesture made the big man crumple a little. To his credit, Goodlace didn't cringe away. "Didn't think this'd be so hard," Boyce rumbled. He took the hand over his heart and gently pushed it away, afraid to make a comment about the contact. "You're sure they're... they'll..."

"It's all tough talk," Goodlace promised. He gave a crooked, sympathetic grin and folded his hands safely behind his back. "I have reason to believe they like Vianne and even you, though I'm not sure how that's possible. You haven't said more than two words together."

"I don't."

"I know, but lucky for you, I like you, too." Goodlace turned back to the door. "I know it's hard. Trust me... You don't have to come back in," he added, noting Boyce's rising panic, "but don't leave town without me. You have people in this world. We're here for you and for the girl."

Boyce waited until Goodlace's crisp silhouette disappeared behind closed doors. "That's what hurts the most," he murmured. The imprint against his chest still felt warm. He put his hand there, fighting himself, paralyzed.

Comments

[hokuton_punch]

Awwwwwwwwwwww! Poor Boyce. It's hard not to worry about your baby.

[dray]

It is! It winds up setting him back for quite a while, come to think about it. :(

[autobotscoutriella]

This is lovely! So sad, and so very understandable.

[dray]

I'm glad it works! I'm feeling very out of my depth on this prompt, lol. All I can see is narm but I think that might also be self-consciousness.

It's good to bust out of comfort zones--hopefully we get to switch off between the painful prompts and the more neutral/fluffy ones!

[etoile_noire]

Awww, poor Boyce.
Thank you for sharing it.

[dray]

Thank you for reading!

[rivulet027]

OMG! This was so cute.

[dray]

Thank you! I can't not try for cute or fluff, man.

[peaked]

I really, really like your character voices, especially Akadine's! She pulled me in with the use of her language. She seems like a natural storyteller. All of your characters' voices are very distinct.

[dray]

Thank you so much! I like when characters have a strong flavour to them. Akadine will tell you a tall tale, Owen will prattle about dry facts along with what he thinks are amusing analogies, Boyce will tell you to go away and then close the door and sweat until you oblige...

I think I need to write from someone else's point of view for the next challenge, lol. Boyce doesn't always lend himself well.

[badly_knitted]

Ouch! But Boyce is doing the right thing for Vi and I think he knows it. It's just so damned hard to leave her with people he's barely met and isn't sure he trusts.

[dray]

Exactly! He'll have better cause to, eventually, but he's an awkward duck about people. For all Akadine can be uncouth and abrasive, she's taken to being a mom with relish.

Thanks!

[sarajayechan]

Jeez, poor guy.

[dray]

He winds up being okay, at least!

[canadiandiamond]

Definitely a heartbreaking thing to go through for any parent, I love how you've captured that here.

[dray]

I think I'd be pretty devastated... Boyce hasn't had her for long, but I don't think he's got a stone heart even if he's bad at people.

[samuraiter]

Picking up from before, but with an added note of sadness. Well done!

[dray]

Thanks so much! I enjoy creating a thread with themes, honestly. Unless it's too much whiplash I will probably keep dabbling around with all of these characters.