kristen. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
calabash) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomweekly2016-02-05 02:43 am
calabash) wrote in fandomweekly2016-02-05 02:43 am
Entry tags:
[#001] The End of Everything (Todd Allison and the Petunia Violet)
Theme Prompt: New Beginnings
Title: The End of Everything
Fandom: Todd Allison and the Petunia Violet
Rating/Warnings: No warnings, mentions of character back stories.
Bonus: No
Word Count: 984
Summary: William Quirke knows no good can come from the Allison twins.
The Allison twins are a plague upon their own household.
Like a festering sore, William thinks, as he sweeps sweet hay and dust into a pile in the corner of their stables. Like a cut that never fully crusts over and festers until it's swelled up and red like a ripe cherry. They're a plague, and he - more than anybody - is susceptible to them.
Behind him, a horse sputters quietly and nudges her gate.
One day he'll finally tell them what he thinks of them. You’re pair of devious twins whose only ambition in life is to devalue the happiness of everyone around you! Oh, Avery was one thing for sure, with his scalding remarks and disagreeable glares. But Nate...
His fingers grip the broomstick.
I'll tell them, he thinks, just as he hears the padding of footsteps from the stable entrance. I'll tell them right now, for the love of—
"William? Is that you sulking in the dark?" Avery Allison appears through the gates, his nose pinched between his fingers. He hates the stink of stables. William turns to face him and Avery's sordid smile returns. "Oh, William, all that hay in your hair. Have you been sleeping in Columbia's stall again?"
I'll tell him, William thinks. Tell him, tell him, tell—
"Anyways," Avery drops his hand and waves. "I've come to tell you the good news. Nate's lady wife is pregnant."
William doesn't move. Instead, his broom falls with a noisy clatter. “Ah."
Avery's stare remains persistent. "He's going back to London."
Blessed be to God, He finally answers! The smile that spreads his face threatens to tear his chapped lips, but at the moment he hardly cares. "Truly? Why- why, I think that's wonderful news! Granted, a little unexpected, but he's a bit unexpected to begin with! I suppose this means I can find another job and settle someplace else—"
"Oh," Avery covers his mouth. For a second, Will believes the smell of the stables is beginning to nauseate him. It isn't until a moment later does he realize Avery is grinning wickedly behind his hand. "No, no. I'm afraid you misunderstand."
"Misunderstand?"
Avery steps over his broom. He leans in and smiles with every bit of wickedness he's saved for this exact moment. William knows it before anything is said. This is the end of everything.
"You're going with him."
-
Even when they were children, nothing good ever came from whatever the Allison twins concocted together. William holds this true even now, although he's not sure if the same can be said for Nate's wife. She's a quiet one, that's for sure. William does what he can, and for the sake of looking presentable in front of both their families, he's taken to keeping his wild hair in a ponytail.
If Nate's wife has anything to say regarding his hair or his presence in general, she doesn't. She doesn't say much of anything when she is around him.
"Madam," William tries, one evening when her drawing room is nearly completely furnished. The servants are hauling up her vanity from downstairs and he cannot allow her to stand on her feet for too long. "Please sit by the window while you wait, at least. Your feet must be sore from all the walking, and your ankles—"
"—are already swelled beyond hope." She says. There's a small, petulant pout on her lips. "William, don't you understand? I can’t rest until I've made myself presentable." A gloved hand touches her cheekbone. "My powder has all but flaked off, the shadows under my eyes..."
But you have always looked so tired, William wants to say. "You can afford to sit and rest until then, can't you?"
Startled, she looks at him. The moisture gathers at her eyes but remains there as his heart jumps.
"Madam, I'm sorry, I—"
"No, Will. I should be the one apologizing." She tucks a strand of red hair behind her ear. "I'm always causing an inconvenience for you. I'll be much better once this is over, I'm sure. I won't be such a bother to you...or to Nate. Even if he doesn't believe me." Her imploring gaze pierces him. "You believe me, don't you, Will?"
Will nods numbly.
-
It's the last gleaming week of fall that brings a new sheen of snow to the estate, as well as one knock that has Will stumbling out of his room and into his britches. He waits up with the servants into the long hours of the night, shares hot coffee with them and curses Nate Allison for not being here— at his own child's birth, no less! Of course it’s a little sad, but he hardly believes any child of Nate's could grow to appreciate what he does for them, what he's endured for the Allison twins after all these years.
Finally, after a cold night and endless pacing on his end, William hears the tell-tale cry of a newborn and shares in the servants’ collective sigh. An anxiety which wasn't present before sits in his stomach now as the door swings open. The midwife ushers him inside. "She wanted you to see him first." She says.
And he does. Madam slips the crying infant into his shaking arms. The new weight is strange and warm against his chest, but he finds he doesn't mind at all. The scrunched, pudgy face is still beet red.
"There, there." He says weakly, patting his bottom gently. The infant's cry becomes a hiccup, and the midwife's mouth hangs open. "My word..."
The Madam smiles tiredly. "He already loves you, Will."
William opens his mouth and closes it again. "I— what is his name, again?"
"Todd." She replies. "Nate decided it would be Todd."
"Todd." William says softly. "Todd Allison."
In his arms, the infant whimpers in sleep. William holds him for as long as he can, and there, feels the beginning of everything.
Title: The End of Everything
Fandom: Todd Allison and the Petunia Violet
Rating/Warnings: No warnings, mentions of character back stories.
Bonus: No
Word Count: 984
Summary: William Quirke knows no good can come from the Allison twins.
The Allison twins are a plague upon their own household.
Like a festering sore, William thinks, as he sweeps sweet hay and dust into a pile in the corner of their stables. Like a cut that never fully crusts over and festers until it's swelled up and red like a ripe cherry. They're a plague, and he - more than anybody - is susceptible to them.
Behind him, a horse sputters quietly and nudges her gate.
One day he'll finally tell them what he thinks of them. You’re pair of devious twins whose only ambition in life is to devalue the happiness of everyone around you! Oh, Avery was one thing for sure, with his scalding remarks and disagreeable glares. But Nate...
His fingers grip the broomstick.
I'll tell them, he thinks, just as he hears the padding of footsteps from the stable entrance. I'll tell them right now, for the love of—
"William? Is that you sulking in the dark?" Avery Allison appears through the gates, his nose pinched between his fingers. He hates the stink of stables. William turns to face him and Avery's sordid smile returns. "Oh, William, all that hay in your hair. Have you been sleeping in Columbia's stall again?"
I'll tell him, William thinks. Tell him, tell him, tell—
"Anyways," Avery drops his hand and waves. "I've come to tell you the good news. Nate's lady wife is pregnant."
William doesn't move. Instead, his broom falls with a noisy clatter. “Ah."
Avery's stare remains persistent. "He's going back to London."
Blessed be to God, He finally answers! The smile that spreads his face threatens to tear his chapped lips, but at the moment he hardly cares. "Truly? Why- why, I think that's wonderful news! Granted, a little unexpected, but he's a bit unexpected to begin with! I suppose this means I can find another job and settle someplace else—"
"Oh," Avery covers his mouth. For a second, Will believes the smell of the stables is beginning to nauseate him. It isn't until a moment later does he realize Avery is grinning wickedly behind his hand. "No, no. I'm afraid you misunderstand."
"Misunderstand?"
Avery steps over his broom. He leans in and smiles with every bit of wickedness he's saved for this exact moment. William knows it before anything is said. This is the end of everything.
"You're going with him."
-
Even when they were children, nothing good ever came from whatever the Allison twins concocted together. William holds this true even now, although he's not sure if the same can be said for Nate's wife. She's a quiet one, that's for sure. William does what he can, and for the sake of looking presentable in front of both their families, he's taken to keeping his wild hair in a ponytail.
If Nate's wife has anything to say regarding his hair or his presence in general, she doesn't. She doesn't say much of anything when she is around him.
"Madam," William tries, one evening when her drawing room is nearly completely furnished. The servants are hauling up her vanity from downstairs and he cannot allow her to stand on her feet for too long. "Please sit by the window while you wait, at least. Your feet must be sore from all the walking, and your ankles—"
"—are already swelled beyond hope." She says. There's a small, petulant pout on her lips. "William, don't you understand? I can’t rest until I've made myself presentable." A gloved hand touches her cheekbone. "My powder has all but flaked off, the shadows under my eyes..."
But you have always looked so tired, William wants to say. "You can afford to sit and rest until then, can't you?"
Startled, she looks at him. The moisture gathers at her eyes but remains there as his heart jumps.
"Madam, I'm sorry, I—"
"No, Will. I should be the one apologizing." She tucks a strand of red hair behind her ear. "I'm always causing an inconvenience for you. I'll be much better once this is over, I'm sure. I won't be such a bother to you...or to Nate. Even if he doesn't believe me." Her imploring gaze pierces him. "You believe me, don't you, Will?"
Will nods numbly.
-
It's the last gleaming week of fall that brings a new sheen of snow to the estate, as well as one knock that has Will stumbling out of his room and into his britches. He waits up with the servants into the long hours of the night, shares hot coffee with them and curses Nate Allison for not being here— at his own child's birth, no less! Of course it’s a little sad, but he hardly believes any child of Nate's could grow to appreciate what he does for them, what he's endured for the Allison twins after all these years.
Finally, after a cold night and endless pacing on his end, William hears the tell-tale cry of a newborn and shares in the servants’ collective sigh. An anxiety which wasn't present before sits in his stomach now as the door swings open. The midwife ushers him inside. "She wanted you to see him first." She says.
And he does. Madam slips the crying infant into his shaking arms. The new weight is strange and warm against his chest, but he finds he doesn't mind at all. The scrunched, pudgy face is still beet red.
"There, there." He says weakly, patting his bottom gently. The infant's cry becomes a hiccup, and the midwife's mouth hangs open. "My word..."
The Madam smiles tiredly. "He already loves you, Will."
William opens his mouth and closes it again. "I— what is his name, again?"
"Todd." She replies. "Nate decided it would be Todd."
"Todd." William says softly. "Todd Allison."
In his arms, the infant whimpers in sleep. William holds him for as long as he can, and there, feels the beginning of everything.
no subject