(JP) Staind - "So Far Away" (started life as commentfic for spacemaori)
This is my life
It's not what it was before
Lourdes Ortega giggled at the sight of Montgomery Pippin adjusting his tie for the dozenth time during their drive. "Sweetie, you're so twitchy. C'mon, your parents can't be that bad."
Monty slid a sideways look out of nervous blue eyes toward the lovely lady in the passenger seat. "Of course they're not 'that bad'. They're my parents. Nevertheless."
Lo's amused smile didn't dim. "You know, we could have had this out of the way ages ago. You told me your parents had withdrawn to a life of contemplation in Tibet, you naughty, bendy man."
She didn't sound at all put out, but Monty took a defensive stance just in case. "Babe, the minute my parents got wind that I'd been seeing someone for longer than six consecutive months, my mother would've buried me in demands to know when we we'd be getting married and giving her grandchildren."
"But honey, we're doing those things anyway." Lo glanced down to where her pregnancy bump was just beginning to show.
"Yeah, well, I didn't know that at the time, did I?" Conveying injured dignity while still keeping his eyes on the road was tricky, but he managed it. "And may I just remind you that before I met you, my typical reaction to a woman asking about meeting my family involved losing phone numbers, screening calls and ducking into doorways if I saw her on the street."
Another giggle. "You're right. Lying about it was a major step forward for you." At Monty's eye-roll, Lo reached over to run a soothing hand from his shoulder to elbow. "Baby, unclench. Trust your Lo. Everything will be fine, I promise."
As he pulled into the long driveway leading to the Pippin family's stately pile, Monty sneaked another look at his bride-to-be (God. Bride-to-be.) looking deceptively demure in a pink and yellow summer dress. Firmly from the wrong side of the tracks and a Yank besides, Lo nevertheless radiated serene certainty that she could cope with anything, his parents included. At one time he would have called her confidence overconfidence, but he'd gotten to know her better than that over the last few years.
Unfortunately he also knew his parents. And Mum had sounded so stunned over the phone ...
As they got out of the car, Lo looked around with bubbly curiosity, seeming overawed by neither the size of the house nor the staff that emerged to take charge of their bags and the car. Monty gave himself one last check in a rear-view mirror: suit immaculate, hair in order, and the only sign of last night's insomnia was a slight puffiness under his eyes. Right. He was as ready as he ever would be for what could be the longest weekend of his life.
As expected, they were met in the entryway by his father's cheerful “There they are at last!” and his mother's particular smile, the utterly charming one that gave nothing away. Monty had learned that smile himself at a young age, but Mum was still the master.
After accepting a paternal handshake and brushing a kiss across one proffered maternal cheek, Monty sucked in a (hopefully surreptitious) deep breath and slipped an arm around Lo's shoulders. Moment of truth time. “Mum, Dad, may I introduce Lourdes Ortega, my--” Jesus. “--fiancée. Lo, I'd like you to meet my parents, Roderick and Bettina Pippin.”
At any other time, Lo likely would have wrinkled her nose and teased the lot of them about all the formality. (“Pull the sticks out, sweeties.”) Now, however, her smile gave off waves of sweetness and light, saturating the foyer with her dewy-eyed, adorable charm. Monty had to admire the effect; she'd used a similar look on him when they first met.
“I'm so glad to meet you both. Monty's told me so many wonderful things about you.” Ah, his little actress. Maybe one day he'd figure out how she pulled off a line like that without it sounding overdone.
As Lo accepted a decorous cheek-kiss from his father, Monty's trained investigator's eye remained pinned on his mother. Dad might be the titular head of the household, but they both knew whose opinion would carry the day here.
So it happened that when Lo turned the light of her smile on Mum, he saw the transformation occur. Her features shifted subtly, from dissecting eyes over poised smile to something warmer, something almost ... smug?
“Lourdes, my very dear girl. It is such a delight to meet you, now that we've finally dragged word of your existence out of Monty.” The eyebrow she arched at him triggered the furtively guilty look it always did, but Mum seemed content with that and went on. “Now I want you to feel comfortable here, so if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask.”
“That's so kind of you, Mrs. Pippin.” Ye gods, the girl could trigger insulin shock with those eyes.
“Bettina, please dear. After all, you'll be Mrs. Pippin yourself soon enough, won't you?” Yes, there was no mistaking it, the smile she turned in his direction had a decidedly triumphant edge to it. “I was planning to show you around a bit, but perhaps you'd prefer to freshen up first? The drive up must have been tiring.”
“Oh, I'm just fine, thank you Bettina. I'd absolutely love a tour; you have such a beautiful home.”
“It's yours as well now, dear. Very well then, come with me and we'll leave the boys to whatever ...” And with that his elegant, patrician mother linked arms with his little Filipina charmer and led her into the next room, leaving Montgomery Pippin blinking like an owl in daylight.
He turned to his father, who was apparently trying not to laugh. “I expected her to be gracious ... she'd consider it beneath her to be otherwise, but that ...”
A few chuckles leaked out around Dad's restraint. “Good God, boy. Considering how long you've had the poor woman convinced that you were never settling down, I think she was thrilled to know that you were marrying someone of the correct species, let alone a lovely girl like that.” He reached over to clap a hand on his son's shoulder. “Now, you come along to my study for a drink. You look like a double scotch wouldn't come amiss.”
“Those looks are not deceiving. But you go and pour, Dad, and I'll be with you in a tick.” As his father went one way, Monty went another, dodging through a couple of doorways for one more peek at how Lo was coping with Mum, or vice versa.
He needn't have worried. When he found them in the formal receiving room, Mum had just tossed her head back, laughing delightedly at something Lo said. Lo caught sight of him hovering in the doorway and gave him a saucy wink and three clearly-mouthed words.
Told you so.
These are my words
That I’ve never said before
I think I’m doing ok
This is a piece of AU futurefic. The lovely crimsonandjesus appears with the permission, not to mention at the insistence of, her mun.
Muse: Monty Pippin
Fandom: Keen Eddie
Word count: 1154
It's not what it was before
Lourdes Ortega giggled at the sight of Montgomery Pippin adjusting his tie for the dozenth time during their drive. "Sweetie, you're so twitchy. C'mon, your parents can't be that bad."
Monty slid a sideways look out of nervous blue eyes toward the lovely lady in the passenger seat. "Of course they're not 'that bad'. They're my parents. Nevertheless."
Lo's amused smile didn't dim. "You know, we could have had this out of the way ages ago. You told me your parents had withdrawn to a life of contemplation in Tibet, you naughty, bendy man."
She didn't sound at all put out, but Monty took a defensive stance just in case. "Babe, the minute my parents got wind that I'd been seeing someone for longer than six consecutive months, my mother would've buried me in demands to know when we we'd be getting married and giving her grandchildren."
"But honey, we're doing those things anyway." Lo glanced down to where her pregnancy bump was just beginning to show.
"Yeah, well, I didn't know that at the time, did I?" Conveying injured dignity while still keeping his eyes on the road was tricky, but he managed it. "And may I just remind you that before I met you, my typical reaction to a woman asking about meeting my family involved losing phone numbers, screening calls and ducking into doorways if I saw her on the street."
Another giggle. "You're right. Lying about it was a major step forward for you." At Monty's eye-roll, Lo reached over to run a soothing hand from his shoulder to elbow. "Baby, unclench. Trust your Lo. Everything will be fine, I promise."
As he pulled into the long driveway leading to the Pippin family's stately pile, Monty sneaked another look at his bride-to-be (God. Bride-to-be.) looking deceptively demure in a pink and yellow summer dress. Firmly from the wrong side of the tracks and a Yank besides, Lo nevertheless radiated serene certainty that she could cope with anything, his parents included. At one time he would have called her confidence overconfidence, but he'd gotten to know her better than that over the last few years.
Unfortunately he also knew his parents. And Mum had sounded so stunned over the phone ...
As they got out of the car, Lo looked around with bubbly curiosity, seeming overawed by neither the size of the house nor the staff that emerged to take charge of their bags and the car. Monty gave himself one last check in a rear-view mirror: suit immaculate, hair in order, and the only sign of last night's insomnia was a slight puffiness under his eyes. Right. He was as ready as he ever would be for what could be the longest weekend of his life.
As expected, they were met in the entryway by his father's cheerful “There they are at last!” and his mother's particular smile, the utterly charming one that gave nothing away. Monty had learned that smile himself at a young age, but Mum was still the master.
After accepting a paternal handshake and brushing a kiss across one proffered maternal cheek, Monty sucked in a (hopefully surreptitious) deep breath and slipped an arm around Lo's shoulders. Moment of truth time. “Mum, Dad, may I introduce Lourdes Ortega, my--” Jesus. “--fiancée. Lo, I'd like you to meet my parents, Roderick and Bettina Pippin.”
At any other time, Lo likely would have wrinkled her nose and teased the lot of them about all the formality. (“Pull the sticks out, sweeties.”) Now, however, her smile gave off waves of sweetness and light, saturating the foyer with her dewy-eyed, adorable charm. Monty had to admire the effect; she'd used a similar look on him when they first met.
“I'm so glad to meet you both. Monty's told me so many wonderful things about you.” Ah, his little actress. Maybe one day he'd figure out how she pulled off a line like that without it sounding overdone.
As Lo accepted a decorous cheek-kiss from his father, Monty's trained investigator's eye remained pinned on his mother. Dad might be the titular head of the household, but they both knew whose opinion would carry the day here.
So it happened that when Lo turned the light of her smile on Mum, he saw the transformation occur. Her features shifted subtly, from dissecting eyes over poised smile to something warmer, something almost ... smug?
“Lourdes, my very dear girl. It is such a delight to meet you, now that we've finally dragged word of your existence out of Monty.” The eyebrow she arched at him triggered the furtively guilty look it always did, but Mum seemed content with that and went on. “Now I want you to feel comfortable here, so if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask.”
“That's so kind of you, Mrs. Pippin.” Ye gods, the girl could trigger insulin shock with those eyes.
“Bettina, please dear. After all, you'll be Mrs. Pippin yourself soon enough, won't you?” Yes, there was no mistaking it, the smile she turned in his direction had a decidedly triumphant edge to it. “I was planning to show you around a bit, but perhaps you'd prefer to freshen up first? The drive up must have been tiring.”
“Oh, I'm just fine, thank you Bettina. I'd absolutely love a tour; you have such a beautiful home.”
“It's yours as well now, dear. Very well then, come with me and we'll leave the boys to whatever ...” And with that his elegant, patrician mother linked arms with his little Filipina charmer and led her into the next room, leaving Montgomery Pippin blinking like an owl in daylight.
He turned to his father, who was apparently trying not to laugh. “I expected her to be gracious ... she'd consider it beneath her to be otherwise, but that ...”
A few chuckles leaked out around Dad's restraint. “Good God, boy. Considering how long you've had the poor woman convinced that you were never settling down, I think she was thrilled to know that you were marrying someone of the correct species, let alone a lovely girl like that.” He reached over to clap a hand on his son's shoulder. “Now, you come along to my study for a drink. You look like a double scotch wouldn't come amiss.”
“Those looks are not deceiving. But you go and pour, Dad, and I'll be with you in a tick.” As his father went one way, Monty went another, dodging through a couple of doorways for one more peek at how Lo was coping with Mum, or vice versa.
He needn't have worried. When he found them in the formal receiving room, Mum had just tossed her head back, laughing delightedly at something Lo said. Lo caught sight of him hovering in the doorway and gave him a saucy wink and three clearly-mouthed words.
Told you so.
These are my words
That I’ve never said before
I think I’m doing ok
This is a piece of AU futurefic. The lovely crimsonandjesus appears with the permission, not to mention at the insistence of, her mun.
Muse: Monty Pippin
Fandom: Keen Eddie
Word count: 1154