Heroes Fic: The Important One
Written for heroes_las Round 1 Challenge: Lyle Bennet
Posted to heroes_fic
Title: The Important One
Pairing/Characters: Lyle
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Season 1, Four Months Later
Summary: Lyle knows his place in the family but he doesn't have to like it
Notes/Warnings: Read the disclaimer on my LJ
"Claire's special, honey. You understand, don't you?"
Lyle never asked for a sister. Not that he had any chance - Claire was already a part of the family before he was born, but somehow knowing she's adopted makes him resent her even more.
"Yes, it was bad that your father had your memory erased, but he did it to protect you."
He should have just grown up Lyle Bennet - good athlete, passable student and hopefully in a year or two quite the ladies' man. Now he's not even Lyle Bennet anymore. His father sat him down and had him say Lyle Butler over and over until he was satisfied there'd be no slip-ups. Then he made him do it again the next day. For a week he had to say his new name every day for an hour.
At first he thought Butler wasn't that bad a last name.
Now he hates it.
And sometimes he kind of hates Claire too.
If it wasn't for her he'd have a totally normal life: his father would go to his games and cheer him on and his mother might put aside Mr. Muggles long enough to crow about him scoring the winning touchdown.
Instead they sit at their new dining room table in their new house with their new lives and pretend like they're a normal family.
Lyle isn't sure who his parents are trying to fool. He thinks maybe it's themselves.
"We have to hide Claire to keep her safe."
Lyle bites back a snarky retort about how hard it must be to protect someone who can't be hurt. He bites back a lot of comments these days - at home and at school. Standing out won't get him anywhere in either place.
"I know you miss your friends, but family is what's important. You understand, right?"
What Lyle understands is that in this family he's not the important one.
-O-
Posted to heroes_fic
Title: The Important One
Pairing/Characters: Lyle
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Season 1, Four Months Later
Summary: Lyle knows his place in the family but he doesn't have to like it
Notes/Warnings: Read the disclaimer on my LJ
"Claire's special, honey. You understand, don't you?"
Lyle never asked for a sister. Not that he had any chance - Claire was already a part of the family before he was born, but somehow knowing she's adopted makes him resent her even more.
"Yes, it was bad that your father had your memory erased, but he did it to protect you."
He should have just grown up Lyle Bennet - good athlete, passable student and hopefully in a year or two quite the ladies' man. Now he's not even Lyle Bennet anymore. His father sat him down and had him say Lyle Butler over and over until he was satisfied there'd be no slip-ups. Then he made him do it again the next day. For a week he had to say his new name every day for an hour.
At first he thought Butler wasn't that bad a last name.
Now he hates it.
And sometimes he kind of hates Claire too.
If it wasn't for her he'd have a totally normal life: his father would go to his games and cheer him on and his mother might put aside Mr. Muggles long enough to crow about him scoring the winning touchdown.
Instead they sit at their new dining room table in their new house with their new lives and pretend like they're a normal family.
Lyle isn't sure who his parents are trying to fool. He thinks maybe it's themselves.
"We have to hide Claire to keep her safe."
Lyle bites back a snarky retort about how hard it must be to protect someone who can't be hurt. He bites back a lot of comments these days - at home and at school. Standing out won't get him anywhere in either place.
"I know you miss your friends, but family is what's important. You understand, right?"
What Lyle understands is that in this family he's not the important one.
-O-