Fic: Proud
Title: ProudPairing: MPhelps/RLochte;
Rating: PG
Warnings: Like clearly this isn't real.
Summary: Harvard is 2,155 miles away
Notes: 243 words,
“What’s wrong Ry?”
It’s 4 am and Ryan is sitting at the kitchen table alone.
“I dunno.” Ryan thumbs the thick stack of acceptance letters and brochures still on the table, “I was just like… None of these are in state.”
“I know.” Michael sits down beside him, “Penn State’s the closest.”
“So, like… he has to move. He wants to move.”
“Yeah.” Michael looks at the stack, the brochure from Harvard is on top.
“Sucks.”
“We raised a kid who got into Harvard.” Michael says. A part of him still can’t believe it.
“Yeah, we should have raised a kid who wanted to stay home.” Ryan mumbles.
“He’ll still come home Ry, like we’re not losing him. We should be super proud.”
“I am, I’ll get a bumper sticker tomorrow and buy him a car… Just like, what do we do without him?”
“I don’t know Ry… Wait, you’re buying him another car?”
“Gator got into Harvard Mike, we’re getting him a car.”
“Do you think he’ll go?”
“To Harvard? Yeah.” Ryan nods, “It’s all he’s been talking about.”
“We’ll fly him home all the time Ry, We’ll go to all his swim meets still.”
“He’s going to be too cool to fly home all the time.” Ryan says and his voice is sad, “He’ll make Harvard friends and he’ll be busy…” Ryan looks up, suddenly fascinated by the light fixture on the ceiling. “I’ll miss him. Fuck.”
“I’ll miss him too.”