Havemercy Drabble
Characters: Royston, Hal
Disclaimer: All the characters belong to the marvelous Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett
Rating: PG
Word Count: 207
Summary: Royston watches Hal whilst he's reading...
Originally inspired by the line:
I don’t think you’re ever 100% in the room- Neopolitan Dreams, by Lisa Mitchell, but then I kind of went off track...
I watch Hal as he’s reading, face illuminated by the lamp, concentrating and frowning when he stumbles over the occasional word. He gets a look in his eye, similar to when we have our walks in the country and he looks out at the ever-present trees and sheep, daydreaming as we walk side by side. He becomes transported by the words, the faraway gleam in his eye returning as he pictures battles and royalty and the Ramanthe. I brush his hair away from his eyes from time to time, as captured by his imagination as he is, taking joy in his absorption of the text.
Then, when he’s finished a particularly hard text or passage, he’ll look at me, joy in his eyes and gratitude writ upon his face, as though I were the one to teach him the wonders of reading. It is these times, when I have his full attention, that I have to remind myself of the situation I’m in, the rules I’ve set down for myself, and tell myself that it’s nothing more than thanks and satisfaction that makes his eyes shine like that, and that I am not the cause for his elation.
But one day, I hope selfishly, I will be.