Not the Bunny! [Lost fic w/ Richard and Kid!Ben gen]
Title: Not the Bunny!
Character(s): Richard and young Ben
Summary: Richard catches a rabbit and gets ready for dinner--but a young Ben trying to run away again protests, and offers Richard a sweeter snack.
Rating: G
Notes:
For lostfichallenge, #102: compassion. Actual fic research for historical details from http://www.fieldmuseum.org/chocolate/history.html .
Spoilers: Up to 6x09 "Ab Aeterno"
Crossposted: ra_immortaleyes, ficinabottle, lost_fanfic
Disclaimer: I don't own LOST. Obviously.
Richard rested against the tree, watching the rabbit inch closer to his bait.
It fell into the trap, the catch releasing and the rope snapping close around its feet and hauling it up quickly. It eased back, letting the creature dangle and struggle and watch him with wide eyes as he walked closer.
Richard slipped out his knife, his stomach already anticipating the meal. The latest encounter with Dharma had gone even worse than usual, with a few of his own people dead, some of Dharma's, and he had been captured again. At least he'd managed to escape more quickly, their scientists didn't get to examine his 'condition' long, trying to figure out why he wouldn't die despite every conceivable method....
But they hadn't wasted their food on him (part of him wondered if they had wanted to try starvation this time) and now that he was out, he had found fruit and nuts, but he wanted meat.
Richard gripped the rope and easily brought the knife up toward its neck--
"Wait!"
The man turned to find a boy blinking owlishly behind glasses that had been damaged in the middle.
"Ben, you ran away again?"
The child ran forward, pleading, "Don't kill the bunny, it hasn't done anything to you!"
Richard blinked. This was completely new to him. "I'm hungry," was his only response, matter-of-fact.
Ben immediately scrambled in his backpack, and pulled out a small rectangular package with 'Apollo' emblazoned on them.
"Try these, they're really good. Just please let the bunny go."
Richard ran one more look over the boy's serious eyes and the offered snack, then rolled his eyes and cut the rabbit loose.
It hopped away, and Richard hoped some other predator wouldn't choose right then to snuff out its life in front of the boy.
The man took the bar, busying himself with ripping it open and trying to ignore the incredibly foolish thing he had done. Some meager shield for Ben--didn't he want the child to grow? Shouldn't he learn sooner rather than later? Richard was just holding off the inevitable.
The smell and color of chocolate assaulted Richard's senses. Even after all these years, he was still sensitive to that sweet delight, the wealthy and the priest's sustenance--but no, not anymore, today it was more common. Mass produced and in humble packages like these now.
Richard rested against the tree, biting down hard. Mouth chewing, he nodded to Ben, smiling, then took another bite.
He tried not to think about how as children, Isabella had dreamed about trying a visiting nobleman's chocolate, shared her exaggerated fantasies with him about stealing a taste. How they had looked forward to their first fast, where the clergy would allow them to drink it....
Richard quickly snapped off a piece, offering it to Ben.
The boy blinked, then shook his head, "Oh no, go ahead, it's all yours...."
When Ben continued to refuse, Richard shrugged and continued eating alone. Ben offered him another bar, and Richard wasn't about to turn it down. Even if it was more common, chocolate still felt rare. (And apparently it should be, according to Stacy back at camp who liked to pour over any scientific texts she could get her hands on, with one magazine reporting how too much of chocolate's sugar was bad for one's teeth.)
"You know you'll have to go back."
Ben sat down, hugging his knees and burying his face in them.
"I can't take you with us, Ben. I just can't." Richard looked at him a moment longer, then sat down next to him.
"I can walk you home though."
"I used my pet bunny to test the sonar fence," said Ben suddenly, though he still hid his face, so that it came out muffled against the fabric of his pants. "To make sure it was off. He was ok."
Richard nodded. "That was very resourceful of you."
Maybe Richard didn't have to worry about Ben not knowing how life tends to use other life ruthlessly. How it becomes unavoidable.
The man stood up, wiping his hands off his ragged vest.
"C'mon Ben, let me take you home."
As he walked the boy back to the small yellow houses and kept alert for any dangerous presence, Richard silently promised, I will do it for real someday, Ben.
The child yawned, and Richard instinctively patted his small shoulder.
Just be patient.
Character(s): Richard and young Ben
Summary: Richard catches a rabbit and gets ready for dinner--but a young Ben trying to run away again protests, and offers Richard a sweeter snack.
Rating: G
Notes:
For lostfichallenge, #102: compassion. Actual fic research for historical details from http://www.fieldmuseum.org/chocolate/history.html .
Spoilers: Up to 6x09 "Ab Aeterno"
Crossposted: ra_immortaleyes, ficinabottle, lost_fanfic
Disclaimer: I don't own LOST. Obviously.
Richard rested against the tree, watching the rabbit inch closer to his bait.
It fell into the trap, the catch releasing and the rope snapping close around its feet and hauling it up quickly. It eased back, letting the creature dangle and struggle and watch him with wide eyes as he walked closer.
Richard slipped out his knife, his stomach already anticipating the meal. The latest encounter with Dharma had gone even worse than usual, with a few of his own people dead, some of Dharma's, and he had been captured again. At least he'd managed to escape more quickly, their scientists didn't get to examine his 'condition' long, trying to figure out why he wouldn't die despite every conceivable method....
But they hadn't wasted their food on him (part of him wondered if they had wanted to try starvation this time) and now that he was out, he had found fruit and nuts, but he wanted meat.
Richard gripped the rope and easily brought the knife up toward its neck--
"Wait!"
The man turned to find a boy blinking owlishly behind glasses that had been damaged in the middle.
"Ben, you ran away again?"
The child ran forward, pleading, "Don't kill the bunny, it hasn't done anything to you!"
Richard blinked. This was completely new to him. "I'm hungry," was his only response, matter-of-fact.
Ben immediately scrambled in his backpack, and pulled out a small rectangular package with 'Apollo' emblazoned on them.
"Try these, they're really good. Just please let the bunny go."
Richard ran one more look over the boy's serious eyes and the offered snack, then rolled his eyes and cut the rabbit loose.
It hopped away, and Richard hoped some other predator wouldn't choose right then to snuff out its life in front of the boy.
The man took the bar, busying himself with ripping it open and trying to ignore the incredibly foolish thing he had done. Some meager shield for Ben--didn't he want the child to grow? Shouldn't he learn sooner rather than later? Richard was just holding off the inevitable.
The smell and color of chocolate assaulted Richard's senses. Even after all these years, he was still sensitive to that sweet delight, the wealthy and the priest's sustenance--but no, not anymore, today it was more common. Mass produced and in humble packages like these now.
Richard rested against the tree, biting down hard. Mouth chewing, he nodded to Ben, smiling, then took another bite.
He tried not to think about how as children, Isabella had dreamed about trying a visiting nobleman's chocolate, shared her exaggerated fantasies with him about stealing a taste. How they had looked forward to their first fast, where the clergy would allow them to drink it....
Richard quickly snapped off a piece, offering it to Ben.
The boy blinked, then shook his head, "Oh no, go ahead, it's all yours...."
When Ben continued to refuse, Richard shrugged and continued eating alone. Ben offered him another bar, and Richard wasn't about to turn it down. Even if it was more common, chocolate still felt rare. (And apparently it should be, according to Stacy back at camp who liked to pour over any scientific texts she could get her hands on, with one magazine reporting how too much of chocolate's sugar was bad for one's teeth.)
"You know you'll have to go back."
Ben sat down, hugging his knees and burying his face in them.
"I can't take you with us, Ben. I just can't." Richard looked at him a moment longer, then sat down next to him.
"I can walk you home though."
"I used my pet bunny to test the sonar fence," said Ben suddenly, though he still hid his face, so that it came out muffled against the fabric of his pants. "To make sure it was off. He was ok."
Richard nodded. "That was very resourceful of you."
Maybe Richard didn't have to worry about Ben not knowing how life tends to use other life ruthlessly. How it becomes unavoidable.
The man stood up, wiping his hands off his ragged vest.
"C'mon Ben, let me take you home."
As he walked the boy back to the small yellow houses and kept alert for any dangerous presence, Richard silently promised, I will do it for real someday, Ben.
The child yawned, and Richard instinctively patted his small shoulder.
Just be patient.