Lunch Fic - Wednesday & Thursday
Wednesday
Title: Make a Run For It
Characters: Svea, Aunt Becca
Word Count: 422
It had been a trying day. Svea had succeeded in not crying up until the point when Aunt Becca had tilted her head to the side in that way she had, as if she could see right through to everything that the little girl was thinking but couldn't say out loud, and held out her arms for a hug. Every tear she'd been keeping inside came pouring out so that, when she was done, her aunt's shirt looked as if it had been run under the faucet. Even after she was done crying, it had taken the promise of Toad-in-a-Hole for dinner (her favourite meal any time of day) and hot apple crisp for dessert that had enticed her to let go.
There were quite a few similarities between Papa and her Uncle Cam (their size, the way their face was always very neutral until something came along that made them smile or frown, the way that everyone stopped talking when they came into a room) but there were not many between Mumma and Aunt Becca. Svea puzzled over this as the seven of them ate dinner. The Littles were quite subdued, only breaking one cup the entire meal. All the wallpaper and carpets in the house was spelled to repel liquids, food and ink so the plateful of food that Cahya threw at Charis was hardly worth the effort. Aunt Becca ignored them until they were ready to be good but Svea had a strong suspicion that her mother would have gotten right in the midst of the fight and thrown a plate of food herself.
They were both good mothers but the differences had Svea's chest aching again almost as soon as the meal was over. She wanted her Mumma now more than everything. In that moment, she was certain of what she needed to do. While she'd only been to Uncle Loah and Aunt Adi's house once, she was fairly certain she could find it again. It wasn't far. She remember Uncle Cam once joking that it was almost being a kid again, having his brother so close. Maybe she could ask questions and discover where exactly she needed to go to find the Healer. With any luck, she could sneak out after everyone was asleep and be there before morning. That way, when her disappearance was discovered, she might have already had a chance to explain her concerns with Uncle Loah and get him on her side in this argument.
Because her Mumma needed her. Of that she knew for certain.
Thursday
Title: After a Rough Day, I Just Need You
Characters: Cam/Becca
Word Count: 357
Cam had been ready to disregard Cara's warnings as he watched Svea sob against Becca's shoulder. He watched his wife struggle to comfort the little girl and couldn't imagine that such a helpless, little thing could be capable of escape. She was five years old, after all. Only two years older than the Littles and those three girls were only just learning how to dress themselves properly.
But then the questions started. Years of training kicked in as Cam listened to Svea trying to gain information. It would have been laughable if it hadn't been scary.
"I thought Cara was having me on. She's five and already smarter than most of the operatives that Gideon hired that first year I went to work with him." He sank down beside Becca on the couch in the front room, exhausted from putting the Littles to bed. As much as he loved those little girls, they were a lot to handle when they were tired and wanted extra attention. The arrival of their cousin had cast a spell over them at first but was starting to wear off and they were back to their usual antics. There hadn't been time to think about his niece until this very minute.
She let the momentum of the couch sinking under his weight carry her against his body. "I don't think we need to be worried. What can she do? This house is more secure than anything she's ever known."
"But she can't think she's in a prison. A girl that bright will chafe at the bounds until she discovers a flaw. I don't want her to be the one to outwit Donovan and his team." Cam ran his hands through her long, dark hair, marveling all over again at how soft it was. Every moment he got to spend with his wife like this was a gift that he coveted. There were just not enough hours in the day. He had more to say but Becca began tugging at his earlobe with her teeth, distracting his tired mind and body from anything and everything that wasn't centered on the beautiful woman in his arms.
Title: Make a Run For It
Characters: Svea, Aunt Becca
Word Count: 422
It had been a trying day. Svea had succeeded in not crying up until the point when Aunt Becca had tilted her head to the side in that way she had, as if she could see right through to everything that the little girl was thinking but couldn't say out loud, and held out her arms for a hug. Every tear she'd been keeping inside came pouring out so that, when she was done, her aunt's shirt looked as if it had been run under the faucet. Even after she was done crying, it had taken the promise of Toad-in-a-Hole for dinner (her favourite meal any time of day) and hot apple crisp for dessert that had enticed her to let go.
There were quite a few similarities between Papa and her Uncle Cam (their size, the way their face was always very neutral until something came along that made them smile or frown, the way that everyone stopped talking when they came into a room) but there were not many between Mumma and Aunt Becca. Svea puzzled over this as the seven of them ate dinner. The Littles were quite subdued, only breaking one cup the entire meal. All the wallpaper and carpets in the house was spelled to repel liquids, food and ink so the plateful of food that Cahya threw at Charis was hardly worth the effort. Aunt Becca ignored them until they were ready to be good but Svea had a strong suspicion that her mother would have gotten right in the midst of the fight and thrown a plate of food herself.
They were both good mothers but the differences had Svea's chest aching again almost as soon as the meal was over. She wanted her Mumma now more than everything. In that moment, she was certain of what she needed to do. While she'd only been to Uncle Loah and Aunt Adi's house once, she was fairly certain she could find it again. It wasn't far. She remember Uncle Cam once joking that it was almost being a kid again, having his brother so close. Maybe she could ask questions and discover where exactly she needed to go to find the Healer. With any luck, she could sneak out after everyone was asleep and be there before morning. That way, when her disappearance was discovered, she might have already had a chance to explain her concerns with Uncle Loah and get him on her side in this argument.
Because her Mumma needed her. Of that she knew for certain.
Thursday
Title: After a Rough Day, I Just Need You
Characters: Cam/Becca
Word Count: 357
Cam had been ready to disregard Cara's warnings as he watched Svea sob against Becca's shoulder. He watched his wife struggle to comfort the little girl and couldn't imagine that such a helpless, little thing could be capable of escape. She was five years old, after all. Only two years older than the Littles and those three girls were only just learning how to dress themselves properly.
But then the questions started. Years of training kicked in as Cam listened to Svea trying to gain information. It would have been laughable if it hadn't been scary.
"I thought Cara was having me on. She's five and already smarter than most of the operatives that Gideon hired that first year I went to work with him." He sank down beside Becca on the couch in the front room, exhausted from putting the Littles to bed. As much as he loved those little girls, they were a lot to handle when they were tired and wanted extra attention. The arrival of their cousin had cast a spell over them at first but was starting to wear off and they were back to their usual antics. There hadn't been time to think about his niece until this very minute.
She let the momentum of the couch sinking under his weight carry her against his body. "I don't think we need to be worried. What can she do? This house is more secure than anything she's ever known."
"But she can't think she's in a prison. A girl that bright will chafe at the bounds until she discovers a flaw. I don't want her to be the one to outwit Donovan and his team." Cam ran his hands through her long, dark hair, marveling all over again at how soft it was. Every moment he got to spend with his wife like this was a gift that he coveted. There were just not enough hours in the day. He had more to say but Becca began tugging at his earlobe with her teeth, distracting his tired mind and body from anything and everything that wasn't centered on the beautiful woman in his arms.