Peppermint 20: All Things Come To This
Title: All Things Come To This
Main Story: In The Heart
Flavors, Toppings, Extras: Peppermint 20 (badge/medal), My Treat (Nathan in the Navy), fresh blueberries (He that made all things for love, by the same love keepeth them, and shall keep them without end. -Julian of Norwich), pocky chain, butterscotch (the first two pieces), rainbow sprinkles.
Word Count: 700
Rating: PG
Summary: Souvenirs of a life well loved.
1. filial
When Nathan was five years old, he made a plaster of Paris handprint for his mother, wrote "I love you" in shaky capitals above his finger outlines. All the other kids in kindergarten did it, too. Just a dumb project.
His father helped him wrap it when he brought it home, and he put it under the tree himself. His mother cried when she opened it. He thought it meant he'd done something wrong, but she hugged him, and said not.
He found it in her things after she died, a little crumbly at the edges, but still whole.
2. sexual
His first real girlfriend was named Kari. She was gorgeous; blonde hair, grey eyes, a laughing mouth and legs that didn't quit. How she got interested in him, he never knew and didn't question.
They fooled around in his car and her bedroom, after pretty much every date they had. He owed his first look at breasts to her, along with lots of other firsts and an education. Kari told him straight out what she liked, which was helpful.
Eventually they figured out they had nothing but lust, and split.
But they sure had a lot of fun first.
3. patriotic
He collected several medals by the time of his discharge. One for battle efficiency, several meritorious unit commendations, a number of others. Nothing very impressive, since he never saw combat, but a fairly respectable showing.
His favorite is an unassuming bronze medal, on a ribbon with blue, green and gold stripes. There's a star and interlaced circles on the front, the name on the back. Outstanding volunteer services.
He got it for building houses all weekend every weekend the entire year after Melanie divorced him. He hadn't planned on the medal.
He'd only wanted to build something for a change.
4. romantic
After Melanie divorced him, Nathan stopped being interested in women so much. He noticed them, but it felt like a waste of time; he'd see a woman and remember how he felt loving Melanie, then remember how he felt when she left and turn it all off again.
He kept his wedding ring. He didn't wear it-- no sense confusing Aaron-- but he did keep it. As a reminder, of why it wasn't worth it.
He came home after his third date with Gail, got out his reminder, and resolved to sell the damn thing once and for all.
5. parental
Aaron was his firstborn, his only son. He played patty-cake with him, changed his diapers, taught him how to read. They got along so well, even now, sitting side by side in companionable silence.
Ivy came pre-raised, but Nathan liked to think he raised her a little more. He taught her how to ride a bike, how to swim, how to throw a decent punch. They didn't tell Gail about the last one.
Summer, his youngest, didn't look anything like him, but she had his smile, and his warmth, and his love.
He loved them all more than life.
6. platonic
The first time he saw Danny, he thought she looked angry. Which was quite a feat, considering her expressionless face. She carried herself angrily, though: body tense, hands that curled and uncurled into fists. Her commander mentioned she liked to fight. He could believe that.
He looked at Danny now, at her loose stance, amused expression, and flat hands, and knew he'd made a difference for her. She fought for a purpose, now.
For his forty-ninth birthday, she gave him a "World's Best" mug, no noun, as a joke. A good joke, he thought, and used it every morning.
7. compassionate
That damn Discovery Channel commercial was invading his brain. Summer found it on Youtube and watched it repeatedly, Ivy whistled the song incessantly and provoked singalongs whenever Aaron overheard. He caught Gail humming it to herself while she worked. Even his coworkers seemed to be obsessed with it. The xkcd comic showed up everywhere.
Still, Nathan couldn't be all that angry. He wasn't a huge fan of the Discovery Channel, but their hearts were in the right place.
And it was a fun song.
"I love the whole world," he sang, off-key. "It's such a brilliant place. Boom-de-yada, boom-de-yada..."
Main Story: In The Heart
Flavors, Toppings, Extras: Peppermint 20 (badge/medal), My Treat (Nathan in the Navy), fresh blueberries (He that made all things for love, by the same love keepeth them, and shall keep them without end. -Julian of Norwich), pocky chain, butterscotch (the first two pieces), rainbow sprinkles.
Word Count: 700
Rating: PG
Summary: Souvenirs of a life well loved.
1. filial
When Nathan was five years old, he made a plaster of Paris handprint for his mother, wrote "I love you" in shaky capitals above his finger outlines. All the other kids in kindergarten did it, too. Just a dumb project.
His father helped him wrap it when he brought it home, and he put it under the tree himself. His mother cried when she opened it. He thought it meant he'd done something wrong, but she hugged him, and said not.
He found it in her things after she died, a little crumbly at the edges, but still whole.
2. sexual
His first real girlfriend was named Kari. She was gorgeous; blonde hair, grey eyes, a laughing mouth and legs that didn't quit. How she got interested in him, he never knew and didn't question.
They fooled around in his car and her bedroom, after pretty much every date they had. He owed his first look at breasts to her, along with lots of other firsts and an education. Kari told him straight out what she liked, which was helpful.
Eventually they figured out they had nothing but lust, and split.
But they sure had a lot of fun first.
3. patriotic
He collected several medals by the time of his discharge. One for battle efficiency, several meritorious unit commendations, a number of others. Nothing very impressive, since he never saw combat, but a fairly respectable showing.
His favorite is an unassuming bronze medal, on a ribbon with blue, green and gold stripes. There's a star and interlaced circles on the front, the name on the back. Outstanding volunteer services.
He got it for building houses all weekend every weekend the entire year after Melanie divorced him. He hadn't planned on the medal.
He'd only wanted to build something for a change.
4. romantic
After Melanie divorced him, Nathan stopped being interested in women so much. He noticed them, but it felt like a waste of time; he'd see a woman and remember how he felt loving Melanie, then remember how he felt when she left and turn it all off again.
He kept his wedding ring. He didn't wear it-- no sense confusing Aaron-- but he did keep it. As a reminder, of why it wasn't worth it.
He came home after his third date with Gail, got out his reminder, and resolved to sell the damn thing once and for all.
5. parental
Aaron was his firstborn, his only son. He played patty-cake with him, changed his diapers, taught him how to read. They got along so well, even now, sitting side by side in companionable silence.
Ivy came pre-raised, but Nathan liked to think he raised her a little more. He taught her how to ride a bike, how to swim, how to throw a decent punch. They didn't tell Gail about the last one.
Summer, his youngest, didn't look anything like him, but she had his smile, and his warmth, and his love.
He loved them all more than life.
6. platonic
The first time he saw Danny, he thought she looked angry. Which was quite a feat, considering her expressionless face. She carried herself angrily, though: body tense, hands that curled and uncurled into fists. Her commander mentioned she liked to fight. He could believe that.
He looked at Danny now, at her loose stance, amused expression, and flat hands, and knew he'd made a difference for her. She fought for a purpose, now.
For his forty-ninth birthday, she gave him a "World's Best" mug, no noun, as a joke. A good joke, he thought, and used it every morning.
7. compassionate
That damn Discovery Channel commercial was invading his brain. Summer found it on Youtube and watched it repeatedly, Ivy whistled the song incessantly and provoked singalongs whenever Aaron overheard. He caught Gail humming it to herself while she worked. Even his coworkers seemed to be obsessed with it. The xkcd comic showed up everywhere.
Still, Nathan couldn't be all that angry. He wasn't a huge fan of the Discovery Channel, but their hearts were in the right place.
And it was a fun song.
"I love the whole world," he sang, off-key. "It's such a brilliant place. Boom-de-yada, boom-de-yada..."