Fic: 330 m/s
Title: 330 m/s
Characters: Edgar, Claude
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 508
Prompt: Edgar runs into Claude (Edgar can be a young kid or fully grown---it's your choice). (for hermione_vader)
“Your da’s lookin’ for you, you know.”
The boy somehow manages to frown further, and continues to shred blades of grass into impossibly smaller bits before throwing them into the canal.
“’s got the whole estate out for it, I think.”
He still doesn’t look at him and Claude sighs.
“Just sayin’.”
“Well, don’t.”
“Oh, he speaks!”
A look of total derision, like only ten-going-on-eleven year olds could manage, and it’s impossible that this kid is only ten years younger than him. He was never this stubborn.
“He’s worried about you, lad,” he tries a gentleness he’s not really feeling, and it’s met with a snort of slightly sniffly laughter.
“’s glad I’m gone. He hates me.”
“He’s your da-“
“Bloody well shut up, you don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”
“Tell me, then.”
Baleful dark eyes glare at him, but he thinks he might be getting somewhere, and he ventures a guess.
“This about your mum?”
The boy shrugs. Bites at his lower lip.
“Right. ‘s none o’ my business, of course. But fact is, she coulda done a whole lot worse than swanning off’n leaving you with your da. Because the fact is, he’s the one out looking for you right now.”
The kid sighs. Glances at him again.
“You think he’ll be…”
“What, angry at you?”
A shrugging nod.
“Oh, too right he will, mate. You’re the only one he’s got left, an’ there you are, runnin’ off on him, too. But-“ he waves him down before he looks ready to jump up and away. “But he’s family, right? They’ll always take care of ya. Always welcome you back, don’t they?”
Another shrug. He’s thinking it might be all the lad knows how to do.
“How’d you find me, anyway?”
“Was takin’ a walk,” which isn’t a lie, not entirely; it just so happens that his walks these days involve tailing ten year olds like some sort of sodding pervert, but a job is a job and this has been about the most successful day of it. “Spotted your coat from up the street, and I figured…” he trails off, as the kid’s obviously not listening anymore. “Right. So let’s get you back, yeah?” he knows he sounds unsure, probably because he is unsure. “It’s gettin’ a bit late.”
A nod, which is at least a departure from shrugging, and Claude scrambles to his feet before the boy does, in case he decides to run off again.
He doesn’t, though. Just looks up at him suspiciously, and then shakes his head.
“Weren’t followin’ me, were you?”
“Oh, o’ course, mate, you’re just that bloody interesting to me. ‘s what I spend all my days on, what’s little Eddy from next door’s doin’ with his time. Completely riveted, me.”
“Yeah, yeah, all right,” the kid ducks his head out of the way when Claude goes to ruffle his hair, but he’s smiling a bit as he does it, and Claude breathes a sigh of relief to see him go.
*
Characters: Edgar, Claude
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 508
Prompt: Edgar runs into Claude (Edgar can be a young kid or fully grown---it's your choice). (for hermione_vader)
“Your da’s lookin’ for you, you know.”
The boy somehow manages to frown further, and continues to shred blades of grass into impossibly smaller bits before throwing them into the canal.
“’s got the whole estate out for it, I think.”
He still doesn’t look at him and Claude sighs.
“Just sayin’.”
“Well, don’t.”
“Oh, he speaks!”
A look of total derision, like only ten-going-on-eleven year olds could manage, and it’s impossible that this kid is only ten years younger than him. He was never this stubborn.
“He’s worried about you, lad,” he tries a gentleness he’s not really feeling, and it’s met with a snort of slightly sniffly laughter.
“’s glad I’m gone. He hates me.”
“He’s your da-“
“Bloody well shut up, you don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”
“Tell me, then.”
Baleful dark eyes glare at him, but he thinks he might be getting somewhere, and he ventures a guess.
“This about your mum?”
The boy shrugs. Bites at his lower lip.
“Right. ‘s none o’ my business, of course. But fact is, she coulda done a whole lot worse than swanning off’n leaving you with your da. Because the fact is, he’s the one out looking for you right now.”
The kid sighs. Glances at him again.
“You think he’ll be…”
“What, angry at you?”
A shrugging nod.
“Oh, too right he will, mate. You’re the only one he’s got left, an’ there you are, runnin’ off on him, too. But-“ he waves him down before he looks ready to jump up and away. “But he’s family, right? They’ll always take care of ya. Always welcome you back, don’t they?”
Another shrug. He’s thinking it might be all the lad knows how to do.
“How’d you find me, anyway?”
“Was takin’ a walk,” which isn’t a lie, not entirely; it just so happens that his walks these days involve tailing ten year olds like some sort of sodding pervert, but a job is a job and this has been about the most successful day of it. “Spotted your coat from up the street, and I figured…” he trails off, as the kid’s obviously not listening anymore. “Right. So let’s get you back, yeah?” he knows he sounds unsure, probably because he is unsure. “It’s gettin’ a bit late.”
A nod, which is at least a departure from shrugging, and Claude scrambles to his feet before the boy does, in case he decides to run off again.
He doesn’t, though. Just looks up at him suspiciously, and then shakes his head.
“Weren’t followin’ me, were you?”
“Oh, o’ course, mate, you’re just that bloody interesting to me. ‘s what I spend all my days on, what’s little Eddy from next door’s doin’ with his time. Completely riveted, me.”
“Yeah, yeah, all right,” the kid ducks his head out of the way when Claude goes to ruffle his hair, but he’s smiling a bit as he does it, and Claude breathes a sigh of relief to see him go.
*