i know that the sun is here with me | december catch-all

[terriblepurpose]

Who: Paul Atreides, Ortus Nigenad, and you
What: December catch-all, open and closed prompts
When: December
Where: Various
Content warnings: Grief over loss of a parent, eugenics, psychological horror, child abuse, child death

Comments

[justoscar]

It was hard not to, not when he had observed the powers of Paul's social grace firsthand over the past winter. Especially not when Chara, the extraordinary kid that carried both immense power and pain in turn, seemed to have faith in no one but also seemed to want to have faith in Paul.

He held a hand up against his chest, not wanting to get stabbed through again, and took a deep breath to steady himself.

"Right. No forks."

He exhaled. The last time he had met a man of political importance, that man carried himself as if he carried the entirety of the world on his shoulders. Fitting, from the little he knew of Earthly folklore and the giant Atlas that was told in the most ancient of their stories. Sometimes he wondered if there was a connection-- but, for now.

"I trust you, Paul. If you say that it's fine... then it's fine."

[terriblepurpose]

Whatever answer Paul might have to that is lost in the crack of a branch nearby. Paul stills with his hands on his knees, and his father steps into view.

Paul has done this a few times by now. He doesn't expect it to get any easier with familiarity. All he can hope for is to catch new details in new lights, and this time, it's the wear mark on the strap of the satchel where his father thumbs it, a gesture that Paul wants to imprint on his heart like it's imprinted on the strap.

"Hello," the Duke Leto Atreides says, curiously, "I didn't know we were expecting a guest."

[justoscar]

It wasn't often Oscar met someone experienced enough to have gone a little gray on Remnant. It happened, but in the countryside and in certain careers it was uncommon to get old enough to feel the effects of time without having faced crippling trials to get there. He had jumped at the sound of a branch cracking underfoot, and had busied himself with smoothing out his jacket when the Duke made his appearance.

Oscar cast him a bright, awkward little grin and waved.

"Um, hi." He said. "I, uh, kinda dropped in."

[terriblepurpose]

"I'd have to assume that," Leto says, with a tinge of dryness that isn't unfriendly, "There's not much in the way of habitation out this way."

"This is Oscar Pine, sir." Paul slips into the conversation with the smoothness of rehearsal. "He's a friend of mine. I thought we might be able to invite him to eat with us."

"A friend of yours." Still without ire, but not without raised eyebrows, Leto takes a seat on the log perpendicular to the one Paul is sitting on. "I suppose you'll have an explanation for that. Well - do you eat fish, Oscar Pine?"

[justoscar]

[Yes, Paul. What was the explanation? Oscar chuckled, feeling sheepish, and replied quickly. ]

Sure! Fish is always great!