Room 215, Saturday Morning

[gavegoodface]

Face was in a great mood this morning (inasmuch as one could be in any kind of mood when still half asleep). The dance had been fun, he and Cass had both won prom crowns, and she'd stayed over after.

Sighing happily, he snuggled in closer to her.

[For one...then some more.]

Comments

[seeks_truth]

"I really do not know what--"

...

...

Except she did.

"Maker. You're a mage."

[gavegoodface]

"That was my guess too," Face said, not adding that it had as much to with talking about Cass always watching as the mobs. That wouldn't help matters.

[wraithlets.livejournal.com]

Antonia fidgeted. She'd left her staff outside the room just in case this would go poorly. "Yes," she said, settling on the direct answer. "Don't look at me like that."

[seeks_truth]

"Maker," Cassandra said again, shutting her eyes. "I need a moment."

To punch something.

[gavegoodface]

"Can you do anything cool?" asked Mr I'd-use-the-Force-to-scratch-my-back.

[wraithlets.livejournal.com]

"I'm really good at setting things on fire," Antonia said, brightening some. "Better'n most. Mom's friends say so."

Dorian had not quite phrased it that way.

[seeks_truth]

"I..."

She would not be a part of setting things on fire with magic.

"It is time for my training," Cassandra said abruptly.

[gavegoodface]

Awkward.

"That's all right," Face said quickly. "I can look after her."

He appreciated things being set on fire.

[seeks_truth]

"I'll be back," Cassandra said, flashing him the briefest hint of Big Panic Eyes before she bravely fled right out the door.

[wraithlets.livejournal.com]

Antonia watched her go, her mouth set in a frown. "That," she said, "Was awkward."

And discomfiting. And a range of things she had not expected to feel about her mother.

[gavegoodface]

"You know she's just in shock, right," Face said quietly. "Doesn't excuse it, but I don't think she's even considered having kids before."

[wraithlets.livejournal.com]

"You're not being weird," Antonia said, walking up to the bed. "You're normal, but tinier."

[gavegoodface]

Face did not react to things like normal people did.

"Yeah, but I don't have Cass's...issues," he said. "Which she didn't handle well, but right now, she's not that much older than you, and it may shock you to find out your parents aren't perfect. Well, I am, but I'm a rarity."

[wraithlets.livejournal.com]

"I even left my staff right outside the door, just in case," Antonia complained. She slid onto the bed without asking if she could - she never did - so she could sidle up to her dad. "I don't like it."

[gavegoodface]

"It's not fair," Face agreed, holding up his arm in case she wanted a hug. "But it's not you that's the problem. It's something she needs to work through."

[wraithlets.livejournal.com]

Antonia did want a hug, and she dashed in to take it immediately, cuddling up close against him. "She better be fast," she muttered. "I'm going to leave in a couple of days."

[gavegoodface]

Face rubbed his hand over her back. "I'll have words with her if she doesn't realise how she's acting on her own."

Just cause he didn't like the idea of fighting with Cassandra didn't mean he wouldn't if he thought she was wrong.

[wraithlets.livejournal.com]

"Okay," Antonia mumbled, tucking her head under Face's chin. "I love you, Dad."

For being normalish, especially.

... for some Face-esque value of normal.

[gavegoodface]

"Right back at you, kiddo," he told her.

She needed to hear it, and how could any version of him not love a kid who could set fire to things with her brain?