Snow (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
icywhatudidthere) wrote2017-07-04 06:24 pm
icywhatudidthere) wrote2017-07-04 06:24 pm
At the Beginning
"Mum...?"
The voice was soft as it called into the room, but instantly, Stephanie knew which of her twins children was at the door. She could tell by the gentle undertone and the uncertain nature of the way he spoke. The young woman, quickly wiped the tears from her eyes as she turned towards him. "You're up late tonight."
"I couldn't sleep and your light was on." He took that as an invitation to venture further into the room. It wasn't often that he came into this study. It was his mother's sanctuary. A place for her to retire to every evening after dinner and he wasn't sure why. Even their father rarely stepped foot in here but when he did, Snow could hear quiet but harsh words being spoken. They were always cheerful and happy the next morning, however, so it never caused the young boy much concern. Until now.
She was being careful but he could tell she was crying. Especially as he could feel the drops on the page before her. It was a part of the abilities he had. The ability to create ice and with that the latent ability to know where the liquid around him was to create the ice particles from. Without saying anything further for now, he slipped his arms around her neck, offering what little comfort he could.
"Why are you sad?"
There was a directness to his voice that very rarely showed itself and it hits her with a sharp pang. He wanted to know and there was no side stepping the issue this time. She raises her hand over the thin arms around her neck and leans into the child like perhaps she was almost confident in his ability to take the weight off her shoulders. Even though he was the child in the room. It takes her quite a few moments to speak but for a child not even in his teens, he waits patiently.
"I'm sorry, Snow. Everything you're going through right now is my fault. The drug wasn't ready and I used you and your brother as the trial."
Was she saying that she was sorry they were alive? He knew that wasn't the case. Both parents told them as often as they could how much they were wanted around. Even despite...
"I love you and Nic. You know that. But sometimes, I just wonder if you would be much happier if you were both..."
She couldn't finish the sentence. He knew what she wanted to say. Normal. Everybody would be much happier if they were like all the other children. Slowly, Snow unwrapped his arms from around his mother's neck and stared down at his own hands. His cold hands. What kind of comfort could he offer when his hug just gave her the chills? He took a deep breath and then looked over towards the papers.
"That's what you're doing, right? You're looking for a way for us to be normal."
Stephanie searched his eyes for a moment before answering. She wanted to see his acceptance of her decision. The reason for her to spend so many hours locked in this room by herself and then she answered with just a slight nod.
"I'll help you. You can teach me. I'm good at maths and I can think like you."
He was eager. He wanted to one day also offer comfort to the ones he loved with his own touch.
In the next few moments, she hesitated. He was young, he barely knew what future he wanted. This kind of research was fraught criticism - you can't play God. It wasn't the life he wanted for her children. But she also knew that she couldn't do this on her own and her husband didn't want any part of it.
The children are fine as they are.
"But you..." She started.
And he finished the sentence for her. "...can't tell Nic. He wouldn't understand." He offers his mum a small smile in that moment and then crawls into her lap. When he's settled comfortably, he raises a hand, palm side up before her. It takes a few minutes and a lot of concentration but he is slowly able to build up a transparent sphere right on the palm of his hand.
"You'll miss this when we're cured." And his smile widens as he then creates a small snow storm within the globe in his hand.
The voice was soft as it called into the room, but instantly, Stephanie knew which of her twins children was at the door. She could tell by the gentle undertone and the uncertain nature of the way he spoke. The young woman, quickly wiped the tears from her eyes as she turned towards him. "You're up late tonight."
"I couldn't sleep and your light was on." He took that as an invitation to venture further into the room. It wasn't often that he came into this study. It was his mother's sanctuary. A place for her to retire to every evening after dinner and he wasn't sure why. Even their father rarely stepped foot in here but when he did, Snow could hear quiet but harsh words being spoken. They were always cheerful and happy the next morning, however, so it never caused the young boy much concern. Until now.
She was being careful but he could tell she was crying. Especially as he could feel the drops on the page before her. It was a part of the abilities he had. The ability to create ice and with that the latent ability to know where the liquid around him was to create the ice particles from. Without saying anything further for now, he slipped his arms around her neck, offering what little comfort he could.
"Why are you sad?"
There was a directness to his voice that very rarely showed itself and it hits her with a sharp pang. He wanted to know and there was no side stepping the issue this time. She raises her hand over the thin arms around her neck and leans into the child like perhaps she was almost confident in his ability to take the weight off her shoulders. Even though he was the child in the room. It takes her quite a few moments to speak but for a child not even in his teens, he waits patiently.
"I'm sorry, Snow. Everything you're going through right now is my fault. The drug wasn't ready and I used you and your brother as the trial."
Was she saying that she was sorry they were alive? He knew that wasn't the case. Both parents told them as often as they could how much they were wanted around. Even despite...
"I love you and Nic. You know that. But sometimes, I just wonder if you would be much happier if you were both..."
She couldn't finish the sentence. He knew what she wanted to say. Normal. Everybody would be much happier if they were like all the other children. Slowly, Snow unwrapped his arms from around his mother's neck and stared down at his own hands. His cold hands. What kind of comfort could he offer when his hug just gave her the chills? He took a deep breath and then looked over towards the papers.
"That's what you're doing, right? You're looking for a way for us to be normal."
Stephanie searched his eyes for a moment before answering. She wanted to see his acceptance of her decision. The reason for her to spend so many hours locked in this room by herself and then she answered with just a slight nod.
"I'll help you. You can teach me. I'm good at maths and I can think like you."
He was eager. He wanted to one day also offer comfort to the ones he loved with his own touch.
In the next few moments, she hesitated. He was young, he barely knew what future he wanted. This kind of research was fraught criticism - you can't play God. It wasn't the life he wanted for her children. But she also knew that she couldn't do this on her own and her husband didn't want any part of it.
The children are fine as they are.
"But you..." She started.
And he finished the sentence for her. "...can't tell Nic. He wouldn't understand." He offers his mum a small smile in that moment and then crawls into her lap. When he's settled comfortably, he raises a hand, palm side up before her. It takes a few minutes and a lot of concentration but he is slowly able to build up a transparent sphere right on the palm of his hand.
"You'll miss this when we're cured." And his smile widens as he then creates a small snow storm within the globe in his hand.