Ordinary Life
Title: Ordinary Life
Universe: That Damn Mpreg
Rating: PG
Summary: Malcolm just wants to be normal. But how to you define normal in the Altman-Kaplan family?
Malcolm Barton had a good life. A wife who loved him, kids, a nice house in the suburbs far from the crime and costumed strangeness of the city. It was wonderful in its ordinariness. Nothing strange happened there.
At least, not until yesterday, when the roses started blooming in November.
His daughter Esme loved roses. She’d been so happy when she made them bloom just by wanting it.
The roses were why Malcolm was standing on the steps of the house in Greenwich Villiage, holding his daughter’s hand as he waited to see a man he hadn’t spoken to in over a decade.
The door swung open before he could knock. The man on the other side wasn’t Malcolm’s uncle, like he had been expecting. Instead, he found himself facing a short, slightly pudgy man about his own age with hair that curled into what his sister had always called ‘a white boy afro’ and a set of wire rimmed glasses perched on his beaky nose.
“Master Robert is expecting you in his study,” he said, pushing his glasses up his nose. “This way, please.”
“Esme!”
Esme was inside the house, following the man, before Malcolm could stop her. All he could do was follow them through the impossible house. Esme kept trying to stop and open doors or touch things, but the manservant ably steered her away before Malcolm could intervene. Thankfully, the trip to the study was relatively short.
The room was cozy and inviting, decorated in dark wood and leather. It smelled like old books, ink, wood polish, and ozone.
Robert Altman-Kaplan was sitting on his desk, nibbling on a chocolate bar. He looked younger than the last time Malcolm had seen him.
Esme quietly pulled back, watching Robert the way one might a strange dog, as if she suspected he might bite.
“Mal,” Robert said, licking a bit of chocolate from his fingers. “I’d say this was a surprise…”
But nothing surprises you, Malcolm thought. “I need to talk to you. It’s important.”
“Of course. Abraham, could you take Emse down to the kitchen and get her something to eat? Something healthy, mind you.”
Abraham sketched a bow, managing to usher Esme out of the room after Malcolm’s nod of approval, leaving uncle and nephew alone.
“I won’t remove her powers,” Robert said.
“Why not? You did with Didi.”
“Didi’s powers were a threat to the lives of everyone in the city. Esme just needs to be trained.”
“So you’re going to train her?” Malcolm snarled. “Turn her into a damn superhero?” He spat the word out like it was something foul.
“Of course not. Training one’s own flesh and blood simply isn’t done. Abraham will teach her.”
“I don’t want anyone to teach her! I want my daughter to be normal!”
“In this family,” Robert pointed out, “she is. But that’s not what you’re really worried about.” He sighed, running a hand through his silvery hair. “Rebecca-”
“Leave my mother out of this!” Malcolm snapped.
“But she’s why you want me to take away Esme’s powers. You’re afraid of what will happen.”
“She’s my little girl. I want her to be safe, not that you give a damn about that.”
Universe: That Damn Mpreg
Rating: PG
Summary: Malcolm just wants to be normal. But how to you define normal in the Altman-Kaplan family?
Malcolm Barton had a good life. A wife who loved him, kids, a nice house in the suburbs far from the crime and costumed strangeness of the city. It was wonderful in its ordinariness. Nothing strange happened there.
At least, not until yesterday, when the roses started blooming in November.
His daughter Esme loved roses. She’d been so happy when she made them bloom just by wanting it.
The roses were why Malcolm was standing on the steps of the house in Greenwich Villiage, holding his daughter’s hand as he waited to see a man he hadn’t spoken to in over a decade.
The door swung open before he could knock. The man on the other side wasn’t Malcolm’s uncle, like he had been expecting. Instead, he found himself facing a short, slightly pudgy man about his own age with hair that curled into what his sister had always called ‘a white boy afro’ and a set of wire rimmed glasses perched on his beaky nose.
“Master Robert is expecting you in his study,” he said, pushing his glasses up his nose. “This way, please.”
“Esme!”
Esme was inside the house, following the man, before Malcolm could stop her. All he could do was follow them through the impossible house. Esme kept trying to stop and open doors or touch things, but the manservant ably steered her away before Malcolm could intervene. Thankfully, the trip to the study was relatively short.
The room was cozy and inviting, decorated in dark wood and leather. It smelled like old books, ink, wood polish, and ozone.
Robert Altman-Kaplan was sitting on his desk, nibbling on a chocolate bar. He looked younger than the last time Malcolm had seen him.
Esme quietly pulled back, watching Robert the way one might a strange dog, as if she suspected he might bite.
“Mal,” Robert said, licking a bit of chocolate from his fingers. “I’d say this was a surprise…”
But nothing surprises you, Malcolm thought. “I need to talk to you. It’s important.”
“Of course. Abraham, could you take Emse down to the kitchen and get her something to eat? Something healthy, mind you.”
Abraham sketched a bow, managing to usher Esme out of the room after Malcolm’s nod of approval, leaving uncle and nephew alone.
“I won’t remove her powers,” Robert said.
“Why not? You did with Didi.”
“Didi’s powers were a threat to the lives of everyone in the city. Esme just needs to be trained.”
“So you’re going to train her?” Malcolm snarled. “Turn her into a damn superhero?” He spat the word out like it was something foul.
“Of course not. Training one’s own flesh and blood simply isn’t done. Abraham will teach her.”
“I don’t want anyone to teach her! I want my daughter to be normal!”
“In this family,” Robert pointed out, “she is. But that’s not what you’re really worried about.” He sighed, running a hand through his silvery hair. “Rebecca-”
“Leave my mother out of this!” Malcolm snapped.
“But she’s why you want me to take away Esme’s powers. You’re afraid of what will happen.”
“She’s my little girl. I want her to be safe, not that you give a damn about that.”