Dresden Files / Bob / #28. Astrology
Title: Birthright
Author: Cyloran
Fandom: The Dresden Files (tv-verse)
Characters: Bob, Harry, implied Murphy
Prompt: 28. Astrology
Word Count: 694
Rating: Very G
Summary: Bob contemplates a miracle.
Disclaimer: The Dresden Files do not belong to me; just passing through.
Table: Here There be Ghosts.
Such a tiny little creature! Truly a marvel of creation. Delicate and fragile, it grasped fists full of air with wriggling fingers. The muddy blue eyes, still near-sighted and unaware of the wonders of the world that awaited, seemed to meet his gaze as he bent for a closer look.
Hrothbert of Bainbridge thought his heart would melt. When was the last time he'd seen anything so diminutive and utterly innocent?
"Pretty awesome, huh?" said Harry as he joined the old ghost at the crib rail. There was wonder and pride in his tone as he looked down at the miniature human lying within.
"He has your eyes," observed Bob. Your mother's eyes, he thought.
"Yeah? Well, as long as the poor kid doesn't have my mug." Reaching down, Harry ever so gently brushed a wisp of dark brown hair from the cherubic face. Now he understood what they meant by the term 'baby fine.' "How did this happen?" he wondered aloud.
"I would imagine in the usual way of men and women," said Bob archly.
"No, I mean…" Harry looked bewildered. "I have a son."
"That is usually one of the byproducts, yes."
"My son," said Harry, the words still alien and unusual.
"Yes." Bob smiled gently upon the little soul in question. "He is a fine looking boy, Harry." The ghost was tempted to touch the soft, pink cheeks but dared not. Nor would he ever. He would not cause the child discomfort with the chill of his touch or, if need be, his presence. "He will be a formidable wizard."
A slight frown clouded Harry's expression. "You sound pretty sure of that."
"He has your blood, and your mother's blood through you. It cannot be otherwise." Bob moved his hands behind his back, clasping them least he give in to the temptation to touch the babe. "But he is a Pisces, one of the mutable signs."
"Is that good?"
"It is an excellent sign for a wizard. It means that he may well be empathic to others and highly adaptable to any situation that comes his way. Those born under the sign of the fish are known to be champions of lost causes." He smiled. "Rather like someone I know."
"I'm not a Pisces."
"Not by birth, no." But in temperament? Oh yes. "Have you named him yet?"
"Yeah. Took us a bit of arguing to agree on the order but we finally have it. Malcolm Joseph Robert Dresden."
A wizard traditionally had three or more given names, all the better to confound anyone - or anything - that might try to use the wizard's name against him.
Bob nodded. "Malcolm was your father."
"That's right."
"And Joseph, I assume, for the Lieutenant's father?"
"Right again."
"A simple process of elimination," said Bob with a modest shrug. "Which leaves the third name. A grandfather, I assume?"
"Nope." Harry grinned.
"I know that expression," said Bob warily, eyes narrowed in suspicion . "You get it whenever you are insufferably pleased with yourself."
"Pretty much. Because, right now? Definitely insufferable and pleased." His grin widened.
"A colleague?"
"Nope."
"A friend?"
"More than a friend. Say, a surrogate father."
A surrogate father? The ghost frowned. He could think of no Robert in Harry's life, much less one that could be considered close enough to be considered so highly.
"Bob," said Harry meaningfully
"Yes?"
Harry waited patiently, his expression expectant.
It took a moment longer, but then the ghost's eyes slowly widened. "You cannot mean--?" Bob very nearly choked on a sudden wellspring of emotion. No, surely not!
"I do mean," replied Harry, his dark eyes filled with amusement and affection.
"But … Robert?"
"I know, I know! I'm sorry about that," he apologized. "You've gotta admit, Bob -- Hrothbert is a little old fashioned for a kid these days. Robert's the closest we could come and still agree. I hope you don't mind."
"Mind?" Bob managed, amazed at the very idea. "Of course I don't mind! I am … I … Harry, I don't know quite what to say."
"Um … You're going to start crying on me now, are you?"
"I am, yes."
"Damn."
Author: Cyloran
Fandom: The Dresden Files (tv-verse)
Characters: Bob, Harry, implied Murphy
Prompt: 28. Astrology
Word Count: 694
Rating: Very G
Summary: Bob contemplates a miracle.
Disclaimer: The Dresden Files do not belong to me; just passing through.
Table: Here There be Ghosts.
Such a tiny little creature! Truly a marvel of creation. Delicate and fragile, it grasped fists full of air with wriggling fingers. The muddy blue eyes, still near-sighted and unaware of the wonders of the world that awaited, seemed to meet his gaze as he bent for a closer look.
Hrothbert of Bainbridge thought his heart would melt. When was the last time he'd seen anything so diminutive and utterly innocent?
"Pretty awesome, huh?" said Harry as he joined the old ghost at the crib rail. There was wonder and pride in his tone as he looked down at the miniature human lying within.
"He has your eyes," observed Bob. Your mother's eyes, he thought.
"Yeah? Well, as long as the poor kid doesn't have my mug." Reaching down, Harry ever so gently brushed a wisp of dark brown hair from the cherubic face. Now he understood what they meant by the term 'baby fine.' "How did this happen?" he wondered aloud.
"I would imagine in the usual way of men and women," said Bob archly.
"No, I mean…" Harry looked bewildered. "I have a son."
"That is usually one of the byproducts, yes."
"My son," said Harry, the words still alien and unusual.
"Yes." Bob smiled gently upon the little soul in question. "He is a fine looking boy, Harry." The ghost was tempted to touch the soft, pink cheeks but dared not. Nor would he ever. He would not cause the child discomfort with the chill of his touch or, if need be, his presence. "He will be a formidable wizard."
A slight frown clouded Harry's expression. "You sound pretty sure of that."
"He has your blood, and your mother's blood through you. It cannot be otherwise." Bob moved his hands behind his back, clasping them least he give in to the temptation to touch the babe. "But he is a Pisces, one of the mutable signs."
"Is that good?"
"It is an excellent sign for a wizard. It means that he may well be empathic to others and highly adaptable to any situation that comes his way. Those born under the sign of the fish are known to be champions of lost causes." He smiled. "Rather like someone I know."
"I'm not a Pisces."
"Not by birth, no." But in temperament? Oh yes. "Have you named him yet?"
"Yeah. Took us a bit of arguing to agree on the order but we finally have it. Malcolm Joseph Robert Dresden."
A wizard traditionally had three or more given names, all the better to confound anyone - or anything - that might try to use the wizard's name against him.
Bob nodded. "Malcolm was your father."
"That's right."
"And Joseph, I assume, for the Lieutenant's father?"
"Right again."
"A simple process of elimination," said Bob with a modest shrug. "Which leaves the third name. A grandfather, I assume?"
"Nope." Harry grinned.
"I know that expression," said Bob warily, eyes narrowed in suspicion . "You get it whenever you are insufferably pleased with yourself."
"Pretty much. Because, right now? Definitely insufferable and pleased." His grin widened.
"A colleague?"
"Nope."
"A friend?"
"More than a friend. Say, a surrogate father."
A surrogate father? The ghost frowned. He could think of no Robert in Harry's life, much less one that could be considered close enough to be considered so highly.
"Bob," said Harry meaningfully
"Yes?"
Harry waited patiently, his expression expectant.
It took a moment longer, but then the ghost's eyes slowly widened. "You cannot mean--?" Bob very nearly choked on a sudden wellspring of emotion. No, surely not!
"I do mean," replied Harry, his dark eyes filled with amusement and affection.
"But … Robert?"
"I know, I know! I'm sorry about that," he apologized. "You've gotta admit, Bob -- Hrothbert is a little old fashioned for a kid these days. Robert's the closest we could come and still agree. I hope you don't mind."
"Mind?" Bob managed, amazed at the very idea. "Of course I don't mind! I am … I … Harry, I don't know quite what to say."
"Um … You're going to start crying on me now, are you?"
"I am, yes."
"Damn."