Understanding (The Village)
Fandom: The Village (movie)
Pairing(s): Lucius Hunt/Ivy Walker
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1044
A/N: Written for Rawr in the 2007 Yuletide Challenge, and archived here.
When I wrote this I was disappointed in it. I've learned to like it a bit better now.
When he was ten, Lucius Hunt heard his mother whispering about poor Ivy Walker and how sick she was. When she eventually lost her sight the whole town tiptoed around the Walker family and doted sympathetically on Ivy. Lucius never felt sorry for her though, He knew that she was tough and, above all, happy.
When he was fifteen, Lucius caught Noah Percy in a tussle with one of the other boys. When he tried to pull them apart, Noah’s punches turned on him. Once he had calmed Noah down and walked away, Lucius saw Ivy staring at them. Unsure of what to do, Lucius hesitated for the briefest of seconds before moving on.
When he was sixteen, Lucius saw Noah giving Ivy a peck on the cheek. He tried not to let it get to him, after all, Ivy was nice to everyone and Noah was challenged. But Lucius also found that there was something between Ivy and Lucius that he doubted he completely understood. Between the loss of Ivy's sight, and Noah's slowness, they shared a special bond in being 'different' that Lucius respected, but could never be a part of. Knowing this, he slinked out of sight, he kicked at pebbles on his way down the hill. He didn’t know why it bothered him.
When he was seventeen, Lucius was in charge of taking the younger ones to school. He held Ivy’s arm, even though he knew she could take care of herself. One day, another boy made a remark about Ivy and Lucius’ handling of her. Lucius thoroughly thrashed the boy, but never touched Ivy again.
When he was seventeen and a half, Ivy tripped in front of him. Lucius stood by and watched her fall.
When he was twenty-one, Lucius caught a glimpse of Ivy changing. It was at night after one of the 'spook' sessions the boys would have, trying to see how long they could turn their backs to the woods without getting scared. Though too old for such games, Lucius had gone to try, unsuccessfully, to discourage the other boys from tempting the creatures to come out from the woods. On his way back home his eyes had been drawn to Ivy's window (if he was honest with himself, they always were when he walked by) and, seeing the room illuminated by candlelight he had innocently wondered if she was in there and, if so, what it was that she was doing. It turned out that she was going to bed. Lucius' eyes widened as he watched her hands reached to unbutton her blouse, then to untie her skirt. He knew he should look away, run away, but he couldn’t, he simply stood transfixed, watching her. Just as she went to pull on her nightclothes he came to his senses and ran away. The further away he got the more frustrated he became. Why couldn’t Ivy draw the curtains like everyone else? He supposed she had not gotten a chance to know the violating power of sight. Feeling even guiltier, he stopped running. From that moment on, however, he never stopped thinking of Ivy. A man of few words already, he was stunned into complete silence for months afterward, and avoided Ivy like the bad colour. She had noticed, and even tried to say something once, but he mumbled something in a slight panic and wandered off again. She never did find out what he was so nervous about. Even after they were married he never told her.
When he was twenty-two Lucius realised that Noah was in love with Ivy. He watched Noah follow Ivy around like a puppy, saw him trying to do good around her, trying to make her laugh, and the idea troubled him a little. But he knew that it was in Ivy’s nature to be loving, so he tried not to let it bother him.
When he was twenty-three, Lucius realised he himself was in love with Ivy. Always happy, always laughing, she was beautiful. He had been watching her one day with Noah and some of the children when he just knew. He loved her. In typical fashion for Lucius, he said and did nothing, simply went on his way, barely speaking to Ivy at all.
When he was twenty-five, Ivy’s sister Kitty came to visit. She declared her love for him, and Lucius stood there, staring. He squinted his eyes, trying to see some of Ivy in Kitty, but he couldn’t. He considered, for the briefest of seconds, what it would be like to marry Ivy’s sister. But good sense got the better of him and he knew that even if he couldn’t have Ivy, a not-quite-Ivy wouldn’t be a good substitute. She would never be Ivy, and he would always still see Ivy. He hated to break Kitty’s heart, but he had no choice. He wondered if Ivy would hate him for what he did to her sister, if she would ever speak to him again.
When he was twenty-five and a half, Ivy Walker told him she was free to marry. Lucius had never been so happy in his life, but never so nervous either. He had tried for so long to hide his affection for her that he did not know what to make of her casual mentioning of their impending wedding…a wedding they had never discussed before. He wanted to marry her, he did; but it made him angry, in a way, that Ivy knew without being told. She was so perfect already, why could she not let him be the one to surprise her, to make her happy the way she made him?
When he was twenty-five and half and two-days, Noah Percy discovered Lucius’ engagement to Ivy, and stabbed him. Lucius didn’t wake up for days, and in the end it was Ivy’s courageous walk to the towns that saved him. When he awoke after being injured, the first thing Lucius saw was Ivy’s face.
‘Ivy,’ he croaked.
‘Oh Lucius, you’re alive,’ she whispered.
‘You…you‘re the reason,’ he said.
‘I know,’ she smiled.
As they embraced, he knew. He may not speak much, but with Ivy he didn’t need to, and he loved that just as he loved everything else about her.
Pairing(s): Lucius Hunt/Ivy Walker
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1044
A/N: Written for Rawr in the 2007 Yuletide Challenge, and archived here.
When I wrote this I was disappointed in it. I've learned to like it a bit better now.
When he was ten, Lucius Hunt heard his mother whispering about poor Ivy Walker and how sick she was. When she eventually lost her sight the whole town tiptoed around the Walker family and doted sympathetically on Ivy. Lucius never felt sorry for her though, He knew that she was tough and, above all, happy.
When he was fifteen, Lucius caught Noah Percy in a tussle with one of the other boys. When he tried to pull them apart, Noah’s punches turned on him. Once he had calmed Noah down and walked away, Lucius saw Ivy staring at them. Unsure of what to do, Lucius hesitated for the briefest of seconds before moving on.
When he was sixteen, Lucius saw Noah giving Ivy a peck on the cheek. He tried not to let it get to him, after all, Ivy was nice to everyone and Noah was challenged. But Lucius also found that there was something between Ivy and Lucius that he doubted he completely understood. Between the loss of Ivy's sight, and Noah's slowness, they shared a special bond in being 'different' that Lucius respected, but could never be a part of. Knowing this, he slinked out of sight, he kicked at pebbles on his way down the hill. He didn’t know why it bothered him.
When he was seventeen, Lucius was in charge of taking the younger ones to school. He held Ivy’s arm, even though he knew she could take care of herself. One day, another boy made a remark about Ivy and Lucius’ handling of her. Lucius thoroughly thrashed the boy, but never touched Ivy again.
When he was seventeen and a half, Ivy tripped in front of him. Lucius stood by and watched her fall.
When he was twenty-one, Lucius caught a glimpse of Ivy changing. It was at night after one of the 'spook' sessions the boys would have, trying to see how long they could turn their backs to the woods without getting scared. Though too old for such games, Lucius had gone to try, unsuccessfully, to discourage the other boys from tempting the creatures to come out from the woods. On his way back home his eyes had been drawn to Ivy's window (if he was honest with himself, they always were when he walked by) and, seeing the room illuminated by candlelight he had innocently wondered if she was in there and, if so, what it was that she was doing. It turned out that she was going to bed. Lucius' eyes widened as he watched her hands reached to unbutton her blouse, then to untie her skirt. He knew he should look away, run away, but he couldn’t, he simply stood transfixed, watching her. Just as she went to pull on her nightclothes he came to his senses and ran away. The further away he got the more frustrated he became. Why couldn’t Ivy draw the curtains like everyone else? He supposed she had not gotten a chance to know the violating power of sight. Feeling even guiltier, he stopped running. From that moment on, however, he never stopped thinking of Ivy. A man of few words already, he was stunned into complete silence for months afterward, and avoided Ivy like the bad colour. She had noticed, and even tried to say something once, but he mumbled something in a slight panic and wandered off again. She never did find out what he was so nervous about. Even after they were married he never told her.
When he was twenty-two Lucius realised that Noah was in love with Ivy. He watched Noah follow Ivy around like a puppy, saw him trying to do good around her, trying to make her laugh, and the idea troubled him a little. But he knew that it was in Ivy’s nature to be loving, so he tried not to let it bother him.
When he was twenty-three, Lucius realised he himself was in love with Ivy. Always happy, always laughing, she was beautiful. He had been watching her one day with Noah and some of the children when he just knew. He loved her. In typical fashion for Lucius, he said and did nothing, simply went on his way, barely speaking to Ivy at all.
When he was twenty-five, Ivy’s sister Kitty came to visit. She declared her love for him, and Lucius stood there, staring. He squinted his eyes, trying to see some of Ivy in Kitty, but he couldn’t. He considered, for the briefest of seconds, what it would be like to marry Ivy’s sister. But good sense got the better of him and he knew that even if he couldn’t have Ivy, a not-quite-Ivy wouldn’t be a good substitute. She would never be Ivy, and he would always still see Ivy. He hated to break Kitty’s heart, but he had no choice. He wondered if Ivy would hate him for what he did to her sister, if she would ever speak to him again.
When he was twenty-five and a half, Ivy Walker told him she was free to marry. Lucius had never been so happy in his life, but never so nervous either. He had tried for so long to hide his affection for her that he did not know what to make of her casual mentioning of their impending wedding…a wedding they had never discussed before. He wanted to marry her, he did; but it made him angry, in a way, that Ivy knew without being told. She was so perfect already, why could she not let him be the one to surprise her, to make her happy the way she made him?
When he was twenty-five and half and two-days, Noah Percy discovered Lucius’ engagement to Ivy, and stabbed him. Lucius didn’t wake up for days, and in the end it was Ivy’s courageous walk to the towns that saved him. When he awoke after being injured, the first thing Lucius saw was Ivy’s face.
‘Ivy,’ he croaked.
‘Oh Lucius, you’re alive,’ she whispered.
‘You…you‘re the reason,’ he said.
‘I know,’ she smiled.
As they embraced, he knew. He may not speak much, but with Ivy he didn’t need to, and he loved that just as he loved everything else about her.