Chocolate Chip Mint 1, Fudge Ripple 22: Conscripted
Title: Conscripted
Main Story: In the Heart
Flavors, Toppings, Extras: Chocolate chip mint 1 (shiny), fudge ripple 22 (foolishness), pocky chain.
Word Count: 570
Rating: PG.
Summary: Danny gets adopted-- or maybe assimilated is a better word.
He'd invited her to Thanksgiving.
She'd never been so nervous in her life.
Danny dithered for hours over what to wear, and eventually went with full dress. Better to be too formal than underdressed, she decided, and anyway you couldn't get a better first impression than full dress. She buffed up the buttons and attached the only medal she'd earned and even fixed the crooked rank chevron that she'd never gotten around to fixing before.
This would go perfectly. She was determined that it would.
After all, you didn't get a second chance at family every day.
--
She found the place easily enough. It took three nervous adjustments of her jacket and a quick hair check before she felt confident enough to knock.
Fortunately, Aaron opened the door. Danny relaxed immediately. "Yo," she said.
Aaron blinked, and then said, "Wow, Danny, you clean up well. Almost didn't recognize you."
Since Aaron had only seen her a) shitfaced, b) hungover or c) having a bad day, Danny decided to take that as a compliment.
The hug was a better one, though.
--
Nathan's wife Gail was small, redheaded, and charming as hell. Danny liked her on sight.
"You must be Danny," she said, and held out a hand to shake. "I have heard a great deal about you."
Danny still reacted to that statement with fear, even now; couldn't even manage the social 'I dread to think.' But Gail had sharp eyes. "Where are my manners. Please, sit down," she said, not missing a beat. "Would you like something to drink? Aaron, get your lazy sisters out here, they need to set the table..."
Danny could see why Nathan loved her.
--
Danny had been warned about Summer-- 'she's a bit different,' Nathan had said, while Aaron, less tactful or less cautious, had gone into detail. But Danny was a screwup herself and she didn't have Summer's excuse, so when the little girl tripped and spilled cranberry sauce all over Danny's uniform and burst into tears, Danny only patted her shoulder ('no hugging,' Nathan said, 'she doesn't like being touched much') and told her "see, it wipes right off, don't cry."
She overheard Ivy in the kitchen afterwards-- "Dad, she's awesome, we gotta keep her"-- and flushed with joy.
--
Nathan walked her out to the subway stop. Aaron had wanted to come but his stepmother had informed him that he was by-God going to stay and clean up this time, and he'd gone back in, reluctantly, but not before hugging her again. Ivy had told Danny to call when she was in town again, so they could get coffee. Gail said "our house is your house, please," and Summer had solemnly shaken her hand, then fled to her bedroom.
"Have a good time?" Nathan asked.
"The best," Danny said, and meant it.
--
The next Thanksgiving, she wore jeans and a nice shirt and comfortable shoes. There was no particular fuss this time; a wave from Ivy, a terrible salute from Aaron, a near-perfect salute from Summer and a hug each from Nathan and Gail. She was family now. She needed nothing more.
She didn't recognize the awkward young man who was being fussed over, but she knew him. He was Gail's, not Nathan's; he wore a stiff suit, not a dress uniform; she knew him all the same.
Your turn now, she thought, and went to greet him.
Main Story: In the Heart
Flavors, Toppings, Extras: Chocolate chip mint 1 (shiny), fudge ripple 22 (foolishness), pocky chain.
Word Count: 570
Rating: PG.
Summary: Danny gets adopted-- or maybe assimilated is a better word.
He'd invited her to Thanksgiving.
She'd never been so nervous in her life.
Danny dithered for hours over what to wear, and eventually went with full dress. Better to be too formal than underdressed, she decided, and anyway you couldn't get a better first impression than full dress. She buffed up the buttons and attached the only medal she'd earned and even fixed the crooked rank chevron that she'd never gotten around to fixing before.
This would go perfectly. She was determined that it would.
After all, you didn't get a second chance at family every day.
--
She found the place easily enough. It took three nervous adjustments of her jacket and a quick hair check before she felt confident enough to knock.
Fortunately, Aaron opened the door. Danny relaxed immediately. "Yo," she said.
Aaron blinked, and then said, "Wow, Danny, you clean up well. Almost didn't recognize you."
Since Aaron had only seen her a) shitfaced, b) hungover or c) having a bad day, Danny decided to take that as a compliment.
The hug was a better one, though.
--
Nathan's wife Gail was small, redheaded, and charming as hell. Danny liked her on sight.
"You must be Danny," she said, and held out a hand to shake. "I have heard a great deal about you."
Danny still reacted to that statement with fear, even now; couldn't even manage the social 'I dread to think.' But Gail had sharp eyes. "Where are my manners. Please, sit down," she said, not missing a beat. "Would you like something to drink? Aaron, get your lazy sisters out here, they need to set the table..."
Danny could see why Nathan loved her.
--
Danny had been warned about Summer-- 'she's a bit different,' Nathan had said, while Aaron, less tactful or less cautious, had gone into detail. But Danny was a screwup herself and she didn't have Summer's excuse, so when the little girl tripped and spilled cranberry sauce all over Danny's uniform and burst into tears, Danny only patted her shoulder ('no hugging,' Nathan said, 'she doesn't like being touched much') and told her "see, it wipes right off, don't cry."
She overheard Ivy in the kitchen afterwards-- "Dad, she's awesome, we gotta keep her"-- and flushed with joy.
--
Nathan walked her out to the subway stop. Aaron had wanted to come but his stepmother had informed him that he was by-God going to stay and clean up this time, and he'd gone back in, reluctantly, but not before hugging her again. Ivy had told Danny to call when she was in town again, so they could get coffee. Gail said "our house is your house, please," and Summer had solemnly shaken her hand, then fled to her bedroom.
"Have a good time?" Nathan asked.
"The best," Danny said, and meant it.
--
The next Thanksgiving, she wore jeans and a nice shirt and comfortable shoes. There was no particular fuss this time; a wave from Ivy, a terrible salute from Aaron, a near-perfect salute from Summer and a hug each from Nathan and Gail. She was family now. She needed nothing more.
She didn't recognize the awkward young man who was being fussed over, but she knew him. He was Gail's, not Nathan's; he wore a stiff suit, not a dress uniform; she knew him all the same.
Your turn now, she thought, and went to greet him.