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sissyTitle: Father Time
Fandom: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Characters: Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent
Prompt: 091. Birthday
Word Count: 434
Rating: PG
Summary: Some days, it’s impossible to not face the facts.
Table
Ford Prefect is scared.
The first time he peers into the mirror with bloodshot eyes and acknowledges thi, he thinking of Arthur. Sweet, simple Arthur.
It’s hard to measure the differences in time across the galaxy, but Ford knows he’s significantly older than Arthur. His fingers wonder to his curly, ginger hair that’s as vibrant as it’s ever been and wonders what he was doing the day Arthur Philip Dent was born onto Earth. Probably drinking or dancing with girls, or both. He likes to toy with the thought that it happened around the same time he started working for the Guide, but that’s pointless sentimentality.
The real point exists only in the fact that, judging by their astonishing survival rate against the universes dangers, Arthur will die before Ford. If neither of them is killed; if they don’t get blown up, or shot, or catch some deathly space disease ,Ford will have a lot of life to live after Arthur. And the thought puts a pain in the writer’s chest.
Not that he wants Arthur to die sooner. No, Zarquon forbid. That would just mean less time. There’s not enough time, never enough, but less—and Ford is not giving up more than he has to.
But some days this fact catches up to him, this inevitability throws itself in his face-like today. Today Ford is completely, painfully sober.
“Ford?” Arthur asks from the doorway, rubbing his eyes tiredly with loose fists. Ford doesn’t turn but he can see in the mirror every move, every detail, reversed but still real. Messy hair, red cheeks, bleary eyes.
“Good morning Arthur. Do you know what day it is?”
Sleepyhead, Ford thinks, more factually than affectionately. He’s never completely grasped the idea of human endearments.
“It’s my birthday.” Ford told the human, trying to sound normal.
Arthur’s excitement is tired, but he’s wide eyed and smiling and surprised-and Ford doesn’t know what the name for the feeling he gets is.
“Oh Ford, why didn’t you tell me? I didn’t even get you present. I-” ,that bumbling, rambling, human speech that Arthur has hurts. It’s a little annoying and sometimes exasperating, and Ford can’t stop thinking about the day he won’t be able to hear it.
“No, no.” Ford tells Arthur, interrupting with a sort of pained smile. “I thought maybe…”
The universe is cruel. Harsh, uncaring. Of the few certainties, one of them is, unfortunately-
“….you and I…”
If Ford spends the rest of his life preparing, it won’t make a difference. He’ll never be ready to let go.
“…could just spend the day together.”
Title: Show Off
Fandom: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Characters: Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent
Prompt: 027. Parents
Word Count: 447
Rating: PG
Summary: Ford takes Arthur home.
Table
Arthur, Ford has decided, is the perfect mate to bring home to his mothers.
Zaphod thinks it’s a horrible idea. The very speculation of the idea shocks him so much he actually spills some of his drink. But things hadn’t gone well the few times Zaphod had taken someone home to appease the moms, so Ford decides his opinion doesn’t count.
Besides, Zaphod never had a mate anywhere near as sweet, charming, polite, or perfect as Arthur. The earthman is exactly the kind of person their mothers always hoped they’d bring home, but never actually believed they would.
And Arthur seems to like the idea. Spastic worrying aside, he gives Ford one of those dazed smiles every time it comes up in a conversation. Ford pushed him up against the wall and whispers in his ear how much his mothers will love him, and how impressed they’ll be, and how great Arthur is, and when he pulls backs his little earth love is blushing like it’s their first time. That blush, in fact, is one of the reasons Ford is sure they’ll both be given extra dessert and cheek pinches. It’s too cute and innocent and shy to not earn the love of his mothers.
So Ford sends a message across the galaxy saying to expect him and puts some extra emphasis on the words “someone special who I think you’d like to meet”. Maybe he’s just imagining things, but not long after his ears start to burn.
Ford’s not nervous, per say, but he had to sit though several impromptu pep-talks from Trillian before he can decide that, yes, his coat looks fine, and no, he doesn’t need a hair cut. Okay, so maybe he’s feeling a little anxious, but Arthur’s the one who keeps locking himself in the bedroom to sit in a corner and try not to hyperventilate.
“You both look marvelous.” Trillian assures them, exasperated; while Zaphod hangs back shaking his heads, looking disappointed.
“Ready to go?” Ford asks. And of course Arthur’s not ready, but Ford drags him out before he can say as much, otherwise they’d never leave. “They’ll love you Arthur.” He promises again and again during the trip to Betelgeuse.
And they do. The mothers absolutely adore Arthur, much to the dismay of the earthman’s’ cheeks. Everything is perfect, actually, until one of the mother’s (the one who Zaphod got his enormous lack of good timing from) asks when they should start expecting grandchildren.
That sets all the mothers off and dooms Ford to having to give a lengthy and no doubt tear-filled lecture to Arthur, but….all-in-all, Ford looks forward to boasting about how well it went to Zaphod.
Fandom: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Characters: Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent
Prompt: 091. Birthday
Word Count: 434
Rating: PG
Summary: Some days, it’s impossible to not face the facts.
Table
Ford Prefect is scared.
The first time he peers into the mirror with bloodshot eyes and acknowledges thi, he thinking of Arthur. Sweet, simple Arthur.
It’s hard to measure the differences in time across the galaxy, but Ford knows he’s significantly older than Arthur. His fingers wonder to his curly, ginger hair that’s as vibrant as it’s ever been and wonders what he was doing the day Arthur Philip Dent was born onto Earth. Probably drinking or dancing with girls, or both. He likes to toy with the thought that it happened around the same time he started working for the Guide, but that’s pointless sentimentality.
The real point exists only in the fact that, judging by their astonishing survival rate against the universes dangers, Arthur will die before Ford. If neither of them is killed; if they don’t get blown up, or shot, or catch some deathly space disease ,Ford will have a lot of life to live after Arthur. And the thought puts a pain in the writer’s chest.
Not that he wants Arthur to die sooner. No, Zarquon forbid. That would just mean less time. There’s not enough time, never enough, but less—and Ford is not giving up more than he has to.
But some days this fact catches up to him, this inevitability throws itself in his face-like today. Today Ford is completely, painfully sober.
“Ford?” Arthur asks from the doorway, rubbing his eyes tiredly with loose fists. Ford doesn’t turn but he can see in the mirror every move, every detail, reversed but still real. Messy hair, red cheeks, bleary eyes.
“Good morning Arthur. Do you know what day it is?”
Sleepyhead, Ford thinks, more factually than affectionately. He’s never completely grasped the idea of human endearments.
“It’s my birthday.” Ford told the human, trying to sound normal.
Arthur’s excitement is tired, but he’s wide eyed and smiling and surprised-and Ford doesn’t know what the name for the feeling he gets is.
“Oh Ford, why didn’t you tell me? I didn’t even get you present. I-” ,that bumbling, rambling, human speech that Arthur has hurts. It’s a little annoying and sometimes exasperating, and Ford can’t stop thinking about the day he won’t be able to hear it.
“No, no.” Ford tells Arthur, interrupting with a sort of pained smile. “I thought maybe…”
The universe is cruel. Harsh, uncaring. Of the few certainties, one of them is, unfortunately-
“….you and I…”
If Ford spends the rest of his life preparing, it won’t make a difference. He’ll never be ready to let go.
“…could just spend the day together.”
Title: Show Off
Fandom: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Characters: Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent
Prompt: 027. Parents
Word Count: 447
Rating: PG
Summary: Ford takes Arthur home.
Table
Arthur, Ford has decided, is the perfect mate to bring home to his mothers.
Zaphod thinks it’s a horrible idea. The very speculation of the idea shocks him so much he actually spills some of his drink. But things hadn’t gone well the few times Zaphod had taken someone home to appease the moms, so Ford decides his opinion doesn’t count.
Besides, Zaphod never had a mate anywhere near as sweet, charming, polite, or perfect as Arthur. The earthman is exactly the kind of person their mothers always hoped they’d bring home, but never actually believed they would.
And Arthur seems to like the idea. Spastic worrying aside, he gives Ford one of those dazed smiles every time it comes up in a conversation. Ford pushed him up against the wall and whispers in his ear how much his mothers will love him, and how impressed they’ll be, and how great Arthur is, and when he pulls backs his little earth love is blushing like it’s their first time. That blush, in fact, is one of the reasons Ford is sure they’ll both be given extra dessert and cheek pinches. It’s too cute and innocent and shy to not earn the love of his mothers.
So Ford sends a message across the galaxy saying to expect him and puts some extra emphasis on the words “someone special who I think you’d like to meet”. Maybe he’s just imagining things, but not long after his ears start to burn.
Ford’s not nervous, per say, but he had to sit though several impromptu pep-talks from Trillian before he can decide that, yes, his coat looks fine, and no, he doesn’t need a hair cut. Okay, so maybe he’s feeling a little anxious, but Arthur’s the one who keeps locking himself in the bedroom to sit in a corner and try not to hyperventilate.
“You both look marvelous.” Trillian assures them, exasperated; while Zaphod hangs back shaking his heads, looking disappointed.
“Ready to go?” Ford asks. And of course Arthur’s not ready, but Ford drags him out before he can say as much, otherwise they’d never leave. “They’ll love you Arthur.” He promises again and again during the trip to Betelgeuse.
And they do. The mothers absolutely adore Arthur, much to the dismay of the earthman’s’ cheeks. Everything is perfect, actually, until one of the mother’s (the one who Zaphod got his enormous lack of good timing from) asks when they should start expecting grandchildren.
That sets all the mothers off and dooms Ford to having to give a lengthy and no doubt tear-filled lecture to Arthur, but….all-in-all, Ford looks forward to boasting about how well it went to Zaphod.