A bit for my Changling Families AU that might not actually make it into the final version. Buuuttt...it was cute and funny so I wanted to share it. :)
(Bit of background: Jim and Toby are in first grade and their teacher just assigned them those family tree projects that you have to do several times threwout your school career.)
As soon as the project was assigned, the cousins had asked if they could do the joined part of their family trees together. Their teacher had agreed, as long as they had seperate posters for the rest of their families. The boys had rushed off the buss and into Jim’s house as soon as they arrived home.
“Ok,” Jim said after an hour of the boys working on their projects at the Strickler dinning tabl,”I have Mum, Da, Grandma and Grandpa, and Uncle Lucky. Who do you have, Tobes?”
“I have Nana, my birth parents, and Papa,” the other boy replied,”You remembered to line it up so we can connect Papa, Uncle Walt, and Aunt Nono, right?”
“Yup!” Jim said proudly,”Hey, um, are you gonna put Fragwa on yours?”
Toby looked at his slightly sparse family tree,” I dunno. Are you gonna put Uncle Kanjigar and Draal on yours? Are we gonna put Poppa Vendal on Papa and Uncle Walt and Aunt Nono’s side?”
Jim twiddled his gold medallion as he thought, “Ya know what, Tobes? Lets do it! In fact, why don’t we ask Da and Uncle O what their Mum looked like?”
“Ja!” Toby cheered,”Zen ve can put her on too!”
Jim laughed at his cousin’s enthusiasm.
“Alright, you two,” came the rich British voice of Jim’s Da, Walter Strickler,” What did we miss?”
“Da!” Jim cheered, running into Walt’s arms.
“Papa!” Toby cheered, mimicking his cousin, “We’re making family trees!”
“You are!” Otto said, holding his son close, “Deed you put Fragwa on eet, Bärchen?”
“Ja, Papa!” Toby said, nuzzzling his father gently.
“But,” Jim added, “We wanted to put...Gran on them, too. What did she look like?”
Both Changlings exchanged a frightened glance.
“Jim,” Walt began, “You saw Grandma last week, for Thanksgiving. Remember?”
“Und, Bärchen,” Otto was not as good at hiding his fear as his brother, his voice shook slightly,” Ve vent to see Nana on Freitag.”
“Nein, Papa,”Toby clerified, “Not Nana, Oma. Your mama.”
Walt and Otto exchanged another look, this time of surprise. Then, they smiled.
“I think a trip to visit Aunt Nono at the museum is in order,” Walt declared, “She has many paintings of our mother. In fact, I’ve been meaning to ask her for some prints.”
“That’s her,” Nomura told her nephews, pointing at a large painting of a blond woman holding a green baby. A Changling,”Morgana.”
“Who’s she holding?” Toby asked.
Nomura grinned. Otto chuckled. Walt shook his haid at his sister.
“Believe it or not,” Nomura began, “That’s your Dada, Jim.”
“Are there any of you or Papa?” Toby asked, taking hiss aunt’s hand.
“Nope,” Nomura continued to chuckle, “ This is the only one!”
“Awesome sauce!” Toby agreed.
“Now, here's the prints you two asked for,” Nomura handed the pictures to her brothers, “And here's a print of this one for you to give to your mom, Little Gynt.”
“Thanks, Aunt Nono!” Jim said, politely, “She’s been asking what Da looked like as a baby.”
