No. 41

Prompt:author's choice, author's choice, i put away my childish things - Daniel in foster care
http://comment-fic.livejournal.com/712436.html?thread=94106356#t94106356

“Daniel?”

“Hm?” He glanced up from his copy of Budge. It was his most prized possession, the one that had belonged to his mother, with her and his father’s endless annotations - criticisms in the margins.

His foster brother Simon (six years old, mother a drug addict, father abusive), rested his chin on his hands and peered at Daniel over the arm of the chair Daniel was curled in while he read.

“What do you dream about?”

“Finding out who really built the pyramids,” Daniel said. “Going back to Egypt one day. Finding treasure.”

Simon frowned. “Don’t you dream about having a forever family? A real mommy and daddy?” He’d been passed from relative to relative so many times he barely remembered the woman who called herself his mother when she bothered to visit once in a blue moon.

Daniel gazed into Simon’s little earnest face. He’d been in this foster home for a long time, was lucky that his parents had friends who were willing to take him in, but he was under no illusion that he was adoptable. He was too old. Too defiant. Talked back to teachers too much. If he weren’t so obedient about doing his chores and getting good grades, he’d probably have been sent on a long time ago, with the way teachers kept complaining about him (and of course his law guardian and caseworker defended him, saying he was bored because he was so brilliant).

He was both and more. Brilliant. Bored. And disillusioned about childhood. There was no safety and security. Disaster was a broken chain, a falling coverstone away.

They’d thought he was trouble because he hadn’t spoken for six months.

Then they’d thought he was trouble because he never stopped talking if he didn’t have his nose in a book.

“I have a forever family,” Daniel said. “They’re just in heaven right now.” He hesitated on heaven, because he’d studied too many cultures and religions and faiths to believe in a single vision of the afterlife.

“I want a forever family.” Simon sighed gustily. “My caseworker says I’m cute enough for one. Are you not cute enough for a new family?”

Daniel laughed. “No, I’m too old to be cute.”

Simon’s eyes went wide. “Am I too old to be cute?”

“No,” Daniel said quickly. “You’ll never be too old to be cute. There’s a forever family out there for you.” It was a lie. Simon had a tendency to lie and hoard food, sleep on the floor and steal things because he could. If he didn’t get it together, he’d be moved on and moved on and moved on and never get his forever family.

But Simon was a child, and he deserved to hold onto his childish dreams for just a little longer.