Sandcastles (Prison Break Fanfic)

Chapter Ten - The Morning

Bryce didn't need to open his eyes to know that there was something different about this morning. The pillow wasn't as soft and the covers smelled differently. He wondered if perhaps he had fallen asleep at Aunt Moni's, but she was always out of the nice-smelling fabric softener, and then there was a hand stroking his hair and it was as light as if yesterday was only a dream.

Opening his eyes to make sure it had really happened, he found dad's smiling face just inches from his. He must have fallen asleep while they were reading the story, for he couldn't remember how it ended and was still cuddled up to dad, his head resting on dad's chest.

Dad put a finger to his lips and glanced over Bryce's shoulder. The boy turned his head, and there was mom, still sleeping, her hair draped across the white sheets that covered her all the way to her chin. The night had taken away the dark circles under her eyes and kept the serenity on her lips. He was about to remark how happy she appeared, but dad's eyes were still on her and Bryce didn't want to interrupt.

There was something special in the way dad looked at mom, right from the moment they had first seen each other yesterday. He effortlessly found her wherever they were, just for the sake of knowing she was there and without intent to speak to her. It didn't matter if there was a crowd around them and the chatter encompassed them, something Bryce knew dad's brain could not brush aside; it was as if the world pared down to just the two of them and yet dad still couldn't quite believe she was not a mirage. It was completely unlike Thibaut's parents. Thibaut's dad only spoke to Thibaut's mom when he couldn't hear the person on the phone while she was watching her series, and while Thibaut ignored the tone used, Bryce knew it was not a nice one. He couldn't imagine his dad ever being like that to mom, especially when he placed his hand next to hers without her knowing. It seemed like he didn't care if she took it or not; he cherished the sheer proximity of her. Thibaut's dad couldn't get out of their house fast enough, especially on Saturday mornings.

"Morning," dad whispered, kissing the top of his head. Bryce giggled into the sheets, careful not to wake mom. Of course it usually took much more to wake her in the mornings, but so many strange, wonderful things he had deemed impossible were happening that that too could easily change.

"Do you have to go to work today?" he asked. His tiny fists grabbed the sheets covering him, not wanting to let go of them in case he'd need to pull them over their heads to keep in their perfect morning.

"No," dad said, ruffling his hair. "We'll be together all day."

Bryce repositioned himself so that he was now looking directly at dad. He knew that his elbow must have hurt dad's stomach a little bit and the apology was already on his tongue, it didn't seem like dad minded at all. He was still smiling, his lips curled inward, and his fingers were intertwined on Bryce's back as if to ensure the boy's full weight was pressed against him.

"Are you hungry?"

"That's a very dad thing to say," Bryce said, convinced that it was something dad would love to hear. And he wasn't wrong; dad laughed, as if he had forgotten mom was still asleep.

He then scooped him up and Bryce wrapped his hands around his neck. Of course he already knew that his dad was the best dad in the whole world and mom had said that he was quick on his feet, but Bryce gained a whole new respect for him when they exited the bedroom with no sound whatsoever. He thought he dad would carry him all the way to the kitchen, but his bare feet were on the spotless parquet as soon as the door behind them was left ajar.

Mom would never let him run to the kitchen, and when dad didn't immediately follow, he thought he too would say something. But when he looked over his shoulder to check, dad didn't seem to mind the sound of his steps. Maybe he didn't even notice; his eyes were closed and his right hand was across his heart. And he was smiling in that distinct way Bryce couldn't quite figure out. Unlike with all other people he knew, the smile was not splashed across dad's face; only the corners of his mouth were furled upward as he kept his lips together. Yet somehow, dad looked incredibly happy. Bryce wondered if perhaps he didn't want to reveal his bliss to the world in case someone might want to steal it away.