Ficlet: The Fulfilment of Legacies

[starsandsea]

Title: The Fulfilment of Legacies
Rating: PG
Characters: Charlie, Pieter
Word Count: 395
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Author's Note: For jsa_allstars Legacy Challenge. I know nothing about owls and their behavior, so there is a great chance that a lot of this is wrong! Unbetaed, so point and I shall correct.



Charlie had heard the story, of course. Heard it when he was a hatchling, then heard it being called out at night, after he had left the nest, flown where he wanted. He could still hear it being called out by other owls, knew it was being told to the new hatchlings. He would listen to it being told, letting it soothe him to sleep, with dreams of being surrounded by his bothers and sisters, his parents warmth close by.

The story of The Owl who helped a man see in the dark.

It was being told that night; the night Charlie met the Nice Man. The Nice Man had thanked Charlie (he wasn't quite sure why), and offered him a warm place to stay for the night. Charlie had followed him back to a big house because of curiosity and, well,it was a cold and stormy night. Charlie had woken up in the middle of the day to the Nice Man wondering around, walking into things. Charlie had watched him for a while, then flown down near to him, and told him when he was about to bump into things.

He supposed he could have left after that day, after the storm had gone, but... the Nice Man needed him. He could see that. So he had stayed.

It wasn't until Charlie had gone with him to the Place He Liked To Visit Lots (he didn't need Charlie's help with not bumping into things anymore, but Charlie still stayed) when he saw it.

There was a picture. A picture of a man with an owl. The Owl who helped him see in the dark.

The Nice Man was dressed like the man in the picture.

He heard the humans talking, heard them say that the Nice Man couldn't see, not properly. The Nice Man seemed new here. When The Man Who Liked Making Green Things Appear had seen Charlie, he had smiled, oddly, and made a remark about Legacies not only being about people.

Charlie wondered if the owls would tell any stories about him, to the hatchlings. If his story would be told, and known to all.

For some reason, he didn't want it to be. He wasn't trying to take The Owl's place.

He was just trying to help the Nice Man. It didn't feel like he was fulfilling a legacy.

Comments

[stalinglim.livejournal.com]

So cute. :)

[blackrosebard.livejournal.com]

I adore your take on Charlie, you know that right?

This is awesome!

[bradygirl_12]

This is adorable, Star! :)

Aww, Charlie's so modest! ;)

[jij.livejournal.com]

CHARLIE! Oh, somehow it's terribly sweet that Charlie doesn't see himself as a legacy at all, he just loves Pieter. *happy sigh*

His names continue to be very awesome! "The Place He Liked to Visit Lots" and "The Man Who Liked Making Green Things Appear" just make me crack up so much. This was so sweet, I loved it!

[taro-twist.livejournal.com]

Oh my god ... OH MY GOD! This was sooooo awesome. I think you need to become a children's book writer along with being a jewelry designer ... this just had such a wonderful fairy tale quality to it. I LOVE it, I love Charlie's voice, as Jen said, the names are awesome (The Man Who Liked Making Green Things Appear!!!! AHHHH!!!!! There's something strangely Native American seeming about that, too ... just ... soooo so cool ...)

And I love the ending, too:

For some reason, he didn't want it to be. He wasn't trying to take The Owl's place.

He was just trying to help the Nice Man. It didn't feel like he was fulfilling a legacy.

That was just ... perfect. Absolutely perfect. Such a fantastic fic! *lots of squeeing*

[arch-schatten.livejournal.com]

Eeee! Charlie fic! *rolls around in the awesome*

I love the legacies theme here. That Pieter and Charlie both don't really think of it as... anything as grand, they just want to help people, both of them, I don't know, it makes it so perfect. They are such a great team!

Charlie wondered if the owls would tell any stories about him, to the hatchlings. If his story would be told, and known to all.

For some reason, he didn't want it to be. He wasn't trying to take The Owl's place.

Owls telling stories to hatchlings kind of made my brain melt from the adorable. Yes, yes they'll tell stories about Charlie. Because helping others inspires others, and Pieter and Charlie's work would touch a lot of lives. *pets them* So, so cute! bweee!

[isilweth.livejournal.com]

He wasn't trying to take The Owl's place.

He was just trying to help the Nice Man. It didn't feel like he was fulfilling a legacy.

Wow. This is perfect. An excellent reflection on Pieter and on the nature of legacy in the DCU. &hearts *mems*