Post by Lady Munin on Jul 8, 2015 8:29:51 GMT -6
(This takes place before Munin leaves for China)
A pair of blue jeans was placed into the suitcase with a sigh.
"Was that a motherly sigh Nin? Are you going soft on me?"
The pillow to the face that resulted from this comment brought about a boyish chuckle. A that broke near the end with the promise of a deeper voice in the future.
It was quite possibly the most precious sound in Munin's life, though a rare few knew about it. And yet it was bittersweet with that barely noticeable break near the end.
Her lost boy was growing up. Oh it wouldn't be today or even tomorrow but it was coming. I was only a matter of years, and some how for the first time years seemed like an incredibly short time to have.
"Nin, are you a'right?"
Broken from her thoughts Munin blinked at Travis with a small genuine smile on her face.
"Of course I'm fine. I was just thinking of the ridiculous claim that I the "sociopath" was going soft."
Travis rolled his hazel eyes at the obvious evasion, and brushed his wayward brown shaggy hair from his tanned face. A line of concern formed between his brows, as he looked over at the small woman that had become his mother. Sometimes he liked to secretly think that she was always supposed to be his mother, and God had simply made a mistake.
He wasn't complaining though, because despite all the craziness that came with having a wrestler for a mother, she provided him with a stable home where he never wanted for anything and always knew that he was loved.
Not mention the fact that she trusted him, and even believed him. When the rest of world turned it's back on him, and told him he was nothing Munin had been there.
So it truly worried him to see the woman that was usually so open and talkative with him so quite. It honestly hurt a little bit to think that maybe she didn't trust him enough to talk to him.
He knew that Alex's betrayal had hurt her in ways that few people realized. It hurt Travis too, but more than anything it made him angry. In fact looking at the hollow look in his mother's eyes made him furious.
Now wasn't the time to give into anger though. Munin had enough to worry about without him throwing a temper. He would just focus on being there for her like she had been there for him.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever...I'm serious, are you alright? I know what Alex did must have hurt you a lot, and-"
Another pair of pants is thrown into the suitcase, and Travis pauses to meet Munin's dark gaze. His hands rest on the bed to keep them from fidgeting.
"You know you can talk to me right? You know you can trust me, I'm not like that ass hole. So please, please, don't shut me out."
For once Munin looked at the boy-no young man across from her with a startled expression.
Maybe her lost boy was growing up faster, or maybe she'd just forgotten how grown up he already was. She had done everything her power to give him chance to just be a kid in the years he had left to do so...
"Travis I am not shutting you out, but I am also not going to unburden myself with you."
She holds up a hand to cut off his protest.
"It's not because I don't trust or that I can't rely on you. It's because it's not your burden to, and it never should be your burden. I love and adore you for wanting to help me with this, and you are Travis. In more ways than you will ever understand you help me, and I am so proud of you for the man you are growing up to be."
He had to turn away at that, before she could his eyes water up. Just because she was his mom didn't mean he wanted her to see him tearing up.
So clearing his throat he started to gather up his socks.
"I still don't understand what happened to him. I thought he was a good guy, why did he turn out to be such a dick?"
Munin smiled sadly at his back, Alex's betrayal had truly hurt Travis. She would see that he was punished for that if nothing else, but the anger wouldn't help Travis right now.
"Despite what many people would like to believe people can't easily be categorized as "good" and "bad". Most of the time people are just people, equally capable of making positive and negative decisions. For various reasons and to various effects...most of the time the real problem comes down to people not willing to hold themselves accountable for their actions. In Alex's case I think he still is Alex somewhere in there, but he has become so consumed by who he wanted to be and what he wants to accomplish, that he is refused to acknowledge that there were consequences for his choices."
She looked up for the bedspread she had been studying to meet his eyes.
"Do you understand?"
Travis gave a halting nod, he may not understand completely just yet, but he understood enough.
"You don't want me to be angry at him do you?"
His reply was more of a statement than a question. He failed miserably at keeping how much he didn't like that out of his voice.
Munin couldn't help smiling in amusement at how much he seemed to resent that idea. Genetics be damned he was definitely her son.
"No, that would be unrealistic and unfair to ask. It is natural that you would be angry with Alex, but I don't want you to hold onto it for too long. He does care for you very much, and he was a part of your life for sometime."
She paused to give him time to think on that, absently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she did so.
"Just because he is no longer apart of my life, doesn't mean that I expect you to cut him out of yours. That is a decision for you to make, but whatever you decide learn what you can from this."
With a heavy sigh Travis threw his socks into the suit case.
"So basically you're saying that it's ok that I want to take his kneecaps out, but I shouldn't let it consume me or dwell on it. Got it."
Munin stood to hug him, while chuckling at his exasperated summary.
"Yes, basically. Now to change the subject, are you sure that there is nothing I need to buy you for the field study? I can call Professor Milton to be sure if you like."
Travis gave a short bark of laughter, oh if they only knew what a mother hen she was.
"Oh, I'm sure he would love for you to call him, but no I have everything on the list. Plus the allowance card just incase, but thank you anyways."
After a moment of silence Travis felt the bed dip as Munin plopped back down on his bed. He had to suppress a smile before turning back around to place more items in his bag. He knew she would be wearing that look of confusion because of his words.
"Why would he love it if I called?"
It never ceased to amaze him how oblivious she could be to men's attraction. She could read people better than pretty much anyone else he knew, but when it came to someone having the hots for her she was nearly blind deaf and dumb.
"Well it could be because he has the hots for you, and starts to fall all over himself when you get too near."
"Travis, just because the man is clumsy doesn't mean he has "the hots" as you put it."
Travis rolled his eyes, yup truly oblivious.
"The man is only clumsy around you, he is a well known and accredited archaeologist. You don't to get to that by being clumsy, think about it. He would break more stuff than he could recover."
Munin's face twisted into slight frown, and she began to worry slightly at her bottom lip in thought.
"Well, that's awkward."
With a shrug of her shoulders her face cleared.
"Oh well, as long as he is teaching you properly. I'm actually a bit relieved to hear that he isn't THAT clumsy."
She switched subjects as she began to help him pack once more.
"Are you sure that you want to put off celebrating your birthday?"
Travis shook his head at her with a smile.
"No, I can wait. Why don't you go down stairs, and order some pizza as a pre-birthday feast."
He gently removes the clothes from her despite her narrowed eyed gaze.
"Are you trying to get rid pf me?"
His answering grin is shameless and a mirror to her own signature grin.
"Yes, yes I am, but I do love you. And I am starting to get really hungry."
Munin can't help but smile at his antics, before making her way to the door.
"Such a brat."
He laughs as she leaves the room, and replies loudly enough for her to hear. It wasn't good for anyone to always get the last word after all.
"IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE!"
A pair of blue jeans was placed into the suitcase with a sigh.
"Was that a motherly sigh Nin? Are you going soft on me?"
The pillow to the face that resulted from this comment brought about a boyish chuckle. A that broke near the end with the promise of a deeper voice in the future.
It was quite possibly the most precious sound in Munin's life, though a rare few knew about it. And yet it was bittersweet with that barely noticeable break near the end.
Her lost boy was growing up. Oh it wouldn't be today or even tomorrow but it was coming. I was only a matter of years, and some how for the first time years seemed like an incredibly short time to have.
"Nin, are you a'right?"
Broken from her thoughts Munin blinked at Travis with a small genuine smile on her face.
"Of course I'm fine. I was just thinking of the ridiculous claim that I the "sociopath" was going soft."
Travis rolled his hazel eyes at the obvious evasion, and brushed his wayward brown shaggy hair from his tanned face. A line of concern formed between his brows, as he looked over at the small woman that had become his mother. Sometimes he liked to secretly think that she was always supposed to be his mother, and God had simply made a mistake.
He wasn't complaining though, because despite all the craziness that came with having a wrestler for a mother, she provided him with a stable home where he never wanted for anything and always knew that he was loved.
Not mention the fact that she trusted him, and even believed him. When the rest of world turned it's back on him, and told him he was nothing Munin had been there.
So it truly worried him to see the woman that was usually so open and talkative with him so quite. It honestly hurt a little bit to think that maybe she didn't trust him enough to talk to him.
He knew that Alex's betrayal had hurt her in ways that few people realized. It hurt Travis too, but more than anything it made him angry. In fact looking at the hollow look in his mother's eyes made him furious.
Now wasn't the time to give into anger though. Munin had enough to worry about without him throwing a temper. He would just focus on being there for her like she had been there for him.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever...I'm serious, are you alright? I know what Alex did must have hurt you a lot, and-"
Another pair of pants is thrown into the suitcase, and Travis pauses to meet Munin's dark gaze. His hands rest on the bed to keep them from fidgeting.
"You know you can talk to me right? You know you can trust me, I'm not like that ass hole. So please, please, don't shut me out."
For once Munin looked at the boy-no young man across from her with a startled expression.
Maybe her lost boy was growing up faster, or maybe she'd just forgotten how grown up he already was. She had done everything her power to give him chance to just be a kid in the years he had left to do so...
"Travis I am not shutting you out, but I am also not going to unburden myself with you."
She holds up a hand to cut off his protest.
"It's not because I don't trust or that I can't rely on you. It's because it's not your burden to, and it never should be your burden. I love and adore you for wanting to help me with this, and you are Travis. In more ways than you will ever understand you help me, and I am so proud of you for the man you are growing up to be."
He had to turn away at that, before she could his eyes water up. Just because she was his mom didn't mean he wanted her to see him tearing up.
So clearing his throat he started to gather up his socks.
"I still don't understand what happened to him. I thought he was a good guy, why did he turn out to be such a dick?"
Munin smiled sadly at his back, Alex's betrayal had truly hurt Travis. She would see that he was punished for that if nothing else, but the anger wouldn't help Travis right now.
"Despite what many people would like to believe people can't easily be categorized as "good" and "bad". Most of the time people are just people, equally capable of making positive and negative decisions. For various reasons and to various effects...most of the time the real problem comes down to people not willing to hold themselves accountable for their actions. In Alex's case I think he still is Alex somewhere in there, but he has become so consumed by who he wanted to be and what he wants to accomplish, that he is refused to acknowledge that there were consequences for his choices."
She looked up for the bedspread she had been studying to meet his eyes.
"Do you understand?"
Travis gave a halting nod, he may not understand completely just yet, but he understood enough.
"You don't want me to be angry at him do you?"
His reply was more of a statement than a question. He failed miserably at keeping how much he didn't like that out of his voice.
Munin couldn't help smiling in amusement at how much he seemed to resent that idea. Genetics be damned he was definitely her son.
"No, that would be unrealistic and unfair to ask. It is natural that you would be angry with Alex, but I don't want you to hold onto it for too long. He does care for you very much, and he was a part of your life for sometime."
She paused to give him time to think on that, absently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she did so.
"Just because he is no longer apart of my life, doesn't mean that I expect you to cut him out of yours. That is a decision for you to make, but whatever you decide learn what you can from this."
With a heavy sigh Travis threw his socks into the suit case.
"So basically you're saying that it's ok that I want to take his kneecaps out, but I shouldn't let it consume me or dwell on it. Got it."
Munin stood to hug him, while chuckling at his exasperated summary.
"Yes, basically. Now to change the subject, are you sure that there is nothing I need to buy you for the field study? I can call Professor Milton to be sure if you like."
Travis gave a short bark of laughter, oh if they only knew what a mother hen she was.
"Oh, I'm sure he would love for you to call him, but no I have everything on the list. Plus the allowance card just incase, but thank you anyways."
After a moment of silence Travis felt the bed dip as Munin plopped back down on his bed. He had to suppress a smile before turning back around to place more items in his bag. He knew she would be wearing that look of confusion because of his words.
"Why would he love it if I called?"
It never ceased to amaze him how oblivious she could be to men's attraction. She could read people better than pretty much anyone else he knew, but when it came to someone having the hots for her she was nearly blind deaf and dumb.
"Well it could be because he has the hots for you, and starts to fall all over himself when you get too near."
"Travis, just because the man is clumsy doesn't mean he has "the hots" as you put it."
Travis rolled his eyes, yup truly oblivious.
"The man is only clumsy around you, he is a well known and accredited archaeologist. You don't to get to that by being clumsy, think about it. He would break more stuff than he could recover."
Munin's face twisted into slight frown, and she began to worry slightly at her bottom lip in thought.
"Well, that's awkward."
With a shrug of her shoulders her face cleared.
"Oh well, as long as he is teaching you properly. I'm actually a bit relieved to hear that he isn't THAT clumsy."
She switched subjects as she began to help him pack once more.
"Are you sure that you want to put off celebrating your birthday?"
Travis shook his head at her with a smile.
"No, I can wait. Why don't you go down stairs, and order some pizza as a pre-birthday feast."
He gently removes the clothes from her despite her narrowed eyed gaze.
"Are you trying to get rid pf me?"
His answering grin is shameless and a mirror to her own signature grin.
"Yes, yes I am, but I do love you. And I am starting to get really hungry."
Munin can't help but smile at his antics, before making her way to the door.
"Such a brat."
He laughs as she leaves the room, and replies loudly enough for her to hear. It wasn't good for anyone to always get the last word after all.
"IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE!"
