Chapter Text
Quentin was nervous. He thought that like it wasnt a common occurrence for him, but really he was more nervous than usual. He'd never introduced anyone to his father, not as more than a friend. It was almost baffling that he was going to be introducing two people, both his boyfriends, to his father.
While he was dying. Of cancer.
Fuck.
Quentin was nervous, not only because he was introducing his boyfriends to his father, but because he didn't know how to handle it all. His dad was just - giving up. Not even trying to fight the illness. It made him sad and angry and - depressed.
At one point, Quentin had never thought he'd make it past 20. Now, he had a solid reason to live, and something to do with himself. He wanted his dad to see that.
So he formed a plan.
He was going to tell his dad about magic, and try and convince him to seek treatment. If not for himself, then for his son, who finally had a foreseeable future.
And if that wasn't worth living for, then what was?
Eliot and Penny noticed Quentin's mood, because of course they did, but they seemed to get that it was better to distract him then bug him about it for once. Eliot fussed over his wardrobe choice, insisting he wears only the most perfect outfit he could for "Senior Coldwater". Penny complained about having to go out into the muggle world, where people didn't have wards and it would be louder than usual. Quentin enjoyed the distraction, and settled into his boyfriends' banner as they prepared themselves for meeting Quentin's father.
The night before, Eliot bullied both Quentin and Penny into laying out an outfit so they would be ready to go the next day. The three of them tried to coordinate, and with Eliot's determined state both Quentin and Penny were forced to give in and let Eliot pick their clothes. He was the more fashionable one out of the three, so it was probably better he than Penny or Q.
Meanwhile, Quentin went over his Transfiguration homework while Penny loomed over him, head on his shoulder, checking his work over while he went. It was nice. Domestic, almost. If Quentin didn't have his wards up, Penny would have endlessly teased him for having such a thought, but he really was grateful for these two men. He couldn't wait for them to meet his father.
The night before said meeting, Quentin lay in bed between Penny and Eliot, who were both dramatically draped across Quentin, their faces buried in his neck. Eliot would never admit it, but he did snore in his sleep. Penny would sometimes travel randomly in the middle of the night, but he's gotten a better hold of his traveling lately, thanks to the help of a third year, who also happened to be a traveler, named Victoria.
Quentin had never in his life been so in love.
"Hey, baby," Penny mutters, face nudged up against his jaw. Quentin blinks, and glances over at Penny, smiles softly.
"Mmh?"
"Your wards are slipping a bit."
"Ok, Pen," Quentin murmurs, and goes through the tuts quickly.
He doesn't think much of it at first, as he settles back into bed, but he does remember it when they're going through their morning routine, and looks at Penny with a startled expression. Penny just laughs and kisses him sweetly, nudging him into the bathroom as Eliot bossily tells them to shower up and get dressed soon.
-
They all agree to portal close enough to Ted's house that they can make it look as if they drove over themselves. Eliot "borrows" a passing car, and he sets to driving them to Ted's house. Hopefully, if Quentin's plan goes well, they won't have to take the car back to the city, and they can instead portal back to Brakebills.
While they drive, Quentin feels his nerves light up. His leg begins to bounce, sharp, quick movements that are hard to hold back. Penny notices from where he sits next to him, and frowns over at Q.
A hand winds around his wrist, before tangling their fingers together. Quentin looks up, smiles softly at Penny and leaning in to kiss him softly.
"You two saps," Eliot laughs from the front, meeting Quentin's gaze through the mirror. "We're here."
Quentin swallows, his nerves alight as he clambered out of the car, Eliot and Penny hot on his heels. Here they were. No stopping it now. Quentin walks towards the front door, and knocks before he can talk himself out of it.
There's a short wait, and then Ted Coldwater opens the door. He beams at Quentin, his expression warm if a little tired.
"Curly-Q," His father says fondly, and he pulls Quentin into a hug. He hears a snicker behind him, and he feels his cheeks flush as Penny mutters "Curly-Q" from behind him. He gently pulls himself out of his father's embrace. The moment of truth.
"Dad, this is Penny and Eliot. Pen, El, this is - my dad, Ted Coldwater." Quentin says, voice only cracking a little bit. Ted looks over Quentin's shoulder at Eliot and Penny, who are dressed in their best. Eliot, ever the dramatic, does a quick bow and grins brightly at the father.
"Mr. Coldwater, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I can promise that Penny and I have been nothing but the best partners our Curly-Q could have," The second-year purrs out, ever the figure of grace and perfection. Ted laughs, his eyes lighting up in a way that was very familiar to Eliot and Penny, and they exchanged a fond look.
“It’s wonderful to finally meet you two. Last I saw Q, I could tell he was a lot happier. Now I’m glad to know why that is,” Ted replies, and Quentin can't help the way his heart swoons at how Eliot and Penny immediately brighten at this.
“He means the world to us. We want nothing but to make him happy,” Penny speaks up, a rare smile on his face.
“That’s a lie, you both live to make my life miserable with how sappy you are,” Quentin mumbles, and they all laugh fondly. Ted finally opens the door wide enough so they can all come in, and they settle on the couch to chat and watch what looks to be football. Quentin isn’t really paying attention, seeing as he is squished between his two boyfriends, who are practically begging Ted for baby photos of Q.
“I’ve got plenty of baby photos, but you won’t be very lucky once you reach elementary school. He would avoid cameras like the plague,” Ted laughs, and Eliot sighs fondly, ruffling Q’s hair before putting his hand back around his neck.
“Sounds like our Q,” Penny mutters, but he perks up when Ted comes back with photos. Eliot and Penny spend an embarrassing amount of time crooning over baby Q, and then toddler Q, and then kid Q, and then -
“Oh my Gods, is that a fringe, Coldwater?” Penny laughs, eyes alight with enjoyment. Quentin groans, scrambling up from the couch where he’d been moping and snatched the photo of his 7th grade emo phase.
“We don’t speak of that,” Quentin growls, sending both his boyfriends deathly looks. Eliot blows kisses at him, and Penny winks. He hates them both with all his being.
They breeze through middle school, the photos tapering off through high school, and as they reach college, there’s only the occasional holiday photo. Eliot and Penny whines when there aren’t any photos left because they’re horrible, and conversation trails off to Q’s younger years.
“He was always nose-deep in those Fillory books, I don’t think I saw him without them his entire time in middle school!”
“He’s still obsessed with them. He’s such a nerd.”
“Hey!”
“And we love your nerdiness. You’re our nerd.”
They talked for a while with Ted, Eliot and Penny getting as many childhood stories out of Q’s father as they could with the time they had. It lasted a while, and as the visit went on, Q found himself more relaxed than he had been in a long time. He was sunk into Eliot’s side, his legs flung over Penny’s lap while the two men listened eagerly to the stories.
“So, this school of yours,” Immediately, all three men tensed up a bit. “What are you all majoring in?”
“I’m a drama kid, Penny’s in psychology, and Q’s an English major.” Eliot replied smoothly, and Penny nodded along. Quentin felt his stomach sink a bit; he didn’t want to lie to his father about this. He sat up, and Eliot let out a soft whine of protest.
“Dad? Do you still have that airplane I broke and you never got to fixing?” Ted looked puzzled, but he nodded and stood up to go get it. Eliot and Penny exchanged a look, looking equally confused.
They all went to settle at the dinner table, and Quentin took a deep breath before going through the tuts.
“Q, what the hell-” Penny hissed, making him falter.
He turned to his boyfriend, brows furrowed.
“Trust me, Pen,” Quentin murmured, and Penny stepped back frowning, and pulling Elot back as well.
Quentin took a deep breath, going through the tuts, and he opened his eyes to find the fixed plane in his hands, his father looking at it in awe.
“How -”
“We’re magicians , dad,” Quentin murmured, sitting up, looking at him. “We go to a magic school called Brakebills. Penny’s a psychic . Eliot’s telekinetic . I can - fix things.” Quentin clenched his jaw, setting the plane down and watching his dad gape at it. “I knew I couldn't lie to you about this. It’s just-” He took a shuddering breath, clenching his jaw as his father looked up at him with wide eyes.
“Oh,” Ted said, his voice soft. He looked back at Eliot and Penny, who came behind Quentin to clasp his shoulder.
“Yeah,” Quentin said, smiling softly.
-
Now that Ted knew they were magicians, they were able to portal home rather than ‘borrow’ another car. Quentin hugged his dad goodbye, sniffling into his shoulder.
“We’ll come visit whenever we can,” He promises Ted, who smiles at his son warmly.
“That sounds wonderful. Bring your boys again, whenever you do. And Julia. Is she -?”
“Yeah, she’s at Brakebills too. Her discipline is just - Knowledge, apparently,” Quentin laughs, and so does Ted, and they hug once more.
Eliot finishes the portal, and he and Penny come to say goodbye to Ted.
“It was wonderful meeting you, Ted,” Eliot says, painfully honest, shaking Ted’s hand. The senior grins, pulls Eliot into a hug, and pats his back.
“Good to meet you too, son. Make sure Curly-Q stays out of too much trouble.” Ted says, patting Eliot’s back. Penny looked a little nervous, but Q pulled him in, and they all folded into a big group hug.
“It’s good to know my son has people who care about him,” Ted says, voice serious when he pulls Penny and Eliot aside. “Take care of him. He sometimes can’t do it himself.”
Penny and Eliot exchange a look, and nod.
“We plan on it.”
-
When they get back to Brakebills, Quentin immediately collapses on the PKC couch, face down. Penny maneuvers him so Q’s at least laying in his lap, while Eliot goes to make them all drinks.
“So,” Penny says, running his fingers through Quentin’s hair. “When can we go see him again?”
Quentin smiles into Penny’s thigh, sitting up and kissing him. Eliot sits down with them, drinks in hand. Quentin smiles at them, these wonderful men who he would do anything for.
“I love you two,” Quentin says, and means it, as he leans in to kiss his boyfriends. Penny grins, and Eliot tries not to act flustered, and they settle in for a pleasant night.
They’ll be ok. They have each other.