Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandom:
Relationship:
Characters:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:
2023-10-29
Updated:
2023-11-13
Words:
2,939
Chapters:
3/4
Comments:
42
Kudos:
43
Bookmarks:
3
Hits:
238

Remove the years

Summary:

What if you remove the trauma, the bad stuff, and the years from Simon and Baz and have them meet as carefree kids. A short oneshot.

Notes:

Based on an inktober drawing I did on tumblr for the prompt "remove", so i thought lets remove the trauma, the bad stuff, and the years from Simon and Baz and have them meet as carefree kids.

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

Simon stabbed the dragon, imagining its roar of pain and drying spurts of blood. Its guts, in the form of leaves, fell on Simon as he shook the hedge with his attacks.

“Die!” He yelled with glee.

He gave the dragon shrub a couple more whacks for good measure and stumbled away with a grin on his face satisfied he had won. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a boy sitting on the bench by the playground doing nothing really. Weird. Simon turned to look at him and the boy turned away a blush spreading over his warm brown skin. He was wearing the kind of clothes Simon’s Mum always tried to force him into to go see his Gran.

Simon looked back towards the hedges, there were rather a lot of dragons left. He could use some help. Maybe the boy would want to help. He looked around Simon’s age. Simon shrugged, shoved his noble stick sword Excalibur into his belt loops and jogged over.

“Hi! I’m Simon!” Simon stuck out he hand, suitably covered in dirt. “Want to play?”

The boy blinked at him and raised an eyebrow “Why are you wearing half the playground?”

“What?” Simon’s hand awkwardly stuck out just hung there.

“You have leaves in your hair.”

“Oh,” Simon reached up and scrubbed out the leaves from his curls. “Well, that’s just the dragon guts.”

The boy cocked his head to the side. “What?”

“I was fighting a dragon and these are his guts 'cause I won.” Simon wondered if this boy could see the obvious. He even had a sword!

“You were hitting a hedge.” The boy said like he was talking to someone who was particularly dense.  

Simon scowled at him. This boy was getting annoying. “DRAGON.”

The boy sighed, “Fine dragon then.” He picked at his pants, plucking a piece a lint off it.

Simon watched him for a couple of seconds, fidgeting in place. “So why are you wearing weird grownup clothes? Did someone die? Is that why you aren’t allowed to play?” The questions rushed out of Simon before he could slow down and “think about what you are asking” as his dad was always telling him.

The boy looks horrified. “What? No! I like these. I … just don’t want to get then dirty.”

Simon frowned, but that was the point of playing, dirt. “Ok….um…do you still want to play? I can give you my sword. I have more swords in the armory.” Simon nodded to the hedgerow and held out the sword to the other boy. He accepted it like an unwanted piece of homework. This boy was weird. Who wouldn’t want a great stick?

“So, what’s your name?” Simon asked

“Baz. Well, my full name is Basilton. But I only hear that when I have done something wrong.”

“Ok Baz! Lets go! I’m the knight and you are my squire and we need to defend the Castle! Forward!” Simon yelled as he ran to the hedgerow and another sword.

Baz sat on the bench for just a second more before hopping off and trotting after Simon. He adjusted the stick to more comfortably be sword and gave it an experimental swing. Perfect. Now to go defend a castle.

Chapter 2

Notes:

Ok i was pretty sure i wouldnt write another chapter but this AU was so fluffy and i needed some fluff after crying over the end of AOT last night.

Chapter Text

“Simon! It’s time to go love.” Lucy shifted the bags of groceries on her arm as she scanned the playground. “Simon?”

“Mum!”

Lucy turned at the sound of her son as he burst from the bushes, a grin on his face, hair full of leaves, and a boy in tow. She suppressed a small sigh at the state of Simons clothes. She would be scrubbing those stains out for hours.

“Mum! We got the dragon! All of them! And then there was a ship and and pirates but Baz got then. And I tried to tell him you cant just magic away everyone but then he said he was a mage which I told him he couldn’t be because we were knights but—"

Lucy let him talk for a while. Simon sometimes didn’t get to talk as much as he wanted at home. Her husband, Davy, did not like Simon being so loud at home.

The other boy half hid behind Simon fixing her with a scowl, but he was probably just nervous. At least his clothes had faired better than her little rosebud.

Simon was still talking animatedly about their adventures when his voice was drowned out by a motorcycle pulling up. The motorcyclist kicked down the stand and yanked off her helmet like it had offended her.

“Oi kid. Time to go!” She hollered in their direction.

The boy behind Simon rolled his eyes and started to walk to the woman. Simon yelled and grabbed his wrist as he past. “No Baz don’t go! I want to play more!”

“Simon, love, you need to let him go. His mum is waiting for him, right Baz?”

“My name is Basilton.” Baz—Basilton huffed. “And that is not my mother. Just my annoying aunt.”

Lucy frowned.

“Boyo, I heard that!” called Baz’s aunt from her motorcycle she had thankfully turned off.

Simon still clung to Basilton’s wrist and was pouting. Lucy could see a tear forming in her son’s eyes. If she didn’t do something Simon would likely go off on a tantrum. Basilton seemed to like her son as he wasn’t protesting being held by Simon, in fact he looked reluctant to leave Simon and was still holding on to a stick that no doubt Simon gave to him.

She knelt down before Simon and plucked one of the dozen leaves from his curls. “Honey, he needs to listen to his aunt and you and I need to go home for dinner. But you can see him again, ok?”

Simons face instantly brightened. “Really?”

“Yes, and I’m sure Basilton would like to play with you again too?” Lucy glanced at Basilton for his reaction. The boy’s cheeks flushed and he gave a small nod. “OK then.” Lucy stood and gently took Simon’s dirty hand off Basilton’s arm and led him over to the woman on the bike. Basilton trailed behind.

“Hello!”

The woman who was in the process of lighting a cigarette, grunted what Lucy hoped was a hello.

“My name is Lucy. My son was just playing with your nephew, and they were getting along quite well and I was wondering if I could have Basilton’s parents’ information to set up a play date for them?”

“Baz you want that?” The woman asked ignoring Lucy and Simon.

Basilton or Baz rolled his eyes. For such a small child he certainly was expressive. “Fiona, just give them my step-mother’s number.”

Fiona shrugged her leather covered shoulders. “You got a phone?”

“Oh yes.” Lucy assumed she was addressing her and fumbled to get it out of her purse. She had to set down her bag of groceries or let go of Simon’s hand, and she knew from experience if she let go of Simon’s hand, he would run off on another “quest” of his.

Fiona rattled off a number in a bored tone.

Lucy added it to her phone. “What is the name?”

“Daphne Grimm.”

Lucy fumbled with her phone, nearly dropping it. Grimm? Wasn’t Davy always ranting about an old family with that name? Oh, this could be bad. Lucy looked at down at Simon who had turned to Basilton and was whispering to him. Baz snorted trying to hide his laughter. She couldn’t end that. Simon did not have enough friends.

Lucy turned back to Fiona smiling. “Thank you. We’ll let you and Basilton get going.”

“What?” Simon squeaked. “No Baz stay! There are still more pirates to fight!”

Baz looked to his aunt who tapped her foot. “Sorry. But I have to go. Another time perhaps.”

“Oh.” Simon looked lost. “Ok I guess.”

Baz walked to his aunt and she handed him the helmet she had worn. She started up the bike and Baz gave Simon a little wave and then they were gone in a screech of tires and roar of engines like someone had cast a banishment spell on them.

Lucy picked up her groceries again and gently guided Simon to the car. They had a long drive back to their cottage. She would use the drive to think of how to bring up to her husband that the family he fought with in the house of commons and viewed as the source of the issues in this and the surrounding constituencies was now going to be in their life. Lucy frowned as she turned onto the M6, trying to listen with half an ear to Simon, but failing. What about her mother? She could say Simon had gone to visit her every time he wanted to see his new friend. That could work. Davy didn’t like her mother but couldn’t deny Simon to see his grandmother, and wouldn’t notice the extra visits. Lucy looked over to where Simon sat, still talking about his time with Basilton. Yes, this would work and be good for Simon. Lucy reached out and ruffled Simon’s curls.

“Mum!” Simon protested.

“Love you, my rosebud boy.”

“Love you to mum.”

Chapter 3

Notes:

The sleepover/playdate pt 1 of however long my brain decides to keep this AU going.

Chapter Text

“Are you sure you are ok with this?” Lucy clutched Simon’s backpack to her chest unsure if she should hand it over.

“Love,” Lady Ruth Salisbury gently pried the bag from Lucys worried hands. “Simon will be fine with me. Won’t you deary?” she addressed Simon who had bounded through the door the moment it was open and had made for the trays of sandwiches on the table.

Simon mumbled something around the remains of cress and eggs sandwich.

“Yes, but this is also his first sleepover and what if he gets scared, he can’t call home—”

Lady Ruth set down Simon’s bag and took Lucy’s face into her hands. “Lucy, baby. It will be ok. Take a deep breath. I will handle this so he won’t find out.”

Lucy deflated. “Thank you, mum.”

Lady Ruth hummed. “Have you thought of leaving—”

“Mum! Not again.”

“But—”

“No. Davy is a fine father. It’s just…who Simon made friends with. That’s the only issue.”

Lady Ruth wanted to object, wanted to bring out the list she had in her phone that she regularly added to and complained about at he country club, but for now she swallowed her words. One day. One day she would get to tell that twat where he could stick it.

For now, she contented herself by patting Lucy’s arm and then shooing her off.

Lady Ruth shut the door and sighed, thinking about what she would add to her list tonight. She turned to see the ball of energy that was her grandson had found some cookies too and was trying to reach the swords of her late husband. “Darling, don’t touch the swords. Are you ready to go?”

Simon turned and looked guilty. “Yes! Wait, where are we going?”

Lady Ruth handed Simon another cookie. “To see your friend the young Basilton Grimm-Pitch.”

“Baz?!” Simon yelled. “Yes! Is he coming here? Do I get go to see him? Can I bring him these sandwiches? Please grandma?”

Lady Ruth laughed, “Yes Simon, that’s why I made so many! Now do you want to help me pack them for both of you tonight?”

“Yes please!” Simon hopped up and down as he handed the sandwiches to Lady Ruth so she could put them into a container. Not all of them made it to her hands. She handed the last sandwich back to him so that he had one in each hand to munch on.

Lady Ruth put all the sandwiches, Simon, and Simon’s bag into her small car and then they set off. Simon was still bouncing in his seat in the back – in a separate row as the sandwiches. Lady Ruth did want some of them to reach the destination.

She turned up the driveway to the Pitch manor and made some remarks about the length of the driveway as it related to the anatomy of the Pitch’s.

“What does that mean? Com-pen-siting?” Simon piped up.

“Nothing love,” Lady Ruth adjusted her rear-view mirror. “Just something us adults say when people have too much money and not enough restraint.”

“Oh. Um ok.” Simon did not understand. “Are we almost there?”

“Yes, we are, my little rose. Look.” Lady Ruth pointed to the house which had finally appeared in all of its old gothic glory.

“Wow,” Simon breathed on the window. “That is so so so big! Grandma I think its bigger than your house and my house put together.”

“It definitely is, love.” Lady Ruth parked and helped Simon out and put his backpack on.

He sprinted ahead but halted before touching the door knocker or the modern doorbell. Simon turned and looked back at her, “Hey grandmom….” He trailed off.

Lady Ruth carefully balanced the containers of sandwiches and ruffled his hair before reaching and ringing the doorbell.

Simon fidgeted.

The door was opened by a child around Simon’s age who looked up suspiciously at Lady Ruth.

“Can I help you?” Spoken like an heir to this estate.

“Baz!” Simon pushed past his grandmother and basically threw himself at the other child.

“Simon maybe don’t fling yourself at him, he may not want to be hugged that hard.”

“Basil, is your friend here?” A voice from inside called. Moments later a heavily pregnant woman appeared behind Baz who Simon still had not let go of.

“Oh, Daphne Dear, how are you doing?”

“Lady Salisbury, I didn’t know this was your grandson. Hello there!”

“HI,” Simon said quickly then when back to chatting to Basilton. Basilton was looking at Simon like he was the sun: star struck and a bit overwhelmed.

“Basil why don’t you take Simon up to your room and show him around.”

“Ok mother. Come on Simon.” Basilton grabbed Simon’s hand and pulled him from the doorway.

Lady Ruth laughed to see them go. “Are you sure you will be able to handle both of them in your state love?”

Daphne let out a tired laugh, “No but that’s why Vera is here tonight.”

“Simon can be rambunctious. I also made these for the two of them, Simon is going through a growth spurt and is eating everything.”

“Oh, thank you. You didn’t have to.” Daphne said as she took the container of sandwiches. “Vera, would you mind helping with this?” Vera appeared and daphne handed the sandwiches off.

“Well thank you for setting this up,” Daphne said turning back to Lady Ruth. “I have begun to think Basil wouldn’t make any friends. He’s such a quiet boy ever since… But I have never heard him talk so much since this was planned. Both his father and I are happy to see this change in him.”

Lady Ruth smiled. She wondered what they would think if they knew who Simon’s father was or if as she suspected the distain was only one-sided. “Simon has been looking forward to this for a while as well. His mother said he was chatting her ear off about it. Oh here,” Lady Ruth dug in her purse for her number which she had written on a piece of paper. “This is the number you can call if Simon needs anything. Either me or his uncle will answer no matter what time.”

Daphne smiled and accepted the paper.

“I’ll be back to pick him up tomorrow around 10 am?”

“That will work. Or we could bring him to the club with us tomorrow and you can pick him up from there. I know that will be a shorter drive for you?”

“Oh, bless you dear, but I wont have you get two young boys ready when you should be resting.” Lady Ruth waved off Daphne’s polite attempts at protests. “Now I will see you at 10 tomorrow. And Simon can always be distracted by food if there is an issue. Have a good evening!”

“You too!” Daphne called before shutting the oak door.

Lady Ruth climbed into her car and pulled out her phone to quickly write the note about that bastard her daughter was married too. Thirty pages and a counting.

It was adorable how that young Basilton looked at Simon. Simon’s other friends got annoyed eventually at his overly affectionate nature. That young Wellbelove especially. But Basilton had let Simon cling to him and seemed to enjoy it. Lady Ruth wondered how Malcom would take the news about his progeny being perhaps not so into little girls. She wondered if she should say something at the club about the state of queer rights in the country to judge his reaction. She did have room in her note app for more rants.

On that note she added another line to her Davy note: probably against queer people. She had no proof but just judging by what she unfortunately knew about him he would not be happy is Simon turned out anything less than the picture of a heterosexual toxic male.

She would be damned if that happened under her watch. Maybe her and Jamie could take Simon to London Pride. Jamie went every year and Lady Ruth loved wearing her “free grandmother hugs” shirt and rubbing her presence in the faces of the other low-level aristocracy. It was good for them to feel uncomfortable with their wrong opinions.

Lady Ruth drove home, plotting how to make life uncomfortable for certain people. If made her feel almost as good as baking cakes. Which she fully intended to do when she reached home.