Work Text:
Dear Mother and Father
Thank you for writing-
"Are you really going to thank them?" Nathaniel asked from where he was sitting beside his mother. His hand was propped up on a hand with his elbow on the desk. Shira sighed, erasing the first line without even debating it.
"That's rude. But you're not wrong."
She was writing back to her parents after reading the letter they had sent. Nathaniel was there for moral support, now that he knew the truth about them. It was the first time he'd read one of their letters.
Nathaniel thought Marc was good at writing good villains, but that was nothing on how horrible real people could be.
Dear Mother and Father
I have read your letter. I am not in a position to discuss your proposal at this time, as I am in the middle of important work obligations, and my son is preparing for his final years of school before university.
"Maybe I shouldn't mention you." Shira considered, moving her hand to the eraser again.
"Do they know I exist?"
"Yes, they know I have a son, and his name is Nathaniel. But that's about it." Shira shook her head. She remembered what her parents were like about certain topics.
"They wouldn't like that you focus on art. Or that you have a boyfriend."
There was a silence following that statement that ended when she picked up her pencil to try drafting a new line.
Dear Mother and Father
I have read your letter. I am not in a position to discuss your proposal at this time. If you would like to discuss that in more detail then I think it should be done in person
"...I don't think they should visit," Shira shook her head and erased most of the first line again. She looked over at her son.
"You don't want to meet them, do you."
"Nope." The response was immediate, monotonous, and left no room to be persuaded.
"If they made the time to come here they would insist on staying for a while," Shira thought aloud as she glanced around their apartment. There were two bedrooms, and if two guests turned up they would insist on having them.
"If they insisted on staying then maybe they might get caught up in an akuma attack."
The tone that time seemed to suggest that it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing if that happened. Shira gave her son a look that was part disapproving, part begrudging acceptance of a joke made at someone else's expense.
Dear Mother and Father
I have read your letter. I am not in a position to discuss your proposal at this time. I think we should discuss it at a later date.
"...Nothing you write will dissuade them, will it?" Nathaniel slumped onto the desk, looking at the painfully blank paper that was filled with more eraser rubbings than words.
"No matter what I say, they'll just keep trying to convince me to do things their way. And that I'm not doing enough," she sighed. This response would only delay the inevitable, and only slightly.
Nathaniel stood up, taking the unfinished letter.
"Here's a response that'll send the right message then." He announced before tearing the letter in half.
Shira was surprised for a moment. But then it was like a spell was lifted from her. She started laughing; softly at first, but building up as she took one of the halves to continue turning it into confetti.
Eventually the two of them were sitting with a pile of shreds between them on the desk, with a few flecks on the floor.
"I'll go get the dustpan," Nathaniel chuckled. He stood up, going to the kitchen so they could sweep up the scraps. But before he could get too far he felt his mother's hand on his shoulder. He paused, turning as she pulled him into a hug.
"Ima?"
"Thank you... for being my son." Her voice was delicate, expressing a sense of such pure gratitude. A sense of family that was shared just between the two of them.
Nathaniel smiled and leaned in, wrapping his arms around his mother.
"Thanks for being my mom."