I compared me and Father's relationship to that of a lion and a zebra.
We were too different.
He was excitable and constantly looking for something to do while I? I wasn't. His stories from the expeditions he went on were interesting but...the offer to visit different countries and such?
No.
I was fine right where I was, there was nothing else for me away from home.
“Wait up Chelidon!” I heard Father call out to me as soon as I reached the dirt road, causing me to look both ways.
As usual, no cars were coming. I felt a sharp poke go to my neck before I heard a small peep come from Fidel, I looked to my shoulder to see him standing and looking at me with a disapproving look.
I scoffed. “'m surprised you’re taking Dad’s side, you don’t even like Father,” I whispered to him.
Fidel shook his head with another peep that was akin to a high-pitched sigh.
“C’mon Chelidon! Talk to me! Don’t leave me walking after you in silence!” Father laughed as he quickened his pace to walk beside me.
I looked at him, Fidel quickly launching himself from my shoulder as he started to fly on his own.
What was there to even talk about?
Suddenly, he hummed for a moment. “School! How’s school?”
“Good.”
“Got any bad grades?”
“No.”
“Make any friends?”
“Did you forget already? I’m homeschooled.” I said curtly, my eyes narrowing.
This ‘bonding time’ idea was failing more and more by the second...why did he even bother? Our relationship wasn’t the strongest nor closest but it was comfortable to where I could give him rare smiles every now and again and even hug him at times. But, it was more comfortable when he wasn’t asking questions. Whatever Dad needed us to find, we needed to focus on that-
“Hm...mind if I reminisce about my adventures out loud?” Father suddenly asked.
“...Sure?” I slowly answered as we started to approach the fields.
Abandoned crops are what Dad referred to them here and there, they were all wheat crops! Although Father constantly advised dad not to, after four years of living here and never seeing a single farmer come along and collect his hard work? It left Dad learning how to make the best bread I’ve ever tasted.
“Y’know, I recently went to a cave in China.” Father started off, my brow rising a little in interest.
Although it was more of a casual interest, I was curious about China. The culture was rich and the people seemed friendly judging from the pictures Father showed me and Dad from time to time whenever he went there. One day or another, I wanted to go.
“Locals told me and my team that the place was haunted. They called it Gēshēng or ‘Singing Spirits’.” He said.
I raised a brow. “Singing spirits?” I repeated.
A small smile came onto his face before he sighed and spat in the grass.
“Yep! And it was, somewhat, true.” He laughed, causing me to scoff.
Maybe it was Dad’s influence but...he always had a strangely strong belief in the unreal.
“Not the spirit things of course.” He snickered as he took out his phone, scrolling through it a little before he handed it to me.
I widened my eyes, the cave looked like something out of a dream...the sight of glowworms flying around in the dark cave filled with moss? It was beautiful!
"Ah...but no matter how beautiful that cave was, it'll never be the same as your Dad's homeland."
I handed his phone back with a small smile. “You really still believe that island exists Father?”
“Yes! I saw it with my own eyes, your Dad came from there!” Father exclaimed with assertion.
“You know how your Dad says ‘Storm Empress’? She’s real!”
Still, I cocked my brow in disbelief, a giant dragon that lived in the ocean and could control the weather?
It sounded like a monster from a movie.
Not real.
“What was Dad’s homeland like then?” I chuckled, causing me to cross my arms.
“Tough.”
Oh.
“In his homeland, the rains never stopped. There was a storm every other day and they were so angry and fierce that tornados had lightning within them. A drizzle was considered a sunny day in that place.” He explained, his eyes seeming to glaze over with remembrance.
“But, as the saying goes, nature is as beautiful as she is dangerous.” He continued.
“I’ll never forget that place...how beautiful the plants glowed at night, the people, the culture. It was all a sight to be witnessed!” He said, stars sparkling in his eyes while I couldn’t help but laugh.
He was passionate, unreal or real, he enjoyed everything to the fullest.
That was something I could admire and, in a way, I wish I had his love for adventuring but...what was the point? Home was safe, out here away from home? Potential danger lurked around every corner just waiting for you to let your guard down enough to where it could attack.
“I wish I had your love for adventuring Father,” I commented, Father, scoffing before he ruffled my hair.
I grumbled as I tried to smooth it out a little.
“You’re like your Dad, cautious and wary of your surroundings and anything new. There’s nothing wrong with that. After all, I’m just glad you’re not as headstrong as me.” He grinned.
“Rushing into situations without thinking through them, things get completed a lot more efficiently if you think first!” However, I couldn’t help but tilt my head at the sound of his sigh.
“But...there’s nothing wrong with being a little curious either.”
“I don’t like taking risks, the endings aren’t certain,” I admitted, Father once again resuming to having a happy-go-lucky grin on his face.
“Life isn’t certain, I’m not telling you to jump off a building and see if you’ll live or not, but, I am advising you to be more curious! Whether or not it seems that way at the moment, life can give interesting rewards!” He said, ruffling my head one more time before walking ahead of me.
He left me thinking, considering, and running things over and over in my head.
Tonight?
Of course, though I didn’t tell my parents because of the obvious fact that they’d freak out, hell, I didn’t even attempt at mentioning it to Fidel in fear that he would start chirping and alerting my parents to something at night! Tonight...I’d meet the only other kid in this side of the country, his background was odd and slightly mysterious but he meant well in my opinion. He had the fun-loving, talkative personality of an old friend from the city.
“Chelidon look! I found some flowers! Think your Dad will love ‘em?” Father suddenly asked with a proud, excited cackle, causing me to roll my eyes before I felt a pair of tiny feet land on my head.
Fidel let out a tiny hiss of annoyance.
“Oh hush,” I told him.
“Dad loves anything you give him,” I said with a slow shake of my head, watching Father begin to pull the red flowers up from the ground with a giggle.
“Not really, you should’ve seen the look on his face when I tried bringing a cat home one time. I got the glare for days on end after that stunt.” He sighed.
“You know Dad doesn’t like cats though?” I said.
“Yeah! But, he acts so much like one that I thought he’d have fun meeting another one of his kind.” Father teased, sticking out his tongue playfully before he started to walk off in the direction of the house.
I followed after him with a small smile on my face.
Father, he was a bit strange, for someone who worked himself to the bone every day, he was always happy as if he had just won the lottery. He doted on Dad like they had just gotten married the day before and he clearly cared for me despite the fact I treated him rather indifferently.
I'd make an effort to try and spend more time with him than just greeting him when he came home.
But, for now?
We were comfortable.
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