Closed An Attempt to Bond

[Derrick Elliott]

Derrick knew he was not very good at this 'fatherhood' business. He knew that his kids had every right to hate him and not want anything to do with him. And yet, there he was still trying to make a damn attempt at it. So someone had to give him some credit. Though it was still just absolutely awkward sitting there next to his eldest. His ex didn't really want Derrick to get involved with his kids' lives, but she had relented enough to let Derrick take Conan out for the afternoon. Though he was rather getting the impression that his son didn't really want to be there now they were sitting at the park.

"So," he awkwardly cleared his throat as they sat there, glancing down at his eldest, "How was your first year? Are you trying out for the Quidditch team or anything next year?"

 

[Conan Elliott]

Conan absolutely didn't want to be spending time with his quote un-quote father. Not if he could help it. So he felt rather betrayed by his Mama when she told him to spend the afternoon with Derrick. Why did the man feel the need to get involved with his life again? Everything was just fine without him trying to butt into everything. But what his Mama said went, which was why he was sat at the park, a soft scowl creasing his brow and arms stubbornly folded across his chest.

"Fine." It was fine. He had enjoyed it. But he just didn't want to be talking about it with his dad. "No," the next words were rather blurted, coming out before Conan could think about them. He had been thinking about maybe trying out. He'd been practicing a bit with Fraser and had come to enjoy flying again, but now his father had mentioned it he wasn't going to just out of principle. Or stubbornness. "Not everything in the world revolves around stupid Quidditch."

 

[Derrick Elliott]

Right. Quidditch was probably a bit of a sore subject all things considered. He hadn't really thought about it all too much. He had left his ex and his kids for Quidditch, so he guessed it was wishful thinking to assume his kids might still enjoy the sport. "Alright, not Quidditch then." But that couldn't be the end of the conversation, he needed something to talk about with his son, otherwise, they would just be sitting around in awkward silence. And Derrick wanted to at least try and rebuild the bridges he had burned with his offspring. "So what are you looking forward to? Any classes you enjoy? Go any friends you're meeting up with this break? C'mon Conan, give me something to work with."

 

[Conan Elliott]

Why did he care so much? Why couldn't he just go away and leave Conan and his family alone already? Conan was trying his best to be evasive and avoid having a conversation, but the man next to him was too persistent, refusing to just sit there and say nothing. It was annoying. "Just leave me alone," he snapped, turning so his back a little more on the man next to him. "I'm only here because Mama said so. Doesn't mean I wanna spend time with you. Get out of my life."

 

[Derrick Elliott]

"Get out of your life," Derrick repeated. He'd already done that once. At the time he had no regrets, but now he was older, and had the chance to look back on the decisions he had made to lead him here, he would have done things differently. In the end, his career hadn't been anything special. Not the world-class potential he had been hoping for. And he had given up so much to end up with nothing much to show for it.

"Look, kid. I know I messed up. I know leaving you and your siblings and your Mom was wrong. And I regret it. You have every right to hate me for leaving, but I am trying to make it better. I want to be around now. Get to know you and your siblings. Try and be the father I never was when you were little. Can you at least try and give me a chance to make it up to you before passing judgment and deciding you want nothing to do with me?"

 

[Conan Elliott]

For a moment, Conan did feel a small twinge of what felt like guilt in his stomach at his own words. Maybe he had been too harsh and snapped. But he couldn't help it. Every time he looked or even thought about the man who had abandoned him, the anger simply got the better of him. And now he was suddenly expected to just deal with it. "You can't make it better." He had already made his mind up on that long ago. Nothing Derrick did or said was going to make up for the fact he had abandoned them all years ago for his own career. "You left me for some stupid sport. Nothing you ever say is going to make me forgive you." And that he was determined on, bringing his knees up to his chest so he could hug them there, voice getting ever so slightly smaller as he rested his chin on his knees, "So just... leave me alone already."

 

[Derrick Elliott]

Derrick didn't really want to admit it, but his won's words did hurt just a little. More than he really thought they would. Honestly, he should have expected the blatant rejection, but he hadn't thought it would affect him so much. He was quiet for the moment, only glancing over at the mop of dark curls sitting next to him for just a moment before he sighed. "Well, I'm not gonna do that, kid," he offered, refusing to move an inch from his seat. "I've already left you once and I'm not going to do that again if I can't help it. So I guess you're just going to have to try and put up with me."

 

[Conan Elliott]

The stupid man wasn't listening. He just wanted to be left alone for good, and yet, he was still sitting there trying to talk about how he was going to do better and wasn't going to leave again. "You left me once. You'll do it again." Conan knew better than to believe him. He wanted to, but deep down he knew that his father was never going to stay around. He'd leave again, be it for Quidditch or for some other reason. "I'm never going to put up with you," he added, just for good measure and to make sure the message got across.