so give me something to believe. {Quinn II}

Quinn hadn't spent enough time with his son Quinn II, but Quinn II was always so, distant. Quinn got plenty of time with his other kids, but not Quinn II. Every time he tried to do something, Quinn II made excuses, but this time, Quinn was making him come.

So today they were going ice fishing.

Ice fishing? Seriously? Ice fishing? If Quinn II was going to be forced to spend "quality time" with his dad, couldn't they do something that was even slightly enjoyable? And a little less freezing cold?

"So, uh," he said with severely limited enthusiasm, able to see his own breath as he spoke, "why are we ice fishing again?"

"I dunno," Quinn replied. "I just wanted to try it."

He was totally fine with the cold water, because cold water didn't effect him the same way it would another person. In fact he actually enjoyed cold water.

"This cold water reminds me of a day your mother and I went to the beach," he said. "I warmed it up for her...and I made that water dome..."

He smiled fondly at his memories.

(xD)

Quinn II was not fine with cold water, because it did affect him like it would effect anyone else, and he definitely didn't enjoy it.

He also didn't enjoy where this particular story was headed so he made a noise of derision. "For the love of god don't finish that story," he said, shuddering. Whether he was shuddering from the cold or from the thought of what went on in the "water dome," not even he was sure.

He stared at the hole in the ice where the fishing lines were cast. Like any fish actually swam in water this cold, he thought, mentally rolling his eyes. What a dumb activity.

Quinn laughed a little then stopped and stared at the hole as well.

"You know when you were little," he started. "You would have loved this."

Quinn II use to be so playfull and giggley, but then he hit about ten or eleven, and he got all, "I hate everything"!

Yeah well, Quinn II thought, it doesn't take much to entertain a little kid. Now he couldn't see how anyone would love staring at a hole in the ice in sub zero weather. "Too bad I'm not little anymore," he said flatly.

Quinn frowned, how he wished for his son to enjoy spending time with his dad.

"Quinn," he said. "Why don't you like spending time with me?"

Quinn II shifted uncomfortably. That was kind of an awkward question. He thought of saying he just didn't enjoy ice fishing, but he'd probably be equally disinterested with any other activity too.

"It's just...I dunno...there isn't much I do like to do," he admitted. "With anyone."

"What do you like to do then?" Quinn asked him.

He felt a little hurt. Even thought Quinn II didn't say anything about him directly, he couldn't help but feel that his son didn't like him or something.

"Uh...I like to read I guess," he replied. He mostly just liked solitary activities. Sometimes he would do some stuff with Keegan, but that usually ended up with them getting in a fight. "And I kinda like puzzles and stuff like that..."

He did like puzzles, and other kinds of activities that made him think. He didn't like mindless activities like...ice fishing, to name one.

Quinn got disapointed. How could he do something with his son when all he liked was reading and puzzles? It's not like they could have a reading puzzle party.

"Would it totally bore you if you helped me with my Overloridian work?" he asked.

Quinn II kind of perked up a little. That might actually be kind of interesting. "No, that wouldn't totally bore me," he replied. But he had a question. "Just wondering, why do you want to spend time with me so badly?"

If his dad really wanted to have father-son time, he had three other sons to choose from, all of which were probably more enjoyable to be around than him.

"Because I never get the chance to," Quinn replied. "You know I've tried to before, but you always made excuses...am I really that bad?"

Quinn II shrugged. "It always seemed like you were only asking me cuz you had to, because your my dad, not because you actually wanted to," he replied in an unemotional voice. "I thought I was doing us both a favor. You'd have a better time with Keegan, and I'd have a better a better time with...myself."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Quinn replied. He stuck out his hand and pulled his son into a side hug, "Believe it or not Quinn, I love you very much."

During the sweet moment between father and son or whatever you wanna call it, Quinn felt a tug on his line.

"Oh! I think I caught something!" he said excitedly.

Quinn could easily cheat and catch the fish, but he liked a challenge. So he pulled on his fishing rod until sure enough a big salmon.

Quinn II was about to say something about how he knew that his dad loved him, but he wasn't so sure he really liked him, at least not as much as the other five siblings, when suddenly they caught a huge salmon.

Quinn II watched it flop around as it began to air-drown, and recoiled slightly as it splashed freezing cold water all over the place.

"Whoa, that thing's huge," he commented. (That's what she said! /me is shot.) He watched as its flopping started to get weaker. "We should throw it back before it dies..."

"Throw it back in," Quinn repeated. "But this big guy is what's for dinner tonight! That reminds me," he continued. "Could you help me make dinner tonight?"

"But...don't you kinda feel bad for it?" Quinn II asked, watching as the fish got weaker with each precious second. Poor fish. What if it had a family? Or a girlfriend it had rescued from the top of a rollercoaster? "What an awful way to die..."

"Quinn," Quinn said. "It's a fish."

He took a look at his son's face and felt...sorry. He looked back at the poor dying fish and watched it gasp for air. It reminded him of something.

"If it's that important," Quinn said while picking up the fish. "I'll throw it back."

He dipped the fish into the water and it swam away. He stood up, "You know this is pretty boring. Let's go home, I can find something else to make for dinner."

"Um...okay," Quinn II said quietly, wondering why his dad just suddenly changed him mind out of nowhere. "Thanks..."

Quote :

"You know this is pretty boring. Let's go home, I can find something else to make for dinner."

That was...abrupt. "We're leaving?" Quinn II asked. He was so confused. "But...I thought you were having fun...?"

"Just sitting there," Quinn replied. "Just waiting for fish to come, and then killing them in such an inhumane way. It's not a very nice sport is it?"

He grabbed his fishing rod and said, "You're still gonna help me with dinner though."

He looked down and grinned at Quinn II.

"But," Quinn II said, still confused, "you're the one who suggested it..." He slowly stood up. "Why did you suddenly change your mind?" he asked.

"Well the truth is," Quinn started. "You made me feel bad for that fish."

He laughed and smiled at his son.

Quinn II blinked. "Oh," he said. At least it was nothing he did. Then he said, "What are we having for dinner? You know I can't cook." He'd probably be able to if he ever bothered to learn, he just didn't care enough to.

"Well, what do you want?" Quinn asked him.

Maybe if it was something Quinn II wanted, he'd enjoy making it more.