A year as a Narnian || 365 Narnia one shots (Part one)

March 30th - Prompt: Father

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Edmund sighed as he sat on his bed after returning home from school for the Christmas holidays.

It was been a hard term, after returning from Narnia again, but it had been especially hard for Peter, and Edmund had tried his hardest to keep his mind off it, and most of the time it had worked, but of course there were times it certainly had not.

He looked up when his brother walked in, giving him a small smile.

"Mum's popped out for a minute." Peter told him as he dumped his suitcase at the end of his bed. "She said she won't be long but she wants us to unpack."

Edmund nodded, before he frowned. "Where's she gone?" He asked.

Peter shrugged. "Maybe to the shop?" He took a guess. "I dunno, she didn't say."

"Odd." Edmund breathed, but set about unpacking all that was in his suitcase.

All in all it took about fifteen minutes, before he snapped it shut and shoved it in the bottom of the wardrobe, where it would stay until they went back to school after Christmas.

"You done?" He asked Peter, before looking up, noticing Peter sit down on his bed and sigh. "Take that as a yes."

Peter smirked at him. "Beat you." He teased.

Edmund rolled his eyes. "For someone who's so mature for their age, You're so childish sometimes." He said.

Peter grinned. "Thank you." He mocked.

Edmund shook his head in amusement, before a knock at the front door caught his attention. "Who's that?" He asked, frowning.

Peter frowned too. "Mum didn't say she was expecting anyone." He told him, shrugging.

Edmund shrugged too, but headed from the room and down the stairs to answer the door.

He opened it, and completely froze.

He was lost for words, his mouth dropped open and his heart skipped a beat.

"You don't look overly happy to see me." His Dad teased, tears in his eyes, but they were happy tears... beyond happy.

Edmund swallowed hard. "Dad?" He whispered, voice choked.

He hadn't seen his Dad since he left for the war, and that had been a good couple years ago, and he was in shock to be honest, to have him suddenly standing on the doorstep, with no warning at all, left him almost speechless.

His Dad smiled gently. "Come here." He murmured, holding out his arms.

Edmund stood frozen to the spot for a moment, before he flung his arms around his Dad's neck, clinging onto him as tightly as he could.

"Oh Edmund." His Dad whispered, hugging him tightly. "You've grown so much."

Edmund couldn't help the weak chuckle that escaped him as his Dad said this, and if anything his grip got tighter. "I've missed you." He mumbled, his face buried against his neck.

His Dad swallowed hard. "I've missed you too." He forced out. "More than you'll ever know."

Edmund clung to his father for ages, at least a minute or two, before his dad slowly pulled away, staring at him. "Gosh you really have gotten tall." He breathed, and it was only then that Edmund noticed his Mum stood behind, smiling with tears on her cheeks. "And you've clearly grown up."

Edmund stared at his Dad, noting the shock in his eyes and the disbelief in his voice. "You - You've been gone a while." He choked with a small shrug.

"Fifteen years old." His Dad whispered, shaking his head a little.

Edmund smiled weakly, before a voice came from upstairs.

"Who is it Ed?!"

His Dad looked up, and Edmund smiled. "Why don't you - you come down?!" He called back, his voice cracking.

There was a while of silence, in which Edmund didn't take his eyes off his Dad, before Peter came hurrying down the stairs, only to stop on the bottom one, his eyes going wide.

"Hey Peter." His Dad said gently, standing up straight and letting Edmund go.

Peter stood there for a moment, before swallowing hard and walking over to his Dad.

He stood in front of him, and both seemed shocked to find Peter was nearly as tall as him... nearly, but not quiet yet.

"Oh gosh." His Dad chuckled shakily, before pulling Peter close.

Peter wrapped his arms around his Dad's shoulders, swallowing hard. "You're - You're home." He whispered, voice choked.

His Dad nodded. "Yeah." He breathed. "And I'm staying home, I'm not leaving again."

"You don't have to - to go back?" Peter murmured.

"No." His Dad told him. "I'm staying at home."

Peter squeezed his eyes shut. "Are - Are you okay?" He mumbled.

One tear fell from his Dad's eye and landed on his shoulder. "I'll be okay." He almost laughed.

The two clung to each other for an extremely long time, before Edmund wiggled his way in-between them, making them both chuckle.

Peter placed a kiss to the top of his brother's head, before he glanced slowly up at his Dad.

"Kept him out of trouble?" His Dad asked, teasing.

Peter laughed gently. "Mostly." He breathed.

Edmund buried his face against his Dad's shoulder, "He tried his best." He murmured.

His Dad smiled brightly, pulling both his sons close, his eyes closed.

"DAD!"

The three were suddenly pushed against a wall when their Dad was tackled by Lucy, who had flung her arms around his neck.

Their Dad let go of Peter and Edmund, and lifted Lucy clear off the floor, spinning her around and holding her tightly. "I think you've gotten too big for me to pick you up like this." He joked softly as he placed her back on her feet. 

"You're home!" Lucy sobbed, clinging to him.

"I'm home..." Her Dad whispered in her ear. "I'm home Lucy, I promise."

It wasn't long before they were joined by a silently crying Susan, who wrapped her arms tightly around her Dad, looking as though she would never ever let go again.

Peter and Edmund gave the three a few minutes, before wrapping their arms around them, their Mum joining to.

And as they did, Edmund smiled, if he couldn't be in Narnia, then this was home, and he was more than happy to call it that.

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