Work Text:
when carrington was very young, her father would often take her to the train station to watch trains pass. they never rode them, but she rather liked the sounds they made and would giggle happily when they went by.
while the train station was entertaining for baby carrington, it was a oasis for her father. no one recognized him there, and he could sit for as long he needed to. the sound of wheels on the track and the feeling of open air moving freely was more peaceful than meditation for elwin. it allowed him to calmly assess stressful situations, without exploding like he tended to do.
you see, carrington's parents loved each other dearly, but they each had their own issues to deal with. sometimes these issues overlaped, and they could help each other. and other times these issues were best dealt with alone, sitting on a bench, at the train station.
as carrington's 2nd birthday approached, her father visited the train station more and more. her mother was very stressed about carrington's birthday party, and her father was not. mirele was a very anxious person, in general, and worried greatly about the family's public image. how could she throw a party without drawing attention to it?
"its just a small gathering of friends," elwin told his wife, "no one will notice. you needn't concern yourself this much." but his words didn't sooth mirele very much. in fact, they only served as a spark for a yelling match over the logistics of raising a child in such secrecy.
carrington's father found himself at the train station, with his daughter sat in his lap. she giggled at passing trains and he briefly wished she was being raised by someone else, for her sake. someone who wasn't so noticable, or so quick to anger. maybe someone who knew what they were doing. but, she wasn't. she wasn't going to get another life besides the one he and mirele gave her.
shaking his head, as if to help clear it, he stood. he picked carrington up and kissed the top of her head, slowly making his way home.