vocab_drabbles | #084 Evanescent - Empty Nest

Title: Empty Nest
Fandom: Dads (TV 1986)
Author: Cat Moon
Rating: G
Words: 348
Characters/Pairing: Rick/Louie
Summary: The kids are growing up, and Rick isn't sure he approves
Notes: Dads was a short-lived ABC sitcom starring Barry Bostwick as a dad who moved with his daughter to live with his childhood friend and his two sons, after the deaths of their wives. I found it funny and charming, with definite slashing subtext. Unfortunately, it only lasted 9 episodes. There are a few up on YouTube.

Rick and Louie sat companionably on the couch, watching a sitcom on television. The house was devoid of its typical chaos, all three kids having better things to do on a Friday evening than be at home with their parents. That was happening more and more lately, and although Rick was happy to have the time alone with Louie since they'd admitted their feelings for each other went beyond friendship, he couldn't help fretting because that's what Rick did.

"Louie, have you ever thought about the evanescence of life?"

"The what?" Louie stared at Rick in consternation.

"You know, the quickly fleeting nature of everything," he explained, waving his hand airily.

"You're in one of those moods again, aren't you?" Louie reached out a hand to feel his forehead. "Are you coming down with something?" Rick didn't take being sick well; they were used to his morbid moods when under the weather.

"I'm fine. It's just… Kelly is going away to college in a few months, and Allan seems serious about his new girlfriend. Even Kenny has had a busy social life since he started dating John. They're grown up, Louie. Pretty soon, the house will always be quiet like this."

"Is this your way of telling me you want to have another baby?" Louie quipped with an impudent grin.

"Are you saying it doesn't bother you? You're the one who freaked out a few years ago when I started dating again."

"Yeah, well… that's 'cause you weren't dating me," he answered, bumping their shoulders together. "Listen, yeah, it'll be quiet for a while, but before you know it, there will be grandchildren running around. They're even better than children; we can give them back."

"Grandkids…" Rick trailed off in pleasant thoughts but then suddenly sat up straighter. "I'm too young to be a grandfather!" he declared.

Louie shook his head long sufferingly, sliding his arm through his partner's and hoping to stave off another of Rick's tangents. "And no matter what, we'll always have each other."

"That's true," Rick agreed, resting his head against Louie's. "You lucky devil."

The end