Quicksilver (X-men) One shots

Father's day

Father's day was fast approaching, but not too many people around the X-mansion seemed to notice. Most of the people there were either orphans, or felt like them since their parents had kicked them out. There were a few students which sent out cards to their dads, some even gifts, but none of them had the predicament that Peter was in. He had to face his dad on father's day, and he already knew it wasn't going to be fun. He knew he should buy his dad a gift for father's day because that's just what happens on father's day. But he really couldn't think of anything to give the man. He also had the feeling that if he would give his dad a gift for father's day, the man would feel guilty since he hadn't really been a father for most of Peter's life.

Peter had honestly contemplated asking Wanda to come over to the mansion, give some kind of excuse like mom being sick or whatever, to get him away from the mansion for that day. But he just couldn't do it. No matter what his crazy old man had done, he just couldn't lie to his own father.

For the past 10 years, the same question had spun through his mind. "Why did he leave?"

It had become worse after telling Erik. Then it died down a bit because things were going pretty great, but now with father's day coming up, it was all Peter could think about.

When father's day arrived, the weather was great and all the kids were playing outside, leaving the mansion mostly quiet. Peter satin his room playing packman at high speed. He was so focused on the game he didn't hear the footsteps approach.

'Why are you inside, Peter? I thought that with this weather you'd be out for a run.'

Peter didn't take his eyes of the screen. 'Didn't really feel like running today?'

The footsteps came closer, and from the corner of his eye he saw his dad leaning against the big game machine. 'You didn't feel like running?' His dad gave him a look as if he wasn't buying the answer. 'What's on your mind, Peter? You never stop running unless you are over thinking something, and even then you usually run.'

'It's nothing.' Peter shrugged.

Erik sighed. 'Alright then.' He slowly started to walk towards the door.

'Oh.' Peter turned around to look at his dad, who turned at the sound of his son's voice. 'Happy father's day... I'm sorry I didn't get you a card or something...'

Erik froze and looked at his son. 'I'm not sure I deserve you wishing me a happy father's day, Peter.'

'Why not? You're my dad, isn't that the only requirement?'

Erik walked back towards Peter, who had in only a split second moved to the arm chair, and sat down across from his son.

'I haven't been a part of your life up until a few months ago, Peter. I missed about 25 years of your life. I haven't been a father to you, so why would I deserve you to wish me a happy father's day.'

Peter shrugged. 'You're still my dad... but...' Peter hesitated.

'You want to know why I was gone all your life.' Erik stated. There was no question about it, of course his son would want to know that.

Peter nodded hesitantly. Sure he wanted to know the truth, but he didn't want to offend or hurt his dad either.

Erik took a deep breath. 'I think I don't need to tell you, Peter, that I am not an easy man to live or deal with. When I was young I was tortured by a man who would later go through life as 'Sebastian Shaw'. Not long before I met your mom, I found out he had survived and uncaptured after the war, and I went out to find him. I met your mom, fell in love and forgot about my anger for a while. But that anger, the need for revenge, it came back. Your mother noticed, she hated it. And so she gave me an ultimatum; I either would give up on my ideas to find Shaw and make him pay for murdering my mother, or she would leave. Back then, it infuriated me that she would say that, knowing what the man had done to me. I guess, now I understand she likely knew she was pregnant, and needed me to let go to become a parent. But I couldn't let go. And so she left me. I went on my search for Shaw, it is actually how I met Charles, Hank and Raven. We found him, a lot of things happened, and in the end I killed him.'

Peter froze for a second, an impressive feat for the always fidgeting young man. Erik noticed (of course) and realized how strange it must be for a son to hear his father had murdered a man in cold blood.

He took a deep breath and continued, treading more carefully. 'I got my revenge, and that should have been enough. But it wasn't. It was as if anger had been a part of my life for so long that I needed something else to be angry about to know what to do with my life. And so I gathered the mutants who had followed Shaw and started fighting for the mutant cause. But in all honesty... I didn't do it just because I believe it is a cause to fight for. I did it to distract myself from your mom.'

Peter looked confused.

'Do you honestly believe I still don't love her, Peter? She has never left my thoughts. And a part of me truly wanted to return to her. But I was too afraid. Too afraid she would reject me, and that I would not be able to handle the pain. So I took the easy way out, and didn't go back at all. I looked forward and wrecked my life, claiming it was for a good cause.' Erik sighed. 'I don't deserve a happy father's day, because I was too scared to be a part of your life, Peter, not because it was impossible for me.'

'It's not like you knew.' Peter offered. 'Yeah, sure you weren't there, it sucked. Sure you made the choice not to come back, in all honesty, mom can be pretty scary if she wants. But truth is, I'm not like you. I don't hold grudges, my mind goes too fast to keep track of those things. Basically... what I'm trying to say is... I forgive you for being away all those years.'

Erik gasped slightly, and he smiled. 'Thank you.' He said, by lack of finding better words. He'd want to explain to Peter how much it meant to him, to hear those words. But no words could ever express that. And so he just hugged his son.

Peter grinned. 'Happy father's day, dad.' He added and hoped his dad would accept it this time.

A/N a sort of short one for father's day, but I hope you like like it!