[ he almost says it, almost opens his mouth to say something else is wrong, but in some way it seems selfish. they're pilots, they're co-pilots, that much is true— but it wasn't in either of their natures to ask for help.
Lady was missing, Herc knew that much by now. his own boy was found so it meant Alayne should have a chance at finding her own companion.
Herc could handle himself— or at least, that was the lie he was going to keep telling himself. he was compromised— the best he could do was stay put.
normally, he'd say I'm going with you. instead, he says:]
there are a thousand ways (a thousand missed opportunities) to look at it, to call it normal. chuck stopped looking up to his old man like a father too far back to remember. they don't talk. they don't anything but drift and even that-
even that they don't do anymore. won't do again.
but chuck knows what the cadence of his voice is supposed to sound like and he knows that he's supposed to stand up straight and square his shoulders- but those things don't happen. instead of letting the silence swallow them up, his jaw sets, and chuck's flinty gaze cuts to the end of the hall. like that might make this easier (familiar) for them both. ]
[ he still has them on, hasn't taken them off since he suited up. Herc's hand flexes and he glances over to Max, who has taken up in the corner of the room away from Herc. ]
Think you might want to go this one without me.
[ and it's so unlike anything Herc would say that it would undoubtedly set off alarms ]
I said [ his jaw tightens and the words carry a bite. as often as he pushes and as often as he pulls, chuck has always dropped his guard when his father barks an order. this time, he's the one issuing command. ] get your boots on old man.
[ his own hackles lift in response, and Herc turns where he stands, a pivot as though he can't stay in one spot. his gaze cuts to the dog for a moment, then away ]
[ chuck doesn't reply, but he doesn't cut the feed either. the route to his old man's place was committed to memory the first time he'd walked it, and he makes it to the man's door in a matter of minutes. ]
[ the door is open when Chuck arrives, but despite having doors between them Herc has never been the one to lock it. he turns on heel when he hears the hinges squeak, and from the corner Max has retreated to, the bulldog perks his head up.
instead of running over, though, he stands up and skirts the edge of the room, giving Herc an extremely wide birth in order to get to his master.
Herc just looks at his son without saying a word. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
( w 7. d 2 )
What?
( w 7. d 2 )
he doesn't really notice. ]
Need t'pick up Max. Lady's gone missing.
( w 7. d 2 )
Lady was missing, Herc knew that much by now. his own boy was found so it meant Alayne should have a chance at finding her own companion.
Herc could handle himself— or at least, that was the lie he was going to keep telling himself. he was compromised— the best he could do was stay put.
normally, he'd say I'm going with you. instead, he says:]
Okay.
( w 7. d 2 )
there are a thousand ways (a thousand missed opportunities) to look at it, to call it normal. chuck stopped looking up to his old man like a father too far back to remember. they don't talk. they don't anything but drift and even that-
even that they don't do anymore.
won't do again.
but chuck knows what the cadence of his voice is supposed to sound like and he knows that he's supposed to stand up straight and square his shoulders- but those things don't happen. instead of letting the silence swallow them up, his jaw sets, and chuck's flinty gaze cuts to the end of the hall. like that might make this easier (familiar) for them both. ]
Get your boots on.
( w 7. d 2 )
Think you might want to go this one without me.
[ and it's so unlike anything Herc would say that it would undoubtedly set off alarms ]
( w 7. d 2 )
( w 7. d 2 )
Just get here.
( w 7. d 2 )
( w 7. d 2 )
instead of running over, though, he stands up and skirts the edge of the room, giving Herc an extremely wide birth in order to get to his master.
Herc just looks at his son without saying a word. ]