MINGLE TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT

[these_balls]

Who: ANYONE AND EVERYONE
Where: ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE
When: November 25 - 27
Summary: GET IN HERE AND MINGLE
Rating: BUT PLEASE MARK YOUR THREAD CONTENT ACCORDINGLY
Log:

Comments

[justlikehim]

[Shaun sucks in a breath when his father pulls him into a hug. In that second he felt like he was ten years old again, and he couldn't help but cling to Ethan like he was afraid that the man was going to disappear if he let go.

Sixteen years.

His voice is taut with tears.]

I missed you.

[pressed_x]

[The tight hug feels really, really nice. Ethan can't miss the sentiment behind it; for some reason or another, his son hasn't seen him in a very long time. His own arms are wrapped good and tight around him, ready to support Shaun if he becomes overwhelmed.]

[The warmth of the body in his arms is hard to ignore, though. Ethan begins to wonder if this actually isn't a dream somehow.]

I'm here now. It's all right.

[He rubs Shaun's back with the hand that's missing part of a finger.]

[justlikehim]

[Shaun has his face buried against his dad's neck, and he's caught in that place where he's trying to memorize every detail about the man before him...

...But at the same time, everything's coming back to him and he realizes that he never forgot.

Ethan's hand rubbing his back, the words I'm here now, is what finally does it, Shaun draws a shuddering breath and lets it out in a sob.]

I love you, Dad.

[pressed_x]

[Ethan did not exactly expect his son to sob but his back rub only strengthens when he does. He has no idea where he is or why his son is so much older but he can wait to ask questions. His son deserves his full attention and that's what he is going to get.]

I love you too, Shaun.

[His palm is growing warm from the contact with his son's back. Ethan gives him a few seconds before he asks him.]

Are you alright?

[justlikehim]

[Shaun really doesn't want to ruin the moment by telling Ethan that no, he's not really okay, he's waited sixteen years for his dad to finally be one of the people this place brings back from the dead, and it's now while all the biannual weirdness is going on, which means he's not going to stay.

He doesn't want to tell Ethan that from Shaun's experience, he died sixteen years ago. So instead he pulls back and puts on a small smile as he wipes his eyes with the heel of his hand.]

Yeah. Just happy to see you.

[pressed_x]

[Adult or not, it isn't hard to tell when Shaun is hiding something from him.]

Somehow I think it's more than that...

[His voice is gentle, almost like he were talking to Shaun as a kid. Up this close it's plain to see how much Shaun has grown up to resemble him. Overall, he looks well, and Ethan is proud and relieved.]