averagemedium | [Off-Comm Threads]

"What do you mean they weren't real? They bled and screamed just like every other human."

It would probably be a while before Henry worked out all the details of the fake Asgard. But he laughs anyway, sneaking one of the fallen slices and chewing on it before continuing.

"And yeah, pretty much! I couldn't really chat to anyone I ran into apart from Gerome, so there wasn't much else to do, even if I wanted."

"--okay, real enough for that, but-- the whole thing's complicated."

It's the best explanation he can manage, and he leaves it at that long enough to bite into one of those toast slices with a content sound. He hadn't realized how hungry he was 'til just now.

"He wasn't too much of a dick to you, was he? Because I have to say, he's kind of come off that way to me every time we've met. No idea what he said when I ran into him there but it didn't exactly sound friendly of him."

Henry pauses, distracted by toast as well before replying. Who needed plates or tables or anything like that; huddling over the counter was fine with him.

Even if the words were a bit mumbled. "Nah, I bet he's just a bit shy, deep down. Really deep." Another bite; thoughtful chewing. "But then, I died when he was pretty young, I think, so he didn't have a plethora of role models to learn from! But I can teach him this time."

He takes a few moments to think about that, chewing thoughtfully. Henry's mentioned the future-kids thing, and his friends getting married, so none of that exactly takes him by surprise. It sounds perfectly reasonable that he might have known a small Gerome. But--

"--I'll admit I'm kind of surprised someone was willing to let a dark mage be a role model for their kid," he says between bites, ruffling Henry's hair with his free hand. "I mean, I know it's different there, but I'd guess most people try to stop kids from being destructive."

"Hey, I bet I'm a great role model," Henry protests, even as he laughs at the ruffling. "Not that he inherited my magic ability anyway, I dunno if he even knows any curses."

Oh yeah, he should probably explain. "But yeah, Gerome didn't really get a choice in role models. I'm sorta his dad."

Casual as anything; this toast was pretty good.

And Ryan just stares, toast slipping out of his hand and falling onto the countertop while he tries to process that. A couple times he opens his mouth to say something, changes his mind, tries again--

"I thought you said you hadn't been with anyone else."

It sounds just a bit hurt- not that he'd have minded not really being the first, if he'd known, but that's an awfully big thing not to tell your-- ...partner, he guesses, he still stumbles over the right word even in thought. And it makes sense now that he thinks about it, shouldn't he have asked why they had the same hair color? White can't be that common.

Henry blinks a bit at that reaction, before laughing, putting what's left of his own piece down to try and pull Ryan into a hug.

"I haven't- I really do mean I'm only sort of his dad. The Gerome from my timeline isn't related to me at all."

It was still strange for him to consider. "But there's apparently other futures- and another Henry who's pretty much exactly like me, near as I can tell- apart from marrying Cherche and having Gerome! And that's the Gerome that showed up here! Pretty cool, huh?"

"...I don't know about cool," he admits, accepting that hug without hesitation-- a little bit of stability is definitely nice, because he's still trying to wrap his head around all of that. Gerome isn't really what he'd assume any child of Henry's to be like, nevermind the fact that he thinks he's a bit of a dick.

"It's-- kind of weird, honestly, I mean-- he's grown now, isn't he? You two look about the same age, it seems like it might be sort of late for role-modeling."

"I know, but- I still want to look after him, you know? And treat him like my own kid because he kind of is, and he never really got to have parents either-"

It's all a bit rushed, and he attaches that bit tighter as he takes a breath.

"And it's what I'd want myself to do, if I were me- and I kind of am!"

...it's a little more open about feelings than Henry usually gets, and Ryan rubs at his back as he clings tighter, already feeling a small stab of guilt for objecting to the idea. His own family experience wasn't fantastic, he can get wanting to fix that for someone else.

"You think he'll mind, though? I mean, he doesn't... exactly seem like the type to want to be looked after."

"Oh, he'll definitely mind."

Which gets half a sigh out of him, as he burrows his face against Ryan's chest, not quite smothering his words. "I think he's already mad that I didn't realize who he was at first. And more mad because I'm not married to his mom. But he'll just have to learn to accept what he does have, even if it's- not quite the real thing."

"Maybe it'll be close enough. You're still you, aren't you?"

He lets his chin rest on top of Henry's head, keeping him held close. It's still weird to think about, going to be weird to get used to--

Okay, and there are other concerns.

"...but if you're going to be treating him like your own kid, um. Is this going to get in the way of it? If he's already upset you're not with his mother then how's he going to take you... well, not being with a girl at all?"

"I like to think I'm still me! And pretty good at it by now."

But he accepts the chin-resting with a more content hum, pressing up into it for a moment, while scratching slowly at his back at the other question.

"Yeah, he's probably not gonna like you at all. I'll try to talk to him about it, but he's just gonna have to deal with it. I mean, Cherche's a great lady, but I'm not in love with her."

Well.

He's trying not to take that to heart, he really is (he's casual that way about everything, it doesn't necessarily mean anything like that, don't assume), but he can't help going still, fingers digging into the fabric of Henry's shirt-- no, his shirt, he'd almost forgotten.

He should probably just let it go, he really should, it isn't like Henry would want to talk about it even if that does mean what it sounds like it means- but he's got to ask. He's been open about things so far this morning, maybe chances are good.

"--not in love with her, or just... not?"

There is definitely an attempt at keeping it casual, but the nerves are obvious in the way he's still clinging a bit too much.

At the stillness, the harder clinging, Henry briefly wonders if he'd said something wrong, if he'd offended or worried him somehow. The question clears things up a bit, and he nearly laughs, shaking his head against him.

"Because I'm in love with you. Geez, I thought it was obvious."

As playful a tone as he could manage, because that was easier than being too sentimental, too emotional. Sincerity was better when it was as flippant as everything else.

Ryan feels like the pounding of his heart's got to be obvious to him, and all he manages at first is a reflexive "oh." It sparks a simultaneous wash of fondness and warmth, and a little panic; it's nice to hear that, really incredibly nice, but he's been trying to hold off on thinking about it too much himself, considering whether he might be. Ryan's sort of assumed that Henry wasn't much the type for it, that it might be best to just avoid worrying over exactly how he felt about him and just enjoy it-- and he has been.

It's just that without having already worried over it he's not sure whether he ought to say it back. His immediate impulse is to go for it, but he ends up hesitating too long, stumbling over words.

"--I didn't-- I mean, okay, maybe it should've been obvious but I wasn't really... I guess I wasn't expecting you to?"

And he does laugh at that, nudging back just enough to seek out Ryan's gaze, looking up at him. Henry hadn't particularly dwelled on the existence of his own feelings one way or another- but once he realized it was there, well. No reason not to mention it when the opportunity came up.

And no reason to think about it any more than that.

But he doesn't mind not hearing it in return. Henry hadn't expected it, and it didn't change anything to him. So he just smiles. "Now you know better. So don't worry about what Gerome thinks, I'll figure out something to tell him."

He nods, still bright pink, reaching up with one hand to affectionately comb his fingers through Henry's hair. There's time to think about things a bit (well, for certain values of 'thinking' that likely involve a lot of second-guessing himself.)

"--alright. Just so long as I don't need to start pretending to be a surrogate parent or anything, that... would get really awkward."

"That would be kinda weird, huh? You don't even need to talk to him if you don't want to. Or- wait, I did already invite him over for dinner. That's okay, right?"

Henry leans up to kiss him briefly, before detangling enough to snag one of the bits of leftover toast, munching on that instead.

"'Cause he already accepted. Easily too, dunno if he'll actually show up though."

There's a small noise of surprise muffled into the kiss-- he hadn't struck Ryan as the type to accept dinner invitations, but if he had... well, maybe he was interested in working on some sort of relationship with his sort-of-dad, and Ryan's not about to get in the way of that.

"I'll be here if he does show up- you don't think I'd leave you to deal with cooking by yourself, did you? And if you two are going to try to deal with all of this, then-- he and I are just going to have to get used to each other."

"Great! You know I'm way better at burning things than cooking them," even if it was mostly due to carelessness and wondering what would happen rather than complete ignorance of the technology by this point. "So if you wanna help that's good."

But he glances sideways at him, curious. "You already don't get along though, huh. How'd you manage that?"

"I have no idea. I tried to be friendly and everything, but it just-- it's never gone well. I'm not sure if I somehow offended him or something, and maybe he's just always that way, but I definitely get the impression he's not that keen on me."

...which he really isn't used to, here. Most people have been pretty easy to deal with, and the circumstances just make the whole thing that much more difficult.

"...d'you think I should, you know. Message him or something?"

He looks surprised at the offer, but nods after a moment.

"Sure, go ahead if you'd like- and hey, it's not like he's gonna like you any less, right?"

Snagging all of the leftover toast now, awesome. As he continues, his voice is a bit crumbly. "But I think he's just like that? Well, to anyone who's not Minerva."

"At least it's not just me." That's almost a relieved-sounding little laugh, and he's just popping another slice of bread into the toaster for himself.

"I'll try to talk to him, though. Make sure there aren't any problems or anything before he comes over-- and if I end up needing to, I can just help you cook and then get out of the apartment for a while."

"Definitely not just you! But thanks for being willing to try." Henry grins up at him, before watching the toaster. It always sort of fascinated him. Sometimes he toasted things just to watch them burn.

"But you shouldn't have to run off," he does add, finishing semi-stolen toast and leaning back against Ryan. "But you also don't have to stick around if you don't want. He's my kid after all- never thought I'd be able to say that."

His smile's a bit gentler, as he keeps gazing at the toaster.

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