averagemedium | [Off-Comm Threads]

"...I'm not sure! Never really thought about it."

But his laughter's normal at least, expression quickly turning back to its usual sort of friendliness. But he leans into the scratching with a pleased hum.

"But you should definitely stick around, then! You can get used to anything if you're around it enough. Besides, I might need ya to use your control to keep him from running off."

He'd expected about as much, and he snags the toast as it pops out, taking a quick bite before he answers.

"I'm not going to force him into staying here if he decides he wants to leave, Henry," he answers, a hint of amusement in his voice. "He's your kid, you can use your shadows if you insist on it."

"Oh, I will, but body control's a bit more straightforward, so I thought I might as well ask."

But he would shadow Gerome to the floor if need be. He didn't even need to think about it.

"It is, but I still think that's a little more between you two," he says, muffled around a mouthful. "Definitely staying out of that." Because he has little doubt that Henry would, and he's not about to give Gerome any reason to dislike him.

"Don't worry, I think I can handle him." Maybe. Even with the axe.

He idly reaches up to brush at his hair while he eats. "Who knows, maybe you'll end up hitting it off after all. And Minerva can meet Frisbee and hopefully not try to eat him."

"...maybe, but I don't think Minerva gets to meet Frisbee without plenty of supervision. Our cat's not going to be wyvern food," he says almost defensively, quickly finishing off the rest of his toast.

"We'll see about hitting it off, though. I hope we do, but--" Ryan trails off there, biting at his lip. There are so many factors involved here, he can't really guess.

"And we won't know until he's here, so no reason to worry about it now." Which made sense to him. Everything was going pretty well, really- Gerome had agreed to visit, Ryan was okay with him visiting. Henry was satisfied with that.

Edging his arms back around him, he leans up to join him in biting his lip, before offering, "and Minerva's a good wyvern! I'm sure they'll be friends too." He hadn't missed the 'our' cat description either, inwardly a little pleased, even if he wasn't sure why.

"I'll try not to." He manages a small grin, giving Henry an affectionate little nosebump as he shifts to lean back against the counter, pulling him along. It can't go that badly, he's sure--

"--wait. When did you invite him over? Was that today?"

"Uh- yes?"

Which doesn't keep him from pressing Ryan back against that counter, going to nuzzle along his jawline between replies. "That's okay, right?"

Oh, god. He has to plan, he needs to start cooking now to finish everything by this evening and he doesn't even know what to make yet, he has no clue what Gerome might like, that's going to make it take longer--

The panic is evident in his wide-eyed expression as he stares down at Henry. "What time? How much time do we have-- hell, do we have enough groceries to cook for three right now, I don't know--"

The panic gets a small laugh, not entirely surprised at it by now. And Henry interrupts by kissing him hard, biting him harder- dragging at his lip before finally letting go and leaning back a little.

"Relax- impossible, I know, but it's not that bad. I told him to show up in the evening- uh, at seven. That's plenty of time to make something, I don't think anyone's gonna be picky about what it is either."

The distraction absolutely works, an eager sound pulled out of him at that bite, and even when he lets go and moves back Ryan doesn't quite let him pull away too far. He's leaning in, nuzzling at his hair affectionately while his mind's occupied with plans.

"I know, I know, I just- this is sort of important, isn't it? I want to make sure it's nice."

"It's just a visit! There'll be other ones. Probably?" Even if it took threats, or possibly some kind of bribery.

But the nuzzling is a much better shift from panic, and he nudges encouragingly into it, hands scratching down his sides. "Anything you make is going to be nice."

"Hopefully, anyway. I don't have any idea what he likes-- and he's always got that wyvern with him, doesn't he, what do they even eat? I mean, I'd assume some sort of meat, but..."

He huffs out a breath, giving Henry a little nudge. "I'll think about it for a while. Right now I think I'd better get out of the kitchen."

He laughs, taking him by the hand instead, tugging at him out of the kitchen.

"Sure, just don't worry too hard. If he doesn't like something, we'll just know better for next time."

"You're asking me not to worry too much."

He follows easily, though, clutching at Henry's hand as he lets himself be tugged along. The cat trails at their feet, trying to wind around his leg and nearly tripping him. "Frisbee-- god, I survive giants and the fucking sky falling to break my neck because of a cat."

"Careful--"

Henry automatically moves to steady him, flashing Ryan a concerned look, before relaxing again. He's more careful to nudge any cats out of the way this time.

"You sure saw a lot, huh? Good thing everything's back to normal now." Which meant everything was fine.

"...mostly back to normal, yeah. Still going to need to fix anything that got damaged." And try to wipe out the memories of his body, of watching him die- much as he knows he's not going to be able to.

Ryan squeezes his hand tighter, following closer behind him as he murmurs, "Just don't make me see that again, okay?"

"...I'll try? I didn't exactly ask to lose my head. Wish I could've seen it-"

The last is more to himself than anything, tugging him towards the couch in lieu of other options. Unfortunately, he also keeps talking. "I mean, I know what the rest of my guts look like, but with this, I'd have the whole set..."

"Not just losing your head," he answers-- vehement, suddenly, for all that it isn't irritated. "Dying at all, you're not supposed to-- you can't do that to me, okay? The time I didn't see it, that was... that was different, sort of, but I can't- I can't just watch you die like that, Henry. Not again."

Not when he can still smell copper just faintly if he thinks about it, taste it on the back of his tongue, and the sight of it--

Ryan lets go of his hand and gives him a firm nudge toward the couch.

"I didn't- I wasn't trying to, Ryan-" he protests, even as he flops down onto the couch with a sigh. "I really really wasn't planning on it! It just sort of happened."

And not even from attacking something carelessly, or not watching where he was going or- anything else mundane but fun, but also somewhat avoidable. "I never asked for my powers back."

"I know, I just-- that's the problem." He follows Henry onto the couch, settling over him almost protectively, hands on his shoulders. "There wasn't anything to do about it, it just... happened, it was going to happen no matter what, and I thought-- I really did think you weren't coming back. That you were gone and there wasn't anything either of us could have done."

He's said some of it already, but getting that all out at once- it helps, a little. Ryan exhales a heavy breath, leaning closer to rest his head against him as he finishes, "I just don't ever want to feel that helpless about it again."

For a moment, he just holds him, one hand stroking slowly over his hair. Even if he wasn't all that concerned himself- mostly because he didn't want to consider it happening again- he could sort of see why it was upsetting Ryan. If their positions had been reversed, after all-

He's not sure. Henry ignores the thought, focusing on pulling Ryan closer instead. "But I am back. All in one piece, too! Helpless or not, it worked out."

"It might not, next time. --think I'm going to get back in touch with Davesprite about those lessons, maybe see if Jade or somebody will teach me to shoot, because I'm really getting tired of not being able to stop anything."

He loops his arms around Henry, holding him tightly back. Even with his powers he hadn't been a match for Davesprite, not with his lack of experience, and in the mirror Asgard... well. Without Henry he'd have died so much sooner, or just been holed up and terrified. If this happens again he wants to face it.

"I don't think shooting me next time is gonna fix the problem, but who knows? It's a good idea! And with your powers working, I bet you could manage a lot too- you'd just, uh. Sort of have to accept that killing people is a thing."

He rubs gently through his hair to his scalp. "'Cause if you're going to fight someone- like really fight them, trying to disable them is just going to get you killed."

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