Entry tags:
[ it's been a roller coaster ride of a few months. yancy's still dealing with the aftermath of knifehead in a lot of ways, and his being around opened up old wounds that raleigh had thought long healed over. there's been a lot of tears, a little anger, and a lot of awkwardness. they're like a well-worn jigsaw puzzle--put together and taken apart so many times that their edges don't mesh together quite right at first. he never thought he would have to relearn his brother, but he does.
mako and tendo, bless their hearts, are there for the becket boys through all their fumbling. raleigh knows that tendo's been dragging yancy home for family dinners, sometimes without raleigh. mako's been getting to know his brother ( her brother too now, in all the ways that really matter ) and she's there for him when he needs to get away from it all. there have been a few times he's slunk into her room and laid down on her bed, head pillowed on her stomach and let her run her fingers through his hair as he tries to figure out how to readjust to life with yancy in it.
they could've done this earlier. but when it was brought up, raleigh shut it down right quick. the drift created an instant and intimate connection. while he'd had that with yancy before, he wanted to make sure it was still something they had without lacing their brains together before they drifted again. plus, he wasn't sure either of them were emotionally stable enough for it when the opportunity first came a-knocking.
but now they're here, sitting outside a jaeger in a testing facility, pons strapped to their heads and listening to the countdown. raleigh smiles and turns his head to look at yancy. ]
Ready to step into my head, old man?
[ it's a familiar line, but also different. this time will be different, but god is it good to know he can drift with his brother again. ]
mako and tendo, bless their hearts, are there for the becket boys through all their fumbling. raleigh knows that tendo's been dragging yancy home for family dinners, sometimes without raleigh. mako's been getting to know his brother ( her brother too now, in all the ways that really matter ) and she's there for him when he needs to get away from it all. there have been a few times he's slunk into her room and laid down on her bed, head pillowed on her stomach and let her run her fingers through his hair as he tries to figure out how to readjust to life with yancy in it.
they could've done this earlier. but when it was brought up, raleigh shut it down right quick. the drift created an instant and intimate connection. while he'd had that with yancy before, he wanted to make sure it was still something they had without lacing their brains together before they drifted again. plus, he wasn't sure either of them were emotionally stable enough for it when the opportunity first came a-knocking.
but now they're here, sitting outside a jaeger in a testing facility, pons strapped to their heads and listening to the countdown. raleigh smiles and turns his head to look at yancy. ]
Ready to step into my head, old man?
[ it's a familiar line, but also different. this time will be different, but god is it good to know he can drift with his brother again. ]
[ to say he's surprised by what yancy's saying is an understatement. he's literally open-mouthed and staring, the very picture of "gobsmacked." hearing that his brother somehow met up with one naomi sokolov again and is now dating her is something he never expected to hear.
it's not that he minds it, really. any crush he had on her is long gone. and it's good, raleigh thinks, for yancy to have something nice in his life. things have been horribly fucked up since knifehead and even if the two of them are okay, they aren't great and--
raleigh worries. so this little bit of happiness and normality is a good thing.
but that doesn't mean that raleigh doesn't do the opening and closing his mouth a few times thing as he tries to figure out what to say after that dropped bombshell. ]
Wow. [ so articulate, this one. ] Good for you.
it's not that he minds it, really. any crush he had on her is long gone. and it's good, raleigh thinks, for yancy to have something nice in his life. things have been horribly fucked up since knifehead and even if the two of them are okay, they aren't great and--
raleigh worries. so this little bit of happiness and normality is a good thing.
but that doesn't mean that raleigh doesn't do the opening and closing his mouth a few times thing as he tries to figure out what to say after that dropped bombshell. ]
Wow. [ so articulate, this one. ] Good for you.
[ Her hands are shaking when she finally gathers the courage to dial Raleigh's number. Don't ask her how she has it, she doesn't want to talk about how, one time he'd been in her shower and his phone had been right there on the table when a call had come in and it's not like she'd intended to look, she just had to know if it was someone important. She doesn't want to talk about how when the phone stopped ringing it was right there in her hands and maybe she opened it up, wrote down Raleigh's ( and then Tendo's, because Tendo was kind of Yancy's other best friend, right? ) number in case she needed it for an emergency. ( This was about the time when Yancy started staying over more, when Naomi realized his night terrors weren't a one-time thing but how do you offer to help when you're just dating and not really sure what you guys are - Are we together? Is this official? Do people know about us? The safe answer is always, "no." ) This isn't an emergency - not really, but she hasn't seen Yancy in two weeks and she's too proud to try and contact him and too scared to try because she keeps on replaying that night in her head, how everything went from bad to worse and shit she needs a cigarette. She's trying to light up when she realizes that Raleigh's picked up, has said Hello? Anyone there? Hello? I'm sorry, 'fraid I can't hear you, about twice now. ] H-hello. Um. [ She starts to sit down on the edge of the bed and decides the floor is better. Steadier. ] Is this Raleigh Becket? |
[ getting a call from an unknown caller is usually not a good thing. raleigh's pretty careful about who he gives his number to, so when he sees it's someone he doesn't know, he almost lets it go to voicemail. he's not sure what makes him pick it up, but he does. he almost regrets it when he ends up talking to empty air for a minute too.
but then naomi speaks up and he recognizes her voice. not who it is, not yet. but the voice is definitely familiar. that, combined with the tone and slight stutter turn his worry mode ( something he swears he inherited from yancy but really had all along ) on. ]
Yeah, that's me. Who is this?
[ and why are you calling me? ]
but then naomi speaks up and he recognizes her voice. not who it is, not yet. but the voice is definitely familiar. that, combined with the tone and slight stutter turn his worry mode ( something he swears he inherited from yancy but really had all along ) on. ]
Yeah, that's me. Who is this?
[ and why are you calling me? ]
[Tendo's not wearing his wedding ring.
And Raleigh has not shut up about it since they left the LOCCENT.
Yancy tunes him out the best that he can. Except for when he first noticed the lack of ring and halted suddenly and Raleigh nearly ran him over, he hasn't commented on it at all. Hasn't looked in Tendo's general direction either and there's a time and a place for talking about their friend's marital problems and in the LOCCENT under the watchful eye of Marshal Pentecost is not one of those times. When Raleigh looks like he wants to say something, Yancy silences him with a sharp shake of his head and a slight gesture towards Pentecost. Not now, bro, and it's Tendo he'll talk to us when he wants to.
Only Yancy doesn't tell him that Tendo most likely doesn't want to say anything to him. He ducks out of the LOCCENT the moment he can, doesn't even bother to grab Raleigh. Of course, Raleigh follows him anyway and Yancy makes it about halfway back to their bunk before he just snaps a little. It's not Raleigh's fault, his brother has nothing to do with this but he could stop talking for once in his life.]
Did you even ask him or are you just bugging me?
And Raleigh has not shut up about it since they left the LOCCENT.
Yancy tunes him out the best that he can. Except for when he first noticed the lack of ring and halted suddenly and Raleigh nearly ran him over, he hasn't commented on it at all. Hasn't looked in Tendo's general direction either and there's a time and a place for talking about their friend's marital problems and in the LOCCENT under the watchful eye of Marshal Pentecost is not one of those times. When Raleigh looks like he wants to say something, Yancy silences him with a sharp shake of his head and a slight gesture towards Pentecost. Not now, bro, and it's Tendo he'll talk to us when he wants to.
Only Yancy doesn't tell him that Tendo most likely doesn't want to say anything to him. He ducks out of the LOCCENT the moment he can, doesn't even bother to grab Raleigh. Of course, Raleigh follows him anyway and Yancy makes it about halfway back to their bunk before he just snaps a little. It's not Raleigh's fault, his brother has nothing to do with this but he could stop talking for once in his life.]
Did you even ask him or are you just bugging me?
You noticed it the same time I did. When would I have had time to ask him?
[ he might've if yancy weren't acting so agitated and had scooted out of loccent like that. which was weird. usually yancy was the one who mother henned the shit out of everyone until they nearly couldn't stand him. raleigh being the one worrying and concerned is a change.
raleigh stops dead in the middle of the hallway and gives yancy a suspicious look. he's acting way out of character. and if there's anyone in the world who's allowed to make character judgments of yancy becket, it's his co-pilot. the wheels turning in raleigh's head are practically visible as he stares and thinks. he's pretty sure there's really only one reason yancy would be acting so cagey, and he's not sure he likes it. ]
You know something about what's going on. [ what the fuck, since when are there secrets between them? ] Tell me.
[ he might've if yancy weren't acting so agitated and had scooted out of loccent like that. which was weird. usually yancy was the one who mother henned the shit out of everyone until they nearly couldn't stand him. raleigh being the one worrying and concerned is a change.
raleigh stops dead in the middle of the hallway and gives yancy a suspicious look. he's acting way out of character. and if there's anyone in the world who's allowed to make character judgments of yancy becket, it's his co-pilot. the wheels turning in raleigh's head are practically visible as he stares and thinks. he's pretty sure there's really only one reason yancy would be acting so cagey, and he's not sure he likes it. ]
You know something about what's going on. [ what the fuck, since when are there secrets between them? ] Tell me.
[Yancy Becket doesn't make his way back to the Shatterdome that night. He doesn't sleep with the blonde across the bar either, for the record, though he thought about it for a while after Raleigh walked away from him (that was twice in one day that Raleigh turned his back on him and he wonders if they can come back from that) and he ended up talking to her for about an hour, about nothing in particular, just chatter to take his mind off what a mess his life is right now. But in the end, he smiled at her and got her number just in case and sent her on her way.
He stays at the bar until the owner makes him leave and it's like three in the morning at that point, and he should go home but home is his bunk that he shares with Raleigh and he doesn't know how to fix that relationship right now anymore than he has any idea on how to fix what he did to Tendo. And it is possible for him to feel more guilty than he was, it turns out because he snapped at Raleigh and took his mood out on him, and the kid was just trying to look out for him even though he was super pissed. Because they're brothers and co-pilots and Raleigh's a good kid and loyal to his last bone.
So the bunk's out and it's too fucking cold to sit at the beach and watch the sunrise or something angsty like that and Yancy ends up in Gipsy's hanger without ever making the conscious decision to go there. The place is deserted, because no one has any business being down by the Jaeger at this time of day if there's no kaiju so it's actually kind of perfect. He picks a spot on some of the scaffolding near her chest, and watches her for a while, starts to talk to her a little bit too because he's still drunk or something but laying his troubles on his favorite girl is cathartic in a way.]
[ when he leaves the bar, raleigh is determined to not see yancy again until morning. he doesn't want to be around when yance comes back. which, of course, means that he has to find some place other than the bunk to spend the night. company is something he'd really like to avoid at the moment, so he starts off by hiding in a rarely-used room in the shatterdome. but that leaves an itch of unfamiliarity in him, like he can't get comfortable, so he goes elsewhere. ends up in gipsy's hangar, up on the scaffolding near her head.
an hour or two after he gets there, he hears yancy start talking, and it startles him out of the light doze he'd fallen into. he doesn't know if it's coincidence or the tugging in their heads left over from the drift that brought his big brother here, he just knows he's really pissed his plan to avoid him didn't work.
but then he starts listening to what yancy's saying, and he softens a bit. instead of the hurricane of a bad mood that's been following him since the bar, the anger turns into a banked fire--it could easily reignite, but for now it's calm. raleigh waits until there's a natural lull in yancy's rambling to move from his bit of scaffolding down to his brother's. and when he's there, he takes a moment to look at yance. with a slightly wry smile, he sits and gently tugs at his brother, trying to get his head to rest on raleigh's shoulder, hoping he's drunk enough for the move to work. it's a position they've been in before, but usually their places are reversed. ]
You are a fucking mess.
an hour or two after he gets there, he hears yancy start talking, and it startles him out of the light doze he'd fallen into. he doesn't know if it's coincidence or the tugging in their heads left over from the drift that brought his big brother here, he just knows he's really pissed his plan to avoid him didn't work.
but then he starts listening to what yancy's saying, and he softens a bit. instead of the hurricane of a bad mood that's been following him since the bar, the anger turns into a banked fire--it could easily reignite, but for now it's calm. raleigh waits until there's a natural lull in yancy's rambling to move from his bit of scaffolding down to his brother's. and when he's there, he takes a moment to look at yance. with a slightly wry smile, he sits and gently tugs at his brother, trying to get his head to rest on raleigh's shoulder, hoping he's drunk enough for the move to work. it's a position they've been in before, but usually their places are reversed. ]
You are a fucking mess.
| [ She had been seventeen and aching to make her mark in the world. Had no idea how that could be done because in a time when wars were waged against monsters who were pushing the population further inland, being nothing more than one in the crowd was about as unbearable as it could get. She'd been stupid and yearning for attention, had known her father would never let her throw her college education away for a shot at being one of the potentials who weren't even sure she could make it as Jaeger Pilots - nor was she that brave. So instead, the next best thing: She flirts with two blond boys, gives one her number and the other her body for the very first time and months later when she's tucked in her dorm room at the university of her choice she realizes her period's come late. It's horrible and terrible and she cries to her older sister because she's torn: there's a child growing inside of her but she's a freshman with the world at her feet, but it's also something she wants to keep. So she drops out, goes home to face her disappointed parents, her father who glares and demands to know who got her knocked up Christ, Mimi, you were smarter than this but she never tells. She goes through nine months with her sister as her only champion Dad, some on, enough, she wants to keep the baby what does it matter, you're always ragging at me over giving you and Mom a bundle of joy, you get that stop complaining. In July of 2017 there's a beautiful little girl with Naomi's eyes and blond hair and when she insists on the name that she wants her sister gives her a look but never asks, just says hey, you're the one who's going to explain to her why you picked that and if her smile was a little nostagic while the television aired the feed about Gipsy Danger's deployment, who cares. And then Knifehead happens and Naomi's stumbling towards her baby girl's room ( she's back in school and top of her class, her professors from the university had wondered where she'd gone. She moves into a flat and brings her little girl with her, she's a perfectionist and an overachiever and she will graduate with honors and be the best mom there is ) sits down by her bed and sobs and sobs Mommy, why are you crying Mommy, Mommy what's wrong her tiny three-year-old fingers gentle as they stroke through Naomi's hair. It couldn't have been love. He was a pilot, he could have been anyone, but the way he'd looked so sheepish when he realized he'd been her first is etched in her mind let me drive you home, shit, uh but she'd kissed him on the cheek and told him as much as she would like that, he had to get back to base. She didn't think he'd remember her. Or call her. That she'd have any impact in his life. Hadn't expected how hers would change so much after that night. She graduates with honors and lands the job of her dreams. Writes for the top broadsheets, builds her portfolio and when volunteers are asked to write a piece on the move to shut down the PPDC, her hand is in the air, no question. Naomi, this is a fluff piece. We need you focusing on that Pulitzer. She doesn't care, that story is hers. The Breach is closed before it goes to print and by the time it does, Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori are household names. Heroes. Saviors of the world. She gets that shot at the Pulitzer, actually wins the award, her editor declaring how he'd believed in her right from the beginning, how he hadn't expected any less from the best, what can we say, she's got an incredible mind. She doesn't tell anyone how it wasn't an investigative piece, but a love letter to the men and women the world owes so much to. To the one Ranger who made a difference to hers. --- Mom, Mom, look, it's Raleigh Becket. Mom, oh my gosh, look. She can't stop her daughter from running towards where Raleigh and the familiar figure of Mako Mori are sitting together at a McDonald's, of all places, laughing together over cups of ice cream, two burgers and a mound of fries. Her hands have gone clammy and her mind is whirling - she'd had no idea that the would be here, she really didn't - and for a moment her voice sticks in her throat but she calls out to her daughter even as she realizes what a mistake that is--] Yancy, get back here. |
[ raleigh's gotten used to people recognizing him whenever he goes places. or rather, he's gotten readjusted to it. though he doesn't remember it ever being this bad when it was him and yancy. he mentions to tendo one day over drinks and gets a laugh. you hadn't saved the world back then, is the answer he gets and, yeah, okay. that makes sense.
still, even though he's used to it, it's not his favorite thing. he likes humanity in general. humans are great, he'd die for them, yadda yadda. people set him on edge and wear him out. but kids are easier to deal with than adults, so he's always more eager to deal with them than with their parents. and it's easy for him, when he hears a childish voice calling his name accompanied by the pitter patter of running feet, to turn around with a smile.
even before he hears the girl's name ( yancy ) he thinks, she looks like jazmine used to. and then after the voice ( holy shit, is that naomi? ) and the name register he realizes no, she looks more like yancy than she does jaz. the face is a little rounder, the smile a little less lopsided. and there's really only one thing that can mean.
raleigh doesn't even need to look back at mako to know she's perfectly okay with him leaving the table and moving over by naomi and little yancy. she's been in his head. she understands perfectly that he needs to do this. but it's hard to because his head is spinning and his mouth is dry and holy shit, i'm an uncle. ]
Hey, Naomi. Long time no see. [ he shoves his hands in his pockets and looks horribly awkward. and then figures it's always easier to talk to kids than adults, so he leans down 'til he's at eye-level and smiles at yancy. ] And hello to you too, Yancy. 'S a pretty name you've got there.
[ if yancy--boy yancy, his brother yancy--were alive still, raleigh would be laughing his ass off. he'd always said that it sounded like a girl's name and what do you know. it works pretty good on a cute little girl. ]
still, even though he's used to it, it's not his favorite thing. he likes humanity in general. humans are great, he'd die for them, yadda yadda. people set him on edge and wear him out. but kids are easier to deal with than adults, so he's always more eager to deal with them than with their parents. and it's easy for him, when he hears a childish voice calling his name accompanied by the pitter patter of running feet, to turn around with a smile.
even before he hears the girl's name ( yancy ) he thinks, she looks like jazmine used to. and then after the voice ( holy shit, is that naomi? ) and the name register he realizes no, she looks more like yancy than she does jaz. the face is a little rounder, the smile a little less lopsided. and there's really only one thing that can mean.
raleigh doesn't even need to look back at mako to know she's perfectly okay with him leaving the table and moving over by naomi and little yancy. she's been in his head. she understands perfectly that he needs to do this. but it's hard to because his head is spinning and his mouth is dry and holy shit, i'm an uncle. ]
Hey, Naomi. Long time no see. [ he shoves his hands in his pockets and looks horribly awkward. and then figures it's always easier to talk to kids than adults, so he leans down 'til he's at eye-level and smiles at yancy. ] And hello to you too, Yancy. 'S a pretty name you've got there.
[ if yancy--boy yancy, his brother yancy--were alive still, raleigh would be laughing his ass off. he'd always said that it sounded like a girl's name and what do you know. it works pretty good on a cute little girl. ]
[ She's watching Raleigh tuck Yancy into bed from the doorway. They're whispering to each other in low tones, smiles on their faces, heads bent together. It's been a little short of year since Naomi and her daughter ran into Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori at the McDonald's and Yancy's just turned nine, flung her arms around Naomi when she realized that her mother had invited her favorite pilots over for a surprise dinner Mom you are the best.
They've kept visiting Yancy on the downlow. With Raleigh and Mako still in the spotlight, they're being extra careful. The media is a monster that Naomi knows well, and the last thing she wants is for it to set it's sights on her daughter, because while Naomi is old enough and mature enough and secure enough in her identity to take on whatever circus the press decide they want to turn her life into, Yancy is still bright-eyed and full of dreams and hope and that is something that when you lose, you can actually get it back - it'll just never be the same.
When Raleigh steps out, Naomi offers him a shy smile. ] You really made her day today. Thank you, for taking the time to spend the day with us.
No need to thank me. You know I love spending time with the two of you.
[ and he does, really. this past year has been one of the best in a while and he owes it all to the three lovely ladies in his life: his niece yancy, his best friend and platonic life partner mako, and naomi. the woman he's kind of embarrassingly attracted to.
so embarrassingly attracted to that it's a wonder she hasn't picked up on it yet. lord knows he's gotten enough elbows to the ribs from mako when he gets what was once dubbed his "adoring puppy face" on. if she were anyone else, he probably would've asked her out already. but she's not just anyone, she's the mother of yancy's child. and, okay, he knows they were never actually a thing. but there's just something about trying to step over the line from friendship into a romantic relationship that feels like stepping on yancy's grave.
not that that stops him from wanting to kiss her. or from giving her a small smile and a gentle nudge with his elbow. ] I'd thought you'd be used to having me around by now.
[ and he does, really. this past year has been one of the best in a while and he owes it all to the three lovely ladies in his life: his niece yancy, his best friend and platonic life partner mako, and naomi. the woman he's kind of embarrassingly attracted to.
so embarrassingly attracted to that it's a wonder she hasn't picked up on it yet. lord knows he's gotten enough elbows to the ribs from mako when he gets what was once dubbed his "adoring puppy face" on. if she were anyone else, he probably would've asked her out already. but she's not just anyone, she's the mother of yancy's child. and, okay, he knows they were never actually a thing. but there's just something about trying to step over the line from friendship into a romantic relationship that feels like stepping on yancy's grave.
not that that stops him from wanting to kiss her. or from giving her a small smile and a gentle nudge with his elbow. ] I'd thought you'd be used to having me around by now.
[ at some point, it just becomes easier for raleigh to move in than to keep an apartment of his own nearby that he never uses. he spends his days at naomi's house, whether or not the girls are there. yancy's got school and friends and she's quickly growing up. ( she'll be fourteen in a couple of months and he can hardly believe it. fourteen. and he already knows what he's getting her for her birthday ) naomi's got her job and sometimes that takes her around the world in eighty hours, if things really push it.
raleigh? he's technically got a job with the ppdc still. it's more of a research facility now. they're taking drift and jaeger tech and turning it into medical and consumer technology. it's pretty fascinating stuff. and sometimes they want a brain to scan, and he's more than happy to play lab rat for him when they need him.
but mostly he's a stay at home dad. he goes grocery shopping, he cleans the house, he's got a spot in naomi's garage where he can tinker and build things to his heart's content. he's a pretty decent cook and tries to have dinner on the table for his girls when they get home. it's not the life he thought he would end up with. there's no real adventure or glamour. none of the adrenaline rushes he loves and still craves a little. but it's okay. hell, it's better than okay most days. he's happy, and that's something he wasn't for a very long time.
the house is his for the night tonight. at least, it is until naomi's flight gets in and she makes her way home. normally, he'd go and pick her up at the airport. but yancy's at a sleepover and in case things go horribly wrong like he's thinking they might ( some of her middle school friends are looking like they're the type that's going to change the second they get into high school. and not for the better. ) he wants to be around with the car so he can go and pick her up. so his phone's by his head, and there's a hockey game on tv, and raleigh is... half-asleep, sprawled out over the couch, his hand still in the half-empty bowl of popcorn resting on the floor. ]
raleigh? he's technically got a job with the ppdc still. it's more of a research facility now. they're taking drift and jaeger tech and turning it into medical and consumer technology. it's pretty fascinating stuff. and sometimes they want a brain to scan, and he's more than happy to play lab rat for him when they need him.
but mostly he's a stay at home dad. he goes grocery shopping, he cleans the house, he's got a spot in naomi's garage where he can tinker and build things to his heart's content. he's a pretty decent cook and tries to have dinner on the table for his girls when they get home. it's not the life he thought he would end up with. there's no real adventure or glamour. none of the adrenaline rushes he loves and still craves a little. but it's okay. hell, it's better than okay most days. he's happy, and that's something he wasn't for a very long time.
the house is his for the night tonight. at least, it is until naomi's flight gets in and she makes her way home. normally, he'd go and pick her up at the airport. but yancy's at a sleepover and in case things go horribly wrong like he's thinking they might ( some of her middle school friends are looking like they're the type that's going to change the second they get into high school. and not for the better. ) he wants to be around with the car so he can go and pick her up. so his phone's by his head, and there's a hockey game on tv, and raleigh is... half-asleep, sprawled out over the couch, his hand still in the half-empty bowl of popcorn resting on the floor. ]
i am a horrible person but i couldn't resist the idea once i had it
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
exhort
- 2013-09-27 00:36 (UTC) - Expand
[ raleigh's known that he's been in love with naomi since the first time they kissed in her kitchen. but he's also painfully aware of the fact that she's not ready to hear that. so he locks those three little words away inside his heart and tries so show his love in ways other than in words. he does little things for her, snuggles with her randomly, and every night, whether or not he'll be sleeping in the same bed as her, he kisses her and rests his forehead against hers as he murmurs goodnight.
yancy's cottoned on to it. she's seen him do it enough times to know it's ritual. and when he introduces her to the princess bride, she looks over at him with a thoughtful look on her face. when he pours an exhausted naomi into bed that night, having just got back from wherever she was interviewing whoever she was, yancy's waiting for him in the hall. after he shuts naomi's door, he tilts his head at his niece with a questioning look. she just smiles at him and says, as you wish, before skipping off to bed.
tonight, he's actually exhausted enough that he thinks he's going to be able to fall asleep the second his head hits the pillow. that's something he hasn't had in ages. so really, it's understandable that when he kisses naomi and holds her close in the dark, i l--goodnight is what slips out instead of the usual. just blame it on the exhaustion. s'all good.
... right? ]
yancy's cottoned on to it. she's seen him do it enough times to know it's ritual. and when he introduces her to the princess bride, she looks over at him with a thoughtful look on her face. when he pours an exhausted naomi into bed that night, having just got back from wherever she was interviewing whoever she was, yancy's waiting for him in the hall. after he shuts naomi's door, he tilts his head at his niece with a questioning look. she just smiles at him and says, as you wish, before skipping off to bed.
tonight, he's actually exhausted enough that he thinks he's going to be able to fall asleep the second his head hits the pillow. that's something he hasn't had in ages. so really, it's understandable that when he kisses naomi and holds her close in the dark, i l--goodnight is what slips out instead of the usual. just blame it on the exhaustion. s'all good.
... right? ]
[ in the eight years he's been dead, raleigh has never once visited yancy's grave. and he doesn't plan to. yancy's grave is in hawaii with who knows how many other jaeger pilots. but it's empty. and hawaii is tropical. there the sand is warm, and the breezes are pleasant. the water there laps at ankles, it's what most people would call refreshing. and that feels all wrong.
exactly eight years to the day after knifehead's attack, raleigh is in alaska. for the first time, goes to the beach on the anniversary of his brother's death. it's a short walk from where he's staying with naomi and her daughter. raleigh talks in low tones to the waves the way one might the grave of a loved one. it's fitting. the sea is where yancy's body is, after all.
mako and naomi and little yancy have done a lot to help heal some of the wounds left over from his brother's death. but there isn't a day raleigh wakes up and doesn't feel the hole in his head and wonder if he will always feel unlike a whole person. some days the feelings are worse than others. today is one of the worst days raleigh's had in a while, and before he realizes it, he's on his knees in the sand. he thinks there might be his face but if there are he can't tell them from the salty spray of the sea that licks at his knees and sinks cold deep into his bones. all he can focus on in the moment is how, now that he's finally doing this, it feels like an old shard of grief has been jarred loose. like he's finally processing it after holding onto it for so long. ]
exactly eight years to the day after knifehead's attack, raleigh is in alaska. for the first time, goes to the beach on the anniversary of his brother's death. it's a short walk from where he's staying with naomi and her daughter. raleigh talks in low tones to the waves the way one might the grave of a loved one. it's fitting. the sea is where yancy's body is, after all.
mako and naomi and little yancy have done a lot to help heal some of the wounds left over from his brother's death. but there isn't a day raleigh wakes up and doesn't feel the hole in his head and wonder if he will always feel unlike a whole person. some days the feelings are worse than others. today is one of the worst days raleigh's had in a while, and before he realizes it, he's on his knees in the sand. he thinks there might be his face but if there are he can't tell them from the salty spray of the sea that licks at his knees and sinks cold deep into his bones. all he can focus on in the moment is how, now that he's finally doing this, it feels like an old shard of grief has been jarred loose. like he's finally processing it after holding onto it for so long. ]
[ She's been sleep-walking. As far as she knows neither Raleigh nor Yancy have noticed ( yet ). Some nights, she comes to her senses in the kitchen, the fridge pulled open and her staring at the bottle of orange juice that the always keep stocked for Rals. Sometimes, she finds herself outside, in the yard, hands stinging and nails ruined from digging up a hole.
Tonight, she bolts back in the house because she'd woken up in the middle of the street in nothing but one of Raleigh's sweaters, and as a panic attack claws it's way up from deep inside her chest, she all but tears the her bag from where she's hung it on a hook on the wall and pulls out a pack of clove cigarettes that she's taken to keeping for moments like this.
( Naomi hasn't smoked since she got pregnant with Yancy. Gave the habit up cold turkey because she could, because it wasn't something she'd needed, just something she'd liked. She's been smoking a steady two packs a week since she started sleep-walking, since the panic attacks started to be a regular thing. She makes it a point never to smoke in the house, washes her hands thoroughly after every stick, makes sure she showers the smell out of her hair and dumps her clothes in the wash. )
She can't breathe, though. Needs that nicotine hit to bring her head back to her shoulders as she cries at the bottom of the steps, no sound escaping her but that of ragged breathing. ]
[ raleigh's still an insomniac after all these years, so he knows from the first night it happens that naomi's been sleepwalking. he follows her some nights. stays out of sight and slinks back to bed when she comes to and realizes she's not where she's supposed to be. he never mentions it, the same way naomi doesn't really mention it when sometimes, every once in a while, he zones out completely in the middle of a sentence, only to come back a few moments later and realize her hand is in his.
yeah, she should probably talk to someone about this. there's things doctors and counselors could do to help her. but if she can't even admit to him that she's having problems, he's not sure he'll be able to convince her it's a good idea. which isn't to say he's not worried about her. he is, a lot. especially because he knows she's been smoking too.
his mom had been a smoker. when she was diagnosed with lung cancer, there had been a period where they all tried to get her to quit. she never did, but she'd pretended for a while. raleigh and yance got pretty good at spotting the signs of when she'd try to cover up the fact that she would be smoking. even if he didn't have that knowledge, there have been a few times he's kissed her and still been able to taste the remnants of smoke and ash on her tongue. frankly, that terrifies him.
almost as much as the fact that she'd walked out into the street terrifies him. they live in a fairly quiet neighborhood, so the odds of her getting run over were slim. but panic still gripped his heart when he saw that. he takes sometime to calm himself and let naomi get over the worst beginnings of her panic attack before he sits next to her on the stairs. she's a mess. tear tracks drying in sticky lines on her face, an almost completely smoked cigarette between her fingers, and shivering in the cold with nothing but his sweater to keep the night air out.
raleigh sighs and carefully reaches over to pluck the cigarette from her fingertips and stub it out on the stairs. then he carefully wraps naomi up in a hug. he holds her tightly to his chest and kisses the crown of her head. ]
It's okay, I've got you. Just put your hand on my chest and try to breathe with me, okay? In... out. In... out. [ he breathes in slowly and deeply, holding it for a few seconds in between each inhale and exhale. sometimes the training the ppdc gave him for how to keep his head comes in handy in the most unexpected ways. ]
yeah, she should probably talk to someone about this. there's things doctors and counselors could do to help her. but if she can't even admit to him that she's having problems, he's not sure he'll be able to convince her it's a good idea. which isn't to say he's not worried about her. he is, a lot. especially because he knows she's been smoking too.
his mom had been a smoker. when she was diagnosed with lung cancer, there had been a period where they all tried to get her to quit. she never did, but she'd pretended for a while. raleigh and yance got pretty good at spotting the signs of when she'd try to cover up the fact that she would be smoking. even if he didn't have that knowledge, there have been a few times he's kissed her and still been able to taste the remnants of smoke and ash on her tongue. frankly, that terrifies him.
almost as much as the fact that she'd walked out into the street terrifies him. they live in a fairly quiet neighborhood, so the odds of her getting run over were slim. but panic still gripped his heart when he saw that. he takes sometime to calm himself and let naomi get over the worst beginnings of her panic attack before he sits next to her on the stairs. she's a mess. tear tracks drying in sticky lines on her face, an almost completely smoked cigarette between her fingers, and shivering in the cold with nothing but his sweater to keep the night air out.
raleigh sighs and carefully reaches over to pluck the cigarette from her fingertips and stub it out on the stairs. then he carefully wraps naomi up in a hug. he holds her tightly to his chest and kisses the crown of her head. ]
It's okay, I've got you. Just put your hand on my chest and try to breathe with me, okay? In... out. In... out. [ he breathes in slowly and deeply, holding it for a few seconds in between each inhale and exhale. sometimes the training the ppdc gave him for how to keep his head comes in handy in the most unexpected ways. ]
[ Her car isn't in the driveway so Naomi figures Raleigh's off picking up Yancy from hockey practice when she finally comes back from an extended trip covering the conflict in the Asia-Pacific. She sees the note tacked to the fridge in his familiar scrawl Be back later. P.S. Your job sucks, we missed you and rifles through the fridge only the shake her head. Pizza is not proper food, but fine, they had their fun without her.
In a couple of months it'll be eight whole years since their paths crossed by chance at the McDonald's. Yancy's turning sixteen in July, all grown up, kicking ass and taking names and when people ask remark on how she's named Yancy, she just grins and says Yeah, like Yancy Becket? The jaeger pilot? He and my mom got involved once upon a time, so it's pretty cool.
It's... surreal. Her daughter's all grown up and sometimes, when they go out, just the two of them, people ask if they're sisters because for someone who is thirty-seven this year, she still looks damn good. That thought makes her lean against the counter. She's thirty-seven with a daughter who'll be off to college soon, so why does she feel like she's too young to be having empty nest syndrome. Especially since...
She hears the front door open, smiles when Raleigh must notice her key in the dish they leave by the door because his voice calls her name and she turns around to see him in the kitchen doorway. ]
Hi. [ She bites her lower lip because she's been gone a full two months and seeing him like this is a lovely punch to the gut. ] I'm home.
Edited 2013-09-23 04:13 (UTC)
[ it's been a long two months without her. he and yancy have scraped by, they always do, but there's just something missing in both of them when naomi's away. you know, outside of the obvious. and this assignment was longer than the usual, so raleigh missed her even more.
so really it's understandable that the second she turns around to say hi, he's striding forward to gather her up in his arms and kiss her soundly. two months without her touch is two months too long, in his opinion. he is definitely planning on making up for lost time.
--after he actually gives her a real hello of course. a sheepish smile crosses his face as he pulls back and rests his forehead against hers. ] Welcome home. I missed you.
[ if that weren't obvious. ]
so really it's understandable that the second she turns around to say hi, he's striding forward to gather her up in his arms and kiss her soundly. two months without her touch is two months too long, in his opinion. he is definitely planning on making up for lost time.
--after he actually gives her a real hello of course. a sheepish smile crosses his face as he pulls back and rests his forehead against hers. ] Welcome home. I missed you.
[ if that weren't obvious. ]
you might hate me if we make this kid a boy, she's going to ask mako if she'd like to name it
jaeger_fly
- 2013-09-25 05:25 (UTC) - Expandi couldn't resist pretty pictures and the baby had to come from somewhere???
jaeger_fly
2013-09-23 04:01 am (UTC)(link)
Edited 2013-09-23 04:01 (UTC)
[ it was a little embarrassing to have yancy walk in on them when they were making out on the couch. especially since raleigh's hands were up naomi's shirt and he's pretty sure her hand was about to make its way down his pants. really, they should've known better. they're grown-ass adults, they shouldn't have gotten wrapped up in each other like a couple of horny teenagers.
but, on the other hand, the breaking of the mood gives raleigh an excuse to pick naomi up and carry her to bed. he doesn't do things like that very often--his arm won't let him. but every once in a while it's nice to pull something cheesy like this, just to make her smile.
raleigh kisses her as he walks, and keeps kissing her as he sits on the edge of the bed. he pauses for a moment, and that's just to help her get her shirt over her head. the thing gets flung somewhere on the opposite side of the room and then raleigh's kissing her again. down her neck, across her collarbones, licking and gently biting at the dip in her clavicle when he comes to it. meanwhile his fingers work on unclasping her bra. and really, that thing's a menace. clearly whoever designed it wasn't thinking about how difficult it would be for a guy who's distracted by the fact hard with a nice pair of breasts at about eye level to get it open. ]
but, on the other hand, the breaking of the mood gives raleigh an excuse to pick naomi up and carry her to bed. he doesn't do things like that very often--his arm won't let him. but every once in a while it's nice to pull something cheesy like this, just to make her smile.
raleigh kisses her as he walks, and keeps kissing her as he sits on the edge of the bed. he pauses for a moment, and that's just to help her get her shirt over her head. the thing gets flung somewhere on the opposite side of the room and then raleigh's kissing her again. down her neck, across her collarbones, licking and gently biting at the dip in her clavicle when he comes to it. meanwhile his fingers work on unclasping her bra. and really, that thing's a menace. clearly whoever designed it wasn't thinking about how difficult it would be for a guy who's distracted by the fact hard with a nice pair of breasts at about eye level to get it open. ]
[ it's taken some convincing, both for naomi and the ppdc people, but raleigh's finally got her in a lab that, honestly, feels more like a living room than a lab. it's homey, in an odd way. doctor lightcap get raleigh and naomi all settled into the recliners with the pons on their heads. there'd been a whole spiel before about one drift session probably won't cure the panic attacks, but it may fill in some of the memory gaps. you'll have to allow yourselves to chase the rabbit which is going to be different than what you're used to, raleigh. we'll be taking scans of your brains throughout the process to try and figure out just how naomi's brain has been affected.
to be completely honest, it makes him a little worried. he knows the not knowing has been eating at naomi since she'd been rescued. but if the gaps in her memory are her brains way of dealing with the trauma ( which is a possibility, dr. lightcap had said ) then he doesn't want to make her relive that.
and, of course, there's also all his issues. he's an experienced pilot who has a deep connection with naomi, so he's really the only candidate for this. mako might've been able to do it, but she and naomi don't trust each other the way raleigh and naomi do. and that's the basis of the drift--trust. but there's no denying the fact that he's got a lot of baggage and a lot of memories that would probably scare the pants of his girlfriend. knifehead is really just the tip of the iceberg when he remembers the precursors and the feelings of them in his head.
but they're doing this. raleigh's pretty sure he can keep himself out of his own memories well enough to make it work. he gets to let her take a dip in his brain, he gets to take a dip in hers, and the ppdc gets some nifty research out of it all. it's got the possibility of being a win-win situation. you know, provided nothing goes horribly wrong and this doesn't traumatize her even more.
raleigh reaches out and gently squeezes naomi's hand with a small, encouraging smile. ] You ready for this?
to be completely honest, it makes him a little worried. he knows the not knowing has been eating at naomi since she'd been rescued. but if the gaps in her memory are her brains way of dealing with the trauma ( which is a possibility, dr. lightcap had said ) then he doesn't want to make her relive that.
and, of course, there's also all his issues. he's an experienced pilot who has a deep connection with naomi, so he's really the only candidate for this. mako might've been able to do it, but she and naomi don't trust each other the way raleigh and naomi do. and that's the basis of the drift--trust. but there's no denying the fact that he's got a lot of baggage and a lot of memories that would probably scare the pants of his girlfriend. knifehead is really just the tip of the iceberg when he remembers the precursors and the feelings of them in his head.
but they're doing this. raleigh's pretty sure he can keep himself out of his own memories well enough to make it work. he gets to let her take a dip in his brain, he gets to take a dip in hers, and the ppdc gets some nifty research out of it all. it's got the possibility of being a win-win situation. you know, provided nothing goes horribly wrong and this doesn't traumatize her even more.
raleigh reaches out and gently squeezes naomi's hand with a small, encouraging smile. ] You ready for this?
[ it's after yamarashi that they see him. they're in la, about to hit up a bar or something to milk that post-kill adrenaline high. they're just walking down a street, him and yancy, when raleigh whirls around and watches two men in snappy suits walk down the street. the word dad is out of raleigh's mouth before he can even think about it. one of the men, unmistakably their father, glances over but ignores them.
it's like a stab to the chest. dear old dad looks more well-off, financially anyways, than they've ever seen him. and apparently that's a good enough replacement for his kids. even when he's got two star jaeger pilots for sons.
they fly back to the icebox the next morning. when they get in, raleigh heads straight for his shoebox full of old family photos and he takes out everyone one with their father, dumps them in the sink, and lights them on fire. he doesn't need that asshole, he thinks. not when he's got yancy. but that doesn't stop the anger from burning him up inside. ]
it's like a stab to the chest. dear old dad looks more well-off, financially anyways, than they've ever seen him. and apparently that's a good enough replacement for his kids. even when he's got two star jaeger pilots for sons.
they fly back to the icebox the next morning. when they get in, raleigh heads straight for his shoebox full of old family photos and he takes out everyone one with their father, dumps them in the sink, and lights them on fire. he doesn't need that asshole, he thinks. not when he's got yancy. but that doesn't stop the anger from burning him up inside. ]
[ after pitfall, they have the obligatory press circuit. after the obligatory press circuit, raleigh insists that he and mako go on a vacation. it's a quaint little cabin in the middle of montana or something. some rural state hardly anyone lives in that isn't, actually, alaska. it's surrounded by forests and a river and a nice waterfall and lake.
a waterfall that raleigh looks at appraisingly the day he and mako decide to go exploring. ] Think we could cliff dive off that? [ he points at the waterfall.
this is probably a bad idea. but man if wouldn't be fun as all get out. ]
a waterfall that raleigh looks at appraisingly the day he and mako decide to go exploring. ] Think we could cliff dive off that? [ he points at the waterfall.
this is probably a bad idea. but man if wouldn't be fun as all get out. ]
[ camping isn't something raleigh got to do a lot as a kid. there was one memorable camping trip that the whole family went on between jobs for dad and that was--well, it was a disaster, to put it lightly. he and jazmine bitched at each other the entire time. mom got cranky when she ran out of cigarettes and started going through withdrawal. not even yancy could keep the whole thing from getting ugly.
but raleigh's always liked the idea of camping. whether it's summer camps he never got to go to as a kid, or just going out and sleeping under the stars with someone you actually like, the idea has appealed to him for a while. so when he gets the opportunity to go camping with mako, he leaps on it.
it's pretty nice, if you don't mind the beginnings of autumn's chill and raleigh's complete inability to get a fire going. bless his heart, but that's one thing he's never been able to do in any reasonable period of time. right now he's going on nearly fifteen in trying to light this campfire. if he gets it within the next four minutes, it'll be a new record. ]
but raleigh's always liked the idea of camping. whether it's summer camps he never got to go to as a kid, or just going out and sleeping under the stars with someone you actually like, the idea has appealed to him for a while. so when he gets the opportunity to go camping with mako, he leaps on it.
it's pretty nice, if you don't mind the beginnings of autumn's chill and raleigh's complete inability to get a fire going. bless his heart, but that's one thing he's never been able to do in any reasonable period of time. right now he's going on nearly fifteen in trying to light this campfire. if he gets it within the next four minutes, it'll be a new record. ]
there, there baby it's just text book stuff / it's in the ABC of growing up
now, now darling, oh don't lose your head cause none of us were angels
and you know I love you, yeah
[ when raleigh actually goes to call naomi, his brother gives him a look and pulls the mother hen routine. she's a jaeger fly, bro. don't go there, he'd said. but raleigh was feeling a little rebellious and she had been really pretty, so he calls her anyways. they go on a date and she's is totally not a jaeger fly.
at least, not in the way yancy was thinking. yeah, she was maybe a little starstruck by jaeger pilots in general, but naomi's a pretty down to earth girl. she just got into a local college, is going to be studying journalism. and, wow, raleigh could sit and watch her talk about journalism all day. he's got no real interest in it, but the way her face lights up when she talks about it is really great. he drives her home from dinner and a walk that night and leaves her with a soft kiss on the lips. when she says yes to a second date a few days later, raleigh thinks he's hit the jackpot.
they sort of become boyfriend and girlfriend. sort of because raleigh's eighteen and he's never really had a real girlfriend. there was gabi at the international school, a pretty french girl who taught him how to kiss and let him get to second base but that--that wasn't anything like a relationship. she probably would've chewed raleigh up and spat him out if they hadn't moved back to the states. there was another girl when he was sixteen and in high school. raleigh was pretty gone on her and they went on one date. ended up at the local make-out spot and had sex in the back of her van. it was pretty awful sex and the next day at school she told him she wasn't really interested in a second date. broke his heart, she did.
so this whole thing with naomi is new and special and great and raleigh feels really kind of stupid sometimes but... she makes him happy. even as she makes him nervous and flushed sometimes.
they learn each other slowly. they kiss and explore each other in increments. naomi tells him all about her dreams and the articles she's writing for a blog. raleigh tells her all about the mark 3 jaeger that's being built, and the way his brother is really everything to him now. she doesn't get it, but she smiles at him and doesn't judge his odd codependency. raleigh's pretty sure that's what makes yancy finally approve of her.
the day he's assigned gipsy, they go out and celebrate. somehow, they end up tumbling into bed at a motel and it's--it's really, really great. he falls asleep with naomi in his arms and wakes up spooning her. that's the first time he thinks that he really might be in love with her.
according to the old clock on the nightstand, it's almost nine am. which, unfortunately, means raleigh should head back to the shatterdome relatively soon. or at least give yancy a call. either of those options means he needs to wake naomi up, which seems such a shame. she looks so peaceful when she's asleep.
ever so carefully, raleigh brushes her hair back and drops a kiss on her shoulder. then the join of her shoulder and neck. the spot right behind her ear. ] Naomi... [ his voice is a sleepy rumble in her ear. ] 'S time to wake up, beautiful.
at least, not in the way yancy was thinking. yeah, she was maybe a little starstruck by jaeger pilots in general, but naomi's a pretty down to earth girl. she just got into a local college, is going to be studying journalism. and, wow, raleigh could sit and watch her talk about journalism all day. he's got no real interest in it, but the way her face lights up when she talks about it is really great. he drives her home from dinner and a walk that night and leaves her with a soft kiss on the lips. when she says yes to a second date a few days later, raleigh thinks he's hit the jackpot.
they sort of become boyfriend and girlfriend. sort of because raleigh's eighteen and he's never really had a real girlfriend. there was gabi at the international school, a pretty french girl who taught him how to kiss and let him get to second base but that--that wasn't anything like a relationship. she probably would've chewed raleigh up and spat him out if they hadn't moved back to the states. there was another girl when he was sixteen and in high school. raleigh was pretty gone on her and they went on one date. ended up at the local make-out spot and had sex in the back of her van. it was pretty awful sex and the next day at school she told him she wasn't really interested in a second date. broke his heart, she did.
so this whole thing with naomi is new and special and great and raleigh feels really kind of stupid sometimes but... she makes him happy. even as she makes him nervous and flushed sometimes.
they learn each other slowly. they kiss and explore each other in increments. naomi tells him all about her dreams and the articles she's writing for a blog. raleigh tells her all about the mark 3 jaeger that's being built, and the way his brother is really everything to him now. she doesn't get it, but she smiles at him and doesn't judge his odd codependency. raleigh's pretty sure that's what makes yancy finally approve of her.
the day he's assigned gipsy, they go out and celebrate. somehow, they end up tumbling into bed at a motel and it's--it's really, really great. he falls asleep with naomi in his arms and wakes up spooning her. that's the first time he thinks that he really might be in love with her.
according to the old clock on the nightstand, it's almost nine am. which, unfortunately, means raleigh should head back to the shatterdome relatively soon. or at least give yancy a call. either of those options means he needs to wake naomi up, which seems such a shame. she looks so peaceful when she's asleep.
ever so carefully, raleigh brushes her hair back and drops a kiss on her shoulder. then the join of her shoulder and neck. the spot right behind her ear. ] Naomi... [ his voice is a sleepy rumble in her ear. ] 'S time to wake up, beautiful.
Edited 2013-09-30 04:53 (UTC)
asdlkhasdfklhsdf no but i am happy because this is so cute
jaeger_fly
- 2013-09-30 05:58 (UTC) - Expandthis is probably the most stereotypical thing ever BUT W/E THEY'RE YUMMY so i'm rolling w/ it
exhort
- 2013-10-08 05:56 (UTC) - Expand
[ she eventually learns to accept that they were too young, too naive in the face of grief, too inexperienced in the art of being adults because the loss of innocence is not measured by two bodies coming together under cover of dark, but when two tightly clasped hands are pulled in two different directions.
it's been nearly six years since knifehead and naomi sokolov is a face in the crowd of reporters and journalists welcoming raleigh becket home. she has a beanie keeping her head warm as the last leg of winter clings stubbornly to the air, a thick crowd of fellow americans gathering beyond the barricaded line.
the kaiju are gone. the breach is closed and of all the rangers who had stayed with the ppdc to see challenger deep through, only three remain: marshal hercules hansen, australia's pride. the iconic survivor of onibaba and tokyo's beloved daughter, mako mori. and of course, america's golden boy.
he both looks the same and so very different when he steps up on the stage, hands clearly itching to hide themselves in his coat. naomi doesn't miss the look that crosses raleigh's features when he and mako share a glance and she ducks her head and fiddles with the settings of her phone, quickly messaging her photographer and friend get as many shots as you can. we'll need it.
she hadn't expected the twist in her gut and she repeats to herself that what they'd had nearly six years ago was a lifetime away. but telling herself that doesn't make it easy. not when there's a photograph of her and raleigh tucked in a secret compartment of her wallet because it wasn't that they'd fought -- he'd just needed to leave, to deal with his grief and she hadn't been allowed to follow.
so she breathes and settles the mask of professionalism over her face and starts taking notes as her phone records the proceedings for her. ]
[ cameras and interviews have never really been something raleigh's comfortable with. that feeling has grown by orders of magnitude since yancy's death. so he's very awkward up on stage, hands clammy and why can't he just shove them in his pockets again?
and then he catches sight of naomi as another reporter asks a question and his mouth goes dry. he doesn't even catch the question the man in front asked. he's too busy trying to get his breathing under control because the last time he saw naomi he was in the hospital telling her he needed some space. it broke his heart to do it, but he thought he was protecting her at the time.
she'd visited him once in the immediate aftermath and he was a wreck. he ended up sobbing into her lap until the tears and the drugs made him pass out. when it became obvious that he was going to be plagued by flashbacks, nightmares, and his head being completely out of whack for a significant amount of time, he'd left. and when he realized that it was a mistake to send her away, he thought it'd been enough time that she would've moved on. calling her didn't seem like an option even though he wanted to. never stopped wanting to, really.
it takes mako stepping on his foot and answering the question for him to snap himself back to the present. somehow, he makes it through the rest of the interview, though he's not exactly sure how. it probably has something to do with his better half standing next to him. when the thing is over, he looks at mako and the small smile spreading across her face. he knows instantly that she saw naomi too and is going to help him with the idea he's got forming in his head. how he got lucky enough to have her for a co-pilot and platonic soulmate, he's got no idea.
but he is that lucky. and mako manages to corner naomi for him so he once the throng of people are mostly gone, he can walk up to her with his hands shoved in his pockets and the most hesitant smile on his face. ]
Hey, Naomi. [ the way he looks at mako has got nothing on the way he looks at naomi. six years and he hasn't stopped loving her. ] Long time no see.
and then he catches sight of naomi as another reporter asks a question and his mouth goes dry. he doesn't even catch the question the man in front asked. he's too busy trying to get his breathing under control because the last time he saw naomi he was in the hospital telling her he needed some space. it broke his heart to do it, but he thought he was protecting her at the time.
she'd visited him once in the immediate aftermath and he was a wreck. he ended up sobbing into her lap until the tears and the drugs made him pass out. when it became obvious that he was going to be plagued by flashbacks, nightmares, and his head being completely out of whack for a significant amount of time, he'd left. and when he realized that it was a mistake to send her away, he thought it'd been enough time that she would've moved on. calling her didn't seem like an option even though he wanted to. never stopped wanting to, really.
it takes mako stepping on his foot and answering the question for him to snap himself back to the present. somehow, he makes it through the rest of the interview, though he's not exactly sure how. it probably has something to do with his better half standing next to him. when the thing is over, he looks at mako and the small smile spreading across her face. he knows instantly that she saw naomi too and is going to help him with the idea he's got forming in his head. how he got lucky enough to have her for a co-pilot and platonic soulmate, he's got no idea.
but he is that lucky. and mako manages to corner naomi for him so he once the throng of people are mostly gone, he can walk up to her with his hands shoved in his pockets and the most hesitant smile on his face. ]
Hey, Naomi. [ the way he looks at mako has got nothing on the way he looks at naomi. six years and he hasn't stopped loving her. ] Long time no see.
Page 1 of 2