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[ a girl's supposed to be happy on her wedding day, right?
but somehow, all naomi's done for the last half hour is cry, and lie down, and cry some more, and god, this is such a mess, she's going to be the bride with splotchy cheeks and red-rimmed eyes, and everyone's going to wonder if she and her fiancee had a fight, which is ridiculous because they're best friends and this is just a complete disaster.
greg comes up to see her then, and her wedding dress is tucked in the closet because tradition is tradition and superstitions should be followed. and because they're best friends, he sits by her to ask: what's wrong, is it cold feet, should we have pushed the date and all naomi does is keep on shaking her head because it's none of those things and all of these things but she can't say that. not to him. not when the logic behind her tears is stupid.
he finally calms her down. and she's left to her half of the entourage get dressed, honey, it'll be better, i promise and she wants to believe him, she really does, but it really, really won't.
and so she sends the girls and kara out, her sister the last to leave as the zipper of the dress goes up so that the bodice is snug around her ribs. and she stands in front of the mirror, in her dream dress with flowers in her hair and she tries, she really, really tries to pull herself together.
she's got the backs of her hands dabbing at the space beneath her eyes when the door opens right behind her, and she turns, ready to tell them to get out, please, I'll be there in a minute only to freeze because-- ] --Raleigh.
Edited 2013-10-08 04:19 (UTC)
[ it's a good thing that raleigh was actually in town when greg called. otherwise he might not have gotten here in time. as it is, he's a little winded from sprinting from the car to her dressing room. the sight of her in a wedding dress really doesn't help with the breathlessness any. she looks so damn beautiful. ]
Greg called me. [ and boy wasn't raleigh surprised to get that call. thrilled and a little sad too. it's hard not to be thrilled when you hear that the woman you're madly in love with is still in love with you too. and sad because she should be happy. she shouldn't be in tears on what should be the best day of her life.
carefully shutting the door behind him, raleigh takes in the way naomi looks. gorgeous dress, flowers in her hair, red cheeks and teary eyes. he reaches out as he steps forward, his thumb brushing wetness away from her cheek. even when she's a hot mess, she's still the most amazing thing he's ever laid eyes on. ]
I love you, [ he says quietly, cupping her face in his hands. ] I never stopped. And I can't tell you how many times I've wished I hadn't walked away from you when I did.
[ he doesn't say greg's stopping the wedding. figures that's pretty apparent by the way her fiance called her ex-boyfriend to come talk to her. he also doesn't say if you ask, i'll get us a helicopter and we'll go to vegas so the dress doesn't go to waste even though he kind of wants to. even if she does still love him back, he's changed a lot since they were dating and they need to see if they still fit before he can say anything like that. but god does he want to. he wants to sweep her up and take her away from here and be stupidly in love with her for the rest of his life.
instead, he takes her hands and squeezes them gently. ] I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you that. [ he kisses the knuckles of her right hand. ]
Greg called me. [ and boy wasn't raleigh surprised to get that call. thrilled and a little sad too. it's hard not to be thrilled when you hear that the woman you're madly in love with is still in love with you too. and sad because she should be happy. she shouldn't be in tears on what should be the best day of her life.
carefully shutting the door behind him, raleigh takes in the way naomi looks. gorgeous dress, flowers in her hair, red cheeks and teary eyes. he reaches out as he steps forward, his thumb brushing wetness away from her cheek. even when she's a hot mess, she's still the most amazing thing he's ever laid eyes on. ]
I love you, [ he says quietly, cupping her face in his hands. ] I never stopped. And I can't tell you how many times I've wished I hadn't walked away from you when I did.
[ he doesn't say greg's stopping the wedding. figures that's pretty apparent by the way her fiance called her ex-boyfriend to come talk to her. he also doesn't say if you ask, i'll get us a helicopter and we'll go to vegas so the dress doesn't go to waste even though he kind of wants to. even if she does still love him back, he's changed a lot since they were dating and they need to see if they still fit before he can say anything like that. but god does he want to. he wants to sweep her up and take her away from here and be stupidly in love with her for the rest of his life.
instead, he takes her hands and squeezes them gently. ] I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you that. [ he kisses the knuckles of her right hand. ]
[ she turns her palm up against his cheek, feels the faintest hint of stubble there and she should smile, because he's here, and it's pretty much all she can do not to fling her arms around him to hold him tight. but naomi just stands for a minute, processing what's just happened. because isn't this just like greg to know her best, to twig that she wasn't over raleigh at the press conference, when she could have done something other than hug him for all the news crews to see.
she lifts his right hand up, holds it right underneath her cheek as she hiccups, a pathetic little mess because she feels terrible for greg, but also utterly, utterly relieved, because he'd proposed and she'd accepted just as word of pitfall hit the news. it had been the end of the world, and raleigh had once more gone where she couldn't follow.
she steps into his space then, draws his arms around her the way she used to when they were kids, him pretending to sneak out of the icebox when she obviously knew he was on the ranger equivalent of "shore leave." she's sniffling still but she presses her face to his chest, her fingers curling tight on the edge of his sweater. ]
Don't leave. [ it's the only thing she can say, because she knows six years is a long time and they've both clearly changed, but there's never really been anyone one else who could hold a candle to raleigh. ]
she lifts his right hand up, holds it right underneath her cheek as she hiccups, a pathetic little mess because she feels terrible for greg, but also utterly, utterly relieved, because he'd proposed and she'd accepted just as word of pitfall hit the news. it had been the end of the world, and raleigh had once more gone where she couldn't follow.
she steps into his space then, draws his arms around her the way she used to when they were kids, him pretending to sneak out of the icebox when she obviously knew he was on the ranger equivalent of "shore leave." she's sniffling still but she presses her face to his chest, her fingers curling tight on the edge of his sweater. ]
Don't leave. [ it's the only thing she can say, because she knows six years is a long time and they've both clearly changed, but there's never really been anyone one else who could hold a candle to raleigh. ]
[ he wraps his arms around her and rests his cheek on the top of her head. it feels familiar. it feels right and he kind of wishes he had done this at the press conference instead of bolting like a scared rabbit. he's missed this more than he thinks he can probably say. ]
Never. [ now that he's got her back, someone's going to have to pry him away with a crowbar to get him to leave. in fact, the only person that could make him leave her side is naomi herself. if she told him to leave, he probably would. but he highly doubts that's going to happen anytime soon, if ever.
a kiss gets dropped on the top of her head before raleigh pulls back from her just enough to lean down and pick her up. it's a short walk over to the couch. which is a good thing because both his arms are a little weak these days and getting them both over there is about all he can manage. he sits and settles her in his lap before wrapping his arms around her again. ]
We should probably stay here for a little while. 'Til everyone else clears out. [ both he and greg want to spare her the embarrassment of having to tell the people who've come that she's not actually getting married. so greg gets to take care of that while raleigh gets to take care of naomi and make sure she's going to be okay. all in all, raleigh's pretty sure he got the better end of this deal. ]
Never. [ now that he's got her back, someone's going to have to pry him away with a crowbar to get him to leave. in fact, the only person that could make him leave her side is naomi herself. if she told him to leave, he probably would. but he highly doubts that's going to happen anytime soon, if ever.
a kiss gets dropped on the top of her head before raleigh pulls back from her just enough to lean down and pick her up. it's a short walk over to the couch. which is a good thing because both his arms are a little weak these days and getting them both over there is about all he can manage. he sits and settles her in his lap before wrapping his arms around her again. ]
We should probably stay here for a little while. 'Til everyone else clears out. [ both he and greg want to spare her the embarrassment of having to tell the people who've come that she's not actually getting married. so greg gets to take care of that while raleigh gets to take care of naomi and make sure she's going to be okay. all in all, raleigh's pretty sure he got the better end of this deal. ]
[ They are at a press conference post-Pitfall and Mako knows the exact moment when Raleigh's breathing stops for exactly 0.264 seconds because there is a woman in the crowd with dark brown hair and blue-grey eyes and Mako knows what she looks like, all of eighteen-years-old and holding on for dear life because it is the first night they have ever gone this far with each other and they will tumble together over the edge, two young things in love. She knows how those same eyes would go wide, a French song tumbling from lips that can manage just this one song because it was what mom sang all the time while she danced in the kitchen. The way her lips trembled when there was no other choice but to send her away because Yancy was gone and life as a whole was a mess and there was no way to protect Naomi from the kaiju except if she wasn't here.
She steps on his foot and answers the question meant for him and the look in her eyes tells him, pay attention and I will help you speak to her. And Mako makes good on that promise, because after they had recovered from Pitfall and the ordeal that it was, she finally realized why the name and face in Raleigh's memories was familiar: Naomi Sokolov. Why We Fight: Clasped Hands and Firm Feet - A Look Into The PPDC. The woman sensei had met that one afternoon in Hawaii. The one voice speaking staunchly on their behalf among the flood of media playing it safe.
It feels like coming full circle, because two minutes into an exchange with Naomi Sokolov and Mako feels her heart settle, knows right away that this is a woman she would trust her copilot with, except things go awry and Raleigh walks away and while Mako wishes that she could shake sense into him the way Yancy did so long ago -- she cannot. Because she is his copilot but not his brother, and Naomi Sokolov may be in love still with Raleigh, but the ring ties her to another.
---
It is a few weeks later and Raleigh is moping like a sad puppy. Again. It is driving her to distraction. While it is not her place to say, Mako decides that she will say it anyway: ]
You should not have run off like a frightened rabbit. [ Under her breath, in Japanese, she adds: ] You are brave enough to blow up Gipsy face-to-face with the creators of the kaiju, but you have no courage to tell the girl that you love that you miss her. Pathetic.
[ She doesn't really mean to be angry -- no, no, okay she does. Because she knows what he feels and were it her, she would have handled it differently. The girl deserved to know, at least. ]
[ mako's right to be a little angry. raleigh's self-aware enough to realize that he's moping and is probably being really annoying. he can't help it though. he's just missed naomi so much, and seeing her engaged... it sounds stupid and cheesy, but it broke his heart. the sadness from that's been hanging over him like a dark cloud he just can't shake off.
so mako's right to be a little angry, but it still makes him scowl at her from where he's flopped on the hotel bed. ] Don't say that. I'm not pathetic, [ he mutters in japanese back to her. he likes being able to talk to her in her native tongue, but english is a lot easier for him, so he switches back over. ] Blowing up Gipsy scared me shitless, by the way.
[ raleigh sighs and rolls over onto his back. ] Why would I have told her that I miss her? She's engaged. The last thing she needs is a clingy ex-boyfriend making her feel awkward.
so mako's right to be a little angry, but it still makes him scowl at her from where he's flopped on the hotel bed. ] Don't say that. I'm not pathetic, [ he mutters in japanese back to her. he likes being able to talk to her in her native tongue, but english is a lot easier for him, so he switches back over. ] Blowing up Gipsy scared me shitless, by the way.
[ raleigh sighs and rolls over onto his back. ] Why would I have told her that I miss her? She's engaged. The last thing she needs is a clingy ex-boyfriend making her feel awkward.
[ It's been two days since her Uncle Raleigh came home distressed and looking ready to punch something while Yancy had watched him from the living room couch to pipe up a soft: Uncle Rals? Where's Mom?
For about five minutes after that she'd been frozen and shaking and so terrified because all he'd done was come over hold her tight, tremors wracking him and her imagination had careened like a train off the tracks -- because why wasn't Mom with him? They'd left earlier to go to the facility? Why was he telling her to pack some things? Where are we going, D--
She's at the Choi's house at Kodiak, it's about three in the afternoon but the sky is dark and the rain's pouring in heavy drops outside; and her mom's in a drug-induced coma because something had gone wrong with her Drift with her uncle and her mind had verged on breaking because whatever it was that it didn't want to remember had just been that bad.
Yancy's curled up at the window because Aunt Alison's putting little Teddy to bed and she's trying not to blame herself for not being stronger, for not being able to stay for prolonged periods of time by her mom's bedside because yes, her mother is beautiful when she sleeps but Yancy prefers her awake and smiling and laughing with her and her uncle who is really like her dad when it all comes down to it. ]
[ it scared the shit out of raleigh when things went wrong in the drift. the terror and pain that came with the memory was already bad enough, but then naomi seized and they fell out of the drift and-- god. it was all such a mess.
it's not until later that he realizes he probably scared yancy when he stumbled home and held her close. she's only twelve and this is a lot for her to deal with, one thing right after another. but part of raleigh's head was still trapped in the beating, the feel of a needle under his skin, the questions about his daughter.
and then he hadn't really been able to explain much of anything until they got to the chois. tendo had been one of the guys monitoring the drift when it happened, at raleigh's request, so he was able to explain to yancy in simple terms what went wrong and why her uncle's such a mess.
he spends as much time by naomi's bedside as he can. yancy's with him a lot so that makes looking after her easy. but it's--it's hard. to sit there and watch her sleep and know that it was his idea that did it to her. to know that the reason his daughter in all the ways that matter isn't in the best place because he spends a little more time at the hospital than she does and while he's got tendo, and alison, and mako he's a hot mess. he tries not to let yancy see it, he really does, but raleigh's always worn his heart on his sleeve and he's pretty sure he's doing a shit job of it.
when he comes home from the hospital today, he's a little damp. even with his oversized coat on, the rain somehow managed to still get his tee. but after he shucks off his shoes and coat, he makes a beeline for yancy. ] Scoot over, kiddo. [ it's hugging time. ]
it's not until later that he realizes he probably scared yancy when he stumbled home and held her close. she's only twelve and this is a lot for her to deal with, one thing right after another. but part of raleigh's head was still trapped in the beating, the feel of a needle under his skin, the questions about his daughter.
and then he hadn't really been able to explain much of anything until they got to the chois. tendo had been one of the guys monitoring the drift when it happened, at raleigh's request, so he was able to explain to yancy in simple terms what went wrong and why her uncle's such a mess.
he spends as much time by naomi's bedside as he can. yancy's with him a lot so that makes looking after her easy. but it's--it's hard. to sit there and watch her sleep and know that it was his idea that did it to her. to know that the reason his daughter in all the ways that matter isn't in the best place because he spends a little more time at the hospital than she does and while he's got tendo, and alison, and mako he's a hot mess. he tries not to let yancy see it, he really does, but raleigh's always worn his heart on his sleeve and he's pretty sure he's doing a shit job of it.
when he comes home from the hospital today, he's a little damp. even with his oversized coat on, the rain somehow managed to still get his tee. but after he shucks off his shoes and coat, he makes a beeline for yancy. ] Scoot over, kiddo. [ it's hugging time. ]
[ It's the week before little Yancy Sokolov goes back to school and like she does, every Friday night, Mako finds her way to the Sokolov household to spend time with the family she likes to consider her own. She has never had a set-up quite like this, where everything is, as Raleigh would put it, "low-key" and laid-back. It's the most domestic set-up Mako's ever been in outside of the memories of another house in Anchorage and while at first, she had opted to give both Raleigh and Naomi space for the love between them to bloom, her co-pilot and the woman he loves have embraced her as a fixture in her lives.
You're a part of him. You're the reason Yancy and I have him. It's a package deal, Mako, so you're as much a part of us as anyone else has a right to be.
( She's never had siblings. The closest approximation of that kind of bond was a mix of rivalry and childhood affection that changed into something she still has no name for and is shaped in the silhouette of one Chuck Hansen. And while Raleigh is not her brother, he is an intrinsic part of who she is, and with the ghost-drift between them she sees what he does when he looks at his girls ( their girls, Mako sometimes thinks, because little Yancy is a child she would teach the ways of her childhood to, and Naomi has been the unexpected friend who knows the story of the only father she has ever known ) she feels the intensity of his love for them, the way it shakes him to the very foundations of his soul where the old wounds that stem from a fear of so much loss sometimes threaten to overtake him.
When he is like this and Naomi calls her in tears because there are things that she understands she will never be privy to, Mako drives over and takes him away to sit under the stars where she offers solace in a silence that reassures: You will not lose them, Raleigh. I will never allow it. Your happiness is mine, remember? )
They're all curled up in a mattress stretched out on Naomi's livingroom floor with Return of the King playing on the large, flat-screen television that Tendo had shipped them last week. It's an interesting study in limbs, the four of them -- Naomi curled at Raleigh's left, while Mako rests her head on his right thigh, little Yancy's head on her stomach.
As Miranda Otto's Eowyn delivers the killing blow, Mako takes a measure of pride in the way her co-pilot's niece sniffs almost derisively at the abridged take on what could have been a set of beautiful lines. ]
I will never understand why they did not just include the full monologue.
You're a part of him. You're the reason Yancy and I have him. It's a package deal, Mako, so you're as much a part of us as anyone else has a right to be.
( She's never had siblings. The closest approximation of that kind of bond was a mix of rivalry and childhood affection that changed into something she still has no name for and is shaped in the silhouette of one Chuck Hansen. And while Raleigh is not her brother, he is an intrinsic part of who she is, and with the ghost-drift between them she sees what he does when he looks at his girls ( their girls, Mako sometimes thinks, because little Yancy is a child she would teach the ways of her childhood to, and Naomi has been the unexpected friend who knows the story of the only father she has ever known ) she feels the intensity of his love for them, the way it shakes him to the very foundations of his soul where the old wounds that stem from a fear of so much loss sometimes threaten to overtake him.
When he is like this and Naomi calls her in tears because there are things that she understands she will never be privy to, Mako drives over and takes him away to sit under the stars where she offers solace in a silence that reassures: You will not lose them, Raleigh. I will never allow it. Your happiness is mine, remember? )
They're all curled up in a mattress stretched out on Naomi's livingroom floor with Return of the King playing on the large, flat-screen television that Tendo had shipped them last week. It's an interesting study in limbs, the four of them -- Naomi curled at Raleigh's left, while Mako rests her head on his right thigh, little Yancy's head on her stomach.
As Miranda Otto's Eowyn delivers the killing blow, Mako takes a measure of pride in the way her co-pilot's niece sniffs almost derisively at the abridged take on what could have been a set of beautiful lines. ]
I will never understand why they did not just include the full monologue.
[ raleigh is quite possibly the luckiest man alive. not only does he have a fantastic girlfriend and niece-daughter-person, but he's got a fantastic co-pilot that fits into his found family perfectly. to be completely honest, he's not sure what he would've done if naomi and yancy couldn't accept mako as well as him. because mimi's right--mako is a part of him. she's his partner and his other half, and there is nothing on god's green earth he would not do for her.
so he's infinitely glad that she approves of his girlfriend. and that his girlfriend loves her and understands, well, everything. he's always embarrassed after he gets lost in his own head and emotions. the nights mako has to talk him down are awful, but the mornings where he has to face naomi and live with the knowledge that no matter how much he loves her, there she is never going to be able to be everything to him. it's a difficult thing to face, especially when he'd grown up on stories of heroes and knights in shining armor.
kind of like the one they're watching now. raleigh absentmindedly runs his fingers through naomi's hair as he watches the witch king crumple and eowyn drag herself to theoden's side. ]
There were probably too many 'ye's. But you're right--it's better in the book. [ they're all a bunch of book snobs when it comes to this series. it's terrible. ]
so he's infinitely glad that she approves of his girlfriend. and that his girlfriend loves her and understands, well, everything. he's always embarrassed after he gets lost in his own head and emotions. the nights mako has to talk him down are awful, but the mornings where he has to face naomi and live with the knowledge that no matter how much he loves her, there she is never going to be able to be everything to him. it's a difficult thing to face, especially when he'd grown up on stories of heroes and knights in shining armor.
kind of like the one they're watching now. raleigh absentmindedly runs his fingers through naomi's hair as he watches the witch king crumple and eowyn drag herself to theoden's side. ]
There were probably too many 'ye's. But you're right--it's better in the book. [ they're all a bunch of book snobs when it comes to this series. it's terrible. ]
[ he's staying at alison's. not because he wants to. if it were up to him he'd be as far from the ppdc as he can get. but he has to wait for his discharge to finish being processed before he can technically leave, and alison doesn't live at the icebox. technically, he should probably still be in the barracks. but pentecost's actually a pretty good guy and turns a blind eye to the fact that one of his rangers isn't where he should be.
alison has a kindly old woman named mrs. fox for a neighbor. she's mostly blind, but she still gets around well enough and feeds ali's cat when she's got a long day at work and can't get home in time to. she also, apparently, decides it's okay to let someone into alison's house when he says he's the father of that nice boy ali's got as a house guest.
for a moment, raleigh just stares at his father. barely even hears him explain how he managed to find out where his son is staying. for one blissful moment, there's no pain from the arm still in a sling. he doesn't have a headache from the lack of sleep and dark circles under his eyes. there's no feeling of emptiness left behind from yancy being ripped out of the drift.
but then it all comes crashing back down onto him. and raleigh--raleigh gets angry. who the fuck does richard think he is? ( he hasn't thought of him as dad since he left. ) he abandoned his family, didn't show up to mom's funeral, didn't say anything when his sons ended up on tv because they were jaeger pilots, and--what? he thinks he can just walk into raleigh's life again?
he doesn't realize he's moved until he's got his dad pressed back into a wall, raleigh's good hand curled into the fabric of his shirt. ] You asshole. [ he's shaking. his vision's going a little blurry which is funny. he thought he was all cried out over his dad and over yancy. ] Why the fuck are you here?
alison has a kindly old woman named mrs. fox for a neighbor. she's mostly blind, but she still gets around well enough and feeds ali's cat when she's got a long day at work and can't get home in time to. she also, apparently, decides it's okay to let someone into alison's house when he says he's the father of that nice boy ali's got as a house guest.
for a moment, raleigh just stares at his father. barely even hears him explain how he managed to find out where his son is staying. for one blissful moment, there's no pain from the arm still in a sling. he doesn't have a headache from the lack of sleep and dark circles under his eyes. there's no feeling of emptiness left behind from yancy being ripped out of the drift.
but then it all comes crashing back down onto him. and raleigh--raleigh gets angry. who the fuck does richard think he is? ( he hasn't thought of him as dad since he left. ) he abandoned his family, didn't show up to mom's funeral, didn't say anything when his sons ended up on tv because they were jaeger pilots, and--what? he thinks he can just walk into raleigh's life again?
he doesn't realize he's moved until he's got his dad pressed back into a wall, raleigh's good hand curled into the fabric of his shirt. ] You asshole. [ he's shaking. his vision's going a little blurry which is funny. he thought he was all cried out over his dad and over yancy. ] Why the fuck are you here?
[Richard expected his son to be pissed. That had been a given no matter what else happened. When Dee got sick, he hadn't been able to handle it, had walked out because he was just done trying to be the husband and father he never actually was and he hasn't been back to them since. He'd probably hate himself too and he does a little bit. It was never really about the kids, it was never Yancy, Raleigh or Jazmine's fault for what went down, for how he'd handled things, but he can't imagine that they didn't see it that way.
He kind of-- didn't expect that Raleigh could leap off the couch and crowd him against the wall, fire burning on his eyes and shit, Richard had seen the news. Had seen the footage of the wrecked Jaeger and the jumbled reports that Gipsy's only surviving pilot was a mess.
Her other pilot was gone, just gone and he hadn't seen his son in over eight or nine years, and it still doesn't compute to him that Yancy is dead. He didn't ever think himself suited for fatherhood but his son was dead and the only thing that made sense to do was go find his two remaining kids.
Raleigh was easier to find that Jazmine, who would have thought. But mention that you're the Becket boys' father, show a picture or two if they don't believe it and it gets a person places.]
I'm here to see you, Raleigh.
He kind of-- didn't expect that Raleigh could leap off the couch and crowd him against the wall, fire burning on his eyes and shit, Richard had seen the news. Had seen the footage of the wrecked Jaeger and the jumbled reports that Gipsy's only surviving pilot was a mess.
Her other pilot was gone, just gone and he hadn't seen his son in over eight or nine years, and it still doesn't compute to him that Yancy is dead. He didn't ever think himself suited for fatherhood but his son was dead and the only thing that made sense to do was go find his two remaining kids.
Raleigh was easier to find that Jazmine, who would have thought. But mention that you're the Becket boys' father, show a picture or two if they don't believe it and it gets a person places.]
I'm here to see you, Raleigh.
[ he doesn't know what to do with that. the first thought in his head is why now? he could've tracked down his son any time after he left. it's been fucking years and now is the time when he decides he gives a fuck about raleigh? why?
well, the answer to that's obvious. and that's what makes raleigh let go of richard's shirt and take a step back. now that his mom and his older brother are both dead, he's probably feeling responsible. for the first time in his life.
the thought almost makes raleigh laugh. instead, he just lets his lip curl up in a snarl. ] I don't want to see you. Get out.
[ it's not gonna be long until the anger fades back under the ever present clamor of yancy yancy yancy where's yancy in his head. and richard doesn't get to see him a mess. ]
well, the answer to that's obvious. and that's what makes raleigh let go of richard's shirt and take a step back. now that his mom and his older brother are both dead, he's probably feeling responsible. for the first time in his life.
the thought almost makes raleigh laugh. instead, he just lets his lip curl up in a snarl. ] I don't want to see you. Get out.
[ it's not gonna be long until the anger fades back under the ever present clamor of yancy yancy yancy where's yancy in his head. and richard doesn't get to see him a mess. ]
[Oh Raleigh, do you not realize that it's already pretty obvious that you're a mess?
Richard lets him step back, but he's not just going to leave because Raleigh told him to, because Raleigh's still pissed and he doesn't blame him for that at all. Raleigh's grieving and hurt and angry and he's still his son at the end of the day, even if Richard has no idea how to be a father. He knows that he wants to comfort his kid, that seems like a good enough place to start.]
You're upset, I get that. At least hear me out, okay? Can you do that, kiddo?
Richard lets him step back, but he's not just going to leave because Raleigh told him to, because Raleigh's still pissed and he doesn't blame him for that at all. Raleigh's grieving and hurt and angry and he's still his son at the end of the day, even if Richard has no idea how to be a father. He knows that he wants to comfort his kid, that seems like a good enough place to start.]
You're upset, I get that. At least hear me out, okay? Can you do that, kiddo?
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[ naomi sokolov's realized one thing since the becket brothers deployed and took down yamarashi in los angeles: it's surprisingly hard, having a boyfriend who's a jaeger pilot. there's no precedent for it, since jaeger pilots tend to be a strange bunch ( she's seen this firsthand and honestly never had any issue over it ) and relationships were either set in place well before the drift or developed after.
case and point: caitlin lightcap and sergio d'onofrio are clearly married. stacker pentecost and tamsin sevier are clearly not, because they act like brother and sister almost, but the marshal never married as far as wikipedia can tell. he has an adopted kid though, which naomi files away in her "things to read up on later" file. herc hansen was married, has a kid, it's a really tragic story since his wife was never really found after sydney goes the girl who lives down the hall. it's not exaggeration to say that that one is absolutely over the moon over the australian pilot, but naomi figures that is a lot less creepy than the people who think that scott hansen is hot. because he is not. the guy is a douche and naomi's never met him personally. his interviews just make her skin crawl.
she doesn't mention her boyfriend to anyone, because raleigh's fangirls kind of scare her sometimes. and her facebook timeline has it's settings fixed so that if he tags her on anything, she has to approve it first.
still, word gets out somehow, because someone does see them leaving comments for each other, and well. when her relationship status changes from "it's complicated" to "in a relationship with--" it's kind of something that people latch onto.
( technology, she swears, can be a bitch sometimes. )
she's taking summer school in may when he and his brother ( yancy, she reminds herself. he did say that it was okay for you to refer to him by his first name ) are deployed to puerto san jose. the takedown had been in the early morning, but someone had gotten a video and that video had streamed all over the news.
it was also the day one of the meaner girls commented that naomi looked too calm, too collected, are you really raleigh becket's girlfriend because he never comes by to see you and ina's boyfriend from out of state comes by twice a year.
she hadn't commented on it. had just smiled and turned back to watching the news because she understands how important it is that raleigh's on call at the base, that she not distract him or give yancy any reason to think that she wouldn't be anything less than good for his brother.
( she does, however, cry about it late into the night, and when his name comes up on her mobile phone screen she rejects the call.
baby, why don't you pick up :c
( not feeling well, sorry.
can we talk tomorrow? )
but i miss you :c and becca
just messaged me on facebook
why are you crying, meems?
( it's really dumb stuff, raleigh
i'm okay i'll be fine i'm sorry :c )
becca, her roommate is a nosy person who looks out for her and tells raleigh anyway, and when school rolls back in, naomi's walking across the quad to see people peering over the rails, those same girls who'd made fun of her half-beside themselves in fangirlish glee it can't be the beckets, oh my god, it is the beckets.
it's the first time yancy gives her a hug like she was his little sister, ruffling her hair and giving her one of his trademark lazy grins hey kiddo, this shithead was pining like a moron. we're on leave so i figured he needed to see you.
she lays a long one on raleigh in front of the whole campus. sends his brother a thank you text to which he replies: good. glad it's effectively shut them up.
---
raleigh's leaving in about two days, and naomi really wants to go back to her dorm, but it's becca's birthday and her roomie's frat boyfriend has thrown a house party. at this very instant, she's watching raleigh's team of three beat the other side of the table at beer pong.
she's also taking half of the cups that he has to drink because his ears are red and she knows what that means and wow, her alcohol tolerance needs work. ]
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