righthemisphere | IC CONTACT

The worst part is that Raleigh can understand where Herc is coming from. He knows what it means to be a liability. What it means to throw protocol out the window in the heat of battle only to survive and have to carry the consequences like a cross for the rest of his life. He gets it. But he can't accept it. Not here. Not like this.

"Things happen.. out there. In the water. You did what you thought you had to," he starts slowly, trying his damnedest to keep his voice level but clear so he isn't misunderstood. A leaf out of Stacker's book for once, wouldn't he be proud.

"I know that's what you think you're doing here but let me be absolutely clear-" he leans forward, resting one forearm against the table, tea untouched. The movement slides his dogtags down from where they'd hitched up on the side of his collar and an eagle eye would see the names on the two tags don't match anymore.

"-the only way you are hurting Chuck is by what you're doing now. You are failing him by leaving him alone. All this other stuff? He gets it. He knows you. Better than anyone. And he will forgive you. But you can't do this. I'm sorry, Herc, but you can't run. Not from him."

There's not much Herc can say to that. It's all still too fresh, and short of killing himself, he can't put enough distance between Chuck and himself in Deerington.

He also recognises that Raleigh's trying to do right by Chuck, to repair the still burning bridge, which is probably the only reason why Herc's not throwing him out for refusing to see reason. So instead, Herc sighs, shaking his head as he sips his tea wordlessly, staring out the window at the snowy, empty paddock outside.

You might need some cream to put on your slapped ass later. Hurts, doesn't it. Especially when Raleigh is right and you know it.

He leaves the silence for a moment, studying Herc as he looks away. How tired he seems. How stressed. Raleigh takes a lot of his cues from the physical, the things not said rather than the words themselves, and there are volumes in Herc's eyes and the weight on his shoulders.

Finally Raleigh takes a sip of his tea. It's nice. Soft and floral in a sharp contrast to the setting. Maybe it's an assumption but there comes a creeping feeling that something else is going on that would spur Herc to such dramatic action. To say the things he said. To push Chuck away with such venom and then double down with whatever the hell conversation they're having right now.

Raleigh takes a breath.

"All due respect, sir, as someone who's tried running I can tell you it doesn't work. Deerington is too small and I know deep down you don't want this."

Herc loves his son, he knows he does. And he smells bullshit.

"I also know you're not telling me the whole story. What happened that has you so spooked. Can't just be the walkers."

Herc doesn't answer at first, eyes locked on the snowy landscape outside, but his hands tighten around the mug he's nursing between them. The chill's creeping into the cabin. He should probably try fixing that window to keep the cold out...

Arm aching, he finishes his tea and rises from the table, taking the empty mug to the sink to wash up.

"I've said my piece. You should get going before it gets dark out."

Is that the chill of winter or the chill between them creeping in.

So that's it then, huh. That's all you've got to say.

Raleigh gives Herc a look through the whole movement but doesn't get up, himself. When the other Ranger is finished washing his mug Raleigh is still there. Watching. Straight faced. Your ploy hasn't worked and your house isn't big enough to run away from him. He knows what you're doing and he isn't going to accept the subtext. Sorry, not that sorry.

"All due respect sir?" Finally, once the water is off and he knows Herc can hear him with perfect clarity.

"You can go fuck yourself."

It rings of a conversation they've had before. Over spaghetti and mashed potatoes in the mess hall, talking about whether Chuck deserved a kick in the arse. Feels like a whole other lifetime now. How bizarre that now it's Herc who deserves the boot up his ass. You two really are just so similar that it's staggering.

"There's danger everywhere. If you need help just ask. Cutting everyone out isn't going to make anything better. So answer my question. What happened."

There's a steeliness to Herc's eyes as he stares right back at Raleigh, drying his hands on a kitchen towel.

"You're not my superior officer, you're not my father and you sure as hell aren't my wife," he answers flatly. "I don't answer to you. I asked you here because I respect you as a Ranger and I know you're close to my son. Don't push it."

The cloth gets tossed aside. "Now, with 'all due respect', get out of my house." He's got a date with a bottle tonight that he'd much rather get to sooner than later.

Yeeeah because that's the way to fix this.

Raleigh gives an exasperated look, rolling his shoulders like he's going to get up but he doesn't. You know all those times Stacker bitched about Raleigh being an insubordinate asshole? Welcome to the show.

"Nah. That's not gonna work for me. You called me here because you're trying to make yourself feel better for bailing when Chuck needs you and I'm not okay with being your crashpad. Screw rank, you're my friend. What's going on??"

Edited 2021-01-24 22:03 (UTC)

"Don't make me get the shotgun," Herc warns, though whether he's being serious about the threat remains to be seen.

He's just so damn tired of... everything. He's tired of fucking up, he's tired of screwing up his kid further and further and failing him again and again and again.

"Get out."

Wow.

You know he really wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt but Chuck was right. That's.. depressing.

Raleigh tongues his teeth as he digests that, shoulders and jaw tight as his temper spirals around beneath his skin.

He could yell. He could break Herc's nose like Chuck told him to.

But he doesn't. He gets up. And while he doesn't think Herc would actually shoot him over this the man is clearly not in his right mind and he doesn't wanna find out for sure.

Turning his back, Raleigh goes to the door, a plume of cold air invading the space as he holds it open. Fuck you, you can freeze. He'll say one last thing over his shoulder before he goes, leaving the door open behind him.

"You know Herc? I never thought I'd say this.. you're a coward. Can't believe it."

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