[Yeah no. This is completely not okay. It's just not but Chuck is so blinded by the sudden relief that the weight of his father's hand on his neck brings, like an actual switch was flipped in his head, going from migraine from hell to relief, just like that.
He's so distracted that he lets it happen, soaking up the way it feels like he doesn't want to lay down and die. And that is because his old man is sort of hugging him and-- wait a minute.
That comment about a magical hug had been sarcasm you know.
It lasts all of ten, maybe fifteen seconds before Chuck's stubborn side rears its head and he brushes Herc's hand off his neck. No, no it's not that easy, he can't just hug him and expect everything to be fixed.]
[ Herc gets to enjoy the few moments of relief before Chuck brushes him off. The loss physically hurts enough, like a sting or a shock of electricity to his skin, that Herc visibly winces, shoulders going as square as his jaw as he shifts into defensive.
For chrissake, the kid might be even more bullheaded than the kaiju. Herc damn well knows that not everything's fixed by anything, but even Chuck has to appreciate what velcroing is: a recommended medical technique for pilots post-Drift, not a magical fix-all switch Herc thinks he can flip to make their issues go away like Chuck's acting like this is.
Herc ignores the voice in his head that tells him he should've given his son a warning before touching him at all, but. Maybe he liked how it felt, even guiltily so, having Chuck close like they never can be outside of this.
Yes. So a hug won't change anything, Herc does understand. ]
I know you aren't, Chuck. [ He doesn't touch him again, but Herc looks Chuck in the eye, face set. Driving in a point. ] But you are a pilot, and no pilot comes out of hangovers clean without some goddamn physical contact, you learned this.
[If there's anything worse that Herc could've done, besides hug him without warning and then chew him out for ignoring his training, like he wasn't the best at the Academy that year, Chuck would be hard pressed to name it. His fists clench at his side and he glares right back at his dad.
True, they did talk about velcroing in the Academy but Chuck always kind of dismissed it because he's better than that. He needs his dad to be a Ranger but not for anything else.
Except this. His headache is starting to ebb back, like a wave and he would totally stand there all night and have a pissing match with his dad too.]
I'm not hugging it out with you in the bloody loo.
[ Yeah, but it does the job. Herc's still blind when it comes to his son, so he doesn't know what being a Ranger means to Chuck, that Chuck doesn't know how to be anything else, but Chuck, Herc understands, also doesn't know what it means to be a Ranger on terms that aren't his own.
Chuck is a Ranger, but he doesn't acknowledge his limits like a good Ranger should. No one is above the rules, not even the best -- understanding that is what had made Stacker so efficient a pilot, and the lack of understanding that is what will, in short years to come, bring the Becket brothers down too.
The kid can't get it through his head. Never needed to, with talent like his. ]
Good call. [ Herc looks around the room in a glance, like he's only just really realized where they are. The reality of it seems to hit him all at once -- the fight, the celebration, the context of the situation beyond Chuck -- and he relaxes a fraction even if the line of his shoulders are still tensed and wary. There's a measure of acquiescence in Chuck's reply, so Herc just gestures to the door with a tilt of his head.
Chuck's fists clench and loosen at his side a couple of times. Seriously having a pissing match with his dad all night is tempting, because he really, really cannot stand the idea of leaning on Herc for anything.
But he also thinks he might throw up again if he has to stand for longer than five minutes and he knows damn well that velcroing with his dad is the only way to keep that from happening.
Vomiting has never been so appealing.
But in the end, he is serious about not hugging it out in the fucking bathroom, so he stalks off towards their bunk.]
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no subject
He's so distracted that he lets it happen, soaking up the way it feels like he doesn't want to lay down and die. And that is because his old man is sort of hugging him and-- wait a minute.
That comment about a magical hug had been sarcasm you know.
It lasts all of ten, maybe fifteen seconds before Chuck's stubborn side rears its head and he brushes Herc's hand off his neck. No, no it's not that easy, he can't just hug him and expect everything to be fixed.]
I'm not a kid anymore, Dad.
no subject
For chrissake, the kid might be even more bullheaded than the kaiju. Herc damn well knows that not everything's fixed by anything, but even Chuck has to appreciate what velcroing is: a recommended medical technique for pilots post-Drift, not a magical fix-all switch Herc thinks he can flip to make their issues go away like Chuck's acting like this is.
Herc ignores the voice in his head that tells him he should've given his son a warning before touching him at all, but. Maybe he liked how it felt, even guiltily so, having Chuck close like they never can be outside of this.
Yes. So a hug won't change anything, Herc does understand. ]
I know you aren't, Chuck. [ He doesn't touch him again, but Herc looks Chuck in the eye, face set. Driving in a point. ] But you are a pilot, and no pilot comes out of hangovers clean without some goddamn physical contact, you learned this.
no subject
True, they did talk about velcroing in the Academy but Chuck always kind of dismissed it because he's better than that. He needs his dad to be a Ranger but not for anything else.
Except this. His headache is starting to ebb back, like a wave and he would totally stand there all night and have a pissing match with his dad too.]
I'm not hugging it out with you in the bloody loo.
no subject
Chuck is a Ranger, but he doesn't acknowledge his limits like a good Ranger should. No one is above the rules, not even the best -- understanding that is what had made Stacker so efficient a pilot, and the lack of understanding that is what will, in short years to come, bring the Becket brothers down too.
The kid can't get it through his head. Never needed to, with talent like his. ]
Good call. [ Herc looks around the room in a glance, like he's only just really realized where they are. The reality of it seems to hit him all at once -- the fight, the celebration, the context of the situation beyond Chuck -- and he relaxes a fraction even if the line of his shoulders are still tensed and wary. There's a measure of acquiescence in Chuck's reply, so Herc just gestures to the door with a tilt of his head.
After you. ]
no subject
Chuck's fists clench and loosen at his side a couple of times. Seriously having a pissing match with his dad all night is tempting, because he really, really cannot stand the idea of leaning on Herc for anything.
But he also thinks he might throw up again if he has to stand for longer than five minutes and he knows damn well that velcroing with his dad is the only way to keep that from happening.
Vomiting has never been so appealing.
But in the end, he is serious about not hugging it out in the fucking bathroom, so he stalks off towards their bunk.]