[When Jaime was flying around, he was able to numb himself. He's done this flight, searching and hoping and waiting how many times now? For Shinji and Akihiko and Minato, for Wally, for Armin, for Traci and Ellie and Isaac. This is just another flight, routine as any other, only this time? He knows he'll see his father again. He doesn't know when, or how, but he knows. So that means that this isn't a big deal. He can cope, just as he's coped so many times before. He'll tell people that no, he's gone, and he'll say it gently, but he'll be okay. He always is.
But then he comes home, and his Mom's been crying, and he thinks to himself: Oh shit, this isn't like the other ones.
(He's allowed to swear in the privacy of his own mind.)
He should have thought more about his mother, how hard it would be for her to be separated from Dad for the first time in... god, how long have they been married? That long.]
Mom...
[He looks at her, forehead creasing (he's going to have wrinkles by the time he's twenty-five), eyes softening in sympathy, swallowing past the lump in his throat that always appears whenever he sees any of his family in distress, no matter the reason. What does he say to this? He can't say much, not really, so instead, he reaches out and pulls her into a big, warm hug. If nothing else, she has him. She'll always have him. He's been here for so long now, so he's not leaving, right? As long as she's here, she'll have someone.]
[She tries to avoid crying in front of the kids, even with as rare as it is for it to happen in the first place. Things like that only upset them. And with this, well, it's a reminder that maybe she should have gone and washed face, to make it look less obvious. But she doesn't have it in her right now to pretend.
And she can tell that Jaime noticed, with his expression, the way his brow creases, before she comes in for a hug. He'll probably always be on the shorter side, but he's grown here. She still can't resist brushing her son's hair away from his face and giving him a kiss on the cheek.]
[Jaime hugs her tightly, tighter than normal. This time, however, it's not him seeking comfort, but offering it, a quiet demonstration of the fact that he's here, and he's not going anywhere -- at least he doesn't think he's going to. He's sad, regretful even - he didn't spend enough time with him, not for the short time he was here, how was he supposed to know that his Dad was going to leave so soon - but it's not the same hole in his life as it will be for his mother. After all, she decided long ago to spend her life with him, and Jaime had long since gotten used to being on his own.
He pulls away from her eventually, hands moving up to her shoulders.]
Okay. But... it's okay if you're not too?
[He doesn't mean it as a question, but this isn't familiar ground.]
Having people just disappear on you without even being able to say goodbye isn't easy, Mom, and if you need company, or something -- you'll tell me, right? You won't just pretend that everything's okay?
[She can only give him a bit of a watery smile at that.]
Jaime, mijito, I know how it can be hard. I promise you I'll let you know. I won't pretend everything is just fine.
[She'll probably make sure she keeps herself extremely busy for the next few weeks, but she was already doing that this last month, with everything that was going on.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2016-10-17 03:24 am (UTC)But then he comes home, and his Mom's been crying, and he thinks to himself: Oh shit, this isn't like the other ones.
(He's allowed to swear in the privacy of his own mind.)
He should have thought more about his mother, how hard it would be for her to be separated from Dad for the first time in... god, how long have they been married? That long.]
Mom...
[He looks at her, forehead creasing (he's going to have wrinkles by the time he's twenty-five), eyes softening in sympathy, swallowing past the lump in his throat that always appears whenever he sees any of his family in distress, no matter the reason. What does he say to this? He can't say much, not really, so instead, he reaches out and pulls her into a big, warm hug. If nothing else, she has him. She'll always have him. He's been here for so long now, so he's not leaving, right? As long as she's here, she'll have someone.]
I'm sorry. He's gone back home.
no subject
Date: 2016-10-20 12:53 am (UTC)And she can tell that Jaime noticed, with his expression, the way his brow creases, before she comes in for a hug. He'll probably always be on the shorter side, but he's grown here. She still can't resist brushing her son's hair away from his face and giving him a kiss on the cheek.]
I'll be fine, Jaime.
Thank you for looking.
no subject
Date: 2016-10-21 03:01 am (UTC)He pulls away from her eventually, hands moving up to her shoulders.]
Okay. But... it's okay if you're not too?
[He doesn't mean it as a question, but this isn't familiar ground.]
Having people just disappear on you without even being able to say goodbye isn't easy, Mom, and if you need company, or something -- you'll tell me, right? You won't just pretend that everything's okay?
no subject
Date: 2016-10-23 01:56 am (UTC)Jaime, mijito, I know how it can be hard. I promise you I'll let you know. I won't pretend everything is just fine.
[She'll probably make sure she keeps herself extremely busy for the next few weeks, but she was already doing that this last month, with everything that was going on.]
no subject
Date: 2016-10-26 03:42 am (UTC)[He smiles at her. And for once, his eyes aren't the ones that are watering.]
Why don't you go sit down for a bit? I'll grab something from the kitchen.
[Some coffee or tea, probably. A hot drink and a sweet can't cure everything, but it can cure a lot.]