wedonot | SEVENTY EIGHT ✖ SPAM & VIDEO

[Backdated Spam for Alex]

[It comes as more than a bit of a relief that the Admiral makes good on his request to deliver the papers to him first, rather than just dropping them off in Alex's room without any explanation. Still, once he's got them in hand, he's back to wondering if this is too presumptuous, if this is a totally absurd idea, but eventually, it cycles back around.

If nothing else, it gives Alex some legal security, the guarantee that he has somewhere to belong and won't just be yanked into government custody if anything should happen to Charles, or Erik.

Of course, that's not why Charles thought to do it, or why he's decided to pull the trigger on it. It doesn't take too long to find Alex, and when he does, he's got the papers in hand, if hidden.

He clears his throat sort of awkwardly, one hand hidden behind his back.]

Do you have a minute?

[Public Video]

[Charles is in the garden, which he still has very reliably looking after since Ivy's departure with the assistance of several others. There's not much to do with most of the ordinary outdoor plants right now, what with it being January, but it's still a nice place to come and think and make sure the snow hasn't hurt anything too badly.

He's been out here for a while, properly bundled up with a wool coat and fingerless gloves, but his cheeks are red and his skin's pretty pale, so obviously it's still pretty cold outside. Still, he looks cheerful and genuinely excited when he launches into what he has to say.]

While farmers and herders had understood the benefit of selective breeding for thousands of years, the actual mechanisms governing inheritance were almost completely unknown. After people began to develop more sophisticated microscopes and started studying cells, they became more interested in discovering how a trait is passed from parent to offspring, and the first man to get it more or less right was a relatively unknown monk named Gregor Mendel. He crossbred pea plants, and his work helped scientists finally understand how hereditary actually works. [So basically, it's awesome.]

I know it's a bit early to plant peas out in the garden, but I thought it might be fun to try and recreate his experiment in the spring, if anyone's interested in seeing some very basic genetics in action. We could start a few plants in the greenhouse, first, and move them out here once it gets warmer.

[Private to Steph]

[This message comes after he's come back inside, and he's more or less gone from enthusiastic science geek/teacher to calm, supportive voice of reason. He wears many hats.]

I'm sure you're aware, but Dr. Banner asked me to touch base with you after the holidays if I hadn't already heard from you per your agreement to begin speaking to a therapist. Since I hadn't, I thought it might be time to touch base.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm very serious.

[And he sounds more cheerful and excited than anything else, so unlike how he'd sounded when they'd been down in the bunker and he'd told him that he had complete and utter faith in him. He doesn't want this to be a bad thing, or something totally solemn and formal.

Although he's a little nervous now, too, wondering if he should explain himself or at least offer something more than I did this, hope it's okay, but he doesn't really know what to say.

He smiles, almost embarrassed, trying to signal that it's okay, it's not some kind of prank.]

I just... thought it might be good. To have some security. [Alex isn't going to be sent away, and no one's going to take him away when they get back.]

I - yeah.

[Yes, yes, absolutely he wants this, but he can't say anything beyond yeah. No way he can say how much this means: that he will never, ever be going back somewhere he's not welcome, that he'll never be on his own unless it's what he wants and needs. That he'll always have a home.]

It would be really - really, really good. It'd be great. Amazing.

What do I do? Should I sign it?

[He smiles, and it's... not quite relieved, but at the same time, that's exactly what it is. But mostly, he's happy, incredibly happy and that's what shines through more obviously.]

I think I've got a pen- [Which he is now looking for, although the absurdity of the situation finally sort of occurs to him and he laughs a little.] Although I suppose there are probably more formal places than the hallway to do this sort of thing. Sorry about that, we can move if you'd like.

[But you are being handed a pen.]

[Nope, hell no, we are doing this RIGHT NOW. He takes the pen and starts flipping feverishly through the paperwork before he realizes he has no idea what he's doing and looks at Charles awkwardly.]

I don't - what parts do I sign? [You have like five degrees pls to halp.]

[You see this look, Alex? It is one of absolutely no judgment as he takes the papers back for a second to show him where he needs to sign. And Charles might have already signed where he needs to.]

Here and- [He flips the page.] Here. That's all. I'll file the paperwork with my lawyer once I get home.

[It's kind of absurd that it's literally that simple to do when this is such an important thing, but. There it is.]

[Alex signs in both places with as much of a flourish as his cramped scrawl will allow, then steps back and lifts his hand in a gesture of completely overwhelmed surrender.]

This is crazy. It's just - it's crazy. You know?

[Not bad crazy. Just intense. He doesn't know what to do about the fact that legally, except for notarization, he has a parent again.]

I do. [And he does, because while he'd sort of distantly considered the possibility of having children, it had always seemed like a very far off thing, something that wouldn't happen at least until he became a professor, maybe even after he was tenured, definitely because he was married and settled down and responsible.

Instead, he's effectively the parent of three young adults.]

This certainly wasn't how I envisioned becoming a parent, although I'm certainly not complaining.

[He claps a hand on Alex's shoulder.] I'm very grateful to have you in my life, Alex.

[Alex grins, nudging Charles off good-naturedly.]

Now I guess you just have to get married. You're doing this all backwards.

[Even though he already has a heterosexual life partner. Whatever.]

[lbr Erik is the closest thing Charles is ever going to get to a spouse. And he knows it.

Which is why he's chuckling good naturedly and shaking his head.]

I'm fairly certain anyone willing to marry me might not be in possession of all her mental faculties.

SEVENTY EIGHT ✖ SPAM & VIDEO

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