ghost of a chance.

[goodfight]

The Capital Wasteland. It's a wasteland. It has dead trees. There are trash, debris, and rotting corpses everywhere. It's Neil's hometown. D.C. ain't pretty, but D.C. is where he comes from. A crappy start, literally.

Neil's hardly phased, though. Despite Alex's clear opinions regarding the area, the younger guy has been looking forward to getting back. Years have passed since he last laid eyes on the Capital Wasteland; some positive change must have occurred. Or any change, really. Anything would be fine.

As they pass through Megaton's gate, however, Neil catches a glimpse of that thing, and he stops dead in his tracks. His eyes widening to show white.

"Da... Dad?"

Comments

[goodfight]

Neil notes the surprise and chooses to ignore it. "No," is the reply. "Dad doesn't dictate my associations. I'm not fucking ten." A child under the guidance of his parent.

[doubletap]

The confused expression makes it to Alex's face. He swallows, once. "...You're really going to stay with me for now? Despite that?"

[goodfight]

"Yeah," says Neil firmly. He looks over the confusion written clearly on Alex's face before reaching up to pat a cheek. "Don't worry about it."

[doubletap]

The confusion turns into a light snarl. Alex glares, grabbing Neil's hand. "Condescending behavior," he drawls in a dry tone. "How charming."

He rolls his eyes, pulling Neil forward, off the machine. "'Course I'm going to worry. You've had a daddy complex since I've known you. And daddy dear caught you with the big bad older man from outside and does not approve. 'Course I'd think you'd drop me in a second to please him."

[goodfight]

He understands he crossed a line, but after Alex gives his piece, Neil finds himself not caring. The lack of care leads to a surge of anger, and as Alex tries to pull him forward, Neil pulls back and away, slamming back against the machine.

"I'm his child, not his fucking lapdog!" he yells, the disgust clear in his voice. "My fucking complex is because he doesn't give me the fucking time of day, not because I fucking want his approval!"

[doubletap]

The anger is something nice to see. Alex wonders if it's genuine--if the reasons Neil gives are the actual ones. Neil pulls away and Alex doesn't fight it, holding his hands palm up and out. "And you know that's not going to change," he says calmly, like neither of their reactions happened. "Even if you abandoned everything to do actually as he says, he'll still just use you up and not give a damn."

Screw careful words.

[goodfight]

Hot, angry breaths come rushing out of his nostrils as Neil attempts for calm. It's easier than expected when logic enters the picture, because in the end--

"Yeah," he gives in, defeated. "You're right. I'm just someone to use." Nothing more to his own damn father, and the mere thought of it makes him sick. His eyes fall on Alex's injured hand.

"You need help with that?"

[doubletap]

There's that difference again that Alex noticed. Despite all this shit going on, Neil is being... Shit. Better, in a way. Less pissed with him at every turn. Alex glances at his hand and shrugs, dropping it to his side. "...Didn't even realize it was that messed up," he says, in some kind of tired annoyance. He has half a mind to just leave it like that for now.

"You're not, though," he continues, glancing back up. "Not someone to just use."

[goodfight]

What a guy, punching through things and keeping to nonchalance. It does bother Neil, however; he quietly raises a hand and gestures to see the aforementioned injury. If the request is met with rejection, well-- There's nothing to do about that.

"Yet here I am," he replies. "At the beck and call of every fucker who has the caps or the mind to manipulate me. Shit." A labored exhale escapes his lips. "Didn't really grow up one bit, did I?"

[doubletap]

Neil demonstrates a request, and the urge to leave things as they are evaporate. He moves forward again, passive and quiet.

With the hand not covered in blood and metal shards, he reaches to Neil's face, not knowing if it would be rejected. He moves to touch the edges of dark hair. "You did. Because you can see it now, and choose to not let it happen."

[goodfight]

It is a whole hand that reaches for him, touches his face, and Neil allows it. Lets things move. He looks at Alex, eyes searching for something unknown. "Do you really believe that?" he asks quietly. That Alex believes Neil has grown just enough to make a choice.

[doubletap]

"'Course I do," he says, still in that quiet tone. "Everything you told me before... of your dad or strangers... If they had something to do, you would do it, even if you felt like you were being used. Even if it's just the thought right now, you're thinking, 'no'. You see where the path leads, and you don't want it to happen."

He drops his hand, offers a small smile. "...And I hope you don't think I'm like that. I'm not trying to use or manipulate you."

[goodfight]

What Alex speaks of is nothing but the truth. And still, Neil cannot help but wonder if the older man really believes it, especially when Alex so sincerely believed Neil would let him go from this.

"I hope you're right," says Neil. "And you. I'm still trying to figure you out." This last part is said jokingly, to lighten the mood.

[doubletap]

There is an attempt. To move past this place of tension, even if it's ignoring certain things. At the moment, it's the best option, and Alex allows it. He shrugs, keeping his bloody hand still. "Well," he drawls, stretching out the word.

"You know me. I'm just trying to get in your pants."

[goodfight]

The gamble at banter pays off, and Neil sighs. He releases a breath as though to clear the air. "You managed that a few times," the man continues. "Without getting shot. You should be impressed with your accomplishments."

Here, Neil reaches for the injured hand, to bring it up for examination.

[doubletap]

He doesn't fight, and watches as Neil goes through the motions. The subject itself is something more tantalizing, at any rate.

His eyes raise to Neil's face. "You didn't seem to dislike it that much."

[goodfight]

Neil starts pulling off the bits of glass and metal stuck in the skin. There isn't many, but quite a few prove too small for his fingers. For those, he reaches to one of his bookcases for a pair of tweezers.

He wouldn't normally indulge in this subject, but it's very distracting for both. And they sorely need a distraction at the moment. "Physiological reactions," he states simply. "Hard to resist those after a point."

[doubletap]

Alex makes a thoughtful sound. "Good excuse," he gives lightly, watching Neil work.

[goodfight]

"Oh?" Neil muses as he deposits piece after piece in a nearby ashtray. "Do you have a better reason for me, Mr. Geer?"

[doubletap]

The staring continues. Alex smiles quietly. "You love me," is his answer.

[goodfight]

A scoff. The sound carries only humor, not malice. "I love you sooo much that I don't totally dislike it," Neil states dryly. "It's possible. I guess."

[doubletap]

At any other time... maybe. Here, now, Alex isn't letting him get away with playing nonchalant. "Here, in this place, you wanted it," Alex says. "You wanted me."

[goodfight]

What a surprise. Alex caught the anomaly, and Neil finds himself not caring so much. First task done, he sets down both the tweezers and the hand to go to his pack. The distance allows him to speak freely, without constraint.

"I wanted you," he says, as if the statement is simple and uncomplicated. "Felt different here."

[doubletap]

Something heats in him, warms something in his chest. He follows Neil, waiting as he rummages. "...That's nice to hear," he says, without pride or complication.

[goodfight]

He fishes out a doctor's bag. Using the proximity, Neil again reaches for the injured hand and sets to work. "Didn't expect that from me, right? I'm normally so resistant," he states dryly.