3/20 Instance: Hey, Dad

[Slarti]

Timelined: Immediately after 'Knight of Spiders'

<Mayday> Her issue here was that she had no idea what was the best idea in these circumstances. She picked a crowded event because it was a neutral setting - but could this be any more not neutral? She was meeting her biological father for the first time! She couldn't just keep herself calm, no more than Gordon Freeman could come out with a witty anecdote mid-combat.

<Mayday> Taking a deep breath, she reached into the little leather pouch on her belt and removed her phone, dropping the older man a text:

<Mayday> ['Hey, are you alone?]

<Mayday> Sent. Followed by a sigh and a face-palm by the armoured redhead: how was that not going to look creepy!?

<Richard> Richard sighed as his cellphone buzzed. He really hoped this was not his boss telling him he had to come into work when he'd deliberately booked today as a vacation day well in advance, or worse, that Mayday had changed her mind and wasn't coming at all.

<Richard> He peered at the text and laughed. ['Yes, I came alone, ready to exchange information.'] He hoped that joke went over well. Watergate was before Mayday's time.

<Mayday> Mayday laughed out loud, snorting a little at the text back - getting mixed reactions from the people around her. She typed another message, [I don't think I should call you 'Deep-throat'... :x lol I'm at the stand behind you..... :x ] , she sent back, looking up from her phone and tensing beneath her costume.

<Richard> Richard spun around, gaze wandering around the crowd until he caught sight of a redhead in shiny armour. He smiled and walked up to the person in question. "Hi Mayday," he said, smiling. "It's good to finally meet you."

<Mayday> "Y-yeah...you too...", she took a shaky breath, "...Dad."

<Richard> Should he offer a hug? Dad's gave out hugs, right? He opened his arms slightly awkwardly and prepared himself to give a dad hug.

<Mayday> Blinking, Mayday leapt into his arms, throwing her arms around him and clinging tightly to his chest and laughing a little. Or...was she crying? She was, burying her face against his coat.

<Richard> Richard patted his daughter's shoulder a little awkwardly, trying not to make too much noise with the armour. "...Did you make all of this yourself?" He had to ask.

<Mayday> After a few moments, Mayday moved back, composing herself and wiping her eyes on her gloved hand, "S-sorry I err…had to get that out of the way.", she smiled, red-cheeked and more than a little bit embarrassed, "I…err…t-the tabard was hand-made. The sword is a Glamdring replica and the belt was made by me, too.",

<Mayday> She tapped the armour covering her arm, "This was custom made to spec: I can't make armour, so I had it done. I-I'm working on a flack of N7 armour for Hallows which is taking up too much of my time, so I forgot to start making anything for this. Also, I'm gathering stuff to make a set of Mjolnir VI armour from Halo...",

<Mayday> Sighing, Mayday scratched her head, "...s-sorry. Rambling."

<Richard> "No, no! It's nice to hear you talk!" Richard laughed. "I used to go all out for Star Trek conventions in my younger days. I made my own redshirt." He smiled proudly. That had been a good convention. "I think you must get it from me."

<Mayday> "Heh, really?", Mayday's smile brightened up, "I think I must - I make cosplays and sell them on to people online, unless they're really special - like my Corpse Bride dress, which I kept bec-...", she stopped dead, "...aaaactually, do you wanna get a coffee or something? 'Cause...t-there's a lot of questions I wanna answer as soon as possible."

<Richard> "Sure!" Richard said, leading the way. "You have a Corpse Bride dress too?"

<Mayday> Nodding, Mayday followed him, "Yeah, and I have an SG1 jumpsuit I made, too.", she sighed, "Darker times.....but it was a good convention, in fairness."

<Richard> "Darker times?" Richard laughed. "And here I thought SG1 wasn't that bad though there were a lot of 'indeeds.'" He stopped at a small stand at was selling drinks. "How do you take your coffee? I promise I'll remember for future reference."

<Mayday> "Milk, no sugar.", Mayday tapped her nose, "'Cause I'm way too hardcore. Also, SG1 was great. Just a bad time for me, to be honest. Also, what with including the entire cast of Farscape anyway? Who does that?"

<Richard> Richard got his coffee (no milk and one sugar) and Mayday (milk and no sugar) and set the drinks down at the coffee table. "People that have no imagination when it comes to casting?" He chuckled, sipping his coffee. "So you came here with some friends?"

<Mayday> Taking the coffee with thanks, Mayday nodded, "Y-yeah. About that...", she took a deep breath, "I err...want to tell you something now, and I don't want you to freak out, ok? B-because even if you do, I'm not gonna change it.", she affirmed, her somewhat shaky voice making it seem more comic than serious.

<Richard> Richard nodded. "Alright...you do know you already told me you're a mutant, right?" He said, lowering his voice. "Really, I meant it when I said I'm alright with that. Not that you need my approval, I just..." he thought a moment. "You're my daughter and I care about you...and nothing you tell me would ever change that."

<Mayday> "That's....good.", Mayday nodded, "B-because...I'm...", she took a deep breath, "Dad: I'm gay.", she stated, taking a mouthful of coffee and wincing at the scalded tongue she was rewarded with, "Ow! Ow, ow, ow, ow!."

<Richard> Richard handed her a napkin. "I'm sorry? You're what?" He asked, confused and little bit distracted by the scalding to have taken that in properly.

<Mayday> Mayday looked up at him, "I-I err...I'm gay. I...have a girlfriend...............?"

<Richard> "Oh really?" Richard said, mildly surprised but seeming to take this in stride. "Do I know her? Is she one of the X-Men?"

<Mayday> Shrugging slightly, Mayday frowned a little, "Er...d-d'you know 'Obscure'? T-the blonde girl? She…err...she does invisibility so....you might not.", she admitted with a little smile.

<Richard> "Wait...yes! Yes I do, she helped take down Apocalypse. Her and a black girl. The news said they were the ones that created the forcefields that stopped him from running." He smiled. "I...I'll admit I didn't think you were gay...but.."

<Richard> "Mayday...I just want you to know that it doesn't matter to me. I don't...you're still my daughter and I'll support whatever decision you make...I wouldn't...abandon you. Not ever, I know it must seem like I did before, but I wouldn't. Never."

<Mayday> "No! No, it didn't, I-I just...", Mayday sighed, "...I had this horrible feeling that you'd....you know, freak out about it. I-I mean, Sue's parents weren't....well....it's complicated.", she looked up at him again, "Also, that black girl? Richard? She's my best friend, too - minor footnote for you.", she smiled again.

<Richard> "No!" Richard said. "Oh God no! I wouldn't freak out that's...well, personally I always thought that people who abandon their children for being gay didn't...really love them to begin with."

<Richard> "Are they alright with you two now?" Richard asked. "Or are they still...?"

<Mayday> Mayday shook her head, "I won't even lie, I have literally no idea.", she shrugged, "English people, eh?", jokingly, she sighed and shook her head, "In all seriousness, I'm....really, really happy you said that.", she grinned, "Thanks, Dad. Oh! And when you think about it, I probably did you a favour! 'Cause now you won't have to lecture any boys that wanna date me!"

<Richard> Richard laughed. "No! I guess not!" Actually...that was a bit of a relief. "I don't think I'd be very good at it anyways."

<Mayday> "Well, if things work out with Susie, you'll never have to worry about it.", Mayday affirmed with a little wink, "So ah....what's it like working for Horizon?"

<Richard> He smiled. "It's pretty exciting. Of course, most people wouldn't think what I do is all that interesting but I happen to find programming fascinating."

<Richard> "Though I have to say, I'm not so sure what make of people my age that don't even know how their e-mail. It's a bit funny, actually."

<Mayday> Laughing,  Mayday sipped some of her coffee, "Clearly I have a father who understands the important things in life, huh?", she hummed to herself, "Hey, do you play any MMOs or.....?"

<Richard> "I do tabletop," Richard offered, shrugging helplessly. "I'm old school I guess."
[18:28] <Mayday> "No way...", Mayday gasped, "S-seriously!? Necromunda? D&D? Cyberpunk 2020? L5R? Munchkin?"

<Richard> "D&D, of course." Richard said with some pride. "Can't beat the classics."

<Mayday> "Race? Class? Level?",

<Richard> "Elf, rogue and the highest there is. I've been at this a long time," he admitted sheepishly.

<Mayday> Mayday sighed in awe, "Level twenty Elf Rogue.....", she shook her head, "....that is totally badass. Do you use the same character all the time or d'you chop and change?"

<Richard> "I've got a few favourites," he admitted. "Why play one when you can mix and match, I say."

<Mayday> She nodded, "Agreed! I love making new characters - my favourites are my Cleric and my Rogue.", she scratched her head a little, "Hehe....we're really father and daughter, huh? We even both wear glasses!"

<Richard> Richard touched his glasses at this statement. "I guess we are. It's funny...we never met but we're so much alike. I guess you got a lot from me."

<Mayday> Mayday nodded again, "Yeah...", she looked at his cup of coffee, "....you haven't touched that, have you?", she giggled, snorting a little and blushing, "Oh, God….err…I-I do that. I-it's a....thing..."

<Richard> He smiled and took a sip. "Well...I did learn from watching you that it was pretty hot."

<Richard> "I do the same thing," he admitted. "Talk and then forget to eat or drink. It's a bad habit."

<Mayday> With a mock pout, Mayday grinned, "Well, I was gonna say....maybe we can ah...go and meet up with my friends? S'just that you could meet my girlfriend, and we can sit down and have a drink like...", she frowned a little, considering it, "...people...do that, right? They introduce their dads to their friends?"

<Richard> "Well...I hope they do," Richard smiled. "I think a lot of people don't know who their kid's friends are and wish they did...I'd love to meet your friends."

<Mayday> "It's the best way to make sure I'm not hanging around seedy bikers, right?", she tapped her nose, "Ser Mayday Cousland, bein' all baller, all the time..."

<Richard> Richard laughed and picked up his coffee. "Well, let's go assess your friends then, shall we?"

<Mayday> Standing, Mayday raised her cup slightly to him, "Yep, lets!", she beamed at him, excitement drowning her nerves from before, "I ah....I'm really glad I found you, Dad.", she smiled more gently, leaning into him as if he'd always been there, "And...I'm really glad you're you."

<Richard> Richard smiled. "Same here, Mayday."

[Chaos]

( o_o) That is...mysterious. There is a line missing from the start of this. Whiiiich is why it appears so badly started, ehe...

[Slarti]

Hmmmm. Well, I just checked the email again and that's the way we got it. If you guys find the first line we'll stick it in there!

[steyn]

even with missing like, it's d'aww