[Timeline: Night before Take One For The Team]
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Jonathan fumbled with his lighter, looking around himself. The view from the balcony (nice as it was) was not why he was there. He sighed awkwardly: although he was there to see someone he didn't like the idea of walking through the house unannounced.
And it wasn't that Xavier didn't get on with him: the two of them seemed to strike a chord of sorts. No, it was the fact that it wasn't his home. Eddie said it was alright but it still felt awkward.
Maybe it was because he was trying to be a Dad to a son he never knew he had? Jonathan sighed again. He really wanted this to work out.
There was a sudden downdraft of air, leaves and dust whipped around in a mini-cyclone before the 'pat' of someone landing on the balcony heralded the wind dropping. The metal blades on Jay's fake wing hissed against each other as he folded his wings tightly against his back, shoulders hunched almost miserably.
"Ah...uh...Ah heard y'all were aroun'..." He was trying his best not to sound as...nervous? as he felt. Wasn't even sure why he felt so damned unsure either. Didn't help his recently unsplinted wing was now aching. "So uh..." He pulled out a cigarette, tapping it nervously and not entirely sure what to say.
'Gut'. That's what Jonathan's head told him. He stood up and held out his arms, smiling compassionately. "Come here."
Jay didn't even think about it. Alright, there was a moment's hesitation, but he instantly pushed it away, letting his father hug him and hugging back - well, clinging - in return. Even his wings curled a little around them. He did, however, swallow down the hard lump in his throat.
Jonathan stood as still as he could for a while, just breathing softly and smiling a little wider. "You're my son.", he confirmed, whispering softly. "And I love you no matter what. And I will love you no matter what."
A certain pride rose up as Jonathan took a deep breath. Damn right he would.
...Okay, damnit, there was the lump again and this time it bought tears. Jay'd been so miserable after Eddie's stupid act...he pulled back before Jonathan could see, quickly wiping his eyes and lighting his cigarette, not quite looking up at him. "...Thanks, Dad." He managed with a small, but genuine smile.
Jonathan smirked as Jay tried to 'hide' his feelings. "Don't mention it: 's'what I do. You know, parenting and that...", he popped his lighter away. "So, that established, care to talk about it?"
"Which bit?" Jay got his lit, finally getting himself under control that he could actually look at his dad without losing it. "Take it y'all heard what happened?"
"Yup.", Jonathan answered simply, sitting back down. "And I want to ask you how you feel."
"How Ah feel? How'm Ah meant t' feel?" Jay raked a hand through his hair, before shaking his head. "Sorry. If Ah'm honest, sir, Ah feel like shit. Ain' never done Eddie wrong, an' suddenly he's accusin' me of some Brotherhood bullshit based on 'some guy havin' red hair'." He leant on the railing of the balcony, staring moodily out at the grounds.
"...But you know what? Dat Ah jus' got annoyed at. It was d' fact dat he didn' trust me or JP, d' fact he threatened my wings - th' most importan' things to me - and pretty much laid it on dat Ah don' have a father. You tell me how Ah'm supposed t' feel, Dad, when a kid dat's meant t' be my brother says dat."
Jonathan nodded. That was fair, he'd essentially said the same thing to Eddie. "Do you trust him? One-hundred percent?"
"Eddie? After dat? Not so sure any more. JP? Yeah. Wit' my life. Dere is no way - no way, sir, he could be involved in dis. Ah cain't give you my reasons, but Ah know, an' Ah'll stick up for him until someone gives me complete an' utter proof Ah shouldn't." Jay blew out smoke. "Non...before he went an' did dis...Ah thought Eddie was a good kid. Bit dumb sometimes, but good."
Jonathan frowned a little, "Like staring into a mirror, looking at him.", he chuckled to himself. "Never struck me as a terrorist, mind..."
Adjusting himself in his seat, Jonathan took off his glasses and pulled out a dust-cloth, wiping at them. "Do you really think he's trying to steal me away, then? It's what he thinks you think..."
"No. Yes. Ah don't know." Jay hissed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look. Dat's a side Ah don' wanna go into. No offense...Dad...but Ah've lost jus' about everyone Ah ever held importan' to me. It ain' somethin' Ah wanna talk about, it's just somethin' me an' a shrink are fixin'." He sighed, taking another drag.
"It ain' so much him stealin' you because...dere shouldn't be competition." He tried to find the words for how he felt, slipping into silence for a few moments. "It's more...he cain't see what he did wrong. He thinks he was righ' to react like dat, dat Ah'm over-reactin'...what he said...hurt so much. He pretty much made me feel like Ah'd never be a part of y'all."
"Surely that's up to you?", Jonathan asked, more-so than said, "You decide if you want to accept me, Jay. I won't deny I'm your father and I also won't force it on you."
"Look...", he stood up. "I've spoken to Ma-...your mother, even. I know you've been through a lot.", Jonathan walked over to Jay's side and leaned on the balcony railing. "But don't think that means I'm going anywhere: I'm here now, and I will be until...well, until I have to return to my home planet.", he grinned.
"Ah know. An'...Ah have accepted y'all, or Ah wouldn' be standin' here now callin' you dad." Jay gave him a quick, tired smile. "But when y' have your own brother hand y'all a friggin' rejection notice, it kinda bites." He sighed. "Ah dunno, mebbe Ed has some unresolved jealousy issues, mebbe he jus'...didn't think, but either way it hurt, dad."
Jonathan nodded, understanding probably better than Jay knew. "Knowing Eddie? Probably never thought it through, bless his ignorance.", he shook his head, "I mean, have you ever told him about you? About how you feel?"
"Dere's one person in dis world who knows what goes on in here, an' he's earnt dat right." Jay tapped the side of his head with a wry smile. "Unlike a lot of kids, dad, Ah ain' in the habit of talkin' about d' shit dat goes on in dere. Ah don' like pity, Ah don' want people t' view me as another mutan' sob story. Mebbe Eddie should learn t' think before he speaks."
"Agreed.", Jonathan nodded. Couldn't deny fact, after all. "He owes you an apology. A really, really big one."
"Heh." Jay nodded slowly. "It'll be a start." He smoked his cigarette for a moment. "Ah'll finish dis...den mebbe Ah should go find him. Or somethin'. Right?"
Jonathan shrugged, "That's completely up to you, Jay. You don't have to do anything, nor will I tell you what to do.", he looked up in the air, "I want to bring us together as a family, so I'd...rather you weren't at each other's throats."
"That said...", he glanced over at Jay. "...well, it's your call if you forgive him."
Jay shrugged, face unreadable. "Dat Ah cain't guarantee, mon pere. It's up t' him, really, if he's gonna admit he's in d' wrong an' apologise or not. Ah generally don' hold grudges f' too long." He gave Jonathan a shit-eating grin then. "Speakin' of bringin' us t'gether as a family...what's y' designs on my mother?"
Jonathan's face turned an unbecoming shade of 'awkward'. "...uhm...well, that's....up to her, isn't it?", he looked away.
Jay just watched him, grin getting wider. "She likes spirits over wines, if Ah remember rightly, an' no one's bought her a bunch of flowers in years. An' she's got a love for goin' out." He chuckled.
"...", was Jonathan's reply, blush growing a little. "I know all about the spirits thing....", he looked back at Jay, "It...doesn't bother you?"
"Dad...look at Rev Jameson for a moment, will y'?" Jay shrugged. "If you can make her happy, why d' hell should Ah care? It's between you guys, got nothin' t' do wit' me an' Eddie. Ah think d' pair of y'all deserve a li'l happiness, an' hell, it means Ah don't hafta split my holidays between ya."
"Good point.", Jonathan smiled back, "You're right, I suppose. I just...well, I was a little bothered it'd be awkward."
Jonathan snickered to himself, "I mean, I'd love to: she was a machine back then, you have NO idea...", he nodded at his mental vision, returning Jay's grin.
"Dude, Ah have to deal wit' the fact Ah screwed my brother. Ah do not wanna hear about what Mom was like 'back den'." He shook his head, flicking the finished cigarette away. "But seriously, good luck, an' in all honesty, it ain' easy makin' me awkward." He smiled. "...Thanks, Dad."
"'Swhat I'm here for.", Jonathan put his hand on Jay's shoulder. "And I will be here, Jay. Always."
Jay smiled. "Thanks, dad. Dat means more'n y'all could ever know." He squeezed his shoulder briefly. "Alright, now Ah guess Ah best be outta here. Look after y'self, you hear?" He pushed himself up into the air, giving him a lazy salute and gaining height.
Jonathan waved the same gesture back, turning to leave himself. Yep, he was a damn good parent. He stopped, pondering something to himself. "...flowers...hmn."
