HARPER
I stood outside when the roof gave in
You crawled from the wreckage you were lying in
You crawled from the wreckage you were lying in
Harper can tell this is a conversation he should be sober for the moment she starts, but the only way he knows how to sober up fast is to shift, and he isn't sure how to do that without being entirely too conspicuous. The confession of her and Jude breaking up is enough to make his veins go cold. While it's not unexpected, and they're young enough to rebound from it, he feels his stomach twist and tighten sickly. He'd moved all the things in the Court of Stars to an apartment that he paid for in advance for the entire year, and ensured Jude's cat had a caretaker until the boy returned. But he had anticipated Jude to have Edmund and Sohalia both as his support system, and now...
"I'm sorry sweetheart," he utters through lips gone numb with too many emotions. "I...I didn't know." Because he hasn't even seen his son. Even the haze of alcohol can't numb the sudden self-hatred that digs its claws into him.
"Koa seems to be treading on a lot of toes then," he huffs slightly, taking hold of the topic with both hands. Not forever, mind, but he needs to get his head in order before he can tackle the problem of his kids breaking up. "He came to meet Hadama and I and wanted to question one of our citizens. Someone who'd been involved in a bandit altercation that ended in death. But he refused to tell us who, and was demanding to take charge on the matter," he waves a hand in the air, scoffing slightly, not meaning to be so transparent with how it had soured his temperament toward the young man but unable to help it, "he wouldn't budge. Wouldn't even let us sit in on a literal interrogation, and still didn't give us the name by time he left." Deimos' name registers a little late, and he frowns and turns towards his daughter. "Deimos is a good man as well. I like him. Don't let Koa make an enemy of him, kiddo." It wouldn't end well for a variety of reasons.
The way she slumps and curls in on herself makes Harper's heart tug, and he leans sideways to wrap his arms around her. He smells of alcohol and multiple kinds of cologne and perfume, but hopefully the hug will distract from that. "You don't have to, sweetheart. Even if it's not me, you've got plenty of people to help you," he reassures softly. "Is there anything I can do? I know I'm a bit of a mess right now," he admits, voice going soft and low with pain that hadn't been present earlier, "but I'm still here if you need me." No matter what. Even if it meant having to get his shit together to do so - because he hasn't fully learned to put himself first yet.
"I'm sorry sweetheart," he utters through lips gone numb with too many emotions. "I...I didn't know." Because he hasn't even seen his son. Even the haze of alcohol can't numb the sudden self-hatred that digs its claws into him.
"Koa seems to be treading on a lot of toes then," he huffs slightly, taking hold of the topic with both hands. Not forever, mind, but he needs to get his head in order before he can tackle the problem of his kids breaking up. "He came to meet Hadama and I and wanted to question one of our citizens. Someone who'd been involved in a bandit altercation that ended in death. But he refused to tell us who, and was demanding to take charge on the matter," he waves a hand in the air, scoffing slightly, not meaning to be so transparent with how it had soured his temperament toward the young man but unable to help it, "he wouldn't budge. Wouldn't even let us sit in on a literal interrogation, and still didn't give us the name by time he left." Deimos' name registers a little late, and he frowns and turns towards his daughter. "Deimos is a good man as well. I like him. Don't let Koa make an enemy of him, kiddo." It wouldn't end well for a variety of reasons.
The way she slumps and curls in on herself makes Harper's heart tug, and he leans sideways to wrap his arms around her. He smells of alcohol and multiple kinds of cologne and perfume, but hopefully the hug will distract from that. "You don't have to, sweetheart. Even if it's not me, you've got plenty of people to help you," he reassures softly. "Is there anything I can do? I know I'm a bit of a mess right now," he admits, voice going soft and low with pain that hadn't been present earlier, "but I'm still here if you need me." No matter what. Even if it meant having to get his shit together to do so - because he hasn't fully learned to put himself first yet.
You're out of reach and we're out of time, I take it all and toe that line
You held my hand and pulled me down with you
You held my hand and pulled me down with you
