I thought of the chosen man, asleep on the side of his bed.

[foolishwren]

Who: Harry Mason, Heather Mason, and any Shark Housers who'd be around.
Where: Sharkhaus
When: 3-4 days after Harry's arrival.
Summary: A responsible adult visits his adopted daughter + son and sees how they and their gaggle of weird friends are living.
Rating: G, but with probable mentions of Silent Hill crap.
Log:


"Well, here we are..."

It's a house.

A surprisingly normal little house, smack dab in the middle of quiet Goldenrod suburbia.

But at the same time, it stands out from the ones around it-- a boarded-up window or two, dribbly candles visible in the ones that aren't boarded, and the faint outline still of a very blue Halo of the Sun on the door.

Harry will recognize the telltale signs of Silent Hill Protagonists living somewhere from a mile away.

Heather is already headed up the walk, a key in hand. Just in case nobody else is home.

"I asked Lust to make sure some of the more boisterous Pokemon would be put away so that they don't just... descend upon you the second we cross the threshold..."

Sure enough, no WRIGGLING RAINBOW OF EEVEELUTIONS surges forth when she opens the door and steps inside, puffing out a sigh of relief to be back in a nice warm house after all that flying-- which, man, in the wintertime, doing multiple days of hardcore travel-flight is rough. She peels her scarf and hat off, looking around for signs that anyone else might be around. IT'S DEFINITELY A LITTLE CLEANER THAN USUAL, which means her housemates, led by Henry, had been true to their word and feverishly straightened up while she was gone.

"Boots go on that mat, and you can put your coat on the-- oh, that's right, we broke that... uh, put it wherever, we're not picky."

While clean, the place still looks lived in. You can't erase the signs of four twentysomething equivalents, a semiferal preteen, and a small army of magical animals of all shapes and sizes. But there's a kitchen, a living room with a well-loved couch, a sliding glass door out to the backyard where not a whole lot is visible other than SNOW, but somewhere out there is a pool with shark fins drifting lazily about above the water.

Pulling her own coat off, Heather turns back to Harry and offers a self-conscious grin. See? SEE THEY CAN LIVE LIKE ADULTS JUST FINE.

"It's not too much at the moment, but it'll be a lot bigger after the renovations. Want something to drink? I super need something hot after the trip."

Comments

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

"A drink would be good. Thanks."

Harry's still looking around. He'll have questions about the candles and the halo of the sun thing later but for now....he smiles.

"I'm impressed. You guys seem to have a nice place here."

[foolishwren]

"I can't take too much credit for it. It belongs to Lust and Envy-- Henry and I are just the moochers."

Though they all have jobs now. Unconventional ones in some cases, but jobs!

"C'mon into the kitchen, I'll get some tea going."

She never did get into it, but Henry drinks enough that there's always a good stockpile.

Dropping her keys on the counter, she heads over to the stove-- around which there are A NUMBER of char-marks. Because this kitchen has seen more than a few disasters.

But before Harry can get too far after here, there is a PITTER-PATTER of tiny rodent feet on the stairs!

"Pi-KAAAAA!"

Hazel is generally far too polite to launch at any human, not even her own current trainer-- but this is a special occasion. She's been waiting for them to get home for four days! One bright yellow electric mouse coming Harry's way!

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

Harry puts his bag on the table as they walk into the kitchen. That is a lot of chair marks. However's he's a bit distracted by the sudden incoming, familiar noise.

And Hazel is going to get caught up in a hug because, sudden or not. His reflexes are still good.

"Hazel!" After the loss of Lisa and well everyone else. His smile just brightens. It's one thing hearing Heather say that Hazel was still around, it was another thing to see her and hug her.

[foolishwren]

The Pikachu is gladly swept up, nuzzling Harry with cheeks that she can't stop from sparking just a little.

Heather looks over her shoulder with a grin-- going and getting Hazel and Carrie had been her next plan of action, but she'd been beaten to the punch.

"Told you she'd be happy to see you."

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

Worth it.

"You were right."

Just rubbing Hazel's head as he shifts to hold her in one arm.

"I'm sorry for leaving you like that. I didn't mean to. You've been looking after Heather and Carrie for me, right?"

[foolishwren]

Hazel gladly snuggles into the crook of his arm with a soft chaaa-- she's no longer one to seek out tons of affection, but he raised her from a baby. He'll always be her dad, too.

Now that the kettle's on, Heather can turn and lean on the counter, just... smiling.

The sight of her father reuniting with Hazel makes her heart hurt in the best way.

"Don't worry, she's got her life more together than I think I ever will. She takes good care of us."

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

Harry has all the children. He smiles more as he looks over at Heather.

"I'm sure she does. How's the rest of your team? They must be pretty strong if you've managed to get all those badges you've told me about."

Proud dad.

[a_sin_for_him]

The kitchen has most obviously been prepared for a special guest. On top of helping ensure the public areas of the house were extra clean, Lust went out to pick up a nice dinner and a fancy cake. It seemed wrong to just order low tier takeout food and a box of grocery cupcakes. This is an important occasion. This man is Heather's father.

It seems almost odd to Lust, to think of someone having their parent here with them. It's one of the few human relationships she still has a great deal of difficulty wrapping her mind around. Dante is the only mother she remembers, and that woman...well, she'd been a terrible maternal influence. And it was only Dante, Dante alone. She's curious, about Harry Mason himself and about how Heather and he interact. At least she'll have plenty of opportunity to witness that.

As decided, she's made sure only the calm and mild-mannered household Pokemon are out on the main floor. Even Guttle has been asked to stay in her bedroom while their new house guest settles. When she hears the door she comes down the stairs, her Houndoom padding along beside her like a canine shadow. Dressed casually but smartly in an expensive looking turtleneck sweater and black leggings, thick braid draped over her shoulder.

"Ah, welcome home, Heather. And Mr. Mason. We've been looking forward to your arrival."

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

Right, the other people Heather lived with. It's okay he's better at this social stuff now. Harry offers a smile.

"It's nice to to meet you in person and please, just call me Harry. Thank you again for offering me a place to stay. It really means a lot."

[a_sin_for_him]

"I'm sure I'll work up to it." Lust has never dropped her quirks regarding addressing people she doesn't know well. "I don't know if Heather's mentioned it, but I go by 'Miss Fitz' as well as my given name." More people seem comfortable with that than 'Lust'.

She steps off the stairs and folds her hands, offering a smile.

"You're Heather's father, where else would you stay? Our home is your home. And I promise there will be proper room for you once I have remodeling done. Please, make yourself comfortable. There's dinner in the kitchen, if you're hungry, and I bought a cake."

Being a proper host is important.

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

Harry nods. He's still trying to get Henry to not call him Mr. Mason so it's something he's used to.

"Which one would you prefer I use? I know names are important."

Raising, Alessa/Cheryl/Heather certainly makes that much apparent.

"Still I appreciate it." Just a warm smile. "I don't know if Heather mentioned but, I tended to be a bit of a social recluse back home and while three years here might have drawn me out, I'm still used to idea of having to fend for myself and Heather alone. It's a strange but welcome change."

And this started even before the cult thing, the cult thing jut made it much worse.

[a_sin_for_him]

"It doesn't matter, I've simply found there are people that are more comfortable addressing me as 'Miss Fitz'." Lust shrugs. Either really is fine to her.

"You and most of us here, I dare say. But it really is better when you aren't on your own. Humans are social creatures, we weren't designed to be alone."

She can't stand being alone, not for any significant period of time. A weekend here and there, of course, everyone needs calming solitude. But she couldn't survive if that was how she lived.

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

"Alright then."

He'll probably go with what Heather does then.

He smiles a bit.

"Probably not. Luckily I've usually had Heather with me."

Or Cheryl, but that's a whole other can of worms. He isolated himself by choice when his wife died but there was always Cheryl there to make sure, by merely existing, that he had to have contact with the outside world.

"We had Henry with us the last time I was here, I'm sure I'll get used to being around more people in time and meet more people in general."

[exeggutorhead]

After several straight days of cleaning the house to make sure it looks at least somewhat respectable--Lust's closet of As Seen On TV Household Chore Gadgets had been dug into more than once--the moment is here. Honestly, Envy couldn't even complain too much about the cleaning, because at least it was something to do to keep him from overplanning the entire thing into the ground.

All he has to do is behave and not act like a smarmy delinquent, it's not that difficult to put on a good face for first-ish impressions. He'd done it successfully for centuries, he's got this.

As for how he's feeling about Heather's father living there with them, it's...complicated. Of course he doesn't hate the idea, and of course Heather's going to want her dad there, it's just...not only is it a change, it's...fathers. In general. It's weird. Envy usually tries not to think about people-he-doesn't-hate's fathers-he-doesn't-despise. But that's not exactly going to be an option now.

There's just not much to do about that besides wait and see how things wind up being.

When he gets a quick text from Heather that they're almost there, he decides to hang back upstairs, just for the first minutes. Besides, he has to pick clothes that don't look trashy. Appearance is important. So when he does actually come down, he's got on an outfit that's the put-together sort of casual, and his midriff is, for once, covered. He's even tied his hair back into something less resembling tropical foliage.

"I thought I heard people coming in."

[foolishwren]

Hearing Envy's voice on the staircase is a sound for sore ears, but it's not until she looks over her shoulder and sees that he's dressed sensibly for ONCE IN HIS LIFE that she breathes a slight sigh of relief. Not that she hadn't already more or less told Harry that her boyfriend looks like a Hot Topic employee at almost all times, but deep down a very small part of her was still slightly afraid that he'd been going to answer the door in the most outrageous almost-lingerie he could find. Like he does with the neighbors. And no amount of 'okay he's kind of a goth punk' pre-warnings would be enough to salvage that first impression.

"Hey! Thought you guys ran out at the last minute."

Crossing the room, she slings an arm around Envy's shoulders and almost gives him a peck on the cheek before deciding not to at the very last minute-- she'll... ease into the PDA.

"So Dad, this is Envy. It's mostly thanks to him that we live here."

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

Ah the dreaded, meeting the person whose dating your daughter.....

....Is helped a lot by Harry is very aware that he really never should have gotten this opportunity at all, even if it is still slightly odd, and Heather when did you get old enough to have a boyfriend.....

Anyway. After a first, just like look over to make sure you're idek, not a silent hill monster or something. He nods.

"I think we talked a few times when I was last here. It's good to meet you properly though."

So, just trying to be friendly really. Heather can probably tell there's no overt suspicion, considering she's seen him at his most paranoid and overprotective.

[exeggutorhead]

Nope, not a Silent Hill monster or dressed in something completely scandalous, everyone gets to be relieved.

Envy leans into Heather's arm slinging--she hadn't been gone long and of course they'd spoken over the 'Gear, but he'd still missed having her right with him--but likewise doesn't go for any smooches. He has SOME idea of how to behave himself in this sort of situation.

He grins at Harry, trying his best to be casual and friendly and Not Weird.

"And the same to you. We did talk a few times, but it's been a while, and...well, it's a little different now."

He laughs a little, and while it's a little forced, he's making an effort for it not to sound as sarcastic as his normal one.

"But yeah, I was the one who invited Heather and Henry to come stay here...I think it wasn't long after you'd left the first time."

[foolishwren]

Yeah Heather thinks it's weird that she's old now too. Having lived the entire time doesn't make it any less surreal, somehow.

She tugs Envy into the lean a bit, indulging in a little casual hair-messing in lieu of a kiss. She can tell he's forcing the laughter a little. Which isn't surprising. She's spent a long time coaxing laughter out of Envy that isn't cloaked in five different layers of carefully-cultivated snottiness, so the natural-sounding stuff is STILL A LITTLE DIFFICULT. She gives him a reassuring squeeze.

"Yeah, it was maybe a few months after that... and then he couldn't get rid of us."

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

A win for everyone. He smiles at the last bit Heather says.

"That sounds like you. I'm glad you and Henry found a home."

His smile is fond, he's proud of her. This place is good for her.

"The two of you are badge hunting I take it?"

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

Later in the day when the commotion has died down, Harry can be found in the kitchen writing in a notebook he'd purchased recently. Also drinking some tea.

[no_ufo_ending]

The kitchen door swung open and a tired but satisfired Henry made his way in. As though by an afterthought, he reached up to pinch out a tiny glowing ash that was on the end of a flyaway hair. More sneezy fire-types in the cold. He shrugged his backpack off and shut the door.

And then he froze.

He knew Harry was going to be there. They had all been cleaning and preparing, but just seeing him at the table scribbling away the same way he'd done all those years ago made Henry feel like someone had dropped a brick into the pit of his stomach.

"Hi, Mr. M--Harry." His lips pulled into a strained smile. In the time Harry had been gone, Henry had been practicing hard at the thing called: displaying emotions. "Welcome home."

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

Harry is a man of many thing. Having the same hobbies and sticking to them are one of them.

He looks up when he hears Henry enter and smiles when he sees it's him. Yes adopted son is back.

"Henry. It's good to see you."

He'd get up and hug you like he did when he saw Heather again but he knows how jumpy you can be so he just motions to a chair next to him.

"Heather was telling me you were in some sort of show recently. Onstage."

Look he's really proud okay.

[no_ufo_ending]

Henry is quick to obey and he turns the chair slightly so that he can lean back a little. He's been sitting upright in a desk all day and oof his back.

"That's right, the Pokemon Contest. We didn't win but Flotsam had a lot of fun getting dressed up. She still won't let me take her earrings off." Henry smiles fondly as he talks about his Lapras but it's obvious he's still processing Harry's existence in their kitchen. He's here. He's back. This isn't another persim delusion or trick of a well-meaning Pokemon. "I'm...so glad you're back, Harry. So much has happened."

Another try for a grin but it turns into a grimace and--there! The boy is missing a tooth.

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

"That sounds like fun. I'm glad you were able to-"

Wait. ....sudden shift to concerned dad mode.

"Henry....what happened to your tooth?

[no_ufo_ending]

The grimace turns into a startled frown. Ah shit. Henry sucks in a breath and brings his elbows up onto the table and thatches his fingers together.

"That's one of the things I wanted to talk to you about." He shrugs and finally manages a real smile--one he might have seen on Heather. "I've got PTSD, Harry. I've accepted it, and it's gotten me into some trouble lately. I'm working on it, but it's...it sure is a thing." Henry's lips become a grim line. "I should tell you about the chocolate milk rule first I guess."