sunday_reveries: Picture prompt
You just have to try. This is for the "Miracles" 'verse. Clu is sys_operator; Sam is hisfathers_son, used with permission and love; Quorra is quorrathexplora. The Alan relevant to this is legacyguardian.
Flynn’s quiet hiss made Sam’s head turn to him with almost a snap. “Dad?”
“It’s nothing, just almost missed something here.”
The younger man straightened, then cracked his neck this way and that, then muttered, “how long have we been at it this time?”
“Three, going on four hours.”
“Huh. I thought we were almost at three hours before the break...”
“That’s going on four hours after--”
“Oh hell, Dad. We’re taking a rest.”
“If I just finish this, it’ll be easier to pick up when we come back to it.”
“And after almost solid seven hours of this, how sure are you that what you finish like this won’t be error-ridden--” Flynn flinched, and Sam sighed and started to apologize when his father shook his head and lowered both hands to his sides.
“You’re right. Stopping?”
“Yeah. You said you wanted to realign those blueprints with the finer info we saw...”
“And run that diagnostic one more time from outside... you can come up, too, if you want?” The tired smile turned warm, at the nod. Sam was learning in leaps and bounds, it was spectacular to watch. Even as exhausted as both of them are after going for, what was it now? Close to eighty hours, with too-brief rests.
Flynn’s hand hovered almost gently over the disc to turn off the display, then settled it on Clu’s back again. It wouldn’t reset the system, they weren’t ready yet, but it was safest that way. Inseparable from its owner, so to speak.
Then he paged whoever was spotting at the moment, and then started towards the portal, quietly. Not because they had nothing to say to each other, but because - on his side, at least - his brain was so crammed with the code and the changes made and the changes left to complete that he couldn’t come up with words worth sharing. I’m too old for this obviously weren’t. Nor you shouldn’t have to deal with this, you’re too young, for that matter.
They did both need some rest. Or, at least, a good strong actual cup of coffee. Or both.
It was Quorra who was waiting for them, sitting on the couch in the downstairs office, her eyes a little wide when they appeared. “... is everything all right?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Sam’s response sounded semi-automatic. “Just needed to run some--” And then he cut himself short and gave his father a sheepish look. “-- diagnostics...”
Flynn tried to smile reassuringly and realized his face was hurting. He didn’t think it came off too badly anyway. “Yeah, exactly.”
“Oh.” Quorra relaxed for a moment, then frowned at them again, half the distance between them crossed and her view of them better. “Are you all right? You look sort of... gray.”
“Yes.” It was Flynn’s own turn to answer quickly, but his voice was steady, firm. “Just tired, but that’ll get better on its own.”
“Oh. Good.” She touched each of them reassuringly, then pulled the second chair to the console for Sam, the little restless gestures apparently equally detectable for father and son.
“What is it, Quorra?” Flynn was calling up the diagnostic already, so Sam got to ask.
“You’re busy... it can wait.”
Flynn shot her a look with narrowed eyes and she shrugged, but whatever look Sam gave her worked better, because in response to it, she poked a moment at her phone then passed it on to Sam. Who scowled at the screen for a few moments, then murmured, “oh... just great.”
“It can wait a bit...”
“But I’d still better go take care of it now, instead of in a few hours.” She pursed her lips, then nodded slightly, starting towards her helmet automatically. “Hey, I can handle it, I’ll be there and back in an hour, with off-peak traffic. You... uh.” Flynn’s eyebrows shot up at the quick, embarrassed look in his direction, but then let out a sigh at the follow up. “You stay here and take care of Dad while I’m gone, okay? He can use a bit of rest.”
“We both can.”
“Well, yeah, but I’ve got the whole age advantage on my side. I’ll be fine.”
Flynn opened his mouth to object, but then shook his head and only answered quietly, “hope so, man.” And, in a moment, “thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
A few minutes later, he was off.
Flynn saw him off with a weary smile, then made his way back to the computer to get the diagnostic started. His eyes scanned the progress for a few minutes before his shoulders relaxed. “Well. Seems we haven’t been doing worse than I thought. As soon as Sam’s back and up to it, I think we can finish in about as much time as I set for it.” Beat. “Huh.”
“That’s good.” There was a slight smirk in Quorra’s voice, and he turned in the chair to blink at her, which got him raised dark eyebrows. “Doing things on time sounds about right, doesn’t it?”
“Well... yeah.” It was difficult to explain it to her, no, it was difficult to explain it to himself, it had just been so long since he’d done work on this level of intricacy - he was surprised that he still managed it, let alone well enough for the purpose or on time.
“... how long since you last slept?”
“Long enough to want coffee.”
“You’re evading the question.”
“Maybe, but I’m going to go make coffee, anyway.”
She huffed at him, which made his lips curl up slightly even if he was too drained for a full smile, and stood up to head upstairs to the loft and his old kitchenette.
He wasn’t sure what happened, a couple of steps before he reached the stairs, but she was beside him, one arm along his back, and then tugging his arm around her shoulders in a heartbeat.
“Q...”
“I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve seen you stumble, but I suspect it’s not a good thing. I’ll have Sam call when he starts back. You? Please take a nap.”
Flynn hesitated a moment, looking back at the console. He could try to work on some of the design while he was here, anyway, double checking (for the twentieth time at least, a small voice in his mind reminded him) the modifications. Except if he was this tired, it wouldn’t do any good, would it? He looked again into the pale eyes turned expectantly up at him, and nodded. A moment later, he added gently, “I think I can make it upstairs on my own.”
“Nevertheless.” She tugged him lightly, not releasing the arm from around his back, a sign that she wasn’t letting him go up alone. “Let’s go.”
It was less awkward than he expected, going up the two levels with her support, but then - she hadn’t been truly awkward for a very long time. And he...
Possibly she was right. He sat on the bed heavily, and then only shifted as much as she instructed while she was tucking him in, quiet voice, steady hands. Warm. Her hands hadn’t felt warm, inside, and he turned his face slightly as she tucked hair away from his face, the back of her palm brushing on his cheek. “Rest now.”
“Q. I’m all right.” He wasn’t, he shouldn’t be this tired from only walking a couple of flights of stairs, but he couldn’t help himself saying it, even as he curled in on his side, tucked in, his eyes tight and open. And worried.
“I know. You also need to at least try to stop thinking about it. Nothing will go wrong while you’re not there, he’ll be kept watch over.”
“... oh.” He blinked up at her as she sat on the edge of the bed. “They’d do that?”
“They will. They are.”
“I should have thought of it.”
“You’re not doing this alone, remember?”
It was a little odd, like a reversal of roles, but it wasn’t like it hadn’t happened at all, during their time on the run. Maybe she had a better idea now of how to do it without setting him off, or just... something. His thoughts were crashing into and chasing around each other in chaotic circles, and he closed his eyes for a moment.
Only to feel her climb into the bed behind him, and curling... not quite spooning, but curling behind his back, tucking her cheek behind his shoulder-blade. “Quorra...”
“They watch over him. I’ll watch over you. It’ll be better after you catch some sleep.”
He tried to come up with an argument to that...
… and was asleep before he managed to.
Flynn’s quiet hiss made Sam’s head turn to him with almost a snap. “Dad?”
“It’s nothing, just almost missed something here.”
The younger man straightened, then cracked his neck this way and that, then muttered, “how long have we been at it this time?”
“Three, going on four hours.”
“Huh. I thought we were almost at three hours before the break...”
“That’s going on four hours after--”
“Oh hell, Dad. We’re taking a rest.”
“If I just finish this, it’ll be easier to pick up when we come back to it.”
“And after almost solid seven hours of this, how sure are you that what you finish like this won’t be error-ridden--” Flynn flinched, and Sam sighed and started to apologize when his father shook his head and lowered both hands to his sides.
“You’re right. Stopping?”
“Yeah. You said you wanted to realign those blueprints with the finer info we saw...”
“And run that diagnostic one more time from outside... you can come up, too, if you want?” The tired smile turned warm, at the nod. Sam was learning in leaps and bounds, it was spectacular to watch. Even as exhausted as both of them are after going for, what was it now? Close to eighty hours, with too-brief rests.
Flynn’s hand hovered almost gently over the disc to turn off the display, then settled it on Clu’s back again. It wouldn’t reset the system, they weren’t ready yet, but it was safest that way. Inseparable from its owner, so to speak.
Then he paged whoever was spotting at the moment, and then started towards the portal, quietly. Not because they had nothing to say to each other, but because - on his side, at least - his brain was so crammed with the code and the changes made and the changes left to complete that he couldn’t come up with words worth sharing. I’m too old for this obviously weren’t. Nor you shouldn’t have to deal with this, you’re too young, for that matter.
They did both need some rest. Or, at least, a good strong actual cup of coffee. Or both.
It was Quorra who was waiting for them, sitting on the couch in the downstairs office, her eyes a little wide when they appeared. “... is everything all right?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Sam’s response sounded semi-automatic. “Just needed to run some--” And then he cut himself short and gave his father a sheepish look. “-- diagnostics...”
Flynn tried to smile reassuringly and realized his face was hurting. He didn’t think it came off too badly anyway. “Yeah, exactly.”
“Oh.” Quorra relaxed for a moment, then frowned at them again, half the distance between them crossed and her view of them better. “Are you all right? You look sort of... gray.”
“Yes.” It was Flynn’s own turn to answer quickly, but his voice was steady, firm. “Just tired, but that’ll get better on its own.”
“Oh. Good.” She touched each of them reassuringly, then pulled the second chair to the console for Sam, the little restless gestures apparently equally detectable for father and son.
“What is it, Quorra?” Flynn was calling up the diagnostic already, so Sam got to ask.
“You’re busy... it can wait.”
Flynn shot her a look with narrowed eyes and she shrugged, but whatever look Sam gave her worked better, because in response to it, she poked a moment at her phone then passed it on to Sam. Who scowled at the screen for a few moments, then murmured, “oh... just great.”
“It can wait a bit...”
“But I’d still better go take care of it now, instead of in a few hours.” She pursed her lips, then nodded slightly, starting towards her helmet automatically. “Hey, I can handle it, I’ll be there and back in an hour, with off-peak traffic. You... uh.” Flynn’s eyebrows shot up at the quick, embarrassed look in his direction, but then let out a sigh at the follow up. “You stay here and take care of Dad while I’m gone, okay? He can use a bit of rest.”
“We both can.”
“Well, yeah, but I’ve got the whole age advantage on my side. I’ll be fine.”
Flynn opened his mouth to object, but then shook his head and only answered quietly, “hope so, man.” And, in a moment, “thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
A few minutes later, he was off.
Flynn saw him off with a weary smile, then made his way back to the computer to get the diagnostic started. His eyes scanned the progress for a few minutes before his shoulders relaxed. “Well. Seems we haven’t been doing worse than I thought. As soon as Sam’s back and up to it, I think we can finish in about as much time as I set for it.” Beat. “Huh.”
“That’s good.” There was a slight smirk in Quorra’s voice, and he turned in the chair to blink at her, which got him raised dark eyebrows. “Doing things on time sounds about right, doesn’t it?”
“Well... yeah.” It was difficult to explain it to her, no, it was difficult to explain it to himself, it had just been so long since he’d done work on this level of intricacy - he was surprised that he still managed it, let alone well enough for the purpose or on time.
“... how long since you last slept?”
“Long enough to want coffee.”
“You’re evading the question.”
“Maybe, but I’m going to go make coffee, anyway.”
She huffed at him, which made his lips curl up slightly even if he was too drained for a full smile, and stood up to head upstairs to the loft and his old kitchenette.
He wasn’t sure what happened, a couple of steps before he reached the stairs, but she was beside him, one arm along his back, and then tugging his arm around her shoulders in a heartbeat.
“Q...”
“I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve seen you stumble, but I suspect it’s not a good thing. I’ll have Sam call when he starts back. You? Please take a nap.”
Flynn hesitated a moment, looking back at the console. He could try to work on some of the design while he was here, anyway, double checking (for the twentieth time at least, a small voice in his mind reminded him) the modifications. Except if he was this tired, it wouldn’t do any good, would it? He looked again into the pale eyes turned expectantly up at him, and nodded. A moment later, he added gently, “I think I can make it upstairs on my own.”
“Nevertheless.” She tugged him lightly, not releasing the arm from around his back, a sign that she wasn’t letting him go up alone. “Let’s go.”
It was less awkward than he expected, going up the two levels with her support, but then - she hadn’t been truly awkward for a very long time. And he...
Possibly she was right. He sat on the bed heavily, and then only shifted as much as she instructed while she was tucking him in, quiet voice, steady hands. Warm. Her hands hadn’t felt warm, inside, and he turned his face slightly as she tucked hair away from his face, the back of her palm brushing on his cheek. “Rest now.”
“Q. I’m all right.” He wasn’t, he shouldn’t be this tired from only walking a couple of flights of stairs, but he couldn’t help himself saying it, even as he curled in on his side, tucked in, his eyes tight and open. And worried.
“I know. You also need to at least try to stop thinking about it. Nothing will go wrong while you’re not there, he’ll be kept watch over.”
“... oh.” He blinked up at her as she sat on the edge of the bed. “They’d do that?”
“They will. They are.”
“I should have thought of it.”
“You’re not doing this alone, remember?”
It was a little odd, like a reversal of roles, but it wasn’t like it hadn’t happened at all, during their time on the run. Maybe she had a better idea now of how to do it without setting him off, or just... something. His thoughts were crashing into and chasing around each other in chaotic circles, and he closed his eyes for a moment.
Only to feel her climb into the bed behind him, and curling... not quite spooning, but curling behind his back, tucking her cheek behind his shoulder-blade. “Quorra...”
“They watch over him. I’ll watch over you. It’ll be better after you catch some sleep.”
He tried to come up with an argument to that...
… and was asleep before he managed to.