Wendall Rand goes to K'un Lun
This is a bad start, isn't it? Being late on the first day, having nothing on the second...
Ah well, here's something I'm currently working on, I suppose. It's part of a larger What-If.
Wendall Rand wants to go to K'un Lun. But he doesn't.
He's realized that he's out of balance in the world and, in this state, there's no way that he'll have the ability to face the mystic city that he'd called home. He needs to bring balance back to his life. He needs to reconnect with his family.
That's why he's making this trip with Danny. As much as it pains him to admit it, he's been neglecting his son and he shouldn't have been.
"Dad, I don't like it here." Danny wrinkles his nose and rubs at it with his free hand. "It smeeeeells."
Wendall squeezes his son's hand and murmurs, "We're almost there. Just hold on for a couple more minutes. Can you do that for me Danny?"
Danny smiles too brightly in response to that scant bit of attention and, for all that business was and is important, Wendall cringes internally. It's so obvious to him now that he should have been around more.
But making mistakes is human, he's realized, and it's impossible to change the past. The important thing is that he fix his misdeeds, the old ones as well as the more recent ones. And if Danny can forgive Wendall his trespasses, then it's Wendall's turn to spread some forgiveness around as well.
That's why he and Danny are here, in one of the dirtier, darker parts of China, wandering the streets as Wendall makes use of his admittedly rusty skills to hunt for a very familiar chi signature. Or rather, why they were wandering. Because Wendall and Danny are standing at the doorstep of a very seedy looking hotel room.
"Well, we're here... Remember what I told you, Danny. Don't be scared if he's a little growly."
"Okay Dad."
He squeezes Danny's hand, and, in spite of his reassurances, he moves subtly so that he's positioned mostly between Danny and the door before he takes a deep breath, and knocks loudly, shouting in rough Chinese.
Even braced for the worst, Wendall jolts when the door slams open because Orson looks even worse than he had the last time they'd met. By the grace of sharp instincts alone, he manages to jam himself into the door frame before it gets shut in his face, but in his shock, he loses the speeches he'd been preparing.
"Orson..." As a last resort, Wendall stutters the first thing that comes to his mind. "Losing Shou Lao wasn't worth losing my father. Come home with us."
==
He shouldn’t even be considering Wendall’s offer. He doesn’t have a place in that boy’s life any more, doesn’t have a place in any life, even. His time has come and gone. Going back into the world in this state would be too painful and difficult to comprehend... Yes, he’ll say no to Wendall and stay here with his opium dreams and the memories of adventures passed.
Orson gets up, ready to go tell Wendall about his decision before saying goodbye for the last time. Only, the moment he steps into the hall, Danny tugs at his sleeve, grinning wide.
"Oh, you’re finally ready to go? Great!"
Before Orson can say anything to the contrary, Danny starts pulling him down the hall, chattering faster than a sparrow in the spring.
"I mean, the plane is reeeeeally boring, but when we get home, you can meet mom and we’ll play heroes and we can draw together and have ice cream and, wow, this is gonna be so cool, Grampa!"
Grampa.
Orson feels his world quietly collapse in on itself even as Danny keeps chattering. Awkwardly, he pats Danny on the shoulder.
"Yeah. We'll do all that, kid, for sure."
The next morning, Wendall Rand goes to New York City with his father and his son at his side.
==
This entry was originally posted at Dreamwidth.
Ah well, here's something I'm currently working on, I suppose. It's part of a larger What-If.
Wendall Rand wants to go to K'un Lun. But he doesn't.
He's realized that he's out of balance in the world and, in this state, there's no way that he'll have the ability to face the mystic city that he'd called home. He needs to bring balance back to his life. He needs to reconnect with his family.
That's why he's making this trip with Danny. As much as it pains him to admit it, he's been neglecting his son and he shouldn't have been.
"Dad, I don't like it here." Danny wrinkles his nose and rubs at it with his free hand. "It smeeeeells."
Wendall squeezes his son's hand and murmurs, "We're almost there. Just hold on for a couple more minutes. Can you do that for me Danny?"
Danny smiles too brightly in response to that scant bit of attention and, for all that business was and is important, Wendall cringes internally. It's so obvious to him now that he should have been around more.
But making mistakes is human, he's realized, and it's impossible to change the past. The important thing is that he fix his misdeeds, the old ones as well as the more recent ones. And if Danny can forgive Wendall his trespasses, then it's Wendall's turn to spread some forgiveness around as well.
That's why he and Danny are here, in one of the dirtier, darker parts of China, wandering the streets as Wendall makes use of his admittedly rusty skills to hunt for a very familiar chi signature. Or rather, why they were wandering. Because Wendall and Danny are standing at the doorstep of a very seedy looking hotel room.
"Well, we're here... Remember what I told you, Danny. Don't be scared if he's a little growly."
"Okay Dad."
He squeezes Danny's hand, and, in spite of his reassurances, he moves subtly so that he's positioned mostly between Danny and the door before he takes a deep breath, and knocks loudly, shouting in rough Chinese.
Even braced for the worst, Wendall jolts when the door slams open because Orson looks even worse than he had the last time they'd met. By the grace of sharp instincts alone, he manages to jam himself into the door frame before it gets shut in his face, but in his shock, he loses the speeches he'd been preparing.
"Orson..." As a last resort, Wendall stutters the first thing that comes to his mind. "Losing Shou Lao wasn't worth losing my father. Come home with us."
==
He shouldn’t even be considering Wendall’s offer. He doesn’t have a place in that boy’s life any more, doesn’t have a place in any life, even. His time has come and gone. Going back into the world in this state would be too painful and difficult to comprehend... Yes, he’ll say no to Wendall and stay here with his opium dreams and the memories of adventures passed.
Orson gets up, ready to go tell Wendall about his decision before saying goodbye for the last time. Only, the moment he steps into the hall, Danny tugs at his sleeve, grinning wide.
"Oh, you’re finally ready to go? Great!"
Before Orson can say anything to the contrary, Danny starts pulling him down the hall, chattering faster than a sparrow in the spring.
"I mean, the plane is reeeeeally boring, but when we get home, you can meet mom and we’ll play heroes and we can draw together and have ice cream and, wow, this is gonna be so cool, Grampa!"
Grampa.
Orson feels his world quietly collapse in on itself even as Danny keeps chattering. Awkwardly, he pats Danny on the shoulder.
"Yeah. We'll do all that, kid, for sure."
The next morning, Wendall Rand goes to New York City with his father and his son at his side.
==
This entry was originally posted at Dreamwidth.