[wam] 046 - keep you safe from harm
Tommy sighed, narrowing his eyes at his own reflection staring out of the glass front of the vending machine currently holding his bottle of soda hostage. Instead of shaking the machine, however, he simply glanced around to make sure he was alone, then extended his arm and laid his hand flat against the glass…
He watched with a sort of detached fascination as his own fingers passed effortlessly through the solid pane.
Stretching his arm, he simply grabbed his soda from the robotic arm dispensing it and withdrew it back through the glass again, leaving the machine completely intact as he walked out of the cafeteria and headed for Zee’s room again.
Halfway there, he met with an unusual sight as he passed by the nurse’s station on the fifth floor and witnessed two nurses marveling at a plant that Tommy had seen on the desk, half-dead not an hour before. He added two and two, getting four too late as he felt a familiar hand on his shoulder.
“You’re not watching your back, Tom Tom.”
Smiling, he glanced over his shoulder at his father and nodded. “Yeah, I am…this close to Maternity? Not even a human servant would dare get up in my grill.”
Gregory Karras drew his son into his embrace, and for a moment Tommy just let him…just held his dad and let himself be held, protected by the man that had always been so much stronger, so much bolder than his meek little son.
“Talk to me, kid…what’s up?”
Drawing back with a sigh, Tommy took a moment before he started leading the way back to the elevators, guiding his father back to the cafeteria so they could talk. In the meantime, he took up the conversation and simply poured it all out…what was wrong, what was happening, how frightened he was of losing either Zee or the baby.
By the time they were settled downstairs at a table, Tommy with his soda and Greg with his coffee, both now in possession of a plate from the early dinner rush, Gregory absorbed the information soberly as Tommy finally remembered his own manners.
“So when did you and Mom get here?”
“About an hour ago…things have been rough in the city. Our chapter of the order’s been helping Channing out on the Strip, seems there’s trouble. Nothing we can’t handle, though.”
Frowning, he let it slide. “Where’s Mom?”
“Up checking on her future daughter in law and grandbaby…Tommy, stop worrying about everything but this baby, will you? The Face of Fear is ugly, and you don’t wear it well.”
It was a saying from Tommy’s childhood, one he had recently learned from Channing was an old standby for young children born into the Fraternity…she’d taught him several stories, songs, and rhymes he could teach his child later if he wanted her to grow up to pledge.
“Ya know, it’s funny,” he mused, shaking his head as he took a swig of his drink, “how much of this stuff I’m finding out that I’ve always known, you just never told me. All the crap we did and the stuff you showed me and made me swear never to tell Ma…”
Gregory smiled and nodded, his expression a little sad. “Just in case…it was all just in case.”
“Yeah, I know…and now I’m ready for all of it. For anything. Dad, I’m a goddamn god, and I can’t even...”
He trailed off with a shaky sigh, raking his hands back through his hair and holding it there for a moment, unwilling to speak the words aloud. I can’t even save the woman I love. I can’t even save my unborn child. I’m no good to them or anyone.
He knew it wasn’t him, though…in his time of crisis, his weakest hour, the Darkness was looking for him.
“I’m really glad you came, Pops, ‘cause I can’t do this.” He breathed, looking up at his father again. “I can’t fight this battle alone.”
Reaching out, Gregory took both of Tommy’s hands in his, squeezing them warmly. “You’re still acting like the terrified little boy that nearly puked on his shoes for his first day of high school…bub, you’re anything but. We know who you are now, but more importantly? You know who you are. You’re the father of our order, the Handcuff King…the Master Manipulator.”
The new nickname made him smile in spite of himself. “Says who?”
“Las Vegas Weekly…they clearly caught your street act.”
“Good God…”
“Bottom line, Tom Tom, is that you can’t go on believing you’re the man you always envisioned yourself to be. You’ve always, always been better than that, and now? Well…to be honest, I’m not sure why I’m sittin’ here giving you advice.”
His jaw dropped open at that, shocked to his core by the remark. “Dad!...”
With a smile, Gregory reached out and laid a hand against Tommy’s cheek. “I raised you from a baby, and I grew up knowing I could never be half of what you were as a performer. That’s why I became an architect, son…I gave my life and time to make things as great and long-lived as the Master, worthy of the note of Houdini. You’ve always been my treasure, little fella…but what I’ve never told you is that even before we met, you’ve been my inspiration. And I’ve made good on my life knowing I helped bring you back to the world again.”
Lowering his gaze, it took Tommy a long time to make sure that his eyes stayed dry and that the lump in his throat subsided enough to let him speak clearly again.
“You always said that if you could talk to the Master, you’d have a question for him…what was that question, Pops?”
Gregory grinned, taking a spoonful of his split pea soup. “You mean besides ‘why the hell am I eating this tripe?’”
“You can’t have a conversation that ain’t over food.”
“Thank you…anyway, I always wanted to know the real and truthful story behind the Mirror escape.” He paused, then peered at Tommy out of the corners of his eyes.
“You’re…probably never gonna tell me, are you?”
With a grin, Tommy sucked on his teeth for a moment and shook his head. “Nope.”
A moment later, both men dissolved into laughter as they finished their meal over horrible food and mediocre drinks…but in his heart, Tommy knew he could get through this.
Him, Zee, and his little girl.
Muse: Tommy Karras
Fandom: Original Character
Words: 1,088
He watched with a sort of detached fascination as his own fingers passed effortlessly through the solid pane.
Stretching his arm, he simply grabbed his soda from the robotic arm dispensing it and withdrew it back through the glass again, leaving the machine completely intact as he walked out of the cafeteria and headed for Zee’s room again.
Halfway there, he met with an unusual sight as he passed by the nurse’s station on the fifth floor and witnessed two nurses marveling at a plant that Tommy had seen on the desk, half-dead not an hour before. He added two and two, getting four too late as he felt a familiar hand on his shoulder.
“You’re not watching your back, Tom Tom.”
Smiling, he glanced over his shoulder at his father and nodded. “Yeah, I am…this close to Maternity? Not even a human servant would dare get up in my grill.”
Gregory Karras drew his son into his embrace, and for a moment Tommy just let him…just held his dad and let himself be held, protected by the man that had always been so much stronger, so much bolder than his meek little son.
“Talk to me, kid…what’s up?”
Drawing back with a sigh, Tommy took a moment before he started leading the way back to the elevators, guiding his father back to the cafeteria so they could talk. In the meantime, he took up the conversation and simply poured it all out…what was wrong, what was happening, how frightened he was of losing either Zee or the baby.
By the time they were settled downstairs at a table, Tommy with his soda and Greg with his coffee, both now in possession of a plate from the early dinner rush, Gregory absorbed the information soberly as Tommy finally remembered his own manners.
“So when did you and Mom get here?”
“About an hour ago…things have been rough in the city. Our chapter of the order’s been helping Channing out on the Strip, seems there’s trouble. Nothing we can’t handle, though.”
Frowning, he let it slide. “Where’s Mom?”
“Up checking on her future daughter in law and grandbaby…Tommy, stop worrying about everything but this baby, will you? The Face of Fear is ugly, and you don’t wear it well.”
It was a saying from Tommy’s childhood, one he had recently learned from Channing was an old standby for young children born into the Fraternity…she’d taught him several stories, songs, and rhymes he could teach his child later if he wanted her to grow up to pledge.
“Ya know, it’s funny,” he mused, shaking his head as he took a swig of his drink, “how much of this stuff I’m finding out that I’ve always known, you just never told me. All the crap we did and the stuff you showed me and made me swear never to tell Ma…”
Gregory smiled and nodded, his expression a little sad. “Just in case…it was all just in case.”
“Yeah, I know…and now I’m ready for all of it. For anything. Dad, I’m a goddamn god, and I can’t even...”
He trailed off with a shaky sigh, raking his hands back through his hair and holding it there for a moment, unwilling to speak the words aloud. I can’t even save the woman I love. I can’t even save my unborn child. I’m no good to them or anyone.
He knew it wasn’t him, though…in his time of crisis, his weakest hour, the Darkness was looking for him.
“I’m really glad you came, Pops, ‘cause I can’t do this.” He breathed, looking up at his father again. “I can’t fight this battle alone.”
Reaching out, Gregory took both of Tommy’s hands in his, squeezing them warmly. “You’re still acting like the terrified little boy that nearly puked on his shoes for his first day of high school…bub, you’re anything but. We know who you are now, but more importantly? You know who you are. You’re the father of our order, the Handcuff King…the Master Manipulator.”
The new nickname made him smile in spite of himself. “Says who?”
“Las Vegas Weekly…they clearly caught your street act.”
“Good God…”
“Bottom line, Tom Tom, is that you can’t go on believing you’re the man you always envisioned yourself to be. You’ve always, always been better than that, and now? Well…to be honest, I’m not sure why I’m sittin’ here giving you advice.”
His jaw dropped open at that, shocked to his core by the remark. “Dad!...”
With a smile, Gregory reached out and laid a hand against Tommy’s cheek. “I raised you from a baby, and I grew up knowing I could never be half of what you were as a performer. That’s why I became an architect, son…I gave my life and time to make things as great and long-lived as the Master, worthy of the note of Houdini. You’ve always been my treasure, little fella…but what I’ve never told you is that even before we met, you’ve been my inspiration. And I’ve made good on my life knowing I helped bring you back to the world again.”
Lowering his gaze, it took Tommy a long time to make sure that his eyes stayed dry and that the lump in his throat subsided enough to let him speak clearly again.
“You always said that if you could talk to the Master, you’d have a question for him…what was that question, Pops?”
Gregory grinned, taking a spoonful of his split pea soup. “You mean besides ‘why the hell am I eating this tripe?’”
“You can’t have a conversation that ain’t over food.”
“Thank you…anyway, I always wanted to know the real and truthful story behind the Mirror escape.” He paused, then peered at Tommy out of the corners of his eyes.
“You’re…probably never gonna tell me, are you?”
With a grin, Tommy sucked on his teeth for a moment and shook his head. “Nope.”
A moment later, both men dissolved into laughter as they finished their meal over horrible food and mediocre drinks…but in his heart, Tommy knew he could get through this.
Him, Zee, and his little girl.
Muse: Tommy Karras
Fandom: Original Character
Words: 1,088