For the divergent_paths challenge
Author: slashfairy
Fandom (Pairing): October Sky: Homer Hickham/ Roy Lee Cook
Warnings (if applicable): None
Spoilers (if applicable): None
Summary or Author Notes : so PG it's sad. but I think it's true to Homer. It's his story, and I'm sticking to it.
Movieverse, based on both the actors, and the real people interviewed in the extra features dvd.
The first time it occurs to me that Roy Lee is 'that way' is when my Dad, John Hickham. mine foreman and quiet man, stops the car. We see Roy Lee's stepdad, a mean drunk and a rotten man, slapping Roy Lee in the face and calling him names.
My dad is not a man to make a demonstration of his feelings, but he is a man of principle. He gets out of the car, walks across the street, pulls Roy Lee's step dad off him, and tells Roy Lee to get in the car. He tells that man that if Roy Lee gets a scratch he'll have a scar; 'if that boy has a limp, you'll have crutches!' Dad gets back in the car muttering imprecations, then sits for a full minute before turning to Roy Lee, defeated, bruised, bloody, in the back seat. "Your Dad was one of the best miners I ever knew. I was proud to know him." He lays his hand on Roy Lee's knee, patted it once or twice, "You're ok, boy." Dad said, then starts the car. Not another word, the whole way home.
Roy Lee spends the night the night at our house, and the next night, too. I guess I should explain. I'm Homer Hickham, and I'm not going to be a miner. I'm going to build rockets. Me and Roy Lee and Sherman O'Dell and Quentin Wilson, we're the Rocket Boys. We work with some good folks, Mr.Ike Bakovsky from the mine shop, and Miss Riley, our teacher, who really believe we can get a rocket launched. And we're getting close. We are.
After a week it just seems normal for Roy Lee to wake up in the other bed in my room. He's more like a cat, I'm more like a dog. I'm up and ready to go, tear into problems until they're solved. Roy Lee is more liquid, softer edged, less quick to jump, but a great presence to have in the group. Warm, fun-loving, sensual, he appreciates the power of the rocket for itself. The sheer lift and glide and grace of it turns his eyes dark and his lips red from where he licks them. He looks at me then, with that excitement in his eyes, and the pit of my stomach gets hot like the rocket's trail, too,
After about a month Roy Lee stops making jokes about girls and dancing and partying. There's one girl who kind of looks at me, but I'm too shy for that. And besides, we have our rockets to work on. Roy Lee drives us to find the rockets where ever they land. He picks up supplies, and makes sure we eat when the day gets away from us. Miss Riley likes him, what she calls 'his attention to fine detail'. He surely can pack a picnic, filling and delicious. Before his dad died I seem to recall his momma being real good in those same ways, making a home, keeping things calm, comfortable.
~~
After a year we never even mention his stepdad. Roy Lee sleeps in in the morning, tidies both our beds. I'm up early, laying out the study sheets for him so he can stay up with school, not have to go to the mine. We kind of fill in for each other, and get through, and graduate. Stay in town until the end of summer, then I have college elsewhere. Roy Lee gets a slot at the state Ag school. September comes, and we part.
~~
I don't see him again until nearly 15 years have passed. We write, but not often. I know he moves to the city, goes into real estate, does well, gets engaged, but not married. He knows I achieve my life-long dream of working for NASA. But we aren't really in touch again until my Mom gets ill, and I go home to see to her. He makes a trip down to town just to see her, decides to help me sell the house and help her move to Florida. When it comes time to drive the furniture down, he says 'Oh, Hell, Homer, let your Mom fly down, and let's drive the damn truck ourselves." Well, that seems like a good idea, so we do. October, that was.
~~
The first night on the road in the motel I lay awake listening to him breathe, remembering his red lips and bright eyes when the rockets went up. When we won the state science fair prize he drove the others to the station to pick me up after, but waited in the car, didn't join in the victory hugs and dance we three did. Later, out at the test site, he slid an arm around my shoulders and said "You did it, Homer. You did it for us," then I could swear he turned his head and kissed my hair, but maybe I imagined it. He sure never did anything like that again, and I never mentioned it. Listening to his breathing is like sensing that kiss: nothing I can see, but something I can feel. Eventually I have to turn on my side, and cover my head with my pillow, to get to sleep.
The second night, in the second motel, they were full up. One room, queen-size bed. Roy Lee sleeps in the truck. I listen for his breathing, until I can't bear it any more. I knock on the truck window, and wake him up. "Come on in, Roy Lee. It's cold out here." He shakes his head, but I say, 'Roy Lee, just come on in the room."
When we get back to the room he looks at me, sighs, and sags. "My stepdad-he knew. He knew what I am. I shouldn't be here, Homer. You don't want me here." He sits down in the chair by the little table and puts his head in his hands.
I hang my jacket up on the clothes rod, and sit down opposite him. "I do want you here. I have always wanted you here. Roy Lee, my dad knew what you are, too. And he was proud of you. You had a hard row, Roy Lee, he knew that, and he watched you walk it with courage."
I get up, and start to get undressed. With my back to him, I say, "I'm the one he was disappointed in. See, Roy Lee, my Dad knew what I am, too. He even tried to talk to me about it, but we never...He asked me once if I missed you living with us. I couldn't answer, just teared up. He put his hand...his hand on my shoulder, and said 'Son, you and Roy Lee will do just fine one of these days. Don't lose track of him, promise?' I promised him then. And I haven't. I've always known where you were, where you belong." I turn around then, and he is standing behind me. Right there. So, I kiss him. And he gets in the bed with me. And I am in heaven, in the stars, where I've wanted to be for so long.
So, that's my story. Roy Lee's been my partner now almost 40 years. I listen to him breathe every night, and thank my Dad for his kindness. He rescued Roy Lee from certain death at the hands of his bastard stepfather, and me from a lifetime without the love of my life. It took us a little while to get it together, but we did. And we are.
Rocket boys.
Never let them tell you you can't. We did. Twice.
Fandom (Pairing): October Sky: Homer Hickham/ Roy Lee Cook
Warnings (if applicable): None
Spoilers (if applicable): None
Summary or Author Notes : so PG it's sad. but I think it's true to Homer. It's his story, and I'm sticking to it.
Movieverse, based on both the actors, and the real people interviewed in the extra features dvd.
The first time it occurs to me that Roy Lee is 'that way' is when my Dad, John Hickham. mine foreman and quiet man, stops the car. We see Roy Lee's stepdad, a mean drunk and a rotten man, slapping Roy Lee in the face and calling him names.
My dad is not a man to make a demonstration of his feelings, but he is a man of principle. He gets out of the car, walks across the street, pulls Roy Lee's step dad off him, and tells Roy Lee to get in the car. He tells that man that if Roy Lee gets a scratch he'll have a scar; 'if that boy has a limp, you'll have crutches!' Dad gets back in the car muttering imprecations, then sits for a full minute before turning to Roy Lee, defeated, bruised, bloody, in the back seat. "Your Dad was one of the best miners I ever knew. I was proud to know him." He lays his hand on Roy Lee's knee, patted it once or twice, "You're ok, boy." Dad said, then starts the car. Not another word, the whole way home.
Roy Lee spends the night the night at our house, and the next night, too. I guess I should explain. I'm Homer Hickham, and I'm not going to be a miner. I'm going to build rockets. Me and Roy Lee and Sherman O'Dell and Quentin Wilson, we're the Rocket Boys. We work with some good folks, Mr.Ike Bakovsky from the mine shop, and Miss Riley, our teacher, who really believe we can get a rocket launched. And we're getting close. We are.
After a week it just seems normal for Roy Lee to wake up in the other bed in my room. He's more like a cat, I'm more like a dog. I'm up and ready to go, tear into problems until they're solved. Roy Lee is more liquid, softer edged, less quick to jump, but a great presence to have in the group. Warm, fun-loving, sensual, he appreciates the power of the rocket for itself. The sheer lift and glide and grace of it turns his eyes dark and his lips red from where he licks them. He looks at me then, with that excitement in his eyes, and the pit of my stomach gets hot like the rocket's trail, too,
After about a month Roy Lee stops making jokes about girls and dancing and partying. There's one girl who kind of looks at me, but I'm too shy for that. And besides, we have our rockets to work on. Roy Lee drives us to find the rockets where ever they land. He picks up supplies, and makes sure we eat when the day gets away from us. Miss Riley likes him, what she calls 'his attention to fine detail'. He surely can pack a picnic, filling and delicious. Before his dad died I seem to recall his momma being real good in those same ways, making a home, keeping things calm, comfortable.
~~
After a year we never even mention his stepdad. Roy Lee sleeps in in the morning, tidies both our beds. I'm up early, laying out the study sheets for him so he can stay up with school, not have to go to the mine. We kind of fill in for each other, and get through, and graduate. Stay in town until the end of summer, then I have college elsewhere. Roy Lee gets a slot at the state Ag school. September comes, and we part.
~~
I don't see him again until nearly 15 years have passed. We write, but not often. I know he moves to the city, goes into real estate, does well, gets engaged, but not married. He knows I achieve my life-long dream of working for NASA. But we aren't really in touch again until my Mom gets ill, and I go home to see to her. He makes a trip down to town just to see her, decides to help me sell the house and help her move to Florida. When it comes time to drive the furniture down, he says 'Oh, Hell, Homer, let your Mom fly down, and let's drive the damn truck ourselves." Well, that seems like a good idea, so we do. October, that was.
~~
The first night on the road in the motel I lay awake listening to him breathe, remembering his red lips and bright eyes when the rockets went up. When we won the state science fair prize he drove the others to the station to pick me up after, but waited in the car, didn't join in the victory hugs and dance we three did. Later, out at the test site, he slid an arm around my shoulders and said "You did it, Homer. You did it for us," then I could swear he turned his head and kissed my hair, but maybe I imagined it. He sure never did anything like that again, and I never mentioned it. Listening to his breathing is like sensing that kiss: nothing I can see, but something I can feel. Eventually I have to turn on my side, and cover my head with my pillow, to get to sleep.
The second night, in the second motel, they were full up. One room, queen-size bed. Roy Lee sleeps in the truck. I listen for his breathing, until I can't bear it any more. I knock on the truck window, and wake him up. "Come on in, Roy Lee. It's cold out here." He shakes his head, but I say, 'Roy Lee, just come on in the room."
When we get back to the room he looks at me, sighs, and sags. "My stepdad-he knew. He knew what I am. I shouldn't be here, Homer. You don't want me here." He sits down in the chair by the little table and puts his head in his hands.
I hang my jacket up on the clothes rod, and sit down opposite him. "I do want you here. I have always wanted you here. Roy Lee, my dad knew what you are, too. And he was proud of you. You had a hard row, Roy Lee, he knew that, and he watched you walk it with courage."
I get up, and start to get undressed. With my back to him, I say, "I'm the one he was disappointed in. See, Roy Lee, my Dad knew what I am, too. He even tried to talk to me about it, but we never...He asked me once if I missed you living with us. I couldn't answer, just teared up. He put his hand...his hand on my shoulder, and said 'Son, you and Roy Lee will do just fine one of these days. Don't lose track of him, promise?' I promised him then. And I haven't. I've always known where you were, where you belong." I turn around then, and he is standing behind me. Right there. So, I kiss him. And he gets in the bed with me. And I am in heaven, in the stars, where I've wanted to be for so long.
So, that's my story. Roy Lee's been my partner now almost 40 years. I listen to him breathe every night, and thank my Dad for his kindness. He rescued Roy Lee from certain death at the hands of his bastard stepfather, and me from a lifetime without the love of my life. It took us a little while to get it together, but we did. And we are.
Rocket boys.
Never let them tell you you can't. We did. Twice.