The little AU: Interludes and Whispers: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Hunter's Birthday
The little AU: Interludes and Whispers: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Hunter's Birthday
slashfairy
~~
Viggo knows he won't be there for Hunter's party. He can't be, he's filming, and Santa Fe is too far to get there in time with any time left to get back. He wants to be, he checks flights, but it's just. not. doable this time.
He talks to Henry about it. What to get for the little man? They toss ideas back and forth, then Henry says "Hold on, let me check with someone."
Viggo waits imperfectly while Henry asks around. Finally he comes back to his dad with some ideas from one of his teachers in Venice, a woman with a bright mind and a keen sense of humor, and two sons of her own not too different in age from Hunter.
"Here, dad," Henry types into AIM. "Check these out!" Lego Mars Mission Recon Dropship and TNG jumpsuit.
Viggo clicks on the links, wincing slightly with the technology of it even as he's appreciative of the magic- toy shopping for Hunter with Henry, separated by three timezones and umpty-ump miles, and finding not only things they both think Hunter will enjoy, but that tickle their sense of humor, too.
They chat a bit longer, then Henry says he has to go, it's only midnight and he's got to meet some people to study. Viggo shakes his head and laughs, signs out goodnight to his son, and gets ready to order Hunter's presents.
As he's thinking what should go in the card, he decides that a costume and Legos aren't enough. There's something too hard-edged about just those... He Googles around a bit, rolling his eyes at himself for it as he sips his whiskey and plays with Everett Hitch's goatee until he hits a site about Teddy Bears of Star Trek lore.
Ah. yes. Why the hell not? Every boy needs a bear. So Viggo finds a Bear, and a shirt for the bear, and orders them sent to the grey house in Venice Beach, too.
To Hunter from Unkah Viggo: Happy Birthday to the Next Generation! the card reads when Hunter opens it sitting on Orli's lap, waiting for Da to get home. When Karl arrives, the bear's dressed, Hunter's dressed, and he and Orli have half of Mars set up on the coffee table in the living room, practicing the Live Long and Prosper sign, and laughing their hearts out with joy in being together.
"He loves it, yeah," Karl says down the phone to Viggo later on that evening. "Yeah, they opened it before I got here, but it's perfect, perfect. You should have seen them, love. Perfect." They both know it's not, but it's as good as it's going to be, and they know that too and accept it. They talk a bit longer, then Karl gives the phone to Orli as Orli gives a sleepy and very happy Hunter to his dad for bed and stories and sleep.
Viggo and Orlando talk a while longer, Viggo's voice getting huskier, softer, a bit more slurred, as he sips his whiskey and tries to be there all the way from Santa Fe. Finally Orli makes him promise to eat, to get some rest, all the things they worry about, and Viggo does, he promises, and means it, and will only forget parts of it in the morning, and different parts as the day wears on. So that tomorrow evening, when the photos are uploaded and he sees "Star Trek Hunter" in full regalia, he will remember how proud he is of Karl, how fond he is of Hunter, how happy he is for Orlando to be there with them, and how much he wishes he were there, too.
slashfairy
~~
Viggo knows he won't be there for Hunter's party. He can't be, he's filming, and Santa Fe is too far to get there in time with any time left to get back. He wants to be, he checks flights, but it's just. not. doable this time.
He talks to Henry about it. What to get for the little man? They toss ideas back and forth, then Henry says "Hold on, let me check with someone."
Viggo waits imperfectly while Henry asks around. Finally he comes back to his dad with some ideas from one of his teachers in Venice, a woman with a bright mind and a keen sense of humor, and two sons of her own not too different in age from Hunter.
"Here, dad," Henry types into AIM. "Check these out!" Lego Mars Mission Recon Dropship and TNG jumpsuit.
Viggo clicks on the links, wincing slightly with the technology of it even as he's appreciative of the magic- toy shopping for Hunter with Henry, separated by three timezones and umpty-ump miles, and finding not only things they both think Hunter will enjoy, but that tickle their sense of humor, too.
They chat a bit longer, then Henry says he has to go, it's only midnight and he's got to meet some people to study. Viggo shakes his head and laughs, signs out goodnight to his son, and gets ready to order Hunter's presents.
As he's thinking what should go in the card, he decides that a costume and Legos aren't enough. There's something too hard-edged about just those... He Googles around a bit, rolling his eyes at himself for it as he sips his whiskey and plays with Everett Hitch's goatee until he hits a site about Teddy Bears of Star Trek lore.
Ah. yes. Why the hell not? Every boy needs a bear. So Viggo finds a Bear, and a shirt for the bear, and orders them sent to the grey house in Venice Beach, too.
To Hunter from Unkah Viggo: Happy Birthday to the Next Generation! the card reads when Hunter opens it sitting on Orli's lap, waiting for Da to get home. When Karl arrives, the bear's dressed, Hunter's dressed, and he and Orli have half of Mars set up on the coffee table in the living room, practicing the Live Long and Prosper sign, and laughing their hearts out with joy in being together.
"He loves it, yeah," Karl says down the phone to Viggo later on that evening. "Yeah, they opened it before I got here, but it's perfect, perfect. You should have seen them, love. Perfect." They both know it's not, but it's as good as it's going to be, and they know that too and accept it. They talk a bit longer, then Karl gives the phone to Orli as Orli gives a sleepy and very happy Hunter to his dad for bed and stories and sleep.
Viggo and Orlando talk a while longer, Viggo's voice getting huskier, softer, a bit more slurred, as he sips his whiskey and tries to be there all the way from Santa Fe. Finally Orli makes him promise to eat, to get some rest, all the things they worry about, and Viggo does, he promises, and means it, and will only forget parts of it in the morning, and different parts as the day wears on. So that tomorrow evening, when the photos are uploaded and he sees "Star Trek Hunter" in full regalia, he will remember how proud he is of Karl, how fond he is of Hunter, how happy he is for Orlando to be there with them, and how much he wishes he were there, too.