Room 529, Wednesday Afternoon.

[likes_chicken]

This was it, Hurley thought. While he figured it would only be a short time for him to convince his mom to let him come back for the summer, that was still going to be time away from the place he called home for the last two years

Comments

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri was sitting on her bed with her datapad on her lap, watching the proceedings with a mostly resigned look, touched with disapproval. (That was an interesting combination: the human and the Yuuzhan Vong aspects of her contributed to the disapproval, while it was the Jedi and warrior pragmatism that resigned her to the fact that people had to leave.)

"You couldn't wait until the end of summer, at least?"

[likes_chicken]

"I'm gonna be back," Hurley said. "But my mom couldn't make graduation so I couldn't talk her into letting my just stay on before having to do this whole pretend I want to go home thing."

[weetuskenraider]

And Tahiri was never going to be able to take that promise at face value ever again, so she shook her head slightly, lips pursed. "So . . . just visiting for a bit, then?"

[likes_chicken]

"That's the plan. Stop home, talk with my mom, see my brother and my grandpa and my buddy Johnny, and then book a portal back to hang out the rest of the summer," Hurley said. "You won't even notice I'm gone."

Yeah, he didn't believe that entirely, himself.

[decoder_rings]

Hannibal wasn't much for goodbyes but he wasn't going to act weepy or upset. He'd internalize it all and box it up. That's just how he rolled.

"Time to go?" he guessed, leaning against the door's frame.

[likes_chicken]

"Temporary, dude," Hurley said. "First thing I'm doing when I get home, I'm convincing my mom I need to keep my two jobs here instead of going back to Mr. Cluck's."

[decoder_rings]

"Temporary's a lot better than permanent," he said, nodding. "Besides, I don't think any job could match up to the ones here. Where else are you gonna see tiny little mariachi bands on the way to work?"

Those had been entertaining if a little weird.

[likes_chicken]

"I'm totally hoping they'll serenade me on my way out," Hurley said. "I can't think of a better way for me to head to the airport, you know?"

[momslilassassin]

Ben poked his head into the room and frowned. "You too, huh?"

[likes_chicken]

"Only for a little bit," Hurley said. "My mom just needs a little convincing that I should stay here for the summer. So I'll pretend to move home and then work my, like, convincing magic or something."

[momslilassassin]

Ben's eyebrow arched up. "You've learned magic?"

[likes_chicken]

Hurley chuckled. "Just a figure of speech," he said. "I'm still plain old normal Hurley. I couldn't do anything like that to my mom, any way."

[itsjustlanguage]

Of course Hoshi showed up even if her mun was about to head out the door she didn't know exactly what to say.

She stood in the doorway for a while before asking, "Are you sure you packed everything?" She might have hoped that he'd forget something and had to come back earlier than planned.

[likes_chicken]

"Everything but Four-Dee here," Hurley said, the little droid beeping as it zipped up to Hoshi's feet.

"Was kind of hoping you'd take care of him."

[itsjustlanguage]

"I'd be happy to take care of him," said Hoshi, smiling. She bent down to pick up the mouse droid. "I'm sure he'll keep Porthos amused."

[likes_chicken]

"Awesome," Hurley said. "So, uhhh," he wasn't actually sure what to say. "You want anything from Santa Monica?"

[justwantsquiet]

Sookie came by with a freezer bag of cookies, and tapped on the door. "Something for the trip," she said, holding the little bag up.

[likes_chicken]

"Oh man, you shouldn't have," Hurley said, grinning. "I'll be gone, like two weeks. Tops."

[justwantsquiet]

"Yeah, but that's two weeks without whatever I've made in some random common room," she pointed out. "You might go into withdrawal."

[likes_chicken]

"Well, when you put it like that, you're extra generous," Hurley said, reaching out for the little bag. "Thanks. I'll have to save one or two for my buddy Johnny."

"Okay, maybe just one."