Colin's posts

"Ah, excellent." Hal replied.

"I'd like to offer him a job until he goes to University." he commented.

Cain finished his bite, and swallowed, before looking at him.

"A job?" he asked.

"Indeed." Hal replied.

"...I can't do it." he then said. "Taking care of Lunet is proving to be too much for me. It's getting to the point where I'll need to either give her up, or resign from my position in the Unit." he went on.

"And I am NOT giving her up." he stressed.

"So I need a live-in sitter until she's more self-reliant." he told him.

"...I can do that again, sure." Cain responded.

"Except THIS time you would actually be living in the house with her." Hal added.

"Off?" Azazel asked. "They taste amazing, Aedan!" he told her.

"Yeah, they're really good." Cain agreed.

"I concur." Hal chimed in. "It's been a while since I've had homemade cabbage rolls, but these are pretty darn good." he told Aedan.

"Anyway, onto the point of what I have to say." he went on.

"Tell me, has Cain decided on post-secondary?" he asked. "And if so, how soon in the future?" he asked further.

Hal nodded in response, and made his way to the room.

"Gentlemen." he greeted them, sitting down.

"Boss." Azazel replied.

"Mr. Sharp." Cain greeted him.

"Who's playing?" Hal then asked.

"GB. And they might actually win it." Azazel responded. "Good. It's about time." he added.

"Heh, indeed." Hal agreed.

"Did you want to discuss something involving me?" Cain then asked him.

"We'll discuss it over dinner." Hal assured him.

Hal tipped his hat when she greeted him.

"Evening, Aedan." he said, stepping inside.

When she closed the door behind him, he hung his hat and coat on a nearby rack, and looked at her.

"Apologies for the late visit." he said.

"But there is something I must discuss with you all." he told her.

"...and yes, Cain, in specific." he added.

Cain just sighed deeply in response.

"Do whatever you feel you need to." he told her with a small and sincere smile.

Time had passed, and Cain was now downstairs in the den with his father, as they both watched sports on the television. However, they soon heard a knock at the door.

"That'll probably be Hal!" Azazel called to Aedan.

"Am I getting it, or are you?" he asked her.

She was closer to the front door, but she might have had her hands occupied, so he wouldn't just assume she could do it.

"Oh?" Ryker asked.

"Why?" he asked him.

"Because he's your father?" he asked further.

"Isn't that enough?" Aly asked Ryker.

"For sure." Ryker replied.

"I'm just wondering if there's more to it."

"I know." Cain replied.

"It's just so unfortunate that I have to hide what I am." he told her. "I mean, I understand why I must, and it's a hassle at worst to put on the makeup, but... just..." he went on, before trailing off and sighing.

"I already had my self-hating phase as a teenager, so you don't need to worry about THAT, I just wish I could be accepted for WHO I am, without WHAT I am getting in the way." he reasoned.

"That's just this world, I suppose." he added with a small shrug.

"I accept what I am, and have no issues with it, I just wish the world would, too."

Cain thought for a moment, and the nodded.

"I'm a little under 50% left." he told her.

"I mean, it's enough to keep me going for a bit, but I'll need some more sooner, rather than later." he informed her further.

"So if you're going to get some more anyway, I suppose some for my own use would be useful and appreciated." he went on, sighing at the end.

"Wish I didn't need to use it, sometimes..." he admitted quietly.

"....he wants to talk to ME?" Cain asked.

"That is what I said." Aedan replied.

"Did he say WHY?" Cain asked further.

"Nope." he mother responded.

"....huh." he then muttered.

"I see." he said.

"Well... fair enough, then. I was going to be here anyway, so... guess that's good."

After a few seconds, the door opened, revealing her son.

"Eh? No." he said.

"I thought I was staying in and eating dinner with you and Dad." he commented.

"Why, what's up?" he then asked.

"Something go awry?"

"....admittedly, it's been a while since I had some nice cabbage rolls..." Hal muttered.

"But this isn't a social call." he told her.

"Well... it sort of is, and sort of isn't." he went on.

"Whether or not I'll be staying for dinner depends on when you'll have them done up." he then said.

"I won't be able to leave my office for about an hour or so." he informed her.

"If that'll be when it's ready, and I'm welcome, it'd be lovely to join you for dinner."

"Thank you, Angela." Hal replied.

"Genuinely. Thank you so much for this." he told her.

After they'd ended their conversation, and she left, he picked up his desk phone and called the Callimachi's home number. After a few rings, Aedan answered.

"It's Hal." he said when she picked up.

"Mind if I stop by later tonight?" he asked.

Hal just sighed.

"Maybe he thought I was more than capable of handling this." he said.

"And I was... for a time." he admitted.

"Hm." he then mumbled.

"I wonder if he'd be all right with actually living in my home for the time being..." he then went on.

"Actually becoming a bit of a permanent fixture, so to speak." he continued.

"I might stop by their home after I leave." he then added, scratching his chin.

"............." Hal was silent for a moment.

"Really." he said.

"Hmmm, I see." he muttered.

"Yes... yes, admittedly, that DOES make sense." he went on, thinking about it.

"And it WOULD be an elegant solution..." he admitted further.

"All right then, I'll talk to him." he told her.

"...he still lives with his mother and father, right?" he asked her.