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Friar Tuck Everlasting ([info]friartuck) wrote in [info]nevermore_logs,
@ 2020-10-01 17:49:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:billie-joy collins, daniel collins, friar tuck, will scarlet

WHO: Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet, Daniel Collins, Billie-Joy Collins
WHEN: Thursday afternoon
WHERE: Daniel and Bee's
WHAT: Reunionnnsssss
WARNINGS: Talk of transphobia and religious fundieism?



Tuck hadn't slept at all. Not since hearing his son Christopher was in the city. He had an address, which was written on a slip of paper he had been clutching in his hand so long, it was kind of damp. He hadn't eaten much either, his stomach far too full of butterflies to fit any food in there. When Will had arrived at his house for the drive over, he had found Tuck at the end of a good four-hour pacing session, where he had been practicing what he was going to say under his breath the entire time.

He was fairly sure whatever he said, it was going to come out really stupid.

He had tried on about five different outfits, until he begged Will to dress him so he didn't have to think about it. By the time they finally made their way to the van, Tuck was fighting with himself internally not to just call the whole thing off.

He made Will drive. His leg jiggled the entire way there. He wrung his hands and tried to go over what he was going to say again and again until he was so lost in his own head, that when the van hit a bump, Tuck was jerked back into reality and he screamed. "Fuck," he put his hand over his heart and he glanced, apologetically, at his boyfriend. "Shit, Will, I'm sorry. I'm a mess."


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[info]rouge_rogue
2020-10-01 05:40 am UTC (link)
Will had been watching Tuck slowly unravel since he'd arrived at his place after work. The man was in bits, muttering to himself and not able to button his shirt up straight. Add to that the fact that Tuck had said that every day he thought he might not see his boys again was like dying inside, it was getting quite concerning.

He glanced at Tuck with wide eyes when he screamed going over a pothole. "You need to take some deep breaths or he's never gonna let you in. Are you sure you don't want to call ahead? Give him some warning?" he asked for the tenth time. He was just really worried that a negative outcome tonight would result in Tuck having an honest-to-God breakdown. "Because we're nearly there."

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-01 07:57 am UTC (link)
"I don't- I don't want to do it over the phone," Tuck sighed. Yes, calling ahead was probably a good idea, but Tuck literally didn't think he could handle it. He could barely handle breathing. Which Will reminded him to do, so he took several deep breaths. "Oh, god. Oh god, we're almost there? Fuck, fuck-" What if he hates me? "It's fine. It's going to be fine."

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[info]rouge_rogue
2020-10-01 08:29 am UTC (link)
"It's going to be fine," Will agreed encouragingly, reaching out to squeeze Tuck's hand. In reality, who fucking knew how true that was, but you had to hope for the best, and Will had hidden a block of chocolate in the glove box in case of the worst.

He pulled the van up to a gentle spot and performed a lovely parallel park. The grind of the handbrake and the engine turning off seemed to signify something, and Will unbuckled and turned to Tuck in his seat.

"I am right here. I'm not going anywhere. You let me know what you want me to do, ok? Go knock on that door and say hi to Christopher." He put his hands on Tuck's upper arms and gave him a strengthening firm squeeze, then a kiss and a nod. "Go. I'm rooting for you. Go."

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-01 08:43 am UTC (link)
Tuck couldn't articulate just how much it meant to him what Will was doing now. Instead he sort of nodded quickly, and tried to take another deep breath, which really only halfway worked. "Okay. Okay okay I'm doing. Oh fuck. Oh fuck, I'm about to see him. Oh god. I can do this. Just-" Tuck glanced out the window, making sure Will could see the front door, glad that he could. "Just watch me? If this goes badly, don't- Don't let me just wander off?" He gave Will an apologetic look, and then he bundled out of the car.

His entire body was shaking as he made his way to the door. He was fairly sure he had forgotten how to breathe. Christopher's place was so nice (but not ostentatious) and Tuck hoped so much it meant his son was happy.

He was seconds away.

Don't cry, you goddamn old fool-

He reached out and rang the doorbell, and then he was fairly sure an eternity passed because so many scenarios of how this could crash and burn flashed through his mind, it had to have been at least a few years.

Then the door was pulled open, and Tuck was standing opposite his son, now an adult man. Daniel looked a little perturbed, but the second his eyes fell on Tuck, he froze. "Holy shit-"

"Christopher?" Tuck said, the name half-sticking in his dry throat. He still couldn't breathe, and his blood was rushing in his ears. "I can expl-"

For Daniel, who had known immediately the man at the door was his father because he looked exactly the same, all doubts were dashed when he heard the man utter his birth name in that unmistakable midlands accent. He didn't need to hear any explanations at all, he just pulled Tuck into a rib-crushing hug.

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[info]rouge_rogue
2020-10-01 08:51 am UTC (link)
Well of all the- Will shook his head, snorting incredulously as Tuck was hugged within seconds of opening the door.

"Well, blow me down," he chuckled to himself. "Like father like son."

He pulled out his phone and took a quick photo, then sent that and a message to Stutely.

Off to a good start, think it'll be okay 🎉👍😁👍🎉🥳🙌😌

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-01 09:01 am UTC (link)
Tuck had been shocked at first, but managed to not get lost in it. He wrapped his arms around Daniel, holding him tightly and feeling something dark and twisty inside him resolve itself. He had wanted to hold his son for thirty years, and now here they were. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry-" Tuck started, just breathing Christopher in.

Daniel kept the hug for a moment longer, and then he pulled back, before Tuck was ready, but not because he didn't want to be hugging his father any more. He just thought the stoop was not the place for this. "Come inside? We can- We can figure everything out-"

"I-" Tuck glanced back at the van, wondering if he should just leave Will in the car. "Can- Can my boyfriend come in too?"

To Tuck's incredible surprise, a wide smile appeared on his son's face. "Your boyfriend? Hell yes your boyfriend can come in. I'll get some coffee on and we can talk."

Tuck didn't know what the fuck he was going to say now. How he was going to explain this. But he waved at Will and then made a 'come here' gesture.

Daniel headed into the house and called out for his wife, "Bee? Can you come to the kitchen for a bit?"

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[info]sunlit_room
2020-10-01 09:20 am UTC (link)
Will got out of the van and jogged across the pavement to join Tuck at the door.

"What happened?" he asked, and he couldn't help grinning a bit at the dazed look on Tuck's face. "That was a heck of a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. Just like you, letting randoms into his home."

Billie-Joy came down the stairs, looking at her husband in query. "What's up?" she asked, gathering up Amelia's lunch things that she hadn't got to yet and dumping them in the sink.

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[info]made_of_ashes
2020-10-01 09:29 am UTC (link)
"He knew who I was," Tuck whispered. "He just knew. I don't know how. He didn't say anything, just hugged me," Tuck breathed. He took Will's hand and closed the door behind him.

"My father is in the next room," Daniel said to his wife, "and I know how it sounds. I know. But he is." He walked over to her, his expression inscrutable. "I should call Mich. But I want to make sure he's not going to- Bee. My father's in there. I don't know how or why, but it's him. My father-"

Billie had had to hear him talk at length about how much he loved and missed his father. And while even Dan was sure it was a bit of rose-tinted glasses and hero-worship, he had said over and over that his childhood would have been so much happier with his father there. The man who only ever acted out of love and kindness.

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[info]sunlit_room
2020-10-01 09:48 am UTC (link)
Billie stared at Daniel, her eyes wide. "But- how is that possible?" she hissed, looking out towards the door as she heard it shut. "Wait, you invited him in?"

Yes, she'd heard that Michael had been a shining example of manhood in Daniel's early years. She'd also had it on very good authority that the man was dead. And she didn't want to crush Daniel's newfound joy in his father's return, but her daughter was sleeping upstairs and she would defend her family from whoever this man really was.

She marched to the doorway and looked at the two men who had just entered her home. Sure, the older one did have an uncanny resemblance to the photo Daniel kept on his dresser, but he also didn't look any older. A brother, perhaps? Nephew?

"Hello," she said, guarded and wary. "Who did you say you were?"

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-01 09:59 am UTC (link)
Tuck whirled around at the new voice, and when she demanded to know who he was, he felt a bit at a loss. "I...I didn't say," he said, a little dumbly. He watched as Christopher came up behind her, his expression a little guilty. "I'm- I'm Christopher's father," Tuck breathed. "Sorry- Daniel? That's going to take some getting used to. As for who I am...specifically...that's probably a longer conversation..."

Daniel had already half figured it out when he first laid eyes on his father again, but he was sure now. "So your name isn't Michael Jones?"

"Well...the first part is right," Tuck said, a little uneasily.

"So you're an immortal? A god, or...something like that?" Daniel supplied. Since meeting Billie and finding out who her mother really was, it seemed like he suddenly realised immortals and gods were everywhere. Lewis Carroll ran one of his favourite shops, the Greek god of dream imagery was in one of his classes and happened to be dating the son of the god of Nerd.

Tuck looked back and forth between everyone and then he nodded. Maybe this wasn't going to be as long a conversation as he thought. "Definitely something like that."

"I think we should sit," Daniel suggested. "Michael, this is my wife, Billie-Joy."

"Hi, Billie-Joy," Tuck said, though he hardly took his eyes off his son. "This is my boyfriend, Will...well, we'll get to that too."

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[info]sunlit_room
2020-10-01 10:07 am UTC (link)
"Just Billie is fine," she replied, her eyes flicking to Will when he was named and giving him a nod. Young, she thought, indicating that they should move though to the living room. It was the room closest to the front of the house, and regardless of the immortality status, she still felt protective of Daniel. He had suffered the loss of both his parents, really, even if one was still alive enough to bother them all the damn time, and she didn't want his hopes dashed.

"I like her," Will whispered to Tuck as they followed through and sat down on the sofa. It was still blowing his mind just how easy this all was. And Tuck's kid was doing pretty well for himself. A couple of large art pieces hung on the walls and Will admired them as he sat down.

Billie glanced at Dan as she sat down gingerly too, wondering if he needed any support asking the questions he wanted answered. "So... Michael... if you don't mind me asking, where have you been?"

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-01 10:20 am UTC (link)
Tuck liked her too. She was protecting his son, and for that he immediately adored her. They moved together into the lounge and sat, Tuck beside Will.

Of course now he had to try to figure out how to goddamn answer that question. About where he had been. About why he had been kept away. And if he was honest about it, it meant talking badly about his ex-wife, and he didn't know how Daniel's relationship with her was. Was Daniel going to get angry if Tuck explained that he had been kept from his kids?

"That's-difficult to explain-" he sort of stumbled.

Daniel leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "I watched you die," he admitted, his voice quiet. Haunted. "I was in the church window. I saw- The bullet hit you in the head-"

Tuck squeezed his eyes shut at the shudder of revulsion that hit him, knowing his son had seen him die. "Oh, Christ," Tuck whispered. "You saw that? Chr-Daniel, I- I'm so sorry."

"You were trying to save people," Daniel said, shaking his head. "So you died, and?"

Tuck wasn't even aware anyone else was in the room while he watched every expression on Daniel's face. "And because of who I am, I came back again. Three weeks later. And I went home, and- I'm sorry, this...this isn't going to be easy to hear. Your mother didn't know who I was. I should have told her. She was terrified and she-" Tuck decided to leave out the 'she beat me unconscious' part, "she wouldn't let me see you. She took you away from me and changed your names."

For Daniel, finding out he should have only missed his father for three weeks and not thirty goddamn years, all he could do was chew on the inside of his lip, and try not to scream.

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[info]sunlit_room
2020-10-01 10:56 am UTC (link)
Will laid his hand on Tuck's back in silent support as the story was told. How horrific for a child to have to endure that. He glanced up and noticed Billie watching them, eyes taking everything in, trying to make sure there was no deception that would hurt them. He caught her eye for a moment, and gave her a small smile.

Billie looked towards Dan, wondering. "Was that when she turned more fundamental?" she asked him softly. "The biblical name change wasn't just to reflect her faith then." And honestly, she did understand being afraid and hiding your children away. She would possibly do the same thing to protect Amelia. It was all that came after that was wrong.

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-01 11:08 am UTC (link)
"She what?" Tuck asked, worried.

"She-" Daniel groaned and rubbed at his eyes. "What a bitch. I didn't know why we moved to Seattle or why she changed our names, but I- I missed you every day," Daniel said, brutally honest, he was holding on to his wife's hand, but his entire attention was on Tuck. "Mom stopped letting us watch television. We had to go to Christian school and even there they teased us for being mixed race. We didn't have friends. I want to ask who you are, but- There's something I want to do first. I need to tell you about Michaela. I need to see how you react," Daniel explained, without actually explaining.

"Alright," Tuck said, because he would have hung from the goddamn ceiling from his toenails if Daniel asked him to. "Who is Michaela?"

"My sister," Daniel said, watching Tuck so very carefully. "Michaela was never a boy. Do you understand? She's trans. And she's in the city too and I can get her here, but if you're going to reject her-"

It all made sense. Why 'Jeremiah's trail had gone cold. Because she had changed her name to reflect her gender. Tuck didn't have two sons, he had a son and a daughter. And she was alive. She was here too. Oh god, she was here too. "Michaela?" Tuck asked.

Daniel nodded. "Yes. She took your name," he said warily.

Tuck couldn't help the tears then, "I- I am so happy she's alright! I couldn't find her- I was looking in the wrong place, but that's on me. Who rejected her?"

"Mom," Daniel summed up. "When I say bitch, I mean bitch. She still refuses to call Michaela by her real name. Insists on calling her Ezekiel." He was pleased to see that Tuck went rigid and the expression on his face was one of pure anger. It was enough to make him pull his phone out and shoot a text to Michaela.

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[info]sunlit_room
2020-10-01 11:30 am UTC (link)
Will let out a breath and couldn't help a sigh of relief. When Tuck had told him about the lack of information on the younger son- daughter- he had feared the worst, same as Clio. To find that she was fine and alive and also here- well he was just incredibly relieved. He pulled a tissue out of his pocket and pressed it into Tuck's hand with a pat.

Billie felt a little vindicated that Michael's reaction to Sarah was as obviously in line with their own, and she started to relax a little.

"She's happy now," she said quickly, wanting to reassure him that Daniel had done right by his sister. "She knows who she is, she's so talented. Dan is too, he did the paintings up there. So what is it that you do? Who are you, really?" She could be single-minded in sticking to the point and not meandering when she really wanted to know something, which is part of what made her a good salesperson, her dogged determination.

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-01 11:36 am UTC (link)
"No, I-" Daniel looked up from his phone for a second. "Don't tell me who you are yet. Wait. Wait until Michaela gets, here, I don't want to know before her. I'm going to go call her and get her up to speed, alright? I'll be right back. Dad," he said, standing and moving to hug Tuck again. "I'm so glad you're here."

Tuck, who had started crying even harder at being called 'dad', hugged Daniel back, and then watched him step into the next room to call his sister. Then he used the tissue Will had slipped him for a second, before turning to Billie. "The paintings are incredible. He was always artistic," Tuck sniffled. "I run a church, but it's not- It's not your typical church at all. Fundies would be very uncomfortable there. We focus on charity and inclusion. Over half the congregation is queer. I'm just- I'm so happy they're alright," he told Billie. "All I've been hoping for years, is that they were happy."

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[info]sunlit_room
2020-10-01 12:00 pm UTC (link)
Billie nodded slowly. "The last few years have been good. Better than the previous few. Cutting Sarah out was the best decision Dan ever made. I mean my mother isn't easy either but at least she never refused to acknowledge my existence."

"Can I ask, how do you know about immortal beings?" Will said, speaking up at last. He hadn't wanted to draw focus away from Tuck while he was explaining his hardship by talking over him, but this question he was curious about.

"Oh, sure. Dan knows one or two, but the main reason is my mother is a goddess," she said. Maybe she should wait for Dan to come back to explain, but she was talking about herself and not him so she was sure he wouldn't mind.

"Oh? Which one?" Will asked. He was always curious about other gods.

Billie gave them both a closed smile. "Infomercials," she said, adjusting her sitting position in her chair. "It meant I had a very... interesting childhood."

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-01 12:12 pm UTC (link)
His son had married the daughter of a goddess. It was strange, the way life worked out. Daniel, not even realising he was the child of an immortal, marrying another child of an immortal. "I hadn't even thought of a goddess of infomercials, but of course there is. We're...a little older than that," Tuck said, though he wouldn't give anything away without Daniel and Michaela there.

Daniel walked back in and plonked back down on the sofa. "Filled her in, she's about ten minutes away. She's...she's had a hard time," Daniel said slowly. "She's happy now, but Mom rejecting her- when she came out, Mom had her committed. 72 hour psychiatric hold."

"What?!" Tuck hissed. "That's- That's disgusting," he growled. "How old was she?"

"Seventeen. Only just. I was about to turn nineteen. I had a little money in savings so I bought a friend's car, packed it with our things...whatever we could fit, picked her up at the hospital and drove. For days. I had a scholarship to go to SVA and I wasn't leaving her there. We shared a studio apartment for two years because it's all we could afford. But it was the most freedom we had had since- Since you died."

Tuck felt like the air was being squeezed out of his lungs. Norah had refused to let him see his kids, only so she cold treat them like shit?! "I am so sorry," Tuck whispered. "God, I'm so sorry. I tried- I tried so hard to- I tracked you down once. I think you would have been thirteen? And Norah called the police on me. Refused to let me see you. All so she could treat you both like that. I'm so sorry."

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[info]sunlit_room
2020-10-01 12:54 pm UTC (link)
"We used to see her on holidays, in the early years of our relationship," Billie said. "She was so undermining to us, because we moved in together before we got engaged. Went against her religion. But it made complete sense that we would, we were long distance a couple of years so why would I move to New York and not live together straight away? I mean-" She spread her hands at the ridiculousness. "And she was so condescending to my mom at the wedding too, because she's a solo mom and a little bit weird. Mom tries, okay, she just has a... capitalism problem." She was definitely starting to talk a lot more now that things were being explained. "Cutting Sarah off completely was absolutely for the best. Christmases are a lot more fun now." She smiled at Dan and patted his leg.


Will's eyes wandered around the room as they talked, and he eyes fell on a framed portrait of Billie and Dan together, holding a cherubic baby between them, and his eyes widened. Oh my god, Tuck is going to EXPLODE, he thought, and decided to make sure to have his phone camera at the ready.

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-01 01:04 pm UTC (link)
Tuck's eyes were only on his son, so he missed the photos entirely. "I loved her," Tuck said sadly. "I never saw her being someone who could do any of that to her own kids, but- Then she took my kids away from me, so- I had to re-evaluate. That's awful. Treating you both like that. And your mother too," he said to Billie.

"I warned her so often if she didn't respect Bee and Moira, her mother, then I was going to stop speaking to her, and she did it anyway. Where do you live these days, Dad?"

Getting called 'dad' wasn't going to get old any time soon. "In the city," he said with a grin. "I run a church, but I was telling Billie it's not at all like anything your mother would agree with." He described Sacred Heart, and their charitable ventures. "The church is lit up in rainbow lights. No hate, only love."

"Like our church in Chicago," Daniel said smiling. "I loved that church. Missed it so much, when Mom started using God as a reason I couldn't have friends. I can't believe you live in the city! We have to have family dinners!" Maybe he was getting ahead of himself, but despite being 39, Daniel's entire being was crying out for a parent and right in front of him was the beloved father he thought he had lost.

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[info]sunlit_room
2020-10-01 01:18 pm UTC (link)
Billie smiled at Daniel's enthusiasm. "We'll get there," she said. "Wait til Michaela gets here." But there was possibly room for one more on Sunday. She'd have to think.

"Well, while we wait for Mikey, why don't I fix us some drinks? Coffee? Water? Whiskey?" she said, getting up. Will got up too.

"I'll help," he said, wanting to give Tuck and Daniel a bit of alone time, and followed Billie into the kitchen.

"How long have you two been an item?" Billie asked as she set out mugs.

"Well, a few months proper, but we go way back," he said, keeping things vague as to wait for the explanation.

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-01 01:27 pm UTC (link)
"I would love a coffee, I'm gasping," Tuck said with a smile, "thank you."

The second Billie and Will moved into the kitchen, Daniel scooted along the sofa until he was beside his father. "How did you find me?" he asked, his voice quiet.

"I had a friend start to look into things," he explained, "Will reminded me our friend can do things like that and why didn't I give it a go now that you are both adults. So she tried but didn't come up with much so she hired a PI. And uh...I also know the muse of history, Clio? She and the PI worked together and they found you. Just last night, actually. I didn't...want to waste time-"

Daniel grinned, "I'm glad you didn't," he said honestly. "I used to imagine this exact scenario happening all the time. I was younger of course. I had no idea you were trying and Mom wouldn't let you see us."

"I imagined it too," Tuck whispered. "And I've been planning what I would say since I started looking, but then you hugged me right away and my entire speech was pointless."

Daniel laughed loudly at that, "I'm not even sorry."

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[info]rouge_rogue
2020-10-01 07:14 pm UTC (link)
Will smiled when he heard the laughter, glancing back over his shoulder. "It's so good to hear that," he said conversationally. "He's been tied up in knots since yesterday when he found out Daniel was here."

Billie nodded and smiled too, pouring out the boiling water into the mugs. "Dan has had a father-shaped hole in his life since I met him. The way he told it, Michael was picked up and and carried away by angels for being too good for this world."

Will snorted, deeply amused. He picked up two of the mugs when they were ready, but paused, lowering his voice. "Say, the portrait in the other room, is that your baby?"

"Yeah, she's taking a nap right now."

"Don't tell him before you wake her. Just bring her out. If you want to see a man melt with joy, wait til he finds out he's a grandfather."

Billie laughed softly, and the two of them headed back into the living room. "Here we are," she said as she sat the mugs for Daniel and Michael, each with the handle pointing towards its recipient. "Sounds like you two are having a good time." She smiled them both, and shot a wink at Daniel.

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-02 09:41 am UTC (link)
"Bless you," Tuck said as he picked up the coffee and took a sip. "Oh. Heaven."

Dan chuckled and picked up his own cup. "Just chatting about me ruining all his rehearsed speeches," he grinned. The doorbell rang a moment later, so Daniel had to put his mug back down again. "That'll be Mich. I'll be right back," he said, rising so he could scoot towards the door.

"Oh my god," Tuck had to put his coffee down as well, reaching for Will's hand the second his was empty. "Will," he sort of wheezed. "Both of them. Oh god, both of them-" His heart was pounding so hard, he was honestly surprised it hadn't exploded yet.

Daniel returned to the lounge, Michaela trailing behind him. Her expression was somehow both shy and eager, wanting very much to be reunited with the father who had doted upon them as children, but terrified he would reject her the second he saw her, just like Sarah had. She sort of nervously smoothed out her yellow dress, hoping she didn't look a mess.

"Dad, Michaela. Michaela...Dad," Dan said, sort of waving hands in their directions. And then Tuck was up and crossing to the both of them.

"Oh, let me look at you," he said, holding his arms out. He was delighted when Michaela nodded, letting him take her face gently into his hands. "You're perfect," Tuck said, planting a kiss on her forehead, and then she was in his arms, clinging tightly.

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[info]rouge_rogue
2020-10-02 10:41 am UTC (link)
Will stood back and watched, a fond smile on his face at Tuck's effervescence as he greeted his daughter. It really was ridiculously heart-warming to watch.

Billie hung back a little too, very happy to see her sister-in-law so moved, and she slipped an arm around Dan and gave him a hug just to let some of her emotions slip out a little.

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-02 10:50 am UTC (link)
Daniel turned his head so he could kiss Billie's hair. "Look at her," he whispered to his wife. Daniel was incredibly emotional, watching his sister be accepted and loved. He had seen her deal with so much pain, this was wonderful.

Michaela held the hug for quite some time, before finally pulling back, he eyes shining. "I can't believe it," she breathed. "It's really you."

"It's me," Tuck promised. "And I can explain. Should we sit?" he asked, and Michaela nodded. Tuck returned to his spot beside Will, and he picked up his coffee again. Michaela choosing to sit close to him as well.

"So you both know about...immortals?" he asked hoping Michaela did. Daniel and Michaela both nodded, so he carried on. "I never told your mother who I was, but I should have. I'm-" he blew out a heavy breath and said quickly, "I'm Friar Tuck. Really. Most of us are here in the city now. And this is Will. Scarlet."

Both Daniel and Michaela were staring at him, but Daniel was grinning. "Awesome."

"So those stories you used to tell us, we thought you were making them up. About forests and brigands...they were all true?" Michaela asked, impressed.

"Yes," Tuck acknowledged. "They were all true."

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[info]rouge_rogue
2020-10-02 11:17 am UTC (link)
Will waved a hand when he was named, acknowledging the truth of the story Tuck was telling.

"Do you think you'll change your name to Daniel Tuck?" Billie asked Dan with a small eyebrow wiggle, wondering how he'd take the suggestion. Will chuckled at the suggestion.

As Tuck was distracted by his newfound daughter, Billie pressed her finger to her lips to Dan and then moved out of the room and off upstairs without him noticing.

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-02 11:24 am UTC (link)
"I kinda do want to now," Daniel joked. "I can't- My dad is Friar Tuck. And his boyfriend is Will Scarlet. Can you swordfight? I don't mean against each other."

Tuck laughed, "sometimes it's against each other," he grinned. "But yes. Quite well."

Michaela laughed out of nowhere and then she said, "sorry, just- So I'm a drag performer and if I had known about this before I had my surgery I so would have used the name Tuck onstage. Would have been brilliant."

"Oh! You perform?! When? I want to come! Will, we should go!"

"I have this weekend off, but next Saturday I have a show at a bar downtown. You...you really want to come?" Sarah had never wanted to attend any of her shows.

"Are you kidding?!" Tuck said, his voice a little squeaky. "I'm going to be so annoying. Standing up after every number screaming that's my daughter. Ask Will."

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[info]rouge_rogue
2020-10-02 11:36 am UTC (link)
"Its true, he is very annoying," Will agreed, deadpan, but he was smirking a little. "Some of us can swors fight better than others, I think you'll find? Just like some of us are more proficient with a bow and arrow, or a bottle of wine. Tuck actually put on a drag show at his church a few months back, ask him what colour he dyed his beard." He shot a grin at his boyfriend.

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-02 11:44 am UTC (link)
Tuck chuckled and he put an arm around Will to hug him close. "Yes yes, love, you're amazing with a sword. And I am a dab hand at a bottle of wine."

Daniel laughed, looking intrigued. "You had a drag show at your church?!"

"It's that kind of church," Tuck grinned. "All the proceeds went to charity. And I dyed my beard a very alluring colour of teal. Year before that it was fuchsia."

"You have a church that would put on a drag show?" Michaela repeated. "And it's LGBT friendly?"

Tuck nodded, "we've even raised money for a few of our trans members to have their surgeries. We have a rainbow support group on Fridays. I don't tolerate hate in my congregation," Tuck said firmly. "It's a safe space. Michaela...if I had known your mother treated you like that I would have looked you both up sooner. I was afraid you would both be close to her and me trying to wedge myself back into your lives would be a problem. I'm sorry."

Michaela just smiled and took his hand.

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[info]sunlit_room
2020-10-02 12:11 pm UTC (link)
Will looked up as Billie slipped back into the room, and he broke into a fresh smile.

"Miss Sleepyhead just woke up," Billie said, cradling the bright-eyed toddler on her hip. The little girl was resting her head on Billie's chest, but when she saw Michaela, she smiled and hid her face, peeping out at her favourite aunt. "Look my little monkey, this is your grandpa. You've never had a grandpa before, have you?" She glanced at Dan and smiled, then came over to Tuck. Will moved so she could sit down next to him and adjust Amelia so she was sitting on her lap and could see him better.

"Michael, this is little Amelia Briar-Rose, she's nineteen months old. She's your granddaughter."

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-02 12:16 pm UTC (link)
Tuck had been about to say something else, but the second Billie walked back in with a baby in her arms, his jaw had dropped open and he had frozen.

As Billie sat beside him, Tuck gazed down at Amelia in wonder. "Oh my god," he whispered. "Hi, Amelia! Oh, she's beautiful," he breathed. "I didn't know. Oh. Can I- Could I hold her?" He had definitely teared up again, and he didn't even notice both Daniel and Will taking photos of his face, completely enamored by the tiny girl in front of him.

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[info]sunlit_room
2020-10-02 12:35 pm UTC (link)
Billie smiled, touched by his emotion. "You can hold her if she lets you," she said. "She might be a bit shy from just having woken up. Maybe introduce yourself, make her acquaintance. Do you want to be Grandpa? Or Poppa? Grandad? Do you have a preference?"

Amelia sat on her mother's lap, curled against her for now, watching his face, curious but cautious.

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-02 12:41 pm UTC (link)
"Oh, anything," Tuck said honestly. "Hi, Amelia! I'm your grandpa. You are beautiful," he cooed at her. "That's Will over there," he pointed at his boyfriend. "Do you like to play peek-a-boo? I used to play peek-a-book with your dad and your aunty Michaela when they were kids."

Michaela had leaned against her brother, just watching their long lost father adore Amelia. It was adorable.

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[info]sunlit_room
2020-10-02 12:49 pm UTC (link)
Amelia stared at him for a moment, not believing him in the slightest that her dad was once a child. After a pause, she held her hands up to her eyes, then looked out between her fingers.

Will picked up his coffee and smiled at Michaela. Such a damn good-looking family, if he did think so himself. "Do you have any questions I could answer while Tuck's busy with the baby?" he asked, in what he hoped was a friendly manner.

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-02 12:53 pm UTC (link)
Tuck grinned and he hid his face as well, peeking and saying a gentle, "boo! There you are!" He hid again, and then peek, "there's your gorgeous face!" He continued to play this, hoping to make her giggle.

Michaela watched for a moment, before looking over to Will. "His nose is broken, isn't it?" she asked, worried. The bruising on Tuck's face was gone, but his nose was still swollen, and Michaela had been around enough violence to know what a broken nose looked like, even if Daniel hadn't noticed. "Is he alright?"

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[info]sunlit_room
2020-10-02 09:36 pm UTC (link)
Will glanced at Tuck, his smile fading a little. "He will be," he said. "I'm afraid it's not all sunshine and sleeping in trees being a folklore hero." He wasn't sure how much Tuck wanted said about their enemies just yet. He didn't want to cast a shadow over this reunion either, especially when Tuck was giggling with a baby and had such a happy look.

Amelia started playing along, smiling at the game, and after a moment, Billie said, "Okay, you hold her, I'm going to go and sort out some snacks." She lifted Amelia and sat her on Tuck's lap, and got up. Amelia stared at Tuck for a moment, then put her hands back up to her eyes to continue the game.

"Oh my god, everyone is going to puke from the cuteness," Will muttered, taking another photo.

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-02 10:39 pm UTC (link)
Tuck acted like he had been passed the most precious thing in the world - and to him he had. He grinned and kissed Amelia's hair, before continuing the game, bouncing her a little on his knee. "Oh, Amelia. You are just perfect, aren't you?" he cooed.

Michaela scooted closer to Will, trying to have her question be just for him and Daniel. "Will? What is he like? I have my memories, and that adorable bouncing over there seems to confirm them, but I want to hear it from someone who has known him for...centuries, apparently. What is my dad like?"

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[info]rouge_rogue
2020-10-03 05:13 am UTC (link)
"What's he like?" Will paused, watching Tuck for a moment. How to describe that ridiculous man?

"He's kind, good-hearted. Generous to a fault, and I mean that, he will neglect himself to help other people. He is stubborn, and doesn't mind telling you when you've crossed the line. He always wants to do the right thing, even if that means breaking the rules. He's very loving, towards his family- the literary family I mean, but I'm sure towards you as well. Wants to make people feel appreciated. Always collecting lost souls to add to his flock. He's religious, but he's not an arsehole about it. Um..." Will tried to think of negative things to say, but was pulling up blanks. "He can cook well... Great with kids... anything else?" He could think of a couple of extra things but he didn't want to share those with Tuck's kids. Not quite appropriate.

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-03 07:18 am UTC (link)
"Yes, that...that sounds about right," Michaela grinned. "It also sounds like you," she pointed at Dan, who groaned.

"She's always on me for looking after others before myself. Seems I came upon it naturally," he chuckled.

"And he's- He wants us around?" Michaela asked quietly. "My own mother doesn't want me anywhere near her so I- I have to make sure."

For his part, Tuck played peek a boo until Amelia giggled, and then he curled her into a hug because it was the most precious sound he had ever heard.

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[info]rouge_rogue
2020-10-03 10:01 am UTC (link)
"He literally said that every day he didn't know if he'd see you again was like dying a little inside." Will spread his hands to indicate how impressive and true the statement was. "He found out you were here yesterday and has been chomping at the bit ever since. I think your main issue now that he's here will be getting him to stop coming to visit and cooking you treats and bringing gifts to make up for past birthdays and Christmases."

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[info]made_of_ashes
2020-10-03 10:07 am UTC (link)
Michaela looked over at Tuck, cuddling a very happy Amelia, and she shook her head. "I honestly can't ever see myself minding," she said honestly. "We lost him for so long."

"He was the best dad," Daniel told Will. "Michaela was afraid there were monsters under her bed, so he checked every night. Made a game out of it. He used to sing me an extra song because he knew I could never choose between two. He made us laugh all the time. Told the best stories. He was always smiling. I think that was one of the things I missed most. His smile. Didn't have many of those after he was gone."

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[info]rouge_rogue
2020-10-03 11:19 am UTC (link)
"Sounds exactly like him." Will smiled fondly, glancing over at the love-struck new grandpa. "I'm sorry it happened the way it did for you."

"Who wants snacks?" Billie called, coming out of the kitchen with a tray of various crackers and chips and hummus. "Amelia loves hummus, don't you, baby? Some for you." She dipped a cracker and passed it to Amelia, who immediately jammed it in her mouth, sucked all the hummus off, and held the cracker out for more.

Billie looked over at Dan, giving him a small, "Are we doing okay?" look.

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[info]friartuck
2020-10-03 12:59 pm UTC (link)
Dan smiled calmly back at Billie, so she knew not only he was okay, but that he was feeling pretty damn great.

Tuck was delighted that Amelia loved hummus. "I make delicious home made hummus! I could make some the next time I- ...this is me assuming there's a next time-"

"There's a next time," Daniel was quick to assure Tuck. "There's definitely a next time."

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[info]rouge_rogue
2020-10-04 07:16 am UTC (link)
"What did I say?" Will said with good humour, looking around for where he'd left his cup of coffee. "You're stuck with him now." He winked at Tuck, feeling pretty pleased with how well this had all turned out. Tuck was gonna be buzzing about this for days.

"Lucky Amelia!" Billie said, sitting down again. "Grandpa AND hummus! What a day!"

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