narrative. Who: Ren Solitaire & Hans Ogden (NPC'd by Ginger, TY!) What: Awkward familial encounter When: Nowish Where: The bookstore Warnings: None that I can think of.
Hans Ogden liked to travel incognito, without any of the fuss his wife's senatorial status inevitably engendered. He'd decided to come down to Repose to check in on his foster-niece, more of a foster-daughter these days with Luke gone and Ben so far on the outs he couldn't be bothered to keep in touch directly, and it was a surprise. He'd stopped at the bookshop for a coffee to bring up to the house.
It was the dog that gave it away. He dashed straight from the front of the store toward the counter at the back, barking up a storm. Hans followed him back, grabbed his leash, and looked up to make his apology. "He's not usually like--"
Oh. Well no wonder Indy was so excited. Hans found himself staring into the face of his son.
Fuck.
It wasn't as if Ren hadn't expected that this could happen at some point, because sure, it was a public place and Rey was here and he knew his Dad had stopped by once before, but he'd planned on being more alert.
But with Audrey's disappearance, he'd been carrying more solo shifts, and things had been a little heavier, and well. fuck.
Which wasn't going to work as a statement, he realized. His eyes glanced to Indy and then up to his Dad and then back to Indy. "Hey."
Hans started to say something, with his mouth open as he drew in a breath, and then didn't say it. Then tried again. "Ben," he said, and then went with, "I didn't expect to see you here. How are you?" The dog was still whining enthusiastically, wanting to give his friend some affection. "Sit," Hans told Indy, and he did.
Ren's eyes glanced around the shop, perhaps to see if there was anyone likely to have noticed his actual name being used, but truthfully Ben and Ren were close enough it wasn't maybe likely they would have. "Yeah, I mean, I just ... " he waved a hand around the shop as if that would describe anything. It wouldn't, but he didn't know how to explain why he hasn't told his parents he was here.
His gaze fell on Indy and he offered the dog a sort of half smile. He couldn't really pet him while he was working, and it occurred to him as he did so that his Dad had asked a question. "Yeah, so I'm good," he looked up, uncertain. "You want a coffee?"
"Yeah, sure. Two if you can spare a moment." Hans looked around to see if there was anyone else who needed waiting on. Indy barked once, a bit of a whiny pay attention to me bark, and Hans added, "If you've got anything for him, or just something I can give him, a plain cookie or something, one of that too," and added in a stage whisper, "We won't tell your mom."
Ren raised an eyebrow and turned towards the cups, hesitating a moment before he turned back. "Like just pour overs or espresso stuff?" He should know, he realized. But it'd been so long since he'd been with his Dad, that he didn't really know if he still wanted it just straight up black. Of course there was a second coffee, so there was the excuse for asking.
He took one of the small cups while he was waiting, filling it up with whipped cream, and handing it over. "He'll like it. I promise."
"Sure." Hans put down a twenty, which should more than cover a couple of coffees and a dog coffee, and offered Indy the cup, which he preceded to lap down with great gusto and enthusiastic noises. "And yeah, I still take mine black. Nothing fancy. Your mom's after me to try decaf." He made a face that demonstrated exactly what he thought of decaffeinated anything.
Ren snorted at this, a half of a laugh that was mostly cut off but he couldn't imagine his Dad doing decaf. "There's no point to it," he said aloud. Virgin cocktails had more point because at least there was juice and stuff.
He supposed he could guess where the second one was going, and so on a whim he started a pourover for his Dad and then started Rey's favorite, falling into a sort of awkward silence as he didn't really know what to say.
"Um, Mom's good?"
"She's good. She's gonna be mad, but, you know how she is. Indy's good." Indy punctuated that with a bark of pleasure and a tail wag at hearing his name. "Your mom's seat's not up for another two years but she doesn't expect a hard fight. She's--satisfied, I guess is the word. Are you staying in town? I thought Rey would have mentioned it if you were at the lake house."
Ren didn't exactly make a face, but he did look away, choosing that point in the conversation to go ahead and pour his Dad's coffee. A glance around, once again trying to figure out if anyone had overheard him, but "I wouldn't think it would be." At least not unless… But that wasn't a conversation he was going to have with his Dad right now, and preferably not with his Mom.
"I'm not at the house," he said instead, handing the coffee over and reaching for the other. There was a beat but he figured the gig was kind of up anyway. "I've got a place here in town."
Hans nodded slowly as he processed that information. "I was going to stop at the store and get some things to make dinner for Rey. Probably throw something on the grill. Think you might want to come out and have something with us?" Indy whined, and he added, "You'll disappoint the dog if you don't." Which he said with a totally straight face, as if it were a matter of no moment to him.
Ren raised an eyebrow at this comment and glanced at Indy as if the dog was part of this blatant attempt at manipulating Ren into coming out. But on the other hand, grilled anything was better than the frozen freezer things he'd probably eat at his house. "I don't get off till kinda late," he hedged.
"We can wait for you," Hans said. His son, after all, was worth it.
Ren figured that'd be the answer, and doubted a straight up no would be allowed. Not to mention, he probably should at least try to mediate whatever his Dad told his Mom in order to not get yelled at in person at the shop. He handed over the second coffee and shrugged. "Yeah, ok."
"Good," Hans said, and smiled, crookedly. "For now let's just enjoy our coffee."