Chapter Text
Kevin hadn’t wanted to go. He really hadn’t wanted to go. But alas, he had been convinced - Or rather, he wasn’t entirely sure where else to actually stay the summer break, and with Wymack - Kevin still could not find it in himself to call him dad - extending the offer, there wasn’t really any good, logical reasons to not go for it - Other than his impending dread at having to spend ‘quality time’ with his father, of course.
To Wymack’s credit, the man had kept it very casual, he’d made no grand displays at the door - Kevin could almost pretend they were still just coach and player.
They had ordered food, neither of them too keen on testing limits in the kitchen, and Wymack had found a small restaurant that offered a lot of healthy options. Kevin couldn’t entirely agree on the oily sandwich being healthy, but it was at least better than the usual chicken nuggets and pizza he’d observed the man ordering many times. Besides, he didn’t want to cause more trouble than what was necessary. So he ordered a simple steak with bearnaise sauce. Wymack, naturally, ordered a double beef burger, but at least they seemed a lot more nourishing than whatever McDonalds would offer.
“Hey,” Wymack said, pushing away the packaging. “Wanna watch a movie?”
Kevin looked up, still eating, chewing each bite down carefully. He did not count the amount of chews, only because it was so ingrained to chew exactly thirty-two times as recommended. The expectation of having to respond quickly made him miss a chew, spiking his anxiety even more. The food felt thick in his throat as he swallowed.
“Sure, which one.” He said. Maybe it’d make him not have to talk for a while, he’d like that.
“Something easy, I think.” Wymack said, and they quickly settled on Harry Potter when Wymack learned that Kevin had never watched them. Kevin quickly found the Harry kid annoying, his powers didn’t feel earned, but he let it slide in the name of peace, and didn’t bring up his annoyances to Wymack.
At some point Wymack paused the movie and got up, heading out to the kitchen. When he came back, he had two bottles of beer in his hand. “Now, don’t take this as endorsement,” Wymack warned before sitting down and handing one of the bottles to Kevin. “But it seems like sitting down to have a beer with your son is something a father should have done at least once.”
“Please don’t-“ Kevin started, but Wymack held a hand up to shush him.
“I know this is going to take time, a lot of it probably. You think I’d collect all you rascals instead if I had thought I’d been cut out to be a father?”
Kevin didn’t respond, and Wymack took it as permission to continue.
“I am happy, you know? About this whole thing, I mean,” he made a gesture in the air to encompass ‘all this’ “I just wish I’d have known sooner.”
“I had my reasons,” Kevin said quickly, and Wymack waved him off.
“Of course you did, kid, doesn’t mean I can’t be upset about it, yeah?” he said “But I don’t mean when we met, though I certainly did wish you’d told me then. I mean back then.
“If I’d known when Keyleigh died, I could have tried for custody. It should have been fairly easy, especially if I agreed to move for you, I don’t think I’m enough of a mess that the government would have tried anything funny, and Tetsuji would not have had that kind of power in other countries, ties or not.” He sighed, and leaned back on the couch as he took another sip of the beer. “I know I’m not a perfect man and I have a lot to learn, but I like believing I could have given you a better experience growing up.”
Kevin was silent for a long time, and Wymack didn’t push him, probably not even expecting an actual response other than a faint acknowledgment of the words.
“I, uh-“ Kevin started, trying to formulate his words. “I’m happy you didn’t know.”
Wymack raised an eyebrow and Kevin quickly added “It’s not personal.”
“Can you elaborate on that?” he asked, “Because it’s kind of hard to not take it personally.”
Kevin looked at his hands. “He would have been all alone if I hadn’t been there.”
“Jean?” Wymack asked and Kevin fell awfully silent, Wymack slowly catching up. “Oh, I see.”
“Doubt you really can,” Kevin said. “You hate him.”
“Yeah, you’re damn right about that, it’d be pretty hard for me not to hate him after everything he’s done,” Wymack said. “But he’s pretty important to you as well, and as a father there’s nothing else I can do than accept that, right?”
“Are you going to use that word at every opportunity you have?” Kevin asked.
Wymack laughed “I have twenty-one years worth of dad jokes I have to catch up on, you should be thankful this is the worst I’m putting you through. For now.”
Kevin groaned.
They fell into a silence that didn’t feel as awkward as Kevin had feared. The movie had long been forgotten, the screen paused on the ugly troll in the midst of destroying some toilets.
“Come to think of it,” Wymack finally broke it. “I don’t know a whole lot about Riko except for what the public was fed about you two.”
“Yeah?”
“Tell me about him. I can’t really get to know him, but at least I can get to know what he was to you.”
Kevin looked down at his hands, considering his next words.
“I can,” he said “Can you-“
“Spit it out.”
“Can you tell me about mom too?” he asked “Tetsuji has told me a lot, but…”
“It’s not the same, isn’t it?”
Kevin shook his head. “It’s not. I’d like to know it from you too.”
Wymack smiled. “Well, we might have to grab another beer, because I think both of us have a pretty long story to tell.”