i'm leaving you my last curse

[bravebartender]

Comments

[acdc_rules]

I know.

[He exhales hard as he drops down onto his bed, rubbing at his eyes.]

My timing there was not the greatest.

[camber]

You said what you said when you said it.

( Never mind the hour he had in the garage, the two before that, any day before today -- yeah, his timing was crappy. But, timing just is crappy. Always. So, he's not knocking his timing. )

Why now?

[acdc_rules]

Fuck if I know.

[He wishes he did have an answer.]

It's not the first time that I've like ... pulled it up on my phone or whatever. I ordered the DNA kit weeks ago and was just not pulling the trigger. I shouldn't want to know. Like shit, it's not like I need a dad. I've got Rudy.

[Which isn't the most ringing endorsement, but he knows that Rudy has been more than happy filling the role when needed to.]

I guess I got to the point where I just couldn't handle the question mark, you know? Like I figured maybe if I just can put a name to it, maybe that would be enough.

[camber]

And you stuck to your guns.

( Bandaid's ripped. )

Hey, I'm not knocking you. If there was a mystery or something I could learn about my mom, I'd do it. I'd find out. But, you know I'm a digger.

( That's the thing, normally, he's the digger. )

Look, you could've lied and told me alone, but you admitted everything. So now she's a part of this. Maybe that's not a bad thing.

[acdc_rules]

I wouldn't have kept her out of it anyway. I mean she knows as much as I do anyway.

[And he's never judged her for that. It's not like these things don't happen.]

I just thought maybe I'd see if there was actually something there to the whole Milligan thing before I got her hackles up for nothing.

[camber]

Her hackles aren't, yeah, okay, she's hackling. But, she loves you. And you deserve answers.

( He sighs. )

Anything else you need to get off your chest before we head back downstairs. Anything else that might help me?

[acdc_rules]

[He takes a deep breath, before shaking his head.]

I was born in October so this guy was probably around in ... January of 99? If that helps when you're asking around.

[A pause.]

Also feel free to warn me in advance if he's gonna suck.

[camber]

January '99, got it.

( He puts that into his phone. )

If you think of anything else, just send it to me. You want me to fill your mom and you in with what I find or... just you? And, as I go, or, after I find everything I can?

( He frowns, though. He hopes the guy won't suck. )

[acdc_rules]

[Ben takes a deep breath, trying to figure out the answers to those questions, because they're not easy.]

As you go works, I guess? I'm not sure I'm gonna be good with waiting.

[A pause as he considers.]

And yeah. Loop Mom in too.

[camber]

Okay. World's most awkward group chat ever incoming.

( He starts it between the two of them, labels it Who Is Adam Milligan? Relabels it 23andU2. He chuckles to himself. )

You know I'm going to start tomorrow. Like if there's anything out there. I've been itching to get my hands on a project.

[acdc_rules]

I know. And I appreciate it.

[He just needs to get it out of his hands, because he was not an investigator and he's only going to be able to get so far.]

I wouldn't trust it to anyone else.

[camber]

That and you're a knucklehead.

( But so's he and knuckleheads gotta stick together, don't they? And they probably trust each other the most, and then their parents. )

We should get back down there. Minimize emotional blowback.

( Also booze is down there. )

[acdc_rules]

[He takes a deep breath and lets his head drop into a nod. He shouldn't commandeer all of this holiday, for better or worse.]

Yeah, yeah. Let's go.

[He can't promise he'll be doing much drinking - it's what got him in this mess in the first place - but he will liberally help himself to some pie.]