After the Climb (River Rain 0.50)

As they approached, Hale smiled at Genny.

Tom looked right at Duncan, query then worry hitting his face when Duncan dipped his chin to share now was the time.

Duncan turned his attention to Hale.

He could see some Sam in him.

But mostly, it was Corey.

Built-up and filled-out Corey.

Dusty brown hair. Pale green eyes. Features so fine, if his lifestyle out in the sun and weather and his personality didn’t reflect on them, he’d be pretty.

That had been Corey’s problem.

Corey was actually a good-looking guy.

But he was tall and painfully thin, so he was called “The Stick.”

He was also a nerd, addicted to videogames and Star Trek reruns. The only time he got out and did anything physical was when Duncan made him.

So Corey was teased not only about being a nerd, but also about being gay or “a girl,” even if he wasn’t effeminate, kids were just assholes.

Duncan had spent time thinking about it, and back in the day, it was easy to convince himself Corey had latched onto Duncan to be his protector, his shield, because that shit didn’t happen when Duncan was around.

But when he was honest with himself, he knew that wasn’t true.

Because whenever they could get away with it, his ass was in a beanbag next to Corey’s while they watched Kirk and Spock and Bones and the rest of them boldly go where no man had gone before.

They were two kids with seriously shitty dads who made it clear they were disappointed in their sons, they shared common interests, they were only children…

And they both really dug hanging out with that girl Imogen.

When they arrived at the men, Hale claimed Genny with an arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side, which was something Duncan noted he did with all the females. Even eventually, after getting to know her a little, Duncan’s mom.

He was an affectionate guy. He communicated physically and nonverbally as well as with words.

Maybe it was the work he did with kids that were hard to reach.

Maybe it was just him.

“You guys don’t have rum,” he noted.

Genny made a face.

Hale started laughing.

Seeing that, truthfully, he wondered why neither Chloe nor Sasha had gone there.

Probably due to what had happened with his sons.

Hale was Matt, open to giving shit, taking it, teasing, cuddling, any and all brotherly duties, just without sharing the same blood.

When Hale quit laughing, he started to pay attention.

Mostly to the look on Gen’s face and then the line of Tom’s body.

Which made him ask, “What’s up?”

“Okay, honey, your dad gave Duncan and I—”

That was all Genny got out.

He let her go and stepped away, saying, “No.”

“Honey, let us—” she tried again.

“I got a box too, Gen,” he said, his words curt. “After that Insta pic hit with you and Duncan.”

Gen glanced at Duncan. He returned it and looked to Tom.

Tom caught it and sighed.

“Yeah, you all know his games,” Hale stated. “His attorneys were instructed not to give it to me until he’d set up Duncan to make his play.”

Okay, there it was.

Hale also got his father’s smarts.

“Hale—” Tom began.

“Fuck him, Tommy. I’m all right with him coming clean with Gen and Duncan because he owed them that. But he doesn’t get to try to be a dad to me after he blew the back of his head all over a priceless David Hockney.”

Genny winced.

“Hale,” Tom clipped warningly.

“Sorry, Gen,” Hale muttered tersely.

“We’ll give it time,” Duncan said.

“Respect, Duncan, but there’s not enough time in the world,” Hale replied.

“Yeah, I thought the same thing and almost burned the letter he wrote to Genny and me before we finished reading it. Then a few days passed, and his games meant I knew her daughters and she my sons and that led to what you had today, Hale. And I’ll share, even if his words affected me, I have not forgiven him. And I know myself enough, I won’t. Not ever. But that does not negate the fact I’m glad I read them, even as it’s upsetting that I read them knowing he felt compelled to write them before he took his own life.”

He got closer and both Gen and Tom took his cue and they moved in too.

Not pushy, just supportive.

“And it is upsetting,” Duncan went on quietly. “Because I don’t forgive him, but I miss him. I loved him. And I hate that he was living in so much pain, and swimming in so much guilt, that was the only way he saw to end it. But none of that gives back what he took from me. And I mean Genny. But I also mean Corey. He was the only brother I had and what he did meant I lived without Gen for twenty-eight years, but I will live without Corey forever.”

Hale swallowed.

Duncan didn’t like it, but he had to keep at it.