@theharlanboy / theharlanboy.tumblr.com
(I will post one more drabble finishing up Roger’s arc with @incorporearl but other than that - this blog is closed and archive-only.
Thank you for everyone following Roger over the past year. It was a fun ride. I’m looking forward to seeing Roger’s story developed more in the podcast. And until then - you can still find me over at @ask-stevecarlsberg, @behindthebalaclava and @alwaysfine.)
Roger stood next to the car, holding on to his toy raccoon and adjusting the strap on his back. He looked at the house behind them and felt cold dread come over him. He remembered dad building it - vaguely, but he recalled the pride. He also remembered that fateful day when dad came home and did not recognize him. Maybe leaving it behind wouldn’t be the worst thing.
“Are you ready, Roger?”
Roger looked at dad and smiled nervously. He nodded and dad smiled right back. All of their important belongings were in the car already - there wasn’t much. Some books, mostly clothes, a couple of souvenirs. Really not much. Roger would have taken even fewer of his own things but dad insisted that he could pack most of the stuff. Dad was wonderful through all of that. He made things easy for Roger, and he felt bad about putting dad through all of it, the move included.
Well, then, hop in and we are off, dad signed and Roger did as told. He put his backpack on the back seat and jumped into his own, still holding the raccoon close. Dad also got in and started the engine.
Roger still didn’t feel like talking most of the time. Well, not exactly ‘didn’t feel like it’. He knew he could do it. He spoke sometimes. But most of the time the voice just got stuck in his throat and he reverted back to signing. Dad didn’t seem to be worried about it, and it was helpful. Maybe he would speak more in the future, but it still felt like blasphemy against the Spire, even though the Spire did not have a hold of them anymore.
Dad started the engine and Roger focused his eyes on the house they were leaving behind. He had so many memories with that house. So many of them were bad, though. Maybe it was a good thing they were leaving them behind.
“Don’t worry, Roger. It’ll be fine,” dad said and Roger smiled.
“I know,” he whispered as their home disappeared from sight.
He even believed it a little. It felt nice.
(I will post one more drabble finishing up Roger’s arc with @incorporearl but other than that - this blog is closed and archive-only.
Thank you for everyone following Roger over the past year. It was a fun ride. I’m looking forward to seeing Roger’s story developed more in the podcast. And until then - you can still find me over at @ask-stevecarlsberg, @behindthebalaclava and @alwaysfine.)
Roger finally calmed down, and his sobs quieted down while he just held on to dad. “I m-missed you,” he whimpered and hid his face in dad’s chest.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Earl whispered, holding his son tightly. “I’m glad you’re okay. I was so worried about you… You’re the best part of my life, Roger. The most important.”
Roger nodded and smiled weakly. He pulled away and finished his breakfast.
They’d be fine.
Roger nodded and nestled close to dad, grabbing his clothes tight. He was nodding furiously, unable to voice what he felt, how overwhelming it was to see dad take him away from this awful town finally and not even be mad at him about it, and how things finally seemed to be looking up. Not as good as they had been before, but… Better, for the first time in ages.
So he just cried.
Earl wasn’t completely sure what his son was thinking about, but it was an emotional time, and it was better to let all that out. So he wrapped his arms around his son and lay his cheek on Roger’s head, and murmured, “We’ll be okay. We’re safe now. I love you. It’s okay.”
Roger finally calmed down, and his sobs quieted down while he just held on to dad. “I m-missed you,” he whimpered and hid his face in dad’s chest.
Roger looked at dad with wide eyes and then he just ducked his head and burst into tears. It was all too much to bear.
Earl frowned and scooted closer, wrapping his arms around his son. “Hey,” he murmured. “Roger, it’ll be okay. We’ll be okay. I promise.”
Roger nodded and nestled close to dad, grabbing his clothes tight. He was nodding furiously, unable to voice what he felt, how overwhelming it was to see dad take him away from this awful town finally and not even be mad at him about it, and how things finally seemed to be looking up. Not as good as they had been before, but... Better, for the first time in ages.
So he just cried.
Roger nodded and smiled. “Thanks,” he whispered, his voice shaky and hoarse. His heart was beating so fast. He could really speak again.
Earl smiled, reaching over to ruffle Roger’s hair. “I love you,” he said fondly.
Roger looked at dad with wide eyes and then he just ducked his head and burst into tears. It was all too much to bear.
I don’t know many other places, Roger signed and took a second pancake, putting a lot of chocolate on it. I thought it’s neat. I didn’t know it’s too far. I’m sorry.
Earl smiled and shook his head. It’s okay. We’ll find a good place to live.
Roger nodded and smiled. “Thanks,” he whispered, his voice shaky and hoarse. His heart was beating so fast. He could really speak again.
Roger looked at dad, feeling silly now. It’s just that it sounded fun on the radio, he signed. We can go somewhere easier to get to.
We can go there on vacation some time, Earl promised. I’d rather visit first before we move so far away, though.
I don’t know many other places, Roger signed and took a second pancake, putting a lot of chocolate on it. I thought it’s neat. I didn’t know it’s too far. I’m sorry.
Roger nodded nervously. It would be super scary. Can we go to Europe? Mr. Cecil seems to think fondly of it.
Earl blinked. “Oh. Europe? I guess we could… We’d have to fly, though, and leave most of our belongings behind. What about Europe sounds good to you?”
Roger looked at dad, feeling silly now. It’s just that it sounded fun on the radio, he signed. We can go somewhere easier to get to.
He nodded. It’d be nice but he’d do whatever. He didn’t want to make any decisions, all he really wanted was to be with dad and dad to be happy. He didn’t want anything else.
Earl smiled. “Maybe some of each. We’ll see how it goes, and what we find,” he said softly.
Roger nodded nervously. It would be super scary. Can we go to Europe? Mr. Cecil seems to think fondly of it.
Roger smiled and nodded, stuffing his face with the pancakes. He said something and it was his weird, and nothing bad happened. His heart was pounding. Maybe good things were possible after all.
Earl ate his pancakes, and then finished his orange milk. …He’d miss that, he never saw any outside of Night Vale. “It’s getting warm enough that we could camp along the way, if you want. Or we could go into towns, and stay there.”
He nodded. It'd be nice but he'd do whatever. He didn't want to make any decisions, all he really wanted was to be with dad and dad to be happy. He didn't want anything else.
Roger smiled and took a pancake, taking the first bite and beaming. “Tasty,” he said in a quiet voice. It’s been so long since he last spoke. But maybe it was safe now to speak. They were leaving. It all felt right.
Earl grinned at his son’s voice and leaned over for a quick one-armed hug. “…Thanks, Roger,” he whispered.
Roger smiled and nodded, stuffing his face with the pancakes. He said something and it was his weird, and nothing bad happened. His heart was pounding. Maybe good things were possible after all.
Roger smiled and took the glass, taking a sip. Thanks, he signed. It was nice. Maybe they could really be safe again.
Earl smiled and nodded to him, sipping his own milk and carefully getting the pancakes on a plate. Once there were a few for each of them, he set the plates on the table and set the syrup between them.
Roger smiled and took a pancake, taking the first bite and beaming. “Tasty,” he said in a quiet voice. It’s been so long since he last spoke. But maybe it was safe now to speak. They were leaving. It all felt right.
Roger smiled and nodded. He wrapped the blanket closer around himself and sat on a chair silently.
Earl let the pancake cook while he got some orange milk out, pouring them each a glass and handing one to Roger.
Roger smiled and took the glass, taking a sip. Thanks, he signed. It was nice. Maybe they could really be safe again.
Roger sat for a moment but then it got too quiet and he stood up, taking the blanket with him, and quietly trotted back to dad, watching him work in the kitchen.
This would be a big change. Huge. But Roger was safe, the Spire would leave them both alone. That’s what mattered. He smiled over his shoulder at Roger, then flipped the pancakes. “Hey there.”
Roger smiled and nodded. He wrapped the blanket closer around himself and sat on a chair silently.
Roger nodded. “Please,” he said, tired but finally feeling safe.
Earl smiled, standing up and wrapping a blanket around his son before heading to the kitchen to start cooking.
Roger sat for a moment but then it got too quiet and he stood up, taking the blanket with him, and quietly trotted back to dad, watching him work in the kitchen.
