Paco is pleased that Hartley seems fine with the little flirts he's pulling out right now. He can't help it, it's just fun. Once things are more settled and solidified, he can't deny he might up that game, if Hart would let him. But... well, he'll worry about that later.
"Just that if I hurt you, he'll hunt me down." He doesn't seem phased or at all bothered by the threat, and he's casual when he repeats it, like he's recalling a weather report he'd seen earlier on the morning news.
"How long has it been?" He asks suddenly, tilting his head slightly. "Before all this... how long since you'd seen them? Spoken to them?" He's just curious. They didn't talk about either of their parents much, but it seems a bit more relevant on Hartley's end at this point.
Hartley's smile fades and he glances down at his hands, lying loosely in his lap. "Nearly five years since they threw me out on my ear and told me I wasn't their son."
"Five years..." He echoes, nodding a little. It's been longer than that for him, but that was his choice, not his hand being forced. Even if at the time it had felt that way. "What was it like, seeing him again? And is your mother so...pleasant?" He'd like to know what to expect in the inevitable eventual moment that meeting takes place.
Hartley feels like squirming at the questions, but he feels he owes Paco honest answers. It does feel good that Paco cares enough to ask - they've both spent a long time not prying into each other's pasts and feelings.
"My mother... she went along with what my father wanted. She always goes along with my father." He draws a breath and squeezes his hands into fists. "It's hard seeing him again. I want to hate him."
He does care. He cares to know what he's getting into, but...he also cares about what this is doing to Hartley, too. He's not sure he could face his parents like this, proper versions or another world's versions, it wouldn't make much difference, he isn't sure he could separate it.
And it doesn't sound like Hartley's doing much better at it, honestly.
Paco leans forward on his knees, reaching to close his hand over the top of one of Hartley's fists. "Maybe this wasn't the brilliant plan we thought it was." His voice is quiet, careful. He isn't doubting Hartley's ability to commit to it--and he doesn't quite realize it might sound that way--but more...what cost it has on him. Pretending to be loyal to someone you hate...isn't easy. Paco knows that fact quite intimately himself.
Hartley relaxes under Paco's hand, but tenses again at his words. He looks up, brows furrowing and a touch of defensiveness creeping into his eyes. This was his plan, and it's been a dream of his to walk back into Rathaway Industries and take over since he was put out on his ear.
But if Paco doesn't want to be here, he doesn't want to push him into dealing with Hartley's selfish plan. "What's wrong?"
He feels him tense up again and he knows he did something...said something? that caused it, but he isn't really connecting the dots and the confusion shows on his face, in his eyes.
"What do you mean? Nothing." Even to his own ears, his words sound defensive, which wasn't his intention or the best reaction probably. "Hart, I spent...so long...pleading loyalty to someone who I hated with every fiber of my being, because of what he held over me. And I don't know if I would have done it any different, if the circumstances were the same, but..." He shrugs, and it's not a cast-off more than it's a genuinely helpless gesture, "it ruined me, in a lot of ways that I can't get back."
Finally, his eyes find Hartley's again, his hand squeezing Hartley's gently. "Just...promise me you won't sacrifice yourself for this, okay? If it's too much...if dealing with them is ever too much...we, we'll find another way." He isn't really sure what brought on such a wave of raw emotion, but the words are there now, and he can't take any of it back. And he's not sure he would if he could anyway.
Hartley really isn't sure where Paco is going with this. He watches him uncertainly as he talks, then his eyes widen as Paco expresses his concern.
He draws a breath and lets it out, then squeezes Paco's hand tightly, breaking into a smile. "The day I met you was the luckiest day of my life, you know that? I couldn't ask for a better partner."
Suddenly, he's incredibly glad he has his goggles on because as much as he's opened up with Hartley, there are some things that are just very ingrained in him to think in certain ways-- like crying means weakness. And while he isn't exactly crying, his eyes are definitely wet with that little admission. The only outward sign of it hitting him at all is the grip he has on Hartley's hand tightening. He can't even find words to speak and it bothers him but he can't help it, he's not sure he's ever meant so much to anyone, ever.
"I don't know what I would do without you." He says softly.
Hartley doesn't know what he was hoping for, but what he got was enough. He squeezes back and leans closer to kiss Paco. "Then let's get to work," he whispers against Paco's lips. "With our hostile takeover of my father's company."
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Date: 2017-04-16 09:09 pm (UTC)"Just that if I hurt you, he'll hunt me down." He doesn't seem phased or at all bothered by the threat, and he's casual when he repeats it, like he's recalling a weather report he'd seen earlier on the morning news.
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Date: 2017-04-16 10:00 pm (UTC)He shakes his head, scowling. "I can't say I'm surprised... though I suppose it's nice that he gives a shit. Too bad he only cares about a lie."
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Date: 2017-04-16 10:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-16 10:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-17 03:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-19 04:23 am (UTC)"My mother... she went along with what my father wanted. She always goes along with my father." He draws a breath and squeezes his hands into fists. "It's hard seeing him again. I want to hate him."
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Date: 2017-04-20 02:26 am (UTC)And it doesn't sound like Hartley's doing much better at it, honestly.
Paco leans forward on his knees, reaching to close his hand over the top of one of Hartley's fists. "Maybe this wasn't the brilliant plan we thought it was." His voice is quiet, careful. He isn't doubting Hartley's ability to commit to it--and he doesn't quite realize it might sound that way--but more...what cost it has on him. Pretending to be loyal to someone you hate...isn't easy. Paco knows that fact quite intimately himself.
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Date: 2017-04-26 01:10 am (UTC)But if Paco doesn't want to be here, he doesn't want to push him into dealing with Hartley's selfish plan. "What's wrong?"
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Date: 2017-04-26 01:38 am (UTC)"What do you mean? Nothing." Even to his own ears, his words sound defensive, which wasn't his intention or the best reaction probably. "Hart, I spent...so long...pleading loyalty to someone who I hated with every fiber of my being, because of what he held over me. And I don't know if I would have done it any different, if the circumstances were the same, but..." He shrugs, and it's not a cast-off more than it's a genuinely helpless gesture, "it ruined me, in a lot of ways that I can't get back."
Finally, his eyes find Hartley's again, his hand squeezing Hartley's gently. "Just...promise me you won't sacrifice yourself for this, okay? If it's too much...if dealing with them is ever too much...we, we'll find another way." He isn't really sure what brought on such a wave of raw emotion, but the words are there now, and he can't take any of it back. And he's not sure he would if he could anyway.
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Date: 2017-04-28 04:06 am (UTC)He draws a breath and lets it out, then squeezes Paco's hand tightly, breaking into a smile. "The day I met you was the luckiest day of my life, you know that? I couldn't ask for a better partner."
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Date: 2017-04-28 04:48 am (UTC)"I don't know what I would do without you." He says softly.
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Date: 2017-05-09 01:24 am (UTC)