Sanders Sides One-shots

Like Father Like Son

The young boy tapped his fingers on the counter, his raven colored hair constantly being pushed out of his face everytime it falls in his golden brown eyes. He silently sips at his smoothie, anxiously he glances at the seat next to him, then the door, then hyper-focusing on his drink slowly sinking down.

What if he doesn't show up? What if he baled and didn't tell him? What if he really didn't want to meet him and this was all a huge waste of time? What if-

He closed his eyes and took a breath. He couldn't think that way. Whatever happens happens. He can only control himself, whatever the man does, does not change who he himself is, he does not define his worth. He defines his own worth. Telling himself that helped, but his nerves still ate away at him. Which is understandable, so he'll cut himself some slack.

Finally- finally- the doors open and the person in question sits next to him. He doesn't look, just in case, but his hopes are buzzing in his chest.

The man's voice was fraught with its own tension, "Alan?"

The boy looked up, hope brimming, "That's me!"

The man looked at him, taking note of the boy's pale skin, his choice of a black zip up hoodie accentuated with the warm colors (red, orange, yellow).

"Hey...dad?"

The man felt the air leave his chest, "It means a lot that you'd call me that...there are so many reasons that you wouldn't."

"Yeah, well...it feels weird using your name, you know?"

He nodded, "I know."

"There are so many things I want to ask you...can I?"

"I'll answer to the best of my abilities...though, you may not like, or even understand, some answers."

"I came here knowing that...trust me, I overthink almost as much as dad."

The man laughed, "That's a high bar."

"It really is, though he has a good reason to be so frantic."

"...You have questions?"

Alan nodded, "Yes. I'll save the most obvious one for last, give you time to think about your answer."

"You might not like it."

Alan didn't answer, "Where have you been?"

The man shrugged, "All over, I suppose. Mainly in California."

"Do you have a job there?"

"I get gigs to sing at bars and coffee houses and sometimes small rolls in films or some video or show- but my main job is at a coffee shop."

That was interesting, "What have you been in?"

The man went on to list of a few of the works he's scored over the years, Alan seem more impressed than the man did.  The kid has actually heard of some of the pieces, not many, but any at all is impressive.

"That's- actually really cool. Have you ever tried for any bigger roles in anything?"

The grown man shrugged and gave a laugh lacking humor, "I use to...but the longer I went on, the less I started to see the point."

"The point? Oh what, auditioning for a star role in a possibly popular movie?"

A few heartbeats. Alan could appreciate that the man was really thinking about his answers for him.

"Yeah, I knew...I thought...," He took a second to think about his wording some more, "I feel...if I try for anything like that, then I'll genuinely end up completely alone. So what would be the point of fame if I had no one to celebrate and appreciate it with?"