Xaviers!

Tosh laid in an infirmary bed, hooked up to another IV as he recovered from blood loss and from being sedated so long. He was currently listening to his father explain his role in the whole affair. Tosh didn't know what to make of the revelation that the superhero he thought was so cool as a kid was, in fact, his dad. Not only that, but also that his dad let him forget what had happened before and, even when Tosh had started down the superhero path, hadn't prepared him for the possibility of his grandfather trying again.

No, he did know how he felt. He was angry. Well-intentioned as letting him have a semblance of normalcy was, it felt like a betrayal of trust. His dad had let him be miserably afraid for years without knowing why. He had thought he had just been a wimp. He knew he would eventually forgive him, but at the moment he couldn't.

"Please, say something," his father said.

Had he been lost in thought that long? He fought back his full anger and said, "I need you to get out."

"Son. I'm sorry. Please..." his father began.

But Tosh cut him off. "I..." he said with a sniff, anger threatening to give way to hurt, "I can't do this... not right now."

His father sighed and stood up, "I understand. We can... talk later." He left without further comment.

After his dad left, the dam burst and he quietly wept into his pillow.

(open)

Steph hadn't wanted to intrude on a visit from a father she hadn't yet met, and didn't want her first meeting with him to be her looking like... this.

She saw the man she recognized from photos as Tosh's father leaving the room and watched him for a moment before moving toward Tosh's room. Her furry, pointed ears twitched as she heard the sobs and she quickened her pace, slipping into the room and padding over to his bedside from behind

"Hey..." the giant werewolf said hesitantly, placing a clawed hand on his shoulder.

Tosh didn't look at her, he only sniffed and said, "I... don't want you to see me like this."

“You see me when I look like a dog more often than not. A few tears is nothing,” she replied, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

He wiped his eyes on his hospital gown and rolled over. He looked tired and miserable.

"I thought I was finally stronger than this."

“You’re dealing with a lot right now,” she reassured him, taking a seat next to the bed and taking his hand into hers. “There’s nothing wrong with crying, or getting stuck in the infirmary. Or if there is, then I’m wrong a lot.”

“I’m just sorry I haven’t been able to help you more...directly in all of this.”

"I'm just glad you're here now. Besides, if you had gone then your wild side might just have torn my grandpa apart," he joked half-heartedly.

“‘My girlfriend ate Grandpa,’ sounds like a great way to start a conversation, right?” she teased back.

“Do you need me to get you anything? Better food? Any of your gadgets?”

"Oh God yes. Though I'm honestly surprised they're even letting me have visitors. They keep telling me to rest."

"Not like I haven't been asleep for days," said the guy who's obviously tired anyway.

“I may have growled a bit at one of the nurses when she tried to turn me away while your dad was in there.” she admitted.

"That's my girl," he said with a weak smile, "No sense being a werewolf if you can't bully healthcare professionals."

“How are things with your dad?”

He frowned. "Aside from keeping important secrets from me 'for my own good,' just great," he said bitterly. He then explained his father's secret double life as a superhero called Chitin and how he had let Tosh forget about what exactly happened to him the first time the insane doctor kidnapped a young Tosh. He seemed deeply hurt by his father's overprotective lack of action that left him vulnerable to the trap set by his grandfather.

Steph listened attentively, nodding along as he explained. She let the story sink in and finally replied. "That's a lot to absorb, and I know you're hurt. But...and I'm speaking from experience here...don't let this ruin things between you two. Family is important. He cares about you enough to want to protect you even if you're more than capable of defending yourself."

He sighed. "I know he meant well. I really do. I'm sure everyone did. Because that's the thing... it wasn't just him. Everyone in my family knew what happened to me, what might be coming for me if grandpa got out."

“And shame on them for not knowing you well enough to know that you’re amazing and a genius, and really capable of taking care of yourself now, but still...they did it to try and protect you, because they care about you.”

She sighed, “I’m probably just biased because I miss my own family and won’t ever get them back. I just don’t want you to have to do the same thing.”

"I know. I think they just can't quit seeing me as the wimpy kid who couldn't protect himself. I at least thought Shogo knew I wasn't that kid anymore. But... I guess once a 'big brother' type, always a 'big brother' type."

"Well now you do know everything, and now they know that you know, so you've got a whole lot of people who will be ready to help you if you ever need it again. Including a vaguely competent werewolf. Maybe," she reassured him.

"Not sure I'll ever be very good at this 'hero' thing, but I should probably try since I can."

"I know you'd be great at it if you wanted to," he smiled, "Then again, I am biased by your awesomeness."

“Awesomeness? Me? Did you hit your head hard in that fight?” she smirked.

“But maybe you can help me figure it out some more.”

"Sounds like a very rewarding science project," he nodded.

"Though power application training is more a job for the other mes. So you should probably bring a swimsuit."

"Actually, do that no matter what we do," he grinned.

“Normally I’d have to shave before thinking about getting into a bathing suit in front of my boyfriend, but I guess I don’t really need to worry about that,” she chuckled.

"I really need to send pics of us together to everyone who called me a loser back in California," he smiled.

“If I can get my normal side to cooperate I would like a good picture of us. Like this I just look like something out of a horror movie or of those games you and Trev play.”

"Then, once I'm out of here, let's make that happen."

“I would very much like that,” she smiled.

“How long are they keeping you here? And don’t you dare rush trying to get out of here. You had to go through a lot.”

"It's going to be a few days at least but I'll have to take it easy for a few weeks after that."

“Well, I will bring you treats and visit you every day,” she said, squeezing his hand as her tail wagged happily.

"I'd like that a lot," he said with a tired smile. "It's really lonely in here."

“Should I tell Trev he needs to bring your game computer things over for when I’m not here?” she teased.

"You know me too well," he grinned. "Because my God this place is boring."