Detour Down Memory Lane {Coco, Hector}

[Barley Lightfoot]

Barley wasn't one for lists, not like Ian was. In fact, he sort of felt they hindered what could otherwise be a grand quest, if you over planned them. Some planning was still needed. But mental planning worked. So, while he didn't have a list of places to try and look for a job, he had some ideas.

There was a place here called Gaston's Tavern. He and Ian had already discussed it as a place to find the Manticore perhaps, and...to that end and getting a job maybe (getting a job with the Manticore! That was a job he could get behind!) Barley planned to check it out.

Probably that day. He'd told Ian he would make some progress towards the job search, at least, and even if he came back with blank applications, he would.

Barley planned through all of this, again lightly, as he made himself toast and alternately put jam on it and just ate some from the jar! Ian had already headed out for the day, no doubt doing far more productive things than Barley, who's next move of the morning was to accidentally drop some of the jam onto his cargo shorts!

"Oops", he bent to scrub it off, in that casual way he had of solving problems, when he felt the pocket he rubbed crinkle slightly. Frowning, perplexed, Barley reached into the pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper. Oh yeah, he'd forgotten about that!

Barley had been jotting down what he could recall of his and Ian's dad's Visitation Spell! To show his brother, and sort of see how much he recalled. Not...because he thought he and Ian could do it again. Barley knew, best of anyone, how that sort of thing only worked once...

Just to see if he could.

He smiled, sort of at his own idea, as he looked at the paper and scribbled doodles and words that were not written as elegantly as his father had managed. "Still a shame we can't give Ian that chance...", he whispered to no one in particular.

And just like that, his mind was traveling down paths best left locked away in the back of his mind.

Barley had gotten his closure, but...somehow it still didn't help. Well, it did and didn't. That guilt was gone, but...not the regret.

I remember his beard was scratchy...

There were quite a few instances Barley could point to, on all of his good three memories, and he suddenly recalled one of the ones on that one.

"Will he's asleep..."
"Oh, trust me Laurel, if I know my boy, he's not sleeping that deeply"

Two-year old Barley squeezed his eyes tighter in an attempt to fake sleep, and as small kids did, not knowing it gave him away more. He heard his father chuckle, indicating that he was on to him, before he leaned down to give his son's blue hair a light tousle, and deliver a scratchy good-night kiss...

It was the most mundane of memories...but those were the worst sometimes. Barley sniffed, and wiped in what he hoped was discreetly at one eye as he stared at the paper before him, even if he was alone currently, thankfully. He'd noticed before the door to his and Ian's hotel suite was still cracked and planned to close it later.

[Coco Rivera]

Coco was trying, so very hard, to not be...smothering in her checking up on Ian and Barley, and ensuring they had all that they needed. Still, she did not figure that extended to giving a light knock at their door one morning as she passed; both to check that all was alright, since the door was ajar, and just check up in general.

"Ian? Barley? So sorry...", she began, as she entered, only to break off when she saw the look upon the older of the young Elf's face, and as he stood up quickly. "Why, Barley...is everything alright?", she went on, in a genuinely worried tone now, and walking closer to further scrutinize him in that grandmotherly way of hers. He had hastily placed something behind his back, she'd seen it as she walked in, startling him, but Coco had never been a prying sort of grandmother, always preferring to let her kids, grand-kids, and great-grand tell her in their own way and time about problems.

[Barley Lightfoot]

It was all set to just be one of those things, one of those reactions he had, that he didn't have to let anyone else know about. Not that Barley was truly embarrassed of his reaction. Missing one's parents, or regretting how things had played out, or not, was normal; but...being there for Ian sometimes meant he had to still at times exude strength, even when he didn't necessarily feel it, in that moment.

So he needed moments like this.

So his only real regret in Miss Coco catching him was if Ian somehow found out...that and if she got too coddling, which would be embarrassing.

"Miss Coco, hey!", paper still held securely behind his back, Barley gave her his old grin...and tried to not rock on his heels like a kid hiding something. Of course, she was perceptive though. Most grandmothers worth their badges of honor for the position were.

They could be harder to get past than a magma beast!

"Why, Barley...is everything alright?"

"Hmm?", Barley's tone feigned ignorance before he laughed and waved a hand, as if to wave away her concern, "Oh, yeah, fine, I...". He noticed he was waving the hand holding the paper and hid it behind his back again. "...was just looking over some sketches". He couldn't lie to Miss Coco, Barley suddenly found, and sketches were on the paper, if his copying down of his father's own old ones for the spell...still...let her think he meant Ian's sketches on his staff bag...

[Coco Rivera]

Coco gave Barley a smile back, and tried, for his sake, to not immediately let him know he was as caught out as he seemed to already guess he was. Grandmotherly intuition, sure. Coco would admit to that giving her an unfair advantage, but...maybe she also just knew hiding papers and reactions too well.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, fine, I...was just looking over some sketches"

Coco nodded, watching the path of the paper as Barley waved it dismissively, by accident, and then, realizing, hid it again. She debated the best course of action. She still didn't know what the paper was, and, being Barley's own secret, it was fine if it remained as such; Coco was just concerned over what was the best thing to do for Barley himself in this moment.

She had a feeling he told her the selective truth; because she had done that with Mamá in hiding dancing shoes or photos and letters.

"Alright", she said with a smile, "I'm not here to pry, was just checking since I saw your door open...but if you need to talk, I am also here", she offered and tried to also offer him a way out, if he wished to just comment or answer on the door and leave it at that.

[Barley Lightfoot]

Miss Coco of course gave both an understanding and a knowing answer to Barley trying to say everything was fine. The Elf met back her small smile and debated as well. Maybe...out of everyone, if there was a safe person to share to...

Someone who looked out for them enough to be such a confidant and yet removed enough that Ian wouldn't find out. Again, Barley just didn't want to shake that foundation he knew he was for his younger brother (and especially since both Dad and Ian had said it!).

She gave him the perfect lead in...Barley just had to decide if he was taking it. "Yeah...Ian must have left it on his way out, or, actually, it's probably my fault now that I think about it", he began with, answering about the door being open, and still dodging the issue as he gave a small chuckle at his own joke at his expense, before looking serious again, and glancing to the paper in his hands.

"I guess I should tell someone...", he admitted, with a small glance up at Coco, before glancing aside again. "But...it's dumb...or I know it looks like I thought...". Breaking off, Barley glanced once more to the door to make sure the coast was clear, and Ian wasn't about to come back in. To be safe, he should shut the door maybe...but didn't, and just went on in a low voice, but one that could still be detected if someone really tried to eavesdrop.

"I know the spell to bring him back won't work...and I wasn't trying for that, just...seeing how much of my Dad's spell I could recall. You know. Just 'cause", Barley gave a light shrug as he walked back over to where he'd been standing before, trying to bury the actual importance behind casual, but held out the paper to show.

[Coco Rivera]

Coco meant her words about not prying, and yet listened, as it sounded like Barley wanted and needed to open up to someone. She didn't really know about the burden he carried all on his shoulders, for both his mother and brother's sake, but she could sort of understand his doing such. Mamá had also tried to carry everything upon her shoulders for the family after they lost Papá. Of course she had Tío Felipe and Oscar to vent to, though Coco also knew she hardly ever did such without prompting from them.

She could understand Barley trying to shrug off his thoughts as silly. How often had she searched for answers within Papá's letters?

"I know the spell to bring him back won't work...and I wasn't trying for that, just...seeing how much of my Dad's spell I could recall. You know. Just 'cause"

Coco placed a hand on the young Elf's shoulder, "I do, Barley, honestly", she said, and then went on to prove it, and prove that she wasn't just giving empty reassurance. "I don't think it's silly to cling to what little your own papá did leave you with. Sometimes that's all we have to help us and in being there for those we love. For me, my own Mamá growing up, for you, both her and Ian I'm guessing?", she gently pried, but only because of the small allowances to pry his words had given her.

[Barley Lightfoot]

"I do, Barley, honestly"

Barley glanced back over to Miss Coco at her words.

"I don't think it's silly to cling to what little your own papá did leave you with. Sometimes that's all we have to help us and in being there for those we love. For me, my own Mamá growing up, for you, both her and Ian I'm guessing?"

Barley pursed his lips, not opposed to Miss Coco guessing so rightly, it was just...again, he didn't ponder on what was needed from him, being the Man of the House. From age 3 even. He just did what was needed and...buried his own dealing with it. Miss Coco obviously understood, her look showed it more than her on point words, but still it took a moment or two before Barley let that floodgate open.

Like when he'd accidentally told Ian he had four memories.

"Yeah...it was just...no one had to tell me that if my mom saw me crying it would just make her feel worse or...", Barley broke off, recalling, yet then realized he was telling Miss Coco this story at a later point than he meant.

"It's more than just...a recalling thing though...", Barley sighed, "Let me start at the beginning"

You couldn't understand a whole Campaign at level 10 after all.

"I was three, and Mom was just expecting Ian when...my dad got sick. At first I never once thought he wouldn't just get better and be ok, when you're three they're invulnerable ya know? But...by the end...when Mom at least knew, I sort of knew too because when she came to get me to say goodbye...I just saw him hooked up to all those tubes and...not himself and...I couldn't". Barley paused, recalling how Ian had given him that chance back. He was more grateful than he felt he could ever express to his brother, and especially for the sacrifice it meant Ian.

"Anyway, then it was just me and Mom, and shortly after Ian when he was born. I was so happy when Mom told me I was going to be a brother but seeing him...I promised myself right then whatever he needed he would get! Mom too. Growing up. no one had to tell me I was the Man of the House, I...felt it. Anyway I did my best for Nineteen years, even after Mom met someone, but I won't say I wasn't trouble, sticking up for keeping monuments from being destroyed and trying to remind people of the Old Days; then when Ian turned 16 Mom gave him his gift for both of us, from our Dad, saved for us. A wizard staff, and a spell", he indicated to the paper again.

Barley let out a breath. "If I wasn't talking to a living skeleton, I'd say it probably sounds crazy but...Dad was a wizard. I know Mom thinks he just learned about magic somewhere while he was sick, but he probably always knew", or Barley just wanted to believe that! It would make sense, Ian being so good at magic from the start.

"Anyway he...wrote a spell, one to bring him back for one day, to see how we grew up. I...that's what this is, I copied it...", Barley handed over the paper, then stared off, "Now you're going to ask did it work, and that's a whole story I can get into later, but basically yes, at the last second, but with Ian not getting the chance to meet him and...anyway. The spell won't work twice, I know it won't, but...I don't think part of me really believes that too much since...".

Since he'd still written it out from memory...

"Still...I thought about asking Mateo's advice, just in case...if there's even a slim chance I could maybe give Ian what he gave up or...get more than a few seconds more myself...selfish I know, that last, and when most would say I got the impossible that few get to begin with...", Barley laughed, though it came out a bit hollow.