Room 324, Monday Evening

[wwiii]

Look, Hercules had been warned.

When Warren had brought the god-turned-mortal-turned-pug back to his room, he'd set down some ground rules. No piddling on the rug had been a big one, and fortunately Herc had been pretty good about that. The other one, of course, had been no antagonizing Thor. And, really, Warren should have known better than to think that Herc's big, innocent slightly bugged-out pug eyes had meant that he'd actually behave.

And so, there were consequences to be had.

So, tonight, Warren was passing the time by flinging treats at the newly-renamed Mr. Sneezebottom, who was wearing the most lovely pink bow that Warren could get his hands on, and watching him jump for them.

He'd only brought it upon himself.

[For Mr. Sneezebottom!]

Comments

[olympian-herc.livejournal.com]

"You do realize they're just tools, right?" Hercules said. "They would be nothing without my heart and spirit. And you handled yourself more than handily when faced with villains with wings and worse. That spirit is in you, too. But I think it scares you."

[wwiii]

Warren gave Hercules a sidelong sort of glance at that, and then shrugged a little.

"Maybe a little," he admitted. "I mean, I do what I can when people need another set of hands or something. But I... I don't know. Angel? No pressure or anything, right?"

So, so much pressure.

[olympian-herc.livejournal.com]

"It's a lot of pressure," Hercules said. "Don't forget that I was just a young mortal back when I found out I was the son of Zeus. I know how it feels, even if it was very long ago. It might not be the same sort of pressure, but... I empathize, Warren. If you feel that I should not ask you to do these things, say the word. I will not ask you to be someone you are not."

[wwiii]

"I don't know," Warren admitted, quietly. "I don't want to let anybody down, you know? But just because people don't expect me to swoop in and... I don't know, save the day or something... doesn't mean I'm not letting them down all the same if I choose to sit out."

When had his life turned into the sort where conversations like this seemed normal?

[olympian-herc.livejournal.com]

"Why do you think I didn't stop being a hero even when I became fully mortal?" Hercules said, simply. He reached a hand out to try and place it reassuringly on his young friend's shoulder.

"But never let that feeling be what drives you. Don't be a hero because you'd be a let down not to. Be a hero because it is what is in your heart to do."

A bit of a subtle difference, but an important one.

[wwiii]

Hercules got a little bit of a smile out of Warren at that, and the hand resting on his shoulder. This was the sort of talk that he kind of wished he could be having with his father, instead of just closing his eyes and hiding on some island somewhere and pretending the man didn't exist. So he appreciated the sentiment coming from Hercules, all the same.

"I'm still kind of in the process of getting to know myself," he noted. "I think the Warren you know had a bit of a head start on me, in that regard. But I do want to help people. I've seen some bad things, things that I want to stop from happening again, and I can't do that by sitting back and being scared."

[olympian-herc.livejournal.com]

"And you're young," Hercules said. "You have plenty of time to learn about yourself. And I think we will both be happy with what you find out."

They'd reached the door of the dorms, so Hercules turned to face his young friend. "No matter who you turn out to be."

[wwiii]

"I really hope so," Warren replied, smiling a little. "And... If you ever want a hand with the whole crime fighting thing again... I'd be up for it, now and then. I would even wear another silly costume, if you really thought it was necessary."

Just... probably not one with a loincloth attached.

[olympian-herc.livejournal.com]

"It's traditional!" Hercules said with a little chuckle. "But good. Hopefully we won't have any terrible crimes to thwart for some time, though."

[wwiii]

Warren nodded his agreement. And really, after seeing Herc lop off somebody's head the last time, he wasn't exactly in a hurry to run off saving the world again.

"With any luck, people are all done with the excitement for a while, after everything that happened in Brooklyn."

[olympian-herc.livejournal.com]

"And beyond," Hercules said. "But I'll keep it in mind. Hopefully Karla would wish to come again as well. And maybe next time, little Bob..."

He trailed off their, the memory dawning on him. "Well, I shall see you in class on Friday."

[wwiii]

That slip made Warren very nearly wince. God, he missed Bobby so much, right now.

"Yeah... Friday." He managed a tired smile, at least. "See you then, Hercules."

Or Mr. Sneezebottom. Take your pick.