An argument breaks between him and Tycho! Some things still hurt our lovely Taanabian after all this years, and he needs to start trusting Tycho a bit more!
Not What I Intended...
Hoth, 1 ABY
Wes was fuming...
Positively fuming...
He was currently being cornered by his CO, and his wingmate, over the disappearance of a bucket of paint...and this time it wasn't his fault! But Tycho was somehow convinced that he had to be the guilty part!
He stepped in Tycho's direction, refusing to be intimidated. He might be shorter than the Alderaanian, but there was no way that lean boy in front of him could pose any threat. Besides, he'd always enjoy a show of force...
Not that Tycho seemed intimidated...gotta hand it to the kid! He's got spun!
"So, let me get this straight, blondie…" Wes snarled right in Tycho's face, hands clenched by his side. "A bucket of paint disappears, and for whatever reason, even without evidence, you and 'boss' over there decide it just had to be me? You realise how kriffin' unfair that is, right?"
Luke backed up a step, putting his hands up, with a 'don't look at me' expression, while Tycho took another step in Janson's direction, looking positively mad.
"The problem Prankster-Boy, is that the last time this kind of thing happened, said bucket landed ON ME! So yeah…I'm pretty sure you've got something to do with!"
Wes opened his mouth to reply, but then closed it remembering Tycho was actually right. He had pulled that prank on the Alderaanian not even two weeks ago! Hell, his hair still had this weird shade, due to the purple paint he'd dumped on his head!
It had been loads of fun...Tycho was always in a foul mood these days. All Wes had done was lighten up the air!
"I did it once...ONCE! The guys thought it was fun..." Wes smirked at Tycho crossing his arms with a cocky lopsided grin. "Right Skywalker?"
" You do get out of hand sometimes Wes. And you do tend to misplace paint, from time to time..."
"No one was using those colours I used..."
"That'll be because neither me nor Wedge requested for pink, purple, bright yellow or glow green paints...Yet, Provisions received them...I wonder who managed to slip such an order on the Squadron's requests?" Luke questioned Janson, glaring at him. Tycho was becoming the usual victim of Wes' pranks. So far he managed to dye Tycho's hair purple, paint the Alderaanian's X-Wing in the most awful combination of hot pink with bright yellow stripes, and his R5 unit in glow green...
"And lets not forget the blond jokes..." Luke thought to himself.
"It was all good fun..." Wes insisted.
"It was embarrassing, that's what it was!" Tycho practically yelled at Janson. "I'm sick and tired of being the target of your stupid little pranks! I didn't come here to be mocked, Wes Janson!"
Tycho and Wes were pretty much in each other's faces. None giving in or giving up...they were radically different in many things but they were both stubborn! Luke often wondered how those two managed to get along, having to share quarters and being wingmates...although that last part was about to change! Wingmen pairings were about to go through a complete roundabout, and he was thinking of pairing Wes with Hobbie, and Tycho with Tarn Mison.
"I know what's your real problem Tych..." Wes scoffed at the Alderaanian. He had a confident smile and a mischievous look in his eyes, like he'd just found out something...Luke glanced from one to another. He noticed Tycho growing paler, his eyes wide. Whatever Janson had meant with that, it had achieved it's purpose...
"You...Obnoxious...Bastard!" Tycho bit off the words, taking a step back. He wasn't even really mad! He was...disappointed...
What they were not expecting, was Janson's reaction to Tycho's ranting! The Taanabian just froze there! His arms sagging, his expression closed, his lips pressed together...and the look in his eyes...seemed like...pain!
Tycho winced at Wes' defeated look. He knew he had it a nerve...but he had the feeling he should be glad about it. He waited for the Lieutenant's next move, thinking that he would probably get punched or something! But Wes just took another pained look at him, and with a sigh, turned on his heels and left...just left! Not a word, not a sound...
"What was that all about Tycho?"
"I don't know Luke. I really don't...it's not like it's the first time I've called him obnoxious..." Suddenly it dawned on him! It hadn't been that word that had caused Wes to withdraw as if he'd hit him! It had been the word bastard..."I have to go!" Tycho turned to Luke with an urgent look in his eyes. "I think I might have unwillingly hurt Wes. He may an asshole sometimes, but he's still my friend...buckets of paint and all!"
"Sure, Tycho. Tell me how it went...the last thing we need his for Wes to become depressed! It's not good for morale..." Luke gave him an encouraging smile.
"I will..."
Tycho bolted in the direction Wes had gone. The guilt was starting to make him feel nauseous. Could such a simple thing have wounded Wes that badly? Damn that fool for being so tight lipped about himself!
He got to their quarters' door just was Wes a punching in the lock code.
"What do you want now?" He bit off at Tycho has went inside.
Tycho followed him, as the door closed. Both men stood there, looking at each other. Then Wes laid on top of his bed, on his back, looking at the ceiling for what seemed to be an eternity. Tycho called him with a soft whisper, but still Wes didn't budge. Breathing deeply, Tycho sat on his own bed, staring at the Taanabian.
"I'm just going to stand here while the silent treatment lasts..."
Still Wes said nothing.
"You eventually get hungry, go to the mess, and I'll just follow you there..."
Tycho glared at him...still no reaction.
"Oh, for Kriff's sake Wes! It was a word that came out! It means nothing..."
"IT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME!" Wes raged, finally turning towards Tycho, with a wild look on his eyes. "You have no idea..."
"No! I don't!" Tycho cut him off. "And you know why Wes? Uh? Do you? Because you share nothing! I tell you things! Things I've never told anyone before! I trust in you I confide in you! And how do you repay me such level of trust? With silence..."
"I know..." Wes whispered, lowering his head. He felt ashamed...Tycho was right. He had always been honest with him, but somehow Wes couldn't bring himself to talk to Tycho of his past, and all the things that still to this day cut through his heart like a vibroblade! "I guess I should be sorry for my attitude."
"You should..."
"I know...it's complicated..."
"Life usually is..." Tycho leaned back, and pondered on his thoughts and conclusions of what might be at play here. "This as something to do with your family, doesn't it? Your past on Taanab...the childhood you do not speak about."
"It does...I..." Wes hesitated. He felt the anxiety seeping in...He truly didn't want to relive any of it. But he did owe some kind of explanation to Tycho. " My old man used to call that, you know? It wasn't supposed to be meant as a simple insult, it was supposed to be an accusation!"
"He doubted your paternity?!"
"He did. I was born extremely small and weak...most people believed I was born a premature...And since he'd left for a business trip shortly after my mom got pregnant of me, he just got it into his twisted mind that she had cheated on him...therefore I wasn't his son..."
"There are such things as DNA tests...although I don't understand why he'd think such a thing. Didn't the doctors that assisted your mother throughout the pregnancy and labor, confirm the time of gestation you'd been born with?"
"Of course the doctor told him, and of course he forced mom to take that test...but he was so psyched with his own views, that even with all evidence he decided that she was lying to him! They all were! And guess what?... he spent his life treating me accordingly to his beliefs..." Wes clenched his hands together. Thousands of images...painful memories...going through his mind. Every memory that included his father, was filled with pain, shame and regret...
"I'm sorry for calling you a bastard."
"I'm sorry for acting like an asshole to you."
"I'm sorry for yelling at you."
"I'm sorry for paint involved pranks..."
"No you're not!" Tycho smiled. The 'I'm sorry' routine was usual between them.
"No I'm not..." Wes conceded, smiling wholeheartedly. It was good to have Tycho as a friend! "But you've been in such bad mood lately...I just wanted to get your mind away from whatever was dragging you down...Was it...You know...Our...conversation?"
Tycho chuckled. So that was what had been bothering Wes! It all went back to their talk about Tycho's sexual preferences and his crush on Wes. The Taanabian had tried his best to put him off gently... and now he felt guilty and concerned.
" I could lie and tell you no, but you already know me better than that! I'll admit it was a bit hard at first. I was afraid I'd lose your recent friendship and at the same time I felt like a failure..."
"Why in the seven Corellian Hells should you feel like a failure?" Wes inquired, looking in his friend's eyes.
"Because...I never seem to get anything right...emotionally wise. Seriously, my love life, my sex life...they suck!..."
"Wow! You speak as if your life is done, kid..."
"Do you really have to call me a kid?"
"You're two years younger than me..." Wes remembered him.
"That's funny! Because you're file said ..."
"You think you're the only one with a badly done file? I know what it said there, and I know I sometimes act accordingly. Nonetheless, I'm still older than you, and Wedge, and Hobbs, and Luke! Deal with it..."
"You read my file?"
"Sure did!"
"What for?"
"Leverage..." Wes announced with a cheeky grin. "You know, info to use on future pranks! But when you told about your family, I realised that file was utterly flawed!
I mean, they had your sister's name as your fiancée...Even your mom's name was wrong!"
"Got to love registry clerks..." Tycho mused. "So..are we Ok?"
" Yeah...we're Ok!"
"You know what I need?" Tycho asked, with a naughty look in his eyes, getting up and swaying slowly towards Wes direction. He leaned on him until their noses almost touched.
Wes gulped involuntarily, with eyes wide!
"What?" he asked in a voice that come almost as a squeal.
"Lum!" Tycho winked at him, straightening himself and offering him his best cocky smile.
"Lum...you sneaky little..." Wes rose, pouting at Tycho. "I'm so proud of you! Look at you, getting back at people in style!" He put his arms around Tycho and both men headed out. "But just so you know...You're paying!"
"After seeing you blush like that? Gladly!"
" I wasn't blushing..." The Taanabian whined. Of course he'd been, but he was not going to admit to that!
"Yes you were...sweetie...Now, let's go get drunk!"
"You first! Alderaanians just can't hold their liqueur..."
"Watch it, farmboy...Or I'll call Wedge. He can drink you under the table!"
"He's a Corellian! Those guys can drink anyone under the table..." Wes glared at him. "We can also call Hobbie! At least you'll have someone who'll collapse before you..."
"Good idea! At least when he's drunk, he doesn't look so mournful." Tycho chuckled.
"I thought that was Raltiirian feature?! Just kiddin'...let's get those two, get seriously drunk and start a fight!" Wes rubbed his hands together, feeling his spirits higher by the second.
"You know...that was not what I intended! But what the heck! I need to relieve some stress myself!"