"What's eatin' ya, Homer?"
"What the hell am I even doing here?" Homer asked himself. He was on his normal stool, with a mug of bear in hand.
"What'ya mean, Homah?" the Sleazy Bartender asked. "You's drinkin' Bea'. Like you always do"
"That's what I mean, Moe." Homer banged the mug to the table. "I love you guys, but-"
"But what?" Lenny said.
"What the hell am I doing in a Bar, on a Sunday night? I have work tomorrow" Homer asked himself, for what was probably the first time in sixteen years. "I have children I rarely see. I have a wife I've been a demon to. What in God's name am I doing, Lenny? What in god's name am I doing with my life?"
"ah calm down, Homer." Lenny said, "What's brought up this line of thought?"
"I haven't Spoken to my Daughter for Four years, man." Homer explained, eyes blank. "The Last time Lisa actually made anything more than random Dinner-time small talk with me, she wasn't even a teen. Maggie doesn't even think I'm his father. And Bart?" he sighed, "Bart's moving."
"Bart's moving away?" Carl struggled to say after a spit-take. "Bart Simpson? The Same guy who tricked everyone to sing Metal in Church? That Bart?"
"Yes, Carl" Homer said dryly. "I Don't have any other Son's named Bart. he's moving away soon."
"Where's he goin' anyway, eh? Where's that blue-shorted menace gonna take over next?" Asked Moe, intrigued to ask in the middle of his self-hatred.
"Oh, his old Loft downtown." Homer said, "He's been packing for weeks now."
"See, you're not that bad a father. You actually know that!" Lenny tried to say.
"Ya think?" Homer shot back with a depressed tone, "Marge had to tell me about it. I had no idea my son's moving? And apparently, It's been the talk of the Dinner-table for weeks now. What kind of a father misses his own son's moving day?"
"Cheer up Homer" Barney said. "You're not a good depressing drunk. Just go back to-" "My son's moving. A boy of twenty, moving out of my house. I didn't leave Abe's house until I was twenty-three! My son's moving and here I am drinking and-" he paused.
"When is he moving anyway?" Carl asked.
Homer stared at his beer mug, thinking. Then-
"Holy shit!" he swore. "Bart's Moving away in a few hours! And I'm here drinking!"
He got up from his seat, staggering as he couldn't really see clearly. "Guys! I've gotta go!"
"Wait!" The Bartender said. "You still haven't paid for your beer."
"Oh. Right" the Family man said, not exactly paying attention, as he put the bills on the Bar.
Moe stared, astounded, at the money in front of him. "Wha..." Slowly, he reached out and took the bills. His gaze traveled from the money to Homer.
"Is this some kind of joke?" he questioned cautiously, narrowing his eyes. "You're actually paying me for your beer. With real money. This ain't a prank or nothin'?"
But Homer had already left the Bar.
Don't let 'em see you cry. Clearing his throat, Moe took another glance at the cash. "I, uh... I think I need a moment alone," he managed before he grabbed the bills and disappeared to the back room.
And outside, Homer Simpson rushed to his Home.
He had a son to say goodbye to.
Lisa Simpson left her room.
She couldn't keep postponing this any longer. It'd been years since the two of them had had a serious, legitimate talk. And this might as well be the last day the two of them would live together. And she had to say goodbye. Among other things.
So, she left her room.
He still lived in his old room, next to her's.
The Room quiet today though. Even a week ago, there would be all kinds of noises coming out of the room.
First it was the drums. Then it was him playing Video games loud (to annoy Dad, mostly). Then he'd met Jenda. And there were a lot of noises coming from there. (Either yelling. Or moaning. Or both. Ew), then it was the Drums, again, and then the Guitar.
Oh, she remembered. There was never a day where Bart Simpson's room was quiet. (she had her Sax, of course, so she couldn't say her room was any quieter)
"So," she said as she stood by his Doorway, leaning by the wall, "Jenda, huh?"
Cramming a pile of clothes into a cardboard box, Bart glanced up at his sister. "What?"
"Are- Are you moving in with Jenda?" she asked, awkwardly looking at the boy as he pushed the remaining clothes into his travelling bag, struggling to close it.
"No. I'm not moving in with Jenda. We're moving together. Lots of difference." He took a deep breath, then tore down the last remaining Krusty Poster on his wall. "damn I wish I'd've done that sooner. Like, years sooner"
Yeah, Me too. Lisa thought, before saying "But will- will you be alright on your own?"
"Don't worry about me, Lis'" Bart said, as he stuffed his Laptop into his bag pack. "I'll be as fine as I ever am"
As in, not fine at all. "Just- Be careful, Okay?"
Bart smiled widely, "Oh, C'mere, Lis'!" he said, grabbing her into a hug. It was the first hug the two had shared for a long time. it felt Comforting.
Lisa squeezed him back, smiling ever though she didn't feel happy at all.
"Goodbye, Bart"
"Goodbye' Lisa"
Bart wasn't in a hurry.
He could stay here for a little longer.
That was why, after saying goodbye to Mom and Maggie, he stayed inside (with all his stuff packed, neatly, near the door) and laid on the couch, Watching TV.
He had no idea why he was still there.
Wishful thinking, probably.
After all, Homer was his dad. He wouldn't miss his own son's moving day, right?
He couldn't.
But, after an hour of watching TV, with mom in the kitchen and Maggie outside playing Catch with Gerald, he knew better.
He looked at the Clock.
Six Thirty.
He had no idea why he'd dared hope. Well. he knew better now.
Homer was probably still at Moe's. and he wouldn't be back. Not for now.
He sighed as he Rose.
"Goodbye everyone!" he said, and without waiting for a reply, he left the house from the Front Door.
His Car was parked nearby (To be honest, it used to be Mom's. he'd just took it over when he was sixteen) and his new life as an Adult awaited him.
Homer's car wasn't here yet. Of course it wasn't. and he had waited long enough.
If he had ever planned to show up, He would've been here hours ago.
Until he saw the Pink Car, its engine wheezing as Homer put his foot on the brake, parking in his usual spot.
"Bart!" he said, as he took an uncertain step out of the Car, "Buddy-"
"You were in Moe's." Bart said, in a tone he hoped wasn't whiny. "What happened? Did they close that dump down for good?"
"What? No, Bart! I came to say goodbye!"
"Say goodbye?" Bart said, as his eyes widened.
It couldn't be true.
It was too good to be.
And yet…
"and, well, Boy. I figure its time we had a man-to-man chat."
"Man-to-man, eh?" He raised an eyebrow, but shrugged, taking a seat on the front porch step, "I don't remember scheduling this."
Homer's expression softened. Their relationship had improved, since that incident when Bart was fifteen. Having your son almost killed (at least, while you're sober) can do that.
But well… nothing can change fifteen (give or take) years of life like what Bart had lived until then.
"Listen, Bart" at least, Homer hadn't called Bart 'The Boy' for years now. And Bart hadn't called him 'Homer' for about just as long. "It's time we talked."
"Talk about what?"
Homer's expression changed into that of a thinking man. his eyes narrowed, then he returned to the jolly mood he always was. "I don't know." He shrugged, sitting next to his firstborn. "I was never good at this… this parenting thing, okay? I digress I owe you an Apology. More than one." He paused. "so, uh… Sorry."
Bart rolled his eyes. "It's gonna take a little more than that, Dad."
"Augh" Homer groaned. "What else do you want me to say?" he whined, "Sorry for all the times I wasn't around when I should've been? Sorry for making fun of you? Sorry for Strangling you? Sorry for-"
"Yes." Bart Said, "But those stuff don't even matter anymore."
"I'm sorry, Okay?" Homer said, dropping his head as he stared intently at the Stone steps in front of the house, "I was a horrible parent, I screwed up, big-time."
Bart's eyes widened slightly, he never had thought he would ever get to Hear Homer admit, sober, that he'd screwed up. but strangely, now that The Bald Man was doing that, he didn't feel any better.
"I take after Abe, I guess. He never was there for me either, you know." Homer continued, chuckling bitterly. He looked at his Son, smiling ruefully. "Just promise me one thing, okay?"
"Promise me you won't take after me when you have kids of your own, Okay? Don't let the cycle go on."
"Deal" Bart looked up, "And apology accepted, dad. If you forgive me as well."
He held his hand out for a Shake, when Homer pulled him in for a bone-crushing hug.
"Dad-" the Blond Wheezed, "Can't breathe-"
"Shhh" Homer pat his back, and let go after another half-minute, "We're havin' a father-son Moment."
"This is it, then." Bart stretched, and walked over, opening the door of his car. "The goodbye."
"Thanks for everything, Dad. Say goodbye to the others from me, okay?" and started the car.
This was it.
He was finally moving.
It was time for Bart to open a new chapter of his life.
A.N:
This story, as well as some others (That might be published, whenever I get to complete them.) are all part of the same continuity as, virtually, all my Stories except the AU ones (Stack One Chapters 6, 10, 13, 15, 18, 21, 24, and Stack Two chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 and 9 so Far) so, I suppose you can guess what happens afterwards.
I'll probably work on a story about the Day Bart met Kirk (his firstborn son in Life!verse), Lisa and Zia (her firstborn Daughter), and other stories. I'm already working on something else (not completely AU, but let's say me watching 'The Simpsons guy' had my eyes opened) but I guess this story won't have a schedule from now on (not that it used to)
I'll just post whenever I have a couple of chapters ready.
Davoid out!