It must have been that time of year where Slade felt particularly fatherly, Joey thought. Not that he was bitter, or angry about his father, and his father’s at BEST absence, at WORST volatile presence in his life – that was Grant’s M.O. not his.
But he kept a realistic view on his relationship,
and any future relationship he might have with Slade.
Joey still hesitated. He knew Slade wouldn’t care, in fact he might even be proud of his son’s pragmatism– but Joey cared. "I’m here because I know if something happens, if I… if I can’t keep myself under control, if I go off the deep end YOU will stop me. No matter the cost.” His green eyes board into his dad’s, and his eyebrows knit together, but left his reasonings behind all of this quiet. Slade wasn’t exactly the sort you shared your feelings with.
It was difficult being inside someone else’s mind.
How much of himself did he lose when he made contact with someone?
Joey was really starting to wonder.
He was. Joey was right. Slade felt something akin to pride at his son's pragmatism, even if the words held the meaning of something he wouldn't want to do. If something happened to Joe, if his powers caused him to become dangerous then Slade WOULD stop it. Well-- 'dangerous' was all rather relative considering the sort of person Slade was and what the team would be doing. But there was a line. A line Slade knew his son wouldn't want to cross, and a line not even Slade would want him to cross.
The thought of losing his son, of having to kill his son-- because when it came to it that was what they were talking about-- hurt somewhere deep that Slade liked to ignore. But he’d do it without a second thought. Joey wasn’t wrong.
"If it comes to it you don't have to worry about that," he said looking over at the blonde boy, and putting a hand on his shoulder. Slade paused, trying to read his son like a book but the boy had always been so strange to him. "Is there a reason to worry?"
