It's easy if you try (Flynn, Susanna)

[myeyesarehollow.livejournal.com]

Quinn was at Uni, so when there was a knock on Quinn's bedroom door, Flynn knew it was Susanna. And you know...why would Quinn knock on his own door even if he was home? Flynn was sitting on Quinn's bed, reading his textbook with Booster curled up in his lap. "Erm...come in."

Susanna entered the room and she gave Flynn her best smile. "Hello, Malachy."

"Uhm. Hi?" Flynn sat up a little straighter in the presence of Quinn's mother, but Booster refused to budge from Flynn's lap which did make things more difficult. "Did you need something?"

Susanna sighed and she took a seat on the edge of Quinn's bed. "I wanted to speak with you actually." She said softly, knowing that Flynn had every right to tell her to get the hell away from him because he never wanted to speak to her ever. And she wouldn't blame him if he did. But, Flynn wasn't someone who would say that to someone who was trying so hard to prove themselves, and thus, he smiled at her and nodded. "Erm...thank you."

"You're welcome. What did you want to talk about?" He asked, trying to shift the fuzzy bundle from his lap, but Booster dug in his claws and Flynn gave a ittle yelp and gave up.

"No..I...that. I mean...that I wanted to thank you." Susanna was turning red now, and she was wringing her hands, looking terribly troubled. This entire situation was confusing and probably unnecessary if she'd just given the boy a change before. Spending time with Flynn and Quinn had made her realize just how very much they loved each other. And Flynn wasn't some evil jerk who had demanded that Quinn run away with him. In fact, Flynn was pretty undemanding in all senses. And Susanna really wished she'd known that. And she knew that the reason she hadn't was her own damn fault.

"Uhm...for what?" Flynn asked, looking terribly concerned now, because he had no idea what Susanna was on about.

"For sending Ardal home." Susanna said softly. "And for looking out for him before you sent him home. And for looking out for him now. Especially when he was sick. You two are clearly very close and you care for each other very much and I...should have seen it."

So it was an apology then. An apology disguised in the form of gratefulness, but Flynn was much too big a person to demand the actual words from someone in order to accept an apology. In fact, it pretty much meant the world to him that she was saying these things at all. "Well you're welcome." Flynn said softly, with a little smile. "I would like nothing more than to take care of him for the rest of our lives."

Susanna nodded and she let out a little breath. Getting over prejudices didn't happen all at once, but her eyes were opening. "Then you're both very lucky." She finally settled on, and it seemed the best things to say in the moment.

"I think so too." Flynn nodded.

"Malachy...uhm...what was it like. When...you were out there?" Susanna looked troubled, and she didn't really want to know the answer, but she felt she needed to.

Flynn studied Susanna's face and then he took a deep breath. "Bad." He stated with a one-shouldered shrug. "Really bad."

"I'm sorry, Malachy. Sorry that I didn't just let you stay with us in Whitehead." Susanna picked at Quinn's comforter absently. "Would have saved everyone a heap of bother."

"You weren't to know. Weren't to know Quinn would come with me, and that things would be as bad as they were. We couldn't stay in a shelter because then Quinn would be found. So we have to make it on our own and I refused to take anything that wasn't mine. Make things more difficult since...nothing was mine. So yeah...it would have saved a heap of bother. But if you're goin' to blame someone, blame my parents. They're the ones that sent me away based on a lie. Or blame my brother who set me up in the first place. Or blame me for getting involved with idiots because I didn't know any better." Speeches weren't Flynn's thing, and saying so many words at once made him feel weird. He liked answers that required few words and spending time with Quinn because often they didn't need to speak at all. Talking was an awful lot of effort for something that people interpruted so differently anyway. He was careful with words. But for now, Susanna really seemed like she needed them. "Don't blame Quinn."

"I don't." Susanna said, shaking her head firmly. "I understand more now. I don't blame him. I understand why he wanted to be with you and why he was so crushed when he came back. You did the right thing. Sending him back. Just as I know I did the right thing sending him to my sister. He was so happy there."

"They're great people." Flynn said with an easy smile. Bob and Maree made it terribly easy to smile when you thought of them. "Anyone would be happy with them."

"I'm glad you found each other again." Susanna added, turning red. "I...it's better. You together."

"I think so too."

"Malachy...how long were you out there?" Susanna's voice sounded hollow. Flynn had sent Quinn home to his parents after four months, but he hadn't been able to follow. She wondered how long he'd been condemned to wander.

"Six years." Flynn answered, though he didn't look perturbed about it. And he wasn't anymore. He had a place now. And people and love and Quinn and a band and everything he'd ever wanted in even his wildest and most outrageous seeming dreams. You didn't go too far when all you owned in the world was a bass, a sleeping roll, and some smelly clothes.

"Six...Jesus Christ on a cross." Susanna whispered. "Do Pauline and Angus know?!"

"'Course." Flynn answered, actually sounding slightly bitter, which was odd for him. "Better question is do they care?"

"I would have thought yes, but it seems I'd be wrong. I'm sorry, Malachy."

"You can call me Flynn if you want. Or Mal if you'd prefer." Flynn leaned forward and he patted her shoulder. "Things are going to be okay, you know. You're doing well. With Quinn, I mean. He's glad you're here. In case you thought otherwise."

The truth was, that Susanna did think otherwise. She thought that Quinn wished she would leave and he was just humouring her. "Really?"

"I don't lie. Too much effort." Flynn said bluntly. "He told me. He's glad you're here and you're doing the right things. You haven't lost him for good or anything."

Susanna let out a breath and she gave Flynn a grateful look. "He's my only son... He's irreplaceable and it felt like all I did was screw up..."

"I know. He's my only Quinn. And indeed irreplaceable. Life isn't easy. And nothing about our situation was simple. It just happened and it was shite. But it's not anymore, so everything can get fixed now. I'm glad you're here too, Mrs Q."

"Well, Flynn. Probably not as glad as I am that you're here. Come on, I'll make you some lunch."

"Well, you'd better make some for Booster too, because I don't think he's moving." Flynn peered down at the feline in his lap, who did indeed have a look of fierce determination on his face as if he was challenging anyone to TRY and displace him.

"Lunch for Flynn and Booster too. That I can do."