When Field Mice Play

"I-" Bill's voice broke and he sighed, looking away and practically falling into the nearest chair. "I know." He whispered, elbow on the table and forehead in his hand. "I just-Daniel, I can't be mad at you. Not-not after what you went through." Bill said, looking up at Daniel sadly. "Things ain't been right between us since the barn and that's my fault."

"I didn't help." Daniel said, sitting across from his father, shoulders slumped tiredly. "I was so caught up in my own head, wonderin' what the hell is wrong with me for-for likin' what happened that-I never stopped to think of how you were prolly hurtin' even worse than me." He'd already insinuated that he'd enjoyed what had happened in the barn so it wasn't very hard to just flat-out admit it. Still, he wasn't ready to see Bill's face now that he was sober enough to really absorb what Daniel was saying so he kept his head down.

There was a long silence and then Bill sighed loudly, leaning back in his chair. "Breakfast's gone cold." He mumbled, making Daniel laugh and smiling a bit at the sound.

"Yeah." Daniel muttered, wiping his face and sniffling. Taking Bill's cue, he dragged his plate over and made his coffee. The two of them ate in silence, Bill putting the dishes in the sink once they'd finished. "Pa, I-I'm sorry about last night, but-but I liked it." Daniel said, looking at Bill after he'd sat back down.

"I don't remember hating it." Bill muttered, looking down into his coffee instead of at Daniel. "I'm still not sure how to feel, but I know I ain't mad at you. This-this whole week has been-well, it's been something else." He sighed and looked at his son, looking tired. "I'm sick of avoidin' ya, Daniel."

"So-so maybe we just-" Daniel trailed off, not wanting to be the one to suggest it since he'd done the most wrong between them. "Maybe we just try to forget it and focus on saving the farm?" He asked softly, sounding just a touch hopeful.

"Y'read my mind, son." Bill replied, smiling just a bit and sounding relieved.

Smiling as well, Daniel nodded softly. "Okay. Let's try that then."

Nodding once, Bill finished his coffee and stood up. "Time for work then." He announced, heading out of the kitchen.

"Aren't you still hungover?" Daniel called after his father, downing his coffee quickly and jogging after Bill.

"Shoulda thought about that before I went and got drunk." Bill grumbled, tugging his shoes on and heading outside to get to work.

Laughing a bit and shaking his head, Daniel tugged his own shoes on and followed Bill. Things were going to be weird, but now that both men had resolved to ignore it and try to pretend everything was normal, it felt like maybe it eventually could be. Like maybe they could blame everything on the barn incident and stress and then once they'd paid off Venice and the government, they'd be okay. It was a stupid, naive hope but both Daniel and Bill were currently content to cling to it like a life-line.