The Family [Finished]

[yamikuronue]

Vic ducks his head. "Everything sucks," he mumbles, staring at his burger.

[accalia]

"Nah, that's just being a teenager." Bear says kindly.  "Things always look worse than they are at your age. Trust me, I've got enough daughters and sons to know that as gospel."

[yamikuronue]

"You're married?" he asks, still glum.

[accalia]

"Fifty years last wednesday" Bear replies.

[yamikuronue]

"That's actually pretty cool," he admits, still staring at his plate.

[accalia]

"I'll tell my wife you think so. She'll like that."

[yamikuronue]

"I don't think I'll ever find someone," he admits, finally looking up. "My brothers all dated when they were in school, but I only dated a little. I couldn't get a nice b-- date. Then I dropped out."

[accalia]

"never say never. If you keep thinking someday there's still hope. Hell if Kate hadn't gone and slapped him upside the face with her feelings Tony would still be single, and that's because he said never."

[yamikuronue]

"I mean... there's only one Kate."

[accalia]

"I wouldn't say that, rather i'd say you shouldn't rely on your Kate coming along. You should try to be your own Kate, rather than taking the Tony approach to relationships."

[yamikuronue]

Vic stares at him blankly.

[accalia]

"What? did i get something on my shirt?"

[yamikuronue]

"What?" he asks, after a minute.

[accalia]

"If you don't pursue what you want, then you won't get it unless you happen to be what someone else is pursuing." Bear translates with a sigh.

[yamikuronue]

"But... they have to want me back," he puzzles out, slowly.