A/N: Does anyone know if there is a fanfic where Henry gets confronted by the father of Johnny Panzer? If not, I'm going to write one because why not?

Rupert noticed Henry has been acting strangely lately, and a surprise visit from an old friend complicates their relationship.

Rupert frowned when he heard Henry get home. It was midnight, and Henry was getting home late. Rupert got up and headed to the kitchen. He saw Henry standing over the sink. Henry held a hand over his right eye, and his other hand held on to the sink.

"Henry?" Rupert said quietly.

Henry jumped and screamed. Rupert was about to chastise Henry for being home late and for crying when he saw he had a black eye. He immediately ran over to him to check it.

"Why do you have a black eye?"  Rupert demanded.

"Uh... I ran into a pole on my way home cause it's dark outside," Henry replied sheepishly.

That was the biggest bullshit lie that Rupert ever heard. He knew Henry was lying. 

"Are ya sure?" Rupert drawled, seeing Henry get anxious.

Henry nodded vigorously. 

"Okay..." Rupert dropped the subject but made a mental note about it. "What were you doing that caused you to be late?"

Earlier, Rupert got a text from Henry saying he would be home late. He figured he would be home around 10 or 11, not midnight. 

"I was talking to the General,"  Henry answered, not looking at him.

"About what?" Rupert asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Confidential stuff," 

Rupert knew Henry was being vague cause Henry was not looking at him. After being together for so long, Rupert could tell if Henry was lying to him. 

"And why did it have to take so long?" 

Henry didn't say anything. 

Rupert pursed his lips. He wanted to know what was wrong, but didn't want to push Henry's boundaries. 

"Look, if anything is wrong," Rupert said softly, "You can tell me, okay?"

Henry looked at him for a moment, then nodded slowly.

"Let's go to sleep. It's almost one and we have to get up at 6," Rupert said tiredly.

Henry followed Rupert to their bedroom to get ready for bed.

The next morning, Rupert was the first to wake up. He yawned as he stretched, and he heard a popping sound. He sighed in contentment. He got up and got dressed. He heard Henry get up and get ready. Rupert brushed his teeth as Henry walked into the bathroom. The bathroom wasn't huge for both of them. However, Henry was shorter and thinner than Rupert, so he could squeeze his body into the bathroom.

Henry grabbed his brush and started brushing his hair. Rupert frowned as he stared at Henry's reflection in the mirror. The black eye was still there, and Henry had dark shadows under his eyes. Rupert looked at the mirror one last time, and he saw that his goatee was growing in lastly. He went under the sink to grab something. Henry didn't pay attention. Rupert got out a makeup bag and gently lifted Henry's chin to make him look at him.

"Hold still, Hen," Rupert instructed Henry.

Henry did as he was told. 

Rupert covered his black eye and dark shadows with makeup. 

"There! Done," Rupert said proudly. 

Henry looked at the mirror, amazed that he didn't see the black eye or the dark shadows. 

"Thanks, Thorn," Henry said happily.

"You're welcome, Hen," Rupert replied, relieved that Henry was smiling again.

They exited their apartment and walked to the base together. They got to the base and headed for the cafeteria. They got their meals and sat down at a table. Rupert watched Henry eat his breakfast slowly. Rupert hoped he would be fine after getting to the base; however, Henry's eyes were listless again. 

"Hey, diamond, how do you keep your small stature despite eating more?" Rupert teased.

"Uh... by having a lover and friends who care about my weight?" Henry teased right back.

Rupert and Henry talked until their plates were empty. They were about to head out when they met Jose Gonzales outside the cafeteria. 

"E'llo Jose," Rupert said.

"Hi, Jose," Henry said.

"Hello, guys," Jose said happily. He looked at Rupert. "Hey, Rupert the General needs you for something."

"At this time?" Rupert said incredulously, looking at his watch. 

"Yup,"

"Okay, sorry, Henry," Rupert apologized to Henry, "Gotta go."

"It's alright, Thorn," Henry affirmed. "I gotta meet Charles and Ellie anyway."

"Thanks, luv," Rupert kissed Henry, and he followed Jose. 

"So... how's your relationship with Henry going?" Jose teased, making Rupert blush a bright red.

"It's... going well," Rupert replied.

"Oooh, you hesitated," Jose pointed out, "Is there something wrong?"

Rupert stopped, which made Jose stop too. He glanced at Jose with a worried look on his face.

"Ya..." Rupert began, "I think... Henry's hiding something from me."

"What?" Jose exclaimed.

"Last night, he came home late and had a black eye," Rupert told Jose.

"What? How did he get the black eye?" Jose questioned. 

"Before you get on my case, I did not give him that black eye," Rupert stated firmly.

"I know, sir," Jose reminded Rupert.

"Thanks..."

"Did you ask him about the black eye?"

"I did. He lied about it."

"Oh..."

Rupert felt a headache brewing; he rubbed his temples to ease it. Jose was staring at his superior officer. He played with the strings of his helmet, tugging at it. 

"Uh... sir..." Jose began, and Rupert stared at him. He saw that Jose looked anxious, and he frowned.

"Yes, Jose," Rupert didn't like the tone Jose was using.

"I'm unsure if I should tell you this, but..."

"But?" Rupert crossed his arms in annoyance. 

"What time did he get home?" Jose asked.

"Around midnight," Rupert replied, raising an eyebrow.

"What was he doing to come home at 

"He told me he was talking to the General," Rupert answered, getting more annoyed. Where was Jose going with this?

"I hate to tell you this, Henry did talk to the General, but he left the office at 4 p.m." Jose confided to Rupert. 

"What?" Rupert whispered.

"I saw Henry leaving the General's office at 4:00 and leaving the base," Jose said.

"Why would he lie to me?" Rupert asked himself.

Jose shrugged, and they resumed walking to the General's office. They entered the office to find the General talking to an older gentleman. Jose didn't recognize the man, but Rupert did.

"No way..."  Rupert said quietly.

The General ceased talking to the older man when he spotted Rupert and Jose. 

"Good morning, Rupert and Jose," Galeforce greeted.

"Good morning, General," Rupert and Jose responded in unison.

"Gentlemen, I hope you remembered Major Hershell Panzer," Galeforce said, pointing to Hershell.

"Hello, Hershell," Rupert said happily. 

Hershell Panzer is Rupert's old friend and the father of Johnny Panzer, one of Rupert's old coworkers. 

"Hello, sir," Jose said, offering his hand.

"Hello, boys," Hershell answered, shaking both soldiers' hands.

"What brings you in, sir?" Rupert asked.

"Just dropped in to check up on you folks," Hershell replied, smirking.

Jose didn't like the way Hershell was smirking. However, Rupert and Galeforce didn't seem to notice. Galeforce looked at his watch and gasped. 

"You boys better start your chores," Galeforce informed them.

They both nodded and headed towards the entrance of the office.

"Bye, Major Hershell," Jose and Rupert said in unison, "Bye, General."

"Bye, boys," Hershell and Galeforce answered in unison. 

"Oh, Rupert, before you leave," Hershell said, grabbing Rupert's shoulder to make him stop.

"Yes, sir?" Rupert said.

"Tell Henry Stickmin, I said hello," Hershell told Rupert with a creepy smile.

Rupert's eyes widened in shock and for some reason, fear.

I always wanted to try my hand in drawing Hershell here at least to my liking and how I usually portray him as. Though I can't figure out whether to have him have long or short hair?

Heya decided to do some more Hcs now for Hershell. I kinda went overboard with this one so sorry about that one. He's just one of my favorites