I've got a name, you know

Roger finally calmed down, and his sobs quieted down while he just held on to dad. “I m-missed you,” he whimpered and hid his face in dad’s chest.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Earl whispered, holding his son tightly.  “I’m glad you’re okay.  I was so worried about you…  You’re the best part of my life, Roger.  The most important.”

Earl wasn’t completely sure what his son was thinking about, but it was an emotional time, and it was better to let all that out.  So he wrapped his arms around his son and lay his cheek on Roger’s head, and murmured, “We’ll be okay.  We’re safe now.  I love you.  It’s okay.”

Roger finally calmed down, and his sobs quieted down while he just held on to dad. “I m-missed you,” he whimpered and hid his face in dad’s chest.

Roger looked at dad with wide eyes and then he just ducked his head and burst into tears. It was all too much to bear.

Earl frowned and scooted closer, wrapping his arms around his son.  “Hey,” he murmured.  “Roger, it’ll be okay.  We’ll be okay.  I promise.”

Roger nodded and smiled. “Thanks,” he whispered, his voice shaky and hoarse. His heart was beating so fast. He could really speak again.

Earl smiled, reaching over to ruffle Roger’s hair.  “I love you,” he said fondly.

Roger looked at dad with wide eyes and then he just ducked his head and burst into tears. It was all too much to bear.

I don’t know many other places, Roger signed and took a second pancake, putting a lot of chocolate on it. I thought it’s neat. I didn’t know it’s too far. I’m sorry.

Earl smiled and shook his head.  It’s okay.  We’ll find a good place to live.

Roger nodded and smiled. “Thanks,” he whispered, his voice shaky and hoarse. His heart was beating so fast. He could really speak again.

Roger looked at dad, feeling silly now. It’s just that it sounded fun on the radio, he signed. We can go somewhere easier to get to.

We can go there on vacation some time, Earl promised.  I’d rather visit first before we move so far away, though.

I don’t know many other places, Roger signed and took a second pancake, putting a lot of chocolate on it. I thought it’s neat. I didn’t know it’s too far. I’m sorry.

Roger nodded nervously. It would be super scary. Can we go to Europe? Mr. Cecil seems to think fondly of it.

Earl blinked.  “Oh.  Europe?  I guess we could…  We’d have to fly, though, and leave most of our belongings behind.  What about Europe sounds good to you?”

Roger looked at dad, feeling silly now. It’s just that it sounded fun on the radio, he signed. We can go somewhere easier to get to.

He nodded. It’d be nice but he’d do whatever. He didn’t want to make any decisions, all he really wanted was to be with dad and dad to be happy. He didn’t want anything else.

Earl smiled.  “Maybe some of each.  We’ll see how it goes, and what we find,” he said softly.

Roger nodded nervously. It would be super scary. Can we go to Europe? Mr. Cecil seems to think fondly of it.

Roger smiled and nodded, stuffing his face with the pancakes. He said something and it was his weird, and nothing bad happened. His heart was pounding. Maybe good things were possible after all.

Earl ate his pancakes, and then finished his orange milk.  …He’d miss that, he never saw any outside of Night Vale.  “It’s getting warm enough that we could camp along the way, if you want.  Or we could go into towns, and stay there.”

He nodded. It'd be nice but he'd do whatever. He didn't want to make any decisions, all he really wanted was to be with dad and dad to be happy. He didn't want anything else.

Roger smiled and took a pancake, taking the first bite and beaming. “Tasty,” he said in a quiet voice. It’s been so long since he last spoke. But maybe it was safe now to speak. They were leaving. It all felt right.

Earl grinned at his son’s voice and leaned over for a quick one-armed hug.  “…Thanks, Roger,” he whispered.

Roger smiled and nodded, stuffing his face with the pancakes. He said something and it was his weird, and nothing bad happened. His heart was pounding. Maybe good things were possible after all.

Roger smiled and took the glass, taking a sip. Thanks, he signed. It was nice. Maybe they could really be safe again.

Earl smiled and nodded to him, sipping his own milk and carefully getting the pancakes on a plate.  Once there were a few for each of them, he set the plates on the table and set the syrup between them.

Roger smiled and took a pancake, taking the first bite and beaming. “Tasty,” he said in a quiet voice. It’s been so long since he last spoke. But maybe it was safe now to speak. They were leaving. It all felt right.

Roger smiled and nodded. He wrapped the blanket closer around himself and sat on a chair silently.

Earl let the pancake cook while he got some orange milk out, pouring them each a glass and handing one to Roger.

Roger smiled and took the glass, taking a sip. Thanks, he signed. It was nice. Maybe they could really be safe again.

Roger sat for a moment but then it got too quiet and he stood up, taking the blanket with him, and quietly trotted back to dad, watching him work in the kitchen.

This would be a big change.  Huge.  But Roger was safe, the Spire would leave them both alone.  That’s what mattered.  He smiled over his shoulder at Roger, then flipped the pancakes.  “Hey there.”

Roger smiled and nodded. He wrapped the blanket closer around himself and sat on a chair silently.

Roger nodded. “Please,” he said, tired but finally feeling safe.

Earl smiled, standing up and wrapping a blanket around his son before heading to the kitchen to start cooking.

Roger sat for a moment but then it got too quiet and he stood up, taking the blanket with him, and quietly trotted back to dad, watching him work in the kitchen.