[ Jaime's not so different that he doesn't reflexively apologize for swearing, but otherwise, he does look different. As familiar as his voice is and as familiar as his expression is - wide eyed, shell-shocked, mouth agape - the years have changed him. The scruff on his face isn't as pronounced as he'd like it to be, but it's a far cry from the paltry few strands it used to be, some of that residual baby fat on his face having since disappeared, making his features narrower, more defined, hair long enough to be pulled into a short ponytail at the nape of his neck.
It's not that he thought that Tadashi was lying. Of course he wasn't. And of course Tadashi would know, immediately, if this was their Wally. But it's one thing knowing it and another thing entirely to see it, hear it, Wally quipping at him like no time has passed despite the weariness in his eyes, still rimmed red with tears. Which, fair enough; Jaime knows that he's got, oh, about ten minutes of keeping up a stoic front before that's him. He'd thought about Wally a lot over the years, the things he'd learned from him, the words he'd kept close to his heart. A nagging part of him knows that he needs to make a trip to the Ted Kord Memorial Centre before Wally does so he can take half of those remembrances down.
But he'd relegated Wally to a memory a long time ago. A good one. The memory of a friend, who'd changed him when he needed changing, who was there for him when he needed him to be, and someone who Jaime hoped he served just the same. Still, he had been a memory all the same, unlikely to ever return, just like everyone else from that chapter of his life.
Tadashi came back, though. And now Wally... he just drinks the sight of him in for a moment. Other Wallys have come through after his. Never for long, and all different from the one he knew. Even from a glance, he can tell, this one's his. He's pretty sure his expression is doing about fifteen different kinds of funky things (he's never had very good control over his eyebrows and that still hasn't changed) and he's pretty sure Wally won't appreciate being gawked at like this, communicator clutched so tightly in his hands that his knuckles have turned white with it, but can't keep all of it in. ]
I wasn't gonna bust in on you while you guys were -- while you still hadda --
[ He exhales, still feeling like this isn't quite real. ]
Hi.
[ His blood buzzes electric underneath his skin, a flicker of blue veins flashing across his temple. If he can just get his ass over there, he'll do it within minutes. He can even feel his armour prickling at his shoulder bones, eager to get moving. ]
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[ Jaime's not so different that he doesn't reflexively apologize for swearing, but otherwise, he does look different. As familiar as his voice is and as familiar as his expression is - wide eyed, shell-shocked, mouth agape - the years have changed him. The scruff on his face isn't as pronounced as he'd like it to be, but it's a far cry from the paltry few strands it used to be, some of that residual baby fat on his face having since disappeared, making his features narrower, more defined, hair long enough to be pulled into a short ponytail at the nape of his neck.
It's not that he thought that Tadashi was lying. Of course he wasn't. And of course Tadashi would know, immediately, if this was their Wally. But it's one thing knowing it and another thing entirely to see it, hear it, Wally quipping at him like no time has passed despite the weariness in his eyes, still rimmed red with tears. Which, fair enough; Jaime knows that he's got, oh, about ten minutes of keeping up a stoic front before that's him. He'd thought about Wally a lot over the years, the things he'd learned from him, the words he'd kept close to his heart. A nagging part of him knows that he needs to make a trip to the Ted Kord Memorial Centre before Wally does so he can take half of those remembrances down.
But he'd relegated Wally to a memory a long time ago. A good one. The memory of a friend, who'd changed him when he needed changing, who was there for him when he needed him to be, and someone who Jaime hoped he served just the same. Still, he had been a memory all the same, unlikely to ever return, just like everyone else from that chapter of his life.
Tadashi came back, though. And now Wally... he just drinks the sight of him in for a moment. Other Wallys have come through after his. Never for long, and all different from the one he knew. Even from a glance, he can tell, this one's his. He's pretty sure his expression is doing about fifteen different kinds of funky things (he's never had very good control over his eyebrows and that still hasn't changed) and he's pretty sure Wally won't appreciate being gawked at like this, communicator clutched so tightly in his hands that his knuckles have turned white with it, but can't keep all of it in. ]
I wasn't gonna bust in on you while you guys were -- while you still hadda --
[ He exhales, still feeling like this isn't quite real. ]
Hi.
[ His blood buzzes electric underneath his skin, a flicker of blue veins flashing across his temple. If he can just get his ass over there, he'll do it within minutes. He can even feel his armour prickling at his shoulder bones, eager to get moving. ]