dear_mun | Canon is Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I dunno, he's just here.

[ooc: Are Dawn spoilers okay I hope? If not just let me know and I'll change it.]

[Caesar's look of shock says it all, as he's too stunned to speak for a moment, be it sign or speech. When he does, he chooses sign, since he's not sure his voice would remain steady.]

...Father?

[Caesar is much older than Will would remember, with gray hairs peppering his face and age wrinkles along his eyes. The birthmark, however, remains as it ever was.]

[Caesar probably wouldn't have known what happened to Will, and Caroline. Whether or not they survived. But that doesn't matter now, in a place where they can be together again.

Will doesn't quite believe his eyes at first. He's been told he might see Caesar here, but that doesn't prepare him for this moment. Caesar may be older, but Will would know him anywhere. After all, they're family. And when Caesar signs, something breaks inside Will, and he lets out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.]

...Caesar.

[His shoulders sag in relief, and he smiles slowly. Will doesn't sign, but something tells him Caesar understands him, anyway.]

It's really you.

Edited (typos you didn't see) 2014-07-14 04:53 (UTC)

[Caesar has been left in the dark about everything about this place, and so the sight of Will here is difficult to comprehend. The length of time that's passed... the way the lights in the city he once lived in had grown darker and darker until there was nothing left... all Caesar can do now is catch the way his mouth falls open and try to control the shock in his eyes. He doesn't do a very good job.]

[He starts to shuffle closer but stops himself, but he's not sure why, but he nods his assent to Will's relief anyway.]

No more lights.

[His speech is slow and deliberate, but very pointed. There are no more lights in the city, how did you survive?]

[Will is pretty shocked himself. After he watched Caesar climb the trees and join the other apes, his new family... he was left feeling a bit empty. He hadn't thought he'd ever see him again. Maybe that was how it was supposed to be.

But he had missed him. He might as well have been left childless after losing Caesar. And hearing the ape speak like that, slow but clearly, still catches him off guard, and he can only stare in awe. After a moment, Will nods, understanding Caesar's words.]

After the virus spread, killing most of the population... there were riots in the street. Soon, there wasn't anything at all.

[He shrugs a shoulder slightly, looking down.]

I'm told that Caroline... and I... probably didn't survive.

[For Caesar there was much to do with his new family - they depended entirely on him to make the calls on their new life, and he chose to remain hidden within the red woods. Keep his family safe from human interference, to keep his new home safe.]

[For the first few winters he thought of his father often, sometimes going so far as to think back on the events that led to their escape. How things could have been based merely on circumstance. But leaving his home was not an option he ever chose, and Will never came to see him again. That was just how it was.]

[Caesar looks down when Will speaks, contemplating. Caesar and his family never had televisions to tell them what was going on in the world, they only had the lights. Most of the other apes didn't care in the slightest about humans, Koba most of all.]

You here now. [He looks up at that, green eyes serious, with something else hidden beneath. Happiness? Nostalgia? Hard to say.]

[As much as Will had missed Caesar, the ape belonged out here, in the wild... with others like him. He could see that now, just by looking at him, at how he had grown, at how he spoke. It was as if his vocabulary had increased, like he had adapted even more to his environment. Will would have stayed with Caroline, and tried to fight with the rest of humankind, tried to fight a losing battle. The apes adapted, the humans... did not.

Just by looking at Caesar, Will can only guess that he's seen much, and lived through much since they last saw each other. Something like pride swells in him, pride and happiness.]

Yeah. I'm here now. [He gives that lopsided smile of his, his expression softening. Stepping closer, he hesitates, before just... reaching out his hand, offering it to Caesar. It's a very human thing to do, a handshake of sorts. A clasping of hands, human's and ape's.]

I really missed you, buddy.

[Caesar looks down at the offered hand, then back up to Will. Slowly, he takes it with hands clasping not top to bottom, but side to side. Equals. But with that handshake Caesar pulls Will close with little more than a tug, raising his other hand to curl around the back of Will's head. Pressing forehead to forehead, Caesar closes his eyes and breathes deep, remembering past times in flashes and memories never forgotten.]

Missed you too.

[It's a long embrace but eventually Caesar pulls back, green eyes warmer than they've been in a long while.]

Have son.

[Now his face lights with pride, and he stands a little taller.]

[Will is only briefly surprised, then deeply touched by Caesar's actions. He remembers a similar closeness with his friend, his son, a very long time ago... but that had been goodbye. This was a reunion, and not one he was going to take for granted. Foreheads pressed together, aware of the strength in that familiar hand on his neck, he closes his eyes, too, and places his own hand on Caesar's shoulder. The ape smells of the woods, of his now natural habitat... but there is also a familiar scent, one Will occasionally woke up in the middle of the night, swearing he could smell once more.

There's a joy and relief to Will, too, that he hasn't felt in a while. He can't help but blame himself for everything that had happened, but not now, not when they're together again. His brow raises in surprise at Caesar's news, but then he grins.]

Caesar, that's... that's wonderful. I'm happy for you. [He absently scratches the back of his neck, chuckling a little.] Now you're a father, too.

You must have a mate then, too.

Edited 2014-07-14 06:10 (UTC)

[There's a level of pride that glows in Caesar at the praise and acceptance and genuine happiness that exudes from his human father. It is Will's smile that reminded him of the kindness in humans, that humans had the capacity for goodness that Koba is simply unable to fathom because of his past. Still, their relationship had not always been so kind, and Will had hurt him in his attempts to save him, Caesar understands that now.]

[Caesar nods, becoming more relaxed and open with his one trusting human companion.]

She is beautiful. [For the first time in a long time, he smiles, wrinkles creasing at the corners of his eyes.] Apes have future together.

[ The world might have ended for Will, but right now, it was just him and Caesar. He was glad to know his adoptive son had survived, and was flourishing with his new family. It did make him a little sad to know Caesar had grown so far away from him, and that might have flickered over his expression only briefly, but mostly he was happy for him. Will had only ever wanted Caesar's safety, even if he hadn't understood the pain he was causing him, by keeping him to himself. This was where Caesar belonged, and the scientist inside Will was amazed and fascinated to see that his old friend was still evolving.

And it is good to see the ape smile. ]

I'd like to meet her, and your son. [ Will says it simply, even if it's not possible. He really would like to see all of Caesar's new family. But the comment on apes having a future makes his happier expression falter a bit. ]

Apes have future. Humans... do not. [ He shrugs a shoulder slightly. ] Not a future like we once had. There are people who would be very angry with me, if they knew I had played a part in all this. It's my fault. [ He was one of the scientists who had experimented on the apes, after all. On Caesar's mother. Will doesn't like to think about it, but he can't help it. He's aged too, but mostly because of the stress of what happened. Everything fell apart so quickly. ] Apes evolved, most humans have not. Some of us are survivors.

Would like you to meet them.

[And the entire family really, except perhaps Koba, who wouldn't be too keen on the idea of a human anywhere near the family, especially a scientist that might have worked on Koba personally.]

You are not to blame.

[Then again, Caesar doesn't know all the facts that made him who he is, either.]

[Will smiles again when Caesar asks if he wants to meet his family. Even though humankind has suffered a great blow, the apes seemed to have flourished. The scientist in him is eager to learn about them, while the father in him just wants to know how Caesar has been since they parted.]

I would like that. Are you sure they won't mind? [He didn't imagine all of the apes were as keen as Caesar on the idea of a human being in their midst.]

Koba. [There is a solemn nod from Caesar as his eyes drift.] Koba will be problem.

[In a very humanlike gesture, Caesar pats Will's shoulder and looks him in the eye.]

I handle Koba. You will be fine.

Koba. [Will remembers, remembers how Koba pushed the downed helicopter off the bridge, killing Roberts. The ape he, himself, had 'experimented' on.

But he looks back at Caesar when he pats his shoulder like that, and he nods.]

Okay. I would love to meet them.

Canon is Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I dunno, he's just here.

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Spoilers are totally ok, saw it once, seeing it again tomorrow. Also, I kinda love you.

I've seen it twice I love it to bits it's so good! And I love you too for having Will!

:D In my mind, he DIDN'T die because that's too sad. this will just be an IN BETWEEN sort of place.

i like your head canon let's go with that

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Apparently since I effed up how many sons he has we're setting this pre-Dawn hahahaa...

haha totally fine! Sorry it's MY turn to be late this time, ugh!

No worries! We can be slow together!

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