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"You're sure you've packed everything?" Haddock asked.
"Yes, I double checked yesterday and this morning," Tintin replied, patting the suitcase next to him.
The last remnants of the morning fog dissipated under the rising sun as Tintin, Captain Haddock, and Snowy waited outside the airport. Soft, tinny music from the car beside them filled the air as Nestor sat in the driver's seat.
Leaning against the side of the car, Haddock bounced his leg erratically. He crossed and uncrossed his arms before finally shoving his hands into his pockets. "Got your passport?"
Tintin reached into his coat and held up his passport. "Right here."
"Wallet?"
"Got it."
A minute passed as Haddock stared up at the sky before he looked back at him. "You're sure you don't want me to come with you?"
"I'll be fine, Captain, it's only for a few days." While Tintin appreciated Haddock's concern, he had to admit the captain's overprotective nature was a bit overbearing at times. It wasn't even a big trip anyway, much less a work related one. In fact, it could almost be called a vacation, though considering Tintin's streak of 'vacation' being another term for 'an unplanned escapade across God knows where', Haddock's worries weren't completely unwarranted.
"Well, yes, but-."
"Besides, you have that big voyage coming up soon."
"I know, but-."
"And Snowy will be with me the whole time," Tintin said, picking up the terrier for emphasis.
Snowy yipped in confirmation, wagging his stubby little tail as he leaned forward and licked the captain's nose.
Haddock stifled a smile as he wiped the slobber from his face. "As if he doesn't get into as much trouble as you do!"
"I'll be careful, I promise. I know the area well, and it's in the countryside. Nothing but rolling hills and little cottages for miles."
"If you say so…"
As Tintin placed Snowy back on the ground, he looked up and recognized the creases of worry etched on the captain's features. It was the same kind of expression a parent makes when their kid goes driving for the first time: full of support but riddled with doubt for their kid's safety. No matter what Tintin said, Haddock was always going to look after him, even if he couldn't be there with him. Sighing, Tintin stood up and extended his arms out towards him.
Taking full advantage of the invitation, Haddock pulled him into a tight hug. "Call me as soon as you get there, okay?"
Maybe it was just how it felt to be hugged by the captain, the absolute certainty that someone cared about him so much; maybe it was the way Haddock held him so close that Tintin couldn't stop him from ruffling his hair until he managed to wriggle free. Either way, the words slipped out before Tintin realized what he had said.
"Okay, Dad, I-." Crumbs, now he's done it. He clamped a hand over his mouth but it was too late. His words were printed in the air and there was no going back.
Haddock stood unblinking, unsure of Tintin's sudden reaction, until something clicked and his eyes widened with a dawn of understanding. "Wait-."
"Oh wow look at the time! Better get going, Snowy!" Tintin exclaimed, hastily grabbing his suitcase and not at all dashing to the airport to hide the blush enveloping his face. "Bye, Captain! Bye Nestor!" Just as Tintin began to assume that he was in the clear, he heard Haddock shout behind him.
"Take care, son!"
A mixture of embarrassment and shock felt like an invisible rope wrapped around his feet as Tintin stumbled through the door. He tried to get one last glimpse of the captain, but the car had already sputtered away.
Snowy looked up at him, panting slightly after the sudden sprint. If dogs could talk, the little terrier definitely held disgruntlement in his eyes.
"Oh, don't give me that look," Tintin said, hefting his suitcase.
It was going to be a long flight.
Okay, Dad.
Haddock didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He had stood there, dumbfounded, barely able to utter a word before the boy suddenly sprinted off. And in a spur of the moment, he had called him "son" in return. In Haddock's mind, he knew it was a mere slip of the tongue, something to be played off as a joke to spare either of them the embarrassment.
That's all it was, right?
And yet…
He paced around the room, casting frequent glances between the clock and the telephone on the table. A roaring tide of thoughts swirled around his head.
Him? A father? It was more likely than a fish learning to dance the waltz. He wasn't a role model, just look at him. The literal embodiment of the "drunken sailor", the opposite of what people would call a "family man". Why would anyone, especially a brilliant young lad who's already mature for his age, look up to him?
"Sir?"
Haddock snapped his gaze from the window to see Nestor holding up the phone. "Huh? What?"
"Phone call, sir, it's Tintin."
"O-Oh, thank you, Nestor." Haddock held the phone to his ear. "Hello?"
"Hello, Captain!" A familiar, cheerful voice sounded through the receiver.
"Tintin! Everything alright?"
"Yes, sir! Made it in one piece! Sorry it took a while to call, this lady was hogging the phone booth."
He chuckled softly at the irritation in the boy's tone. "Well, no harm done. I'll see you in...three weeks?"
How much trouble could his boy get in three weeks? Tintin could take care of himself just fine. He didn't need Haddock to look after him. It's not like there were any bloody conspiracies to uncover in the countryside…right?
"Captain? Are you still there?"
Haddock coughed, fiddling with the telephone wire. "Oh. Say that again, lad?"
"I said until then, good luck with your trip!"
"Thanks, my boy, you too!" He waited for the click on the other line.
Instead, he heard faint shuffling in the background. A solid minute of awkward silence passed and Haddock wondered if Tintin had simply forgotten to hang up. "Hello?"
More shuffling, as if someone was fidgeting with the telephone on the other end, before Tintin answered, "Sorry, I um…" He took a breath, sounding uneasy as he spoke, "Captain?"
"Yes?"
"Remember when…earlier I um…remember when I…" Another labored breath and then a slow, shaky sigh. "…remember when I called you 'Dad' before I left?"
Of all things Haddock expected Tintin to sound so worried about, it was not that. "Oh…Oh! That, uh yes, that uh-."
"I'm sorry, it's just that at that moment-it just-it just felt like-you see when you-you reminded me of my-."
"Hey, hey, it's alright," Haddock hastily reassured him. The swirling tangle of thoughts that he had managed to shove to the back of his mind came flooding back tenfold.
You reminded me of my dad.
The room began to sway like a ship caught in a storm. Haddock had to laugh to hide the slight tremor in his voice as he nearly fell back onto the recliner behind him. "Eheh, I erm…I take it as a compliment."
"Are you okay?"
"Aye, don't worry about me, lad." Something that Haddock refused to admit were tears welled up at the back of his eyes. Was it pride? Affection? Unaddressed emotional baggage that decided to surface like an unwanted periscope from a submarine? He held his head in his hand, thanking the stars above that this was a phone call and not a face-to-face conversation. He bet his face was as red as a tomato by now.
"Are you sure?"
Come on, Archibald, put on a brave face for the lad. "Yeah, you go and have fun on your trip."
Unconvinced, Tintin asked hesitantly, "You're sure it's okay?"
This time Haddock's laugh was genuine. "Now who's a worrywart?" He took a deep breath before easing himself into the recliner. "I'll be fine as long as you stay out of trouble. Got it?"
A weighted silence followed by a relieved chuckle sounded through the phone. "Heh, okay. I better go. Take care, Captain, I'll see you soon."
"Take care, son." This time Haddock put down the receiver. A smile lingered on his face as he let out a breath.
"If you do not mind me saying, sir, that was rather heartwarming."
Haddock leapt out of his seat and spun around. "Wha-Nestor! How long have you been standing there?!"
Nestor replied calmly, unfazed by the captain's outburst of shock. "With all due respect, sir, you never told me to leave."
The blush on Haddock's face returned as he shuffled awkwardly on his feet. "I-Well, you can leave now, so…thanks."
"He does think fondly of you, you know. You may not realize it, but he looks at you the same way you used to look at your grandfather."
A chord struck within Haddock at the mention of his grandfather. The faint memory of being a child, hanging on to every word, listening to his grandfather's booming voice regaling them with the story of their ancestor played crisp and clear before his eyes. Haddock was probably around Tintin's age when he passed away. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt tears well up behind his eyes. "What does he see in me that's worth looking up to?" he asked softly.
"That boy is a mystery," Nestor said, who was still standing at the door and once again startled the captain, "but with his profession, he needs someone to look after him."
Haddock shook his head in disbelief. "Heh, are you sure about that? He's been able to handle himself just fine without me."
"True, but who else does he feel safe enough with to see as a parent figure?" And with that remark, Nestor finally left the room.
At the implication and then sudden realization that he had in fact become a father figure to his young friend despite being a terrible role model, Haddock collapsed in his chair. He muttered a curse under his breath, a swear that his own mother would have cried at and one he made sure to never say in front of kids. It was more bewilderment than anger, that feeling that hits you when the pieces suddenly line up and you're left wondering how you didn't see the whole picture before.
"Bilious of blistering blue barnacles in a thundering typhoon…" he sighed, donning his hat.
It was going to be a long trip.