nexus_crossings | (no subject)

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Even if it is his first time there, it doesn't look like he's all too bothered by it. He looked like he was sort of expecting to find himself in a place like this. But given who he is and what his job is, to say he's adaptable is a bit of an understatement.

He's sat on a bench in the plaza making little sculptures out of paperclips. There is a box of paperclips with him so he is in no danger of running out soon. There's a few on the bench beside him. Right then he's using the pliers on a well used and loved swiss army knife to bend the paperclip in a particularly intricate curve.

If you ask him he might even make you one.

"What's the biggest lie your parents have ever told you?"

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Mac of course notices the person approaching much slower than anyone would think to be doing just walking through the place. So of course he's watching. There is something familiar about him but he can't quite place the feeling though.

"You know you can have one if you want." He points to the paperclip sculptures.

"Have we met?"

Dennis freezes at the question. He can't lie. He's not going to lie. But, what is he supposed to say..."yeah, I'm Murdoc, sort of?" Dennis tries to say something, but the words stick in his throat.

Swallowing hard, he walks closer, sitting down. If this was his dad, Dennis would have sat right up against him. As is, he's probably closer than is socially acceptable. He has a hard time gauging things like that.

"I'm Dennis," he says in a weirdly quiet voice, wary and humble.

There's something weird about the whole situation to Mac because he is sure he knows him... he just doesn't know why and it's beginning to eat at him a little. But he still doesn't want to say anything. He wishes his mom was there, she'd probably know what to say. Or just hug everyone.

"Hi, I'm Angus, but everyone calls me Mac. You been around here long?" He picks up another paperclip to start on something new. "What do you think I should make?"

"A phoenix," Dennis says, giving a wry grimace at the introduction. "Yeah, I know. I know you...my reality's you. I've been coming and going from here for almost a year."

Dennis takes another steadying breath. It has to be done and procrastinating doesn't help. He runs some advice from Dr. Miri through his head and stares directly at Mac.

"In your reality, do you know a man named Murdoc?"

Because, hey, maybe Dennis will get lucky and this MacGyver will never have heard of him.

He looks like he's going to say something but just smiles instead and starts making a little phoenix, like one he's made previously.

But he stops at the mention of that name.

Sorry, he's had enough run ins with the version of Murdoc in his world. But why would he want to know that? Unless this was Cassian? But why...

He remembers to keep breathing, find a different place to focus on, like his mom taught him, because he really doesn't want to lose control. Not there. Too many people could get hurt.

"Yeah, I do..."

"I was him. Until I got hit with meteorite fragments and turned back into a toddler. Then, the MacGyver in my reality adopted me."

Dennis suddenly gives a merry laugh.

"I mean, you can't blame the guy, but the biggest lie my dad ever told me was letting me grow up thinking my son was my older brother."

He realized that this other version of himself really had done something good. Then he did something a little awkward but he felt it was needed then.
"Clearly that worked out well though." He reached out towards Dennis to give him a hug.

"I found out that I still have family. The man who I thought was my father, isn't. My mom is still alive and they thought they were keeping me safe." He laughed at that.

Dennis accepts the hug with a disbelieving chuckle, his tone full of wonder.

"You really are amazing," he says.

The bit about family leaves him floundering a bit.

"Wh-what? Pah-pop isn't your dad? Wh...I don't get it."

"Why?" He doesn't think that he is, though he hears it a lot.

He pulls his phone out of his pocket. It's easier to explain with a picture. Easier to explain the things he's learned to accept.

"My mom and dad wanted me safe, because being with them wasn't. So they gave me to my aunt and uncle to raise, well we know how that turned out."

The photo he finds to share is taken on the steps of a building, the resemblance between him and the man he points first to is unmistakeable. "That's my dad. My mom and my uncle. He has to wear those glasses."

"You just are. Most people would be hitting me or thinking I was laying some kind of trap. And, I wouldn't blame them," Dennis answers, as he studies the photo of two people he doesn't recognize.

He processes the new information and surely he misunderstood?

"James MacGyver is your biological uncle?"

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