#And Alan's just like: Ah so this is when that shoe finally drops. Knew it was only a matter of time.

[illmoraineakoi]

Do you guys think that if Chosen ever learned of the 'deal' Orange made with Alan in AvA4, he'd automatically see it as Alan using it to indenture Orange to him and blow a gasket?

Especially if Orange recounted the deal incorrectly, or perhaps even if Orange himself misinterpreted or misunderstood it.

Because the original wording of the deal was "If you help me animate, I'll let you free so long as you don't wreck my computer."

Alan likely meant this to mean that so long as Orange didn't mess up the computer and helped him animate, Orange would be allowed to live on the computer. Which is already a little questionable, placing a stipulation on having a place to live. A very 'earn your keep' sort of vibe.

But the original deal makes no mention of RGBY or their role in everything. Honestly, it seems like they just kinda moved onto the desktop at some point between 2015-2017. But like most things with Orange, things tend to revolve more around them than himself, when it comes to his priorities.

So I don't think it's too out of the question to think that Orange automatically pooled them in with himself in this deal, and they became another factor of it when they originally weren't involved at all.

A common interpretation I've seen is Orange misunderstanding the deal, and thinking that if he helps Alan animate, his friends get to stay too. IE: If he doesn't, Alan reserved the right to kick them off or bar access to the computer from them. Placing a stipulation not just on Orange's own ability to have a place to live, but on his ability to see and have access to his friends. Turning it into a privilege earned by fulfilling the responsibilities expected of him.

Orange undoubtedly likes to animate with Alan, that's not an issue, but perhaps he still thinks that he has a responsibility to do it in order to maintain the status quo of not just his life, but all of their lives. Maybe he sees it as a sort of 'payment', in a way. Perhaps he doesn't even really believe that Alan would be mean enough to revoke those things from him, to do what is his right to by the terms of their deal, but there's a part of him that's secretly unwilling to chance it.

Or perhaps he doesn't even think the deal is active anymore. It's been so many years, after all, and they've ruined Alan's files multiple times (unintentionally) and nothing's happened. It could've long since become null and void.

But from Chosen's perspective, it would likely seem a lot worse than Orange ever thought it was. Perhaps even worse than ALAN realized it was.

Because Alan has put a price tag on Orange's right to even have a place to live. A price tag (potentially) on his ability to see and interact with his friends. A price tag on his nice, happy life. Maybe even a price tag on his very life.

And I think Chosen would be very upset about that. And perhaps even more upset when Orange seems confused about why he's upset about it, when Orange doesn't understand how predatory it looked from Chosen's perspective.

After all, it's not even a very big price tag. It's just a little animating. It's not that bad, and Orange likes doing it anyway, so what's the problem?

But at the end of the day, it is still little more than a ball and chain made of words and letters, binding him to doing what Alan wants him to do with the potential threat of ruthless punishment should he disobey or rebel of cause harm to the computer.

And really, what difference is there, between using a stick figure as a pop up blocker and using one as an animating assistant? Does the fact that he enjoys it really outweigh or justify the fact that you've placed a condition on his very livelihood since the day of his creation?

Yeah. Chosen would not be happy.

[halorocks1214]

the law of equivalent exchange

AO3 Link

Word Count: 4182

Just like all my other plot bunnies, this got three times longer than I estimated. Whoopsies. At least I’m fairly proud of this. Another title for this fic could be ‘something that I would love to see happen in the finale but know it won’t so I’ll just write it myself instead.’ I was probably going to write this fic regardless, but @gumnut-logic​‘s #FabFiveFeb just gave me one heck of a push to do so sooner than later. Hope you enjoy!

Warnings for The Hood being the creep he is and no-no words. There’s one F-bomb because I can’t seem to not have at least one.

“No! You can’t!”

Alan should probably be focusing on whatever the heck John was yelling at Scott for over the comms (let’s face it, Scooter, you haven’t been making the rashest decisions as of late), but he barely heard his older brother to begin with. With the blood rushing to his ears and his heart reverberating ten times faster than healthy throughout his entire body, all Alan could really focus on was trying not to pass out.

When his body decided to properly function, he tried reaching to turn his comms on as quickly as possible, but the figure he was praying to God to be a hallucination started talking, freezing Alan’s movements completely.

“Now then, Alan, let’s not be rash. I just want to talk. Is that so bad?”

Hand hovering over the button, Alan gulped down any fear he was wearing on his face to glare at The Hood directly in his eyes. If this was the stupid way he was going to go out, then he won’t be going out like a coward.

Against all of his training and judgment, Alan took his hand away from his comm and brought them calmly down to his sides. His whole stance was taut, and he at least hoped he looked more threatening than a lion cub play fighting with its siblings, “I don’t know, I would say it is considering who you are.”

The Hood chuckled, turning Alan’s stomach inside out. Alan just couldn’t understand this man. Ever. The way he slyly grinned as if he were some suave bachelor and not a creepy murderer. Alan tried desperately to cool the nausea in the pit of his gut as his family’s sworn enemy continued to speak, “As an honorable man even I have to admit defeat from time to time. You Tracys beat me fair and square, and the only way I caught up involved cheating. I was surprised I could sneak onto the ship as I did. Very well, Jeff Tracy is yours once again.”

Wait, what?

Alan blinked in shock before his brain caught up to him, making him bring back his glare, “There’s a catch here.”

The Hood raised his eyebrows at the way the boy spoke his words. It was not a question, no, the youngest Tracy stated them as if it were a matter of fact. The Hood’s smile grew wide, “You’re always quick on the uptake, Alan. Even if I lost this race, I did come out all this way. I can’t leave with nothing, not after all the time and effort I gave up. Surely, you understand that?”

Chills fled down Alan’s spine at the speed of the Zero-X. The gleam in The Hood’s eyes slowly morphed into hunger, like a starving lion about to make a move on an ill and weak zebra. Alan was pretty damn sure he wasn’t weak nor ill, and he didn’t feel like growing black and white stripes at the moment.

The Hood stood to his full height, “Have you ever heard of the saying “An Eye for an Eye”?”

Alan’s glare dropped off his face and went right back to the wide-eyed fear he had at the start, making him look a few years younger than he was. Screw looking fierce, he needed help. He needed his brothers.

Once again, he reached to get to his comms. Even if it were only one word, one second, one yelp of pain or fear, his brothers would realize something was wrong and come running. He hated it, occasionally, how he would always be seen as the baby, but if it meant getting home and away from this freak, then Alan was willing to be swaddled and rocked to sleep as much as his older brothers wanted.

However, that familiar cold voice spoke out once again, somehow stopping time itself in the process.

“Ah ah ah, Tracy, I thought I told you to be careful with that thing.”

Alan was breathing heavy, minute trembles beginning to show, “G-Give me one good reason I shouldn’t, you m-monster.”

The Hood’s grin turned playful as if what Alan wasn’t getting was supposed to be obvious, “Have you been listening to your brothers’ predicament at all?”

What did that mean?! Shaking his head, Alan, much to his displeasure, started to completely ignore The Hood so he could turn up his comms to listen. Crap, he forgot about why they were even out here! Why haven’t they finished the mission? Why haven’t they been able to find Dad? From the way The Hood was talking, Alan figured the older man was going to let the teenager writhe in agony as he listened to whatever he’d been missing.

Suddenly, a new, semi-unfamiliar voice boomed through Scott’s side of the comms.

“--head that way. If Johnny’s calculations are correct, it should be the path of least resistance.”

That was followed by a louder Scott responding with, “Yes, Father.”

Continued and ended with Virgil stating, “Lead the way, Dad.”

Alan blinked a few times again, the hand he was holding up over the comms suddenly very heavy and stuck in place. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t find it in himself to contact his brothers for help. That was-- it was--

The Hood gleamed with anticipation at the recognition in Alan’s eyes, “If I can’t leave with anything, no one is. I’m positive you don’t want to be the one to ruin this for the rest of your family, do you?”

Ask Alan and he could very easily explain to you that his life could be broken into two parts. The parts had very simple descriptors too: With Dad and Without.

The Zero-X went up in flames before Alan was even ten-years-old, leaving a broken family and a confused child. A child that reacted like any other kid to losing a parent so young. He was sad and scared and for a while he just wanted his Dad to come back, even though his little mind knew it wasn’t possible.

But as the years went on, Alan got used to growing up without his dad in his life. Of course, the blonde missed him, and of course, he would do anything to get him back, but the sad fact of life was that Alan didn’t grow up with Jeff.

He grew up with his four older brothers and his grandma and Kayo and Brains and even Penny and Parker--

You catch what he was saying?

They tried to fill in the gap of a missing father with their own stab at being mock parents for the youngest Tracy. Alan suspected later in life that they did it in an attempt to fill their own gaps and heartbreak.

He would later start to think they failed at that latter objective as well.

That’s where the second part of his life came in to view. His brothers had many, many more years with their dad that they had to realize they would never have again. Scott was trained by Jeff with tips and tricks that nobody else in the Air Force knew. Jeff personally recommended John to the best of the best at NASA. Jeff took Virgil to meet one of the best mechanics in the world at the age of 12. Jeff was at every single one of Gordon’s swim meets to cheer him on.

Alan remembered being tucked into bed and pictures being hung up on the fridge and gold stars for eating his vegetables, and he was going to love getting that back, but he remembered Scott giving him piggybacks even more. John proofreading his papers even more. Virgil letting him sit on the piano bench while the older brother practiced more. Gordon teaching him how to dive into the deep end even more.

He also remembered Scott hiding a bottle of “adult juice” from Alan’s wandering eyes more than once, too many grey hairs for someone in their mid-twenties. He remembered how John was gone more and more, flinching at more and more hugs, only to be swallowed whole by the endless void that is space and Thunderbird 5, barely even being planetside for more than a fourth of the year.

Alan remembered how Virgil got quieter and quieter. Alan remembered the tap shoes, the musical scripts: they were currently collecting dust in the back of a random closet, shoved behind weight lifting gear and medical textbooks instead. And Gordon, his immediate older brother, his partner in crime... Alan wasn’t stupid. He knew Gordon dropped out of college and even the Olympics (after getting a freaking gold medal too!) to join WASP where he was nearly put in a goddamn chair.

Alan has been slowly watching his family barely try to hold it together, and it all started with dark laughter and a ball of fire over the ocean.

His brothers needed their father back, and no doubt Jeff wanted his sons back. Alan would hope he would want all of them too, but...

... After everything his brothers (and even Kayo and Brains and Grandma) have given up, surely Alan could give back, even if it’s just this one thing? Besides, Alan would hate himself forever if he was the reason they couldn’t complete their mission. He tends to feel that way on a failed missions anyway.

Yeah, right, the mission objective: get Dad back. Think of the mission, think of the mission. If that mantra was the only thing that was going to keep him convinced he was doing the right thing, then only he and The Hood would know.

Alan’s voice was breathy. It felt like if he spoke too loud the blood in his ears would make one final rush to try and bring him to la-la land, “... Do you promise?”

The Hood blinked and raised one eyebrow in a motion that spoke, ‘What did you just say? I wasn’t listening that hard in the first place.’

Alan’s trembling was more than minute, yet he forced his voice to be firm and steady this time. His glare was back to being fierce, and the fire in his eyes was redder than his ‘Bird. He enunciated just about every other consonant in his words, “If I go with you, do you promise to never go after them again? Because I know there’s no point in going with you if you just keep chasing them.”

The Hood stared blankly for a moment before his typical, creepy demeanor came back. With a few chuckles that brought physical bile up Alan’s throat, The Hood threw his arms out to his sides to make his point more clear, “Dear Alan, if you come with me there’s no point in doing so. There’s nothing I could do that could be worse.”

Jeez, way to kick a guy while he’s down. Alan flinched but continued to hold his head high, “I want your word.”

The Hood thinned his lips in disappointment. He still complied with Alan in the end, “Once you agree to come with me, I’ll take away what’s disrupting your unique vessel, leave your family alone for the rest of their lives, and then we’ll ‘get the heck out of dodge’ as you all say.”

Ew, that one was bad. He bet The Hood made it bad on purpose, the prick. Alan inhaled before exhaling the longest breath of his life, “Fine. Then you have a deal.” Like a true gentleman (Penny would be proud, right?), Alan held his hand out, initiating a handshake to seal the deal.

Then, suddenly, his watch started ringing. On the hand he was holding out. Alan found himself hating that noise for the first time in his life. Panicking, Alan made sure the hologram that appeared was himself and himself only, “H-Hey, brother! Did you find Dad yet?”

A familiar mop of ginger hair floated in between him and The Hood. Raising an eyebrow, John playfully rolled his eyes at his younger brother’s antics. Yes, let Alan play a little bit. They did just do the impossible, after all, “Actually, Alan, we did. Scotty and Virg are almost back with him. I was calling to let you know.”

That smile... the way John was sarcastically bantering with him... the nicknames... it was all because they were getting Dad back, wasn’t it? Alan felt tears mist his eyes. Their family really would be better off...

“Uh, Allie, you good?” Gordon’s voice rang out a few feet away from John

Crap crap crap. Bring it back, Alan, bring it back! “Uh-- yeah! Don't worry, I’m as cool as a cucumber in the middle of July! Hah...”

John’s eyebrow raise was no longer playful. In fact, it was filled to the brim with concern, “Are you sure? If you’re having trouble finishing up, Gordon could easily come up to help you out.”

Alan registered the strawberry blonde’s mmhhm with growing dread.

Dangit, guys, stop being such moms for once in your lives! “No! Wait--” Alan coughed into his hand to clear his throat. He looked away while doing so and then looked back at John with one of his familiar sly grins, “John, Godrz, I swear I’m good. It just took a little bit more to stabilize this part of the rocket. Just give me a few minutes to finish up and then I will be right there to celebrate with you all, got it?"

John contemplated his brother’s words before conceding. Alan was a trained member of IR. His judgment could even be better than theirs sometimes, “Okay.” John leaned his head out of the hologram for a moment before leaning back in with a cheeky grin, “Hey, don’t let Scott know I told you this, but if you want to rush your diagnostics, go ahead. I won’t blame you.”

Alan felt himself snickering along with Gordon. Yeah, this was the right thing to do, “FAB, Johnny, my lips are sealed.”

With a wave, John cut his video feed, leaving Alan in utter silence. Letting out a sigh of relief, Alan let his arms fall to his sides. Everything was going to be okay. Dad was back and could pilot the Zero-X in his place, his brothers would get back a vital part of their childhoods, The Hood would leave his family alone (Kayo would thank him for that one if she could), and things would go back to what it once was.

... He felt really dirty. He abused John’s trust for a reason his older brothers were going to hate themselves for. Alan was allowed to feel regret, right? Because--

Suddenly, Alan felt an arm around his shoulders bringing his tiny body to be closer to someone else. Okay, Alan wants to take it back, this is awful! God, he might genuinely throw up-- John wait--

“Aw, don’t be like that,” The Hood stated coyly, “After all, it appears we will have plenty of time to get to know one another. Better sooner than later, right?” The laughter that rung out in the room sounded like it came from an 80s sitcom dad.

Sweating bullets, Alan grinned in a way even a literal brick wall would know it was forced. So this is what it's like to walk into the pits of hell, good to know.

---

Scott couldn’t really describe what he was feeling at the moment.

The best word he could come up with was elation because holy fuck:

Dad was finally back.

When he stepped into the cockpit with the rest of his family, the world turned upside down, and in a good way. The first to leap out of his seat was Gordon, of course, but also with tears streaming down his face as he flung himself into his father’s arms for the first time in nearly a decade. Scott couldn’t remember for the life of him the last time Gordon genuinely cried. And he meant genuine, I can’t believe this is happening tears, not Gordon, it’s a fictional movie-- But they’re still puppies, Scott! tears.

Slowly stepping back, Gordon moved out of the way for John, who finally initiated a hug himself with no need for bribery, no need for Scott to promise there’s no ulterior motive behind a goddamn hug. John started talking about what he could add to his room back on the island now that I’ll be down more often and Scott thought himself would burst into tears.

Then there was Virgil. Oh, Virgil, who had the best teddy bear hugs in the entire galaxy, was holding back when it came to his dad as if the middle Tracy squeezed too hard the image in front of him would shatter into itty bitty little pieces that he couldn’t put back together again.

And Scott? Scott felt like he could finally breathe again. His dad being back meant he didn’t have to shoulder, well, everything in their lives anymore. At least, not like before. No more needing to be at every Tracy Industries conference, no more needing to be the constant head of IR relations. Sure, Scott wasn’t going to just drop it all, he’s not an asshole, but one day it’ll be a co-piloted effort, in a sense.

It was also going to be nice to just have an extra head around the house, for more than one reason. Chores won’t be so abundant, Grandma might not cook as often, Scott also needed help getting Alan a geography tutor of some kind, and their dad was always incredible at--

Oh, shit. Wait, where was Alan?

Scott bounded toward his four family members who were currently laughing as if nothing were wrong anymore, “Guys, where’s Alan?”

Both Virgil and Jeff jumped, the beginnings of guilt filling their bodies. Shit, of course, that should’ve been the first thing they asked! Before the self-hate train could leave the station, John waved them off in an attempt to calm them down, “Alan’s down in room C6, remember? We sent him down there to keep the ship stable while you two went out to find Dad’s signal.”

Gordon was wiping away his remaining tears as he grinned his biggest grin ever. He started walking out of the room to where his younger brother was waiting, “Y-Yeah, considering he piloted the rocket, we figured he would be better staying inside to keep it in one piece for the flight home.”

Jeff blinked. Alan did?...

A grin spread across his face at the news, a sharp bark of laughter exiting his chest before he could stop it, “Man, I knew he would be just as you guys one day. I’m just surprised it came so soon!”

Scott blinked at his father before his shoulders relaxed, “Yeah, no kidding. I can’t wait for him to tell you all his stories. Some of them are really killer.”

Jeff directed his grin towards Scott, ruffling the brunette's hair like all those years ago, “Me neither! Lead the way, boys.”

They all mindlessly chatted as they made their way to the youngest’s location, unaware of what was about to befall the family. They got to the place Alan stated he would be at and gave each other one last look. Their expressions were giddy: it felt like they were about to jump out and say Surprise! like one of Alan’s birthday parties.

Scratch ‘like’, it pretty much was that.

The door shhed open to a dark room, sending shivers down the family’s spine and killing the mood instantaneously. “Uh, Allie?” Virgil yelled out into the chillier-than-normal room. Suddenly the lights came on, blinding them for just a second. When they reopened their eyes, everyone’s heart dropped to the floor. Gordon would swear he heard five different, distinct thunks in the future.

Because Alan was very much not in the room, which meant he wasn’t keeping everything 'stable' like he said he would. The older Tracys wouldn’t be freaking out so much (maybe Alan just went to get air somewhere else? Heh) if it weren’t for the fact that Alan’s IR sash was laid on top of the control panel. It would’ve been more reassuring if it wasn’t so neatly folded either, to be honest.

The four brothers didn’t even think as they sprinted over to the scene.

Gordon and Virgil mindlessly grabbed the sash and unfolded it, as if their youngest brother were somehow hiding inside the object that was five times smaller than he was. Scott and John rushed over to the control panel and ran a quick but effective diagnostics to figure out what the hell just happened. Meanwhile, Jeff blinked a few times before gaining a serious look (John would later call it the good old fashion Jeff Tracy rage) as he went to join his two eldest sons in their scramble to figure out the why.

With a few beeps signaling the end of the diagnostic, John flinched before shakily bringing his hand to his chin, “This has been stable for the past 20 minutes...”

Scott bristled in anger, not at John, never at his brothers, but at the implications of those words, “What the hell does that mean?!”

John sharply inhaled before looking his older brother dead in the eyes, an emotion between fear and anger stirring within, “It means, Scott, that Alan was a dirty liar.”

Before Scott could question even further, Gordon piped up from his search of the red sash. His tan seemed much paler all of a sudden, “We... we called Alan right before you guys brought Dad back. He said he had to stay here to make sure everything continued smoothly as he just got it stabilized.”

Jeff could feel the self-loathing rolling off of his sons in waves. He wasn’t sure how to comfort them, though, as he wasn’t exactly sure how to anymore. He was sure he could have, but that idea flew right out the window when Virgil mentioned John didn’t really like surprise hugs nowadays (apparently, he "barely liked hugs longer than 5 seconds in the first place"). His second-born loved nothing more than to be swept off his feet from behind back when, well...

Plus, he has always tried his best to never be a hypocrite. He couldn’t help but feel responsible, just a little bit, “Boys, I can’t help but apologize for everything that appears to be happening. I--”

Before Jeff could continue, or any of his sons could argue with his apparent apology, Virgil finally got sick of the tension and aggressively shook Alan’s sash once more, causing a tiny roll of paper to fall out of the pocket. The one Alan specifically requested Grandma to sew on for him when the senior Tracy got the time.

Every family member present jumped as they felt their stomach rip in half. They all looked around at each other with anxiety clear in their eyes... but Jeff noticed that none of his sons looked at him. Clearly, they weren’t used to him being there just yet. Well, he might as well make up for lost time.

He took a step forward and bent over so he could grab the slip. Before he could blink, Scott snapped out of his funk and grabbed it much faster. Jeff didn’t even have a second to reassure his eldest it was okay before Scott rolled open the slip of paper and read it to himself.

Chaos reigned when his only response was to fall to his knees and drop the horrifying message.

“Scott?!” Virgil cried out. Both he and Gordon ran to their oldest brother’s side to find some way to measly comfort him. Meanwhile, John felt something akin to a panic attack coming on. What could Scott have read that made him react like that? John couldn’t move, so Jeff bit the bullet and finally picked up the note himself.

John was abruptly brought out of his head when he heard his father whimper. Yes, whimper, as if he were a baby deer that just got hit by a speeding car. Moving on autopilot, John walked over to his father’s side as the older man covered his hand with his mouth.

Jeff registered movement at his side. Not looking up, he shoved the note to whoever wanted to read it. More guilt filled the back of his head. He shouldn’t be subjecting his sons to this, he should try and protect them, but he would be lying if he said that didn’t feel pointless.

No, not Alan, not their baby.

Shaking slightly, John gripped the note to the point of wrinkles without looking at it. Inhaling once more, John ripped the bandaid off and read what was tearing his family apart one by one.

John was suddenly thankful he didn’t eat his bagel that morning. The last thing he wanted to do was throw up over all of his remaining family.

Do you remember what the alchemists in the olden days based their theories off of, Jeff?

Don’t worry if you can’t remember, I can just tell you.

It was a little something called The Law of Equivalent Exchange.

I win, Tracy. I always do.

[elizaxspears]

Prompt: mortal slingphries, with Alan introducing Eric to his parents. Alan's parents don't care much for Eric which upsets Alan. Eric then reassures Alan that he'll stay with him no matter what their parents think.

Hello Anon! Sorry this took a bit to get to, but being sick sucked out all energy I had. Anyhow, hopefully you enjoy this! 

The car sat idle on the side of the road, parked on the curb. The fingers on the wheel tight while he fought the urge to fidget. Beside him, his boyfriend of three years sat, concern etched on his face while he remained frozen in place. “Alan, are we gonna go ‘r jus’ sit here all night?”

Alan took two deep breaths then faced Eric, biting the corner of his bottom lip. “We can go, if you want. I mean, I can easily call them up and tell them you’re under the weather or something, or—”

Eric’s hand grabbed his own, peeling it off the steering wheel. “Alan, darlin’, wha’s wrong? ‘ve ne’er seen ye nervous like this before.”

Alan grasped Eric’s hand between his, taking another deep breath. “You’re about to meet my parents,” another breath, “and I’m scared what they’ll think of you.”

Admittedly, Eric understood he wasn’t the picture of a golden boy, but he liked to believe he had a welcoming, easy going personality to make up for that. “Hey, I might not make a good first impression, bu’ ‘m sure as hell gonna prove ‘m worth ya.”

That got a smile out of Alan, even if it was small and probably out of habit. “Just, promise me you won’t take anything they say to heart, alright?”

“Aye, I promise.” he lifted Alan’s hand to kiss his knuckles. “Sae, wanna get this evenin’ over with?”

Alan sighed, dropping his hand to shut off the engine, reclining back in the seat. “I guess. Now or never as they say…though I’d prefer never.”

Eric dared to ruffle Alan’s hair before getting out of the car. He stood there for a good minute before Alan joined him at his side. He held out his hand and Alan took it, entwining their fingers before Alan lead the way up to the front door. With a final deep breath to gather his nerves, he knocked on the door.

In mere seconds the door was opened and Alan was ripped from Eric into a tight hug by his mother. “Mum.” Alan wheezed when he was finally released, offering the elder lady a smile then nodded to his father. “Dad.”

“It’s been too long since you’ve been home for dinner.” his mother said. “I’ve missed my boy.”

“I’ve missed you too.” he then turned to introduce Eric. “And this is Eric, the man I’ve told you about.”

“Pleasure tae meet you two.” Eric said with the best, welcoming smile he could muster, eagerly thrusting out his hand.

It wasn’t the first time he’d been sized up by the parents of who he was currently dating, but the way Alan’s father's eyes scanned him from head to toe then almost reluctantly shaking his hand set him on edge. Alan even looked uncomfortable. “Pleasure.” the man said in a dry tone. He did have a strong grip, Eric could give the man that.

“Well, there’s no point standing out in the cold. Come in, come in. Dinner will be ready shortly.”

They filed into the home, jackets and shoes were removed and Eric followed behind Alan and his father into the living room, Alan still grasping to Eric’s hand. “So, you’re Eric Slingby, correct?” the man asked, sat on an armchair while Eric and Alan took the couch.

“Yes sir.” he grinned at Alan. “Hope he’s told ye good thin’s about me.”

“Some things have been questionable.”

Alan rolled his eyes. “They were just jokes, dad. Really, Eric’s a good guy.”

“I will see that when he proves it to me.”

“Well, I’d do anythin’ fer Alan.” Eric said. “‘m not gonna say I didn’t sleep around ‘fore, but ‘m truly committed to Alan. ‘ve never felt this way with anyone before.”

“And how many times have you used that line?”

“Never.”

“I’m sure.”

Alan bowed his head, tempted to drag Eric back to the car and home. “Then what do you do?”

Eric rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah, well, ‘m a tattoo artist.” he gestured to the side of his neck where the start of one of his bigger tattoos showed. “Get a good discount working where I do.”

“I see you have plenty of those…things.”

Eric looked down at his arm, the sleeves rolled up revealing a ink covering his right forearm and disagreeing under his sleeves. A combination of celtic markings and flowers entwined around them. “I, ah, I actually got this one for Alan.”

“An entire arm for my son?”

“Well, it started small, but Eric wanted to go bigger.” Alan interjected.

Eric bit his lip right then and there. There was no way either of Alan’s parents would appreciate an innuendo joke. “I see.”

“Dinner.” came Alan’s mother from the kitchen.

Eric felt Alan’s father’s eyes on him as he stood. Part of him wanted nothing more then to prove visually how dedicated he was to Alan but the bigger part of him knew that would only end up getting him kicked out of the house.

What was, admittedly, a delicious dinner, it did nothing to erase the tension in the air. Alan sat next to him having barely touched his food while both Mr. and Mrs. Humphries stared him down as if he’d eat their son. “’s really good Mrs. Humphries.” Eric complimented. “Haven’t ‘ad a good meal like this since my own mum’s cooking.”

Mrs. Humphries tried to smile. “Thank you.”

Alan shifted next to him. “So, mum, dad, how have you two been? Haven’t spoken in person for awhile.”

“No, we haven’t. It is good to see you again, Alan.” Mrs. Humphries said. “And to finally meet your boyfriend.”

Eric looked at Alan then back to his mother. “’s a pleasure tae meet you two. Alan’s told me a lot about his childhood.”

“Has he? Well, I’m sure he hasn’t painted us as neglectful or anything.”

Eric shook his head. “No, no. Ye were good.”

Mr. Humphries huffed, sipping from his wine glass. “Alan, have you heard from Daniel at all?”

Alan flinched, dropping his fork on his plate; his food hardly touched. “No.”

“Mm. That’s a shame. He was a nice boy.”

“Yes, he was.”

Eric cocked an eyebrow. “Daniel…?”

“An ex who my parents won’t let go.” Alan replied in a hushed tone.

“Well he was good for you.” Mrs. Humphries said. “He had a good job and treated you like a King.”

“Yeah, well, things happened and I didn’t love him anymore. All he did was try to please me on every little problem. He literally had no personality besides agreeing.” he put his hand on Eric’s shoulder. “We have arguments, we have disagreements, we get angry at each other but at the end of it all, we still care so much for each other and will respect what the other has to say. He was devoted to doing anything that made me happy regardless of what he thought or wanted. I didn’t want that, mum, dad.”

Mrs. Humphries frowned. “It’s a shame you think that Alan. He could have been good for you. Better for you then other men we’ve met.”

“Yes, I’m sure to you he would have been perfect.” Eric swore he could cut the tension with his knife. He wasn’t even sure this was about him anymore.

When dinner was done, they left on a rather somber tone. Alan didn’t look happy at all, his lips curled down, his brow furrowed. “I was hoping they’d forget him.” Alan finally said when they reached the car. “But they’re adamant on Daniel being ‘the one’.” he removed the keys from his pocket, handing it to Eric. “Can you drive? Please?”

“Of course.”

Eric rounded the car, settling into the drivers seat, Alan close behind in the passengers. The car ride home was just as tense as dinner; Alan constantly wringing his hands together. “You okay?”

“Fine.�� Whenever Alan got like this, Eric would never push the brunette. If Alan wanted to talk, he would on his own time. There wasn’t a point trying to press the info out of him.

When they got home, Alan said nothing when exited the car. Eric followed Alan inside and once the door closed, he hugged him tight, kissing his temple. “Yer okay darling.” Alan was shaking a little, but he didn’t push Eric awake, but he didn’t return the hug either. “‘m here whenever ye need me, ye know that.” reluctantly he let Alan go. “‘m gonna have a shower then join ye in bed, alright?”

“Yeah.” It was almost robotically that Alan wandered toward their bedroom. Eric closed his eyes, took a moment, then headed for the washroom. The entire time he stayed in the shower, he kept berating himself for how tonight went. He was meant to make a good impression on Alan’s parents and he was sure they thought he was some sort of delinquent.

After the shower, he threw on some black pyjama pants and began walking out drying his hair. Dropping the towel around his neck when he was done with it, he paused at the bedroom door, hearing Alan. Curiosity got the better of him and he pressed his ear to the closed door. “I’m sorry tonight went this way, dad. I just…no, I understand. I didn’t help things either…are you two mad at me?…thank you, but, what about Eric?…oh…yes, I see. Alright. Goodnight dad and tell mum goodnight as well.”

Eric heard a beep then sigh. Waiting an extra second, he knocked. “Alan? Can I come in?”

“Yes.”

Eric pushed open the door, finding Alan sitting on the edge of the bed, phone in his hand, head bowed. “Darling? Are you okay?”

Alan lifted his phone, waving it a bit. “I called mum and dad. They’re not mad at me for acting so standoffish, but…but they don’t…they don’t like…you.” He lifted his head then, tears glistening in his eyes. “They don’t approve of you.”

Eric was right next to Alan instantly, enfolding the brunette in his arms. This time, Alan didn’t reject. He hugged Eric back just as tightly. There were tears but not sobs, Eric rocked them back and forth. “Alan, I know ’s gotta be hard tae not have yer parents like me, but frankly, I dun care.” he whispered, “they can hate me fer all I care, but that’ll never stop me from loving you. Never. I love you, Alan, so much and nothin’ would ever change that. Nothing and no one. I love you, I love you, I love you. Never forget that.”

Alan breathed in Eric’s freshly clean sent, grasping harder to him. “I love you too.” he replied, wanting nothing more then to just sleep in Eric’s arms like this. “Please, do let go.”

“I won’t Alan. I won’t. They’ll ‘ave tae pry yer body from my arms tae get me to let go.”

Alan nuzzled against him, closing his eyes. “I’m so happy I have you.”

“Ye always will.” he kissed his hair, returning the affectionate nuzzle. “Always.”

[ttuckercreationsofficial]

All Fun and Games

By Tori Tucker Planes I’ve always been told that I have a strong imagination. That’s part of why I decided to become a writer. When I was little I used to like to make up games with my brother and my cousins. I remember one Christmas at my grandmother’s house when I got the Barbie Airplane. I was so excited! I quickly got the toy out of the box, and then promptly climbed into the box myself. As my cousins took up the hunk of plastic instead, I imagined myself flying the box around the room as my very own airplane. The turbines began to spin, the propeller at the front began to twirl and the next thing I knew I was soaring around my grandmother’s living room. My parents and aunts and uncles ooed and ahhed as I propelled my little cardboard plane over the table and took three turns around the ceiling fan. Then my grandmother came in carrying a plate of her German Christmas cookies, which toppled to the floor as she ducked to avoid me. “Alan!” she shouted. “You have to get Victoria!” No sooner did she say this than my grandfather came running from the other room with a broom which he used to swat at my little plane, but that wouldn’t stop me! I whizzed around the house, through the kitchen and into the front sitting room. I plunked off the piano a few times to the tune of ‘Jingle Bells’ before I noticed something was wrong. My engine was sputtering and I knew this was the end of my ride. I prepared my parachute and dropped just in time before my little plane went crashing into the Christmas tree. Lava Ah yes, every child’s favorite game: the ground is lava. My cousins and I would tear my grandmother’s living room apart. Couch cushions would end up strewn across the floor, and us kids would be crawling across, trying to get to the safety of the kitchen for lunch. We were an hour in. Julia had already lost a leg and an arm and was stranded in the middle of the room with no one but Dora the Explorer to keep her company. Zachary and my brother were trying to build a lava-proof boat with some of our grandmother’s scarves. Meanwhile Alexa and I were working on building a bridge to get us all safely out of the living room. That’s when Alan Jr. came in. “Kids, don’t keep your grandmother waiting. Your soup’s going to be cold.” That’s when he stepped onto the carpet. “Uncle Alan, no!” I screamed! But I couldn’t save him. It was too late. In seconds he melted into the floor; an Alan colored mush cooked into the lava carpet. Julia began to cry and clutched onto her Dora the Explorer doll. It seemed she had explored too far today. Pirates Down the street from my grandmother’s house is a playground that my cousins and I liked to go to. That was where we played one of my favorite games: pirates. I was the captain (of course). My cousin Alexa was my first mate, and Julia was my pet parrot that repeated everything I said. Together we made up the crew of the Blood Drop. And Zachary and my brother? Well, they were boys. And boys are gross. So they were their own crew. They were our sworn enemies. Zachary was the captain of the Dirty Dogs. And my brother, being the only other Dirty Dog, was the first mate. Now, the girls and I ruled the jungle gym. There was no getting past us, but that didn’t stop the boys from trying. We were always vigilant of any attacks. Finally one day it seemed that they had finally left us alone and resigned themselves to the baseball field. We were wrong. My brother, the first mate tried a surprise attack. I was doing my rounds, looking over my domain with my spyglass (a paper towel roll decorated with glitter and glue) when I saw my brother waving his left sock as a surrender flag. I beckoned him forward. “I don’t want to fight anymore,” he told me. “Zachary is being mean. Can I join you guys?” Liking the idea of Zachary defending the Dirty Dogs alone, I allowed my brother aboard. “Swab the deck!” I ordered him, throwing him a leftover napkin from my snack pack. I should have known. He lulled me into a sense of security. The next thing I knew Alexa was yelling my name and I turned to find my brother clutching onto Julia’s wing! I was furious. I climbed up to them. “Let her go!” I warned, drawing my pirate sword. “No! I’m taking your parrot back with me!” That was it. I couldn’t have it. My parrot knew all of our secrets. I sprang forth with my sword and missed my brother’s head by inches. That’s when he started crying: his favorite tactic. I pushed Julia to safety, watching her twirl down the spiral slide before I grabbed my brother. “Walk the plank” I growled. And that’s how my brother broke his nose after being thrown off the jungle gym… Witches Behind my grandmother’s house the backyard opens up into the woods. That’s where we would play witches. Alexa and I had a potions shop which Julia would bring us ingredients for. We would use an old beach pale to mix everything together in and then fill old plastic water bottles with the labels pulled off to keep our magic elixirs in. We would sacrifice worms and beetles to better our potions, and carve wands out of branches. Meanwhile my brother and Zachary would be off collecting frogs and toads in their own pale. I don’t know what they did with those to be honest. Boys are weird. At any rate, one day I decided I would be nice and help them out, so I ordered Julia to find me more worms and Alexa to ready our cauldron. Using a thick stick I crushed up the worms and added some mud for texture. Next I added my magic herbs: dry leaves crumpled up and some moss peeled from a nearby tree. Then I recited my incantation. “Oogity-bloogity-bloo!” Then it was ready. I called the boys over. “This will help you catch more toads.” I told them. My brother, being the gullible little baby he was drank it down without question. But just as I had convinced Zachary to do the same I sensed that something was wrong. My brother began to choke. His eyes began to bulge. Oh no! I turned him into a frog. Not again! Zoo When my cousins came up for the weekend our favorite game to play was zoo. We would take my animal flashcards and lay them around my grandmother’s bedroom and use whatever spaces we could find as habitats. There was the zebra pen which was the reading nook that inhabited my baby brother, the deer enclosure in the sitting area where my cousin Alexa would stay with her beanie baby deer. There was the elephant habitat, complete with waterfall in the master bathroom where Zachary would stay, and then there was the leopard exhibit in the closet. This was my domain. I would prowl around between my grandmother’s scarves and sweaters, and gently tuck my beanie baby into my grandfather’s shoes to sleep. Then, one day my littlest cousin Julia thought it would be funny to take my precious beanie baby leopard without telling me. I had laid down to take a big-cat nap next to him, and when I awoke he was gone without a trace, and the closet door stood open before me. I was furious! I pounced into a rage. I escaped the closet and made my way for the elephant habitat first, turning the faucet onto full-blast. The room quickly flooded and Zachary was forced to retreat downstairs. Next was the deer enclosure. I took up Alexa’s beanie baby and ripped it apart with my teeth. Plastic beans spilled out over the floor and she was left crying beside him. Finally there was the zebra pen. It would be far to gruesome to tell you what actually happened so I’ll spare you the details, but there’s a reason I call myself and only child now.