#and uhhhh. i currently weigh what i weighed in my senior year of high school

[maraeffect]

hi everyone, this is my monthly check-in <3

[rpausandwhatifs]

Upheaval Turns to Upset || Isla, Persephone, and Reiner

Reiner was holding Persephone's hand as they walked around the store, pushing Isla in the cart like their child. Something had been weighing on him heavily as he'd been with his girls. Something that he hadn't really thought about since they had picked him up on another impromptu adventure, once again putting their poly-love on display and answering numerous questions about who's dating who. "Uhhhh...what are you two doing after high school? I'm graduating this year," he said as he leaned back up from kissing Isla on her forehead.

"I'm barely in school, so I'm repeating the 11th grade," Isla said, with a shrug.

"I'm going to summer school for a few weeks but I'll be going into my senior year...why do you ask, babe, what's wrong?" Persephone asked as she teased Isla in the cart with a pool noodle.

"Well nothing, but I'm still deciding if I wanna go and live on campus or not, since I just decided on the school I wanted and they're honoring my scholarship," he replied quickly before updating them.

"That's good, Reiner! I think you'd should just..probably go live up there to see if you can live on your own and do sports for a while, and make sure to come home every chance you get," Isla said with a little resolve, "Or you could just stay home and we can get an apartment together so that you don't have to leave."

"I mean, she's got a point. Your classes are still online, right?" Persephone echoed.

"I can opt for the online classes, but they've had classes in person for a while now. I know you both haven't been up on current events, but sports are back full swing and I'd only be an hour away so you two could be like my cheerleaders or something if you wanted to watch me practice," he stated with a smile.

"That's two hours to and from...we'll all be tired," Persehone explained.

"Too tired to cuddle. That's why I said we should get an apartment so we see each other more often," Isla whined, "I'll make the perfect housewife."

"And what makes you think I'd be comfortable living with the both of you?" Persephone asked her face twisting, unable to mask her discomfort.

"I had a nanny growing up, she was Austrian-"

"Didn't think your dad could afford a nanny, Isles," Persephone sounded.

"Persephone-" Reiner said growing more impatient, turning to the cart after hearing the girl again, "It's not that big of a deal-"

"Not that big of a deal yeah? Did your dad fuck her too?" Persephone said, finally fixing her hair and taking it out of the princess pony.

"Whatever... we'll both only see him the same amount of time, less so you than anybody," Isla bit back, "Plus we're exclusively an asexual relationship, so that wouldn't be my concern."

"As far as you know... don't tempt me, Isla, gimme one night, I'd make ya," Persephone chided.

Reiner rolled his eyes and took his hold of the cart behind Persephone, kissing her head. The other side of Persephone meant that she was stressed, worrying about something she shouldn't. The college thing was clearly unraveling her. "And if you do I wouldn't mind... just not while I'm working-"

"Ooo Reiner, we should get a puppy! Or a kitten! Or both!" Isla chirped, "Something to keep us occupied."

"That's a responsibility, babe..I dunno if we can do that... but I guess living on our own wouldn't be the worst.. I've never been away from my parents before," Reiner said, throwing a stuffed toy in the cart, "Alright, I got everything on the list, time to checkout."

"Oh yes! Let's pretend to be grownups!" Persephone mocked, not being able to hide her smirk. Reiner’s hand in hers felt sure, even if it did startle her a little to make such a huge move when she barely even recognized what s he was doing half the time. In this moment, she needed Isla.

X

Vincent was standing outside of the house, smoking a cigarette and waited for his daughter at the door. Leda was chatting excitedly with Ro about their lives and interacting with the other children in the house that wanted to be bothered; it was the usual flipping through family photo albums. Dan and Phil were sitting along, trying to be civil as they watched the women gush over their lives in the past few years while they drank only one glass of wine- as per Phil's instructions.

"So Dan, do you know if Persephone is going to college here or overseas?" Ro asked, sipping her hot cocoa.

"She doesn't want to go to uni..like a big uni. She's thinking of maybe a smaller college for a few years and jump into the world..She wants to work," says Dan.

"Ooo sounds like Isla. She said she wouldn't mind traveling for work, but I think she's traveled out for a while," Leda beams.

"Oh my god, I completely forgot that your kids were so well traveled. We have been switching back and forth but we've mostly been rooted in home sweet home," Ro chimed in.

"Well, Leda did the traveling, I don't usually travel even if it's for work," Vincent said, walking back in, swinging his way around to Leda and wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing the side of her head.

Dan looks at Phil almost bitter at the interaction, then sips his wine.

"Well, how's the little one?" Leda asks, taking the kiss and looks at Ro.

"Our little one isn't so little anymore...He's starting secondary school," Phil chuckles, "He's got some big dreams, he wants to direct. He really likes bringing things together and making, like, huge masterpieces."

"Oh my god that's so cool. Isla wants to do like, photography or set design or something," Leda said, nodding along.

"That's always got me, Leda..you've only had one girl..Never thought about trying for a boy?" Dan pointed out.

"No, no..we were just..never in the right position and luckily we never worried about any surprises or anything like that..not that I would have had a problem raising a boy-" Leda began.

"But raising a girl is much more work," Vincent finished, "Speaking of girls, where are they?"

"I thought you were coming in because they were right behind you?" Ro said, furrowing her brows.

"Your son didn't tell you they were coming back?" Phil asked, standing up a little straighter.

"They told me they were going to the store, but I dunno what's taking them so-" Ro said before her phone went off, "Speaking of..that's him..they'll be here in a few minutes."

"Cool," Vincent and Leda say in unison.

"Cool? You didn't know where your daughter was- even for a second- and you said...cool?" Dan said, whipping his head to the couple.

"Dan, just let it go..they obviously trust Reiner..and we trust Reiner, so it's fine," Phil argued.

"Plus, Isla's very independent. She wouldn't get too far if she knew she couldn't tell us she's going to be okay..we trust her.." Vincent said.

"I'm sorry, but I have trust issues. And honestly, your daughter and mine run off unannounced to do God know what and they're always just...okay about it-" Dan continues.

"At some point, you do learn to let your children learn and explore on their own. We all went to the same school for a while, and our parents trusted us, which I worry about heavily," Ro said, "But from those experiences, we all learned how to be better parents for them."

"Don't you mean 'parent', Ro? Because Mark isn't here. I'll point out the elephant in the room," Dan said, finishing his glass and leaning over the counter. Phil gives him a look to warn him that he's possibly had too much to drink, even for a single glass.

"He's...He's busy. He had to go to the studio and work on a project," Ro said, a little surprised as she sets the cocoa down and cheats towards her sink to grab a glass, "Maybe you could use some water.."

"I'm not drunk, I'm just loose and I had a lot on my mind," Dan interjects.

"Well, maybe this isn't the space to talk about that- whatever it is that's on your mind," Leda says, pulling from Vincent, who returns her gesture with a grip on her waist.

"No, I think these should be easy to figure out, given it's been so long and we're waiting for our children right?..Yes, our children, who we all had out of wedlock. Our children who have been impacted by our drama in some way or another. And Ro, I wasn't trying to point you out, I was just trying to be transparent- no pun intended. I don't live with Phil. I haven't lived with Phil. We've been living separately for a few years now. The fact that Mark has his own studio so far away from your house and that he isn't here right now, says a lot about him," Dan says,

"And...what makes you say that? Also, it doesn't seem to be that big of a deal, I leave Leda alone for at most a week if I have to go shoot, but other than that I'm home. I'm streaming. I'm raising my daughter. You're just making it sound like Mark is a bad father," Vincent added, "And he could be, but she's hiding it well. It still begs the point why you even brought it up, when we were talking about our kids-"

"They all come from somewhere, Cyr," Dan jumped up, "And you should know. What's stopping you from having a child with Ro? What if Reiner and Isla are half siblings?"

"Dan..alright, that's enough," Phil says, approaching him and taking his hands, "Maybe you should drink some water...have something to drink."

"They're not having sex if that's what you're concerned about," Vincent stated, staring daggers at him while Ro looks away while getting the glass of water. Leda notices and looks between them with suspicion.

"It wasn't your daughter I was concerned about," Dan said, "It's mine."

Leda looks at Dan worriedly, looking back as Ro rushed to his side and coaxed him to sit down at the bar stool at the island. Vincent looks at Phil, raising his eyebrows, then dropping them, "What are you saying about her?"

"I'm saying that she's two people in one. Yeah I believe Persi, but I don't trust Persephone. She's reckless and dangerous. Way too smart and way too understanding of mature things she shouldn't know about-" Dan explained.

"That reflects the upbringing and the environment she was raised in. Maybe she needs friends like Isla and Reiner who could allow her to do things at more of her speed. Instead of locking her up all of the time," Leda snapped, "You two have been fighting for a long time, and not to step on any toes here, but you have a situation you couldn't handle. Things have been fine between them so far and honestly it pains me you can't see past your own trauma and speak highly of her like Phil does."

"Because she's always up under your daughter, who you just let be around her, who knows what kinda person she's turning into," Dan says, pushing Phil's hands away.

"You said you'd give me one day. Not even a day, without starting all of this. You know that Persephone is a better person than this-" Phil began.

"And I thought the same about you, Phillip, but look at where we are- don't fucking touch me!" Dan exclaims.

Vincent, Leda, and Ro look up as they see their children standing there in disbelief, Dan still going on. Persephone tried to steady her breathing, feeling Isla's hand desperately grasp hers. She shook her shoulder and shrugged her off and walked towards her parents.

"Hey Persi-" Phil began as he stepped away and towards his daughter.

"Persephone. Thank you..And listen here, you fuck. You don't know me and you don't have a pussy, but you can't hold your liquor like one and you sure as hell have always acted like one. You and my birth mother are some of the few reasons I hated gatherings like this. You talk shit about me. You make people not trust me. I've had to live with that. My whole. Fucking. Life. Not to mention being in the shadow of my father, who was once as fucked as me, and you shit talk him too. I honestly don't know what my brother sees in you, but I know it's not much- he's told me. I know my dad doesn't fucking like you anymore. And that's the real reason why you don't live with us. He was beat out two to one. I don't know why you brought his sloppy ass when you could've brought Bryony, the mother of my brother who I love like a real mother," Persephone barked.

"Persi, come on..let it go.." Reiner says, trying to approach her.

"Let me tell you something else, you bitch. I found Isla when she ran away because her parents were fucking because her mother was having a psychotic episode and her dad was fucking it out of her. I brought her back to her fucked up family safe and sound and showed her what I went through by introducing her to this fake bullshit! Reiner is showing us that it's all ok. Even if his mom was fucking Isla's dad and that's probably why his dad's not here. We're more concerned about you guys that we don't have a fucking life. And you, Daniel Howell, are just trying to repeat history and today is when I say it's enough. You've done enough. We were going to tell you we're gonna live together. We were going to tell you that we're in an asexual poly relationship. You know why?! Because we thought you could handle it. It just seems like you're too involved in your own shit. So what does it fucking matter?! We're the adults now. We're making our own decisions!" Persephone finished and turned around to Vincent, who looked at her like an assailant. "Can I get a light?" she asks even though Leda and Vincent looked at each other in absolute shock and confusion until Persephone gestures her fingers and raises her eyebrows, causing Vincent to kick into gear and pat his pockets for his cigarettes and hands her one before she storms outside, Reiner and Isla following.

Persephone sat out on the curb, lighting her cigarette as Reiner and Isla rushed to her side. She closed her eyes and let the wind blow her hair.

"Persi.." Reiner says, taking the cigarette for himself, taking one hit and passing it to Isla, "You weren't wrong. They are more caught up with themselves than they are us."

"Yeah, and I'm sorry Dan just dissed you like that-" Isla added, "Did you really have to ask my dad for a cigarette?"

"One," Persi said simply.

"It could have been one for each of us, doesn't make it right," Reiner said.

"No..I mean. One. Just one time. When I don't have to check his ass and keep my reputation. I went to school and it wasn't this hard..." Persi reflected, "Is that what the real world is?...Just everybody talking shit about someone when they're not there?"

"Unfortunately, yes, but you stood up for yourself..and for us. You said what we've wanted to say- and hell I have said it. At least you let them know what we're doing.." Isla said, getting down to sit on the curb next to her, "Why didn't you just..ignore him?"

"He makes it so that he can't be ignored, that's who he is. If he's not getting what he wants or he feels like he's not getting the spotlight- I'm his scapegoat...and he's such a fucking lightweight..he had one glass of wine-" Persi started.

"We've been gone for a while, you're not sure-" Isla tried.

"That's all it takes," Persi said, taking the cigarette again, "And then my dad is babysitting him. And then we leave."

"Well he doesn't live with you anymore, that's half the battle...You know my mom has come around to you-" Reiner said, trying to cheer her up.

"Yeah, and my parents love you!" Isla chirped.

"My dad loves me..My mom loves me, but she's delusional..And you guys love me.." Persi nodded, speaking softly to herself.

"Listen, we'll go back inside and we'll talk to the parents available to hear about our plan. You can tell your dad later...I'm sure he's gonna be really excited to hear about everything," Reiner said, finally getting down on the other side of the red head and taking her in his arm.

"You really think your mom is gonna let me walk inside?" Persephone said, "She probably called the cops. I might as well wait here."

"Aw come on Persi, i know you're embarrassed, but you did the right thing," Isla said, pushing her a little, "We can just ignore him and tell everyone else. I'm pretty sure they want to know."