#no “hey lil sis” “hey big bro” shit they just be balling

[frokoyami]

coming home after another day of plan making

[unloved-cadillac]

Leather Jackets and Glasses: CHAPTER FIVE

Here it is. The final chapter. I hope that you enjoy reading it as much I enjoyed writing this series. Thank you for all the love I’ve received on the previous chapters. It was a great journey🤍

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Chapter Five:

“What the hell is going on?”, I say to myself. Mikasa comes to my right. “Y/n, don’t jump to conclusions. Maybe it’s your dad.” “Highly doubt it.” We make our way to the office when I see him. “Oh Y/n there you are. Your brother is here to pick you up.” The secretary tells me.

When the man turns around my stomach starts to turn. “Hi, lil sis”, Zeke says with a grin. “Mikasa, Jean, Eren why are you here? We didn’t call for you?”, the secretary asks them. “THIS ISN’T Y/N’S-..”, Eren starts to scream but Jean quickly puts his hand over his mouth to shut him up. Erens eyes widen and looks at Jean confused. “Shut up, Eren.”, I hear Jean say softly. I take a deep breath and walk towards Zeke. “Hi, big bro. Why are you here?” I ask trying to keep my composure. “To take you home. Dad isn’t feeling well so we’re going to visit him. Let’s go” he says as he takes hold of my arm. He leans down and whispers into my ear, “Try anything funny and I’ll slit your throat here and now. Tell your friends to stand down.” I gulp and look at the three of them. I shake my head and make a gesture with my fingers for them to leave. Mikasa’s face dropped and Jean looked down. I turn away and leave with Zeke to God knows where. All I know is, if he has me, this isn’t gonna end well.

Mikasa, Jean and Eren leave the office to go back to the cafeteria. They sit back down where they were and Levi sees them. He quickly wakes up and approaches them. “What happened, guys?”, he asks them. Mikasa looks at him and tells him, “Levi, if you want to be safe, you would stay away from us. This isn’t any of your concern.” Levi scoffs. “Where did she go, Mikasa?” She doesn’t answer. She’s too angry to say anything. But when she looks up and sees Reiner laughing, something triggers in her to leap up and run up to him. She takes him by the collar and smashes his head into the table. “We are gonna have a little chat. Jean!Eren! Take this prick to the parking lot! And if anybody follows, you’re going to be next.”, she spits out angrily. Jean and Eren take Reiner while Levi tries to figure out what is happening. Although she said not to follow them, Levi couldn’t help it. If he knew what happened to Y/n, he was going to find out.

Levi sneaks behind them and hides behind a car while Jean takes Reiner and pushes him down to ground. “Where is she!? Why did Zeke take her?”, Mikasa asks him. Zeke? “I don’t know what you’re talking about” “Dont play dumb with me, you cunt. I saw you text someone and smile while Y/n was getting taken away. You did something. Now I’m going to ask you one more time before I shove my blade in your eye, where did Zeke take her?” Mikasa says as she takes out her switchblade. “You’ll never know. Even if I did know, I still wouldn’t tell you. The Free never go back on their word.” “I should’ve trusted my gut earlier. I knew this dick had something to do with this.”, Jean says. Levi’s breath hitches. Y/n’s been taken? Who’s Zeke? What is going on?

Levi is taken away from his thoughts when he hears a punch being landed. “Fucking cunt.”, Mikasa spits out and on him. Eren, Jean and Mikasa walk away from him letting Levi follow them.

“Mikasa.” Levi says capturing the stoic girls attention. “What is it, Levi?” “I want to help. I want to find Y/n.” Mikasa gives him a look. “Look, Levi. You’re a good guy. And a smart one. So act smart now and don’t get involved.”, she tells him. “No. I’m not gonna sit back here while Y/n is in danger. Let me help.”, he argues with her. “Levi, this isn’t a game. This is life and death. If you get involved there’s no turning back. You could get yourself in real danger.”, Mikasa explains. “I don’t care. If it’s for her, I’ll do anything.” This guy. Mikasa looks at Jean and he gives her a look that gave her the answer she needed.

“Meet us at the L/n mansion on 7th Avenue after school.”

———————————————————————

Levi tells Farlan that he isn’t gonna be home at the usual time which makes Farlan a bit worried. But Levi brushes it off and gets into his car driving to Y/n’s house.

What could have happened? Where is she? Shit. I should’ve went with her.

Levi thinks to himself. His hands are gripping the steering wheel so hard his hands turn white.

“Levi. Whatever happens, I’m glad you asked me to prom.”

“Fuck, Y/n. You’re still going to prom with me.”

As he pulls into the mansion, Levi is met with guards. They’re armed and Levi becomes a tad bit nervous.

“Who are you? And what do you want here?” A guard asks him. Levi rolls his window down and speaks. “I’m Levi Ackerman and I’m here because Mikasa told me to come here.” The guard widens his eyes and speaks to his partners. “He’s an Ackerman?” “Wait like..Kenny Ackerman?” Oh fuck. Levi knew one day that man was gonna get him into shit. But all of a sudden, the gates open and Levi is allowed in. What

When Levi enters Jean is there to greet him. “Thanks for coming.” “Yeah. Sure. Hey, do they know my uncle?”, levi asks as he walks with Jean into the house. “Whose your uncle?” “Kenny Ackerman.” Jean suddenly stops and looks at Levi. “Wait. You mean like the Kenny Ackerman? Aka Kenny the Ripper?”, Jean asks him. Levi nods his head and Jean becomes shocked. “Holy shit. Kenny’s been a close friend of Y/n’s dad. They went through hell together and is one of the most trusted friends of the L/n family. Well, Y/n’s dad’s side. Her mom hated Kenny. It’s one of the reasons she left too. But Kenny loved Y/n like his daughter. But he hasn’t been around lately. Dunno what’s that about”, Jean explains to Levi making it his turn to get shocked. Well, at least now he knows Kenny wasn’t a complete and utter useless person. He kept the girl he loves safe.

Jean takes Levi to Y/n’s dads office. “Boss, this is Kenny’s nephew, Levi. Levi, this is our boss, aka Y/n’s dad. He wants to help find Y/n.”, Jean introdues the two of them. And whoa. The tension could be cut with a knife. Y/n’s dad just looks at Levi and Levi stares back. Eren looks at Mikasa and asks her, “Yo. What’s with the staring contest?” “Don’t know.” She answers back.

“You’re Kenny’s nephew, huh?”, he asks Levi. “Yes, sir.” “So that means you can fight. And Mikasa tells me that you’re smart too. And that you are interested in Y/n.”, he cuts straight to the point. Levi gulps a little at the last statement. Why would Mikasa mention that out of all things? Not that it’s wrong but still.

“Sir, I want to save Y/n. She’s an amazing person and I want to help. And yes, I can fight.”, Levi tells the boss. He scoffs. But he wakes up and walks up to Levi. And Levi didn’t even flinch. “Fine.” And with that, the whole gang was strategically planning where Zeke might be.

“What if he went to a warehouse?”

“No. What if he bought a whole new property and hid her in a basement?”

Many ideas were thrown with no source of information. This made Y/n’s dad angry. So he pulls out his phone and calls someone. When he was finished he lit a cigar and looked around looking for Mike. “Where’s Mike?” He asks everyone. Many exchange glances and say that they don’t know. While thinking, a loudmouth person comes strolling into the room.

“AH! L/N! Been a long ass time. Finally had the balls to call back huh? And wh-..” Kenny stops talking and looks at the boy. “What the hell are you doing here?” Levi rolls his eyes and scoffs. “I could ask you the same thing, you lying hag.” Kenny moves in front of Levi and leans over him but Levi doesn’t back down. “What did you say, runt?” “Alright stop. Enough. We need to find Y/n.”, Jean says which makes Kenny look up quickly. “What? What happens to Y/n? L/n?”, he asks. “Zeke.” Kenny grinds his teeth and pinched the bridge of his nose. “That fucking monkey.”

“Kenny, we need your men to track Zeke or find anything on her.” Kenny looks at his friend and sighs. “Do you want me to...you know.” “Yes. Do whatever you want. Just find my daughter.” The boss leaves everything to him while he looks for Mike. He checks his room and calls his cell but no answer. Until his phone rings. “Mike! Where the hell are you? Don’t you know Y/n’s been kidnapped! Where are-..” “L/n.” Y/n’s dad stops talking when he hears the voice on the other side. “Zeke.” “Glad you remember my voice. I mean, you would after everything we’ve been through.” Zeke says slyly. “Where’s my daughter and Mike?”, he asks wasting no time. “Both are safe. But one is rather chatty.” Y/n’s dad hears shuffling then screaming. “DADDY! MIKE IS A TRAITOR! HE TOLD ZEKE ABOUT US!”, he hears his daughter’s voice and instantly the boss’s blood runs cold. Mike? A traitor? How? Why?

“God she just doesn’t shut up, does she?”, Zeke says back on the phone. “Where the fuck are you, you son of a bitch!?”, he tells causing everyone to come out the room and look at him. “Oh I’m not going to tell you that now, am I? But, I will make a trade with you. I want 100 million dollars in cash, for all the shit you’ve cause back in Shiganshina, for the girl. You have 48 hours before I continue where I left off with this sweet daughter of yours. I bet her cunt’s nice and-..” SMASH! “AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!” , Y/n’s dad smashes the phone on the ground and yells. Fucking bastard.

“Boss! What is it? Was it Zeke?”, Eren asks him as Mikasa salvages the phone. “Yes. And fucking Mike sold us out.” Everyone stops in shock. “Mike? Your right hand?” Kenny asks him. “Yes. He fucking sold out Y/n. Everyone. Bastard.” He says. Levi is stunned but decides to speak up. “Did he say anything regarding Y/n?, sir” “$100 million for her. That’s it.”

Kenny scoffs and looks at Mikasa. “Yo. Ackerman. Whatcha doing?” “Trying to fix the phone so maybe I can track Mike’s phone.” “It’s no use.”, Y/n’s dad says. “I made sure he didn’t have a tracker to keep him safe.” All of a sudden Eren speaks up. “Boss! The emergency phone! Y/n kept it on her.” The boss looks at him then at Mikasa. “Don’t you think Kenny would’ve searched her? Taken whatever she had on?”, Levi says. “The signal turned off after she was taken. Looked like Zeke acted fast in searching her.”, Mikasa says. Jean sighs then helps Mikasa take the phone. “Boss,” Mikasa says causing him to look at her. “What did it sound like she was in? It might give us a clue to where she might be. Like was there an echo or something?” Y/n’s dad thinks back to the conversation. Now that he thinks about it when she yelled out, the was a big echo. Like some sort of hall. His eyes widen.

“Everyone, get ready. I know where they are.” He orders them. “Where to, L/n?”, Kenny asks him. “The factory.” Kenny widens his eyes and walks towards him. “What? The factory? What makes you think he would be there?”, he asks the boss. “A couple of months back, I was talking to Mike about the missions we did back in the day. I told him that the factory downtown was were we made most of our dealings. Now that I think about it, I should’ve caught on sooner. Why Mike asked about it. About our products and...the murders.”, he recalls the conversations. Kenny slumps down and puts his hand on Y/n’s dad’s shoulder. “We’ll get her. I think Zeke’s plan is to blackmail you after you destroyed his plans and gang back in Shiganshina.” Levi listens to their conversation. He had no idea Kenny and her dad were so close.

“I’m coming after you, Y/n. Hold on.”

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My hands are starting to become numb. These ropes are too tight. I try to wiggle my wrists and the chair creaks alerting Mike. “What are you trying to do, Y/n? Escape?”, he asks me. “Shut up, traitor. Don’t speak to me.”, I spit back to him. He sighs and kneels in front of me. “Come on, Y/n. Don’t be like that. We’ve been through so much together. No need to be so rude.”, he touches my face and I turn away.

“Mike. Leave us.”, Zeke says from the door. Mike wakes up after giving me a slap on my face and leaves. “Y/n. Do you know where you are?” He asks me. “A run down factory?” He chuckles. “This was the factory your father hid products and bodies. He is not the man you think he is. He’s evil. He’s killed so many people and to think, he actually thought he could get away with it.” I cease my eyebrows. What? Dad? A murderer? “I don’t believe you. My dad might be dangerous but he wouldn’t kill anyone. He’s not you.” Zeke drops pictures on my lap. “These pictures were taken just now. Those decomposing bodies and bones are still here. And you know what I’m going to do after I get my money? I’m going to kill you, and send these pictures to the FBI. Your father and his little gang are going to prison. And that little friend of yours. What’s his name again? Oh yes. Levi Ackerman.”

I widen my eyes. No. No not him. “Zeke, you son of a bitch!”, I yell out and he pushes me on the floor and the impact of the chair knocks the air out of me. He leans over me and speaks: “It’s such a shame really. We could’ve been together. You could’ve had my sons. But I guess, you just had to be such a bitch about it. Now you and your family would pay.”

As he finishes, gunfire is sounded. Zeke wakes up and looks at the door. “What the fuck? Mike! What’s going on?”, he speaks into the walkie talkie. Mike doesn’t respond but the sounds from talkie is gunfire and screaming. I don’t know what the hell is going on but I try to escape. These damn ropes. Zeke turns to me, unties me and puts a gun to my head while we move out the door.

When we come out, my eyes widen. Dad. Mikasa. Jean. Eren. Everyone. And is that...Kenny?

“HEY! Y/N!”, he calls out to me. My dad shoots Mike, killing him. Everyone turns to see me and Zeke. “Zeke. Let her go!”, my dad yells out. “What makes you think I’ll do that? To be honest I’m quite surprised you found us. And it’s all her fault you did. So now, if you give me my money, I might just let her live.” He says and grips my neck tighter. Fuck. I’m loosing air. I try wriggling out of his grip but he shoots the gun right above my head. “Stay still, you bitch.”, he shouts.

The Scouts all move in. Slowly. “Zeke, let her go. Let her go and we walk away. I have your money right here”, dad gestures to the bag. “$100 mil. Just like you asked.” He puts the bag down. Zeke points the gun around, aiming to defend. He walks to the bag when I hear Mikasa speak. “Levi NOW!” A gunshot is sounded and blood is spilled on the floor. The arms around me loosens and Zeke falls to the ground. I stand, frozen. I couldn’t move. Did I hear right?

“Nice job, you runt. You can come down now.”, Kenny says and I look at where he is looking to see Levi on the roof with a sniper gun. He lifts his head up and sees me. My eyes start tearing and I release a sigh of relief. “Y/n!”, my dad calls out to me. I turn to see him and run up to him, and he catches me in his arms. “Oh dad! I knew you would come for me. I was so scared. I thought that- that..”, I choke out and cry. “Shh it’s okay now. You’re fine. I’m sorry we took so long. But,” he lifts me to look at him, “your friend is quite the fighter” he looks behind me.

I turn and see Levi walking towards us. I leave my dad and run up to him and hit his chest. “You idiot! You idiot! He could’ve caught you. Zeke, he said he would kill you. I was so worried about you. Do you know how-..”, I get shut up when I feel his lips on mine. I widen my eyes but I kiss him back. He wraps his arms around my waist and mine around around his neck. He pulls away and looks at me. “You done?”, he asks. I shyly nod my head. “Since when could you shoot so good?”, I ask him. “Tch. My idiot uncle taught me.”, he says. “Mm. Remind me to thank him.”, I say. He points behind me. “Thank him now.” I turn and see Kenny light his cigarette. “Kenny? Kenny is your uncle?” I look at Levi and he nods. He kisses me again. “I’m glad you’re okay, Y/n. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I lost you.”, he whispers. “Thank you for saving me, Levi. Guess you’re not the biggest nerd.” I joke with him.

After leaving to the car, a huge fire breaks out. Dad burned the factory along with the bodies in there. Later that day, after I showered and treated my wounds I ask him about the stuff Zeke told me about. “Yes. It’s true. They were after my family, and they attacked my girlfriend back then. We killed them and the police never heard of them again.” “Why didn’t you tell me? Zeke was going to expose you and everyone involved.”, I tell him. “I know. I should have. But I was afraid of what you would think of me.”, he says holding my hand. “Dad, you’re my hero. Don’t forget it.”, I hug him. “Now, go see your friends and Levi. They’re waiting downstairs.” I leave him, and go to our big lounge to see Mikasa, Jean, Eren and Levi sitting on the couch. “Y/n! Heya!”, Eren says. Levi looks at me and walks up to me. “Hi, brainiac”, I tell him. He smiles. “Hey, crazy. How are you feeling?”, he feels my forehead. “I’m fine. The thing I’m so interested in is why is Jean and Mikasa holding hands.”, I look at them and Jean flushes. “I- oh well, you see..” “we’re dating.”, Mikasa says bluntly. “MIKASA! Why so straightforward?! You could’ve said it differently!”, Jean says covering his face. “Like how?”, she asks. Jean shakes his head. “I don’t know but still..”. We all laugh at Jean’s reaction. Yeah I knew something was up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three months later.

It was prom night. Finally. Mikasa and I were touching up on our make up when her phone rang. “Hi Jean. Yeah? Ok we’ll be right down.”, she cuts the call and looks at me. “Jean and Levi are here. We should get going.” Nodding my head, we go downstairs and my dad is there with Kenny. “You girls look beautiful.”, dad tells us. “I still can’t believe Levi got you. That nervous kid actually got a girlfriend. And it’s you. Who would’ve thought?”, Kenny says. “Kenny.”, I shake my head and kiss my dad goodbye. We go outside and I see Levi and Jean in their tuxedos. Levi looked so good. He looks at me and he blushes. “H-hi Y/n”, he says. “Hi Levi. You look so handsome.” “And you look very..beautiful.”, he whispers. Chuckling I kiss his cheek when I feel something on my wrist. It’s a rose. “Mom said I had to give this to you and get photos for her.” I smile. “Thank you. Shall we go?”, I turn to look at Mikasa and Jean and they were...making out. “Hey!”, I shout startling them. “We should leave. Ugh I’ll never get used to seeing Mikasa like that.”, I groan and put my head on Levi’s shoulder.

We all leave and the night was great. Reiner left school after hearing about Zeke so I wasn’t bothered by anyone. Farlan and Isabel won the king and queen spot, rightfully so. The music turned to a slow song and Levi takes my hand and guides me to the dance floor. He takes my hands and puts them around his neck while he holds my waist. “You know, you’re so strange Levi.”, I whisper. “Yeah? How?” “One minute you pulling me towards you and the next your face is red like a tomato.” I chuckle. “It’s all your fault. I can’t help it.”, he says back. I rest my head on his shoulder and we slow dance. “Y/n?”, he asks. I hum in response and look at him.

“I’m glad you asked me for a pencil and page that day.”

The End.

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“First story: done. So, I’m going to be opening requests soon. I will be posting the rules and fandoms I write for soon. So stay tuned.”

🖤🤍Thanks for reading🤍🖤

-Caddy.

🤍🖤Special tags: @windex-princess-gia @leviswife-of6years @french-girl-online🖤🤍

[hatsukeii]

hi can i request a hc where nishinoya starts crushing on tanaka's sister (reader) and tanaka is like "i trust you with her heart, but if you break it get ready to catch these hands"? 🥺

Oooh yesss okay Nishinoya starts crushing on you who is Tanaka’s sister go-

✨Nishinoya Yuu✨

- Oh my god.

- The shock in his eyes when he found out you were Tanaka’s sister.

- He was just flirting you know? 

- Having fun with you, maybe being slick by getting your number with a shitty pickup line.

- And you would’ve thought Nishinoya knew about you.

- You were the quieter sibling that hated people and never came out of your room.

- NOBODY KNEW WHO YOU WERE.

- I mean Tanaka never introduced you because he knew you would just give him a death glare and go back inside to do who knows what.

- Saeko was the only other Tanaka everyone knew.

- But knowing Nishinoya, he’s got the charm to pick up the girls ykyk.

- So he probably bumped into you at a coffee shop and was like hey this person looks familiar.

- And really cute.

- So he went straight for it.

- “Hey, you look familiar. Oh! You look like my future girlfriend.” 

- You just kinda stared at him.

- Then you started to giggle.

- “That was a terrible pickup line, but I’ll take it.”

- Nishinoya is highkey really embarrassed.

- But you meant no harm don’t worry.

- The two of you chatted it up in the coffee shop for hours on end.

- Then exchanged numbers, set another date, 

- and you only gave him your first name, so he didn’t really think much of it.

- Except you knew him.

- Cmon, he was the obnoxiously loud one whenever your brother’s teammates came over for celebrations.

- God, he was so loud that you could hear him through your headphones.

- Like shit bro it’s not easy to hear people when your headphones are on full blast all while playing the parasyte op, that shit is screamo music.

- But he somehow yells loud enough it goes in through your headphones.

- He was funny though you give him that, and pretty cute too so eh why not?

- So the two of you went on more dates right, and you held off telling him your last name just for shits and giggles.

- And you guys eventually start dating because why not?

- You were totally into Nishinoya and he was completely infatuated and in love with you too.

- But you told him to promise to keep the relationship on the down-low.

- He still flexed on his teammates about his new girlfriend, but never mentioned any names like the respectful boy he is.

- And he still doesn’t know your last name.

- Until one time Tanaka calls during one of your dates.

- Knowing Tanaka, he is also obnoxiously loud.

- “OI LIL SIS, HOW’S YOUR BOYFRIEND TREATING YOU HUH? IF ANYTHING GOES ON I SWEAR I’M COMING WITH THE FUCKING BAMBOO STICK AND CHANCLA JUST YOU WAIT-”

- “Big bro calm your titties soothe your boobs hakuna your tatas everything’s going great.”

- Oh god, the look on Nishinoya’s face.

- Pure shock.

- It was like a truck hit him right in the balls.

- “YOU KNOW WHAT, LEMME TALK TO THAT LOVER BOY OF YOURS, I GOTTA TEST HIS SHIT. BROTHER HAS TO APPROVE.”

- Nishinoya’s lowkey panicking but still trying to act cool yk.

- You’re about to laugh your ass off but you suppress the giggles.

- His hand is shaking when he takes your phone.

- “SHITTY BOY WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE HUH, PUNK? REVEAL YOURSELF, YOU’RE GONNA HAVE TO GET PAST ME FIRST.”

- “Tanaka...?”

- Oh lord Tanaka on the other end of the line.

- “Yuu...?”

- Suddenly he isn’t so mad anymore and just starts cackling.

- “Ahhh so you’re the one who’s been going out with my sister!”

- “She’s your fucking sister?”

- “Yeah, she never comes out of her room though so it’s only normal why you don’t know about this.”

- Phew.

- “Oh thank god you don’t hate me Tanaka, I’m gonna hang up now-”

- “Wait.”

- The fear comes right back as if the truck didn’t hit him enough.

- “Bro, you know I trust you with my life, right?”

- “Yeah.”

- “Which means I’m letting you take care of her heart, you clear?”

- “O-oh, yeah, of course.”

- “So if you break it, you better be ready to catch these hands, because I’m coming for you.”

- Let’s just say Nishinoya hasn’t made you unhappy since that day.

Ooooh hope you like this 2am drabble hc thing I wrote and I’m sorry it’s so late!!<333

[zankivich]

Neighbors: Shawn x Plus Size Reader Chapter 9

a/n: hi. this one hits a little close to home to me, but I thought it was really important to explore the ways in which our perceptions of ourselves get largely created by the people around us, by the culture around us. I also just wanted to look at how being fat and happy is such a radical notion and how it is a difficult, difficult thing to manage. I really wanted to do that justice. I also just wanted to bring Shawn and y/n closer together and I thought, what better way than a messy ass family? idk. Tell me what you think. or don’t. k bye. 

*y/n pov*

You were stupid. Honestly you had to be fucking dumb. What other reason could there be for taking Shawn to the most ridiculous family in all of the world? Your sweet, sweet boyfriend was about to be tainted and it would be all your fault for taking him into the lion’s den. The need to not be miserable for another Christmas had clouded your better judgement, and it wasn’t until you saw all of your brother’s cars parked around your mother’s tiny house that you remembered why you were always miserable. It was because your family was a shit show.

“This was stupid. We shouldn’t be here.” You mumbled.

“What?”

You looked over at Shawn, all curly haired doe-eyed optimism and the sweetest smile you’d ever seen. And suddenly you could feel the distance between the two of you. It wasn’t just the fact that he was a rockstar and you were a regular ole person. It was that he seemed to have a certain level of purity that surrounded his life. Sure, no one was perfect, but Shawn was as close as you’d ever seen. You couldn’t handle the thought of him finally recognizing just how opposites you were in that regard. You didn’t want him to see the ugly, only the good. That’s probably why people wait longer to introduce their significant others to the family. Shit.

“I wanna go home. Let’s just go home, and I’ll call them and say we had car trouble. Please?”

He turned in his seat and reached for your hand threading your fingers through the gloves you each were wearing.

“Hey. This is your family. I--I was really looking forward to meeting them. What’s wrong?”

You shook your head vigorously. “My family isn’t like your family, Shawn. Please, let’s just go.”

“No. I don’t want your family to be like mine. I just wanna understand who you are better. I wanna learn more about you, honey. That’s all.”

“Yea but what if you don’t like what you see?”

He tugged at one of your gloves bringing your bare fingers to his lips to kiss at them. You looked over and his eyes met yours leaving you to realize that he had tricked you into eye contact. Asshole.

“I can’t imagine not loving all of the parts of you. Even the not so great ones. I love the way your hair clogs the drain for example, and your incessant need to organize the spice rack in my apartment. Or your incessant need to make me purchase a spice rack to begin with.”

You pouted at him immediately. “You have to have a spice rack Shawn. It’s a necessity. And I do not clog the drain.”

“Oh but babe you do. Like a werewolf took a bath. But I find it absolutely adorable. It made me learn how to use drain-o.” He smirked. “I don’t care if your family is crazy. I just want to meet them, okay?”

You rolled your eyes the way that he deserved because he was so annoying when he was sweet, but he just kept kissing your fingers like the jackass he was.

“Fine. fine, fine, fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” You groaned.

Shawn pulled the presents you’d gotten out of the backseat and you headed inside together against your better judgement.

It’s one of your older brothers who answered the door and he’s already got a beer in hand despite the fact that it’s not even three o’clock yet, so this should definitely go well.

“Lil sis!” He snorted immediately pulling you into a headlock the bastard.

“Goddammit Rob let me go!”

He doesn’t and you’re transported back to being twelve years old and barely surviving with all the fucking testerone around. It takes a knee to the balls to get him to back off, or fall to the ground, but your family doesn’t play fair and he’d never learned to guard. You remembered when ‘Liyah had opened the door and Shawn and she had just hugged for five minutes straight. Your point was getting more proven by the second.

“Shawn this is one of my older brothers, Rob; Rob this is Shawn.”You panted, stepping over his crippled body.

Shawn winced. “Do you--would you like some help bro?”

“Don’t you dare.” You muttered pulling him deeper into the house. “We show no mercy.”

The rest of her brothers are littered around the living room. There are wives and kids and you’re anxious just looking at it all. You were the only one of the kids to not have gotten married and have children yet. And as if the physical presence of them all wasn’t clear enough, you would surely be reminded at some point in the evening. Once your brothers recognize that you’ve arrived it’s like a swarm descends and you’re suddenly being grabbed and hugged and hit from all angles.  They’re all massive and annoying and you being the baby means that they kind of all adore you, though years of emotional trauma means you all have a funny fucking way of showing it.There’s no place like home.

“Shawn these are the rest of my brothers. John is the oldest. Rob is the second oldest. Noah is the middle. And then there’s me, but you know me. Guys, this is Shawn, my boyfriend. Do not break him. I like him.”

Shawn is optimistic and smiley as ever as he reached to shake the hands of all your brothers. It is sickeningly sweet, and you love him for it.

“It’s about time she brought someone home to meet the family!” John snorted. “We were starting to think she was avoiding us.”

“I was and I am!” You interject.

Shawn chuckled. “Family is super important to me. I think she’s indulging me. I’ve heard so much about you all though; She must really love you.”

You know that he’s talking about all the times he got you wine drunk and asked you personal questions, also known as Shawn’s favorite pastime. But, tomato potato.

“She’s got a hell of a way of showing it.” Rob smirked, rolling his eyes when you flipped him off. “Lil sis, got her fancy college degree and moved as soon as possible. We’re surprised she stayed in Canada at all.”

Shawn gave you a look, but this is exactly what you knew was going to happen, so you purposely don’t make eye contact with him.

John looked Shawn up and down crossing his arms at the sight of your boyfriend. They’re about the same height, but John is more burley as opposed to Shawn’s chiseled form. You would hate to ever see them wrestle, there’s no way in hell it could end well.

“And now that she’s got a big fancy boyfriend, we figure we won’t be seeing much of her at all.”

That’s the first inkling you get that they’re not a fan of Shawn, which was something that truly had never occured to you. Shawn seemed to be like a magnet, sticking and pulling in all that came in contact with him. Everyone loved Shawn. That had been the one thing you hadn’t felt the need to worry about. Boy, were you wrong.

“I don’t know man. Like I said, family is so important to me. I’m sure we’d love to visit more if given the chance, but uh she’s her own woman. I wouldn’t want to ask her to do something she didn’t want to.”

“I bet you wouldn’t, pretty boy.”

You take that as officially your time to intervene. Your boyfriend was very pretty, but you got the sense that the way John was saying it was not meant to be a compliment. Being the baby, and the only girl of the bunch, meant that you had to know how to assert your dominance in the family. It was the only way not to get run over and stepped on. You were the most vindictive bastard out of all of them for that exact reason, so when you moved to shoulder check your oldest brother and send a glare his way, there was an immediate understanding to back the fuck off.

“Nice to see you all are still complete and utter assholes at heart. C’mon, babe I’m sure my mom is around here somewhere.”

You tug Shawn along with you and he sends a nervous glance in your direction. You wonder if he’s finally regretting coming to this hell hole.

“Did I do something wrong?” He whispered to you.

You sighed and wrapped your arms around his waist.

“Of course not. My brothers are just exerting their toxic masculinity. I haven’t brought a guy home in a very long time. They want to scare you to see if you’ll break. Don’t let it get to you.”

“Okay. I feel like I’m back in highschool but...mothers are my strong suit. I’ve never met a mother that didn’t like me.”

You snorted. “I’m not sure if your optimism is endearing or exhausting at this point.”

In the kitchen your mother was sitting at the table by herself peeling potatoes. It was a family tradition that no one was allowed inside the kitchen on big holidays when she was cooking. Not your brothers, their wives, not even her grandchildren.The only exception to the rule had been you. It’s where you learned everything you knew about cooking and baking, was afternoons after school spent beside her, when your head still met her hip, and she’d let you stand on a chair to see everything going on. When she peers up to look at you there’s a smile on her face in a very muted way. It’s more of a persing of her lips, but you know what it means and that’s all that matters. You leave Shawn’s side for just barely a second and step up to wrap your arms around her gently in a hug. You’d gotten your hair color from her, as well as your hips, chest, and fuck-off attitude. Your mother and you were very much alike in most ways. This only turned out horribly most times, but in times like this at least, you were okay.

“Hi, Mommy.” You murmured squeezing her tightly.

“It’s about time you come visit me. Your brothers are driving me up a fuckin wall, everyone of em.”

“I say you give them up for a adoption, sell the presents, and we go to Vegas.” You joked.

“Girl, don’t tempt me.”

When you look up at Shawn he’s standing against the door way with his arms crossed and a smile on his lips so big you kind of want to kiss it off of him. You hold your hand out for him to join you both at the table and he immediately links your fingers together to give them a firm squeeze.

“Mom, I wanted to introduce you to someone.” You explained biting back the smile that tended to burst from within you when it came to Shawn. “This is uh--this is my boyfriend, Shawn. Shawn, this is my mother.”

Your mom peers up at him inquisitively. It’s not a mean stare which is good, it’s just more of a searching one. He shakes her hand and squeezes it firmly between his oversized palms.

“It’s so lovely to meet you ma’am.” He grinned.

She raises her eyebrows. “You’re the popstar my sons showed me on youtube? You’re with my daughter?”

Oh lord.

He laughed. “Yes, I guess I am.”

“I like that one song. The blood song? They play it all the time on the radio.”

“In my blood? Yea! Well thank you ma’am; it’s an honor.”

You rolled your eyes at that. Shawn had gotten nominated for a grammy for that song, but as long as your mother liked it, it was an “honor”.

Your mother snorted. “Don’t call me ma’am, call me Julie.”

“Okay, Julie. Julie it is.” Shawn smiled. “Can we help you with the potatoes at all? I think peeling potatoes is one of the only things I’m good at in the kitchen besides eating.”

Your mother laughs and clutches her metaphorical pearls which is just the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever seen, but she lets him pull up a seat in her kitchen. It is genuinely unheard of in your household, and it takes you a second to move because you’re just watching him make your mom laugh and it’s a little bit incredible. He wore a black button up that day and when he rolled his sleeves up to wash his hands, his arms flexed and you wanted to wrap him up in your arms and nuzzle him to death. It was ridiculous the effect he seemed to have on you, and apparently any woman he came across.

“Babe, did I ever tell you? My mom used to have me and Aaliyah have competitions to see who could peel the longest string of skin off a potato. We were so competitive that now we can both peel it off in one.”

You rolled your eyes playfully and grabbed a potato from the bowl.

“Why is that the least surprising story I’ve ever heard. You guys are so wholesome it’s disgusting.”

“If you wanted to have potato peeling competitions with me baby, all you had to do was ask.” He smirked.

You shoved your hand into his face to try and dispel some of the perfection, but it was useless. In fact you were pretty sure all it did was fluff his curls into a better position. Asshole.

It had never occured to you to peel a potato in one even stream before. Because you were a normal person with things going on and who the hell has time for that. But the second Shawn held the curly strand up in front of your face like a cat bringing its owner a dead mouse, you realized that you could not be upstaged in the kitchen with this manchild you were dating. And thus began the dumbest competition to ever occur in the history of ever.

Shawn was actually really fucking good at peeling potatoes. Somehow the mystery of measuring cups failed him, but potato peeling? That’s where he shined. When your mother insisted that that was all of the potatoes that she needed, you ignored her in favor of getting out the sack of the rest of them from the cabinet.

Shawn chuckled. “Don’t worry Julie, we will take all leftover potatoes home with us.”

“You can take them home to your very cold, very lonely apartment by yourself.” You muttered as he bested you again.

Shawn dropped his peeler in favor for wrapping himself around you, half in your chair and half in his, to press all of his weight into you like the annoying man he was.

“Don’t get mad at me. You are better than me at everything else in this life. Can’t I have potato peeling?”

“No.” You moped.

He snickered. “Can I have a kiss?”

“Uh uh.”

“Not even a little one?”

“Nope.”

“Can I kiss you?”

“Mmm I don’t know.”

“Well I’m not gonna kiss you until you tell me I can, so I’ll just be here until you’re ready.” He murmured.

You rolled your eyes pulling him by the collar of his shirt to press his lips against yours.

“You’re annoying.” You whispered against his mouth.

“Yea, but I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Your mom asked you to make apple pie. It was her favorite of all the things that you made and it was pretty fun for you to make so you didn’t mind it at all. Shawn brought out the wine that you had brought and poured you a big glass with ice cubes the way you liked it. He was helping you make the pie by handing you the spices one by one as opposed to actually helping at all, when your mother decided that things had been going well for too long.

Shawn and you were standing at the counter while you cut up apples and you just happened to take a sip out of your glass.

“I wish you wouldn’t drink like that. Your father hated when women drank.” She sighed.

You snorted. “Yea, Ma, Dad also hated being a dad, so I’m not sure if his expectations are ones we should be trying to meet. Last time I checked he was an alcoholic anyway.”

“Don’t speak about your dad like that. He was a great man. Especially not on Christmas.”

Your knife slowed to a crawl on the cutting board and you could feel Shawn’s eyes on you as your cheeks began to warm up.

“No, Mom, he wasn’t. He was mean and abusive and a drunk. I’m not gonna pretend that he wasn’t and you shouldn’t either. You worked too fucking hard for us all of to glorify that asshole.”

Your mom goes quiet for a little while. That’s never good, so it’s really just a means of biding your time to see what she comes up with. Shawn watches you take a bigger gulp from your glass than normal, but no one is speaking so it’s fine. You’re used to it by now, but it’s Shawn first time at the rodeo. Your mother was your whole entire world because she had managed to create a life for four children off a nine to five desk assistant job with no college degree. She’d worked her ass off for them, but it had come at a price. And that price was years and year of emotional and physical trauma that she had endured through her husband. When it was all set and done that trauma didn’t just evaporate; it became internalized, and then it got regurgitated back onto you and your brothers. So when she opens her mouth it’s not to say anything good at all, and suddenly all of your fears about this day are just spilling out into the room and you’re helpless to stop them.

“So, Shawn… You’re successful. Young. Very handsome.” She murmured. “What exactly are you doing with my daughter?”

You were facing the counter, but Shawn had leaned against it the opposite way so that he was facing your mother. This meant that you caught a glimpse of his face going into shock without having to see your mother’s reaction to it.

“W--What...I’m not sure I understand what you mean, ma’am.”

If you could have spoken in that moment you would’ve told him that allowing your mother to expand and clarify her statements was never a wise idea.

“You know what I mean, son. My daughter isn’t exactly a supermodel. We l/n women have not gotten through life on the basis of our looks, that’s for sure. All that wine and potatoes certainly isn’t helping things.”

Holy fuck. If global warming could have sped up in that moment just enough for a crater to form in the earth beneath your kitchen and swallow you whole you’d be good with that.

“I happen to love your daughter ma’am. She’s an incredible, intelligent woman, and her body is just one on a very long list of things that I adore about her. You really shouldn’t say things like that.”

The knife isn’t even moving anymore. As many times as you’d heard it and everything like it, you could never grow used to the way your mom could speak sometimes. And as much as you’d learned about your body and the beauty it entailed, something about coming home always brought up the ugliest of thoughts that you were sure you’d gotten rid of. The new thing here was having Shawn defend you. Your brothers, though sympathetic had never jumped to your defense before. His willingness to go against her when he had been so concerned with making a good impression was kind of baffling. You weren’t used to it, or how good it could make you feel. There were so many different emotions running through you in that moment that they felt difficult to contain within you.

“What?! What I’d say? Oh y/n you’re always so sensitive and now you’ve got this poor young man doing the same.” Julie muttered.

You chuckled humorlessly. “Sure thing, Mom. My bad.”

“I wasn’t saying anything bad. I was just pointing out the obvious, dear. I was interested in what had brought the two of you together is all.”

“Then maybe next time you could just ask that as  opposed to asking the guy I’m dating what the hell he could possibly see in me.” You snapped letting the knife clang loudly on the counter. “Jesus Christ, I’m going for a walk.”

It’s cold as shit outside and the snow is up to your ankles, but somehow it feels less cold then being in the kitchen with your mother for another second. You breathed in and out a couple of times to calm yourself down. When you were younger and your mom would say shit like that it would cause a sort of thought spiral to begin in your head. It would be all that you thought about and all that you could focus on. The good news was that it didn’t consume you in quite that way anymore. But, it did hurt and it did affect you whether you wanted it to or not.

Shawn found you on the porch sitting on the bench that was sat outside and letting the snow sink into your pants. He was wearing that hideous yellow flannel jacket of his that made him happy, and he simply plopped down beside you so that your shoulders touched. You were still focusing on breathing at that point in time because you really didn’t want to cry in front of him. It felt like an admittance of some sort if you did, although to what you weren’t sure.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” He mumbled  as you leaned your head against his shoulder. “I--I didn’t know.”

It was cold enough that the wind was biting at your cheeks and your eyes were watering without ever asking you if it was fucking okay to do such a thing.

“It’s fine.” You whispered. “Everything’s fine.”

He lifted his arm up to let you nestle closer to him and pulled you against him to press a kiss to your hair.

“It doesn’t have to be. It’s okay for it not to be fine. You taught me that.”

You sniffled. “I don’t have the time to fall apart right now.”

“Do you wanna go?”

“It’s too late. I can’t let her see that it got to me anymore than I already have. Leaving would only fuel her.”

“Okay...Well I have this very absorbent, beautiful jacket here that I know you know love so much. And I’ve heard that anything that happens to this coat stays in this coat. So, I think if you were to hide your face against it, it might be our little secret.”

You roll your eyes and laugh a little as a tear falls down your cheek. But when he’s offering you solace your helpless but to take it, so you tucked your face into the safe confines of his coat and let the tears seep angrily into the fabric. He rubbed soothingly at your arms and kept his face hidden in your hair. It was also as if he was protecting you from the world. That’s how it felt anyway. And you thought that if you’d been able to provide a fraction of the comfort that you got when he held you, than maybe you’d actually given him something good as well.

When you pull your face back ten minutes later the air hits aggressively at your cheeks but he’s immediately there to kiss and wipe away the tears.

“I think you’re really beautiful when you cry.” He smiled. “Not that I want you to do it unless you need to. You’re just beautiful to me.”

“Thank you.” You sighed still sniffling. “I told you we were a shit show.”

“That’s okay. No family is perfect y/n, not even mine. There’s still no place I’d rather be than here with you right now.”

You feel that pressure in your nose that happens when you cry. It’s like a clogging of your sinuses but instead of it being through illness, it’s just through sadness. Your shoulders are tense and your body is on guard the way it usually had to be. Something about having Shawn with you made you want it to be different. You had invited him after all because you knew you could be happy with him beside you. There was a need to take control of the narrative that so far your family had been running. And you thought that maybe you could make it better for the two of you.

“Do you wanna get high right now?”

His eyes widened and you couldn’t help but laugh a little into his neck.

“I’m sorry?”

“Noah? My brother? He’s a total pothead. We’re the closest in age though so he always shares with me. I need to mellow out before I go back in there.”

“You didn’t tell me you smoke.”

You laughed. “Neither did you. You just told the entire world instead.”

That’s how you end up hotboxing your garage with your brother and your boyfriend. You’d never seen Shawn put a blunt between his lips, but it might just be the hottest thing you’d ever seen in your life. Weed tended to make you horny, so it’s genuinely a matter of not jumping his bones on the hood of your mom’s ‘98 Honda. Noah had always had ridiculously strong weed too so within twenty minutes you’re all leaning against any hard surface you can find having a conversation about the ethics of mass female consumption in the music industry.

“It doesn’t bother you that like your body is essentially for sale?” Noah asked as he took another hit and passed it to you.

Shawn was answering but your brain had only caught the “your body” part and was working on undressing Shawn mentally right then and there.

“I don’t think so. I mean...I think my fans think I’m cute or whatever, but like the vast majority are here for the music. If my music sucked they could find someone just as good looking if not more and move on to the next guy. I know it’s about the music because they tell me about it constantly. It's always been about that for us.”

“Okay but like is it ethical to sell your body for fame, I guess is the question. And then like it is ethical to request hundreds of hundreds of dollars from what are essentially children?”

Shawn sort of squinted as he took the blunt from you and nestled it between his lips. Jesus, his lips. His hands. Hmmmmm.

“I gotta be honest dude, you’re kind of blowing my high.” He chuckled.

You snorted wrapping your arms around your boyfriend and sending your brother an accusatory look.

“Noah likes to get philosophical when he’s high. Let him get baked before we go bake please.”

Noah rolled his eyes. “Fine. Mom’s gonna be pissed when you come into the kitchen smelling like weed though.”

“Exactly.” You grinned.

Eventually Noah went inside to check on his wife and it was just the two of you. Shawn’s eyes were red and his cheeks were the same sort of hue and he was sending you this lazy smile that you wanted to lick off. It was really sort of ridiculous, what he did to you. And you wished more than anything that you’d gotten high together months ago because it probably would have solved all of their problems, if how good he looked right now was anything to go by.

“You’re kind of hot when you’re high.” You murmured stepping between his legs. “Why haven’t you told me about this again?”

His hands came to settle on your hips before immediately finding purchase on your ass the way that you liked. He pulled you closer between his thighs so that your hips touched.

“I don’t know. It’s a uh a sort of self-care thing for me I think? I don't do it just to get high, I do it because when I’m very anxious it calms me down. I like the way it makes me feel. I didn’t want you to think it’s all that I do though.”

You wrapped your arms around his neck and smiled goofily at your incredibly endearing and constantly overthinking boyfriend.

“Did I ever tell you about the time Stu, Bryan, and I went to Coachella?”

He pressed your foreheads together as if every part of your bodies needed to be touching, and in that moment they kind of did.

“No, but I’d love to hear it.”

“Basically I had student loan money out the ass that I definitely shouldn’t use. Stu and Bryan were like highschool sweethearts or some shit, and since they didn’t go to the same school Bryan surprised Stu with tickets to Coachella. We all go. Bryan sneaks us into some boogie ass tent that I’m positive we weren’t supposed to be at, but they had drugs set out like it was a fucking candy bar. So, we smoke enough weed to put Snoop Dog into a coma, I think Bryan and Stu did like cocaine or E or some shit, and then we all went and watched The fucking Wu Tang Clan perform in the middle of a mosh pit. I think I almost died that weekend.”

He laughs a laugh that you’ve never heard come out of his body before. Shawn usually had a laugh that was quiet, it was always a sort of silent chuckle. Whatever the hell was being produced in front of you was nothing of the sort. His whole body shook and the laugh seemed to stem from his belly and explode outwards. It was the cutest shit you’d ever seen in your life, and you’d happily smoke him out all of the time if it meant getting him to laugh like that.

“Holy shit, I can just imagine you doing that too.” He laughed. “I’ve always wanted to go to Coachella.”

“Yea? We can go next summer. You, me, Bryan and Stu, maybe your friends can come too. We’ll get high as possible. It’ll be fun.”

He hummed softly and snuggled deeper into your arms.

“I think Andrew would hate that idea...Let’s do it.”

***

*Shawn’s pov*

Christmas with Y/n’s family is more of a shit show than he could have ever imagined. But it also served as the most informative experience to understanding who she was as a person. To see her be this confident, take-the-world-by-the-balls woman now knowing the context of where she came from made him fall in love with her all over again. He understood her necessity to do everything on her own, with the role model of a mother who hadn’t had a choice, and a relationship with her family that hadn’t really felt supportive. It was clear that she was the baby and that they had wanted her to follow in the pattern of everyone else, to get married like her mom had, and maybe have some kids. It was also obvious that they didn’t understand the success that she’d achieved in her life thus far, couldn't wrap their minds around her having her own assistant instead of being one. And yet at the heart of it all every single one of her family members absolutely adored her. It felt incredibly disorientating and conflicting just watching it, and so he he couldn’t imagine what it would be like to live it.

It isn’t until later when the pie is baking and the ham is still in the oven that she takes him to her childhood bedroom. There’s not much to explore because her mom had gotten rid of her stuff when she went off to school. So, they just lie on her twin size mattress with her head on his chest as she opens up to him again.

“My dad left for the final time on Christmas.” She murmured. “He’d always disappear for weeks or months at a time on benders or whatever, but when I was seven he left for good. I was so young that I-I didn’t understand you know? That he was sick and dealing with addiction. I thought...I thought it was my fault.”

He reaches to tangle his fingers in her hair and kisses soothingly at her forehead.

“Holidays are hard. I’ve just never really worked through that feeling I don’t think. And I try not to feel that way. So that’s why I don't come home very often and that’s why,” She pauses to smile and squeeze him. “That’s why it meant so much to have you here...Thanks.”

“Anytime.” He promised kissing her forehead. “I’m sorry if I forced you to stay when you didn’t want to. You should always have a choice and I feel like I took that from you.”

“No. Don’t apologize. Now when I think back on this room I’ll remember this moment, and not all the fucked up shit that happened here. That alone is worth it.”

It doesn’t really make him feel less guilty. There’s so much history there for her and so much of it seems to be bad. He had forgotten that just because home for him had always been this incredible, special place that not everyone got to have that. And it wasn’t fair of him to assume that of her, that maybe even making that assumption had hurt her more in the end. All he knew was that he wanted to make it up to her, because she was so good to him that even if he had done something wrong she’d never admit it, but he was high as a kite with so few good ideas in his head.

“You think maybe I could give you some more good memories here?”

“Like what?”

He moved to press his lips to her ear, all the more better to whisper his plans to her like the delicate secret it was.

“Like if I ate you out so good the only thing you can remember about this place is the time you had to try not to shout my name.”

Sometimes she looked at him with wide eyes when he would say things like that. His girlfriend was an absolute vixen, but it always seemed to surprise her that he could do the same. He was definitely the softer, more reserved one of the two, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be open with just had badly he wanted her always. But then she would grin at him a lot like how she was now, and it always led to good things. Very. Good. Things.

“You’re high right now.” She mumbled as he climbed his way on top of her body.

He was already working on the button to her jeans but sent a lazy smile up to her from above.

“Absolutely. Now be a good girl and open wide for me.”

***

He watched her hug her family as this sort of bittersweet moment. Her brothers all rallied around her, sweeping her up in their arms. It was love, and love was complicated and messy and deeply impacted by the circumstances one occupied. But, it was their love, and if there was anything he’d learned from their time there was that love could be good and bad simultaneously. When he shook the hands of all of her brothers for a final time, he got the sense that much wouldn’t change. She would always love every single one of them, but if she had her way, and she would have her way, they wouldn’t be visiting here again soon. And if it meant that she would be happy; he was absolutely okay with that.

In the car they sit for a moment in silence, nothing but the sound of the heater filling the space. She looks a little overwhelmed, a little tired, but she’s also smiling. So he figures it’s as good a time as any to do what he’d been planning.

“Hey can I...can I give you one of your presents right now?” He murmured.

She’d been lying her head against the headrest but now she fluttered her lashes at him in interest.

“Sure. I thought you wanted to wait until we got to your parents’ house though?”

“Yea. No, I did, but uh...I wanted to give you this one in private.”

She grinned. “Is it a sex thing?”

He snorted and pressed a hand against his heart in mock disturbance

“Jesus, y/n, no it’s not! I’m trying to be sentimental here and you’re ruining it.”

She pressed her lips together to try to mask her smile and it only made her even more adorable.

“Sorry. Sorry. My bad. Please continue.”

He rolled his eyes playfully but reached over her to grab the box from the glove department. It was a smooth satin box, long and rectangular. He turned so that their bodies were close to one another and rested the box on his thigh as he took her hands in his.

“I just...this year has been the most incredible year of my life. Not in a gloaty way but my music has never been better--there’s the grammys and we sold out the Rogers centre and all of the festivals, and I’ve just been working as hard as can ya know? It’s been incredible and yet...you’re my favorite part of this year.”

A snort came past her lips like she couldn’t believe that and so he squeezed down harder on her fingers.

“No, listen. This has been the most incredible year of my life, but it’s also been the hardest. And I haven’t really been able to deal with it all very well. I’ve just sort of kept pushing and kept working but you . . . you’ve become my best friend. And you make me appreciate it all. And honestly every time i flew home this year I couldn't sit still on the plane because I knew as soon as I landed I might get to see you. I know we haven’t been friends super long, and we’ve dated even less than that but I can’t imagine my life without you, sweetheart. I--I love you so much and I just want to make you happy, okay? Always.”

“Shawn.” She mumbled letting her hands fall to where their fingers were intertwined on her lap.

He reached for the box and settled it on her knee instead, flipping the lid to reveal its contents. They were two necklaces, sterling silver, and each of them were tiny swallows. He’d thought about it a thousand times, had almost returned them and gotten something else dozens, but when she gasped and her hands came to cover his mouth, he thought just maybe he might have gotten it right.

His fingers trembled slightly as he lifted one of the tiny birds into his palm.

“I thought it might be pretentious and annoying and stupid.” He sighed softly. “But, I know how much you like the pennant my grandmother gave me, and I know that my swallow is your favorite tattoo. And I know that...next year is gonna be so crazy for me, and for us, so I thought if we both had these that you would know I’ll always come back to you. We’ll uh--we’ll always come back to each other.”

Seconds feel like minutes, like hours, when you’re trying to do something nice for the person you love. It’s either an incredible gift, or the dumbest thing ever, and he genuinely couldn’t tell which. They’re sitting in the middle of a snowy driveway in the middle of a nowhere town in Ontario, and he’s professing his love for her with a gift, and she’s absolutely silent. And then she begins to cry and his heart is pounding in his chest and he doesn’t know what the hell he’s supposed to do.

“Did I--Did I fuck it up? Shit, shit it’s dumb. Look, I’m so sorry. I can fix it though. I can send it back and I can get you something else, just don’t--don’t cry!  Please, baby don’t cry!”

She brings her hands up to cover her face and he wonders if a man has ever been dumped in his own vehicle before. Surely, that would be a new one.

“UGH!” She groans something that sounds vaguely flemmy. “That is the sweetest thing in the whole entire world. I cannot believe you right now.”

He collapsed against the car seat, his hand coming up to press against his heart and make sure it hadn’t exploded. His girlfriend was slightly dramatically and he was all here for it when it wasn’t giving him a heart attack.

“You don’t hate it?” He checked.

Her eyes were still covered but now her lips were trembling and tears were oozing down her cheeks.

“No I don’t hate it, dammit. That’s so fucking sweet. My heart, Shawn, my heart!”

When he went to pull her hands away from her face, she was genuinely a sight to behold. Her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks tear stained, and her lips had somehow become more red. Maybe it was a bit sadistic, but she was beautiful. And so he kissed her, the saltiness of her tears touching his lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck, his slipping around her back in the tiny space of his jeep. Though there had been nothing but absolute fear and terror just moments before, now his heart was full, warm. She had that effect on him. He figured it meant he was just as gone on her as he thought himself to be.

“Will you put it on for me?” She whispered sniffling.

He fumbled embarrassingly with the clasp, his fingers not built for tiny metal pieces, but eventually managed to secure it around her neck. When the swallow nestle along her throat, she pressed her fingers against the smooth metal and smiled at him lovingly.

“It’s beautiful. Thank you, Shawn.”

He shook his head pressing another kiss to her cheek.

“Anything for you.” He mumbled. “Anything.”

She insisted on putting his around his neck as well. There’s an extremely cheesy moment where he presses his fingers against the bird along her throat and she does the same for him, but it doesn’t feel cheesy in the slightest. It feels important. It feels like maybe they’re deeper into their relationship than even either of them could have guessed.

When they arrived at his parent’s place again for Christmas day, his Mum notices their necklaces almost immediately. She doesn’t ask any questions, she just looks at him like she knows something that he doesn’t. It’s a smile of a mother who knows her child better than they know themselves. And he wonders if she knows that he loves her more than anything else in the world, because that’s what it feels like for him in the moment. But he just hugs her and lets her kiss his forehead instead.

Taglist: @kitykatnumber @lou-and-me @ourlittleshawnie @mutuallynotmutual @wanderingmendes @peacedolantwins2 @chels-nyc @illloveyouforever1 @justbeingoceana  @hayyitsfayy @claredolphinbear24  @september-lace @grittyisathot

[miachanelparker]

Meet The Parkers

INVOLVED: Tyler Carter, Mia Carter, Farrah Parker, James Parker Jr., and James Parker  TIME FRAME: Sunday, March 15th, 2020 LOCATION: Farrah Home; Houston,Texas SUMMARY: Tyler and Mia finally go speak to the Parker’s after announcing their pregnancy and wedding in Paris on the internet.

Mia was surprised that her father had willingly let them into the home after they had stood at the front door assuming no one was there after their long wait. “Hey dad” Mia said to him as they stood at the front door gazing at one another.

James stood there and he gazed at Tyler, the last time he saw the boy he wanted to kill his punk ass, and nothing had changed. He heard about their apparent marriage and their unborn child which did touch his heart greatly. But he was so upset, they were moving too fast and beyond that Tyler had disrespected him in his house. “Hi Mia” he said as his eyes finally left Tyler and looked down at her. “Why are you here?” he asked her leaning against the door. “We already know about everything, your mother had to learn from some damn social media app…” he shrugged. “We are caught up” he told her.

Tyler stood behind Mia’s his hands on her hips, holding her there. He did not like the idea of being in her father’s presence. He thought the man was trash for the way he blatantly disrespected Mia. However, he had promised her he was going to bite his tongue. So, as the man opened the door, after what felt like forever, Tyler rolled his jaw and bit the inside of his cheek.

Mia looked at her father with a smirk and she said “come on daddy” easily to him. “Let’s go inside of the house and I will tell you everything you don’t know and don’t understand” she told him with authority in her voice. She wasn’t the frail little girl she once was; this Mia was a lot more mature and woken now and she didn’t fear much of anything. She moved past her father patting his rock-hard abs as she did.

JJ was hiding at the top of the steps and when his sister appeared, he came rushing down “Mia!” he said loudly as he ran into her hugging her. He held onto the girl tightly he hadn’t seen her in so long and he missed her so much. He pulled away taking her in, her long hair was straightened and down her back. She had on fancy clothes, Gucci? “I missed you sis” she told her softly as he gripped her hands tightly in his.

Tyler moved into the house behind Mia, not saying a word to her father as he brushed past the man. He stood there in the foyer, looking at JJ as he embraced his sister and he said, “Sup” to the younger boy as he tossed a head nod his way.

James looked at Mia with a raised brow as she pushed her way past him, he even took note of her husband doing the same. Amusing. As his son came rushing down the stairs, he sighed to himself closing the door behind him. He walked past the group slowly, his hand resting against his chin as he looked Tyler up and down “hmph” he said walking behind the equally tall man as he moved for his wife in the kitchen.

Mia looked to her brother and she hugged him tightly in her arms as he held her, “hey JJ” she said in a somber voice. As the boy pulled away holding her hands, she nodded her head “I missed you too” she said softly as she licked her lips. “You remember Tyler” she said to him looking back.

JJ looked at Tyler and he looked him up and down, before he looked away. “Yeah who can’t forget the nigga who broke up the family” he said bitterly to her surprise. He dropped her hands and sighed “why did you come?” he asked her. “Last time he and dad were going to kill each other” he said looking at Tyler again.

Tyler stood there and he licked his lips slowly, continuing to ignore James as he slipped his hands into his pockets. At JJ’s words, Tyler’s fists balled in his pockets and he sucked his teeth to keep from saying anything. He had promised Mia. “This lil’ mufucka,” he mumbled under his breath.

Mia looked to her brother and his words made her eyes grow like saucers. She couldn’t believe that was the way her brother had seen it but, truthfully, she had turned her back to them and walked out that door with Tyler. At Tyler’s mumbled words she turned around slowly to look at him “don’t play with me” she told him bitterly, her brother was the one thing for sure she’d fucking rip his heart out over. “Don’t do that” she said sternly. She turned back to JJ and said “I am sorry, that was not his intentions and he could never do that. You know what you mean to me. Even he can’t come between what we have” she said. “He’s my husband now JJ, and he means no harm baby brother. A little rough around the edges, and very protective. But soft and a teddy bear at best” she said with a smirk.

JJ looked at Tyler, he looked mean and aggressive. Why did Mia like him so much? She shared words with the man, for what reason he didn’t know why. And he kept his mouth closed because of it. As she went on to explain herself to him and how she felt he nodded his head slowly at her before he looked at Tyler. Him a teddy bear? He’d have to see it to believe it.  

Tyler shifted on his feet, looking down at Mia as she scolded him and he grunted softly, sliding his hands from his pockets as he folded his arms over his chest. “A’ight,” he said nodding as he licked his lips slowly. His eyes moved back to JJ and he squinted at the boy as he stood there towering over them all.

Mia smirked at her brother again, at Tyler words she maintained her smile for the boy before she said. “Go get mama” she instructed as she licked her lips and continued to smile. She turned around and looked at him, her smile falling instantly as her little brother did as she told him.

Tyler looked down at Mia once more as she turned to him and he shifted on his feet. He was pissed, actually boiling on the inside. He hated her family, but he had to chill. He knew that he had to chill.

Mia looked to her husband and she said “go outside” easily to him as she dropped her purse on the chair. “Let’s have a chat” she said easily as she moved for the front door and she opened it, pointing for him to move. As her mother and brother surfaced, she told them. “Give us a second” she said with a plastered smile before she moved out the house closing the door behind Tyler. “You lost your fucking mind boy?” she asked him angrily.

Tyler looked at Mia and he rolled his jaw slightly. What now man. He hadn’t even said anything for real. He stood there, blinking slowly at her as his arms stayed folded over his broad chest. He looked at her mother and brother as they approached, and he looked them over slowly before he moved outside with Mia. At her words, he said, “what?” to her as he tilted his head and let out a deep, aggravated sigh.

“Tyler do not disrespect my family. I don’t disrespect yours” Mia said easily, as she stood before him, her hands in her sweatpants pocket. “That is my brother” she informed calmly.

Tyler sucked his teeth. “I ain’t say nothing,” he told her as he gazed down at her. “I’m the nigga that broke up the family but I did not say anything, I’m going to keep my mouth shut like I told you I was Mia,” he told her, dropping his arms from his chest as he rolled his wrists a bit out of irritation. “I’ma be cool,” he mumbled, looking off into the distance now.

Mia chuckled at him gently nodding her head slowly at his words, “mm” she said to him as she nodded her head slowly. “You argue with his father at his dinner table. You whisked his only sister away from him. His parents are bothered by it, and you are upset with him for his remark?” she asked him next. “You think, Mr. Big-Fucking-Mouth, that you being silent is, what? Being positive in turn?” she asked him seriously her face that of a woman who was trying to very hard to hide a very scary side of her, but she didn’t fuck around about her damn brother. “You don’t think!” she barked loudly at him. “You just fly off the handle 0 to fucking 100 and there’s never an in between. I tell you fucking what. You are going to take you light skin ass in there and you are going to fix this shit because you need to realize when it comes to ME you can’t fight every fucking battle” she argued. “You were WRONG. Wrong then and you are so far left now. I-” she said, balling her fist. “Whew so help me God” she barked so loud her veins were protruding in her neck. “I am having a baby and so help me God” she said shoving him “she or he will know both sides of their family, there will be love and unity, and you are going to get over this stubborn bull headed shit you got going on because at this point Tyler I don’t give a fuck. You got everything you wanted out of the fucking deal; you’ve angered every-fucking-body now move the fuck on king of the fucking dickheads. If other people don’t want to jump on board, they can jump off but for once in your damn life be the bigger fucking person bro, you too old for this dumb ass high school shit nigga” she said as she moved to shove her parents door open moving inside.

“I told you to stay Mia! I would have waited in that car for hours, I didn’t tell you to follow me… you made that choice,” Tyler told her with a grunt. “Mia, they judged me from the moment I walked through the door,” he countered. “Last time I was here your brother was talking all kind of crazy because of how I look,” he said squinting at her, “but I ain’t say anything then either,” he told her, shaking his head. Huffing, he puffed out his chest, looking off once more as Mia continued to chew him out and his eyes rolled. He was pissed. He didn’t do a damn thing then or now, but he was getting chewed out. He honestly just felt like waiting in the car once again because he didn’t know if Mia was tripping because of the pregnancy hormones or what but he was not here for that shit. As she shoved him, Tyler let out a deep growl from the back of his throat as he looked down at her. “Mia!” he said loudly. “You need to fucking chill,” he told her, trying to remain as calm as he could. He sucked his teeth, his jaw clenched tight. He looked at Mia and he nodded slowly. “You sound fucking stupid,” he told her honestly. “Why in the fuck would I want to set your family ablaze?” he asked her. “What in the absolutely fuck does that do for me?” he questioned her, really wanting to know, not being able to hold his tongue any longer. “You see how tight my family is, why in, as you say, God’s name, would I not want the same for your family?” he asked her, tilting his head as she shoved the door open and he continued to stand there because he wasn’t about to play with Mia or her family, now he was really pissed.

“I can’t choose between the both of you!” Mia said to him easily “I wouldn’t make you do that with your family. But at that moment I didn’t know what to do!” she said agitatedly. As he bantered back and forth with her, she folded her arms over her chest gazing at him. “I’m stupid, okay” she said nodding her head at as she moved back into the house. She looked at Farrah and JJ as they stood there, obviously having heard them yelling at each other. “I got you guys something” she rushed out as she moved to her purse and pulled out the same framed sonogram she’d given to his family, there were three of them of course. “And I know you guys may already know but. I wanted to tell you guys in person about the baby” she said looking at her brother and then her mother.

Farrah looked at Mia as she walked back into the door, she couldn’t deny hearing part of the conversation as she pulled JJ to her. What was this? She didn’t know what to think when it came to them because from one thing to the next it was the extreme. Luckily, her husband was off in his own world or there would be not telling how he’d feel about what just happened. She felt James just wanted to protect her rather Tyler was what he wanted to protect her from or not. At Mia’s words she gripped JJ’s shoulder before she released him and said “come give me a hug” easily. She was hurt to find out about the marriage and child the way that she did, but she understood James didn’t make anything easy for any of them. On top of that she was actually excited about the baby, no matter the circumstances.

Tyler smacked his lips. She was still missing the point. She did not have to choose; he had given her the freedom to stay and be merry with her family. He wasn’t going anywhere. He would have sat in that car and just waited without any issues. As she went on, Tyler huffed out. She worked every single nerve in his body sometimes. As she moved back into the house, he reluctantly moved in behind her, despite the fact that he absolutely did not want to. He stood just beyond the open door, watching as Mia handed over the gifts. He licked his lips slowly, staring past all three of them as Farrah pulled Mia into a hug.

Mia looked to her mother, her words causing her face to scrunch as she began to cry. She moved closer to Farrah and she hugged her tightly “I’m sorry” she offered her as she sniffled hard.

Farrah accepted Mia into her arms, and she hugged her pecking her cheek sweetly. “It’s okay baby” she offered her “I understand” she told her as the girl cried. “Stop crying” she told her softly “I am so excited and so happy baby” she told her genuinely.

Tyler closed the door behind him as the mother-daughter duo continued to hug. He sighed deeply, letting out a small hum, as he released a breath. He needed to calm down for real. He needed to make amends with her family, despite himself. Slowly he turned to her little brother and he held out his hand to dap.

JJ looked at his sister and mother as they hugged, and he sighed as he looked over at Tyler. The boy dabbed him, and he quietly said “sorry” to the man that he apparently upset.

Mia nodded her head at her, and she sniffled hard at her mother’s words as they continued to hug. She hated how much of a softy she was sometimes; she was always crying about something. As her mother told her to stop crying, she said “I can’t” softly to her as she continued. “I want everyone on one accord” she confessed quietly.

Farrah pulled away from Mia at her words and she wiped the girls face gently, how did Mia manage to be a cute crier she didn’t know. She chuckled at her “everything works out in the end” she told her wisely. She looked to Tyler and she pulled the boy in a hug “hi Tyler” she greeted the boy he arms still around Mia’s waist.

Tyler nodded at JJ as he said sorry and he said, “me too,” quietly. As Farrah pulled him into a hug, he hugged her back. “Hi Mrs. Parker,” he said quietly, as he rubbed the woman’s back, holding her tight as he dropped his head to her shoulder.

Farrah rubbed the boys back gently as he actually hugged her back and she licked her lips. “Tyler, you must know that you mean the world to us despite” she said hugging Mia to her as well. “I think we are all bombarded by this but, I adore what you guys are trying to build. And I respect it. And I want to be a part of the baby’s life. I will never do anything to come between you guys. We are all on edge sweetie don’t punish us for it,” she said pecking the boy’s cheek lovingly. “Come on let’s sit and I’ll go find your father. JJ go back upstairs” she said knowingly. He already had an opinion, having thought his sister abandon them for Tyler. He didn’t need to be a part of this. “I’ll be right back” she said to Mia kissing her cheek supportively.

Tyler hugged Farrah back tightly and he pulled back a little, to gaze at her as she spoke. He nodded slightly as he took in what she had to say, and he sighed gently. “I understand,” he said quietly as he slowly released his grip on Farrah. “Okay,” he said quietly, looking at Mia as he pulled his bottom lip into his mouth.

Mia allowed her mother to speak as her head hung and she wiped her tears, she felt her mother and father hated her for all of this so maybe she just misread. She sniffled hard and she nodded her head at her mother and moved to sit down on the couch swallowing hard. She dried her face before her father came, not wanting him to see her in this light.

Farrah left them and moved down the hallway to find her husband. When she did, she opened the door to his man cave and said “we need to talk this out as a family, get up and come on” she said pointing to the door. “Don’t make me say it twice James, you’ve made a mess of things. Make it right, she’s pregnant” she emphasized.

James looked back at his wife as the door opened, at her words she huffed as he got up turning the tv off. “I told you to leave me out of this woman” he explained although he moved when she said to.

Tyler followed behind Mia and he moved to sit down on the couch as well. He placed his hands in his lap, looking around the room slowly as he sat there in silence. Slowly he turned his eyes to Mia, and he said, “I’ll be the bigger person,” to her softly. “I’ll make this right.”

Farrah looked at James with a raised brow “oh honey, don’t get me started today, I have had just about enough of your shit” she rambled off in creole to him. She followed behind as he moved towards the living room and she said to him behind Tyler and Mia. “You are going to sit your ass down; you are going to discuss this shit and you are going to like it. You got me” she spat in creole, as she rolled her eyes as she moved to sit down in front of Tyler and Mia, in a chair off to the side.

Mia looked back at her mother as she cursed her father out in front of them. She tucked her lips away ignoring Tyler and his words, she was still pissed the hell off at him. She turned to look at her mother as she sat, and she breathed slowly.

James looked back at his wife, pausing as he moved to sit down as she chewed him out in front of the young adults. Well. He could pick up certain pieces of what she was saying in the other language, but he was well aware that she was in fact pissed off at him. So, he sat down quietly and said nothing as he rested his hands in his lap.

Tyler grew quiet once more as Mia said nothing to him and he let out a deep sigh, suppressing his own irritation. As Farrah and James sat down before them, Tyler looked at James and he sat back. He looked at Farrah, then back at James expectantly. He really was going to have to be the adult in the situation. “Mr. Parker…” Tyler began, letting out a breath as he put his pride aside. “I am sorry.”

Farrah looked at James, her gaze so strong she could kill him with her eyes, she hated how stubborn men could be sometimes. She hoped JJ had her attitude towards life, God knows his father was a mess. “Speak,” she barked at him, her eyes dark.

James looked at Tyler with a huge sigh, he thought to himself for a long time before he looked to his wife with somewhat wide eyes. “Okay” he reasoned with her, using his hands to signal her to calm down. He looked back at Tyler tugging at the collar of his shirt “I should be the one apologizing” he told the young boy.

“You think?” Farrah interjected annoyed as she shifted in her chair looking at James.

“Farrah, calm down” James said looking at her again with soft eyes before he looked back at the couple. “I am sorry for the drama I caused” he told them both. “I was just trying to protect Mia the best way I knew how” he said.

Tyler looked at James and he sighed deeply, and he placed his hands on his knees. “I didn’t make it any better,” he said honestly. “Sir, if I may, respectfully, protect Mia from what?” he asked honestly wanting to know. “You didn’t even take a chance to even get to know me,” he said looking down. “I love Mia and I am just as protective over her as you are Mr. Parker, I would never do anything to purposefully hurt or harm Mia.”

James looked to Tyler and he sighed softly to the boy he didn’t like talking about this and that is part of the reason why he didn’t want to have this discussion. He leaned up and rested his elbows on his knees as he covered his face gently with his large hand.

Farrah looked at Tyler and it was a fair question, but she knew why he was like that. He ran off every man that came close to her, never let her date, and always hoovered. She sighed heavily and said “when Mia was 10 and a friend of the family molested her Tyler. James-” she said, shaking her head. “Forgive Mr. Parker. We experienced the worst thing two parents would want to endure” she explained swallowing down her nausea.

Mia looked to her father and she looked down, as her mother spoke, her eyes grew a little. She never told Tyler that and honestly never mentioned it after its initial exposure. She bit her lip as she wiped another tear as it fell, sniffling again. “Tyler is very protective of me though, like he said” she said even as she cried, wiping a few more tears.

Tyler slowly moved his eyes to Farrah as James dropped his head. He looked between the two of them waiting for a response before Farrah finally spoke. He looked to her, his eyes growing wide before he looked at Mia, his entire face dropping. “W-what?” he asked, staring at her now. She hadn’t spoken a word about it to him, not ever. He understood why of course, but he truly had no idea. “Mia,” he whispered as he wrapped her up in his arms now, pulling her into his lap without a care. He held her tight, his face pressed into her neck as he squeezed her, not wanting to let go.

Farrah looked to Mia offering her sad eyes “don’t cry baby” she said before Tyler moved to console her and she looked to her husband.

James sniffled slightly, trying to hide his broken heart as his wife explained his issue. He hadn’t even wanted her to go off to school, every second he thought about it honestly. He was supposed to protect her, and he failed. He slyly wiped his tears and he swallowed hard looking down at the floor. “I’m happy for you both and I am sorry” he said very quietly.

Mia dried her face, with the back of her hand and when Tyler pulled her into his lap, she laid her head against his, closing her eyes. “It’s okay” she told him as he squeezed her for dear life. “I know dad” she said, opening her eyes to look to him “we accept your apology” she said for them both.

Tyler lifted his head, looking at James as he apologized and he nodded his head, holding Mia for dear life. “I understand,” he said quietly. “I have a little sister and I don’t know what I would do if anything ever happened to her,” he explained. “Mia is my world and I will do everything in my power to keep her safe from harm as my wife and the mother of my child,” he said before he added, “and rather we’re having a little boy or a little girl, I’ll protect them with my life,” he said truthfully, still squeezing Mia.

Mia looked to Tyler as he spoke, with every word it seemed like his grip was getting tighter around her and she hugged him back. Her arm around his neck as she kissed his forehead tenderly and she looked to her dad. “Everyone isn’t a bad guy daddy” she said softly.

James looked to them both and he nodded his head before he said “I believe you” easily and without thought. “Children are a blessing we have no choice but to protect them at all cost” he said looking back down at the floor.

“That is right” Farrah said nodding her head “we are family, we cannot be at odds” she said to everyone. “Especially with children watching” she added as she pointed up towards the stairs.

Tyler rubbed Mia’s back and sides now, loosening his grip on her a bit as he nodded at her parents. He looked at Mia, his eyes filled with mixed emotions. “Lil Bit,” he whispered to her as he dropped his head back to her shoulder sadly. He let out a deep, sad sigh before he lifted his head and said, “You’re so right,” he told Farrah.

Mia looked at Tyler with red eyes “hm?” she said softly before she rested her head against his again, running her hands against his face. “Agreed” she breathed along with her mother.

“I agree” James said looking to his wife and then his daughter, wrapped up in his son-in-law arms.

Tyler looked at Mia, then at James and Farrah before he stood, gently resting Mia back down on the couch as he embraced James in a genuine hug. He patted the man’s back as he did.  

James looked to Tyler as he approached and he hugged the man, genuine in his actual act. “Welcome to the family man” he spoke thoughtfully.

“Thank you,” Tyler said back to James as he patted his back a little more before he pulled away. “I am honored to be a part of the family.”

[objectsdeconstructed]

Chapter 1, Tale 1: “The Present"

“What are you doing!? Get your hands off of me, you jerk!” Leafy screamed.

“Leafy, leafy!”, Firey defends himself. “Leafy, I’m sorry for what I did. I realized what I wanted most wasn’t Dream Island, It’s you. Your friendship. I just want you to know that I’m tired of all this turmoil that’s going on, all these conflicts and stuff. And I’d rather spend my time with you, whether It’s on Dream Island or not.”

“Really, you mean it?” Leafy whispered, as they hang glided away.

“Hurry up! We have to get back to the execution!” Golf Ball shouted, from the ground.

But it was too late. The lovebirds were already flying off into the sunshine, to a better life, a better tomorrow.

“THE END”

“Battle For Dream Island.”

“Written by-”

________________________________

The TV is shut off. “What a load a’ bullshit.“ Larson mused. “That was corny as hell.”

“Larson!” Mariette shrieked. “We have children in the room!”

“Ah, don’t worry ‘bout that, Ma’. Lil’ Liam’s been out for 10 minutes already.”

It was true. Liam had fallen asleep in his mother’s lap. It seems that he’s been asleep for a while.

“Cute lil’ fella. Here, let me-” Larson gently lifted up his youngest brother, whispering. “I’ll take ‘im to the bedroom.”

Mariette thanked Larson, and Larson left the room, with Liam in his arms. Seeing this, Susan spoke up. “Wow. Uh… so, any thoughts on that episode?”

John turned to his sister, “I thought it was kinda good. I mean, for a season finale. Wrapped up stuff nicely. Good enough for me.”

“Wait, really?! I thought it was disappointing as heck! Like, seriously! Even for a cartoon that was absurd! Where did all that come from!? The love arc at the end was jarring and out of place!” Susan complained.

“Well, dear, like you said, It’s a cartoon. Don’t think too much about it, dear.” Mariette replied, yawning. “I’m getting kinda tired, though. You kids wanna keep watching TV, go ahead, but remember to clock in early for tomorrow.”

“What? No, mom! It’s not just a cartoon- We’ve been following this show for like, 2 years now, and It-”

“It’s getting a new season in a few months”, John interrupted. “Don’t worry too much ‘bout it. They’ll probably tie up a few loose ends.”

“Yeah, but- Urgh! I can’t wait that long! I need my fix now!”

“Well, what about Inanimate Insanity? That’s still going.”

“But It’s on hiatus!” Susan groaned.

“Well, you’ll have to find another show on your own. There’s literally hundreds. I’m goin’ to bed.” John remarked, before standing up, carrying his empty drink cans, and heading to his room.

“Ugh, fine. Bye, bro.”

“…Also, you should probably go to sleep soon. It’s getting late-”

“Yeah, no.”

Susan flipped through the other channels, searching for something else to watch.

John walked up the stairs, tossed the cans into the trash, and retreated into his bedroom.

John’s bedroom was a mess. But It wasn’t an ugly mess. It was the kind of mess that felt comfy, and warm, and familiar. There was a mattress at one corner of the room, covered in magazines, books, and other reading materials.

Next to the bed was a desk, textbooks, notebooks, pens and pencils strewn everywhere upon it. Upon the desk was also a laptop. This was John’s most prized possession, and it was old.

John booted up the computer, checking to see if anything interesting has been happening recently.

John was pleasantly surprised to see that his posts have gotten some attention. Making a mental note to check out the comments later, he created a new post, trying to, admittedly, capitalize on BFDI’s recent finale.

Since he didn’t really had anything else interesting to say on the matter, John turned his attention over to what his relatively small social circle had to say on recent events. Maybe there’s some drama or something weird happening.

And away, we go…

Click.

Huh.

John had to admit that he was friends with some really peculiar people. Welp, Anna was… being her usual self. Tony was, in John’s opinion, still trying to influence things outside of his control (John found this trait of Tony’s admirable, but mistaken in this situation). Bryan was still raising questions about his sanity (and apparently, his abilities to spell the word “evasion"). The next post was-

Wait.

What the fuck?

That account uploaded a post.

That account never uploads.

Hold on.

As expected, everyone’s going wild in the comments, but that’s not what matters right now. Something is going on. John had to find out what.

John immediately opted out of his social media tab, and opened up another tab, typing in the address of a less-popular, less-friendly website.

Enter.

The web-page loaded. John stretched back, and scrolled down-

The door to John’s room slammed open.

John slammed his laptop down like hell.

“AAAH!”

Liam was standing in the door way. Larson stood behind him, looking extremely sleep-deprived, yet, amused.

Liam inquired, with large eyes, staring up at him. “John? Are you okey?”

Larson glanced at John, who realized that the sight of him holding down his laptop, staring wide-eyed at the door might not have given off the best impression.

Larson chuckled, “Welp! Uh, Liam. I think we walked in at a bad time-”

John shot him a look.

“No! It’s- Sorry, uh, Liam! Bro! What’re you doing here?”

“…I want give you pwesent.” Liam whispered.

“What?” John asked, flatly.

“Present. Liam wants to give you your Birthday present.” Larson motioned at his mouth “Gotta work on that “Arr" sound. Look, we know that you don’t wanna celebrate your B-Day, and haven’t done so for the last few years, but, what the hey! It’s not every day our boy turns 18!  I mean, our man turns 18. Wait-”

“Ah! Thanks, Liam! But uh, you didn’t have to!” John said, beaming at Liam.

Liam just looked down.

“Uh- No. Kid! Liam! He means that in a good way. Now, give him the drawing, Liam.” Larson said, reassuringly.

Liam beamed up at John again, shoving a slightly wrinkled drawing in his face.

“It’s a pic of our- our family, and- that’s, um, you. And, um, mom and sis, and me and larson! Um, and that’s our ages, but yours is, um, eighteen! With an explooooosion! Because you turn eighteen! Today!” Liam babbled, pointing at the multi-colored representations on the paper.

“Not sure why I’m wearing a suit.” Larson whispered, grinning.

Frankly, it was one of the finest works of art that John had ever seen, despite the fact that Liam drew his arms on his head.

“Wow! It’s awesome, champ! I-”

John was interrupted by Liam giving a huge hug.

“I love you bro.”

John put his hand on Liam’s back. “…Love you too, Liam.”

Larson was just kinda hanging at the door, absorbing the general awkwardness of the situation. “So! Liam! You wanna hit the hay yet? Because I’m about to give out any second now. So! Hop to it, lil’ buddy.”

Larson clapped his hands together. “Chop chop.”

Liam walked to Larson, and they left together.

John was about to reopen the laptop when Larson popped in again. “Hey, uh, kid-”

“Dude, you gotta stop calling people that. I’m 2 years younger than you now-”

“-Sorry, force of habit. John. Uh, I wanna have a word.”

“Yeah, can you make it quick? I’m kinda tired.”

“Don’t worry, I will. I’m pretty close to collapse myself. So, uh…” Larson clasped his hands together. “Enjoy your life, make the most of it, don’t panic,  be careful, don’t hold grudges, be a good man, save up money as soon as possible, word smart not hard, something something eggs in baskets, and uh, don’t take shit from anyone. Oh! and invest in some stuff smartly, watch the stock market closely- And BUY. BITCOINS. Yeah, okay. I think that’s it.” Larson said, extremely quickly.

John blinked.

“…Sorry, what?”

“Life advice, John. That’s life advice. Good night.” Larson yawned, “You can proceed with whatever…” Larson waved his hands “…weird stuff you were doing before. Not gonna judge you, kid.”

“Lars!”

“Right! Not gonna judge you, John. Look, I’m super-”

“What was that?! The life-advice thing!”

“Well, Ah’ don’t really see a point in making that some kinda big deal, so I gave you all I got at once. Don’t expect anymore advice for a while, John. G'night.” Larson was closing the door now.

“…Uh, okay, yeah. Good night, Lars.”

Clank.

Finally. Silence. Privacy. Now-

Bam!

“Lars! For crying out loud-”

“Shit. Sorry ‘bout the door- Happy 18th Birthday, John!”

“Yeah, thanks, bro. Just-”

But Larson had already closed the door.

John waited.

Sensing no one, he opens the laptop again.

[star-nova]

The Lives of the RiffRaff: Talia Santiago-Queen of the City

Previous: 

We Are the RiffRaff Rickie Johnson-The Art of War Vera Sherwood-Little Sister Kali Muburu-Hair Tracy Kwan-Vergil Franz Fawke-Hecklers James Weaver-The Preacher Mamoru Hayagawa-Three Weddings Charmain Dekker-Frankfort 

In Tanager, I'm the garbage on the side of the road. In Frankfort, I'm the queen.

These three little country mice—fellow garbage bags, as far as Tanager is concerned—are damned lucky to have me on their side. If they'd dared to go into Frankfort on their own, the city would swallow them whole and then shit them back out. But because they're with me, they're the safest bitches around. They just don't know it yet.

Sweet little Sophia and Charmain huddle together like frightened mice in the far rear of the Subaru. Directly behind me, Ellia and Sophia's little sister Elsie act like it's gonna be an adventure rather than a horror, and it is. It's hard to believe that Elsie is the little sister, but she's younger than Sophia by three whole years. Elsie must have had to learn to toughen up early in order to compensate for her sister's glaring lack of balls.

Sophia asks, “Do you think we could get cajun food around here? Or maybe we can try pad thai? Soul food?”

“There should be nicer restaurants here than in Tanager,” Charmain assures her, “upscale bistros and things like that.” Well, no shit, Char! All Tanager has is a pizza bungalow, a corner deli, and a tavern full of mediocre-ass beer. Oh, and there was a hot dog truck you could probably get e. coli from. But here we are, heading out into the city, and all they can think about are restaurants?

“I hope there's a skating rink,” Elsie says.

I say, “It's summer, retard.”

“That's the best time for skating rinks, you dingus,” Charmain says. “Nobody wants to go to an ice rink in the dead of winter.” Dingus. She'd be pathetic if she wasn't so damned adorable.

“I was talking about a roller rink anyway,” says Elsie.

Ellia says, “It's got a lot of historic buildings.”

You could take the bumpkins out of the country, but you could never take the country out of the bumpkins. Oh well, let 'em exchange their twee little fantasies of roller rinks, bistros, and hundred-year-old buildings. My only concern was that I was back where I belonged, in my world where everyone knew me and everyone who didn't know me would get to, soon enough. This was my territory and I ruled it with an iron fist. The queen bitch of Frankfort is back.  

My brothers owed me several favors, but I called them up and told them I was willing to let them all slide if they gave me just this one. Thankfully, they pulled through, and we had ourselves a flat.

The flat was not in the city proper, but in a little suburb tucked off to the side. It was quiet enough to appeal to my country girls, but close enough to the city to take advantage of it at every opportunity. It was all paid for, courtesy of my brothers, for the next two weeks, and it would be our home from now until July 1st.

“Talia, this is lovely,” Charmain said predictably when she saw the place. I just said, “Ain't it, though?” as I hauled my suitcase out of the van.

“It is,” Charmain said, “it's beautiful.” She sounded surprised, like she had expected me to hole them up in a drug den or some shit.

“You can thank my bros,” I told her. “You'll be meeting them later on.”

“Later on” came about an hour after we'd settled in and decided on who was sleeping where. There were three bedrooms, and I didn't mind sleeping on the couch so Charmain and Ellia could have their own; Sophia and Elsie would share the third. The girls were putting on eyeliner and doing their hair to go out into the city, because they didn't realize you didn't have to get dolled up to walk around Frankfort, when there was an unmistakable bang on the door. Sophia squeaked and froze up like a scared hamster, and it cracked me the hell up. The Four Santiago Brothers greeted us at the door in all their glory.

I'm not sure what the girls expected from my brothers, but what they got was one big, stocky Portuguese man, two tall, ripped ones, and one rail-thin one. The little one, Santino, had on a red button-down and skinny jeans. Luco, the oldest, was sporting a beat-up blue tee with cargos, and Monty and Ray had on wife-beaters and jeans in varying forms of distress.

I said, “Hey, shitheads,” and socked all four of them on the shoulder. They responded by socking me back, one after the other, first in my left shoulder then my right shoulder, my stomach, and finally my right eye. It wasn't hard enough to leave a mark or anything. It was how you showed love in the Santiago household.

Luco said, “Happy birthday, lil sis,” and tugged at my ponytail.

Monty said, “Now you an old bitch!” and I gave him a shove.

And then here came sweet little Charmain Dekker, with her fluffy brown curls and her daisy-print romper and the rose-colored lipstick she had on for no good reason at all. She went right up to the Santiago Four and said, “Hi, I'm Charmain, Talia's friend. It's very nice to finally meet you four.” She held out her hand. You don't hold out your hand to a Santiago unless you want them to snap it. But surprisingly, my bros each gave her hand a little shake. I nearly gagged when Monty took hold of her hand, kissed it, and said, “Well, bonjour, cherie!” He turned to me and said, “Damn, Tally, you didn't tell me your friend was cute!”

“I wasn't aware,” I told him. Not very many would call Charmain “cute.”

My bros introduced themselves to Ellia, Sophia, and Elsie. “Friends of Talia's,” Luco said, “are friends of ours. Round here, we look after our own.” Those girls were now the safest ladies in Frankfort.

After all the introductions were made, the boys told us to get our shit, we were going to see the Baroness.

“Who is that?” Sophia asked, sounding hella scared to hear the answer. The boys tittered at her anxiety. “She's just our auntie,” Ray told her, “that's all.”

To call Maven Whittaker, nee Santiago, “just our auntie” sounded incredibly disrespectful. She had always been “the Baroness” or “the Lady Maven” to us. My father's sister was the head of our district's branch of the Frankfort Police Department, and her power and influence had been a constant in this city for as long as we could remember. Somewhere in her early thirties, she managed to attract the attention of The Honorable Judge Andrew Whittaker of the Franklin County Courthouse, and her marriage to him was in equal parts for love and for alliances. The power that she had now that the head of the county justice system was in her bed every night was akin to that of Catherine the Great in 18th century Russia. She produced her first child soon after the wedding, and three years later along came her second, my cousins Larry and Stephanie Whittaker. The two of them grew up well aware of the power their parents had and the things that they were therefore allowed to get away with, and I made playmates of them whenever possible. Now, they both have guard jobs at the county jail.

The Lady Maven stood at a full six-foot-two—two inches taller than me and several inches taller than any of my brothers—and never carried any less than three forms of weaponry on her at any given time, sometimes concealed and sometimes right in the open. She was a Baroness in every sense of the word, and honestly, I wasn't sure that the girls were ready for her. But Charmain was the first to say, “I'd love to meet your aunt. Will we be meeting your other family too?”

“'Course you will,” Ray told her. “It's Talia's birthday and we're havin' a party.”

The girls hadn't wasted their hair and makeup after all; a visit to the Baroness' pristine palace was a hair-and-makeup affair for sure. I'm not the type to get dolled up, but still I changed out of my cutoffs and into some chinos and a hi-low. I left my worn-out combat boots on because they're all I ever wear.

The Baroness' palace echoed the splendor of both Judge Whittaker and the Baroness herself. Situated in upscale Frankfort, it housed the two of them, my cousins Larry and Stephanie, my father's brothers Jakob and Dale, and Jakob's wife Lydia. Tonight, in honor of the occasion, the mansion played host to much more than that; when we pulled up, the entire Santiago clan stood at the gates and at the door and the front yard, waiting for us.

The girls were stunned to silence when they saw the place. The palace and the surrounding mansions put the upscale abode of Florence and Pietro Frost, the richest of the RiffRaff, to shame. “Geez, Talia,” Ellia said as she took the whole thing in, “is your aunt an actual baroness?”

“I was thinking a princess,” Charmain said with a chuckle.

“She may as well be,” I told them.

“Is that really my girl there?” my father, Sheriff Carlo Santiago, said when he saw me step out of the Subaru. “Oh my gosh, I believe it is! But no, this can't be her; my girl's a scruffy little runt, and this...well, this is a beautiful Amazon of a woman!” He wrapped me up in his big old arms and hugged the hell out of me. “Thirty years old!” he cried out. “Thirty years old and my girl's a lady, a gorgeous lady!” The warmth of that hug and the giddy feeling of seeing my dad after three years only seeing him on FaceTime had some kind of power over me. I kissed his cheek, my one display of affection.

He released me and turned his attention to the girls. “Well, hello there,” he said jovially, like he was a member of the Brady Bunch. “It's nice to meet you ladies. Talia, you didn't tell me you kept such pretty company!”

Sophia turned rose-red, but Charmain held her hand out to him and said, “It's nice to meet you, sir.” She was so saccharine that it made me want to throw up in my mouth.

My father let out a tremendous laugh. “Sir?! Sweetheart, my name isn't Sir, it's Carlo.”

And then, beyond the throngs of other relatives that hadn't seen me in at least three years, the Baroness herself stood beside the Judge at the front door. She was dressed head-to-toe in uniform for no reason at all, except maybe to remind everyone of her power. You could kill a man in cold blood after taking everything from him, and if the Baroness found reason to believe it wasn't you that did it, then it wasn't you that did it and that was the end of that. On the contrary, you could be the cleanest and most innocent man alive, and the Baroness could find dirt on you that you didn't know you had, and magnify it until it was worth ten to twenty-five. She was a terrifying old bitch, and I respected no one like I respected her.

Maven Whittaker looked down the bridge of her nose at the four of us, but her smile was genuine. “Talia,” she said, “I missed the hell out of you.” She squeezed both of my hands. “Welcome home, my girl.”

I was home. After three years holed up in that shithole town, I was back where I belonged.

For me, city life is the natural order of things. I readjusted to it so quickly that it was as if I'd never left it behind.

The guys down at Clarke's Tavern welcomed me back with open arms. I started up one of our old poker games, and by my second day back in Frankfort I was walking away with three-hundred-fifty of the poor fuckers' dollars. My bros and I took it out dancing, and we took the girls with us.

At The Breeze bar and nightclub, the girls were acknowledged as “Talia's squad,” and they were given free drafts of ale, courtesy of Tony the bartender. Sophia eyed that draft with something like shame, and I could tell she was mentally fighting herself over whether she should shut up and accept the gift or tell Tony that she didn't drink. In the end, I grabbed it and downed it in one seamless gulp right before her eyes, and then proceeded to do the same to my own ale. “There,” I said, “now it didn't go to waste.” I slipped Tony a cool twenty-five.

To the surprise of everyone involved, those three were the stars of the club. They tore that floor right up, to the point where everyone else would move aside so that they could take center stage. Charmain learned the Jerk nine years too late, and Ellia executed a flawless one-two step. They danced with my bros and with the guys that sidled up to them, called them “cuties” and “beauties,” and asked for their names. When Mabel's “Don't Call Me Up” came on and Sophia pulled out a shuffle and a pop-lock with a finesse that I never in my life would have attributed to Sophia Bolshevik, I was sure that the city had transformed those three just the way that it needed to. I went ahead and let them own the night while Santino and I slipped into an alley to find a riot to start.

In the coming days, I settled back into my old life. Early every morning, before the girls were awake, my bros and I went out into the city and its surrounding suburbs with our crates of product hidden in the back of Luco's truck. For the past three years, everybody had to rely on shipments to get a Talia Santiago brew, and I missed the experience of street selling like a beached whale misses the ocean. Long-distance sales had none of the thrill of slinking along backroads and alleyways like secret agents, communicating in arbitrary code-words to keep our activities down low, and being directed to out-of-the-way shit-sties in Nowheresville in order to keep out of the watchful eyes of the populace. If we were caught or if somebody threatened to blow our cover, they would find themselves persuaded into silence by one of my blades or by the barrel of my 19X. If such incidents were reported, they would likely reach my father or even the Baroness, and then it was just like they never happened at all.

The girls were left to fend for themselves for most of the day, and they were just fine with that. They went off on their twee little adventures to museums and historic sites, took Instagram pictures of the city skyline and the capitol building, and romped through parks and shopping centers completely undisturbed by the general public. I met up with them at lunch and dinnertime and took them to places where they would be known as “Talia's ladies.” They soon learned that the mention of my name in the local establishments would inspire either fear or reverence in their patrons. Either way, everybody knew who I was, and if they didn't know me, they knew some other Santiago.

Yes, Frankfort had done just what I wanted it to. It had transformed us all from countryfied garbage into queens of the city. The curse of a shithole that saw us as nothing but rancid trash was broken the moment we stepped through the gates of the Baroness' mansion on our first day. The spell of the city took hold of us all, and we were RiffRaff no more.