#paras:mason

[sterlingfitness]

Circle of Life // McBerrling Para

Who: Jeff Sterling, Mason McCarthy @unstoppablemase and Rachel Berry @peculiarberry ft. Aaron Purr

What: Jeff tells two of his best friends about Luna

When: November 23rd, afternoon

Where: Sterling’s Cabin 

Notes: They’re cute and they cuddle

Jeff knew he had to tell the people closest to him about Luna, and he thought it was getting easier to tell each time, but it was still nerve wracking. He didn't know how people would react. They could be understanding like Blaine, but they easily could flip on him like Cullen, and Jeff hated going in without knowing which one he would get. After telling his parents, he figured Mason and Rachel should be the next ones to know about his dark secret. He could wait until he had a closer relationship with Luna and her mother, maybe even meet his daughter before, but their support would be very appreciated. And if they didn't want to stay friends with him because of this, the sooner they leave, the less it hurts, right? Bringing them up to his childhood room, Jeff was nervously fidgeting with his fingers as he told them to sit down on his bed, before closing the door behind him. Like a band aid. He just had to tell them straight forward and then work with their reactions. Jeff knew they would understand, or at least try to, but he was afraid of the possibility of losing two of the most important people in his life "So..." Jeff started, letting out a shaky breath "I want you two to meet someone," Jeff said as he reached for his phone and pulled up a picture of his daughter. He smiled fondly at it for a second before turning his phone to Mason and Rachel, letting them pick it up to see the picture from up close "Her name is Luna..." he bit his lip for a moment, bracing himself before admiring "She's my daughter."

RACHEL was a bit confused trying to figure out what it is that could be so serious that Jeff needed to bring them up to his room for privacy. She doesn't think anything had taken place since they'd been in Colorado and she's slightly worried, but Jeff seems okay, Cullen seems okay, and his parents seem okay. Rachel figures worrying about it won't do any good and he'll be telling them what is going on once they get upstairs so she focuses her attention on getting to his room and she quietly sits on his bed as he motions for it. Jeff starts off and she looks around the room not sure what he was getting on about, she definitely hadn't seen anyone come in, but then he's bringing his phone out and it begins to make a bit more sense. He hadn't meant a person in the flesh. Rachel takes the phone from him, looking down at the child on the screen. Her nose scrunches a little, still confused until he says it. This is his daughter...it doesn't really register right away but she's staring at the picture too intensely seeing some resemblance. "Jeff...She's beautiful. Why didn't you. I mean." She closes her eyes trying not to just react loudly like she's good at doing. "I-- thank you for telling us. I'm glad you trust us."

Mason sat on Jeff's bed beside Rachel, patting the other side of him so Aaron would jump up. The cat had been following him everywhere anyway. He wasn't sure why Jeff seemed to nervous, but he was trying to stay chill in the hopes the feeling would spread to everyone else. He definitely wasn't expecting what came next though. He leaned over Rachel's shoulder and stared at the phone in disbelief. "Wait... what?"

Jeff waited nervously for some sort of reaction, wishing he could pick up Aaron right now instead. He was a good stress reliever, and at least he would protect him from anything, even if it was just yelling. He knew it was a lot to take in, sometimes Jeff didn't even believe himself, but it was true. Luna was his and only a blind man could think otherwise. Jeff was ready to start spitting out his usual explanation, just so they could understand, but Rachel's calmness left him speechless. He really wasn't expecting that, and that stopped him on his tracks. As she said Luna was beautiful, Jeff couldn't help but smile and agree "Yeah, she is, isn't she?" he reached forward and swiped to show another of the many pictures he had saved. As Mason looked confused, Jeff sighed "She's my daughter," he said again "I know it's a lot, and I'm sorry, but you two are important to me and I want you to know about this."

Rachel: "She really is." Rachel nods, still feeling rather confused. There was no way this little girl was actively in his life right? They would have caught wind of it sooner or seen him around her. Between her and Mason she thinks they take up a lot of his time so there was no way he knew about this before now, right? Rachel looks to Mason quietly, reaching for his hand, seeing the confusion all over his face. She can't stare at him for long though because Jeff is showing another picture and she really is so adorable. "She's like Aaron." Rachel gushes, before growing serious again. "Where is she? I mean you haven't..you haven't been a part time dad and we just didn't know it right?"

Mason looked over at Rachel, even more confused. "Aaron's a cat?" he said before seeing the picture and smiling a little. "Oh." She really was adorable. "She's beautiful, Jeff, but... I don't understand. When did this happen? Did you just find out about her? Sorry... I have a lot of questions."

Jeff nodded. Of course they were confused, it was a pretty confusing situation. He was glad they weren't freaking out on him, though, it made talking and explaining much easier, as Jeff didn't have to scramble for an answer. "No, I'm not being a part time dad.. That's the thing," he started there. Okay, if they didn't completely freak out with the first bomb, they probably wouldn't flip on this one too... hopefully "She just turned four so.. I was fifteen when it happened," he sighed softly, brushing his hair away from his face "And I fucked up.. Said I didn't want anything to do with it. Her mom lives in Spain, across the ocean, so I thought I'd never had to think about it again..." he looked down at the picture "Then I came across one of her pictures and I just.... I just can't pretend anymore. She looks exactly like me, I can't turn my back on her."

Rachel: tries not to let the sound leave her as she gasps a little. Fifteen was really young, gosh 19 was really young thinking of Lily's prior situation. She can't imagine being able to deal with something so big much better. "Oh Jeff...but you've changed your mind. You're older now and you can be responsible and think more rational then a little Jeff could have! Are you...I mean you've talked with the mom? Have you met her? What are your next steps? Can we do anything?"

Mason felt his eyes widen even more with all the new information. He was still trying to figure out how to kiss when he was fifteen. He laid a hand on Rachel's arm. He was surprised Jeff's head hadn't exploded yet between the two of them and all their questions. "I mean... what Rachel said," he finally contributed pathetically. He wasn't sure he could come up with any other words right now.

Jeff thought that questions was a good sign. If they're asking questions, at least they weren't yelling at him and saying what a horrible person he was, so Jeff let himself feel secure enough to open up without getting defensive. These were his friends, and Blaine was right, they'd understand. He looked between Rachel and Mason, who were obviously confused. He climbed on his bed so he would be closer to them, gently petting Aaron's head as he came to curl up next to him. Where could he start "Yeah, I recently got in contact with the mother.." that was a good start, that's where he was right now "She called me every nasty name in existence, as she should, but we're talking and she told me she might let me see Luna, if the talks go alright," he gave them a tiny, hopeful smile. He really wanted to meet her, face to face, and hug her for all those years he didn't. "I know this is a lot, but I hope it doesn't change what you guys think of me. I've made a lot of mistakes, but I'm trying to fix them, to be who everyone thinks I already am."

Rachel: smiles softly at Jeff as he comes up to his bed. He's not totally shutting down so that's a good sign. It was easy to do when revealing something so rough. She leans into Mason a bit as she takes in all Jeff is saying, nodding along to show she's paying attention. "So there is hope then? That's really great. I know you'll be able to fix this...because you want to. That's very clear." Her face falls a little at the last of his words, shaking her head quickly. "I think you're still that person Jeff and the way you're deciding to deal with this and like you said fix the mistakes you've made, it only enforces that. I'm sure there are plenty of people who just wouldn't bother."

Mason had never been super great with words. He spoke a lot of them, but he never considered himself good at the ones that mattered. Most of it was just chatter. Comfort he knew about though. He knew what helped him more than any words ever could have. So he moved over on the bed and sat beside Jeff, hooking their arms together, and he laid his head on his friend's shoulder. "This isn't going to change anything between us," he promised. "You're a father, but you're still Jeff. Just like I'm crazy, but I'm still Mason," he added with a laugh.

Jeff wanted to say more. Wanted to tell them he's an awful guy, that he only reached out because he happened to come across a picture of Luna, but he stop himself. He has a bad habit of thinking of the worst possible outcome, and when it doesn't happen, it's like he tries to get it, but this time he doesn't say anything. Jeff simply nods, leaning into Mason as he sits closer and links their arms together, reaching with his free hand to clean the couple of tears that managed to escape. "Thank you, guys.." he said quietly, motioning for Rachel to come closer, too. "I'm really thankful for having you two in my life..." It was Thanksgiving, so it was fitting "Thank you for not thinking I'm a horrible human being, even if I feel like one."

Rachel: just watches Jeff and Mason in awe really, their relationship was heart warming and though she can't see them responding to what Jeff says in any other way, she's glad that they could still do this. It's easy for her to join their closeness when Jeff motions for it, doing her best to wrap an arm around both of them. "We don't need to label, do we? I think we're just us and we're here and we're doing the right things." She shrugs, "I'm thankful for you too Jeff and I'm thankful you could share with us and you're definitely not horrible. I wish you didn't feel that way." She kisses his cheek.

Mason reached his hand out to brush over Rachel's hair when she moved to cuddle with them. "No one in this room is free from making some pretty big mistakes. None of us are horrible people, even if we've all felt that way at one point or another," he pointed out. "The important thing is we're all trying our best. And we've got each other to be there and hold us up when one's feeling more horrible than usual. We're here for you and we're not going anywhere." He squeezed Jeff's hand with his own and reached out to find Rachel's with the other one, forming a little circle between them.

Jeff nodded softly. Mason was right, it was just like Blaine told him, he made some mistakes but he owning up to them and trying to fix them. That's what matters "Just wanted to make everyone proud of me, but I ended up making it worse. I'm fixing it, though, and I'm glad I have you two by my side" Jeff gave them a little tiny smile, squeezing Mason's hand back "I love you, guys," he let out a breath and wrapped his arms around the two of them, hugging them close, glad that after admitting his biggest secret, he could still do this "Thank you."

Rachel: can only manage a small nod in agreeance to Mason’s words. He’s right and they were there for each other, always. She smiles a little as he pets her hair and it grows when he takes her hand. They are all connected and it really adds to the moment and how close they really are. “I know I’m still proud of you, maybe even more so.” Rachel says honestly, “but I love you too. A lot.”