#the rest of his family especially her mom and brother (his grandma and uncle) are very much not

[hell0mega]

my partner is most likely an egg as he has been saying things like "i wish i was a lesbian" "i wish i had been born a girl" "i hate having a dick" "all my built characters in rpgs are women" "feminine clothing is so much more interesting than masculine clothing" "if i was a girl would you love me more" "I'm sorry I'm not a girl" like babe I'm starting to think you are. it's been 7 years of this.

[annabelle-creart]

Headcanon that is not a headcanon but a canon in my mind because there's not a universe but an entire multiverse with a lot of weird things there in my brain:

Cybertronian lived in neighbourhoods named colonies and each colony had their own traditions and ways to see the world.

They didn't have parents but tutors, who teach them about their position in the world, but they can grow like humans, it's just a little different, especially due to prohibitions into making childs (its not weird, i promise).

Heatwave is the second older bot and is from the Salty colony, that was a mine colony, his tutor was single and an electrician named Heatwave too, his older brother Sunset was also electrician and his lil sibling, Summer was going into that too, Heatwave was named first DeepSea but decided to change it when he got into decepticons just after his tutor died (you remenber in IDW Megatron's spotlight? That day it was) at the time he was a decepticon he was a rescue bot because he really wanted to do something about Cybertron, he was into 3 teams before becoming Sigma 17's leader, Port was his fist leader and best friend who tought him the parctical part, they were crazy and rude but caring, then there was Box, an asshole and idiot and Heatwave's words but he tought him how to be brave and strong, and finally Mecha, as sweet as a candy but who could not say a thing without insult someone, she taught him to be caring and responsible, and then he become Sigma 17 leader, reunited with Chase, his academy comrade and Boulder and Blades, new ones. Summer is still alive, the rest of his old family didn't made it.

Chase is the third older bot and was from Steelhand colony, caracterized for their white and silver colors, they were the elite in military operations in Cybertron, lot of the bots in higher states of the military and police jerarchy had the Steelhand on their names, he was the medium child of three, Scout, an older brother who died as a soldier and a younger sister, Tidy, who wanted to be a med bot, his tutors, married, Mural and Carcase, a little strict but loving and caring who never knew about Chase's autism but never treat him like if he was less, he became first a police and then a detective when he discovered his "grandma's" corruption, Stardust was Mural tutor and was strict as hell, careless and always hated Chase's way of act, trying to change it even. Chase met Heatwave at academy and then they're become rescue bots. Stardust was the only one who is left, the rest didn't made it.

Boulder is the oldest of the group, had two families, the first one that don't admit that existed and the second one who loved as much as they love nature now, the Clover colony: Gear and Fortress, married, he was an engineer, she was a high ranked in military such as Stardust, even meeting her, that's how Chase and Boulder met but became friends when they decided to be rescue bot. Boulder at first was really not into having a younger sister, Daydream, but then they started to loving her, even if she was a little coward about everything. At the end of the day, Boulder decided to be an engineer like Gear, and follow him till his dead. Fortress and Daydream made it.

Blades is the youngest of the team, a med bot from the Butterfly colony, his moms, Rockhead, a med bot with a hard relationship with her tutor, Stardust, and Crystal, a designer and sculptor who run away from Clover colony to be with an ex Steelhand, they were really loving and caring about Blades, and the rest of the colony too, they all were his family without hesitate, the uncle Trip, the auntie Stella, Cloud and Bluey, Skyfell, Windblade who just lived for a while there, Knockout who knew was special for Blades but go away in a blink, En-field, Saprine, Solar, they were a lot and they were loving and united as no other colony, that's why Blades wanred to be a med bot an a rescuer. Skyfell, Windblade, Bluey and Knockout were the only ones who made it out of Cybertron, the rest are all dead.

Salvage and Blurr were from Red Guard, a colony for bots without colonies back in Velocitron, Quickshadow was from Passenger Colony but no one is remain except her and her brother who is dissapered, Hightide never had a colony and Sissi (at my profile) literally lived on that energon refinery, so maybe her colony is Dome, the name of the refinery.

From now on this kind of shit will be at the #Life of Resce bots AU, this is the first so don't expect much right now. Bye😎✌️

[craftartz67]

Martinez Headcannons:

•full name is Daniel Angelo Martinez(also goes by Dani)

• He has about 8 sisters,1 older brother and is the youngest. He was practically babied his whole life,also has about four niece’s that he absolutely adores

•Dani is really good with kids and people in general,and I mean good.He adores babysitting his nieces and loves to teach them about what he does at work and sometimes brings them to the precinct.He has a soft spoken voice when talking to kids or people.

•He loves animals,especially dogs. He has a Labrador retriever named Ace(decided that he would be the one who adopted him).Daniel loves to pet any animal that he can(makes sure to ask the owner first)and makes sure to bring treats with him just in case. all the police canines adore him.He does not like any animal abuser and had once punch some in the face for it.

•I see him as a trans man in my au(female to male).He is also pan/poly and has donated money to the LGBTQIA community. Bruce has also donated large amounts of money. Three of his older sisters,including his mom and uncle are also apart of the community. He came out as trans to his family at the age of 6.

•Dani loves to cook,especially blueberry sweets,since those are Bruce’s favorite. He likes to experiment with different dishes and enjoys making some of the foods his grandma used to cook for him.Bruce also loves to taste test his food. Bruce loves the blueberry cookies the most.

• The police station adore him,he is literally a ray of sunshine. He even brings in some sweets he’d bake for his fellow officers.He is everyone’s favorite,despite him not knowing that. They tease him from time to time,if anyone ever hurt him, the whole entire station will definitely be throwing hands(especially Bruce)

•He has met Selena. She goes to the same cafe as him ☕️ and helps out at the same shelter he works at(they actually get along pretty well even though they think differently at we’re the funding should go to,cats or dogs)other than that they actually enjoy each others company

•Alfred and Dory absolutely adore him,especially since he is such a good influence on Bruce.When he figured out that Bruce is Batman,Alfred is not all that surprised(he was going to find out eventually,he might not look it but he’s pretty good at deduction skills)it was a small thing but the chin does not lie.Alfred is also glad that he isn’t the only one to take care of Bruce and smiles softly when seeing Dani bandaging Bruce’s wounds

•Daniels father was not a good person,even hurt his mother once.When his father found out that he was trans,it got worse(good thing he out of the picture).His Uncle acted more of a father figure to him than his father could ever be

•He and his sisters are all half Latino,half Italian,and has a little bit of british but not that much

• Since he is such a trusting guy, Daniel is the one guy in the precinct that all the female officer can rely on and trust they even include him in girls nights. Trust me when I say he would throw hands if anyone tried to mistreat them or being bias(sometimes he doesn’t even need to punch the person,he knows his fellow officers could kick there ass)

•When he gets anxious especially if it’s a cause of his diphoria of his body, he will clench his hands to together in a tight fist(Bruce and his sibling are the ones that help comfort him and helps remind him that he is great just the way he is)

•When Daniel’s sister and brother found out that Bruce Wayne is dating him, they all get super protective(his brother and mom especially). Trust me when I say Dani’s mother can get super scary especially when it comes to her babies

•He actually enjoys drawing from time to time(is good at is,he likes to draw Bruce when he’s not looking)and likes to read books,mostly books that are historical ,horror,scientific and even reads romance

•Daniel knows that Bruce can take care of himself,even though he’s Batman but he makes sure that Bruce gets plenty of rest, makes sure his make up is cleaned up and eats. they than like to cuddle and watch movies together

•There have been times where he has been seen trying to fight more dangerous villains out of his league ,mostly because he gets tired of seeing them hurting innocent people. He also likes to be sassy when encountering them.has a sassy attitude when insulting them(some villians are scared of him,since they know what would happen if they ever tried to harm him)

•Bruce is so close to breaking his code,He manly wishes that Martinez would stop trying to fight people more bigger than him(I mean is actually pretty short especially compared to villians like Falcone,Gordon and half of the entire police station.He’s a short king 👑)

•Not Surprisingly,he actually gets along well with the female villians and has even been invited to hang out (Harley and Ivy enjoy his company).Daniel even punched joker in the face one time for mistreating Harley and can see that there relationship is toxic(decided to base it off of the dc comic ) Personally though he know that Ivy and Harley like each other and think that there cute together

• Forgot to mention that all his sibling have left Gotham to pursue their own dream jobs and is proud of every single one them

Bonus:

The Martinez Family

Elijah(Ally,33yrs)- Actor

Elena(Ally,32yrs)- Doctor

Lucia(Les,31yrs)- Police Officer

Bianca(Ally,30yrs)-Fashion Designer

Andrea(Bi,29yrs)- Fashion Model

Gia(Aromantic28yrs)-Teacher

Emma(Ally,28yrs)-Vet

Britt(Ally,26yrs)- Artist

Charlie(Ally,going to be 26 soon) - Hairstylist

Alicia Marinez/Mom(Bi,45)

David Martinez/Uncle(Gay,42)

Alfred Pennyworth(Bi,40)

Daniel is gay and 25yrs old(based on the real actors age)

Bruce Wayne is Bi and 31yrs old

@wixiany @1n-bl0om @and-so-he-rambled

[godsrejectedmartyr]

last night my uncle hit my cousin. he’s not my bio cousin, and he’s not my uncles bio son. but my family raised my cousin since he was a baby because his mom was single and working several jobs. he lived with us up until maybe a year or two ago when he decided to move back with his mom. he was like a little brother to me, it was sad to not have him around anymore but i was happy for him because he was going back to his mom.

his mom and my uncle got married but my uncle suffered a stroke and never quite was the same. but he was always the type to be kind of aggressive and annoying, he picked a lot on me growing up too and always liked to make me cry. he was weird but never exactly violent, so my family never paid much mine to him.

recently my cousin has been hanging around the wrong people because he’s often left home alone and to his own devices. he got in trouble for being an accomplice to a petty crime with some other middle schoolers that bullied him into submission and is still going through the legal process of it all. his older brothers (who are all grown adults) also have a pretty hefty criminal record and reputation in our town.

last night my cousin was out with his friends and didn’t come home till midnight, his mom was obviously worried out of her mind cuz she didn’t want him to get into more trouble or to just get hurt in general. so when he came home my uncle was mad at him and punched him in the face and broke his nose. my entire family is mad it him, because all the men in our family have been that way. my mom and my aunt both got married to physically abusive husbands, and their dad (my grandpa) was physically abusive too. my uncle saw everything his sisters and their children went through with violent husbands and he still hit a child that isn’t even his.

i’m crying because i never wanted my little cousin to go through the things i went through when i was a kid, to feel that fear and to be hurt like that. i know he’s not doing the best right now but he’s not a bad kid. no matter what i don’t think it’s right to hit a kid like that. my grandma won’t talk to my uncle and my mom told my cousin that if he wanted to he could come back and live with us. i’m scared cuz he might get taken away from his mom. his mom almost lost custody of him so many times, especially because his brothers would get into huge trouble.

his brothers are criminals by law but they also aren’t bad people, they’re loyal men with unconventional morals. but i’m glad they were both there when my uncle hit my cousin. they punched my uncle back and told him to never lay his hands on their little brother again and left the house with him. i’m glad they were there, what i would pay to have someone physically defend little me back then too.

i know i’m mostly projecting here. it’s not about me, it’s about him. but it just hurts cuz i didn’t want him to go through what i did. i thought he would be ok. i never imagined my uncle would do that to him. but i guess no one imagines their family would do such horrible things. but at least my little cousin has the rest of us, because even if my uncle is our family, none of us will ever forgive him for doing such a thing.

my uncle was supposed to be getting baptized this fall. in our denomination you don’t get baptized as a baby, you get baptized when you’re older, it’s like making an oath. but because of this he could lose that opportunity. and i’m glad him and my entire family cares so much about religion because if there’s anything that could ruin him more i’d pay to watch his life and reputation get worse.

[splintersfeelings]

intergenerational trauma

My dad grew up as the eldest son in a family of 3 boys. My dad’s dad died when he was still a teenager, and my dad’s mom was abusive (physically, emotionally, and later financially). My dad struggled a lot in his life, and then was also expected to put his whole life on hold to put his brothers through college. His mom would physically beat him, and later even after he was an adult and living in a different country, he would constantly be guilt tripped into sending money back. If he didn’t send “enough” (and no amount was ever enough), his mom would mail him letters or call him at his work number, telling him he was a terrible son and that all the money he made should belong to her because she raised him. After enduring this for a long time, my dad decided to go no-contact with her shortly after my sibling and I were born. My dad doesn’t really talk about his family. It is painful for him and I think he has also repressed a lot of the memories associated with it. When I was growing up, it was hard for me to understand why he decided he needed to do that. Years later as an adult, and having had friends in similar situations, I have a deeper understanding of what could push someone to the point where they had no choice but to separate themselves completely from their family, especially when it is far too late for the original abuse to be repaired. It’s one thing to apologize, but an apology with no real possibility of addressing the harm that was caused is meaningless. My dad did not speak with anyone in his family for 2 decades after until his mom (my grandma) died last year. My uncle contacted me instead of my dad to share the news, and I relayed it to him. Thinking back to what I observed as a kid, I think my dad did what he needed to survive. Not only was the original abuse never addressed, there was still ongoing harm that was constantly hurting him. He also didn’t want that relationship to harm the rest of his family, and that’s a big part of why he made that decision that he did not want her in the lives of his children either. From my own selfish perspective, the hardest part for me is that I don’t have a connection with my uncles and cousins on my dad’s side of the family, because my dad felt that he had to cut himself off from everyone, including his younger brothers. Because his younger brothers had a different experience growing up, I don’t think they were ever able you see it from my dad’s perspective and understand his decision. That saddens me, but I don’t blame my dad for it. Ending a relationship with a family member is difficult, and even though no one should feel like they ever have to do that, sometimes that is what it takes to move on and survive. And I don’t think anyone should ever feel bad about choosing to end a relationship with someone who abused them and never made an effort to repair that harm other than a too-little-too-late apology, no matter how sincere. I think any amount of reduced contact, either partially or entirely, is completely valid. I hope you’re able to move on and find your own joy and happiness in life, even if that life doesn’t include the family member you mention. I’m also glad that it sounds like you’re able to maintain a relationship with your sibling, and that if that is a positive relationship for you, I hope that you’re able to maintain it. Take care. There’s still a lot of love left out there in the world for you, and it can come from many other places than a family that is an accident of birth.

[sleepinggrigori]

daisy :   did your muse ever feel as though their innocence had been lost ?   what moment in their life could be described as the end of their innocence ?  

edelweiss :   what was the bravest moment in your muse’s life ?  are they known to be courageous from then on ?   FOR ALL if you want! otherwise just the kids you're most feeling <3

DAISY:

Jeremy was the one who found his mom after she passed. She was everything to him: she was a strong father, and then when they left the army and she transitioned, she tried SO hard to be the best mother. She was his rock, the one always cheering in his corner, his biggest supporter. He could talk to her about everything. On top of that, she was the only family he had; the disgrace of leaving and the transition had cut off all ties they had to the rest of the family. Family is so important to Jeremy, and not having that--even though he’s found people like family--has made him feel completely adrift in the world in a way he’s never truly healed from, even though years have passed.

For Annalise, similarly, it was the loss of her grandmother. Annalise was raised by a single father who’s a long-distance trucker, so while he was away on jobs, she stayed with her grandma so she could attend school. Her abuela’s loss was much less of a shock than Jeremy’s mom, but what really drove it home was how her uncle manipulated the death affairs to steal the abuela’s home right out from under Annalise’s feet and cut her and her father out of all inheritance. It really laid bare for her the extent of human cruelty, adding poison to the deep well of grief. After that, she had to finish out her schooling in an empty apartment she cared for all alone--barring her dad’s brief visits home. That was when she truly began to shut herself off from the human world.

Xander’s isn’t quite as heavy as the other two’s, but for him, no less devastating: when he first got into music, his parents were supportive. It was a good, creative outlet, and they paid for his lessons. His dad even took a few lessons with him. But when he started to take it seriously? When he started showing signs of being serious about music? They shut him down. They cut off his lessons. They started demeaning his hobby, trying to push him towards more lucrative/respectable pursuits. It was such a 180 in their attitude, it came as such a shock to him, and he felt like his eyes were really opened to their “true“ nature. It ended up being a lethal blow to their relationship.

EDELWEISS:

For Xander, it connects to the one just mentioned! He ended up cutting off his parents entirely over their lack of support. He swore that the next time they heard from him, it would be when he was a star. It’s now been over a decade since that day, and in spite of his brother’s pleading, Xander’s kept to his word. Xander still considers himself very brave. It’s 50/50 on if other people think him courageous or just reckless.

Keeping it strictly to this-human-life for Annalise, she once accidentally got left behind at a rest stop. Which doesn’t sound too scary, but when you’re a 12 year old girl in the middle of nowhere mostly surrounded by middle-aged men, it takes on a slightly different tone. She had to ask someone to call her dad to get her. Nothing happened, and in fact she ended up the de-facto daughter of the guy for the half hour it took her real dad to show up, but still. I don’t think she knows if she’s courageous. She’s not easily frightened to begin with.

For Jeremy, it’s probably the first few times he had to bodily get between Xander and someone he was fighting with. They had a period where they had drifted apart, so when they reconnected, there was a lot of uncertainty for Jeremy how much Xander could be trusted, especially when he was that worked up, nevermind the other guy. And it HAS gone badly for him on a couple of occasions, where the other guy hit Jeremy and it enraged Xander further, or he stepped in in time to catch a blow. He dabbled in martial arts a little in college, but he’s not an especially skilled fighter himself. He just knows a few tricks to try to end things. He’s pretty easily scared, but remains courageous so long as things aren’t desperately dire.

[shiningstages]

Not to be a huge debbie downer or anything, but I honestly don’t know when I’ll be on here for the foreseeable future, because bad stuff has just been happening lately (reason below - tw: hospitals, tw: gore mention, tw: grandparents / old people) (it’s bunches of family drama too, so be warned I  may not sound the nicest down there)

Both of my grandparents on my mom’s side are in the hospital right now. My pawpaw (as I call my grandpa), had been slowly deteriorating for months now - for a year or two actually, with growing dementia and jumping to past events, and absentmindedly (again, tw: gore mention) chewing his fingers off literally. I’ve seen his hands change and it’s not the most fun to say the least. He’s only been in and out of hospitals and service homes for I guess half a year? But he’s really gone downhill these last couple weeks though, not breathing well but being lucid enough to refuse breathing help like a tube, and plenty of other things I won’t really say (even though my grandma loves to text every detail to everyone).

My granna (my grandma; her name’s anna, so granna) fell in the hospital parking lot just now. Got staples in because she had a bit of blood on her brain; only let my mom know about it so as “not to worry the rest of the family”. My mom’s driving over to the hospital (while a tropical storm is coming through! yay!) to be with her in case decisions need to be made on her part.

And, to be perfectly honestly, I absolutely don’t care, while also feeling frustrated and upset about it. This side of my family has never really been kind (for the most part; one uncle and a couple cousins are cool, one of which being the cousin that introduced me to tumblr rp and everything, so I’m very thankful and kinda close to her still). When I was a little kid I never really noticed, but in my middle / high school years, and especially as an adult, these people just haven’t really cared about my immediate family at all. Most of this is emotional / mental abuse towards my mother during her time at the family business (stuff I won’t get into because it’s not my place), but also just not wanting to be a part of our lives and not including us in theirs, to the point where (as the adult I am now) they just feel like distant strangers. I’m not saying my grandparents specifically are in the latter camp; they’ve expressed love for my brother and I throughout the years. But as my grandpa had really started to mellow out / not really take in the world too much outside of food and the occasional conversation, my grandmother had gotten more noticeably self-centered with every remark. It didn’t help that my mom’s relationship with them worsened and I saw and heard her feelings firsthand about what kind of people they were versus what had changed or stayed the same about them, but they have truly felt so distant for the past few years especially.

Yet, despite that, and despite feeling much more okay about their passing once it happens, I know I’ll still be upset about it. I know that, despite her feelings, my mom is upset about it and will become more upset by it once it happens. My brother has so much more empathy and love for them than I can muster; he sobbed just looking at our grandfather when he agreed to go up and visit on Monday. I know other family members that I haven’t seen in years - in a couple cases probably a literal decade - will have varying degrees of feelings over it as well. And I know that’s all understandable and okay. That I don’t love these two people as much as I did anymore, and that I know I’m more upset for the people I love much more hurting around me. But that I’m still feeling upset over it, whether through the remnants of love I have for these people, or for the outpouring of love and comfort I want to give to my immediate family when the time comes.

My grandparents on my dad’s side died really suddenly. In the hospital for less than a week each (granted a few years apart from one another), and then suddenly they were gone. Really finally understanding the flipside of it with my grandfather - the slow crawl and loss of functions or mobility - only kind of makes my feelings on this worse. In part because - I know I’ve probably sounded really rude, but forgive me for sounding extremely rude and distasteful - I expected him to die so many times already, knowing that nobody (not even himself) likes how he’s living now. And then my grandmother reaching out to my mom for support once more, when that’s all she’s ever done...it really feels too annoying and heartbreaking. Find a different person who cares.

I just really needed to vent about this. I know this isn’t the best place for it, but I don’t want to clog friend discords with it since so much has been happening everywhere as is. If besties see this especially, hello and I love you bunches~ I’ll probably still respond to discord stuff, just know I may not be in the highest of spirits.

[countessofravenclaw]

World es mi Familia

Families grow like threes, there are branches, there are root. Sometimes a branch gets cut off or some branch dies... Sometimes you don't know everything about your family until it's find you, but the case might be that you didn't know that someone was looking

Okay, I'm just gonna drop a note here. This is more a niche story that relies heavily on my several headcanons about Gastón's family. So, if this somehow is your first venture in Soy Luna fanfiction and specifically into my writing, I don't recommend that you start with this. Go read something else of mine first, and get your se acquitted with my version of the post and pre canon of Soy Luna and especially my characterization of Gastón's parents.

“Unión Ferroviaria 2B, Unquillo” Gastón said to the cap driver as he got in and offered his hand for Nina to help her in. 

“I hate that we have to take a taxi,” he said to her as the car pulled away from the Airport of Cordoba. 

“Well, we could not have come by car,” She shot him a pretend annoyed look. “I wasn’t about to allow you to drive for over seven hours straight. And since you don’t let me drive…”

“Hey, that's not the case, I just wanna teach you how to do it first. You have only ever driven in England on the other side of the road. The transition is not as easy as you’d think.”

“Okay, but at least I have a license,” Nina laughed briefly. Gastón was right in a way like he was almost every time. Nina had never driven a car on the ground in Argentina as she only had gotten her license once she had moved to England for college, “I am not like Luna.”

“Yeah,” Gastón laughed, “I don’t envy Matteo if he ever tries to teach her… or worse try to make me do it, since I am a better driver than him.”

“She won’t need a car, she has her skates … but you can be honest if you just don’t want me to damage your car.”

“That is not the case,” he suddenly turned to look at her in the eyes on the back seat of the cap, “Plus it is not my car, it is OURS. You better get used to that.” He took her left hand and drew his finger across her engagement ring. 

“We are there in 10 minutes,” the driver said suddenly, and Nina looked out of the car window. They had exited the centrum of the province of Cordoba to a much more rural area. 

Gastón had decided to take her to see the place where he had been born after they had moved back from Oxford. They were meeting with the rest of his family, whom Nina had never met, to tell them about their engagement. His mother’s whole family still lived there and Gastón had nine cousins. 

They got out of the taxi in front of a small house. Nina looked at it for a while. Isla and Marco were both extremely successful and had acquired large amounts of wealth over the years, so it was easy to forget that they were from extremely humble beginnings. 

“So, this was your aunt's house?” She asked Gastón, feeling the nerves arise in her. She had never met anyone from Gastón’s family outside of his parents and his uncle. She knew that, even if they didn’t get to meet that often, these people meant very much to Isla and Gastón. 

“Yep, it’s Aunt Mía’s and her husband’s. Grandma lives with them nowadays. Aunt Elise and her family live just down the road, but this is the bigger house so that's why we are meeting here.” Gastón opened the gate to the yard. “Mom had tried for years to convince them to let her get them places closer to the city center, since none of them wanted to come to Buenos Aires.” 

Nina nodded. She knew enough about Gastón’s parents’ family history, to know what he meant. Isla and Marco’s success and wealth did not range to their family, since they had acquired all of it themselves. The rest of the Vasquezes—Isla’s family—lived a lower-working-class life, both of her sisters were nurses and brother-in-laws first responders, and life still from time to time was rough on them, especially with so many kids. Gastón’s parents always tried to help them as much as they were allowed. 

“Your grandmother’s name was Jakinda? Right? I don’t want to get any of the names wrong.”

“Hey,” Gastón turned to her, as they came to the door, taking her hands, “don’t be nervous. It is just my family.”

“Yes, “just” your family.” She laughed nervously.

“And you are my future wife, they will love you. It is impossible not to, I would know.” He leaned down to kiss her briefly before ringing the doorbell. 

“Gastón!” After a small moment, a woman in her early forties opened the door. Nina could easily see that this was Isla’s sister. You could see the resemblance very easily. “He’s here!” She turned to shout inside before embracing Gastón thoroughly. 

“Mía, it is so nice to see you again!” Gastón said after being released. 

“You literally look exactly like your father… come on in.” Nina was not sure if Mía had even noticed her, but Gastón grabbed her hand and led her inside the house. 

After they had gotten into the atrium, Nina noticed that there were two other women waiting for them there. A short elderly woman and woman in her late 30s. Gastón was pulled almost immediately into a hug by the elderly woman, who had to be his grandmother. 

“You have grown so much!”

“It has been way too long, grandma,” Gastón responded laughing, “I am sorry I have not been able to come here.”

“I don’t think we can blame you,” The younger woman, who had to be Elise, started speaking after hugging Gastón as well. “You do know that Isla can’t shut up about you usually nor should she. Masters from Oxford, that is huge. You really are Isla and Marco’s son.”

“Well, are you not going to introduce us to your companion?” Mía said after all three women had had their turn hugging Gastón again. Nina had been standing behind all of them during it and three pairs of eyes turned to her as they had finally noticed her.

“Of course,” Gastón walked up to Nina wrapping his arm around her and he brought her forward. “This is Nina, my fiancée.”

“Fiancée?”

“How has Isla been able to keep this to herself? We knew you had a girl, but nothing more. Or have you not told her yet, since then you are in a different type of trouble.”

“Mom knows.” Gastón laughed as they walked toward a room that was supposedly the living room. “I used some heavy words to keep her quiet.”

“That is a task,” Mía laughed as they walked deeper into the house. 

Nina tried not to look like she was inspecting everything while looking around, since she wasn’t. She hadn’t ever been in a house quite like this, and was feeling super snobbish for even making that note. Her parents weren’t millionaires, but she was upper middle class and the daughter of an extremely in demand lawyer and successful game designer. It was maybe good to get reminded of your own privilege sometimes. 

There was nothing wrong with the house, it was well kept and tidy, but clearly there wasn't much money put into it. You could call it a bit of a culture shock in a way, to see how simply Isla’s relatives were really living. There obviously was a better place where the money was going… She felt pretty terrible for making these observations, like she was Jazmin, Delfi and Ambar when they had been kids. 

“Hi guys!” Gastón greeted when they walked to what looked like a living room, filled with kids of varying ages. Nina let go of Gastón’s hand as the youngest ran to hug him first. From what Nina was able to gather was that all of the kids were definitely school age. One of them was 17, soon 18…

“Are you like British now?” One of the younger kids asked Gastón. He had told Nina all of their names, but she had no idea who was who, nor did she know which one of them were Mía’s and which Elise’s. Everyone looked around school age with brown hair and they all seemed to have the golden-brown eye color that Gastón did. 

Nina had noticed how Gastón’s accent got steadily thicker as he kept talking to his family, who obviously lived right here at Cordoba and shared the accent. Normally, his accent was there, but it was a little bit diluted while around everyone else who didn’t have the accent. Nina had only really heard Gastón speaking like this when speaking to his parents privately… 

Right now, she was trying not to get distracted by how attractive the accent sounded when Gastón spoke. This was a family event, and there were children around. She would need to save those thoughts till they got to the hotel. 

“No, I am not British,” Gastón laughed, “But I do speak with a British accent, though.”

“That’s the last thing you need,” The oldest of the kids, a girl in her teens, hugged Gastón. Was this April? “You’re already so high and mighty.”

“I don’t think that’s ever gonna happen” Gastón reached into his pocket, “Oh, and April, I have something for you. I know that your birthday is at the end of the month, but Mom wanted this to be delivered in person.”

“What is it?” 17-year-old April, Mía’s second child, took the card from Gastón. 

“Your birthday present, but Mom said you can open it now.”

Nina watched as April opened the envelope and her eyes scanned the words written on it, before she jumped to hug Gastón again. 

“Please tell Aunt Isla I love her!! I need to call all of my friends! I AM GOING TO UCA!”

During the flight Gastón had revealed that his parents had given him April’s 18th birthday present, so he could give it to her early. The present was that Isla and Marco were going to cover the whole of her college tuition wherever she wanted. They were planning to do that to every one of Isla’s nieces and nephews.

“By the way, where is Jonathan?” Gastón looked around the room.

“He could not get out of university for the weekend.” Jonathan was Mía’s oldest son who was studying at the university of Cordoba. He was the first one Isla and Marco had financed. 

“Okay, shame, I would have liked to see him. Well, I’ll send him a message, we won’t probably have time to go see him there.” Gastón sighed, “Would have liked him to hear the news, but he’ll hear it later.”

“What news?” One of the other girls asked. “We already know that you have a girlfriend, somehow, and a fancy degree from a fancy school. Aunt Isla can’t keep that to herself.” 

“That's the thing,” Gastón went to grab Nina’s hand again, “I don’t have a girlfriend.” 

“Then who's that?” Nina felt the eyes focus on her for the first time. 

“You wanna tell yourself who you are?” Gastón asked. 

“Well, I’m Nina,” Nina started, “Simonetti… for now anyways…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“It means that she’ll be changing her name soon,” Gastón continued, “Nina used to be my girlfriend, but not anymore, since we’re getting married.” 

Nina hadn’t really been sure how the flock of Gastón’s cousins were going to react… At this far, they all kind of seemed to have a sibling relationship with each other. She definitely hadn’t expected the storm of questions that came their way.

“No, you’re just messing with us, right?”

“How much is he paying you?”

“You hate jewelry. How were you able to get a ring?”

“Just because I don’t wear it, doesn’t mean I can’t buy it.” Gastón answered simply and wrapped his arm around Nina. “And I’m not messing with you. At least the last time I asked the answer was yes.”

Their eyes locked a for a moment in a way that surely wasn’t completely appropriate, but who cared—

“Did you say Simonetti?” Nina snapped back into reality, when two of the girls, also in their teens, but definitely younger than April, started staring at her. 

“Yes, my name is Nina Simonetti,” Nina reiterated…as the girls kept staring and then one of them, the shorter one, ran around the corner. 

“She is not Italian if that's what you’re wondering,” Gastón responded, “If she was, I definitely would have some sorta thing for Italians.”

Nina watched the girl who had remained, she did not know her name, was typing something on her phone and glancing at her. Nina got a really uneasy feeling about it. 

“What are you doing Liliana?” Gastón had noticed it too and pulled her closer. At that point the other girl came running from where she had gone—holding a book.

At that moment Nina suddenly remembered Isla saying, when they had been on their way to Gastón’s graduation, that… that couple of her sister’s girls were obsessed with her book. It had completely slipped her mind. 

That was what was definitely going on as the two girls kept staring at her and the book, before suddenly starting to scream. 

“Whoa, okay.” Gastón put himself between the girls and Nina as they dashed toward her. He had noticed how uncomfortable she was looking. “Back it up, 2 meters. Angelina, Liliana, what are you doing?”

“But but, WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL US??” Nina had no idea which one was Liliana and which Angelina, but the two teenage girls were now jumping on their feet in a very Lunaesc manner. 

“OMG!!! This came out over a year ago. You mean that you have known her this whole time, and that you’re marrying her!?!”

“Okay, girls,” a man from the corner, the husband of either Mía or Elise, said, “This is not a way to make the first impression on your cousin’s fiancée, was she some sort of author or not.”

“Oh, sorry.” The girls seem to calm down a bit… “But the book is amazing, I’ve read it so many times. We tried to do some social media stalking but couldn’t find anything. You've been Gastón’s girlfriend this whole time?”

“I’ve known Nina for years, almost ten,” Gastón explained while brushing some hair out of Nina’s face, “She has always been an amazing writer, you’re right about that.”

“Can you sign it?” The shorter of the girls held the book up to Nina, “Please.”

This was definitely the first time this had happened. Well, Luna had made Nina sign three different copies of her book, but she was Luna. Nina hadn’t ever considered herself as somebody who people would be excited to meet, even if they liked the book. 

“Of course.” She was handed a permanent marker and wrote her name onto the back cover. 

“Did you really get it published while you were 22?”

“Well, I wasn’t really serious when I started it.” Nina handed the book back, “I didn’t know what it was going to be, well, until Gastón convinced me that it was worth a shot…” 

“Wait?” The girls were staring at Gastón again, “This exists because of you? I—I can’t even…”

“Sorry about the screaming circus,” Elise said as they sat down on sofas after a while, “We don’t often meet celebrities.”

“No, I am not a celebrity,” Nina shook her head violently, “It’s just one book.”

“There aren't any Matteo Balsano fans here, right?” Gastón asked, “Or Roller Band or even Yamila Sanches, because I think we’re maxed out of fangirling.”

“I have heard of them,” April said while sitting on the armrest of the couch, “Don’t tell me you’re marrying them too.”

“Not like that.”

“Anyway, moving away from that topic,” Mía continued, “Now you need to tell us. Did you meet at Oxford?” 

“No, it is actually quite a long story,” Gastón started explaining. “You know I used to skate, and I was part of the team of Jam & Roller, and so was Nina’s best friend, so we were in the same circles. We both also went to Blake South College. Nina was my high school girlfriend. But then I left for Oxford, but a year later she showed up there and her roommates were my friends… we just could not stay away from each other. I’m kind of surprised that you don’t know about all of this. Mom isn’t good at keeping things.”

“She hasn't kept things. We just didn’t realize that it was just one girl,” Elise responded, “Sounds like you pretty much-repeated history. Just like our darling sister went to college, met and married a rich man, and moved to Buenos Aires leaving all of us behind.”

Nina looked confused for a moment. That was the backstory she had heard about Isla and Marco.

“Elise, don’t tease the poor girl,” Mía slapped her sister on the shoulder. “Only thing true about that was that they met at college. Isla is the best big sister we could have ever hoped for. So, when’s the wedding?”

“Well, we got these for you,” Nina handed Gastón two cards. The save the dates had been their first order of business that they had taken care of as soon as they had come back from their Europe trip with Luna, Matteo, Simon and Ambar. 

“Winter?” Gastón’s grandmother asked, “That’s so soon.” 

“We don’t want to wait,” Nina squeezed Gastón’s hand, “And we’re not going to have a big wedding anyway.”

“It’s gonna be at the Villa?” Mía asked and Nina saw her and Elise exchange a couple of glances with each other and with their husbands. 

“I know what you’re gonna say,” Gastón quickly interjected, “I want all of you to be there. Mom told me to tell you that she and Dad will take care of everything. It’s about time for you to come and visit Buenos Aires.” 

***

“I have honestly missed this so much,” Gastón said as he hugged his grandmother, “I’m sorry we weren’t able to stay longer, but I have to get back to work and everything.”

“I think this was well worth it,�� Jakinda stroked him on the cheek, “She’s a pretty girl.”

“Most beautiful in the world.” Gastón smiled as he looked at Nina. “There has never been anyone else for me.

“I trust your judgment on choosing well. Your grandfather would have been proud.”

“I need to call Isla to thank her myself, but please tell her that she is doing way too much for April.” Mía said as she hugged Gastón, “She did not need to do that.”

“You know Mom and Dad do not take no for an answer on this.” Gastón responded. “They want everyone to have the best chance they can for the future.”

“We told April not to expect anything, even after Jonathan. She was already considering other schools, even after getting accepted into UCA and looking for a job. But now my little girl will be a neurosurgeon. It’ll be hard to let her go that far away.”

“We’ll look out for her. One of our friends went to law school at UCA.”

***

“Was it just me, or did your aunt act a bit strange after she learned that your parents are paying your cousin’s tuition?” Nina asked Gastón as they were laying on the bed at the hotel. “And when you were talking about what I suppose was about them being able to come to the wedding.”

“No, it was not just you,” Gastón rolled over to face her, “This whole thing… It is complicated. There is no getting away from the fact that Mom and Dad have money, while Mom’s family does not. Mom wants to help them, but they are not always letting her. It is not charity, they know it is not, but it is not always easy for them to accept that they are not able to give my cousins the opportunities they want.” 

Nina could not even imagine what that kind of family situation would be like. She did not have any cousins, so she did not even know what that was like. Well, she was going to marry a man in six months who had a million-inheritance coming his way down the line, but it was not like she herself didn’t come from money. But she could easily tell that there still was great love between Isla’s family, even considering Isla’s majorly better economic and social stature.

“Mía and Luis could have never afforded DCA for April, and Mom said that they can put everything they have saved to better use. Mom and Dad adore every one of her sister’s kids. There is only one of me and they always wanted to have a lot of children but couldn’t. They would pay any of their way to Yale, if that’s what it comes to. Mom wants to give them the choices she or her sisters’ did not have, like they have done for me. She also wants to prevent this from becoming a generational thing that I just managed to escape from.”

“Family is really important to her,” Nina reached out to take his hand, “I can’t even pretend to understand. I mean I have more than a fair share of my own family problems and dysfunctions, but it has never been more than Mom, Dad and Mora, not a lot of extended family to speak of. Dad has a lot of cousins but that's it. Your family seems really tight-knit, and that is wonderful.”

“They are everything to Mom, especially after everything they have been through. Grandma is really a superwoman in this situation. I mean you won’t meet a more badass woman. Mom’s biological father left her, then her husband died in a car crash, and she was left to raise three girls on her own. Mom got all of her determination from Grandma.”

“I can see that.”

Gastón sighed, “She loved her dad, or well her adoptive father if we are being technical, even if she doesn’t see it like that. Jorge Sulandre abandoned her, and Joakim Vasquez took her in and raised her as his own, there is no question who actually her father to her is. The funny thing is that Mom always sometimes says that I remind her of him, but we’re not related so it’s biologically impossible. It’s Jonathan who probably actually has his features.” 

“I never realized you were named after him.”

“How many Joakims do you think exists? Especially at this side of the Atlantic, written like that.” Gastón laughed, “Literally in school I always had to spell it out for the teachers, anytime they for some reason needed my middle name, because it is written with the k. Okay, enough about my family, it just gets gloomier from here if we wanna dig into the history, but at least I don’t have any hidden ones like Luna and Ambar.”

“Plus, now there is the future.” Nina said while running her hand on Gastón’s arm pushing his sleeve up. “We’ll have our own family, down the line.”

Gastón just smirked at her, and his arm was quickly around her waist pulling her tight against him on the bed. “Exactly. Like we could start by getting that dog.” He brought his face millimeters away from hers.

“Just kiss me.”

Over two years later…

“Newton! Come on.” Gastón sat down on the couch and tapped the spot beside him. The one-year-old chocolate-colored Labrador hopped on the couch at lightning speed and then rolled over to wait for belly rubs. 

“We should have never allowed him on the couch,” Nina, who came to the living room carrying two cups of the tea that she placed on the coffee table, laughed.

“Well, too late now,” Gastón remarked. “He is literally better behaved than Luna at times, so I think we're good.”

“I know. He is very good at a lot of things, like stealing my husband.” Nina joked. “But he has been here for a year, I have been your wife for two so—” she leaned over and kissed Newton on the top of his head before shooing him away. “—sorry Newton. I was here first.”

Newton gave her offended look and curled up on the other corner of the sofa to sulk.

“That is absolutely ridiculous,” Gastón laughed as he sneaked his arm around Nina’s waist, “no one could ever steal me. I did not make myself appear ridiculous to catch an invisible internet girl for nothing.” He playfully twisted her wedding ring around before reaching for the remote. “So, we have three shows that we need to catch up on… Alphabetical order or do we wanna switch it up?”

“Absolutely not.”

About two hours later Gastón’s phone, which he had left on the bureau in the living room, started all the sudden ringing. 

“Really?” Gastón groaned, pausing the TV. “Who is calling me at this hour?”

“It isn’t that late,” Nina, who had almost accidentally dosed off on Gastón’s shoulder, said as he had to get up from the couch to get the phone. “Who is it? Matteo?”

“No, unknown number, again.” Gastón sat back on the couch. “It better not be work.”

“You should answer it. It could be important.” Nina sat up. “I’ll go get some more tea. You want any?”

“Sure.”

Gastón stared at the ringing phone for a fraction of a second before answering it. It was probably a work call, which annoyed him to no end. Ever since he had started, he had made sure to not focus on work outside of the dedicated time for it. He loved his work, but he was never going to be a workaholic. His priorities would always lie elsewhere, in what actually mattered. His friends, family, his wife and eventually their children. 

“Hello?”

“Is this Gastón Perida?” An unknown female voice rang from the other end of the line.

“Yeah, it is.” Gastón tried to hide his annoyance. “My office hours are done for the day, so I am sorry, but you’ll have to come back to me on Monday starting from 9 am. If this is urgent, you’ll have to contact the team member who is on call today from Castillo Corporation. I can give you the contact…”

“Oh, no,” the voice responded, “this isn’t anything like that.”

“Then, what is this about?” Gastón asked, confused. He didn’t receive that many calls from random people that were not work-related. He had no idea what this could be about. There was no telemarketing anymore, and she didn’t sound like a reporter either. He had met his fair share of them when Nina had briefly worked as a journalist when they had been engaged. She had quickly given it up to focus on her writing more, which worked for them fine since he had a nice steady paycheck coming in every month. The journalists were often confident and eager. The woman on the phone sounded almost nervous. 

“Uhm, well,” the woman continued, “my name is Evelyn, and I think you are my cousin.”

Gastón’s brain blacked out for a moment. What on earth? Was this some kind of a joke? Yes, he had nine cousins, but he prided himself in knowing all their names: Jonathan, April, Angelina, Cris, Liliana, William, Camellia, Iris and Matias, 

“I am sorry, but I don’t understand.” He finally said after figuring out that he should probably say something. “I don’t have a cousin called Evelyn.”

“Are you the son of Isla Vasquez?”

“Yes…” he said, hoping he didn’t sound too weary. It was impossible not to, whenever he was addressed as a son of his parents by someone who wasn’t a family friend or anything. 

“Then you are my cousin.” The woman’s voice on the phone perked up.

“I’m sorry, I still don’t understand. Who are you?”

“I’m Evelyn Sulandre.” Sulandre. Gastón formed the word with his mouth. It could not be. “Jorge Sulandre was my grandfather.”

Cold blood ran into his veins from those words. 

“I know, I should have thought that you might possibly not know…”

“I am aware of the circumstances concerning Mr. Sulandre, my grandmother and my mother.” Gastón got out of his mouth. 

“Oh, thats good,” Evelyn’s voice got excited. Gastón was not sure if you really could describe what they were talking about as anything good. 

“What do you want?” He asked, hoping that he was not sounding that confrontational. 

“I want to meet with you, Gastón.”

Meet? With him? Gastón was still having a hard time wrapping his head around that this was even happening. Or what was happening at that.

“I will need to think about it.” He finally answered.

“That is okay, I understand.” Evelyn responded, “Can you contact me when you decide? And… I just want to say that I really would like to meet with you.”

Gastón dropped his phone on the sofa after the call disconnected. He closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. What was happening? Thoughts were starting to swirl in his head, and he was not able to make sense of any of them. 

“What is it? What's wrong?” He opened his eyes as he heard Nina’s worried voice come closer to him. She had come back from the kitchen and was approaching him.

“Did you hear the call?”

“NO! Who was that?” Her voice grew more alarmed as she saw his face. 

“Someone claiming to be my cousin.”

“Claiming? What do you mean by claiming?”

“She said that she was a granddaughter of Jorge Sulandre.”

“You mean your…?”

“Mom’s biological father, yes.” Gastón answered. “The man who abandoned her and has never tried to rectify anything. It has been 50 years.”

“How did she know?” Nina had taken his hand as she sat on the couch.

“That is a good question. It is a good thing that I even know, and I only know his name. Never even seen a picture, not that I would have wanted to.” Gastón sighed, “I have no idea how she found me.”

*

“I don’t like this.” Mateo crossed his arms while he was sitting on the couch. “Sounds like a scam.”

Luna, Matteo, Ambar and Simon had come for dinner at Gastón and Nina's place and Gastón had briefed them on the situation at hand. 

“The problem is that it can’t be,” Gastón leaned back on the couch, “This is not common knowledge. The only people who have known about Mom’s biological father’s situation outside her family are Dad, Sofia and Maria. I’m even surprised that she ever even told me about it. She has to be who she says she is. The business tabloids would have had a field day if it had leaked.”

“I still don’t like it,” Matteo continued, “Why now? Surely that man wasn’t going around telling how he abandoned his daughter… They have probably just found out about Isla and Marco and connected the dots. They are after something, and we all know what.” 

“They are not entitled to anything,” Ambar’s started speaking. Good thing that she was some sort of an expert on a topic like this, given that she had specialized in family and inheritance law. “I mean there would be some murky ground to challenge some claims on the estate if Isla didn’t have any children, but even then, it’s super shaky and would most likely be ripped apart at court. That being said, none of that matters since she does have a direct heir. Everything the Peridas have will eventually go to Gastón, unless your parents give some of it to someone else in the will.”

“Which they won’t,” Gastón sighed, “They will never do that, even if I begged them to. This is all so confusing. I am not fully sure if it is even they or them. This Evelyn only talked about herself when she asked to meet, didn’t mention anyone else. Not that we know who she is at that.”

“This might sound stupid,” Simon, who had been pretty silent this far, started, “But did you try googling?”

“I did try to look her up,” Nina nodded, “Both Evelyn and Sulandre are pretty common names. There were at least ten different Evelyn Sulandres on instagram, twitter, linkedin. I even looked on facebook. If it’s even written like that.”

“What does your mother say about this?” Luna asked. 

“I haven’t told her,” Gastón shook his head, “I don’t know if I will. I am technically twice removed about this issue. It has never impacted me. She’s the one who got abandoned. I don’t know why she is contacting me.”

“How old was she?” Ambar asked.

“No idea,” Gastón shook his head again. “It’s hard to tell over the phone. I could say that she sounded younger than us… but surely, she was an adult, at least I hope so. I don’t know how she even found me. Mom has been a Vasquez since she was four, Perida from her early 20s. How she untangled all that, all the way to me, is interesting.”

“She somehow found out about your mother and thought it was easiest to contact you, for some reason.” Nina ran her hand on Gastón’s shoulder, “Your contacts can be found from Castillo Corporations.”

“I need to get a separate work phone and change my number if this goes south,” Gastón looked at her before the others. “I honestly do not know what I am supposed to do. This is not a situation I thought I would ever be in.”

“Well, you haven’t been in this before,” Ambar said after sharing a look with Luna, “But we have.  Right now, a family branch of yours, that you haven’t been in contact with and didn’t really know that it even existed, is seeking you out, and you don’t know how to react… I get that. I for first wanted nothing to do with Silvana when she reached out. She had abandoned me, to Sharon of all the people… but in the end, now I am glad that I heard her out. I am happy that we have been able to build some sort of a relationship.”

“And you don’t know her side of this,” Luna added, “Maybe she’s the one looking for her family and answers, just like I was. This might be more about her than you, and she might not even have the whole story.”

“I still don’t like this,” Matteo huffed, “Okay, I get that I can’t tell you not to do this, but if you do, then you need to tell us when and where and don’t go alone. You need to text me before and after.”

“You sound like Mom when we got that security gate installed.” Gastón sighed. 

“Well, sorry I don’t want you to get kidnapped.” Matteo snapped.

“Why would you want to kidnap me?” Gastón looked at Matteo questioningly.

“Gee, I wonder why,” Matteo continued, “Have you looked at your parents’ bank accounts lately? You know they’d move heaven and earth for you.”

“I know that,” Gastón nodded, “That’s why this is so hard.”

*

Gastón rolled over in the bed and checked the time, something that you should never do when having a hard time sleeping, but not like he would be able to sleep anyway. 

3 am… Of course, it was. At least it was going to be Sunday, or well already was. 

He glanced at Nina who was sleeping peacefully on his left side. Newton was snoozing curled up at the foot of the bed. 

Gastón sat up on his side of the bed and ran his hand through his hair and face. Right now, he really envied his sleeping wife and even the dog. They didn’t have a family tree sized conflict going inside their mind.  

“Why are you awake?” Nina’s voice came from behind him after a while. 

“I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Too late for that,” Her arms wrapped around his shoulders as she leaned herself on his back, “What is it?”

“Things just keep swirling around in my head,” Gastón admitted, “I don’t know what I am supposed to think.”

“There is no one way you should be thinking,” Nina responded as she drew a circle in his shoulder, “You never expected this to happen.”

“But now it has. I can’t just ignore this side of my…life? Like I have my whole life. I don’t know what I am supposed to do. With Mom and everyone…”

“Don’t think what everyone else is gonna think. This isn’t about them. She called you, she asked to meet you. This is about you, no one else. You need to think, do you want to meet her? Are you willing to hear what she has to say or let her find the answers she’s seeking? That’s what this is about, not about your mother or grandmother. Definitely don’t think what Matteo’s gonna say.”

“I guess so.” He reached up to take one of her hands to his.

“But you can think about all of that in the morning. Now come back to bed.” She kissed him on the shoulder. 

“Okay.”

*

“The publishing will start next year. We’re just finishing the final manuscript with my editor right now,” Nina said while she and Gastón were having dinner with his parents. “The saga will be finished.” 

“What are you doing next?”

“Not sure yet. I have few ideas, but nothing set in stone yet, but I’m not in any hurry.” 

“What?” Gastón shot his gaze off his plate as Nina slightly nudged him. 

“I was just saying that you were in the paper again,” His dad repeated, “Pictures from that hydrofuel reveal event.” 

“Oh right,” Gastón shook his head, “There was press there, obviously. I don’t remember what I said to them. I don’t read the coverage anyway.” 

“They got a very handsome picture of you,” Isla added. “I had to send that to Mom. She’ll have something new to frame next to your and Jonathan’s wedding pictures.”

“Sure,” Gastón said quickly and felt Nina squeeze his hand under the table. 

“Are you okay?” Marco furrowed his brow at Gastón, “You seem very distracted.”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Gastón nodded, “Just haven’t been sleeping great.”

“You sure?” His mom also looked at him concerned. “You didn’t even protest over me sending pictures to Grandma. They better not be overworking you.” 

“It’s not about the work,” Gastón looked at Nina and she nodded to him slightly while squeezing his hand again. As Gastón had been thinking about the whole “Evelyn situation” it had become really evident in his mind that he couldn’t just keep this from his mother. “But there is something…”

“Are you sick? Have you been to the doctor?”

“No, I’m not sick,” Gastón shook his head, “Nothing is wrong, but there is something I need to talk to you about, Mom.” 

“What is it?” Isla looked confused. 

“Okay,” Gastón took a deep breath, “About a week ago, I received a call from a woman called Evelyn…Evelyn Sulandre. She said that she was my cousin and that she wanted to meet up.” He looked up at his mother. Her expression was impossible to decipher, but the fact that Dad had put his hand on her shoulder definitely signaled how she was feeling. “I didn’t answer anything to her then, but… but I have been thinking and Nina and I have been talking since then and… I think we’re gonna do it. Meet her and see what she has to say. I just wanted to tell you.”

“You don’t need my permission.” Isla finally said. 

“I know I don’t,” Gastón responded, “But I don’t want to start doing things behind your back. If you’re—”

“You’re an adult and make your own choices. If this is something you want to do, then of course you should do it.”

*

“That went better than I expected,” Gastón said to Nina that night as she came out of the shower. 

“How did you expect it was going to go?”

“I don’t honestly know,” Gastón shook his head, “She could have told me to never have contact with any Sulandre ever again or…I don’t know. I never really expected her to want to be involved so that’s not surprising. Maybe, because this is my generation, reaching out for me, she doesn’t see a threat in it or anything. If it was her generation, then it could have been different.” 

He took his phone out and opened the contact that Evelyn had left. “I’ll tell her that I am willing to meet up. She can determine the time and place, since she’s the one who actually wants this.” 

“You know, I think you made the right choice,” Nina said as she sat on his lap, “If you won’t do this, you probably would wonder forever what if.” 

“Maybe,” Gastón said as he sunk his hand into her hair. She often tied it up to a braid for sleeping purposes but had left it open for him. “but I’m not gonna be some sort of healing instrument for them.”

“Healing a broken family is nearly impossible. I would know.” Nina responded, “I don’t see that being what’s going on here. Obviously, that shouldn’t be on you. But it’s like Ambar said, hear her out and then you can decide what you want to do in the future.”

“I think we have been talking about this enough,” Gastón sighed, “The ball is on Evelyn’s court. Her move. We can do something else.” 

“What do you suggest we do?” She ran her hand on his arm, tracing the defined muscles with her fingers. 

“Well, I have couple ideas.” He wrapped his arm around her waist tighter as she leaned down to kiss him, before he flipped her over and down on the bed.

*

“At least we know they aren’t completely out of money,” Nina said as she held onto Gastón’s arm tighter as they walked toward a coffee shop where they had agreed to meet Evelyn. “This place is pricey. I walk by here often if I need to meet my agent and don’t always care to get something because it is so expensive… even though we could afford it.” 

“Let me text that to Matteo to put his mind at ease.” Gastón responded. Matteo had insisted that he shared their live location to him, so that they were not getting kidnapped. “Thanks for being here.”

“Of course,” Nina looked at him, “It’s not a conversation. Of course, I'd be here with you, kind of made a vow about standing by your side, no matter what, two years ago. Would you have let me go meet a secret relative alone?”

“Absolutely not,” Gastón shook his head, “but I’m still glad you’re here. Plus, this way Matteo wasn’t able to tag along. He would chew her out.” 

“Let’s hope that won’t be necessary, since we can still call him,” Nina laughed slightly, “We should probably go in.”

“Yeah,” Gastón squeezed her hand tighter, and they walked in. He scanned the place as Nina placed their orders, so if this was gonna get awkward, they’d at least get coffee out of this. The place was relatively empty, mostly occupied by students of the nearby university. 

In one of the back tables was sitting a young woman with light brown wavy hair. She was on her phone but glanced up from time to time. 

“I bet that’s her,” Gastón said to Nina. 

“You sure?”

“No, but only one way to find out.” he said, and they started approaching the table, “Evelyn?” 

“Yes?” Her face shot up, “Uhm… Gastón?”

“That’s me.” Gastón nodded as she hastily got up. 

“Oh, hi.” She was visibly quite nervous. “I wasn't sure if you were actually gonna show up.”

“We’re not late,” Gastón looked at his watch.

“I know you’re not.” Evelyn shook her head. “I was just afraid that I was gonna be left to sit here stranded for two hours and it would look like I was being stood up on a date… wouldn’t have been the first time… Anyways, that’s beside the point and I’m not sure why I ever even opened my mouth on the topic.” She breathed heavily and extended her hand forward. “Besides all of that… I’m Evelyn Sulandre. It’s great to finally meet you. Thank you for doing this… I caught you a little bit off guard, didn’t I?”

“Gastón Perida,” Gastón shook her hand, “This certainly was unexpected. This is my wife.”

“Nina Perida.” Nina shook Evelyn’s hand as well and they sat down. 

“So, well—You start.” Gastón said to Evelyn. 

“Okay,” Evelyn took a breath and started, “I honestly can’t believe that you actually agreed on this… It wasn’t easy to track you down. You don’t exactly overshare on social media so…”

“You've been stalking me?” Gastón interrupted her and Nina grabbed his hand again. He realized that his tone had come across a little more confrontational than he had intended. 

“Well, not exactly.” Evelyn responded, “Your socials are public.”

“Yeah, I guess they are,” Gastón nodded, “I’m sorry. I hope you understand why I may seem a bit apprehensive about this. There is no way you don’t know who my parents are.”

“Yeah, of course I know.” Evelyn looked at him. “And I do understand why you would think that… This is not a scam. I am who I say I am and I am willing to do a DNA test if that’d make you feel better about this.”

“That’s not necessary,” Gastón waved his hand, “You wouldn’t know about this otherwise.”

“I get that you don’t trust me, taking the circumstances of how we’re related into account…but I’m not after anything. My dad is a police officer, Mom is a social worker, uncle a doctor and my aunt works for the church. I don’t know if that proves anything about what kind of people we are and I am not pretending that it will, but I just wanna put it out there. Nobody is after money.” 

“Okay,” Gastón nodded slightly, “I believe you, for now. Why did you reach out? How did you find me, or anything about this? Have you always known that your grandfather abandoned his daughter?”

“It’s a long story,” Evelyn started, “But to answer your question, no I have not always known. I guess I should start this by saying that my grandfather, Jorge, is dead. He died three months ago.” 

“Okay.” Gastón said simply. It was not like he was going to feel saddened by that fact, actually he was relieved. That meant that in no way, this would turn into meeting him, since that was not something he was ever going to be up to. 

“He suffered from long standing Parkinson's,” Evelyn continued, “Had for years, ever since I was a child. That’s not an excuse, I’m not here to defend him, obviously not, but it does factor in how we found out about this. So, getting back on track. He died and the months leading up to it, he was completely out of it, not making any sense at all. When he made some sense, it was when he talked about my dad and my uncle…but sometimes he also talked like he also had a daughter. But like I said, he didn’t make any sense most of the time, so we all just dismissed it. That was until… I was helping Neile, his wife—Grandma and him are divorced—sort through his drawers and stuff like that. If I just cut to the chase here, I found an old, wrinkled birth certificate, from the 70s.”

“A birth certificate?” Nina questioned. 

“Yeah, you know… those paper thingies that we as gen-Z members have never seen in our lives.” Evelyn made a few wild hand movements. “Anyways, it read that he had a daughter born years before my dad, named Isla… Your mother.”

Gastón just nodded again before opening his mouth, “So your whole family knows about this?”

“Actually not,” Evelyn said and took a sip of her coffee. “Like I said, it’s a long story. We did show the certificate to everyone, and Dad and uncle Jay did try to figure out who and where she was, but there was nothing to be found…since there is no Isla Sulandre, is there?”

“Obviously not,” Gastón shook his head, “She has been a Vasquez ever since she was four, and that didn’t even last for 20 years.” 

“So, since we found nothing, everyone gave up until… I work in IT, actually graduated recently with a bachelor’s and like I said before my mom is a social worker, so I helped her with digitalization of some old adoption files and low and behold I stumbled on a file about Isla Sulandre being adopted by Joakim Vasquez. After that, the dots were easy to connect, and we did that with my cousin Isaac. He is in his first year at the police academy. So, no we haven’t told anyone else about these developments, cause I was not gonna drop on Dad and uncle Jay that their sister is a real estate mogul married to a high profile finance expert. Not before I get to the bottom of this.”  

“So, why are you talking to me then?”

“Because I didn’t think she would want to hear from me,” Evelyn brushed some of her hair that had fallen onto her face, “I am right, aren’t I?” 

“You are,” Gastón nodded, “I did tell her that you have reached out and wanted to meet. She didn’t really comment on it. I’m operating on the need-to-know basis at this point. If she asks, I’ll tell her, but otherwise I won’t bring it up. She hasn’t asked, and I doubt she will. Mom and Dad both have worked extremely hard for the better life they wanted me to have, which has taken a toll on them in more ways than one. They’re in a good place right now.”

“And I totally understand that,” Evelyn looked down. “But I’m glad that you agreed on this. We thought you might actually be open to this, given that we were the same age… about and I thought if I reached out as a cousin, it would work better.” 

“How did you find me?”

“Isaac did,” Evelyn explained, “From the start, after it was just us, we were trying to find a cousin, because just like I said they would probably be more willing to meet. That being said, we were already starting to believe that Isla had no children. There was no mention of you in the media coverage about your parents, which we did find a fair amount.” 

“I officially don’t exist,” Gastón laughed slightly, “It has been more for my own safety when I was a child, that they don’t mention me. I’m my own person and haven’t exactly followed their career paths, they didn’t want me to get caught up in that. They have wanted me now to get involved with some charities they headline and stuff like that.”

“Yeah, that way he did read your name somewhere.” Evelyn nodded, “And then we did some insta stalking, trying to find your contacts from somewhere. Then he stumbled onto the construction side of the media and found a mention of a Gastón Perida in some press release about some hydrofuel construction. First we thought we had the wrong person, since from what we had gathered that far, you were in your twenties, so there was no way in our minds that you would have that high of a rank in a worldwide known construction company… but the  we saw the pictures and you definitely looked like Isla’s husband so it had to be you.” 

“Figure that’s how it happened, “Gastón nodded, “Don’t ask why I have that position…It’s a long story.” 

 “So, you do work in the Castillo Corporations’ executive team?”

“As an assistant engineer, yes.” Gastón responded, “And yes, I am only 26. I don’t sometimes understand it myself.” 

“He likes to be modest,” Nina ran her hand on Gastón’s arm, “It had been said that he's invaluable. I’m not the only one who can believe it.”

“What do you do?” Evelyn asked Nina, “Like I said, we did scourge through Gastón’s instagram, so I did know that you were married. I almost have to ask where you got that wedding dress because I want one… not that I’m getting married anytime soon…”

“It was a custom made Barza.” Nina explained, “But she is planning a bridal line now… But I’m an author, mostly. I do some other writing stuff too.”

They kept talking for what must have been at least 45 minutes, conversation starting to flow quite naturally. 

“Are you in a hurry to get somewhere?” Evelyn asked as Gaston’s phone dinged. 

“No,” He shook his head, “It’s my best friend. Matteo wasn't exactly a fan of this, so he’s thinking that we’re getting kidnapped if he doesn’t hear from us soon.”

“Well, I think we have made significant time here,” Evelyn nodded, “It is starting to get late and Isaac is waiting for me to report in as well. But are you willing to meet again, at some point soon?”

“Yeah, it’d be great,” Gastón nodded and signaled the waiter, “I can get these.”

“No no, you don’t have to,” Evelyn tried to protest as Gastón gave his card to the waiter. He had intentionally picked the humblest looking debit card from his arsenal, definitely not touching his personal Chase Sapphire reserve credit card or the black mastercard that his parents still insisted that he had for their accounts. Even if Evelyn knew his financial status, he didn’t feel like it was the smartest move to just show it out in the open. He didn’t usually anyway. 

“Too late.” Gastón shrugged as he took his card back, “Sorry.”

*

“How are you feeling about all of this?” Nina asked as she flung her legs on Gastón’s lap as they were sitting on the couch later in the evening. 

“I don’t really know.” Gastón sighed, “I mean this is doing nothing for me… because there is nothing to be done. I have never been bothered by this. I have a family, I have cousins, there has been nothing missing. It’s pretty clear that this isn’t about me, this is about them. They discovered something…frankly said horrible about their grandfather/father and this is them seeking answers and closure.” 

“The question is are you willing to let them have that?” Nina traced a pattern on his palm, “Are you willing to let them get that closure by letting them know you? Letting them into our, your life. Are you going to be okay with it?”

“Are you okay if I do that?” Gastón asked.

“My opinion doesn’t matter,” Nina shook her head, “I’m okay with it, if you are. This is about you and how you’re feeling.” 

“I think I have to—” Gastón started saying as they both were startled by Newton jumping on Nina’s legs and straight in between them. “Hey! Watch it buddy.” 

“His fine motor skills aren’t quite refined yet,” Nina laughed and scratched Newton from behind the ears. “And he likes to third wheel. Down. So, what were you saying?” 

“I think I have to be okay with it.” Gastón continued while he ran his fingers on Newton’s fur. “I am okay with it…” 

Bing!! 

The doorbell suddenly rang and Newton jumped off the couch, his tail hitting them both. 

“I need to make a study about that tail on how much force it actually has. We should attach a generator to it and get some electricity out of it. It’s time he starts paying his own bills,” Gastón joked, “Who on earth is at the door?”

“I’ll get it,” Nina got up from the couch and walked to the door. 

“What took you so long?” She was met by Matteo and Luna at the door. “I was about to use the key.”

“So, you’re into breaking and entering now?” Gastón walked up to the door as Nina let Luna and Matteo in. 

“I just wanted to see how you were.” Matteo patted Gastón on the shoulder. 

“I’m fine,” Gastón responded. “It was an interesting experience.”

“Tell us, tell us!” Luna asked excitedly, “How was your cousin?”

“She was really nice. At least I thought so.” Nina responded first. “Definitely younger than us…”

“She said she had just graduated so maybe four five years,” Gastón added, “She felt like April’s age, about.” 

“Did you figure out how they tracked you down?” Matteo crossed his arms, “So there are no safety compromises.” 

“There are no threats,” Gastón shook his head, “He, my biological maternal grandfather is dead.”

“He is?” Luna questioned. 

“Yes,” Gastón nodded, “I’m actually glad about that, because I would not be willing to go any further forward with this if he was still around.” 

“So, when are we meeting her?” Matteo asked. 

“What do you mean?” Gastón asked. 

“You think I wasn’t gonna do this?” Matteo raised an eyebrow, “She’s still the person who called you very ominously late at night…I wanna see what she’s about myself.” 

“Well, I don’t know when she’s gonna be up to meeting you,” Gastón shrugged, “You look like you wanna skin her alive right now…and I mean, we’re related so I have to look out for her somewhat here.” 

*

“We unfortunately have to get going. It was great to meet you.”

“It was fun to meet you too.”

“So, they didn’t completely rip you apart?” Gastón asked Evelyn after he had shown Matteo and Luna to the door. “I feel like the most apprehensive person about this all has been Matteo. Like I told you before, he was fully convinced that you were going to kidnap me.”

“You’re lucky that you have such friends who care so much.” Evelyn smiled, “Not everyone does.”

“We are really lucky,” Nina nodded, “Our group from upper secondary has somehow stayed tight all these years. We were at Oxford in between and everything but still nothing has changed. We obviously also have another group from Oxford as well.”

“But Luna and Matteo have been through it all with us,” Gastón said as he sat back down to the couch next to Nina, “Even when we were oceans apart.” 

“And they are your respective best friends as well, while also being married,” Evelyn pointed out, “How did that happen? I mean it is interesting… who match made who?” 

“Interesting is a very good way to describe it,” Gastón laughed, “No one actually set anyone up. It just kind of happened. We were together first, even though Luna and Matteo have been consecutively longer together, while we got engaged and married first, our anniversary actually is next week… It’s a very long story. Honestly at this point, more often than not, if someone new asks, we tell just the university part of our relationship. Saves me from looking like a complete idiot.” 

“He was an adorable idiot,” Nina smiled at him, “Not that I was any smarter. Teenagers do dumb things with their feelings. There is a reason why most high school relationships don’t last, but there are no statistics in love.”

“If you’re ever up to telling the whole story, I am more than willing to listen,” Evelyn leaned back on the couch, “My love life is dryer than the desert, I could use some tips. I mean, you’d think it was easier as a pansexual, but nope, it is not…” Her voice suddenly trailed off and her face turned very uncomfortable. “...I just outed myself, didn’t I?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Gastón started speaking, “This isn’t the first time for us. Two of our friends are a lesbian couple, and Nina’s roommate was also a lesbian while mine calls himself unlabeled queer. I think he has a boyfriend right now. And…” He looked at Nina. 

“My mother is in a relationship with a woman,” she added. 

“So, you’ll have no problem with us,” Gastón continued, “So don’t worry.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s good to hear,” Evelyn let out a breath, “I’m sorry, you can just never know with people, even in this day and age. We don’t know each other that well yet and…”

“It’s no problem.” 

“Anyways, moving away from that topic,” Evelyn shook her head, “I have been meaning to bring this up… so we were talking with Isaac that now that it has been a few weeks, any chance you’d be open to us telling our dads about this? About you, I mean. I understand that Isla doesn’t want to be involved, but I think they really would want to hear about you.”

“I think you can do that,” Gastón nodded. He had not yet met Isaac outside of a couple of facetime calls. He and Evelyn were quite similar, and Nina had actually been saying how she could pick out a couple of mannerisms Gastón shared with them. 

“That’s great,” Evelyn sighed again, “I mean, this all kind of still feels little surreal, that we ever even found you and are agreeing to all of this…or that I didn’t scare you off with my long-winded speech when we first met about how we found you and stuff. I was so nervous about it that I wrote it down and asked my director for notes on my delivery—I do theater. He said we can modify that into a monologue piece for me down the line.” 

“You do theater?” 

“Yeah. Ever heard of Teatro del Pueblo? It's this smaller place in Lavalle. I’m actually going straight into rehearsal from here, but I’m not in any hurry quite yet. We're doing this grittier dark musical piece. It’s premiering in a month. I don’t know if that’s something you’d be interested in.”

“Oh, we love dark gritty stuff,” Gastón responded, looking at Nina. 

“I write for a living, so I’d be really strange if it wasn’t something we’d not be into. As longs it’s not horror,” Nina noted, “That is something I stay far away from.”

“Actually, I need to ask,” Evelyn asked, “I tried looking your stuff up, but could only find lyrical credits under your name.” 

“Oh, that's’ because Nina Perida doesn’t write books—” Nina responded.

“Huh?”

“—but Nina Simonetti does,” She continued, “I use a pen name. Simonetti is my maiden’s name. Writing is the only place I still use it, since the publishers were worried about brand confusion. It’s actually quite a nice way to separate the public from personal and private. But that only applies to the books, like you said, the lyrics I write for Matteo for example are under Perida because that’s my name now.” 

“No way…” Evelyn looked pensive for a moment, “...my little sister might be doing her senior book project on your book. Huh, small world I guess.” 

“I have gotten the word that a lot of schools like them for deeper theme study. Blake does—” Nina was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. 

“Luna and Matteo must have forgotten something,” Gastón sighed and started getting up, “For that kind of stuff I think they could actually use the key for…”

“I’ll get it,” Nina put a hand to his shoulder. “You can stay here.” 

“Okay,” Gastón nodded as Nina got up. 

“Was it hard to study in English at University?” Evelyn asked Gastón after Nina had left. “I am trying to improve my spoken English, but my pronunciation sucks.”

“It just takes practice,” Gastón started saying, “It definitely was an adjustment, but in the end we both have British…”

“Is Gastón home?” He started hearing noises from the door. The words were spoken with very distinct and familiar accents. 

“Those are not Luna and Matteo,” he got up from the couch, “I’ll be right back.”

“What are you doing here?” It indeed had not been Luna and Matteo. At the door that Nina had opened were standing Jonathan and April. “I thought you’d be at work, April. Has something happened?”

“I only covered half a shift. Jonathan was giving me a ride.” April responded. She was still wearing her paramedic jacket, so she obviously had come straight from work. 

“So, in other words nothing is wrong, but we got this awesome idea,” Jonathan continued. “Are we interrupting something?” 

“No,” Gastón shook his head, a little too violently to look convincing. Jonathan was a master at reading body language. 

As Jonathan and April had been the first of his cousins who had migrated over to Buenos Aires from Cordoba, they had become extremely close. Closer than they had ever been as kids. They got on extremely well with Nina and Jonathan’s wife Windy fit right in as well. 

That being said, Gastón definitely hadn’t told them about things considering Evelyn and that side of his family seeking him out. Asking their advice would have been a conflict of interest, given the family sides. 

“Are you sure?” Jonathan asked again.

“Yes. What was the idea you mentioned?” 

“We were talking and got this perfect idea for Grandma’s birthday,” April started. “And then we thought that we’d come to talk to you about it now.”

“And you forgot how text messages work?” Gastón questioned. He wasn’t really sure how to get out of this situation. Nina placed her hand on his arm. She definitely had realized the tensions in the situation. 

“No, but we came up with it and then realized that we were just a block away from your street…”

“Gastón, Nina, I’m sorry but I need to get going. The rehearsal got pushed up…” Evelyn suddenly walked to the foyer. She raised her face from her phone and stopped as she saw Jonathan and April, “Who are they?”

“So, we are interrupting something.” Jonathan and April looked at Evelyn and then at Gastón, “You could have just said so.” 

“Yeah, it’s not that simple,” Gastón shook his head. Well, this was bound to happen at some point. If he was going to have a relationship with Evelyn, he couldn’t keep it a secret forever. 

“What’s the complicated part?” April crossed her arms. 

“Well,” Gastón felt Nina squeeze his hand. There was only one way to do this, “I guess some introductions are in order. Evelyn, these are my cousins Jonathan and April Ruiz. They’re the oldest of Mom’s sister’s kids…” He took a breath, “Jonathan, April, this is my cousin Evelyn Sulandre.”

“I thought you didn’t have any cousins from Marco’s side.” April questioned. 

“That's the thing,” Gastón looked at the ceiling for a moment, “I don’t.” 

“What? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Wait?” Jonathan’s eyes were traveling between Gastón and Evelyn. “Sulandre?”

“What am I not seeing?” April was looking at her brother before a sudden realization came evident on her face. “OH MY GOD!”

“What are you doing?” Jonathan asked Gastón. 

“Okay, I think we all got there so that’s my cue!” Evelyn suddenly piped up and stood herself in front of Jonathan and April. “My grandfather is dead. Me and my whole family had been unaware of the pain caused to your grandmother and Gastón’s mother by him. I contacted Gastón some time ago, and he was gracious enough to meet me and let me talk. Don’t blame him.”

“Does Aunt Isla know about this? That you’re talking to them?” April asked. 

“I did tell her that Evelyn had reached out,” Gastón started, “She didn’t want to be involved, but she’s not against this either.” 

“Why didn’t you tell us about this?” Jonathan asked Gastón. 

“And how would you have reacted? Better than this?”

“Maybe a valid point…Uhm, this is clearly a bad time, so it’s better if we go. I’ll call you later.” 

“I’m so sorry.” Evelyn said after April and Jonathan had left through the door. 

“You didn’t need to throw yourself onto the line of fire like that.”

“No no,” Evelyn shook her head, “This is my fault in the first place. I am very good at putting myself onto the line of fire and an expert at improv so don’t worry about me. But, I’m so sorry if they’re gonna be mad at you now.” 

“They won’t be mad,” Gastón waved his hand away, “At least for long. Maybe a little shocked but that's it.”

“I didn’t know that your cousins were this aware of the situation.” 

“I mean in our family everyone knows that Mom and Aunt Mía and Aunt Elise are half-sisters and that grandpa isn’t her biological father. The older ones know as much as I did, that his name was Jorge Sulandre but that’s it. It’s not like it had been important in any way.” 

***

“Good, you're finally here.” Isaac was waiting for her when Evelyn got out of her car outside of her parents’ house. 

“Uncle Jay’s here?” She asked him.

“Yep, Dad’s here with yours.” Isaac nodded. “I hope you have a plan.”

“I was just thinking that we just tell the truth,” Evelyn shrugged, “Has worked out this far.”

“How good of an idea is this really?” Isaac shook his head. 

“This was your idea,” Evelyn looked at him, “And they deserve to know. Gastón agreed that we can tell them.”

“But how will they take it? He’s a millionaire.”

“Technically our aunt and her husband are millionaires. He’s just gonna get it all when they die.” Evelyn rolled her eyes, “We really need to get you to meet them in person. He and his wife are very down to earth, not exactly how you’d imagine a son of millionaires to be. Money doesn’t make grades appear out of thin air, even at Oxford. You and I both know how much work that is.” 

“I guess so, but he clearly also makes good money just on his own.”

“Evelyn darling,” Her mother walked past them in the hallway as Evelyn and Isaac walked through the door. “Great to see you… I’ll be right there, just need to take one more call.”

“Can you keep it down?” Her sister Maxima was sitting on the couch buried in her laptop and books, “I am trying to study for the finals.”

“Those are in December,” Everlyn leaned on the back of the couch, “It’s June, winter.”

“You can never be too early.” 

“Anyways, are Dad and uncle Jay here?” 

“Somewhere,” Maxima didn’t look up at Evelyn. “Dad! Evelyn wants you!”

“Darling, you are here?” She watched her dad and uncle walk into the living room. 

“Yep, I’m here.” Evelyn nodded. 

“So, what is it? Isaac didn’t tell us anything.” 

“You start,” Isaac nudged her, “This has been your show.”

“Well, there is something that we—” She grabbed Isaac’s arm, “—need to talk to you two about.”

“About what?” 

“About that birth certificate.” 

“I thought that was a hopeless case?” Maxima piped up. 

“Shut up, grown-ups are talking.” 

“Max is right though,” Evelyn’s father spoke, “I asked advice from one of our detectives but there is little we can do anymore, unless we get a PI but those are hard to come by and expensive. Still hard to believe that Dad could have done something like that. I don’t think we can find her.” 

“That’s the thing,” Evelyn continued, “It’s not hopeless.” 

“What are you talking about?”

“This,” She pulled the adoption form she had come across from her pocket and put it on the coffee table, “We have been looking for the wrong person. Isla Sulandre doesn’t exist and hasn’t existed since she was four and was adopted by her mother’s husband Joakim Vasquez. She grew up, went to University where she met her now husband Marco Perida.” 

“How do you know this?” Evelyn’s uncle Jay asked, “And did you say Perida…? That can’t be true.”

“It is,” Isaac piped up, “Your sister is Isla Perida, the top talk of real estate world here and beyond.”

“You mean you’ve found all this out and reached out?!” 

“Not exactly,” Evelyn looked down, “As of now, she doesn't want to be involved, and we can’t blame her… Gastón said—”

“Who?”

“Isla’s son, Gastón Perida, our cousin,” Evelyn explained and pulled out her phone, “I reached out to him, and I have met him and his wife multiple times.” 

She scrolled down on Gastón’s instagram to find a good-looking pic of him. He really didn’t overshare, most of his socials featured artistic photography over personal updates. The pictures from the wedding were of those rare occasions. 

“Here,” She gave her phone to her dad. “That’s him.”

“So, if Isla doesn’t want anything to do with us… then would he, Gastón, be willing to meet us?”

“I can ask,” Evelyn shrugged, “He has been willing to meet me. He’s a really nice person, he and his wife both. He’s 26, they both have master’s from Oxford. He works as an assistant engineer at the Castillo Corporations. His wife, Nina, is an author—” Evelyn eyed Maxima’s pile of books and saw the one she was looking for, “—actually, the writer of this book.” She held the book up. 

***

“You’re ready for this?” Nina squeezed Gastón’s hands after he had parked the car at the side of the street. 

“I am.” He nodded as he turned the car off. 

“I’m proud of you,” she put her hand on his cheek, “You didn’t need to do this, but you’re giving them a chance of conclusion.”  

“As long as they don’t start saying that I look like him,” Gastón sighed.

“Surely, they won’t do that. They have to have more tack than that.” Nina made a disapproving face, “You look like your father, so there shouldn’t even be a reason for it.”

“I love you.”

“Hey! Great to see you made it.” Evelyn was waiting for them outside as they got out of the car with Isaac, who they had not yet met in person. 

“Hopefully we know what we're doing,” Gastón said after he shook Isaacs hand. 

“This means so much to Dad and Uncle Jay.” Evelyn said as they were walking through the door. “They’re waiting.” 

“Okay then,” Gastón nodded and Nina wrapped her arms around his arm as Evelyn opened the door. 

As they made their way through the foyer and deeper into the house, two tall and blonde men in their forties came into view. Two women and a younger girl, in her teens, were also in the living room. 

“Dad, Toni, these are them.” Isaac spoke. 

Nina saw all the eyes focus on Gastón and rubbed a circle on his forearm with her fingers. 

“You’re Gastón? Isla's son?” 

“I am, yes.” 

{}

Well, this is a story that I have been thinking about writing for a long time. Like I said at the start, this is very niche and bit of a deep dive to all of the headcanons I have about Gastón's family and his parents' past. I know this kind of open ended, which is kind of was the intention, because I don't really know how I would have wrapped this up completely. Lost of these stories are jut slice of some life and this won't really have that many longstanding impacts in Gastón and Nina's life. Like it's said over and over again in the fic, this isn't super impactful development for Gastón, he is just allowing this other branch of this family to get some conclusion. This isn't impacting him as a person or changing his life in any significant way. Things that will carry on to other works from this are maybe Evelyn and Isaac popping up again. They very easily could, if I need to somene to need an IT person or a police officer in the future as their acquaintance. Other thing I aimed to do with this was to fully introduce Gastón's extended family on Cordoba. His grandmother, his aunts and his cousins. Mainly Jonathan and April, who have appeared before, will keep popping up again. And a last thing: I love doing this where I have a lot of people, who are related to Gastón, love Ina books, without even knowing her connection with them. It's to show how amazing writer she is, but also is kind showing that even genetics are backing gastina up and how compatible they really are.

[ugly-sweater]

i have got to complain about this im sorry

so last January my dad turned 65 and retired. he sold his business and moved to west Virginia with his girlfriend (who is not retirement age?? but she worked for him so) (yeah) (she's like 25 years younger than him too) he was apparently planning this for a while because he already had bought a house and gone down to do some work on it before then. he took my grandma out to dinner to break the news to her. she seems fine with it now whenever i talk to her but my brother said she was kinda pissed at first. ok. thats fine whatever. except that i haven't seen or heard from him since my uncle's wedding last june. he did not send any of my siblings a message on christmas. we didn't even know if he was coming up or not. he didn't send me a birthday card - presumably my older brother either but i don't talk to him. my birthday is the beginning of june, fathers day was yesterday. my grandma, my only relative to send me a birthday card, asked me to send him a father's day card. but I'm mad at him! he just retired and dropped off the face of the planet! he wasn't like, a very communicative parent before that, but he sent me birthday cards and i saw him on holidays. i didn't send him a card but i did text him. he's not a big texter but i didn't even get a reply. idk if my younger brother is mad or not its hard to tell. he has resisted my familys nasty temper lol.

but. like of all people he deserves to be the most mad. he lived with my dad up until he sold his house here, he didn't find out where he was moving until like right before it happened. they are like. presumably closer than the rest of my siblings? theyre similar in personality and he's the only one who has lived with my dad since 2006 and like. my brother got him a christmas present and when he found out my dad didn't come up for xmas he kept it for himself like.

to be fair even before he moved he has been especially bad at communication there's lots of family events ive missed because no one told me about them, probably because they expected my dad to. i remember a couple years ago we had a birthday party for grandma in july in his backyard and my brother texted me the Day Of to ask if i was coming and i said no i had no idea it was happening and what did he say? me neither i just got home (when he lived with my dad) and people were here.

like. i know don't diagnose other people with things etc etc but my father is the most undiagnosed autistic man alive. also at my uncles wedding he looked like he had aged 10 years or something it was wild. idk. im mad. my mom sometimes talks about how he was so bad with communication when they were together like he would just show up at his friends house and be like oh hes not here i wanted to see if he wanted to go fishing. like. call??? btw this particular friend owned my dads business and was his boss until he retired and my dad bought it from him, and is like, 25 years older than my dad. also my dad only has one other friend, a guy he's known since high school, they go to car shows together.

idk i don't need my dad to be a lot of things. as far as dads go he is not actively harmful. i don't doubt that he loves me. he just absolutely doesn't know how to maintain a relationship with anyone. and i don't like feeling like its my responsibility to maintain it when he has just like given up or gone off to live in his own little world.

also not to complain about my own autism but i feel so much like there are things people expect me to do but have not explicitly laid them out or shown me how to do them ever so i don't do them and then i feel anxious because i don't know what people expect of me!!! also its sexist because clearly theyre not expecting it of my father. ok im done. might update in September for my younger brothers birthday (hes the baby and hes very doted upon) (the favorite but like. he is my favorite too its not a weird thing)

[wastefulreverie]

skeleton in the closet

3336 words | danny phantom fic

"Wait." Emelia's gaze fell on the smallest figure in the weathered photo. He stood opposite her mother and in front of her grandparents. Grandpa Fenton's hand rested on his shoulder, proud eyes staring straight into the camera. The young man beamed, dimples hiding traces of dark circles beneath his piercing blue eyes. There was something familiar about him that Emelia just couldn't place. "Who's this?"

Grandma Fenton's smile fell from her face when she spotted the family portrait.

"He's no one." Her voice was terse and stilted.

"No one? What, he wasn't mom's boyfriend back in the day, was he? Grandpa seems awful fond of him…"

Grandma made a face. "No. That's your uncle. Before."

"I thought… I thought Uncle Danny died when he was a kid."

The young man in the photo looked well into his twenties. Emelia had always been told he'd passed when he was fourteen, one year younger than her now.

Grandma shook her head. "Emelia, we don't talk about Danny."

"But what happened to him?"

"We don't talk about Danny."

Grandma's lips were pressed into a thin line now. Her gloved hands trembled and there was something unreadable in her violet eyes. "I didn't mean to—"

"Go back downstairs to the reunion, sweetie," Grandma insisted. Her eyes flitted back to the photo album Emelia had scavenged from the attic. "I'll take care of this."

As Emelia descended downstairs, she had the sinking feeling that she wouldn't be seeing that album again soon.

"Hey, Dad," Emelia said. "What happened to Uncle Danny?"

Her dad's eyes clouded. "Sorry, sweetie. What did you say? I thought I heard you say—"

"Uncle Danny. What happened to him anyway?"

Her dad swore under his breath. "Emelia, we don't talk about Danny."

She scoffed. "Why does everyone keep saying that? I mean, how am I supposed to understand unless you tell me why we can't talk about him."

Her dad pulled a strand of hair from Emelia's face. It wasn't like either of her parents' respective red and brown hair, but straight black. Mom used to have a wistful look when brushing it, doting on her for inheriting Grandpa Fenton's hair. Mom didn't look wistful much anymore.

"Emelia." He glanced around them. Her younger cousin Brynn was holding her tablet inches from her face. "This isn't the time. Everyone's still… still shaken up about it. Jazz—your mother especially. Don't turn this into another fight."

Most family reunions ended with a falling out. Usually, everything was fine until her grandparents got defensive about their ghost hunting methods. Everyone came around again after a few weeks, the same old arguments. Emelia tuned most of it out.

"When is the time? I'm fifteen! I can handle the truth."

"No. No, Emelia. Let this go for your own good—for the family's own good."

"No! I want to know about Uncle Danny!"

On the couch, Brynn looked up from her tablet. "Mom says that Cousin Danny was a sad thing. Won't tell me more. Just that he's sad."

Her dad grit his teeth. "Drop this, Emelia."

His eyes were pleading. She could hear chatter from the other adults in the next room over.

"Fine," she relented. "I get it."

If her parents wouldn't tell her the truth about what happened to Uncle Danny, she'd find someone who would.

"Sebastian." Her Grandpa's great-nephew, Emelia's second cousin, and Brynn's eldest brother. She hadn't seen him since before he left for college. "Do you know what happened to Uncle Danny?"

His eyebrows scrunched up. "Danny? I uh, know they tell us not to talk about him. Something bad happened, but no one will tell me what."

"But something bad did happen?"

"Oh, for sure. I was about eight or so when he went missing."

"Wait, went missing?" This was the first piece of new information she'd managed to uncover all night. "I thought he died?"

"Well, we didn't know that until later. Or maybe the adults didn't want to tell me… they were all weird about it."

"So what? He goes missing and later they find out he died? You think he was murdered?"

"That would make sense, but it doesn't explain why the family tries so hard to cover it up. Personally, I've always thought he died doing something super illegal. Like, why else wouldn't they tell us? Oh, or maybe he's in witness protection."

"So, he may not even be dead at all?"

"Never had a funeral for him. No way to tell."

"Who was he to you? What sort of person was he?"

Sebastian had a faraway look in his eyes. "He babysat me a few times. He'd let me get away with stuff none of my other cousins would. Like, there was this one time I wanted to play in the washing machine. He let me crawl in there for a few minutes. When he pulled me out, it was like he pulled me through the machine. Never figured out how he did that."

"What do you mean?"

"It was like his arms went through the top of the machine. It—it opened from the side. Otherwise, I couldn't climb in." He shut his eyes. "Huh. Kid memories."

Emelia's hair stood on end. "That doesn't—it sounds like you remember it well."

"I mean, it had to have been in my head, right? I was five."

He didn't look entirely convinced himself.

"Right," she said. "Of course."

She didn't sleep well the first night of the reunion, haunted by thoughts of Grandma tearing apart her photo album page-by-page. That, and her air mattress didn't feel quite as nice as she remembered it as a kid. Emelia was almost tempted to climb in bed with her parents like she'd done as a child but thought better of herself. She was grown.

Maybe her grandparents kept melatonin in the medicine cabinet. That'd put her well to sleep—stiff air mattress and intrusive thoughts be damned.

Emelia slipped downstairs, careful not to wake her cousins on the pull-out couch. It was a challenge sifting through the cabinet in low light, but she eventually found the sleep aids. She struggled with the bottle's child-lock and then dropped one of the capsules. It slid across the kitchen floor, disappearing somewhere under the fridge. Dammit.

Hoping that her phone's light wouldn't wake her cousins in the next room over, she dropped to the floor and scanned the tile with her flashlight. It took her five minutes too long to find the capsule, but at least she'd found it. Though, she discovered something even more peculiar. There was a door behind the fridge. She could see the bottom of the door through the space beneath the fridge—it was some sort of steel and had obvious hinges. Standing opposite the fridge, the door was hidden behind the room's yellow-green floral wallpaper.

"… what?"

Her grandparents' house had a secret door.

What was hidden behind the fridge?

Something just didn't add up about it. Why go to the trouble to put wallpaper over the door if you didn't plan to use it again? Was there something they wanted to close off but keep access to? Was it something they didn't want prying eyes to notice? It couldn't be anything good, could it?

Despite the sleep aid, Emelia slept little that night.

With all her cousins under one roof, Emelia didn't have much opportunity to investigate the hidden door in the kitchen. That, and she wasn't strong enough to move a refrigerator unit alone. She needed help. Sebastian, maybe? Between the two of them they should be able to move the fridge enough to see what was behind it.

"First you're asking me about Cousin Danny and now you're worried there's a secret door in the kitchen," he said. "You sure you haven't been cracking up, Em?"

She hit him. "I know what I saw! I'm not crazy. I just—I just have a gut feeling. All of this ties together somehow."

"That's a hell of an intuition."

"Maybe it is, but you can't just ignore that there's something suspicious going on."

"No, you're right. For a family of ghost hunters it'd be weird if there wasn't some kinda conspiracy. I asked my Mom about Danny last night, and she gave me the same spiel. 'We don't talk about Danny.' I'm down to figure this out."

She felt a rush of relief.

"You trust me?"

"Given that you know less than anyone here, yeah. Let's unravel this thing."

"You don't have to rub it in that I'm younger—"

"Mm, yeah. It's all I've got going for me. Not everyone's the daughter of bigwig psychologists. I'm just a humble son of ghost hunters…"

"Yeah, yeah," she brushed him off. "Anyway, for tonight here's what I'm thinking…"

They waited for the rest of the house to settle in for the night. Some of the adults didn't head to bed until two, but she and Sebastian kept each other awake texting. Given the reunion was over tomorrow, they couldn't compromise this shot to see what her grandparents were hiding.

Finally, they met in the kitchen. Moving the fridge without waking up the house would be a challenge, but Emelia had faith in herself. She thought they did a solid job. They took out most of the food that would fall off the shelves and slid the appliance just far enough to squeeze behind. Everything was going great until Brynn appeared in her pale, blue nightgown. She wasn't taller than four feet tall and shrunk into her faded slippers. Hair mussed in all directions, she stared at them with unseeing eyes from the kitchen's entryway.

"I can hear him now," she whispered. "I can hear him…"

"Sis?" Sebastian paled. "Brynn, you've gotta hush. You can't—you can wake the others."

"Cousin Danny." Brynn's hair fell over her eyes, somehow making her stature appear even frailer. She pointed to the now exposed door. "He's there. I can hear him now."

Emelia's blood ran cold. "You can hear Danny?"

She nodded. "He calls himself Danny. He says 'he's their son, he's their son.'"

Danny was a ghost. His ghost was bound to whatever was behind the door. There's no way her ghost hunting family didn't know about him—and yet they'd just sealed him away? Their own son?

If she died, would they do the same? Keep her as a skeleton in the closet?

She needed to know. She needed to know what her family had done.

"Sebastian," she said. "Can you keep watch and make sure Brynn doesn't follow me?"

He frowned. "I thought we were going to—"

"It's changed. I don't… I don't want her near whatever's behind that door."

"But you still want to go?" He raised a brow. "What if it's dangerous?"

She grabbed a stray ectogun left on the counter. With a flick of a switch, it whirred to life. "I think I can handle myself. If it's… something you should see I'll let you know."

It took some persuading, but Emelia eventually managed to convince Sebastian to let her go. When she pulled open the door, she almost fell down a set of stairs. A hidden basement?

Holding her phone flashlight in one hand and her ectogun in the other, she descended into the hidden depths of FentonWorks. There was a hint of something foul in the air—battery acid or lemons? She realized after a moment that it was the telltale stench of ectoplasm. Of course.

The stairs opened to a wide room. She couldn't make out much in the dark, but it wasn't hard to imagine that this could have been a private ghost lab. Her mom had mentioned her grandparents' old lab in passing, but Emelia had never once imagined that it was beneath their house. Who built a dangerous lab in their house!

There were shelves lining the walls with dilapidated weapons, others housing jars of ectoplasm illuminating the dim room. There were workbenches and counters and what looked to be one of those old box computers. Though, what threw off Emelia the most though was the octagonal frame at the front of the room. It was barricaded with hazard-striped double doors and Emelia knew.

This is what they'd been hiding.

This was where she'd find her answers.

She wasn't sure how she knew how to do it. There was something—someone—nudging her along. Maybe it was the same voice that Brynn had heard, maybe it was something far more sinister. There was a genetic lock panel not far from the portal. Portal? Yes, it was a portal.

When Emelia pressed her thumb against the scanner, the doors groaned with life. They pulled apart to reveal an abyss of brilliant green. It looked like the surface of a planet, swirling and forever mesmerizing.

The Ghost Zone.

She wasn't sure how she knew that either.

A shadow fell upon her as a figure glided through the portal. He didn't move far, suspended in front of the doorway—frozen. Danny appeared similar to how he looked in the photo she'd glimpsed, but like someone had tried to draw him from memory. His dimples were less pronounced, and he was paler, more stretched out, and lacking rigid structure. His eyes were an otherworldly green, not blue, and there was a faint hint of green to his skin.

Uncle Danny nonetheless.

"It's you," she breathed.

"Emelia." His voice echoed, sounding as if he was speaking behind her instead. "You've found me."

"You know me?"

"Yes. I remember. I remember you so small. Jazz let me—Jazz let me fly you around the room. You loved it. I—I was so happy to be your uncle." His expression fell, dark shadow cast across his face. "And then my mom saw us. My mom ruined everything. My dad and my mom took everything from me. Everything we could have had if they hadn't—if they hadn't just listened. They didn't listen. They thought I was lying. They—they—"

She wasn't following.

"What did they see?"

"I flew. It was fun. He held you above me and we—we just went around the nursery. Mom didn't like that." He growled, an inhuman noise ripping from his throat. Emelia did her best not to falter. Show no fear—the first rule with ghosts. "They never liked anything I did. They hated who I was, which is why I didn't tell and then they found out. They found out."

He was talking in circles. Typical for a ghost, but not at all helpful.

"What did they find out? What didn't you tell?"

"That I was their son! They knew who I was. Except they didn't think that it was true, so they—so they hid me away. Their specimen—they kept me. Until they didn't. Until they—until they decided they'd played enough games with Danny!" He clenched his fists. "It hurt so much. Pulling me apart from the inside out, sawing my bones down into nothing. Nothing, nothing…" He laughed. "After dying the first time, I never thought anything could hurt that much."

She wasn't making sense of most of his words, but that damn sure sounded like her grandparents murdered their son in cold blood if she ever heard it. Sawing down his bones? Pulling him apart?

"Once they realized I came back again they shut the portal for good. They were too stubborn to shut it when ghosts attacked the townsfolk, but when I died suddenly now they care about which ghosts slip into the human world? Give me a fucking break," he spat. "They only care about themselves. I thought they loved me, I thought—thought so."

"That's—" she swallowed "—that's awful."

He looked at her carefully. "Why'd you find me, Emelia?"

"I—I was curious. No one will talk about you and I realized that there was something hidden."

He scoffed. "Don't even talk about me? They kill me and think they can just walk away from me forever because I'm trapped behind some stupid portal? Well, I'm out now. I might not have enough strength to put a foot out on my own into the human world, but you do." Danny floated lower to meet her at eye level. His green eyes swirled in tandem with the portal behind him. "Will you help me, Emelia? Will you help?"

He appeared sincere. Hurt, no doubt, but she couldn't refuse after getting this far.

"Yes, of course. What with?"

Danny smiled. "Oh, nothing much. You won't have to do much at all."

He held out his hand and Emelia accepted.

"So, what am I—"

Danny flew forward and the next thing she knew her world went still. There were flashes of moments, familiar faces warped—younger faces. Her grandparents gazed down at her drawing something hot against her skin; a wasteland of endless green, thrashing against the portal from the other side desperate to return; feet lifted from the ground and slipped into a spectral tail, carefully hoisting a giggling child into the air while a red-headed woman watched carefully from afar; there was a needle in her arm now, everything was becoming numb and hot and she didn't like this feeling no no no make it stop; a black-haired girl with a camera pressing something into her hands, some clothing, gazing into the vacant chasm that was once the ghost portal.

She was standing opposite the ghost portal.

She couldn't move. Her legs shifted without her consent, and it dawned on Emelia that she'd been fooled. No, no. This couldn't be happening. No!

Her own voice filled her ears. "I'm sorry it had to be this way, Emelia. My parents removed my ectoplasmic essence when they killed me, so I'm no longer strong enough to exist in this world alone." Her eyes flitted to the many jars of ectoplasm lining the walls. That was Danny, once. "It took a decade just to get a grasp on overshadowing. I figured I might as well become the ghost that they fear me to be. The one that deserves to be locked away, right? The one they created?"

No, this was wrong. Please, let her go. Please! She doesn't want to hurt anyone. She doesn't want to. Please, Uncle Danny, listen to reason!

"I know, I understand. If that's what you want then I won't make you watch."

Wait, stop—!

Her mother's arms were around her. Emelia startled at the sudden embrace, unsure how she'd gotten herself here. Last thing she knew, Danny had tricked her. And now? Her mouth tasted like iron. Blood. Everything smelled like it too. There were tears rolling down her mom's now red face and Emelia knew that she'd done something terrible. There was something hard pressed against her back. She realized after a moment it was an ectogun. Her mom was holding a weapon to her back. What had—?

Behind her mom was Danny, or at least what she thought was Danny, sprawled across the carpet with a smoking hole on his chest. Rather than how she'd seen him before, he had glowing white hair and donned a fitted hazmat suit with silver accents. He clutched at the wound, mouth opening and closing—wailing in ghostly tones.

Her mom released her embrace, expression cold. She stood over the ghost of Emelia's uncle.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you, Danny. I did all I could to protect you from our parents. I did everything in my power and it still wasn't enough. They hurt you in a way no one should. I still have nightmares, you know? Coming home to find my brother in—in pieces! They hurt all of us!" Her mom raised the ectogun. "I understand hurting our parents, I do. They deserved it. But now? I draw the line at hurting my daughter. For what it's worth, I'm sorry I couldn't be a better sister."

Emelia scrunched her eyes shut.

Not that it helped lessen the sound of her mom pulling the trigger.

[mountswhore]

You take your daughter on a trip to your parents house, maybe they live in another country, and it’s like a nice mommy-daughter trip away and Mason is jealous because he is missing out on the trip and also missing his two favorite girl

𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 — mason mount

summary: whilst visiting your parents, who lived in the States, Mason is missing you and your daughter completely.

notes: reqs are open

Yours and Mason's love story was a rapid one. He met you on a trip to America, with Ben, and you were already looking for a reason to leave the US. God had worked miracles for the both of you, and after a year of painful long-distance, you'd moved to the UK. Three years down the line, and you were engaged and had your little one, Callie. Your parents would fly out occasionally, to see the three of you, and when Mason had time off, he'd always suggest going to visit your parents in New York.

But now that your Callie had grown up and was a sassy, carbon copy of her father, she'd beg to go and visit her grandparents. Mason was in the peak of the premier league, meaning he had to miss out on the lovely trip to New York, and even worse, he'd be missing out on New York at Christmas.

"I can't believe you two are leaving me," Mason huffed, leaning against Callie's door frame as the two of you decided which clothes to pack for her, "this is so unfair, Cal. How can you leave your daddy at home all alone?" Callie just giggled, running up to him and squeezing his legs.

"Don't be sad, daddy. You play football, so you can't come." The three-year-old retorted, making you and Mason burst out laughing. She was very animated in the way she spoke, you could hardly believe how amazing her speech was.

When you'd arrived in New York and had gotten out of the cab, you felt a wave of nostalgia hit you as you looked at your family home. It felt amazing to bring your own little one here, and it melted your heart as you watched Callie jump up the porch steps as you always did as a kid. You were carrying all of your bags to the door, your mom opening the door after Callie had knocked at it.

"There's my little doll," your mom cooed at your daughter, bending down to scoop her up, "have you been good for your mommy and daddy?" Callie nodded, nose scrunching as she smiled at her grandma.

Whilst your dad admired the tree with Callie, you'd gotten settled in your childhood bedroom, which now had a bigger bed to accommodate you and Mason when you stayed here. He loved visiting the States to see your family, especially because of how different things were over here. Your family would occasionally slip up and ask Mason how his soccer career was going, before quickly apologising and using the term 'football' instead. It was funny to hear Mason poorly attempt to mimic your American accent, which was drifting between both countries now. Your siblings and parents would give you strange looks when you used lingo only the UK used.

We're here, and missing you, you texted Mason, throwing your phone onto the bed and sighing, the flight wasn't long, but you hated plane rides. And you'd stayed awake so Callie could sleep against you comfortably.

Missing you both more, maybe I can facetime you tonight and see my girls? Mason replied, and you giggled.

Of course, although I think Callie will be homesick the moment she sees you, you texted back.

"Y/N! What are you doing here?" You heard from the door, startling you as you rested comfortably on the couch with Callie in your lap. Callie had peered over the couch curiously, eyes widening and leaping off your lap upon seeing your brother, Andrew.

"Uncle Andy!" She yelped, running into his legs and giggling loudly, to which Andrew had lifted her up to properly embrace her.

"Ello, my little British niece." He replied, earning a glare from you. Although you were kind of glad that your daughter kept Mason's accent, and not your weird blend of both. Andrew had walked into the living room, greeting both parents before joining them on the big couch. You and Callie were cuddled up on the love seat.

"One more thing before you go to bed, princess," your mom stopped Callie as she went to climb the stairs, and your daughter sat on the stairs curiously. Your mom disappeared to find the present under the tree, and you were blushing at hearing your daughter's squeals of excitement as she received the present.

Callie had teared the paper away to reveal some pyjamas, Christmas pyjamas. Callie gasped, fiddling with the little pompoms on the shirt.

"Say 'thank you' to Grandma," you instructed her, watching the two embrace before you both excitedly ran upstairs. You were both cuddled up in the queen bed within ten minutes, her new pyjamas on and Callie's head on your chest.

"Shall we facetime daddy?" You asked quietly, feeling her head lift and you could see her nodding in the dim light.

You'd called Mason's contact, and he answered almost immediately, and you could see that he too was tucked up in bed. The smile on his face couldn't be described, you could see just how much he missed you both through the phone.

"Hey, daddy. We are at granny and grandpa's house." Callie told him, Mason nodding excitedly as he babbled away to his daughter. "Uncle Andy came over too! And granny gave me these!" She exclaimed, pointing to her pyjamas. The pair of you giggled at your daughter, a yawn leaving Mason's lips shortly after. You could see how tired he was, but he wasn't missing the chance to see his girls.

Callie and Mason had been talking for almost half an hour, and her replies had lost their effort, finally falling asleep on your chest. And now it was just you and Mason, staring at each other through the phone.

"This feels like when we first started dating," Mason sighed, rubbing a hand against his stubble, and it made you cringe thinking about how many hours you'd spend on facetime every day, "I can't wait till you're both home. I miss you loads."

"We miss you more," you whispered, looking down at the mess of hair on your chest, "trust me, all she's done this evening is talk about her daddy." Mason's heart tightened, and he hadn't yearned for anything more than he did for you both in this moment. He had more to miss now than he did when you first started dating, he had not only his wife, but his little girl too.

[creativeashproductions]

Lost Time // Luke Patterson

Summary: Things changed since Sunset Curve fell apart literally as three out of four members died before a gig. Leaving a sad girl behind Luke by chance runs into the reader with someone else. Death tore the couple apart, and time can’t fix this.

Warning: Talk of death, depression, angst and fluff

Words: 2.2k

Might as well join the Julie and the Phantoms fan club!

*For the sake of the story the time frame has been altered, it takes place in the mid-2000s. Also! I tried to make the reader as generalized as I could to make sure that everyone can relate. The reader is Alex’s sister, for inclusion that can be biological, adopted, half or stepsiblings. I want to make sure all people can be the reader.

Masterlist

THIS IS FROM MY SECONDARY BLOG! REPOST!!

The 1990s was definitely some of the best years of your life watching your brother grow more comfortable in his identity. Alex had kept his sexuality secret, taking the frustration of the secret by learning how to play the drums. You would often be found curled on the chair listening to his growing talent; Alex was a great brother.

Alex found friends in three local boys Reggie, Bobby and Luke, even a little more than friends with Luke briefly. By 1991 the boys had formed a band Sunset Curve with each other and a loyal fan in you. By mid-1994 the band had a fanbase and some gigs, but playing The Orpheum was the goal.

Luke had admitted to Alex, he had feelings for you, and with a lot of encouragement from Alex, he approached you. Luke had been focused on music since his parents gave him his first guitar, so relationships weren’t even on the backburner.

“Hey.” Luke spoke, pressing a kiss to your cheek backstage, “Missed you.”

His hair tickled your skin, bringing a bright smile from the teenage boy and a deep blush from you, private time wasn’t as often as it once had been. After Luke’s fallout with his parents a few months back, he had couch surfed between Reggie and Alex’s rooms; he wasn’t allowed in yours.

“You saw me last night.”

“A monumental time.” Luke bent his bend to place a lingering kiss on your bare shoulder, his jacket having fallen down, “Three years together and a bright future ahead.”

Last night had been the third anniversary of your relationship and hopefully the previous night worrying on parents walking in, cheap dates Luke often felt guilty about. Luke knew in his bones playing The Orpheum tonight would open the door to a legendary future. A future where money wasn’t tight and he could you on dates he deemed acceptable for the love of his life.

Bobby voiced brought Sunset Curve’s lead singer back to that moment, you dropped from the stage to settle in the empty audience to watch the soundcheck. With a wink from Alex, he started making the beat to Now or Never, you beamed as they poured their souls into the song. The four were talented and made to be in a band together even if you didn’t really like Bobby.

Cringing at the awkward wink Bobby sent you turned on your converse to head to the bar for a glass of water. Thanking the bartender, you tuned out the conversation with the waitress and the band only jumping when arms wrapped around your waist.

“We’re getting street dogs.” Luke spoke, bringing your body to rest on his chest, “Do you want one?”

The thought of those street dogs honestly horrifying given they were cooked in some random guys car. The one time you tried, it had permanently tattooed the taste in your memories forever, and just remembering was vomit-inducing.

 “I’ll pass.” You wrinkled your nose, turning to wrap your arms around his neck, “I don’t know how you guys like those.”

“Tradition.” Luke shrugged caressing your cheekbone with the pad of this thumb. Gazing at features he wanted to wake up to for the rest of his life, “Still down with the plan?”

“The minute I’m eighteen, we go to the nearest chapel.” You grinned playing with the hair at the nape of his neck, “I’ll be waiting Rockstar.”

Luke pressed a long passionate kiss on your lips, pulling away to jog over to Alex and Reggie waiting at the door. Bobby having declined the street dog invitation to flirt with the waitress Rose. Alex waved before the door closed. Little did you know that would be the last time you saw them alive.

1995 was the worst year of your life. 1996 was the hardest, especially with the forever reminder of your love. You wouldn’t trade 1996 for the world however, only wishing for one change.

Los Angeles, 2004

Alex, Reggie and Luke had learnt a mere few days away from that life had drastically changed forever. Firstly, the three boys had died from eating the street dogs mere hours before performing on the stage of The Orpheum. Secondly, it was no longer 1995 but instead nearly ten years had past bringing the three ghosts into 2004.

The most jarring wasn’t being able to be heard playing music with a random girl named Julie but that the most constant part of the band no longer was there. You hadn’t died that night, and Alex was pretty sure you were still alive. Luke felt lost waking up without you beside him and the deep regret of not reconciling with his parents.

It would be a week before Luke would swallow his pride enough to orb himself into his unchanged childhood home. Emily, Luke’s mom, was in the well-worn chair knitting a scarf Luke recognized as his favourite colours. Mitch was in the kitchen, putting the groceries away. It was heartbreaking being invisible to his aged parents.

“Hey, Mom.” Luke sniffled sitting on the couch nearby staring at his silent mother, “Sorry for not visiting sooner.”

Tears welled up in the boy’s eyes feeling hopeless, not being able to ease his parents’ pain, the regret and guilt bubbling to the surface.

“How is Y/N? I bet she’s living in New York of London now. We promised to travel the world together. Part of me is guilty of wishing she had eaten a street dog that night so we could be together.” Luke sobbed, wrapping his arms around his midsection reminiscing on the beautiful girl he had unwillingly left.

“Hey.” Mitch spoke, kissing his wife’s forehead. Her eyes closing in contentment.

“I wonder if you know where Reg and Alex’s parents are. Reggie’s neighbourhood was torn down who knows when. It makes me scared to see if Alex and Y/N’s parents still have their place. I don’t think so. They lost their son.”

“Hey Luke.”

Luke glanced over his shoulder to see Alex at the door, reluctant to impose of Luke’s privacy.

“Yeah.”

“We’re rehearsing.” Alex spoke, smiling as the other teenager took one more wistful look at his parents before orbing out of his house to the Molina family’s garage. Minutes later, the front door opening and feet thudding brought the noise to the Patterson home.

“Grandma!”

A four-foot blue of green and black blur covered the room in seconds nearly sprawling Mitch to the floor. Why was that 1996 year difficult? Well, ’95 was when Sunset Curve tragically died, and a stick changed your life. ’96 was spent going through the last five months of pregnancy without Luke.

October 1995

You kept your lips pressed tightly together, unable to look at the smooth, shiny mahogany rectangle surrounded by flowers. Looking up meant the reality kicking in. Funerals sucked. Especially the third funeral in the last handful of days. It was surreal thinking that one week ago you had kissed your boyfriend and hugged your brother and now they were dead. Gone. Not even a goodbye.

“Are you okay?” The broke voice asked, gaining your attention. Swollen red eyes matching yours held unimaginable pain. While the last few months had been icy with your parents, it didn’t mean losing one of their kids didn’t sting.

“I will be.” You whispered clasping your hands over the scratchy black velvet dress, one you had worn three times too many.

The sobs broke out seeing the best picture Alex had taken in his life, it encapsulated his best features; his beaming smile and kind, caring eyes. Alex was gone. Your brother was gone because he ate a bad hot dog with his friends. You would never see your boys again. Never feel Luke’s skin or share a laugh with Alex or complain about things with Reggie. You wouldn’t get to meet in the chapel with Luke wearing second hand ‘fancy’ clothing. In one night, your life changed.

It changed further seeing the two lines on the test later that night. The heartache growing. The baby you carried would never meet his uncles and his Dad. Would never hear them play or learn to play. ’95 and ’96 sucked ass.

You sighed, closing the door to follow the rambunctious ball of energy into the living room where he entertained Mitch and Emily. Some days it was difficult to stare into the green eyes he inherited from his father.

“Benjamin Lucas.” You spoke crossing your arms, meeting the gaze of the eight-year-old boy, “What did I say?”

“To not runoff.” Ben quietly replied, playing with his hands. His messy brown hair, in need of a trim, falling into his eyes, “Sorry Mom.”

“Please don’t do it again.” You gently told the little boy elated as he quickly found the toy box in the corner of the room.

Ben was loved deeply by Mitch and Emily, who had stepped up when your parents made the decision to sell your childhood home. Wanting Ben to know his paternal grandparents, you had struggled to find an apartment and job to say in the neighbourhood. Since the baby was the last part of their son, the Patterson parents’ had welcomed you into the home where you stayed until Ben was two.

“Do you want us to come around for Luke’s birthday?” You questioned sitting on the love seat, the same love seat you had made out on with Luke many times during movies.

The room turned sad at the question and reminded that for the ninth year, you would celebrate Luke’s birthday without him. A day where Ben wouldn’t fully understand. Emily simply nodded her head.

 “Have you met anyone?” Mitch asked, leaning over to clasp his hands together. For the last few years, they had been pushing you to date. They wanted your happiness and for Ben to have a father even if Luke couldn’t be it.

“Mama can we stay here tonight?” Ben’s innocent voice cut the tension, saving you from answering the question again. Mitch and Emily each nodded their heads at the question, unable to tell the young boy no.

“Have you ate?” Emily asked, turning to look at you in concern. The chuckle left your mouth at the question she frequently requested, she missed cooking for more than two.

“We had pasta before we came.” You replied, turning to gaze out the window to the dark sky, “I should put Ben to bed.”

The soft whine from your son and denial was a nightly routine and very much a mirror image to Luke’s character as well. With a smile, Emily held out her hand to her grandchild, she was notoriously the only one able to get Ben to sleep fast.

 “Come on Bug.”

It seemed the universe was keeping Luke from seeing you and discovering Ben, but when that night came, he was shocked. Emily was curled up on the patio couch, watching Ben in the newly bought sandbox. The patio doors opened. Inside, Mitch had invited a stranger who knew his son into the house.

 “I think I heard the doorbell. I’ll be right back.” Emily called out to you. You had found shade under the tree reading a new book.

The soft cry had you up and running to Ben before you even realized, on his knee was a bleeding wound. You had already scooped the boy into your arms to quickly get into the kitchen. The moment your foot stepped into the home, the sound of a familiar voice and song filled the house.

Gently placing Ben on his feet, you followed the sound to the living room. Across the room behind a young girl stood a boy.

“Luke.” You breathed floored at the sight of the teenager who looked exactly like he did back in ’95. The ghost singing widened his eyes at yours, taking in the mature features and change of fashion.

He continued to sing the song Unsaid Emily he had written as an apology to his mom following the last big fight. The song he never got to show her. His voice faded as the ending of the song came around.

“Mama!” Your attention broke from Luke’s when a tiny hand reached for yours. The pain in his voice bringing you back to the most important part of your life, “It hurts Mama.”

Despite being sad, Mitch was the one to cross the room to lift the little boy into his arms. Placing the little boy on the counter, the man gently wet a paper towel to wash the area.

“I think he needs stitches.” Mitch sighed, furrowing his brows.

“Who is that?” Luke asked the Molina girl. The girl shrugged taking in the features she could recognize. Julie asked Emily.

“That’s Ben.” Emily beamed, looking over her shoulder at the little boy that filled the void of Luke’s death. It didn’t fix the wound or erase the pain, but Ben’s existence helped with the loss as he was a precious gift, “When Luke passed away his girlfriend Y/N found out she was pregnant with Luke’s baby.”

The choked sob fell from Luke’s mouth echoed by the thud of his knees, hitting the floor in the pure shock. The heartbreak painted so clear Julie was sure she could feel Luke’s agony.

God, why did Luke have to eat that fucking street dog. Fuck his band dreams. Nothing hurt as bad as finding out about Ben and Y/N having to be a single parent.

“I have a son?” Luke cried, orbing himself as far as he could from the Patterson home and his most tremendous loss.

Part Two

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[jjmaybanksbaby]

Where It Leads (Rafe Cameron)

Summer IV

Part 07: Crashing Down

series masterlist | previous part

summary: A jarring family emergency forces you to consider the future of your relationship with Rafe Cameron.

a/n: I'm a little bit emotional about this series ending because I've had so much fun writing it! Enjoy the last part and, as always, please come share your reactions with me in my inbox. Okay, that's all from me!

word count: 2.1k words

Rafe Cameron knew how to text. He was somehow witty, charming, and hilarious all in less characters than a single tweet. Texting with most boys was like talking to a brick wall: single-syllable answers, unironic uses of punctuation, asking “What are you wearing?” before even listening to how your day went. Though, to be fair, Rafe had asked that same question a few times, which always earned him a sarcastic answer in return. Well, except for that one time.

You’d been forced to spill the beans about your dreamy summer romance to Alice and Kensie after one of Rafe’s funnier texts almost made you pee yourself laughing at the lunch table.

“Oh, so he’s a stud muffin,” Alice announced, peering over Kenzie’s shoulder at the photo on your phone.

“Please god don’t call anyone a stud muffin ever again Al,” Kenzie replied.

“What? The 80s are like making a comeback.”

“Yeah, not that,” you countered and Alice huffed.

“He’s totally hot though,” Kenzie said, handing the phone back to you. “And I kinda hate you for not telling us about him.”

You looked down at the picture. Rafe was kissing your check while you grinned up at the camera, the golden hour lighting made the whole thing look rather enchanting. It was your favorite picture of you and him.

“Oh shit,” Kenzie said causing you to look up from the phone. “You’re like in love in love with him.”

“What? No,” you protested. Yes, your brain corrected.

Kenzie glanced over at Alice for backup.

“Besides, I wasn’t hiding him. I just didn’t know if there was anything there to...tell,” you finished.

“I wish I had a handsome summer fling with spectacular cheekbones,” Alice sighed.

“Don’t let your boyfriend hear you saying that.” Kenzie chucked a fry off her tray at Alice who dodged it expertly.

“Oh, please. Matty knows I would dump his ass for someone who looks like a young Chuck Bass any day of the week. Gimme your phone. I wanna see the photos again y/n.”

“I seriously don’t know how you and Matthew have been together for two years,” Kenzie replied.

“Are you kidding? They’re practically made for each other,” you added.

“The phone, please,” Alice interjected. “I wanna thirst over your mans while my boyfriend is sucking up to his English teacher so she doesn’t fail him. Of course, I told him he needed to actually read Wuthering Heights and not just sparknotes it. But did he listen? No. I picked a real winner y’all,” she finished, taking the phone from your outstretched hands. “You sure Rafe doesn’t have any brothers? Not even like a half-step brother?”

So yeah, going great. Against the odds of three thousand miles, the whole thing was somehow working. Long-distance friends with benefits? Check. Well, except for those moments when that nagging feeling in your stomach came back and you’d start overthinking everything. His texts would sit, unread in your phone for days or even a whole week, slowly sinking to the bottom of your messages.

Then came the call from the Kildare Country Hospital in the early hours of a foggy April morning. You should have gone to sleep hours ago but were still up, desperately trying to cram Maria’s lines into your brain while also texting Rafe. The Sound of Music opened in three weeks and your director had already chewed you out twice for not being off-book, something about being an upperclassman and the lead, and what kind of an example were you setting for the rest of the program. Big speeches were kind of your director's thing, you learned to just ride them out.

Around 1 a.m. your phone ran with an incoming FaceTime call from Rafe. You pressed the green acccept button, a smile spread across your face as Rafe’s own filled the screen.

“Hey Broadway Star.”

“Hi Rafe.” The dim lighting of his bedroom made his feature especially striking. “What are you still doing up?”

“Can’t sleep. Plus you’re up too so. How’s the memorizing going?”

“Shitty,” you replied, closing your binder with a sigh. “I’m too tired to do anymore of it tonight anyway.”

“You know, I was thinking I could come to Oregon for your opening night?”

“Really?” The possibility of Rafe sitting in the audience made your heart race.

“Yeah, why not? I’ll ask Ward if I can borrow the plane that weekend and I bet Sarah’ll want to come too. I wanna see my girl kill it. I miss you.”

“I miss you too, Rafe. You know my friends think you’re hot.”

“Oh, do they?” Rafe replied, rolling over onto his back in his bed.

“Don’t let it get to your head, Cameron.”

The home phone ran but you ignored it, much more invested in your conversation with Rafe. The second time the hospital left a message. Your Nonna’s heart had given out. The prognosis wasn’t good. She had barely any time left.

Your heart dropped as the words echoed over the speaker of the answering machine.

“Rafe,” you said, cutting him off momentarily. “I gotta go. I’ll call you back later. I gotta-” you ended the call before Rafe even had the chance to respond. You dropped your phone on the kitchen table, dashing up the stairs to your parents’ bedroom. Your father was booking a flight for your mother back to the Outer Banks minutes later.

The end had come so quickly, so unexpectedly. It was almost like that made it harder. There'd been just enough time for your mom and uncle to get to the Outer Banks, sitting on each side of your Nonna as her final breaths passed through her lungs. Now, everyone was there to say goodbye one last time. Uncle Austin and his fiancé. Your mom and dad. Both your siblings. The entire population of Figure Eight.

☼☼☼

Rain drizzled down from the dark, gray clouds looming overhead. It was as if Mother Nature was mourning your Nonna too, hiding the sunshine away.

Three baby ducks followed their mama into the man-made pond at the edge of the cemetery. You watched their tiny feet kick up small waves disturbing the peaceful water and the tears silently slipped down your face.

The cars were waiting to take you back to your Nonna's house for the wake. The same house with the for-sale sign now stuck in the front yard. The for-sale sign with Rose's patronizing grin that you were starting to really hate. Your dad had handled that. Listing the house. He'd handled most of the funeral arrangement's actually because your mother had been too sunken into her grief to make any decision. Sending out the invitations, picking out your Nonna's casket, choosing the flowers. Your mother clung to him during the entire funeral, weeping into his shoulder.

“Y/n?” Rafe's voice called out from behind you and you turned to see him walked toward you. He’d stood at the back of the church with his family during the funeral. You had longed for him to be sitting in the first pew next to you, to have had his hand to hold onto to ground you, but it hardly would have been appropriate. Your Nonna would have sooner risen from the dead than have had a Cameron front row at her funeral.

As soon as he was close enough, Rafe reached for you, pulling your body tight into him. Your head landed on his chest and the sobs came moments later. God, he always smelled the same. He just let you cry, holding you close, smoothing his hand over your hair.

“I know you’re selling your grandma’s house but I was thinking you could stay with me for the summer," he said as your tears began to slow. It was hard to imagine that you wouldn't return to the Outer Banks once school let out. It was the first week of May already and you could feel the tourist-attracting town waking up. But selling the house just made more sense. Your older sister was already living her life in New York, a real adult life. Next summer, you'd be moving out too, headed to college. The house would sit empty for eight months out of the year, your family couldn't keep it and your uncle certainly didn’t want it. Selling it just had to happen.

You stepped back, slipping out of his embrace. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Rafe.”

“Why not?”

“Cause we’re like Romeo and Juliet.”

“I copied Cleo’s notes for that unit," he joked, trying to lighten to damp mood. “Plus I was never a fan of Leo DiCaprio so I didn’t finish the movie either.”

“It means we’re not supposed to be together, you and me. And whenever we try, the universe rips us apart. We hurt each other.”

Rafe shifted awkwardly on his feet, clearly wanting to reach for you again but stopping himself from doing it. “But I can't lose you.”

You reached your hand out, brushing away a strand of hair that had fallen in front of his eyes. “Oh Rafe, don’t you get it? You never really had me.” You stood up onto your tiptoes to kiss him just like you had the first time three years ago. Rafe barely parted his lips, kissing you back gently. Your hand cupped his face, your thump stroking over his cheek. It was a goodbye. Both of you knew it. It was an ending and this was your closure. You pulled away, your hand falling away from his face.

You couldn’t bring yourself to say the actual words. Your eyes fell to the ground. You needed to walk away now. You side-stepped Rafe but he grabbed your waist, turning you back around to face him.

“So that’s it? You’re not even gonna try to fight for us?”

“What even is there to fight for, Rafe? I’ve been fighting for us for the past four years. If we were supposed to be together that car wouldn’t have crashed into ours, I wouldn’t have fallen for Evan when I did, we wouldn’t be having this conversation at my Nonna’s funeral. What? Are we supposed to do long distance for all of college? I hardly know who I am right now. I have no idea who I’ll be in the next four years. Our future selves might not even like each other. I’m not gonna wait around for you Rafe and I would never ask you to do that for me.” You twirled the small, star charm between your fingers, a nervous habit you'd developed over the past year. His eyes dropped down to your neck momentarily and his adam's apple visibly bobbing as he swallowed his next weeks.

“You were it for me, you know. I tried to give a fuck about anyone else but I couldn’t get your gorgeous, stupid face out of my mind. I only wanted you.” Rafe paused gauging your reaction “I was falling in love with you.”

Your eyes wandered over his stoic expression. “The feeling was mutual, Rafe Cameron.”

He dropped your wrist but you both stood, not moving or saying anything. “Do you wanna walk me back to the car?”

“Yeah.” He reached for your hand, interlocking your fingers. Your other hand held onto his bicep so you walked together through the graveyard back to the parking lot.

The moment felt precious and delicate, like the fragile china your Nonna used to collect. You wondered what would happen to all that china.

Rafe placed a chaste kiss on your lips before opening the door of the car.

“I’ll miss you,” you said, the words hanging in the air meaning so much.

“Me too,” Rafe agreed.

You wanted one more kiss, one more passionate declaration of how much this all had meant but that would make leaving Rafe so much more impossible.

You climbed into the car, dropping Rafe’s hand in the process.

“See you around Cameron.” You knew it wouldn’t happen but it felt better than a goodbye.

He smiled back. “Maybe so.”

Perhaps Rafe was right and you’d both end up at a small liberal arts college in California taking the same second-year Econ class with a professor who always smelled like weed. Perhaps the stars would align and two of you would realize the universe wasn’t trying to keep you apart. It was just waiting for the right moment to show you that the love you had for each other was the soulmates, forever and ever kind of love. Perhaps you would get married and Sarah would be your maid of honor, of course. You’d buy back your Nonna’s house to raise your troubling-making kids in. Perhaps, you would find your way back and wake up each day and choose each other again and again.

Or perhaps, he'd always be your right-person-wrong-time. And, in the end, the passing days will steal away your memories of the blue-eyed boy from the Outer Banks.

taglist! @oreoenthusiast13

[keanureevesisbae]

Mister Cavill, your dog is kinda fat - Epilogue

Summary: Veterinarian Olivia Tran has zero time for bullshit. After becoming a mom at age twenty three, the one thing she wants is a good life for her daughter Vanessa. Her ex didn’t want anything to do with her nor the baby and she decided that man are officially banned out of her life. But then she meets Henry Cavill at her clinic and her ban slowly starts to crumble apart. Henry on the other hand is looking for one thing: a family. And when he meets Olivia Tran, he finds just that.

Henry Cavill x Olivia Tran (ofc)

Warnings: None

Wordcount: 4.1k

A/N: This will be Vanessa’s pov

Masterlist // Previous chapter //

9 years later

Name: Vanessa Tran-Cavill

Subject: English

Teacher: Mrs. Allen

Grade: 100/100 — Vanessa, you are such a talented writer. You raised the bar for every other essay I’m going to read in my entire career left as an English teacher. You have such a wonderful role model in your life. Please cherish your family for the rest of your life!

The one who taught me everything - an essay about Olivia Tran-Cavill, the greatest inspiration for me.

I was raised by the toughest woman alive. I know that a lot of kids say that about their mom, but allow me to explain why Olivia Tran-Cavill is the toughest woman I know in my life.

Her boyfriend left her when she told him she was pregnant with me, her own family (meaning her parents and her two brothers) practically disowned her, and on top of that she just started a job as a freshly minted veterinarian.

If I were in her shoes, I’d be terrified, struck by multiple breakdowns on a daily basis, but not my mom. She raised me all by herself, barely having a break or a moment of her own. I was her number one priority. She told me to be kind, to be honest and polite: personality traits that provide me with the best today and for all the days to come in the future.

There was only one thing that I desperately wanted and that was a family. I wanted a dad like the kids in my class. I wanted grandparents. I wanted aunts and uncles. I wanted to have little siblings, because I knew that I would be a great big sister.

Unfortunately that wasn’t in the stars for me and my mom told me that. It takes a brave woman to say to her young child: ‘Your real dad doesn’t want you. Your grandparents kicked me out the second they found out I was pregnant with you. Your uncles never spoke to me again.’

It hurt obviously. There were people walking around here that shared DNA with me, that were family, but they made it pretty clear that they didn’t want me nor my mother. To this day they still haven’t reached out and they honestly don’t know what they are missing out on. At least, that is what my mom always tells me.

But my mom always told me that family wasn’t all about sharing DNA, it was about finding people that you want in your life. You can choose who your family is.

Despite that wonderful piece of advice that I definitely took to heart, I continued to make her a drawing every single day. My mom and I inside our house and outside there is a man with a dog, waiting to be allowed into our life.

Waiting to become a dad.

My dad.

One day my mom was on call and had to go to the clinic at night. She took me with her and that’s the day we met Henry and his dog Kal. Little did we all know that at that exact moment, our lives drastically changed.

Henry was more of a dad in the first hour that I had met him, then my real dad was in my entire life. For the first time in life, I had a dad figure. A man who cared not only about me, but also about my mom.

Being with Henry never drastically changed my mom. She was still the bad ass mom I always had, but it did softened her up. It made her relaxed. Henry gave her what she deserved all those years of raising me by herself. Letting someone take care of her too. There is only so much a six year old could give back to a powerhouse like her mom, but there is so much more a man like Henry Cavill can give her.

He provided us with a family. A grandma, a granddad and four lovely uncles.

And for that I have to thank my mom. She allowed Henry into her life, thus into my life and gave us six amazing Cavill family members, who cared about us and loved us up to this day.

Now, I admire her every single day. The way she takes care of not only me, but also my three sisters, is something I feel like I can never live up to. Whenever some of us walk into the room, her face lights up and she drops everything to give us her full attention.

And for that I am so incredibly thankful. She taught me so much. How to love, how to catch more flies with honey than with vinegar and she taught me that it is okay to be scared, but that it should never stop you from pursuing what you want to achieve.

I know my mom was scared when she got pregnant and was dropped by all the people she thought she could trust and rely on, but it never stopped her from pursuing what she wanted: to be a great mother and an excellent veterinarian. Knowing that, I’m going to try to be the best version of myself, though I know damn well that I can never be as amazing as her.

For me, my mom is the most influential person in my life and I wouldn’t trade her for anything in the world.

≫≫≪≪

With my freshly graded essay, I walk towards my locker. This is such a great way to end the week. I worked my ass off on this essay and the fact that mrs. Allen gave me the full hundred out of hundred points is unbelievable. She never gives people higher than ninety points probably. I feel like I’m the first student in her entire career to score the highest grade possible.

‘There she is.’ I look up to see Trey walking up to me, already undoing his tie. He always tells me that he hates that thing with a passion and while I suggest he uses a clip on tie (like half the school does), he keeps on wearing the regular one. I think it’s so he can continue to bitch about it. ‘You’re going to Jimmy’s party tonight, right?’

I shake my head. ‘I’m sorry, Trey, I can’t. I have plans with my family.’

‘The entire family?’ he asks, as he leans against the row of lockers besides mine.

‘Yes, the entire family.’

‘And there is absolutely no change at all that you can ditch them?’

I can’t stop my chuckle. Usually I go out on Friday, especially if Trey invites me, but right now I really can’t go. ‘It’s important,’ I say to him. I see him fake pouting, causing me to roll my eyes. ‘Come on, don’t pout. Jimmy has parties every two weeks. I’ll be at the next one.’

Trey grins. ‘I’ll hold you to that, V. Tell your mom I said hi and also say that to your dad, because I’m afraid he’ll kick my ass next time he sees me. Oh, and say hi to your sisters, will you?’

A few weeks ago Trey came over to my place, because we were going to do algebra homework together (and because we wanted to spend time together). Dad was ready to embarrass the shit out of me (I think he has been waiting for this moment since he adopted me to be honest—he seemed to well prepared), but mom swooped right in and Trey felt instantly at ease. Ever since then, he asks me how she is doing when I see him at school.

I know it’s tough for Trey. He wasn’t raised with a mother, since she passed away during his birth, but her three brothers raised him. He loves them dearly and because of that, he can handle my dad’s antics just fine. However it’s nice for him to have a motherly figure in his life, since his uncles never dated (they would get along well with my uncles) and my mom is the right person for that.

After that algebra homework moment we had, he has been coming over a lot more often and just a few days ago, I saw him giving my mom a hug. When I asked her about it, she told me that he always likes it when he is here and it turns out, that he told her all about growing up with only his uncles and how she feels like a mom figure to him. I like how he is welcomed into my family. My sisters are absolutely smitten with him and they love it when I bring him over, since they wished I was a boy, so they could have a brother.

It’s always nice to know that your sisters love you for who you are.

‘You know, you can come over too,’ I say, not wanting Trey to leave. ‘If you want to of course.’

‘Are you sure?’ he asks, but he already has a telling smile on his face. ‘I just don’t want to intrude an important event.’

‘You won’t,’ I laugh. ‘It’s been ten years since my dad officially adopted me. We’re going to celebrate at my grandparents’ place. My uncles will be there, my aunt, nephews and my sisters.’

Trey smiles. ‘Well, if you invite me.’

I close my locker and say: ‘We are going to celebrate this whole weekend, but you can only stay today if you want to, so you won’t miss Jimmy’s party.’

‘I don’t really care about Jimmy’s party,’ Trey admits. ‘I only wanted to spend time with you.’

It’s obvious that we have a crush on each other, it’s just that I’m afraid of committing. He doesn’t seem to mind though, that pull my hand back when he wants to hold it and that we haven’t kissed, though we’ve been on a few dates.

‘So,’ Trey says as we walk out of the school, ‘your dad adopted you ten years ago.’

I nod. ‘Yeah, he made me an official Cavill from that day. If I’m being completely honest, I never thought I’d have a dad. I always thought that it was going to be me, my mom and my pleads for a dad. For such a long time I thought it was enough, though deep down I wanted a dad, but sometimes it’s just not meant for everyone, right?’

Trey nods. ‘Right.’

‘I still remember the day we met him and Kal,’ I say. ‘And I just knew that I wanted that man as my father. I was six and though I need saw my mom with a man, I just knew that they were meant for each other, you know. We were standing around the examination table, because Kal was sick and I thought to myself that this was the man that not only I wanted in my life, but my mom needed as well.’

Trey’s fingers brush against mine and I hold onto his hand, for the first time in the weeks that we are circling around each other.

I think back to the times where it was just my mom and I. She was so strong for all those years of raising me, telling me the painful truth about my biological dad, my grandparents and uncles from her side of the family, arranging all different sorts of shifts at the animal clinic and bringing me to work when necessary.

I admire my mother and the way she carefully picked out a man that was worthy of becoming my dad, of adopting me and giving me his last name. I had been Vanessa Tran for so many years, but becoming Vanessa Tran-Cavill, had been such a blessing and for the first time in seven years, I had a dad, someone who cared about me.

Someone who loved me.

And right now, I have seen how much he loved my mom, me and my sisters. I admired the way dad took care of us, while still having an acting career. He played in seven movies since I met him and five of those were being filmed here in the UK, since he didn’t want to leave us for too long.

He posts about us on Instagram sometimes, but always disables the comments. A lot of people know that I’m his daughter, but they mostly find out when we’ve known each other for a while.

Trey and I get out of the bus, but I stop him, before we walk off to my grandparents’ house. ‘I just want to prepare you. I have four nosey uncles and a granddad who just starts to talk, not knowing when to stop.’

‘It’s nothing I can’t handle,’ he laughs. ‘Remember, I grew up with three uncles and their friends. This will be peanuts.’

I smile. ‘Yeah, you’re right.’ I squeeze his hand. ‘Trey, before we go into the backyard, I have to admit something.’

‘I like you too,’ he says. ‘And I don’t mind taking it slow.’

My eyes widen. ‘How did you know I was going to say that?’

‘You’re predictable, Tran.’ Trey smiles and I roll my eyes. ‘It’s honestly no big deal. I really like you and your family and though I feel comfortable enough to go at my pace, I don’t want to force you into stuff.’ He gives me a squeeze back in my hand. ‘Your pace and no one else’s.’ He pulls me to him and wraps me up in a tight hug. I feel his chin on top of my head and I let out a sigh, before I close my eyes, nuzzling my face in his chest. This feels nice, I could get used to this.

I pull back a little, to carefully press a kiss on his jaw. ‘Come on, let’s go,’ I say, pulling him with me to the gate at the back of the yard. Together we walk into the backyard and I see everyone is already there. Uncles Piers, Niki and Charlie are standing near the barbecue, as my nine year old sister Elodie is poking Charlie in his sides. Belle has wrapped her arms around uncle Simon’s neck, giving him tons of kisses. Belle’s two year old son Hugh is trying to kick the ball, but he misses and falls flat on his bum. He waddles over to Belle, who is currently expecting another boy in four months.

My five year old sisters Chloe and Heather are the first to notice me. ‘Vanessa!’ they scream in unison, rushing towards me and wrapping their arms around my waist. ‘We missed you.’

‘I missed you guys too,’ I chuckle.

‘And you brought Trey!’ Chloe notices, jumping in his arms. ‘You are staying here for the barbecue?’

‘Of course,’ Trey says with a smile. ‘I wouldn’t miss it for the world, munchkin.’

Everyone looks up and gives me hugs and introduce themselves to Trey if they haven’t met him already. Grandpa Colin gives me a big hug and slips fifty pounds not only in my hand, but also in Trey’s hand. ‘So you can take her out on a date, young man,’ he tells Trey.

When we walk over to my parents, Trey says: ‘Damn, I get fifty pounds for showing up here. Should I tell your grandad when my birthday is?’

‘Don’t,’ I say sternly, pinching his side.

Kal licks my hand and I scratch him on top of his head. He is not fat anymore (as if my mother would allow that). He is also not as active as he used to be when I met him, but he is still the most loyal and biggest sweetheart in the world, always taking care of me and my sisters.

My mom holds out her arms and Trey doesn’t hesitate for a minute to be engulfed in her arms. Dad wraps his arms around my waist and bumps his nose against my cheek. Elodie, Chloe and Heather often wonder why we do that, but it’s our thing and it’ll always be our thing. ‘There you are, sunshine,’ he says.

‘It’s a special day today,’ I say. ‘You have any regrets?’

He scoffs. ‘Are you kidding me? As if I could have regrets.’

‘You still have the receipt?’

He laughs. ‘Like I would ever use that.’ He gives me a kiss on my cheek and says: ‘You brought your boyfriend with you, I see.’

Normally I’d protest against his antics, but now… I actually don’t mind. I quite like it actually. I like the idea of Trey being my boyfriend. ‘Well, yeah.’

Dad gives me a big kiss, before he places me on my feet again. Trey wipes his hands clean on his jeans, before he extends his hand to my dad. I don’t quite know what happens after that, because mom pulls me into a hug. Though I’m seventeen now and my mom is reaching the forty already, she barely aged.

It’s admirable, really. After she gave birth to Elodie and she lost that much blood, it was the scariest experience in my life. I thought, with the way everyone was looking at each other when dad called, my mom would die. It took her six months to recover and I helped out the best I could, but I knew that asking for another sibling too soon, wouldn’t help. Four years after she had Elodie, she became pregnant with twins and after that she did not want more kids. Ideally she wanted three, I remember her saying that to dad, but now she had four and though she loved it, it was enough.

‘How was school?’ mom asks.

‘It was great. I got my English essay back.’

‘Oh really? How did you do?’

‘I’ll tell you in a minute.’

Mom tilts her head when she looks at Henry and Trey, who seem to hit it off actually. ‘You chose a good one,’ she tells me. ‘So proud of you, sweetheart.’ Mom wraps her arm around my waist and gives me a kiss. ‘Oh no, mom!’ she yells to grandma Marianne. ‘Wait, don’t carry everything.’ Mom rushes off to the kitchen and I can’t hide my smile.

I’m happy that all these people are my family. From the looks of Trey, he actually is a bit nervous. I walk up to him and my dad and wrap my arm around his hips. He is tense, but wraps his arm around my shoulders. ‘You’re not bugging him, are you, dad?’

‘No, of course not,’ he says, but I cock my eyebrow, causing him to say: ‘Just asking him what he will do with that fifty pound your grandpa gave him.’

Of course my dad noticed that.

He excuses himself, walking up to the barbecue, lifting up Elodie in the process. I look up at Trey and I ask: ‘I thought you said this would be peanuts?’

‘It will be peanuts,’ he tells me. ‘Just have to warm up a bit.’ He smiles, pearly white teeth framed by his full lips. ‘This definitely helps.’

‘Okay, love birds,’ uncle Niki yells, ‘come on. We’re getting ready to eat.’

I feel a blush creep up on my cheeks, but despite that, I still chuckle. He laces his fingers through mine, as we walk to the big table in the backyard under the parasol. ‘I just want to say one thing,’ grandma Marianne says, ‘and that is that I want to thank my son for overfeeding his dog, so he met the greatest veterinarian of all times, who—together with her oldest daughter—brought so much joy and happiness into the family.’

‘Mom, it has been ten years!’ dad says. ‘Please, let it go. I’m not overfeeding Kal anymore.’

It has been an ongoing joke, every time my dad gives Kal a little snack, at least one of the entire Cavill Clan says something along the lines of that we have to hide the other snacks.

‘But anyways,’ grandma says, ‘I am so happy that now we are this big and happy family. It’s all I really wanted.’

Everyone takes a deep breath, because we all realize that it could’ve gone so differently. I clear my throat and say: ‘I got my English essay back and got myself a hundred out of a hundred points.’

‘Shut up!’ uncle Piers says. ‘You got a perfect score? When was the last time something like that happened with us?’

‘None of you boys ever got a perfect score,’ grandpa Colin says. He sometimes can’t remember how to use the remote, what my sisters or my name is, but this he knows.

‘Anyways,’ I say, ‘it does have something to do with what happened ten years ago. I mean, becoming officially a Cavill has been the greatest thing ever. I watched my life do a complete one eighty and though I have to thank my dad for that, there is one woman who absolutely changed my life and is such a wonderful role model for not only me, but also my sisters, that I decided to write my essay about my mom.’

Mom’s eyes widen, before she scrunches up her nose. ‘Why?’

This is such a typical reaction from her, so I cannot stop my laugh. ‘Because mom, you are amazing. Everything that I have, started with you. Everything I understand, I do, I think about, is because of the way you took care of me and raised me. I know that I tell you this a lot, but mom, I love you so so much and everything you did for me, it’s so admirable. I owe so much to you.’

Mom clears her throat. ‘Oh sweetie,’ she mumbles. ‘You don’t owe me anything.’

‘You did so well, mom,’ I whisper. ‘I’m so lucky to have been raised by you.’

She grabs my hand and gives me a loving squeeze. ‘Sweetheart, could you come with me for a second?’

The two of us walk inside of the house, as we hear conversation strike up behind us. The second we are out of sight, she wraps her arms around me. This is what she always does, not wanting to cry in front of the other Cavills, always going to a secluded place. ‘I love you, Vanessa,’ she whispers. ‘I think I’ve done a pretty good job with you.’

I can’t help but laugh. ‘You did an excellent job, mom. You are honestly the biggest power house I’ve ever met.’

‘Could you imagine what would’ve happened if Belle was able to baby sit you?’ mom asks. ‘Because you, my love, charmed yourself a way into your father’s heart.’

I chuckle. ‘I kinda did, didn’t I?’

Mom smiles, as she holds tightly onto my hands. ‘I know you always thank me for giving you the family you always wanted, but remember: if you weren’t so instantly in love with your dad, I don’t know if I had given it a shot to be honest.’

That is such a weird thought, I think to myself. I always stop myself when I want to think about the ‘what ifs’ and my entire family never really brought it up. Maybe when I was younger, but never with me. But what if indeed I were to stay over at Belle’s place, I would’ve never known that Henry was there probably. Imagine the life that we would’ve had. Maybe I had given my biological father Wesley a chance and then I didn’t have my three wonderful sisters.

‘What are you two doing here? Poor Trey is being questioned by Niki, Charlie and grandpa and the old man is not holding back.’ My dad walks in and though he has reached the ripe age of forty eight, he is still the tall and bulked up man that I met in the examination room. He is still the man that loved me like I was his own.

‘Just thanking my daughter for being such a lovely girl, who charmed her way into your heart.’

‘Oh, you sure did,’ dad says with a smile. ‘My lovely sunshine, I love you so much and I can’t believe it’s been more than ten years since I met you and your mom.’ He wraps his arms around us and says: ‘Though I still feel the fear of Kal vomiting on the carpet with blood, I am so grateful that you picked up and the other clinics didn’t.’ He presses a kiss on my mom’s forehead.

‘Dad, when did you realize you were in love with mom?’

‘Well, I told myself that I shouldn’t have a crush on someone that I barely knew,’ dad says, ‘but I can tell you that deep down in my heart I knew that this beautiful woman stole my heart the second she said the seven words that I’ll never forget. Mister Cavill, your dog is kinda fat.’

≫≫≪≪

Bonus instagram posts:

Elodie and Vanessa

Elodie with Olivia

Pregnant with twins!

Pre teen Vanessa showing Henry that he is an actual boomer

Chloe and Heather

Vanessa as a teenager

Elodie as a teenager

Chloe and Heather as teenagers

A/N: soooo this is the end of this wonderful story, though I wish this would go on forever. Thank you so much to all the people who have been reading this, leaving lovely comments. Thanks to this story I gained so many new followers. I never expected it to blow up like this haha. Not to self promote but will do anyway, but please check out my other works if you haven’t already (and if you want to of course, I’m not going to force you to read my other fics) and of course I’ll be back with other fun projects, that I obviously will announce like usual 🤗

[madsdefencesquad]

another kevison fanfic none of you asked for (also on ao3):

[Thread] Who's the nicest celeb you've met in real life?

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Kevin Pearson. Was an extra for one of his movies and couldn’t be any nicer. Chatted with us even though technically you weren’t supposed to. He joked around a lot and showed us pics of his family. Real top bloke.

-

I met this guy once on vacation in Italy. We were at a table next to him and my newborn was screaming bloody murder, mom was in the bathroom. Couldn’t quite calm my son and I was getting real embarrassed with the loud noise. Some of the waiters came over to their table to ask if they wanted to move but Kevin shut them down immediately. Actually got a bit cross that they even suggested it. His wife suggested to rock my baby on the side to make him stop and he did! She knows a few tricks having twins and stuff. Also shared that joy/misery thing of being first time parents. Anyway, they left first (they got there earlier) and we learned after that they paid for our meals too. Couldn’t believe it.

replied: Wow. That’s the so fucking nice of them.

replied: Yeah made my wife cry haha

-

I’ve heard only good things about him too! My mom lives in Philly and his brother was running for city council a few years back and he was there and took photos with all the Korean mamas including my own and my grandma! apparently he smells really expensive :P

-

Didn’t know that I was fully chatting up his wife at Starbucks until I saw a pic of them at the premiere for one of his movies. I’d be embarrassed by my god she was fantastic! 10/10 would’ve gone for it if I wasnt such a potato

replied: And wasn’t married.

replied: That too

-

My daughter was an extra on one of his movies and says he’s the nicest guy and “such a dad” lol! And her dad’s a real “dad” dad so for her to say that about a famous actor is funny

-

I used to teach his kids in my kindergarten class. Daughter’s wicked smart. I can tell you all the mothers would have a fit every time he’d come by to pick them up and if it’s not his wife or them together, it’s him. Very hands on. I’d say that counts for nice.

-

Rocked out to a Lady Gaga show with him and his wife in Vegas. His wife and I are practically best friends now! We’re on first name basis ;)

replied: Sounds fun! What were they there for if you don’t mind me asking? Coz isn’t he like sober now?

replied to a reply: I think it was for a niece’s birthday or something? Couldn’t remember, was pretty wild night :P And I didn’t see any drinks.Even his wife wasn’t drinking I think? They were literally there to enjoy Gaga like the rest of us

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I love hearing stories about him like this because it always looks like he’s such a pretentious pretty boy jerk especially back in the day

replied: Getting your life sorted can change a man

replied to a reply: Yeah he’s pretty mellowed out since getting sober. He’s had that DUI and rehab stint but now he’s a real family man and seems to love his wife very much. Good for him.

-

Doesn’t he remind you of George Clooney? Got married late and had boy girl twins and is loving life!

replied: True!!

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Not sure if everybody knows but his wife Madison is pretty big in the interior design space especially coz she like pretty much runs their fam construction business. I follow her on Insta and I know everyone has a crush on Kevin but I’d pick her over him any day!

replied: OMG YES SAME! She puts together these amazing DIY palettes and I’m obsessed! I’d also pick her over him any day even just to pick her brain

replied to a reply: She also recommends the best books!!!

-

My mom’s in the planning side of construction and met his wife in West Chester. She did a presentation and afterwards her and my mom shared parenting tips like they’re in some mom club. Apparently she was the sweetest and her babies are adorable and also Kevin calls a lot lol

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Met him at the airport, wife’s a huge fan of the manny so sucked my gut to ask for a pic. When he found out it’s for the missus, he recorded a special vid saying his iconic line. Missus was over the moon. Real good fella

replied: MANNY SAY WHAAATTTTT

replied: That’s so nice

replied: He did for my mom as well! All the moms love him!

-

Kevin Pearson helped re-build my grandparents’ burned down convenience store. Couldn’t thank him enough even if I tried

replied: Wow, that’s real generous. How are the grandparents?

replied to a reply: Thanks! They’re over the moon. They have a house near the area but gran said he’d come by with his kids from time to time. Even if gran didn’t want to, they always insisted to pay for whatever the kids wanted.

-

Delivered the cake for his uncle (grandpa’s?) wedding and he gave a seriously generous tip. Oh and his wife packed me pigs in the blanket.

replied: Pigs in the blanket?! What in the middle school

replied: Apparently it was the uncle/grandad’s favorite or something and they double ordered. But who cares free food!

replied to a reply: Did it come with ketchup?

replied to a reply: Hot, wrapped in foil and handful of ketchup packets. I felt like one of the kids

-

Not him but his brother who’s like a big shot in politics right now. Real top guy and had the best laugh

-

This doesn’t sound real but I’ve bumped into him literally five times over the past year he’ll probably think I’m some stalker. Rarely saw him without his family and once his kid threw a ball at me. He apologised but c’mon you either throw a ball or bounce it no big deal. Besides, that kid has David Beckham’s kids manners. Real like English folk polite it’s insane

replied: That’s always nice to hear that celebrity kids aren’t spoiled brats. We know a few good of them are

replied to a reply: Celebrity kids are different from kid celebrities though

replied to a reply: Didn’t say they were the same? Just saying that for a kid of someone so rich and famous you’d think they’d be a bit more spoiled but they weren’t at all and was beyond respectful and that’s a testament to the parents.

replied to a reply: Agree. I’ve met this particular celebrity’s kids and mind you they’re teens now but god they were just awful and pretentious. Even more than their famous parent which is saying something

-

Not him but I did meet that actress that was so embarrassingly flirty around him during the press conference of hat film he did a few years back. She’s a real bitch and so fake and I’m so glad she’s been dropped from the sequel

replied: Oh god yeah I remember her. She was so obnoxious laughing at everything he said like stfu it’s not that funny!!!! The secondhand embarrassment watching her and him being all polite about it *chills*

replied: She’s the worst. No talent

replied to a reply: I was an extra for some scenes in that movie and she was WAY worse and such a diva for someone unknown. Kevin’s a real nice guy though and just let her be. He talks about his wife and kids a lot but she would not take a hint!

replied to a reply: That is just embarrassing

-

Alright story time. Was working as a barista at a cafe and it was one of those really shitty days. He came in, ordered and waited and was all nice and took some pics with fans. Anyway, like I said shitty day so I mixed up his coffee order and got him two lattes instead of cappuccinos. Mind you, it was a busy asf day as well and I was the only one making coffees. He comes over and tells me and I apologise but by this time my manager’s already all up on my ass for serving Kevin Pearson incorrectly. He kept apologising to him and berating me till Kevin himself stepped in and told the manager off. But like calmly and stuff like it’s no big deal and people make mistakes whatever and I kid you fucking not he apologised to me too and said I was doing a good job. He probably won’t know how much that meant to me after an already shitty as day but it did. I made sure to make him the best fucking cappuccinos

replied: I’ve met him in irl too and he is this!

-

I saw him sitting at a cafe with his daughter. Super nice. Asked him if I could get an autograph for my mom who’s a huge fan. He asked me some questions about her and wrote a really nice autograph, for her. His daughter stuck one of her stickers on there too and my mom loved that even more. I told him where she works (at a grocers) and he went out of his way to shop there the next day and made a point to look for her and chat. Great, great dude

replied: That is so fucking cool man. And your mom must’ve been so happy!

replied to a reply: She was over the moon! She loves his wife too! Apparently she was even chattier than Kevin haha

-

Met him at the airport. I was an employee and he had some TSA questions. Genuinely nice and friendly, chatted for about 15min. After he was set, we shook hands, he had his kids say thank you individually with a high five. Adorable. His wife was super nice and friendly too. Very good social interaction, would participate again

[guiltysecretpasttime]

Adversity - 13-B

Labelling this as ‘chapter 13-B’ in tumblr .

Edit: Ended up as part of chapter 13 in A03.

---

Adversity details

Multi-chapter, work in progress, AU, pre-LoK,

Latest status: up to Chapter 12 uploaded in A03

Blurb: Lin and Tenzin are both at the height of their respective     careers – she with the Metalbending Police and he with the Air Nation.     Questions about their future begin to arise and things come to a head when     Lin responded to an emergency call. Would her job take them from each     other forever? Eventual happy ending. Alternatively: The one where Lin and     Tenzin had to go through adversity like Lin’s dangerous job, a near-death     experience, temporary separation and memory loss, unplanned pregnancy and     Tenzin’s responsibilities before they end up with a family.

Tumblr chapters 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | go to AO3 for chapters in between | 13

Ao3 link |   Ff.net link

---

Adversity – 13-B

There were muffled voices outside of the room and before they could even react, the door was shoved open.

"Chief!"

"Aunt!"

Tenzin usually felt that Toph Beifong was larger than life; never mind her blindness or stature. Today was no exception.

“I received this note at the Jasmine Dragon and I thought - this I have to ‘see’ for myself.”  The earthbender entered the room unceremoniously, fingers forming air-quotations to explain her presence. "And lo and behold, you're in bed with Airhead Junior already, so I guess you're doing just fine."

“I’m not in bed – she’s – we’re not -!” Tenzin sputtered, leaning back hurriedly to disguise the fact that half of his body was actually on the bed.

Lin rolled her eyes. “I don’t care that you’re the chief but don’t you ever knock?”

“Were the chief. That’s the past.” Toph perched herself at the end of Lin’s bed. “I’m here as your mother.” She tilted her head. “Surely that’s gotta hold some weight to you?”

“Not a lot, but sure.” Lin tossed, unaffected.

Well-versed in how Beifongs conduct themselves, the airbender knew that both were affected by this meeting under the veneer of snark and nonchalance.

Tenzin sought to make himself scarce. “I -uh – I can leave the two of you alone for now. I think I’ll check if the others have returned from their tour.” He gently extricated his hand from Lin’s grip, squeezing it once and receiving a squeeze back.

He pretended not to see the tears fall from their eyes as the two Beifong women hugged each other when he closed the door behind him.

“Hey Badge.”

“Mom.”

This was private for them.

He breathed.

She’ll be okay.

 ---

It was a trigger, they confirmed.

Katara explained from Lin’s medical files that Lin was likely submerged in water for quite some time before she was rescued. The sudden sea spray and saltwater must have triggered the memory.

While Lin’s blood pressure was recommended to be monitored closely, the vitals of both mother and child are strong, to everyone’s relief (especially Tenzin’s).

Upon arriving from their tour, Katara immediately went straight to Lin’s room upon hearing of the panic attack. After the routine check-up, the waterbender left the Beifongs alone. There remained to be a strain between Toph and the rest. The last time they had all been together was during Lin’s memorial months back – after she had accused everyone of not trying their best in locating Lin.

***

Toph has been with her daughter for hours now. Su had joined them at some point as well (even if it was with a lot of hesitation).

Everyone was pleased with this development. It was evident in the lightness that was not there before; a lightness that will be there at least until the three Beifongs would rejoin them.

Lin, Su and Toph talking for hours hints of a reconciliation among them. Su had confided in Kya a few nights ago that she had been worrying about her tentative reconnection with her sister. It may seem well and good now but what if Lin regains her memories and decides to retain to original stance regarding Su?

If Tenzin were to be honest with himself, he had been toying with the same fear as well. The spirits know that they definitely had not parted well before The Accident. He had been about to try to salvage their relationship but as far as Lin knew, he was a selfish jerk who was about to discard her for an air acolyte.

“You besotted sap, what are you frowning about now?”

Tenzin turned to his side, where Bumi seated himself on the steps, a teasing smile on his face. He had been absent-mindedly playing with Junior and Huan as they build things in the sand. He was instructed by the boys to throw around the occasional airball to test the strength of their structures or to flatten the sand so they can play more.

At the moment, the boys were attempting to replicate what Zaofu looked like on the sand and so were ignoring him until he needed to do some clean up.

Tenzin’s own brother then nudged his shoulder. “Anything I can do for ya?”

He shook his head no, still lost in thought.

The airbender is happy for Lin, truly. He could not imagine how she might have been feeling the past months – alone, injured, pregnant and with lost memories to boot. He should not and cannot even find it in himself to even be remotely selfish.

And yet…

He wanted Lin.

The laughter of the two Beifong boys drew his attention.

Rather, a family with Lin, he amended to himself. Tenzin sighed.

---

“That was one deep breath.” Bumi continued to observe, patient and knowing his brother well enough that he will speak when ready.

After a few more minutes, Huan managed to use earthbending to create a crevice in the middle of sand Zaofu. Both of them cheered the kids on.

“Uncle, where is Mommy?” Junior spoke up, green eyes darting around. “Can you call her? I think she would like to see what Huan was able to do.” The boy was proud of his brother despite not being able to bend himself.

Bumi grinned, the kid kind of reminded himself of well…himself. Back when Tenzin managed to make his first air wheel.

“Well, kid, I’m sure your mommy would be proud of both of you.” He pointed to the fairly complicated and detailed sand city on the ground. “But I think Su is busy right now.”

“She’s with your Aunt Lin and Grandma.” Tenzin added.

“Grandma’s here?!”

Both kids quickly rushed towards Tenzin and Bumi, grasping Tenzin’s robes in their hands, asking to be led inside to greet their grandmother.

“Is this a good idea?” Bumi whispered to Tenzin, leaning to his side so as to not to be overheard by the excited children, who were running ahead to the rest house.

The airbender simply shrugged. There was obviously something bothering him.

“They’ve been in the room for how long now?” Bumi tried to make light of the situation. “Are you sure they aren’t throwing hands or something?”

“We’ll probably feel the earth rumble if that were the case.”

That was true. Their childhood has been literally punctuated by mini earthquakes whenever the Beifong sisters squabbled.

Bumi played with his beard. “What if the new baby Beifong turns out to be another earthbender? Imagine the chaos.”

Huan and Baatar Junior were shifting their weight from one leg to the other, practically bouncing with excitement as they arrived at Lin’s door ahead of the adults.

Bumi snorted. Figures that Suyin’s spawn were behaved enough to not burst into rooms but could be quite tactless with their words.

Tenzin stiffened as they reach the door to Lin’s room.

Bumi nodded. “Arn’t you going to go in?” At the airbender’s head shake, he took the initiative to open the door. “Knock-knock! Good afternoon, Beifongs!” He was surprised to see Su and Toph flanking Lin from both sides of the bed.

Before he could even remark or tease Lin about it, twin squeals shattered his eardrums and in went Junior and Huan.

“Boys! Don’t jump on your aunt!”

Cute. With the surfeit of Beifongs in the room, Bumi waved at them and exited quietly. He will catch up with Toph later instead.

Still grinning, Bumi turned to Tenzin and noticed he was still awkwardly standing at the corridor. His smile softened, placing an arm around Tenzin’s shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it now?”

---

Before long Tenzin’s worries, fears, and insecurities tumbled out and into his older brother’s ear.

It was quite cathartic, to be truthful.

It was different opening up to his father (the Avatar) or even his mother (who was bound to be as protective as she was judgmental – less so compared to her younger years but still).

Bumi heard him and was not bound to judge him.

Neither did he invalidate his feelings nor did he downplay the airbender’s perceived consequences of the situation.

It certainly also helped that Bumi had been away from Republic City and was able to listen with fresh perspective.

---

“Don’t cancel your dinner. You’ve prepared a lot for it.”

“No…” His voice trailed off. “I’d rather not intrude in their family time.”

“Aren’t you her family, Ten?”

---

“Ah there you are Junior!”

…

“What on earth are you doing in the kitchen? Last I heard this was Lin’s domain.”

“Uh – tonight’s dinner for Lin – I  was -.”

“Don’t you dare say you’re postponing it?” It really was discomfiting when Toph Beifong is able to stare at you in the eye. “She had been talking about it, and was particularly excited too.”

“Oh.”

“Oh – indeed.” A beat. “Don’t disappoint her, Junior.” She passed by him to exit the room. And in a lowered voice muttered. “I’m still rooting for you, despite everything.”

----

---

Note: We are getting there~ thanks for the patience and for still reading this. 

Been through some tough times the past few days (ironically, after I had thought I could probably write a little bit more). Not quite good yet but better than the past days. Hopefully. Anyhow - let me know what you think :)