So

Are you and Jamie really not going out?

(☉_☉)

୧( ˵ ° ~ ° ˵ )୨ 

Elias almost spit out his water, reaching for a napkin to cover his mouth as he coughed. It's not that Mia’s text surprised him, he had just found it funny.

“Whoa, you ok there, pal?” A man sitting next to him patted his back.

“Yeah. Yeah.” Elias reassured him, laughing. “My friend is just being dumb.”

“Tch, and here I thought you finally got yourself a girlfriend.” The man clicked his tongue. 

The man was of fit build, his muscles above average and his smile couldn’t be obscured by his thick, trimmed beard. His dirty blond was short and styled to the side, letting his clear eyes glow on his fair skin.

“Shut up, Adam.” Elias chuckled. “I’ll let you know when I start going out, I promise”

“You better.” The man complained. “Aah, I don't want to go back to work.”

“You never do.”

“Do you?”

“Not really, but you don’t hear me complain every day.” Elias poked at his coworker.

“Well that’s because you like being behind a desk! I hate it! It’s so boriiing.” Adam dropped his head on the table, looking up at Elias to see the young man smile. “I’m grateful that the company was so nice and thoughtful after my accident, and I do have a better paying position right now but…”

“But you miss being out in the field and bossing people around.” Elias finished.

“Exactly!”

“You still boss people around though.”

“No. People complain to me and I scold them, that’s different.” Adam sat up straight, his bushy brows kitting. “And then, they try giving me excuses. Mind you, excuses that I taught them! And they want to use them on me? They’re twenty years too early!”

“You’re talking like an old man, Adam.” Elias simply continued eating his lunch.

“Well I can’t help it.” Adam followed suit, chomping on his sandwich. “They make me feel old.”

“You’re what? 32?”

“Yep!” The man puffed his chest. “Either way those guys are still too young to fool me, at least 12 years too young.” 

“Oh come on, at least it’s good practice for when you have kids-” He stopped on his tracks. “Oh… Sorry.”

“No, no.” Adam sighed, a smile that didn't quite reached his eyes on his lips. “It’s okay. Honestly, comments like that give me hope.”

“Are you and your wife still trying?” Elias asked with a gentle voice.

“We are, but we’ve also started to consider adopting.”

“Hey, that’s a pretty big step.” Elias smiled, encouraging him.

“Yeah well, our families aren’t really on board with that.”

“Well, they say adopting is pretty hard.”

“Being a father is hard no matter what. Adopting just has a few extra steps and depending on how it goes you’ll miss some years of the kid's growth. But in the end… Me and my wife have the means of raising a child, and we want to, even if we didn’t conceive them.”

Elias patted his coworker’s back. “You’ll be a great dad.”

“Thanks.” Adam laughed. “Maybe you can give me some tips about how you were raised, your parents did an amazing job with you.”

“... Thanks.” Elias smiled. “I’ll tell mom you think so.”

“Pff, I’m sure she knows.”

“Yeah. Guess she does.”

***

Driving after a long day at work, and hearing more of Adam’s complaining, was always relaxing to him. Elias had music playing on his stereo, subtly, the engine louder than the melodies. He enjoyed this time alone, it wasn’t the same as being alone in that two story house, he felt… Comfortable here, his world confined to his small car.

Stopping at the traffic light, Elias looked at a family that crossed the street. He remembered a time when he walked down the street holding his mother’s hand, following after his grandparents who enthusiastically led the way. He also imagined Adam and his wife one day walking cheerfully like that, a kid or two holding on to their hands. 

He stopped in front of a house at least twice as big as his, the railing gate opening for him, revealing a green front yard with two free parking spaces. He entered and took one.

Elias turned off the engine of his car, hearing the front door slam open and hurried, light steps rushing to him.

“Elly!” He heard a juvial voice call out to him and next thing he knew, a small girl glomped against him, burying her face in his stomach.

“Oof.” Exhaled Elias. “Hello Princess Emily.” He patted her head.

“Did my prince come???” The girl in a glittery pink tutu looked up to him, brown eyes sparkling.

Her black hair was neatly tied in a high-ponytail, her bangs held back with colorful hair pins. Her round cheeks were brightly flushed, covered in her skirt’s glitter.

“Sorry princess, Jamie had to work late today.” Elias said, taking her hand and leading her back inside the house.

“Awww!” She gasped. “How dare they make my prince work so much?”

Closing the door, Elias was welcomed by the subtle scent of ginger and soy sauce. He’d for sure have white rice with his food tonight.

“Mom?” He called out.

“In the kitchen, dear.” A mature lady’s voice responded.

Elias walked into the kitchen after letting go of Emily’s hand, the girl running out of his sight.

“Hey mom.” He reached in to kiss the woman’s cheek. In turn, she leaned in to meet his affections.

“Hello dear. How was work?” Said the woman at the stove. Her brunette shoulder-length hair was tied by a large hair clip. Her eyes hid behind her glasses, but they couldn’t obscure her milk chocolate eyes.

“It was okay. Need help with anything?” Elias offered.

“That’s alright.” She turned to smile at him. “Keep an eye on your sister though. She’s been so hyper today.” She laughed nervously.

“Is Susan Rodriguez really running low on patience? What are your students going to think about you?” Elias smirked, raising a brow.

“Nothing. If anything, my baby should be the one complaining. It’s my student’s fault I’m so tired by the time I get home from class.” Susan scoffed.

“That bad?”

“That bad. I need to talk with the teacher giving Basic Japanese 2 because ugh!” She fumed. “Anyway! Go look after Emily, you’re distracting me.”

“Ah, so that’s why you don’t want me in the kitchen. Ouch.” Elias laughed, heading to the living room where Emily sat dangerously close to the tv screen. She watched one of the classic princesses movies, and smiled proudly at his little sister preferring the traditionally animated media over the tridimensional and oftentimes uninspired renditions most studios were putting out lately.

“That’s too close princess.” Elias said, sitting on the couch. “Why not sit with me?”

“Hmm, alright!” Why did she even have to consider it?

Emily jumped to her feet and into the couch, letting herself fall on his side, her glittery tutu now decorating his jeans. She intently watched the movie, singing along whenever there was a song or even to the soundtrack.

The movie came to it’s climax, the prince had just defeated the villain and was now about to kiss the princess awake from her eternal slumber. The small girl beside him gasped in awe, her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide opened and shimmering with expectation.

“How many times have you seen this movie this week?” He asked her.

Being snapped from her trance, Emily counted with her fingers. “Today is wednesday… Five times.” She answered.

“Wow, you really like it then.”

“I do.” She giggled. “I really like the music and the princess is so pretty!” Emily jumped off the couch, spinning to the music, the last scene with the prince and the princess dancing together behind her.

“You don’t mind that the prince kissed the princess without asking her?” Elias asked, curious of his ten-year-old sister’s answer.

“How could he ask her? She was going to sleep forever if he hadn’t kissed her!” Emily flailed her arms in the air. “If I was cursed to sleep forever and the only way to save me was to have true love's kiss, I wouldn't mind Jamie to save me even if he didn’t ask me.”

“Oh, if you put it that way, then I rather you sleep forever.” Elias now reconsidered his question.

“Elly you meanie! You have to help Prince Jamie fight the evil witch since you’re my knight!”

“I still want to know why I’m a knight if you’re a princess. I should be a prince too.” Elias reached to pinch her nose.

“But you protect meee.” Emily's protest came out nasally.

“That’s fine I guess.” He let go, tapping her nose repeatedly.

“I’m home~!” They heard from the entrance, Emily pushed her brother's hand away from her face and ran to the voice.

“Daddy!” She called out.

“Hey! How’s my beautiful princess doing today?”

Elias walked up to where the family gathered, his mother was already helping her husband with his suitcase and he was carrying his daughter in his arms. His short hair was black like Emily’s, and the shade of their eyes was also very similar, if anything, Emily’s eyes were a tad clearer than her fathers and more like Susan’s.

For a moment, Elias felt alienated, out of place… Shaking his head, he walked closer to them and smiled that heavy feeling away.

“What’s up Theo? Long meeting again?” Elias laughed, shaking the man’s hand and then pulling each other into a brief hug after he had let Emily down.

“Don’t get me started on that, son.” Theo laughed, his shoulders slumping down and his brow relaxing as he took a deep breath. “I’ll tell you over dinner. I also wanna hear about everyone’s day!”

All four of them sat at the table and talked as they dined. Elias would tease his little sister, Susan would scold him, and Theo would defend the young man while his daughter called him a traitor. They were the picture perfect family, laughing and smiling together.

After dinner, Theo took a nodding Emily to bed while Elias helped his mother with the dishes.

“It’s a shame Jamie couldn’t join us tonight. How is he feeling?” Susan asked.

“He’s doing alright. He took the breakup pretty good this time.” Elias reassured her.

“I was so worried when you guys cancelled on us this Saturday… You both are such sensible boys. I’m glad you’ve never been heartbroken, but I feel like Jamie is making up for you.” She sighed.

“He’ll find someone good for him sooner or later.” Elias laughed. “We did end up locked at home all day Saturday, but we went out on Sunday and I think that helped him.”

“I honestly don’t know why he won’t move in with you, he already spends the weekends there.” Susan grumbled. “You both, causing me unnecessary worry.”

“I’m sorry?” Elias laughed. “I’ve tried convincing him, but he won’t budge. It’s not like he doesn’t keep a bunch of his stuff with me. The other way I was doing laundry and half the stuff was his.” They both laughed.

“I know he wants to prove himself to his parents but still… I wished he’d let us help him a little more.” Susan had a faint smile on her lips, her eyes glued to the plate in her hands, but her sight somewhere farther.

“We’ll always be there for him, and he knows that.” Elias hugged his mom from the side. 

“What’s the point of him knowing if he won’t take up our offer?” Susan pouted. “Bring him along next time.” She smiled up at him.

“Sure will.” Elias smiled. “Say, do we really look so much like a couple?”

“Is that a serious question?”

“Kinda?”

“You two look like an old married couple.”

Elias let out such a loud laugh that he hoped Emily wasn’t asleep yet, or that he wasn’t loud enough to wake her up.

“If you know the answer, why ask?” Susan shrugged.

“Well, we made a friend recently and she keeps asking if there’s really nothing between us. Usually when we tell people they’re wrong they just let it go, but it’s like she can’t believe us.”

“If that’s the case, there’s two possible reasons.” She eyed her son, who looked at her curiously. “One: She ships the two of you.”

“Oh my god since when do you know the meaning of shipping?”

“Shut up, I’m not that old.” She shoved her elbow on his side. “Two: She likes either of you and just wants to make sure she has a chance.”

“Pff, don’t think so.”

“Aww come on! You both are such good parties though!” She laughed. “Either way, if she’s a nice girl then it’s alright. It’ll do you both some good to have another friend around.”

“I guess you’re right. That way Jamie would have someone to go shopping with when you can’t.”

“Just go shopping with him!” Susan slapped the back of his head with a soapy hand, to which he complained and ran away when she made more soap foam to go after him.

Theo came down to find the dishes half done and the kitchen covered in soap foam. Nothing out of the ordinary.