MHA #6, Late Saturday Morning

[arboreal_priestess]

As a rule, Prices didn't RSVP to things. All that did was let your enemies know where you were going to be at any given day or time. So when an invitation for a weekend on the island showed up in Oregon (and not sent by Verity), there had been no indication that it had been received, never mind decided upon.

And, just because they were paranoid safety-conscious, they'd skipped the first day of festivities, figuring anyone keeping tabs on them would note their absence and decide they weren't going to show up.

But, let's be real. No true cryptozoologist would pass up visiting an island with gremlins, alots, and teal deer in it, especially an island right next to what might be the only surviving male dragon in the world. That, added to the possibility of annoying their sister and/or cousin? Made Parents' Weekend an event not to be missed.

"I'm telling you," Antimony complained quietly as they walked down the hallway, "it's not yet noon. Verity's not even gonna be awake yet."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure she will be," Sarah said, biting back a grin. "She's got the mice, remember?"

"And I'm telling you, I don't trust that smile," Alex said before knocking briskly on the door of Number Six.

[Specifically for one, but open!]

Comments

[firstofitskind]

The mice, and a boyfriend who was something of a morning person. As such, Liam had already been up for a few hours, had gone for a run, and stopped by Turtle & Canary for omelette ingredients.

Then of course he'd needed a shower once he was back at Verity's. Hence why he was puttering around in the kitchen in nothing but a towel when a knock sounded at the door.

He regarded it thoughtfully for a moment, but didn't yet move to answer. "You expecting anyone?" he asked Verity mildly. He had his suspicions- there was that familiar-song-in-an-unfamiliar-key feeling in the back of his head that usually accompanied Sarah's presence- but Verity hadn't said anything about anyone visiting for the weekend.

[arboreal_priestess]

Verity was wearing one of Liam's shirts and nothing else, which was why she was reaching for one of the knives attached to the underside of the table instead of any of the ones that were usually on her person. "Nope," she said, continuing to sip at her coffee like nothing was wrong. "There's always the possibility it's a confused delivery person."

Always a chance! But only a chance, hence, the knives.

[firstofitskind]

"I'm pretty sure it's Sarah, actually, of all people," Liam offered helpfully. "Should I answer?"

[arboreal_priestess]

"Sarah?" Verity said, frowning. "Maybe she called and I missed it?"

Her phone was in the other room, after all, left in the tangle of clothes they'd left behind when they were heading for bed. "Yeah sure. She doesn't seem distressed or anything, does she?"

In a few moments, Verity would blame pre-coffee brain for not realizing what was going on immediately.

[god_of_scales_and_silence]

"Dammit, Verity, it's practically the afternoon," Alex grumbled and knocked again, harder. Antimony just looked smug. Sarah also looked smug, but in a different way.

In a few moments, Alex would blame annoyed-at-sister brain for not realizing what was going on immediately.

[firstofitskind]

And if Sarah had been genuinely distressed, there was no way she wouldn't have been broadcasting that loud and clear.

"Not so far as I can tell," Liam said, going for the knob. And if he were an actual telepath, instead of just attuned to psychic presences, he might have realized what was going on.

Alas, he was not.

And so he opened the door, fully expecting to see Sarah, and instead got-

Well, Sarah, but also two people he didn't recognize?

"Um," was all he managed to say, eyes going wide and darting between the three of them.

[arboreal_priestess]

"Wait, Liam no--!" Verity said, putting the pieces together just as the door swung open.

Too late.

[god_of_scales_and_silence]

There was a guy wearing a towel and only a towel in did sister's apartment.

"Well," Alex said, blinking owlishly at Liam from behind his glasses. "That answers several questions."

Like why Sarah had been trying not to giggle the whole time they were in the building.

[precise_priestess]

And why she was now leaning against the opposite wall and laughing gleefully.

"Huh," Antimony said, looking Liam up and down. "You're built better than the average small town cop at least."

She still sounded unimpressed though.

[firstofitskind]

So the words 'Oh no, he's hot' didn't exactly run through Liam's mind as it dawned on him who the guy with the glasses must be? But it was a close thing.

"Thanks," he managed dryly in response to Antimony's assessment.

"You," he pointed accusingly at Sarah, "are the worst."

[cryptidsandkinfolk]

"Well-deserved vengeance for the stuff you headblind people put me through on the regular," Sarah said, unrepentantly. "Blame your girlfriend for all the times she goes dreamy-eyed when we're hanging out."

Then, leaning over his arm into the doorway, she yelled, "Hey Verity! Put some clothes on, your family is here!"

Verity's shriek of outrage - coming from the bedroom where she was indeed putting clothes on - was matched by her siblings' disgusted groan.

"I love family visits," Sarah said happily.

[firstofitskind]

Liam might've complained about being lumped in with the 'headblind', given he was really somewhere in-between, but that wasn't the sort of thing he advertised.

"I'm going to go do the same," he said, waving them in. "You three... come on in and make yourselves at home, I guess," he added, with the air of someone resigned to the idea that they would whether he said to or not.

[precise_priestess]

See, Sarah was helping. And if her helping happened to involve some subtle trolling by making comments he couldn't respond to, well, she was related to the family.

"Gee, thanks for inviting us into our own sister's house," Antimony said, sauntering into the living room and throwing herself down on the couch. I was definitely waiting on you for that."

[god_of_scales_and_silence]

"Err, don't mind her," Alex said, giving Liam an uncomfortable smile. "I'm sure Verity's told you all about Timmy and her attitude."

"Don't call me Timmy!"

[firstofitskind]

"It's come up in conversation more than once," Liam admitted, biting back a retort about how yes, Verity was their sister, but he was the one with an actual key.

And then he was retreating to the bedroom to throw on some jeans and a t-shirt. And, yes, the pair of fingerless gloves he'd been sporting yesterday.

[arboreal_priestess]

Antimony would just point out that she was the one with lockpicks, so...

"Oh my god," Verity hissed, shimmying into a pair of jeans. "I am so sorry. They didn't tell me they were coming, I swear!"

In fact, Verity hadn't even sent them the invite! She was blaming this damn island.

[firstofitskind]

Please, like Liam didn't own a set himself? But there was a fundamental difference between keys and lockpicks, anyway.

"It's fine," Liam said. "A little unexpected, but from everything you've told me, that's how Prices like to do things, right?"

This was absolutely totally okay and he was not at all worried about making a bad first impression. Nope.

[arboreal_priestess]

"I'm suddenly realizing that everyone in my family is an asshole," Verity moaned.

She opened the door and peeked out.

"...Okay we can try to sneak out the back door.."

[cryptidsandkinfolk]

"I can heeeear yoooou!" Sarah called from the living room.

"I hate you!" Verity called back.

[firstofitskind]

Also there wasn't a back door so much as a window, which... okay, as far as Verity was concerned, was basically a back door. But anyway.

"Guess we're gonna have to go out there and face the music," Liam said, sounding resigned.

[arboreal_priestess]

It was how she got in and out of her apartment most days!

"If we don't, they'll come to us," Verity agreed. Also sounding resigned. "Or send the mice. Dammit, I wanted you to like them. Or at least Alex."

Antimony was kind of...hard to like.

[firstofitskind]

"I already like Sarah," Liam pointed out, leaning over to kiss Verity quickly. "And this is at least partially her fault."

[arboreal_priestess]

"I am going to shave one of her eyebrows off during our next sleepover," Verity grumbled, giving Liam a very pouty kiss back.

"I can still hear you!"

Verity rolled her eyes, laced her fingers with Liam's and headed out to the living room.

[god_of_scales_and_silence]

To find that her family had made themselves right at home, Alex scoring the last cup of coffee in the pot, and Antimony stretching out on her couch so no one else had room to sit. The mice, in raptures at having four members of the family in the same place, were putting on an impressive display of divine worship.

"Hail the Arboreal Priestess!" they cheered when Verity and Liam entered the room. "Hail the God of Distant Stars!"

And there went Alex, doing a spit-take. Even Antimony sat up. Sarah continued to watch the mice dance, fingers waving in time with the choreography.

[firstofitskind]

Well, it was nice to know that even with all that Verity shared with her family about him, she'd left that recent development out.

Probably because she was just as much an asshole as the rest of them and was hoping for the kind of reaction they'd just provided.

"So... breakfast?" he asked cheerfully. "I think we have enough for everyone." If nothing else, his influence on Verity's apartment was probably best measured by the contents of her fridge. Sure, he wasn't much of a cook either, but he could manage a few basics, and had roommates who were always more than happy to pack up leftovers.