youth, aaron taylor johnson

xxxix. phonecall

one new call from da!
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"mr. ian kavanagh, to what
do i owe this pleasure?"

máire answered her father's phonecall with a quip, knowing the response she'd get by teasing him with his full name.

"máire, if you ever call me
that again, i will revoke the
name kavanagh from you."

his voice always had the comforting quality to it that she had loved since she was a child, even when he chastised her. he'd retained the southern english accent of his youth, which had matured and grown warm with his age as though it was a fine whiskey.

"bit harsh, da."

he left out a short huff of a laugh, before continuing on with his purpose of calling his daughter. he leaned against his kitchen counter

"anyways, darling, your mother
just wanted me to call and make
sure your travel is planned."

maire nodded, though she knew he couldn't see her. but as her father, he didn't have to see her to know what she was doing.

"we're all driving together,
yes, up from london— "

at the mention of driving, he interjected with exactly what his wife had wanted him to say, knowing how worried she was about her children driving the entire trip up from england in what she assumed would be maire's car.

"— you know, you could
still get flights — "

maire knew exactly what he was trying to get out, so immediately she answered,

" — we're not
driving pedro."

ian let out a sigh of relief, as if suddenly all of his problems had been solved.

"oh, thank god."

they both laughed at this for a moment before her father continued

"oh — and, your mum wanted
to know, should she make the
guest bedroom for aaron or
if he'll stay with you now."

maire groaned like she was a whiny, annoyed teenager and insisted not to.

"we're not together, dad."

on the other end, he shrugged, crossed his free arm over his torso and folding it in the crook of his arm holding the phone up to his ear

"you could've fooled us."

"mum likes to fancy
that fionn will end
up with wyatt, too."

this was máire's protest to the validity of their wonder. she knew they were right, at least about her feelings, they could read her quite easily. but she had made a point to try to solidify her friendship with aaron since the night outside of the pub. and only her friendship.

"yes, but this isn't just
your mother. i'm much
more oblivious. máire
brin, are you sure?"

she knew he could tell if she was lying, but she continued anyways. they weren't in a relationship, that part was true enough. he had made it clear that wasn't what he wanted.

"yes."

ian furrowed his eyebrows, and adjusted his posture. he was not one to let his children pull the wool over his eyes.

"you live together."

maire immediately refuted his words

"in a two bedroom!"

her father sighed, giving into to knowing that at least for right now, this wasn't something she wanted to discuss. he always tried to be a parent his children could tell things to, but he also knew when it was better to let things be for a time. instead of pushing any further, he offered;

"well, just incase, so
you know, we do like
him — we'd be more
than happy if — "

maire blushed at the sentiment she could tell he was trying to convey, and suddenly she was grateful she was alone. again, she interrupted in a similar protest to one she would've made as a child.

"dad."

the man on the other end of the phone in ireland nodded once, fully letting it go now. his daughter was an adult now, he would respect her wishes and boundaries.

"alright. okay. two
rooms. got it."

maire was relieved that her father was letting her get away with this one. she knew she hadn't of fooled him, and wouldn't fool him when she was there and aaron was there and her parents would be able to know their daughter enough to see the reality of it all.

"thank you."

he hummed a pleasant hm in response, as if agreeing and giving her his you're welcome and an indication that he knew what she knew about exactly what he was thinking.

"i'll see you soon."

maire confirmed this, excited to go home to the house she grew up in for a christmas like the ones she'd know as a child.

"love you."

ian's british stiff upper lip wasn't all that comfortable with genuine outright expressions of familial love. he preferred in more in jest, as if sentiments were better when taken lightly, anyways.

"yeah, yeah, that too."

maire was more at ease with this disposition of her father. he was fun, like this, in the absurd dry way older british men are when trying to appear nonchalant. she enjoyed teasing him.

"bye, ian."

her father huffed at this, but she could sense the smile tugging at his lips. she could picture it in her mind as he'd done so many times before.

"goodbye, you fool."

✧∘ଂ ࿐ ཾ
da has ended the phonecall!
✧∘ଂ ࿐ ཾ

authors note!
i've added faceclaims
for her parents to the
first part of the book!
i've had them in my
mind but forgot to
add them lol