The Stripper And The Anxiety-riddled Dork

An Apology

Chapter 54

Parks whistled as the Roberts siblings stood in front of Codi's house, Zen tapping a gloved finger against one of the lion statue's nose.

"Nice~." He praised as he stuffed his hand deeper into his coat's pockets.

Nel stayed silent as she gazed up at the small mansion, worrying the inside of her cheek. She rocked on the balls of her feet as she nuzzled her face deeper into the red scarf wrapped around her neck.

This was starting to seem more and more like a bad idea but it was far too late to give up now.

"Oo, Oo! Get behind me!" Parks told her only to receive a confused stare from his big sister.

"What? Why?"

"So it's all dramatic! Like a soap-opera~."

"Telenovelas are better." Zen hummed as she pressed the doorbell, listening to it ding inside.

"You can't even speak spanish." Nel pointed out while Parks maneuvered her behind him.

"Puede a." Zen countered as the door opened, Parks and she looking at the gray-haired man that stood at the threshold.

Silus looked from the young man to the young girl. Both of them reminding him of a certain brunette that he could see hiding behind the man from the corner of his eye.

"You look like your big sister." He told Zen, watching as she yanked Nel out from behind Parks.

"That hurts, old man. Right in my soul."

"Hm. Why're you here, Nel? I thought I told you what would happen if I saw you again." He spoke to the eldest brunette, Nel raising her hands up in surrender.

"I-I'm just here to apologize, Silus."

"Apologize?" Silus repeated incredulously.

"Yeah." Nel agreed lamely, a low puff leaving Silus's nose and misting lightly in the air.

"Come inside. It won't do well to catch a cold." He told the three as he stepped to the side. He closed the door behind Parks as he passed the threshold last before walking deeper into the house.

"Wait there." He told them, disappearing as he turned into a hallway underneath the stairway and towards Codi's study.

Nel's fingertips tapped against each other as they waited, Parks observing the lightly decorated living room with a soft hum.

"Didn't take Codi to be a minimalist." He commented, Zen taking notice of Nel's finger-tapping and wrapped her hand around her big sister's fingers.

Nel looked down at her little sister, blue connecting with pale-blue.

"Relax. And just be honest." Zen murmured as she pulled her hand away. Nel swallowed nervously but pulled her shoulders back just as a familiar, soft voice was heard.

"Well, what have I here?" Codi spoke as she looked at the three Roberts siblings, her arms loosely crossed against her chest.

"Codi! Goodness, you just get more and more stunning everytime I see you." Parks greeted, Codi giving him a soft hum even as a small grin grew on her face.

"Charmer. Still gay though. And taken too."

"Ooo~, congratulations." Parks offered while Nel shoved her hands into her coat's pockets to keep her fingers from tapping.

"Thank you." Codi spoke as she lowered into a crouch, Russet twirling around her legs as Zen moved to stand in front of the older brunette.

"Zen."