Only Ones Who Know - Derp Crew High School AU

Chapter 22: Benvenuto in Famiglia, pt. 1

(A/N: Because I wanted to change up the titles... Translation - "Welcome to the Family" in Italian.)

May 2016

"Freedom!" I shouted, running across our backyard while Dad, Cielo, Steven, and our new dog April watched from the porch. Two months after the accident, my cast finally came off today, and just in time for my birthday next week. I run back and forth between the fences and do a couple jumps, almost tripping and falling on the last one.

"Whoa there, Anthony," Dad warned with a huge grin on his face. "I'd hate to have to take you back to get another cast put on."

I ran over to the porch and grabbed Steven's hands, pulling him into the yard with me. Cielo played "Accidentally in Love" on her phone as a joke but we just played along with it, singing loudly and reenacting the meadow scene from Shrek 2. Dad let April off her leash and she ran out to us, bringing along a stick for one of us to throw.

I watched adoringly as my boyfriend sat down in the grass and baby talked April as he played with her floppy ears. I joined him and leaned against his shoulder, getting a nose lick from her.

"Hey, no fair!" Steven whined. "If anyone's gonna be kissing this nose, it's gonna be me." He pointed and pretended to scold her but she licked his finger and made him laugh.

After a few minutes of running around with her, she ran back to the house. "Hey, guys, I'm heading to the grocery store, I'll be back in a little bit," Dad called out and we waved in agreement. I laid back on the grass and Steven put his head on my belly. I took his hand in mine and breathed in the smell of spring - or it was probably pollen but whatever.

"Hey, look," Steven shouted, pointing up at a cloud. "That one looks like a flower."

I searched the sky to find another. "That one's a unicorn."

"Or a really fancy horse but whatever." I flicked his cheek at his snarky remark but I didn't do it hard enough to hurt him.

"Okay, whatever you say, Mr. Flower."

Then he moved to my side and took my hand again. "And that one's a heart," he spoke softly as he pointed to the one straight above us.

I looked over at him and saw that smile I love creep onto his face. "It reminds me of yours." I turned over and planted a kiss on his cheek. "These clouds are pretty and all, but I like this view the most." He peeked over and turned to face me, his hands on my hips to pull me closer. He smirked before planting a deep kiss on my lips.

"Me too," he whispered, taking my hand again. "I love you so much."

"I do too." We sat up together and dusted the grass off each other's backs. "Ready to go inside?" He nodded and helped me up now that I have to get used to using my leg again.

[Time skip a few hours]

Steven, Cielo, and I were in the living room - me and him on the couch and her in the recliner - watching some strange scary movie while we waited for Dad to come home from grocery shopping. But it's weird because this is his third time going out this week. He left a couple hours ago and hasn't come back yet, so I hope everything's okay with him. I felt Steven nod off on my chest, so I rubbed my hand down his back and did the same. The movie wasn't that good anyway.

A few minutes later we saw a couple headlights pull into the driveway. Cielo jumped up to answer the door for him and I slowly slid out from under Steven to help.

"We were wondering if you were okay," Cielo joked when we went out to the car to grab the bags.

Dad replied with a nod, a huge smile across his face. "I couldn't be more okay, Ci-Ci. I'll have to tell you guys more when we put these up."