Club Penguin || l.h.

3.3

August 4th, 2016 - Home.

I woke up to Luke gently tracing patterns into my pale thigh, which lay across his waist. He smiled softly when he looked down and saw my confused expression. 

"Good afternoon, sleepyhead. You've been out cold for roughly three hours," he chuckled, rubbing my back slightly as I began to sit up. I blinked twice, adjusting to the light and unfamiliar surroundings.

"Sorry I fell asleep on you," I said before reaching up to crack my spine. 

Luke shrugged. "It's fine, it was nice just to be with you." A low groan slipped past his chapped lips as he moved to stand up, extending a long arm to help me. I shot him a polite smile and promptly grabbed onto his hand, growing increasingly aware of the noise downstairs: friendly chatter and the delightful sound of forks clinging against empty plates. Luke caught me smiling to myself and pinched my cheek lightly. "What are you grinning about?"

I stepped to the side, glancing at my unruly hair in the mirror across the room. "I love how lively they sound down there," I said as I ran my fingers through the knots. "It's just me and my dad in a tiny house tucked away from everyone else. Sometimes the quietness gets lonely."

Luke admired me as I attempted to fix my homely appearance before closing the distance between us in one easy stride. His arms found their way around my waist and he buried his face in the crook of my neck. "Do you want me to introduce you right now?" he mumbled into my skin. 

I shuddered at the feeling, partially from being the most ticklish person alive. "I'd love to, but I haven't put any makeup on or anything."

"Do whatever you want, you'll look beautiful either way."

After a thorough examination of the two dark circles hanging under my dull eyes and the three pimples forming the Bermuda triangle on my chin, I decided against wasting my time and energy on applying makeup. Luke encouraged me to speed the process along, occasionally pressing a soft kiss to my temple or jaw. I caved in eventually and allowed him to guide me downstairs into the kitchen.

Glass shattered the very instant Luke and I entered the room, followed by at least four different voices shouting, "Ben, what the fuck!" The largest steak I've ever laid my eyes on sat on the marble counter to my right, surrounded by four bowls of various side dishes and one brunette girl, who was working very diligently to season everything precisely. Roughly two dozen beer bottles were scattered around, occupying at least some part of every flat surface in the kitchen. Many were empty, or practically empty, and I immediately inferred that the playful buzz was a result of a healthy dose of alcohol.

"Oh my lord! You must be Teni!" a woman shouted, dropping the whisk she was holding to rush up to me. Before I could process what she had said, she'd engulfed me in a firm hug. Then, upon releasing me, she tightly gripped my shoulders and stared hard at my bewildered face. "I'm Luke's mom. Would you care for a drink?"

I stepped back a step, reestablishing my personal space. "Oh, um, I'm good right now, but thank you! And thank you for letting me stay here, Ms. Hemmings."

"Jesus, hun, please call me Liz. You're making me feel old."

With that, she returned to the commotion and left me in a total daze. Luke snicked beside me, taking a sip from a fresh beer as condensation rolled down his palm. We said nothing to each other as he dragged me from guest to guest, introducing me half-heartedly to each one until it was time for us to take a seat.

The actual event of eating dinner was a new experience for me; a full table of people, all shouting over one another. Food was passed and jokes were hurled at the expense of the family members, particularly Luke. Light twinkled in his eyes even as his brothers roasted him, and I felt his joy shedding onto me.

When the conversation shifted to me, I couldn't have been less prepared. Just as I shoved a bite of chicken that I knew damn well was much too large, Jack asked me about my life back at home. Luke's hand found mine beneath the wooden table, giving it a gentle squeeze as I awkwardly gestured to my full mouth. 

After two minutes of attempting to choke the chicken down, I finally answered him. "I don't do much. It's just me and my dad right now while I'm visiting from college. We never really do things like this - eating as a huge family. It's only the two of us. So please excuse me if I seem lost or overwhelmed, I'm just relishing in the moment. It's really refreshing to be eating dinner with an entire family."

Everyone mumbled for a moment before Liz raised her glass.

"A toast to Teni, who is welcome to be a part of the family whenever she pleases."

A chorus of hoorah's filled my ears and caused the blood to rush to my face. After the chatter had reached a lower level, Luke leaned in to whisper, "Sorry about them."

I laughed. "Please, I've never felt more at home."

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hi im not supposed to be on my computer so this is updated from my closet. you're welcome. the dedication is real.

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