Soz like you've been waiting like two fuck months for this and Roy's asleep and IDGAF so here's this do with it what you will. 1. Little things Smoothing down her skirt, she brings her eyes up to squint at the clock. She's aware of her need for glasses, yes, but glasses are ugly. She cannot afford more ugly. Teetering off the edge as it is, she resists the urge to tear her hair out. That would ruin her bun, which, while she did not work very hard to achieve—straight, stringy hair comes in handy for that— it still looks presentable. She drums her fingers against her thigh idly, carefully and thoroughly bored. The bell rings with a loud twang, and she smiles at her friends in the hallway. Maybe even waves, if she can manage as much. The crowded halls impede her process, as she picks her way through the maze, catching a fleeting "See you later, Ang." Here or there. She's finally outside with a sudden burst of cool Autumn air. It's a mildly breezy day, horrible skirt weather but she couldn't resist. The sun is shimmery at the end of high noon, and there's something oddly beautiful about the way it shines on the leaves of an oak clinging to school grounds. She can't think about this long because there is a Teddy caught in her peripheral. "Hey Sis," she gives him a sidelong glance. The lighting is really nice, it even affects her annoying little brother. "Hi Ted." She grumbles and he grins at her, "Hey! Ya called me Ted!" He says, smile still pulling at the corners of his mouth. He has her mother's dimple, right smack dab in the middle of his left cheek. He looks a lot like her, in retrospect. Angel is more towards her dad, leanish with a smattering of dark hair, Teddy more like their mother, with delicate eyelashes and pallid looking. She can see the sharp contrast between the blue vein in his wrist and his skin. He walks with a direct quickness about him, legs at sharp angles beneath him. She plods beside him, the sound of her feet dragging echoing on Harrisons street. "Ya know what Peter said in class today?" He says after about three minutes of the two of them plodding along, "Whasat?" She indulges him, feeling mildly indifferent. "Said he knew a girl in your grade who knew you and I was like..." she tunes out his animated talk, offering nods of her head. He chatters all bubbly like and she's glad to listen. They reach home after Teddy concludes his story about the class hamster. "Ma?" Angel calls, and from the kitchen their mother's voice rings out high and clear, "'M'here darlin'." Teddy takes off, backpack shed, stepping up behind their mother, arms wrapped around her waist. "Hello Theo." She says, stirring her concoction slowly. Angel is slower, depositing her things messily on the floor and sitting in one of the dining room chairs. The lower light filters into the room through the filmy curtains mothee has half drawn. "When's Daddy coming home?" Teddy detaches himself from her and sits a suitable distance away from his sister on the kitchen counter. "Oh I just got off the phone with him; he's on his way." She says promisingly and Angel sags. "How was your day?" Mother prompts and that's all it takes for Teddy to launch into his spiel. She seems to gasp and to laugh and comment in time with him, and at the very end, Angel mutters "Good," unprompted, as per usual. Teddy picks up again and Angel fingers the leaves of the flower on their table. Their father has a strange affinity for petunias. Mother said it was because their late grandmother did, too. ~*~ "I'll tell you, best way to find a good man is to see how he is with his momma." Her mother tells her, hands wrapped around a mug of coffee. Early Saturday morning is her coffee time. "He's gonna treat you like he'd want a man to treat her. Yes sire." Mother nods sagely and Angel smiles a little. The two of them are always up early, both having troubles with sleep. "I don't really know if I wanna get married..." she says quietly and her mother puts a hand on hers, "Don't be silly darlin', a ‘course you'll get married, you'll be the most beautiful bride this side a' the Mississippi don't you worry." She says affectionately, as her father shuffles in, jaw covered in prickly hair, corners of his mouth sticky when he yawns. He pecks her mother on the mouth anyways though she knows his breath must stink. "See, this right here is a man who loves his momma." ~*~ Dad gets home when dinner is just about ready. His boots shake the ground as he plods in. "Why hello there little lady," He winks at mother, even though he sags with exhaustion. Teddy stands up to approach, while Angel just nods and smiles at him. "And how are ya Squirt?" He says to Teddy who's bouncing to talk. "I'm golden pa, I took a test today and I was number 2 in the class!" Teddy blurts out, chest swelling with pride. "Alright! Much more you're the best in town. Keep on keepin’ on." Dad ruffles his hair affectionately. "And how's my princess?" He asks, kissing Angel on her temple, "Good. I'm good." She smiles genuinely, though it's small because showing the world her metal mouth wasn't on the agenda. They sit down for dinner after a semblance of a prayer. "Thank the lord our heavenly father for the food before us today. Amen." Dad calls out quickly before they dig in. "And do you know what Marcus said to me?" Dad says, "What'd he say?" Mother replies instantly, "Said fags like his cousin were god fearin' people." His voice is injected with disbelief, and just the right amount. "And they aren't?" Teddy asks, head cocked because he doesn't really know much about that kind of stuff. "A'course. Ain't natural. Only godless people sodomize." Dad tells him patiently, and his son looks pensively at his green beans. "Ya know what's a cute saying? I heard it on that Fox news- 'It's Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve'." Their mother pitches in and Angel giggles, "I guess that's right, isn't it?" "What's 'sodomize'?" Teddy asks, and dad sighs, "You'll learn when you're older. Anyways, I heard there's gon be powder puff football and your school, Angie." He changes the subject and she nods, mouth occupied with her mashed potatoes. "Ya plannin' on joinin'?" Teddy asks the next logical question and Angel shakes her head, "I don't really like to play, to watch, sure, but not to play." She laments, and dinner passes by quickly. Angel sits on the edge of her bed, fidgeting. She can't sleep. It's an anxious kind of can't sleep. She grinds her teeth, glaring at the dark nothingness. "Ang?" Her door opens, and there is her father, shirtless and concerned. She looks at him, confused. "Dad?" "Hey hun. Can't sleep?" "No." "Want me to tell you a story?" "No." "What's goin on darlin?" "Nothing," "You sure?" "Yeah, I'll go to bed now." She mutters and he hugs her briefly, all wiry muscle and acrid musky smell. "Love ya Ang." "Yeah. Night," she mumbles and he gives her a grin reminiscent of Teddy and that's one thing he got from dad, she thinks as she lays down, staring at her ceiling. Maybe the only. She falls asleep with a smile in her head. ** Teddy wakes up in the morning to the pungent smell of bacon. His stomach growls in response. Flexing his toes, he stretches. He ambles into the kitchen, yawning. His mom has her hair up in a tight ponytail and gives him a broad grin. "Morning sweetums," She intones, and he notices his sister, dressed in shorts for once, picking at her plain scrambled eggs. "Morning ma. Where's pa?" He asks, slightly disappointed. "Oh you just missed him. He went to work early today." She says and serves him. Promptly, his bacon and egg smiley face is inhaled. "Is your shirt backwards?" His sister asks, squinting at him critically. "Do you need glasses?" He replies, wiping his mouth delicately. "Are you stupid?" She snaps at him and their mother intervenes, "Theo go get your stuff ready. Angel, just eat a little bit." Her benign face forces him to comply, but not before sticking his tongue out at her. She returns the favor and he paces a little in the living room, waiting impatiently. His shirt is on backwards, he notices, and fixes it hurriedly before his sister can say I told you so like she always does. He has a sense of anxiety, as his sister languidly puts on her shoes and grabs her key from the key rack grandmother on mom's side got them from Nicaragua (she does a lot of mission stuff). She always does things so slowly. The morning sky is a pretty pink, and Teddy blinks tiredly at it. They leave the house with a hug from mother, meandering down the straightforward path. He waves, departing from his sister with a heavy heart, and practically jogs to get to class in time. A girl in his class likes him. She's got blonde hair and chews gum a lot. He's not sure what to think, but she grabs his hand for a second. It’s sweaty and gross and doesn't last nearly long enough, so he doesn't really know the appeal. It's early in the day, and his teacher rambles on about long division or something, until the intercom comes to life and the secretary calls for him. He waves goodbye to the girl and his friends, for they’re not the same thing, and gathers his things from his cubby hole, hurrying up to the office. There is his mother, holding hands with his sister. Both of their faces are a blotchy red, and his mother hugs him with bone crushing force. She trembles, a little, and he's never been so afraid in his life. She's tightlipped as she signs for him and after they get outside, she says quietly, "Your dad had an accident." ** --------- Dramatic aF. U go me. This is a bad idea. Oh. Fuckin. Well.