I remember when I was younger, I asked Dad why he and Mom wanted so many children. Realistically speaking, I fully expected him to send me away or change the topic, but he didn't. Instead, he told me it was always Mom's goal to make sure we each had at least one other person we could relate to whether that be in age, gender, or any other aspect. She never wanted us to be lonely. I initially thought this was sweet, but as I grew older, it became evident that Mom's wish hadn't come to fruition in the way she had hoped. Rather than turn to each other for advice, most of us found comfort outside the house because the last thing you wanted was to tell someone a secret and they used it against you. For me, that person was Theron.

Walking into Bradley and Benson's reminded me of the nights I'd sneak out through my window to talk to Theron. It reminded me of how we could spend hours talking about nothing in particular to help clear our minds. Those were the days I missed the most because sitting with him was one of the few times when I felt like I didn't need to be on guard or watch what I said. I could just be Roman.

"You actually showed up," Theron said, pulling me from my thoughts.

"I said I would."

"I know," he replied and for a second, it looked as if his mind were somewhere else, but he pulled himself together. "Come on. Let's get you set up before it gets busy."

"What am I meant to be doing today?"

Theron smiled and it wasn't one of his fake ones. "You're going to be running the register."

I paused. "You're joking right."

"Nope. The point is for you to start forming relationships with the pack. Here, you'll get to talk to them." Seeing my expression, he grinned amusedly and said, "Come on. It'll be easy. You used to see me do it a million times."

I wasn't bothered because I thought it'd be hard, but because it seemed like such a small task in comparison to everything else I could be doing. But, I did agree to give his method a try.

"Alright," I agreed. "Lead the way."

Theron let me behind the counter and he started showing me the ropes, not that I needed it. He was right, after spending years with him in B&B's everything felt natural. The only thing that had changed was us.

"Do you remember the first time I took you here?" Theron suddenly asked.

"Yeah," I answered. It wasn't long after we met. Theron had practically begged me to hang out with him after school and when I finally agreed, the first place he took me was B&B's. I'd initially been hesitant to step inside. I knew it was owned by Xavier's family, but I didn't know if he knew I was coming and the last thing I needed was news to get back to Dad that I'd been misbehaving, however, that ended up not being the case.

"We spent hours in the back watching TV, eating, and playing games that day." He smiled. "You were the first person I'd done that with."

The nostalgia in his voice made me wince, but I thankfully didn't have to reply because the bell on the front door rang loudly as an older woman who I recognized as Elder Susannah entered. Her eyes scanned across the store, shot to Theron, and then to me in surprise.

"Hello, boys," she greeted.

"Hello, Elder Susannah! What can we do for you?" Theron greeted.

Elder Susannah's presence made me straighten up. Seeing her here felt like a test of sorts, an opportunity to start building those bridges Theron had mentioned.

"I was just stopping by to pick up some of my usual tea blends," she said, her eyes still lingering on me. "But it seems I've stumbled upon an interesting scene."

Theron lightly nudged me and I offered her a small smile. "I'm helping out today, trying to reconnect with everyone."

Her eyes softened a bit, and she nodded approvingly. "It's good to see you, Roman. The pack has missed your presence."

As she made her way to the counter, I quickly found the tea blend she always bought and rang it up. The familiarity of the task, combined with the friendly banter Theron and I had shared earlier, made it easier to relax.

"You know, your mother used to say that running this pack was like tending to a garden," Elder Susannah said as she handed me her payment. "Every plant needs care and attention. It's nice to see you taking that to heart."

"Thank you, Elder Susannah," I replied warmly, but I was also surprised by her mentioning Mom. It was rare for someone to do so these days.

She smiled, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "She would be proud. And remember, it's never too late to tend to the roots."

As she left, Theron clapped a hand on my shoulder. "See? You're a natural."

I shrugged. "I guess so."

Throughout the day, more pack members came in, and with each interaction, it felt like I was a little closer to reaching my goal. People were surprised to see me behind the counter, but most of them responded positively. Some were curious, others cautious, but all were willing to engage, and that was a start.

Theron also took the small free periods we had to help catch me up on other events that happened in the pack while I was away and introduced me to people I hadn't met. It was obvious to me that he was in his element. I knew the pack loved him, but I'd underestimated just how they did.

"I see it now," I told him once the store started to calm down.

"See what?" He questioned as he fixed some of the aisles.

"Why you're a good beta. I mean, you know so much about the members."

He shrugged. "I don't get to know them just because I'm their beta. I mean, it does add to it, but it's mostly because I care about them. They aren't minions or a herd of sheep, they're people with their own lives and personalities. If you stop and actually listen to them then you'll see that there's more to them than meets the eye."

The way he spoke told me he truly meant every word he said. Looking back on it, Theron had always been that way. He always wanted to get to know everyone around him. Some people thrived being the center of attention and he was one of them.

The door opened once again and we both turned around, prepared to greet another customer, but Xavier walked in instead. He spotted Theron first and approached him with his signature larger-than-life grin.

"Hey, Kiddo," he pulled Theron against him and ruffled his hair. "Has it been an easy day?"

Theron laughed and freed himself from Xavier's grasp. "It's been relatively busy, but I had Roman here to help me out."

Xavier glanced at the counter as if just noticing my presence. "Roman," Xavier greeted with a nod, his tone a mix of surprise and approval. "Good to see you getting involved."

"Yeah, Theron's been showing me the ropes."

Xavier's smile broadened. "That's great. We've missed having you around."

He spoke casually and my eyes flickered to Theron for a moment. I never asked if he told his family about everything that happened, but now I was curious.

"Thanks," I answered.

"So, what do you think of working here? I know it's not quite as glamorous as traveling," he joked.

"It's... different," I admitted. "But I can see the value in it. It's a good way to connect."

"Exactly," Xavier agreed. "Building those personal connections is what makes us strong. Don't underestimate the power of small interactions."

It was at times like this I was reminded of just how different Dad and Xavier were. Dad always told us to focus on building up our individual skills. Had I told him as a teenager that I wanted to work in one of the pack's shops, he would've thought I was crazy, and yet, here was Xavier encouraging me. It made me wonder how they managed to get along as well as they did.

"I'll keep that in mind," I told him.

Xavier stayed to help around for a few hours before leaving to go help Thea. Before he left, he stopped to talk to Theron out of earshot and told me goodbye afterward.

The rest of the day passed quickly, and by the time we closed up, I was ready to return home. It wasn't as if I did anything too taxing, yet it felt like I did in a way. I helped Theron clean and we walked out of the shop together.

"How was that?" He inquired.

I shrugged. "That wasn't bad."

"See? Progress." There was a hint of playful smugness in his tone that made me roll my eyes. "You should come back again. They're going to start asking about you."

"I'll try," I said and he seemed to accept that answer.

"What's next on your agenda?"

"Research and observation," I told him. "I'm willing to bet Eden and Sirius are going to start getting more involved. Their choices will likely be the catalyst for the others getting involved."

That's how it always had been. Eden typically moved first along with Sirius which, in turn, led to Hera and Hendrix joining in. I suspected Nero would join in not long after if Sirius was involved. The two had never been that close, so I expected him to try and upstage Sirius in some way and if I was lucky, it'd end with both of them being knocked down a peg or two.

"Is there anything I need to do?"

I shook my head. "As of now, no, but I'll keep you updated."

Theron nodded. "Got it."

We quickly approached the area where we'd have to split up and the both of us stopped.

"I'll admit that I hadn't been sure about this, but it wasn't bad. Thank you."

Theron's eyes widened as he feigned surprise. "Is the great Roman Corson actually admitting someone else is right? Today must be a lucky day!"

"I take it back."

"Nope, too late," he smirked. "But really, I'm glad you enjoyed today. Truthfully, I was a little worried too, but it all went well."

"I'll see you later," I finally said.

"Yeah, see you." He shot me a genuine smile.

We split up and I waited until he was out of sight to let my smile drop. I walked the rest of the way home by myself. Once I got back, I went inside and quickly headed to the small office room on the first floor and pulled out a paper with a small list I'd crafted after leaving Theron yesterday.

Get on the Theron's good side? Check.