CUPID MADE ME DO IT

It had been a week since the kiss, and things between Nat and Tyler were... different. Conversations had more pauses, laughs felt a little nervous, and there was a strange tension in the air. They hadn't talked about their feelings—yet—but they both knew it was only a matter of time. It was awkward, sure, but not in a bad way.

Friday came, and Mac, Darcy, Luna, Tyler, and Nat sat around the lunch table laughing and chatting while Nat and Tyler kept sneaking glances at each other. Their eyes met, holding for a moment before Tyler quickly looked down at her plate, a smile tugging on her lips while, Nat held the moment a second longer before blinking and turning back to the group, pretending nothing had happened.

Before the silence could deepen, the doors to the cafeteria slammed open, and Gino's voice cut through the chatter.

"Hello, peasants!" He shouted, sliding into the seat next to them. "Prepare to have your minds blown. Check this out!" He slapped a fake ID on the table, his grin wide. "Iggy made this masterpiece."

Mac barely swallowed a bite of his sandwich before blurting out, "Iggy? Your sister?"

"No, Iggy Azalea. Yes, my sister!" Gino replied, shooting him a look like he'd just asked the dumbest question.

Luna took the ID before squinting at the picture, and slowly holding it up to Gino's face, "This doesn't look great," Her eyebrow arched in disbelief. "It's definitely you, but... not your best look." She handed it to Darcy.

"Yeah, I know," Gino shrugged. "I look better in person. And in theory," He added with a self-satisfied nod. Luna chuckled, shaking her head at him.

"So, what exactly are you planning to do with this?" Darcy questioned, holding the ID up.

"Simple, little one," Gino clasped his hands together as a grin spread across his face. "I'm going to waltz into a downtown bar, sip their finest cheap liquor, and rock out to live bands that still leave voice messages like it's 1993."

"Is that the bar with the sticky pavement out front?" Nat piped up, sitting cross-legged on the seat.

"Precisely!" Gino beamed. "That's the one! So, does anyone else want to join? My sister can totally get us all fake IDs."

Luna's eyes lit up as she leaned forward, her lips curling into an eager grin, "Well, it's not like I've got anything better going on!"

"Okay, Miss Peralta is in," Gino bounced excitedly before turning to Mac. "Mac?"

"Oh, yeah, count me in!" Mac bobbed his head. "I heard they give out free pretzels."

"Alright!" Gino exclaimed before looking at Tyler, Nat, and Darcy. "So, what about you three? You in?"

Nat casually shrugged, "I'd, uh, love to, but my parents are taking me out this weekend." She smiled, but it wavered as her own words sank in. "Although... I don't know if that's for food... or a gun."

"Okay..." Gino blinked, clearly thrown off, his brows knitting before moving to the woman across from her. "Ty?"

"I have a piano lesson. I won't be available," Tyler stated, looking at Gino with a lifted eyebrow.

"Yeah, me either, sorry! I've got a Boyle family dinner to attend too, and my dad—he made us t-shirts!" Darcy apologized, their face falling with disappointment.

Gino glanced at the three with a sigh, shaking his head, "You three are missing out, but don't worry, we'll have plenty of stories to share afterward. You'll be jealous, trust me." He chuckled before turning back to the others, his smile widening. "Alright, you guys meet me at my house tomorrow."

With plans set for the weekend, the six teens continued chatting as they ate. Darcy toyed with their burrito, Mac ate his sandwich, Luna picked at her fruit salad, and Nat nibbled on a cookie, stealing glances at Tyler, who twirled her spaghetti absentmindedly, while Gino was fully engrossed in his bagel.

~

It was Saturday night, and Y/N and Nat leaned against the wall by the front door of their apartment, waiting for Rosa to finish getting ready. Y/N bounced on her heels, tapping her foot and glancing at the clock every few seconds.

"Hey, how long does it take to pick out a jacket?" Y/N called out, a teasing grin spreading across their face as they shot a glance toward the hallway.

"Ha-ha!" Rosa's muffled response came through the wall.

Nat giggled, looking up from her Spider-Man watch, "You know she'll get you for that, right?" She shook her head as she tried to suppress her grin.

Y/N shrugged, completely unconcerned, "Worth it," Her smile grew wider.

A moment later, Rosa stepped into the living room wearing a black leather jacket a few shades lighter than her usual one. "Alright, I'm ready," she said, giving them a look as she crossed the room.

"Great, let's get a wriggle on, then," Y/N jingled the keys in her hand as she signaled toward the door.

Nat raised an eyebrow, giving her mami's outfit a once-over, "I see you're busting out the summer colors, huh?" Her voice dropped with sarcasm as she pointed out the slightly lighter black Rosa was wearing.

Rosa gave her a deadpan stare as she walked past the pair to the door, "Damn, you two are insufferable," She muttered, though the corners of her mouth betrayed a slight smile.

Y/N and Nat exchanged a grin, both clearly pleased with themselves as they followed Rosa out the door.

~

As Nat, Rosa, and Y/N headed to the diner, Gino, Mac, and Luna made their way up the steps to Iggy's house as the sun set behind them. Gino knocked on the door, tapping his foot as he waited.

A moment later, the door swung open, and Iggy smiled, leaning against the frame, "Well, look who finally decided to show up. I was starting to think you'd chickened out."

Gino rolled his eyes, "Chickened out? Please," He scoffed. "We're here for the fake IDs, obviously."

Iggy giggled, "I know why you're here. Come on in." She stepped back, holding the door open and gesturing for them to enter. "So, who's up first?"

~

Luna was first up. She stood in front of a white wall, ready for her fake ID photo.

"Okay, smile," Iggy glanced over the camera as Luna flashed a quick smile. "Three, two, one." She snapped the photo.

~

Next up was Mac. He stood in front of the camera with a lopsided grin plastered across his face.

"Three, two, one," Iggy said, snapping the picture. "Gotcha."

Mac blinked against the bright flash, his grin faltering for a moment as his eyes adjusted.

~

With their fake IDs now in hand, on the other side of Brooklyn, Y/N, Rosa, and Nat were seated in a booth at Peggy's Diner.

Y/N stared down at the menu as her brows furrowed in intense concentration, "Last time, they had bagel bites," She muttered, tapping her fingers on the table. "I swear they did."

Rosa barely glanced up from her menu, "Did you want me to talk to the cook? I'm a pretty good bully."

Y/N waved her hand quickly, "Oh, no, that's not necessary. I'll just... I'll choose something else. I'm a grown-up. I can handle this." She nodded to herself, trying to sound convincing.

As Y/N deliberated, a waiter approached their table, "Hello! What can I get you guys tonight?"

Y/N's face lit up, her usual grin returning, "Alright, classic it is. Fries, a burger, and lemonade, please," She requested, going with her second pick.

The waiter jotted it down and turned to Rosa.

"Steak. Medium." Rosa decided with a curt nod.

The waiter quickly scribbled down Rosa's order before turning to Nat. "And for you?" He asked. Nat didn't respond, her gaze was distant like she was somewhere else entirely, "Ma'am?" He tried again, a little more insistently.

Nat blinked, snapping back to reality, and glanced at the menu, "Oh! Right. I'll have the pepperoni pizza with extra cheese and a diet cola," She said quickly, pointing to the items as she spoke, her mind still halfway lost in thought.

The waiter nodded, taking her order before he gathered the menus and headed back to the kitchen.

Y/N leaned back in her chair, "Pizza, huh? You usually go for the pasta," She recalled.

Nat shrugged, "What can I say? I'm a pizza guy now. Love pizza. Could eat it all day, every day." She let the words roll off her tongue casually.

Y/N and Rosa exchanged a glance, both of them frowning slightly as the words lingered. There was something oddly familiar about what Nat had just said, but neither of them could quite figure out why. It was like they were this close to getting it—like the answer was right there, but they couldn't quite grab it. They both felt it, but couldn't put a name to it.

Nat then broke their train of thought with a sigh, "Ugh, I think my watch's battery just died." She tapped the face of her watch in frustration.

~

Meanwhile, back over with Mac, Luna, and Gino, they stood on the other side of the road from the bar.

"Shaw's Bar?" Luna asked, adjusting her glasses as she squinted at the sign, which was missing a few letters. "That's definitely supposed to be an 'A,' right?"

"Yep, that's it!" Gino grinned, agreeing with Luna. "Now, you guys ready to go in? Because I am, baby!" He gave a point toward the entrance.

Mac looked at the bar, his hand nervously adjusting his jacket, "Alright, let's do this." He tried to sound cool, but his voice came out a little tighter than he intended.

"Don't worry," Gino stepped forward like he owned the place. "We've got this."

As they reached the door, the bouncer barely looked up, holding out his hand for their IDs. Luna was first, slipping hers out with a polite smile.

Gino followed, handing his over with a carefree wave.

Mac stepped up last, flashing a grin that was a little too confident, "Hey," He handed over his ID. "Oh, Nat was right; this pavement's sticky," He muttered, grimacing as he caught his shoe on the cement.

The bouncer barely glanced at the IDs, his attention was elsewhere, "Alright, you're good," He mumbled, waving them through without another word.

As they passed the bouncer, the door shut with a quiet creak behind them. The three exchanged quick glances, a small, satisfied smile playing at their lips as they stepped into the bar.

"Told you we'd get in." Gino gave a low fist pump.

Mac's smile widened, though there was still a flicker of nervousness in his eyes, "Yeah, definitely wasn't nervous,"

"Oh my gosh, I gotta pee!" Luna declared before spotting the toilet sign and making a beeline for it.

~

With the teens officially in the bar, back with Y/N, Rosa, and Nat, they were munching on their meals—Nat with her pizza, Rosa with her steak, and Y/N with her burger.

Between bites, Y/N looked up, "So, what are your friends up to tonight?"

Nat swallowed her pizza, her eyes flickering between her parents. "Well... Tyler's got a piano lesson, Darcy's going to a Boyle family dinner, and Mac, Luna, and Gino are... hanging out." Her voice heightened slightly, but it went unnoticed.

Y/N paused, a fry halfway to her mouth, then leaned back with a grin as Rosa didn't look up, but the deliberate way she cut into her steak made it clear she was paying attention.

"Sounds like a nice time," Y/N said casually.

Rosa gave a half-smile but didn't look up, "Yeah?" she questioned, taking another bite of her steak, her gaze holding on Nat for a second before she continued eating.

Nat hesitated, "Yes." She emphasized, her brows knitting slightly, how did her lie get past a P.I. and a cop?

"Oh!" Y/N exclaimed, recalling something from earlier. "You won't believe what a perp called me today—it was so good..."

As Y/N changed the topic, Nat's phone buzzed, and her chest tightened when she saw Tyler's name on the screen. She quickly opened the message, her heart skipping a beat when the words appeared:

"Watching Breakfast at Tiffany's. One of the characters reminds me of you."

Her lips curved into a small smile, the warmth spreading in her chest—but she froze for a second, as if unsure how to process the simple, sweet message. Her fingers hovered over the phone, brushing the edge of it absently, almost like she was trying to hold on to the words a little longer.

"Ha!" Rosa chuckled at the name the perp gave Y/N, snapping Nat out of her thoughts. She then turned to her daughter, catching her big dumb smile. "Hey, what's wrong with your face?"

Nat quickly wiped the grin off her face, trying to play it cool but failing miserably, "I don't know, you tell me—half of it's yours." Her voice went higher again, noticeable this time.

Y/N couldn't help but stifle a laugh; she loved it when Nat gave witty comebacks to Rosa—she was the only one who could get away with it.

Rosa's brow arched as she watched Nat, clearly trying to hide something, "Your voice went up a notch," She pointed out, leaning in just slightly before her tone shifting to something more protective. "What's going on?"

Nat, with her voice betraying her, let out a sigh, "Tyler messaged me," She mumbled, her cheeks flushing pink.

Y/N's eyes lit up, "Oh, how's she going? You two—"

"We kissed!" Nat blurted out, cutting Y/N off mid-sentence, the words tumbling out so fast it was like she couldn't stop herself. She winced immediately, feeling the weight of the silence that followed.

The table fell quiet. Rosa's fork hovered in mid-air, her steak forgotten for a moment, while Y/N paused mid-sip, the lemonade sloshing softly as she slowly lowered her glass, her eyes widening in surprise.

"I... wow, didn't see that coming," Y/N said after a beat, her voice half-laugh, half-gasp before her eyes darted to Rosa as if she needed backup.

Rosa shifted her head, placing her fork and knife down as her eyes never left Nat. She was silent for a moment, just watching her. Then, with a small, almost imperceptible nod, she muttered, "Damn."

Nat shifted in her chair, her fingers tracing the edge of her napkin. She cleared her throat, "Yeah..."

Y/N and Rosa exchanged a look, both feeling the shift. Y/N opened her mouth but couldn't find the words, while Rosa's face stayed neutral. It wasn't the kiss—it was the realization that Nat was growing up, and things were changing.

Rosa turned back to Nat before wiping her mouth with a napkin, then pausing.

"Okay," Rosa started, her voice flat. "and how do you... feel after the kiss?" She leaned back, eyes narrowing slightly as she studied Nat carefully, double-checking that the kiss with Tyler was something she actually wanted.

Nat's smile spread slowly as her eyes softened for a moment before she caught herself. She took a breath, "Yeah, I'm great."

Rosa's lips quirked into a small smile, "Good, Mija."

The table then settled into a silence, the background music just enough to fill the moment. Rosa sipped her beer, Nat absentmindedly picked at her pizza, and Y/N ate a fry.

Just as the tension started to settle, Y/N broke the stillness, "I don't need to give you the sex talk, right?" Her brows knitted together.

Nat's eyes went wide, and she nearly choked on her pizza. She coughed, waving a hand in front of her as if trying to physically dismiss the thought, "God, no. I'm good," She managed, her face contorted in disgust.

Y/N raised both hands, surrendering, "Whoa, okay! Chill. Just making sure we're all... informed."

Nat groaned, "Please, let's just eat in silence." She sighed.

Rosa took a huge swig from her beer, "I agree." She nodded without hesitation as the three then slipped into a silence.

~

Back at the bar, Luna came out of the bathroom, taking in the place. Shaw's wasn't anything special, but it was something. The booths were a little scratched, the bar stools had seen better days, and a live band was playing '90s hits on a stage that had probably been new a few years ago while people were scattered around, some dancing, some chatting, some just drinking.

She made her way over to Gino and Mac, who were nodding along to the music.

"Alright, guys, shall we get a drink?" Luna asked with a bright, eager smile.

Gino lifted a smile, leaning toward Luna. "Oh, absolutely!" He shouted over the music before turning to Mac. "You in, Mac?"

Mac nodded, "Oh, yeah!"

The three approached the bar, grabbed a menu, and scanned the drink selection, each quietly judging the options in front of them.

"Okay, I think I'm gonna try the Molotov Cocktail," Gino decided, pointing to the drink on the menu.

Luna examined the ingredients of the strong drink, tapping her chin thoughtfully, "Well, it's probably a terrible idea, but... I'm definitely in," She smirked before looking at her brother. "Mac, what's your choice?"

"I'll go with the classic: a beer," Mac said with a simple nod.

The trio placed their order, talking among themselves as they waited. The bartender glanced at them for a moment, his eyes holding just a bit longer than usual before he filled their drinks and set down a bowl of pretzels.

Now, with their drinks in hand, Luna, Gino, and Mac turned toward the stage, where the band was covering Under the Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers. The crowd was mostly older, swaying gently, though a few younger people bobbed their heads to the music.

"...It's hard to believe that there's nobody out there..."

"Wow, these people are... really older," Mac realized as he popped a pretzel into his mouth. "How are we supposed to blend in?" He muffled with a mouthful.

"I dunno... just pretend you have back pain," Gino deadpanned before taking a sip of his drink and immediately grimacing.

"...The city, she loves me..."

~

It was later at the bar, and the three were dancing around, feeling kinda drunk as the songs went on—well, everyone except Mac. He was mostly sober.

The crowd was growing a bit, some people dancing together while others bobbed their heads to the music, casually sipping their drinks. It wasn't packed, but there was a decent amount of people.

"...But we don't know why, and we don't know how, but when everybody loves me, I wanna be just about as happy as I can be... Mr. Jones and me, we're gonna be big stars..." The band finished their cover as the crowd applauded.

"Alright, we're taking a quick break," the lead singer announced into the mic. "But stick around—we're opening up the mic! If anyone feels like coming up here and belting out a karaoke tune, now's your chance." He stepped back, adding with a chuckle, "Wow, I need a drink,"

As the crowd cheered the band off the stage, Luna's mind raced. Since the pregnancy scare, she'd been trying to push herself a little further, trying new things and taking more chances. The nose piercing was one step. Tonight, this could be another. Maybe the drinks she'd had were giving her a push she needed to follow through.

Luna turned to Gino and Mac with a huge smile, "I think I'm actually going to do it." She said, nerves bubbling in her chest.

Gino leaned in, "Do what?" His brows twisted.

Luna's smile only widened. She let out a breath, "Sing."

Mac froze, his face tightening, "No, no, no," He waved his hand in front of him as if he could stop her. "Lu, think about it! Do you really wanna be the person who regrets singing in front of, like, twenty people? It's basically social suicide." He winced, half-expecting her to back down.

He threw his hands up, looking at Gino for support, but Gino just gave him an unbothered shrug, "This is a terrible idea! A really terrible idea! Like, it's bad, it's wrong, it's... it's the wrongest idea ever!"

Luna's expression never wavered as she nodded confidently, "I'm going to sing."

Mac flinched, his arms dropping to his sides in defeat, "No."

"Yes," Luna bobbed her head as she handed her third drink to Gino, her fingers brushing his as she moved past him toward the stage.

"Lu!" Mac practically shouted, but Luna was already on her way to the stage. He didn't want his sister to embarrass herself. "She's not listening to me, is she?" He questioned, turning to Gino with wide eyes. "What should I do?"

Gino shrugged again, "I don't know, maybe you should, like, jump up and down and do a little cheer or something."

Mac groaned, folding his arms over his chest, "That's not what I meant, and title of your sex tape," He muttered under his breath.

As Luna approached the microphone, the small crowd of about twenty people cheered, "Hi, everyone!" She greeted, her voice a little too bright, and she swayed slightly on her feet. "So, uh, I'll be singing..." She flipped through the karaoke book, pausing at each page, her fingers hesitating before turning to the next. "Okay, okay, this one! Valerie."

With that, a nearby tech guy hit play, and the backing track for Valerie started to blast through the speakers.

Luna hesitated for a moment, her smile a bit too wide as she steadied herself, "Well, sometimes I go out by myself and I look across the water, and I think of all the things, what you're doing..."  Her voice was shaky at first, and she missed a few notes, but the crowd cheered her on, and the alcohol seemed to loosen her up.

And by the time she hit the chorus, she was singing more confidently, "Cause since I've come on home, well, my body's been a mess, and I miss your ginger hair, and the way you like to dress..."

Mac stood a little stunned listening to her, "Oh, she's really good." He nodded along, his earlier concerns melting away while Gino clapped, grinning like a proud parent.

~

Back at the diner, Y/N, Rosa, and Nat were sat in an awkward silence still, quietly picking at their meals.

Y/N took a bite out of her burger, glancing between Rosa and Nat. She paused, trying to read the table, before breaking the stillness. "Good?" She asked the question hanging in the air.

Nat took a slow sip from her cola, setting it down with a soft clink, her eyes flicking briefly to Y/N, "Yes."

Rosa, focused on cutting another piece of steak, mumbled, "Yeah," before chewing without looking up. After a moment, she met Y/N's gaze, "Yours good?"

"Yep," Y/N said, her grin a little too wide as she leaned back in her seat, clearly trying to fill the awkward pause.

The silence continued, as the three of them resumed eating, each seemingly lost in their own thoughts.

~

"...Valerie, Valerie. Why don't you come over, Valerie..." Luna finished, lowering the mic as the music faded.

The crowd had been clapping and cheering all along, but when she finished, their applause kicked up a notch. Luna blinked, surprised by the response, but a big smile spread across her face anyway.

She handed the mic back, a rush of pride hitting her as the applause from the crowd picked up. She'd done it. And not just done it—she'd killed it.

Luna then hopped off the stage, her heart still pumping from the adrenaline. For once, she wasn't worried about every detail. Tonight, she just went for it, and it felt damn good.

"Wow." Gino clapped as Luna approached them in the audience. "I mean... wow."

"I doubted you, sis," Mac clapped slowly as he shook his head. "That was amazing."

"Thank you!" Luna exhaled, grabbing her drink off Gino.

As the next person took the stage for karaoke, a cop suddenly walked up to the three. He sized them up for a second before speaking, "Hey," his voice was firm. "Mind showing me some IDs?"

The three froze, realizing they'd been caught.

"Shit."

"Crap."

"Shoot."

~

After being caught underage drinking and with fake IDs, Luna, Mac, and Gino were now sat in the holding cell of Brooklyn's Ninety-Ninth Precinct, waiting for their parents to pick them up.

"Whatever I did, I have proof I didn't do it," Mac said, pacing in front of the detectives who were completely ignoring him. He stopped and threw his arms up in exasperation, his voice rising a little too loudly. "Like, I don't actually exist! If you've met me, it was a prank!"

"Mac, we already have fines." Gino leaned back against the wall, raising an eyebrow. "You can't do anything about it now. Relax."

Mac paused mid-step as if the idea of relaxing had never even occurred to him. He tilted his head, considering the suggestion, then shook it off, "I can't chillax."

"That's not a word." Luna pointed out, still on a high from her singing.

Mac spun around to face them, his arms flailing, "Sometimes the ones who deny 'chillax' are the ones who need to chillax the most."

Mac froze mid-gesture, blinking as the realization set in. His arms dropped, and he let out a short sigh. "Yeah, okay. I need to chill." He avoided their gaze.

"Please," Luna and Gino said in unison as Mac sighed and dropped into the seat between them.

Mac slouched against the wall, arms crossed as Luna sat cross-legged on the bench, tapping her fingers on her knee, while Gino leaned back, head tilted to the ceiling, looking completely unbothered.

As faint sounds of ringing phones and murmured conversations filled the room, the three stayed quiet, waiting for their parents to show up.

~

As the night came to an end, Rosa and Y/N followed behind Nat as they strolled back to the car.

"Wait a second," Y/N snapped her fingers, breaking the silence. "Those bagel bites weren't even from this diner! They were from that other place!" She stuffed her hands back into her pockets, looking way too proud of herself for such a minor realization.

Rosa shot her a quick, side-eyed glance before shaking her head, her lips curling into a faint, amused smirk, "Dork."

Up ahead, Nat turned around to her parents, "Hey, can I drive?" She piped up, jerking her thumb toward the car with a lopsided grin.

As Nat flashed them a grin, Rosa sighed, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the car keys. She tossed them in Nat's direction, "Fine."

"Noice!" Nat caught the keys and slowed her pace as she got closer to the car. With a quick glance at her parents, she hopped into the driver's seat. "Toit!" She called out, grinning as she slammed the door shut.

Rosa and Y/N exchanged a look as they reached the car, both of them pausing for a moment. That's when it hit them—her voice was too bright, too childlike, too exaggerated, too... Jake Peralta.

Rosa's lips twitched as she glanced at Y/N, "She sounds like—"

"Jake," Y/N's voice was soft as the realization settled in. "She sounds just like our Jake. Our sperm donor."

They stood there for a second, the realization settling in. They'd always known on some level, but now that it was out loud, it felt different. It was Jake's unmistakable tone, his humor, his mannerisms. Sure, Nat had inherited some of Rosa's too, but mostly, she had inherited Jake's.

How did they missed it? Their daughter had been walking around sounding exactly like Jake this whole time. It was so obvious now, painfully obvious, and they had overlooked it.

"Should we tell her?" Y/N broke the thought train.

~

note:

yikes! long ass chapter and it took too long to write !!!

hope you enjoyed the big reveal :))

published: 26/1/25