"I came to Aidan's birthday party, what else!"

Daniel just whispers like he's tired of putting up with me and just living in general, "You're fucking impossible."

"I know, right?" Annabelle accusingly joins the conversation.

I look back at her, like really?, while Daniel can't go over his good nature and first introduces himself, "Hi, I'm his brother."

"Hi, Annabelle." She smiles and fixates Devon in her arms.

"It was a great suggestion, Daniel. That thing with the babysitter. I should listen to your advice more often."

Daniel just plainly stares at me, "Just get in before I regret it."

I walk in and it's so tripping to think the last time I was here, it was nearly half a year ago. In the good old days, I'd be invited over nearly every week. I notice Patty and Danny changed quite a bit in this house. They put a new still-life in the hallway and the smell of fresh paint reeks from the upper floor so badly it nearly makes me gag. One of the rare things that make my stomach do a backflip. That and Devon's shit. When my apartment was under 'personalisation', I practically slept in the poor excuse of an office I had at the time.

As I walk through the house to get to the backdoor I also notice they installed new sliding doors instead of the regular ones they used to have. Through the glass, I see the party unravelling and without a struggle, my eyes find Aidan in the crowd running around in the company of other kids.

He grew. Man, he grew for a few very noticeable inches, and half a year ago he was a mirror picture of Daniel, but now there's the curl of his smile and the outline of his face that very much resemble Patty's. In a year or two, and at this rate, he'll be a perfect mixture of the two.

I spy what my brother and my escort are doing in the back. Annabelle is busy checking out the house, how it's decorated, and possibly forming a plan how she could renovate her own place. Daniel, on the other hand, he's busy with the newly arrived guests whom I don't recognise. They're probably neighbours or friends from work.

Right before I actively join the party, I put the enormous Aidan's gift down in the dining room along with other presents.

Heh... Mine is the biggest one.

I slide the door to the side, and at first, nobody noticed me, which is fucking ridiculous! But then, my boy Aidan squeals my name loudly and comes rushing from the engulfing crowd of kids, "Uncle Nathan!"

My lips automatically pull into a huge smile and like a martyr, I fall on my knees when I see him running towards me. He lands in my arms, squeezing me tightly and I hold him like I'll never let him go, "Oh, I missed you, buddy!"

Aidan tears away from me and peers up with stars in his eyes, "I got all these new toys today, and Mummy's belly has been moving for the whole week!"

I smile gently after the news-fill-in. I just feel at peace that he's still the same little joyous kid. "If you come closer, I'll tell you about something only a birthday boy like you can handle! You think you can do it?"

Aidan nods enthusiastically, vibrating with excitement and good energy. At the same time Annabelle comes out to the porch, desperate to hide behind me, but she doesn't interfere when he leans closer to me, and I hint him the whereabouts of yet another gift he got, possibly the largest one he's gotten today.

I observe his eyes light up and his legs grow restless, then at one point he just explodes, "Can I go look? Can I go look? Can I go look? Can I go look? Uncle Nate, can I go look? Can I go look?"

I chuckle and ruffle his hair as I've done every time I got to spend some time with him, "Go, go, and don't forget to come back, okay!"

Aidan runs off, jumping the stairs to the porch two at the time, which is too much for him, and he stumbles a couple of times. Without any tears shed, he runs in with his mind still fixated on the gift.

I take a quick nonchalant glance over the party and see people smile and aw at me and my relationship with Aidan.

Annabelle, probably feeling uncomfortable as hell, stands close by my side with Devon wiggling aggressively in her arms. "That your nephew, I presume?" She smiles at first and looks towards the house in case she could see Aidan unwrap the gift. "Just seeing how much he loves you is a punch in the guts for your ex, you know that?"

"Oh, I'm aware of this power, but," I look at her and smile mysteriously, "why stop there?"

Devon grows restless in her arms and is stretching his towards me. Without exchanging any words of confirmation, I accept him in my arms.

Annabelle sighs and what she says may or may not be meant for me to hear, "Sometimes you terrify me."

A loud squeal stretches over the party and the next thing we're aware of is Aidan running around and jumping like crazy, "Mummy, Mummy, Uncle Nathan bought me a car!"

From far across the lawn, I see Patty get up from behind the table. She's barely smiling at first but when she sees me with Devon in my arms, her smile fades completely. Though, she puts it back on for Aidan's sake.

I take Devon's hand and wave in her direction. If she accused me of being an inconsiderate selfish prick, then I might as well act like one.

Annabelle looks at me, then at Patty and back at me. Given her stare, I imagine she'd love to punch my shoulder, but she crosses her arms, probably to prevent this from happening. "You need a psychiatrist."

While Patty is marching towards me like an obese penguin with an axe hidden behind her back, Daniel rushes from the house, looking like he's in the middle of a mental breakdown. His eyes stop on me and I can hear him screaming at me internally.

But before he can do anything about this situation, Patty is standing right before me, using all her power not to bury her claws in my throat, "Nathan."

"Patty," I smirk and hear Annabelle inhale sharply behind me. I tilt my head to the side, like this is all a board game for the entire family and less like hunger games, "Aidan is having hell of a time. And you almost didn't invite me."

"Hm," she smiles and eyes Devon suspiciously, "I thought you'd be taken to prison before the day of the party. You know, child neglect and everything else that runs in your family."

Aw, cheeky, aren't we!

"Then you must fit right in! Depriving your child of quality time with his uncle. And to think you have another one on the way..."

Patty takes a deep breath, but she is well aware I've only been here for maybe ten minutes. Until the end of the party, this could all get so much worse, and she still has to ensure her son is going to have one hell of a time. So, she jumps to a whole other topic, "so, this is the unfortunate boy?"

She stretches her hand towards Devon and for this once I let her take him in his arms. Hesitantly, of course. I wouldn't be surprised if she accidentally on purpose dropped him on his head.

"You definitely keep him fed." She weighs him and holds him firmly. "Nice to know you are capable of taking care of someone else than yourself."

"I'm full of surprises, aren't I?" I reach with my hand for Annabelle's elbow that, as the verb nicely puts it, elbows me back in riot. "Speaking of surprises," I reach for her again and manage to pull her from behind me, right before Patty and her eyes, "-this is Annabelle."

At that moment, I really think Patty is gonna drop the baby. But she holds him up, even if she doesn't succeed in keeping up her smile. Her whole face falls and without an attempt at being discreet, she eyes Annabelle top to bottom.

And Annabelle, on the other hand, wants to look everywhere else but at Patty. But being like Daniel in this sense, she minds her manner, and offers Patty her hand, "I'm... well, Annabelle."

Clumsily, Patty takes it after reassuring Devon's not gonna fall, which is kinda surprising, "Patty. Well, uhm, Nathan didn't mention you."

I might have if you fucking picked up a phone.

"I like to keep good things to myself." Unlike you.

I only get a quick despising glance before she focuses back on Annabelle, "And now, that Nathan so kindly decided to share you with us, as he does, maybe we could have a drink together later."

I want to interrupt her and tell her that that's not going to happen, but Annabelle nods with a smile "That sounds like fun."

"Maybe for you, but definitely not for me," Patty laughs and rubs her belly. For a moment there I am terrified at the thought that these two women might actually get along! "Oh, I see new guests have arrived. So, let me give this big boy back to his Mummy."

Annabelle gets Devon back in her arms, while Patty and I have a staring competition. Her eyes say 'I am watching you' and mine reply 'I'm counting on it', which is why I wrap my arm around Annabelle's waist and kiss her hair "Let's introduce you to others, darling."

It takes Patty a moment to tear her eyes away from us, and the moment she does, Annabelle incognito pushes me away with enough force to tell me she's had enough, "This is ridiculous, Nathan! I don't want to have a drink with her! I don't want to be introduced to the rest of your family! And like hell will I stand next to you and let you use me as a sex toy on display!"

Okay, she is clearly overreacting. A sex toy on display? Give me a break! It was a peck on her hair. It's not as if I tore that dress off of her and pulled her for her nipples. And now the image is in my head... Great.

"Then why did you tell Patty it would be, oh, so much fun!" I even make an effort at batting my eyelashes. I don't like the idea any less than she does. I made a promise to myself I would keep Patty away from her, but if Annabelle is afraid to say no to the dragon, I might as well die and go to hell right away.

Annabelle, however, isn't impressed by my endeavour. Funnily, I'm not impressed with her excuse either. "Because it's polite and the right thing to say."

She reminds me so much of Daniel in that very moment. They both react in that polite way and blame me for whatever follows. Maybe Annabelle can really be a little pissed at me, I did drag her into this, but if I don't want to do something, I just say no. Unlike, for instance, my baby brother. "Wow, you're like my brother. I think you could fall for him in a matter of seconds. And he for you, that is."

Annabelle suddenly snaps "I think the poor guy has had enough of women whom you've polluted before him!"

My eyes lock with hers that glare at me accusingly. I won't lie and say I expected this. It came out nowhere and very suddenly. I've heard all sorts of jokes and accusations alike as far as Danny and Patty were concerned, but hearing it from Annabelle sheds a different light on it.

So, I... don't run out of words. I just have too much to say, but none of it would seem right. I could ask her what any of that has to do with her, or remind her how she jumped me twice! I could tell her to mind her own damn business, like so many other nosy people that claimed the right to dive in my personal life. But none of it seems right, too harsh, or completely out of place. All those thoughts are in my head, swirling in those few moments that are spent staring silently.

She sighs and looks down. Maybe the regret and remorse she shows are both truthful. "Look, I'm... I'm sorry, but stop taking everything as one huge joke. I agreed to this for god knows what reason again. I guess I thought it wouldn't be this stressful, but Nathan, this is like a gladiator arena, and you put me in the crossfire. Just... Just do this as smoothly as possible. Introduce me, but don't pull me into any hugs or kisses, since I know that's what you like to do!"

I smile a little at her last remark, though I don't think I'll ever forget her snapping at me. I could drag this on, dig a bit deeper into this discussion. I am a grown man, who can regulate his feelings, but I still can't believe she would stoop to such a low level of insults.

It's like I can't step out of the shadow of Patty switching the brothers. If anything, Daniel could be considered as the brother who took the girlfriend away from me, but of course, as people like to see it, I wanted to have my run with her then let Danny deal with her after I've grown bored.

Nonetheless, there is no reason to turn this into a fight, so I reply with a suggestive smile like all is all alright. "But wasn't it nice when I did it?"

She narrows her eyes at me and smiles subtly but still judgmentally, "This isn't about the kissing! And I won't let you charm your way out!"

I smile a bit wider than before, and Annabelle returns the smile by broadening it and removing the judgemental connotation out of it, "I haven't even started with my charm yet."

"And you won't!"

"Bossy, aren't we? It just so happens, I like it when a woman knows how to take charge." I wouldn't mind seeing her take control in the bedroom. She looks like the type who can be a gentle, delicate flower, but also a bit of a dominatrix.

Again, her eyes squint my way, "Put your eyebrow game away and I doubt there is a woman you don't like."

"Races and cultures are the spice of life, as I like to say," I smirk and wait for her reaction, which doesn't let me down. She looks at me mortified. "An Asian there, a honky here, maybe even a ginger now and then."

She covers my mouth with her hand, "You are... disgusting." A moment later, she sighs and furrows her brows, "Are you seriously licking my hand right now?"

Fully aware this is probably the most childish act ever, I lift up my brows in confirmation. It's perhaps one of the weirdest stunts I've pulled on any woman, but it's so easy to do that with her, 'cause she doesn't flip, but tags along with it. She's a funny woman that can appreciate my dirty jokes. You don't see that every day.

"You're forgetting you pushed your tongue down my throat, Nathan. So, by all means, please, keep on licking."

If my mouth wasn't covered by her hand, I'd ask her if she's envious I didn't push it somewhere else. But I'm pretty sure that would earn me a slap and maybe a licking session later. I think that would be worth it.

After I refuse to stop and I stick to my act stubbornly, she sticks to hers as well, "You are the biggest man-child I've ever encountered."

"He is, isn't he? Awful to think he is the older brother."

Both Annabelle and I turn in the direction of the voice at the same time and it's then that we both drop the act. Her hand slides down my chin and off my mouth like she's either too horny to stop touching me or phased by an unexplainable force.

"Annabelle, this is my sister, May, the little brat from the stories." I smile like a classic asshole from the movies. The assholes all the girls like.

"And you brought a girl." May tips her head to the side, and looks at Annabelle like she's a child, "You know he is a douchebag, actually?"

Annabelle fixates Devon in her arms and with a look that I haven't seen before and can't even begin to describe it, traces May's face, "Perhaps to certain attitudes."

May beams at her and I just want to snicker her way and hug Annabelle over her shoulders like she's my homie. Apparently, she's keeping me safe today and not the other way around.

My sister can't find anything to respond back, something insulting as she likes it. But if I know something, is that she hates someone else even more. "So, how is your deal with Patty going? Lots of tea parties and knitting?"

May makes a gagging sound and crosses her arms, "You wish. I got nothing juicy to tell you. Danny always dropped Aidan off, never Patty."

"Of course, she never tagged along. I don't know which one of you hates each other more, but I was looking forward to seeing you two fight."

"Did you really come here to see Aidan or to see all the drama revolve around you? The kid is a nice cover, though."

I look at Devon who for some reason is trying to climb as deep in Annabelle's hands as possible. Maybe it's because of May and her being a little brat! "He's my son. I thought Daniel told you the news."

Momentarily, her eyes dart at me and stare at me blankly, "Are you saying that adopting stunt wasn't one of your sick jokes?"

I point to Annabelle and smile, "Sick jokes? Annabelle quite likes them." I don't receive a grateful look back from either of the women. "Do you have no trust in me, May? I have babysitted Aidan plenty of times and look at him, he's a happy and healthy kid."

May lifts a brow, "He shattered his ankle on your watch."

"Well, we were sword fighting, what do you expect, no injuries?"

"I'm at the same time surprised they let you babysit him for such a long time, but then again Danny was always crazy about you, and well," she smiles like the biggest douchebag with her eyes slightly closed, "Patty too." Her face expression completely changes and she's back to being bratty, "I think it's nice that you brought Devon, though. I bet Mum wished for that to happen for a long time."

"Yeah, I don't care what she wished for." The coldness and detachment in my voice grab Annabelle's attention. May may not t notice it, but I, that know Annabelle, know she beamed up in a surprise. She knows I'm not close with my mother, but she probably never expected me to be this dismissive of her.

May sighs tiredly, "You just don't know when to quit, huh? She's still our Mum. I don't get it why you're dragging this on."

Of course, she doesn't get it. She had me who looked after her, even though with her bullshit I can imagine my Mum just abandoning her. May was rarely even aware of what was going on. She didn't have to worry about combining her schedule with their siblings', so she could pick them up on time. She also didn't have to worry about driving from the campus every day to make sure her little siblings were doing fine or to help them with algebra, chemistry, physics and other problematic subjects. She also didn't have to worry about strange men in her mother's room or how our beloved mother had no fucking standard at all. So, of course, she doesn't get it.

"Are you gonna throw a tantrum now?" You may be a grown woman, but I'm still the big brother.

"Are you gonna stu-stutter, Nathan?"

Aren't you just a little nasty bitch!

"Okay, you two stop with this now!" Annabelle exclaims and positions herself between May and me. I didn't even notice I was leaning closer to her. And no, not in the Sweet Home Alabama style. "This is a kid's birthday party and not a sibling battleground."

May and I eye each other. Maybe it'd be beneficial for Aidan to see his aunt have her ass kicked.

It's May who's the first one to nod and back away, "Annabelle's right. So, let's talk about something else."

"Or not talk at all?" I suggest and hope she will pack her bags and remove herself from my presence.

"I was going to ask how did Patty react to Annabelle," May says and a nasty smile plays on her lips. It's... different if I have some plotting going on, but when May does this, it's wrong. This is between me and Patty.

"She invited me to have a drink with her later, actually." Annabelle looks between the two of us, testing us to see if we have any secrets concerning Patty.

May laughs loudly. Those who are close enough to hear her, though I can't imagine anyone not hearing her, they turn to look in her direction. "If I were you I'd keep my eyes on that drink. We wouldn't want her to slip anything in, would we?"

Annabelle looks up at me and back at May with furrowed brows, "I know you guys don't like her, but she doesn't seem like a murderer, come on."

It's so obvious she has only talked to her for two minutes. If I had given them a minute more, Annabelle wouldn't even think about saying anything to relation with Patty not being crazy.

May looks over at me and bumps her shoulder against mine, "Tell her, big guy, how Patty still has the hots for you."

"She doesn't," I reply quickly, getting irritated by this conversation. If it's not Annabelle snapping at me, it's May with her imaginary fantastic scenes.

"What, because she's with Daniel? Daniel is sweet, but he's a good guy. You're not and you always said girls like the bad guys."

"I wouldn't say Nathan is a bad guy. Maybe he gives that appearance, but he's just a regular guy winging his way through life." Annabelle jumps to my defence again, and when I look at her with the corner of my eyes, she smiles softly.

May rolls her eyes at her response, clearly not impressed and stuck with her own ideas. She glances up to me, "It's like you're sleeping with a female version of Daniel."

I'd say my sister and I agree at least on something, but this time I manage to think before I speak. Annabelle is nothing like any member of my family, which, in my case, is hella refreshing. All the women in the family are crazy, one more than the other, but Annabelle has that cool and that fire that can't compare to anything.

Before I tell her she's never been a good judge of character, and try to get Annabelle and myself away from my sister, Daniel comes rushing from the house, hopefully finally joining the party. He spots us immediately and beams, not because I'm in the company of a girl, but in the company of my sister.

"What's up with you two? I didn't know you two could hang together at all." He chuckles when he comes by and passes me a bottle of beer, which Annabelle eyes me as suspiciously as she possibly can when I grab it.

I take a sip and May turns away like this is all so beneath her, so Annabelle is the only one left to answer him, "They can't. Unless there's a mediator with them. Today that is me, apparently."

Daniel chuckles and his eyes linger on Annabelle for a few moments, "It's how this usually goes. How long did it take them before they tried to kill each other?"

She thinks hard about it. I can see the numbers and mathematical operations shifting in her brains. "Around three or four minutes."

"Damn, guys, you are improving. Maybe you could start behaving like a brother and sister one day." He looks at us the last moment because he's too busy smiling at Annabelle.

"We are." I cut him off, having a hard time to smile.

You have your own woman to gawk at!

Daniel senses that and clears his throat a bit. I don't know if he senses that I want him to keep his eyes away, but he notices the change in my voice for sure.

I hug May over her shoulders and force out a smile, "A sister I never wanted."

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" Annabelle asks and immediately gets Daniel's attention. I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but I have a weird feeling he has developed a momentary crush on my babysitter! "Oh, uhm, Daniel, right?"

"Yeah, but they usually call me Danny."

She smiles, "Okay, uh, do you have any place for this little guy? I think he's falling asleep and I don't want to drag him through the entire party."

"Yeah, just put his basket and him in the living room. It won't be too hot for him there."

"Okay, thanks. I'll be right back." She then hurries off, murmuring into Devon's ear how we're all going to leave him alone now and let him rest.

Daniel watches her leave, and I keep my eyes on him. May just laughs at the entire scenery, "Wow, Daniel, you just love women Nathan has tasted before, huh?"

He flinches and looks like a little terrified child, "What? I just wanted to see if she's gonna find her way in."

"And your excuses didn't get any better, I see," she rolls her eyes. "Just like when you were worried if Patty was gonna make it to her car when she left the house?"

"Screw you, May!"

Then she turns to me. I wanted to just let this slide by the side. I don't want to discuss Daniel looking at Annabelle so lustfully. "And you, big bro, I don't think I've ever seen you that jealous. Not even when Danny told us he dunked it into your ex."

"It's not called jealousy, May. Learn how to differentiate between looks and emotions, and you might figure out why nobody wants to come to your grandma book club."

"I don't have a book club."

I raise a brow, "Is it the lack of members?"

Daniel snickers, which causes May to retreat and sulk. Even if she's present, it's like she's not even there.

"But I did notice the same thing. Developing a crush on my date, by any chance?" And you better say fucking not.

Daniel shrugs like he's not sure himself, "She's very pretty. You were always surrounded by beautiful girls, but Annabelle is really, really pretty."

"I know."

He looks at me and inspects my face for a while, then like seeing a tsunami loom on the horizon, he widens his eyes, "You're sleeping with her for real?"

I don't think I have enough beer in this bottle for this type of a conversation, and when I tip the bottle over, I nearly drink half its contents in one go. "I wouldn't exactly call that 'sleeping with her', to be honest."

"Then what? You don't bring girls over. Especially not those you have had sex with."

Ah, shit.

"She's not one of the girls. She's just a babysitter that can appreciate a good fuck here and there. That's all."

Daniel squints his eyes at me, and for a moment he reminds me of one of the human lie detector robots I have seen in a movie once. "How many times did you two do it?"

I turn and look at him, after I've avoided his gaze ever since he mentioned Annabelle is a beauty. "Should I be in any way concerned you're so interested in my sex life?"

"You usually don't mind sharing the info. If anything, you love to brag about it." His voice trails off but another amazing ideas pops to his mind, "Unless she's special?"

"Danny, please. She's not special. Attractive? Yes. Sensible? Yes. Special? No. At least not in the context you want me to say it."

We see Annabelle coming back, bumping into a few people on her way out because she's so busy looking back if Devon's really going to be alright.

"Are you sure, though? Sometimes these things aren't that obvious." He continues on and on about that same damn subject. It's so easy for him to understand I have on night stands but not that I sleep with one woman more than once.

"Yes, I'm damn sure about that. Ask her how did I invite her and tell her to answer truthfully and you'll see what she'll tell you. This," I gesture with my hand in the air to summarise the party, people, everything all in one, "is not some kind of a romantic gesture. Please, stop bugging me about it now."

One of those people she has bumped into turns around. Of course, now the entire group of oldies must focus on her and there's my grandma with open arms inviting her into a hug, yelling loud enough for the entire garden to hear her, "Oh, you're Nathan's girl!"

Annabelle looks bummed, but she pulls it off with a couple of smiles and nods, while I just turn around so no one can see me cringing the hell out of my face.

"Oh, my fucking God."

Daniel leans in, his eyes focused on Annabelle and the company, "Hate to break it to you, Nate, but you have a girlfriend."

"This is a nightmare. Could I get another one of those?" I lift up a bottle and Daniel nods.

Then from far, far away, thanks to my lovely and freakishly loud grandma, I hear another familiar voice, "Nathan's girl? My Nathan's?"

I turn around, completely appalled, ready to sit in the car and drive it through the house, until I see Annabelle completely at a loss of words when she realises the person she is talking to, is no one else, but my mother.

I drop the bottle before Daniel manages to grab for it, and it shatters on the ground. He hisses a bit, probably at the sight of me, "I'm gonna get that beer for ya."

"Oh, I'll need something far stronger than a bottle of beer."

Daniel scurries off, and I'm right after him, marching towards my mother. I never though I'd ever walk on purpose in her direction, but Annabelle is... probably holding it all together better than me.

I'm a few metres away from them, but somehow nobody notices me approaching. In the last moment, Danny walks out of the house with the glass of brandy ready. Not my favourite drink, but at this point I wouldn't mind swallowing that 70% alcohol.

"Nate! Nate!" He stops me, not saying my name too loudly. "I'll get Annabelle from them, just... Go and drink your brandy."

Then he puts the glass in my hand, and I smile like I'm gonna murder the next person that speaks to me, which I just fucking might, "Thanks, but I don't need your help."

I march towards them, digging holes into the lawn with my shoes, and say loudly, my voice rising and getting raspier with each tone, "Motheeeeer!"

A/N: So... Let the games begin!

I would like to apologise to all of you for posting this so late. The reason why there was no update this weekend was because of my wisdom tooth operation that was a bit trickier than usual ones are, since my teeth was still very deep in my jaw. I hope you can forgive me after reading this chapter, and I'll do my best to write in advance as much as possible, so there won't be any new surprises.

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~Blackie