Homecoming

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"Got everything?" I ask.

"Yep," Toni smiles at me briefly, before going back to check if she has everything secured in her bag.

"You okay?"

She looks at me as she slings her bag over her shoulder. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why are you asking?"

"You seem a bit tense," I tell her.

"It's nothing," she answers, waving her hand dismissively.

"Doesn't look like it's nothing, Toni. You might as well say your piece now because knowing you, it's going to be something later."

Toni sighs, sliding down her seat. "Look, I appreciate you inviting me to Shay's wedding and all, but why are your friends coming with us on this trip?"

I arch an eyebrow. "Because my mom and Vinny's mom are friends and Sid is from Arcadia – so technically that makes them family. Nyxxie wanted to come."

"Well, I just thought that it was going to be just the two of us on this trip since you kinda implied it when you texted about it. Plus, I feel like Vinny and Feenyx are going to antagonise me."

"They won't. Besides, it's an open invitation – the more the merrier."

Toni scoffs and rolls her eyes. "More like the more the brainless. Can you believe how much Vinny packed? I'm surprised his luggage didn't get past the weight limit. Feenyx hardly packed anything at all."

"Um, excuse me, miss. I'll have you know that I am average weight, thank you very much." Vinny, who's been seating behind us with Feenyx and Sid, chimes in sassily.

"I was talking about your luggage, Vincent." Toni lids her eyes.

"I know. I just don't care." He replies, smiling sweetly at her.

"Geez, lady. Are you trying to make the Underworld or what? It's not that deep," Feenyx comments. "Besides, I already have everything I need."

Toni turns to me with a look that says, 'See what I mean?' and I sigh.

"Look, I know Vinny and Nyxxie can be a couple of douche canoes – "

"Heard that," they say.

"But they're mostly harmless," I continue, ignoring their daggering glares. "The only time they'll even do anything or the sort is if you give them a reason to."

"Yeah, listen to your boyfriend over here," Feenyx says. "He'll protect you, so you don't have to worry about a thing."

Toni takes a sharp breath in and stands up. "I'm going to get myself some black tea."

"Toni, wait. They're going to call us to board anytime soon – and she's gone." I sigh, watching Toni stride away from us to the café that isn't too far from where we're seated.

"What a diva," Vinny comments, rolling his eyes.

"Looks like there's going to be more space for Vi-VI," says Feenyx.

"Please, I make a great waste of space, unlike Miss Marie Antoinette Junior." He remarks. "Thank God it's your sister getting married and not you, Urie."

"Hey!" I retort.

"No, for real though. I bet if Hera did marriage compatibility tests, you and Toni's results would come out negative."

"Wait, can she do that?" Sid asks, turning to Feenyx for confirmation.

"Those are baseless rumours, but you're not wrong. You and Tesco's compatibility score would be so low it wouldn't even register in the system and Hera would need to quadruple bless your union after having six bottles of whisky and tequila to unpack all the dysfunction in your relationship," Feenyx says, popping a potato chip into her mouth.

"It can't be that bad." Sid frowns.

"Dude, their rebound situationship is making the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki look like fucking grenades," Vinny says.

"Their rebound situationship is making Deadpool's tumorous skin look like a fucking rash," Feenyx adds.

They both do fist bump explosions as I flip them off until Toni comes back.

"That was quick," I comment as she sits down next to me.

"Yeah, well they don't have black tea so I might as well wait until we get on the plane." She sighs.

"Well, at least you didn't argue over it like someone I know," I say, giving Feenyx the look.

"Bitch don't hate 'cause I'm beautiful. At least I have standards." She snaps sassily at me.

"Flight AD905 is now ready to board. Please report to the boarding gate."

♡

I let out a nervous sigh, staring at the aerial view of my home city, Arcadia. It looks beautiful, especially at night.

"Hey."

I turn my gaze from the window to Feenyx, who has her head placed on top of the headrest of her seat.

"You okay?" she asks.

"Yeah... I'm fine. Just a little nervous?" I answer.

"Why though? Don't you visit every now and again?" she arches an eyebrow.

"Well, yes. I do obviously. It's just..." I trail off. "You know how you've been away from home for so long and how everything looks and feels different when you come back? I mean, I've been here all my life before I moved to Hellenic City, but for some reason, it feels – "

"Like you're visiting a country." She finishes.

"Yeah, exactly!" I agree. "Has that been like that for you?"

"More or less." She shrugs. "I rarely visit Mount Etna. The only time I ever do is when Eros visits Hephaestus for business."

"How come?"

"I have my reasons." She answers cryptically with a tight smile. "How's she doing?"

My gaze then shifts to Toni sound asleep against my shoulder, sound asleep.

"Well as you can already tell she's tired but fine." I smile down at her briefly before frowning. "Though, I can't help but worry."

"Is it her first time meeting your family?"

"No, she's already met them. They did like her at some point and were relieved that I actually brought someone home knowing that I've had the worst luck with women in the past," I smile briefly before frowning. "but with everything going between me and her, it kinda left a bad taste in their mouths, especially my mom."

"So you worried your mama's going to go ham when she sees her?"

"No. Despite her thug-like behaviour, she's mostly civil unless you test her, but that won't stop her from silently judging anyone she doesn't like and that's the part that worries me. I just want Toni to feel comfortable."

Feenyx hum half-heartedly, pressing her lips into a thin line.

"Ma'am, I may need you to sit properly. We're going to land soon." The flight attendant informs.

"Okey-dokey," Feenyx says before settling down in her seat.

♡

"Urie! Over here!" My brother, Eloi yells as he waves his arms upon our arrival.

"Eloi!" I yell back as I smile at him rushing in our direction and pulling me into a hug.

"What's good, bro-bro. It's been a while." He grins, pulling away to have a look at me.

"It's been a while indeed, little bro." I grin back.

"I see you brought the whole gang with you.... and Toni."

His eyes meet mine, giving me a 'What's she doing here?' look.

I respond to it with a 'We'll talk about it later' look.

"Anyways," he says. "We don't want to keep everyone waiting at the house. We're having a small family cookout to celebrate Shay and Jay's wedding."

♡

The Newlands suburbs are mostly quiet and the neighbours are mostly pleasant and friendly – everyone knows everyone, but that doesn't stop the gossip from spreading like wide fire. If something happens, big or small, the whole neighbourhood knows about it and is talking about it.

But despite all that, I still love my home.

By the time we arrive at the house, my parents, Shay and her fiancé, Jay and Eloi's girlfriend Kayleigh are waiting for us.

As I expected, the rest of the family is thrilled to see everyone but Toni. The majority of them are mostly awkward about seeing her but very much civil. My mother, however, doesn't even try to hide that she's not at all happy to see Toni or that I brought her in the first place.

"I hope you don't mind that I brought Toni to come to the wedding," I say, hoping that she'd at least be civil.

"Of course, we don't mind. Right, honey?" Dad looks down at Ma.

Ma lets out a half-hearted hum before turning to me and the boys. "Boys, how about you take care of the luggage and set up the braai stand while we ladies head over to the kitchen and catch up?"

"Sure thing," Vinny says, giving her a thumbs up.

"And please be nice," I call.

"We are nice," My sister replies.

"You know what I mean," I tell her.

♡

"So... you and Toni," Eloi says, unloading the last of the luggage out of the van. "I guess I should be happy that you two are still going strong."

"Yeah... we are," I reply.

"And that's the funny thing – why?"

And there it is. I sigh internally.

"Seriously, bro-bro. Out of all the beautiful queens and hunnies that have walked on this earth, why her?"

"What's the problem with her?"

"The problem is a) everyone knows your history with her and can already tell that she ain't the one for you, and b) you're a fucking idiot. You're lucky Ma didn't fly all the way from her to Hellenic City and put her in a coma after the first twenty times she dumped your ass for that rich boyfriend of hers out of respect and love for you."

"You're one to talk. You almost got your ass set to the queue in heaven after Ma found out you got Kayleigh pregnant during your sophomore year."

"Yeah, but the difference is my relationship with my baby mama is popping. You and Toni, on the other hand, are making Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla and Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's relationships look healthy."

I open my mouth to retort, but I close it soon after and let out a sigh.

"Look, Urie. No hard feelings here. You're an adult and you make decisions for yourself. But one of these days, you're going to have to stop giving this bitch chances she don't deserve."

Eloi pats my shoulder before leaving with one of the luggage into the house.

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