Summer Lights and City Nights

- x. family

— x. family

Marceline smiles a bit nervously. She is currently seated at a dinner table surrounded by Prez's family, the group of men not so subtly staring at her and Prez. Prez is unbothered by it, or more like he is completely oblivious to what's happening as he shovels food into his mouth.

Marceline isn't really sure how she let herself get into this situation (except she totally does, it started with Prez calling her earlier that night and their conversation went a little something like this:

Prez: What are you doing right now?

Marceline: Dying of boredom since my parents went on their date night and left me home alone. To die. Of boredom.

Prez: Sweet, come have dinner with me then.

Marceline: What, you mean like a....

Prez: No! I mean, not like that— unless you want to call it that but, uh, it's not really um. It's dinner at my place. My dad's been curious about you ever since I mentioned you to him and well, he's a chef so the food will be good I promise and well, uh, wanna come over?

Marceline: You talked to your dad about me? That's adorable.

Prez: That's um, that's not answering the question.

Marceline: You have to pick me up. I am not in the mood for getting on the bus.

Prez: Of course! Yeah, okay.)

But free food was free food and the coconut basmati rice with scallops and shrimp that Prez's dad had made was loads better than the grilled cheese sandwich she had been planning to make at home. Marceline eats a forkful of the rice and revels in the sweet taste of the coconut milk. Delicious.

"You're way too pretty to be with him," Rhys, Prez's third older brother finally says, "Is he blackmailing you? Do you need help? Blink twice for yes."

Marceline laughs while Prez gets the most offended look on his face.

"Shut up, I would never blackmail—"

"Stalked you then?" Lucas, the oldest, asks seriously.

Marceline looks thoughtful. "Somewhat."

Prez looks appropriately affronted. "I did not stalk—"

"You were very persistent."

"Which is not the same as stalking!" Prez exclaims, his fork stabs at the air.

"Unless it comes off as creepy," Michael counters and then turns to Marceline, "Did it come off as creepy?"

Marceline scrunches up her nose and then waves her hand a little, "Ehhhh..."

Prez is incredulous. "What?! 'Ehhh?'" He turns to his father, "Dad I'm being ganged up on, help me out here!"

Christopher Lee looks thoughtful for a moment, stroking at his salt-and-pepper stubble (and god, Prez's dad is such a silver fox, really it's no wonder his sons are as good looking as they are). "Persistence can be a good thing at times, yes," he says and Prez grins triumphantly.

"He wrote his phone number on the box of the cake I bought," Marceline adds.

Michael and Lucas snort from across the table.

"Smooth," Rhys mutters, smirking and Prez narrows his eyes at them all.

"Well, okay... I can see how that's a little weird," his father says.

"Daaaad," Prez groans while everyone bursts into laughter at his expense. He mumbles something under his breath that sounds like, "well it worked didn't it" which only serves to make them laugh harder as he pouts like a petulant child.

Marceline takes a moment to glance at Prez and his family, the way they laugh with each other and how Rhys rubs his brother's head affectionately. She smiles, feeling warm inside.