Chapter Text
Rowan sighs as he marks off another day on the calendar. Just another week until Hero and Mari get back home from college. Thank god that college Christmas break is longer than it was in high school. He looks at his phone as he exits his room, sitting on the couch and giving Basil and Polly a wave as they work in the kitchen. He looks through the most recent conversations he had with Hero and Mari in Discord.
Rowan: God I cannot wait until you guys get here.
Rowan: I love Polly’s cooking and all, but Hero’s cooking is something else.
Rowan: And I cannot just be getting my daily meat intake from deli meat and pizza.
Mari: You sure about that? Me and Hero have been managing just fine on that : p
Mari: I think that not having good old fashioned slow-roasted meat with a side of freshly made mashed potatoes and gravy with a side of my cookies for dessert would be good for you, Rowan!
Rowan: Noooooooo!
Rowan: @Hero You better make me some good shit, like
Rowan: Idk
Rowan: Spicy chicken.
Mari: Hero’s brushing his teeth, he can’t respond right now lmao
Rowan: Well he’ll just have to make a note of it
Rowan: Or else I’ll make him feel bad
Mari: You gonna do that cute puppy-dog eyes thing you always do?
Rowan: It’s not cute! It’s a clever manipulation tactic I use to get what I want!
Mari: And it only works because you look cuuuuuuuuuute <3
Rowan: Go to hell!
Mari: Aw, don’t you like it when I call you cute? ;-;
Rowan: Thats
Rowan: You’re fucking cheating
Mari: Maybe a little~
Hero: Now now Mari
Hero: Rowan, I’ll definitely make you some delicious spicy chicken when we get back
Rowan: Thank you Hero
Mari: >:p
Hero: Especially because you look cute when you enjoy my meals
Mari: Oh shit!
Rowan: Thats it im logging off
Mari: Love you!
Hero: Love you Rowan
Rowan: Love you two too.
Rowan: Dorks >:P
He sighs wistfully, putting his phone to his heart where it feels warm. Basil looks over towards Rowan, a growing smile on his face. “Getting excited to see them again?”
Rowan jumps a bit as he fumbles his phone, putting it in his pocket. “What no definitely not. I mean, who are you even talking about?” Basil chuckles as he walks over to Rowan.
”I’m pretty sure we both know, considering how often you talk to me about Hero’s cook-” Rowan shushes Basil with his hand on his mouth, speaking in a whisper.
”Shhh, not in front of Miss Polly, Basil!”
Polly chuckles a bit as she keeps on working on her vegetable soup. “It’s all right Rowan, I already know you like Hero’s cooking more than mine. I don’t mind, stuff that your boyfriend made is always gonna taste better, heheh.” Both Polly and Basil smirk as Rowan grows more red, crossing his arms in a huff.
”Well, maybe those two do make life around here more interesting.”
”Man, it’s almost like you’re in a relationship with them or something.” Basil gives a shit-eating grin as he sits next to Rowan, flinching as Rowan leans over and flicks Basil’s nose.
”Oy squirt, watch it. You still haven’t confessed to either Sunny or Kel yet, so I don’t wanna hear no shuuuuuu....s-stuff.” Basil chuckles at Rowan’s attempts to censor himself in front of Polly, earning him an armlock around his head and getting noogied by Rowan.
”Ahhhhhh Miss Polly help!!!”
”Alright you two, settle down! Breakfast is finished!” The two immediately stop tussling and go to eat breakfast, sitting themselves down opposite each other as they dig in.
”Man, for real though......waiting a whole nother week to see them. Like man....the tension, and stuff, y’know?” Polly and Basil give each other a confused glance, then look over at Rowan.
”Uh, Rowan? Mari and Hero are coming home today.”
Huh? “What are you talking about, they’re coming home on the 17th.”
”Right. It is the 17th.” Polly is trying to hold in her laughter as Basil corrects Rowan, a wry smile growing on his own face.
”No, it’s the 10th! I marked it on my calendar!”
”Rowan!” Polly can’t take it anymore as she starts laughing hard, Basil joining in as well. Auuuuugh, of course. He opens his phone and sure enough, it’s the 17th. Goddamn it. This is what he gets for trying to be all romantic about it.
”If either of you say anything about this to Hero or Mari, they will not find your bodies.”
- - - - - -
Rowan can see his breath as he and Basil make their way over to the bus station, Rowan grumbling under his breath. Basil chuckles a bit as he nudges him. “Look at it this way, Rowan; at least you’re gonna see them sooner than you thought!”
”Literally. In the lake. They will never find you.” Basil rolls his eyes as Rowan keeps on grumbling, lowering his face into his fluffy coat. He stops grumbling shortly, though, as the nervousness and anticipation starts culminating in his chest. He grips his fist tightly in his coat pocket, and tries to keep his breathing steady. Sure, they had been texting each other pretty constantly, but it’s still been like 5 months since they last saw each other. What if their relationship changed while he wasn’t paying attention? As these thoughts swirl in his head, he bumps into Basil, who stopped in front of him. Rowan looked around, looks like they arrived at the bus station.
Basil gives Rowan a kinda worried look. “Are you feeling ok, Rowan?”
Rowan sighs and sits down on a nearby bench. “I’m fine Basil, it’s just.....nerves.” He looks over at the blond boy who sat down next to him. “I’ll bet you’re pretty excited to see them too. And I’ll bet so is-”. Suddenly they both hear two extremely loud voices shout out “Yoooooooo!” at the same time.
Aubrey and Kel run up to the bench, slowing down as they get close. Aubrey and Kel are both grinning widely and excitedly. Aubrey is about to sit herself down next to Basil, but Kel bumps her out of the way and smiles at a now slightly flushed Basil. “Hey guys! How did ya beat us he-” His sentence is stopped short as Aubrey wraps her arm around his neck and drags him away from the bench, the two fighting now over the seat as Basil chuckles awkwardly. As the two fight, Sunny walks up towards the seat, giving a shy smile to Basil which he returns. Rowan decides to scoot out of the way and let Sunny sit where he was sitting, next to Basil. Basil shoots him a slight dirty glare as Sunny situates himself next to Basil, leaning slightly on him, Basil flushing slightly as Kel successfully bops Aubrey out of the way and claims his place on the other side of Basil, Aubrey deciding to stand rather than sit next to Kel. “Well, everyone is here now! Can’t wait to see them again!” Kel grins widely as soon, a bus stops in front of all of them, the doors opening wide as they wait in anticipation.
At first, no one comes out, but then everyone sees both Hero and Mari step out of the bus, with wide warm smiles. Aubrey and Sunny run up excitedly to hug Mari, while Kel runs up to hug Hero. Basil and Rowan hang back, Rowan thinking about how their winter wear looks so cute on them. Mari is wearing a large purple scarf that goes well with her purple hair, as well as mittens and a large fluffy coat. Hero is wearing red earmuffs and a fuzzy hat, as well as a thinner coat than Mari. While the two conversate with everyone else, Rowan briefly wonders how it would feel to cuddle the two of them while they wear those things, but puts it out of his mind fast as Mari and Hero walk up to him, grins on their faces.
Rowan stands up, coughs a little bit, then puts his hands in his pockets and leans against the wall of the bus stop, attempting to look cool. “Hey there. Heard you were in town."
Hero rolls his eyes while Mari grabs Rowan and pulls him into a hug, giggling slightly. “Hehe, it’s good to see you too, you edgy dork.” Rowan blushes as Hero pulls the both of them into his own hug.
”It’s good to see ya Rowan! We both missed you a lot!” Hero and Mari pull out of the hug as Rowan tries to shake off his embarrassment, Basil and the rest of the kids not making all that much of an effort to hide that they’re giggling at him. Yep, they definitely were really soft.
”Did you miss us too, Rowan~?” Mari boops Rowan’s nose, Rowan swatting her hand away as she grins teasingly.
”Tch, well you two make things more interesting at least.” Mari grins wider as she offers her hand to Rowan, which he was about to take but Sunny butts in and takes her hand instead. Before Rowan can make an attempt for the other hand, Aubrey comes in and swipes that one. Aubrey and Sunny both give Rowan a smug look as Mari laughs at the fuming Rowan. Those damn devil-children!
Hero comes up to Rowan, also chuckling as he offers his own hand. “You know how it is, Rowan, heh.” Rowan rolls his eyes as he takes Hero’s hand, Kel not deciding to take Hero’s hand and instead just walking behind everybody with Basil.
Basil puts on a fake pout as he walks behind Rowan. “Hey Rowan, how come you aren’t letting me hold your hand, huh?”
Rowan gives a sarcastic look towards Basil. “You seriously want me to hold your hand? You’re like 16 now.”
Basil gives a wide cheeky grin. “I just think that big brothers should be trying to make sure their little brothers feel safe, and it’s very mean of you to leave me hanging like that, heheh.”
Mari looks over towards Rowan, with a just as cheeky smile on her own face. “He’s got a point Rowan! What sort of brother would you be to just leave him like that, all cold and alone?”
”Hmmm.” Rowan looks over behind him. “Kel, you heard him. Hold Basil’s hand so he feels safe.”
”Ok!” Basil can hardly get out a “wait, wha-” before Kel grabs his arm and starts happily swinging it around, Basil flushing furiously both at his joke failing and at Kel’s sudden physical contact. As the older siblings giggle at this, Sunny suddenly lets go of Mari’s hand and walks over to Basil, grabbing his other hand, only muttering out “I’ll keep you safe too.” This causes Basil to go completely red and silent, hiding his face in his coat.
Rowan smirks as his revenge goes even better than planned. “Huh, it seems like one of your hands is now free, Mari.”
”Hmmm, so it is.” Mari walks closer and grabs Rowan’s other hand, Rowan trying his best not to melt now that he’s finally holding the hands of the two people he loves. God it feels like it’s been so long. Almost like it’s been 6 months since they last saw each other or something. He tries to hide his smile by shoving his face into his coat, Hero and Mari absolutely noticing and giggling at how cute he looks. “Wow, you and Basil are more alike than you’d think.”
Basil and Rowan both shout “Shut!” as Hero, Mari and Aubrey all giggle at the two.