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Honestly speaking, Ren knows he’d in fact be welcomed to the more high end parts of the lavender family, they had issues with his mother joining biker gangs not his existence.
If The fact they let her name him lavender wasn’t proof it was the fact they funded his stint in demonology that set that in. In fact with how strong his gaze is he’d be encouraged.
But he sees his blood relatives on TV sometimes, eyes more hidden then his and clothing more expensive than anything Louis or Mephy have ever touched, the fact of the matter was they didn’t help Louis and Mephy until Louis died. His mother however, let them stay immediately.
He doesn’t want to unpack his mother right now, but Louis Death day is ticking closer and that means Louis tries to focus on making Ren feel better, even though it’s Ren’s mother’s fault that he even died in the first place.
Louis doesn’t even blame her Ren thinks. He knows full well life with them was better then the foster family that was collecting money.
Well louis doesn’t blame them either, he seems to insist everyone has a hustle and at least the foster family made sure he had food, clothes and a warm bed. They weren’t abused just ignored.
Louis doesn’t blame a lot of people who deserve it in Ren’s opinion.
Though he does think that’s a better train of thought then his family’s double words and silent implications that anyone whose affected by their stone gaze should stay stone. It wasn’t lost on him, How the ones that talk to them silently switched attitudes towards Louis after that week was over.
It does make it sting more when he sees a successful cousin on tv grinning at the camera as the Lavender name proudly stands behind 6 figures and a charity. He knows more money came in after he dropped out of demonology, knows the actual reason, it’s a insult hidden in a helping hand. A silent we wouldn’t need to help you if you kept going.
He also knows he would of died of his own stupidity if he kept going. Louis helped him find his limits and he’ll be eternally thankful for that.
Which leads to one of his cousins sitting across from him in one of the nicer diners mephy got him a reservation in.
“You know, why do you keep doing odd jobs. Don’t you want to go back to college?” She asks politely, and loudly. Ren is reminded too much of when Mephy starts wanting a reaction from the crowd.
“Demonology just doesn’t call to me. Guess I’m not one for blood. You know how it is. I’m thinking about a mechanical engineering one. Can’t be too hard. My bike works wonders doesn’t it?” Thankfully, playing any social situation game with Mephy and Louis finally got him to learn how to bite back. Vackie’s lips slightly grimace at the mention of bikes. Good.
“Well you know, Theodore owns a dealership, if you really want to work with mechanics.” An offer laced with an insult. Ren reminisces of the time where family came to “visit” him only to be chased off by his mother. He understands why she threw a fit everytime one came for his birthday uninvited.
“That feels like cheating doesn’t it? I mean that and a dealership is more about people buying cars. I don’t like working with people you know? I think I’d rather repair the machines.” Ren knows full well what Vackie will take not liking people to mean. Good, maybe they’ll get more cash this month, Mephy deserves a new scarf. A good one with wards sewn in.
Indeed, Vackie seems to light up on that. “Oh well, you know. I know that Theodore would love to sell family made cars. It’s a family business after all!” Ren is once again reminded of his actual family. He could practically hear Louis pointing out what she’s really implying.
“Well I have to take the course first, I don’t want to take too much from the family banks” the Little voice in his head says he wants to take it all, and scatter it in the streets for anyone to pick up. He thinks that sounds like his mom, he likes that.
“I’ll save up first, hence the odd jobs you know? Experience is everything just like they say.” Ren states while enjoying that Vackie squirms, knowing full well her lawyer degree was funded by the family full stop. Let her think he paid for this reservation and it wasn’t Mephy’s silver tounge.
“That’s very, kind of you.” She replies, quiet, trying to add backhand but it falling more on her than him, because of course the Lavender’s are so kind to anyone who asks, no strings attached.
Ren’s going to cut those fucking strings one day.
“I try to be, speaking of do you need help with your car? It seemed to be making a weird noise when you pulled up.” Ren basks in her furious denial, that her car is perfect thank you. Ren is thankful for his actual family, for teaching him to deal with the blood ones.
Vickie calls uncle, well she doesn’t technically she gets the call from ‘uncle’. He reminds himself to thank Mephy for teaching him about the art of a too well timed phone call and how to spot it.
Ren misses his mother. He finds he can do it without her though. He’s thankful her silent teachings set in.
~~
Later that night, Louis does his annual acting like he’s fine and frantically focusing on Gylfie instead of letting himself think. Ren just does his best to be there for him. Mephy does her attempt at cooking, it’s edible today so she won the roulette.
Ren notices that the alcor insignia blinked once. He silently plans to corner him to find out what info exactly Omniscience had given him. The tv is on for background noise as it usually is.
Theodore lavender gives money to the local schools to encourage Metal shops. Ren doesn’t comment on it, Mephy puts on a movie for a different background noise shortly after while Louis starts loudly playing with Gylfie.
For one horrible second Ren is reminded of atmosphere with Vackie. The stepping over glass and around a elephant, before thinking to himself that it’s stupid. They only reason they’re not saying anything is that they don’t want it to hurt. When Vackie didn’t say anything it was because she wanted it to hurt.
“Stars my blood family fucking sucks.” Ren finally says out loud, met with a loud snort of suprise from Louis, Mephy suddenly shaking with laughter. Ren breaks immediately joining in the full peeling of laughter in the room.
They bask in it for a while, half stuck in a loop of looking at eachother and giggling a little.
Before Glyfie pipes up.
“Fucking, Fucking fucking-“ the laughter starts up again, Louis’ cry of “Gylfie no-“ immediately lost in the din as she got more excited in the positive attention.
Ren likes this. He prefers this. He wouldn’t trade it for the world, much less a gorgon family three steps from being a mob.
Alcor blips in shortly after, insisting on a board game called monopoly for weekly game night tonight, they insult him.
Mephy wins, Louis is the only one not cheating, Alcor insisting that cheating is part of the game and Ren takes bribes from under the table as they feel more like a family than a glorified social web ever will.