Work Text:
Everyone knew that Lian Harper lied about her parents. She told everyone she had a mom, even though they’d only ever seen her dad come to pick her up. Every time someone asked about her mom, Lian told them something different about her.
She was dead.
She was living in another country.
She was an assassin.
One time, she’d said her mother worked at a farm up-state, then hit the boy she was talking to because he told her to stop fibbing about her mom. Her dad had to come to talk to her teacher about it, and they’d made Lian promise to stop lying about her mom. Though Lian was a bit upset, she eventually agreed.
Then, a month or so later, she started telling everyone about her daddy’s new boyfriend.
He died one time, but got put in a big hole until he got better again.
He beat up people, but he only beat up bad guys, so it was totally okay, actually.
He had a bunch of scars from getting blown up, and she was the only one who was allowed to touch them except her daddy.
Lian’s teacher was planning another meeting with Roy to discuss Lian’s habitual lying, when the single most terrifying man she’d ever seen showed up to pick up Lian. He was covered in scars and was built like a fridge. Lian seemed completely unfazed, running up to jump into his arms. “Jay-Jay!”
“Heya, Bug. Your Daddy couldn’t come to get you today, so I’m picking you up. That chill with you?”
“Yeah! Can we get ice cream on the way home?”
“Sure, as long as you don’t tell your dad.” Jay-Jay ruffled Lian’s hair affectionately. “Come on, let’s get going.”
Maybe Lian wasn’t lying about her dad’s new boyfriend after all…