sangriiasister:
she didn’t need the vocal confirmation ; she knew the minute the door opened that keely wasn’t there. however caught up she might’ve been in her room, however hyperactively she was running around his apartment, she almost never missed the chance to run and hug her when she stopped by to pick her up - still at that stage of childhood where such a bright greeting was just kinda standard. the fact she couldn’t hear her feet on hardwood floors and couldn’t see her in the immediate space was all she needed to know, and makena…- she didn’t LIKE it, but a feeling that would do neither of them any good had started to settle in the pit of her stomach the minute that the realization struck. whenever they had been at their worst, and she had stormed off for a few hours to confide in her mum, neena had urged her to count to ten when she could feel her patience wearing thin. she had been young and full of rage, then, so she hadn’t heeded the advice ; but now she was older, and tired, and a mum herself. she was BEYOND frustrated, and she didn’t want the explanation - she wanted her daughter all packed up and ready to go - but with a flare of her nostrils and a deep, unhappy sigh, she started to count, one, two, three- “why is this a problem, cooper?” four, five, she couldn’t help the instinct of FULL naming him, even when she was trying to keep her cool, six- “she’s supposed to be here, like we agreed-” seven, eight, she had been feeling the absences moreso, lately, relying on keely’s presence almost TOO much to get her through an otherwise trying time, nine, ten, “we’re, just…-” fuck. she ran a hand through her braids, her frustration - at him, at herself, never clearer. “we’re supposed to be seeing my parents, today. later, but- today. how long is it gunna take?”
he should take it. he fucked up. but it wasn’t that big of a fuck up, was it? cooper got his dates wrong in an already too complicated custody schedule. he had bene taking this for five years now, rarely giving it back because he was changed. you’re not that guy anymore, his mother had JUST reassured him last night. let it gooooo dad, keely, sensing the tension, had sung from his parent’s living room (disney’s frozen was on, movie night with pop and all that). cooper stepped back, he could just- breathe. hold it in. he’s not this guy anymo- why is this a problem, cooper. “rao’s sake, mak-,” RAO, what a drama king. the usually very guarded about his past cooper let the pseudo deity’s name slip into conversation in front of people who knew, the ones that had been around when it had actually been a damn religion- this was jut kara, mostly. and those who would know second hand- his dad, siblings, mom, kena now, apparently. “can ya get off of my ass for like, half a second?” he moved out of the doorway, leaving the invitation for her to enter, or perhaps for him to leave. “in case you forgot, i could be there in less than a minute if i wanted to. so. not a big deal.”














