shenaniganzz:
It was late in the evening, Caden was tired, tired of hearing his father speak, hearing Lily and Tally’s parents speak, and hearing all the nonsense that had to be tailored for the few older adults that were in the room. He was enjoying everyone else’s company, always having enjoyed being around his cousins and whomever they brought along. Throughout the night, he noticed how comfortable the girls were with their significant others and how they easily were able to skirt around their future plans with them, but he knew when those sort of conversations were going on, he was going to be the next topic with Maren sitting next to him and Seb sitting on the other side. “So, have the two of you worked everything out yet, are we finally going to be able to hear the words we were right with wedding bells in the distance?” his mother spoke up, her words slurring slightly from the too many glasses of wine. Caden bit the inside of his lip, glancing over at Maren before glancing back at Seb who his older family had basically ignored the entire time. The whole time he just wished that they would be able to get over themselves and accept what was really happening right in front of them, especially when he decided that night that he wasn’t going to hide it with simple gestures of taking Seb’s hand and holding it, bringing up that he’s been hanging out at his new place and even helped to start making it feel like a home.
His mother almost started speaking again, but he cut her off. “We’re not getting married.” It was quiet a moment when his mother spoke up. “Well, of course not yet,” she said with a nervous laugh. “No, we’re not ever going to,” he said, finding a little more strength in his voice. He looked over at her apologetically, then looked at Tally who knew just how much she understood what he was about to do, that he was taking matter into his own hands finally. Caden’s heart started racing then, but he couldn’t handle it anymore. He had so many things he wanted to say, that he needed to say, but he didn’t want to ruin the night entirely for the others. “Seb and I are going,” he told them, reaching out and softly grabbing the boy’s hand to help him up, sure that he wanted to go just as much as Caden. “Lily, happy birthday,” he said looking at her with a small smile, “everyone else, it was great seeing you, but we gotta go.” His friends and cousins all looked at him with the same knowing look, some smiling, some nervous, but understanding. “You aren’t going anywhere. Especially with that kid you brought into this house after what he had done.” Caden tensed at the sound of his father’s angry and threatening tone, but he stood his ground. “Or you’re never going to get anything from me any longer.” Caden knew that that was bound to happen with his decisions, but it was something that he was more than willing to handle. He didn’t need his father, he never did. He could tell that his dad was ready for a fight to win, but Caden wasn’t going to give it to him when he was already sure that he won. “I don’t need anything from you, I just need the person that I love and for you to not dictate my life any longer,” he said simply, coolly. He was sure soon he’d start hearing a mouthful after the dumb expression on his parent’s faces wore away so he looked at Seb and helped him up before he started to head towards the door.
This was maybe the most uncomfortable dinner that Seb had ever been to. He was ignored the entire time by Caden’s family, aside from his cousins and their partners, and it was made very clear that the older adults did not want him here at all. And honestly - the was fair. Seb did punch Caden’s dad. And he didn’t really want to be here either, but he would follow Caden to the ends of the earth if he wanted him to. He looked up from his plate finally when he heard Caden’s mom ask a question about marriage, looking over at both Maren and Caden. He could see the look on Maren’s face, how she looked like she wanted to be sick, but she didn’t get a chance to say anything before Caden spoke. Caden’s words surprised Seb - not what he was saying, but the fact that he was saying it to his family right now. He just looked at Caden like a deer caught in headlights, not sure what to say or do with himself right now. When he said that they were going, Seb opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again. He took Caden’s hand and stood up next to him, his eyes locking with Maren’s who face he was sure was mirroring his own - shock, but also pride in Caden for standing up to his family in this way. When Caden started walking toward the door, Seb followed, but paused just outside the room. “Caden, are you sure? Is this what you want?” He asked him, knowing that this was going to change everything for Caden. Seb didn’t want to be the reason that Caden was cut off from his family. He could hear an angry conversation still going on in the other room, and the sounds of chairs scraping as if people were coming to follow them. He wanted to make sure Caden was sure about all of this before things really went to shit tonight, and by the sounds of it, nothing was going to get better from here.










