♡ 𝙶𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎- 𝙹𝚘𝚗 𝙱𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚘𝚗

𝓦𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓷 𝓫𝔂:
@xoxoconstellations
@justfortheff19

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Gene grumbled under his breath, white dress shirt with a black vest over it. Ah, that notorious black mask was back on his face again, hiding the odd lighter spots of vitiligo which covered his face. He was headed to the place that the charity event was building held at some fancy stadium, Ari prancing beside him.

He couldn't care enough to remember fine details of what the event was even about, honestly.

"Tell me again why I'm being dragged along to this," Ari grumbled, donning a fantastic deep indigo jumpsuit. Her hair was curled and she wore the smallest bit of makeup which was hardly ever seen on Ari.

"Because if you're with me, you suffer with me," Gene deadpanned, giving a shrug. "I didn't think you'd go all out though," he gestured to her wear with his elbow.

Ari glanced down at her outfit before turning a circle and giving him a wide grin. "If I'm with you I gotta make sure that I'm on level playing ground," she shrugged and slid her hand into the crook of his arm. "All that to say, you lot hot, I have to look hot."

Gene, still not used to compliments and accepting them, gave a shrug. "Whatever helps you," he muttered, obviously bringing her closer and hiding that small smile behind his mask. The two continued to walk up to the venue, squeezing through the crowds of people.

"Couldn't they just do, I don't know, a street corner or something?"

Ari raised her brows at him and pulled the mask off his face. She stuck it in the pocket of her pantsuit and glanced around before he could do anything. "What, you don't like all the flashy flashy?"

Gene blinked, "Hey-" he muttered but knew it was futile. He knew better than to argue for that mask back, wearing a small frown. "Large crowds, more like it," he grumbled.

"You poor thing," Ari teased and patted his arm. Gene frowned when she quickly pulled away from his side when she caught sight of drinks and went to worm her way through the crowd to the bar.

"Shut up," Gene grumbled with an eye roll, watching her stalk off. He ran a hand through his hair which landed on, or rather over, his face. He sighed before looking around the place, for his 'parents'.

"Gene!" Meg called. "Happy you made it."

"Not like I had a choice."

"What a way to reply, son," Hank huffed, arms crossed beside his wife.

Ari returned to Gene's side with a glass of wine and a young man following behind. She glanced at his parents before slipping her hand into the crook of his arm again. "Well, seems you've stained the high brows attention. Meanwhile, I found this chap who has offered me many glasses of fine wine."

Gene glanced at Ari. "Oh, look at you,you're still standing," he huffed, shaking his head and subtly brought her closer to his side after glancing at her little shadow.

"Oh, uh, I didn't know you brought someone with you," Meg wore a sheepish smile. Ari glanced over at the two with a blank gaze.

"And, her, nonetheless," Hank raised a brow, narrowing his eyes at Ari.

Gene returned the look to his dad, the shes not going anywhere look.

In response, Ari snickered and rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her beverage. "It seems they aren't very approving of me, my dear."

"Ariadne? What on earth are you doing here?" Another voice from behind piped up. The couple huffed and turned to see Ari's parents: her mother and stepfather.

"Like I care," Gene hissed silently, giving his dada glare.

"You're not wearing your mask either, Hank observed, raising a brow at it.

Meg's interest peeked at the sight of the arriving couple. "Like, like Ariadne Miller?" she muttered softly, moreso to herself.

"In the flesh," Ari hummed to Meg before turning to her step father. "May I help you?"

"Where have you gone? You ran from home and we haven't heard from you in days! Weeks!" Her stepfather said and held up his wife beside him. His face read surprised but his eyes twinkled with disgust for Ari. He stood with a threatening aura, a frail wife held up by his arm.

"Out of your grasp, if that answers your question," Gene piped in with narrowed eyes at the man.

Meg tilted her head, "Wait, so why is she with you, Gene?" she asked.

"Has she been staying with you?" Hank exasperated.

And with that, chaos erupted.

"You say that like it's impossible. I have a roof, you know."

"Ariadne how dare you live with a man unmarried! Do you understand how people will begin to perceive us?"

Voices layered over bickering voices but the couple, for the most part, seemed to be unfazed.

Ari rolled her eyes and leaned closer to Gene. "Seems we're in a pickle, aren't we?" She muttered to him with a grin before glancing at her step father. "And why is that a problem?"

"You're telling me," Gene deadpanned, only wrapping his entire arm around her. He liked pissing people off, it was fun.

"Honey, I don't think that's a good idea-" Met piped.

"Don't honey me. Please, I could drowning in a creek and you wouldn't care."

"You're housing someone from a very prominent household Gene. You don't understand reputation, and that's something you could never grasp, now is it?"

"Never had a reason to when you're daily life is living viewed as a freak!"

"Ariadne Elizabeth Miller, you are not to reside in this mans house and to come home immediately!"

Ari tilted her head and leaned against Gene. "Why should we care for reputation? Gene boy, your reputation is sparkling and proceeds you."

"Ariadne, stop playing games!"

Gene shot her a 'really' look before rolling his eyes subtly.

"Gene, you-"

"God, I knew I was gonna regret this," Gene hissed, glancing between the lot of them, exasperated. "And done even think to bait me into using her as a money bank, hoarders," he snarled at his parents.

"It's not like that, baby," Meg cooed, trying time reach out for him but Gene only flinched away, smacking her hand down.

"Gene Jackson! Don't you hit your mother!"

"I don't recall having one of those."

"Fiesty," Ari purred with a snicker.

"What makes you think that this in any way a good idea? He's mad!"

"No! He's Gene, and he cares for me more than you ever have and ever will!"

Hank scowled, "I've had enough of your games, boy. She's clearly not a good influence on you!"

"I'm sick of being your prop when I've barely been a son to you."

"Gene-"

"Don't act like you didn't treat me as some kind of disease, Meg."

Ari stared dead in the eyes of Gene's parents as she rested a hand on his arm where a spot of vitiligo was just to piss them off.

"Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, I deeply apologize for my daughters actions-"

"I'm not your daughter."

Hank sighed, "Excuse him, Mr. Miller. He's having a bit of a tantrum," he muttered.

Gene could feel his fist curl, and if it wasn't his dad or a public scene, he would've punched something.

"Gene, please, calm down," Meg hushed, only earning a sharp glare in return.

Ari glanced at his mom and smirked. She unfurled Gene's fist and slipped her hand into his before glancing up at him. "Aw, our parents get along swimmingly!" She whispered to him, leaned against him.

She was used to these kinds of antics. The ones where his parents tried to claim he mattered to them. The ones where her stepfather tried to manipulate the situation to make their family look good. In reality, neither Gene nor Ari had been loved or appreciated as a child. He was neglected and treated as a freak for his vitiligo while she was manipulated and bullied after the death of her biological father by her stepfather.

"Ariadne, please come home," her mother whispered and Ari stiffened at her words.

It was never home. I was never at home with you.

Gene felt less tense, totally remembering the girl beside him now. He rubbed small circles on the back of her hand, trying to hide his small smile.

"Not that you'd care, but Ari's the pestiest but best thing that's ever happened to me in all my life. You're not getting in the way of that," he hummed, voice low and threatening but he clearly meant it as he kissed the top of her head.

"How ungrateful can you get?"

"Putting a roof over my head never sufficed, that's all I'm saying."

"She's not yours," Ari's mother breathed, supported fully by her husband. "She belongs at home. With us."

Ari rolled her eyes and shook her head. "No. I don't. You just want me to make you look good. I will never go back to you."

"That's too bad, now innit?" Gene hummed with a shrug, wrapping her fully in his arms with his chin on her head.

"You heard the woman, Gene," Meg muttered.

"Loud and clear, but is that stopping me?"

"Hm... how old am I, mother?" Ari hummed and tilted her head gently.

"...17."

"Incorrect. I am 19 years of age which means that I am no longer under the care of the Millers. I can be whoever I want and whatever I want. And guess what? I'm Gene's."

Gene tried so hard not to smile, but it grew a bit on his face. "I think I'll take it," he muttered, giving his parents a crap-eating smirk.

Hank rubbed his face with a hand, "I am not having this," he huffed before storming off in some direction.

"Hank, wait," Meg called, frowning as she followed after him.

Gene totally flipped them off while their backs were turned, rolling his eyes at them.

"Aw, be nice, Gene boy," Ari hummed and smirked at him. She glared at her own parents until they followed suit and followed after the Jackson's. "Tucking tails and running. Repulsive."

"Honestly," Gene deadpanned with an eye roll. He shook his head, "Don't get why my folks bother now," he shrugged. "This event is only less enjoyable now."

Ari smirked and pulled away from him, hands on her hips. She refused to let their parents sour their evening, so she pulled an Ari and made the most of what she could. "I'm sorry, but any event is enjoyable when Ariadne Miller is looking fantastic in a pantsuit."

Gene shot her an unamused look before rolling his eyes. "Yeah, that drink went straight to your head, already," he muttered, totally joking as he folded his arms.

"It wasn't even wine," Ari muttered and rolled her eyes. "Just cranberry juice." She crossed her arms in return and glanced around the party, mind returning to what had been said just moments before. "Did you mean all that? What you said?"

Gene tilted his head and then nodded. "Duh, yeah I did," he muttered. "Did you?"

Ari turned to him and met his gaze, ignoring the question he asked her. "'Best thing that's happened in my life'," she repeated from what he said earlier.

Gene tilted his head again, raising a brow before remembering. "Oh," he muttered. "Heh, yeah, I did. It's true," he murmured, with a shrug and a slight smile.

Ari twitched a bit, unsure of how to absorb that answer. She wrapped her arms around her middle, used to being independent and not having others be dependent upon her. If she was honest with herself, it was a massive weight on her shoulders to be responsible for someone else's happiness considering her flaky past. But she said none of these thoughts aloud and just stared at Gene.

Gene tilted his head, "Did I break you, or something?" he muttered, raising a brow with a small smirk. "Gee, and I thought I couldn't handle the truth."

Ari snapped back to reality and her eyes widened. "No. It's just a lot of pressure," she muttered and gave a shrug, her usual upbeat and Ari attitude slipping. "Having someone's happiness depend on you."

"Oh," Gene mumbled, then gently shook his head. "I wouldn't think of it like that," he added, shuffling over as he stood in front. "More like, an extra charm. Or light of happiness."

Ari narrowed her eyes as she glanced up at him. "I just hope you are aware of my flaky nature and the fact that I indeed have *never* done this before," she muttered softly and shrugged again. "Not any more than flirting to get what I want."

"I'm aware," Gene hummed with a nod. "And you're aware I'm abrasive, deflective, and an absolute pain to people who haven't done anything?"

"Point being, we're figuring this out. Together."

Ari rolled her eyes at him but stepped closer, letting her worries slide off her shoulders. "That was bumper sticker level cheesiness, right there, hot stuff," she teased with a grin.

"Yeah, I know," Gene grumbled with an eye roll. Then, bc touch needy, he brought her into a hug and rested his head on top of hers. "Now shut up."

It didn't matter that both of their parents didn't love them. It didn't matter that they weren't treated right as children. The only thing that could ever matter to Gene and Ari was each other. Because if they weren't appreciated where they once were, they are now: in each other's arms.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧