Snowed in

You're welcome (Jeremy and Trixia)

"Are you sure, Princess? I will be perfectly fine at home!" Jeremy says as Trixia drags the boy home with her by the hand.

"Yes, I am sure. And I won't let you home until you give me a proper answer to why you live by yourself! You are only sixteen!" Trixia says unamused as she pulls the boy along, having just learned of this fact and is too concerned to let the boy home himself.

"I have been living by myself for years! I'll be fine!" Jeremy says with a sign as he follows Trixia, "Why are you so worked up about it anyway? It's not your problem?"

The girl stops as she stands in place, squeezing Jeremy's hand as she trembles slightly much to Jeremy's confusion. It took the boy a while before realizing that he had made the girl cry, not sure what to do as he waves his hands around, "Wha- what's wrong?! Did I say something wrong?!"

"It's not my problem? Hey, Jeremy... I am your girlfriend right?" Trixia asks as she keeps down the tears, Jeremy can only nod as the girl continues, "Even if I am just your friend... what is wrong with worrying about someone I care about?! Why do you have to try and push me away?"

"I- I'm not trying to..." Jeremy stops himself as he looks into those watery yellow eyes, feeling very guilty all of a sudden as he looks down onto the ground, "I'm sorry... I wasn't trying to push you away. It's just that I- I got defensive, I don't know why! But I'm sorry... I'll tell you if you want. I can ensure you that I'm not trying to push you away."

Trixia suddenly envelopes Jeremy in a hug as she wipes her eyes with her sleeves, "No, I'm sorry, Jeremy. I shouldn't have pushed if you didn't want to talk about it. I'm sure it's personal... I am just worried, I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"Thank you for worrying then," Jeremy hugs Trixia back as he smiles softly down at the girl, "And sure, I'll tell you about it later, okay? Let's just go to your house first, I'm sure your parents are waiting."

"Mhm..." Trixia gives a smile back before the two make their way toward her house.

"Oh my god, Trixia!" Ava wraps her arms around Trixia as she hugs the girl, eyes watery and had been very worried about the girl. Trixia hugs her mother back as she rubs the woman on the back gently, "I'm home, Mom. And I'm safe."

"Trixia! I'm glad you're safe!" Ethan, her father gives the girl a hug as well after Ava had freed her, with Trixia smiling up and hugging him back as well, "I'm home, Dad!"

"Oh, hello there! You must be Trixia's friend! I'm Ava, her mother, nice to meet you." Ava greets the boy with a gentle smile as Jeremy smiles back, about to talk before getting cut off.

"Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend, Jeremy!" Trixia says happily as she hugs the boy's arm, catching him off guard before snickering slightly, smiling at the parents, "Nice to meet you too, Ava. The name's Jeremy."

"Oh my! Nice to meet you, Jeremy!" Ava gasp in slight surprise before smiling at Jeremy, needing some time to observe the boy but trusting her daughter with choosing the people she surrounds herself with. 

Ethan on the other hand, eyes Jeremy wearily but gives the boy a smile nonetheless, "Call me Ethan, young boy. Now before I accept you, you better not harm our baby girl!"

"Dad!" Trixia whines out as Ava pats her husband on the arm with a sign, "Sorry about him, Jeremy. He gets a bit protective sometimes."

"It's all good, Ava!" Jeremy answers with a bright smile before turning towards Ethan, "Nice to meet you as well, Ethan. And I promise with my life that I am not going to hurt Princess!"

"Jeremy!" Trixia whines out in slight embarrassment before pulling the boy into the house, Ava clapping her hand together as she smiles at the two, "Dinner is almost ready! We are having a feast today!"

(A little skip ~)

"Ah! Your mother's food is delicious!" Jeremy says happily as he sits down on the girl's bed, smiling happily at Trixia.

"Glad you think so! Mother's food is the best!" Trixia says as she smiles back, sitting down on her chair as she rides it like a horse, looking over at Jeremy before changing her expression to serious, about to speak up.

"You want to know why I live along, correct?" Jeremy says with a small smile, have seen this coming. 

"Only if you're comfortable." Trixia admits with a small nod as Jeremy reassures the girl that it's fine, collecting his thoughts before speaking up, "Well... I actually live with a foster family since both my parents died in a car crash. They did support me as I grew up, but now that they have their own kid they spend most of their time and energy with them like they should be."

Trixia listens silently, not liking the situation at all, especially the 'like they should be' part, not feeling very happy about how the other is degrading himself as a burden. 

"Because they need spaces and stuff for their own kids, they rented me an apartment for me to live in so that they can live in a house. Thinking that I am old enough to live along and stopped checking on me a year ago." Jeremy continues as he says it nonchalantly.

That just got Trixia even more concerned for the younger boy, signing as she walks over to sit besides Jeremy, "They really shouldn't have done that, Jeremy. If they took custody of you, they should've taken care of you like you are their own child. They shouldn't have just kicked you out like that."

"Hey, it's fine! I survived didn't I?" Jeremy gives the girl a bright smile before the girl hugs him, "If you need anything, just come to me okay? I'll see how I can help! Also, you are not a burden! I want to help!"

Jeremy blinks in slight surprised before his expressions softens, hugging Trixia back, "Okay then, thank you kindly, My Princess."

"You're welcome, Prince charming." Trixia snickers slightly as she keeps her arms wrapped around Jeremy, "I love you."

"I love you too."

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Bonus:

"Ethan! You cannot go in there!" Ava whisper yells to her husband as Ethan makes his hands into fists to control himself and not go check on Trixia and Jeremy.

"I swear if he does anything to my daughter, he's dead!" Ethan says as Ava tries to calm him down, "I'm sure Jeremy isn't going to do anything, he seems like a nice kid! Calm dow, okay Honey? Trixia is fine."

"Fine... I'll give that young man a chance..."