"Bee's Pancakes? What kind of name is that?" Haven asks, tilting her head.
"You used to go by Bee." Alyssa smiles. Haven had been a completely random name choice, but she respected that Haven didn't want to have the same name that her Dad had called her.
"I should text my mum," the brunette patted her pocket and pulled out her phone, "she'll be worried."
"Which one?"
"The ginger biscuit one."
Haven taps at her phone, then clicks send and puts it back in her pocket. She'd taken out her card, though, and Alyssa slides it back into her pocket.
"I pay," she insists.
A while later, they sit face-to-face with their pancakes.
"I'm so tired.." Haven sighs.
"We can take it back?" Alyssa suggests, but regrets asking when her girlfriend looks at her in a scared way.
"No," she whispers, "my mums won't let me have takeout. And then you'll have bought these for nothing. We'll be quick."
A few minutes later, they're both done. They walk out of the humid cafe into the cold breeze of outside. Haven shivers, and Alyssa pulls off an arm of her coat and pulls her close. They approach Haven's house and she opens the door quietly.
There's shouting, and then it stops.
"Pip- Haven, darling?" yells one of her mothers.
"Yes?" Haven calls back.
"Go see to your brother. He wants something, but he's not telling me." she says, shaking her head.
Alyssa pulls her girlfriend up the stairs and lets her take her to the bedroom she and her brother share.
"Luke?" Haven shakes the small lump of blanket on the floor, fearing the worst. It moves, and a small child pops out. His face is tear-stained and Haven tries to talk to him, but he's silent.
Haven seems to know this all too well. She holds up two hands.
"I'm sorry I'm late. What do you want to do? Play Minecraft, or watch a movie? We bought snacks earlier,"
Luke hesitates, and then picks the movie hand. Haven grabs the remote and gently places him on their bed.
"You pick," she puts the remote in his hand. She sits next to him and takes out the snacks her and Alyssa had bought. He picks Haven's favourite movie, Lego Batman, and grins at her. He then moves close to her and she wraps her arm around him.
"I like the Joker," he mutters after a little while. Haven chuckles quietly and whispers back, "me too,"
They are nearly finished with the movie when loud thuds come up the stairs. Luke and Haven flinch, then flick off the TV and hide the snacks. Someone turns on the light and yells.
"Piper! Who've you got here? I said you're not allowed boys!" her mum slurs.
"Mum- I- she's my girlfriend!" Haven shivers.
"I knew you were one of those... people..."
"Turn off the light, Anne, please,"
"Do not call me Anne. Get here now, Piper."
"It's not Piper anymore!" Alyssa pulls Haven to her protectively.
"As long as you are your father's daughter, missy, you're Piper to me."
"Go away, Ms. Lovell! You're drunk!" Alyssa yells, then kicks the door shut in her face. She barricades it and, after a while, the pounding stops.
Both Haven and Luke hold onto her and sob.
