Devotion [TommyInnit x Oc] ✔️

Chapter 3

Fighting was becoming normal in the Corbyn household. It was getting so bad, Riley would have to be louder during streams to drown it out. Her streams went from daily to every other day, almost becoming bi-weekly. Weekly music sessions becoming daily. Morning walks became anytime of the day. Sometimes the fighting would get so bad, Arlo would help Riley climb into her window so she didn't have to go downstairs. They had a ladder going up to her window, that's how normal fighting was. 

"Hey 'lo?" "What's up Riles?" She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Is it our fault?" He stopped dancing to the music and sat down, pondering that. "..I don't know. It.. It might be."

The two sat in silence, aside from the music, until they heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Riley swallowed harshly, feeling sick at what she could possibly want. "It's mom.." Arlo trailed off, the light footsteps indicated it wasn't their dad. She banged on the door, and Riley reluctantly opened it. "I won." Riley stared at Arlo, who looked terrified. "Won what?" Riley asked nervously, opening the door wider. "The arguments, you no longer live with us." Arlo stood up and moved in front of Riley, who sat on the floor, shell-shocked. "I'm older than her, why is she being kicked out?!" "Because she makes money and dropped out of school, you're still in school so you need a home."

After being smacked a few times and screamed at, Arlo and Riley started packing up their things. "Arlo you didn't have to do that.." She sighed as she unplugged her pc and gently placed it in a box. "Yes I did, it's unfair they kicked out my little sister." They didn't have family in the UK, Arlo had a few school friends he could stay with for some time. Riley had no one. Arlo kept telling her she could stay with him and his friends, but she didn't want to impose. "They're your friends, not mine." "Riles they wouldn't leave you homeless regardless!" She sighed and yanked random clothes out of her dresser, tossing them into her backpack. "Can they handle me streaming?" Their small argument stopped after that, both knowing Riley was right.

"What about your streamer friends?"

"What?" She turned from her box and stared at Arlo. "Can you stay with them?" Riley stopped for a moment and thought about it. "I haven't known Tommy that long but.. I could ask." Not long after, Arlo left her room to pack up his own, urging her to call Tommy. She inhaled slowly, nervous. After the 3rd ring, he picked up and yelled "I'M STREAMING!"

"Hey Tommy. Can you mute for a second?"

"Sure, muted, what's up?"

"Tommy, can I stay with you until I find a flat?"

He goes silent for a few moments and I hear a shaky sigh. "What happened?"

"Yeah, yeah I'll ask my parents if you can stay with us for a while."

"Really?"

"Of course. Now uh.. I have to stream-"

"Oh! Yeah yeah, see ya later."

Riley exhaled the breath she didn't know she had been holding, glancing around her mostly packed up room. She made sure to pack her smaller bag with all her bathroom items. Her father came into her room and she teared up at the sight of him. Disheveled, red eyes, distraught. "I love you so much kiddo.." His voice broke and he opened his arms for a hug, which Riley gladly accepted. "I couldn't lose my wife, but I ended up losing both my kids instead.." She cried into his shirt, but he didn't care, he knew he'd miss his daughter. "I get it dad, just text me if there's any new siblings?" He laughed pathetically and kissed her head, nodding. "Of course."

Once they moved all the boxes out of the house, they slowly moved them into Arlo's car. The poor Jeep had never been forced to carry this many boxes. "We're going to ah, Tommy's house first. I want to meet them." She nodded and plugged her phone into the aux, blasting their angst music. It was needed at the moment.

"Hey Tommy, unlock your door."

"Shit your here already? I'm literally wrapping up stream. I'll be down in a moment, knock."

So they did, and a pretty woman opened the door. She looked a lot like Tommy, which is granted. "Ah, you must be Riley! But.." She looked at Arlo, who smiled and held Riley's hand for support. "I'm Arlo, Riley's older brother. I wanted to meet you all." She beamed and ushered them inside. "So, I don't know what exactly happened. Oh, call me Carrie or mom." Riley looked at Arlo, who took the hint and explained everything. At one point, Tommy's father joined the conversation, who we were told to call Kyle. Tommy jogged down the stairs and noticed the tension in the air immediately. Riley turned towards him and smiled. "Tommy hi!" Arlo stopped his story and perked up, turning his head towards the boy. Tommy's eyes widened once he noticed they were siblings. The similarities were obvious, so he knew he needed to make a good impression.

"Hello, I'm Tommy." He walked up to Arlo and held out a hand, which Arlo took. "Arlo, Riley's older brother." Riley saw how nervous Tommy was and smiled reassuringly. "Arlo, let's continue explaining, Tommy can help me move my boxes in." Arlo side eyed her and shrugged. "Okay, I'll be out in a moment." Carrie smiled and told Tommy to bring everything to the guest bedroom.

"Dear God you looked like you were gonna cry!" Riley laughed as Tommy finally closed the door. "He's scary!" "Tommy he's the same height as you?" The two bickered back and forth as they unloaded the boxes that said 'Riley'. They slowly brought the boxes upstairs and set them down in the guest bedroom, which was now Riley's. Arlo finished up the story and helped, leaving the parents to discuss things. Once everything was upstairs and set around the room, Arlo left to talk with the adults again.

"So how do you feel, a pretty girl living with you?"

"Shut the fuck up Riley." Tommy rolled his eyes and smiled. "Can I say 'I pull women' now?" Riley laughed and shook her head. "No." "AW COME ON-" Arlo came in and hugged his sister tightly, who realized this was goodbye. Riley started to tear up as she hugged him back. "Please be a dream." He whispered as he pulled away, causing her to tear up. "This would be one shitty dream.." She joked softly, trying not to cry. "Riles.." Arlo hugged her again, kissing her forehead, and she burst into tears. "I have to go, I'll see you soon." Arlo pushed away and she sobbed in the doorway as he walked down the stairs.

Tommy wrapped his arms around her from behind as she cried, not caring about the tears dripping onto his arms. "Hey, hey we can visit him some other time okay?" She sniffled and nodded, feeling embarrassed she just broke down over a goodbye. "Don't cry, cause then I'll cry." She giggled through a hiccup and turned towards Tommy, hugging him firmly. "Sorry." She mumbled into his shirt, earning a vibrating laugh. "Don't be. I cried when I left Wilbur's house." Riley chuckled quietly, thinking about that as she calmed down. "Wilbur no, waaah wahh" He 'quoted' as a joke, hoping to distract her, and working. She laughed and mocked his cries, her own started to stop.

"Thank you."