Selfish Appetite [5 Seconds of Summer]

[5]

"An unexpected intersection." 

- - 

Sloan

At 20:09 at night, Tony sets foot inside the kitchen, where I was impatiently walking around, waiting for Alice's guests to finally come, so that we could eat, and get this situation over with.

Right now, no matter how close to my heart I hold Tony, meeting his grandson isn't on my list of top priorities. I survived five years without the introductions, I can survive twice as many more. 

Tony sees me standing around, and rushes to give me a hug. 

From inside, I hear the echoes of my grandma talking to Robert. 

"Thank you, for doing this, I'm sure this dinner wasn't your desired way to spend your night." Tony grabs my hand, and gives it a light squeeze. "I just know she's going to feel so much more confident, with you here." he almost whispers. 

I smile at him, ignoring the guilt creeping up my insides, for not giving a crap about tonight. 

"It's honestly my pleasure. It's going to be a fun night." I encourage, motioning for him to sit down, eat some entrees. 

My grandma enters the room, holding a bouquet of lilies. 

"They're beautiful." I only say, watching as she transfers them into a pale green vase.

"I hope you're hungry. I pulled some of my best tricks just for tonight." she tells Tony, who smiles in adoration at her. 

"I am starving, I was working at the garden all day." 

"Excellent. I made roast beef, and for desert, strawberry tart." Alice muses excitedly. 

Tony smiles as she sets the vase in the middle of the table. 

"Luke loves strawberries! It's as if you knew." he nudges her, and we both send him confused glances. He returns them, eyebrows raised. 

"Tony, you told him his name was Robert." she voices my thoughts. 

"His middle name is Robert." Tony addresses the misunderstanding, and she shakes her head in distress. 

"I just called him Robert in there, and he smiled, without saying a thing!" she stresses, Tony laughing slightly, grabbing her hand in his and caressing it. 

I avert my eyes to the window and once again, the reflection is mocking me. 

"He's a good kid, he probably didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable." Tony leaves a quick kiss on the back of her hand. 

"So, what do I call him?" I half-joke to lighten the mood, and Tony sends an appreciative smile.

"Luke, or Lucas, though he doesn't prefer the nickname. I use it anyway." he admits amused. "Luke! Come in here and introduce yourself already, the car is fine, it's not blocking anyone!" he yells, "His face is probably still glued on your hallway window." he sighs and I smile. 

I wipe the counter one more time out of habit or nervousness, watching as Alice admires the bouquet in the vase. "I can't believe I called him by the wrong name." she keeps muttering. I chuckle to myself. 

Luke is a dickhead's name, I want to utter, but refrain from doing so, and keep these thoughts to myself. They have nothing to do with them. It's just my luck that all night tonight, I have to sit here, and be reminded of Ed's cousin, because of Tony's grandson.

I know it's a pretty common name, but still, just the sound of it irks me a little.