Second Ave Series: Ac-Counting on You (WLW)

Man, I'm Starving!

"Please, don't make me regret inviting you." Brook chastised her little sister as she turned her head toward her, shaking it as she read her shirt out loud. "Sibling: You'd give them a kidney, but wouldn't let them borrow your charger. Are you serious? Shelby, look at her shirt!"

Her elder sister laughed as they all made it to stand at the landing in front of Gwen's loft and Brook closed the freight lift as she shuffled the food in her hands. "Why didn't you have her take her jacket off before you even left mama and Abba's driveway? She's always up to something."

Brook grimaced as she grumbled under her breath and Billie put her hands on her hips. "Seriously, you know better."

As she shook a single finger toward her, Brook had half a mind to lean over and bite it, but the steel door of Gwen's loft slid open before she had the chance. "Heyo!" A young man happily chimed from just inside of the loft with a girl around his age at his side who also held a bright grin. "You all must be the Bluestone siblings! I'm Tel, Gwen's little brother. Feel free to call me Tellie, though. This is my girlfriend, Winter. Nice to meet all of you!"

Whoever said siblings were meant to look alike couldn't be more wrong. Tellie appeared nothing like his sister. He stood a good head taller, had dark brown hair tied back in a bun and bore hazel eyes. True, Gwen dyed her hair, but Brook couldn't imagine her with hair as dark as his and she began to wonder if he was adopted. Still, she knew he wasn't as Gwen and Tellie had the same mother, so one of them must have looked more like their father, while the other was more akin to their family matriarch's appearance.

He ran his eyes over them rather pensively for several seconds, then settled his gaze on Brook's tattoo along her clavicle and lower throat. "You must be Brook." So she's talked about me with her brother. Brook tried to curb her delight at the revelation and took his extended hand. "You're even prettier than I pictured, but we have a slight hiccup."

"Is everything alright?" Brook asked as Tellie gestured for them to enter the loft. She let her sisters go in first, then came behind them as she lifted the dish in her hands. "I made what Gwen requested; some more Shakshuka."

"Well, as happy as I think she'll be for us to try your cooking -- she's mentioned it quite a bit -- Gwen had a tiny panic attack and she's hold up in her bedroom." He sent her a coy grin and nodded toward a small hallway past the living room that was decorated with a U-shaped sofa, a stereo and a large tapestry on the wall behind it. There was no television in sight and it only made Brook more curious as to how Gwen spent her time in her home. She ran her gaze down the short hallway that had three doors and listened as Tellie took the food from her hands while he explained, "I was thinking that maybe one of you, i.e. Brook, may be able to coax her out?"

"M-Me?" She squeaked and heard Billie snickering at her backside. After sending her a narrow eyed glare, she peered back toward Tellie and tilted her head to the side. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. I think the panic attack may have a bit to do with you." Brook worried her bottom lip as she felt her heart sink and pondered over whether or not she may have nudged Gwen too far. Tellie put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. "Don't take that the wrong way. What I mean is that she knows that tonight could mean the world to her. Not only are there multiple new people in her safe space, but she also knows that if things go well, more might happen between you both. I think she may just need a bit of assurance to ease into the evening."

Confidence filled Brook's briefly tumultuous chest and she smirked as only one thought rang through her mind, echoed aloud before she even realized she was speaking. "More might happen?" She promptly began down the hallway as she waved over her shoulder, adding, "That's the plan. I'll be right back with Gwen."