It's Understandable: A Tronnor AU

22. Protective

Laurelle wanted her son home, as she made quite clear. In recap, she didn't want him spending every waking minute with his boyfriend, and that night she thought she'd finally reeled him in. At least a little bit anyway.

He had said he'd try and make it home. She wasn't sure if it was an empty promise or if she should keep her hopes down, but it was much more than she usually got, so she still got Tyde to set an extra placemat.

She had dinner cooling in the kitchen, phone in hand with her finger hovering over the envelope icon beside Troye's number, wanting to validate his plans, when the door opened. He wasn't lying this time! She thought happily, instructing Sage to serve the salmon and risotto while she tended to the porch, He managed to tear himself away from Connor! It's a miracle!

It's not that Laurelle was mad. Yes, she approved of and liked Connor very much. Yes, she respected the fact that her son was an emotional teenager who had recently boarded the rollercoaster of first love. No, that love wasn't unwelcome in her home. But she was still taken aback, because she really wasn't expecting company.

"At least I came home." Troye said, his voice creaking with cautiousness, as if trying to test her mood. And test her mood it did, because she habitually placed a hand on each hip. Laurelle was about to out and say it in that very spot: they didn't have enough food prepared, he should've fucking told her, Connor was welcome and all but she needed some goddamn notice! Her lips popped open to verbalize that in a slightly less colourful manner, but she suddenly repressed her words when she caught sight of Connor's face.

Stiff within an anxious, noise-blocking shell, he smiled so sweetly and softly and harmlessly; like a bunny rabbit. "I h-hope it's not a bother that I-I'm here." He stuttered with a softened voice.

Usually Laurelle wasn't fazed by shy people, as she had a talent for somehow engaging them in conversation with her social-butterfly demeanour, but something about this moment struck her. It wasn't simply about Connor's little stammer, but how her son, her child of ice expressions and mason jars filled with suppressed feelings, stepped closer to Connor in an act so warm and caring. Not caring that she was there, Troye captured Connor's hand in his. He smiled, Connor smiled, and Laurelle began to rethink the definition of the love she'd tacked onto Troye's chest.

All of her preplanned words went to waste, and she slathered a giant, welcoming smile across her face. "Oh, don't be silly, Connor! You jut caught me off guard, that's all." She held Connor's free hand between both of hers. "Make yourself at home, my lovely! Sage and Tyde are in the dining room, why don't you go join them and Troye and I will be right behind you."

"T-thank you, Mrs. Mellet." Connor's movements, his nodding, his walking, were very twitchy, but he did leave. Laurelle touched his shoulder as he did so, to make the lack of hard feelings very clear.

To tensed up Troye, however, it was as clear as mud. "I reckon I'm about to be lectured." He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'm glued to his hip and you hate it."

Laurelle rolled her eyes. "Now, Troye. I never said that. I just wanted to make sure you understand that..."

"You will." Troye interrupted blandly, his frown lines evident as he toed off his sneakers. "You will say that."

A little miffed by the cut off, Laurelle crossed her arms and firmed up her voice. "What do you mean, I will? Troye, what do you take me for? Even though he's as quiet as a mouse, Connor is a polite and respectful young man and, contrary to your supposed beliefs, I do like him. I'm not evil."

She watched Troye's reaction carefully, and he dripped with something she didn't usually witness him going through; anxiety. "This isn't about you liking him." He kind of wheezed. "It's just that, I agreed to something and I literally just realized that I probably should've asked you first and I don't want you to get mad and kick him onto the streets and..."