Outside Work We... •[TNN One-shots]•

Parents In-law •|| WINTUMN + MARGARET + RICHARD ||•

Prompt: Winter's parents stay with them for a while and manages to join them for their weekly chaos.

Autumn had never considered herself a particularly anxious person. She could handle a room full of toddlers, a parent's meeting gone south, and even a kitchen fire (courtesy of Marjorie, as per usual) without so much as breaking a sweat. But apparently, the one thing capable of reducing her to a pacing, towel-wringing, overthinking wreck was the extended stay of her in-laws.

It had started on Wednesday.

Winter's parents, Margaret and Richard Fortune, arrived with nothing but an overnight bag each and the weary, apologetic smiles of people who'd been forced out of their own home due to a burst pipe and the resulting chaos it had caused. The plan was simple: they'd stay two, maybe three nights tops while the repairs were handled.

Autumn had plastered on a warm smile, prepared the guest room, and made them tea with exactly one and a half sugars the way Richard liked. Everything had been fine. Cozy, even.

But then Margaret mentioned how lovely it was to be around family again, and how nice it would be to see how Winter and Autumn lived day to day. And how she hadn't been to one of their Friday dinners yet but had heard so much about them.

Autumn's blood ran cold.

She laughed politely, brushing it off with a "Well, it's really not anything special, just a bit of food and a lot of noise." But inside? Inside she was already spiraling.

Because the Friday dinners weren't just dinners. They were full-on chaos events.
Somewhere between family therapy and a comedy show, complete with half-baked dares, Siobhan's terrifying cooking experiments, Reece's dad jokes, Mia's schemes, and Carly's tendency to start passionate debates about nothing.

It was the one night a week where everyone could just be unfiltered, loud, and a little reckless. And now Winter's very proper parents were going to see it.

By Thursday night, Autumn had cleaned the kitchen three times, changed the tablecloth twice, and reorganized the pantry just to avoid thinking about it.

Which brought her to Friday afternoon— standing in the kitchen with a towel in one hand and her phone in the other, mentally rehearsing apologies she might need to make in advance.

Winter came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"You're doing it again," he murmured, lips brushing her ear.

"Doing what?"

"Wearing a hole in the floorboards with your pacing." He turned her around gently. "Talk to me, my sweet."

She sighed, leaning into him but keeping her voice low. "I just... what if your parents don't like me anymore after tonight?"

Winter frowned. "Why wouldn't they?"

"I mean, they've only ever seen me as this polite, well-put-together person who makes them tea and asks about their garden. They don't know about Friday Autumn."

He chuckled. "Friday Autumn?"

"Yes! Friday Autumn laughs too loud, steals food off people's plates, makes dodgy jokes with Mia, and dares Siobhan to eat spoonfuls of Marmite." She groaned, covering her face. "They're going to think I'm immature. That you married a bloody child."

Winter eased her hands away from her face, a fond smile on his lips. "You know what my mum told me on Wednesday, when you were in the kitchen making tea?"

Autumn blinked. "What?"

"She said— and I quote— 'You married well, Winter. That girl's got spark.'"

Autumn's eyes softened. "She said that?"

"Swear on my life." He kissed her forehead. "They love you. Not the 'polite and well-put-together' version. You. And besides, you've met my family, right? We're not exactly Downton Abbey."

She let out a reluctant laugh, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little.

Just then, Winter's mum poked her head into the kitchen. "Darling, would you mind terribly if I helped lay the table? I'm feeling a bit restless."

Autumn straightened immediately, smoothing her hands down her pants. "Of course not, Margaret. That'd be lovely."

Margaret smiled, stepping inside. "You know, I've been looking forward to this dinner since Winter mentioned it last time you visited. Always thought it sounded like wonderful fun."

Autumn blinked. "Fun?"

"Oh, yes. A house full of laughter and nonsense? I wouldn't miss it."

And just like that, a little more of the weight in Autumn's chest eased.

Winter caught her eye over his mum's shoulder, mouthing told you so with a smug grin.

Autumn resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him, but she smiled.

Maybe— just maybe— this wouldn't be a total disaster after all.



[A/N: Part two on Friday Shenanigans. :)]