Family

Adorable

“How did your parents die?”

Jean looked at Marco, a surprised look on his face.

"What makes you ask that?" he wondered.

"I-I was just curious- I mean- if you don't want to answer-" Marco said, tripping over his own words.

"No, it's fine," Jean said, but he disliked bringing up emotions he had tried so hard to repress. "It was in the bombing of Trost three years ago. My parents were policemen, and even though my dad had the day off, my mom was stationed at the gate to help with traffic flow. I was in school, but Emily wasn't quite old enough, so my dad took her to see our mom at work. They had just gotten there when the bombs went off. Emily got trapped under some rubble that kept her safe, even though both her legs were broken. The explosion killed both my parents and left Emily with irreparable damage in her ears. As soon as I heard it I ran right to it, even though my teachers told me not to. I found Emily on a stretcher, but she was too shocked to speak. Still, I knew if my parents were alive they could take care of themselves. I went with Emily to the hospital, and- and that’s where they told us that our parents had died.”

“I’m- I’m sorry, Jean,” said Marco soberly. “I meant what I said before, that you two didn’t deserve that. Now that you’ve told me what happened I believe it even more.” Jean said nothing. What can you say, when someone tells you that?

“I think it’s my turn now,” Jean said hastily to change the subject. “Also, the pancakes are ready.”

“Bacon is, too,” Marco stated, and he blushed just slightly. “It has been for a while, I just wanted to keep talking to you.”

“Ah, I must just be so cool,” said Jean with a wink. Marco raised an eyebrow.

“So one minute you’re sad and lonely and the next you’re ‘just so cool?’” Marco shook his head condescendingly. “Tch, tch, Jean, make up your mind.”

“I can be indecisive if I want,” Jean retorted, portioning the pancakes throughout three separate plates. “Can you go get Emily for me?” Marco nodded and found his way to Emily’s room, where she was still coloring on the floor.

“Pancakes,” he said, after tapping her shoulder to get her attention, though by the look on her face, she obviously had no idea what he just said. He needed to come up with some way to let her know food was ready, and quickly, because she was still staring at him curiously. He decided on just pointing towards the kitchen. Simple, she should understand it. And she did.

“Pancakes?” she said excitedly, and at Marco’s nod she jumped up, squealed, and ran to the kitchen, dragging the freckled boy behind her.

“Jean, you sit there, Marco, you sit and there, and I’ll sit here,” she ordered, pointing at three stools left to right. Jean moved around the island and lifted his sister onto her seat, because the stool was tall, and she, being only eight years old, was not. Marco took his seat beside her, and Jean beside him. The taller teen looked at the shorter one next to him, and saw something he hadn’t noticed before.

“Jean, your ears are pierced!” Marco stated, looking at the silver ring looping around his right earlobe.

“Yeah, what of it?” Jean wondered. Marco mistook his curiosity for defensiveness and instantly blushed.

“No-nothing, I just- I never noticed it before, is all,” he said, turning his attention - and his bright red face - to his food. All of a sudden, Emily grunted. Marco looked to see her pouting in her chair, her arms crossed.

“What is it?” Jean asked.

“You guys have three pancakes, and I only have two,” she said, and her brother rolled his eyes.