"Commission?" Blue said slowly, though he realized as the syllables rolled along his tongue that the idea wasn't a bad one. As his mother wouldn't allow him to get a real job while he was still going to school, Blue had often made side money selling his paintings or doing art commissions online. The latter had proven far more profitable than the former as he was particularly skilled at drawing out naughty fanart, but Blue was still able to sell a canvas every now and again when he managed to haul his various unclaimed works and make it out to art fairs in the city. It wasn't implausible to suggest Eivind discovered Blue during one of these fairs and asked him to come do work for him and things just<i>happened</i>.<br/><br/>"That's a great idea, Vin." Blue sighed, somewhat relieved. "We can say we met at the Moonstone Fair. It's this crafts fair for hippie, sensitive, artsy types they hold in Wellington Square every other month. I go there all the time to sell my stuff. Well, I missed the last one," he added sheepishly. He couldn't remember the timing exactly, but he could guess that the last time the Moonstone Fair was held was right around the time Eivind was helping Blue escape from Lofgren. "You found me there, offered me a job, and I took it. At first I was just working for you, but then we, you know..."<br/><br/>Blue looked to Eivind and leaned in when the older male pulled him forward into a kiss, mewling against his lover's lips and finding solace in the wolf's familiar warmth. "We should have fucked," Blue joked when their kiss was broken, grinning as he pulled away. "Maybe then I wouldn't be such a nerve-ridden mess. But you're right. It'll be okay. You're with me."<br/><br/>Eivind pulled into the Broussards' driveway and the two males exited the vehicle, slowing walking up the paved curving pathway to the front porch, up the steps and to the front door. Blue paused at the brown wooden barrier, staring at it for a long while. There had been many times Blue thought he'd see neither this house nor its inhabitants ever again. It seemed almost surreal to be returning to what now looked like an empty, mundane life. Before leaving the comfort of his suburban home, Blue had known nothing of the existence of werewolves, had no plans to build a life with anyone in particular, had no direction for his future. He had never been seriously harmed or maimed, never challenged, never in fear for his life. The young man who had fled his home after an insipid argument was not the same as the one currently standing on the front porch, analyzing the grains in the wood and drawing pictures along them in his mind.<br/><br/>"Okay," he muttered finally, lifting his fist to the door and knocking on it with conviction. It took a few torturous moments for approaching footsteps to arise from the other side, but they came, and when the door opened and his younger sister, Little Bird, stood staring at him, mouth agape, it took him five whole seconds before he could find his voice.<br/><br/>"Hey, Birdie," he mumbled, perhaps a little anti-climatic. He offered the girl a weak smile, and she responded by screaming for her parents before throwing herself into her older brother's arms, sobbing violently.<br/><br/>"We thought you were dead!" she moaned, words coming out in between hard chokes and sniffles as she buried her face into her brother's chest, getting a salty mixture of tears and snot on his new clothes. Blue didn't mind. He wrapped his long arms around her and gently kissed the top of her head as her body shuddered against him. Though he was happy to see her, his face was blank, seemingly unable to process his own emotions, or perhaps he had already just felt too much that day.<br/><br/>Louis and Katherine had run up to see why their middle child was bellowing, Chrysanthemum following closely behind. The Broussards all shared the same blank face as Blue, none of them able to understand what they were seeing. Blue, standing there after having been missing for months. A little thinner, Katherine immediately noticed, but hardly seeming worse for wear. Chrysanthemum broke the awkwardness first, rushing to join her older sister in clinging to Blue, and the male made room to hug them both close as the girls cried against him, comforting them.<br/><br/>"I'm so sorry," Blue breathed against a pair of brunette scalps, not knowing how one was supposed to proceed in such a situation as this. "I'm sorry."<br/><br/>The Broussard children were all standing on the porch now, huddled together, but the girls moved to the side when Katherine came and pulled her son's face into her grasp, stroking his cheeks and running her fingers through his dark hair as if making sure it was really him, really her Blue. The young man didn't object and allowed his mother to caress, prod, analyze, whatever she needed to do to comprehend this living dream. She had yearned desperately for her baby to return to her, and here he was, like he had never left.<br/><br/>Chrysanthemum and Little Bird seemed to notice Eivind simultaneously, both wiping at their wet faces as their mother continued to busy herself with Blue. The girls had been aware of Blue's homosexuality long before their parents, and both had been supportive, even ecstatic to know all three Broussard children could gossip and swoon over boys. The man standing behind Blue was well-dressed, dark, and exceedingly handsome. It was obvious he was older than Blue, but neither girl could guess just by how many years he surpassed their beloved sibling.<br/><br/>"Hi," Chrysanthemum said, blue eyes narrowed curiously.<br/><br/>"Hello," Little Bird chimed in, her voice softer than her sister's, more inviting, though still tinged with interest.<br/><br/>Louis had been hovering quietly inside the door frame, but now he carefully stepped out onto the porch with his family, his jaw tight and light eyes stern. Katherine had shifted to the side like her daughters as he approached, unsure of what to expect from her sometimes overly harsh husband. Louis was a man who worked hard to provide for his family, though he wasn't particularly what one would call "nurturing." He could be intense at times, demanding, and difficult to please, and Blue had never been great at acquiescing to his father's desires. He was too emotional, Louis said, too whimsical, moody, quixotic, selfish. The adjective seemed to change every week. Louis loved his son, and he wanted to see Blue succeed, but his ideas of success centered around having a well-paying job, a wife, children. None of which Blue particularly wanted.<br/><br/>Blue nodded at his father at he approached, but did not rush to him. Louis did the same.<i>"Salut, papa," </i>Blue said, seemingly cowering in his father's frame. Louis stood taller than Blue by three inches, but he didn't share his son's willowy frame, making him seem much bigger, more intimidating. Louis had a handsome face, one that could even project softness when he was in a good mood. But today, Louis didn't seem to be in a good mood.<br/><br/>Unlike his wife and daughters, Louis did not fail to notice Eivind's hovering presence. "Who is this?" Louis asked. His voice wasn't particularly deep, but it was loud, and even through his gentle French accent he still managed to come off sounding harsh and suspicious.<br/><br/><i>"C'est Eivind, papa. Il est mon copain." </i>Blue turned and wrapped his arm around Eivind's, pulling the older male close to his side. Louis' eyes narrowed and he took a long, deep breath. Louis hadn't wanted to believe something truly terrible had happened to his son, but he didn't want to think Blue had run off with some boyfriend, either. He was disappointed to find out this was how Blue decided to return to the family, showing off his mistakes as if they were things to celebrate.<br/><i><br/>
"Papa, pouvons-nous entrer?" </i>Blue asked, his heart pounding. The look on his father's face made him think Louis was ready to slam the door right in their faces. Instead, his father nodded, much to Blue's surprise.<br/><br/>"Yes, yes, you can come in. Everyone, inside."<br/><br/>The family all made their way to the living room with the noted exception of Katherine. Playing the quiet housewife, Katherine had decided to acquire some refreshments for Blue and this stranger, as if they were merely guests visiting, not her missing son and his mysterious paramour. Everyone was eager to hear where Blue had been all this time, and thankfully she could hear the conversation from the kitchen while she poured some glasses of iced tea and got together a plate of whatever snack foods they had sitting around.<br/><br/>Blue settled on a cream love seat where he had spent many, many years sketching away, pulling Eivind down next to him. Louis sat across from them in his matching armchair while the girls were sprawled out on the sectional, eyes still glued to Eivind.<br/><br/>Blue was ready to explain whatever he had to to get his parents to understand, to not think he had abandoned them, though it would be hard to tell their quasi-lies in a way that didn't make Blue seem like a thoughtless monster. Hopefully they would forgive him anyway. His mouth was dry again, so he licked his lips, waiting for that first question, the "where were you?" or "why did you leave?" or "why are you here now?"<br/><br/>But that isn't what he got. He didn't even get a question.<br/><br/>Eivind did.<br/><br/>"You had my son with you all this time, and you didn't think it pertinent to return him to me until now?" Louis said, his voice low and accusatory.<br/><br/>"Papa, it wasn't like that--"<br/><br/>"Silence, Blue. I wasn't asking you. I was asking your friend, here."