# A New Family

Title: A New Family
Status: Complete
Characters: Anon, Fang, Naser, Samantha, Ripley, Trish, Reed, Stella, Rosa
Rating: SFW
Classification: One Shot
Author: Anonymous
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~A New Family~
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I pick at the fillet in front of me with a metal fork. It's difficult to pick up without breaking, but even if I could, I'm not sure I'd eat it. The banquet hall is bustling; nearly every single table is occupied by our friends and family sitting together and conversing. Lucy's parents, along with Naser, sit at a table not too far away. Stella and Rosa seem to be having a whispered discussion while the Latino eats Mexican food out of a Tupperware container. Hell, even Reed and Trish made it; what could be plausibly explained as 'steam' rises from that table in particular. Even people I don't know are here; Naser asked me to invite that girl in the wheelchair and the other human. Something about his 'one favor as the best man'. Everybody's presence in the banquet hall makes reality all the more painful; I can't help but let my sight drift over to an empty table, closer to the wall. It's lit brightly, as if a spotlight shines directly upon it, taunting me with the expectation of its guests arrival.
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The words from the phone call dance across my mind. Both Mom and Dad said they'd be at the ceremony, but there's been no sight of them for the last several hours. Six calls to voicemail, a dozen text messages, and even an email yielded no results. I want to assume the worst; maybe they got into some kind of accident on the way. The possibility of something like that is almost none; hospitals tend to notify family when shit like that happens. I can't decide what's worse; did they forget about it, or did they just not care? My dad was always a bit reluctant about the whole dinosaur thing, maybe this is his fucked up way of saying he wants nothing to do with me now. The reasoning doesn't even matter. They aren't here, and that awkwardness tainted the air both at the ceremony and now. There's only one person that can overshadow the lingering pain; I lift my head up, staring at my newly-wed wife. Lucy was focused on eating right now; she really seemed to enjoy fish. Eventually, though, she glances up to me and our eyes meet. Her entire form shimmers in an enchanting manner, and I can't help but linger on her as she offers a shy smile.
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"Uh.. Anon?"
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I continue to admire Lucy as I whisper a quizzical "Yeah?" towards her. At first, she tries to do the same, and we engage in some kind of staring contest at the table. It doesn't take long until Lucy relents, though; an adorable blush paints her face as she looks down to avoid my gaze. I can't help but laugh quietly, and finally avert my own. As if to try and clear the air the odd situation, Lucy points at my plate with her fork, asking, "You gonna finish that?" I look down and realize I've barely touched it since we've sat down, and sigh. Cutting the fillet in half, I pick up one piece to the best of my ability and lift it into the air. Excitedly, Lucy pushes her plate forward, and I deposit the piece of fish onto it. She offers me the cutest "Thaaaaanks~" in response, and practically devours the meal in front of me. Even doing something as mundane as eating, the sight of Lucy makes my whole body flutter and instills a sense of peace in my soul. Leaning back in my chair with a content smile, I scan my eyes across the room to ensure everybody else is having a good time as well. For now, it looks like it.
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I can't help it. I look at the empty table.
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Disappointment, sadness, anger, disgust; all manner of negative emotions rise from my soul when I look at the table. They mix together with the euphoria that still fills me, forming a hideous bittersweet concoction that I can't process emotionally. My stomach churns, and I suddenly feel very ill. A bead of sweat runs down my forehead, and I dab it off with a cloth napkin. I think I'm going to throw up. Lucy looks up at me suddenly, her earlier smile replaced with an expression of concern. "Hey, are you okay? It's not the food, is it?" I shake my head, resenting the mumbling habit that I still haven't gotten over. I force a smile on my face, looking my wife in the eye. "I- need to use the bathroom. Give me a 'sec." Lucy's concern seems to fade, and her smile returns, helping to dilute the nausea that fills my body. I stand up from the chair, whispering "Excuse me" to the tables that I pass before reaching the banquet hall doors. Stepping out into the hallway, I hang a left towards the bathrooms. The dead silence in this area of the building is comforting, at least for now. By the time I get to the bathroom, I no longer feel the urge to puke as I once had. My own disgruntled sigh breaks the silence of the hallway as I sit down on a metal chair close to a row of windows; I have a little bit of time to kill. I check my phone, and to nobody's surprise, not a single call or message has been returned to me. I take a deep breath, leaning back in the chair and trying to clear my head. This morning was the happiest I've ever been, and yet I'm here moping about my life in the middle of my own wedding reception. Trying to pump myself up, I stand rapidly and start walking back to the banquet hall. The doubts still linger in my head, but I march forward anyway, hoping they disappear. I round the corner and-
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Stopping suddenly, I see Lucy's mother, Samantha, standing in the hallway facing me. She doesn't capture my attention very often, but I do notice how much meticulous care she's placed in looking.. pure. She doesn't turn heads, and no part of her appearance is overdone, but she still mirrors Lucy in her angelic appearance. I almost figure she's on her way to the bathroom, but as a few seconds pass, she shows no intention of moving, almost like she was explicitly waiting for me. In a polite voice, she speaks to me; "How are you doing, Anon?" I stomach my earlier feelings, rubbing my chin as I tell a bold-faced lie. "I was.. just in the bathroom, didn't mean to make y-" Samantha cuts me off in a concerned voice, "You're not very good at lying, honey." I drop my shoulders, my explanation dismantled, and I genuinely don't know what to say to her. Not wanting to make Lucy worry, I clear my throat and let out a quiet "Excuse me." as I pass the woman to go back to the banquet hall.
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Before I make it far, a hand sternly grabs my arm. I turn around to look at Samantha; her kind smile conflicts with the seriousness of her stance. Our eyes remain locked as she utters words that I hadn't expected.
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"Anon.. nobody can ever help you if you don't let them."
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To my surprise, she lets go; I look down the hallway towards where the banquet hall doors are. Samantha shows no further sign of impeding my progress, so I could just leave, but her words ricochet back and forth in my head. I don't exactly know Lucy's parents too well, would it really be- yet, it seems like I'm closer to her than my own parents, both literally and figuratively. I close my eyes, a heavy sigh escaping my mouth as I turn back towards Samantha and let my shoulders drop. She continues to look at me with a familiar expression; one that I've seen many, many times before. I can picture my own mother in my head, looking at me with those eyes. Ones that were meant to bring me comfort. It didn't take me long to become distrusting of it; no matter what happened to me, she always said it would be okay. She only ever said it would be okay. Even in middle school, when I'd walk through the front door covered in dirt and bruises from relentless harassment, she'd just hold me by the shoulders and tell me it didn't matter, that everything was okay. So many of my younger years were spent in numb acceptance that suffering was okay, that sadness was normal, because it was always okay. I look into Samantha's eyes, desperately searching for that same sentiment of dismissive token support, so I could write her off as another manipulative, uncaring sociopath. So I could turn around and march back towards Lucy, forgetting about this waste of effort and letting her love wash away my worries.
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I couldn't find it. The traces of deceit that I learned so well identify were completely absent from her face. I sill wasn't sure what she was asking of me, but I knew for certain it was genuine. I lower my gaze and sigh as she continues to wait; not expectantly, but patiently. I drum up my inner thoughts and try to express them as genuine as I can, in words that I hope she understands. "My.. Mom, and my Dad, they both said they'd be here." Samantha's gaze visibly furrows, expressing genuine sympathy as she slowly nods her head. I continue, "I've been calling and texting since before the ceremony.. I don't know if they forgot, or just.. don't care." Samantha takes a small step forward, expressing concern through her question; "Are you sure they're alright? Perhaps something happened." I can only shrug at this question and reply, "I think I'd know by now if that was the case." Samantha lowers her head again, pursing her snoot. I continue; "I guess I've always an afterthought to them. I used to like the independence, but.. I don't think I'm even an afterthought now. But, even though they weren't.. the greatest at being parents, I still wanted them to.." I let the statement fade out, as the disappointment and sadness grasp onto my heart again and send waves through my body. I glance at Samantha, and notice she's looking at me once again, with an expression I can't read. I must look pathetic right now. I bite at my lower lip while I await any kind of response from her, but she says nothing. Not that saying anything would help right now.
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Samantha eventually raises an arm, planting her hand on my shoulder gently. Her visage blooms into an uncontrollable smile as tears begin to bud at the edges of her eyes. I almost feel guilty for burdening her with my own problems, but this feeling fades nearly instantly as she pulls me into a hug. She clutches me tightly, as if she's afraid to lose me. It's only then that I realize how weak my legs feel; I've practically melted into her arms, and she begins to slowly rock us back and forth in a maternal manner, despite her size. She's keeping me standing, rather than the other way around. It almost feels like an out of body experience as my doubts and sorrows spill out into Samantha's boundless form of kindness and sympathy. A single tear rolls down my eye, which is all I can spare right now. This is in contrast to the several from Samantha; sobless tears that have begun to stain the shoulder of my suit jacket. Despite this, I can't will myself to let go just yet; Lucy must've gotten her ability to save my life from her mother.
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Eventually, the strength in my legs return; I find myself able to stand normally again, and I begin to relax my body. Samantha senses this, and pulls away from me. She's no longer crying, but the tears still hover in her eyes; tears that she doesn't even bother to clear away as she maintains her gentle grip on my shoulders and looks into my eyes. I can't help but return the woman's gaze, and she speaks slowly in a gentle tone; "A-Anon.. you'll always have a family in us. Don't ever forget that, okay?" I can't help but smile, still locked into her gaze as I nod my head and mutter a sound of approval. She slowly releases me, reaching to her red choker scarf and undoing it, using it as a handkerchief to wipe her own tears. I opt to use my sleeve instead, like a barbarian. Following that small interlude, we face each other once again. She motions a hand ever so slightly towards the banquet hall. "You should go in first, honey." I nod my head, appreciating the thoughtfulness. I walk down the hallway, reaching the banquet doors and offering one final gaze at Samantha, who smiles at me and waves her hand. Opening the doors, I step back into the banquet hall.
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Tracing my steps back to my table, Lucy and I lock eyes as I'm about to take my seat. She looks happy to see me again, and offers a chipper "Welcome back." as I sit down. I look at my own lukewarm meal, regretting not finishing it earlier. As I pick up the fish with a fork and take a bite, Lucy catches my attention with a look of concern. "Anon? What's all over your shoulder?" I have to finish chewing before I can answer her question, and I try to come up with a story that sounds plausible. Swallowing my fish, I start; "Well, I was in the bathroom, and the faucet broke when I tried to turn it on. Shot water at me. I had to go let the reception desk know, sorry about that." Lucy looks at me with an expression of disbelief, but she eventually snorts. "You've got to be the unluckiest person in the world." I can't help but smile and reply, "I said the same thing, until I met you." A furious blush crosses Lucy's face, one that she tries to cover, but ultimately she just mutters "Dweeb."
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My attention is pulled to the banquet hall doors as Samantha walks back in, attracting no attention to herself other than me and Ripley. She sits down with the man, having some kind of whispered conversation. Suddenly, the large scarred pterosaur looks apprehensive; an expression that I haven't seen from him before. Samantha keeps pressing whatever they're talking about, and they both go back and forth for about a minute. Ripley eventually relents, reluctantly nodding his head in agreement to whatever they were discussing. I chuckle lightly, finding Samantha's ability to argue with someone that intimidating humorous. Looking around the ballroom, the rest of the guests seem just about finished with their meals, and the banquet hall is filled with even more quiet discussion with the distraction of food no longer present. I think about the near future, wondering if the rest of the reception will go well, even with the lack of my parents.
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Suddenly, something that I never expected in a million years to happen, happens.
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Ripley scoots his chair back and stands up, catching the glance of practically everybody in the banquet hall. He looks around at first, then picks up a glass of wine sitting on his table and flicking it with a claw. The resulting twang of vibrating glass catches the attention of no more than him simply standing up did, and he stands there for a few moments awkwardly before raising the glass of wine. In a voice that is simultaneously gruff and nervous, he speaks.
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"I'd- like to make a toast. To uh.."
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He turns towards me, and our eyes meet. The intruding thought that begs him to say "ptero pussy" won't leave my head.
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"To you. Anon."
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Ripley commands the attention of everybody in the room, and he continues his speech. "I've seen a lot of people in my days. People that.. aren't good. People that refuse to fight their battles. People without the conviction to see things through to the end, that spend more energy looking for something to hide behind than they do trying to solve their problems. You, Anon.. you aren't that. Not only did you have the strength, so I've been told, to push through the adversities of life without giving up, but you had the.. courage, the empathy, to help my daughter do the same. For that.. thank you."
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Ripley slowly sounded more genuine as the speech continued, but I hold my judgement. The entire banquet hall remains silent for a few seconds, but, of all people, Trish begins to clap enthusiastically. The pleasant surprise is met with the rest of the guests joining her, a light applause celebrating the speech. People begin to pick up their glasses, holding them in the air; Lucy and I do the same. My judgement is made. Ripley's booming voice fills the hall.
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"To Anon!"
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The sound of clanking glasses fills the hall as everybody begins to toast each other. Lucy looks at me with an unwavering smile as we toast, mentioning "I've never heard my dad talk like that." We drink. To me, to our marriage, to happiness, to family, to love. Idle chatter fills the hall afterwards as everybody excitedly discusses their thoughts and opinions with each other. I check my watch; dinner was supposed to end at five, but I'm sure fifteen or so minutes don't matter. I spot the reception director, motioning him over. His attention catches me, and as he approaches, I ask if we could just start the dance now rather than make people wait. He considers it, and nods with a smile.
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Within five minutes, the lights have been dimmed, and blue lights illuminate the dance floor. Every guest stands, and we make our way towards the floor; I watch Reed as he hops onto the ramp in front of the DJ setup we had asked for. I wouldn't have any other man behind that desk. The reception director claps, catching everybody's attention. "As is customary, the newlyweds will take the first dance, then the floor will be open!" Everybody looks towards me and Lucy expectantly. I've been dreading this. The director signals reed, stepping away from the crowd. As Reed fiddles with the sound equipment, the gentle clatter of plates and silverware fill the air as the wait staff clean up the tables. Lucy grabs my hand, squeezing it as she whispers to me. "So, you memorized the dance, right?" I can practically feel my forehead getting hotter and hotter; I reply, "I.. think so." She sighs, flustered. "Just.. I'm leading, so follow me, dork."
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Gentle music plays through the banquet hall's speakers as we step out onto the dance floor and command the attention of the entire room. I silently pray that I don't mess anything up too bad as Lucy begins to lead me through a waltz. The moves are a flurry in my mind as I do my best to follow, but it's not easy. She doesn't seem to mind, though; I try not to think too hard about the crowd for fear of missing a step and screwing the whole thing up. We dance like this over the course of a minute, the classical music continuing to grace the room. Knowing what's coming next, I'm excited. If I memorized anything about this dance, it's the cue.
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The track hits a certain orchestral sound that we both recognize, and I place my arm around Lucy's head as I prepare my strength for what comes next. The lull in the music fades out, and lurch forward, catching myself in a kneeling stance as Lucy holds onto my hand with one arm and lets the other flourish. A near perfect dip, and as I begin to guide her back onto her feet, the familiar sounds of saxophone fill our ears. The transition into Bill Withers' gentle soundtrack goes off without a hitch, and I have only Reed's basic audio editing skills to thank for it. The lights themselves change, with the set of blue lights turning off and more purple-ish ones turning on; I watch as Lucy's figure is suddenly covered with luminescent markings that make her quite literally glow. Her beauty removes any sense of nervousness from my head, and we transform into a more traditional slow dance as we both forget the crowd even exists. Over the next three minutes, we hold each other, drifting around our castle in the sky in pure happiness.
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The song fades, and we finish our dance towards the center of the floor. We break positioning, keeping our hands held together as we face the crowd and bow.
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The applause completely rejuvenates me, and we slowly step off the dance floor as the lighting returns to normal and Reed begins to play a separate track.
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Over the intercom, a voice states, "The floor is now open." I watch a few people, including Rosa and Stella, step up to begin slow dancing; Samantha seems to be trying to convince Ripley to. Trish even approaches Reed, and the two walk towards the floor together; I'm not sure if the display is platonic or romantic, but either way, I can't help but smile. Trish even notices me, and returns the expression before stepping onto the floor. For the first time, no attacks against the triceratops touch my mind. Lucy taps me on the shoulder, and as I turn my head, she looks genuinely happy. In excitement, she grabs me, wrapping her wings around my back and pushing her lips into mine in an incredibly warm display of affection that catches the attention of a few lingering guests. We hold each other for several seconds, locked in this kiss. As we pull away, she looks at me tenderly, and then quickly transitions into excitement as she yells.
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"AAAAAA THAT WAS PERFECT ANON"
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I never want this to end, but eventually, it does; she releases me suddenly, whispering a quiet "HOLD ON" as she moves past me towards both her mother and father. I watch the trio hug each other at the same time, the excitement shedding off of Lucy and infecting both of her parents. Watching them chatter amongst themselves begins to tug the smile from my face; I can't help but think about Mom and Dad. I shrug to myself, though; I have everything I need here, in this banquet hall; friends, family, and my newly-wed wife.
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As I stare at Lucy and her parents, Samantha glances over towards me, and we lock eyes briefly. After a few moments, she looks back towards Lucy and her father, excusing herself. Neither party seem to mind as she disengages from the group and approaches me. I smile towards her, taking a few steps forward myself. She eventually stops in front of me, with a sincere smile painted across her face; an expression I can't help but mimic. She eventually manages to speak. "H-Honey, you two.. you were beautiful up there. You.. You're an amazing man, Anon. Don't let yourself forget that." I look away in embarrassment; the words of praise aren't ones I've gotten used to hearing. The smile never leaves my face, though, and Samantha gently plants a hand on my shoulder. Understanding the sign, I take a small step forward and we pull each other into a hug. The wounds won't heal overnight, but the bond we share has begun the long process of wiping the scars of the past from my heart. We both pull back, and Samantha turns her head to look at Lucy and Ripley. The two seem to be locked in their own hug, one that likely mirrors ours, one of familial love and connection. Neither Samantha nor I can suppress a smile at the sight, and as we turn back towards each other, Samantha quietly states, "Let's give them a minute."
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I watch Samantha stare out at the couples slow dancing on the floor. I assume pleasant memories fill her head, moments from previous weddings, perhaps even her own. Eventually, she turns back to me, slowly raising her hand. "Say.. honey. Would you.. mind if-" My words interrupt hers. "We dance?" I watch her smile grow as she nods, almost sheepishly. I can't help but laugh as I gently take her hand.
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"Sure, Mom."
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~END~