“I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean.” Adrik admitted as climbed out of the car after Asha with their overnight bags and present in tow, watching the goats scatter and trot off gleefully as Asha dismissed them. “Whatever it means though, you two should try and get along tonight for your dad at least.” He suggested as he shut the door to the car before it went back down the driveway. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
“She doesn’t have to talk to me, we’ll avoid each other and not have problems.” Asha shrugged, smoothing out her dress before heading up the dirt driveway leading up to the porch.
The Castillo-Mehtevas house was always a variation of itself. The porch that wrapped all around the house, stayed the same in spirit, even if the furniture and plants changed. The two large windows (Godric and Lucinda’s) that opened onto the roof would rotate curtains with the season and the patterned laminate on Lucinda’s window would peel and disintegrate before being routinely replaced. But the smell of nicotine and marijuana smoke wafted from Godric’s year round, and Lucinda’s fairy lights never died. The walls kept the children’s height notched in the wood, and once a photo got put up, it would stay there forever. Asha’s home was always being updated and improved upon, but stayed very much the same in essence.
Inside Godric was helping his mother set platters on the dinning room table; a rolled joint behind his ear and he mother’s apron tied around his waist, still a delinquent, still a mommas boy. Lucinda was talking about something as she idly fastened a woven bracelet around Navriks wrist, who nodded along patiently to whatever Lucinda said. All the while, the smell of delicious foods wafted through the air as things only seemed to get louder. Havania’s 90’s music playing, the talking, pans sizzling, Sal’s four wheeler and talkative farm animals in the distance.
Havania was putting on the finishing touches to Navrik’s birthday cake, an ornately decorated strawberry cake with fruit from their own garden that Havania had candied herself as she had done for every birthday any of the kids could ever remember, when she glanced up and saw Asha and Adrik. Her whole face lit up and she quickly wiped her hands on her apron and went to meet her eldest and Adrik.
“My love, I’m so happy you’re here!” Havania beamed as she went and kissed both of Asha’s cheeks and embraced her.
While Navrik’s hobbies mostly included being a handyman and gardener, all of Havania’s “hobbies” included her kids. She loved laying in Sal’s bed while Neran did card tricks for them. She occasionally indulged Lucinda and watched her shows with her (even if she didn’t get it) and even taught her to sew for her cosplay projects. Most of her weekends, when she wasn’t working, were spent taking Owen into the city for dance and they always found new restaurants to get dinner at before heading home. Godric, despite his penchant for trouble, was Havania’s constant companion at home and they did everything from cooking to watching dumb daytime tv shows together. All her babies still lived under one roof and she got to indulge in all of these things with them, all except Asha. That was why it was so special for her to be home. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
“Hello, Mama.” Asha greeted with a soft smile as she bent down to hug her mother. “It smells good in here, as usual.” She commented.
There was some fanfare when Asha came to visit, there was a reaction of normalcy, as though she had never left. Another, like Havania’s, was to be excited that she was back. Lastly, was Lucinda’s reaction, which included looking over her shoulder and rolling her eyes as Navrik left his youngest daughters side to greet his oldest.
“Asha, we’re so glad you could make it.” Navrik beamed, a doting father who was excited to see any of his kids at any given moment. He took his turn, bending down to peck the top of her head before giving Adrik a friendly wave. “Good to see you too, Adrik, thanks for coming.”
"Oh, thank you for having me." Adrik smiled in a way that it was impossible to deny who his father was with how earnest and effortlessly beautiful it made him look. He extended his hand out to Navrik for a handshake. "Happy birthday, sir. You don't look a day over three hundred." He joked. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
“I’m sure I’m a lot older than three hundred,” Navrik laughed, in spite of not getting the joke. Still he took Adrik’s hand and gave it a good shake, “you don’t need to call me sir, Navrik’s just fine.” He added before nodding to their overnight bags. “Can I have one of my kids take those up for you?” Birthday rule was it was forbidden for Navrik to do any type of work or chore.
Navrik always liked Adrik, he was a sweet boy, or at least Navrik thought so. Especially compared to his sisters, who were as cute as they were hellacious.
"Oh, no, that's okay. I think I can manage." Adrik pat the side of one of the bags. He wasn't usually one to do menial work like lugging bags (after all, he had men for that), but he certainly wanted to make a good impression on his prospective father-in-law. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
"Actually, would you mind showing me? I had some questions about some things I wanted to fix up around my apartment." Adrik fibbed.
"Oh, Navrik would love to talk your ear off about home improvement." Havania laughed before going to loop her arm around Asha's. "Baby, come help me finish your dad's cake." _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
“Oh! What are you looking to do? I heard home improvement in the city is tricky, zoning laws and what not.” Navrik began, already enthused to talk about renovation. The massive home had two staircases, one outside the kitchen and the other in the living room. Navrik went ahead and bounded up the kitchen staircase as Asha’s old room was the first room at the top of the kitchen staircase.
"Oh you know, nothing too major. Certainly not building a house like this." Adrik laughed as he followed after Navrik. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure Asha was out of earshot as he and her father made their way up the staircase. "Actually, sir, I mean, Navrik, I wanted to ask you something about Asha mostly. Though, I do have a toilet seat that keeps coming loose that you could probably give me some tips on." _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
Navrik pauses at the top of the stairs with a curious expression, though he nodded carefully as he continued to the room, pushing it open with his boot as it wasn’t completely shut. Asha’s room originally was done up in blushes and golds, champagne and rose colors. The any wood in the room was painted with the lightest finish. Her room was the only one at the front of the house, whose window didn’t open onto the roof, instead it was a straight drop down the side of the house though that side was always covered with ivy. Even now some of the ivy had crept up and over the window from lack of maintenance. Though it had been repainted to be more neutral, the furniture was the same and the sheets too (though of course clean).
“What can I help you with?” Navrik asked, pausing only to inspect the wall to confirm there wasn’t a chip in the paint.
"Well," Adrik began, setting his and Asha's bags down at the foot of the bed before giving a little anxious clasp of his hands, "as you know, Asha and I have been dating each other for a minute and it's hardly a secret that even before that I had a monumental crush on her." He took a slight pause as he tried to figure out how to proceed, but he knew Navrik was very...straight forward with all things, in a word, so he ultimately decided to just dive in. "I want to take it to the next level, Navrik. I want to ask her to marry me." _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
Navrik was quiet, sorting through the words and phrases Adrik used, but the last bit didn’t require any further internal inquiry. He looked surprised, although his immediate follow up thought was it wasn’t surprising at all. Because Adrik had always loved Asha, she just had some growing up to do first; Navrik really never doubted that they might be together in the end. Shaking off his internal monologue, he smiled widely.
“Well that’s great! I have no doubt she’ll say yes.” He boasted with an almost proud energy.
Adrik lit up, a relieved and giddy grin finding it's way onto his face.
"So then I have your blessing to ask? I mean, that's what you're supposed to do, right? Ask for a blessing first?" Adrik asked, though he wondered if that was how it was all those lifetimes ago when Navrik was first 'courting age'. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
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