Mafia Baby: Asgardian Brotherhood

I watched the smoke curl in the light of the evening sun, eyes rimmed red and uncaring for the warm blue California skies. My mind wasn’t in the cloudless sky. Air I, myself, was clouding with every drag from the stale cigarette.

I wasn’t normally a smoker. I wasn’t normally someone who wallowed in my own backyard, either. My first instinct- as had been instilled in me by my father- had always been to run. I glared at the lemon trees he had planted, their sour fruit was a sobering reminder that I did have one place left to run- if I could ever track him down.

I shuddered at the thought. I’d rather sleep on the streets. I glanced back at the house, anxiety cramping at my stomach when I caught the light of the television still blaring in the front room of the house. I couldn’t hear them anymore, though, which meant they were either passed out or having a go at each other- the latter of which confirmed when I heard them moaning like animals.

I checked my phone, disregarding my unanswered text and summoning the balls to call my friend. “Nyx? What’s up?” I sighed. I didn’t enjoy being the person who invited themselves over to everyone else’s house all the time, but I wasn’t trying to sleep here tonight- not after what she said to me.

“Can I come over? My sister’s on her shit again.” It was unfortunately more descriptive of an account than it should have been. This was not the first time I had been kicked out of the house- just the first time she had done so physically. I rubbed at the bruise on my arm that had sculpted around her iron grip. Usually I was the one running out of the house. I sighed. “I’ll cook you dinner?”

Avery giggled, the sound immediately lightening my mood just a fraction, and my cracked lips split into a piece of a smile. “You can just ask to come over, y’know? You don’t always have to offer me something to use my spare bedroom.” I shook my head. Knowing that and being able to commit myself to the action were two different beasts, but she knew that already. “Though, your food is the best, and my parents are both out of town again for some last minute conference, so I’ll take you up on the offer.”

I let some of the weight drop from my shoulders. “Hell yeah, babe, I’ll be over soon.” We hung up, and I threw the last of my cig in the coffee can at the edge of the porch. “Bless you, Avery Nichols.” I stood up, avoiding the windows as I rounded the far corner of the small stucco house to get to the street. My skateboard was still leaning next to the rose bush by the driveway, I snagged it on my escape. I could be upset about leaving my bag inside later, right now I was enjoying the wind in my long hair with every pump of my foot.

I made it to Avery’s just before the sun set, the bright turquoise siding an oasis in my eyes. I stashed my board under the swing on her front porch and knocked on the door. Avery opened it, already in her pajamas- that consisted of an old Guns n’ Roses tee and some ridiculously bright patterned spandex. Her sandy blonde hair bobbed in its messy bun when she ducked to hug me, her curves cushioning my bruised skin as we embraced.

“I wish my parents would actually let me have the house to myself.” She groaned with exaggeration. “You could finally move in and we could redecorate this old place.” I laughed with her, taking my shoes off at the door when she finally let me go.

“You and I both, Ave.” Regardless of it being my official residence, this house had become a home for me over the years of our friendship. I slept here anytime her parents were out of town- which was more often than not.

We made our way into the kitchen, and I began habitually going through the pantry and fridge to see what groceries had been left by the housekeeper. I could feel her green eyes on me as I started getting a pot filled with water for pasta.

“She didn’t just scream this time, did she?” I shook my head, turning to get things situated on the stove. Butter began to sizzle as I chopped garlic and onion to add to the sauce. Avery’s tongue clicked, her nails clicking on the granite counter from her seat at the bar. “And you’re sure you don’t want to go to anybody about this, Nyx? First she’s throwing plates at you and now she’s got the balls to literally drag you out of your house- is she using again? We could get her-” I slammed the spatula on the edge of the pan, cutting her off.

She had a point, this was getting worse, but I was almost out. I just had to finish the school year. I already had a room and a scholarship to get me out of this hellhole- both of which I had worked my ass off to secure. I wasn’t taking any chances on the legal system.

“I just have to make it through the end of the school year.” I was reassuring us both. I glanced up from the sauce with a half smirk. “With any luck, most of that will be spent here as your personal chef, and Mal can figure her own shit out.”

She hummed, not fully convinced with me, and disappeared beneath the bar. “I’ll drink to you becoming my personal chef- for real when you get through culinary school.” She poured two glasses of wine- whatever her parents had leftover from their farewell dinner- and brought both around to stand with me at the stove. “Cheers bitch!”

I sipped on my glass, watching Avery chug down her own while she watched me whip up the cream sauce and bring together our quick dinner. Some lo-fi music filled the house through the speakers installed in the ceiling, and I let myself loose in the fancy leftover wine and the pleasure of my cooking.

“Did you finish Mr. Hanson’s paper yet?” I scoffed, sharing a smirk with her over the edge of my glass.

“Bitch, please! That shit isn’t due for another two weeks, you know my genius better than that.” We cackled, forgoing any more academic conversation when her phone buzzed. “You must be busy, though, leaving my messages unread. I thought I was your best friend?” I pouted dramatically, flicking her with the sauce when she continued to stare at her phone. “Earth to Avery!”

She squealed, hitting me with the edge of her hand in revenge. “Get me a towel, you heathen!” I dangled the cloth for her, laughing at her dramatic gesture of dabbing away the sauce. “My cousin’s are in town this weekend, they’ve been bothering me about their ‘resort’ stay since my parents dropped the ball on hosting them.” I hummed.

“They’re in a band, right?” She nodded, pulling them up on spotify to show me their profile. There was a photo of four boys, not much older than we were, posed up against a graffitied stairwell. Her glittery nail pointed at the blonde with long 80s-style hair framing his square face.

“This is Toni, his dad is my mom’s brother.” I squinted my eyes a bit, recognizing something in the severity of the emerald eyes that stuck me with familiarity. Avery noticed and giggled. “He went to school with us for a bit, back when he lived with his mom, but I haven’t seen him since he moved down to LA and started all this.” She pointed to the speakers, that were now pumping with a heavier bass guitar and rumbling drums.

I let my head bob to the beat, swinging my hips when the low sound of melodic screaming began to fill the room. It was music that made you move- I felt it in my bones. I checked the expression on my best friend’s face, unsurprised to find her lips twisted in a grimace.

She rolled her eyes when she caught me laughing at her and pointed to the stove. “Eyes on your work, you know I’m not into the hardcore scene for anything other than the boy candy.” I raised my hands in mock surrender and began plating up our dinner with a laugh.

“So the rest of the band? They’re all staying here?” She nodded, moaning when her lips met with the first bite of her pasta. I wiggled my brows. “And we’ve got the house to ourselves? Avery this is too good, we have to have a party.”

Her hand shot up in a ‘duh’ motion.“Way ahead of you, babe, that’s why I was ignoring your texts.” She took another bite and pointed her fork at me. “They get in tomorrow, but we won’t see them until after the show.”

I frowned. “Shouldn’t we go to the show?” She shook her head.

“Unless you’ve got a fake ID and can hook a girl up we can’t, they’re playing some bar downtown.” I bit the inside of my cheek, successfully putting on a disappointed look that was convincing enough for her to not ask questions.

Avery didn’t really want to go to the show, she wanted the party to get brought back to her place so she had access to the musicians that filled her dirty fantasies. I- however- was actually starting to vibe with the music coming through the speakers. The old copy of my older sister’s ID had worked for me in the past- I guess it helped that it was a real ID to begin with- but I’d have to go back to my house to get it.

I was listening to her list off people she was inviting over, and the necessary items they would be bringing over, while I mentally went over how best to sneak back into my room for my bag.

That was how we finished our dinner, with Avery content I was caught up on the drama between our peers and myself confident that before school would be the easiest time to slip in and get my things without being noticed.

“How long are they out of town?” I asked when we piled our dishes into the washer.

Avery bobbed her head from side to side, her own personal calculation dance. “This conference cuts it close to the one they already had scheduled for next week so I’m betting they won’t be back until the weekend after.” She shrugged. “But I’m not their secretary, thank god, so all I know for sure is that they're in Seattle until Tuesday.” She shook her phone, the sacred lifeline of the child who had been raised between appointments, meetings, and business trips. “Mom still updates me when they land- I just have to wait for the magic message.”

I shook my head, following her down the hall and into her room. “If shit doesn’t cool off with your sister, I can ask them about the spare room again.” I flopped onto her soft bed with a sigh. I was lucky to have a friend who cared so much. Her parents, though, had never given me more than fleeting glares when I came around.

They had made it clear to me that I wasn’t the sort of person they wanted their daughter to be friends with. My culinary skills and good grades couldn’t make up for the fact that I was born on the wrong side of town. I had gotten good at avoiding them.

“Mal will get over herself, she always apologizes for her bullshit.” And blames everything on the most recent piece-of-shit ex she had kicked out of the house- that part I tried to keep to myself. I hated hearing about my sister’s boyfriend drama, I didn’t want to give it any more of my time by trying to explain it to Avery.

My best friend sighed, lying down next to me and flipping on her television. “Yeah, you’re right. You wanna watch something?” I shook my head, letting my full stomach and the soft bed pull me closer to dreamland.

“I’ve gotta get up early to grab my bag from my place. I’m exhausted, though, put on whatever you want.” She began scrolling through titles, and I snuggled back into her cozy embrace. “Love you, Aves.”

She kissed my head with a giggle. “Sweet dreams, Nyx.”