My Boys – Her Boys

Five times the boys showed PJ they were her brothers (and one time she was their sister)

1 – Mike

He knew he was bad at women. He knew it, shut up, no need to pile on. Mike wasn't as lost in himself as his friends might think, thank you. Women often walked away from him, thinking him too weird, too insensitive, too dumb, whatever, but he didn't mind it much. Really, he didn't.

But when it came to PJ, oh, man.

Peej was– She was the little sister Mike never had, never wanted to have, bright and beautiful and funny who loved sports and poker, the kind of woman he would love to meet, the kind of woman any of the guys in their circle would love to get with, but she was their PJ, the only girl who could possibly stand to be around them, go on with their silly bits and throw in her own quirks.

So, onde day they were walking down the street, her nicely helping him buy a gift for his parents' anniversary and him trying to focus on the things she was pointing out. The problem was that they started to get distracted by the same things that his dad would like but not his mom, so it was mostly just hanging out one on one, a very rare thing for them.

They were in a small boutique, looking over something for his mom (after deciding it was probably better to buy something each of his parents). PJ pointed at some pretty figurines that Mike thought his mom would actually appreciate, especially from him (who had been known in the family as the worst gift giver).

"Okay, so, kittens or puppies?" – she asked all too seriously. Mike looked them over as she put them up.

"She doesn't really like animals that much, actually"

"Oh" – she put them down – "Then... Maybe ballerinas?"

"I think she's got a few, so maybe" – they started looking at the non–animal figurines, Mike putting more effort into it than he thought possible.

"PJ?" – a woman asked, and Mike distractedly looked over. She was dark haired and pretty, but not someone he'd ever seen before, and he was almost sure he knew everyone PJ had ever been friends with or dated.

"Heather! Hi!" – the blonde greeted, and Mike frowned at how fake she sounded as she walked over to traded air kisses with the brunette.

"Oh my God! I knew it was you! I could recognize you anywhere, girl"

"Ha! You haven't changed at all, Heather!" – PJ laughed awkwardly and Mike stopped pretending not to pay attention to them.

"So what's happening with you?" – the blonde made to open her mouth but the brunette continued – "I just got married, you know. Do you remember Asher?"

"Asher?"

"Yeah! Oh, I'm sorry, of course you remember him, you two dated!" – the way she laughed made Mike think that she wasn't that good looking after all, especially in the way PJ kind of drooped, though she'd turned her face slightly and he couldn't see it.

"Just for a little while, really"

"Sure, sure. But he was your first boyfriend, girl, of course you can't have forgotten all about him!"

"It was a long time ago, though" – PJ cleared her throat and fidgeted in place.

"Do you want to see a picture of our wedding? My dress was so beautiful, you wouldn't believe it! Oh, but we invited you! Didn't you get the invitation? I guess I didn't remember getting you RSVP..."

"I don't think I did, actually" – which was a lie, Mike kind of remembered PJ and Stephanie talking about some wedding invitation a few months prior.

"That's such a shame, Asher would have loved to see you there! I mean, I would've loved to have you there too!"

"Yeah, sure, it's a shame, really"

"I mean, most brides wouldn't want their big day being overshadowed by their groom's first girlfriend, but" – she smiled in an all too smug way – "I'm the one Asher chose in the end, so I have nothing to fear, right?"

"Right, right"

"So, what IS going on with you? Is there a man in your life, what's happening? You still writing about the Cubs?" – her tone turned condescending and irritating, and Mike would know, he'd been the subject of women talking to him like that, but she was talking to, AT PJ, and that just–

Nope.

"Peej!" – he exclaimed, sliding to her with a smoothness their friends would tease him over – "We're gonna be late for lunch!" – he turned to Heather and smirked – "Well, who's this lovely lady?"

"Er, this is Heather, an old high school... Friend" – the blonde introduced hesitantly.

"No way! Wow, that is so weird! I mean, no offense, but you two do NOT look like you went to school together, not at ALL!"

"Oh!" – Heather preened obnoxiously – "People do say I look young for my age"

"Dude. No, sorry, I meant the other way around. I mean, Peej looks great, she really does, but you're... I don't want to be crass, but" – he cringed very obviously as the woman's face turned red – "I don't think excessive makeup is the way to go in order to look younger, honey"

"How dare you!" – Heather shrieked.

"Hey!" – PJ exclaimed – "Leave him alone!"

"You're still such a little whore, aren't you? Always hanging around all these limp dick assholes!"

"I would say something about that, but I think I'll let it go this one time" – Mike piped, a little amused by her anger.

Heather made to started ranting, but one of the boutique workers appeared near them with a wide grin.

"Hello, ladies, gentleman, is there a problem here?"

"No, it's just some personal matter, I'm so sorry" – PJ said with a pained expression.

"Well, I think it would be preferable if you'd just follow me, miss" – she said, not quite looking at either woman.

"Thank you!" – Heather exclaimed.

"Oh, no, ma'am, I meant you, actually" – the brunette squawked.

"Me! What did I do?!"

"I fear you are being a little too loud, ma'am"

Mike and PJ watched as Heather was loudly escorted out of the store. The blonde turned to him with a weird face.

"That was some quick thinking, Callahan" – she said, a smile slowly taking over her face.

"I got your back, Peej, you should know that by now"

"I know" – she put a hand on his arm, and he almost stepped back, 'cause she damn looked like she was about to cry – "And I think you should actually get this little music box" – she said, grabbing at a dark wood box.

"Hey! I think she's actually going to love this. Thanks, Peej!"

He paid and then went to lunch, which PJ paid for even as Mike complained a little. Afterwards, he said he could pick out something for his dad by himself, but to his slight surprise, she grinned brightly and slapped his shoulder.

"Don't be daft, Mike! Of course I'm going with you, I promised, didn't I?"

"I guess you did. Let's roll, Franklin"

2 – Kenny

"... Kenny? Are you sure?"

"Hey, who else am I going to give it to?"

"Maybe a girlfriend, a wife?" – nearby, Stephanie snorted.

"Right, 'cause that's happening" – she butted in.

"I'm sure" – Kenny reiterated – "You're as good as family, PJ, so why not? Mom loved you, that one time she met you"

"I love it, Kenny, thank you so much" – they grinned together as she pulled him into a tight hug.

"Well, let's see this bracelet" – Stephanie said when they separated – "Well, I'll say this much, Kenny, this is exquisite"

"Granddad had good taste, and grandma liked jewelry"

"What kind of woman doesn't? Oh, PJ, you have to put it on!" – the blonde, still smiling, let Kenny close the clasp around her wrist and put her arm up.

"So, does it look okay?"

"It looks great" – the man said fondly – "Oh, I need to take a picture to send to my mom. She insisted"

"Here, let me" – Stephanie said, grinning at them – "Smile!"

3 – Brando

"Brendan! What the hell!" – PJ screamed as they walked down the street after they were tossed out of the club.

"What!"

"Why the hell would you punch that guy!"

"Didn't you see what that jerk did?! He put something in your drink!"

"He did?" – she asked, startled.

"Yes! I saw him do it, I couldn't let him get away with it!"

"Brando..."

"It's fine, it's whatever. The guy's not in the club anymore" – because he'd been thrown up with them, and after yelling at an impassionate Brando, he hauled ass into a cab – "You're with me, it's fine"

"Brando" – she stopped him and sighed – "Thank you"

"Like I was going to let some asshole get away with drugging you. Or anyone, for that matter"

"You're a great guy, you know that, Brendan?"

"I may have been told as much a few times"

"Wanna get some beers and watch a movie back home?"

"Sounds like a plan"

4 – Bobby

Bobby knew that his feelings for PJ were not that platonic, but he also knew that he was the only one who could possibly warn her about how his brother was. Their friends didn't know, they couldn't possibly know what a jerk Jack could be, and he definitely didn't want PJ to get hurt when Jack showed his true colors.

"Peej, please, will you just listen to me?"

"Look, Bobby, I understand what you're saying, I get that you know your brother really well, of course you do, but it's not like we're about to start, you know, dating or something, it's just– You know, it's just for now"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. I mean, sure, I like him, and he's pretty interesting and all, but" – she shrugged and frowned at him – "I'm not that naïve, Bobby, I can see how he is, at least a little bit. Give me some credit"

"I am. I am! I'm sorry, I just– You're my friend, Peej, I don't want you to, you know, get hurt"

"I know, I get it. And I appreciate it, I really do, but you don't have to worry about me"

"Okay, I won't then"

"Alright"

"But tell me if you need me to punch his teeth it, yeah?"

"I will keep that in mind"

5 – Andy

"Just take my hand, PJ"

"No!"

"Just take it! Mom said!"

"I don't care! I don't have to hold your hand!"

"We're going to cross the street, you need to hold my hand!"

"I don't wanna!"

"God, PJ" – little Andy just grabbed her hand, even as she struggled and huffed at him, and dragged her across the street to their school. She yanked it back and stomped away. He sighed and rushed over to her to make sure she got to her classroom alright.

Their mom would kill him if PJ didn't get to her class on time for her first day of school.

+ 1 – PJ

PJ put her hands on her hips and sighed as she observed the scene in her living room.

Mike and Kenny were curled up in the sofa, Bobby was in a cute ball in a chair, while Andy was snoring softly in the lounger. Brando came out of the bathroom yawning, and gave her a sleepy grin.

"Hey"

"Hey. So..." – she'd just returned from a business trip and honestly, she just wanted to crash for a few hours, but with the boys at her place, she didn't think it was going to be as peaceful as she would have wanted.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. The guys didn't want to cancel poker night, and we knew you were coming back today, so they wanted to hang out and wait up for you, but it clearly didn't work"

"Clearly" – she said dryly.

"Want me to kick them out?"

"You know what? I'm starving, so I'm gonna go make some eggs and bacon, coffee, you know"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, yeah, and then you can kick them out for me"

"Sure thing. Want some help?"

"I guess not. I've been away for a while, Lord knows what you guys have eaten these days without me around"

"You are not wrong"

"So clear the table for me, and settle down"

"Alright" – he grinned boyishly and gave her a quick hug – "It's good to have you back"

"It's good to be home"