He's almost twenty-three when he's rudely awoken one morning by an unidentified weight landing on top of him. He groans and tries to turn over, but the weight doesn't budge. He opens one eye and sees two vibrant brown ones staring back at him. He quickly closes it again.
"Go 'way, Hope. S'too early."
She has the audacity to bounce him a little, her fingers digging into his ribs. "It's nearly eleven!"
He tries to pull the covers over his head, but they're pinned underneath his annoying little cousin. "Too early."
The covers are yanked back down and he finds Hope frowning down at him. "You're not a student anymore, Johnny boy. Gonna have to practise being an adult at some point."
"I've been up the crack of dawn the past two days taking in deliveries to let the old folk sleep in!" Johnny yawns and stretches, lifting his legs until she slides off him. She never was one for propriety.
"Don't let Auntie Charity catch you calling her old." She gets off his bed and moves over to his mirror, running a hand through her hair and tousling it as she pouts at herself. He rolls his eyes. She's one of those effortlessly stunning girls. Raven hair, dark, smoky eyes, and a body that suits whatever clothes she happens to throw on it. Charity likes to joke that there's no way she can be related to Paddy. Both Johnny and Moses have had their fair share of scuffles with idiotic boys who won't take no for an answer.
"D'you think I'm daft?" He yawns again and sits up, scratching at the back of his neck. "Anyway, why are you here? Term's not finished yet. Shouldn't you be terrorising Manchester still?"
"Study leave," she tells him, breezily. "And, as I've already said, you need to get up because they're here."
"Who's here?"
"Not who. What." She lifts her eyebrows. "A box of whats, actually. And if you don't shift your arse, your parents will have opened it before you get downstairs."
"I see uni hasn't cleaned your mouth up any, young lady." It's been a running joke between them for years. Ever since the first time she swore in front of him and he practically clutched his pearls at the thought of his baby cousin saying bad words.
She offers him a fake smile and her middle finger. "Fuck off, JD." She shakes her head. "Did you not hear what I said before?"
He frowns, thinking back over her sentence. Something about a box of-
"Oh shit, they're here?" He scrambles out from underneath the covers, only just managing to keep himself upright when his feet hit the floor.
"Is that not what I've been saying for the past ten minutes?" Hope rolls her eyes as he grabs yesterday's jeans and hops around, trying to pull them on. "I'll let you go and do the grand opening in private But while you're gone, can I-." She nods to a box on his dressing table. "-indulge a little?"
He sighs. "Fine. A little. But don't roll yourself five and pocket them this time. I'm skint!"
She smiles and draws a cross over her heart. "Promise."
"And open the bloody window," he calls over his shoulder as he heads out into the hallway, thundering down the stairs and into the back room. His Mums are standing in the kitchen, talking. There's a box sat on the table. They catch sight of them and his Ma throws her hands up.
"Finally!" She shakes her head and slaps her hand down on top of the box. "You'd think you got one of these every day the time you took to get down here."
"If you'd been another five minutes I wouldn't have been able to keep her out of it." Vanessa bumps Charity's hip with her own. "She's dying for a peek."
"Yes. I am." Charity nods and widens her eyes at him, inclining her head at the box. "So get a shift on, yeah?"
Now that he's here, he's actually a little bit scared. He's waited so long for this, worked so hard and had to believe in himself so much. And this is the end. Or the beginning. He steps up to the table, Charity moving away a little to let him in. Vanessa grabs her hand as they stand together just off to the side. He looks over at them and sucks in a breath.
"Here we go." Grasping one end of the tape, he rips the box open. He takes another deep breath and opens the flaps. Twin gasps come from behind him and suddenly he has one of them pressed against each arm, gazing into the box along with him.
His Mum grips his arm, squeezing hard. His Ma just covers her mouth and shakes her head. "It's a real book," she murmurs.
He laughs, scooping up one of the copies on top and holds it in both of his hands, eyes picking out all the details on the cover. A fearsome looking dragon rears up in front of a young man, his clothes are singed and his sword damaged, but he's defiant. Johnny runs his fingers over the man's face, scarred on one side, and then over the slightly raised lettering.
"Forged by Fire." Vanessa reads out loud, leaning her head against his shoulder. "By Johnny Dingle." She lets out a soft laugh. "Well. I suppose this means it's a proper job after all, eh?" Vanessa goes up on her toes and he bends so she can kiss his cheek. She wraps an arm around his neck, pulling his ear close to her mouth so she can whisper in it. "I'm so proud of you. We both are. Even if I'm not always the best at showing it." He puts the book back on top of the box and wraps his arms around her, lifting her up, ignoring her squawk of protest.
"I know, Mum. I know." Of the two of them, Vanessa's been the one to fret over him ever since he chose to study English at uni. Probably before that, even. Probably from when he was at school and showed no interest in science or business. For her, English was a nice to have type subject, but it didn't get you a job. He squeezes her tight and sets her back on her feet, turning to his Ma who grins at him.
"You did it, babes." He grins and picks her up as he had done with Vanessa, spinning her around.
"Thanks for being my biggest critic," he whispers. "And for believing in me."
"Oh, give over, soppy lad." She slaps at his shoulder until he puts her down. She rolls her eyes, but he can see the tears sparkling in them. "All them yarns you used to spin when you were a nipper? What else were you going to turn out to be? Thought I might as well encourage it." She throws her arms out to the side. "And now look at you, big published author. Just in time for me and your Mum to retire to Barbados and live on your riches."
"Yeah, right." He shuffles his feet. "Let's see how many copies fly off the shelves before you book the plane tickets, eh?"
"Fine," Charity says, rolling her eyes. "No selling the businesses right away. Spoilsport."
He clears his throat. "Listen, I know it's daft but...could I...have a minute? By myself?"
"It's not daft," Vanessa tells him, with a soft smile.
"It is a bit daft," Charity says, reaching up to chuck him under his chin. "But we wouldn't expect anything else from you, eh?"
"Charity!" Vanessa grabs her wife by the waist and turns her, pushing her to the door. "We'll keep the hordes at bay for a while. But Chas and Paddy'll want a look at some point. And Noah's due by. And we texted your Auntie Tracy and Uncle Ross, so they'll be making their way over."
He nods. "Cool."
He watches them head out into the hall. Charity pauses as she goes to pull the door closed after them. "Well done, kid." She winks. "Proud of you."
He suddenly can't swallow past the lump in his throat, so he nods and she does the same, closing the door and leaving him to his thoughts. He blinks a few times and blows out a breath, laughing at himself.
"Daft apeth," he mutters, swiping a hand over his eyes. He takes out his phone and snaps a picture of the box, sending it to Moses with a quick message.
Your little bro's out earning a crust while you're still dicking around at uni. Not good enough Moz.
He picks up the top copy of the book again, moving over to the counter and plucking a pen out of the thing that used to be a fruit bowl but now just collects odds and ends. He sets the book down and takes a moment before he opens the cover, turning to the page with the dedication.
To the first dragon slayer I ever met. And the bravest.
Uncle Ross, this one's for you.
He smiles. And lifts his hand, scrawling underneath the printed words.
Love from your squire.
Johnny Dingle.
