hey hey

the first argument between Happy and Royal. Just kinda happened.

enjoy!

.

.

„This is my place" Happy said while putting the bags on the floor. He stood there for a moment and was silent for a few more seconds.

Royal looked around and frowned.

Both of them stood in the apartment, still at the door, and didn't say anything. She was glad to finally see the place that she would live in - at least until she was eighteen, she thought.

Although she didn't know how the next years of living with her father would turn out to be. If they would stay together for this long time or if anything would set them apart. She didn't want to know.

Everything was strange and unfamiliar, the way they dressed, the whole clubhouse thing.

Motorcycle enthusiasts - her aunt had answered when Royal had asked why they carried guns around with them. She didn't understand how this was a safe environment for her to grow up in. And she didn't understand how she had never been informed about the life style of her father. There were only a few memories of her father from when she was younger.

But neither had her mother ever pointed out anything like that nor her aunt until today.

It was, indeed, a very uncomfortable situation but Royal tried to ignore it as good as she could.

„It's very clean" she commented. It was the first thing that had caught her eye. Something that had seemed a little off from the very first moment and then she realized that every single thing in the living room was so flawlessly organized and cleaned.

Happy nodded and pointed at a white door at his left. „This is my room but you'll sleep there only until… until we figured something out."

„Where's your bed, then?" she asked immediately and looked around, on the search for another door - to see if there might be another room that he could use. But there was only the door frame that was the entrance to the kitchen.

„On the couch" he answered in a low voice.

Oh.

„I can sleep on the couch, too-"

„No, it's okay."

That was it. No more words followed. And again, silence grew between them and made everything unnecessarily uncomfortable. Or was it just her? Did she simply imagine the awkwardness and strange behavior of her father? But that was even weirder than the first option.

She sighed with exhaustion.

„What a day, huh?" she asked and threw her head back.

Her hand massaged her stiff neck while feeling his distant gaze on her. He gave a sound of agreement which sounded more like a grunt but she wouldn't mind.

"Do you live with someone else? I mean... when you're not married… any girlfriend?" Her voice turned into a slight whisper when she had seen how his face turned sour.

„Or a cute dog, maybe?" she changed the topic easily.

But if he, indeed, had a dog or any similar animal - than she would be more than thrilled.

Disappointment rushed through her when he shook his head.

„Mmh..." she nodded silently „What a pity."

„I like the quiet" he explained. Royal looked at him with wide eyes, he had said something without her asking a question first. That was some kind of progress, she thought with a big smile.

She shrugged at his words, still joyful about him talking and walked towards a grey couch that was positioned in the center of the living room.

„I once did, too… hated when things were too loud. But then, I don't know, I was kinda lonely in the quiet. Aunt Erin always says that too much alone-time makes you think a lot and that also can be scary."

She sat down and brought her arm up to her face, to look at her bracelets.

„She said that?" Happy mumbled and walked towards her. He sat down next to her, the couch sank in and their legs were touching.

„My aunt says many, wise things, you know." - „Hard to believe. "

The small girl only shrugged and bit her lip.

„She was the only family I had… before- before I met you. She is kinda important to me."

Tears glistened in her eyes and she looked at her feet. Tried to hide behind some strands of hair and suppressed a shaky breath.

„It's nice to have you here" Happy said, suddenly.

It surprised her more than anything and she looked up in a second. Her eyes were wide and glassy but a relieved grin grew on her face.

„I think so, too! "

She laid in the way too large bed and looked at the ceiling. The room was dark and she tried to take even, deep breaths. It was unfamiliar - every corner of this apartment. Too unfamiliar to finally fall asleep. Even after this stressful day.

Her chest tightened with the thought of her old room. She had had it decorated with many dreamcatchers above her bed. And there were pink and red stickers on the cream-colored wall – she had decorated everything with them, from the floor to the wardrobe and desk, to the windows.

She had been obsessed with it for so long, it was natural that she missed them in this colorless, plain bedroom.

Maybe Happy would lend her some money to buy new ones.

She shook her head. It wouldn't make the homesick feeling disappear, she was convinced.

Silent tears ran down her cheeks, dried on her skin only for others to follow. They sticked to her neck and face. She hiccupped.

„Mo-mmy..."

Her low voice sounded raspy.

But she continued to whisper, to wish her mother back at her side.

„Wh-why?" She closed her eyes in pain. Why was she this lonely?

The darkness wrapped itself around her cool body. She pinched her upper arm, bit her lip and whimpered.

„Co-ome back."

And she stayed awake for the rest of the night.

„G'morning" Happy grumbled when he saw Royal sitting at the kitchen table, a glass of water in front of her. She was still in her pink pyjamas and her hair was half up in a messy braid.

He opened the fridge and took out a beer.

„It's eleven a.m." She glanced at him but only for a second. It was enough for him to see the red, bloodshot eyes.

„You're ill?" he asked.

„A little tired, nothing more."

He grunted and sat down on a chair, opening the can and took a sip. She reached for her water too and noticed that her hand trembled more than usually. Happy seemed to notice but didn't say anything about it.

„What grade are you in?" he asked.

Royal frowned slightly, „Seven. It's still the beginning of the school year. But my teacher actually wanted me to repeat the sixth grade. Aunt Erin didn't. Said it was unnecessary for me, I'm smart enough."

That surprised Happy.

„Did the teacher say you weren't smart?" - „Well... actually-" she hesitated and looked at her hands, „It was because of my absences."

Happy looked even more surprised. „You ditched school?" her spoke the first thought had crossed his mind. But Royal shook her head, immediately. Looked at him with a short giggle but turned serious, only a second later.

„Aunt Erin needed help at home, sometimes."

Many thoughts went through his mind at her answer. But he didn't voice any of them. So he just nodded.

Royal shrugged - unsure with his reaction.

„When will I go to school?" she asked, curious but nervous.

„Maybe next week, or in two. I gotta talk to some people first. Fill out some papers, I guess. But don't you worry. You won't be needed at home to help with stuff. There won't be ditching in my house."

Royal smiled at that and muttered something, too low for him to understand.

„So... what's planned for breakfast?" she asked and scratched her arm.

There hadn't been anything good or even useful back at his apartment to eat. Therefore he had decided to go to the clubhouse with her and spend the morning with the others. He had commented that a guy named Bobby sometimes cooked some food. Mostly baked stuff.

Royal didn't know how to feel about it, she was happy to have finally spent some alone-time with her father. But it was still kept short. She had actually planned to have better and more conversations with him, today. Thus, everything would be less awkward.

But it seemed that Happy had other plans.

They were still driving in a car from the garage. Clay had already offered it, yesterday, and after a few moments of convincing Happy that he couldn't take his daughter on the bike, especially with the luggage – was he okay with it. Or so she assumed.

Who knew what was truthfully going on in her father's head.

He drove silently. But this didn't surprise her anymore.

It was simply the person he was, she thought.

A man who didn't use a lot of words for small talk, or answers. Or any talk, at all.

She ran her hand through her long hair and decided to braid it. Her hands worked fast and she had a french braid finished, only a short moment later. She looked up and pulled down the rearview mirror. It creaked and she threw a look at Happy next to her – but he only looked at the street in front of him.

She looked back at the mirror and had her eyes staring back at her reflection. Her body stood still for a second. The dark colour of her iris irritated her. It was the exact same as Happy's and she wished, instantly, to have her mother's eyes.

A bitterness filled her as she put the mirror back up and turned her face to the window. Tears started to well up. She tried to distract herself and bit her lip.

„When will I'll be able to look around the town?" Her voice sounded a little shaky. She pulled her hand into a fist. Her nails digging in her palm.

„I already said you gotta wait."

„I can go alone, you know..." she whispered. Her heartbeat raged in her chest. Anger collected itself in her stomach and rose up to her throat.

„Be patient" he muttered. Royal rolled her eyes and sighed.

Happy ignored it.

„I'll go today." She declared and it sounded definite.

There was only a second of silence before the rough man stepped on the brake and stopped the car without a warning – her body fell slightly forwards but was pressed back through the belt. „What the-" - „You better not finish that!" he barked out and looked at her with narrowed eyes. There was a fire in them and she gulped.

„I didn-"

He interrupted before she was able to say anything, „Look, kid. This is all new for me and you, I get that. Your mother died and your aunt didn't want you no more. You might be angry about it. But you gotta accept that you need to move on. And I said that it was good to have you here, with me. And I mean it. But I won't let you behave like a little brat, understood?"

The first thought of hers was, that this was surely the most he had talked since meeting him.

The second was less a thought and more the feeling of rage taking over.

She opened her mouth to snap at him, too, but hadn't had the chance when he spoke again.

„Be careful, kid" he looked at her with a sharp glint in his eyes.

She was shocked. To put it lightly. There was not one inch of her body that wasn't under shock. Her chin trembled as she tried to pull herself together. To get words out of her mouth.

To defend herself. How could he?

„Yo-u..." she started but her voice was too shaky. So she took a deep breath and tried again. Her eyes stared at him and she didn't blink once. He looked at her, too, but his expression was hard to read. Except for him to be angry.

„Y-ou've never... never been my father" she said, „I don't need you to start with that, now."

Tears burned in her eyes but she blinked them away.

Then she just turned away from him and looked out of the window, her whole body trembling because of the confrontation.

She thought that she heard him mumble something.

It sounded a lot like he was cursing.

.

.

.

I hope you liked it!

I'd love to read about your thoughts!

love.