Hi!
This story has been in the making for far too long. Rishini made a suggestion on my two shot 'Parents noticing' back in 2017 – thank you for that one! – and it got me to write this months and months ago. I never was fully satisfied and therefore never uploaded it. Then, a week ago, I finally decided to share it, wanted to proofread one last time... and then kept writing. It's now double of what it initially was – but it's still a random little one shot that's kind of goofy and nonsense.
Please enjoy. :)
Beck hasn't celebrated his birthday at home for five or even more years by now.
Today, he's turning 18 and decided to celebrate – in his parents' house. His mother's more than happy, as he also allowed them to say hello in between; though he didn't allow her to decorate anything or even to make food. They want to order pizza, he says.
They are up in their room now, while Beck and his friends are downstairs. Beck's mother's sure to have heard them play on the piano, they have in the living room, earlier and also sing. Now, she just hears some talking through the open door of their room.
It honestly makes her happy. After Beck moved out of the house and into the RV with barely 15 years of age, she's always happy when he's spending time in the house. Because it's proof that he still thinks of it as his home.
She's also fine with staying out of the way. He's a teenager. Obviously he doesn't want his parents around while being with his friends. Yet, he didn't even suggest for them to go out on their own, but was fine with them staying in the house as well. This way, they can still watch over them a little – and enjoy listening to him laugh with his friends.
Yes, she doesn't like that Jade's there as well. But that's how it is. That's the girl Beck chose to spend these years with.
She never liked Jade. The way she dresses alone... And somehow, Beck's mother was always sure, she would drag Beck down. She hasn't done that so far, but she's the reason, Beck's living in the RV. And she treats Beck badly.
Beck's mother often wonders if she raised Beck wrong that he doesn't stand his ground against her. She knows from before Beck moved out and from the times Beck brought Jade into the house for breakfast (which Beck's parents want Beck to eat in the house – and Jade when she stays over, so they know at all when she stayed the night), that Jade's... bossy with Beck. She tells him to bring her things. And he does.
Does he do it, so she doesn't leave him?
Then, not even a month ago, she walked in on Beck getting under the shower in the house and saw his back all scratched up. She doesn't even try to imagine how exactly it happened (it was already enough that Beck directly said it happened while he was having sex with Jade), but how does that awful girl dare to hurt Beck in that way? How can Beck let her and even claim he enjoys it? How can he let that girl abuse him?
Beck's mother's sure the relationship is nothing but abusive. But she's completely powerless about it. She has tried to talk to Beck so often, but it always ends up in a fight and in Beck drawing back even more. She guesses she has to let it happen for now – and pick up the pieces afterwards.
Well, and at least Beck isn't celebrating this birthday only with Jade but with his friends too. There was a time where his mother was afraid that she would scare off his friends too and would slowly isolate him. At least that didn't turn out to be true, not regarding his friends anyway.
Right now, his mother's reading a book, while listening to her son and his friends, with her husband sitting on the bed next to her, watching TV on the small one they have in their bedroom.
Until there suddenly is an outcry, undoubtedly by Beck.
His parents share a look with widened eyes before they're both up their feet, the book being thrown down on the bed, and are running downstairs, listening to shocked reactions by his friends following up Beck's outcry.
As soon as they arrive in the living room, they get what all of the noises are about. Beck stands next to the piano, looking at his own right hand that's full of blood. In front of him lie shards of glass and his friends are still hurrying to his side when his parents arrive as well.
"Oh, god," his mother makes, seeing all that blood that starts dripping from his hand.
"It's fine. It's just..." Beck starts, noticing his parents, talking to them but also to his friends, but while he does, he turns and he's standing right by the piano and somehow, while turning, he crashes into it with his left knee. "Oh, fuck!" he makes at the impact, following a shuttering noise that's way too loud. He instinctively reaches out to it with his right hand, leaving a bloody imprint on his pants, before changing the hand. "Shit, shit, shit."
"Beck! What happened?" Beck's mother finally asks, running up to her son, just like her husband does, with Beck's friends making way. All except Jade, who clutches to Beck's arm by now, trying to get a good look at his hand.
"The glass exploded in my hand," Beck says, making a gesture to the shattered glass on the floor. And two of the pieces must've cut into Beck's hand directly, as far as his mother can see with the blood covering it.
"Come on," Jade suddenly says, pulling Beck away from the shards. "Sit down." She makes him sit down on the couch, sitting down next to him, still looking at his hand.
"Let me take a look," his father says, going on his knees in front of Beck and taking his bloody hand into his own, trying to see the cuts under the blood.
Beck breathes in with a hissing sound, while his left hand's holding his knee again. Okay, it's good that he's sitting down now when his knee really is hurting as well.
"God, Beck," she makes, feeling helpless. "Do you need something cold for your knee?"
"No, it's fine," he claims.
But that's always what Beck says. His mother sees in his face that it isn't fine. And her husband of course can also see it and, after inspecting the hand, decides: "We should take you to the hospital."
He stands back up and Beck looks at him for a moment, then at his hand, before he finally says: "Shit." His mother doesn't appreciate that sort of language (neither does her husband), but in this whole situation she doesn't care much. Especially as she knows he agrees with her husband by saying that word. He knows he has to go to the hospital. It's good that he isn't protesting.
"Sorry, guys," Beck says, turning to his friends while slowly standing back up again. Always so polite. "Can we redo this like... next week?"
Andre, Robbie, Tori and Cat all agree and Andre adds: "Definitely. Text us when you're back home."
Jade has stood up with Beck and is still holding onto him. Now, she rolls her eyes and says in a biting tone: "Text with a cut up hand, right." He still has another hand and could text with that. But his mother also would appreciate if he still wouldn't have to take care of things like that, calming down his friends. And promptly, Jade adds, still sounding annoyed: "I'll do it."
That's enough about that. Beck shouldn't worry about his friends or anything right now. That's why his mother says, adressing her husband: "Okay. I'll stay here and clean up. You get him to a doctor."
He nods and offers Beck his support, which he doesn't take. He does have trouble walking with his left leg though. Jade stays by his side and leaves with him and his father. Beck's mother doesn't have the nerve to question it – nor the time as everything happens so fast.
She takes a deep breath when they close the door behind them. She just hopes, Beck will be okay.
"Why don't we help to clean this up?" Robbie pulls her out of her thoughts.
He makes a gesture to the broken glass on the floor, punctered with blood, but also to the top of the piano and the table, where drinks, other glasses and snacks are spread. They haven't ordered the pizzas yet.
"Oh, you don't need to," Beck's mother assures them and yet, they end up helping her, cleaning up behind themselves, like the wonderful teenagers they are. After that, they leave.
.
.
She starts making lasagne, Beck's favorite food. Her husband texted her in between, telling her they arrived at the hospital and are waiting for Beck's turn but that apparently, it doesn't look too bad.
She wants to make sure, Beck's cared for as soon as he's back.
It takes a long time, until Beck, his father and Jade walk into the house. "We're back," his mother hears Beck's voice and she hurries to the living room (that's seperate from the kitchen), which the other three enter in that same moment from the small hallway.
"Is everything okay?" she asks.
"Yeah," Beck says and does look more honest than before, when he claimed everything was fine, though his hand was cut up and covered in blood. He shows his hand that's bandaged now. "They stitched me up."
"Oh, Beck," his mother makes. She can't believe this happened, and during his birthday party of all moments. "Come on. Sit down."
She has hurried forward and now tries to steer him to the couch.
Beck doesn't move an inch though, instead he looks over to Jade for a second. Jade who isn't clutching to his arm this time, but... what is she doing here anyway? Why didn't Beck's father drop her off at her home before heading back here?
"I think we should get to my RV," Beck says.
No. "I'm making lasagne."
"My knee hurts," Beck gingerly says. His mother almost forgot that he also hit that. "I'm not sure I'll get up again if I make myself comfortable now."
His mother knows that this is about that godforsaken girl at his side. There would be no problem with him not being able to get up anymore tonight. He can sleep on the couch, doesn't have to get up after sitting down except for using the bathroom. His mother will make him comfortable there. Not to mention that obviously he's overselling it. He does walk with a slight limp but is walking on his own after all.
But obviously, Jade came back with them here to sleep over and Beck knows his mother won't like her on the couch with him, even just relaxing there together. And to avoid any kind of discussion, he wants to leave for the RV again – with that girl, instead of staying with his parents.
His mother can't have this. Not when he's hurting. And if she has to accept Jade around to be there for her son... She'll do it tonight.
"Come on," she says. "If you don't celebrate your birthday with your friends, at least do it with us. Come on, both of you. Get on the couch."
Beck shares a look with Jade who shrugs. Then, Beck looks back to his mother, smiling: "Okay."
They have a corner couch and Beck's walking over to it with that slight limp. Beck's mother hurries to it as well and piles up the cushions in a way that Beck can makes himself comfortable in the corner of the couch, putting his legs up to one side of it. Jade's sitting down next to him on the other side while his father says: "We should finally cool your knee a bit. Let me get you an ice pack."
His mother meanwhile gets him something to drink – and Jade as well after hesitating for a moment.
.
.
She's in the kitchen and has checked on the lasagne again that should be done any minute now. She wants to walk back to the living room, that she has left a few minutes ago, and inform her husband, her son and Jade that they soon will have something to eat.
She finds that her husband has also left the room. She'll find out later that he has gotten an important work call. It sometimes happens that there's still something important after hours, that someone calls for him to clarify something or resolve an issue.
In any way, Beck's mother finds Beck and Jade alone in the room. They also don't notice her walking in and she stops in the doorway.
Jade has lied down next to Beck and is gently running her fingers over his bandaged hand. It must be gentle, as he isn't pulling a face, isn't in pain by it.
Instead, he seems totally relaxed and even smiles, as he says: "I'm actually confused by your reaction. I thought you would totally be into all that blood."
"I liked the blood," Jade claims in a rough voice. "But I didn't like the thought of my boyfriend loosing one of his hands." Of course, this girl likes seeing blood.
"N'aw," Beck makes. "You were worried."
Wait. Was she?
"Shut up," Jade says, but that doesn't sound as rough anymore.
She lets go of his hand and lies her own on his chest instead, above his heart, as she looks into his eyes.
Was she worried? Beck's mother remembers how she clutched to Beck, how she went with him to the hospital without even asking or hesitating. She remembers how her eyes were fixed on the wounds. Because she was worried? Does this girl actually is able to worry about anything?
Beck makes a pouting face, which his mother has never seen before. Jade looks at it for a moment, before there's suddenly a small smile on her lips and she leans over and kisses Beck.
It's a soft kiss that Beck returns. Jade's the one to break away and to then ask him: "Want some water?"
Beck nods and Jade reaches over to the coffee table and takes his glass. He wants to accept it with his right hand but Jade promptly scolds: "Use the other hand."
Beck obeys, takes it with his uninjured hand and slowly takes a few sips.
Jade meanwhile busies herself, still lying by Beck's side, still so close to him, by moving the ice pack that's resting on Beck's knee a bit, getting it into another position.
Beck's mother can clearly see how Beck looks from the glass to Jade and how a smile forms on his face. A smile so full of love. She has never seen this smile before and has never noticed how his eyes light up when he looks at Jade.
Just as she has never noticed how much Jade cares for Beck, how gentle she can be. How much she loves him.
It's that moment, as she sees the young couple like that, that she finally realizes she has been at least somewhat wrong about Jade. She isn't abusive. She never would hurt Beck. Because she loves him, she actually loves the person Beck is.
His mother can barely believe it. How has she never seen this love? Well, but she's sure, Jade doesn't show it as obviously around other people, around her, because she's private. That's the one thing she knows about Jade. That she's private and closed off.
But Beck's mother suddenly is also sure that she long would've seen Jade's love at a joined breakfast if she only would've been open to see.
Beck hands his glass back to Jade which she puts back on the table, while he says: "We should get to the RV after dinner. All this commotion exhausted me."
His mother clearly can see Jade cock an eyebrow: "I thought you wouldn't get up again."
Beck smiles at her. "Well, I don't think my parents will be okay with you sleeping on the couch with me – and they'll say it's their house so they can throw you out."
His mother presses her lips together. She almost feels offended by Beck claiming that. Though honestly... it's true. It's bad enough that Jade sleeps in the RV with Beck. Then them staying together in the house? On the couch? She doesn't think they would dare to touch each other inappropriately there but... you never know with Jade, right? Anyway... Just the thought of Jade sleeping in the living room, in the family's space...
Yes, Beck's mother doesn't want that though she would love to have Beck here. In the house but especially on the couch though he even still has a room in the house. But the thought of being able to watch TV with him here until he falls asleep or of finding him here in the morning, all sleepy... her little boy.
"Stay here anyway," she gets pulled out of her thoughts by Jade. "Your parents obviously want to spend time with you. And they should be allowed to, especially on your birthday."
Wait. Is this girl arguing for them?
"What about you?" Beck asks her.
Jade shrugs. "I can sleep at home. Or I'll make myself comfortable in the RV."
She means it.
"Are you sure?"
Jade smirks. "If I'll take your shirt into bed with me, it's as good as if you're there."
"Yeah, sure," Beck answers with a grin before he pulls her into a soft kiss.
And that's the cue for Beck's mother to finally leave for the kitchen again. She needs a moment. Is that how these two are usually around each other?
Jade actually told him to spend time with his parents. And while he, in front of them, always insists on being with Jade, which gives his mother the impression that he's totally dependent on her, he apparently accepted the suggestion now and agrees on staying alone on the couch, on being with his parents. While Jade'll go somewhere alone, though yes, they did want to spend the night.
Beck's mother bites her lip. She always thought Jade was keeping him from them. That Jade isolated him. But it didn't sound like that just now.
With what Beck let her do to him, she also thought of him as dependent. But then he would've insisted on spending the night with her just now, wouldn't he have?
She gets interrupted in her thoughts by her husband coming into the room.
He asks about the lasagne and she asks in return what he would think of Jade and Beck sleeping on the couch together.
They bring the lasagne on plates into the living room, handing each Beck and Jade one. Jade has long sat back up, probably when Beck's father came through the room. Beck also sits up now to eat.
Beck's parents sit on the other part of the corner couch as they all eat. While they do, Beck's mother checks how the birthday party went that far and Beck tells a little, before they all start wondering how that glass was able to explode just like that and Jade reports that she checked on her phone while waiting on Beck in the hospital and read that stuff like that is possible if there's a nick in the glas or alike – though it's really unlikely for any shards to cut into your hand in a moment like that. Beck confirms that the glass had a nick but that he didn't think any of it.
Beck's mother brings her boy another helping but they're still quickly done eating and she notices Jade checking her watch in between.
She's sure that the girl's already thinking about leaving. Well, it has gotten late quickly. It has been extremely late for dinner, after the visit at the hospital and everything.
Beck's mother takes a deep breath, before she asks with a light smile: "How about you really sleep on the couch tonight? Both of you?"
Beck looks at her in suprise, while Jade... just looks at her with an unreadable expression.
She changes a look with her husband who nods slightly. He first said in the kitchen that he also didn't like the thought of Jade sleeping on their couch but... well, she's sleeping in the RV regularly and he would also love to spend a long evening with Beck and that maybe they should pay this price. Beck's mother didn't tell him that she oevrheard the two of them and was sure that Beck would stay without Jade as Jade encouraged him to.
She continues quickly, adressing Jade directly like she barely does: "I assume you want to stay in the RV with Beck, it being his birthday and all. Beck shouldn't have to move to the RV though." She turns to her son: "You wanted to stay put, no? So why don't both of you stay here? This way you don't have to go upstairs to your old room or outside or anything."
Beck looks at Jade with bright eyes. "I'd love that."
Jade looks at her for a moment longer, as if she can't believe that she invited her to stay, then she nods. "Okay."
.
.
They watch TV all together and it's so much like back in the time, Beck's mother also having gotten the sweets they used to eat on occasions like this. It's so much like back in time, even with Jade being there.
Beck gets reminded by it too and loves it. "This reminds me of when I was little and we sat together like this all the time, all in our pajamas."
"It reminds me too," Beck's father says with a smile. "It makes me want to change into mine."
Beck's mother has to laugh. Now that she thinks about it... yes, relaxing on the couch, watching TV with her family and that in her pajamas? That sounds like the best. Though it wouldn't be just with her family.
Beck now grins: "Should we change?"
"I'm on board," his father says but his mother hesitates. Jade's still there after all. Though... yes, Jade already has seen her in her pajamas when she came to breakfast on the weekends. Beck's mother didn't always bother to dress. Jade sometimes also didn't, though most of the times she did.
"Yes, sure," she finally says and Beck already is about to get up, when Jade, whom nobody checked with, pushes him back down and stands up instead.
"I'm getting ours. You can change here," she tells Beck. Well, if she will sleep here on the couch anyway, she obviously can also already change.
"We'll give you ten minutes," Beck's mother decides. She may not like it but she's pretty sure they're fine with changing in front of each other. While neither of them will be fine changing in front of Beck's parents. With puberty Beck kind of stopped changing in front of his parents which is ridiculous.
But his mother won't even think about arguing about that right now. And Beck shouldn't have to move around too much, so he and Jade should change here, in peace, while Beck's parents will change in their room and stay there for a little while.
.
.
Upstairs Beck's father says that he's glad that they're making the effort with Jade. Beck seems to really enjoy himself, more than he has in a long time around them. Probably because Jade is also there and they aren't attacking her.
When they go downstairs again, they find the couple back on the couch, Beck now sitting up again but with his legs stretched out in front of him, Jade in his arms. And Jade not wholly in her pajamas. Beck's mother is sure to also see a top Jade could very well wear for sleeping on the small pile they made next to the couch out of their clothes, but she's wearing the shirt Beck has worn only shortly before.
When his parents walk inside, Beck looks like he's pretty much strangling Jade in a hug. Jade defends herself, but not too much, is instead warning him, somehow in an amused voice: "Watch your hand, you idiot."
"If you would let me hug you to death, there would be no risk," Beck claims and still doesn't let go – until he and Jade both notice his parents pretty much at the same time.
They immediately break apart and Beck settles back into the couch with a smile that doesn't look as happy as before while Jade crosses her arms in front of her chest and sits straight up next to him.
Beck's parents both stopped at the sight of Beck being... so delightfully childish. Now, they quickly walk further into the room as if they haven't seen a thing and sit down with the teens, all of them turning back to the TV.
.
.
They watch TV and joke around all night, even Jade. Though her comments are... on the dark and twisted side like Beck's mother is used to. They make Beck chuckle too often and even make him say creepy things too.
Surprisingly, Beck is the first to fall asleep. When his parents notice they make sure that their son and Jade have enough blankets and pillows before they leave them alone.
Beck's mother is the first one up the next morning and wants to prepare breakfast, for which she has to get into the kitchen, crossing the living room.
She pauses when she's in the living room, seeing Beck and Jade on the couch together. Beck's spooning Jade and they both look so absolutely peaceful.
Well, Beck's mother thinks, they do look cute together, don't they? Whenever she saw Jade before, she wondered how a girl like her could ever fit with her little boy. She somehow sees it as they lie there sleeping.
Obviously she doesn't look out there and demanding when sleeping. But Beck's mother also has seen another side of her yesterday. A caring side. For the first time, she has seen that Jade actually loves Beck.
Shouldn't that be enough for his mother? Isn't it enough that he's loved and happy? Even though it's with a girl that his mother never would've let in the house if it was her decision.
But the way Beck laughed when he thought he was alone with Jade, how he turned into a child, how he looked and smiled at her, how Jade looked back at him, how she worried about him and cared for him...
For the first time, Beck's mother feels ready to accept Jade at her son's side. And after yesterday, maybe she's even somewhat happy about it.