Author's Note [3/12/14]:

I was supposed to update on Sunday, but clearly, I'm an incompetent asshole. The beginning of the chapter was written a lot differently and I didn't really like it, so I had to scrap it and start over. I'm really glad I did, however, because I had so much fun writing about Tavros' family. I'll try my best to update soon to keep on schedule.

And thank you to everyone who favourited, followed, and reviewed.

A Lesson in Flight

I strolled down the sidewalk of my once familiar neighbourhood, feeling like a total stranger due to my five year absence. In an attempt to reacquaint myself with the community, I took the longest route possible to get home. The path led through the park, the forest, and past the lake. I often took this opportunity to feed animals; spending hours by myself in the nature enjoying the peace. Eventually, I would start to walk home when it was near dinner time.

There were children playing on the streets; their contagious laughter echoing through the air, bringing joy to anyone who passed. Sometimes an old neighbour would stop me to chat, shocked at my return. Other times, there would be a new family that I didn't recognize and I would pass with a small wave.

After a couple hours of roaming, I reached Alauda Street. My cramped, two-story house sat at the end of the court. Due to our relatively small backyard and our large family, we were forced to play in the cul-de-sac. It never bothered me as a kid; in fact, much of my childhood was built on that very road.

My brothers and sisters and I used to come out every day to play; waking up early in the morning and then returning after school. Sometimes, the neighbourhood kids also joined the fun. We played games, held competitions, and all around had a great time. Plus, Aradia and I used explore the narrow path hidden in the undergrowth when she visited our house. It was bliss—before adolescence caught up with us and we were forced to focus on school work.

"You look fucking stupid."

I lifted my head to see my sister, Luana, standing in the doorway. She was a year younger than I was and loved to mock me about everything I did. We always harassed each other, and understandably so due to our close ages. The problem was that I was a huge pushover and she loved to take that to her advantage.

I frowned and shoved past her on my way in the house. "That's great, Luana."

I was also pretty bad at comebacks.

She snickered at my embarrassment, clearly amused. "What were you even doing out there?"

I didn't respond, knowing that she hated being ignored. I continued my day as if she wasn't there; setting down my backpack and unzipping my windbreaker.

"I know you're ignoring me so you could avoid telling me." I heard the slight irritation in her voice, no matter how much she tried to act nonchalant.

"Why do you even care?" I asked, pulling off my coat.

I saw her cross her arms. "I don't," she said, indignantly.

Growing up with her, I knew Luana well enough to recognize her act. I held my tongue, however, my brotherly instincts kicking in and refusing to upset her. No matter how much trouble she gave me, she was still my younger sister.

"What did I say about fighting?" came a warning tone.

Instantly, I froze, recognizing my mom's angry voice.

"Tavros, turn around and look me in the eye," mom growled. I gulped and quickly obeyed, nervously clutching the windbreaker between my hands.

Mom had her hands on her hips, glaring at me and Luana. Despite her short, thin stature, she seemed to tower over us due to her chilling voice and intimidating glare. The stress of raising six children was evident in her gray-streaked curly brown hair and her wrinkled eyes. Mom may have been weathered down by age but she still managed to strike fear in anyone who crossed her.

"I left work early to clean the house and cook food while you two have been doing nothing but argue," spat mom, clearly irritated. "As the eldest in the household, I expect you two to behave. Now do something productive before your brother gets home."

My eyes widened in surprise. My oldest brother, Rufioh, hadn't been home in two months and I completely forgot he was visiting today.

"Rufioh's coming home?!" Luana exclaimed, shock and excitement overpowering her original fear. It didn't last very long because that exclamation seemed to push mom over the edge.

"Maybe if you listened once in a while, you would have known," she snapped.

I backed away from Luana, who looked utterly terrified. She winced as mom stormed up to her and pinched her ear. It looked like a younger version of mom was being dragged up the stairs because their faces were uncannily similar.

I sighed in relief when the two were finally out of sight. Once mom reached the second floor, however, she yelled, "TAVROS, USE THOSE LEGS OF YOURS AND CLEAN YOUR ROOM."

I collapsed on my bed, releasing a huge breath as I finally put away the last of my belongings. I saw it fit to give myself a well-deserved rest after almost an hour of cleaning the mess I called my room.

Although I sort of liked when it was messy; in a weird way, it made it feel like mine. It almost didn't feel the same without the Fiduspawn cards and Oogonibombs littering the floor. The lack of Host Plushes in random places felt unfamiliar, and the space where my jousting lance should have been was oddly empty. Now, my Fiduspawn cards and Oogonibombs were stacked nicely in my drawers, my Host Plushes crowded the shelves, and my jousting lance was shoved inside my closet.

There were some things that hadn't changed though. My multiple posters of fairies, fantasy lands, and Peter Pan were still plastered on my wall. I was a big believer in magic and powers; often imagining what it would be like to fly. Sometimes, I would create my own fantasy worlds in my head; drawing maps, creating characters, and coming up with my own stories. In bed, I would look out the window to observe the trees and the night sky; imagining that I was going on my very own adventure. I was completely fascinated with fantasy and I didn't think that was ever going to change.

A ping from my laptop snapped me out of my reverie, and I glanced toward my bedside table. The alarm clock read 6:12 PM, which gave me enough time to respond to whoever messaged me on Pesterchum. But who was I kidding? There was only one person who would bother to chat with me at all.

apocalypseArisen -AA- began trolling adiosToreador -AT- :

AA: hey tavr0s

AA: d0 y0u want t0 play flarp

AT: tHAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF FUN,

AT: bUT, i CAN'T,

AA: why n0t

AT: i HAVE TO EAT,

AT: dINNER,

AA: h0w ab0ut when y0u c0me back

AT: i REALLY WANT TO, BUT,

AT: rUFIOH'S COMING BACK,

AT: aND i REALLY WANT TO, uH, TALK TO HIM,

AT: sORRY,

AA: y0u sh0uld have t0ld me he was visiting

AA: then i w0uldn't have g0ne t0 s0lluxs h0use

AT: sORRY,

AT: i ALSO FORGOT,

AT: }:(

AA: thats 0kay

AT: wHY DON'T YOU COME OVER NOW,

AT: mOM AND dAD LOVE YOU,

AT: aND i KNOW rUFIOH WOULD, WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN,

AA: i d0nt think m0m w0uld let me

Aradia's parents divorced when she was young. Her father, my uncle David, moved to the city, but still visited his children every few weeks. He brought them wherever they wanted; like the mall, in Damara's case, or kayaking, as was Aradia's preference. On the other hand, Aradia's mother, my aunt Amaya, kept their house in the suburbs. Aunt Amaya changed her daughters' last name to her own and became a lot stricter since the separation. She usually wasn't home, but when she was, she was too busy with work to spend time with Aradia and Damara.

Due to the loneliness in her home, Aradia was often found in ours. She may not have the same last name anymore, but she was still part of the family and we welcomed her with open arms. She joined our family vacations, played with us, and grew up with us—she even had her own spot on the dinner table. In fact, Aradia might as well have been our sister with her resemblance to the Nitrams. She took after her father, inheriting his dark skin (although hers was more of a tan) and his thick, wavy hair.

Hair, now that I thought of it, was definitely a defining factor of our family. It was a bit weird, but we were pretty fascinated with unique hairstyles, to say the least. My own hair was shaved into a Mohawk, but in a Bobak Ferdowsi fashion rather than a punk style. Rufioh's hair, on the other hand, was a little riskier.

AA: are y0u still there

AT: yEAH, sORRY,

AT: i WAS JUST THINKING OF, uH, HAIR,

AA: d0nt tell me y0ure thinking 0f cutting y0ur hair again

AT: nO, uM,

AT: i REALLY LIKE MY HAIR,

I was about to explain the different types of Mohawks and their significance until somebody entered the room without permission.

"Um, Tavros?" stuttered my nine-year-old sister Josefa. "Can we talk?"

I smiled kindly and agreed, patting the empty spot on my purple, fairy-covered bed sheets. She crossed the room eagerly and made herself comfortable by my side.

"Who're you chatting with?"

"Aradia," I replied. I told my cousin goodbye and shut off my laptop, and then turned to my youngest sister, and asked, "What's wrong?"

She avoided my gaze and fiddled with one of her multiple braids. Clearly something was bothering her, which worried me. Josefa and I had a special relationship; we understood each other very well and she often came to me for support. We shared characteristics such as weak will and susceptibility to harassment, igniting within me a strong need to protect her.

After a long silence, Josefa finally worked up the courage to tell me. "Dexter won't leave me alone."

Even hearing his name upset me. She referred to a boy in her class who liked to pick on her every opportunity he had. He'd been disturbing Josefa since fourth grade and, unfortunately, they were put into the same class again. The kid laughed at her repeatedly; pointing out any flaws she had.

"What did he do this time?"

Josefa frowned. "He… he told me I was terrible at soccer."

The situation reminded me of Vriska Serket bullying me in house league soccer, which only managed to make me even angrier. The circumstances were scarily similar; the exact same grade, the exact same sport, and the exact same problem.

"Don't listen to him, he only thinks he's better but he means nothing. He isn't important and you'll forget about him when you go into middle school," I assured her, overcome with fierce displeasure at the injustice of the situation.

"I-I know, but…" Josefa hugged her knees and I had enough experience with tears to know that she held them back. "I think he's r-right. He said that I was u-useless and I had no talent and…" She rubbed furiously at her eyes. "I'm picked last because n-nobody wants me on their team."

The sadness and hurt in her voice broke my heart. All the terrible insults from years past came flooding back and soon, the tears were too. I covered my eyes with my arm and leaned my head back against the headboard of my bed in an attempt to compose myself.

"Hey… why are you crying?" Josefa sniffled after a few minutes of silence.

Her acknowledgement only made it worse and I bit my lip to suppress the whimpers that were threatening to spill. I felt like my eleven-year-old self all over again; useless and pathetic. I could handle being bullied, but I was not going to let my sister go through the same suffering that I did.

I swallowed away the tightness in my throat and released a shaky breath. I couldn't bear seeing her tear-stricken face and wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug. We sat there until our sniffling turned silent and we calmed down enough to speak properly. "You'll prove him wrong because you're better than him."

"How?"

I gave it some thought, and then suggested, "Ask Rufioh to help you improve."

"But I want you to teach me," Josefa protested. "You used to play."

I released her, shaking my head. I knew full well that I wouldn't be much help; I'd probably only make it worse. "Rufioh will be better help. Trust me."

She lowered her head dejectedly. "Alright…" Then suddenly, her face lit up. "When he leaves, will you teach me instead?"

I stared at her, completely at a loss for words. I forgot that Rufioh was only visiting for a couple weeks before he had to go back to college. It was hardly enough time to teach somebody how to play soccer successfully.

"Josefa, I'm not very, uh, good…" I began, uncertainly. I didn't want to promise her something I couldn't fulfill. It was supposed to be common knowledge that I couldn't play soccer. Why wasn't this getting through anybody's head?

"Please, Tavros," begged Josefa. She needn't say more because when I looked into her eyes, I saw a pain and hurt that I was all too familiar with.

I promised Aradia that I would join the soccer team to give it a chance, and I promised myself that I would join to improve my life. Those were promises that were easy to break, but promising my sister that I would give her a chance to protect herself against ridicule was not. I knew with a certainty, however, it was the only vow I was willing to keep.

My face went from uncertain to determined, and I said unwaveringly, "Okay, I promise."

Josefa and I were in the middle of an intense game of Fiduspawn when I heard the front door open with a loud bang.

"Hey, I'm back!" announced the voice of Rufioh.

Instantly, the footsteps of the rest of the Nitram family pounded throughout the household. Cries of joy echoed in the air as a long overdue reunion took place in the foyer.

Josefa and I were also quick to respond. We dropped our cards and jumped to our feet. Excitement coursed through my whole body and I ran out the room and peered over the edge of the railway to see my large family gathered around Rufioh.

My brother was somebody that a lot of people looked up to. He had this natural charisma and kindness that drew everyone towards him. He made friends with everybody he met due to his peaceful, mellow attitude and his impossible ability to never take anything personally. Contrary to what he claimed, Rufioh wasn't really afraid to express himself. He worked hard at dressing nicely and had a unique sense of style; he even had a crazy red Mohawk divided into three parts that he somehow managed to make attractive. Many people adored him, including my family.

Luana clutched his torso and made no attempt to stifle her sniffling. The two were always really close growing up and she cried every time he left or returned. It wasn't long until Luana's hogging was met with impatience as Matias, my twelve-year-old brother, shoved her away and began asking Rufioh all about his absence. The college student just ruffled Matias' hair and laughed lightheartedly as the young boy went on and on about who knew what. He was hushed by my eldest sister Abril, however, so she could have a turn at welcoming Rufioh's arrival. She gave him a quick hug and they exchanged jokes, resulting in an affectionate shove from Abril. Afterwards, my parents approached Rufioh with a long hug from mom and a proud pat on the shoulder from dad. Finally, Josefa ran down the stairs and jumped into his arms. He caught her in midair twirled her around.

After Rufioh set Josefa down, he surveyed the area and asked, "Where's Peter Pan?"

I grinned when I heard the childhood nickname. Ever since I became obsessed with the fairy tale, Rufioh, who was fond of terms of endearment, was quick to name me after the boy who never grew up. It made me really happy as a kid and it still warmed my heart a little.

He spotted me from the top of the stairs, and said, grinning, "Come on, Peter, why don't you use your powers to fly down here and give your old brother a hug?"

I rushed down the stairs and came to a stop next to Rufioh, completing the Nitram family gathering. "I'm not a kid anymore," I informed him. As much as I liked hearing it, I became a little embarrassed at the dorky Peter Pan references.

Rufioh grabbed me in a headlock and noogied my head. "No matter how old you get, you'll always be the baby of the family," he said affectionately.

"But he's the third oldest," piped Matias, obviously misunderstanding what he meant.

"Trust me, Mat, he's six at heart."

The rest of my family laughed joyfully and I couldn't suppress the wide smile on my face.

After a long dinner, I returned to my room in search of my soccer sign-up sheets. I rummaged through my backpack and pulled them out, clenching them nervously. I already filled out the rest of the information; all I needed left was a parent's signature. I avoided asking my parents for a week in hopes of missing the hand-in deadline to get out of my promise with Aradia. However, now that I promised Josefa that I would teach her how to play soccer, I had to be a part of the team if I wanted to improve my skills to help her.

I got up and made my way down the hall as slowly as possible to delay the confrontation. I lingered in front of the master bedroom, dreading the upcoming explanation. I tried to work up the courage to knock on the door by telling myself dad will be proud that I'm picking up soccer again—utterly shocked and doubtful, but proud, at least.

"Hey Tav, what's up?

I jumped at the unexpected presence and turned around to face Rufioh, who looked at me curiously. Quickly shoving the sign-up sheets in my back pocket, I tried to act casual. "H-hey Rufioh… uh, why are you up here? I mean, aren't you supposed to be sleeping on the, uh, couch…?"

Rufioh raised an eyebrow, but, fortunately, he didn't ask about my odd behaviour. "I was just getting a blanket from the closet." He gestured behind him to the closet beside my bedroom, and then said teasingly, "Don't want me to freeze down there, do you, Tav?"

"Oh. Right. Yeah, that makes sense." I grabbed at anything to say, but my mind was too distracted to carry a proper conversation. "I was, um, going to sleep."

"You sure?" Rufioh glanced from me to the bedroom door. "It looks like you were gonna go to mom and dad's room. Don't let a guy disturb you."

"No," I said a little too quickly. I bit my lip and settled my eyes anywhere but Rufioh's face. "I mean, yeah, but it's nothing."

"Alright, that's cool," he said and walked down the hall toward the closet. I followed him briskly, trying to reach the safety of my room as soon as possible. Once I was at my door, I bid Rufioh good night and slammed the door behind me.

Halfway across the room, however, I heard a knock on my door. "Yo Tavros, you dropped your papers."

My heart stopped and I cursed myself for putting the sheets in my pocket. It was probably one of the dumbest ideas I've ever had. Now all I could do was hope that he didn't read its contents.

"Hey… I didn't know you wanted to play soccer again. Why didn't you tell me, man?"

I should have known hoping was futile.

I turned around just as he entered the room, flipping through the pages of the sign-up sheets. I cringed as I imagined him recalling what happened that summer all those years ago; the shame and embarrassment that I worked hard to never mention again.

"I, uh, don't r-really know. Aradia convinced me t-to join, and then, um, Josefa wanted to learn…" I said in a lame attempt to reinforce the fact that I in no way thought I was good enough to play the sport. But I wasn't making much sense, as usual.

"I think it's pretty dope that you're trying out even if you weren't the best as a kid," he reassured me with a smile. I wasn't entirely convinced, but it made me feel slightly better.

Rufioh probably sensed my doubt because he didn't look very pleased. "No need to feel embarrassed, man. How bout I sign the sheets so you don't need to tell dad, that cool?"

I looked up in surprise and gratitude. "Wow, yeah, I would really appreciate that."

Rufioh's grin returned full force and he grabbed a pen from my desk. He signed all the areas that said 'Parent/Guardian 18 years and above' and handed them back to me. All I could do was stare at the fully signed soccer forms in disbelief.

Rufioh ruffled my hair affectionately. "Don't let anyone clip your wings, Peter Pan, because if you do, you can't soar above them."

Tell me what you think of the Nitram family. I hoped you loved reading about them as much as I loved writing them. I'll admit, I have a huge love of large families because, like Aradia's, mine's quite small and divided.

Thanks for reading!