Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

[potassiumboron]

✦✦✦✦✦

Laura Von Hensen had always been a rebellious wild child. At thirteen, she skipped school to smoke cigarettes with the older kids from her neighbourhood. At fifteen, she ran away from the house she shared with her brother to get on a train with her boyfriend and travel a few cities away to attend a music festival-- without permission. Only a year ago, at seventeen, she was hospitalised after sneaking into a club downtown and, after getting herself incredibly drunk, fighting with another woman, leaving her with a broken ankle.

Only now, aged eighteen, the reckless teenager had apparently settled down in some aspect with her marriage to Makai. Having met him randomly one day, the whirlwind relationship had manifested into a marriage only a few months ago, and the wise thing, in Laura's mind, was to return home. She had been in California pursuing an occupation and equally escaping the hometown she had been raised in for seventeen years straight, but marrying Makai at least succeeded in setting some things straight in her mind. In her eyes, she could return home, start a life with her husband properly and form a connection with her brother again.

And she figured that Makai would be happy to do so. He was, after all, the one who had pushed for her to return home to her brother, pressed her to quit being petty and reconnect with the man. Of course, Makai's intentions were far from innocent. He only wanted to meet the man he intended to fuck with and taunt. He truly couldn't give a shit about the familial bonding.

Which was why he hadn't left California immediately with his wife when she eventually agreed to return home. As tempting as it was, he knew that the first week or so was going to be full of the two bonding again after so long apart, and Makai really didn't have the patience to deal with it, and nor did he feel he had the acting abilities to gush dramatically over the scene. So he had stayed behind a week or two, claiming he had things to tie up but would follow Laura eventually-- and that time had apparently come now.

"He said he'll be here soon. He's just gonna buy us lunch, come by with it. You like McDonald's, right? I mean, course you do. Even priests eat McDonald's." Laura babbled as she set her phone down after receiving her husband's text, silently smiling proudly to herself. When she met Makai, he didn't have a clue how to work a mobile phone, and now he was capable of putting together a text - it was a small thing, but a big victory in her eyes.

Stirring her straw in her iced tea, she eyed her brother from across the living room critically. Just because she had returned home didn't mean everything was rosy again. She had left after deciding he was 'just like Mom', thinking he was always on her back about her lifestyle and what she decided to do in her personal life... and she also wasn't the biggest fan of his turn to religion, either. Sure, she was glad he was happy, but it had come as a shock to her to see him after a year apart now a man of the church.

"It's still fucking mad-- am I allowed to swear, or is that going to offend your God? Not that there is a God, Ivan. It's all, like, a total pile of shit," she grumbled from the side, fiddling with her purple hair and pouting for good measure. "...Why couldn't you have just got a job at the supermarket? Nobody in our messed up family is religious-- you never once talked about religion growing up, dude."​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

Having gotten himself a simple cup of coffee, Ivan had taken in his sister hard. After a year of no contact whatsoever, without an inkling of where she had gone, Ivan accepted Laura back happily, and with open arms. After all, suddenly seeing her appear on his doorstep one day was certainly a sight he wasn't expecting.

Over the last two weeks, the man insisted on showing the changes to the community as a whole, introducing her to his new home and best friend, Pudge, who currently slept besides him on his large couch offering his absolutely obnoxious snores- ones that had become background noise in the last year he had been with the dog. After all, he made a good replacement for Laura.

As he listened on to the girl babble, Ivan remained relatively calm in response to the unnecessary, harsh words. Yes, he was aware of his sisters rambunctiousness and bad habits, so it was pretty obvious this was just another form of her going against him. He couldn't stop it by being angry, like he wanted to, so instead simply offered a smile.

"You can swear, yeah, I'm not going to toss holy water on you, o-or whatever else you think I do. I became a priest because I knew it was my calling, after all- after what Mom did to us, I thought it was only fair to help with the community, and God was a vessel for me to do that. Now, let's talk about more important issues, yeah? You're married! To a lovely man, too, it seems. I hope he doesn't mind sleeping on the couch for the next few days, I need to invest in a blow up... I just, never expected you to stop by. In all honesty, Laura, I thought you had died. I prayed for you every night, though, so I'm glad my prayers were answered." He explained quietly, his smile never faltering as he peered down at his sister's phone, his brow raised. "Will you be showing him around town? I want to show you both how I decorated the church, since Father O'Brien has passed. Lots of flowers, it's that time of year, after all. Maybe you could attend a Mass? It would be awful nice if you did..."

As he spoke, it was pretty evident about his passion. So much so, in fact, that his natural southern drawl only intensified- while Laura's clearly had changed to more of a Californian one. It was just another difference the two had.

"How long do you plan on staying? I'd love to cook dinner for you two- I can cancel the Friday potluck if you'd like..."

 

[potassiumboron]

"Yeah, well, he is lovely. He's not like me, not really. He doesn't like partying and he won't come get a matching tattoo because he dislikes tattoos, but... opposites attract, I s'pose. He's the best person I've dated, really. Hell, I wouldn't have married him if he wasn't-- and I'm pretty sad you haven't settled down. I wanted to come back, see you with a nice wife and a couple of kids. Not devoted to a stupid religion and living so sadly alone. Why didn't you at least get a roommate, someone to help out with the bills?" She suggested quietly, tactfully ignoring the offer of attending Mass with him. She always did what she believed to be right for herself, regardless of others' feelings, and, being an atheist, she really didn't see the benefit of going to church, even if her brother wanted her to. Frankly, she was still pissed off at him, so even if she was open to religion, perhaps as an agnostic, she probably wouldn't attend anywhere.

"Ugh, it's depressing, Ivan. You're not happy, are you? You seriously can't be happy," she continued tiredly, hitching her knees up from the floor to sit cross-legged on the couch, kicking her bust-up Converse shoes off in the meantime. "I don't want to sound like a bitch, but where are your friends, dude? You're 26, you should be out, having fun. I need to meet up with my friends here, and if you weren't some stuffy priest, I'd invite you out with us-- whatever. As long as you're somehow happy with your life here, then... I'm supportive. I'm gonna be here a while, anyway. We haven't got enough for a house yet, and I don't see myself going back to California any time soon. It was pretty cool, but... hey, there ain't no place like home~"

Pausing after her barrage of comments, ranging from insulting his livelihood to vocalising her support, she eventually wandered to sit beside him and gently nudged his shoulder. "Cheer up. I think Makai will probably take us out for dinner, he's been stoked to meet 'ya. I've told him everything-- and you'll just love him, I swear. Everyone does. He's charming and handsome-- he has cheekbones to die for, Ivan."​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

Throughout the large critique, he clenched his grip on his cup of coffee tightly, only to physically jump from her touch. After all, it was natural to be upset when someone practically spat all over your aspirations and lifestyle. But, nonetheless, the blonde still smiled despite the very subtle rim of tears forming around his eyes.

He was used to being called out on for his weird job, and unnatural devotion. He could ignore teens picking on him or some ignorant woman wondering whether or not he chose to be a priest because he couldn't find someone. To hear it from his sister, though? It admittedly hurt. He had forgotten how... absolutely opposite the two were, the memories of Laura's disregard for other's feelings hitting him hard as he immediately reached to pet the mutt, to relax his sudden anxiety.

"Yes, well, I'm happy. I don't need to be with a woman, or fit a stereotypical family. I have friends, of course! I'm not some shut-in, Laura. To be honest, Mr and Mrs Jefferson stop by often to chat with me, and I'm a part of the book club at the library. I don't need to go party... The bills? I can pay them fine, really. Besides, let's be honest, I'm unbearable to live with. To be honest, I don't know how Pudgy here can stand it! I mean, I'm a pretty big slob- it only looks okay now because I just so happened to clean. I would love to introduce you to my friends, if you're willing. I find it a bit funny that I have to prove to you that I'm fine, though..." he insisted lightly, whilst offering a laugh.

 

[potassiumboron]

"I'm your baby sister, I worry about you. Just because I can be pretty harsh and occasionally bitchy doesn't mean I don't care about you, dude. I love you, I want to make sure you're happy. If that means meeting your friends or coming to your book club, I'm down for that. I won't be going to your church, though. That's totally not something I'm comfortable with, and Makai won't be either. I don't... think he's very religious either, to be honest... But really, don't be so sensitive. I just care about you-- like all those times you used to yell at me when I was in high school. I hated you for it, I'm still a little pissed, but I realise it's 'cause you cared and still care about me, y'know? You really need to chill out."

Laughing quietly at what she thought to be his sensitivity and offended nature, she quietly ran her own fingers through his dog's fur with a playful grin. If one thing could unite them, it was going to be the dog, with Laura being as much a lover of them as her elder brother apparently was. The only thing that stopped her having one of her own was the cost... but she figured she could make do with her brother's now she was inevitably going to be stuck around for a while.

"Hey, if you're happy, I'm happy. I just want you to respect my choices too. If I wanna smoke weed, I think I should without you breathing angrily down my neck, bro. Likewise if I come home at 2am after a party-- Makai will be here, so it's not like you'll be alone. He hates staying out late, he's such a bore sometimes," she gushingly drawled, her cheeks flushed pink in affection for the man. "...We should totally go out later. We can show Makai the treehouse in the woods, right~? I wonder if it's still there..."​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

"I respect what you want to do with your life, and I'm certainly not forcing you to join my perish, I was just hoping you'd want to at least see some of my friends, but that's... fine. I understand. There's going to be some rules if you're going to be living here, though, in regards to your habits. No smoking in my house, okay? You can go to the treehouse, I know for certain it's still there. You can stay out as late as you'd like, but I don't want there to be a mess, or any loud noises when you come in. If your husband isn't a big party fan, maybe he'll enjoy spending time with me. I mean, it'll be nice to have someone watch Jeopardy with me," he admitted, whilst forcing that smile he held, his hand reaching for the remote to turn on Wheel of Fortune all the while.

"I want to bond with him, he sounds lovely. You picked a good one, I'm glad he makes you happy... just like how my job makes me happy. Let's not talk about this, though, hm? I don't want to be critiqued for what I'm passionate about, so let's talk about something else. How... How is California? The place terrifies me, what with their strange food menus and weird fashion trends, haha..."

 

[potassiumboron]

"California? Oh, it was great. You wouldn't have liked what I did there, or where I went, but I had fun. I met cool people, had good memories, met the love of my life. It was pretty good, all in all. I can't complain. I had to get out of this town awhile, it was suffocating me," she sighed heavily, deciding not to dwell on the rules or her habits in favour of attempting to move on and show she had changed somewhat. She felt that she had definitely become a little more mature in comparison to how argumentative and stubborn she had been only a year prior. Now, she was capable of bypassing potential arguments... especially when she knew her brother didn't really have it in him to bicker bitterly.

"You could definitely hang out with Makai, he's gentle and kind, I swear. A thug isn't going to wander in, I promise. I bet you're expecting guys like my ex boyfriends, huh? All brutish and rude-- he isn't like that. Like, he's... just a sweetheart," naively gushed Laura as she absently fiddled with her diamond wedding ring, humming appreciatively. "After the amount of men Mom slept with during our childhood, I was pretty certain my chance at love was screwed up, so it's nice to see the bitch didn't totally ruin me--"

"Laura? I... am in the right house, aren't I? It'd be pretty damn embarrassing if I'm not," murmured a deep voice from outside in the hall, the man struggling with a few bags of food as he wandered in until coming into proper view. Immediately, his eyes locked on his brother-in-law, a delighted grin crossing his face, and not for meeting his new family. Rather, seeing him after having spent a week dreaming up every idea he had at fucking around with him at least ensured he hadn't wasted his time; Ivan actually existed, and seemed easy prey for him to do as he pleased.

"Hey, sorry to barge in-- Laura said I could just walk on in," he admitted as he set the food and his own cola down, awkwardly -at least, feigned awkwardness- hesitating in the corner before politely thrusting his hand forward, grinning wider after spotting the cross on his neck. "I'm Makai-- I've heard a lot about 'ya. Laura and I are glad to be here, really. I wanna meet her family, it's important."​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

Easily responding to the handshake, Ivan offered a genuine grin once seeing his sister's husband. From first glance, he seemed just as stunning and handsome as Laura described, which was a striking difference compared to Laura's old boyfriends. To go from a heroin dealer to the aspiring photographer, he couldn't be happier.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Makai. A week of hearing my sister gush about you set the bar pretty high, but she seemed to be pretty on point. I'm Father Van Hensen, but you can call me Ivan, of course," he laughed, hoping his rather lame humor would offer at least a chuckle. Despite this, he left no time to hear a joke as he took the bags of food from the unsuspecting man and set them on the surprisingly large dining room table, a smile on his face.

"Like I was saying to Laura, I hope you don't mind sleeping on the couch for the first night. Pudge'll give you plenty of lovin', so don't worry. I know it's not some fancy Californian suite, but I think I've decorated enough of our Southern charm. I can't wait to treat you two to some breakfast in the morning!"

 

[potassiumboron]

Calmly examining the room around him, to say he was delighted would be a grave understatement. He was beyond that, more than happy that the cosy house seemed to live up to the man stood in front of him. He had admittedly been slightly concerned that Ivan would be some formidable character; someone difficult to break down. Yet, one moment of meeting him, in which he was witness to a corny joke and an awkward laugh, pretty much summed up the person Ivan was.

"Oh, our apartment in California wasn't all that great, this is so much nicer. It was small, pretty cramped, the neighbours were utterly disrespectful in the amount of noise they made, so this is practically heaven in comparison," the suave man promised as he moved to place himself down beside his wife, gratefully accepting one of her typically affectionate kisses. They hadn't seen one another in a week, after all, so he was accepting of her passionate embrace. Usually, he didn't really like it that much - he wasn't in love with her as much as she was him.

"I've heard you make great pancakes. Apparently, it was the highlight of Laura's mornings as a child," the man continued with his nice-guy charade. Did he plan on continuing it? Definitely not. He wasn't planning on staying under the radar, acting innocent as everything seemed to go wrong. On the contrary, wasn't it more fun if he made it abundantly clear to Ivan? For now, though, it paid to be the nice guy for a while. "So, it is alright if we stay awhile, isn't it? I don't want to be a burden."​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

"Really?" He whispered, the man's eyes practically sparkling at the mere compliment of his pancake skills. Turning to peer over at Laura, he offered a wide grin as he nervously entwined his fingers, to keep him calm. "Laura, that's so sweet! I can make them tomorrow morning, I don't want to ruin the meal you've made. This is great, really! I mean, it's like a normal family again- your husband is a replacement for mom, I guess. Of course, you two can stay as long as you like as long as you're respectful. You said I should get a roommate, right? Well... You two can be my roommates for as long as you like!"

As the priest explained, he was eager to move to fluff the pillows that lined his couch and armchairs, a seemingly excessive amount of furniture for one person, but they came with the house, and he wasn't going to complain. After all, Ivan could be a pretty restless sleeper, so being able to move to the other room to sleep if need be was something he wasn't disappointed in.

"Like I said, I'll set up a proper air mattress for you two by tomorrow, when I go to the store. For now, I promise that you'll be comfortable with my couch. My neighbors insist it's the softest couch they've ever sat on, and I've spent tons of nights here. I'd love to introduce you to my neighbors, you know. They know about you already, Laura, and I'm sure you'd be proud to show off your husband!"

 

[potassiumboron]

"Oh come on, bro. I don't need, nor want, to show him off to anyone in this town, alright? It's really not a big deal. I just want you and him to get along, and for you and I to be close again. Mom sort of fucked up our relationship when she pitted us against one another, but now I've completely pushed that woman out of my mind, we can totally get to know one another again, even if I'm not... totally pleased with your life choices so far--"

"Because he's a priest? I'm sure he doesn't like your choices either, hon. Doesn't mean he stops you, does it? It isn't going to help mend your relationship if you're going to constantly belittle his religion, is it? I'm not religious, far from it. I don't particularly believe in higher beings-- but I respect it. Laura's just... I... she'll respect it in a few days, it's just a shock," her husband commented calmly from the side, deliberately playing at the peacemaker-- and with great effect, given Laura's sudden grimace and silence, unable to really counter his points. "Anyway, I'd certainly love to meet the neighbours, if I'm here for awhile. I don't have family, myself, so I'm all for integrating myself."​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

Offering a smile at the - somewhat - sweet words from the man, Ivan simply clapped his hands in excitement before waving them both off. While Ivan was incredibly passionate about his lifestyle, he knew the two - with their 'Californication', as he'd put it - would be completely opposed to it. Nonetheless, Makai at least tried to be nice, despite his blatant spit on not only his religion, but all religions in general.

"Let's not talk about me anymore, really! It's, just... Not important, I guess. I understand that you don't support me, and I'm really not asking for much when I said I would like you two to come to my Mass. I won't force you to, of course... Especially if you're so adamant on keeping religion out of your life. Let's, instead, eat! Laura said you had brought food, and I'm pretty hungry, not going to lie." He explained, his hands up in defense as he tried to keep the mood light, despite the feeling of being picked on.

 

[potassiumboron]

"I brought McDonald's, I hope that's alright? I hadn't tasted it since meeting Laura. It's all garbage, obviously. Totally bad for you, but most the bad stuff tends to be the most delicious, I've found. It's mostly why Laura and I don't eat at all healthily. I mean, you were a vegetarian when we met, right? That's definitely gone downhill--"

"It wasn't, like, a choice I made lightly, dumbass. I just woke up one morning, took a bite of some bacon without thinking and, bam. Five years of vegetarianism down the drain." Laura responded with a light roll of her eyes, grabbing her hamburger and fries without any real sense of regret. After all, she was a believer in living in the moment, and not regretting any choices she made. It was perhaps idiotic to some extent to proclaim not to care about her choices, especially when some of those included experimentation with drugs, but it was something her husband did little to change. Seeing her make her choices freely was something he somewhat admired... as well as enjoying seeing her indulge in her apparent 'sins'. "Just shut up and eat your goddamn food, Makai~ Hey, is there any wine? Or beer, I'm totally cool with beer. Unless you don't drink alcohol, brother dearest? You're holier than thou, it'd surprise me if you did anything I liked..."​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

"I don't drink, no- nor are you legal, Laura!" He scolded lightly, before offering a soft huff. "Besides, this county became dry in August, so even if I did want to drink, I couldn't. The drugs are one thing, Laura, but it's hard to be subtle buying alcohol underaged. I promised myself the minute you walked into this door, that I wouldn't change your lifestyle. That doesn't mean I can't tell you how... how silly it is. Are you really going to bring up my job in every conversation? Because it's incredibly disrespectful. I'm offering my home to you, and I've had to do a lot of praying to keep myself calm with the week of taunting, but I don't think it's fair to be bullied by my sister while I'm letting her stay under my house for free," he whispered, once realizing his voice had grown louder. With a heavy frown, he simply snatched a few fries and a burger, whilst getting to his feet.

"If you want to go drink, go drink. If you want to do drugs, do them. I'll be here when you realize what you're doing to your body is harmful, and I'll be happy to help... I just want you to know that, okay?"

 

[potassiumboron]

"You're such a fucking bore, you know that? And a dramatist! I'm not bullying you, asshole. I'm simply pointing out that your holy revelation is pretty fucking surprising, that's all. Is it because of Mom, that you decided to turn to religion? I don't really care, as long as you're happy, but don't call me a bully, it's actually kinda pathetic-- I'm going to get some ice cream, it'll help me keep calm," she grunted angrily, refusing to act as maturely as she was asking him to act. She could preach that he was immature, but failed to see her own petulance in storming off and slamming the kitchen door behind her.

However, all the scene showed to Makai was how easy it was going to be to get under the man's skin. If he was already irritated with his sister, then getting him to react to increasing crime and the like when Makai set it off was going to be relatively simple.

"I wouldn't worry about her, she's tired and... it's been stressful, moving here. She loves you; you love her, I wouldn't worry," he promised quietly as he eased back against the couch and kicked his shoes off to settle himself in. "...I don't think she should say those things, by the way. But she has a tendency to speak without thinking. She insults most her friends and has to grovel later on for forgiveness, it's all rather childish, really."​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

Taking an exhausted seat on the recliner, one hand ran through his hair in frustration whilst the other clutched the cross around his neck, to calm himself down. Inhaling sharply, he forced a smile nonetheless before easing back, his hands folded carefully.

"This... Isn't new, to be honest. Laura always did this when we were younger, but it was just her coping mechanism, I suppose. I don't blame her- I just wish she was more accepting. I mean, I sure as heck don't want her doing drugs, or drinking, but I know I can't stop her. She'll just say that I'm rude and stupid..."

 

[potassiumboron]

"I've obviously attempting to stop her, because it really isn't something I advocate. I want to make that clear. She's just very stubborn and... I don't like seeing her upset. I'm weak, I suppose, but it certainly makes life easier to let her. I think I would step in if it was something life threatening, though," he vocalised sternly, while resting his feet up on the couch to lay out a little, setting his food aside. In truth, he really didn't need to eat it. He didn't need to eat for days on end if he didn't want to, but he had to in order to fit in... even if he was far from being ravenous at the moment.

"So, I'd love to attend Mass with you, if you'd like. Laura won't, but I'm happy to see what you do, where you work," he continued calmly with that never fading smile. He could enter the church, that was fine. Hell, he could sit there as phrases from the Bible were sung without batting an eyelid. As long as he didn't have to actually touch anything, he assumed he would be fine. Besides, looking like he was eager to fit in would earn him some trust until he was ready to flick the switch and change his personality towards him.​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

"You really don't have to do that. I don't want to guilt you to go or anything, it would just be nice for Laura to see that I've really done something with my life that makes me happy. She's always been this way, sort of selfish, but I'm sure God will forgive her for her sins, despite that fact. I don't want you to feel bad for me, though. To be honest, I insist you check out the town. Laura could easily show you around, so you could meet some of our old friends and family."

"I really wish you two had brought some things from California, I always wanted to know if it never rains there, or if it's really as nice as it is. I'm not one for the fast lanes, obviously, and I sure as heck know Laura is. She belongs out there, practically. I'm content staying here, enjoying my good ol' cozy home and my sweet tea." He explained, another situation where his accent seemed to be accentuated unconsciously. With a small smile, he popped a fry in his mouth. "I'm sorry if Laura and I fight. I've gotten better with my patience, thanks to my dedication to our Lord, but she still knows how to press all the right buttons."

 

[potassiumboron]

"You don't have to explain anything personal to me, it's none of my business, truthfully. Besides, I know what she's like. She has bad traits-- though everyone does. I'm no angel. I've done things I regret, but it's part of growing up and maturing, isn't it? Laura took these weird self-help classes once, full of this sort of rhetoric. Some of it inevitably stuck," he apologised quietly, managing the apologetic expression and faint smile with ease. It was an expression he had perfected over the last few months, and one he could call upon to earn a good amount of sincerity.

"Hey, I like you anyway. I was worried you'd be this stern, strict, overly protective dude who hated me the moment you saw me for marrying your baby sister, but you're lovely and sweet. I'd like to go to lunch soon, just you and I. Laura said there wasn't any use, but I like to do things the proper way, and getting to know you is sort of important to me, if you're my family now. I haven't got anyone besides Laura, so... having a bond with my brother-in-law is relatively important," he explained as he sat up happily to retrieve the tub of mint choc chip ice cream from his wife, who sat at his side and purposely wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. The two weren't usually openly affectionate, but Laura was happy to be more so just to irk her older brother a tad.

"Lunch is a dumb idea, I think," she disagreed as she licked the back of the spoon thoughtfully. "You guys know one another enough. You're a photographer; my brother's a priest. Makai's favourite colour is red, his favourite animal is a dog. That's enough, right?"​

 

[saturnia pavonia]

Ivan's eyes immediately locked on the TV, to avoid seeing the affectionate scene, whilst entwining his fingers nervously. Closing his eyes, he forced himself to keep his opinion to himself, despite his urge. So, with a small smile, he offered a shrug before continuing his nibbling on the fries.

"I'm more than a priest, Laura. I'm a person, just like your husband. I would love to get to know him more, especially if he's going to live here. I've known you your whole life, Laura. I hope you don't mind me sweeping your boyfriend away, hm?" He teased, before finishing the last of his coffee quickly, if only to keep his mouth shut. "Maybe dinner would be better, hm? Because I'm sure you're going to want to go see the local DJ again."