#aitrpft!jay

"Freddy, do you have your headphones?" Puzzle asked, looking up as Freddy walked in from the direction of his room. 

Freddy patted his fannny pack. "Of course I do!" 

"Show me." Wanda said flatly from where she was adding the final few things into her own bag, looking up at him. "Even if you swear you left them in there and didn't take them out, show me." 

Grumbling, Freddy dug into his bag, shuffling things around before frowning and turning back towards his room. Puzzle smiled after his brother and turned back to his own bag: a battery pack for his phone (because he didn't trust the others to not decide to stay out late), a handful of fidgets for Mal (and for Freddy or the others, if sitting still was too much today), and of course several snacks, including a bag of those onions Mal so adored. 

"Everyone ready?" Cosmo called, walking into the room looking completely ready. His voice carried through the house without much trouble, just the right combo of deep and loud to be easily understood. 

Slowly, the family collected in the living room. Freddy was shoving his headphones into a bag, pushing a few stickers that had started to peel back onto them as if they'd personally offended him. Jay was watching him with amusement clear in his eyes, though he didn't break the peace yet. Percy was running through the contents of his bag with Wanda, murmuring under his breath. And Sunny came at the back of the pack, leading Mal along with him. 

New Year's usually wasn't a big deal around the house, but when a big fireworks display was set up on the edge of town? That was enough to show up for. 

"Ready to go?" Wanda asked, looking over everyone. Jay was sent back to his room for one more jacket ("It's December!" "Not for long!" "Still!"), but aside from that everyone nodded in agreement. 

The walk to the edge of town was far from quiet: Freddy and Jay stole Percy's hat and started playing keep-away, ignoring his protests as he chased them down the sidewalk ahead of the rest. Sunny walked backwards as he talked to Cosmo about whatever he'd been researching on the computer earlier, hands waving emphatically as he talked. Puzzle snorted when Cosmo yanked him to the side just before he walked into a stop sign. Sunny navigated around it, then proceeded to turn around again despite Wanda's chdiing. 

Puzzle and Mal brought up the rear, and when Mal started slowing down, he gently tapped their shoulder. When Mal looked up, he held out his hands in the position they'd come to agree meant up. Mal walked into his arms, and Puzzle lifted them, folding his wings around them as he walked. 

A bunch of other people were gathered in the open space at the edge of town, settled on the grass. After a few minutes, Puzzle and his family were settled together. Percy yanked his hat from Jay's hands and shoved it back on his head while Freddy dug out his headphones and pulled them on. When Mal started fidgeting in his arms, Puzzle handed them a pop fidget, letting them take it with their little hands and start fussing with it eagerly. 

They'd arrived a little early, but it was barely ten minutes before the fireworks started. Puzzle kept half an eye on his family as the lights and colors exploded across the sky, momentarily blotting out the stars. Freddy flinched at the sounds of explosions, wings pulling tight around himself as he adjusted his headphones, but settled after a few moments. 

Sunny knew his chances of having a normal holiday were slim to none already, with all the bullshit that had been going on. He'd barely had time to talk to his parents since Finch had taken over JR and he'd decided to help in any way he could. Which was mostly keeping his brothers from causing damage to the building or each other and caring for Mal, but even that took a lot of energy. 

"I know, Mama," he said into the phone, sandwiching it between his head and shoulder as he fumbled with his keys. "I've got the time off, I'll be there. Don't worry." As the door swung open, he grabbed the phone again to press it against his ear. His keys went onto one of the hooks by the door, noticing that the other hooks were empty. Mal was still at school, and Ruby would be at work for another few hours.

"You'd better," Wanda said, her voice lilting teasingly. "Or Jay's going to drag you back by the ear."

Groaning loudly, Sunny leaned against the wall, wings splaying behind him to avoid being squished. "Mama, I promise. I'll see you in a week." A pause. "Tell Papa I said hi, okay? And not to overwork himself?"

He could hear the smile in the deep breath that followed. "Of course, honey. Don't let that police work get you down."

"I won't," Sunny said, his own lips tugging into a smile without thinking. "Love you." His mother echoed him, offered farewell, and then they hung up. For a few moments, silence filled Sunny's apartment. 

"… So what was that about?"

Sunny would never admit that he screamed. He was so glad his apartment was soundproof. When he whirled around, he saw Freddy grinning from where he was leaning on the kitchen counter, one hand in a bag of Cheetos. Pressing a hand to his chest as if to calm his racing heart, Sunny gasped out, "How did— why'd you— what the hell?"

Freddy crunched down on another Cheeto, grinning. "No lock can keep me out, Bee. You should know that by now." His eyes drifted to the phone still in Sunny's hand. "So are you gonna tell me who you were talking to, or am I just following you wherever you're going next week?"

"You don't have to—" Sunny rubbed his temples, gritting his teeth. "Fine. Fine. It was my mom." Freddy opened his mouth, but Sunny beat him to it. "My adoptive mom." 

Freddy nodded, still smiling that smile that never quite felt genuine as he continued snacking through Sunny's bag of Cheetos. "And you're leaving us out? C'mon Bumblebee, you're going to a family reunion and leaving your brothers out?"

"I don't think I have to explain why I wasn't going to tell you," Sunny grumbled, glaring at Freddy. "One, you guys are still under supervision in case you regress. And two, if I take you home then our dads will want to go and…" he shuddered. "I'd rather not it come to that." 

Freddy's smile fell ever so slightly, the only visual sign that he wasn't the completely uncaring former serial killer he liked to pretend he was. The Cheetos bag lowered, nearly forgotten in his hands. Sunny still marveled at how easily that mask cracked, and how determined Freddy seemed to wear it. "How about this," Freddy said slowly. "We leave Dad and Del out of this, and you introduce us to your folks." His smile returned a little, this time with a bit of happiness behind it. "C'mon, Bee. I just want to see who made you… the normal one." The last words sounded as if he didn't want to say them. Sunny didn't think Freddy believed them for a second. But he was saying it, which was still something that he wouldn't have expected even a few months ago. 

Sunny took a deep breath, studying his floor as if it held the answer to navigating this situation perfectly. "I'll… talk to my parents." 

And the way Freddy perked up made his heart twist. 

There was no way this went smoothly.

Leaving JR when you were a former serial killer was a bitch and a half, Freddy knew. From getting permission in the first place to the magic-dampening band that was supposed to prevent him from escaping or hurting someone, it was annoying and designed to send you in circles if you weren't careful. He could understand why they'd set it up that way, but it was still infuriating, especially when his intentions were (mostly) pure.

But of course complaining wouldn't really get him anywhere, since the alternative was staying back and not meeting whoever had taken in Sunny. And at least if he went along he knew Percy and Puzzle would suffer with him. 

So he'd taken the band without complaint, avoided fidgeting with it in suspicious manner while in front of cameras, and Sunny had rounded them up to open the portal. 

The first thing that Freddy experienced in OuterTale was the sky: a billion stars scattered above them, interspersed with brilliant colors more beautiful than any Milky Way Freddy had ever seen. Beside him, he felt Percy still as well, clearly just as awed as he was by the sight. 

"C'mon, you two." Puzzle grunted, tapping Freddy with one wing as he carried Mal gently in his arms, expression as flat and vaguely threatening as ever. Freddy twitched, finally tearing his eyes away from the sky. Percy followed his lead after another moment of staring, shifting his wings slightly as if trying to shake off the appreciation. 

"My apologies," Percy muttered, hunching his wings. "I… haven't been to OuterTale much."

"Ditto." Freddy lowered his gaze to the street they'd been dropped onto, trying to avoid getting distracted in the galaxies above now. The surrounding street was all dolled up for the holiday season, multicolored lights twinkling from every house. Including the one right in front of them, a large green house covered in lights. "Holy shit, you live here?"

Sunny looked away, . "I did. Moved out last year." He turned and walked down the walkway towards the house, and with nothing better to do (especially since Sunny was technically chaperoning this little adventure and could get in trouble if they wandered off), all three of them followed him.

A face popped up in the window as they approached, and the door opened as they reached it. The man was about average height, with dark skin and brown hair. Sunny was grabbed in a hug as soon as they got inside, the man thumping his back gently. "Good to see you, Sun," he said lightly, leaning back slightly after a few moments. His eyes drifted over the four other people that had also entered his house. "And you must be his brothers. I'm Cosmo."

Percy nodded. "You may call me Perseus—" 

"Just use Percy," Freddy said, ignoring the dirty look Percy shot him. "Or Windows. He loooves that." Percy smacked him with a wing, and he giggled as he sidestepped away. "I'm Freddy." He tilted his head as he took in the home: big, with enough furniture and decor to make it cozy without being crowded. He got a whiff of something tasty from further in, but resisted the urge to go running off. Socializing with strangers was stressful enough with his brothers as backup, doing so alone sounded like hell.

Puzzle rolled his eyes. "Puzzle, And this is Mal." He adjusted Mal's position in his arms, scanning the room as if judging how safe it was. 

Cosmo smiled widely. "Sunny's told us so much about you all…" he kept talking, but Freddy wasn't listening. He took in the man's confident stance, the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes, the smile that was covering wariness and anxiety running off him in waves. 

Turning slightly, Freddy caught Puzzle's eye. If the slight narrowing of his eyes and tightening of his grip on Mal was any sign, he didn't trust Cosmo at all. 

A flash of movement caught Freddy's attention, and he turned to see a young man around his age. He was fairly tall, but still shorter than Freddy himself, wearing a dark jacket, a thick black choker, and eyeliner. And the first move he made was to run up behind Sunny and grab him in a tight hug. 

Sunny squeaked in panic, clearly having missed the man's approach. All three of his brothers tensed, ready to act if they had to. 

"Jay!" Sunny cried, smacking one of the arms holding him hostage. "Let me go!" His eyes darted to his brothers, and Freddy felt panic-fear-concern. 

He thought they were going to attack, try to defend him. And Freddy couldn't really blame him. 

Thankfully, he could feel Jay's emotions, and happiness was practically radiating off him. Freddy slowly forced himself to relax, and he saw the other two do the same. 

Jay slowly set Sunny down, smiling broadly. "Sorry Sunny. I never see you now." He punched Sunny in the shoulder gently, then looked up at Freddy and the others. "Hi there," he said, sticking his hand out. "I'm Jay, and my parents live here." 

Cosmo snorted. "From how often you're here, you'd think you still lived here too, Jay." 

"Hey, I'll have you know that you have the best snacks around." Jay said, hand on his chest as if he were offended.

"Snacks?" Freddy perked up slightly. 

Puzzle smacked him with his wing again. "You're here for a meal, Freddy. Don't snack." 

Huffing, Freddy hunched his shoulders. "I wasn't going to, Puz. I'm just curious." 

"Can you blame him for ensuring you're behaving?" Percy asked, his lips twitching into that smirk that Freddy hated. "After all, it's just about your worst skill." 

Freddy scoffed, looking away as his wings bristled. "Shut up." 

Stepping between the two of them with the calm demeanor of a parent stepping between quarreling children, Cosmo looked between them. "C'mon, lunch is almost ready. Let's take a breather until we get some food in us." 

Percy tilted his head. "Will Wanda be joining us?"

Cosmo's head twitched in his direction. Surprise flickered before it settled into realization. "You've done your research." 

"Merely looked you up in the databases after we found Sunny," Percy said, lifting his chin. "Someone had to make sure Sunny's guardians were decent." 

Shaking his head, amusement rolling through him, Cosmo smiled. "Well I hope we're up to par. And yes, Wanda's putting the finishing touches on lunch." He guided them onwards into the house. Jay followed them all with a broad grin. 

In the kitchen was a short woman with a stern face that rivaled Puzzle's; an expression that lasted about as long as it took her to catch sight of Mal still in Puzzle's arms. "Oh hello dears," she said brightly. "This little one must be Malcolm, right?" 

"Mal." Puzzle grunted, holding them closer. 

"Of course," she nodded. "My bad." 

Percy stepped forward first, holding his hand out to her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Wanda. I hope your day off has been calming. I understand that this time of year breeds a special breed of carelessness and disregard for one's health." 

Wanda shot Cosmo a look, who just shrugged. Then she refocused on Percy, taking his hand delicately. "You must be Percy, darling. Sunny's only mentioned one of you who had manners." 

Percy smirked ever so slightly. Puzzle snorted. Freddy made a noise of disbelief and offense. 

And as the family continued to chat and tease, Freddy felt more and more like he was back with his dad and their friends. A ding from his phone made him pause and dig it out. 

Paternal Unit: All good? Or do I have to come find you?

Freddy snorted, hunching his shoulders when Jay and Sunny shot him looks. Nightmare was still back at JR, and while they were all trying to get better, Freddy had no doubt if he asked his dad to get him he would be out of JR and with him faster than you could believe.