#jeremiah.

REAL FAMILY DOES NOT COME FROM YOUR BLOOD it is the people standing beside you when no one else is

It’s their last day at the lakehouse, and they should have been packed into the car and on the way home about an hour ago but clearly that means nothing to the boys. They’d blatantly ignored Reina when she told them they were leaving, running down to the dock and launching themselves onto paddle boards to have an oar fight against each other until Reina had gone down and threatened the two of them within an inch of their lives. AJ and Rhett don’t often listen to her but sometimes, Reina does manage to put the fear of God into them, so it worked even if they’d left the boards on the shore and bolted past her into the house to get ready to go home. Luckily, she’s not the only one down by the dock. “Hey! Fuck. Jeremiah, can you —” she cuts herself off, gesturing towards the paddle boards as a means of saying do something. There’s not a shot in hell that Reina’s going to be the one to carry them into the shed, even if she’s on her way with Iris and Maddie’s toy car. At least that she can just push. 

LOMK DEVELOPMENT TASK TWO: THE THANE FAMILY. [1/2]

CRONUS & RHEA THANE. father & mother, adopted.

Cronus and Rhea truly mark the beginning of an era. As the man who spearheaded the creation of Primordial MC, and his wife who was quick to follow suit as his queen -- They were the first of their kind in Olympus. Both were regarded as Olympus royalty, with it practically being a town law that the two are a family who should not be fucked with. In 1982, Rhea and Cronus Thane travel to New Orleans just after the Forth of July in the hopes of adopting a child, wanting to add another addition to their family. They are introduced to nine month old Andy, a quiet baby who lights up the moment Rhea holds him. She begins the paper work for his adoption an hour after. By the end of the year, he’s taken to his new home in Olympus, just in time for the holidays -- And he’s officially joined the Thane family. 

Most would assume they seem to have figured out some big secret of life -- Three adopted sons, an unwavering amount of power, and the wealth from their dealings. Behind closed doors, however, was always a different story. Abuse was always a prominent part of their relationship -- Cronus Thane had always been a violent, ruthless man. It made the MC powerful, and caused plenty of tension in their home, as well. 

Andy never had much of a relationship with his father because of this; From a very young age, he’d always seen the man as someone to fear, someone to move carefully around, terrified to upset. As a child, he was shielded from the brunt of his father’s rage -- Until he grew old enough to feel bold enough to push back and meet the consequences of it. That grew it loathing as he got older, hating the man for the things he’d done and the terror he’d forced on their family up until his death in 2017. He’s endured years of abuse, along side his mother, brothers, sister in law, and wife -- The entire family having had to purely work with the hand they had been dealt. He’s always hated his father, the resentment of him truly having boiled over once Cronus had laid hands on Rowan. There’s nothing he looks back upon regarding his father that Andy finds himself admire or respect -- He hates every thing about the man, finding himself grateful once the news came of his untimely death. 

Andy celebrated his father’s death, not bothering to try and get his lawyer to grant him permission to attend the funeral. He mourned after, in his own way, but the death of Cronus Thane still feels like a victory in Andy’s books. His father may have helped shape him into the man he is now, having taught him everything he knows about the club, this life, and his role within the MC -- but the memory of him leaves him with clenched fists and a tight jaw. If there’s anything Andy regrets, it’s having not fought harder against his father, even though he knows realistically that the consequences would be far worse than anything he could have done.

His relationship with his mother, however, is a different story. Despite the years of abuse the Thane’s endured at the hand of his father, his Ma never failed to be a source of unconditional love and kindness for him. Rhea has always been a staple in Andy’s life -- She’s one of the few people he listens to without question, someone who’s opinion he values over nearly everyone else. His mother has seen every dark, destructive moment of her sons life, and never once hesitated to pull him in and begin to form a plan for what to do next. There’s never been any strings attached, no if, ands, or buts when it comes to her children. She’s always been someone who has reminded him of the softer side of the frightening world he was raised in, keeping her chin up despite it all, and helping him back on to his feet each time he needed it. He swears she’s a mind reader -- Able to know exactly what he’s thinking without him having to say a word.

There’s a guilt that follows Andy regarding his mother, though -- He wished he’d fought harder for her through out his life (even in the times he was a child and couldn’t do much), knowing she bore the brunt of his father’s abuse. He will always regret not fighting harder for her, for not pushing back as hard as he could. To this day, Andy still has a close relationship with his Ma, the two often texting or talking on the phone about their days, what they’re up to, whatever comes to mind. She’s been a staple in helping him return to ‘real life’ after prison, even letting him live in her guest room while working on selling his old home. With her memory beginning to slip within the last year, he’s become more concerned about Rhea’s health -- Though he tries to tell himself he’s just overreacting, and that she’s fine.

JACKSON & JEREMIAH THANE. older brothers.

There’s a certain bond between the Thane brothers, one that can’t be denied. The three spent their childhood looking out for one another, and more specifically -- Jeremiah and Jackson looking out for Andy, given the age difference between them. He’ll always hold his brothers in high regard because of this, the three having scene plenty of horrors together, with his older brother’s often bearing the burden so Andy wouldn’t have to. When it come to Jeremiah, the middle of the three -- The two have always been on good terms, often found poking at the other with sarcastic jabs and cheeky comments in between each serious conversation. He’s always seemed to be the peacemaker and problem solver of the three -- Often being the first to go on the hunt for answers. Andy’s always admired his brother for that, and for the debt he feels he’ll never be able to repay: In his time locked away in prison, while his family still looked after Rowan (even despite their divorce), Jeremiah was the first she’d call -- And he’d always shown up. 

As for his oldest brother Jackson, things a bit more complicated. He’s always looked up to his brother, seen him as a guiding force -- Mostly because he’s the oldest of the three and there’s a sizable age gap between the two of them. But he’s always held the title of pseudo dad, and while it’s panned out well when Jackson would show up for Andy when he needed or kept him safe in ways their actual father failed to do -- It doesn’t come without a deep seeded complication, leaving Andy caught between wanting to impress Jackson and have the other man be proud of him, and wanting to tell him to fuck off and stop hovering. It’s a vicious cycle, one that’s bred from their own fucked up relationship with their father, one Andy still hasn’t figured out how to navigate in tense situations. He’d never admit to having Daddy Issues, but he’s practically the poster child for it. He loves both of his brothers, and wants nothing more than to have a close bond with them, but with Jackson having the relationship he does with him, (and the fact that he’s now president of the MC, much like their father had been too), Andy still finds himself feeling like a child trying to get approval from his father when they’re in tense situations.

REINA THANE. sister in law (married to jackson, separated).

Reina is the epitome of tough love, and Andy can’t help but respect her for it. Though they came from rocky beginnings -- Taking nearly two decades to reach the point they’re at now. He’s twelve when his brother introduces him to Reina, the literal devil herself. Andy’s not sure if he hates her because she’s mean to him, or that she’s taking his brother from him. The two don’t get along regardless, and Andy’s quick to make sure she knows – Reina’s happy to do just the same, her words stinging far more than his do. There’s no reasoning with a pre-teen, so he just pouts all the way through the ceremony. It’s not until he’s an ‘adult’ and is Prospecting for the MC that the two reach.... something neutral. They’re by no means good friends, but by the time he’s patched into the club the two get along decently enough.