Family Reunion.

Zachariah tugged his jacket tighter around himself as he stood on the sidewalk, eyes scanning up and down the street, looking over each of the boys ready to play. It didn't take him long to determine which one he was looking for.
Roman was over at Jesse’s and Zach hoped the man would be too busy with his friend to notice that Zach was no longer at home. He was rather far away from home in fact.
He was in the neighborhood where Anderson Roden resided.
Anderson was Roman’s brother. The two hadn’t spoken in some time being that Roman hadn’t even known any of his relatives had survived the fire. But Anderson had.
Zach had been searching for a while now, assuming Roman must have some long lost relatives around. He’d expected to find maybe some great grandparents who hadn’t been in the house during the fire that killed Roman’s entire family. He hadn’t expected to find a boy only several years older than himself who had indeed been in the fire. But that was exactly what had happened.
Bringing Roman his long lost brother for Christmas would definitely be better than the scrapbook of family photos he'd been planning on.
He thought it might be too good to be true. There was no way that Roman's brother could live in a town just under an hour away. There was no way he'd been this easy to find. He'd learned that a man named Anderson Roden often played in these street basketball games so that was where he'd gone. He was expecting the worst, expecting that maybe it was just a coincidence. Maybe this was just a man who shared his lover's last name, no relation at all.
But the second he set eyes on the nearly gargantuan boy, he knew that it was truly his brother-in-law. Those were his husband's features, definitely. The smooth muscles, the hairline, the bone structure. It was obvious. Zach had never been so happy to see a complete stranger before.

Anderson had his lavender colored hair tied back as he awaited the beginning of their match up, a bag of chips clutched into one of his seemingly over sized hands. He seemed to have plenty of friends, laughing and bantering with his team and the people around him until it was actually time to begin the game.  Even as the whistle was blown and the ball began to move around, the boy moved easily and with a grace that was unexpected from someone of his stature. Within seconds he had easily stolen the ball, dribbling it down the center for a lay up.  It was immediately obvious that Anderson was a star player, seeming as though it were nothing for him to drive the ball down the court while everyone else struggled to keep up. By the final dunk, Anderson had put over seventy points on the board alone. 
As the game ended and everyone cleared out for the next match up, the boy was easily found towering over the crowd.  He had already pulled his hair down, and by now he'd even reclaimed his unfinished bag of chips. But it didn't look as though he were sticking around to watch the other match up.  In fact the man seemed to be headed towards Zach in his haste to leave.  At first it seemed like he didn't notice the eyes on him, but finally Anderson was craning his head to look down at Zach, lavender orbs widening as he found the boys dark gaze on him.
"Whach'a looking at?  Is there something on my face?" For a  moment he actually ran a hand down his chin to make sure he had noting around his mouth before gifting Zach with a wide grin. "Or do you see something you like?"

"This is going to sound really weird, but I kind of came here to find you. You're Anderson Roden, right?" Zach smiled softly. It amused him that the man was Roman's brother and yet he definitely didn't act like him. And the lavender hair? Zach was loving it but it was sure as hell not something Roman would consider.
Still though, he was positive this was the man he was looking for and he'd never been so excited.

"Awh man, listen If you are here scouting for another team I have already made it clear that im not interested. If you are from college and need help with something then thats also unfortunate because im busy."  The colossal boy popped another chip into his mouth, lavender eyes curious on Zach as he tried to distinguish what the boy would want with him.  "But hey, my name is Anderson Roden and I had hopes you were some cute little dread lock boy trying to sell me thin mints or some shit. But I don't see you carrying any cookies. We can still work something out though if you want to swing with me over too that corner ice cream shop. You can keep checking me out and I can appreciate your eyes. Hows that? Dandy?" Anderson shrugged his bag higher onto his shoulder, turning and towering off down the street before hearing Zach's response.  His long strides had almost taken him around the block already when he stopped to check back on the boy, his grin soft as he urged Zach forward.  He never had time to wait though, his shop closed in only half an hour and Andy could not cope without his daily deserts.

Zach had no choice but to follow. He felt like he should inform the man he was not flirting but if he didn't jog, he'd never keep up with the large strides.
In a moment he found himself entering the shop by Andy's side, having to completely tilt his head upwards to look at the man. He'd thought Roman was tall but this was ridiculous.
He wasn't sure how exactly to tell the man why he was here. He probably thought Roman was dead and if he was anything like his brother, he would not like discussing the fire that had taken their entire family. The last thing he wanted was to upset the man.
"Alright so, I'm married. I wasn't checking you out, really, although you are pretty cute. This is going to sound really weird but I'm kinda your brother-in-law."

"Well thats good you weren't checking me out because im not for sale." Anderson tilted his head down to poke his tongue out at Zach.  He was a shameless flirt but he was no cheat.  For nearly a year and a half now he'd been steadily dating the same guy, and he saw now changes in the future.  Payne Pinkman was almost like a drug to him.  Sometimes he even ditched his ice-cream shop just to make it in time to watch the boy at his football practices. 
"And I have to tell you, I had five brothers but not one of them ever married, so you can take that shit somewhere else buddy."  Honestly the boys words had his heart constricting on him, closing in and reminding the towering werewolf of everything he had lost.  At one time in his life he'd lived in a cozy home with a large family.  That was all burnt to ashes now, and Andy lived alone in his tiny apartment save for the nights when Payne would come hang out. He could never stay the night though. His father was some kind of super dad and didn't like him to be out past ten thirty.

"I'm not screwing with you, promise." Zach held his hands up as if in defense. "My husband is Roman Roden. He thought he lost all of his family like you did. But I was trying to find some relatives of his to get some old family pictures for him so he could remember them. And I found you instead. I almost didn't believe it could be you but you really look like him. He's alive, Anderson. I can show you." He slipped his phone out of his pocket, holding it out as proof. His phone background was a picture of himself in Roman's arms. Roman would look quite different than the young boy Andy remembered as his brother but there was no doubt that it was him.

"Y-You?"  Andy immediately snatched the boys phone away, cradling it carefully in his seemingly shovel sized hands. His lavender eyes were glimmering now, shining bright with astonished tears.  That was his brother, no mistaking it. 
His Roman was still alive somewhere.
And this was his husband?
It was obvious even in the photo that Roman adore Zach.  His arms were wound tightly around the boys waist, and his teeth were flashing in a vibrant smile.  
"You have to take me to see him.  I gotta see him.  Like now."  
The nearly gargantuan boy turned to wave the shop keep down, getting two ice-cream cones to go before turning back to Zach. "Did you want something?"  He hadn't been planning on buying Zach anything until he learned that the boy was indeed family.  For himself he'd gotten his signature quadruple scoop of every flavor, the other a triple scoop of rocky road for Payne, complete with sprinkles to earn that extra large smile that Andy so often adored.
He'd just have to drop it off after seeing Roman.

"No, I'm good." Zach waved the man off as he headed out of the shop doors. Piper should be off of work right about now and he never failed to bring Jace and Zach both drinks on the nights he was going to be spending time with his lover's parents. That would satisfy his craving for something sweet. "I'm so happy I found you, you have no idea." He couldn't wait to bring Andy home for his lover. He led the man back down the block where his car was parked and began the short drive home.
In no time they had arrived and Zach was leading the lavender haired boy to his front door. As he led the tall man inside, it was Jace who first laid eyes on the two of them.
"Yo, daddy, mom's brought a hot friend home. You might want to come in here and put a stop to this shit." Jace never quite flirted with anyone else. His heart belonged solely to the father of his children. But there were times when guys caught his eye for a moment. And Andy was nothing if not eye catching. Tall men were his weakness.
The entire family was home today. Payne and Piper were out back tossing a football, Roman in the kitchen preparing dinner, Stein down in Zach's workroom, and Jace lounging in the living room with Rocinante and Breccan.

"Jace, you know better than to tease me like that."  Roman was chuckling softly when he came from the kitchen, surely thinking his son was only joking.  But then he laid eyes on Andy and everything came to a halt.  
It wasn't possible.
But God, it looked just like him.  Of course some things were different, Anderson wasn't a child anymore.  His features were finer now, sharp and well defined.  But when he grinned Roman knew that there had been some miracle.  He could never mistake that smile.
"Anderson?"  The large werewolf finally croaked out, nearly stumbling as he made his way over to the nearly giant boy. "Is that really you? Andy-"  Roman was reaching for him then, nearly knocking the one remaining icecream cone from his hands with how desperately his was clutching at Anderson's jersey. 
The towering werewolf had yet to say anything, only returning Roman's embrace and grinning like a complete fool.  It was unexplainable how wonderful this was for him, to find his brother well and happy with a family of his own.
Fucking precious.
And now he could be a part of that, too.  He could have a family again.
"It's me. Your husband thinks im hot by the way. No joke." He couldn't help but start by teasing.  There was too much that needed to be said, but  Anderson wasn't going to bother.  Roman would understand, or at least he would if he was anything like he had been when they were partners in crime.  Roman had never been a troubled child, but Anderson had talked him into a few things.
Looking back they had been some of the best times of his childhood.
"Zachariah? Did you do this? How?"  Roman had finally caught sight of his mate, reaching then to pull Zach into their embrace. "How have you brought him back to me?"
Across the room, Rocinante was slowly backing away and into the kitchen.  He had recognized the purple haired giant immediately as his younger brothers boyfriend.  But what was he doing here?
As he listened, it became painfully obvious what was transpiring.
Oh, holy shit.
He had to go warn Payne, before the boy burst in and alerted the rest of the family of their relationship.

"I do not think you're hot." Zach grouched softly at Andy, swatting at the man's arm as if he had known him for more than twenty minutes or so. "You act just like him, don't you?" He was teasing, then grinning up at his lover. He had never seen such a look on the man's face. "I was trying to start your Christmas present early. I was just looking for your grandparents or something, to see if they had any old family pictures for you. But instead I found him. I wasn't sure it could really be him at first but then I saw him and I knew it had to be.... Merry Christmas." He smirked softly as he finished, leaning up to press a kiss to the man's cheek.
Payne and Piper were already on their way back inside at hearing the sounds coming from inside. Payne could swear he smelled his lover. He was already panicking. Had Andy come here for him? He had told the man he couldn't meet his family, not yet. But then again, Anderson rarely listened.
Oh hell, Piper couldn't meet him yet. He knew his father would never approve of anyone for him.

"Hey! Poppa-Pipes! Payne! What are you guys doing? I uh- I was just coming to play with you guys yoi!"  Rocinante met the pair at the doorway, stubbornly crossing his arms over his chest as though that would convince Piper to turn around.  He could already tell that Payne knew the boy was here, but he didn't truly understand how terrible this would be if their father met him. 
"We can go back and play in a second, Rosie.  I gotta get Payne some water and see what all the fuss is about inside.  I thought I heard Roman fucking crying or some shit yo."  It could only mean something was wrong with Jace.
"Zachariah, damnit."  Roman straightened himself to fully take the boy into his arms, their lips meeting with passionate sparks.  The werewolf was grateful in a way he hadnt thought possible.  It was as though Zach had brought his brother back from the dead.
"This is so much more than a Christmas present. You could never understand what having him back means to me."  
Andy was doubled over so that he could still get in on the embrace, a soft croon leaving him at Roman's words.
"I missed you too Rome." The giant planted a sloppy kiss to his brothers cheek.  He was so overwhelmed that he had yet to notice how close his lovers heartbeat was, how Payne's scent lingered in the home.  Andy was used to it by now, usually always able to smell the boy on his clothing. "And no rush or anything but do you gotta refrigerator?  I have this ice cream here and I need to do something with it before it melts.  Or worse, I cant control my sweet tooth."  Then he'd have to simply offer Payne his guiltiest of smiles and talk the boy into some sweet and sticky kisses instead.

"Sure thing." Zach smiled at his newfound brother-in-law, pointing in the direction of the kitchen. "Right in there." He nodded before kissing his husband once more. "I'm so happy I found him for you." He caressed the man's cheek softly, grinning widely at him. He had never thought there were any remnants left of Roman's family.
Payne immediately realized what Roci was doing, or at least thought he did. Roci was trying to keep Piper distracted while Payne went in there and got Andy the hell out of here. God bless his brother.
"Dad, how about you stay out here and play with Rose for a second while I go check on moms, okay?" He did not wait for an answer, darting past Roci and into the home. He arrived in the kitchen just as Anderson entered with his ice cream cone. "What in the hell are you doing here, stupid ass? How did you even find my damn grandparent's house?"

"Payne!"  Anderson was like a puppy, face brightening at sight of his lover.  He was so happy to see the boy that at first he didn't question it.  He'd just been missing Payne so terribly. "Hey! I got you this, see?"  The towering werewolf reached down to offer Payne his ice cream cone.  "Aren't you proud that it made it to you this time?"  The last one never made it home to the boy. "And you should have seen me in my game today! I put nearly all the points on the board by my damn self." Andy was already bending to sweep Payne into his arms when the boys words finally settled on him.
"Wait a damn second, what do you mean this is your grandparents house?"  He was certain that Zach had told him this was his and Roman's home.

Payne couldn't help but smile as he reached out to take his ice cream cone, shaking his head at his lover. But then he recalled what the problem was.
"Yes this is my grandparent's house. If you didn't know that then why the hell are you here?" They didn't just let strangers inside last time he checked. "Dad's out in the damn yard and he's going to be coming in here any second. You know he can't meet you yet." He sighed heavily, trying to consider why in the hell his lover was over here in the first place.

"Payne...This is my brothers house."  Anderson's face had stilled, the color draining away completely as he realized what their situation might be. 
Oh no.
That was sick.
It was impossible.
"You remember that I lost my family in a fire when I was a kid? Well Roman is my brother.  I had thought he died. And I guess he was thinking the same so we never looked for each other.  I imagine he was just trying to forget like I was.  But today his husband came and found me. I just got to see him again for the first time in....God, its been so long.  What's going on here?" The giant suddenly found himself fidgety, his stomach flooding with dread as he awaited an answer. "A-Are you guys related or something?" 
The werewolf was reaching for Payne's hand when Piper burst into the kitchen, the man's hazel eyes immediately widening on the enormous monster in their kitchen.
And the guy was touching his fucking son.
Piper was charging him before even taking in the boys actual features, simply wanting his hands away from Payne. 
"Who the fuck are you, yo?" 
But then he noticed the hair, bright and purple in the luminescent lighting. His baby had told him about a boy who fit this description, jaw droppingly tall with lavender hair that matched his eyes. 
Payne had gushed so many days about this person, their basketball games and how they always brought him treats.
When Piper looked to his son, eyes settling over the slowly melting ice-cream in his hand, he knew for sure that this boy was who Payne had been telling him about.
This was his son's first real boyfriend.
His first love.
"What in the fuck are you doing just showing up here? You don't set a damn date? Give anybody a fucking warning beforehand?" Piper reached to pull Payne protectively against his chest, hazel eyes still burning on Anderson. "Take your rude ass somewhere else, and keep your fucking shovel hands off my son, yo, before we have to throw down."  He realized that maybe he was over reacting slightly, but Piper could never seem to help himself.  The man was having a terrible time letting go of his baby.

Payne could not even manage to speak for a moment or fight his way out of Piper's arms.
Roman was Anderson's brother.
Did that mean the man was technically his great uncle?
How in the hell hadn't he put that together?
He'd even known that Anderson's last name was the same as his grandfather's, known that they'd both lost their families in a fire. He had just been too naive to put it all together.
And in a few moments, as soon as Roman or Zach or Jace told Piper the news of Roman being reunited with his brother, his father would know that he'd been sleeping with his great uncle. Everyone was going to know.
He was regretting telling Piper so much about his lover.
Finally he spoke, ignoring his father's words completely as he looked up to meet Anderson's gaze.
"Roman is my grandpa." He spoke quietly.
Shit, he'd known Andy was quite a bit older than him but he hadn't known it was that much.

"What in the fuck are you taking about, baby? Why does that fucking matter right now, yo?  Are you trying to change the subject on me or some shit because it ain't working this time."  Payne always got his way when it came to Piper but the man was determined that he did not appreciate how Anderson had simply shown up, and seeing the boys hands on his son had him nearly frothing at the mouth with rage.  
Anderson though seemed to be looking past Piper completely, his eyes only for Payne.  The giant boys face had paled considerably as he understood the weight of his lovers words, what they meant.
It was so sickening and shameful that Anderson wanted to run.  He'd never been big on defeat, but how else was he supposed to handle this?
"You've got it all wrong bud, we're just friends."  
That was a start.
"I uh, I know short shit here from school. My college isn't too far away and I play basketball around there sometimes.  Im actually Roman's younger brother, Anderson Roden."  
Piper had already been cocking his arm back to teach Andy a lesson, outraged that the werewolf would deny his son when it had been so obvious that they were together.  It was only after his fist was already striking up at Anderson's chin did he understand what the boy had said to him.
Roman's brother?
And Payne's boyfriend?
What?
Piper was screaming then, yelling for Roman to come handle this before he did. If left up to him, he was about to beat the boy to death.
How could he have been touching Payne in such a way.
Fucking disgusting.

At the sound of his lover screaming for his father, Jace was darting into the kitchen, glancing around at the three men.
"What the hell is going on in here?" He could smell his lover's anger, Andy's nausea, Payne's panic.
Payne merely stared at his mother, jaw hanging open stupidly as he tried to think of something to say, some way to make this alright. Piper knew this was his lover. There were not many gigantic boys with purple hair around here. There was no way around this.
He was yearning to just lean into his lover but he knew that was not an option right now, maybe not an option ever again. This could not continue, he knew that.
But that didn't make it any easier.

"Jace, that mother fucker is Roman's brother? Is he your damn uncle yo?"  Piper was trembling as the situation settled on him, disgust completely consuming the man whenever he looked over to Anderson. The large werewolf was hunched over now, his face twisted with shame and desperation.  He knew this was too good to be true.  Now he was going to lose again.
Andy hated losing.
But there was no way around it.  He already knew that Roman's head was going to spin.  He would not like this.
Would not allow it to continue.
That would leave him to break things off with Payne, the only thing to brighten his life ever since that fire burned everything to the ground.
"What in the hell are you screaming about Piper?"  Roman finally made his way into the kitchen, his shoulders already bowed as though he were ready for a fight.  If the man had a issue  with Anderson, he had a serious problem on his hands with Roman. 
"Shut the hell up. And get the hell out of his face!" The large werewolf was outrage to find Piper once more moving to strike out at Andy, this time landing a punch square against the boys nose even if he had to jump slightly in order to reach. 
Anderson never raised a hand to Piper though.  His lover had told him about how he loved his father.  Payne would never forgive him if he swung back. 
Not that it really mattered anymore.

"Jesus Christ, dad, don't do that!" Payne could not help himself. He couldn't just let Piper hurt his lover.
Piper already knew, it would only be seconds before everyone else found out too. He might as well tell them himself, get it over with.
He wrapped his arms around his father's waist, yanking the man back and away from Anderson before looking over at his grandparents and his mother.
"Andy's my boyfriend. I didn't know he was your brother." He hung his head as he spoke. "He didn't know I was your grandson either. So stop hitting him, dad. Shit."

"A-Andy is this true?"  Roman looked as though the news had knocked the breath out of him, the werewolf's large brown eyes desperate as they flickered over to his brother.  He wanted Anderson to reassure him that there was no way it was possible, he wasn't having any sort of affair with his grandson.  But when Roman looked to Andy the towering boy still only had eyes for Payne, as though staring at his lover was the only thing keeping him completely together.  Honestly it was too much.  He was just now getting Roman back, only to find out now the he had unknowingly done the unforgivable.
Nothing could ever be right at this point.
"Dont you fucking worry about it Roman! Andy was his boyfriend.  Not any damn more though, not if he wants to fucking keep his dick yo."  Piper was not soothing as he normally would have at the feeling of his sons arms around him.  The man was past the point of reasoning.  He felt as though Anderson had tainted his precious baby boy and he wanted that bastard to pay.

"You know, I thought you being angry would be sexy but you are acting just like my damn daddy, which is the opposite of sexy to me. Calm the hell down, Pipes." Jace spoke as he moved forward, standing in front of his lover. "You two are acting like they fucking committed a crime or some shit. They didn't know. Be nice, give Anderson a chance." He turned around then, smiling at the large lavender haired boy. "I'm Jace Pinkman, your nephew apparently. And Payne's mother." Jace always seemed to be the mediator around here, trying to keep everyone from tearing each other's throats out. "Kind of an awkward way to meet your new family, but I'm sure it'll all blow over in a week or two." He reassured, having to crane his neck awkwardly to look the man in the eye.
Payne was still staring at Anderson as he held his father back, his eyes pained as he realized Piper was right, they'd have to end this.
No more cheering on the sidelines at Andy's basketball games.
No more having the man shouting from the bleachers at football practice.
No more ice cream dates.
No more sticky sweet kisses.
It was over.
He thought he might throw up.

"How am I supposed to calm down?  Do you realize how creepy and fucking disgusting this is yo?"  Piper had wrapped Payne up into his arms as though the boy were nothing but a child that still needed constant coddling.  "Because there's a word for it and its called incest! It's wrong and it's fucking making my skin crawl."  The man was looking down at Payne then, his hazel eyes sharp as they critically trailed over his son's skin. "Please tell me he never touched you."  He'd kill Anderson and put everything back to normal again, the way it should be with that bastard dead. 
Strangely enough, Anderson found himself wanting to defend his love for Payne, except when he opened his mouth nothing came forth.  How was he supposed to defend this?  Piper was right in everything he said.  It was shameful.
So instead the basketball star's shoulders slumped once more in defeat, a weak smile clinging to his lips as Jace addressed him.
"It's nice to meet you Jace.  You are beautiful just like your mother."  The werewolf's gaze flickered over to Roman hesitantly, afraid the man would be pissed.  But instead he seemed to understand that it had been an accident.  As long as it was over, then Roman would accept it.
The lavender eyed boy had yet to glance back at Payne, his insides feeling twisted and tight whenever he thought of his lover.  What was he going to do now?  How was he supposed to let go of this guy?  Payne was the only thing that kept him grounded anymore.  Every morning his first thoughts were of the young werewolf, wondering if he slept well and if he was awake even before considering the chocolate pancakes awaiting him downstairs. Sometimes he only even made it to his street games so that he could hear Payne cheering for him, grinning so wild and proud. And he himself put off piles of college work just to go and watch his lover practicing, always making up for it by pulling all nighters. 
Anderson lived for these things.
What was he to do without them?

"We fucking get it, dad. It was gross. I fucking know, okay? It's none of your business what we did. Just leave me the hell alone for a minute, okay?" Payne had never snapped at his father in such a way. But he was finding it hard to breathe and the last thing he wanted was to stand here and listen to his father talk about how disgusting his relationship was while pretending he didn't still want to hold Anderson.
He was supposed to be disgusted at the thought of this relationship. Did no one realize how hard that was? He was just supposed to get rid of all of his feelings just because he'd found out Andy was related to him? He knew he should but it didn't work that way. He was in love.
He had to get the hell out of here.
He roughly jerked out of his father's arms, heading back out into the yard and hoping Rosie was still there. He knew Rose would listen to him, would understand. If he couldn't have Andy coddle him, Rosie was the next best thing.

"Thanks, my man. I already said earlier you're not too bad yourself. You gotta tell me all about daddy when he was younger. I bet he was a little brat." Jace cackled softly, trying to lighten the mood. It was way too serious in here and he knew it would lead to fighting if nothing was done.