"Aya, are you and Willow feeding this boy?"
The redheaded woman rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time as she set the plates down around the dinner table. "Yes, Baila, I am feeding my son."
The older woman looked the boy up and down. "Hm. Well, I'm his grandmother and I say he's not eating enough."
"Well," Willow challenged after practically slamming one of the plates down on the table. "As his other grandmother, I believe I am feeding him enough."
One of Nathaniel's aunts came up from behind him and felt his waist, much to his alarm. "Mama's right, miss Willow. He's feeling a little light." She cups Nathaniel's face and turns his head towards her. "Sweetie, I will make sure you get some meat on your bones, alright? When your mom's done setting the table, I'll give you a plate of my blintzes."
"But I don't-"
"The boy has a fast metabolism!" Oscar exclaimed. "He can't help it!" He walks into the room and sets a plate of bread down on the table. "You know how many times Willow has tried to put some more weight on him with her cooking?" He scoffed. "Barely gained three pounds, so don't expect results."
Nathaniel groaned, pulling himself out of his aunt's grip. "Zeyde!" The older man laughed. "I'm not that light- hey!"
Rachel, his older cousin on his father's side ignores his struggling and lifts him up off the floor. "Baby cousin, you are kinda light. Are you forgetting to eat when you're drawing? Honey, coffee is not food, I keep telling you this."
Another aunt, Laney, Aya's younger sister walks by. "It's all going to his legs, guys, it's genetic."
"It is not," Nathaniel said in protest. "And please put me down." Rachel complies.
"Nathan, embrace it." Lance, his uncle, and Aya's younger brother smirked as he patted his thigh. "I did, and it got me a role in Kinky Boots." With a quick spin on the tips of his toes, he goes to help Aya and Willow set the table.
Before more could be said, Nathaniel's phone rang, earning him a few knowing looks from his mother, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
"It's Nath's boyfriend!" His youngest cousin, Kamil giggled.
"I hear wedding bells already," Lance sang.
Willow and Baila smiled fondly, forgetting about their friendly rivalry to coo over their grandson's love life. "Go and answer the phone, sweetie," Baila encouraged with a wide grin plastered on her wrinkled face."
Rolling his eyes, Nathaniel turns the other way and answers his phone on the fourth ring. "Hey, Rainbow." Rachel and her sister squealed. "Did your plane just land?"
"Yeah, my moms and I are waiting for my aunt to pick us up. Hey, did I catch you at a bad time? You sound a little miffed."
"It's not you," he reassured softly. "Just my family being crazy as usual-" He feels his phone get snatched out of his hand. "Hey!"
"Hey, future cousin-in-law, Jeremy here!" A cousin on Nathaniel's father's side greets. "Settle something for the family, alright? Then I'll put you back on with Nath."
"I... What's going on?"
Jeremy continues, moving around the room to avoid his annoyed cousin, "Alright, so a few members of the family think Nath is way too light, underweight, you know. What do you think? Personally, I think the kid is a total shrimp."
"Rainbow, do not answer!"
"... Well, there was that time in science class where Mme. Mendeleive picked him up by the back of his blazer."
Aya quirked an eyebrow. "She did what?"
The redhead buried his face into his hands. "Someone put me out of my misery," he murmured.
"And two weeks ago, I got excited, hugged him, and lifted him up off the ground without realizing."
Rachel burst into a fit of laughter. "Sorry- I- Ha!"
Baila cast Willow a triumphant look. "All the more proof that Nathan isn't being fed enough."
"I-I didn't say that-"
"Too late," Jeremy interrupted and handed Nathaniel his phone back. "Here's your boy back."
"... What did I just get you into?"
Nathaniel turns to see his aunts and grandmother already piling a bunch of food on a plate. No doubt his. "Nothing. Just, if I don't answer your calls for a bit, I probably passed out from a food coma."
