The bonds of family

36

Leroy soon came over with two milkshakes and a plate of fries.
"Enjoy." He said, looking directly at Arkyn, with a wink. He walked away.
"He's messing with me, isn't he?" Arkyn asked and Caitlyn nodded, attempting to hold in a laugh.
"Yeah. You're not his type. Leroy likes to do that with people who don't know him. His way of weeding out assholes and unsavoury company from the general folk."
"He sounds like quite the character."
"He's pretty cool." A young man came down and sat at the counter. Caitlyn looked over at him, looking wistful.
"So that's your ex?" Arkyn asked and she huffed.
"Stop it." She flung a fry at him. He caught it in his mouth and she laughed. Jack heard the sound and looked around the diner and saw Arkyn and Caitlyn laughing in a booth. He looked angry as his brother approached him, attempting to calm him. "Drink the milkshake." Caitlyn demanded, not noticing Jack and Leroy's exchange.
"It sounds weird."
"It's my all time favourite. Just trust me. It's not like I can poison you." She said. Looking at her suspiciously, he sighed and took a tentative sip. She looked at him hopeful. "What do you think?"
"It's not the worst." He said.
"Really? You're going to try to be all macho now? Don't you think it's a little bit late for that?"
"Don't make me take you back to your sister. I will leave you with her."
"I'm an adult. I don't need to be babysat. You can go if you want."
"Well, in that case, I gotta go." He said standing up and she reached out.
"Wait! Not now, not here." He smirked and sat back down. "I hate you."
"You know I wish you did." He replied.
"You're stuck with me and you know it." She looked up to peer at Jack and saw he and Leroy talking. "What are they saying?"
"Uh..."
"Please, I just need to know if he's mad at me. If he'll talk to me." She pouted.
"If I can say no to Alexis, trust me I can say no to you."
"What's the point of having a vampire for a friend if I can't enjoy the perks? Please? Just this small small favour."
"Sure." He said. "Might as well help someone. Jack's wondering why you're here and why the hell you've brought another guy here. Leroy's telling him there's nothing between you and me."
"Okay..."
"Now Leroy's telling him that if he's so jealous, maybe he should come over and talk to you himself."
"And..?" She asked.
"And he's coming over." Arkyn stood up and smirked. "Good luck." He walked away to the front counter, giving Jack a nod as he passed him. He sat down and Leroy walked up in front of him.
"So, how do you know Caitlyn?" Leroy asked him, wiping the table top beside him.
"I met her at her uncle's funeral. I was in town, and her sister and my brother are- I have no clue what they are but they're something."
"Oh."
"Yeah, we bumped into each other a couple times after that, and turns out neither of us found hanging out with our siblings to be all that much fun."
"Yeah, I get that." His eyes fell towards Caitlyn and Jack. "So there isn't anything between you and her, right?"
"No way. Never." He shook his head. "Like she said, I'm still nursing a broken heart, and I'm pretty sure she still likes your brother."
"My offer still stands if you need help mending that heart of yours." He said.
"I'm afraid nothing short of a miracle and time will."
"That's rough."
"To make things worse, I left my milkshake at the table and I don't really feel like interrupting them. Any chance I can get another?"
"Sure. It's Cait's favourite. She always got it. Jack tried to convince her to try others, but ever since she tasted it, she's been in love with it." Arkyn laughed.
"Yeah. I got the 'love it or you're dead to me' vibe." Arkyn drank his milkshake. His phone rang and he answered. "Tell me you're done with Hayley's preparations?"
"There's nothing we can do if Kol won't let us, Ark."
"Let me worry about him. Look, I know you like Hayley and want to help out but right now, Kol needs us."
"What do you need me to do?"
"I just need you to be ready." He said and she sighed.
"Will do." Arkyn hung up and finished off his milkshake. He smiled at Leroy who'd moved away and stood to walk back to Caitlyn.
"Hey." She smiled. "Jack, meet Ark. Ark, this is Jack."
"Hi." Jack put his hand out. Arkyn shook it politely.
"Hey." He turned to Caitlyn. "Sorry to cut this short, but we have to get back now."
"Do we have to?"
"Your sister will kill me if I return without you." He said and she sighed.
"Fine." She looked at Jack. "I'll come by tomorrow? Without the bodyguard."
"Sure." He nodded and she stood up. Arkyn smiled at Jack and walked out with Caitlyn.
"So things seemed okay with you and Jack. Better than okay."
"Yeah, I hope so. He says we need to talk though. Really talk. Which is weird because he's never been a talky kind of guy."
"What would Cami say?"
"She'd say communication is the foundation of every relationship or something sappy like that."
"Okay, and what would Cassie say?"
"That he doesn't really want to talk. It's just an excuse to see me again and next time I do, I should just grab him and kiss him."
"Is that you speaking or Cassie?"
"Me. I don't know what Cassie would say. We don't really talk boys or relationships. Usually it's typical roommate stuff, or supernatural stuff, or you."
"Me?"
"Yeah, she's seen your entire life so when I have questions, I go to the expert."
"And that's not me?"
"You don't answer. You always deflect with 'it's a long story' or something."
"Fine. Ask away. You get one question, no deflection." He vowed.