Achilles's Mom :))
Achilles POV:
The coming weeks were a bit of a blur at the Joensa Clan household. The formal meeting preparations were daunting and all of it was causing more than stress and high tensions.
After the meeting between the Tocano pack, Achilles was dismissed to his room where he was able to have a well-earned private breakdown which was then proceeded with a bubble bath and drawing.
Now he felt less conflicted about the arrangement but that didn't stop the endless jitters of emotions as January approaches. It was now the 23rd of December and thus only about two weeks remains till the date. The days before felt like a blur, it surprising him every time he remembers the meeting was only five days ago.
He sighs as he closes his novel. These days he's been camping out in the library in hopes of avoiding the planners from Korea who like to poke and prod at him while also giving him unsolicited advice on how to be a better leader, how to walk, speak, act, etc. It was mentally and emotionally exhausting and he was so over it. His mother was his only saving grace, but she too was getting swept up in the preparations.
Today was the second fitting for the garments, traditional hanboks which were worn at all Korean weddings. Although this was more of a mating ceremony than an actual wedding, appearances were important, and things had to look more proper for the elders to be accepting of a more taboo union such as this.
Achilles shelves his book and walks out of the library, hoping to sneak by the ensemble of omegas and betas loitering in the hall closest to the library stairwell. It led to both the library's second floor and a secret room which Achilles had dubbed 'the fluffy den' in the 6th grade due to the numerous blankets and pillows and small mood lighting lamps in it. It wasn't a large room by any means, but it did good for his somewhat declining mental health, and he just wanted to nap without possibly being found.
Just as he makes his way to the small spiral staircase a floorboard creaks. Genuinely, honest to god creaks, like this is a Scooby-doo episode and now these pack members and hired workers are looking at Achilles half hunched, barely reaching out for the railing. He gives a nervous toothy smile, smoothing out his posture and giving the hardest 90-degree bow before speed walking his way out of the library and to any random part of the house far away from them.
He winds up near the front lounge near their front door and thus in the sea of swarming people scrambling in and out with decorations, food preparations and fabrics, all loudly speaking Korean and English, scrambling to find where they needed to be. It's chaos, semi controlled sure, but chaos nonetheless and does nothing to calm the deep-seated nerves in Achilles' system.
"Son, I thought you would have spent all day running from me? Decided to come help with your wedding." His father says, clasping his hands and putting on an all tooth, no eyes smile towards him.
His father has been calling this whole 'arrangement' a wedding since many of the elder from South Korea would be traveling to be at this event. He supposes that it was to keep up appearances and whatnot, but the word sends shivers down his spine.
"Yes father, it's only right that I come help. I just thought it was good to rest my mind so that I could best help with a shape mind and good intuition. Things need to go well after all." He says with a gentle tone.
He is no stranger to playing a part, especially for his father, and being as submissive towards him as possible in front of the elders may earn him some brownie points towards them, who will be sure to test his patience even more than his father does.
"Hm" he says turning his nose up to him and turning around to walk away. The elders turn their gaze to Achilles and smile, their short statures and crowing backs swarming their pressure upon him.
"You have such a good energy, much like your father. I can tell you'll be stronger than him, more focused, less emotional. Even more-so with another alpha to bow to your hand." One of the alpha elders uttered, her face scrunching with an almost sinister smile, eyes barely containing a Scalera, the pupils taking up much of her eyes due to the crinkle of her crow's feet.
Achilles suppresses a shudder as he looks at her and smiles, his upper body bowing at her in acknowledgement.
She nod-bows back.
The elders continue to chat amongst themselves as the event planners continue to rush around the house. A hand grasps his arm and drags him into on of the open sitting areas of the home, which had been turned into a makeshift garment/dressing room with fabrics and sewing materials thrown about along with a tall standing mirror and foot stand.
"Strip."
Achilles raises an eyebrow to the woman who looks at him with an expectant look. It's clear that she's on the design team, with a tape measure around her neck, low hanging glasses on her nose and an exhausted look on her face.
"We don't have all day, come on. Off with everything except underwear."
He complies, quickly stripping out of his clothes, he steps onto the foot stand in front of the mirror, rigid in his compliance. The designer begins taking measurements of his body while another person grabs different colored fabric samples, holding it up to his face and collar bone, then taking notes.
"All done, get dressed and I'll take you to meet with the designer."
Achilles nods and allows himself to be placed in front of another attendant while putting his clothes back on.
"Okay, which three, cream, white, or eggshell?"
"Cream?"
The attendant squinted, then moved on to another set of fabric samples. "Navy, Aegean, Prussian, or Space Cadet blue?"
Achilles assessed the colors with some thought. The navy was a bit on the brighter side whereas the other three were a bit cooler or darker. Aegean and Prussian were pretty with their darker tones, but Space Cadet was such a cold but rich blue that he couldn't help but be taken by it.
"Space Cadet but maybe with some Aegean? If it'll work."
The seamstress nodded, "I'll see what we can do." And with that, she left. Achilles stood taller, almost confused by the interaction but quickly shakes his head and straightens out his top. He then peers around at the flurry of bodies and shakes his head. It was too much for him and he needed to get out before a migraine started. Taking one last look around the lounge, he nods to himself then makes his way to the small kitchenette. It was well passed 11am and he could feel his stomach begin to protest in hunger.
Complying with its demands, he speed walks to the kitchenette, making sure not to bump into anyone along with avoiding his father. He didn't need that right now, again.
He makes it to the room without much preamble, finding this area of the house to be mostly deserted. It was close enough to his father's study to ward off most people he supposes.
Peering into the fridge he takes account of what remains, which frankly isn't much. There is a container of beef tripe stew, seaweed salad, what he assumes is a baked potato wrapped in aluminum foil, old rice and a bag of uncooked bean sprouts. There is also a can of pineapple fanta and diet cherry coke.
He shrugs, pulling out the stew, rice, and bean sprouts. It was enough to make a decent meal and should last him till dinner. Opening the stew container, he puts in a few bean sprouts and then places the stew and rice into the microwave.
He pulls his phone out of his pocket and goes to his messages. One in particular catches his eye. His cousin, Jia, who was around the same age as him had sent him around twenty messages, the last one being "ANSWER ME OR I KILL DOWON". Dowon is her pet cat that Achilles had grown attached during his last visit to her house. He was an adorable tabby who's a little on the chunky side with greenish brown eyes and is a biscuit making machine. For that tubby baby to die would be Achilles' last straw.
Frantically he opens her messages and begins scrolling up.
10:50 am
JJ: tell me why my mom says you're getting married
JJ: chat is this real?
JJ: answer the question you btich
JJ: who is she?
11:07am
JJ: is it a she?
JJ: do she got a sister cause I want in on that asap if so
JJ: why you hate me
JJ: man fuck you and your ugly ass hair cut
11:13am
JJ: can i be maid of honor?
JJ: lemme get pics of her bro
JJ: i'll buy you japache if you do
JJ: brooooo answer the phone
JJ: 🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅
JJ: boooooooooooooooooooooo
JJ: you suck, no swallow
Achilles just stared at his phone and closed it. There was something therapeutic about leaving her on read, he just couldn't explain it. A few moments pass and his phone rings. It's Jia.
Sighing he picks up.
"What?"
"DO NOT SAY WHAT TO ME YOU UGLY PIECE OF DOG SHIT. YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED AND YOU DIDN'T THINK TO TELL YOUR BFF?? DO YOU HATE ME? You can be honest."
"Jia, bro of my bro, I am not having some amazing loving ceremony that required that, also I was caught up in some stuff and just didn't think to mention it."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. So, what's she like."
"He's okay."
"HE??!! Oh my fucking god this is a dream come true. The gays are finally winning. What's he look like? Is he hot?"
"Uhh, I guess so? It's complicated."
"Explain."
Achilles grits his teeth and lets out a breath.
"I may or may not have hospitalized him in the past."
"What in the soap opera is this. Why the fuck did you do that?"
"I- Okay you know how my dad is like the number on best person at finding ways to get under your skin?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, the entire time I was on the volleyball team during junior and senior year he compared me to him a lot. Like to the point that I came to start resenting him. It got bad and my anger got the better of me during our last game of the season senior year. I just snapped. It was pretty bad and dad had to pay a settlement." He says, fingers pinching the bow of his nose.
"I am for once lost for words. So now you have to marry him? Why the hell would he agree to that?"
"I wish I knew. We don't talk, I don't have his number or anything. I guess he has reasons like mine or something, I don't know. I didn't think to ask when I last saw him. It's been awkward for the both of us so we just stay in our lanes."
Jia sighs on the other end of the phone.
"Look, I know you're emotionally constipated and like embarrassingly sexually repressed but not talking to him before you, oh I don't know, commit the rest of your lives together, may be a good idea."
"JJ, it's not." He pauses, looking around to see if anyone is in ear shot. Not wanting to risk anything, he gets his warmed food and goes up to his room.
"Okay sorry about that, had to go to my room."
"It's chill. Now finish your statement."
"It's not permanent, permanent. At least I got that feeling when I spoke with him. It's convenient at most. We stay married for a year or so, quietly get divorced and have our own lives."
"You're actually stupid. Like insanely. Ya'll are made for each other."
"How?"
"If you two divorce and start having different lives, how will that work? Because you know you can't just move off pack ground or his pack grounds, however you two are doing this. It will look weird as fuck and possibly cause tensions between the families. Plus the elders are nosy as hell, they're probably planning how many babies you two are gonna have and whatnot. You know how pushy they are with their own wishes, it's insane. You two are gonna be stuck together for much longer than a year and you two need to talk about that before you live together and accidentally kill each other."
Achilles sighs and falls pack on his bed, the soup and rice sitting on his nightstand.
"Fuck you're right, jesus. This is a nightmare.
Jia snorts, "It can't be all bad. I mean I still don't even know what he looks like but knowing you, you only would marry pure eye candy."
Achilles chuckles, "Maybe."
"I just got an amazing idea. Facetime me real quick."
"Okay." He clicks the video camera icon and starts the facetime.
"Hey, oh jesus jumpscare 'chilles. That haircut is doing you no favors."
"And the split dye with the middle part is? I could use that shiny forehead as a runway for a plane."
"Ugly say what?"
Silence.
"I hate you."
Achilles smiles, "Same here."
"Anyways, lets stalk his Instagram and send him a message. Start screen sharing."
"We are NOT doing that. I refuse."
"Fine, I'll do it."
"Jia stop."
"No."
She starts screen sharing and Achilles watches in horror as she opens up her Instagram and goes to the search bar.
"What's his name?"
"I'm not telling you that."
"Fine, I'll figure it out myself."
She opens google and searches for packs in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and hones in on ones close to Plano rather quickly.
"Tacona Pack?"
"No comment."
"Eh, don't need one. There's an article about the alpha's son getting married soon so I know all I need to know. Okay let's see," she says, going through an article from some local newspaper.
"Basilio huh? Weird name."
"It's Bolivian."
"You would know that wouldn't you lover boy." Achilles grumbles in dismissal.
"Okay so, we got a name. And now back to Instagram." She says, switching tabs and going back to the search bar. She types in the name and the first account to pop up has Basilio holding up a pitbull, the sun shining in the background.
"He looks adorableee. I'm sending a message or at least a friend request."
Achilles felt like he could cry. God help him and this crazy cousin of his.