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Arrows and Mustangs: Chapter 5

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“So, your mother wants you and Connor over here at around 4 o’ clock. Will that work?”

Haytham pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to think if it was a suitable time. He truly never had to plan for Christmas before Connor came to live with him. It was usually just him going over to his parents’ for a few hours and then going home. Now that Tessa had a grandson to officially dote on, she wasn’t holding back. “It should.”

“Perfect! Will the girlfriend come?” Edward laughed.

Haytham almost rolled his eyes. His parents took to Connor like a charm, thankfully, and they loved Ellie almost just as much. Speaking of them…

The two teenagers’ banter could be heard from the living room. Haytham listened in the ‘weapon room’ for a moment and held back a chuckle when he heard Ellie bossing Connor around as they decorated the tree.

“You don’t want ornaments to be too close together. It’ll look too cluttered if you do silly.”

“Why is that a big deal?”

“Because we want it to look nice don’t we?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Connor replied. Haytham could just imagine his son rolling his eyes with the comment.

“Yes, she will,” Haytham finally answered, stepping back toward the kitchen.

“Have you had trouble with them yet? I know teenagers like to snog and sha-“

“Don’t you bloody say it,” Haytham interrupted.

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Edward chortled.

Amusement began to slowly replace the irritation as he thought about what Edward mentioned. “I trust their judgment…and what they do is not my business and it’s not your business either.”

“So…you caught them, didn’t you?”

“I despise you right now.”

“I knew it.”

“Why do you even bloody care?”

“Because now you know what I had to go through!” Edward was cackling by that time.

Haytham scoffed. “You caught me and a girlfriend snogging once and you’re suddenly traumatized?”

“What was that girl’s name? The look on your face was worth it.”

“I’m done talking about this.”

“I’m not done.”

“Goodbye.”

Haytham hung up before his father could make any more comments.

What he said was true, he trusted Connor’s judgment and didn’t really want to know what his son and his girlfriend were up to.

He knew what his father was talking about when he mentioned seeing the mortified expression on his son’s face, though. That part was priceless the other night.

Haytham didn’t know what exactly the teenagers were doing, but the look on Connor’s face and Ellie’s attempt of a lie were enough to confirm that something was going on.

He momentarily wondered what Ziio would have done if she was in his situation at the moment.

Knowing her, she probably would have just given Connor teasing looks whenever she could.

He suddenly remembered her doing something just like that at this very table.

“Ziio, slow down,” Haytham said as Ziio shoveled another extremely large bite of pancake in her mouth.

“You weren’t saying that earlier,” she chuckled around her mouthful, wiggling her eyebrows.


Haytham shook the memory away and decided to see how the Christmas tree was coming along, trying to ignore the all too familiar ache in his heart whenever Ziio came to mind.

“These popcorn strings are cute. Did you and your dad make them?”

Haytham froze in the ‘weapon room’.

“Yeah, it’s a tradition we both learned from Mom. She loved making them.”

Ellie suddenly giggled.

“What?” Connor laughed, sounding confused.

“I’m just trying to imagine your dad making popcorn strings.”

Haytham scoffed and leaned on the entryway. “And I’m bloody good at it, Miss Johnston.”

Both Connor and Ellie jumped from their spots on the floor, looking at him over their shoulders.

Ellie glanced back at the popcorn string she was holding and then back at Haytham. “I can tell which one is yours. It’s perfect to the T.” She gave Connor a teasing look.

Connor arched a brow at her. “And what’s wrong with mine?” he challenged while tossing the popcorn string he was holding over her head.

“I didn’t say anything was wrong!” she explained, smirking, “Your dad’s is just neater, that’s all.” She draped the popcorn string over his head. Connor retaliated by draping the rest of them on her head, causing her to start laughing.

Haytham’s heart clenched again when he remembered Ziio doing the same exact thing to him many years ago.

These two were going to be the death of him.




The Den seemed homier and there were even more Middle Eastern decorations since the last time Connor had been there.

A light sneeze caused him to look down at Ellie, who was currently huddling into his side with his arm around her shoulder. The green beanie she got from Jenny last Christmas was askew on her head and snow stubbornly clung to the top of it.

“Hey! Long time no see,” Kadar exclaimed from behind the counter.

“Hey Kadar,” Connor replied, brushing the snow off of Ellie’s head for her.

The couple quickly made their way to the counter. “What are you going to have today guys?”

“Anything warm, Kadar,” Connor chuckled, peeking down at his girlfriend in amusement. Ellie, who was still shivering, nodded in agreement.

“Sure thing. Hey, Malik just ordered some tea from Syria. Wanna try it?”

Ellie perked up at that. “Wow, seriously?”

Kadar and Ellie soon started having a deep conversation about Syrian culture and Connor couldn’t help but think about how cute Ellie was as her hands slowly became more animated as she warmed up.

He rested his elbow on the counter and perched his chin on his palm, studying her.

She had left her hair down today, letting it fall to the middle of her back in soft waves. The green beanie brought out the green in her eyes, making them appear greener than usual. The light flush on her cheeks from the cold gave her a bright, lively appearance.

“Don’t stare too much, dude.”

Connor jumped and scowled at Desmond, who was now standing next to him with a smug grin.

“When did you get here?” Connor asked, trying to change the subject.

“Just now. What are they talking about?”

Connor looked at them again, focusing in on the conversation.

“Wow, why don’t you guys serve this mate stuff?” Ellie asked. She was leaning forward on the counter by now, looking at the various photos Kadar was showing her on his phone.

“Malik said something about people most likely not liking it because people are still sensitive about our culture and stuff like that.”

“That’s stupid. We’re missing out on so much because of prejudices like that.”

“I know!”

Connor glanced back at Desmond. “That answer your question?”

“Yes…yes it does,” Desmond chuckled.

The bell rang again and everyone turned to see Claudia step into the door, followed closely by Ezio and a red-haired woman.

Ellie paused and stared at her friend before letting out a high pitched squeal. Claudia did the same and the girls leaped at each other.

Connor somehow met Ezio’s eyes and they shared an eye roll.

“Omigosh! I’ve missed you so much I can’t even begin to tell you!” Claudia exclaimed, tightening her hold around her friend’s shoulders.

Ellie returned the hug and they squealed some more.

Connor never took Ellie for a squealing type of girl. Then again, this was probably the first time she and Claudia have seen each other in six months.

And that was probably why they stayed at The Den till late into the afternoon.




Later that night, Ellie found herself sitting in the middle of the Auditore’s living room, sharing popcorn with Claudia and Petruccio as a random Italian movie played on the screen. Ellie knew just enough Spanish and Italian to follow along. Claudia easily filled her in on the parts she couldn’t fully understand.

Ezio, his new girlfriend Sofia, Federico, Giovanni and Maria were all sitting on the couches behind them.

Soon, the movie was over and the oldest Auditores went to bed, leaving Ezio, Sofia, Claudia, Ellie, and Petruccio in the living room.

“So, Ellie, how have you and Connor been? Haven’t been up to any shenanigans have you?” Ezio teased, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Ezio!” Sofia chided, playfully smacking his leg.

Ellie couldn’t help but grin at the couple. Sofia turned out to be an extremely intelligent woman and Ellie enjoyed every moment of her conversations with her at The Den and here. She also didn’t seem to put up with Ezio’s crap and Ezio didn’t seem to mind in the least.

She tried to not think about the shenanigans Ezio was hinting at. Over the past few weeks, she had discovered that Connor was actually really good at those shenanigans. It wasn’t her fault he was a good kisser.

“That’s none of your beeswax,” she huffed, sticking her tongue out at him.

Ezio let out a bark of laughter, avoiding Claudia and Sofia’s disapproving stares. “Well, you tell him I’ve still got my eye on him.”

Ellie doubted that Connor had forgotten that tiny fact.

“So, Sofia,” Claudia began, perching her chin on her hand, “how did Ezio convince you to go out with him?”

“Well, I wouldn’t give him the time of day at first,” Sofia mused, giving Ezio a playful grin.

Sofia continued to tell the story of how a confident MMA instructor always happened to be nearby when she picked up her sister from her lessons. Eventually, after being asked out many times, she finally agreed to a date and the rest was history.

“What? Ezio had to try?” Ellie asked in fake astonishment, causing Petruccio to snicker.

They both looked away when Ezio frowned at them.

“Yes, he did,” Sofia chuckled, giving Ezio a caring look.

Ellie suddenly wondered if she and Connor looked like that.




Claudia and Ellie eventually made it up to Claudia’s room and Ellie finally got the question she was dreading.

“So, do you and Connor get up to some shenanigans?” she whispered, smirking at Ellie.

Ellie shrugged, trying for indifference, before she flopped back onto the bed. “Define shenanigans.”

Claudia’s deep brown eyes widened as she blinked in surprise. “What?! I don’t believe it.”

Feeling her neck heat up, Ellie finally managed to choke out. “He stole second base.”

With a giggling squeal, Claudia flopped down onto the bed next to Ellie. “Wow! I didn’t know either of you had it in you.”

Ellie was officially mortified.




Connor, meanwhile, was just as mortified. “Dad, we’re not-“

Haytham held up a hand. “Just…keep that out of the house or at least know for sure that I’m not going to be home when you two decide to be intimate. I’m not an idiot and I know-“

“Okay! I thought we already talked about this!”

“Alright, alright. Don’t get your knickers in a twist. I felt that you weren’t embarrassed enough the first time I talked to you about it.”

Connor flopped face first down onto the couch, groaning. He never imagined having this conversation with his dad. His mom? Yes, and it did happen. His dad? No.

Ziio was always point blank but not an embarrassing way.

Haytham on the other hand…

Connor never ever wanted to go through that again.

“Get over it son. I can talk to you about it as much as I please as long as you live here.”

Haytham sounded strangely sadistic as he said that.




“Ellie, we can never make out in my room ever again,” Connor said first thing on the phone the next morning.

“And why is that?” she asked, sounding amused. Connor could just picture her smirking.

“My dad gave me ‘the talk’ times 10 last night. Never again.”

Connor frowned when her only reply was laughter. Ellie sounded like she was dying and he heard her trying to suck in air.

“I’m sorry! I just-“ Ellie gasped out between laughs.

“You’re a horrible girlfriend.”

“You’re the one that carried me up-“

“Stop! You’re as bad as him!”

“I’m just saying that I was not the one at fault when it came to picking destinations. I chose the park remember?”

Connor, once again, didn’t have anything to say.

“If it makes you feel better, Ezio asked me about that part of our relationship in front of everybody last night after the movie.”

Connor winced as he grabbed his bowl of Cheerios and sat on the counter. “I still don’t think that was as bad as my situation.”

“Well,” Ellie paused and Connor took a big bite, “I could make it up to you later.”

His brow furrowed as he chewed. “How?”

“Hold on.”

Connor felt even more confused as he heard various doors closing and the occasional Italian word being thrown about in the background.

“What I mean is; we can find a spot where your dad won’t find us and I can make it up to you sometime.”

Cheerios spewed all over the table.

“You okay?” she laughed.

“Yes,” he managed to choke out, pounding his chest.

“Or I could just bake something…”

“No, I’m okay with the first option,” he managed to wheeze out.

“Okay, first option it is,” she said in a low voice.

Connor suddenly felt two warm. “Well…I gotta go…my dad’s walking in.”

Lies.

“Okay, I’ll text you when I get back home.”

Connor nodded, and then he remembered that he was talking on the phone.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she snickered.

“Yeah,” he managed to squeak.

And that time, his dad actually walked into the room.

Connor hung up before he could embarrass himself any further.
Chapter 4: silverwing100.deviantart.com/a…
Chapter 5: Here
Chapter 6: silverwing100.deviantart.com/a…

Sorry guys, being an Aunt, employee, and a student all at the same time sucks away free time
© 2014 - 2024 Frank-A-Lanka
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Poor Connor, 1 times is already bad but imagine 10 xD