[color=lightgray][right][sub]What If...[/sub][/right]
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[indent][indent][color=ff7f50]“-I mean, I [i]like[/i] learning and even I don’t think all those classes were necessary,”[/color] Danny’s long rant wound down as he dangled by his arms from a tree branch, having given up on any more chin ups two minutes in. He blew his dark blonde curls out of his face, only to roll his eyes as they sprung up just to fall right back where they’d been at the start. Between skipping a year in highschool and all his accelerated classes, the almost-twenty one year old was already a college graduate with Bachelors in both Finance and Social Work, having graduated alongside Maya who got her own Bachelor in Finance and was currently waiting to hear back if she’d received a position as a Loan Officer at Edenridge National Bank, where she is currently a teller.

Decky, who’d been lying on his back on the bench closest to his brother’s climbing tree while they waited for two of the three Dawson brothers to arrive, tilted his head back in his hands and looked up at Danny, squinting as his form was silhouetted by the midday sun. His baby brother had grown so much over the years, but Decky was happy to announce that he was still an inch taller than Danny and when the kid got smart he could still win their brotherly wrestling matches. With him and Maya returning home from Boston U for good, their house on the Southside would finally be full, full-time. While they had completely renovated it when they got it, including breaking down walls and building others, the foundation was still that of the Boaz brothers’ childhood home, sitting right next to the Cernis’ on Cherry Street. When Decky and Danny found out that Beni had OD’d and left no will while Alana survived but was no longer able to care for herself, their first thought was ‘why are we being contacted?’ while the second was ‘No fucking way,’ when it was revealed that Alana had a living will. 

She had left everything to them. The house, what little remained of Beni’s inheritance, and a packet of information on Beni’s brother, and her own three brothers, uncles that the boys never knew they had. Decky had been a month away from eighteen at the time and still living in the Serpent Dorms at the Edge with Danny- and Sunshine when the ornery boy got in a fight with Lacey, which was often- and he’d immediately turned to the people in his life that he knew could guide him. Beau, Phil, and Demo had all helped him immensely, both emotionally and educationally, and by the time he turned eighteen he was ready to accept the keys to his childhood home, secure in the knowledge that he had people to go to when he needed help. When Decky and Danny talked about renovating it, Danny was the one that brought up the savings Decky had started as a college fund for his little brother, and when the older tried to argue he was firmly reminded that Danny was already on a fast track to scholarships with several grants he was looking into. 

He’d all but pushed for the money to be used in this way, and he’d spent almost a full hour laying out an incredibly detailed argument that could ultimately be boiled down to his closing statement of, [color=ff7f50][i]“This is a fresh start through the reclamation of what was always meant ta be a safe and secure place for us, our childhood home. Let’s raze it ta the fuckin’ ground and then build a real home on the foundation of what should have already been that!”[/i][/color] And really. How could he argue with that? How could he argue with Danny at all about how he wanted to use the money that Decky had set aside for him? It had been when they were designing the new floor plan that they brought up the idea of both Sonny and Maya moving in as well, and that the master bedroom would probably take up at least a third of the top floor to compensate for three residents. Everyone had moved in as soon as things were finished and they’d been there since.

And now Maya and Danny were back home for good and fully unpacked just in time for the day of Beau’s party, meaning Decky was taking Danny to the park so they could get in some bonding time while waiting for Chase and Conan, but also because Danny obviously needed to get excess energy out and Decky never stopped acting like his parent so a trip to the parked seemed aces. Sometimes the younger man’s energy levels would just skyrocket and on days like those, Decky had to make sure Danny and Rye didn’t get together too long because it was like trying to keep up with two hyperactive speedsters with four brains between the two.

[color=dc143c]“So,”[/color] Decky finally answered as Danny lifted himself further in the tree and almost kicked Decky in the face when he was swinging his leg up onto the branch. [color=dc143c]“You’re sayin’ college was a waste and ya decided ta just come work for me and Phil instead?”[/color] Danny rolled his eyes down at his older brother from where he was now crouched in the lowest branch of the trees, shaking his head. [color=dc143c]“What? That’s not what that hour long rant about the oversaturation of non related requirements for specialized fields was about?”[/color]

[color=ff7f50]“Sorry Decky, but I didn’t spend five years doing a horrifyingly non-linear amalgamation of high school and college classes to still just be a mechanic, no offense-”[/color]

[color=dc143c]“Ah, ooh, the pain, like gettin’ stabbed all over agai-”[/color]

[color=ff7f50]“Shut up ya drama queen,”[/color] Another eyeroll was sent his way from his baby brother, the younger man showing no remorse for his words after the older’s theatrics. [color=ff7f50]“If I wanna be a damn good Financial Analyst and Advisor, especially if I wanna work for myself, I’ve at least gotta go into the field I studied my ass off for. Can ya imagine what Beau would say if I walked up ta him tonight and went, ‘Hey! Thanks for the encouragement all these years, but I decided ta dial it back-”[/color]

[color=dc143c]“Slum it with the mechanics, not even engineers-”[/color]

[color=ff7f50]“Slum it with the [i]mechanics[/i],”[/color] Danny echoed his brother while shaking his head, derisive tone and all, before he burst out laughing, causing all the leaves to shake on the branch that was supporting him. Decky laughed back and closed his eyes again once he saw his brother was stable, imagining Beau’s reaction. That would not go over even as a joke without a meaningful speech from the warm man.

[color=dc143c]“Ok fine, go get a big boy job in the white collar sector or some shit, come back and see me when your car needs work,”[/color] Decky sighed dramatically, not even opening his eyes when he heard footsteps crunching in their direction. He raised his voice so the joining brothers could hear. [color=dc143c]“Y’all hear that? Danny’s too good ta hang around Phil’s now that he’s got a fancy degree.”[/color] 

[color=ff7f50]“That is not what I said,”[/color] Danny countered, fond exasperation in his tone. He grinned down at Chase and Conan from his spot in the tree, unwilling to touch the ground again at the moment. Conan could climb up after him if he wanted a hug hello. [color=ff7f50]“Hey guys! And sorry I missed watching you practice Co, we didn’t unpack the last box until an hour ago. How was it? Y’all crush it?”[/color]

[color=dc143c]“He’s hyper today,”[/color] Decky stated needlessly, grinning as he finally sat up from the bench.

[color=ff8000]“I can tell,”[/color] Conan slid his headphones off his head, resting it behind his neck and on his shoulders. [color=ff8000]“You want to talk about fancy shit?”[/color] The brown-eyed boy’s gaze went from Mordechai to his best friend before gesturing to his brother. TNT had claimed the rest of the picnic table Decky was at, and started setting a surprise afternoon meal. [color=ff8000]“Look at this guy, in his chef uni, looking hella’ clean, hella’ fly and hella’ expensive. Cee!”[/color] Conan called out, looking over his shoulder as he did so, [color=ff8000]“You working at the Ivy today or Faith’s Fishhouse, or a bit of both? I never know with you.”[/color] 

This guy, like Danny, was on the fast track of being the best at his chosen career. No one expected Chase to grab onto cooking like his life depended on it but then he found a bodacious blonde who loved pink and who loved to eat. Cooking for her led to him learning how to cook first at the pizza joint, then at the diner, then with the locals, like Big Mama Nesta and Beau, which led to Jade setting up a gathering and asking Chase to ‘cook something nice’. Well, it turns out Jade invited Bluejay and her family, which included a culinary Hotshot, especially for Edenridge’s standards. Blue’s dad. The big chef guy who somehow got away with having two families at one time, but who was he to judge? Still a better parent than his birth parents would ever be. One thing led to another and before Chase realized it, he had already graduated culinary school, thanks to the Irvine Food Dreams program and his promising, raw talent, gained an apprenticeship under the dad rock old man, Lance Irvine, which includes a stable, constant flow of income, and got MARRIED. What a fucking time! Neither of them expected that. Hell, Conan didn’t even expect to live past eighteen and be the founder of Phantom Menace, the Gallows legacy band, but the world works in mysterious ways. Thank the cosmos for that.

Playfully, Conan gave Danny a love tap where his boy crouched on the low branch. Danny in response laid across its length like a large cat and dangled his hand down towards his best friend. [color=ff8000]“Practice was chill. Lala’s vocals were sick. If you want me to be honest, real honest though, she shouldn’t be in this band. She’s better than all of us combined. Her voice gives me fucking chills. Yeah, I got the dream, continuing Gallow’s legacy, rest in peace Rusty, a FUCKING SERPENT LEGEND. But Lala? Fuck. She got a gift. She got the talent. I’m just tenacious and crazy. Let me be like Dimebag or Randyyyyy. I’ll die a legend but until then, I’m here waiting on a prayer to maybe make it somewhere. Or just chill here and be gold dust in the air.”[/color] 

[color=7fff00]“That rhymed,”[/color] Chase looked up from setting up the table, some fish and chips for his family, mentally reminding himself to text Tov and Ransom that he had some food in his fridge for them too. [color=7fff00]“Hungry?”[/color] He asked the band of brothers.  

[color=ff7f50]“That did rhyme, that was good shit,”[/color] Danny agreed, grinning down at Conan excitedly and suggesting, [color=ff7f50]“New song?”[/color]

[color=dc143c]“I’m hungry,”[/color] Decky answered Chase’s question with a sigh when Danny didn’t, grunting as he leveraged himself back up into a sitting position on the bench. He cracked his back and glared at Danny when the younger man laughed at another escaping groan. [color=dc143c]“Don’t.”[/color]

[color=ff7f50]“I’m gonna.”[/color]

[color=dc143c]“[i]Boychik[/i] I swear ta-”[/color]

[color=ff7f50]“You’re old.”[/color]

Decky gave the boy a deadpan stare as he stood up, catching Conan’s eye as he advanced. He nodded at Danny and made sure that Conan was on the other side of the branch and prepared for what happened next.

[color=ff7f50]“Ancient.”[/color]

[color=dc143c]“Danny-”[/color]

[color=ff7f50]“Snap, crackle, pop! Your body- Ah!”[/color] Danny laughed as he was shoved backwards out of the tree, not even worrying about the landing. 

One reason he didn’t have to worry was because someone was always watching out for him. If it wasn’t his brother, it was Sonny. If it wasn’t Sonny, it was Maya. If it wasn’t Maya, it was Lacey. If it wasn’t Lacey, it was Jokes or Creed. So on and forth. And yet, more often than not, the go to person that would take mere seconds to be at his side, always alert, was his best friend. Sure, Decky gave him a clear warning with his eyes but CT was already in a position to catch the falling boy. While he wasn’t necessarily bulk like the standard jock —  Danny Belmonte for example —  he was fit and slim underneath his hoodie. Demo would say all his energy would’ve made him a great athlete. Still, his father was not one to forcibly suggest a path on his children. He let them explore and figure it out. In time, they all did just that. They figured it out. 

Instead of shooting hoops or running track, Conan chose to grow as a musician and occasionally jump fences and do dumb shit with his friends. His favorite hobby in the world though? Being there for Danny in whatever capacity he could. Conan couldn’t imagine a life without his friend. Not only did their lives have parallels but their minds moved in tandem, constantly on the same wavelength. There were some people that just got each other and Danny was that person for him. As morbid as this sounded, Conan had a feeling, even after all the success he and his brother have experienced thanks to Lady Luck, that his days were numbered. Whether it was his upbringing or the fact that no matter how much time passes, he believes that the picture he paints in his head is a requiem for a dream, Conan knew deep down he would die sooner rather than later.

Until then… 

[i]Thump![/i] The two boys fell on the ground, Conan’s mind having drifted for a moment before the sudden force of his friend brought him back to reality. 

[color=ff8000]“You’re so fucking graceful,”[/color] Conan groaned, letting the weight of his friend bury him. 

To the side by the food, TNT sat there waiting for everyone to join him, not touching the food out of courtesy and respect for them (it's what he did; he chose to be the last one to take a bite because he enjoyed seeing others savor his food). He received a text from his wife of one year (crazy, right?). His shoulders relaxed and his mood brightened even more. He was already in a good mood but the thought of Tiffannie put him in an even better mood. A gentle smile appeared on his face as he zoned in on their conversation, the others fading in the background. He needed to remind her about Beau’s party tonight. He hated engaging at large parties and social gatherings. Doesn’t matter how functional he was as a growing chef, knowing how to network and charm people when he needed to. Chase Warren was still one hell of an introvert and he needed his wife. 

[color=ff7f50]“I never claimed grace,”[/color] Danny replied with a groan of his own, making no effort to adjust his dead weight across Conan, more than happy to be sprawled out across his best friend. [color=ff7f50]“Pangerz manages grace, even Zion manages grace, you can’t expect it from all of us. That’s just unfair.”[/color]

[color=dc143c]“He really did inherit that grace from Auntie Dev, you know it’s not a Goldstein trait,”[/color] Decky gave his two cents as he reached down and grabbed his baby brother by the front of the shirt, lifting him up just enough to drag him off of his friend’s chest before he promptly released the fabric and allowed Danny to thump down to the ground beside Conan instead. [color=dc143c]“Let him breathe, [i]Boychik[/i], y’all are practically joined at the hip as is.”[/color]

Despite the pout he sent his older brother in response, Danny sat up soon after and dusted off his clothes before reaching out to his best friend in an offer to help him up. As much as Conan and Danny have caught each other as they fell, there were just as many times where they’ve had to help pick each other up when they were down. Danny couldn’t imagine life without his bestie blazing a trail by his side, didn’t even want to, he could barely stand staying in the dorms when he had to. There were quite a few late night phone calls from the fairer haired boy just needing to hear his friend’s voice, and several times where a few hours after he hung up he’d hear the roar of Decky’s motorcycle. He fling open his curtains in his little shoebox of a room, and Decky would be putting down his kickstand while Conan almost unbalanced them both with how fast he flew off the back seat. On bad occasions, Zion would be pulling up right beside them with Topanga as his backpack. Decky would send Topanga off to grab Maya from the girls dorm and they’d all sneak up into Danny’s room together. Without fail, the nights where they all slept in a pile on the floor were some of the best sleeps he’s ever had.

Two sets of brothers, both born into unfortunate circumstances, clawed their way out of their misfortunes with help from their found families. With similar traumas that were only really understood amongst them and the Cernis siblings, however, the relationships forged between the four men currently in the park was one that came from some of the harshest pressures and stresses. Out of all the pain and darkness of their childhoods, each boy managed to find a way to come out a diamond. They were still raw, roughened around the edges and with sharp lines you’d do well to watch out for, but they always seem to smoothen out and shine brightest when they were together, amplifying each other’s internal light.

[color=dc143c]“So…”[/color] Decky spoke up again with a little clap, eyebrow raised at his little brother and his best friend who, despite both standing and balanced, had forgotten the next step of letting go of each other’s hands. [color=dc143c]“Food?”[/color]

[color=7fff00]“About damn time,”[/color] TNT grunted back, texting a black heart emoji to his girl before facing his phone down. [color=7fff00]“Food’s probably cold by now,”[/color] he complained and grumbled, crossing his arms, pretending to be grumpy but really just fooling around. He was in good spirits, even if exhausted from the double shifts he’d been picking up lately. Five years ago he wouldn’t imagine where he was. Hell, even three years ago. Or two! So much has changed and all for the better. For once he could say he was happy. Not only because he was doing well for himself, with a cute and supportive woman at his side, and a doting father constantly rooting him on, but all those he loved were doing great, better than great, too. Especially his brother by blood and his brothers (and sisters) by bond. Conan, Tov, Jade, Ransom, Decky, Danny, Sunshine, Jokes, Creed, Charlie & Poppy. It was a surreal feeling to see their growth and the look on their faces as they saw into the future and dreamed. 

To dream… it wasn’t something a southie usually did. How fortunate they all were to be able to dream and continue to dream. Their life was like a dream and none of them wanted to wake up from it.

Grabbing Danny’s hand, CT was pulled up with ease. They stared at each other for a longing moment. Their gaze said enough without any words leaving their lips. There was so much love between the boys. Romantic or not, that was up for interpretation but there was one thing that was undeniable about them. Their souls were woven together and together, they were whole. A true Southside story. Throwing his arm around his dearest friend, his better half, Conan chuckled as he locked eyes with his older brother, [color=ff8000]“It’s all good.”[/color] He began walking with his friend closer to the table. [color=ff8000]“You know we’ll eat it. We’re skinny fucks. Flesh and bone, man. I’ll eat just about anything.”[/color]

[color=ff7f50]“I’ve been surviving off of vending machine snacks for the past few years, anything Chase cooks is gonna blow my mind regardless of temperature,”[/color] Danny agreed, a wild grin on his face as he and Conan sat on the bench in unison. He rolled his eyes fondly at the older men as each pushed a full plate in front of the younger two, well used to the parental habits.

As they all dug in, Decky took a moment to just watch the scene. It was such a nice day, everyone was smiling and looking forward to Beau’s party. He wondered what all the anxiety buzzing in his chest was about, because it couldn’t be caused by anything happening now. Things were as perfect as they could get for a group of Southies, it was almost unreal, so he must be getting anxious about talking at the party. Public speaking and personal speeches were different things, and Beau helped the boys through a lot, so it must just be his old worries about being vulnerable creeping up on him.

[color=ff7f50]“Decky? You gonna eat?”[/color] Danny was staring at him intently, as if reading the thoughts off the surface of his mind, and it would have looked pretty serious if not for his cheeks bulging with food.

[color=dc143c]“‘Course I am, focus on your own damn plate,”[/color] Decky replied as he broke from his daze and focused back in on the table. He shoved a handful of food in his mouth as if to prove his point to his little brother, and after another moment of intense searching the blonde let his eyes fall back to his best friend beside him, nudging his arm just as Conan was about to put a piece of food in his mouth and making him smear it across his face. 

The sound of playful whining and banter carried off on the breeze and through the small area of Lyon park, alerting those nearby that the Boaz and Dawson brothers had been reunited once more, returning balance back as it should be.
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