New Introductions

The peaceful air was interrupted by the sound of rustling from the terrace. Nero, lounging on the couch with his guitar, heard the familiar sound of feet scraping against the wooden railing. Without even looking, he knew exactly who it was.

"Don't tell me she's climbing the terrace again," Charlie groaned as he emerged from the kitchen, cup of coffee in hand.

Sure enough, Rose's head popped up over the edge of the balcony. She swung her leg over the railing with surprising agility and landed on the terrace with a soft thud. Her bright smile beamed through the open doors as she strolled in like she'd just taken the stairs.

"Morning, Charlie! Nero!" Rose greeted, as though her entrance was the most normal thing in the world.

Nero set his guitar aside, hiding a smirk. He had long since gotten used to Rose's unpredictable—and often unsettling—behavior, but it never failed to amuse him. Charlie, on the other hand, looked like he was about to throw his coffee at the wall.

"Rose!" Charlie exclaimed, exasperated. "You know there's a door, right?"

"Oh, I know," Rose replied cheerfully, brushing some dirt off her clothes. "But this way is more fun! It keeps things exciting."

Charlie sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Exciting. Right."

Before he could say anything else, Alan and Jake entered the living room, both looking confused by the sudden intrusion. Jake's eyes widened as he took in the sight of Rose, while Alan's expression shifted from surprise to discomfort.

"Uh… Charlie, who's this?" Alan asked cautiously.

Rose beamed at Alan, her smile a little too wide. "Oh, you must be Alan! I've heard so much about you!"

Nero exchanged a glance with Charlie, stifling a laugh as Rose quickly made herself comfortable, acting like she had been part of the household for years.

Alan looked taken aback. "You have?"

"Of course! I know all about you and your sweet little divorce," Rose said, her tone shifting from warm to unsettlingly knowing. "Don't worry—I'm sure it'll all work out. Charlie went through a lot too, you know, but I was there for him." She gave Charlie a look that made him visibly uncomfortable.

Nero couldn't help but grin. He'd seen this play out a hundred times, but it never got old.

Jake, oblivious to the awkwardness between Rose and the adults, stepped forward. "Are you Uncle Charlie's girlfriend?"

Charlie's eyes widened, and Nero let out a soft laugh, watching his uncle squirm.

"Uh, no, Jake," Charlie said quickly. "Rose is just… a friend."

Rose smiled sweetly, looking over at Jake. "We're very close friends. Isn't that right, Charlie?"

Nero could see Charlie tense up, his patience already wearing thin. Alan looked completely lost, while Jake, as always, was fascinated by the most random things.

"Why do you keep coming over?" Jake asked innocently, tilting his head as he studied Rose. "Don't you have your own house?"

Rose chuckled, unfazed by the question. "Oh, I do. But why stay home when there's so much excitement here? Besides, I like keeping an eye on Charlie." She shot him a wink.

Charlie groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I need a drink."

Nero watched the interaction unfold with a mix of amusement and pity. Rose's antics were always entertaining, but he could tell Alan was growing more uncomfortable by the second. Just as things started to settle into their usual chaotic rhythm, the doorbell rang again.

"Oh, great. What now?" Charlie muttered.

Nero had a pretty good idea who it was this time, and sure enough, Judith stepped into the house, her expression as tight as ever. She looked around, her gaze immediately landing on Jake.

"There you are," Judith said, her tone brisk. "Jake, I've been calling you for the last fifteen minutes. Didn't you hear me?"

Jake blinked, looking up from his game. "Uh, no?"

Judith sighed, clearly unimpressed with the Harper household. Her eyes quickly darted over to Charlie, and then to Nero, before settling on Alan. Nero could already feel the tension rising, even before anyone had said anything.

"What's going on here?" Judith asked, her tone icy. "Alan, I thought you were keeping things under control. This is hardly the kind of environment I want Jake growing up in."

Alan stammered, clearly thrown off by her arrival. "Uh, well, we're just… we're just relaxing, Judith. Everything's fine."

Judith's sharp gaze flickered over to Nero, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Is it? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like Jake's being exposed to a lot of inappropriate influences."

Charlie groaned. "Oh, here we go…"

Nero stayed quiet, watching the exchange with mild interest. He could tell Judith didn't approve of him. Not that it bothered him much. She'd always been uptight, and Nero had long since learned that trying to impress her was a waste of time.

"Well, what can I say?" Charlie said, flashing Judith his best charming grin. "We're a fun bunch."

Judith didn't seem amused. "I'm sure you are, but that's not the point. Jake needs structure, Alan. He needs boundaries. And I'm not exactly thrilled that he's spending so much time around Charlie's… lifestyle." Her eyes flickered toward Nero again, the implication clear.

Alan looked uncomfortable, caught between Charlie and Judith. "Judith, come on, Nero's a good kid. He's talented and responsible. He's been a good influence on Jake."

Charlie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, the kid's practically a musical prodigy. You should hear him play."

Judith raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure he's very talented, but that doesn't mean I want Jake picking up bad habits."

Nero stayed quiet, not wanting to escalate the situation, but the tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Rose, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, suddenly piped up. "Oh, Judith, you're being so dramatic. Charlie and Alan are doing a great job. I mean, it's not like Jake's going to turn into a wild child overnight." She paused, then added with a sly grin, "Unless he hangs out with me, of course."

Judith stared at Rose, clearly unsure of what to make of her. "Who are you?"

Rose smiled brightly. "I'm Rose. I'm Charlie's very close friend."

Judith looked between Charlie and Rose, her expression growing even more skeptical. "I see."

Nero glanced at Jake, who seemed more confused than ever. The poor kid had no idea what was going on, and frankly, Nero couldn't blame him. The adults were doing a great job of making everything even more complicated.

"So, Judith," Charlie said, clearly trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. "How long are you planning to stay?"

Judith glared at him. "Long enough to make sure Jake isn't being corrupted."

"Oh, don't worry about Jake," Rose chimed in. "He's in good hands. Between Charlie, Alan, and Nero, he's practically got three dads!"

Alan winced at the comment, while Charlie gave Rose an incredulous look.

"I'm not sure that's helping," Nero muttered under his breath, earning a chuckle from Charlie.

A little while later, after Judith had stormed out, clearly unsatisfied with the state of things, and Rose had finally left to do whatever it was she did when she wasn't lurking around Charlie's house, Nero found himself sitting at the piano, letting his fingers drift over the keys. The morning's chaos had left him feeling oddly unsettled, and music was always his go-to for clearing his mind.

Jake wandered over, plopping down next to him on the bench. He watched silently as Nero played a soft, calming melody.

"What's wrong with my mom?" Jake asked suddenly, his voice quiet.

Nero hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. "She just wants what's best for you. Sometimes parents fight about that."

Jake frowned, looking down at his hands. "I don't like it when they fight."

Nero nodded, understanding the feeling all too well. "Yeah, I get that. But it's not your fault. They're just… trying to figure things out."

Jake was quiet for a moment, then looked up at Nero. "Do you think they'll ever stop fighting?"

Nero sighed. "I don't know, kid. But you've got me and Charlie. We'll always have your back."

Jake smiled, his mood lifting a little. "Thanks, Nero."

Nero nodded, continuing to play the piano as Jake sat beside him, the calm returning to the house, if only for a little while.