Joey stepped out of his pickup after parking it on the street just outside the Hale’s residence. As he walked to the bed of the truck to get Roni’s bike out, he still was unsure how she convinced him to even come over for dinner. Roni was so adamant, just like she normally was when she wanted something from Joey. It’s just how they operated–Roni thinks of something outgoing that Joey isn’t a huge fan of, he protests, she play’s to his emotions or playfully tricks him, and Joey agrees–that’s how it always had been. Joey couldn’t help but admit that it was always for his own benefit, though. The Calhouns were so “pick yourself up by your bootstraps” and “get things done on your own” that Joey had inherited it to an extreme degree, being too afraid of people only paying him any interest due in part to his last name that he would actively avoid any major social activity. That is, until Roni would find out and drag him to it.
In the case of coming over for dinner, this was almost literal. Joey had started refusing, saying he needed to help out at the house where he was staying, but Roni saw right through that. As usual, she peppered him with questions—what exactly they needed help with, why it had to be him, and repeatedly circled back to the same questions looking for any slip-ups. When she caught him in his lie, she didn’t hesitate to guilt-trip him. Joey had managed to hold out a little longer this time, but Roni wasn’t the type to give up easily once she knew she had the upper hand. She tugged at his arm while he sat on the bench, trying to pull his six-foot frame up. When he didn’t move, she quickly swiped his lanyard from his pocket and darted off like a bratty sibling stealing a toy. Joey tried to chase her down, but she was faster than expected and locked herself inside his truck, sticking her tongue out at him playfully. Knowing he was beaten, Joey sighed, grabbed her bike, and tossed it into the truck bed. The doors unlocked with a click, and Roni’s smirking, giggling face greeted him as she slid into the passenger seat. ‘It’ll be good for you,’ she said. ‘Plus, you love Mom’s lasagna! And you haven’t seen Sandi and Ciara in weeks!’ With that, the truck engine roared to life, and Joey drove them to the Hales’ house.
“Sure”, thought Joey as he took a quick glance at the house, “I love Mrs. Hale’s lasagna, and I haven’t seen either of Roni’s sisters in a while, but…” he nervously looked back down the road to see the silver coupe parked just far enough away to not look suspicious.. “What if I were to shrink overnight while I’m here? Would they break the door down and take me? Would they sneak in and steal me in the night and make it look like I ran away?” Joey hears the passenger door close and sees Roni doing some sort of skip to her front door before she turns back and waves for him to hurry up so they can get inside. Letting out a sigh, Joey unloads Roni’s bike and starts wheeling it to the house. “I need to tell Roni…honestly I should just tell the Hale’s everything and rip the bandage off” Joey thought glumly. At least this way, though, he could make sure they were aware that the house was being watched, though it would probably ruin any chances of him staying over for the night.
Joey’s mood perked up a bit and he smiled to himself as he approached the 2 story house, fond memories of sleep overs and birthday parties coming to mind. Though he lived in a massive mansion outside the city in a gated community, Joey always preferred the Hale’s house. The lawn was always well maintained by Mr. Hale, the flowers along the walkway were done so by Mrs. Hale, and Roni when she was forced into chores. Looking into just above the porch and into the large bay windows to the family room, Joey could see Mr. and Mrs. Hale sitting on the couch, listening to Roni tell them that he’d be staying for dinner and overnight, with Mr. Hale rolling his eyes and looking out the window to wave him in, confirming that they’ll let him stay for now. Joey knew the Hale’s didn’t really like his parents, and were all too familiar with the consistent arguing that occurred between them. That being said, Joey could clearly tell that Roni hadn’t said anything about him being an underbred, as the expressions of displeasure, sympathy, and pity weren’t etched on either parents’ faces.
As Joey put the kickstand down and climbed the porch stairs, the front door came flying open and a petite 9 year old with curly brown hair came running out and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“JoJo!” exclaimed Ciara, squeezing him as tight as possible.
“Hey CiCi! You’ve gotten so tall!” Joey says as he bends over slightly to return the hug
“Well duh! That’s what happens when you don’t visit every weekend like you used to, JoJo!” She retorted with an innocent giggle.
As Joey releases the hug and stands back up, he lets out a soft grunt as a soft punch collides with his side as Sandi comes out to greet him.
“You jerk!” said the tween with a small huff trying to hide her smile, “you said you’d see my dance recital last week! You totally bailed!”
“Sorry Sandi” Joey said apologetically as he embraced the 13 year old “I’ve just been busier than usual. You know how it is with my parents”
Hugging him back, Sandi looks back up at him with a sad smile, now privy to all things Calhoun since becoming a teenager several months ago and seeing Joey in a shouting match with his dad over the phone. “Yeah, they’re not very nice, are they”
“Oh, they aren’t so bad” Joey said with an unreadable tone of voice for the 13 year old. Then, grinning at the two of them, he quickly hoisted either over his shoulders, eliciting a giggle from both as he carried them inside
“Afternoon, Son,” greeted Jeffrey Hale from his seat on the couch.
“Dinner will be ready earlier than normal, I bought some pie from a bakery in Old Sac so we can have dessert later tonight, too” commented Kathleen Hale with a smile on her face
For the first time in a few days, Joey actually felt contentment as he closed the door to spend time with his family away from family, pushing down the anxiety of how they’ll react to his announcement.
Since they deleted my comment in the previous chapter, I’m going to repeat it here, without knowing how long it will be available until they delete it again. Congratulations to the author, finally a story worth following that doesn’t reduce the story of giants to the spread of eugenic ideas and a humiliation that borders on sadism. Congratulations once again, you are exploring a perspective that values humanism without ceasing to be a story of giants.
Firstly, I would like to clarify that your comments were not deleted but were marked as spam by the system due to low confidence ratings. I have personally reviewed and reinstated them.
Secondly, I fully respect your right to express your opinions, whether they involve criticism or disagreement with my work. You are entitled to your views, and I welcome constructive feedback. However, I kindly ask that you refrain from suggesting or implying that my writing, or anyone else’s on this platform, supports eugenics or promotes any such ideals.
To clarify, none of the content on this site deals with or endorses eugenics. The stories here explore themes of power dynamics, social structures, psychology, and personal growth within a fictional world with fictional characters. The implication that the site or its content is in any way aligned with eugenics, a belief system historically tied to atrocities like those committed by Nazi Germany, is both inaccurate and inappropriate.
Such accusations, which carry severe connotations of supporting genocide and other real-world atrocities, have no place in this community. I will not tolerate the dissemination of such views here.
As always, you are welcome to share constructive criticism. However, I ask that it be done respectfully and without insinuations of racism, genocide, or similarly harmful ideologies, towards any member, the creative work, or the community at large.
Additionally, whether it is a comment, a creative piece of fiction, or art, this community—including its writers, commenters, and viewers, shares their work, thoughts, and opinions openly. Each contribution deserves respect for the time and effort everyone has put into their work, opinions, and perspectives.
“I kindly ask that you refrain from suggesting or implying that my writing, or anyone else’s on this platform, supports eugenics or promotes any such ideals.”
I also would like to emphasis this. I don’t endorse anything like eugenics. Nothing anywhere close to this idea is anywhere near the forefront of my mind, let alone my writing or ideas.
sorry to have bring that up in your comments section.
No worries! appreciate you taking the time to address it.
btw, since you’ve been mostly following the story in the comments prior to the fanfic section, I may be splitting some chapters up, but will be having a notifier in the titles (i.e. updated, redux, new, etc) just so whomever knows when there is a change\split chapter to what I orignially wrote out
good to know. I will be on the lookout.
I’m hoping we get more into Joey and how he interacts with Roni’s sister and parents as well. As it will create a few interesting parallels which will be able to be drawn if you chose to revisit those relationships post infection.
I kind of like the slow burn of your story.
Thanks! the slow burns helping me develop characters I want to be more recurring than others, I could break it up into seansons eventually, too, when it’s all said and done
1) “Roni thinks of something outgoing that Joey isn’t a huge fan of” Typical introvert/extrovert dynamic.
2) that is an adorable way to force a friend to come over.
3.1) Ciara born in 2011.
3.2) Sandra in 2007, Same as Kenzie and Syd (and 13 isn’t a tween, it’s a teen)
4) I’m Glad Joey’s with people who love him.
5) I assume the car following is an employee of Joey’s father.
1) yeah, i like the give and take they can have because of it.
2) lol Roni’s pretty persistent. Joey can be too, though idk if I would really put his push overness level into the same category as Jordan and Kayla
3.1 and 3.2) I need to give them full birthdays. I thought I had done it for all the main characters that’ll come in later but I must not have saved my notes or something
4) real life experience with that. Your best friends family is basically your own, or at least should be, in my opinion
5) yeah, I don’t think I say outright at all in the story so I can put it here. It’s basically being driven by private security separate from the Calhoun’s company. Not too dissimilar from Ellie’s secret guard, which was another thing that was hilarious when we found out what Ellies hook ups were. funny how that worked out
3) Specific dates are always helpful.
5) well, thanks for confirming. It does seem to line up nicely.
3) I was genuinely annoyed when I went back through all the characters i had tried setting up for the story just to find that was one of the things I missed lol