The Boyfriend Pt. 18

XVIII: Her. Lexi.

Lexi

Lexi smiled to herself as she made the last little edit to her latest piece of copywriting work. She would send that off to the client later with a few others she'd finished earlier, and without any homework to study for, she could actually relax.

Maybe I can watch some superhero movies with Helen later.

They weren't her sister's favorite, and Lexi usually liked darker, more horror-fantasy stuff, but they were enough of a compromise between Lexi's favorites and the spy movies Helen loved, that it was what they usually settled on when watching movies together. Plus, they'd just watched through all the Die Hard movies as part of their Christmas marathon, so Helen owed her.

Helen would still tease her sister if she caught her zoning out whenever any of the Chris-es were on screen, though.

At least she doesn't like Tom Hiddleston like that.

Lexi liked the guy as an actor, but had never understood all the fangirling, especially with the Loki hair.

Closing her laptop, Lexi got up and walked over to the kitchen to get herself something to eat.

She must have zoned out, because it wasn't until she had a banana in-hand, half-peeled, that she heard her sister's hushed, angry voice.

"I've told you a thousand times, you are never speaking to her. Ever. And yes, it's her. Lexi. That you can't even get that through your tiny little brains shows me that I'm completely right in never letting you near her."

Lexi's throat tightened, heart pounding.

She hated that she got this stressed out whenever she overheard Helen talking to her parents, but she couldn't help it. Even with deep breathing or walking into another room to distract herself, she couldn't help the way she wanted to curl in on herself while her blood roared in her ears.

"So what if it's the holidays? You really think I care about that? 'Family' means nothing if you don't even make the effort to act like you love us, Marjorie."

Lexi could just barely hear the shouting on the other end of the line.

"Oh, yeah. I'm the one out of line here. I'm so done with you idiots. Call me again and I'll file a restraining order and block your number."

Lexi heard the line drop, followed by Helen's sharp intake of breath. Footsteps filled the silence that followed, coming into the kitchen, and Lexi had to look up at Helen when her sister entered the room for some reason.

"Oh, Lex. Shit, you were still supposed to be working in the other room."

It wasn't until Helen crouched down before her and took her hand that Lexi realized she'd sunk down to the floor against the kitchen wall. Or started shaking. Or gripped the banana so hard the bottom part had turned to mush and come out through the split seams.

Oh.

Lexi forced a deep breath into her lungs.

"Sorry," she breathed out, trying to keep her voice steady, "I didn't realize--"

Helen took her face in her hands, holding her gaze.

"Never apologize for how they make you feel, Lex," her sister growled, "Never. That's on them being shitty fucking people. No part of that is a reflection on you. You're so much better than either of them. They don't even deserve to call themselves parents."

Lexi sniffled and forced a smile, "I don't understand how you can keep your cool when you're talking to them. I don't think I've heard you curse at them in years."

"I don't want to give them any reason to think they can get under my skin. Nothing that will encourage them in even the slightest way to call."

"Would you actually block them?"

It wasn't the first time her sister had threatened that.

Helen sighed, moving her hands down to Lexi's and sitting back on the floor, "I honestly might this time. I'm so sick of their shit, I just--"

She drew in a deep, shuddering breath that made Lexi's heart hurt.

"I have good memories of what they were like before you started figuring things out. I still have this stupid hope that they'll get it through their heads that this is the real you, and accept you. Or at least make a fucking effort."

Lexi's eyes were hot, now, and she couldn't help the tear that slipped won her cheek.

"I'm sorry I make it so you can't see them," she said, "And that you have to work so hard to help me because of--"

"Hey!"

Helen's voice cut the air like a whip as she squeezed Lexi's hands.

"I love you, Lex. I'm not going to act like I don't work insane hours, but it's not like I don't get a lot out of it."

She grinned even as her eyes shone, "And I don't spend all my money on you."

A broken laugh escaped Lexi's lips, and Helen's smile broadened.

"Having my beautiful sister happy and able to live the way she needs to is so much better than talking with two shitty people that don't deserve to call themselves parents."

She hugged Lexi tight, and Lexi hugged her back even tighter despite the awkward position.

For a while, they just held one another. When they finally pulled back, Helen grinned at Lexi and broke the un-smushed part of the banana off from the rest to pop it into her mouth.

"Hey!" Lexi laughed, "Dick."

"Nope, tastes better."

Lexi rolled her eyes, "As if you've ever tasted a dick."

Helen arched an eyebrow, cheeks flushing, "I like girls, sis. Doesn't mean I only like vaginas."

Lexi's face caught on fire, "Ew."

Helen got to her feet and pulled Lexi up with her, laughing as she went to get a paper towel, "What, shouldn't I be supporting the transbian community?"

"Not when you tell me how you support it when I'm sober!"

Helen laughed, cleaning most of the banana mush off Lexi's hands. Lexi licked the rest off, then stuck her tongue out at her sister.

Helen just rolled her eyes and took Lexi's hands in hers, making a face for a moment at the leftover stickiness from the banana.

"I have a little bit more work to do today and tomorrow, but this weekend, we're going out, okay? We're gonna get all pretty and dance and have fun, and then come back and get into our PJs and snuggle while watching movies."

Lexi grinned, "Sounds great."

Then hugged her sister tight, "You're the best."

A/N: This is one of those scenes that I really hope I'm getting right. Also, Helen is THE best sister.