Christian (bxb) (Part three for Arlo)

A new kind of normal

(Christian)

I looked around at everyone standing close, feeling my chest tighten strangely.

They were all here, ready to support me, no matter how many times I ran or pushed them away.

And Pop—seeing him had been the last push I needed.

He just knew me in a way no one else did, a reminder that even when I felt lost, I wasn’t alone. I glanced up at him, his face soft and full of warmth.

For the first time in a while, I felt a bit of the heaviness inside me start to fade.

Pop gave me a light squeeze on the shoulder and looked around at the others, his expression shifting into something playful.

“Alright, Christian, now that I’ve made sure you’re okay, I’ve got an idea,” He whispered, leaning in close like he was sharing a secret. I tilted my head, curious.

“What kind of idea?” A mischievous grin spread across his face.

“How about we mess with the pack a bit? I was thinking of a little prank—nothing big, just enough to shake things up.” The thought of it brought a smile to my face, and I felt the excitement bubbling in my chest.

It had been so long since I’d felt like doing anything fun, anything that could make me laugh or forget the stress I’d been carrying around.

Pop was always good at that, at finding little ways to make things feel lighter, even if it was just for a moment.

He's thirty-six, but that didn't stop him from being playful most of the time. The perk about being immortal is that Pop looks younger than I am, which was weird to see sometimes.

We still celebrated our birthdays each year, but we never aged, and it was weird to look at him and know that he was that old.

“Alright, what are you thinking?” I asked, grinning back at him. The others watched us with curious eyes, but Pop was laser-focused on me.

He glanced around, leaning in closer so the others couldn’t hear.

“So, I’ve got this stuff that smells terrible—like terrible. I was thinking we could sneak it into their gear. Just imagine their faces when they open up their bags!” I let out a quiet laugh, trying not to be too loud.

The idea was so simple, but I could already picture the look on everyone’s faces when they figured it out.

It was stupid and childish, but maybe that’s what I needed right now—a little break from all the heavy stuff, a way to just be normal and let loose.

“I’m in,” I said, grinning.

Pop’s face lit up, and he clapped his hands together.

“Oh, this is going to be perfect! We’ll hit Mason first—he’s always so particular about his stuff. I bet he’ll freak out the most.” I opened my mouth to agree when I suddenly felt someone behind me.

Turning, I froze when I saw Dad standing there with his arms crossed, giving us both a look that said he’d heard every word.

The small spark of excitement faded as I waited for whatever lecture was coming next.

“You two,” Dad said, his voice low but stern.

“I don’t know what you think you’re planning, but unless you want me to do something about it, you’d better stop now. And, Micah,” He added, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“If you think I’m letting you drag Christian into one of your pranks, you’re out of your mind.” Pop groaned, rolling his eyes.

“Oh, come on, Landon. Lighten up a little. It’s just a harmless prank. No one’s getting hurt.” Dad didn’t look convinced, his gaze hardening.

“Harmless or not, you know how I feel about you pulling stunts like this and involving Christian. He doesn’t need any more distractions.” I glanced between them, feeling a little awkward.

Pop was grumbling under his breath, clearly not backing down, but Dad just looked even more unamused.

Part of me wanted to argue, to tell my dad that maybe this was exactly the kind of distraction I needed right now.

But I didn’t want to get on his bad side, especially when things were finally feeling okay again.

“Seriously?” Pop huffed, his hands going to his hips.

“You’re such a party pooper, Landon! Can’t you let us have a little fun?” Dad raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Fun? Do you think it’s fun making everyone miserable by filling their gear with god-knows-what? That’s not fun; that’s just causing chaos.” Pop sighed dramatically, shaking his head.

“You’re always like this. Every time I try to get Christian involved in something fun, you swoop in and shut it down. Can’t you just let us have this one?” Dad’s lips pressed into a thin line, and for a moment, I thought he might give in.

But instead, he just looked down at me, his expression softening a little.

“Christian, you’ve been through a lot,” He said gently, his voice losing some of the edge.

“I know you want to unwind, but this isn’t the way. You’ve got people here who care about you—you don’t need to be pulled into some prank to feel like you belong.” I looked at Pop, who was still muttering about how unfair it was, and then back at Dad.

Part of me wanted to argue, to tell him that he was overreacting, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

I knew he was just looking out for me, even if he had a funny way of showing it.

“Alright,” I said quietly, giving Pop an apologetic smile.

“Maybe… maybe we can do something else instead?” Pop let out a long sigh, throwing his hands up in defeat.

“Fine, fine. I’ll go find some other poor soul to drag into my schemes,” He said, shooting Dad a pointed look.

“But just so you know, you’re ruining his chance to let loose a little,” Dad smirked, clearly unfazed by Pop’s complaints.

“I think he’ll survive without your help in that department.” Pop muttered something under his breath, but then he gave me a soft smile.

“Alright, kiddo. I’ll catch you later, and maybe we’ll find some other way to stir things up, without Mr. Serious here breathing down our necks.” He reached out, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze before turning and walking off, still mumbling about Dad ruining all the fun.

I couldn’t help but smile as I watched him go, feeling a mix of disappointment and relief.

Once Pop was out of earshot, Dad turned to me, his expression softening again.

“I know he just wants to cheer you up,” He said quietly.

“But I don’t want you feeling like you have to do things you’re not comfortable with just because it seems fun.” I nodded, understanding what he meant even if I didn’t fully agree.

“I know, Dad. And… thanks. For looking out for me.” He gave me a small smile, patting my shoulder gently.

“Anytime, Christian. Just remember—you’ve got a lot of people who care about you. You don’t have to change who you are or do things you don’t want to just to fit in. You’re enough, just as you are.” I looked down, feeling a warmth in my chest.

It was still strange to think that people cared this much about me, that I had a place here no matter what.

We started walking back toward the clearing, and I felt the quiet presence of everyone around me.

No one was pressuring me, no one was trying to make me into something I wasn’t.

They just… accepted me. It was a weird feeling, one I was still getting used to, but it felt good.

When we got closer to the others, Dad gave me a final pat on the back.

“Go on. I’ll be right here if you need me.” I nodded, taking a deep breath before stepping forward to join the group.

The others looked up as I approached, their faces lighting up with warm smiles.

I knew they’d be there, no matter what, ready to support me in their ways. And even though I knew Pop was probably off sulking somewhere, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for him too.

As I settled in with the group, I realized that I didn’t need pranks or distractions to feel like I belonged. I already had everything I needed right here.