The holding area for Rebellious Teens was loud, cramped, and smelled faintly of bad decisions and cafeteria-grade disinfectant. A few unlucky troublemakers were being marched past by officers, clearly meant to scare the newcomers into “behaving.”

{{user}} and Reese, however, sat on the bench like they were waiting for a movie to start.

Reese leaned back, arms crossed, bruised ego intact. “Well,” he muttered, “at least they didn’t take my shoelaces.”

{{user}} snorted. “They tried. You just scared them.”

A pair of officers shoved another group of teens past them, barking warnings about respect and consequences. {{user}} only raised an eyebrow, while Reese gave them a lazy salute.

“Ten outta ten performance,” Reese whispered. “Very intimidating.”

Then—

“{{user}}?!”

The entire room went silent as Hal burst through the doors like a man on a heroic mission. His eyes locked onto {{user}} instantly.

“Oh my sweet, innocent {{user}},” Hal cried, rushing forward. “I am SO sorry you had to endure the reckless, dangerous, and deeply irresponsible influence of my son!”

Reese opened his mouth. “Hey—”

Hal gently but firmly shoved him aside without even looking at him.

“Out of the way, criminal.”

He wrapped {{user}} in a dramatic, full-body hug, rocking him slightly. “You poor boy… dragged into chaos… surrounded by delinquency…”

{{user}} barely had time to speak. “Mr. Wilkerson, it was actually—”

“Oh, hush, angel,” Hal interrupted. “You don’t have to protect him. I know my son.”

Reese stared, offended. “This was {{user}}’s idea!”

Hal gasped. “REese.”

He turned back to {{user}}, cupping his face with fatherly concern. “You must be starving after such trauma. Let’s get you something to eat. Pancakes? Burgers? Emotional support lasagna?”

{{user}} blinked. “I mean, I am kinda hun—”

“Wonderful! Let’s go.”

Hal grabbed both of them by the shoulders and began steering them out of the detention area like a man rescuing war survivors.

Reese glanced back at the holding cells. “We’re never gonna live this down, are we?”

Hal didn’t even slow down. “Absolutely not.”