“Are you Bette’s girlfriend?” she asked.

“No,” they both answered and Bette pushed Tina away to prove her point. But the push was a little hard and she ended up on the floor.

The other kids giggled, Bette scrambled off the bed to see if she way okay, and Chloe seated herself by Tina. “Are you okay Tina?”

“You know Bette says your name when she sleeps,” Valentino said, criss-crossing his legs besides Tina.

“Yeah, and she makes kissy noises,” Yuri commented, jumping on top of Bette’s bed.

Bette was surprised at how fast the kids warmed up to Tina and sat back to where she was to observe their interactions. But they were making fun of her so she decided to defend herself.

“I do not,” she whined back as the rest of the kids besides Don circled around Tina.

“Yeah-huh,” they all chanted simultaneously back at her.

“You have pretty hair,” Michelle sang as she stood behind Tina and brushed her fingers through it. Tina smiled and let her. She wasn’t surrounded by many kids because the rest of her cousins lived back home and was instantly joyous that Bette’s siblings could talk to her so freely.

“Thank you,” Tina said and she turned around and put Michelle on her lap, tickling the girl.

“Tickle fight!” one of the boys yelled and pounced onto Tina.

“No wait, don’t,” Bette warned but it was too late. Tina’s shrieks filled the room but Don stayed put, a small smirk gracing his face. Bette saw him and opened her arms to welcome him in for a hug. He slowly walked towards Bette and embraced her.

“Still scared kiddo?”

“A little. Do you love her?” he asked.

Bette gulped and looked back at the mess of humans on the floor. They all looked like they were having the time of her life and Tina easily fitted in. Michael had managed to get a pillow and started swatting away at everyone. “I think I do,” she confessed before throwing herself into the pile-up.

“Bette don’t,” Tina warned, using her hands as a shield. Bette already knew where she was ticklish and did not want her to take advantage of her in this state.

“Attack!” Bette screamed, pointing at Tina.