Family Tree Botany

## Premise

While working on a school assignment together, Nikola realizes that Shaun is reticent to share any details about their family. This is a bit of a problem, as they are supposed to be working on a family tree together. Clearly, the thing to do is to press further.

Things… escalate.

## Cast

* Shaun (Verl)
* Nikola N. Change (Authorticity)

## Plot Summary

Shaun and Nikola have been paired up for a family tree assignment at school, and Nikola invites Shaun over to their apartment on a Saturday afternoon to do the project. Shaun plans for the pair to only do Nikola's tree and hope the size of it hides the fact he didn't plot out his own family. Nikola's grandparents occupy an entire floor of their apartment building, with custom nameplates attached to many of the doors. Shaun looks for a door with a money-related pun and gets into a conversation with one of Nik's grandparents. Nikola hears the conversation and comes to fetch Shaun, bringing him to their room, where they have supplies for the project ready.

Nikola asks where Shaun wants to start on the project, and he says since their family is larger they should do their family first. Nikola starts listing their grandparents, filling out an entire accordion-expanding index card. Shaun wonders how they're going to fit all the grandparents on one poster board, and Nikola starts taping a few together. Nikola starts asking about Shaun's family, which he tries to wave off as being unimportant. Nikola reassures Shaun that they care about him and what he has to say, but Shaun continues trying to brush off Nikola's attempts to ask about his family.

Shaun redirects Nikola by asking about their mother, who they say doesn't have parents. Nikola says their mother looks sort of like them in mutant form, Shaun is surprised, and Nikola shows him a childhood photo of them and their mother. Shaun starts commenting on Nik's mother's appearance, asking if they're sure she's not a mutant, and Nikola defends their mother. Nikola again pushes Shaun to start on his family tree, and Shaun lets on that he doesn't want to do the project, and Nikola doesn't understand why he doesn't want to.

When Shaun refuses to give them a straightforward answer, Nikola asks if they need to kill someone for Shaun. Nikola more seriously asks how they can help, and Shaun says they can hand in the assignment without doing his family. Nikola assures Shaun that he has friends that care about him now, and he says that wasn't part of his plan, since he dislikes the city. Nikola admits they were also planning to leave Wellspring City and tries to reassure Shaun that they understand. Shaun argues that it's not the same for Nikola, because they're here with family they like and not missing anything, and Nikola sarcastically responds that they're so lucky to be here. Shaun accuses Nikola of reading his mind, which Nikola says they're not. Nikola is a bit mad about Shaun assuming their situation is better than his and reminds him that they're in a city they hate, but Shaun says that they live with family they like and he doesn't.

Nikola suggests Shaun leave off whichever family members he doesn't like from his family tree, and Shaun says it might raise attention for him to not put his legal guardian on his tree. Nikola asks Shaun where they want to be on Nikola's family tree, so he can be included on the project without listing his family. Shaun reveals that he likes his grandparents, who actually raised him. Nikola adds Shaun's grandparents to the poster, then covers where his parents should be with glitter so it's obscured, then adds Shaun. Shaun says he feels stupid for revealing this info to Nikola, and Nikola offers him some ice cream to feel better. Shaun says Nikola better not tell anyone about his family situation, and Nikola says it's not the worst family secret they've kept.

The two decide to head to the store to get some ice cream, and they're stopped on the way out by a grandfather offering help with their project. Nikola jokes that they didn't run into any problems a little adoption won't fix, and Shaun pushes Nikola to clarify that they're not serious to the grandfather just in case.

The next week, Nikola accidentally gets some school mail meant for Shaun and hands it off to him. The week after, Nikola asks Shaun over to their apartment to talk. Shaun arrives at the apartments, where the grandparents are a lot friendlier to him. Nikola is scolding someone in another room when Shaun arrives, but stops and brings Shaun to the roof to chat. Nikola says that the grandfather they encountered while getting ice cream was a forger and forged adoption papers for the grandparents adopting Shaun. Nikola can't help picking up on Shaun's anger at being adopted without being asked, and Shaun says that's why he's not living with his grandparents where he wants to be. Shaun starts transforming into slime, too emotional to keep himself together. Nikola apologizes, and Shaun realizes that they're crying and trying to hide it so Shaun can be angry without feeling guilty.

Nikola asks Shaun what he wants to happen next, if they should get rid of the adoption records or let them be for now. Shaun decides to let the adoption stand for now, as long as Nikola and co don't try to do anything with it. Shaun says his dad forced him to move in and at least Nikola and grandparents haven't done that, so it's not quite as bad. Nikola assures Shaun that a thing like that won't ever happen again, and pinky promises him on that. Nikola offers that they go down the fire escape to avoid the grandparents' smothering of love.

## Notes

Nikola's bedroom is full of plants.

Nikola's one billion grandparents are all on their Mom's side. Their Ma has only 2 parents (both deceased), and their Mother has none.

Hildegard, one of Author's other characters, is one of Nikola's grandparents, though she's been banned from Wellspring City. Author's character Rubberandyoureglue is Nikola's cousin.

Nikola tells people they have 17 grandparents, despite having more.