No promises

Mabel felt a cold bead of sweat trailing down her neck - the boys they… were probably staring at her there! Mabel felt her body grow stiff and her blood rushing to her head - how was she going to even get up like this? Suddenly a weak voice of a drone pierced the awkward silence: “H-hey, aunt Mabel? W-we would like to, you know… talk, and stuff…” Mabel turned her head and cursed in her head as the boys were all so handsome too.

The one speaking stepped forwards, rounded before Mabel and sat down crossing his legs all proper-like: “Uhh… auntie? Is everything ok? Auntie?” The boy was a lot braver than what Mabel had thought which finally gave her the courage to look up at the cute boy with his hair neatly cut with a thick bang going over his forehead - he was wearing the same clothing as the rest, a nice neat black drone’s shirt and a matching skirt with a long hem. All the boys had black hair and they were all slim as was their mother.

“Yes, yes… ehh, I am M-Mabel… please… come all s-sit…” Mabel had never had to talk to this many boys at once and she felt overwhelmed already. Thankfully the boys were obedient and walked into the living room, placing their little handbags on the coffee table and finding a seat. “W-where do I sit? Auntie? Shall I find a c-chair, maybe? From another room?” One of them, a boy with longer hair and straight bangs asked and Mabel was inclined to stand as he took her chair. Mabel bit her finger as all these boys were in her living room all sitting calmly and looking up at her with their big eyes.

“Uhh… w-we should say our names, yes. I-I am Reuben…” The bravest boy stepped up and made a deep bow and smiled at the taller woman - he was the oldest one, that much she knew. He sat down and Mabel waited for the next one who seemed too shy to say it, that meant that she had to encourage him: “Well… I will have to get to know you, as you are my boys now, right? So, who’s Rabbie?” Mabel crossed her arms and the boy with the side cut hair got up and bit his teeth: “M-me… sorry aunt Mabel… I’m just really n-nervous for some reason.” He said and bowed, then he gave a weirdly hostile look at the long haired drone who blushed instantly.

Mabel suspected Rabbie to have meant that the next oldest was indeed the one with the longest hair, the one who took her place just now: “Well, would you also say hello too, Robert, right?” Mabel was right and the long haired boy stood up and bowed, but then realized something and bit his thumb as the boy with the side-cut bursted out to a mean laugh. Robert got red and apologized to his aunt: “S-s-sorry, I-I am R-Robert, n-nice to meet you…” He then made a quick bow and sat back down chewing his bottom lip obviously hurt from the sudden embarrassment.

Mabel didn’t like Rabbie’s reaction to his brother’s little mishap and addressed him: “Please, do not laugh in this matter. Rabbie, do you hear me?” Mabel suddenly saw through the cute face of this Rabbie and gave him a disapproving gaze which he instantly realized and lowered his head: “S-sorry… I didn’t mean anything by it…” Mabel decided to walk to Robert and check up on him as he looked quite sad. Mabel had to get to know these guys sooner or later anyways, so it helped to be supportive from the start.

“Are you ok? It’s fine, you don’t have to be all modest with me, ok? I’m not that well mannered myself, I want us to be on the same page, alright?” Mabel looked at her drones who all nodded. She stood next to Robert who quickly recovered and nervously smiled as Mabel tried to keep her head cool - the oldest one was just barely younger than her, Rebecca was her older sister after all, her boys would be pretty old now.

“I’m Robin… you didn’t ask, but t-that’s my name.” The last boy with the scruffy hair stood up and quickly bowed and sat back down, then took a pillow from the couch which he hugged head down - he was the youngest, the one that Rebecca had difficulties birthing, Mabel gulped. Robin was handsome and small, he had big eyes with thick and beautiful eye-lashes, something Mabel could not find unappealing. She felt her crotch on fire, she was not ready for this, why did Rebecca have such handsome sons?!

“I know! Let’s play a fun game! We play it each time we get more guys to play with!” Reuben the team-leader raised his finger but Rabbie instantly shot it down: “Aunt Mabel doesn’t have a dick, dumbass. We can’t do it with girls, remember?” He didn’t even blush while Mabel started feeling light-headed. “N-not that one… uh, the one where we say two truths and one lie and they have to guess. Lying is bad, but it’s all for fun, right?” He smiled at Mabel who felt like she was getting punished for something with all this tension.

“B-boys… what was that game about pen--” She was cut off as Rabbie exclaimed loudly: “OOOHH! That one, well, I’ll start! Listen up! I am the best attacker in football, I like to see Robert’s ugly face and I am the best at making beds out of anyone here.” He got a cocky smirk and Robert dug deeper in the chair and looked up at Mabel who had grown a bad headache: “It’s the second one. You don’t like Robert, fine. But really, stop being mean.” Mabel said sharply and Rabbie shrugged, which made Mabel feel a little annoyed.

“I can be next. Here comes! I am the single best drone for picking out clothes, I am the single best goalkeeper in football or I am the single best bee there is.” Reuben the kind drone said and smiled sweetly: “You lied about the last one, right?” Mabel smiled back and he nodded: “The best one is aunt Mabel of course!” He smiled even wider and Mabel blushed at the very sudden compliment: “T-thank you, but you better not say that when the queen is around, she might have something to say to that.”

The boy’s smile froze and he looked away nervously. “Can I g-go next?” Robert asked with his soft voice and Mabel nodded, he continued: “I like to play football, I like to...uhhh… play with Rabbie or I like to knit socks.” The unfortunately rude drone bursted out laughing again which made Robert stand up off the chair and look at Mabel with a sad expression again. “He said two lies! Haha! He can’t even play for crap!” Rabbie laughed while the shy boy leaned on Mabel's side and sobbed.

“Really? Oh… ehh… no laughing about that, it’s fine… so you like knitting, that’s… nice.” Mabel guided the boy back in place and he was almost back to normal - Mabel really had to do something about this relationship, just not now. “Nobody asked, but I can do it next…” Robin the lonely drone said with a small voice and to Mabel’s disappointment she had totally forgotten about him already: “P-please go ahead…” She said exhausted. “Well, I like cleaning and... I like it when people leave me out of everything…” He couldn’t finish as he bursted out crying on the sofa pillow he was hugging and Mabel felt very bad - he was so young too, barely an adult bee like her. These drones are so emotional, it's all a little overwhelming.

“Hey, w-we could uhh… would you like to sleep in my bed tonight? We could talk better that way, is that fine?” Mabel remembered the drone specialist’s advice and saw the boy raise his gaze: “O-ok… I guess…” Mabel felt exhausted already and it was only afternoon. She had still a long day ahead of her, being the guardian for these boys was no small feat.