Christmas is on the horizon, my friends. Which means top-notch family time is also on the horizon, which is excellent. I love my family more than anything. But I don't know about some of y'all, but family time often consists of everyone asking if I have a boyfriend and trying to console me as if I'm desperate for a boyfriend or something.
But what if I DID come home with a guy? Specifically, what if I came home with some of the studs from YA (let's ignore age differences that might be present)? Here's how I think that would go:
Adrian Ivashkov from Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series
Okay, here's what I imagine: Adrian would be on his best behavior. He'd have a few mimosas and probably become quick friends with my 25-year-old brother. They'd probably go out for a cigarette together. While they're outside, my brother would undoubtedly tell embarrassing stories about me from when we were growing up. Adrian would smirk like hell and plot the different ways he could use those stories against me. Then my brother would tell Adrian how important I am to him, lowkey threatening him.
Meanwhile inside the house, my oldest brother and my dad would be discussing where they could get a shotgun on Christmas and my sister would scold them because Adrian is very handsome and seems very nice. I'd be sitting in silence aside from several heavy sighs.
Adrian and my brother would come back inside and my sister would make sure Adrian (and everybody else) didn't need anything, and she would find some sort of common ground to talk about with him, being genuinely interested and asking questions. Somewhere along the way, my oldest brother would find out that Adrian is into art, and they would bond over that.
When it comes to opening gifts, my family would have gifts for him, the majority of which would somehow relate to alcohol. And Adrian would have gifts for everyone in my family, and they'd all be very expensive and somehow also perfectly suited for each recipient.
At the end of the night, Adrian would go stay in a hotel and my family would all tell me how much they like him. My dad would tell me to hang onto him because he has money and my sister would scold him and say that's not what matters and then my dad would laugh because she has a very wealthy boyfriend herself.
G from My Lady Jane by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows
First and foremost, G would be awed that everyone is wearing trousers, including the females. My family would be impressed because he brought all my luggage in, including my books. While he was putting my bags in the guest room, my oldest brother and my dad would be discussing where they could get a shotgun on Christmas and my sister would scold them because G is very handsome and seems very nice. I'd be sitting in silence aside from several heavy sighs.
G would also be incredibly baffled by motorized vehicles, so my sister's boyfriend would show him his motorcycles. My brother would offer to take G to his car shop in the following few days. My dad would offer to take him on a drive in his '87 Vette.
When they got back, my sister would ask him if he wants a drink and he'd be too afraid of getting carried away so he would decline. He'd have impeccable manners and my family would laugh and urge him to tone down the formalities. They'd also laugh at the fact that he calls me "my dear" and "my sweet." Eventually he would loosen up and start making jokes. My dad would start teasing him and he'd throw it right back at my dad. Somehow my love of books would come up and my family would start teasing me and G would tease right along with them but eventually say something really cute to me.
When it comes time for gifts, my family would probably get us couple-y gifts and they'd think it adorable that G managed to get me the exact book I wanted. I'd get him a barrel of apples and nobody would understand why that's so funny. G wouldn't have been sure what to get for my family, so the gifts I gave them would have both of our names on them.
At the end of the night, G would be sleeping in a different guest bedroom than me and wondering what kind of impression he made on my family. They'd all tell me that he seems a little weird but also a little perfect for me.
Levi from Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl
(even though this book is more NA than YA)
Levi would walk through the door ready to give out handshakes, side hugs, and large grins. My family would be very enthusiastic and welcome him right on in. Levi would tell my dad what a good girl he's got here and my dad would tell him he's damn right but I'm kinda a spitfire so be careful.
Levi would be very interested in getting to know my family, so he would definitely ask my sister questions about her job (I don't think anyone in my family is 100% sure what she actually does) and she'd show him pictures of how cool her work place is (they have an arcade and a ball pit, among other things) and he'd express extreme jealousy. He'd probably be really interested in the bowling league her and her boyfriend are in as well.
I feel like he'd definitely want to take a dip in my sister's hot tub, so my sister's boyfriend would probably let him borrow swim trunks and then go into the hot tub with him. In the house, my oldest brother and my dad would be discussing where they could get a shotgun on Christmas and my sister would scold them because Levi is very handsome and seems very nice. I'd be sitting in silence aside from several heavy sighs.
When it comes time for presents, Levi probably bought my family little gifts that are somehow all really personal. He'd buy me a couple books and he'd comment that they sounded like something we'd both like so I can read them out loud to him some time.
At the end of the night, Levi would volunteer to sleep on the couch, but he'd be texting me until the moment he falls asleep.
Jace from Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series
Unfortunately, I don't feel as if this homecoming would be as pleasant as the others. Jace would probably walk into the house confident that one look would charm the pants off of all of them, but my family is not so easily wooed. He wouldn't say much when we walk in, but he'd be all smirk. My oldest brother would immediately detect how smug he is. He'd shake hands with my family, but even that would be cocky somehow.
My sister would ask him if he wanted a drink and I think he'd just ask for water because he hates being in unfamiliar places and not completely aware. My dad used to be a boxer and in the Navy, so I'm sure he'd be really interested in that, but he'd talk about his fighting prowess, which would annoy my dad because he hates when people brag. And then somehow my 25-year-old brother's athleticism would come up, and then they'd probably go play some sort of sport in the yard. While they're outside my oldest brother and my dad would be discussing where they could get a shotgun on Christmas and my sister would scold them because Jace is very handsome. I'd have to explain that they just need to get to know him a little bit. He has a lot of defense mechanisms.
When it comes to presents, Jace would probably have some really unique, cool gifts for them all and that would warm them up to him a little bit. And when the night is over, he'd probably be on a cot on the floor, but he wouldn't be able to sleep, so he'd probably slip into the guest bedroom for a little while to talk.
There are some scenarios I imagine if I took certain YA guys home for Christmas.
Which YA guys (or girls) would you want to bring home for the holidays?
